Necromancer
The storm clouds were slowly gathering overhead, the sky becoming grey and dark. Far away, thunder rumbled, but it was not raining, yet at any rate. The small brook where the two men had stopped to water their horses was situated near the borders to Brayards kingdom, where they had travelled to following rumours of sightings of Brayards men encroaching on Camelot's soil. And it had been, for the most part a fruitless exercise. A fact that Arthur Pendragon was inherently pleased about. Brayard had, after the tense negotiations all those years ago, kept to his word and had become one of the greatest allies of Uther and Camelot, and Arthur had despaired when he'd gotten wind of the rumours.
Arthur was sat around the fire Merlin had set up to keep them warm in the mouth of a small cave, Arthur watching as Merlin tended to the horse be the small brook. Above them thunder sounded again, both men looking up at the sky, Arthur looking back at Merlin a moment later, watching as he calmed the horses. Outside the cave large splatters of rain began to fall.
"Come on Merlin, tie off the horses before you get soaked!" Arthur called over to him from the cave. Merlin looked back at him as he led the horses to a sturdy looking tree, before quickly tying them off.
"Are you worrying about me again?" asked Merlin as he entered the cave, and not a moment too soon as the heavens chose that moment to open up full force. Arthur shook his head at him.
"Not really, I just don't want to spend all night smelling wet servant" he replied.
"One day Arthur, you know I might be gone and you'll realise how much you appreciate me" Merlin replied with a laugh.
"Why? you thinking of leaving?" Arthur asked in return. Merlin grinned and shook his head.
"and why would I do that?" he asked, then looked out at the pouring rain. "Especially when it's like that out there" he added. Arthur nodded in agreement.
"Yes, if you did go out in that, you'd probably end up drowned in a pool somewhere without me to save you" he added. Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I would not, besides I can swim you know" he retorted as he set to making dinner.
"Would"
"Would not"
"Would"
"Would not"
"Merlin"
"Would not"
"Shut up" Arthur said. Merlin gave a cheeky grin as he hung a small pot above the fire. The two fell into comfortable silence, Arthur finally pulling free the sword he had recently pulled from the stone, examining it's intricate markings.
"Merlin, In that story, the one about this sword," Arthur began. Merlin looked over at him.
"What about it?"
"Did the sword have a name?" Arthur asked, not taking his eyes from it. Merlin stopped what he was doing, thinking.
"Excalibur" he finally said. Arthur nodded.
"Excalibur" he repeated. "sounds very noble" he admitted.
"Noble sword for a noble king" Merlin replied. Arthur looked up at him then, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smile.
"Why thank you Merlin" he said.
"You're welcome, when we find a noble king let me know and we can let him have it" Merlin replied grinning again. Arthur's eyes went wide and he pointed the sword at him.
"I can of course make you sleep out there if you'd like" he said, gesturing to the rain in mock annoyance.
"Okay, you have a point" Merlin said. Arthur smiled at his small victory, glad for the banter. Merlin went back to preparing dinner for them and finally handed a bowl to Arthur, before taking one for himself. The rain outside, if anything had intensified. They ate in silence, Arthur's thoughts turning to his queen, who would no doubt be fretting that her Husband and friend were out in this somewhere, smiling at the thought. Merlin however busied himself with cleaning the bowls, before he settled on the hard dirt of the cave floor, leaning against the wall. Arthur watching him as Merlin slowly drifted off to sleep. It amazed him how easily Merlin could fall asleep practically anywhere, but Merlin's actions had a point. They weren't going anywhere tonight. So slowly he lay himself down, closing his eyes.
"Arthur" the voice was a whisper on the wind, Arthur jolting awake at the sound. He sat up, looking around. The fire was still going strong, and the rain was still pouring outside. He looked over at Merlin, the servant was on his side curled into a little ball facing the wall as he slept. Arthur listened, feeling the wind from outside brushing his face. He shook his head, the quietly stood.
"Arthur" the voice again. He spun around, looking for someone, anyone to be speaking. He briefly entertained the thought it was Merlin playing one of his pranks, but although Merlin could be a girl at times, he certainly didn't sound like one. And the voice had been a woman's voice.
"Hello?" he whispered.
"Here Arthur" it sounded from the back of the cave. Slowly Arthur picked up Excalibur. "you need no weapons Arthur, I will not harm you" the voice whispered. Arthur rolled his eyes, holstering the sword to himself anyway. He might be many things, but he wasn't an idiot. He picked up on of the burning logs from the fire, and turning, made his way towards the back of the cave.
The torch flickered as it cast shadows around him as he moved, leaving the part of the cave where Merlin slept, into a small passage and out into an even bigger cavern. There was a small lake in the centre of it, it's still waters clear as glass.
