wow *stares at computer open mouthed* 15 reviews and 72 favorites/alerts for one chapter? That's the greatest response to any story I've written!
thanks so much to everyone who alerted/ favorited and to Tagrea, lilyflower1345, Alaia Skyhawk, Welcome-to-the-FAYZ, hyperfuzzy, Snowy midnight 942, Bookworm4000,ruby890, Shewolf24, moonchild08, WhiteKingdomAngel, MirrorFlower and DarkWind, kutoki, Catindahat and BlackShadow23 for reviewing!
Maybe I should offer virtual bakedgoods more often...
Anyway onto the chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin
Gawaine and Elyan returned after an hour.
"There's no other exit back there," Elyan reported "We checked everywhere for even the smallest crack that would make it easier to get out but we found nothing."
Arthur took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. He, Lancelot and Perceval had barely made a dent in the rocks, even with Perceval's extreme strength. As the King he was the designated leader and he had to come up with a solution to their impossible problem. They had no food or water with them, they had left it all with the horses, but if they didn't die of hunger or thirst then they would freeze to death.
In this part of Camelot at night the temperature dropped well below freezing, and without any wood in the cave they had nothing to make a fire with and their blankets were with the horses.
"All right everyone lets think," Arthur said as he tried to sound confident "there has to be a way out of here."
"We can keep trying to pull out rocks" Perceval suggested
"Ya cause that's been working great so far" grumbled Lancelot whose foot Perceval had dropped a rock on.
Arthur sighed "Unless anyone else has any ideas I think Perceval is right. Trying to make a break in the rocks may be our best chance."
The knights went back to work, pulling out rocks or arguing over which to pull out, except for Lancelot who went over to where Merlin was still sitting, eyes closed, in the corner.
"Merlin," Lancelot asked hesitantly
"Ya?"
"Could you get us out of here," Lancelot dropped his voice down to a whisper "using magic?"
Merlin thought for a moment and peeked at the wall of rocks blocking the entrance to the cave. "Probably, but I can't do magic in front of all of them."
"It may be our only way out of here."
"But if I do, Uther will have me killed."
"If you do not we will all die."
Merlin paused before he answered "There must be another way out. Perceval should be able to move the bigger rocks and we will be out of here before you know it."
Lancelot snorted "I doubt it. Those rocks are barely budging. Even with Perceval it could take weeks to move those rocks physically."
Merlin sighed "Lance, I just can't…"
"What about the crystals?" Lancelot asked desperately "You said the rocks fell when you refused to look into them. Maybe they have something to show you. Maybe we are here because you are meant to see something in them. When you refused to look they knew you had to and found a way to keep you in here."
"I will never look in these crystals again." Merlin said shaking his head
"You cannot fight Destiny Merlin"
"I will not look in them. They tempt you to try and change the future, but really you create the future you wanted to avoid."
"Merlin you are the only person who can save us and you will not even try!" Lancelot said the last part louder than he had intended, going louder than the whisper he and Merlin had been speaking in before.
"Lancelot don't blame Merlin for being totally useless in these types of situations," Arthur said after hearing the last part of Lancelot's outburst "It's not his fault that he is barely strong enough to lift a pebble."
"I am not useless" Merlin said defensively
"Oh yes because you are so helpful sitting in the corner there refusing to look at the pretty pink crystals." Arthur said sarcastically
"I have my reasons for not looking in the crystals."
"Merlin stop trying to be mysterious, it really doesn't suite you."
"I don't need to try, I'm naturally this mysterious" Merlin bantered back without lifting his head
"Merlin do you are like an open book, nothing mysterious about you."
"Or maybe you are just too much of a prat to see it."
"Idiot"
"Clotpole"
"Merlin" Arthur said as he turned around to ignore his manservant and return to the task of finding a way out of the cave.
When he looked at his men, instead of seeing the desolate hopeless looks that had been on their faces since the rocks had fallen his men were smiling. His bantering with Merlin seemed to have lifted their spirits. Maybe Merlin wasn't totally useless after all, not that Arthur would ever admit it.
"All right men let's get back to work."
:::
Elyan watched as Perceval strained against one of the larger rocks, pushing it one moment then trying to pull it the next. Yet it would not budge.
"Maybe Perceval should work on the smaller rocks," Elyan suggested "If we can get enough of them out maybe these bigger ones will fall and we will be able to squeeze through."
"Good idea Elyan," Arthur praised "Give it a try Perceval."
Perceval moved over to one of the smaller rocks and started pulling. All four knights could see the strain on his bicep but the rock didn't budge.
"I cannot move it sire." Perceval said eyes lowered, ashamed that he could not move even a small rock.
Arthur patted Perceval on the back "It's all right we will keep trying."
"Why bother," Gawaine said "we have no chance of getting out of here."
There was a pause before Arthur replied.
"Weren't you the one who told me the situations with no chance were the only one worth fighting for?" the king asked "Why is this situation any different? You all have followed me into more dangerous and seemingly impossible tasks before, so I ask why is this one any different? We managed to take Camelot back from an immortal army with only seven men. If we could do that, I believe we can move some stupid rocks."
When Arthur looked around at his men he saw determination in each of their eyes, except for Lancelot who was staring at Merlin with a thoughtful expression.
"Well if we have no chance," said Gawaine "Then let's move these damn rocks"
Elyan and Perceval shouted in agreement as they started pulling at rocks once more. Gawaine and Arthur soon joined them leaving Lancelot to go talk to Merlin.
"Merlin did you hear that?" Lancelot asked "They think they can get out of here, but those rocks are definitly being held together with some kind of magic."
"Lance I can't…" Merlin began
"I do not want to hear that anymore," Lancelot interrupted "you have no excuse. We will all die if you do not do something and you will not do something because you are afraid. I once told you Merlin that you probably deserve to be knighted more than the rest of us, but now I'm not so sure."
"You don't understand…"
"No I do understand," Lancelot interrupted again "I just don't care."
Lancelot then grabbed Merlin's collar and pulled him to his feet.
"Now either you make a decision or I will do it for you, but I will not let any of us die in this cave."
Well what do you think? Merlin has to make a choice now wheter he wants to or not (cause Lance will kick his but if he doesn't)
Please please please please please with a cherry on top leave a review!
