I still do not own Merlin.

Chapter 2: Out of The Wardrobe

Then the wardrobe shook violently.

Percival, leaning against the wall right next to the wardrobe, reeacted first as he jumped and pratically ran to stand a few feet in front of the wardrobe. Gwaine, Lancelot, and Merlin all jumped to their feet, the chairs Lancelot and Gwaine had been sitting in overturning in their haste.

"Is it normal for wardrobes to shake?" Gwaine asked, nervousness in his voice.

"No." Percival grunted.

After a look at Merlin, Lancelot took a step forward, sword at the ready. Merlin took a deep breath and prepared himself to use magic on whatever jumped from the wardrobe. With a slightly shaking hand, Lancelot opened the wardrobe. He jumped backwards quickly, sword at the ready, still in front of the others, but it was a moment before anything happened.

A large snake, taller then most men, slithered out from the wardrobe. It rose up, tongue flickering as it hissed and stared right at Lancelot. Lancelot gasped, his eyes wide, and jumped backward, his sword falling to the floor. He landed on Gwaine, who promptly fell over, a frightened Lancelot on top of him.

Percival stepped forward and swung his sword at the snake, but nothing happened. The sword passed straight through the snake, who then turned his scaly head toward Percival who's eyes were wide as he brought his sword back to a defensive position.

With a pop, the snake was gone. In it's place was a large dog that was foaming at the mouth. The dog let out a loud bark, and crouched down as if to jump. Percival took a few haulting steps backward, before tripping over one of the overturned chairs. He stared in horror as the mad dog took a step toward him.

Gwaine, having freed himself from the frightened Lancelot, stepped in front and swung his sword at the dog. The sword passed straight through the beast, just as it had done to the snake. The dog growled up at Gwaine before a loud pop was heard and hte dog was replaced with a large, mean looking man.

"No." Gwaine whispered, his sword falling uselessly to his side as he backed away from the slowly approaching man.

"You useless little boy." The man snarled, advancing on the startled Gwaine. "You stupid little brat."

Merlin, seeing the sweat and fear pouring off of Gwaine, bravely stepped between his friend and the man. The man dissapeared with a pop and in his place stood and angry looking Arthur.

Merlin looked confused as the angry Arthur stood in front of him. Lancelot and Percival had gotten over their shock and fear and now stood beside Gwaine who was breathing hard, trying to calm down. The words that came out of the fake Arthur's mouth froze them all.

"Sorcerer!"

Merlin's eyes grew wide as Arthur glared at him and drew his sword and continued speaking.

"You liar! I trusted you! And you lied to me! Prepare to die, sorcerer!"

Merlin didn't wait around to die. He turned on his heels and ran out the door. He heard the three knights follow him, but he didn't stop. He was done for. His secret was out. Gwaine and Percival would run him through now. And all because of that thing in the wardrobe.

"Merlin!" Lancelot yelled, but Merlin kept running. "Stop!"

When Merlin didn't stop, Gwaine sped up, outdistancing the other two easily. With a leap, he tackled Merlin to the ground and pinned him their, shaking his head to move his hair out of his eyes.

"Get off me!" Merlin ordered, struggling to free himself.

"Not if you plan on running again." Gwaine answered, sitting down on Merlin's stomach.

Lancelot and Percival reached them then. Lancelot bent down and grabbed one of Merlin's arms, Gwaine grabbed the other, and the two picked Merlin up.

"Don't run Merlin." Lancelot whispered in his ear. "Nothing is going to happen."

Merlin took a deep breath and nodded. He trusted Lancelot, but he was still going to be careful and ready to run at a moments notice. Lancelot let go of him and Gwaine did as well after a moments hesitation.

"What was that thing?" Lancelot asked.

"Things." Percival corrected.

"How did it change shapes like that?" Gwaine asked.

"Obviously it's some kind of magical creature." Merlin answered nervously.

"One that shows your fears." Percival announced.

The other three looked at him in confusion.

"What?" he asked.

"How do you figure that?" Gwaine asked.

"Well," Percival started. "I'm scared to death of mad dogs, and I take it Lancelot is scared of big snakes, and you, Gwaine, seem to be afraid of that man, and Merlin is afraid of Arthur. So it shows what you're afraid of. That's my guess at least, by all of our reeactions."

They all stared at him in shock. This was the first time they had heard the quiet man say more then four words.

"What?" He asked, wondering why they were all staring at him.

"You can talk in more then four worded sentances!" Gwaine exclaimed.

Percival rolled his eyes.

"I'm not stupid." he replied. "I just never have anything to say."

"Come on." Merlin inturrpted, still nervous about what the fake Arthur had said. "We need to talk to Gaius."

The other three nodded and they quickly made their way through the passageways and toward the physician's chambers.