Title: Take the Long Way Home 1. By the Fire
Fandom: Merlin
Characters/Pairings: Merlin, Uther. Eventual Merlin/Uther
Rating: T
Genre: AU, Angst, Drama
Spoilers: For season 1
Summary: Trapped in a magical forest with an angry Uther, Merlin tries to redeem magic in the king's eyes.
It took all of Merlin's will power not to cast a spell to stop Uther making any sound. He'd been pacing back and forth by the fire since they made camp, ranting about the evils of sorcery and how he should have known and how dare Merlin try to infiltrate the royal house and boy you are damn lucky I don't run you through where you sit!
"Last time I save your life," Merlin muttered, poking at the fire.
Uther stopped - stopped talking, stopped pacing, just stopped and glared down at Merlin. "Excuse me?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.
Merlin shrugged. "The only reason you know I have magic is because I saved your life," he said. "Besides that, it's my magic that's kept Arthur alive since I came to Camelot."
Uther shook his head. "You must be plotting something."
"Really? Just yesterday I was an idiot, but now I'm smart enough to plot evil schemes that threaten the crown?" Merlin knew he ought to just shut up, but he couldn't. Uther needed him to get out of this forest and stubborn as he was he knew that. If ever there'd been a time for Merlin to speak his mind, it was now.
He just hoped he hadn't misjudged the king this time.
Judging by Uther's glare and the way he was gripping the hilt of his sword, Merlin was afraid he'd done just that.
"All people who practice sorcery are enemies of Camelot," Uther said.
Merlin flicked his stick in the fire, sending sparks into the air. With a murmured incantation, they took the shape of a dragon. "Only because you persecute us at every turn," Merlin said, watching Uther watch the sparks as they blew away on the wind.
The look in Uther's eye told Merlin one thing: the king had not always hated magic.
"Sorcery killed my wife," Uther said after a long silence, his voice quiet.
"I know."
Uther sat heavily across from him, staring in disbelief. "You don't deny it?"
Merlin shook his head. "I can't," he said. "No one could. You asked for a life to be given, so a life had to be taken." Merlin was sure someone had tried to explain this to Uther before and failed, but Merlin didn't see the harm in trying again. "When the Questing Beast bit Arthur, I made the same bargain. I offered my life, but I almost lost my mother and Gaius."
Uther was quiet for a moment, his red-rimmed eyes fixed on the fire. "Who's life was taken?"
"Nimueh's."
Uther nodded, looked away. "I never wanted her to die. I just..."
"You didn't want to know," Merlin said. "You didn't want to believe Igraine's life was the price for Arthur's."
"No," Uther said, his voice choked. Then he shook his head and stood suddenly, glaring at Merlin again. "No, you're lying," he snapped. "I will not listen to such falsehoods."
Merlin shrugged. "Believe what you will," he said, "but I did save your life."
Uther resumed pacing and ranting, clearly unsure of how to deal with a sorcerer not actively trying to kill him. Merlin figured he'd be spared and banished, which he would have been able to deal with if not for that pesky destiny he and Arthur shared.
Maybe if he had more time...
Merlin let a smile ghost across his lips. He'd seen storm clouds earlier and there was a cave not far off. With the right spell, he could speed the rain and maybe stall long enough to convince Uther of the truth.
Or maybe Uther really was too stubborn and angry to hear.
His mind made up, Merlin looked up at the sky, concentrating on the magic present in the forest as he began to weave his spell.
He would never know if he didn't try.