Chapter 2

"I think we should have brought a couple of the knights," Merlin whispered into the eerie stillness.

"It's just precautionary," Arthur explained. "I don't think Morgana, Morgause or whoever put that mark there has stayed around."

"Yeah but who knows what's in here. They may have left something behind."

"I think we would have heard anything by now."

"They wouldn't conjure a dragon again. They've done that already so they'll move on to something else..."

"Yeah, a cross between a dragon and a hydra."

"That would take a really twisted mind."

"You don't think those two aren't twisted?"

"Arthur, they may be evil but they aren't twisted. I've seen twisted before when that knight was brought back from the dead."

"Speaking of which, now that I come to think of it, when Ma'ab made me fall asleep I only dreamed about you asking the dragon to burnish it and then the fight with my father. A bit odd really."

Merlin didn't say anything. Judging by what he had just said, Arthur had no idea that the wraith had been his uncle; and Merlin wasn't planning on telling him any time soon. There was also another secret Merlin had to keep from him, though he regretted having to. When Arthur had thought that his father had used magic at Arthur's birth, therefore killing his wife, Ygraine, the prince had tried to kill him. Merlin had had to lie to his friend to stop Arthur from making such a mistake and he didn't want anything like that to happen again. Ma'ab had thankfully honoured that decision.

"So are we just going to wonder around the forest until dusk?" Merlin asked. "Your father may have gotten rid of the curfew after the dragon first attacked Camelot but I don't think it's a good idea if we hang around."

"Don't tell me you're scared."

"No, I just think that this is a bit pointless."

"In other words, you're nervous."

"I am not."

Suddenly, they heard a scuffling noise from up ahead. Arthur drew his sword and dismounted, hiding behind a tree. Merlin did the same and crept up behind Arthur.

"Can you see what it is?" he asked Arthur.

"No, but whatever it is, it's heading this way," Arthur whispered back. After a few seconds, the pair heard something come through the undergrowth.

"It's a unicorn," Arthur said.

"What? But they don't live in this part of the forest."

"Uh, Merlin, can unicorns have dark brown flanks?"

"I don't think so. Are you sure it hasn't got wings; it might be a Pegasus."

"A what?"

"A winged horse. Gaius has this book on creatures and he showed me a few pages; one of them was on the Pegasi."

"It hasn't got wings. Hang on, how big do unicorns get?"

"They only grow to the size of a fully grown horse."

Arthur's face paled slightly.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"I actually don't think that's a unicorn," Arthur muttered. His statement was answered by a thunderous roar that shocked the pair of them. Merlin swore that it shook the ground beneath them.

"Run," Arthur muttered.

"Sorry?"

"It's coming towards us, so RUN!" Arthur dragged Merlin away. He couldn't understand why Arthur was running. Arthur was a hunter by nature and he never ran away from his prey.

That was when they heard the crashing sound of a tree being torn from the ground and ripped in two, both pieces falling to the floor. Glancing back briefly, Merlin saw the monstrous form of a bull with a curved horn protruding from its head, running right at them.

That was when Merlin felt the ground disappear beneath his feet and he and Arthur went tumbling down into a ditch, landing on their backs.

Arthur moaned.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked in a panic.

"I just sprained my ankle," Arthur snarled, trying to get back to his feet but failing. They could both hear the creature gaining on them by the second.

"Come on Arthur." Merlin grabbed Arthur's arm and hooked it over his shoulder, pulling the prince to his feet. Hobbling out of the ditch and receiving many scratches from the sharp, overhanging branches, Merlin led Arthur a safe distance away until he stopped and turned to face the creature.

"Merlin, are you crazy?" Arthur hissed as he fell back on his backside.

"Trust me," Merlin said.

The creature skidded down the slope and clambered out of the ditch without any problems. It then turned to Merlin and began to run at him, horn glinting wickedly in the sunlight.

Casting his eyes around for some sort of weapon, Merlin's eyes fell on Arthur's sword.

