So, this is kind of my challenge to myself. I'm writing one fanfiction for each episode of Merlin. Some are one-shots, some are longer stories. I ran out of ideas for fanfictions so this is how I'm dealing with that. If anyone has any prompts for me, feel free to leave it in a review and if I write it after I finish writing these 65 stories, I'll dedicate it to you… so, thanks. And I give you Season 2 Episode 8.
Summary: Arthur is having his doubts about whether or not magic is truly evil, so Merlin decides to tell him about his magic. Things don't go exactly as he planned. One-Shot
Story 21: Your Eyes
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Merlin asked Arthur anxiously.
"If you were granted the same opportunity, would you not want to meet your father?" Arthur asked.
Merlin looked away. It was different. He had naught a single memory of his father. His mother never talked about him and Merlin knew better than to ask. Arthur knew about his mother, even if he had never met her. Despite their circumstances, he knew Arthur was right. If given the opportunity, he would meet his father in a heartbeat.
"Uther won't forgive you if he finds out you've collaborated with a sorcerer," Merlin told him. It felt hypocritical saying so, considering Arthur collaborated with him frequently.
"What if my father's attitude to magic is wrong?" Arthur asked quietly. He hated to say, hated to think it, but he couldn't get that question out of his head.
"You really think that?" Merlin asked. "Do you really think that magic is good?"
"I don't know. I don't know anyone to use as an example. I have seen it used for both good and evil, and now? It's going to bring me my mother. How can it be terrible?" He asked, his eyes filled with confusion.
"If you knew someone with magic, say someone that you were very close with. What then? Would you believe it to be good?" Merlin asked. He was taking a risk, but if it meant he could finally be free, it was a risk he was willing to take.
"That depends on the person. Unfortunately, I don't think I know anyone," Arthur muttered.
"That may not be true," Merlin told him.
"Tell me then Merlin. Who do you know that is a sorcerer who uses their powers for good?" Arthur asked.
"Arthur, it's m–" Merlin started to say.
He was cut off by Morgause. "Arthur. It is time. Close your eyes," Morgause told him.
Arthur did as she ordered and listened as she chanted a spell.
He didn't open them until he heard a new voice. "Arthur," a soft voice called. Her voice wrapped around him.
Arthur opened his eyes to see his mother for the first time. He was barely aware of her repeating his name. "Mother," he said in a barely audible voice.
"My son," his mother said in a choked voice. She closed the gap between them and engulfed Arthur in a hug. It was the first time that he had ever been embraced by his mother. "When I last held you, you were a tiny baby. I remember your eyes. You were staring up at me."
Merlin froze. Something about what she had just said sounded wrong to him. he couldn't figure out why though. But it had triggered something. Merlin frowned as he mulled over her words. The part that stuck with him was how she said Arthur was staring up at her.
Merlin's eyes widened as a different conversation returned to him. "She died before I opened my eyes." Arthur had told him that.
Merlin wanted to warn Arthur, but he was too late. "Your father has deceived you as he deceived me. To create a life, a life must be taken. Your father knew that," Ygraine told her son.
"No," Arthur insisted.
"He sacrificed my life so the Pendragon dynasty could continue. It makes you no less my son, nor me any less proud of you. Now I see you, I would have given my life willingly. Do not let this knowledge change you," she told him.
It was a nice touch, Merlin realized. She made it seem like she didn't want Arthur to kill his father. Merlin could see through it though. He knew something wasn't right.
He waited until Morgause was gone to speak. "Are you alright? Arthur?" Merlin asked nervously.
"Fetch the horses. We're returning to Camelot," Arthur told him lifelessly. Merlin recognized the expression on Arthur's face. He was furious, but he didn't want to show it. Instead he hid it behind a mask of indifference.
"Arthur," Merlin said hesitantly.
"Go Merlin!" Arthur shouted.
"No," Merlin said evenly. "Not until you tell me what you are going to do when you return to Camelot."
