Author Notes: Set after season three. Arthur newly crowned after Uther steps down. Gwen and Lancelot's affair has already started, Gwaine the only one who knows about it. Oh and set as if Merlin never fell in love with Freya and that Arthur did not need a kiss from Gwen to fall out of love with Vivian. Story mostly Arthur's POV.
Author Notes: I don't ever post my own OC stories but I couldn't help but share this one. If you want to know more about Elaide (my OC) I might put up her info on my page, not guaranteed.
Author Notes: Merlin's screams I imagined to sound similar to what George sounds like when transforming into a werewolf from Being Human, if you haven't seen it before then check it out, it's brilliant! Also when Emrys shows Arthur his past and future I imagined being like how Glory from season 5 of Buffy made her victims go insane.
Warning: Merlin/Arthur pairing later on, Lancelot/Gwen, violent scenes and quite a few deaths.
Emrys: The Love And War Of Men And Their Gods:
Chapter 1: Of Knowing And Changing:
The two Knights held their King back in the physician's chambers. Gaius was out in the lower towns which left Merlin completely open to attack from the new King.
Arthur didn't intend to have Gwen there but she had followed along, determined to know what was going on.
Arthur had discovered Merlin's secret.
"How dare you lie to me?" Arthur spat in rage, whilst being held back by Gwaine and Lancelot, though most of his anger came from the hurt that Merlin had never trusted him than the actual magic itself.
Arthur had been King for four months now and had already undone his father's law on magic much to Uther's dismay. Though the old King had not bothered to undermine his son, as he was soon going to be leaving this world. Uther was dying and it seemed now not only must Arthur grieve for a dying father and run a kingdom, but must contempt also with the knowledge that his most trusted friend was not what he had seemed.
"How could I Arthur, your father would of had my head cut from my body within seconds." Merlin answered, crying as Gwen tried to soothe him, standing slightly in front of the sorcerer so as to halt Arthur's charge should Gwaine and Lancelot's grip slacken.
"I would have protected you! After all this time, you . . . you" anger broke through into the blonde's voice "I thought I could trust you!"
"You can trust me Arthur." Merlin sobbed, his eyes making contact at last.
"How can I, only know after I've changed the law on magic do you reveal yourself" Arthur stops, eyes shut tight, pain now showing on his face as he added "would you have ever told me?"
Merlin dropped his gaze, looking to the floor and did not reply. It answered Arthur's question none the less. The King's head dropped, holding back tears he didn't realise he would have to hold.
"He's only ever used his magic to help you Arthur" Gwaine spoke up in defence of his friend, him and Lancelot having released Arthur from their hold as his anger subsided.
"You knew!" Arthur's rage returned, now facing his knight.
Gwaine simply nodded before the other knight in the room spoke his knowledge of Merlin's power too "I also knew Arthur" Lancelot said in slight shame at lying to his King but then remembered he had done so to protect the life of an even greater friend and his disgrace instantly left his face.
Arthur couldn't look at them; it seemed everyone had been keeping him in the dark, his bloodshot eyes turned to Gwen "Did you know?"
Gwen only shook her head. The King wanted to believe her but his mind could not process another lie if it had to.
"Gwaine and Lancelot only kept it secret to protect me, so I could protect you" Merlin said now with more courage, moving around Gwen to face the emotional blonde.
"What luck I must have had then with a stupid idiot to look after me."
"A lot of luck actually." Merlin wiped away the tears from his tear stained face as he prepared to fight his point. "Everything magical that has endangered Camelot since I've been here has all been defeated by me. All the credit you have taken whilst I have been in your service was false. I did it all!" Merlin raised his voice but not enough to sound threatening. The sorcerer began listing some of the things he had done:
"I created that tornado in Ealdor, I killed Nimueh, I -"
"Who's Nimueh?" the King interrupted.
"Shut up, I stopped Sophia, who actually was a fae, from giving away your soul"
"I knew you couldn't ever knock me out"
"Stop interrupting! I was the old man who saved Gwen."
"That was you!"
"Again with the interruptions! I killed Morgause, I control dragons" Merlin huffed annoyance "basically I've saved your life a lot" he sarcastically emphasised.
Before Arthur could respond, if he could at all from the revelation of Merlin's past actions, a clash of thunder had sounded, yet not from outside. The room filled with white light, Arthur's eyes narrowed as purple mist surrounded the floor of the physician's quarters; he traced the mist to its source in the middle of the room. There was another clap of thunder and the group were startled to see a woman wearing a ranger's outfit of browns and greens, a flowing cape behind her. A sword was sheathed at her side in a warn leather scabbard. She was staring down at the floor, her long brown hair flowing out in front of her head; she looked up and the group could see that the flesh around her sea green eyes were painted different colours, the left blood red and the right a dark sky blue.
