This is an AU story of Merlin. I've kind of drawn ideas from Lord of the Rings, also the Inheritance Cycle (very slight bits) and possibly a few others, but I hope you like it.
In this world, Uther hates magic and the Elven race and are at war with them.
I don't own anything you recognise; Merlin, Lord of the Rings, Inheritance series, etc.
Please enjoy, and review once you finish the story.
"Sire! Look out!" Arthur spun and ducked as a sword swung at his head. The blonde prince responded, pulling his own blade out and attacking back. The other knights, four of them, fought with the other bandits, but more and more kept coming from the trees around them.
"Retreat, run back towards the river!" Arthur ordered. The knights grouped together and ran as a group, quickly pulling ahead of the bandits, but still not out of danger. A group of twenty bandits appeared between them and the river and Arthur led his patrol to the left, heading to the cliffs, hoping there would be caves to hide in.
"Over here sire!" Sir Friar yelled, pointing towards a cave. Arthur ran inside with his knights, and faced the front entrance alone with Friar and Gabriel while the other two, Harrian and Jarl searched the darkness behind them, their eyes adjusting quickly to the darkness to see if there were any other creatures in with them.
"Shh." Arthur ordered, rather unnecessarily as the knights had fallen quiet as they heard the bandits approach.
"Leave them Gil, they've gone in the Stone Den. They ain't coming out alive." A voice called out from the entrance.
"idiots." Another voice added, as the group laughed and left.
"We need to leave, they sound like they left, and I don't want to stick around to find out why they think we're going to die in here." Arthur whispered, moving forward towards the entrance, but paused when they heard a voice behind them cackle and laugh.
"Leaving so soon?" a gravely, low, female voice asked. Arthur was last to spin around, as he jumped at the voice and then two thuds as Harrian and Jarl fell over. A bright globe appeared at the back of the cave and Arthur saw as Friar suddenly froze in shock, and his skin turned a dark grey and rough. The knight fell to the ground as Arthur finally turned around, only to glimpse at a woman in a black dress, illuminated by the light. He heard a hissing noise, then felt intense pain as his body spasmed and tensed up. His vision went black, just as the globe of light grew brighter and into a brilliant gold colour.
Vibrant blue eyes tracked the knights' movements as they walked through the forest, obviously relaxed and not expecting trouble. The eyes' owner scoffed at their carelessness as he could sense the bandits ahead and watched as the fight broke out. He ran after the knights as he realised where they were headed, not wanting their deaths on his consciousness and he arrived at the Den a few seconds after the bandits had left, but when he entered the cave he found a bright light and the knights beginning to turn to stone. His magic burst out of him, blinding the woman who screamed in pain and he felt her slink away to the back, away from the burning gold of his light. Time slowed down as his magic reacted, hoping to give the knights more time for him to heal them.
"You can have the pathetic fools! They're dead now anyway!" she screamed over her shoulder as she shuffled away, annoyed at being interrupted and hurt. The hissing of her hair echoed their mistress.
The blue eyed man checked the knights and found four of them stone, and the fifth turning stone. He quickly muttered an enchantment to stop the curse in its tracks and hoisted the blonde knight over his shoulder, before muttering another spell that sent the other four knights outside for him to come back to bury. The blue-eyed man quickly ran off, heading home.
The blue-eyed man and his blonde knight were in an infirmary of a kind. A group of healers and civilians were gathered around, arguing.
"What's going on?" a clear commanding voice cut through the babble of various people. It was a woman, with greying brown hair tied back and a warm open face.
"Hunith," an old lady bowed her head momentarily then said, "The boy brought back a human with him. He must be punished." An old woman snarled, glaring at the blue-eyed man.
"Merlin?" Hunith asked, turning to the blue-eyed man.
Merlin, a young man with dark hair, pale skin and sharp cheekbones stuck his chin out defiantly. "I wasn't going to leave him to die. Whether he is human, elf or even a Sidhe, it doesn't make a difference."
"He is right, just because he is human does not mean we must condemn a man to death. What happened?" Hunith agreed.
"They were on patrol while I was out looking for herbs for Gaius." Merlin explained. "They were attacked by other humans, bandits I think, and were chased into a cave containing a Medusa. The other four knights were already cursed and dead, but I found this one still alive. I bound the curse to his arm to give him time and brought him here. He hasn't woken up yet."
"Can we heal him?" Hunith turned to the old man who wore a white robe bordered with blue. He was the Chief Healer.
"Merlin's magic bound it to his right arm, the bracelet that I put on him is doing the same and using Merlin's magic, but it channels it automatically so he doesn't tire out as easily. As long as Merlin stays near him and isn't drained, the knight will survive while I brew a potion to heal him permanently. He should awake soon." The man explained.
"Very well. Until the knight has healed he is to stay here and will not be harmed or harassed. We are not savages. Once he awakens and tells us who he is we can send word to the humans to let them know that he is alive and will return soon." Hunith decided, before sweeping out. The civilians followed, and the other Healers returned to their patients.
