King Arthur's Chronicles.

A series of ficlets based on various back stories from 'King Arthur's Ward.'

Overall this work is going to be M rated but this two parter is not. As it's a story in it's own right, I wanted my younger readers to read it. If you're under 16 and have this on alert - please note that this fic is going to change to M from the next chapter onwards.

No slash ... as such - the boys are definitely straight here - but, some of these ficlets will include, rumours, teasing and curiosity.

So, I have been well and truly told off for that cliff hanger - lol! It was originally going to be one chapter but just as I typed that last paragraph I found myself suddenly possessed by Morgana. I gave an evil smirk, paused and then typed ... 'Part 2'

Then I smirked some more!

The good news is that the next ficlet has also evolved into a two parter, which means my original fic is now chapter five, which means that this update has been moved forwards!

The Druids: Part 2

"Congratulation," Merlin growled at the boy. "You've just changed the meaning of the word 'immortal,' to 'about to die at any moment,' The boy frowned.

"I-I don't understand, I ..."

"Go - away -" the young man said menacingly and the lad yelped and ran back to his family. Merlin arranged his face into a rather false looking smile as he looked back towards the prince. "They have such imaginations at that age, don't they?" His laugh was far too nervous to be convincing.

Arthur just stared at him, having no idea what to say. The boy was only a child but, putting it together with everyone's else reaction to Merlin since they arrived, he wasn't prepared to dismiss anything quite yet.

The group started to set off towards the Valley of the Kings and Arthur brooded as they walked, casting suspicious glares at his servant the whole way. Merlin noticed the look and did his best to keep as much distance between him and his master as possible.

"You seem troubled," said Iseldir coming up beside the prince.

"There was a boy in the camp … he called Merlin - Emrys." He suddenly glared at the druid. "You were about to call him that too, I remember now."

"Ah..."

"Never mind 'ah.' Was the boy speaking the truth?"

"That is not for me to say." The old man turned towards Merlin and Arthur saw his servant visibly jump, before looking their way as if his name had been called out loud. Arthur saw his eyes widen and he shook his head slightly, before turning away. Still Iseldir stared at Merlin until, eventually, reluctantly, he skulked over towards them.

"You know that it is time. I tried to tell you last night. You can no longer keep this from him … Emrys." Merlin pulled a face again.

"Fine, Iseldir but, if I end up on the pyre, you've only yourself to blame."

"We shall make camp here," Iseldir said in a loud voice to his people. "Just a short break and we should still be able to make the valley by sunset."

The group wandered off to a piece of nearby open land and started to set up a fire for cooking, leaving the two young men standing on the dusty track, next to the stone wall of a deep gully. Merlin looked at the ground, the toe of one foot twisting in the dirt.

"Well?" Arthur asked. "Are you really this Emrys they're all going on about?"

"They seem to think so," he continued, his head still down.

"They?"

"The druids, that's what they've always called me."

"The immortal?" Merlin looked up.

"Well, that's a new one on me, I must admit, but ..." he shrugged.

"Merlin. Do you have magic?"

"Y-yes." Before he'd even thought about it, one of Arthur's hands had found it way to Merlin's throat and had pushed the skinny man firmly against the valley wall.

"Ah … Arthur ..." Merlin choked.

"So …?"

"What?" Merlin gasped as Arthur squeezed tighter. A sudden strange thought occurred to the prince then. If Merlin had magic, why was he letting him strangle him? If he was practically the Prince of the Druids, why was he Arthur's servant at all? Why did he allow himself to be constantly pushed around.

"When I first met you I asked you a question?" Merlin somehow managed to nod, his eyes wide as Arthur's hand pushed harder against his throat. "I asked 'what are you going to do to me?' and you said …" Merlin's eyes suddenly widened and a slight smile played on his lips.

"You have no idea." Merlin's blue eyes suddenly flashed gold and Arthur found himself being pushed backwards by some unknown force until he was hovering in mid air – half a body's length from the ground.

"Merlin, put me down!"

"And there's my answer," said Merlin calmly. "Six years too late but … never mind."

"I … ah," Arthur struggled against the strange pressure pushing against him. His feet were kicking at thin air, his arms trying to balance himself but - something was keeping him suspended in mid air.

"So, why don't you arrest me?" Merlin said suddenly. Arthur found the pressure released and he collapsed in a heap onto the dusty path.

"What?" he gasped.

"Well, that's what you do to sorcerers, isn't it?" Merlin held out his hands. "Go on then." Arthur suddenly felt his anger return.

