"The kidnappers of the Lady Morgana were worked of the consequences of their actions, but have not returned my ward to Camelot. For the love of my ward then, I am forced to carry out my threats."
This can't be happening. There must be something I can do. The young sorcerer looked on in despair as three suspected sorcerers were led out into the citadel square for no other crime than simple existence.
"Hang them." The king pronounced his verdict with such an emotionless finality, that Merlin hated him more than he had ever hated him before. What kind of man could sentence innocents without a second thought?
For an instant, Merlin nearly looked away, he was nearly that weak. But he forced himself to look on, to watch the deaths that he was to blame for. After all, if he hadn't been so stupid maybe he would have realised that the Lady Morgana couldn't just disappear for a day, not like he could.
And before he knew it, it was over.
"Sorcerers," Uther pronounced, "It is you, not I, who has caused this. If the Lady Morgana is safely returned to Camelot, then I will spare the lives of the other sorcerers in our dungeons. If not, the deaths of thirty men and women will be on your hands."
He couldn't bear it anymore. He had to get out of here. He had to at least try to help them.
"None of this would have happened if you'd only followed my advice, Merlin!"
"But I couldn't just leave her!"
"And now your own people will pay the price! How many more must you let die before you realise that wisdom comes with age, boy?"
"None! No one would die if you would just help me!" Why was it always so hard to get help from the Great Dragon? Couldn't Merlin get a straight, and useful answer from him, just this once?
"I am astonished that you feel the need to come to me, young warlock!" Kilgharrah snarled in response, "My advice is clearly meaningless to you! Certainly, I see no use of helping you when you cannot appreciate the value of my help, when you prefer to stumble your own way, taking many down with you!"
Merlin paced back and forth in a fury. "So you won't help me then?"
"Not when I can't-"
"Fine!" He turned on his heel and stormed away, without a second thought.
"Merlin!"
Perhaps Gaius sensed more than Merlin knew, because it felt like an age before he finally fell asleep that night. As silently as he could manage, Merlin moved about in a rush, collecting a few supplies and packing them, along with a change of clothes, and on a whim, his books of spells.
It was fairly simple after that. He barely had to think as he crept out of the room and towards the cells, avoiding guards practically on reflex. In fact, it wasn't until he reached the gates of the citadel with the suspected sorcerers that the alarm bells began to sound, and they made it all the way to the edge of the city before their pursuers caught up with them.
"Run! Just run!" Merlin shouted, chanting a quick incantation to prevent the gates from closing. "I'll hold them off, just get out of here!"
He turned back towards the rapidly approaching patrol, and threw his hands out in front of his instinctively. The knights flew back like they'd been pulled on a string, their heads making a sickening crunch as they collided with the walls of houses behind them. Merlin tried to focus on the matter at hand, rather than that awful sound…
"Alain! Roderick!" The rest of the patrol were too close behind them, and with no time to think, Merlin threw up a barrier of flames, scaring the horses backwards and giving him some more time. But with the stronger light filling the street, Merlin's eyes fell upon… Oh, it would be him, wouldn't it?
"M-Merlin? No, this can't be… No!" Merlin didn't think he could ever forget the look that crossed his old friend and master's face as he recognised his own manservant.
"Sorry, Arthur. But I couldn't just watch Uther murdering those people." And without a second thought, Merlin turned his back on his friend, and walked away from the home he loved.
A/N- As promised, LittleMissThaliaGrace, the beginning of your Merlin fic :) To everyone in general, sorry this was kinda short. Hopefully the chapters will get longer. And please do tell me what you think! Reviews are wonderful, wonderful things, and certainly speed up the writing process!