Here's Chapter 7!! My longest one yet! 1,732 words...This one has some action...
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Merlin. Or Arthur. Or the TV series.
Arthur sat down heavily on his bed with a sigh. He had just gone to tell his father he was planning on going hunting that night. On the way back, he had seen Merlin coming up from behind a door that he knew led to the dungeons. To a very specific place in the dungeons, in fact. That door led to the dragon that was imprisoned under the castle.
His father didn't know he knew about the dragon. No one except the king was supposed to know. But one rainy day when he and Morgana were younger, they had stumbled upon the staircase that led to the dragon's lair. Not knowing what was behind it, they walked down the stone steps to find, to their shock, a sleeping, but very much alive, dragon. Shocked, they had said nothing to each other about their discovery, and they still did not, to this day.
But how did Merlin, of all people, know? Arthur had thought Merlin was too thick to have found out the secret location of the last dragon. Evidently he was wrong.
And what did he want with the dragon? All of the legends the prince had read had told of dragons' great wisdom. There were other legends, too, ones that justified his father's reasoning for killing them all. Dragons were said to be the most magical beings on the earth. So perhaps Merlin was asking the dragon about magic.
But why? Merlin knew, as well as any other person, that magic made people evil and corrupted them. That was all anyone needed to know, according to the king. Arthur had had that pounded into his head ever since the first time he asked about magic.
The only reason Arthur could come up with was that Merlin had magic, but that was nonsense. If his servant really was a sorcerer, he would have killed him by now. Besides, he would have gotten all his chores done with a snap of a finger.
No, Merlin was definitely not a sorcerer.
That decided, the prince gathered together what they would need to help the druid boy. Arthur felt bad about involving Gwen, but he knew she wanted to help. It was also the lowest-risk task. If they were caught, she could feign ignorance of the entire plot and simply say that the cook had given her the drinks.
Merlin, on the other hand, had not said much on the matter. Arthur wondered if his servant was getting cold feet, or if it was simply that he was concerned for the boy's safety. After thinking about it, Arthur found he didn't care, except that Merlin did his part. It was, after all, his fault. He had had to go to Morgana and get them all involved.
And where was he? Probably still talking to that dragon, Arthur thought. But the door suddenly swung open to reveal Merlin, who was carrying a tray with two glasses of wine on it. "There you are, Merlin," Arthur said sarcastically. "Got lost? Been talking to a dragon?" The second comment he did not mean to say, but it just slipped out.
Merlin's reaction was worse than what Arthur had expected. He nearly dropped the tray and instantly began stuttering, "But… I… No…. What are you talking about?"
Arthur took a step closer. "I saw you going down the stairs into the dungeons," he said. Merlin seemed to collect himself. "No, I was going… to the burial vaults. I wanted to see what we had to do."
Arthur raised his eyebrows, but he let the subject drop. When he didn't leave, Arthur found Merlin was looking at him strangely. "What?" he asked irritably. "I was just wondering, if, you know, this was a good idea," Merlin said. He was reconsidering? Arthur didn't know if he heard right.
"What?" he said. Merlin looked slightly abashed. "Nothing. Never mind," he said, and placed the tray on the table in front of Arthur.
Later that evening, Arthur went to Morgana's chambers. There, his father's ward had just finished getting ready to dine with Uther. She looked nervous, but her face was set as she handed Gwen a small vial. "Two drops should do it," Morgana told her. Gwen went to the table, where two goblets stood on a tray, and put two drops in each.
Arthur put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll be fine," he said. She looked up at him. "I know," she said quietly. "I just wish there was something I could do." Arthur ignored her comment and looked over at the druid boy. He was wearing a dark green cloak, and he was sitting quietly on Morgana's bed. Arthur suddenly felt the need to reassure him, so he walked over and bent over the boy. "We're going to get you back to your people," he said. The boy looked up and nodded in thanks.
As he had many times before, Arthur wondered if the boy could not speak, or if he simply didn't. Before he could ask, however, he heard Morgana say, "Well, I suppose that's it then." She walked out the door and turned left toward the throne room. He held out his hand, and the boy took it, and they followed Gwen in the opposite direction of Morgana.