"I hope you realise that your actions have put a cat among the pigeons, so to speak." The chief healer told Merlin.
"I know, but I wasn't going to leave a man to die." Merlin muttered.
"I know, I am proud of you for being so noble." The Healer rested a hand briefly on the boy's shoulder then said, "Call out if he awakes, I have rounds to make. When he is awake, you can move further away but for now you need to be next to him."
"Thank you Uncle."
Arthur groaned as he woke up. His eyes fluttered open, as he felt his right arm throb with a strange feeling, almost like pain but not exactly. He stared at the brown roof for a moment in confusion, before he looked around, wondering where he was.
"Good to see you're awake." An old man spoke, drawing the blonde's attention to him.
Arthur stared at the man's pale face and pointed ears. "Where am I? Who are you? Did you kidnap me?"
"Relax, Sir Knight. My name is Gaius, I am Chief Healer here in Esetir. You were attacked and injured. We brought you back here to heal you. What do you remember?"
"We ran away from the bandits into the caves. Then there was someone in there cave and then, then,"
"It was a Medusa." A rough boyish voice explained. Arthur looked up to find a young elf, with raven black hair and pale, clear skin. His eyes were a bright blue and his ears pointed. "What attacked you, a Medusa. The moment someone looks at one in the eye, they turn to stone. That's what was happening to you when I found you." The elven boy gestured to the blonde's arm. Arthur looked down to find his right arm was completely made of stone.
Arthur gasped and froze up, starting to freak out.
"Relax, my boy, we are healing it, do not worry. It will take time but you will be back to normal soon. Merlin here bound the curse to your arm and I am working on a cure to fix it. As long as you stay near him, he can maintain the enchantment and keep you alive until it is gone." Gaius explained.
"I can't stay here, I must go back to my home. You will not keep me here." Arthur ordered, throwing the covers of the bed off of him and standing, noticing he was stripped of his armour and in plain pants and top, the material a rough undyed colour, but the cloth still smooth.
"Did you not just hear Gaius?" Merlin snapped, pushing him back down against the bed, shocking Arthur with his show of strength the elf didn't look like he should have. "You'll die if you go more than a few feet from me and there is no way in hell I am going with you back to Camelot. Your King will have my head, even if I tell him it would mean your death, he wouldn't believe me."
"You cannot keep me here like a prisoner." Arthur demanded.
"No, and once you tell us who you are, we can send word to the right people to let them know you are safe and perhaps let a few trusted friends of yours in to check our words, but until the curse is lifted, you must stay in Esetir." Gaius explained. "If you leave, the curse will take over and turn you to stone."
"Where are my knights? The four men with me?" Arthur asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't get to them in time." Merlin frowned, guilt evident on his face.
Arthur sighed and fell back on the bed. "My name is Arthur."
"I thought as much, you look a lot like your mother." Gaius told him.
"You knew my mother?" Arthur asked, bolting upright again.
"Yes, and your father. Before he declared war on Elves, we were friends. I was there when you were born, I tried to save Ygraine but couldn't." Gaius told the blonde human. "Excuse me sire, I must inform the Queen that you are awake. Merlin, perhaps some food and water for the man?"
Gaius walked off, leaving Arthur reeling in surprise and shock as Merlin handed him a plate of fruit and a goblet of water. "I am sorry about your knights, if I had been able to, I would've saved them too." Merlin told the blonde.
"Where are their bodies?"
"I buried them. Their belongings are in my room, for you to sort through what you want and to take with you when you are healed. I can get them down here later if you want?" Merlin offered.
"Why'd you bury them?" Arthur asked.
"We bury our dead, I wasn't aware you do things differently." Merlin frowned, confused.
"No, we bury them too, but I mean, we've been at war for 20 years, why would you save a knight of the enemy and honour four others by burying them?"
"We are not monsters, just because our races are at war does not mean I would stand by and watch five people killed. I regret not saving the other four, but I am glad I managed to help and save at least one." Merlin snapped. "The fact that you would believe we would just stand by and watch a death insults me and I wonder just what lies the Pendragon's have been feeding you."
Arthur bristled at the insult to the Pendragon family and sat upright, "Watch what you say elf, my name is Arthur Pendragon, I am Crown Prince of Camelot. Insult my family by calling us liars again and I will have you hung, debt or no debt."
"Crown Prince?" Merlin repeated, before cracking up laughing.
"I am serious, stop laughing." Arthur frowned, pissed off the elven boy laughed at his rank.
"I believe you, I do, so you're a royal prat then? Wicked, out of all the humans I had to go and rescue it was the Crown Prince of Camelot." Merlin laughed, wiping tears out of his eyes and Gaius and Hunith
"It is not polite to laugh at our guests Merlin." Hunith reprimanded the boy.
"Of course, your majesty. Forgive me, milord Prince," Merlin mock-bowed, his voice laced with sarcasm. He somehow managed to make the supposedly respectful title into a derogative one.