"Arthur, I need your sword." Not waiting for Arthur to answer, Merlin grabbed it and threw it to the ground. Arthur thought that Merlin had lost his mind.

Merlin raised his hand over the sword and yelled a spell. The sword shot off the ground and collided with the beast's side, lodging itself there. The bull let out another thunderous bellow before it keeled over and went still.

The warlock went back to Arthur and helped him up.

"You had me thinking that you were about to let it run us through with its horn," Arthur said.

"As if I would."

"You may need to warn me when you're going to do something like that again. I've got no problem with the magic; it's just you put the sword on the ground. What did you do that for?"

"I'm still getting used to... you know, the power. I didn't want to drag myself with it."

"I don't think you would've. I should know that you can control stuff like that now, never mind how powerful you are."

Merlin grinned. He was glad that Arthur knew about his magic.

"I'm not too keen about trying to get my sword out of that thing," Arthur said.

"I'll come back for it later. We need to get you to Gaius."

"Merlin, it's just a sprained ankle."

"It could be broken for all you know."

"Alright, fine. God this is going to be embarrassing."

"No, it won't. As far as they'll know you've just returned from searching the forest and we were attacked by a beast and you were injured whilst killing it."

"Merlin, you were the one that killed it."

"Yeah, but with you it's more believable. You have been hunting for half of your life."

"Doesn't mean we can't make it sound like I was trying to kill it and you snuck up on it. You did that with the black dragon."

"And I barely hurt it. Let's just say that you killed it."

"I thought you'd like being the hero."

"Trust me; I don't. All I really wanted was not to have to hide."

Arthur was giving him an odd look.

"Okay, we really need to get you back to the city," Merlin said.

"There is no way I'm going back with my arm around your shoulder."

"Would you prefer to crawl to the horses?"

Muttering incoherently to himself, Arthur let Merlin support him and lead him back to where the horses had been, only to find that they had vanished. Arthur swore and Merlin raised an eyebrow at him.

"They must have run off when they heard the creature roar," Arthur said.

"It was more of a bellow," Merlin corrected.

"Roar, bellow, I don't care. The horses were spooked, that's all there is to it. Now we'll have to walk back."

"Do you think you'll be able to make it?"

"I'll have to."

The pair turned back towards the castle, Arthur still gripping onto Merlin's shoulder.

"Arthur."

"What?"

"About the knights- I hate to say it, but I told you so."

"Shut up Merlin."

Gaius looked up from Arthur's foot, which had turned red and had swelled.

"You're lucky that it's only a sprain," he said. "You just need to rest it until tomorrow."

"You call that lucky," Arthur mumbled.

"Well at least that thing didn't spear us both with its horn," Merlin said from the table.

"It looks like Morgana and Morgause are being openly hostile with us now," Gaius said.

"I did say that we should have brought a few of the knights."

"Merlin, I told you to shut up," Arthur said. The warlock just shrugged his shoulders.

At that moment, the door flew open and Uther came storming in, looking clearly worried.

"Arthur?"

"I'm fine, Father, it's only a sprain."

"What happened?" Uther asked, turning to Merlin.

"We were attacked by some sort of creature," Merlin explained, feeling uncomfortable. It wasn't every day that the king spoke to him.

"What was it?"

"At first we thought it was a unicorn but then it charged at us and it turned out to be some sort of... horned bull. Arthur killed it but his ankle..."

"Do you have any idea what manner of creature it was, Gaius?"

"I've heard of a couple of bull species with horns like a unicorn but I need a bit more to go on," Gaius said. "Merlin, was there anything else unusual about it?"

"When it bellowed, the ground shook," Merlin said. Gaius seemed to need no more information.

"I've heard about this type of creature before. You were very lucky to escape."

Merlin and Arthur looked at each other. Uther noticed this but thought nothing of it. He had no idea that Merlin had made an exceptionally easy job of the beast.

"The creature you faced was a Karakadon," Gaius explained. "They tend to avoid human settlements but every so often a human or two come across them and they get very territorial. Their horn can pierce anything and their breath is said to be able to paralyse any creature. Most animals are terrified by them. They do not live in this region."

