Chapter 3
It was late at night, and Arthur couldn't sleep. He heard soft voices and left the cabin to follow them. He found Merlin and Lia sitting by a creek, talking.
"I don't understand why you won't help them, Emrys." Lia was saying.
"I can't. Not yet." Merlin sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
"Why not? The bloody King may have kicked you out but what about all your friends and family that are stuck there under Morgana? You always told me my magic is gift, a gift to be used and to save people. What about you, Emrys? Isn't your gift meant to be used?"
"I have used it Lia. I've killed and lied and tricked and saved everyone several times. Arthur chose to kick me out, and in doing so chose to no longer have me protecting Camelot. It is no longer my home, I am no longer wanted there." Merlin told her sadly.
"I don't get it Emrys. But if you say so. I'm off to bed. Don't stay up too late, Athuisa is coming tomorrow morning."
"I haven't forgotten. Goodnight."
"Night."
Lia walked off, and back towards the main cabin. Merlin sat there in silence for a few moments before saying, "You can come out Arthur, I know you're there."
Arthur walked over and sat down next to the man. "I'm sorry." Arthur started. Merlin turned to stare at him with a blank, cold-looking expression. "I was wrong to banish you. I was a prat, and hurt that you didn't trust me to tell me, angry that you would learn magic and betrayed, but the only reason you didn't tell me was so I didn't react the way I did. I am so sorry Merlin, I want you to come back. I do. But I also understand if you don't want to come back." Arthur explained. "But please, help me save my people. I can't do it alone, I need you. Please?" He pleaded.
Merlin studied him with the blank expression for another moment, before his face softened and a small smile grew on his lips. "That's all I wanted, you prat. I apologise for lying and hiding who I am." Merlin responded. "Of course I'll come help."
Arthur grinned back at the man, who relaxed back into the Merlin Arthur knew.
"So, you missed me then?"
"Shut up."
Morning came, and Leon and Lia found the pair laughing, joking and insulting one another, while packing. Well, Arthur was sitting at the table, watching Merlin pack.
"Lia, there you are. I'm heading to Camelot to take care of some business, you'll need to feed the animals and sweep the place -" Merlin started.
"If you think you're leaving me here then I don't care who the hell the druids think you are, I'll kick your arse all the way to the top of this god-damn mountain and back again." Lia growled.
Merlin grinned at her fondly. "Wouldn't dream of it. Pack your things. Anything you think you'll need. I'll check it over before we leave." Merlin instructed.
"So, who is she?" Arthur asked.
"Lia?" Merlin looked distracted for a moment, going through his bag, before glancing at Arthur and Leon and shrugging. He sat down at the table where Arthur and Leon were sitting. His belongings still packed, flying around by themselves. "She's my student. Her family cast her out when she was young because of her magic and I found her three years ago. I took her in, taught her and am still teaching her, but she's nearly finished now." Merlin shrugged.
"Her magic?" Arthur asked, curious.
Merlin nodded. "She's a Seer. Like Morgana, but not as powerful. I taught her how to control it and use other magics." Merlin explained.
"What are you?" Leon asked, realising Arthur accepted Merlin and deciding to trust his King's judgement.
"He's unique and special." Lia interrupted. "There are people who spend years learning how to use spells. There are people who are born with the ability to do small magicks without spells, but learn how to use spells later on in life, and are quick to pick them up. There are rare occasions where people are born with the innate ability to use magic. Emrys is one of them. He's a warlock, born with the innate ability to use magic, an abnormally strong one. He can do anything without a spell. The prophecy states -"
"Have you finished packing?" Merlin interrupted, stopping her from reciting the prophecy.
"Yes." Lia handed him her bag, which he glanced in and then looked at her expectantly, lifting an eyebrow.
"What'd I forget?"
"Your crystals? Your book?" Merlin asked.
"Shit." She ran back into her room.
"What about a prophecy?" Arthur asked.
"The once and future King will unite all of Albion and magic, bringing peace and stability to the world. The warlock Emrys will protect and help the King to do so. They are destined to do so and are either side of the coin."
"Emrys?" Leon spoke up.
"Myself, and you Arthur, are the once and future King." Merlin shrugged.
"What?" Arthur stared, slack-jawed and shocked.
"Come, please don't be thick, you have a great destiny to become a King and mine is to protect you. Now, are all your things packed? We'll leave as soon as possible." Merlin's bag flew into his hand and he stood, raising his eyebrow in question towards his friends and student.
"I'm ready." Lia announced, before sprinting out to saddle the horses.