"Please ignore my nephew." Gaius told the Prince. "This is our Queen, Lady Hunith."
"Pleasure to meet you Prince Arthur." The Governor bowed his head slightly.
Arthur looked confused but bowed his head back, "Likewise Your Majesty."
"Now, I was going to send word to your father to let him know what has occurred and how you have to stay here in Esetir until you are healed, would you like to write the letter to your father yourself?" Hunith offered.
"I do not know if he is going to believe a letter." Arthur pointed out.
"I know, I was going to suggest he sends a part of five men that he trusts and they will be escorted here to check up on you then report back to your King. We will allow one or two of these men to stay with you if that makes you and your father more comfortable, but you should be here for around a month."
"A month?" Arthur repeated.
"We are going to heal you of an incurable curse. Even that takes time." Merlin drawled, leaning back in the chair next to the infirmary bed. Hunith shook her head at Merlin' manners but walked over to Gaius' office to get some parchment and ink.
"Do you have to be right there? Can't you go sit over there or something?" Arthur asked, annoyed with the boy.
"Well I could go to class and study for my exams next week, but then that'd mean you'd die and after all that effort I went into driving the Medusa away, binding the curse to your arm and hauling your heavy ass all the way back here would've been wasted." Merlin shrugged. "But you know, who needs exams?"
It was an hour later, Gaius and the Queen had left, and Merlin had books spread out on the floor as he sat on the floor, studying.
"So, I'm surprised you haven't freaked out yet." Merlin commented casually.
"What?" Arthur asked, not understanding the boy. He had been contemplating his situation and whether he could trust the elves he was around.
"Didn't you notice? Your arm is stone." Merlin grinned up at him.
"Gee really, I hadn't noticed. Thanks for pointing it out." Arthur rolled his eyes and his eyes drifted down to stare at it. He gently ran his other hand over it, not feeling his hand touching his arm, but he did feel the rough cold feel of stone under his fingertips.
"I'm sorry I didn't make it time to stop her completely for you, and I am sorry I couldn't save your friends." Merlin repeated. "Really, I am."
"I know," Arthur muttered. He drew in a breath and let it out in a sigh. "Thanks for saving my life; I am in your debt."
"Bribe my teachers to let me pass my exams and I'll consider it even." Merlin grinned at him.
"So, ah, what, exactly happened to me?" Arthur asked, gesturing awkwardly to his arm.
"A Medusa turns all that look at it to stone. They're extremely difficult to kill and this one lives in that cave. We leave her alone as long as she stays in the cave and she does. The locals all know to steer clear and they warn everyone. There's wards put up to stop people from entering, but the elf in charge was injured and the wards failed. I noticed your party headed that way after the bandits chased you and got there as quick as I could. When I arrived I blinded her, causing her to retreat and I managed to bind the curse before it spread further. I brought you back here. Gaius found a potion that'll enhance a certain healing spelling that'll eventually fix all the stone stuff and everything. Until it's all gone, it has to stay bound. That's why I have to stay near you and you have to wear that bracelet. Before when I first bound the curse, I used what we call instinctual magic, I didn't use a spell, I just reacted and did what I had to do to save you. The bracelet is doing that for me, so I don't have to concentrate and maintain it, it's connected to me and draws on my magic to maintain it. So we just stay in range, a month after drinking a horrible tasting potion that Gaius will happily force-feed you if you don't drink it and sitting through me chanting some weird words every time you drink it before poof, you're healed like magic." Merlin shrugged.
The pair were silent as Arthur stared at the ceiling and Merlin studied. It was broken by Merlin saying, "I know how you can repay the debt you owe me."
"How?" Arthur immediately felt on guard.
"Answer any and all my questions. As truthfully as possible. I promise not to ask about state secrets, they're just things I am curious about." Merlin put his book to the side and moved to sit on the end of the bed.
"And I won't owe you anything?"
"Not a penny!"
"Fine."
"What's it like being Prince?"
"Brilliant, everyone does what I tell them to and I don't have to put up with any bullshit." Arthur responded.
"Uh-huh, I'll only consider the debt even if you answer truthfully." Merlin raised an eyebrow in disbelief at the Prince.
Arthur sighed and said, "Some days I hate it. Everyone is watching you, expecting huge things and then you never seem to measure up. Everything I do is not what I want, but what is best for Camelot and the people. Other days I love it, when I walk down to the markets and see my people living and happy and when they see me and seem to genuinely care for me, it's wonderful."
"Thank you. Next question." Merlin continued.
The two boys talked for ages, Merlin asking questions about humans, school, the people, the celebrations, the feasts, the food, the nights, the days, everything and anything except for things the enemy of Camelot shouldn't know about. In turn, Arthur began asking Merlin questions about elves, wanting to know more about the people that his father refuses to mention unless it was to order the execution of one or attack on them. Merlin told him about their celebrations, their beliefs, their culture, his personal family, what he was studying and about all his friends.
"OK, last question and we're even, and then I really need to get back to studying." Merlin grinned.
