Disclaimer: I do not own the Merlin series.
Merlin Revisited: Series 5
Chapter 1 Arthur's Bane
Merlin is running around the castle, looking for the tiniest person living there.
"Sorry," he apologizes as he runs into another servant.
Little Andrew is nowhere to be found.
"Well?" Arthur asks when Merlin returns empty handed.
Merlin shakes his head.
"Gwen had him. How is it my fault?" he asks.
"Ahem," a voice says from the stairs.
They turn to find Gwen, Andrew holding on to her hand. Merlin crosses his arms and gives Arthur a 'see?' look.
"Merlin?" Arthur asks.
"Right," he says. He picks up the little boy that was the spitting image of his father. However, he did have his mother's eyes. "Come on, you. Let's go visit the horses."
"Just don't bring him back smelling like them," Arthur tells him. It has been three years of peace, but now some of the Knights are missing. Arthur and Gwen enter the Council Chamber to discuss the matter. "Is it true that Morgana occupies the fortress of Ismere?"
"That are the rumors, Sire," Sir Leon answers.
"Then that's where they are," Arthur says.
He starts planning a rescue mission.
"If it's Morgana, it's a trap," Gwen tells him.
"They're my men," Arthur replies.
xxx
Merlin prepares the horses the next morning.
"Do you really think Gwaine and Percival could still be alive?" he asks.
"I have to find out," Arthur tells him.
"I understand," Merlin replies.
On their way to Queen Annis, who granted them safe passage through her kingdom, Merlin meets a Druid seer, who tells him about Arthur's bane. Merlin cannot get it out of his head as they stay with Annis. He can only guess what Arthur's bane is. Merlin looks at the roaring fireplace as Arthur undresses.
"Where did you learn to juggle like that?" Arthur asks Merlin, referring to the entertainment he was made to perform after dinner. Merlin does not hear this. "Come on, out with it. What's wrong?"
"We can't go to Ismere," Merlin tells him.
"Merlin, I have to save my men," Arthur replies, giving an exasperated sigh.
"You don't know if they're alive," he says loudly, giving Arthur a fright.
Arthur gets up from the bed and joins Merlin by the fire. He takes in the half naked king. Arthur takes Merlin's hand and places it on his bare chest.
"Just leave the important stuff to me," he says.
"But…" Merlin begins to protest, but his mouth get covered by Arthur's lips.
xxx
It turns out that Sefa, Gwen's maid, is spying for her father Ruadan, who is working for Morgana. He tells Morgana about Arthur's plan of attack.
Arthur notices Merlin staring out into space as they make camp that night.
"Merlin," Arthur calls, but Merlin does not turn.
"How can they laugh and joke?" he asks, referring to the Knights.
Arthur sits next to him.
"A warrior learns to enjoy each day as it comes," he tells him.
"Because he knows it might his last," Merlin replies.
"Why are you so upset?" Arthur asks.
Merlin sighs and finally looks at Arthur.
"You have Andrew now. Don't you want to watch him grow up?" he asks.
"Oh course I do," Arthur replies as if that was an obvious answer.
"Morgana is powerful," Merlin tells him.
"I know," Arthur replies.
"Don't give her the opportunity to use Andrew against you," Merlin says in a low, pleading voice.
It takes everything in Arthur not to take Merlin in his arms to comfort him.
"No matter what lies ahead of me… I won't abandon them, Gwen, Andrew, or you," he vows.
"I understand. I wish I didn't, but I do,' Merlin replies.
xxx
Later, the Saxons attack them. Merlin is just able to get Arthur to safety. However, the other Knights are taken.
"What happened?" Arthur asks in a daze.
"The usual," Merlin replies as he sits Arthur up. "I saved your neck."
"Really?" Arthur asks.
He does know whether or not to believe Merlin at first.
"I keep telling you. I have many talents," Merlin says. They continue walking to Ismere after a quick rest. "We're going to our deaths."
"You don't have to come with me," Arthur tells him.
Merlin gives a small laugh as he crosses his arms. It is getting cold. Really cold.
"Oh course I do," he replies, giving a slight shiver.
"Shut up then," Arthur says.
He is beginning to feel the effects of the weather change as well.
"If Morgana doesn't kill you, I will," Merlin tells him.
"Threatening a King id treason, Merlin," Arthur says.
"How about threatening an ass of a partner?" he asks in a low tone, but that Arthur could still hear him.
"Heard that," Arthur calls out to him.
"You were meant to," Merlin yells back.
Arthur stays several paces ahead of Merlin, neither of them saying anything to each other.
"Not that I haven't minded," Arthur says some time later, "but you have been awfully quiet."
"I'm just remembering what that Druid seer told me," Merlin tells him.
"It's okay to be okay," Arthur assures him.
He stops so that Merlin is now by his side.
"Then I'll protect you or die at your side," Merlin says. Arthur smiles and wraps an arm around Merlin. Later on they, or rather, Merlin, starts getting hungry. "There has to be something to eat." He then spots something in the distance. "Rabbits!"
Arthur laughs a little as Merlin goes for them. And then a horrible thought crosses his mind.
"Merlin," he yells out.
But it is too late as Arthur catches up to Merlin. They get trapped in a net.
"I got them," Merlin declares in a victorious tone.
xxx
Meanwhile, Gwen questions Sefa about her father. After admitting to giving information to her father, Sefa is sentenced to death for treason.
In the forest at night, Arthur and Merlin are still trying to get out of the net.
"If I could get my sword, I can cut the rope," Arthur says.
"Don't out your knee there," Merlin replies as Arthur begins to move.
"Where?" Arthur asks, but it's too late.
His knee lands in-between Merlin's legs.
"There," Merlin groans.
He moves in pain. In all the movement, Arthur drops his sword.
"Merlin," Arthur yells.
"That was your fault," he says.
"Just great," Arthur replies.
They gives up moving all together.
"Where did the other rabbit go?" Merlin says, now only having one in his hand.
They are cut down the next morning by a man named Radnor and his group.
"Did we wake you?" he asks, but it was obvious he did not care if he had or not. "The King of Camelot will fetch a handsome price dead or alive."
"You can have me," Arthur says as he and Merlin get to their knees. "Just let my servant go. He doesn't deserve to die like this."
Two of the men pull Merlin up.
"If you're going to kill him, you'll have to kill me first," Merlin replies.
"Merlin! No," Arthur says.
Merlin gives him a look.
"You know I never do as I'm told," he says.
He gives Arthur one last smile as he turns to face his death.
"Stop," a voice calls out. Merlin sighs with relief. "We should let the Lady Morgana decide their fate."
Radnor agrees as the man helps Arthur up.
"You don't remember me. You saved me many years ago," the man tells Arthur."
It takes Merlin a while, but he realizes who he is.
"Mordred," he says.