Merlin... The Tree of Idad

Chapter 1

It was a cold day on the Northern plains, a barren landscape looking bleak and desolated. The place was always cold, like an eternal autumn with fog, storms, and pouring rain. Rumours were going through all five kingdoms it was the work of magic, although no one could present any proof. These stories came from the minds of over-imaginative folk, but Merlin felt it may be true - at least in part.

He experienced a dull feeling inside his normally overactive and alert mind. He had once broken a finger when it got caught in the door as Arthur slammed it. Gaius had given him a potion to numb the pain - this was how his mind felt now. It was as if some living entity were pushing away his awareness.

Next to the numbness, Merlin felt utterly miserable and he was certain he would never be warm again. Thick fog clung to everyone's clothes, face, and hair until everything - including the horses - was moist and felt clammy. Along with Sir Leon and four other knights, Arthur and he had been away from Camelot for a long time now - searching for Lady Morgana. They were constantly on horseback, constantly on the lookout, and constantly away from decent fire and food.

King Uther was beyond reasoning, but this wasn't a surprise. When the man set his mind on something, there was no swaying him. Finding Morgana had become a constant in their lives because of the king. It didn't matter if it was summer or winter or if they had to go without warm food for days on end; he wanted her found.

It made Merlin wonder why the king cared so much in the first place. It wasn't like their relationship had been great. Morgana had turned against Uther and Camelot both. Many things had occurred before it actually happened, and Merlin wondered if he could have prevented any of it.

Going there made him feel even more miserable. Guilt still ate away at him for his part in this, for not reaching out to her. He wanted to believe poisoning Morgana had been the only way to save Camelot, but his faith didn't come as easily as it once had. Was this the burden of destiny, or was he simply growing up?

He let his gaze wander, but with the fog there wasn't much to see. In fact he had to concentrate to keep an eye on Arthur's back. There weren't many sheltered places, no dry caves or forests, and it made travelling a very depressing experience. For the tenth time that day, Merlin wished he were back in Camelot sitting by a fire and eating Gaius' turnip stew - and cooking was not the physician's fortes.

He let out a miserable sigh, probably loud enough for everyone to hear in the silence of this cold foggy world, but he didn't care. Not even when he saw Arthur turn around on his horse,

squinting to meet his eyes.

"What's wrong, Merlin?" The prince drawled in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Missing your mum?"

"Missing my bed; missing my food." Merlin mumbled, not loud enough for Arthur to pick up on it, while he flinched as water dripped inside the back of his shirt from his hair.

Arthur didn't react, which was a surprise. He just shook his head, turned back, and pulled the reins to stop his trusty stallion while raising a hand. "We'll make camp here." His voice sounded weary all of a sudden, making Merlin realise he wasn't the only one feeling miserable.

Merlin dismounted and took in the surroundings as best he could, glad to be out of the saddle. He tried to push all his magically enhanced senses through the fog, assessing the land and possible threats.

There was a large hill to their right, and a small patch of trees. Arthur must have noticed it before he did, and it made sense the prince wanted to make camp there. There would be a hill at their back, trees to at least offer a little bit of shelter against the harsh climate, and Merlin could hear a small brook nearby. He'd often wondered how Arthur found these places, but he never asked. The man was cocky enough without him encouraging it.

The man in question was waving at them with the true air of a leader. "Merlin, see to the horses; Sir Leon and Sir Durnure, build a fire and gather the rations - the rest of you can secure the perimeter for now. Be on your guard everyone; these are dangerous grounds."

Merlin rubbed his nose in an attempt to warm it, sniffed loudly wondering if he would get a cold, and almost stumbled over a rock while he set out to see to their mounts. His toes and hands felt so numb, it was a miracle he didn't actually fall flat on his face.

"I know you were born clumsy, Merlin. You don't have to prove a point to me." The prince flashed him an annoying grin. "And stop sniffing."

"I might get a cold."

"And here I was hoping for something more serious"

"Very funny, my lord."

Merlin could hear some of the knights snicker in good humour at that comment, which gave him a little more confidence than he normally felt with a Camelot patrol. This small group of men was actually very nice to him and treated him with respect, even though he was just a servant.