"Fine so … if that's what you want, Merlin." He moved forward to grab the offered wrists, only to find an invisible wall in the way. He looked into the young man's blue eyes as he pushed against the barrier and shuddered at the look of triumph he saw there. "M-merlin?" He silently cursed the stammer, and his servant looked both surprised and delighted by his nerves.

"You can't do it … it's not possible, is it? Now what, Arthur?"

"Why would you pretend to be my servant?"

"I didn't pretend to be your servant, Arthur. I am your servant. Your loyal servant and … I thought, perhaps … one day, you might think of me as your friend but … I was pretending to be an idiot. Well, most of the time ..."

"Why? Why stay in Camelot when Uther could have you killed." Merlin laughed.

"Yes, I used to ask myself that question too but, it's rather a mute point now, isn't it?"

"It is?"

"You can't even arrest me, Arthur. How exactly do you plan to burn me?" Arthur winced at the comment and Merlin smiled, somehow knowing that the thought was repugnant to the prince. It was true. No matter what … he would not be handing him over to Uther, any more than he would be handing these druids over to him.

"But, if you had all this power, why did you … I mean, you let me order you to ..." Merlin's grin grew wicked again.

"You are my future King. You don't think I would do as you command?"

"You didn't have to."

"No. I didn't. I still don't have to but … I want to."

"Why?" He just shrugged. "Merlin?"

"At first because I was told that it was my destiny to protect you."

"At first?"

"Now, it's because ... I want to."

"Hang on. Protect me?" Merlin gave a humorous laugh.

"As I have been doing for over six years."

"I … I don't understand."

"It'll come to you," he replied simply. There was a very long silence.

"So, what now?" Arthur asked eventually.

"We continue with this mission?" Merlin looked at him with pleading eyes. He was still delegating to Arthur, despite all of this and, for some reason, the constant switching between personalities made him so angry that he again moved aggressively towards Merlin. The boy turned his head and, without muttering a single word, his blue eyes turned gold and Arthur felt himself pinned against the same rock face that he had Merlin held against a few moments ago.

"I am your servant, Arthur and I will do as my prince commands but, just so you know, I do have the power to disobey you if I want to. I even have the power to control you."

"You wouldn't dare," Arthur snarled. The smile that appeared on Merlin's lips was, quite frankly, terrifying and the prince suddenly felt the magical pressure on his body increase. He was pinned to the stone wall as if ten men of Percival's size were holding him and, as the young sorcerer walked slowly and deliberately towards him, he knew that he had been unable to hide his total terror and fear. Merlin nodded as he saw that look.

"Good. Just so we're clear." Suddenly, without warning, he moved even closer and pressed his lips against Arthur's in a brief kiss. Just as suddenly, the prince felt the magical restraints released and he collapsed to the floor, simultaneously wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"Yuch! Merlin, what did you do that for?"

"Just making a point."

"What sort of point … exactly?" he asked, nervously.

"The point that, if magic was truly evil – if I were truly evil – then I could do anything I wanted to you. Anything at all, and you would have absolutely no power to stop me." He looked at Arthur then, his head tipped slightly, amusement obvious on his face. Arthur felt the fear bubble in his stomach and his knees tremble. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

"Of course, I wouldn't." Merlin's voice changed back to the tone he was used to. Light, casual, carefree. As if he really were just an idiot servant with no gifts of any kind. Arthur pulled himself to his feet shakily and shook his head.

"Enough games, Merlin." He worked hard to ensure that his voice sounded strong and calm. "I won't arrest you ..." Merlin turned his head to view him, his eyebrows raised. "I wouldn't arrest you ... even if I could," he amended. "And … we need to settle these druids into their new home." The boy turned his body fully and looked at him again. After a moment's pause he gave Arthur a very low, submissive bow.

"Yes, my lord." Arthur frowned, for a moment thinking he was being teased but, as Merlin stood upright he looked deeply into his princes' eyes and held them; blue on blue and Arthur felt strangely honoured, as if he'd just managed to tame a wild boar, a wolf … a dragon. That he somehow had the most powerful creature in the kingdom at his beck and call – had it's devotion, it's love, it's loyalty. It was frightening but, at the same time, immensely satisfying.

The two young men continued to hold each other's gaze, neither of them moving, before Arthur gave a brief nod and strode back to the camp. Merlin quickly followed and immediately stumbled over a tree root. Arthur sent him an accusing stare and the young man laughed.

"Not an act," he said apologetically. "Honestly, Arthur … that's just me. Gaius reckons I've got too much magic flowing through me for my own good, and that my weak human body can't handle it sometimes. He thinks … he hopes, that maybe I'll get used to it … eventually."

"Hmph!" Arthur grunted. "I'm not sure that I ever shall."