"Good, then I can stop listening to your annoying babble." Arthur settled back against the pillows behind him.
"Why do you think magic is evil?" Merlin asked him, his pale angular face serious all of a sudden.
Arthur frowned and looked at him, remembering where he was, who this man was and what his father had told him. "It is. It kills people and hurts them and is evil."
"Is your sword evil?" Merlin asked him.
"What?"
"You kill people with that sword, does that make it evil."
"The sword isn't good or evil, and I only ever kill when I need to protect Camelot, the people, the Knights and myself." Arthur answered, confused as to where the elf was going.
"You kill people to protect those you care about. You use swords to do this. We protect the people we care about, and we use magic. How is that different? How is us using our magic to defend our home, our people, our loved ones evil? How is a woman healing a baby with magic to keep it from dying evil? How is a man helping his village grow his crops evil? How can magic be evil if it saved your life, if it is saving your life this very moment?" Merlin asked him. The elf then climbed off the bed and sat back on the floor and opened his books again.
"Magic is evil, and so are you." Arthur told him, before rolling over and shutting his eyes, ending the conversation.
The room was silent except for the scratching of the quill Merlin was using. Arthur ignored the feelings of uneasiness and doubt that he felt creeping into his head. 'No,' he thought to himself. 'Magic is evil, it must be destroyed.'
It took all of three days for the reply from Uther to return, it saying that he was sending five knights to the Lake of Verilyn to meet with a party of Elves to be lead to their city. No human had ever been to the city, none even knew where it was.
"Come one Gaius! He's fine; he's just got a stone arm. We'll be careful and I'll go slowly. I just want to show him around." Merlin pleaded. Arthur woke up to find the boy pleading with the other man.
"No Merlin, he isn't going anywhere."
"Please? Come one! I'm going stir-crazy in here, if I don't get out for a bit then I might explode. We'll be back after lunch, I'll make him rest regularly, I know how to give him the potion at lunchtime and I've done the spell heaps of times now. Please?"
"Let them go and explore, Gaius." Hunith interrupted the conversation as she entered the infirmary.
Arthur sat up in the bed and asked, "What's going on?"
"I was asking if I could show you around the city, see Gaius, the Queen said we can go, please?" Merlin pouted at the healer who sighed and waved his hand in permission. "Yes!" Let's go Arthur!" Merlin turned to him, flinging the blankets off of the Prince and waiting impatiently as the Prince stood.
"Can I go out wearing this?" Arthur asked, not knowing what other elves wear.
"It's fine, let's go."
"Shoes?"
"We rarely wear shoes in the city, if we go to fight yeah, sometimes if we go out to collect herbs far away, but otherwise we all go barefoot." Merlin explained, wriggling his bare toes.
"OK, OK, where are we going to go?" Arthur asked, following the excited elf out of the infirmary and stopped in shock. The view in front of Arthur was shocking. The whole city was built in the trees!. The houses and things were built on platforms and there were rope bridges in between everything but a lot of elves were climbing through the branches instead of bridges. Merlin lead Arthur across a rope and wooden one to a larger tree and then around the houses on a wooden walkway.
"Wow." Arthur said, looking around at all the buildings and layout.
"Majority of our city is in the trees, but we do use the ground for our markets, meetings, feasts, celebrations etcetera." Merlin explained.
"How do you get down?" Arthur asked, looking over the edge of the bridge down to the ground…very far down.
"There are steps and ramps for elders, children and people bringing large belongings up but majority of us just climb down. We grow up in the trees, if you aren't born a natural at climbing then you become one." Merlin shrugged then led him to a tree off to one side and began walking down the ramp the spiralled around the tree.
"Where are we going?" Arthur asked, walking next to the elf, but moving behind him every now and again as someone came up the other direction. Each person they passed stared at the pair curiously and openly.
"The markets. We'll get some lunch and then I wanted to show you something. Also, Gaius gave me some herbs he needs me to collect so we need to do that."
"You collect herbs for Gaius?"
"When I can, he's old so it makes it harder for him to climb through the trees and things. If I'm not studying, at school or practicing then I'll help him."
"Practicing?" Arthur asked curiously.
Merlin tensed up and glanced at him then away, "Practicing magic." He muttered.
"Oh." Arthur fell silent and the walk down remained quiet and tense.
"Freya!" Merlin called out, once they were on the ground and walking through the crowd in between stalls that contained objects such as clothing, bows, tokens and food.
"Merlin! Ego credebam te oblitum me." A girl with pale skin, dark hair and pointed ears grinned and slipped out from behind the stall to hug the elf.
"Gaius wouldn't let us out. Freya, this is Prince Arthur" Merlin jerked his head at Arthur to tell him to come closer.
"Sire." Freya curtsied, not meeting the Prince's gaze as she spoke in English. "Forgive me, I did not realise you were there."
"That's alright." Arthur said, rather awkwardly.
"Do you have any honey-crackles?" Merlin asked excitedly, looking over the girl's wares.
