Tempting Fate
Summary : Arthur is quite happy to just love his best friend from afar, thinking it can never be as he needs an heir but when fate steps in Arthur learns that in the horror of what is happening he can change it all by making his dreams come true.
A/N: Please R&R Thank you x
Arthur smiled as he looked over at Merlin, he had been in love with his best friend nearly all his life but never said anything as he knew that soon he would have to find a wife so that he could have an heir to his kingdom, either through his parents told him that he could be with anyone he wanted, that they only wanted him to marry for love.
Even though Arthur wanted nothing more than to be with Merlin, he couldn't because in the end he would need an heir or his kingdom would fall and he couldn't risk that for love.
Unknown to Arthur, Fate was about to intervene and force his hand to follow his heart.
And it all started with just a simple horse ride with their friends that changed it all ... forever.
"You know brother if you do not speak up soon you may lose him forever." Morgana informed Arthur as they rode behind Merlin and the others.
"Morgana I cannot, I need an heir, and Magic or not Merlin is still a man with man bits." Arthur sighed.
"It is unwise to test the hands of Fate." Morgana said before going to join the group up front.
If only Arthur knew just how true that was, but the young Prince did not wish to hurt the man he loved not after what he had already lost, Arthur didn't want to be the one that finally took the light from Merlin's eyes because that would truly kill him.
They had arrived at the clearing when they came across a hooded figure, as Arthur got off his horse Merlin copied him, wanting to be by his side just in case this person meant to harm his prince.
"Young Pendragon." The hooded figure purred.
"Who are you?" Arthur asked feeling Merlin move closer to him.
"I am the one that will finally destroy the link of Pendragon before it becomes too powerful, before souls bound and blood is shared." The person replied pulling back her hood. "I am Nimueh, the end for all dragons." She laughed as her eyes glowed gold.
Arthur was ready for anything that she could conjure up knowing that he had Merlin by his side but when Merlin screamed out in pain clutching to his wrist, Arthur began to panic.
"And the way to rid the land of dragons is to get rid of the lord. Without that I find a Dragon far more willing for death." Nimueh laughed as Arthur knelt down next to his friend.
"And you will beg for death because your want to join him, Dragons and their lords are useless without each other. I shall see you again you dragon." In a blink of an eyes she was gone but no one really cared, as Arthur carefully lifted his friend up on to his horse before looking back at the empty spot where the sorceress had stood.
"I'm going to save you Merlin, don't worry. I won't let this happen." Arthur promised as they raced back to Camelot.
"She didn't do a spell Arthur, What are we going to tell Gaius?" Morgana worried as she tried to keep up with her brother.
"He'll find something Morgana, Merlin is his son. He won't lose the last of his blood family to that woman." Arthur yelled as he urged his horse to go faster.
"I fear for him Gwen, I truly do." Morgana whispered.
"Gaius will find something and Arthur will save the day." Gwen tried to comfort her friend.
"Shall not test the hands of Fate unless you wish to be tested." Morgana replied as she followed her brother.
"Then I hope we pass this test, I would hate to lose my friend." Gwen whispered as she rode on after her friends.
Uther had been talking with his wife and Gaius about their children and how it was clear to everyone but Arthur that he was meant for Merlin and Merlin was meant for him when a guard burst into the room.
"What is going on here?" Uther demanded.
"Prince Arthur is demanding Gaius, I'm sorry to inform you Gaius but it is Merlin." The guard informed them.
"Oh gods no." Gaius said as he rushed from the room and towards his chambers.
"The young lord did not look as if he will make it sire." the guard replied before bowing and exiting the room.
"Uther, Gaius can't lose Merlin as well. It will destroy him." Ygrain worried.
"Don't fear darling, we will make sure that doesn't happen." Uther informed his wife before they followed Gaius out of the room.
Upon entering his chambers Gaius gasped as he caught sight of his pale ward before rushing over to him.
"What happened?" Gaius said.
"A woman named Nimueh said she wanted to end the line of the Dragons, and to do that she had to get rid of their lords. What ever that means." Morgana told him as her brother was to busy pacing to answer.
Gaius looked over Merlin trying to find anything that could explain what was happening to to him. "She must know something we don't, I haven't heard anyone drop the Pen from the name in a long time."
"I believe my grandfather use to do so." Uther said as he entered the room. "How is he Gaius?"
"I don't know and I won't know until..." Gaius stopped as he moved Merlin's shirt to look at his wrist.
"Until?" Arthur asked.
"Until I research this symbol." Gaius answered looking down at the Dragon on Merlin's wrist, it was something he had never seen before.
"Umm is the Dragon's wings moving?" Morgana asked pointing to the mark.