"Then what is one doing in this kingdom?" Uther asked. He immediately put two and two together.

"We believe that Morgana and Morgause put it there," Arthur said, reading his father's face. "It makes sense after that mark they left on the wall."

"Very well," Uther said. "I must go and see to matters." He left immediately.

"He's still finding it hard to accept, isn't he?" Merlin said to Arthur, looking after the king.

"He would," Arthur said, "He was looking after Morgana ever since she was ten. I was seven when she first came here."

"Is your foot still hurting?" Merlin asked, deliberately changing the conversation.

Arthur looked back down at his swollen ankle.

"Not much. I'll try walking back to my chambers."

"Sire, I'm not sure that's a good idea," Gaius said.

"I'll make it. I can't exactly stay in your room; I'd just get in the way." Arthur pushed himself off the bed and, with Merlin's help, hobbled out of the room and towards his chambers.

"This is only the beginning," Merlin said. "They'll try other ways to kill us all and so will Vortigern."

"I expect that we'll be hearing from all three of them pretty soon," Arthur said. "Why did you tell my father that I killed it?"

"We agreed that we would."

"More like you said you would but I didn't say yes. One day I'm going to shine the light on you Merlin and you won't be able to slip away from it."

"Thanks." Merlin sounded far from enthusiastic.

"There's actually something I want to say," Arthur said. Merlin frowned. "But I can't until we're back in my chambers. My father would have a heart attack if he heard about it."

"Can you give me a clue?"

"No."

"You really are a prat."

"How?"

"You're no fun at all."

Arthur snorted.

"I didn't realise we were playing a game where I needed skill in the area of fun."

Merlin rolled his eyes.

When they reached Arthur's quarters, Merlin helped him over to a chair and closed the door, watching as Arthur made himself comfortable.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Merlin asked. Arthur looked him straight in the eye.

"I may not be that wise yet but I'm already thinking about some changes I want to make when I become King."

"You may be a prat but you're doing alright for a prince," Merlin joked.

"Merlin, why do I have to constantly tell you to shut up today?"

"Sorry. You were saying..."

"After what I've seen over the last few months with you and your magic I've thought of another of my father's laws I'm going to change."

"Which one are you already going to change?"

"Merlin!" Merlin held his hands up but was quiet.

"When I am king, I am going to allow magic back into the kingdom." Merlin's eyes widened at this.

"You're... you're serious?" he asked.

"Of course I am. I've come to accept that magic isn't inherently evil; it's only the people who use it. I don't want you to live the rest of your life in hiding, nor anyone else who uses magic for good. I also think it's the reason why most people attack us, like that Collins woman and Edwin. They'd both lost people they loved because of my father's laws."

"Are you sure that this isn't some sort of joke?"

"Merlin, I'm serious."

"You're never serious with me."

"I am... sometimes. I was serious when I sacked you a couple of years ago."

"And look where I am now." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"We can't tell anyone about this, can we," Merlin said.

"You can tell Gaius."

"Yeah." Merlin suddenly seemed distant but then grinned at Arthur. "Can I leave? I'm going to see Freya again."

Arthur was slightly stunned and called to Merlin just as the warlock reached the door.

"When was the last time you talked to Gaius?" he asked.

"Just now," Merlin replied, frowning at the prince, "when I was telling him about the Karakadon."

"I mean when was the last time you talked to him about something apart from Camelot's problems?"

"I..."

"Merlin, I've seen you. You sometimes avoid eye-contact with him and you only speak to him when necessary. You spend every night with Freya."

"I don't."

"When was the last time you slept in your own bed?"

"A few days ago."

"That was when I told you to polish my armour and sword. Merlin, I know you miss your mother but that doesn't mean you have to be angry with Gaius because he never told either of you that she was adopted."

Merlin looked hurt and gazed at the floor.