"You heard what she said. My mother is dead because of my father! He killed her!"
"No," Merlin argued.
"You heard her!" Arthur exploded.
"No!" Merlin shouted as loud as he could. "Think about what she said Arthur. Think about it. You told me your mother died before you opened your eyes."
"So what?" Arthur demanded.
"She said she saw you stare up at her. It was something a normal mom would say, one that didn't know the truth," Merlin told him.
"I was a baby. What do I know?" Arthur asked.
"That had to have come from somewhere. Think about it Arthur. Right now, what would you do when you saw your father?" Merlin asked. When Arthur remained silent, Merlin answered for him. "You would challenge him! That's exactly what Morgause wants. She wants you to kill your father. Kill him and Camelot will fall. You will never forgive yourself and no one should rule with guilt. Look at what it did to your father."
"So maybe Morgause is right. My mother is dead because of my father!" Arthur yelled.
"No! She is dead because of magic. It is a tricky thing, something no one can truly control nor understand. Trust me on this. If your father knew of the repercussions of using magic, I doubt he would have ever tried. Think about how your father has acted the past twenty three years of your life and try to tell me that he doesn't care deeply that your mother is gone," Merlin challenged.
Arthur stared. "You speak as though you have experience with magic," Arthur said quietly.
Merlin studied Arthur for several minutes. His entire life might depend on what he said next. He had the unique ability to make or break Arthur's opinion of magic. The only problem is that he had no idea what would happen if he told Arthur the truth.
Merlin did know that if he told Arthur, he wouldn't have to keep pretending. He did know that if he told the truth, Arthur would see the real him. "I do," Merlin said softly. "I have magic. That is how I know that Morgause is tricking you. There was something about the spell she used. I have no doubt that what she told you is true, but I believe she did so in a way that she knew would anger you and would drive you to attack your father."
"You… you what?" Arthur asked, uncertain he had heard correctly.
"I am a sorcerer," Merlin told him. He stood up to his full height and look Arthur right in the eyes. "I am the sorcerer who is destined to protect you."
"You can't be a sorcerer. You're my manservant," Arthur said, shaking his head.
"I am a sorcerer," Merlin insisted.
"Then how am I to trust you? You've lied to me. Over and over and over again," Arthur said angrily. "How can you expect me to take your word that you are good and Morgause evil?"
"Because I would never do anything to hurt you. And despite the cruelty your father has shown to all of the people like me, I do not want to see you kill him," Merlin told him quietly. "You are a good man Arthur. This isn't how you want to become king. Really think about it. How would you feel if you killed your father? You've already lost one parent to magic. Are you really willing to lose another?"
Arthur stared at Merlin. He wanted to be angry at him so badly, wanted to throw him in the dungeons for a week. A month maybe. But he couldn't. Merlin was right. He had told him about his magic to stop him from doing something he regrets.
"I'm not asking you to make a decision about magic right this moment. I know there are a lot of things happening right now. I just ask that you give me the same consideration you would anyone on trial before you send me to the pyre."
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked confused.
"You're going to kill me, aren't you?" Merlin asked, looking at the ground. The look on his face broke Arthur. He honestly believed that Arthur wanted him dead.
"You know, for a sorcerer, you really are an idiot," Arthur muttered. "Gather the horses. We must head back to Camelot at once. You are to speak to no one of what has happened. Do you understand me? I will seek council with my father when we get back."
"Sire?" Merlin asked.
"No one can know about what happened here. Everything. Morgause, my mother… you. It must stay between us," Arthur said.
"Why?" Merlin asked. Just a moment ago, Arthur looked ready to announce to all of Camelot what his father had done. Now, he wanted Merlin to remain silent about everything that had happened.
"Because for the first time in my life, I have someone I can regard as a friend. Nothing is worth losing that. Not revenge, not petty anger. Nothing," Arthur said, looking away from Merlin. "Now do as I say and fetch the horses."
"Oh yes," Merlin muttered. "I can feel the friendship."
