Betrayed – Chapter 1
Love as clear as the purest rose,
Needs only one spark,
To burn.
Merlin woke to a foot to the face. Normally he would complain but when he got a closer look at who fell over him he saw that it was Gwaine and figured that he would only be wasting his breath on the forever drunk knight. So instead Merlin decided that his wit was needed.
"Gwaine, I know my feet are lovely but yours are not, so can you please remove yourself from my person." He said sarcastically smiling at the creative curses from the knight as he struggled to right himself.
"I am a knight and I take offense at that statement" Gwaine said smirking as he finally stood straight.
"You are aware I would say the same to my king, yes" Merlin grinned as he got pulled out of his sleeping bag by Gwaine.
Gwaine's no doubt brilliant response was interrupted by a sleepy "And you would end up in the stocks all the same."
Merlin's face lit up and he felt his magic flare as he watched Arthur glare at them both. "Good morning your prattishness" Merlin sung as he plodded over to his king, his destiny.
"Merlin are you mentally addled from Gwaine falling on you, you look stupider than usual" Well there goes those loving thoughts.
Merlin plodded over to Arthur and yanked him out of his sleeping bag. "ow ow, Merlin if you continue I will make you clean out the stables for the next few weeks" the angry king yelled.
Merlin made a noncommittal noise and rolled his eyes "course you will, sire". Merlin grinned as the groans of the other knights filled the air and questions like 'when's breakfast' started to be asked.
Arthur stood up and started ordering the knights to get things like water and firewood and turned around to Merlin. "Start up the fire would you, Gwaine should be back with more wood in a bit but we should have enough for an hour or two. I will go with Sir Leon to prepare the horses for the days riding" Merlin smiled and nodded, happy that Arthur must have noticed he didn't sleep well and was giving him easy chores.
Merlin was glaring at the firepit 'why won't you light' he said to it and continued to throw sparks at it, finally he got tired of it not lighting and Merlin looked to his left and right before he smiled his secret smile and let his eyes burn gold.
Forbærne
The fire lit and feeling quite pleased with himself he leaned back only to hear a loud gasp behind him. Merlins eyes widened, and he cursed his stupidity. He went pale as he turned around to see a look of unadulterated rage on Arthur's face.
"Nonononono" Merlin said under is breath as waves of fear washed through him "nonononono".
"YOU" Arthur yelled eyes flaming and arms shaking at his side "YOU BETRAYED ME! YOU USED MAGIC! WHEN DID YOU START LEARNING MAGIC? When did you start to betray me?" The last part Arthur said in a hoarse whisper.
"I didn't, I-I, only for you" Merlin started to stammer, all the words he had thought of for this day getting caught up and tangled as Merlin tried to make sense through the overpowering fear and panic.
Arthur turned to the wide-eyed Sir Leon "Cuff him" Arthur ordered his voice shaking with rage.
"But Sire-" Sir Leon started but was interrupted by an angry "NOW!" from Arthur.
Merlin felt himself being manhandled but he didn't resist, he wanted Arthur to know he had no bad intentions. "Arthur" merlin started voice no more than a whisper "I'm sorry, I was born with it I have only used it to save you Arthur, I promise."
Arthur looked into the eyes of his manservant seeing only sincerity but he remembered the way Morgana had manipulated him and all of Camelot for years and his face went cold and emotionless "I don't believe you" Arthur said and Merlins eyes lost all hope.
"Kill me here then" Merlin said in a sad monotone "I don't want the pyre, please" Arthur flinched at the though of burning Merlin. The thought of him up on the pyre crying and pleading to be let go as the smell of his flesh hung in the air, a wave of nausea pulsed through Arthur and he nearly vomited on the spot. He cannot kill Merlin but he could not let him stay after he proved himself a sorcerer.
"Leon, let him go" Arthur said and unsheathed his sword, Leon's eyes widened at the sword being drawn.
"Sire" Leon said but let go of Merlin all the same, he felt the same sting of betrayal Arthur had though much lessened as Merlin had been Arthur's first real friend.
Anger in his eyes Arthur put his sword at Merlin's neck "I will not kill you but you will run from here, and if I ever, ever see you in Camelot again I will build your pyre myself" Merlin felt a wave of hurt and blind terror rush through him and nodded wincing as the action pressed his neck against the sword cutting a line across his throat just deep enough to draw blood.
Arthur pulled his sword away "Leave now" he said turning his back on the person who was meant to always be there for him, frustrated angry tears starting to pool in his eyes but he blinked them away he will not cry for someone who betrayed him no matter how close they were.
Merlin was running faster than he had ever managed to run, tears running freely down his face obscuring his vision and reminding him how weak he was. Merlin ran with no direction and no thoughts on where he was headed other than away from that campsite. Merlin ran even when he could no longer see through the tears and as his lungs started to fail him he tripped stumbling over the lip of a ravine and sank into blissful darkness.
Hello all.
That was an exiting first chapter, or at least I thought so.
This is a Merthur story at the start and turns into a Mergana story after the two Sorcerers start to heal each other's wounds.
Reviews are appreciated and I hope you enjoy the story :)
