AN: Thanks so much for the reviews guys! And wow, lots of followers! Hope you enjoy this next chapter. The next update might be a little slow as I also started another two fics lol I can't stop! I try not to start another one until I've finished one, (although Camelot is ALMOST finished, I just have a few more pages to write there). However, I'm starting up a oneshot for a magic reveal for Merlin/Arthur that was inspired by Bradley James and then I also have a modern day, re-birth of the characters story brewing that might pop up soon if I can figure that out... Anyway, enjoy, happy reading!
Chapter Two
"Congratulations," Merlin said to Mordred the next morning as he was saddling his and Arthur's horses. They were headed out on a three day patrol of the northern borders and it would be Mordred's first patrol as a fully fledged knight of Camelot.
"Thanks," replied Mordred, a sheepish smile curving his lips. Merlin smiled back, proud of the young man and who he was becoming despite everything that Uther had done to him. Mordred's words came back to him then, the love that binds us is more important than the power we wield, whispering in the back of his mind as he finished with Arthur's saddle. He never expected such powerful words from someone so young but then again, Mordred might be young but he had seen a lot of terrible things in his life and those kinds of things tended to age a man's soul. Merlin knew that all too well. He couldn't help the feeling like he was forgetting something though in regards to Mordred, like there was some sort of reason that he shouldn't trust him but that seemed ridiculous. Mordred had proven himself time and time again to be loyal to Arthur and Camelot. He risked his life for Arthur and Merlin, protecting Merlin with the level of loyalty Merlin had for Arthur. He even wondered sometimes if Mordred was more protective of him than he was of his king. So to feel like he couldn't trust Mordred was really the silliest thought he'd had all morning.
"Ah, Merlin," Arthur said as he strode up to the group of gathered knights, patting Merlin heavily on the shoulder causing him to nose dive into the horse's stomach.
"Morning sire," he mumbled, spitting out a puff of fur and glaring after his insufferable friend. He definitely noticed the snickers of the knights. He finished with his own bags and slipped his foot in the stirrup, pulling himself up with the grace of a wilddeoren. He tried to subtly adjust himself in the saddle in an attempt for a little more comfort before fixing the reigns and turning around to follow after the others. He blinked when Mordred smiled at him. It wasn't the smiling bit that surprised him, it was the fact that he was facing Merlin while his horse went forward and Merlin realized that for some bizarre reason, Mordred was sitting backwards in the saddle.
"What are you doing?" He mouthed, confused and looking around at the others to see if anyone else had suddenly taken up this strange form of riding.
"Melding," he stated as if it was the most obvious thing and Merlin just blinked in response.
"It's the ancient art of melding," Gwaine explained from beside Mordred, sharing sneaky grins with the other knights and Merlin realized they were having a go at him, "every knight must do it on their first patrol." He further explained, "Otherwise the patrol will end horribly."
You realize that's ridiculous, right? Merlin mentally asked, surprised by the fact he managed to do it successfully. "I see," he said out loud to a snickering Gwaine.
Yes of course, Mordred silently scoffed, smiling at Merlin.
Then why are you doing it?
It's a passage of initiation among the knights. I know this is only a way for them to toy with me. He said, again in that tone of voice that made it sound like Merlin was a complete idiot for not seeing the most obvious thing.
Why does that matter? He found himself asking, which he knew was probably stupid but he needed to know.
Because it means that I belong Merlin. My willingness to do it shows them that I'm one of them and for once in my life, I feel like I actually do belong he replied, voice light but Merlin could feel the loneliness that had plagued Mordred's life and that it was finally dissipating for once; he smiled, completely understanding.
They made their way through the castle grounds and then the lower town and turned down the dirt road heading north. The knights were all in a good mood; grateful for the nice weather that was beginning to reveal itself as the fog lifted. The sky was clear and the sun shone brightly but there was still a pleasant chill to the air that Merlin appreciated. There was nothing worse than riding when it was sweltering or on the other hand, horribly cold. However, today was proving to be the perfect temperature and as they entered the surrounding forest, Merlin lost himself in the beauty of the nature around him. They rode for hours, talking merrily among each other and only pausing briefly at a small stream to eat a cold lunch and let the horses have a drink. They ran into no trouble as the day drew on and eventually, Mordred was informed that he had 'successfully melded the saddle' and was relieve to return to a normal sitting position on his horse.