They had reached the Valley of the Kings and helped the tribe to set up their tents and unload their horses whilst Merlin, Iseldir and a couple of other druids – probably those with magic – prowled around the edges of their new camp – their hands often lifting as if they were waving at someone. Arthur remembered Iseldir's earlier comment and belatedly realised that the man had been implying that it was mostly Merlin that would be able to defend them against outside intruders, he shuddered again and feel back to his brooding.

Merlin sauntered over to his camp fire, just as it was growing dark. He had a satisfied, slightly smug look on his face but, as Arthur looked up at him, he frowned slightly, and pulled a face, hunching his shoulders uncomfortably as he sat. Arthur silently handed him a bowl of stew.

"Thanks." There was a long pause. "Arthur … I just wanted to say … sorry for not telling you sooner and … sorry for using my magic like that earlier. It's just ..."

"I know why you didn't tell me initially, although ... I thought perhaps, recently, you might have trusted me?"

"Yes, but, the longer I didn't say anything, the harder it was to just come out with it. As for earlier …?"

"I don't believe for one moment that you're actually sorry about that." He looked up with a glare and saw Merlin's lips twitch very slightly as he tried to stop himself from smiling.

"It does get very frustrating … constantly pretending to be an idiot. Also, being here with these people – the way they treat me - well, it does feel a bit weird but also … strangely liberating."

"Don't get used to it. You're going to have to go back to being Merlin when we get home."

"Yes, I know."

"And I'd rather you limited your various … tricks in front of me for a while. I need time to ..."

"Of course." There was another long silence whilst Merlin tucked into his stew, eyeing Arthur warily through most of it. After a few more moments, Iseldir came over with a bowl of his own and sat down with them. His eyes darted between the two of them, his brows furrowed.

"How are you coping with this?" he asked Arthur eventually.

"Well, Merlin is still alive," said Arthur bluntly. Iseldir threw a confused look at the warlock who just pulled a face and continued to tuck into his food.

"We have a great deal of respect for Emrys. His magic, his power is ..."

"Iseldir, don't worry about it," Merlin interrupted. "Arthur and I are fine. He just needs some time to … get used to all of this. Honestly, I'm more likely to stay in one piece if we don't talk about it." Both men looked up at him sharply.

"But ..." said Iseldir, obviously confused. Merlin looked back equally baffled.

"He doesn't understand it either, Merlin." Arthur explained. "He sees you as this all powerful sorcerer and can't work out why I'm not fawning at your feet, or why you seem more scared of me than I am of you." Merlin's genuine surprise was, in fact, rather comical.

"I suppose it's because you've been living in Camelot all these years," Iseldir suggested thoughtfully. "Having to hide everyday?"

"I suppose," said Merlin. Putting his bowl down. "But, it's all rather more complicated than that." Arthur grunted in agreement.

"Well, as long as you'll be alright there."

"My safely is irrelevant," Merlin said with a shrug. "Despite your kind invitation, there is only one place that I need to be right now."

"Of course."

Invitation? It seemed as if they had offered Merlin a home here if Arthur had been too stubborn to have him come back. Despite feeling quite a bit hurt and confused about everything, this thought was even more painful to the young regent.

"There's no way I'm letting this idiot out of my sight from now on," he growled. Merlin laughed and Iseldir again looked confused at the apparent contradiction.

"That translates to 'I can't bear to be without him,'" Merlin explained gleefully. Iseldir didn't look at all convinced.

"It … does … not. Do not believe for a moment that I've forgiven you yet, Merlin, and expect double ... no, triple the chores when we get home."

"Yes, sire." There was another long pause. Iseldir constantly glancing between the pair before he spoke again.

"So, you have accepted that we can live here, free from persecution from your knights?" the druid asked him eventually.

"Yes, you have my word. I may only be the prince but my father's health is not at it's best at the moment so I have rather more power in Camelot than an heir normally does. I can make sure that no patrols venture near this place and, as only Merlin and I have been here, even those other knights that came with us, as trusted as they are, do not know of this location."

"Which is what I wished. I now know that Camelot is in safe hands, sire. Now that you have accepted us and Emrys, I know that the future is assured. You have both set your feet upon the road to destiny, history and legend and I hope your journey will be a long and trouble free one."

Arthur and Merlin exchanged a long, rather sceptical look. Somehow, neither of them believed that such a journey could ever be trouble free.

Next Time: Chapter 3. A New Era - Part 1: Merlin returns to Camelot after visiting Hunith to find Gaius has packed his bags and given his room to someone else. Arthur, meanwhile, has discovered that he cannot change the law to marry Guinevere until he becomes King and he really ... really doesn't want to wait that long. (about 2 years before KAW begins)