"I saved a few. Here you go." Freya handed him a bundle and Merlin handed back a couple of coins.
"Thank you Freya, I'll come back when I can to chat, we've got to keep moving, Gaius wants us back in an hour and half and we need to grab his herbs still from the Garavath Tree." Merlin kissed the girl's cheek lightly and grabbed Arthur's wrist and pulled him after him.
"Where are we going?"
"The Garavath Tree. That's where Gaius' herbs are, but we'll go there on the way back, I want to show you something first. No one else knows of the spot though, so I couldn't really tell her that, now could I?" Merlin tied the bundle of food to his belt and soon enough they were out of the market place and walking through the forest.
20 minutes later, and Merlin stopped in front of a huge tree. "We have to climb up there, do you think you can?"
"How? I have a dud arm, it is made of stone at the moment." Arthur lifted his right arm that just hung at his side, made of stone and unmoveable.
"There's a ladder, stupid." Merlin shook his head. "Wait here, I'll go up and unroll it." Merlin didn't wait for an answer, just began climbing up, clinging to the tree like a monkey. Within in minutes a ladder dropped down in front of Arthur and he started climbing up, rather awkwardly, by wrapping hiss stone arm around the rope and going slowly so he didn't fall off. Once he reached the top, he climbed onto the branch and sat next to Merlin who was standing.
"Finally." Merlin grinned. "Stand up and look this way." Merlin pointed through the leaves of the tree. Arthur stood and held onto the trunk to keep balance and looked out through the leaves only to see a beautiful forest, full of leaves and colours. There was a mountain far away on the horizon that was a luscious green and the trees all stood tall and proud. Arthur could hear the animals calling out to one another, screeches and barks from birds and wolves.
"It's beautiful." Arthur breathed.
"It's my home." Merlin added. "There's an enchantment on the city so you don't find us. We don't want to fight with you, we just want to live here peacefully but we are not going to sit back as your father kills innocents for having magic and using it for good. Some of the people Uther has executed probably deserved it, they were corrupted by their gift, but the innocents didn't, and we won't stand for that." Merlin told the Prince. "Now sit down and eat the cakes, then the potion and I'll cast the spell. Then we'll have to head back to grab the herbs and back to Gaius." Merlin handed the prince a small cake that smelt delicious, and had a crunchy outside but soft inside.
"These are delicious!" Arthur exclaimed, once he had bit into one.
"I know, Freya makes the best honey-crackles ever."
"What language did she speak before?"
"The Old Language. It is what we normally talk, but majority of us know English as well." Merlin explained. "A lot of people aren't going to know how to act around you and you might not have the most pleasant experiences with certain people. You are the son of the man who is trying to kill us all."
"Why are you so calm and relaxed about that? We've killed elves before, you've fought back, why are you so untroubled by the fact you saved the crown prince of your enemy?" Arthur demanded, confused.
"My father died fighting in a battle against humans. My mother was devastated, it was just before my tenth birthday. He was well-liked and so many people were upset and they kept telling me they were sorry and that we would get the people who killed him. The night after his wake, a party we hold in memory of the one who died, my mum came up to my room and sat down with me. She then told me how my father hated fighting and wanted peace. And that he believed revenge was never an option, and it never should be. I asked her why she was telling me this and she said because she didn't want me growing up a vengeful boy, only wanting violence and death. I told her that I didn't want to be the reason another little boy or girl lost their dad or uncle or brother. And I don't. My father died and I miss him and would give anything to change that, but that doesn't mean I want to kill every Camelot soldier and enact revenge which will do absolutely nothing to bring him back, only make my conscience heavier and cause grief for others somewhere else." Merlin explained.
"I am sorry for your loss." Arthur muttered, picking at his honey-crackle, losing his appetite suddenly.
It took a week for the knights to arrive, and when they did, Merlin led Arthur down to the floor of the forest and in the opposite direction to the markets where Gaius, the Queen and a few other elves were already waiting. The pair had spent the week collecting herbs for Gaius, exploring the city, and generally causing mischief (well Merlin was, Arthur was reluctantly tagging along).
The five knights stumbled through the leaves in to the clearing along with three elves that had been leading them.
The elves immediately went over to Hunith and reported to her in their language, as Arthur walked up to his knights and greeted them, Merlin trailing after him reluctantly, looking at the group of elves longingly, wanting to know what was going on.
"It's good to see you're alive Princess!" a knight grinned and gripped the Prince's shoulder briefly.
"I is good to see you again, sire." Another gripped Arthur's forearm for a moment (his left one).
"My father had all the knights to choose from and he sends you lot?" Arthur grinned, happy his friends were with him.
"We all volunteered to go." A short one with dark skin corrected.
"Who would volunteer to come see you?" Merlin teased, elbowing the Prince and then grinning innocently.
"Shut up Merlin." Arthur elbowed him back, then turned to his knights who were all eying the elf warily. "This is Merlin, Merlin these are my knights, Leon, Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot and Elyan."
"Nice to meet you." Merlin grinned waving at them all.
