Rumours

Summary: Rumours surrounding the elusive warlock Emrys are circulating Camelot. Arthur makes it his mission to find him before such immense power can cause the destruction of his kingdom.

A/N: The map of Camelot shows the forest of Ascetir to be within Camelot's borders, but the Merlin wiki page says it's in Essetir (Cenred's - now Lot's - kingdom). I'm going with Essetir because #1 Iseldir's druid camp is said to be in Cenred's lands when Arthur, Merlin and Gwaine travel through the forest of Ascetir to retrieve the Cup of Life and #2, it ties in better with the story.


Chapter 3: Greenswood

Searches of the next three villages proved to be as unfruitful as the first, and it wasn't until they reached Greenswood on the third day that any new leads were discovered. The village was a small one to the east of Camelot's citadel, situated on the outer border of the city's surrounding woods, and visibly poorer than Willowdale by comparison. Nevertheless, there was a joyful atmosphere as the group entered the town, and the people there welcomed them with no less enthusiasm than those of the villages before them.

Arthur greeted them all similarly to their previous four visits, introducing his company and explaining the need for a village-wide search. It was during this speech that Merlin glimpsed an ageing man and his wife share a fleeting glance, but the expression was gone as quickly as it had come, and Merlin was left wondering whether he had seen it at all.

It was Gwaine who found something suspicious in the third house he searched with Leon – a lone piece of parchment, across which was written a foreign phrase in untidy handwriting. Leon was sent to find the king, who appeared mere minutes later with Merlin and Percival right on his tail.

"You found something?" Arthur asked as soon as he entered the building. Gwaine nodded wordlessly and handed over the parchment. The king frowned down at it, realising that he had no knowledge of how to read it. Turning, he extended the parchment towards his servant.

"Can you read this?"

Merlin's heart skipped a beat. For a brief, panicked moment, he didn't know what to say. What had he done to make Arthur think that he could possibly read the language of the Old Religion!? A shaky hand reached up to fiddle with his neckerchief, and he spluttered slightly before a barely discernable "W-what?" came stuttering through his panic.

Arthur only rolled his eyes. "Gaius said he taught you to read this. I can't imagine why…"

Oh. "Er… right. Yeah, I know some". Merlin tried to smile convincingly as he took the offered parchment from his master's hand, examining the writing scrawled there and hoping that he didn't appear as out of sorts as he felt. The words 'Ic þe þurhhæle' were scrawled in dark ink across the yellowing page. Merlin feigned confusion, pretending he was having trouble deciphering the language as he turned the parchment this way and that.

"Well, this word here means 'heal', and that one, er, 'vigorously' – no – 'thoroughly'". Merlin tried to look pleased with himself. "'I heal you… thoroughly", he translated, and handed the page back to the king. Arthur cast him a slightly disbelieving look before glancing down at the writing himself, obviously trying to figure out how his idiot manservant had come up with such words from a line of gibberish. It was Merlin's turn to roll his eyes.

"Percival, find the people who live in this house and bring them here". The knight nodded and left, leaving the remaining four standing in a cramped room that clearly served as a living space, kitchen and bedroom all in one. They didn't have to wait long – Percival returned shortly with a man who looked as though he were approaching his fiftieth year, and a woman of similar age holding tightly onto her husband's hand. Merlin recognized them as the couple he had seen out in the village square, and his heart went out to them. Both were thin, and wore ratty clothes that had definitely seen better days. The man had dirt smudged on his face - evidence of a hard days' manual labour. Merlin could only hope that Arthur would do right by them.

"My Lord", the man greeted, bowing before the king, but his eyes were elsewhere, darting around his home and eventually landing on the parchment in Arthur's hand. Merlin watched as the colour drained from the man's face, and he gripped his wife's hand even tighter.

"What is your name?"

"Harrison, sire".

"And do you have magic, Harrison?"

The woman's knuckles went white around Harrison's hand, barely concealed fear in her eyes. Harrison himself was forming a thin sheen of sweat on his brow that had nothing to do with the heat of the day. "My – my lord?"

"This was found in your home", Arthur explained, holding up the parchment he still held in his hand. "I only wish to know who used magic to perform this spell".

"I- I-" the man stuttered, casting a glance behind him at his wife. Without warning, he dropped to his knees and looked up at Arthur with pleading eyes. "Please, sire, it was me! Forgive me, my lord! My wife fell gravely ill, I- I only wished to cure her!"

The king looked between the balding man kneeling before him and the trembling woman over his shoulder, and slowly, he nodded his head. "The practice of any form of sorcery within this kingdom is against the laws of Camelot", Arthur stated, and Merlin's heart sank. The ageing pair before them looked to be near collapse. "However… I believe that you have used your magic with the noblest of intentions, Harrison. You will not be punished for your actions this day".

Harrison's head snapped up, his eyes staring disbelievingly up at his king. Merlin's jaw dropped open as he did the same. "S-sire?"

"My manservant has revealed to me the meaning of this spell", Arthur continued, gesturing to a motionless Merlin with the hand still holding the parchment. Merlin tried to pull himself together even as Harrison's eyes drifted in his direction. "I believe you when you say you used your magic for good, and thus I will not punish you".

The woman fainted, only to be caught by Percival before she could hit the ground. Harrison's eyes were popping out of his head, his eyes darting between the king, his servant and the knights, as though expecting them to launch themselves forward and lead him to his execution right then and there in the village square. When they did no such thing, Harrison sprung to his feet and scampered over to his wife.

"Ayra! Ayra!" he called, shaking his unconscious wife, ignoring the fact that she currently lay in Percival's arms. The woman's eyes shot open only to see her husband hovering over her, his face filled with elation. "I am to be allowed to live!"

