Title: Dark Magic
Authors: Cassy27
Words: 1347
Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, oc's
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Merlin, sadly enough!
Spoilers: No spoilers in this post
AN: Wow, a lot of people seemed to be liking this story so far and I only hope that the second chapter will be liked as well. I posted it earlier because of you guys and because I didn't want to keep you all waiting for too long. So here it is, enjoy!
Beta: Fantasyy-Freak, thanks for all the wonderful help!
This story takes place somewhere in season 1
Chapter 2
Merlin noticed something was different about Arthur. His mind appeared to have driven off to some distant place while his legs brought him back to the horses out of routine. Merlin simply followed, not wanting to disturb Arthur.
"Merlin?" Arthur suddenly asked. Merlin had to look at the young prince to make sure that he hadn't imagined him saying his name.
"Yes?" Merlin said when certain that Arthur had called for his attention.
"Perhaps you should help Gaius for the rest of the week, he seemed like he could use some help." Arthur said, his eyes still seeming to be out of focus.
"Gaius can manage fine" Merlin answered, not knowing what was going on, "are you sure you are okay. Back in the forest you seemed distracted as well."
"I'm fine Merlin," Arthur rolled his eyes.
They arrived where their horses stood calmly. Getting the saddles ready so that they would be able to go home, Merlin and Arthur spent the next few minutes in silence again. Merlin was too occupied getting the stuff they had carried for the hunt on the back of the horse that he didn't notice Arthur thoroughly glancing around, his gaze falling on each thing that seemed out of place.
"Merlin, get down!" Arthur suddenly yelled. Merlin was too astonished to hear these words that he couldn't react in time to actually listen to Arthur's words. The next thing he felt was a sharp pain in his arm and then somebody knocking him down.
Feeling dizzy about having been knocked down, Merlin tried to comprehend what was going on. Seeing how Arthur jumped up next to him, Merlin could only assume that he had been the one to have knocked him down.
Arthur drew out his sword and slowly turned around to try and find the origin of the arrow that had just hit Merlin. Movement at his left caught his eye and Arthur didn't hesitate. He ran towards it and pushed aside the branches and leaves. A man jumped out from behind it and attacked Arthur with his own sword.
Merlin quickly examined his wound on his arm and came to the conclusion that it was only a flesh wound, nothing to worry about. That was however because Arthur had been quick enough to push him down. Sitting up, he watched how Arthur blocked a shot from their unknown attacker.
Arthur kicked his leg forward and hit his attacker's knee, making him stumble back and lose his balance. Arthur didn't hesitate and threw his sword forward, only to be blocked, but the force of his hit was brute enough to disarm the attacker.
Placing his sword against the man's throat, Arthur looked him straight in the eyes.
"Who are you and why did you attack us?" Arthur demanded the attacker to tell him the truth.
Merlin stood up now and looked at the attacker. He was about thirty years old, had a worn out face with dark brown eyes who only spoke sorrow and grieve. Merlin didn't know why but for some reason he felt sorry for this man.
"I came for vengeance," the man spoke and Merlin noticed that even his voice was filled with pain.
"Wherefore?" Arthur asked his voice hard and his eyes spoke hate towards this man.
"My daughter was executed only days ago while she was innocent," the man said and only now did Merlin see that he wasn't afraid of the blade of Arthur's sword being only inches away from his throat.
"What crime did she commit?" Arthur asked his voice softer now and his sword lowering a bit.
"Sorcery," the man answered.
"And how do you know she was innocent then?" Arthur wasn't just going to believe this man when he said that his daughter was innocent.
"Because the book of magic that was found in our kitchen didn't belong to her," the man said.
Merlin slowly walked up closer to them as he got more and more interested in what this man had to say. He knew many people got executed for committing the crime of practicing magic while he himself knew well enough that magic wasn't always bad and wrong.
"And how are you certain of that? Who else's would it have been?"
"Mine," the man said.
Before Arthur could react, the man whispered words he didn't understand. Arthur felt his sword become heavier suddenly up to a point where he couldn't even carry it anymore. With a thud, it fell to the ground while the man stood up and Arthur was backing away, not knowing how he could fight this man without his sword while he possessed magic.
Merlin was already running through possible incantations in his head which he would be able to use on the man without Arthur finding out about his magic.
Suddenly, voices shouted out and horses could be heard approaching. Apparently, knights of Camelot had heard the fight and came to Arthur's help. The man looked at both him and the prince with fury visible in his eyes.
"I will have my vengeance," the man warned them while he let his gaze slide from Arthur to Merlin and back again, "your father took away my daughter and now I will take away his son."
The man ran back into the forest and Arthur was about to run after him, picking up his sword that had its normal weight back. Merlin however knew that that would only be playing into the man's hands as he easily could use magic to kill Arthur should he face him alone. He jumped in front of him and pushed him back.
"Merlin, what do you think you're doing?" Arthur was furious that Merlin would do such a thing.
"It would be mad to go after him right now, he is a sorcerer that wants you dead so I believe the last thing you would want to do is go after him," Merlin said, knowing that he was right and that Arthur would see that too now.
The knights that they had heard approaching now entered their vision and Arthur turned to face them.
"He ran into the forest, try and find him," Arthur ordered them, jumping on his own horse, "Merlin, you return to the castle and wait for me there."
Before Merlin could say anything, Arthur was gone and Merlin stood alone with one horse at the edge of the forest. He thought about following them for one second, but he knew Arthur wouldn't appreciate it should he disobey an order.
Getting on the horse, Merlin returned to the stables of the castle where he was to bring back the horse to. Arriving there, he saw Gaius exiting the castle.
"Gaius!" Merlin called out to him, quickly walking over to him.
"Merlin," Gaius said, surprise filling his voice as he hadn't expected Merlin to be free this time of the day and then he spotted the small wound on his arm, "what happened?
"We got attacked," Merlin answered, looking at the wound again too, "it isn't that bad, it doesn't even hurt anymore."
"I need to take a look at it," Gaius said, examining it, "if it doesn't get cleaned out properly, an infection could cause you much more pain than that you're feeling right now."
Merlin followed Gaius back to their chambers where he soon got taken care of. It didn't take long for Gaius to patch him up and soon, questions followed.
"What happened?" Gaius insisted on knowing.
Merlin knew that Gaius would only be happy with the truth and that there was no point in lying, but his thoughts were too confused to truly comprehend what had happened. He had been wounded by another sorcerer whose daughter was dead. No matter how hard he tried, Merlin couldn't find it in himself to hate this man as all he felt was sorrow for him.
AN: Well, this was the second chapter... I hope you liked it and let me know what you think about it.
