A/N: Hey guys, had this piece burning a hole in my notebook for a week. Thought I'd take it digital and see if anyone liked it. So, there are millions of fics about Merlin revealing his magic to Arthur. I have yet to see many Mordred Revealed fics so I thought why not reveal him to the knights and see how they react. In this Mordred is Good and not going to betray Arthur or kill him.
Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT THE PLOT, I THINK I LEFT THE CAPS LOCK ON.
He knew he shouldn't have done it, it was stupid, risky, and beyond dangerous, especially with present company. The unmistakable scrape of swords being unsieved sounded behind him and Mordred knew he'd been caught. He closed his eyes and waited for the lethal blow, barely daring to breathe.
"You have magic?!" the low, deep, irish accent of Gwaine's voice asked in reference to the fire Mordred had started with his magic. Seeing as everything was wet and starting one the normal way would be impossible and Mordred didn't want to freeze that night. Gwaine sounded confused and betrayed.
"Yes." he answered simply. He started to rise slowly, waiting for one of his fellow knights to stop him, beat him down and kill him, they never did. Mordred turned to face his brothers in arms, hating the looks of betrayal, confusion, anger and hurt he saw glaring back at him.
"Why?" Leon asked, he couldn't understand why Mordred would choose to use magic in Camelot where it was hated and forbidden. He knew something was off with Mordred but he never suspected magic to be the reason.
Mordred smiled sadly, "I was born with magic. I didn't choose magic, magic chose me. I can't not use magic, I've tried and I almost died. Magic is a part of me, like blood. I can't live without it." he answered truthfully, trying to make his brothers understand.
"All magic is evil, corrupting, and foul!" Percival growled, practically spitting venom, yet Mordred could see how confused and hurt he truly felt in his heart. Percival and he were close, really close, Mordred knew his feelings toward the big knight were more than platonic. Alas it would appear he would never have the chance to clue him in on those feelings. It seemed the man hated a big part of Mordred, his magic. He would try anyway.
Percival had confided in him how his family, his whole village was destroyed by magic.
Mordred met the big knights betrayed filled eyes with understanding. "No, magic is not pure evil. It is but a tool, it's up to the wielder to decide how it should be used. Just like a sword, it can be used to protect and defend, or to destroy and hurt people." He tried to explain, imploring the knights to listen and have some sense. "Perc," The big knight turned to the much smaller knight with unwanted tears glistening in his eyes. "I know you've been hurt by magic at it's worst and I'm sorry that's been your only experience with magic. I know your pain, for I have felt that same pain. I lost half my clan because of the dark side of magic. My tribe split in two. Those who wanted to strike in revenge for the loss of good friends and family and those who still believed in the peaceful Druid ways. I lost good friends and family too. But there's a side to magic that is good and pure. It can heal, protect, defend, help crops grow, pull pranks, tell stories, and much more." Mordred stopped and looked at his fellow knights, Gwaine, Percival, Leon, and Elyan, seeing doubt creep into their resolve.
"How do we know you haven't enchanted us, plotted to kill Arthur and destroy Camelot?" Elyan asked trying to make sense of the situation.
"I would never harm my king or my kingdom. I have only used it to protect myself and the people I care about. I could never harm any of you, with magic or steel. You're the only family I got, like the big brothers I never knew I wanted." Mordred answered Elyan fiercely. He noticed the swords were still raised, and saw suspicion still clear in their eyes. He sighed, thinking he'd lost.
To the knights surprise and fear, Mordred dropped to his knees and bowed his head, exposing the druid's neck, pale in comparison to his dark, black curls. "If you still have your suspicions, kill me, if you have ever cared about me, do it quickly, here and now." he spoke to the yellow grass rather than his brothers, he couldn't stand the looks of hatred he would see, especially Percy's. The four knights looked at each other in shock and disbelief. He wasn't fighting or begging for his life, he was facing death with a grace far beyond his 17 years. They couldn't kill him, each and everyone of them knew none of them could kill him. He's their little brother, their family. At that moment they didn't care if he was a sorcerer or a fruit fly, he was their brother.
Percival was the one who acted though. He strode forward, saw Mordred tense readying himself for the lethal blow, it never came. Percival pulled the teenager to his feet then crushed him in an almighty bear hug. For one terrifying moment Mordred thought Percival was going to crush him to death, before he felt the big man's frame shaking with sobs, "I am so sorry Mordred." He sobbed into the young knight's midnight back hair. Percival felt horrified he had ever doubted his friend, he loved Mordred. The other knights followed their big friend's lead and embraced their youngest brother, whom they almost lost to prejudice and blind hatred, to themselves.
"s'okay Perce." Mordred mumbled into the knight's strong chest loving the feel of being embraced by the big man.
"No, it's not, we almost killed you!" Gwaine shouted, shocked at how easily the young man forgave them.
"But you didn't that's all that matters." He soothed as he pulled away from his big brothers. "Well, now that that's settled, let's finish setting up camp." He walked back to the fire that had started the whole fiasco.
The other knights went about setting up camp while the sun was still in the sky. While the others settled around the magically lit fire, Mordred pulled out four intricately carved, wooden, magical emblems and set them at the four corners of their encampment, mumbling the words of ancient magic.
"What are you doing over there Mordred?" Gwaine asked curiously.
