By thenaughtypixie
Merlin, his head still bowed toward his chest, heard nothing but his heart pounding. He dared not open his eyes for fear that the word 'sorcerory' had left the guards mouth already, that he would look up and see Uthers hate-filled eyes, hear the drums, see the glint of the blade...
He squeezed his eyes shut even tighter.
Thump, thump, thump.
Dark, dark, dark.
Thump, thump, thump...
As he knelt there, his hope in Arthur extinguished like a flame, Merlin suddenly sensed a glowing light. He felt a warmth surround him, but still he did not dare open his eyes.
Yet the glowing became brighter, so bright it was like he didn't have his eyes closed at all.
He took his hand and felt the hard surface around him.
He took a moment to hear the waves crashing in the distance.
He took a breath...and opened his eyes.
The glowing light was almost unbearable. Merlin squinted, his hand covering his face.
He gradually lowered it as his eyes adjusted to the light. Slowly, he got to his feet, slightly shaky at first, but he finally got his balance and he tilted his head backwards, looked high above him to see how far the glowing went.
It was all around him. The cave was enitrely made of crystals which glittered and shone and reflected images of people and places to come.
Merlin gazed at the beauty of the crystals, went to touch one, smiled at how brightly it shone. Then he went to another but pulled his hand away suddenly for the coldness of it froze his heart.
"Emrys".
Merlin turned sharply, "Who's there?"
The crystals glittered and gave no reflection but Merlins.
He looked all around him, but could not see who the voice belonged to.
"Did you believe he would save you, Emrys?"
Merlin froze on the spot. Then he replied, "I have a question for you first. Where am I?"
The voice did not reply immediately. The only sound came from the waves crashing in the distance.
Merlin waited. Then the voice came. "You are in a place which can show possible futures."
Merlin gulped. This is what he feared most. For he had held one of these crystals before and all that he had seen in it had come to pass.
"Will my vision come true? Will I..." Merlin hesitated, "Will I be discovered?"
The voice replied, "That is the wrong question."
"What do you mean?" Merlin was agitated, especially not being able to put a face to the voice.
"The question you should have asked", said the distant voice, "is 'did he save me?' Don't you want to know how the story ended?"
The crystals had become less and less luminous as the cave darkened. Wind howled all around and there was less warmth emanating from them by the minute.
Merlin felt a sudden hurt swell up inside him, anger coming to the surface. "He betrayed me. I know how the story ended. He never came." He felt tears sting his eyes, didn't like the anger he felt but couldn't suppress it any longer.
The voice laughed. "You didn't see the end! You lost your trust in him, didn't believe he would save you..."
Merlin shouted, "I did believe!"
His voice echoed all around the cave as the crystals started to glisten and shine once more.
The voice replied softly, "Then that is the only answer you need."
Merlin paused, felt the warmth surrounding him again.
The voice whispered, "Trust him."
There was a sudden light breeze that swept through the cave and Merlin called out desperately, "Who are you?"
But only silence replied.
He didn't know how long he stayed there. Merlin looked at many of the crystals, hoping to see more visions but he did not. He sighed then a sudden spark of fear ignited in him. He had to get back to Camelot! If eveything had just been a vision, someone must have brought him here and now he'd have to find his way home.
Merlin ventured back down the cave, letting the sound of the sea guide him outside. But something caught his eye.
A particularly large crystal, jutting out near the entrance, glowed very bright when Merlin came near.
Merlin stopped, let the images in the crystal reflect all around him.
The chamber was full with people. Arthur was stood before them all, looking slightly nervous until Guinevere gave his hand a comforting squeeze. He smiled at her and then turned back to face his people. He could not take in all the words and messed up what he had to say feeling a little unsteady on his feet.