"Arthur?"

"Merlin?"

"Are you certain the information we got about Morgana's whereabouts is genuine?"

All Merlin knew was this information had been given to King Uther by a travelling merchant who had told the king a friend had seen his ward, held prisoner by a band of mercenaries travelling North. The king hadn't even questioned the story. He had always been single-minded about magic, but had become even more so about finding Morgana.

No matter what the council said, no matter what Gaius told him, every lead had to be followed and every leaf had to be turned. Arthur complied every time without question - it was crazy. What if the information was correct and they would be up against Morgause? Would he be able to save both Arthur and Morgana from her wrath? There was no question about her intentions; Morgause had made it clear she was their enemy.

"Why all these questions?" Arthur's voice betrayed slight annoyance. Merlin couldn't blame him, as he'd questioned their quests before and Arthur had always, patiently, made it clear it wasn't up to him to decide. This wouldn't stop Merlin from asking, though.

"I was just thinking."

"Are you sure your head isn't going to explode?"

"Seriously."

Arthur bent his head and let out a deep sigh. "Just… Go and water the horses, Merlin."

Arthur felt bone-tired, but wasn't about to admit it. His father had set this task for him, and he didn't trust anyone else to find Morgana. One thing was clear in Arthur's mind: he was not going to disappoint his father. Though this got harder and harder every time they came home without her. The anger and sadness in his father's eyes intensifying, resulting in little rest and a new quest. Arthur didn't mind he had to endure the hardship of travelling across the lands. But he did mind when it concerned his knights. His men needed proper rest, so he only took out small groups the last couple of times.

He was also worried about his servant. Merlin looked so pale and exhausted lately he started to trip over his own two feet. Although he had never asked the man if he would want to stay at home, he knew if he did Merlin would dismiss it and come along anyway. It's who he was, and Arthur knew it sometimes seemed like he took it for granted. But he didn't. He actually felt much better when Merlin was around, which was totally confusing and disturbing in a way because the man could annoy him to no end with his endless stream of questions.

If his father trusted the information this merchant, Averey of the green oaks or something, had given them, it was up to him to see it through. Even if it meant travelling to a bleak and desolated place like this one was. And of course he himself had questioned the truth behind the man's story, but as there was no way to verify it within a short period of time, there was no doubt in Arthur's mind they would set out on another cold uncomfortable trip. And nothing Merlin had brought up could convince him otherwise. Merlin and his funny feelings.

Dawn had set in quickly after they'd made camp. With the sunlight being blocked by the ever present clouds and fog, it was certainly much darker at night. It set his teeth on edge because everything, or everyone could sneak up on them this way. It was so hard to make a fire in these circumstances as well, with every twig, log or piece of grass dripping with moisture. Leon had tried to light a fire tonight, and it had taken him ages, until Merlin had helped out. The boy had the ability to light fires in the most difficult circumstances, and to keep them going.

Gazing over the light of said fire, he saw the young man eating his supper. A thick blanket hugged tightly around his thin frame. No wonder Merlin was constantly cold. He had no meat on him, at all. One storm and he would snap like a twig. The idea made Arthur smile to himself, while he downed some of the stew Merlin had cooked for them with Leon's help. It was great to see this group of loyal knights so comfortable with each other.

Quickly spooning the last bits of the stew into his mouth, Arthur felt his tense muscles relax near the warmth of the fire. He couldn't stop a yawn from appearing, hoping no one had seen it. He hadn't slept much in the last months and it seemed to be catching up on him. It was only fair to his exhausted men he took first watch though. It was what he did, it was his duty, and no way would he fall asleep while doing so.

Standing up he stretched his arms, inhaling the cold evening air. It seemed to wake him up, but only a little. He wondered if he should walk to the small brook nearby and splash some cold water onto his face. Him standing seemed to be a cue for the others to stand up as well. Arthur knew Leon would ask him if he could have first watch, but also knew the loyal knight would accept the prince doing so himself. It was an evening ritual.