"Merlin they know" The woman began to speak, her voice quick and fearful "We have to leave now."
Merlin looked as confused as the others at the young woman, though her next statement brought fear into his heart and for his eyes to widen in terror. "Mordred and Morgana have united; they know how to release Emrys."
The group stiffened at the mention of the traitorous ward though Merlin was deliberating what this knowledge meant for him.
"Let's go" the sorceress repeated herself, Merlin nodding his agreement walked towards her though he was interjected by his King.
"You're not going anywhere Merlin" the blonde ordered his manservant.
"Arthur I don't have time to explain" Merlin pushed passed the King.
"The hell you don't" Arthur grabbed hold of his manservant to stop him and everything went black.
Everyone, including the new mystery woman was standing in the middle of a dark, eerie forest. It was still day yet light was scarce as each ray of sunlight struggled to break through the canopy of trees that tangled with each other, fighting for room to grow and twist in the forest.
The knights now all unsheathed their swords, including the 'ranger' woman as the Lady Morgana and the boy Mordred stepped out from the shadows. Before any of those from Camelot could react the child Mordred's eyes shimmered gold and Merlin was ripped from where he stood and flew towards Mordred, landing at the disturbing child's feet. Mordred placed his hands either side of Merlin's head as Morgana forced his mouth open, pouring a black liquid mess down his throat, burning his insides. Mordred was now reciting some foreign ancient language that the King had never heard from any sorcerers tongue.
Arthur whilst watching had instinctively ran forward, his knights at his side, only to be flung back by his menacing sister. They were all rooted to the ground, unable to move.
An ear piercing scream broke them all from their attempts to move.
Merlin was now lying on the forest floor clawing at his head, he was screaming in so much pain, the noise high pitched and striking that those around him held their hands against their ears, though that did not stop the sound of the petrifying screaming that escaped from Merlin's lungs.
The shrieking noise continued to break from Merlin; Morgana and Mordred standing far back. Merlin was now on his knees facing his friends.
"Elaide!" Merlin screeched, talking making the pain much harder to endure, it felt like his brain was splitting in two. "Get them out of here!"
"We're unable to move, my magic is limited, I can't get us away." The mystery woman, whose name was now known to the others replied, a hidden plea in her voice asking Merlin to somehow do something.
Merlin understood that the only way that his friends could be saved is if he fought this spell and released them. Even thinking this made Merlin's pain intensify. The sorcerer breathed deeply repeating this action, steadying himself so as to release his friends from no doubt one of Morgana or Mordred's spell.
Merlin locked eyes with his childhood friend, indicating for her to be ready to transfer herself and the others away. Elaide nodded her head.
Merlin screaming and hurting fought with his last ounce of strength and the free will left in him, released the hold that was on his friends.
As soon as the King felt that he could once more move he ran to Merlin, only to be stopped by engulfing purple smoke that not only surrounded him, but everyone who had came from Camelot, except for Merlin.
Arthur found himself to be surrounded by another forest, though this time a thatched village stood before him and his companions. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lancelot move over to comfort Gwen while Gwaine examined with a deathly glare at the woman who had brought them here.
People were out in the open, going round speaking in friendly chatter while children played in the nearby farming fields much to the dismay of the farmers who were ploughing the fields at the time. The people acknowledged their presence for little of a second before returning to whatever they had been doing.
Elaide turned to face those who had travelled with her to her home, anger and sadness mixing together at the loss of Merlin.
"Why didn't you bring Merlin with us?" Gwaine was the first to speak.
"It was too late for Merlin; there was nothing I could do."
"What do you mean it was too late? Where are we?" Gwen asked, fearful for her friend, whilst still gripping hold of Lancelot's arm.
"And who the hell are you, in fact what are you?" Gwaine snapped.
"My name is Captain Elaide Druce of the resistance army of Wessex, and I have known Merlin his whole life. I have magic like Merlin, but it is limited, specialised really in the power of the mind. This" she indicates around her "is my village, Daminôrh, in the forest of Draíocht, the forest of magic. It is a place for those with magic to live and in times of danger, to hide." Elaide explained "The village is protected by a magical barrier that my aunt put in place, though Emrys will have the power to break through."
"Who the hell is Emrys?" Arthur asks, impatient for the woman to explain everything and get to the part about Merlin.