"We're ready, we left our things in the saddle bags. We will need provisions, food and to fill up our water bladders and as such." Arthur stood as well.
Merlin waved a hand dismissively, "All taken care of. Let's go."
They topped the ridge and stared down at the city and castle. "So, they're all bewitched to attack you, yeah?" Merlin repeated to Arthur who nodded, not looking away from his city.
"Except Leon, although I don't know why she would leave me with a knight on my side." Arthur frowned briefly.
"That's my fault, I cast a protective charm over all the knights, but got interrupted. I guess Leon's the only one who it stuck to. Sorry about that." Merlin grinned sheepishly.
"When did you do this?"
"A week before you found out about my magic, I was planning on retrying once I knew who it had worked on and who needed it again." Merlin explained, picking his way to his left, following the castle wall.
"Where are you going?"
"There's another way into the castle, no one will suspect it."
"I am fairly certain Morgana and I found all the entrances as kids, she'll have them guarded."
"Not this one."
Merlin lead them away from the castle and to a cave. They left the horses and followed the warlock into the dark.
"We should light a torch, we will kill ourselves trying to walk in the dark." Leon announced.
There was a sound of movement, Merlin turning around to face the line behind him and his eyes suddenly lit up, flashing gold. Moments later a floating globe of blue light appeared, drifting above them. "There you go, it'll follow us." Merlin started forward again, walking sure-footed and confidently through the cave, despite there being no clear path, just rocks and moss. Within five minutes, the cave passage widened and became a massive cavern. The passage they were standing in stopped, the tunnel opening up to a drop to the floor of the cavern.
"Where is this?" Arthur asked.
"Under the castle, down past the dungeons. It's where the Great Dragon was imprisoned." Merlin explained.
"How are we going to get down Emrys?" Lia asked, cutting the blonde King off from asking how Merlin knew of where the dragon was imprisoned.
Merlin grinned back at her, "Do you want to try a levitation spell?"
"For myself, sure. For the King of Camelot, no way." Lia grinned and stepped off the tunnel, into the drop. She slowly drifted down and landed several metres below.
"Come on guys." Merlin gripped Arthur's and Leon's arms and stepped off, dragging them with him. They slowly dropped down, and when they landed, Arthur and Leon were only slightly shaken up.
"Warn us next time please, before you take us over a drop." Arthur ordered.
"Come on, this way." Merlin ignored the order and lead them through the rocks and boulders for another ten minutes.
He eventually led up to an entrance, with stairs leading up to the dungeons.
"We should head to Gaius's room. I can try to break the enchantment on him, and even if I can't, his books may have the answer." Merlin lowered his voice slightly. "Lia, go with Leon, protect him yeah?"
"Yes Emrys. Come on Sir Leon, lead the way."
"We'll wait a bit to give you a chance then come behind you. If we don't turn up in two hours, assume we've been kidnapped." Merlin told them, as they started up the stairs.
"No duh Emrys." Lia rolled her eyes at him. The pair left, and Merlin turned to Arthur.
"We can't just go to Gaius's and hide away." Arthur pointed out.
"We won't. An enchantment this size would take a lot out of Morgana, so I reckon she'll have dropped it once you were out of the city. Let's go, we'll go scout around to see what's going on before heading to Gaius." Merlin decided. "Come on."
Merlin walked up the stairs with Arthur following. There were no guards at the entrance, and they passed a pair knocked out at the stairs, Leon having already taken care of them. Merlin lead Arthur out of the dungeons, and along to the left.
"Where are we going?"
"Servant passageways. Safest and quickest way to travel, Morgana won't know all of them. Shh." Merlin whispered. The boy lead him silently to a tapestry and pushed it aside, revealing a passage. They walked through it, and after twenty minutes and countless turns and flights of stairs, they emerged in the Great Hall, on the balcony above the room. Morgana was pacing in front of the Throne, soldiers around the room wore green and black, Morgana's colours. She was talking with the captain of her guards.
"Are all the knights locked up?"
"We put them in the west tower, even if the Pendragon brat comes back, he'll look in the dungeons first, and the trap is set for them."
Arthur glanced at Merlin who waved a hand dismissively.
'I took care of it.'
Arthur jumped at the sound of Merlin's voice, but realised he was the only one who could hear it.
'I'm talking in your mind. It sounds like she dropped the enchantment once her men were inside the city and castle.'
"We are as prepared as we will get. The spell is set up for tonight, the wrench is in place and we only need the moon and of course, yourself." the man reassured her.
'Let's go. Lia's found Gaius.' Merlin crept back into the servant's passageway and led Arthur back.
TBC