He did as Arthur asked anyway. As soon as Merlin walked away, Morgause stepped out from the shadows that she had disappeared to earlier.
"He's wrong, you know," she told him.
"Is he?" Arthur asked neutrally.
"How do you even know for sure that he has magic?" Morgause asked. "He could be lying to you."
"Why would he lie about something that could get him killed?" Arthur asked her. He wasn't sure if it was because he now could see her for who she truly was, but she no longer seemed friendly.
"To build up your trust. If you trust him, you can lead him directly to Uther," Morgause told him.
Arthur shook his head. "No," he told her. "I trust him."
Merlin was almost back to Arthur when he heard the voices. He stopped to listen.
"How can you trust a man who has lied to you for years?" Morgause asked.
"How can you expect me to trust a sorceress who I have barely known a handful of days?" Arthur rebutted.
"I have done nothing to harm you. I showed you your mother," Morgause said furiously.
"You did, but I believe Merlin when he says it was because you knew the effect it would have on me. If not for Merlin, I would have killed my father, or at least tried to. I believe in him," Arthur said strongly.
Merlin couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Those words meant more to him than Arthur would ever understand.
"You are a fool, Arthur Pendragon. You could have achieved great things if you had done as I wished. I didn't wish to kill you Arthur, but you leave me no choice," Morgause told him.
She drew her sword. Arthur duck under her first swing. Before he had a chance to counterattack Morgause flew backwards. Merlin walked towards them slowly, his arm outstretched and his eyes glowing gold.
Arthur felt a shiver run down his spine when he looked at Merlin. He was almost unrecognizable. If Arthur had any doubts about Merlin having magic, there was no doubt now. For the first time, Arthur realized what it meant that Merlin had magic. With a whisper, Morgause crumpled to the ground.
"Is she dead?" Arthur asked.
"No," Merlin answered. "I should have, but I couldn't. I couldn't kill her."
"Good," Arthur said seriously. If Merlin had killed her, Arthur wouldn't have known who he was. He would know that he was capable of murder without a second thought. Arthur's mind was spinning. "We must get back. We've been gone far too long as it is."
Hours passed in silence. Merlin, who usually filled every minute with mindless chatter, seemed to sense that Arthur needed time to think.
He didn't utter a word even once they got back to Camelot. He followed Arthur to the council chambers, staying one step behind him.
"Father," Arthur said neutrally when he walked in.
"Arthur! Thank goodness you are alright. What happened?" Uther asked. There were small lines around his mouth, the only indication that he had true concern for his son.
"I went to meet Morgause," Arthur told him. His anger from earlier returned. "I know of the circumstances that surround my birth. How could you?"
"What did she tell you?"
"Everything. She told me how your hatred of magic came to be because the magic you used to birth me killed your wife. You have allowed your guilt and sorrow to interfere with your rule. How can you live with yourself?" Arthur asked.
"You have no idea what you are talking about," Uther told him.
"But I do," Arthur said. "It is only thanks to Merlin here that I am as calm as I am right now. He convinced me that it would do no good to kill you. And that it would only turn me into a ruler like you. One that rules out of spite and makes his people miserable because he is miserable."
"How dare you? You take the word of your servant over your own father?" Uther asked furiously.
"Yes," Arthur said evenly. "Because I trust him. I know I can depend on him to be honest with me. I never thought the day would come when I could trust a servant over you, but it has come. I do not feel anger towards you anymore. I only pity you. You are so consumed by your grief that you don't even realize what you have done to this kingdom." Arthur shook his head. "I cannot change what you have done in the past, but I can change what you will do in the future. I will not allow you to wrongfully persecute these people. I am done."
"Arthur!" Uther yelled outraged.
"I am done!" Arthur repeated. He turned and walked out without another word. When the door closed behind him, Arthur felt as if a weight had been lifted off of him. Without having to constantly worry about living up to his father's legacy, Arthur felt free.
What did you think? Any feedback is greatly appreciated