Touch
"Standing in the eye of the storm
my eyes start to roll at the curl of your lips
and the center of eclipse
in total darkness I reach out and touch."
Touch—Troye Sivan
Chapter One
The Big Reveal
Merlin knew he shouldn't. There was too much of a risk. He could get caught and get thrown in the dungeons, or worse, executed at the pyre. Thankfully, Gaius had sent the council away, including Gwen. It wasn't that his magic wasn't healing the young King, it was. It was just taking a while to cure Arthur of the poison.
Gaius sat in the chair at Arthur's personal dining table and made it very clear that he wasn't listening or paying attention to what Merlin was doing as he sorted out his medicines. He sat on the bed, sinking into the soft mattress. He gently dipped a piece of cloth into cool water and wrung it out before gently dabbing it onto Arthur's forehead.
He trailed the cloth over his forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck. Cooling off the King was most important to break the fever, but he felt guilty for doing it for his own selfish reasons. All he wanted to do was touch the King and reassure himself that there was still life pumping in his veins. It was difficult trying to contain it, especially when Gwen came to visit. He really wanted to yell at her to leave and to stop touching him, for God's sake! He didn't though. He chewed on his nails as he watched the other servant take care of him and cool his fever down with the same cloth.
Now it was his turn to be alone with his King, his best friend. He placed the cloth back into the pot and set it on the table beside his bed. He looked at his friend fast asleep and shivering from the fever. Merlin placed his hand on the King's neck, murmuring a small healing spell, feeling his magic extend beyond his body and delve deep into Arthur's. Arthur's body was starving for the cleansing power of his magic, and he gave it to him willingly.
After all, his magic was to only be used for King Arthur.
Arthur's skin was too warm, too clammy. "Arthur, you need to wake up, please," Merlin asked in a whisper.
Arthur didn't respond.
He got off of the bed and moved to the window sill, propping himself onto it and looking out. Villagers had gathered in front of the castle and had lit candles in their hands. It angered him.
"He's not dead yet, why are they having the sigil?" Merlin demanded.
"It's to offer their respect, and prayers for fast healing. The people of Camelot know that their King's will is strong and he will survive. It's their way of showing their support, Merlin," Gaius answered calmly.
"He will wake up, right?" Merlin asked, turning to face his surrogate father from across the room.
"Of course. Not only does he have the antidote, but he has your magic to help him. Our King will be just fine," Gaius promised, "now I'm off to bed, will you stay up and take care of him?"
"Yes, you shouldn't have to ask," Merlin answered.
"I know, my boy."
"Sleep well," Merlin called, as he watched the white haired man leave Arthur's room.
The dragonlord made his way back to the bed, propping himself onto it and watching as Arthur breathed.
Every fifteen minutes, Merlin would cool the water with his magic and wipe down his face, neck, and sometimes chest to cool off the King. He made sure to keep the King covered with the blankets and continuing to infuse his magic into Arthur every half hour.
Merlin was leaning up against the far bed post when he felt movement shift. Immediately, his eyes flew open and saw Arthur stirring in his sleep and his eyes fluttering.
"Arthur?" He whispered.
"Mmmm," Arthur groaned.
Merlin couldn't help but chuckle, "Welcome back to the living."
Merlin could now see bright blue eyes and a confused expression on his face, "What happened?"
"Someone poisoned you, but it's alright. Gaius had the antidote, but we just had to make sure we kept your fever down. How are you feeling?" Merlin asked quietly.
"Sore, and bloody hot," Arthur grumbled, his fingers coming up to his eyes and rubbing them.
"Well, it's better than being dead. Are you hungry?" Merlin asked.
"No, thirsty," Arthur answered.
"Alright," Merlin said, getting up and grabbing a cup and the pitcher to slowly fill it with the clear liquid, "here you go," he said, handing it to Arthur.
Arthur sat up, the blankets pooling around his waist as he took the cup and drank the water down hungrily. "That tasted amazing," he said, almost in awe.
"I could tell." He took the cup and sat it back on the table. "I should get Gaius."
"No, no. I'm fine, don't bother him," Arthur said, waving him off.
"Okay. Would you like me to stay or leave you to rest?" Merlin asked.
"No, you can stay," Arthur said, laying back down. "I had an interesting dream."
"Really?"
"Yes. It was…almost as if I could see magic in its physical form. It was gold and shimmery, sparkling as well. It kept enveloping me. It was quite strange," Arthur commented.
Merlin bit his lip to try and hide his smile. "You should feel lucky. Magic doesn't choose to show its true form to just anyone, I hear."
"How would you know?" Arthur asked.
"I've seen it, too," he answered.
"In your dreams?" Arthur asked, a bit bewildered.