"Hello?" he called out again. And jumped as a hand placed itself on his shoulder. He whipped around, hand of the hilt of his sword, eyes wide, then he felt panic.
"Hello my son" Said Ygraine, as she smiled at him.
"What…." He breathed.
Ygraine smiled at Arthur, gesturing to the cave around him.
"The spirit cavern" she said. "A place where the deceased may come briefly when they wish to interact with the world"
"This is a lie" Arthur said.
"I know that is how you feel, when Morgause showed me to you, that was a lie. I wanted so much to interfere, to tell you what was happening, but the wards she had placed were too powerful" Ygraine told him softly. "But when I felt you here, in the cave. I had to see you, to tell you how proud I am of you" she said.
"How comes I've never heard of this place then?" Arthur demanded, still weary.
"This place was hidden so many years ago, less… your father defiled it" she said. "Few remember its name, fewer still remember its location" she explained.
"Why did you call me?" he asked. Ygraine smiled at him.
"As I said, I need to see you, to see the man my son has grown into, to tell you how proud I am of you" she said, then her face fell. "And to warn you" she added.
"Warn me? Of what?" Arthur asked.
"You are going to be betrayed my son, by someone you hold close to your heart"
"Too late, Morgana already did that" he said. Ygraine shook her head.
"Morgana's downfall was a tragedy, but I speak not of her"
"Then who?"
"I speak of he who has faithfully served you for many years" she said.
"Gaius? he'd never betray me"
"No, Gaius is loyal and always will be loyal to you. But that loyalty will soon be tested. I speak of his ward. I speak of Merlin" she said.
"Merlin?" Arthur choked back a laugh. "He's many things ghost, but he is no traitor" Arthur said.
"I know that is how you feel, but if nothing else, watch him, watch him closely" she pleaded, "For he, more than anyone has lied to you, deceived you for many years" she said.
"I don't believe you" Arthur said.
"I know my son, and if you could feel the hurt it causes me to tell you of this-" she looked up and around the cavern. "-but I have stayed too long already, please, do as I ask, I love you my son" she said, as she began to fade. Arthur instinctively reaching out.
"Wait!" he yelled.
"In the pool, the dagger, it is the only way to save your friend, to take the darkness from him" she said, as she faded to nothing. Arthur blinking at the empty air. Slowly he walked forwards, looking down into the pool, it wasn't deep, not at all. And as Ygraine had said, at the bottom of the pool was a large dagger. He reached forwards, slowly. Pulling back, his mind whirling with possibilities, with emotions.
Merlin was his friend.
Ygraine was his mother.
Slowly he reached in, pulling the dagger from the pool. He turned it over in his hand. It felt cold to his touch, icy even. He rubbed a finger across the blade, wincing as it cut flesh. He put the wound to his mouth, then staggered slightly. His eyes glowing red for the briefest of moments. He shook his head, then turned leaving the cavern.
Across from him, in the shadows, A woman with blood red lips watched as Arthur left, her dark hair cascading down her back, her blue eyes full of malice.
"Far too easy" Nimueh muttered.
"There you are" said Merlin as Arthur walked back into the front of the cavern. Eyes wide as he moved towards him.
"Worried about me were you?" Arthur asked.
"Well yes" Merlin said.
"Merlin, as touching as your dedication is, there are some things that a king must keep private, like peeing" Arthur said. Merlin scrunched his face up.
"Okay, I'll give you that" he said. He expected Arthur to chuckle or something, instead he moved past Merlin and sat down by the wall, looking out into the rain soaked darkness. Merlin sitting down where he had been, warming his hands on the fire.
"Merlin" Arthur said.
"Yes?"
"How well do I know you, really I mean?" Arthur asked. Merlin frowned and shrugged.
"Better then most people I think, why?"
"And you don't have any secrets from me right? Us being friends and all?" he added.
"I have some, but…. Arthur what's this about?" Merlin asked.
"I've been thinking, a lot actually, about how well I know people that I trust the most. And of everyone Merlin, you. Your still an enigma to me most of the times. Servant boy, wise man, goofy, yet sometimes graceful. There are so many sides to you, and I never know which one to trust"
"They're all part of me" said Merlin moving over to him. "I'm not strong, I'm not clever, but I try to do what's best" he said.
"And that's what worries me sometimes. The way you look, I've seen you animated, I've seen you closed off. And I've seen you with the look on your face that you have killed" Arthur said.
"Arthur I've never-"
"Agravane, he never returned from chasing us. Why is that?" Arthur cut in. Merlin looked away.
"I don't know, maybe he figured with Morgana out of the picture he'd best stay away" Merlin offered. Arthur watched his face. Suddenly he grabbed Merlin.
"LIAR!" he roared at him. Merlin pulled back, or tried to at any rate, Merlin flinching as Arthur pulled a dagger free from his belt, one Merlin had never seen before.