As they continued northwest, Merlin became quieter and more sullen, letting himself fall back a little behind Arthur instead of riding beside him like usual. Mordred laughed when Arthur made a remark about Gwaine's insufferable chatter that was even worse than Merlin's today, he chanced a glance at the sorcerer and his laughter quickly faded. Merlin's pink lips were pinched into a tight line, his back straight in the saddle and he looked completely on edge and instantly, Mordred wondered what was wrong.
Are you ok? He silently asked and fought back a smile when Merlin visibly jumped half a foot off his saddle.
You're going to have to start knocking if this is going to become a habit! He reprehended but Mordred caught the smile in his eyes.
Sorry, I will but that doesn't answer my question he pointed out and he tried to ignore just how cute Merlin looked when he pouted.
Can't you feel it? He asked and Mordred frowned in confusion.
Feel what?
We're coming close to a sacred place he explained, looking curiously at Mordred.
Is it safe for us? He asked and Merlin wasn't entirely sure if he meant if it was safe for them as two sorcerers hidden in the royal court or if he meant safe for the party of knights trampling through the woods. He assumed the later and nodded.
Yes, I think so. I think it was just a place of worship he said thoughtfully.
How do you know? Mordred questioned.
It feels... peaceful... There's a certain level of reverence due he tried to explain and Mordred pinched his lips. Slowly, he carefully unwrapped the bindings he kept around his magic and let himself begin to reach out around him. He didn't immediately feel what Merlin was talking about until a small gust of wind blew across their path and it was like he could feel the earth sighing with him. It was a feeling of being in the presence of something holy that lingered in the air like the morning dew and Mordred instantly gave obeisance to the elemental spirits that dwelled nearby.
I can feel it he said after a moment, reveling in the connection between himself and the earth.
I wish we could stay here Merlin whispered and Mordred looked over at him again, smiling at the content look on his face.
"Sire," Mordred spoke up, causing Arthur to pull on his reigns and halt the party, "there is a small grove of elm trees coming up ahead if I am not mistaken. Perhaps that would be a good place to camp for the night, that way there is still light for us to do a little hunting." He suggested and Arthur beamed at him.
"Excellent idea Sir Mordred!" He said and the other knights nodded their approval.
Why did you do that? Merlin asked after they had quieted down and were coming up to the grove he had spoken of.
You'll see he replied with a secretive smile and Merlin felt his stomach twist in an unexpected way. What was Mordred up to?
"Merlin, any day now!" Arthur's lovely voice pulled Merlin from his thoughts and he glared at the blonde.
"Yes, yes what?" He asked annoy but amused nonetheless. Arthur rolled his eyes and placed a hand on his hip and it was then that Merlin realized Arthur and the rest of the knights were all standing on the ground. He pursed his lips and tried to think of some way to explain his distractedness.
"Well?" Arthur challenged again and Merlin jumped and quick slid off his horse.
"Right, sorry sire," he muttered and took the reins from Arthur.
"Geez Merlin, you would have walked off into the sunset if I hadn't brought your head out of the clouds," he mocked, cuffing the back of Merlin's head and then mussing his hair making Merlin wrinkle his nose and squirm away. Unable to think of a good enough come back, Merlin settled for glaring at him and tying up the horses.
"You stay and set up camp Merlin, we'll go catch something for dinner. Gwaine will stay behind and make sure that you don't set yourself on fire or get swallowed by a thorn bush." Arthur informed the group and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I don't need someone to babysit me," he scoffed and Arthur including all the knights all gave him a look that clearly said that he was wrong. Merlin watched them walk off into the woods and then turned away, searching out dry wood for a fire.
"Oh don't worry Merlin, I won't let anything happen to you," Gwaine teased, making Merlin pout even further.
"Honestly, I don't know what everyone's talking about! I'm perfectly capable of setting up camp without injuring myself!" He objected but was quickly proved otherwise when he turned around and tripped over an exposed root, falling flat on his face.