"Yes. It gives you the feeling of warmth, and safety. It doesn't have a true state, but it was presented to me in liquid form. I bathed in it and when I woke up, I felt as if I had the best night of sleep ever," Merlin answered.
"What do you think it means?"
"Someone who has powerful magic is looking out for us," he assumed.
"Do you think I dreamt of it because I was poisoned?"
"I wouldn't doubt it."
"Huh. That's awfully brave of the sorcerer."
"Maybe he or she thinks your worth saving," Merlin said.
"Camelot bans the practicing of magic, though," Arthur pointed out.
"Maybe you'll change that. Obviously can't be all that bad if it helped to heal you, or to just offer you comfort. What sorcerer would go out of their way to help the one man who would put them on the pyre after a trial and confession? He or she knows something," Merlin said.
Arthur stared at Merlin, "You can be so daft, and yet so wise. Do you have a complex?"
"Only with you," Merlin answered, smiling.
Arthur chuckled, and looked down at his chest. His eyes widened, "What the-?"
Merlin frowned and approached him. He looked to where Arthur's eyes were staring at. He gasped. On Arthur's chest, directly over his heart was gold ink perfectly scripted into the word: Emrys.
"That's new," Merlin said, lightly, although he didn't know why it was there. All he did was a healing spell, not a permanent healing mark!
"You think? What does it mean? What's 'Emrys'?" Arthur asked.
"The Druids speak of him. He's supposed to be a very powerful sorcerer. He's not one who was taught it, he was born with it. Magic and he are one being, and apparently he's a good person. His true identity is known to very few. I didn't know he existed, but that is obvious proof that he does. Apparently the most powerful sorcerer is helping you, Arthur," Merlin answered, giving him a half-truth.
"So he branded me?" Arthur asked incredulously.
"It's not a brand, it's a healing mark. That mark has magic, and will help heal you if you're ever injured or sick. It's very powerful magic," Merlin said. He wasn't even sure how he conjured it.
"How do you know all of this?"
"I read, and Gaius likes to tell me stories. Apparently this 'Emrys' has been prophesized about since the dawn of the Old Religion."
Arthur looked back at the mark, inspecting it. "How do we know it isn't a curse?"
Merlin chuckled, "The color. Magic changes color based on the person wielding it. If someone is good, the magic will reflect that purity. What's more pure than gold?"
"And for evil?"
"Then it's red, and sometimes black," Merlin answered.
"We need to find this Emrys, so that I can thank him," Arthur said, determined.
Merlin panicked, "Sire, he doesn't show himself for reasons. He'll think it's a witch hunt."
"Or maybe he's watching us right now in some crystal seeing glass and knows that my intention is to thank him and ask him what he knows about my destiny," Arthur replied, "find out everything you know about him."
"Yes, sire."
Merlin had a problem now. He had to now scrounge up information on himself because, once again, he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He would have to talk to Gaius and come up with a plan.
Four Weeks Later
"Gaius, where's Merlin?" Arthur asked as he entered their room.
Gaius smiled, "He's speaking with the Druids. He told me to tell you that he will catch up with you guys as soon as he finishes."
Arthur nodded, "Thank you."
Gaius was unsure if their plan would work, but he hoped that the young King would see magic for what it really was, and in the end, see Merlin for who he really is.
Merlin had left early that morning, making his way up to an abandoned house. Gaius, the Druids, and himself all had created a plan to reveal his true nature to Arthur. After weeks of planning, it was finally going to happen.
He reached the cabin just after dawn and led his horse into the hidden stable behind the run-down cabin. He entered the house and began using his magic to clean the house. The Druids had offered him clothing and suggested he wear it instead of his normal, everyday clothing. The pants-material were leather and it was the color black. The tunic was also black, and the leather belt around his waist was of skillfully made leather as well. He also had on black boots. Overall, he didn't recognize himself when he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
Merlin radiated power, and was almost intimidating. His newly formed muscles filled the tunic nicely. Gone was the thin and lanky Merlin, but now he was strong and could hold his own in a fight.
After changing and cleaning up the house significantly, he went out into the forest behind him to pick herb and berries. He was returning to the cabin when he heard the noise of hooves. He used his magic to see how far Arthur and his knights were and figured he had only a few minutes before they would be in front of the cabin.
He hurriedly rushed in and made it into the kitchen. He breathed in and out, trying to steady himself. Things would be okay. If he needed to, he could easily use his magic to escape the wrath of Arthur and his knights. Everything was going to be fine. It didn't remove the feeling of uneasiness in the pit of his stomach.
He set his herbs and berries on the table and began to slice and dice accordingly. He could hear the snorting and thundering of the horses. They were seconds away…
They were here.
