The Wicked Truth
A/N: Hey guys! I feel guilty about uploading the last chapter so late, so have another one! Forgot to say before, what did you guys think of Arthur's POV? First time writing him and all that. Fair reaction? Let me know! Reviews make my day! See you at the bottom :)
Chapter 4:
Previously- I managed to make my way to the throne room without being stopped. The ancient oak doors were closed, as I expected, so I sat myself down at the bottom of the staircase and waited to see what tomorrow would bring.
Several hours later, I was watching the morning shadows dance across the back of my hand when I heard the throne room doors swing open. I dropped my hand and slowly turned my head towards the doorway. It'd been a long night.
Arthur was standing in the doorway, the morning sun shining over his shoulder. I stood slowly, his eyes following me the whole way. He examined me and I shrunk under his scrutinising gaze. I suddenly understood how it felt to be a deer when Arthur decided to go on one of Camelot's infamous hunting parties.
"Were you here all night?" I was surprised that he hadn't just kept walking. Or called the guards.
"I didn't want you to feel that you were alone." Arthur seemed surprised at that, but he quickly shook it off and started up the staircase. I hung my head, defeated, until I heard Arthur's voice drift back to me.
"Get us both some breakfast and bring it to my chambers."
My head snapped up as a flicker of hope rekindled itself in my chest. I called back, "Yes, sire!" and ran to the kitchens. Mary, the cook, must've noticed the fatigue in my face as she gave me an extra roll to eat as I took Arthur's breakfast up. I shot her a grateful smile and thank you as I left and, for better or for worse, made my way up to Arthur's chambers.
When I reached the familiar doors, I knocked as best I could while holding two plates. After hearing Arthur's brisk "Enter", I pushed the door open and placed the prince's breakfast in front of him. He gestured to the chair at the other end of the table, so I sat down, guilt and fear churning my bread roll in my gut. I tried to eat but I felt I wouldn't be able to keep anything down, so I settled for watching Arthur. I'd never noticed how regally he ate before. Once he finished, he spared a glance in my direction.
"Not eating?" He seemed aloof, but I thought I could detect a hint of concern.
"Not hungry." I paused. "What are you going to do to me?"
Arthur pushed his plate away and sat back in the carved wooden chair I had spent so many hours polishing. "I believe I'll be the one asking questions here."
I shrank in my chair. "Yes sire."
Silence fell as Arthur considered me. It felt as if he could see right through me, every memory of us being rewritten. The shadows grew shorter and it felt like an age before he spoke again.
"How long?" I was jolted out of my thoughts by Arthur's sudden break of the silence.
"What?"
He stood up and started pacing, "How long have you been betraying the trust of your friends? How long have you been LYING to me? HOW LONG have you been studying magic?" He spat the last word like it was poison in his mouth. He braced himself on the back of his chair, eyes burning my skin like the flames of the pyre I was so sure I would face.
Suddenly, I felt an unexpected rush of anger. Betraying? BETRAYING? I clenched my fists and glared at Arthur. He seemed taken aback at my sudden change in demeanour. I stood quickly and looked Arthur in the eye. "If having magic is betraying you, sire, then I've been betraying you since I was born. If protecting your ungrateful arse from every single threat, magical or non-magical, that's come along since we've known each other is betraying you, then I've been betraying you since I first set foot in Camelot. If BETRAYING you is hiding who I am so that your father who, I might add, I just tried to SAVE, wouldn't kill me then I've been betraying you ever since I was old enough to understand that people like me are considered monsters. I've been kicked, hit, poisoned, stung, beaten, burnt, knocked out, cut and almost died more times than I can count, all to protect you, Gwen, Gaius and the knights and all you can say is that I've BETRAYED you? My only friend in my whole village DIED saving you and all you could say at his funeral was that I should've told you that he had magic. You know what? HE DIDN'T! I DO! AND IF YOU THINK THAT I'VE PUT UP WITH YOUR PRATISHNESS FOR ALL THESE YEARS JUST SO THAT YOU COULD FIND OUT WHO I AM AND THINK I'VE BETRAYED YOU, THEN YOU'RE THICKER THAN I THOUGHT! So, sire, if you really think that I've betrayed you, go ahead. Kill me now. Because if you can't stand the thought of me having magic, then I have nothing to live for anymore."
By this point, I was standing about a foot from Arthur, arms flung wide, waiting for him to run me through. I could feel the anger and frustration leaking out of my body, only to be replaced with a numbness I hadn't really experienced before. Arthur looked shocked after my outburst. I looked him right in the eye again, trying to channel all my pain into that one stare. "Kill me. Go on. KILL ME!"
Arthur backed away, stumbling over his own feet. I was hit by a wave of exhaustion, and dropped to my knees. I hung my head and whispered, "Go ahead. I won't stop you, sire. I'd rather be killed here, now, by you, than by the pyre."
"Merlin, I'm not going to kill you." Arthur said. I heard his boots on the stone floor, and felt as he pulled me to my feet, more gently than I thought possible for him. I didn't realise I was crying until I tasted a tear on the corner of my mouth. I looked at Arthur, and wasn't surprised when he stepped quickly back, putting some distance between us. I was, however, surprised to see the concern and confusion occupying Arthur's features. He turned and paced as he only did when trying to make a tough decision. I sniffled and wiped my nose on my sleeve, trying to compose myself. After all the crying I had done in the last 24 hours, I was surprised that I still had tears to give.
Arthur eventually turned face me, and I diverted all my back to him.
"Merlin, I don't yet know what I'm going to do with you, but know that I have no intentions of executing you. Take your breakfast and go back to your chambers. I will send for you when I have reached a decision. Until then, you will resume your duties as my manservant. Nothing more. You may have the rest of the day off."
I breathed an internal sigh of relief and quietly collected my breakfast and started towards the door. As I reached for the door, Arthur called back to me. "Merlin?"
I froze, terrified he'd changed his mind, and turned to face him again. "Yes Sire?"
He opened the drawer of his desk and lifted out the pendant I had found around Uther's neck by the string. "What is this?" Even from that distance, I could feel the evil radiating from it. Arthur must've noticed my discomfort, as he placed it back in the drawer. "Never mind, you are dismissed." He said. I opened the doors of the prince's chambers, stopping for a moment to call back.
"Arthur?"
"Yes Merlin?"
"Thank you."
A/N: WELL! That turned out differently than I expected XD. That was longer than expected too. Let me know, was Merlin too OOC during his rant? I know he wouldn't usually say things like that, but I felt he deserved to say it. Also, it was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster! Also, when you look at the episode, Arthur was genuinely ready to accept magic if it had worked, so that's why I made him a bit nicer here. I don't know, first fic and all. I'm feeling my way. Let me know what you think! Until next time!
EDIT: I'm sorry it's been so long, but school just started back and I really didn't like the end of this chapter, so I've re-written it. I'd set it up to end too early and easily. I've decided, instead of uploading chapters as soon as I write them, I'm not going to upload until I have at least 2 more chapters written. It may be a while until I upload again, but I'll do my best! Might just do some little random stories here and there, just for a break. Alrighty, bye!
~TheRavenclawGem