"You were saying?" Laughed Gwaine as he pulled him to his feet.
They set about setting up camp, Gwaine helping as much as a mosquito and provided a constant buzz of chatter. By the time the rest returned, the sky had darkened significantly and Merlin had a steady fire going. He had collected several herbs and roots and was preparing a stew for whatever meat they returned with. It was a successful short hunting trip and they returned with three rabbits and a peasant and Merlin quickly went to work on preparing them for dinner.
The knights lazily gathered around and made Mordred pull together several fallen trees for them to sit against. They talked loudly amongst themselves, laughing easily and teasing Mordred endlessly and Merlin listened, adding in a few sarcastic remarks of his own. As usual, Merlin was the last to get any of the stew he made, but thankfully, he did get some. After dinner, he washed the dishes in a nearby stream and then sat with Arthur and was uncharacteristically quiet while they talked long into the night.
Eventually, the knights grew tired and decided that it was time to call it in. Merlin laid his bedroll a couple feet from Arthur as he always did, pulled off his boots and lay down.
"Do you need anything else sire?" He asked his king one last time for the day, resting his head on the side of his arm.
"No, Merlin, that will be everything," tiredly replied Arthur who was lying down and facing his servant.
"Alright, good night Arthur," Merlin said, making Arthur smile and close his eyes.
"Goodnight Merlin," he said just when Merlin thought he wasn't going to respond. Merlin smiled and rolled onto his back, staring up at the stars and began counting. It only took a few minutes before he drifted off to sleep. It had been a long day of riding and though uneventful, he was still incredibly tired.
Emrys came the whisper, entering his dream like a vapor, streaming in and tugging at his consciousness. Merlin opened his eyes to find Mordred kneeling over him, his hand gently shaking him awake.
"What is it? Is everything ok?" He asked, attempting to shake off the last of his dream.
"Yes, everything's ok. Come with me." Mordred gently ordered and handed Merlin his boots.
"Where are we going?" He stuffed his feet inside, looking up at Mordred and he accepted Mordred's extended hand when he moved to stand up.
"Shh, I'll explain in a moment," he whispered and with that, he turned away and led Merlin away from the camp. Merlin tiptoed as best as he could, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one stirred. He followed Mordred into the dark woods, carefully avoiding branches and stumbling only a little on hidden roots and vines. Slowly, the familiar feeling of magic began to slide over his flesh leaving gooseflesh in its wake and the hairs at the back of his neck raised and danced not in fear but purely so he could feel ever sensation the magic left on him. It continued to grow and grow until they finally came to another small grove with a large rock in the center.
"What is this place?" Merlin asked, sea blue eyes taking in every inch around him and coming to a stop on Mordred's face.
"It's an alter," he replied and turned away from him, walking up to the large stone. In the light of the full moon, Merlin could see small markings on the stone. Upon closer inspection, he realized they were runes of the old religion.
"How did you know it was here?" He questioned as he trailed his fingers over the runes.
"I stayed here once, when I was a boy," he answered, voice growing distant, "just before we came to Camelot where I met you for the first time."
"How do you know it's an alter?"
"The markings," he explained and ran his hand over the runes, brushing pleasantly against Merlin's hand, "this is a place of worship. It's small and otherwise unnoticeable but it's a natural resting place of the elemental spirits so the magic is stronger here. This is what you were feeling before. I didn't recognize the area until I felt its magic again."
"What are we doing here?" Merlin asked anxiously. Arthur was so close; he didn't want to risk being caught.
"I thought we would come pay our respects to the spirits. In four days is the harvest feast but tonight is the autumn equinox." He said and pointed up to the moon above them. "There is a ritual among my people, our people; I thought we could perform it."
"Are you crazy?" Merlin's eyes widened and he stepped closer to him, lowering his voice even further, "if anyone were to wake up and come looking for us, they would catch us doing magic!" He hissed.
Mordred smiled, "they won't wake up and no one will catch us. There's hardly any actual magic in it." He encouraged, his eyes looked even paler in the moonlight as he studied Merlin, "please Merlin? It's completely safe."