Merlin couldn't believe what he was hearing. Arthur had just knowingly spared a sorcerer. A magic user. A man known to have used magic despite the laws of the kingdom. A man who, before Arthur's rule, would have been proclaimed evil and marched to Camelot to be executed. Merlin suddenly felt lighter. Maybe – just maybe - this could be the start of a new era.

Harrison had thrown himself at the feet of the king, thanking him profusely and bowing his head too low. Merlin tried valiantly to stop himself from grinning like an idiot. Because of Arthur, this man was going to be alright.

"Please, rise", Arthur ordered, and the sorcerer did so, a beaming smile upon his face and tears in his eyes as he beheld his king. "My companions and I came to this village in search of information. If you would be able to provide any, I would be most grateful".

"Anything, my lord!" Harrison replied. He had seemingly forgotten about his wife, who was being assisted into a chair by Percival, still shaking and pale. She was watching the scene play out before her with disbelieving eyes.

Arthur cleared his throat. "By any chance, are you the sorcerer they call Emrys?"

Harrison blanched, shaking his head vehemently. "No, no my lord! Emrys… Emrys is magic incarnate. I could never possess such power, sire – it is unheard of. Emrys holds more magic in a single hair on his head than I do in my entire body!"

Almost subconsciously, Merlin lifted a hand to scratch at the back of his head.

"Magic incarnate?" Elyan breathed. He and Lancelot had just appeared in the doorway, making the tiny house look to be even smaller than it already was.

"That is what they say", Harrison confirmed, nodding around at them all. "He does not simply possess magic – he is magic. Magic incarnate".

Exhausted, Arthur ran a hand over his face, frustrated with the lack of possible leads. "What else do they say?"

"I know only rumours, sire. I am no druid".

"There is an encampment of druids in the Forest of Ascetir". All eyes turned to Harrison's wife, Ayra, who was now sitting in a rickety chair and still looking rather pale. "Our son, Thomas, caught hints of their conversation not two days past".

"And what did they say?"

"They spoke of the rogue sorcerers. A group of magic-users and mercenaries who wish to find Emrys and wield his power for their own. They would see the destruction of this land, and the return of magic".

Arthur shook his head incredulously. "I was told that Emrys will restore magic to the land with the aid of the Once and Future King", Arthur said, clearly confused and rather frustrated. "Why do these sorcerers feel the need to act for him, if returning magic to the land is his destiny already?"

"They would see it done by force, sire. By removing the Once and Future King from the throne", answered Harrison. "They have no wish for peace between those with magic and those without, nor to wait for Emrys to fulfill his destiny. They long only for destruction. And that is not the way of Emrys".

Arthur took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "Do these druids know where Emrys is?"

"If anyone knows, it would be them, sire".

"Arthur, the forest of Ascetir is in Lot's kingdom" Lancelot pointed out.

"He doesn't take too well to strangers", Gwaine added.

"I don't fancy seeing those slave traders again", Merlin supplied.

"Two days from here, sire, at the least", Leon agreed. "We are expected back at the citadel on the morrow".

Arthur nodded his understanding. He crossed one arm over his chest and brought the other hand up to scratch at his chin. As Merlin watched, he could only hope that the risk of entering Lot's kingdom would override Arthur's need to gain more information from the druids. More than anything, Merlin just wanted the search to end.

He was so tired. Drained from the effort of pretending while they all hunted him down. And even worse, he could only imagine what would unfold if Arthur found the druids and his secret was exposed. Despite the pardon that Harrison had been granted this day, Merlin doubted that he was worth the same. Not only was he a warlock – but a liar as well. Arthur would never be able to forgive him.

"They might be able to help us", Arthur suddenly declared, and Merlin's heart sank once again. He had thought that this time, maybe, Arthur would finally give up. Damn the stubborn prat. Merlin needed to kick something. "I will need a volunteer from Greenswood to deliver the news of our journey to Queen Guinevere of Camelot".

Harrison immediately nodded, eager to please. "I will see it done, sire".

"Thank you, Harrison. You have been most helpful". Arthur stepped forward, and pressed the parchment he still held into the peasant man's hand. Harrison's face lit up in surprise. "I hope that you will remember the pardon I have granted you this day. I will not hesitate to condemn those who pose a threat to this kingdom".

"You will not regret it, my lord", Harrison promised, accepting the parchment and bowing his head low. "Nor will I forget the compassion you have shown my family this day. You have our utmost gratitude, sire".

Pleased, Arthur clapped the sorcerer on the shoulder and left the tiny house, signaling for his companions to follow. Merlin lingered long enough to see Harrison help Ayra to her feet, and the two of them engage in an embrace filled with such unfathomable relief. Merlin smiled briefly at the sight, before following Arthur out the door.

They were riding out of the village as soon as Merlin had refilled all the water skins. But rather than heading north to Howden – which was to be their final stop – they guided their horses to the east, towards the forest of Ascetir and the druid encampment that dwelled there.

Merlin had to suppress a groan at the mere thought. Lot's kingdom. King Lot had a tendency to mount the heads of trespassers onto the walls of his castle. And that wasn't to mention the bandits that were scattered throughout the forest of Ascetir. Or the slave traders. Or the sorcerers and mercenaries who were determined to steal his magic for their own and destroy Arthur. Merlin did groan this time. It was almost worth heeding Lancelot's words and telling the lot of them that he was Emrys, just so they could forget this nonsense and go home.

Merlin shook himself. No sooner had the thought entered his mind that he dismissed it. He knew all too well why he had kept this secret from his friends for so long – and why he had kept it from Arthur. It was better that he remained in the shadows, protecting them all as best he could.

He only hoped that it would be enough this time.


16/02/18 - Thank u for all the reviews! x