Elaide sighed, there was no time for teaching a history lesson, yet if they were to be able to defeat or at least hold Emrys back, she would need help from Arthur and the power he held over the lands to do it. "Emrys is the origins of magic, a God of the old religion. The old ones could not control him or his bloodlust and thirst for power. So they trapped him within the mortal world inside the body of a baby, in Merlin." She explained, her voice now turning into a bitter tone "and I was trying to get Merlin here, to keep him safe from Mordred, but now Emrys has been released."
Arthur and his friends took in the story. The King soon became guilty; if he had not caused a fuss then Elaide would have got Merlin out quicker and would have been safe within the border of this village.
A sudden loud echo sounded throughout the village, causing panic amongst the people. The loud crashing of noise continued at a fast and steady pace.
"What's going on?" The King demanded.
"The barrier" Elaide then cursed under her breath, looking out to the forest then back to the people and her village. "The barrier is breaking. Emrys is trying to break through."
"How long do we have?" Arthur pressed.
"Not long" was the woman's answer before she turned to her people "Get inside" she shouted "Get into your home, protect yourselves and each other."
"How do we defeat him then?" Gwaine questioned.
"Only through death can Emrys be defeated. Only a weapon of the dead forged by dragons breath has enough power to do the job, any other weapon will simply cause no harm to him."
Elaide looked at him "Only two exist. Excalibur, a sword of strength against magic; or mine." She grasped the hilt of her sword within its scabbard "Penrice, the shield against magic. Excalibur was made by order of Merlin, for you" she continued staring at the King "and a sword you have used on many occasions. Though it is now hidden in fear by Merlin in case that you discovered its link with magic."
The echoing was growing louder; the surrounding magical shield was being hit harder with much more force than when it had started.
"Is there no other way? Without hurting Merlin?" Arthur pleads for her to answer yes; her face says it all as she casts her gaze to the grassy fields the village was built on and shook her head.
Sudden blasts of chill air swept pass the trees and themselves. The barrier had been broken. Without warning Morgana and Merlin were standing before them, facing away from the magical forest. Merlin was no longer in his usual attire but instead wore black breeches and tunic, in contrast to the bright red dress Morgana wore accompanied by one of her prized green hooded cloaks.
"Leave this place Emrys" Elaide declared, stepping forward in front of the group and pulling forth her sword, Penrice, from its scabbard.
Merlin grinned, yet the grin was not his but Emrys'. The grin was wicked and evil, something Arthur could have never imagined dawning Merlin's normally cheerful and young face.
"What right do you think you have to order where I can or cannot be?" His voice matched his grin. It was no longer Merlin, his voice yes, but it was more menacing, dark and wrong. Arthur had lost Merlin. They had all truly lost Merlin.
"Merlin" Arthur murmured quietly under his breath for no one to hear, yet it seemed to have caught Merlin's, no Emrys' attention. Emrys robotically turned his neck to look at the King menacingly, his eyes still the casual blue but no longer gentle like they once were. The eyes soon morphed gold, bringing Arthur abruptly towards Emrys.
Arthur now stood before what was once his dearest friend, standing still and unsure as Emrys leant next to his ear. Arthur felt hot breath beside the side of his face. Emrys had pressed his face right against the King's, his skin smooth to the blonde's cheek. Arthur felt Emrys smirk as he whispered for only Arthur to hear "His heart beats for you, you know" before pushing the blonde to the floor, keeping him in place with his magic.
Gwaine and Lancelot grasped the hilts of their swords that they had placed back in their sheaths while Elaide had been explaining. Morgana having noticed this movement stepped forwards, bringing forth her arm only to be stopped.
Emrys taking hold of her chin, smiling thoughtfully at her "Not yet pet." Morgana nods her head and stands down, not saying anything else for the rest of the time in the village. No one had ever been able to silence Morgana like that and have her happy to obey.
"What do you want?" Gwen now asks, daring to converse with Emrys.
Emrys switched his gaze from Morgana to her old maidservant "Ah, the whore that destiny speaks of" he snickers. Gwen took offence to his words. Emrys huffed in amusement when Lancelot went to stand beside her.
"I want what any god wants. Blood, power, revenge for what my brothers did to me." Emrys answered the girls question anyway.
"They were right to lock you away" Elaide spat furiously.
Emrys huff's in fake sympathy "The little heroine that so desperately wants to follow in her dead daddy's footsteps. You couldn't save Merlin; you certainly won't be able to save Albion. Destiny is such a horrible thing, shall I show the King his."
