Woosh!
The arrow flew through the air with perfect precision and took out the rabbit. Will pumps his fist in the air for his triumph. He had snuck away from his lessons today to come to the Darkling Woods.
After hearing the story of his Uncle Arthur killing a unicorn Will had made it his personal quest to find his own unicorn and bring it home for safety…and if he killed a few rabbits along the way for dinner so be it, not that he really had to kill rabbits for dinner…he always just felt accomplished when his parents were able to dine on food he brought back. His father always seems nauseous when he would show him the dead creatures…sometimes he really was such a girl.
He threw the (dead) rabbit into his knapsack and kept walking. At the age of ten Will had become one of the best hunters in all of Camelot, and the best archer the kingdom has ever seen. Morgana always shook her head when Will would enter tournaments, his power over wind and earth is unparalleled, she always felt it gave him an advantage. So to rectify this Will put a blind fold on and still won the tournament, his mother let the issue drop after that.
As he was walking he heard shuffling in the woods. He brings his bow up, pulls the string back, and readies himself for an attack. His grip tightens slightly, until the creature that emerges is not a beast, but a girl.
He slowly brings the bow down as the girl scrambles to her feet. She was no more than his sister's age of eight. Her hair was as white as snow, her eyes as blue as ice, and her skin as pale as his mother's. She was trembling, their eyes met and she shook. He could tell something was wrong.
"Do you need help?" He asks while offering her his hand.
Her hand slowly comes out, she hesitates only for a moment and before should could touch him they hear screams. There were at least a dozen men running in their direction, bandits it seemed. Will didn't waste a moment, grabbing the mysterious girls hand and they start running, as fast as his legs could carry them.
He looks back, the young girl's eyes wide as she attempts to keep up with him. He was strong with his magic, but he still felt uneasy using it with other people. He pushes forward, hoping he would not have to resort to his power. Magic is a gift, and should only be used as such.
His mother's voice rang in his hand. Is this not the time to use that gift? To help this poor girl? They were too far from Camelot and he knew, unless he acted, they would be in trouble. He had to trust that he had enough control to get them to safety. He stops abruptly, pulling the girl behind him and pushing his hand out screaming an enchantment in the tongue of the Old Religion.
The rocks come up to create a barrier and Will is ecstatic at what he has just done. The excitement is short lived as the wall catches on fire and soon the forest is ablaze.
"Uh oh."
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" His mother booms at him.
He is standing in the throne room, in front of his mother and father, after his father had come and rescued Will and his new friend…and put out the fire. His mother was not happy when he got back to the castle. The mysterious girl stands next to the queen. They still don't know her name.
"Mother I'm sorry but we were being chased by bandits!"
"I know you meant well Will, I know, but you should have called to us for help. We could have come."
"I was beyond the reach of your channels…I had to make a decision. I might have set the forest ablaze but I got us to safety?" Morgana shakes her head.
"No, you set the forest on fire, your father sensed you were using magic without supervision and when he showed up you were still standing there for some unknown reason. Will it's one thing to conjure up a glass of water or change your cloths. It's another thing to create a wall of stone. If it was even more unstable it could have toppled onto you and your new friend."
She goes to him now, kneeling in front of him and taking him into her arms, he returns the gesture, his eyes down casted.
"I just want you safe. If you wish to attempt magics in this way so be it, but let us help you on the first run. That spell was something that took your father months of practice."
She pulls him back to look him in the eye.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes mother."
He throws himself on her again. He knows his mother loves him, and just wants him to be safe. Over her shoulder the white haired girl just stares, as if her eyes are peering into his soul.
"So what's your name?"
The young girl is sitting at a table with the King and Queen, Merlin and Morgana standing off to the side. Will stands in the back. He is allowed to stay strictly because he found the girl. Merlin felt he had a right to know what is going on, considering it almost got him locked up in the stocks. His mother loves that punishment. I don't even have to do any work and they get punished…it's a great system. His face scrunches up when his mother teased him and Balinor about it.
"Diana."
"Where are you from Diana?" Arthur asks.
"I'm from the house of Ellwood sire." The girl spoke very properly.
"Ellwood is in domain of Cenred's old kingdom." Morgana spoke up.
