Early morning start.
Merlin felt his heart racing as he sat bolt upright in his bed. He panted and looked up at his intruder. His mind fleeted back to a few hours previously. He had snuck out, walked beyond the castle walls and came to a clearing not far from Camelot. He waited and finally his patience paid off. The great dragon swooped down and landed, almost elegantly on the grass. He spoke of another warlock, a few hundred leagues from Camelot, who was growing in power.
Therefore, he had climbed onto the dragons back and held on for dear life. After a while, Merlin had eased his grip and threw his hands in the air as he became more confident that the great dragon would not drop him.
Finally they had landed. Merlin was set down and was told that the warlock was in the small village, that he was most likely to be at the very edge for the village was based around a cliff. There would be a hundred foot drop for anyone who ventured to far in the dark.
0Merlin looked up and thanked his mentor. Then with one swoop, the great dragons flew, promising that he would return in one hour, no more and take him home to Camelot.
The only thing he could hear were the distant murmurings from the villagers and the hum of insects. He was sure, that he crept around the village, that everyone would be asleep. He tried not to make any noise, remembering how angry and scared villagers could be at someone waltzing around their community.
He crept round a corner of a house and stopped. A few feet away a small fire blazed and a hunched person sat in front of it. Its back was facing Merlin and he could make out shaped lying around on the ground. He guessed that they were books.
He crept closer then stopped as the figure lowered its hood to reveal curly hair. "Emrys. He told me you would come." Merlin did not recognise the voices, but he was sure it was a man. A young man, possible around his own age.
Merlin opened his mouth to speak and shut it. He stepped closer as the man stood and turned to face him. "He?" Merlin dared to speak.
Merlin could feel the other man's eyes boring into him as Merlin came to a stop in front of the warlock. "Yes. The Great Dragon." Merlin almost let out a laugh. The dragon had almost stitched him up. At least he knew he was not in that much danger. "please. Come closer to the fire. I wish to see your face."
Merlin swallowed and stepped closer. He could feel the heat of the fire seeping into his clothes and warming him. At that moment in time, he knew that this other warlock that the Great Dragon had spoken about was…
"MERLIN I AM SPEAKING TO YOU."
Merlyn rubbed the side of his face as Arthur stood in his room, clutching another cushion. He could see the anger in Arthur's eyes and knew that his thoughts were completely dissolved.
"Arthur i-"Merlin began as Arthur threw the cushion at him with some power that he felt blood pouring out of his noise. He scrambled out of his bed and quickly donned clothes. Arthur had such a disgusted look on his face and his cheeks were flushed with such anger that Merlin had not seen before.
"When you're dressed properly and mucked out my horses and cleaned my clothes. Report to my chambers Merlin." Arthur said with gritted teeth and strode out of the room, narrowly avoiding colliding into Gaius.
Merlin opened his mouth at Gaius, who in turn stared at him hard. "Get changed Merlin and I'll see to your face quickly. Then you better get Arthur's orders fulfilled before there are any more accidents." The older man said, and then closed the door to Merlin's room.
Merlin could feel tears forming in his eyes as he sank down on his bed. He gingerly touched the side of his face and winced. Arthur had defiantly done some damage. He rubbed his eyes to get rid of the sleep that was there and felt time stand still. Guilt washed over him like a sickness and he thought he was about to throw up. He stood quickly, feeling the blood run to his head and staggered to the door where he ran down the stairs and out of Gaius' chambers.
"Merlin! Merlin!" he could hear Gaius shouting him as merlin raced down the stairs and across the yard. He reached the citadel and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time and trying to avoid colliding into anyone. He failed to noticing people stopping, pointing. He did not see some of the knights, Gwaine and Percival amongst them, start laughing.
Merlin finally reached Arthur's chambers when he yanked open the door and stumbled in. he tried to catch his breath as Arthur stood up at his desk and walk round towards him.
"Arthur I am so sorry…I forgot…please I'm so sorry I did not mean to…" Merlin was trying to take deep breathes whilst begging Arthur to forgive him. He stood up straight and shook his head at the king. "It's the anniversary of Uther's death. I am sorry I was not there Arthur I truly am. Please don't fire me, please forgive me."
Arthur looked him up and down. "Merlin you did not change." Arthur said, crossing his arms and glaring at him.
Merlin looked down at his bedraggled state. Arthur was right. He was still in his nightclothes and barefoot. He winced in pain at his face tightening and the pain spreading through his feet. There was pain in his chest as well and he had not caught his breath yet.
"Who is Joseph?" Arthur asked, stepping closer. "Who is he?"
Merlin shook his head as the events of the night before crept into his mind…
"Merlin who the hell is he?" Arthur shouted. Merlin could feel Arthur breath hitting his face and winced as pain tore through his face. "I thought you loved me!"
His knees buckled under him and Merlin felt himself drop to the floor. However, he did not feel any pain. He let the darkness overcome him and remembered what happened in the village in the middle of nowhere.
At that moment in time, he knew that this other warlock that the Great Dragon had spoken about was…beautiful.
TBC