Before the question was raised though, Arthur could feel something change in the unmoving foggy world around him. The air wasn't stationary anymore, but it started swirling, closing in on them. The flames of the campfire were getting brighter, higher too. Someone was coming. Not just someone, but a whole group by the looks of it. Who on Earth would travel through these desolate lands, Arthur wondered, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

Slowly, as if they were gliding through the fog, the group made itself known to them. The ones who could be seen were men and all were wearing cloaks and hoods. It looked eerie to see the fog break where they walked. As if it was magic, and Arthur didn't like it one bit.

"Druids." Leon whispered to his left, sword ready in his hand but in a non threatening way. The senior knight was holding it lightly, its point tipped to the ground. He motioned the other knights to do the same, while they all stood observing the mysterious people walking their way.

The large group of hooded figures slowly but steadily moved in a semi wide circle around them. They looked menacing in this fire lid world, but Arthur had dealt with these people before and he wasn't afraid. These people were friendly, most of the time. They might have a warning for them, but these were peaceful clans. At least they had been.

A little voice inside of him was telling him he should be on his guard, maybe this group could not be trusted. And Arthur for one, always listened to that voice inside of his head, so even without being afraid he was definitely cautious, his hand grabbing a tight hold on the hilt of his sword.

"These are not druids." Merlin's urgent whisper reached him from behind.

"How do you know that?" He asked without taking his eyes off the largest druid nearby. A dark skinned man who had taken off his hood, and who was observing the two of them. The other knights didn't seem to be of interest to him, his gaze solely fixed on Arthur, a tiny all knowing smile playing on his full lips.

"They carry weapons." Merlin answered, while Arthur could feel his servant taking a step closer to his right, as if in search of protection. Typical. Arthur sometimes wondered why he took Merlin along in the first place when the young man kept hiding and cowering every time there was trouble. The little voice in his head told him this wasn't true, but he ignored it.

The druid, who was obviously their leader had done one step forward without saying a word, raising both his arms, hands extended to the sky. It didn't look or feel like anything threatening to Arthur, but he could hear Merlin gasp, as if he was in pain.

"What the..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a bolt of fire the size of a melon shot up into the night sky, turning and falling down it landed right in the middle of their campfire, sparks flying everywhere. It wasn't only the fire, it felt like a solid wave crashing into him and Arthur was almost blown off his feet.

He found a steady hand, Merlin, holding them up and without further thought, mostly on instinct he pulled out his sword facing their foes. He was vaguely aware of his knights. Sir Leon was still standing, as well as Sir Durnure, who was peculiarly balancing on his feet. The others had been lifted off theirs by the invisible magical force, laying sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Arthur wondered instantly why Merlin was still standing, considering his weight.

Arthur pulled himself together, his sword pointed at the druid group, at their leader who had taken a step closer once more, not being intimidated by cold steel it seemed. Why in the world would they attack them out of nowhere, with no apparent reason? What was the meaning of it?

"What do you want?" Arthur asked, his voice raised above the high roaring camp fire, "we haven't done anything to harm you."

"We want you, Arthur Pendragon."

The druids' hand was raised again and he could hear Leon cry out behind him, but he didn't dare to turn around, his focus remaining on the man who stood in front of him, unmoving with an intrigued look in his dark eyes, as if he was wondering what someone like Arthur could do to him.

"Leave my knights alone, if you want me, come and fight me!"

It felt like a fist had entered his stomach, twisting. The agony of it pushed like white hot lightning through his whole body, and it made him clench his teeth. He was not going to succumb to this man and his dark magic. He, Arthur Pendragon would fight until the very end if he could help it.

His heart started racing, throbbing loudly in his chest and head. His knees gave way while he couldn't fight it anymore, the pain was too strong, piercing its way into every fibre of his body. He was vaguely aware of Merlin, grabbing his arms and trying to haul him up again, but he couldn't. All Arthur could manage was a cry, while everything around him started to fade until there was nothing.

The knights still standing had been thrown back with a vengeance racing through Merlin's blood like a galloping horse. The powerful dark magic was clinging to him like a suffocating blanket, and his own magic instantly rebelled against such use of force. It made Merlin's stomach retch in a painful way, and he could only hope the knights down were still alive, although he wasn't too sure as his focus was on Arthur and the druid in front of them. He shouldn't even call them druids.