"Arthur what are you doing?" Merlin asked, his voice soft.
"Finally growing up it seems" Arthur spat.
"Okay, I have secrets Arthur but you can't know them, not yet!" Merlin said, then his eyes went wide.
"Arthur your eyes" he said, for they were glowing a dark red. "Arthur whatever this is you need to fight it!" Merlin struggled. Arthur leant close to Merlin.
"No, Merlin. I need to deal with yet another traitor it seems" he hissed. Merlin's eyes went wide as he felt the dagger enter his chest, the look of shock on his face, of hurt and sorrow.
"Arthur?" he gasped looking down at the dagger even as Arthur pulled it free. Arthur was sweating, his eyes back to normal. His features blank. Slowly Arthur stood, even as Merlin toppled onto his side.
"Why?" Merlin asked. Arthur, said nothing in response, instead he turned and walked away from his dying friend, out into the rain. Behind him Merlin watched for one more moment, then fell still, Arthur dropping the dagger onto the mud, as he untied the horses and mounted, before riding away.
Nimueh stepped forwards, kneeling by Merlin, stroking his hair softly.
"Such a pity" she said, turning him over, looking at the wound in his chest. "But you, my dear Emry's. You're task is far from over" she said, placing a glowing hand on the wound, not closing it, but forcing the young warlock to cling to life while the daggers true purpose worked through his body. Satisfied that he was not about to die, she stood.
"You have no idea of the pain you caused me, the pain of spending endless amount's of magic rebuilding my physical form, just so I could witness this glorious day. And you, Merlin, you are going to be the ultimate tool of my vengeance" she said. Then she looked back the way Arthur had gone.
"And you, Arthur, have no idea of what you have just set in motion" she said, then with a laugh she vanished.
"The king has returned my lady" Gwen looked up from where she was sitting.
"Thank you Leon" she replied, standing. Leon bowed and left the room as Gwen watched the door. A moment later Arthur walked in, pulling her to an embrace.
"you're cold" she said with a smile.
"I'll be fine" he replied, removing his soaked tunic and tossing it over the back of the chair.
"How was the investigation?" she asked.
"Nothing, if Brayard was sending his troops over the border, I saw no sigh of it" he said. Gwen nodded, pleased as Arthur sat on the bed, taking his boots off.
"Finally a nice warm bed" he muttered. Gwen chuckled at him, then looked at the door as it opened, and a servant entered carrying Gwen's lunch. She placed it on the table and then left quietly. Arthur sitting up and taking an apple.
"Merlin will have yours up here in a minute, don't be greedy" she said. Arthur paused, blinking.
"Merlin" he muttered. Gwen looked at him.
"Your servant, you know, goofy grins, all arms and legs?" she said. Arthur looked at her, mouth open.
"No…" he said. Gwen suddenly became very concerned.
"Arthur. Where is Merlin?" she asked. Arthur did the last thing she expected at the point. He began to cry.
"Arthur!" she said, taking his hand.
"no no no no no no no no" he muttered over and over. He looked at Gwen, and she pulled away as his eyes went red for just a moment before fading to normal.
"What have I done Gwen. Oh my gods. What have I done?" he asked as he broke down.
"We should make Camelot before nightfall I hope" said the old man, as his granddaughter led him safely through the forest.
"Grandfather, you need rest" she replied.
"nonsense my child, I'm fit as a fiddle thank you very much" he replied. His granddaughter rolled her eyes, but smiled.
"You think I'll be able to find work there?" she asked him.
"We can but try, and if not we'll just go on to the next kingdom" he said to her. She smiled at him nodding.
"Help please" the voice was soft, pained. The two stopped, looking around.
"what in the world?" the Grandfather asked, looking around.
"There!" his granddaughter said pointing at the form of a man, his head was lolled to the side, his raven black hair caked with dirt, and he was pale.
"Stay here" the grandfather whispered to his granddaughter.
"But-"
"Just stay here, I'll be but a moment" he said, moving over to the man. He knelt down, turning the man over.
"Good lord what happened to you?" he asked, looking at the wound on his chest. The man on the ground opened his eyes, they were a light blue, and he smiled up at him.
"Thank you" he whispered.
"Easy my lad, we'll have you sorted in a second"
"It's okay, I don't need bandages" he whispered.
"I really think you do" the old man replied. The young man smiled, then with a sudden force his hand shot up, gripping the old man around the throat.
"Just need you" the man replied, the old man gagging, even as his body began to age, the man on the floor's eyes glowing.
"Grandfather!" screamed the girl as the man on the floor dropped the corpse, before sitting up. He looked at the girl, then smiled as he stood. She took one look at her grandfather's corpse, then turned and ran, going as fast as could, even as tears streamed down her face.
Behind her Merlin began to give chase…