Merlin chewed his lip and looked back towards the camp as he considered it. He had to admit, it was incredibly tempting to want to do magic with Mordred. It had been so long since he had done any kind of magic with anyone and never with someone as powerful as Mordred. He looked back at the younger boy staring up at him and felt his resolve melt away. "Ok, but we have to be quiet." He finally agreed and the smile that took over Mordred's face made Merlin think that it would all be worth it just to see that smile.
"Great!" Mordred exclaimed quietly and dug into the pouches at his belt. He pulled out a candle, a small bottle of salt, a bowl and untied his water skin from its place. He poured the salt into a small pile at the top of the rock, "Can you get me some pine needles?" He asked, glancing over at a watchful Merlin.
"Sure," Merlin walked over to a nearby pine tree and grabbed a small branch that had broken off and pulled off a handful of needles. "Here," he said as he held open his hand.
"Place them there," Mordred indicated to the right side of the rock and Merlin set them down in a small pile. At the bottom, Mordred had set the candle and to the left he poured water into the bowl.
"What are you doing?" He asked, unable to resist the urge to learn more about anything magic related.
"These all represent the elements. Earth," he pointed to the salt, "I'll burn these to create smoke for air, fire and then water," he explained and smiled warmly at Merlin. It felt incredibly weird to be speaking so openly about something so forbidden but Merlin relished it.
"Are we going to be calling on the elements?" He asked excitedly, a wave of anticipation sending a shiver over his body.
"Yes, we're going to call on the elements and then give thanks for this year's harvest and all the bounty we've been blessed with." Mordred elaborated and Merlin grinned and stole another glance over his shoulder. "Even if Arthur does wake up, he knows that I am a Druid Merlin and he has removed the ban on Druid beliefs. If he saw us, I will just explain to him that I wasn't doing any magic but just paying tribute in the way of my people." He reassured him.
"Ok," he nodded and rubbed his slightly chilled fingers together.
"I'm going to call on each element. When I call on fire, will you light the candle?" He asked with a small smile and Merlin nodded.
"Alright," he agreed and watched as Mordred turned back to the rock in front of them.
"I call to the ancient Spirits of Air;" Mordred began to speak, his voice taking on a powerful tone and immediately, Merlin felt the wind pick up and the magic he was calling grow, "I ask that you guard me and mine with winds of insight. Guard this sacred circle in the East, Guardians of the Mind!" His eyes glowed gold and the needles began to smoke. Merlin bit his lip, unable to take his eyes off Mordred. He didn't look like the little boy he once was, and the boyish look on his face was long gone and in its place, a man with a powerful and seductive air to him.
"I call to sacred Spirits Fire; I ask that you burn brilliantly here with the light of might and passion. Guard this circle in the South, Guardians of the Will!" Merlin's eyes flared gold, pulling his gaze away from Mordred to look at the candle. The wick burst into a small flame and he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It felt so good to use his magic. "I call to divine Spirits of Water; I ask that you guard me and mine with your oceans of mystery and majesty. Guard this circle in the West, Guardians of Creativity and Intuition!
I call to ancient Spirits of the Earth; I ask that you guard me and mine with the strength of stone and the richness of your soil. Guard this circle in the North, Guardians of the Body!
I call the spirits of my ancestors to this circle and ask that you join me, bringing your insight and truth with you. Guard me with integrity and seal this sacred circle!" He finished, his voice strong and powerful and Merlin gasped as the magic swirled around them. He closed his eyes, savoring the feeling and somehow, his hand found its way into Mordred's. Mordred squeezed it gently as they shared this rare moment where they could be themselves so completely. They both grinned stupidly as the felt the elemental spirits surround them, the heat of fire warming their cheeks, the air tossing their hair, the earth humming beneath them and their lungs filled with the scent of the sea.
"Wow," Merlin finally said after a few minutes had passed and let out a small chuckle, "that was amazing."
