A/N I'm here again with another multi-chapter fic from my friend Hannah, who writes a lot but is unfortunately unable to access . I'm forwarding all emails to her, and we both really appreciate any feedback! For those who read her previous fic, Window to the Past (also on my profile), the two are unconnected in storyline.
Note from Hannah –
Disclaimer: I don't own any BBC characters.
This is set two months after The Last Dragonlord. Thanks for reading and reviewing Window to the Past, I hope you enjoy this fic.
The Warlock's Calling
Prologue
Merlin watched as the woman walked over to where he was lying, his breathing coming out in pants. Her face was one of deep sadness and she stroked the warlock's forehead. Merlin wanted to recoil from the cold fingers but the agony in his chest prevented him from moving. He could feel the blood from the wound trickling over his torso. His head lolled helplessly onto one side, the bloody wound there sending a jolt of pain through him. He couldn't stop himself from whimpering.
The woman's expression became even more worried and she tilted his face, lifting his injured cheek off the stone, careful not to touch the mark. She then ran her hand through his hair. When Merlin made a strangled attempt to speak she held a delicate finger to his lips, still playing with his hair. She did so for a while, sometimes rubbing his uninjured cheek with her thumb. All Merlin could do was stare at the woman, her cold hands chilling him, which was not helped by the fact that he no longer had his jacket, top or neckerchief. To his surprise his breathing began to ease but the pain still raged on. Whenever he tried to speak, she just shook her head, her finger still on his mouth.
"I'm so sorry Merlin," she whispered, a single tear rolling down her face. Her brown eyes suddenly glowed gold and Merlin heard a rustling noise, as if something was slithering across the floor. Seconds later he felt something crawling up his body. Merlin began to panic and his breathing quickened again as the tendril like-things stretched towards his head. He didn't look at what they were but just stared up at the woman. She tried to hush him as he gave a meek cry of fright, her eyes quickly brimming with more tears, running her hand through his hair almost frantically. As the things reached his face he felt them snake into his mouth. He cried out again but it only left his mouth as a gurgling noise. His vision began to blur and the woman's mutterings of how sorry she was and that this would save him began to ring in his ears, his mind and eyes fogging over. Before he lost consciousness, Merlin felt someone plant a gentle kiss on his head.