All eyes moved to Merlin's wrist to find that the wings on the Dragon were indeed moving and to their horror they watched as it flew half way up Merlin's arm.
"I need you all to leave now, I need room to research." Gaius asked moving towards his books.
"Of Course Gaius." Ygraine said as he took her son by his arm and lead him out of the room and towards the throne room, Uther and Morgana following.
"Oh by the hands of Fate I pray that this is not the curse I think it is." Gaius begged as his hand found its way to the crystal round his neck, Gaius let his tears fall freely now as he watched the Crystal glow and knew that they were running out of time.
"Father I need to be with him." Arthur yelled neither of them noticing that he crystals they wore were glowing.
"Arthur, Gaius needs room to work. We will cause more harm being in his way." Uther replied trying to calm his son.
"Morgana dear, your crystal is glowing." Ygraine told her daugher.
"But Merlin said it would only glow if someone was trying to place a spell or something over us." Morgana replied looking down at her necklace. The rest of the Pendragon family checked their own crystals and found them glowing as well.
"So whatever is happening to Merlin is happening to us?" Ygraine worried as Uther took her hand.
"I believe it all part of whatever is happening to Merlin." Uther replied
"Just how is this Merlin?" Growled a voice Arthur thought he would never hear again.
Turning slowly Arthur had to blink his eyes as there standing just a few feet away from him was Mordred.
"That's not possible. You're dead." Arthur gasped.
"We have yet to fight Pendragon. How can you know the outcome?" Mordred laughed.
"But we did fight, two years ago. You're dead, I saw it with my own eyes, I ran you through with my sword with Merlin's help." Arthur found himself explaining more to him than to Mordred.
Mordred just laughed. "I do not know of this Merin you speak off."
"This can't be happening." Morgana gasped.
Mordred's eyes glowed gold and a dagger appeared in front of him before he sent it flying towards Arthur.
"Arthur!" Mother and daughter screamed as Uther grabbed his son and pulled him out of the way.
"Get it together Arthur, you're a pendragon." Uther demanded.
Arthur nodded and drew his sword before charging at Mordred, before the young boy could do anything Arthur's sword had already pierced his heart. The Pendragon family watched as Mordred's lifeless body fell to the ground only to disappear.
"Just what is going on." Arthur yelled coursing the guards outside to run in.
"Are you alright my lords?" The guard asked.
"Yes, go check with Gaius seeing if he has found anything about Merlin." Uther demanded.
"Who my lord?" The second Guard asked.
"Merlin. Merlin Emrys." Arthur snapped.
"I have not heard that name sire. But I shall check with Gaius and ask him about Merlia." The first guard replied.
"Merlin." Arthur yelled.
Both guards shared a look before leaving the throne room. "That's it I'm going to talk to him myself." Arthur yelled storming out of the room.
Gaius sighed as he looked up at his young ward, his son and nephew. He couldn't help but think back to when Merlin was only a newborn baby, to the moment Uther had placed Merlin in his arms and informed him that both his sister, Hunith and her husband Balinor had been lost before Camelot had been able to come to Ealdor's aid. Gaius couldn't stop himself from shedding a tear at the memory of his beloved sister, but also at the memory of how much he failed Merlin in the first year of his life and was so very grateful that Ygraine had taken little Merlin in and loved him as her own.
"It's not your time yet, I know you wish to see your mother but you hold on you hear me, I won't lose the last of my bloodline." Gaius yelled slamming a book shut.
"He's not dying." Arthur yelled as he walked into the room.
"Of course not sire, I have found something but it is not good news." Gaius sighed but before he could carry on a familiar face walked through his doors.
"I never took you for a book worm."
"Oh come on, you're meant to be dead as well." Arthur said as he threw his arms up in the air and looked at Morgause standing there in all her glory.
"Come again?" Morgause asked looking over at Merlin laying on his death bed. "Oh how sweet you're trying to help save some peasant."
"He is not some peasant, his name is Merlin." Arthur yelled as his hand went to his sword only to remember that he left it on the floor of the throne room. "Great." He sighed.
"And knowing his name is meant to make me feel what?" Morgause asked raising her eyebrow.
"Fear." Morgana said from behind Morgause as she stabbed her in the back.
"Please tell me you can explain all this Gaius." Ygraine begged.
"I wish I couldn't." Gaius look down as the fading body of Morgause. "But sadly I can."
"What is it then?" Uther asked as they walked into the room now that Morgause had completely disappeared.
"Merlin is being erased from existence." Gaius informed them.
"What!" Arthur snapped.