All the kingdoms had come under Arthur's rule to unite Albion. Still, he could not be everywhere at once. He depended on the lords of certain kingdoms for loyalties. Ellwood was a loyal man to the king.
"Are you Bentley Ellwood's daughter young Diana?" Arthur asks.
"Yes sire I'm his third daughter." The young girl looks down.
"Have you been kidnapped little one?" Gwen asks.
"Yes your majesty." She's shaking.
Will notices the cuts and bruises on her arms and legs. He gets a glimpse of them every time her cloak flutters. She is dressed as a peasant, probably in order to move her from place to place easily. It's odd that the bandits chose her instead of and older sister or one of her brothers. Ellwood has ten children from his wife, six boys and four girls. This girl must be the second to the youngest.
"We will contact your parents little Diana and get you home." Morgana spoke as she handed the girl her handkerchief, tears were running down the young child's cheeks.
The girl accepts the present and Morgana leads her away. Will takes a few steps toward Diana, in awe of the girl. Even at a young age he has recognized the beauty in those icy blue eyes. His father catches him staring and he quickly looks down and blushes. With a knowing smile Merlin grabs Will's hand.
"Come on son, let's go for a walk."
They had grabbed two horses and headed down to his family's favorite lake. The water there was so blue and clear, you could see right down to the bottom. Will smiles as he remembers one of their picnics turned into a water match and it got lethal when his father threw his mother into the lake. He smiles at the memory.
"Come on Will let's sit down and chat for a minute."
Will was looking around nervous. His father's chats usually lead to a scolding or some deep self reflection…he can't remember if he did anything bad lately. You did put honey in Clara's hair wash yesterday and set the forest on fire. Oh no…
"Yes father?" He asks, taking a cautious seat next to Merlin.
"That girl Diana is very beautiful isn't she Will." The boy blushes.
"She is father."
"The way she looked, her fear, it reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago."
"Who?" Will looks at his father puzzled.
Merlin looks out to the water, remembering.
"Her name was Freya."
"Freya?"
"She was a young druid girl. I met her when I was younger, about twenty or so. She was the first woman I had ever loved."
Will's ears perk up at this and he stars hard at his father. He didn't know how he was feeling at this confession. Part of him was feeling rage that his father could ever love someone who was not his mother. Part of him was baffled that there was a time his father was not completely infatuated with his mother…for he is defiantly besotted with her now. He was also in shock that his father would even admit to this.
"Why are you telling me this father?" Merlin continues to look out into the lake.
"You look at that Diana girl the way I looked at Freya."
"Do you not look at mother that way?" He was feeling the need to bring her up.
Merlin looks to the side at his son, a smirk covering the older man's lips.
"Freya and I were like a piece of glass. Our love was so fragile and broke so easily. Your mother and I are like the most beautiful diamond. No matter how much you hit our love, it will never break."
Will felt a little better hear that analogy, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"I don't not mean to alarm you my son, just wanted to talk to you about your feelings."
"My feelings father?"
"The young Ellwood girl. You don't just use your elemental magics for sport. I know you better than that, but to impress a girl? I could see you pulling that one off Will."
Merlin lies back onto the grass, closes his eyes and puts his hands behind his head while poor Will's cheeks burn.
"So Freya was a druid girl?" Merlin opens an eye at Will who is a little uncomfortable.
"Yes, she was actually a cursed druid girl. She became a horrible creature at midnight every night." Merlin said closing his eyes again.
Will looks at his father in shock. His father loved a creature? How strange.
"Your Uncle Arthur killed her."
The young warlock's eyes grew there times at this confession.
"Really?"
"It wasn't his fault, he didn't know, but yes he killed the first girl I loved."
Will looked down now, suddenly sad. A lingering question begged to be asked.
"Do you think…if Uncle Arthur hadn't killed this girl…that you would not be with mother?"
Merlin opens an eye to and gives his son a half smile.
"Your mother is the most passionate, irritating, self-righteous stubborn person I know. I don't think I would survive a day without her in my life."
Will just stares.
"You didn't answer my question."