Mordred hesitated a second before responding, "These are protection emblems to warn me of danger while we sleep. That's why I like first watch, then I could set them up while you slept, but I don't have to hide from you guys anymore." He smiled, he liked being able to share this with his brothers.
"Really? That's cool and useful." Leon responded
Mordred made his way back to the fire where the knights sat talking happily about something, Mordred wasn't paying attention to the words, content to let the voices of his brothers wash over him. Then he noticed Elyan looking at him curiously. "Mordred?" he called across the flames.
"Yeah?" He answered.
"Could you show us some of your magic? I've never seen magic done before, not really." Elyan asked genuinely curious.
Mordred looked at the others for permission, when he got three nods of approval he smiled and said, "Sure." He thought for a moment before he got a great idea.
He closed his eyes briefly before opening them their color a bright silver. In his low alto voice he started to sing a beautiful song in a tongue the knights knew not, but could feel the gentle power radiating within each note. The flames started to change and shift suddenly into a handsome man resembling Gwaine and a beautiful woman. Gwaine took the Lady's hand and they danced gracefully across the firepit, now decorated as a fiery meadow. As Mordred's voice crescendoed a dozen ugly orcs entered the scene. The Lady cried out in fear, while Gwaine protected the fair maiden and defeated the ugly orcs. As the last beast fell the fair maiden jumped into Gwaine's arms and kissed him deeply as he carried her out of the fire pit, finally the image broke back into licks of flames as Mordred's voice faded to silence. The knights sat in awestruck silence and Mordred ducked his head as a blush ruled over his face.
"That. Was. So. Cool!" Gwaine exclaimed and the others agreed full heartedly.
"Did you really have to inflate his ego like that?" Leon teased, Mordred smiled, as the others laughed.
"Honestly it wasn't that grand. You should've seen the huge fire stories the elders would use for celebrations or lessons, those were amazing." Mordred trailed off wistfully, remembering his druid family, his kind and gentle father, his sweet little sister before prejudice and hatred took them from him. The knights noticed his mournful expression as he remembered his fallen family. Elyan moved closer and wrapped one arm around his shoulder squeezing comfortingly, Mordred smiled gratefully and leaned briefly into his brother's embrace.
A few moments past in comfortable silence before Leon realised something, "Mordred, can I ask you something?"
"What is it Leon?"
"I still don't understand why you would come to Camelot and not somewhere magic is accepted like Queen Millisa's Lands?" Leon asked.
Mordred sighed, he didn't like thinking about those days, too painful.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Leon added seeing the pain flit across his face.
"No, it's ok Leon." He breathed slowly before going into his tale, "When I was a boy my tribe made camp just outside Camelot. My father and I went into town to buy supplies. My father was arrested under suspicion of having magic and executed later. I managed to evade the guards. Merlin saw me and instead of turning me in, he helped me, Merlin, Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur saved my life. I saw Arthur wasn't like his father. I saw hope for my people. When I met them later in my life I was in a bad place and Arthur gave me a place to go, to call my own even if I couldn't truly be myself not yet. I wanted to be there to help change it into a place where I could be me. Now more than ever I believe in this. Does that make some sense Leon?" I explained only leaving out Merlin's magic, that was not my secret to tell.
"I'm sorry you lost your family like that Mordred." Elyan expressed his sympathies knowing the pain of losing a father.
"Thank you Elyan, but I've found a new family now." Mordred smiled, then yawned. "I'm gonna catch some shut eye, maybe we'll actually catch something tomorrow." He walked over to his bed roll and collapsed into it. A few moments later he heard the others drop off to sleep, Leon took first watch.
Morning
Mordred awoke to his insides being crushed b pythons, after a moment of panic he realised it was just Percival, the bloody Octopus. 'Not again!" he thought miserably. 'Oh no.' He thought as Percival rolled over taking Mordred with him.
"Hey Percy! Big Guy? C'mon man, get off!" The man who resembled a bear in size did not stir, just moaned and tightened his grip on the smaller knight as Mordred struggled to get away. Leon, Elyan, and Gwaine approached in his line of sight. "Help! Guys please c'mon!" he pleaded as his fellow knights burst with laughter. "Real helpful guys, seriously he's crushing me!" I left out the part where I liked the feel of being crushed against Percivals firm abs.
"Ok fine, PERCIVAL WAKE UP!" Gwaine yelled in Percy's ear. He slowly woke up and released Mordred from his grip.
"Sorry Mordred I just like to cuddle, can't help it." If it was even possible, the near seven foot man resembled a chastised tiny puppy.
Mordred groaned and got up. "S'ok Perc." and helped his brothers take camp down.
The men took off to shoot fury animals to feed the castle, they ended up taking home, one buck, two doe, five rabbits, and about 30 squirrels. For some unknown reason Mordred really hated squirrels. When asked he just said it was too painful to talk about. If it was worse than the loss of his family then it was really bad and they dropped the subject.
As they entered back into the citadel Mordred smiled he had already won Merlin over and now the knights of the round table as well. Now all he had to do was tell Arthur at the right time and pray he wouldn't kill him. Oh and work up the courage to tell Percy he loved him more than a brother and he loved cuddling too. Then he would be as happy as a clam with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
The End. Hoped you enjoyed! Please leave a review, they make my day!
K9KID OUT!
TTFN