"The curse is called No more. I erases the person from everyone's memory, It also kills the person slowly once the symbol of the curse reaches Merlin's heart he was fade out of existence as if he was never born." Gaius informed then. "I'm afraid we don't have much time, the Dragon has already moved to his shoulder."
"We remember because of the crystals Merlin gave us. They protected us." Morgana said looking down at her necklace.
"But for how long?" Arthur worried he would forget Merlin all together.
"The crystals aren't affected by the curse as they have been charmed to prevent magic from messing with our mind and body." Gaius answered.
"Can't we give Merlin the crystal?" Ygraine asked moving to take her necklace off when Gaius stopped her.
"You take that off and your forget Merlin all together." Gaius warned.
"I could never forget my son, he may not be my blood but he is my son." Ygraine whispered.
"And he loves you mother." Morgana said hugging her mother.
"So how do we save Merlin?" Uther asked. "And why are people coming back from the dead?"
"Merlin was there to save Arthur or at the very least help, this curse is not only meant to take Merlin out of existence but also to kill Arthur. Nimueh must have done her homework because the book said that the one that inflicted the curse can summon people from the past, people that were connected to the one cursed." Gaius informed them.
"So how do we save Merlin then?" Arthur asked picking up Merlin's hand.
"Merlin's magic is fighting off the curse but seeing as this curse is so powerful it's already weakened Merlin but the problem is Merlin's magic." Gaius sighed.
"His Magic?" Uther asked.
Gaius nodded. "Merlin's magic came from the earth, from it's heart, that's why he's so powerful, why he is so intoned to the earth because he is a part of it. And as the dragon gets closer to his heart more and more of his magic and his self-return to the earth."
"Then how do we stop it?" Arthur snapped.
"We need to bind Merlin to more than just the earth and then we will need the more powerful Magic there ever will be." Gaius replied.
"But I thought Merlin was the most powerful." Ygraine questioned.
"He is, but I'm talking about a cure to any curse." Gaius answered. "True loves kiss. Not even Merlin is as powerful as that."
"Let's do it then. How do we bind him?" Arthur said gripping Merlin's hand tightly.
Gaius looked over at Arthur and smiled sadly. "Do you really want to do this Arthur? Because you won't only ground Merlin but you will share is his connection to Earth."
"I love him, I'm been an idiot to not tell him till now, but I do and I want him and only him. I'm sorry Mother Father." Arthur sighed and kissed Merlin's forehead.
"Why baby? We told you that we want you to marry for love." Ygraine replied.
"Because you won't get grandchildren." Arthur told him.
"Arthur you do know that with Merlin being so powerful he can create life, the same why a woman would." Gaius explained.
"No I didn't know that." Arthur rolled his eyes.
Morgana giggled. "See Merlin will give you an Heir you just have to survive the nine months he's pregnant."
"Can we do this please; the dragon is flapping its wings." Arthur panicked as the Dragon prepared to move.
"It's going to be painfully Arthur; Blood will need to be shed in order for this to work." Gaius informed him picking up the book he would need.
"We'll leave you both now, Please be careful I love you all." Ygraine kissed Arthur on the cheek before leaning down and kissing Merlin on the forehead.
"Come darling, we shall have both our sons with us soon." Uther said as he took his wife from the room.
"Good luck Arthur." Morgana smiled as he followed her parents.
"Now what?" Arthur asked.
"Now we must bind your souls to one other and then there's the blood share." Gaius informed him.
"Blood share?" Arthur wondered why that sounded so familiar to him.
"Yes, it's where you both share the same blood." Gaius replied leaving out a bit of information.
"Let's do this." Arthur told him.
"I need you to lay down next to him and hold his hand, entwine your fingers so your hands form an interlocked fist." Gaius ordered him.
Arthur quickly did as he was told and once Arthur had done that Gaius grabbed a piece of rope and tied both Arthur's and Merlin's wrist together so that their hands stayed in place before placing a Adamite crystal over both their hearts.
"This Crystal will help unite both your mind and heart, it will also help you both you find clarity and strength, the next part is going to hurt Arthur, I'm sorry." Gaius informed him.
"For what?" Arthur asked just as Gaius drove a dagger through their joint hands.
Gaius started to chant before he pulled the dagger out slowly "I bind thee Arthur of the Dragons to Merlin of Magic." Gaius hovered the bloody dagger over the crystal on Arthur's heart so that a few drops of their blood fell onto the crystal before moving on to Merlin.
"I bind thee Merlin of Magic to Arthur of the Dragons" A few more drops of Blood fell onto Merlin's crystal before Gaius sent an apologetic look towards Arthur as he placed the dagger back into their hands. "With this dagger I join these two halves as one for all time."