Merlin's smile faltered. He sits up and looks at his son. Too smart for his own good…
"I don't really know Will. Your mother was a different person when I met Freya. For Freya I was ready to give up everything, even my destiny. Now that I'm older I see how foolish I was…and say the events of my life happened differently, say Freya was still alive and your mother did come back to Camelot. Let's say I was still put in charge of taking care of your mother when she got here. I don't know how I would have reacted to the situation of both of them in my life…it would be hard to say I wouldn't fall in love with your mother all over again though."
Will was quiet for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips.
"So how did you and mother fall in love? Everyone knows you two can't keep away from one another, but why? How did it even start? I know she did some bad things back in the day."
Will was always Merlin and Morgana's brains. She says he gets it from her. Debatable. In spite of himself, Merlin smiles at the memories.
"Your right Will, your mother did do some awful things. I'm assuming Balinor told you why your mother came back?"
"He gloats about it is more like it." Merlin chuckles.
"Well at any rate, her reoccurring vision of Balinor was what drove her back to Camelot. It was a very scary time in the history of kingdom."
"Why?"
Merlin takes a breath.
"She was not very well liked when she returned. She had done some wicked things to the citizens of Camelot. It was hard to trust her."
Will sat still, urging his father to continue. He relented after a second.
"When she came back she was put under my care and protection. Arthur didn't trust her at all and actually had her in the lowest dungeon for about three months until he felt she was trustworthy. I went to her every day to make sure the only thing she was doing was eating and sleeping."
"Was it the binding magic cell she was in?" Will gulped.
That cell was a death trap to all magic users. It sucked the magic out of you when you entered, and the pain of the extraction was beyond compare. Merlin created it for this reason. He wanted those who gave magic a bad name to be punished. It should be used for good, not evil.
"Yes. Your mother was in a lot of pain when she went in. You know the more powerful you are the worse the extraction is."
"You can go in there though right father?" Will was a little uneasy…he hated imagining his mother in any sort of pain.
"Yes, I created the cell. Also, I needed a way to go in and out if we did have any prisoners. Your mother and I talked every day. At first it was saucy retorts, she threw her bed pan at me for good measure a few times. She was always pacing. The first month had been hard. Even though she wanted the vision to come to pass the journey wasn't easy. It wasn't until a couple weeks into her second month of stay did she finally relax a little."
"Was she better?"
"Better than she was previously. She was calmer by the time we released her from the dungeon and brought her back up to the main castle. In the three months she was down there she told us of Mordred's plans and his allies. She was very reluctant to give Mordred up…but she knew she had to find some way for us to trust her. She never once led us into a trap."
Will smiled. Her redemption will be something of legends.
"After those first few months she made it known that she wanted to spend more time with Arthur. No one thought this was a good idea, the queen even grabbed Arthur's arm and put him behind her in protection. When she saw the fear everyone felt she said that I could always be there whenever she is with Arthur. That small statement put everyone at ease. I was always with her Will, we were always together. She was so different with people than she was with me though."
"How so?"
"She seemed to be putting on an act. In front of everyone she was quiet, almost timid, but when it was just her and I…she was bold. I think I was the only person she didn't feel the need to impress. We were so cruel to each other…the things I have said to your mother…I am ashamed to even remember them."
Will looks down, whenever his father says something particularly hurtful, he hates himself for days afterwards. Even if the person he has hurt has forgiven him. He can only imagine the anguish he goes through knowing how much he has hurt his mother.
"It wasn't as if one day I woke up and we were in love. It was small moments. She would hand me a book and ask me to read something and I would catch a glimpse of her delicate wrist. She is just so beautiful. Men would turn their heads when she walked by, but she never paid them any mind." Will smiled at his father nostalgia, "Anyway, three months after she had been released everyone felt she had proven herself and she was finally allowed alone time with Arthur. I thought I wouldn't see her as much after that."
"But you did father?"
He looks up the sky remembering the instance.
"I did."
She had come to his work chambers late at night. They were in the tallest tower of Camelot on the eastern side of the castle. He could work there in peace without being disturbed. His bed chamber located on the same side but on the third floor, he liked to separate his person room from his work. He was in his tower when she entered, draped in her red nightgown and sheer black robe. She look…delectable. He tore himself from those thoughts. He was still weary of her. His face fell back to the parchment he was working on, ignoring her.