"Likewise, say, Merlin, you wouldn't happen to have any ale, to celebrate our Prince's rescue and all with?" Gwaine asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
Merlin let out a laugh and said, "You'll be hard pressed to find ale here, my friend. The only time we drink alcohol is during the summer solstice and even then, it's diluted wine."
"No alcohol?" Gwaine's face dropped and a completely depressed look came over his face.
"Trust me, alcohol and a bunch of elves don't mix, we get drunk and have wonderful ideas about finding a purple hippo, but what makes it worse is that we actually can conjure up a purple hippo. It doesn't go down well." Merlin shrugged.
The knights looked a little uneasy at the casual mention of magic but relaxed when Arthur didn't react.
"Merlin, have you given the Prince his potion yet?" Gaius called over, interrupting their conversation.
"About to do it Gaius, I haven't forgotten about it, don't worry." Merlin rolled his eyes, annoyed at the constant reminders.
"I would very much appreciate it if you don't forget it, and you know, kill me or something." Arthur told the boy.
Merlin huffed in mock-anger, "I forgot once and no permanent harm was down, your arm just got a little worse but it's all better now." he grumbled, reaching into his bag over his shoulder and passing a vial of a blue potion to the Prince.
"What's that?" Leon asked, curious.
"It's a potion that enhances the spell I am using to heal him. The curse isn't meant to be healed, which is why it is taking so long to heal." Merlin explained. Arthur downed the potion, and pulled a face at the taste but waited patiently as Merlin gently grabbed his stone arm and said, "Educ de brachio illius, et maledicto lapis non expellerent relictis sanum cute ossa et musculos." His eyes flashed gold and Arthur's arm glowed gold as well for a moment before fading back to grey. "It's getting better." Merlin commented, poking where the skin turned to stone. "It's gone down too, it's nearly down to your elbow now, before it was up at your shoulder."
"Thanks." Arthur muttered, aware of his Knights watching and a little put out by the studying they were doing of him.
"No problem, just doing my job." Merlin grinned brightly at him before turning to the knights. "Now, three of you will be escorted back to the Lake where you can go report back to your King that we aren't keeping Arthur here against his own will, well, kind of, and the other two can stay with him, if that's what makes you guys most comfortable, or you can all go or all stay, except your King may be expecting a report soon, but up to you." Merlin shrugged, grinning at the somewhat confused Knights.
"The letter was rather vague, why does the Prince have to stay here?" Leon asked, wanting to know why his Prince was in the enemy's hands.
"I managed to save Arthur from the curse by binding it to his right arm, which was the part that was already infected. To maintain that bind and heal him, I have to be close to him at all times and there was no way in hell I was going to go stay in Camelot for a month, no offence." Merlin told Arthur who ignored him.
"How close do you two have to stay?" Lancelot asked.
"To begin with a few feet, now I reckon about 10 feet maximum." Merlin answered, thinking about it. "The healing will work quicker if I'm in close range the whole time, but he won't die if I move away a bit."
"That's always good to know." Gwaine grinned at the elf who grinned back.
It was a few weeks later, and Arthur was getting ready to leave. There was a knock on the door and Arthur looked up to see Merlin waiting at the doorway. "Just came to see how you were going packing up." Merlin told the Prince, moving into the room and sitting on the bed. The curse was healed, the bracelet and Merlin's connection to him broken and now the human was heading home with Gwaine and Leon.
"Merlin, thank you for all you have done for me." Arthur told the elf, sitting down next to him. "You've saved my life, healed me and kept me company."
"No problem, it wasn't that much of a chore for me, I got out of work for a month and they pushed my exams back til next week considering I was linked to you." Merlin grinned at the Prince who grinned back.
"Well, goodbye."
"Bye, don't die on the way home, then all my hard work would be made redundant." Merlin watched as the Prince slung his bag on his back and walk out.
5 years later
"Your Majesty, the men are ready for tomorrow. They've all settled down for a rest except for the sentries, I suggest you do the same." Leon told his King.
Arthur sighed and glanced at the opening in the tent. "We have no chance against Cendred's army, they have magic and numbers on their side." Arthur told Leon. "I'm leading my people to their deaths."
"There is not one soldier or knight here that wouldn't willingly lay down his life for you, sire. We are going to fight tomorrow not because you ordered us, but because you asked us. They have magic and numbers, but we still have a chance." Leon told his King.
Arthur ran a hand through his blonde hair and wondered if he had made the right decision, not accepting Cendred's ultimatum.
"Your Majesty!" a guard called out. Arthur and Leon walked out to find three cloaked figures standing at his tent, surrounded by guards.
"What's going on? Who are these people?" Arthur demanded.
The figure at the front reached up and lowered his hood and grinned at Arthur as the moonlight highlighted his pale skin, pointed ears and brilliant blue eyes.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked, surprised at the elven boy's presence.
"Arthur, how have you been?" Merlin asked, as his the other people with him lowered the cloaks off their faces as well.