"And that's just the beginning," Mordred replied, a cheeky smile turning his lips and he turned back to the stone. He still held Merlin's hand firmly in his own as he began to speak again, "I honor thee, my Autumn Queen, and thy consort, the Gods of the Harvest. This wheel has turned once more, and the change of season begins. What was, what is and what will be. We mark the Equinox, the time to reflect and we gather in this sacred space and we feel the change as we pass from one season to the next. The second harvest reaped and now the time of rest is deserved. Go now, my Mother and slumber. Go now my Father and dream of re-birth, and we shall be here to greet Thee on Your return.
"As days grow cold, and the nights longer, may I remember the summer past. With sunlight fading, and hearth inviting; my memories will warm my soul. From a season of hard work, I hear my Mother's voice calling me forward. While I rest, she shall lull me to sleep, with songs of a dream and memories of the summer I shall never forget." He paused and picked up two sticks from the ground and held them up in his hands, "I honor thee with this symbol of nature, I shall keep Thee in my home and heart; that I may see it and pause to reflect on the Old Ways and Old Religion, leading me to a better understanding of myself, of others and of all that is Life." As he continued to speak, little golden lights began to appear in the clearing around them, blinking and glistening in the moonlight. Merlin watched in fascination, all around them the forest buzzed with life and they were pulled into it, losing themselves in the earth. Merlin had no idea where he began and his magic ended. Mordred's magic combined with his own, bleeding together so that they were completely one with nature and the feeling of being a part of something far larger than them was so overwhelming. He felt so incredibly small and at the same time, so very important.
"Between the worlds I stand in this sacred place, with all time is here and now. As I leave this circle, the season shall have changed, and I with it. May I use the short time of Winter Finding to draw the strength and power from within as I continue my quest for vision, understanding, and peace. In Life is Death, and in Death is Life, so continues the Sacred Dance on and on, from whence we came, we shall return and come again. Seasons pass and pass again, the circle stays unbroken." He finished with his eyes closed, recalling the ritual from his memory. When they opened their eyes again, the entire clearing was lit up with the golden lights, casting the circle in a golden glow.
"This is incredible," Merlin whispered, reaching out with his free hand to touch the lights, "does this always happen?" He asked and looked over at an equally awed Mordred.
"No, I've never seen this happen." He whispered back, both of them stared open mouthed at the sparkling lights.
"Where the hell is Merlin?" Arthur growled from somewhere behind them. Instantly, the clearing fell into darkness and Merlin released Mordred's hand. Mordred blew out the candle and snuffed out the smoking needles with his hands. Mordred pressed one of the sticks into his hand before putting the other in his pouch with the candle.
"Over here sire," Merlin called, casting a final glance at Mordred before pushing through the bush and walking back to camp.
"Where the hell were you?" He snapped when Merlin stumbled into the little clearing.
"I just went to relieve myself, my Lord," he lied easily, glaring at Arthur for good measure, "did you miss me?"
"No," He grumbled and rolled back over, "the fire is dying though and it's bloody freezing. Do something about it," he ordered and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Yes sire," he said with a sigh and added another log to the fire just as Mordred also reappeared from the trees. Arthur had his back to him and thankfully did not see the druid return otherwise Merlin was sure he would have to answer some awkward questions. Silently, Mordred slipped back onto his bedroll, pulling his blanket over his shoulders and closing his eyes. Merlin stoked the fire and when he was satisfied that it would burn warmly for the rest of the night, he lay back down on his own bedroll.
Thank you Mordred, he mentally whispered, looking across the flames.
You're welcome Merlin. Goodnight he whispered back and smiled at him before closing his eyes and going back to sleep. Merlin couldn't sleep right away though. He lay on his back staring up at the sky replaying the ritual in his mind. He had done a couple small spells with Gaius before when he needed the extra power, like when he had to heal Arthur that one time when he was poisoned. But he had never done anything like what they had just done that night. It wasn't a spell to save someone's life, it wasn't magic used to protect someone or even just for play, it had been something completely different. He felt connected to the Old Religion in a way he hadn't before and it wasn't in a bad way at all. It actually felt incredibly good, somehow so right and he felt more renewed than he ever did. He finally drifted off to a light sleep with a smile still on his lips when the sky was just barely beginning to lighten.