"What do you want?" his quill scribbles furiously.
"I want some help." He looks up at her, unamused.
"Go get help."
"I need your help you dimwit." He grinds his teeth.
"Morgana…I told you. I still don't trust you. Arthur is more forgiving than I am. He shouldn't even spend time ALONE with you. I say that to him and what does he do? He schedules a bi-weekly ride with you ALONE. I'm almost at the point if you kill him it is not my fault."
He looks back down. She is glaring at him now.
"I don't need your help to convince Arthur of anything. I need your expertise in magic."
He puts his quill down, finally finished with the last sentence. He gets up and sizes up the situation. He does not trust this.
"In what fashion do you want my help? I will perform no spell with you."
She picks up a scroll and glances at the parchment, an attempt to make him think she is bored with his uncooperative nature.
"I want you to teach me." His brows furrow.
"No." she looks up at him.
"Why not?"
"Why should I? You are already too powerful for your own good. The only reason you're allowed to walk around is because I can take you out. I see no benefit in me helping you harness a weapon that you can use against this kingdom."
She looks at him sideways now. Then she chuckles.
"I don't want you to teach me all magics Merlin, just healing magics."
His brow furrows again.
"Ok why…"
"Well…no offence. You are not the best healer in this land. I have always found healing and empathy to come more naturally to me than the active powers Morgause used to teach me. It took me two months just to create a fire ball and hold it in my hand without burning my flesh, but it took me only two hours to figure out how to heal a cracked skull."
He thinks of all the reasons this is a bad idea…and comes up with none, having her know healing magic…that could actually benefit the realm in many ways.
"Why don't you ask Gaius? He is the healer, and as you've said I'm not."
She looks at him, a brow raised.
"Yes but he is not the most powerful sorcerer to ever live Emrys."
His eyes darken when she uses his druid name. He gulps as she advances on him.
"I know you don't trust me Merlin, fair enough. I did a lot of bad things, but you are no saint. I want to learn something good here and instead of helping me you are blocking me again. You mine as well pour poison down my throat, your good at that."
"Will you get off that? I had no choice!"
"You always have a choice. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if you had been honest with me all those years ago. I'm too scared to conjure up the visions of that timeline."
He's a little shocked at this confession.
"You can see different timelines?" She is looking out the window of his tower, her arms folded.
"I have been working my magic to see all possibilities. I was going to ask you to help me with that as well, but seeing how reluctant you are to even help me learn healing magic I'm not sure if you will help me with that."
"What use is it to see other timelines?"
"It helps to see all possibilities. If you choose one path you go down this road, another path another road. Our futures are not set in stone. I've seen you kill me in many different visions, and only the vision that moves away from my demise is of that babe…I don't want to die Merlin."
Her voice is soft and vulnerable. He reaches out to her, but quickly retracts his hand.
"I will help you Morgana, with only your healing and seer magics."
She looks over at him, a small smile on her face.
"Thank you Merlin."
"She came to me asking for help. It wasn't even a week after she really had no obligation to be around me. I helped her with her power as a seer and her healing magic. She thrived in those areas. We spent many hours together my son."
"And you feel in love?"
"Yes. Slowly, over time she became this constant presence in my work chambers. She would even invade my bedchambers demanding help with a spell she could not get. Ten months after her return I recommended to Arthur that she become high priestess. He was overjoyed. I was the only person objecting for the longest time. The people had come to love her again and she had even gained the trust of the knights. I was the one who was being stubborn."
"When did you decide to marry?"
"Oh that..." he laughs.
"Morgana needs to marry." Arthur had decided.
"Why exactly does she need to marry?" Merlin inquires.
"You need to marry as well."
"What?"
It had been a year and three months since Morgana's return. She had been doing splendidly, the people loved her again, Gwen easily forgave her eldest friend, and even Merlin was on the 'rehabilitated Morgana' bandwagon. So why make her marry?
"I need to create stronger alliances Merlin."
"I know that, but marrying her off? Marrying me off? Isn't that something your father would do?"
Arthur sends him a stern look.
"I'm not gonna marry her off Merlin. I am going to see about some suitors and have them start courting her…many men want her."