"Why are you here?" Arthur asked.
Merlin rolled his eyes and sighed, "I'm good Merlin, how are you? I'm good, nice of you to ask. I hear you were crowned King, congratulations. Thank you Merlin."
"Merlin," Arthur repeated, having forgotten how annoying the boy could be.
"I'm here to offer Camelot Esetir's services." Merlin responded, bowing dramatically. "It would be considered an honour to fight alongside such brave and honourable soldiers and help them not to get thrashed and killed because well, I quite like you guys." Merlin shrugged.
"What?" Arthur repeated.
Merlin sighed and said, "We come offering our services to Camelot, to help them win this battle in a gesture of good faith. We wish the tension between elves and humans to be gone, and a treaty formed and well, we can't do that if you're all dead. So here we are, ready to fight and everything. So yeah, you know." Merlin shrugged and then said, "I really should've planned this out better, but in my head it looked cool, mysteriously turning up with my trusted companions, appearing to the king, offering our bows in the battle and everyone being happy."
"And you wonder why I weep for our people." The man on Merlin's left muttered, shaking his head in despair.
"Hey, I am perfectly fit to be King, I keep life interesting for everyone." Merlin heard and turned to glare at the man.
"Sure, sure, Merlin, you keep telling yourself that." The man patted him on the arm consolingly.
"Anyway, ignore these fools, who needs them?" Merlin turned back to Arthur. "Let me start at the start, yeah?"
"Please, my men and I are all very curious." Arthur said sarcastically, acting annoyed but secretly enjoying the banter.
"You remember Lady Hunith, when you were in Esetir for a month?"
"The Queen, of course I do." Arthur answered.
"Well, yeah, she's my mum." Merlin shrugged. "Which by default made me the Crown Prince and all, but I didn't really want you to know, cause I was meant to hate you and you were meant to hate me and yada-yada-yada but I had no issue with humans or you, except for the fact that Uther was killing us and all." Merlin waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway, about a year ago I was crowned King because my mum stepped down and here we are, offering an alliance and treaty between our people. We'll help fight this battle, you won't kill us, we'll all be friends and no longer at war."
"Why wait until now to offer this?" Arthur asked, considering the treaty as a good thing. He wasn't his father, he didn't necessarily believe all magic to be evil, his time in Esetir with the elves showed him that, even if he was in denial about it then.
"We were preoccupied with our own problems." Merlin's face turned dark for a moment, in memory of what happened. "We were attacked and lost loved ones. We've not yet fully recovered, but we couldn't wait any longer."
"I am sorry for your losses." Arthur told Merlin, who grinned at him, just as happily as before.
"Thanks. Now, about tomorrow."
Arthur awung, chopped, cut and sliced without stopping to think about it. He had enemies on one side, friends on the other and he kept moving. To hesitate now would men certain death for himself and possibly others. He heard a cry and the soldier in red and gold next to him fell to the floor, dead. Another cry, another dead Camelot soldier.
The battle had started at first light, and it was nearing lunch time. Arthur had refused to sit back and watch his men fight, throwing his self into the thick of it, swinging with what had seemed like endless energy until now. Each swing seemed to take more out of him, but he refused to stop. He wouldn't stop until he was either dead or his people were safe. He noticed the green and black soldiers had encircled him, and were all grinning at him with an evil air to them. He threw himself into the fray, swinging and blocking like a machine, but it was 8 on 1 and it wasn't long before he was hit. A sword pierced through his armour like it was butter and sliced open his side. A rush of fire ran up his right arm and he nearly dropped his weapon. He gasped in pain, but swapped his sword to his left hand and managed to get it up in time to block the next attack. He let out a scream of pain and frustration has another sword sliced his back open, as if there were no armour there at all. Arthur fell to his knees due to the pain and watched as a sword swung down towards him. He knew there was no way he would block it, his sword had fallen down and there was no room to dodge the attack.
His eyes slid shut in defeat but shot open as there was a shout and the man about to kill him jerked backwards, as if thrown by an invisible force. Arthur glanced up at where the green soldiers were pointing and freaking out and stared in shock as a great big Dragon was in the sky, swooping down towards them. Fire was emitting from his mouth, scorching the sorcerers that had been hiding up at the back of the lines. There were screams of pain and fear as the Dragon seemed to pause in the air, looking around somewhere. Arthur heard a noise and spun around only to find a sorcerer (they wore different uniforms) approaching him, grinning evilly at the blonde King.
The sorcerer's look of evil turned to fear as Arthur felt and heard the Dragon swoop in behind him. Arthur shut his eyes and accepted his upcoming demise by fire and was surprised to find taloned paws wrap around him in a surprisingly gentle grip and there was a rush of air as he was lifted up into the air.
"What?" Arthur laughed, relieved he was still alive.
"You really thought I'd just let you die there? Please, I've put too much effort into you." Came Merlin's voice from atop the Dragon.
"Why am I not surprised you have Dragons?" Arthur grumbled.