Arthur cannot move, fight what is being done to him. He screams as the tips of Merlin's fingers dig into the top of each side of Arthur's face drawing blood. Emrys fingers delve deeper inside of Arthur's head, causing the blonde to scream louder. The two knights rush forward only for Elaide to strongly pull both of them back.
Suddenly images flash through Arthur's mind, quick scenes of his life play before him. Memories of his childhood, of his crowning of Prince and King and the years to come. Of great wars against foreign invaders, of Gwen as his Queen, of love and betrayal by an affair between the Queen and Lancelot, of his death in Camlann field. The images change, he is walking in the streets of Camelot where he sees Merlin, it is the first time they had met. The scene soon flutters to his chambers, he and Merlin are bantering as usual, and then something happens Arthur could never have conjured up. He and Merlin were kissing, passionately while lying down on Arthur's bed. He's smiling whilst looking down at the sorcerer beneath him. The King is shocked at what the image of himself does next. Arthur is pulling of Merlin's tunic, rubbing his hands all over his manservant's pale body, moving down south to stroke the visible hardness in Merlin's breeches.
The images swiftly leave him as he is abruptly brought back into the real world. Emrys fingers no longer embedded inside his skull, though the blood was still there, it had stained his light blonde hair and pale skin. The rapid removal of Emrys' magic left him gasping for air and falling to the floor. Emrys no longer needing to use his power to keep Arthur at his feet.
"Now to begin the onslaught" Emrys cheerfully announced, raising his hands.
"CAMLANN!" Elaide unexpectedly shouts at the top of her voice, as if about to charge into a battle.
"What?" Emrys asks, the first time unsure.
"Fifteen years from now Arthur was to meet his doom at the battle of Camlann." Elaide spoke, still uncertain where she was going with this.
"Your point being?" Emrys probed.
"Give me five of those years. Then bring forth your war. Fight yourself against Arthur on the fields of Camlann before time intended. You like messing with the future. What say you?"
"You are brave girl I give you that."
"But you cannot attack, you or your armies within the five years." Elaide continued to negotiate.
"Why should I wait five whole long years, when I can have everything now" Emrys emphasised.
"You're Emrys that's why. You are magic itself but you love a good deal, game even. You thrive on being tested."
"You know your Gods well" he deliberated for a moment before answering "you have a deal Elaide."
"How do you know he'll keep his word" Gwaine demands for all to hear.
Elaide answers "Because he is a God. One thing all the Gods of old have in common is that they cannot lie, speak in riddles, yes, but they must always keep to their word or risk their mortality being stripped from them."
"I want something first, for agreeing to this little deal of yours."
"What do you ask for?" Lancelot said, still by Gwen's side.
"Blood" the dark sorcerer answered, smirking at the sudden drop of the faces before him. Elaide's soon turned to anger.
"You shall have none this day" Elaide argued. Though they all knew Emrys would not formally swear to the deal unless his demands were met. The group began to bicker between themselves on what to do, who if any should place themselves at the end of Emrys' crave for blood and death. In the end Gwaine is the one to end the conversation and step forward.
"I am least important" Gwaine states, the people around him deny that to be true "Hush, Elaide is needed to help Arthur and you two" he stops looking between Lancelot and Gwen, the two lovers.
"No" Arthur murmurs, struggling to stand. He had not been able to move from the sheer exhaustion of what Emrys had done to him but that did not mean he had not overheard his companions. The King now appears, rather than the simple man, standing strong and bold facing of a new enemy who happened to be in the form of someone dear "Have me."
Emrys and Morgana grin their widest, while those who cared for Arthur's wellbeing began to argue. But Arthur continued "Not my blood, but my imprisonment."
Emrys grinned wider if it were even possible as the King's friends continued to beg Arthur not to do this, though their commotion ended as soon as Emrys opened his mouth to answer.
"Five days for those five years I shall have you at my hold. Elaide will need all the time she can after what I shall put you through, I guarantee you that little boy."
Arthur did not flinch nor dare think too much into what the God that had taken Merlin from him promised "Agreed."
Elaide let the knight's attack then only to be flung back by Morgana's magic.
"I shall return him in five days then, cross my heart" Emrys crossed his fingers against his chest in promise before disappearing along with Morgana and Arthur.
The knights turn on Elaide, questioning on what was to be done now, could Emrys truly keep his word on all accounts. The woman who had known Merlin her entire life hushed them "Arthur will be safe. We have to trust in his wishes and trust ourselves."