Merlin felt an overwhelming feeling of dread come upon him at that thought. He left quickly afterwards, and locked himself in his tower until dinner.
He went to her later that night, a little dumbstruck.
"Arthur wants you to marry."
"He wants you to marry as well." Morgana giggles.
"Morgana this is serious. He's sending you suitors."
"Merlin I know. Listen I am beyond of age, and I should settle down, and I need to help my brother with his alliances. I owe him this much."
"At the risk of your happiness? Morgana you would never want this before!" He was exasperated. What is going on?
"Merlin…I want to do right by Arthur, by Camelot, again. He is letting me choose, so at least I will have some say. The field will just be narrowed considerably."
He was struck by this. How could she allow this? He stormed out of her chambers, completely frustrated.
Two months after their talk it was announced that Morgana would become engaged to Averill of the house of Kenway. Merlin felt sick. He didn't talk to her for a week. He didn't want to face this situation, her decision. She was never one to let him get away though was she? She cornered him in his bed chambers, his hands full of books.
"You're avoiding me."
He couldn't see over the top of the stack but he knew her voice…he always knew her voice.
"No I'm not."
She takes his books and puts them on the side table. She turns suddenly, fierceness in her eyes.
"Yes you are, don't lie to me!"
"OK I am, but what of it. I'm allowed to avoid people."
There is an awkward silence.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Ugh you infuriating little man!" She grabs his shirt and brings him level with her, her eyes blazing.
"Tell me." She seethes at him.
He's off balance, his hands shoot out trying to level his body. She is glaring daggers and he feels like he is seven again and his mother is yelling at him for turning the dog purple.
"Don't marry him." He says simply his shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Why?" She doesn't seem so shocked by his words. He continues.
"Marry me."
She releases him and he stands up right, just staring at her. She is not surprised or shocked at what he has said. If anything she glares harder.
"Why?"
He is as still as she is. She releases him but is still invading his space. He stands up fully.
"Because you know I love you."
She stands her ground, her head in the air, challenging him…always challenging him. The fire to his ice.
"Morgana come on. You are the most infuriating, stubborn woman I have ever met. And did I mention you tried to kill me a bunch of times?"
She glares harder, his shoulders slump.
"I…for some unknown reason…love all those things about you. Even if you did try to kill me for some reason my brain just registers that I was on your mind and that should be enough."
She crosses the room, grabs his ears, and locks him into the most soul wrenching kiss of his life. It only lasts a second, and then she releases him.
"Fine."
And that was that.
"That was all it took?"
"Yea…she suspected but never pushed. She also wanted to please Arthur. He was very much ok letting me marry her once I talked to him."
Will smiled down at the lake. His mother really was incredible.
When they returned to the castle it was sunset and dinner was being served. The Ellwood girl would be sent home tomorrow. Will abandoned his father to go find the girl and Merlin made his way up to his and Morgana's chambers. She was inside reading a book, he had the feeling she was waiting for him.
"How was your ride?" She is met with a sleepy grin.
"It was good. I talked to him about Freya." Morgana raised an eye.
"Your son quickly changed the subject and I somehow got onto telling him about how I got you to say yes to marrying me."
She smiles at him now as he advances on her and grabs her elbow to stand her up, his hands going around her waist and suddenly they're in a dancing pose and he's swaying her slightly.
"You did have to work hard for it if I remember correctly."
"You kept making me explain myself." Their cheeks are touching.
"Will you ask again tonight Milord?"
"I don't need to Milady." She leans back and gives him a challenging look.
"Because what we have…is elemental."
She laughs, he dips her, and finally they kiss.
Fin.
Now wasn't that a bear to read...I need to work on the length of these stories...oh well haha. So we finally got to see some Will:) I don't really know why I wanted him to be an older age, but every time I tried to write him younger it really bothered me the direction it went, so I made him a little older. I also kept thinking how adorable it would be to have him parallel Merlin's interactions with Freya but be super uncomfortable because he worships his mother so much:D...seriously I don't know what it is but I make these kinds just bow to her feet...maybe its cuz she's so awesome!
Well happy reading again and thanks for stopping in and reading my story! If you get a second I'd love a review:)