Arthur heard Merlin laugh as if he was sitting right next to him. "My father was a Dragon Lord, when he died I inherited his gifts. This is Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon. He's one of the last few Dragons alive, your father attempted to kill them all off." Merlin's voice spoke in his ear. "Oh, and I'm using a spell to talk to you, so don't freak out of anything. Cause if you squirm and Kilgharrah drops you it's a long way down." Merlin added.
"I need to re-join the fight."
"No, you need to stay up here with Kilgharrah where it is safe while I send them running away like little puppies. Wait here." Merlin said, before jumping off the back of the Dragon and falling down to the ground.
"I assuming he has a plan." Arthur muttered.
"He probably doesn't, Young King." The Dragon spoke. Arthur tensed up in shock and stared up at the great beast as he hovered in the air in place.
"Don't you want to go let me down and join the fight?" Arthur asked, wanting to be down there with his people.
"The young Dragon Lord told me to stay up here with you to keep you safe. I cannot overrule his orders, whether I wanted to or not." The Dragon told him.
"Thought so." Arthur muttered, before looking back down at the battle, being able to see the colours of the soldiers and see the whole battle. There were more green then red, and they were slowly being pushed backwards. They were losing.
There was a loud boom and suddenly there was a huge line between the reds and greens, the green soldiers being yanked backwards to their side and vice-versa for the reds.
"Cendred. Leave this place and never try to take over again and I'll spare you." Merlin's voice echoed through the battlefield.
Cendred must've had his own sorcerer to help because seconds later his laugh echoed through the battlefield, being projected so all could hear him. "You think an elf aboard a Dragon is going to scare me away."
"Ask your sorcerer who is with you right now who Emrys is, then laugh in my face again." Merlin's voice spoke back, his tone dark and dangerous.
There was silence then Cendred asked, "If you think I am going to believe that a Pendragon has Emrys on his side, then you are crazy."
"Believe what you want, but I believe in fair warnings and this is yours. I am Lord Merlin, King of Esetir, High Lord of the Old Religion and known as Emrys to some. I am the Last Dragon Lord alive and have the power to mirror life and death. I can flatten castles, fortresses and cities with a blink and I can see into the future. This is your warning, Cendred. Return to your home land and never return or face the consequences."
Arthur watched in shock as Cendred laughed again and refused to surrender. Merlin stepped forward, he was a smudge of black in the middle of the divide between the two armies and he must've down something as all of a sudden the floor beneath half the green soldiers had disappeared and they were falling to their deaths, their screams echoing in Arthur's ears. Some of the enemy sorcerers casted spells at the red men, but they seemed to hit a wall and wash off, before returning to said sorcerers. Within minutes, the green army were either dead or running backwards, away to their home land.
Arthur yelped as he felt himself just suddenly drop, as Kilgharrah dove suddenly, dropping down to the ground. Arthur scrunched his eyes up as he approached the ground quickly and didn't open them until he felt the Dragon land, and then gently place him down.
"You alright Arthur?" Merlin asked, sounding amused.
Arthur opened his eyes and stood shakily on his feet only to pitch forward as his wounds made themselves known. Agony raced down his side and back and he groaned as his vision faded in and out with black spots.
"Shit, Arthur, hold on." Merlin swore, suddenly remembering his wounds and quickly hauling the King up over his shoulder (with a little help from his magic) and quickly ran through the red soldiers, yelling at them to move and when they didn't he shoved them gently with his magic.
"May this treaty last for longer than our time in this world and I hope this alliance will help our people, both human and elf alike, to prosper and become friends." Arthur raised the goblet in a toast.
"For Camelot and Esetir." Merlin added.
The crowd echoed him, elves sipping at apple cider and humans sipping at wine as they all celebrated the joining of their people.
Arthur placed a quick kiss on Guinevere's cheek as they sat back down. Merlin sat back down too, but instead of talking to the King, he ignored the human King and Queen to talk with Morgana, becoming more and more animated as they spoke about seers and magic.
Arthur grinned as his half-sister argued with the elf about the advantages of being a natural Seer (who knew Morgana's dreams were actually the future and that she had magic?) and learning to Scry.
Merlin turned to Arthur and interrupted his thought process, "Arthur, I wanted to ask your permission to marry Morgana."
Everyone on the high table paused to stare at the elf who grinned innocently at Arthur.
"You've known her for a month." Arthur commented.
"Yes, but I've Seen it, we get married up a tree Arthur, and it's a lovely wedding and all, especially your role in it." Morgana laughed with an evil smirk on her face.
"My role?" Arthur frowned, looking worried.
"Siblings of the bride and groom play a role in weddings for elves. They help us solidify the bond by completing a ritual dance thing." Merlin explained.
"Morgana, you are not marrying Merlin." Arthur announced.
"What, come on! Please?" Morgana pleaded.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"I said no."
A month later saw the Elf King marry the Human King's sister, the first mixed couple of many, with a reluctant Arthur dancing around as Merlin and Morgana tried and failed not to laugh at him.