How come he hadn't felt them approach earlier? The darkness in the air mixed with the fog had muddled his senses, he couldn't explain it any other way. The uneasy feeling he'd had for days, maybe it had nothing to do with the weather, but everything with this group? Had they been following them? Was this a trap? So many questions were running through his head, it felt like it was about to explode.

Arthur was bending over in pain gripping his stomach while his knees hit the damp cold ground. The prince let out a cry of anguish, as his sword fell out of his useless hands.

"No!" Merlin grabbed his arms, trying to pull him back up, but failing. He was ready to strike out with his magic at these so called druids. Anything to stop them from hurting his friend. This group was dangerous, and Merlin scolded himself for not realising it sooner. Before they had time to strike against the knights, and above all, Arthur. He had to protect Arthur at all costs. "Stop it!"

"You are Emrys." A voice suddenly vibrated through his frantic mind, dark brown eyes of the tall dark man nearby pierced right through his soul. It wasn't the pleasant murmuring of the druids he had met before. This felt like it penetrated him, ignoring his personal space and only demanding, not asking consent.

"What do you want?" He bit back. If the man wanted to speak to him like this, so be it. He could do intimidating if he put his mind to it. At least he hoped he could.

The man smiled down at them, unmoving, while Merlin protectively bend over Arthur's now still form. "We have come to educate you, to pull you away from the path of destruction you are on. The path of Uther and Arthur Pendragon and the mighty Camelot. A place where magic is forbidden, and where you cannot practice your abilities enough to become the most powerful warlock ever."

"What?" Was that what this was about? They weren't after Arthur at all, but wanted him? Merlin tried to wrap his mind around the ridiculous idea. Why would anyone want to try and educate him? Why would anyone even think this possible? He would never leave Camelot, or Arthur's side. Didn't they know about his true destiny? If not, he should make it clear to them. Right now.

"No, you're wrong. It's my destiny to be at Arthur's side, to protect him. When he's king he will restore magic to the lands, and I have to be there to guide him."

"No, Emrys, you are the one who's wrong," the man still spoke inside his mind, harshly, seemingly without much understanding what made Merlin who he was. "You need proper education, with your own kind. Not with someone who would rather see us all dead. Someone who would not hesitate to chop your head off if he only knew who you really were. You are living a lie."

"You don't understand." Merlin hovered over Arthur, who was still unconscious and he swallowed, hard. How could he make this man understand? A man who sounded so totally sure of himself Merlin estimated his chances of doing so were slim to none. There was a strange vibrating darkness surrounding this druid, the likes Merlin had never felt before.

"I can give you the right training!" The voice all but shouted in his mind.

"I don't need your training, I need you to stop hurting my friends, to let us all go."

"The knights can return to their home, but Prince Arthur will stay our prisoner until you comply with our wishes. We do not want to harm the both of you any more than is necessary, but we will do whatever needs doing for you to comply."

"And what makes you think I care?"

The man seriously gaped at him for a second, definitely taken aback by his words; then burst out laughing. "What are you taking us for?" He said it out loud this time. His booming voice sounded even more foreboding through the looming fog.

"Who are you?" Even though Merlin still felt the urge to use his magic, he knew it wouldn't match the dark power of this group. He was definitely outnumbered, with Arthur and the knights to consider. If he and Arthur were taken prisoner, they probably had a chance to escape. He might as well play along, for now, even though his magic was roaring inside, ready for use.

"We are the Arn Ree-ocht Fane," the druid bowed his head, as if showing him respect, but Merlin knew better. He could feel only the darkness, envy even. "And it will be an honour to teach you."

And as if he could read Merlin's thoughts, or feel his magic, those dark eyes bore into his. "If you so much as think of using your magic against me, I have to warn you. I have my hand around the Pendragon's heart and it will crush the life out of him if you do not comply." The man lifted one hand as if to enhance his thread. "I am more powerful than you are right now, you have much to learn, Emrys."

"If it means learning from someone who threatens my friends, I'll pass, thank you."

"I do not think you realise you have no choice in the matter."

"There's always a choice."

TBC