"Unless you think he blames you." Arthur had suddenly realised this and from Merlin's face, he knew it was the truth. "Merlin, how many times do you have to be told, it's not your fault. How can you even think that? Vortigern's to blame. Gaius loves you as if you were his own son and he doesn't blame you for anything."

Merlin stood there for a few seconds before turning around and running out of the room. Arthur cursed and limped to the door. Looking both ways, he couldn't see which Merlin had gone. Sighing, the prince hobbled back to the chair.

He had recently noticed that Merlin and Gaius' relationship had begun to be dysfunctional. It was Gwen who had opened his eyes in the first place. She had seen Merlin and Gaius walking through the streets, collecting their usual stuff but she noticed that Merlin was rather tense and had only answered a question Gaius had asked him in a few words. She had also noticed the eye-contact thing. Gaius had also looked slightly upset. Once Gwen had told him, Arthur, what was going on both had made a pact to keep an eye on things. Arthur had just said what he needed to before things became irreversible.

The prince sat in silence, thinking about what to do next.

Merlin walked through the trees, the unearthly silence dense around him, trying not to think about what Arthur had just told him, though to the warlock it was as if he had shouted. How on earth Arthur had seen that, he had no idea.

The warlock realised he had to get a grip of himself before some of the magic inside him suddenly exploded out of him. He didn't want another incident like the one with Morgause. He was still getting used to this particular part of his destiny. Merlin sometimes felt that he hadn't been ready for this.

Up ahead, he could see the lake and he felt a flutter of happiness as he saw a figure standing at the water's edge, looking out at the distant mountains. Merlin walked up behind Freya.

"I could always find a couple of cows," he whispered in her ear. Freya turned around and smiled at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked, kissing him full on the mouth. "I heard about the Karakadon."

"Did you hear its bellow? That thing caused an earthquake."

"No, Avalon was whispering with rumours. I hope you and Arthur weren't hurt."

"The only thing that was wounded was Arthur's pride. He didn't like it when I had to support him back to the castle. He'd sprained his ankle."

Freya sighed. Merlin sat down on the bank and Freya did the same. Merlin pulled off his boots and socks and let the water lap away at his feet.

"I always thought you were more of a fire person," Freya said, smiling.

"Doesn't mean I can't cool off once in a while." The pair laughed.

"Has something else happened?" Freya asked. "You seem sad."

"I'm fine."

"Merlin, you really are a bad liar when it comes to your own emotions."

Merlin looked out at the lake.

"Arthur was just talking to me about Gaius."

"What did he say?"

"He said he knows that Gaius and I have become distant."

"Let me guess, you think Gaius is angry with you about your mother."

Merlin chuckled.

"You'd definitely get on with Arthur if you spent more time with him."

"Merlin, you can't keep blaming yourself for something that wasn't your fault and you can't think that others are angry at you."

"I honestly wouldn't blame Gaius." Merlin drew his feet out of the water

"Merlin, I think you should talk to him; tell him how you feel."

"I can't. I just feel like I'm going down a path and nobody can help." He bowed his head slightly.

"Is this because Vortigern is your uncle? You're not him. You are so much more than he is. You could never do what he does; you're too good."

"That's only part of it."

"If it's because you feel that you have to choose between me and him-"

"No, of course not!"

"Then what's making you so distant with him? You may be the Leader of the Old Religion but that means that you need all of your friends. Ma'ab told me that she'd foreseen a battle for the future of this kingdom."

"I don't think she mentioned this."

"She may not have but it involves all of your enemies, and there was something to do with a boy."

"Mordred?"

"She didn't say his name. Who is he?"

Merlin breathed through his nose.

"Kilgharrah once told me that he would be the one who kills Arthur. He said that if I helped the boy then Arthur would die but I did anyway," he explained.

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you. You want to help those like you and the boy seemed to be an innocent."

"Only now he isn't."

"We'll just have to make sure that he doesn't get anywhere near Arthur then."

Freya placed her head on Merlin's shoulder and wrapped her arms around one of his. Merlin smiled at her.