Arthur sincerely hoped Merlin hadn't bailed on them. He had seemed nervous all afternoon, and the prince knew he was having second thoughts. But if his manservant did not show up, they would surely be caught.
They reached the entrance to the dungeons, and Gwen descended the stairs. Arthur and the boy pressed themselves into a nook in the wall, out of the guards' lines of sight. He heard Gwen say, "A drink?", the soldiers' appreciative murmurs, and then two thuds followed by a gentle snore.
Gwen dashed up the stairs, and Arthur pulled her aside. "Go to Morgana's room. Deny you ever came here if anyone asks." She nodded and ran down the hall. Arthur led the boy past the cells and down some more steps into the burial vaults. Past the stone coffins they went, past the walled-up treasure rooms. They reached a fork, and Arthur glanced down both of them before taking the right-hand one. The left-hand one, he remembered, led straight up into the castle kitchens.
They reached the end of the passage, where a strong iron gate blocked the exit. Arthur looked around desperately for Merlin, but his servant was not there.
Merlin really did not know what to do. On the one hand, if he let Arthur and the boy get caught, the boy would certainly be put to death. But the dragon had said that the boy would kill Arthur, in that roundabout way of his. Merlin didn't want to listen to the dragon, but so far, everything the dragon had said had been correct.
And although he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he and Arthur were more than servant and Prince. They were friends. Merlin didn't think he could bear Arthur's death. Besides, if Arthur were killed, who would rule Camelot?
Thus, he decided that the best plan of action was to simply do nothing. He was quiet all through supper, and then he went to bed early. As he lay on his bed, he heard that same voice in his head, that voice that had gotten them all into this mess. Emrys. Where are you, Emrys?
He rolled over and put his pillow on top of his head, hoping it would block out the boy's thoughts. Emrys, please, help me. I'm scared. Knowing nothing would help, Merlin got up and looked out the window. Suddenly, warning bells began to sound, and he heard a knock at the door. Gaius must have opened it, because Merlin heard a guard say, "Have you seen a boy run past? We saw one in the main hall. Think he's that druid boy."
Emrys, they're coming. Please. Gaius gave a short answer of "No" and closed the door. Merlin looked back out his window. The guards were all in the courtyard. It would be easy enough to get into the stables and to the grate. But he had promised himself he would not go to help. EMRYS!
Merlin finally made up his mind. He decided he couldn't trust the dragon; after all, the beast was so many miles underground. He didn't know the boy. He decided that if he let the boy die, it would haunt him for the rest of his life. Merlin decided, and he snuck past Gaius, who had gone to sleep, and out the door.
Finally, Merlin appeared, leading two horses and carrying a rope. "What took you so long?" Arthur asked, exasperated. "Had some trouble getting out of the castle," he replied, his voice innocent. "Well, get us out! What are you waiting for?" the prince snapped. Merlin tied the rope to the grate and pulled. Nothing happened at first, but then Arthur heard Merlin whisper something. He saw a tiny flash of blue light, and with a grunt, Merlin suddenly pulled it off with a loud crack.
Arthur pulled the boy from inside the tunnel. As Merlin mounted one horse, Arthur helped the boy onto the other, and then got on behind him. They galloped off away from Camelot toward the woods. They continued riding, off the path, until the first shades of dawn broke through the canopy of the trees' leaves.
Arthur stopped his horse and dismounted, as did Merlin. He turned to help the boy, but he was already getting off the horse. However, his foot got caught in one of the straps, and the boy started to fall towards the ground, headfirst. Before Arthur could do anything, the boy suddenly slowed in midair, twisting around to land on his feet. By the look of surprise on the boy's face, he had done nothing.
Arthur turned to look at Merlin, who was staring at him apologetically. Everything that his father had told him rushed through Arthur's mind. Sorcerers can't be trusted. They'll kill you the second they can. They only mean harm to this kingdom.
Staring at Merlin in shock, Arthur did the only thing that seemed to make sense. He pulled out his sword.
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