There are two time skips in thie chapter. When we start, Jack's in daycare at age four, when we end, he's a ten year old fifth grader. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer-I do not own Transformers: Prime or Merlin.

Chapter 3

Price of Power

"Jack, would you care to show us what you brought for show and tell?" the day care teacher asked.

The four year old's dark blue eyes snapped up to her face and he violently shook his head.

"I don't got nothing," he answered.

"Then what's that in your hands?"

Jack clutched the wooden dragon closer to his chest. He was bound and determined not to let anyone touch the toy that his daddy had given him…and with this day care…they would demand that he let everyone hold it.

Of course, one of his classmates brought in his pet snake, Popcorn (why anyone would name it Popcorn was beyond Jack's mind), and it was kept in his cage…until some dummy let it out…

They're still looking for Popcorn…

Jack averted his gaze and focused on the smooth curves of the wings, the sharp, angular head, and the deep, wisdom filled eyes of his Kilgharry.

"Jack?" the teacher asked.

"I don't got nothing," Jack repeated stubbornly, hiding Kilgharry behind his back.

The teacher sighed, she had dealt with stubborn kids before…but the Darby boy was possibly the worst. There was something about him that made her feel uneasy…

"Fine," she sighed, "Marie, how about you?"


Jack was playing quietly in the corner, waiting for his mom to come and get him. June told the staff she'd be running a bit late as she had an interview for a position at the hospital.

Not that Jack didn't mind, he liked being alone…well, alone with Kilgharry.

He had pulled out a few figurines of knights and was playing around with Kilgharry. Soft, barely noticeable growling sounds came from the four year old, they strangely sounded like words…

"Cool toy," a boy said, sitting beside Jack.

Jack stiffened, this boy took other kids' toys when the teacher wasn't looking…sadly, the teacher's back was turned.

Jack shoved the knights towards the other boy.

"You can have 'em," he muttered.

"I want the dragon,"

A protective fire flared to life inside the warlock's son as he glared sidelong at the other boy.

"No," Jack stated bluntly, "Kilgharry's mine,"

"That's a stupid name,"

"It is not!" Jack snapped, "He special, my grandpa made it for my daddy and Daddy gave him to me."

"I wanna see how special he is…lemme see!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

The boy reached out and tried to take Kilgharry from Jack, he had only managed to lay a hand on the wooden dragon when Jack's eyes blazed gold.

What felt like a giant hand grabbed the other boy from behind, tossing him backwards. The boy started to cry as Jack stared wide-eyed.

"Jack?" a familiar voice asked.

"Mommy!" the raven-haired boy cried, getting up and running towards her.

June picked him up and surveyed the room.

"What happened?" she asked as the other boy got up.

"He tried to take Kilgharry, I told him no, and he no listen," Jack pouted, "I wanted him to go away…and he did…"

"We're going home," June said, mentally making note to find a different day care, "C'mon sweetheart,"


Six years later

Jack sat in his chair, looking at the blackboard in front of him, bored out of his ten year old mind. The sub…wasn't helping.

The original teacher was boring, yes…

The sub made him seem interesting.

Jack closed his eyes, half listening, half wishing he was home.

It was when his head banged against the desk that the sub took notice.

"Mr. Darby?" he asked.

Nothing.

"Mr. Darby!"

A slight snore.

The sub went up and smacked a ruler across the desk, Jack shot up, surprised.

"Abraham Lincoln!" the boy shouted.

The class started laughing.

The sub was very much annoyed.

"Mr. Darby, the question was: what was Merlin's role in King Arthur's life," he growled.

Manservant, protector, companion, advisor, friend.

Jack frowned, where did that come from?

Oh, well, better than nothing…

"He was Arthur's manservant," Jack started, "But also his protector, his companion, an advisor…and most importantly, his best friend,"

There was silence.

"That…is very, very wrong," the sub stated.

"It's the truth!" Jack protested, not knowing how he knew that.

"And I say it isn't!" the sub snapped.

Jack grit his teeth, this man was starting to really tick him off.

No one noticed that the sky was starting to darken.

"And another thing…" Jack added, "This is stuff we would learn in high school…right? Not fifth grade?"

The sub's face darkened to an ugly shade of purple.

"You need to be punished Darby," he growled.

Jack didn't reply, a subtle tremor began as his fists clenched.

"You know why?" the sub continued, "Because I am right and you are wrong, I'm big and you're small…"

Jack's anger started winning even though he was trying to keep it down…

The wind picked up…

"And there is nothing you can do about it," the sub smirked, "Because you're just a child!"

The sub was so caught up in himself that he didn't notice the boy's eyes flare gold…

The windows shattered, and so did any glass object in the room.

Everyone fell down to the floor, screaming as the glass went flying.

Jack was breathing hard, something wasn't right…something was wrong…really, really wrong.

The ten year old rolled onto his back. He replayed the moment again and again…he remembered feeling his rage, and then it shattering like the glass as something pulsed from him.

"What's happening…to me?" he whispered.


Jack was sentenced to two hours of detention cleaning up the mess in the classroom. It would have been longer…if the kids hadn't stood up for him.

Although…Jack didn't quite get off that easily…he still had to have his mother sign a piece of paper saying she knows what he did and that she'll make sure he never does it again.

The ten year old sprinted up the steps of his house and about tripped over a package.

He picked it up, noticing the elegant handwriting on the paper.

It was addressed to his mother…

All the way from England!

Jack opened the door.

"Mom?" he asked, "There's a package for you!"

June walked towards the door, taking the brown box from her son. Her eyes immediately snapped towards the piece of paper clenched in her son's hands.

"Jack…what do you have?"

The ten year old blushed and handed it to his mother, averting his gaze as he did so.

