Title: Leave It Behind
Summary: Merlin is forced to leave Ealdor, the only home he has ever known, behind. Along with everyone he loves. His friends, his mother and the one person who he never wanted to leave behind…his baby sister, Aurora.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MERLIN!
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted. Thank-you.
2nd A/N: This is companion piece to my multi More Than Distance. This is how Aurora felt when Merlin first left, and when he returns to fight off the bandits trying to take all of Ealdor's harvest. I'm not sure how old he was but I'm guessing about 17 or 18.
"Merlin?" The young Warlock looked up from packing clothes and his eyes fell on his 14-year-old sister.
"Rora? What's up?" He asked, trying to hide his pack from her, but he knew it was too late.
"Are you going on an adventure?" She asked, at her age, adventures were anything from going down to the well to get a bucket of water, to going to King Cendred's castle. To which she had never been. Merlin sighed softly.
"Uh, not really Rora. More like mother is sending me for an extended visit to see an old friend of hers. Maybe I can be of help to him. She's thinks it's about time I got a job." Merlin said, he knew Aurora would see right through him. She always did.
"You're going on an adventure." She said, her voice accusatory and hurt.
"Yes, Aura. An Adventure." He sighed.
"Where to?" She asked.
"Camelot." He sighed again.
"Camelot! Really! Oh Merlin I'll go with you!" She said turning to get her own pack.
"No!" Merlin never yelled at Aurora, and he never meant to raise his voice against anyone, unless they really annoyed him.
"B-but…M-Merlin…" Aurora's eyes filled with tears, he was her big brother, and he loved her more than anything else in the world. He could never yell at her. He never got angry at her.
"No, Aura. It's too dangerous." Merlin said, his voice quieter but it held a firm tone.
"B-but…I…I want to go with you." She whispered, her voice soft because of the tears sliding down her cheeks. Merlin pulled her to his chest and gently kissed the top of his sister's head. He didn't want to hurt her, but he had no choice. His mother had ordered him to pack for a trip to Camelot. He was to stay with Gaius. An old friend of her's. A physician, someone who could keep the young Warlock in line…or so she hoped. Aurora watched as Merlin kept packing his clothes.
"Why can't I go with you?" She asked, "It's an adventure Merlin!" She was still crying.
"It's too dangerous, Rory. I'll write to you? Ok? I'll write to you every day." He said kissing her forehead softly.
"I don't want you to leave Merlin." Aurora said as he hoisted his pack up onto his back. It was barely early morning. Aurora had been woken by her mother.
"I know Aura. I don't want to go…but I have to. I love you and I'll write to you every single day. I'll tell you all about Camelot and one day when you're old enough you can come and visit me and Gaius ok?" Aurora nodded slowly. Merlin pulled her into a hug again holding her close and tightly to his chest. Aurora was like his best friend. Even Will, but Will wasn't as close as Aura, never would be. He wasn't Merlin's brother, he was just a friend. Aurora was special and understood Merlin better than anyone. Better than he did. So why was it so hard for him to say goodbye? She should understand, shouldn't she?
"I don't understand, Merlin. Why can't you stay here? Why can't you practise here?" Ah, there it is. She didn't understand why he couldn't practise his magic here in Ealdor.
"It's difficult to explain Aura. I'm sure when you're my age you'll understand." He whispered as he held her tighter still. They stood like that, hugging each other until Hunith called to Merlin to hurry up or he wouldn't get to Camelot by the next day.
"If you start now, you should reach Camelot tomorrow, which is when you were supposed to arrive." Hunith said as she entered the room before taking in the sight of her son holding his little sister to his chest and Hunith saw Aurora's tears.
"Rory, honey…Merlin will come back. Won't you Merlin?" Hunith said; Merlin was the only person allowed to call Aurora, Aura. She wouldn't respond when her mother used it, because Merlin had invented it. When he had tried to say 'Aurora' he hadn't gotten it all out and had only go 'Aura' out and it had stuck.
"Of course. I'm sure Gaius will get sick of me sooner or later. He'll send me back. Don't you worry Aura, I'll come back as soon as I can ok?" She nodded against his chest and pulled back. Aurora permitted him to kiss her forehead one more time and then she followed her mother and brother outside. Where she would watch him disappear into the forest and wish upon wish that he'd return the same Merlin she knew and loved. And still doing his 'magic tricks'.
In the years that followed Aurora had a brief relationship with Will. But it didn't last. When their village was attacked and Hunith left to get help from Camelot, Aurora was left to look after the house. When the Prince, Merlin, the Lady Morgana and Guinevere came to help, Merlin raced over to where his sister was held by the wrists by one of the bandits. He wasn't sure what to do and it turned out he didn't have to do anything, the thug was thrown backwards by an invisible force. He got his feet slowly, staring at her and Merlin, before pointing a finger at her and screeching 'Witch!' as loud as he could. They fled soon enough with their leader proclaiming that he'd be back and they'd pay for it with their lives. Arthur watched as Merlin pulled his sister to him and held her close to him.
"Is she a witch?" He asked; Merlin looked up at Arthur.
"She's as much a witch as I am a Prince." Merlin snapped. Arthur seemed stunned. Had his manservant just insulted him? He'd figure it out later, his head hurt from all the thinking. Aurora was shaken and Hunith and Merlin made sure she was all right. They didn't need her to be sobbing all night. Although she would have welcomed the comforting hugs in Merlin. It always helped when she felt upset and he would chase away the monsters and the nightmares. Like he did before when they were little. And he would for many years to follow.