Arthur let out a powerful scream that was marked by the sound of Merlin's scream as the dagger, rope and Crystals glowed brightly before fading.
Slowly Gaius moved the crystal off Merlin's heart and pulled back his shirt and smiled. "The goddess of the Earth has accepted the binding."
Slowly Gaius pulled the dagger back out and watched as the wound healed itself before untying Arthur and Merlin's wrists and removing the crystal from Arthur's chest.
"How do you know?" Arthur whispered his throat felt raw.
"Because your name is written over Merlin's heart, and I'm sure his name is over your heart." Gaius smiled "I'm sorry for the pain sire."
"It's okay, I'm glad it worked." Arthur smiled as he looked over at Merlin to see colour returning to him.
"Now comes the fun part, True loves kiss." Gaius smiled.
"What if I'm not…" Arthur started.
"Arthur the spell won't have worked if you weren't. Now kiss him." Gaius laughed.
Arthur leaned over Merlin and smiled. "I love you Merlin." He whispered before leaning down and kissing Merlin passionately on the lips.
At first nothing happened then Merlin moved his hands so they wrapped around Arthur's neck and kissed back, putting all his heart and soul into the kiss.
Gaius watched with a smile on his face as the dragon's wings flapped before coming away from Merlin's skin and falling to the ground powerless.
"Arthur?" Merlin whispered.
"Merlin, sweetheart, I love you. I have always loved you and I know I kinda married us without you being awake but time was running out and did I tell you I loved you." Arthur babbled.
"I know, It was kinda weird. One moment I was in my body and the next I was floating next to it watching everything. But I got to meet my parents, Can you believe that Arthur. I met my parents and they're proud of me." Merlin cried. "They were so proud of the man I had become, that they got to see me again."
"Of course their proud of you, because I am and so is the whole family." Arthur smiled and kissed Merlin again.
"Why don't we go and inform your parents that Merlin is alive and well." Gaius said smiling. "I'm proud of you Merlin."
"Thanks Dad." Merlin blushed as he hugged Gaius.
"You're welcome son." Gaius replied returning the hug.
Uther and Ygraine were sitting in the throne room with Morgana waiting for any news on Arthur and Merlin, Leon had come to wait with his wife and promised the other knights and their friends that he would keep them informed.
Leon looked up when the doors opened and smiled as he watched Arthur help Merlin walk through the doors.
"Oh my babies." Ygraine gasped rushing over and pulling both men into her arms.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again young man." Ygraine told Merlin before kissing his forehead.
"You had us worried Merlin." Uther smiled and patted his on the shoulder.
"Thank the gods my favourite brother lives." Morgana giggled.
"Hey." Arthur growled.
"Don't worry you're my favourite." Merlin smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Damn right I am." Arthur smirked.
"NOOOOOO"
The Pendragon's turn round to find Nimueh standing there staring at Merlin with hate in her eyes.
Merlin just leaned his head to the side "My turn." Was all he said as the ground ripped out and swallowed her whole.
"You don't mess with someone that is entwined with mother nature" Morgana smirked.
"It does take on a whole new meaning to the saying 'I wish the ground would swallow me'." Leon laughed.
Merlin smiled as he put a hand over his mouth to cover his yawn.
"You sleepy Merlin?" Ygraine smiled.
"Yeah, I know it looked like I was asleep but I was standing next to my body in spirit form. Gaius said it should be expected nothing to worry about." Merlin informed them.
"Why don't we go to bed, I think we both could use a good night's rest." Arthur asked him.
Merlin smiled and nodded saying their goodbyes to their family, Arthur took Merlin's hand and walked him towards his chambers.
"I hope you don't plan to sleep in your bed tonight or any night in fact." Arthur smiled.
"Of course not, now that I have found my plan I don't want to ever leave." Merlin smiled back as they entered Arthur's chambers.
Arthur pulled Merlin into his…their room and together they slowly started to undress each other before falling onto the bed and getting under the covers. Merlin moved so that he could rest his head on Arthur's chest and smiled.
"I claimed you." Merlin giggled.
"Just as I claimed you." Arthur kissed Merlin's head before wrapping his arms around Merlin and drifting off to sleep.
At the end of the bed stood a ghostly figure with a smug look on her face as she watched the two soul mates sleep in each other's arms. "If you wish to test the hands of fate there is something you must know … I always win." And then she disappeared into the spirit winds quite smug with herself that she had once again proved that it's best not to test Fate.
THE END.
A/N: Thank you all for reading, I know its been a while since I have posted anything, I'm sad to say that I've been a little too busy as of late Please don't forget to review xxx