June scanned the paper over…and frowned.

"You back-talked a teacher?" she asked, "That doesn't sound like you,"

"I told him my idea of what it was, he said it was wrong, I asked him if what we were learning was supposed to be taught to high schoolers instead of fifth graders…he told me I was to be punished because I stood up to him…and I um…" Jack dug his foot into the carpet, "I got a little angry…"

"Angry?" June asked, "Jack, you know to keep your temper…"

"I know!" Jack groaned, "It's just…he kept telling me that I was wrong…but I wasn't! I was right! And he told me I wasn't!"

June watched as Jack's eyes flashed and that the vase on the table shattered into myriad pieces.

Jack stared at the pieces, shaking.

"M-mom…" he breathed, "D-did I…?"

He gave a soft cry and ran to his room.

"Jack!" June shouted, running after him, "Jack come here!"

The closet door slammed shut, June tried opening it, but it had locked itself…from the inside! That wasn't even possible!

"Jack," June whispered.

"Go away!" the boy sobbed, "I don't want to hurt you!"

"Please, sweetheart, open the door,"

"NO!"

There was a loud crack and the door splintered a bit. Jack whimpered softly.

"What's happening to me!?" he cried.

"Jack," June tried again, "You're not going to hurt me…I can explain…just come out, ok?"

The door creaked open a bit and two teary dark blue eyes peaked through.

"What's going on Mom?" Jack breathed, "Why am I doing this?"

"It's because of your Daddy, sweetie," June explained, "Jack…you have a very rare and powerful gift…you take after your father in so many ways…this was just one of the things that passed down to you."

"And what is that?" Jack sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"You have magic, Jack," June said softly, "Your daddy…"

She gave a short laugh.

"You remember those myths we used to read when you were a baby?" she asked.

Jack nodded.

"Remember the King Arthur ones?"

His eyes lit up, the tears disappearing from the now brighter blue eyes.

"Remember your favorite character? Merlin?"

They suddenly dimmed again.

"That's what the sub and I fought over," Jack muttered, "The sub asked me what Merlin's job was to Arthur…I told him…that he was…"

"He was what?"

"Arthur's manservant," Jack blushed.

June let out a laugh.

She remembered Jack's father telling her all the horrors Arthur put him through…the bucket of water on the head, the sponge to the face, the many pillows and other objects to the back of the head…

Arthur was rough on him…until the end.

"Well, that's what he was," June confirmed, "Arthur's manservant, his best friend, his advisor, he even saved Arthur's life many times,"

"And the sub didn't believe me," Jack huffed.

"Because only those close to Merlin would know all that,"

"Huh?" Jack asked, confused, "Mom, what does this have to do with me and the…magic…"

"Jack," June said, kneeling down, "It deals with you because your daddy has magic too…"

"But why does King Arthur and Merlin tie into this?"

"Because Merlin's your daddy,"

Jack's eyes widened.

"N-no…" Jack stuttered, "D-daddy's n-not an old man! M-Merlin was old!"

"He and Arthur were the same age, Jack," June explained, "Historians just make Merlin out to be older because they didn't think a young man would be all that wise. Besides, Merlin's a warlock, he can make himself any age he wishes to be."

"Y-You're l-lying!"

"Jackson Darby," June growled, "Why would I lie about that? Hmm? You mean the world to me, as does your father."

"Why did Daddy leave then!" Jack demanded as the lights began to flicker, "Why didn't he just stay with us!"

Once again, his eyes flashed and the lightbulb in the hall shattered. Jack flinched and drew deeper into the closet.

"Jack…you probably don't remember this…but when you were three, we were attacked by two men sent by a very, very bad woman," June said, "She wanted you for some unknown reason, and your father left to keep us safe,"

"But that's not all…is it?"

"Yep," June sighed, "You remember at the end of the Arthur story when they said Arthur would be coming back?"

Jack nodded. And the light's flicked on in the boy's mind.

"Daddy's gone to see Arthur!" he exclaimed, "Arthur's comin' back!"

"Ten years have gone by since your father saw the signs…" June whispered, "I don't know how much longer until Arthur comes."

"So where is Daddy?" Jack asked.

"Somewhere in England," June replied, "I don't…"

"Like the package?" Jack interrupted.

June frowned, getting back up and walking to the living room where she had dropped the package.

Sure enough, the address was sent from England.

Could it be?

She ripped into the paper tearing it off…until a large book lay in her lap. A note was attached to the front.

He might need this.

-M

June started crying as she saw the familiar handwriting…and the cover of the book.

Dark brown leather, a brass ornament in the center, and brass clasps on the sides.

The spell book that Gaius had given Merlin when he was a boy.

"Is it for you?" Jack asked timidly as he came out from the closet to sit next to her.

"No, Jack," June whispered through her tears.

She handed him the book.

"It's for you,"

Jack opened the clasps and looked at the brilliantly illustrated pages. He stopped at one and looked curiously at it.

His head came back up.

"Offeall aestel?"

Jack's eyes flashed and June heard the books on the shelf behind her fall on the floor, one hit her in the back of the head.

"Mom!" Jack yelled jumping to his feet, "I didn't…I…"

June started laughing as she rubbed the back of her head, "Jack, you just need practice, I doubt your father was perfect when he tried his first spell…we'll work on it,"

And a slight smile etched itself on his face.

The spell Jack uses is actually done in the show, Merlin used it to knock a metal sphere over onto Geoffry of Monmouth's (I might have spelled that wrong) head.

I won't be updating this fic until I have a few more votes in the episode decision. There is a poll on my profile so check it out!

Scrapheap: 3

Shadowzone: 3

Other (PM me your choice): 0

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please R&R! :)

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.