It was mostly a blur, for the day had finally come and Arthur felt like he was in a dream. Merlin stepped forward with the crown held gently in his trembling hands. He knew by Arthurs expression that he was thinking, "Whatever you do Merlin, don't drop it you clumsy idiot!" Merlin bowed and after rising again, placed the crown on Arthurs head, hands still shaking slightly as the words "King Arthur" rang out throughout the room. The noise afterwards was almost deafening as cheers rang out from the people of Camelot and the Knights alike. They looked proudly towards their new king, knowing he would be a fair and kind ruler. The cheers continued to ring out and Merlin smiled at King Arthur and was about to turn away, but King Arthur stopped him by saying, "You know I'd never have got here if it weren't for you." Merlin looked at him, half expecting a sarcastic remark to follow as after all, he was still Arthur. But none came. The faces all around continued cheering but the noise had gone and all that Merlin could hear were King Arthurs words to him and him alone. "I know. I've always known." Merlin gulped. King Arthur smiled, "You didn't really think I was that stupid did you?" Merlin couldn't help smiling, "Well..."
King Arthur grinned, then slowly, it faded away and he spoke softly, "You protected me, all this time, and that is why I did the same for you." A moment passed. Noise filled the room again and Merlin stood at the Kings side. King Arthur gestured for quiet. "Magic has been restored to Camelot as you know. It is celebrated as a force for good, for protection...", and he glanced at Merlin. King Arthur continued, "And sorcerors are no longer feared or condemmed in this realm." Cheers rang out once more in the hall as warlocks created butterflies out of thin air and colourful birds flew high above the heads of all the people and music played as people celebrated. King Arthur continued. "And though I will defend Camelot and its people for as long as I live, that our knights of the round table are the bravest warriors I have ever known, we also have the greatest Warlock of all time to protect Camelot, now and always. And his name is Merlin."
Merlin was stunned as the applause swelled and he looked towards King Arthur. And then they both smiled at each other, anticipating the future and the adventures to come.
The images in the crystal became harder to see and as Merlin and King Arthur grew older, the glowing became less and less until the vision faded, and the crystal shone no more.
Merlin blinked, and almost stumbled as he went to walk away.
"Possible futures..."he muttered.
Then as he was at the entrance to the cave, the voice came back.
"You will be his protector. He will be yours. That is the true future."
And Merlin stood at the entrance to the cave, hope restored to his heart.
He somehow knew it would not be the last time he would hear that voice.
He stepped outside but no sea met his eyes, no crashing waves sounded in his ears.
Merlin frowned, then realised something.
He was in the forests on the outskirts of Camelot, the last place he remembered being before believing that Arthur had seen him use magic. Everything had been just a vision. Someone, that voice, had taken him to the cave, shown him the possible futures and Merlin was relieved until he heard a familiar voice shouting, "Merlin! Get back here!"
Merlin ran towards the voice, found Arthur on his horse, struggling as he was leading Merlins horse along by some rope as well.
"Where the hell have you been?" His face was angry. "Well?"
Merlin answered quietly, "The future."
Arthur rolled his eyes, threw his arms in the air and said, "I told Gaius not to let you have any ale, it makes you stupider than normal which is saying something!"
Merlin simply grinned. "You know, I won't always be stupid. I won't even drop your crown."
Arthur was about to make a snappy retort before he looked at Merlin and saw the sincerity in his face.
Merlin continued, "I'll always be by your side, protecting you."
And Arthur said, without hesitation, "Me too."
A moment passed where suddenly there were no more secrets between them.
And then Merlin got on his horse. Arthur turned to him, "Ready?"
"Ready", he replied. And they galloped through the forest to return to Camelot.
And Arthur hoped Merlin didn't know what he had meant when he said he was protecting him too.
The forest had never looked more beautiful, never more full of colour, the trees a million shades of green.
And as they rode home, Arthur felt a sudden swift breeze and saw a beautiful butterfly appear in front of him, as if out of thin air...
It took all his strength not to turn round and say, "Merlin, you idiot! I'm not King yet!"
But instead he just smiled, knowing he'd hold Merlins secret for however long he had to.
The End.