Sorry for the long break. I kind of rushed into this story with a bunch of ideas, but hadn't settled on what I wanted to do exactly after The Dragon's Call. But here it is. It's not exactly true to Valiant. It will be mentioned though, as I think this would be more important to their lives at the moment.
Thanks for all your support. You people rock!
And I still don't own Merlin.
See Things My Way – Part 1
His head was on the chopping block, he could feel the smoothness of the wood beneath him. How many heads had rested where his did now?
Across the courtyard, bound and held back by four knights, Arthur struggled against his captors. His face was red and purple with anger and there was an intent in his eyes that frightened Merlin more than the axe hanging a short space above him. He looked upon their father with murder in his eyes. The blue iris's having grown cold as the steel of his blade.
Uther may have forestalled him now. Arthur would not be pushed aside for long; and if the prince of Camelot murdered his father in vengeance for his brother, what would become of the kingdom then?
Merlin craned his neck the best he could, searching out the balcony that jutted just over the courtyard. He caught sight of his father, barely standing as he presided over the execution. His face was flat, devoid of expression, but tears streamed down his cheeks in silent rivulets of grief.
"Please, sire, I beg of you," Gaius pleaded beside Uther. "He is innocent in this. He could not help it. This was not his choice." When it seemed as though Uther did not hear him, he cried, "He is your son!"
Morgana and Guinevere were both crying, racking sobs rattling Morgana's slim form. Gwen tried valiantly to quiet her.
Unable to speak, his father motioned Geoffrey of Monmouth to announce the execution. "Merlin, former prince of Camelot, you are hereby found guilty of sorcery and will therefore be put to death by the axe. May this purge your soul of the evil inside."
"Merlin!" Arthur screamed.
He felt the cool blade touch against the skin at the nape of his neck as the executioner tested his aim. He closed his eyes tight, trying to block out the utter terror and the grief that was coming from all around him.
"Father, please," Arthur cried, mimicking Merlin's own silent wishes. "There has to be another way."
Uther waved his hand and the nightmare should have ended there. But Merlin was still conscious, though he missed the pain of his head being severed from the rest of his body.
He found himself in the throne room, his father sitting resignedly across from a fuming Arthur. Two knights still had Arthur bound. "Release him," his father said with a wave of his hand. "Leave us."
The knight obeyed, moving to close the doors behind them. Before they could finish their task, Arthur pulled the sword from one of them and finished latching the doors. He turned around, his breathing haggard and his eyes red with fury and with tears.
"No, Arthur, not this. Anything but this," Merlin cried, but he was dead and his wispy words could not reach Arthur.
"You killed him," Arthur growled.
His father all but fell into the throne, his limbs limp and liquid. "Yes," he admitted.
"Why?" the prince's voice too high-pitched, cracked.
"To save him from the evil within," Uther said on a sigh. "If I hadn't done it, who knows what he might have become."
With a cry, Arthur surged forward, the sword rising in his hands. Merlin tried to step into his path, but every time Arthur walked through him. "Arthur, no! Stop! This won't help anything."
Uther didn't move, didn't try to defend himself against his son. When the sword buried itself in his chest, he didn't even blink in surprise. There was just a huff of breath, a last breath exhaled. He turned his green eyes to Arthur, raised a hand to his son's cheek.
"Merlin," a voice brought him from his nightmare, a hand shaking his shoulder. "Wake up, Merlin."
He jerked back, almost tumbling over the bench he'd been sitting on. He blinked up at Gaius, Arthur's defeated face from his dream superimposed over the old man's. For a moment, he didn't know how he could be in two places at once, dead and alive, until he realized he'd fallen asleep studying last night. He was still in Gaius' tower, the physician the only man to know of his magic.
Grabbing the edge of the work table, he righted himself. He rested his arms against the table and pressed his forehead to his forearm. He was very close to an embarrassing breakdown and he did not want to put himself or Gaius in that position.
"Are you alright, sire?" Gaius said gently behind him.
"I'm fine," he lied, wishing that Gaius would have said his name. "Just tired."
"I can only imagine, you were up all night. You are working yourself too hard," the old man chastised.
Merlin gave a bitter snort. "What choice do I have, Gaius? If anyone learns who I really am, I'll tear this kingdom apart single handedly. Until I can control my powers, I fear I'll be discovered."
He felt, rather than saw Gaius' sagacious gaze. "You haven't done anything instinctive in three days, but if you continue at this pace you'll lose your focus. Your mind must be fresh and alert, if you are to continue to guard your secret."
Merlin turned his head so that he could gaze at his mentor. "You're right. I should go to sleep."
"I'm afraid you cannot, Merlin," Gaius replied.
"What? Why not?"
"Did you forget? You have training with your brother this morning."
Merlin groaned, burying his head into the red fabric of his tunic once again. Since Merlin had begun to feel well, Arthur had taken it upon himself to make Merlin Camelot's second best knight. While Merlin was steadily getting a grip on his magic, he was increasingly becoming a worse swordsman. Arthur was frustrated and Merlin was ready to give it up.
"I wish I was an only child," he moaned.
Gaius chuckled. "Get a move on. You might even be able to sleep a few minutes before Roderick comes to wake you."
Merlin glared at his physician, before pushing to his feet. "I'll see you tonight."
"Here," Gaius said, holding up a potion bottle.
Merlin took it uneasily. In many ways, Gaius was like a second father to him, but he had been effectively poisoning him for years. As much as he could understand Gaius' need to protect him, he was leery of taking anything the old man gave him. "What is it?"
"The opposite of what I usually give Morgana. It should reenergize you." If Gaius noticed his hesitation, he didn't say. Merlin was glad. Not matter what Gaius had done, he was doing everything in his power to help Merln. In short his life depended upon Gaius more than it ever had before.
"Thank you, Gaius," Merlin said, before leaving the tower.
He jumped as a hand fell on his shoulder. He spun around to find his father looking at him curiously. "What's that in your hand?" Uther asked, worry in his green eyes.
Merlin hid the potion bottle behind his back. "Nothing," he said with a forced grin. He really didn't want to see his father right now. The dream of his execution and then Arthur murdering Uther was too recent, too vivid. He just wanted to escape his destiny right now.
"I already saw the bottle, Merlin. Now tell me the truth."
Merlin shook his head and brought out the bottle. "It really is nothing, just something to help me keep my strength up during training today." He gave a nervous laugh. "You know how Arthur is."
The worry in Uther's gaze swiftly morphed into pride. He tightened his grip on Merlin's shoulder. "I'm pleased you are trying so hard but be careful, Merlin. Be sure to follow your brother's instructions. He is the best swordsman we have."
"I will, I promise," he said, eager to have his father dismiss him.
"Go on, then," Uther said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You keep this up and you'll be ready for the tournament next week," he added mistaking Merlin's nervousness for excitement.
"Right," Merlin tittered. The last thing he needed was a crowd of people scrutinizing his every move. Three days without a magical slipup was his personal best. A tournament was the quickest way for him to break that good luck and have his dream coming true.
Once he got to his room, Merlin shut the door behind him and leaned his back against it. This would have to stop. He couldn't continue to jump every time he saw his father. Uther and Arthur were bound to be suspicious eventually.
A knock at his door told him that Roderick was right on time. With a wave of his hand and whispered word the door locked behind him. While Roderick reached for his keys, Merlin hurried into the night clothes that Roderick had left out for him last night. He'd just kicked off his boots when Roderick walked in.
"The door was locked, sire," the servant said.
"Really?"Merlin asked, his head cocked with confusion. "Strange. I don't remember locking it."
MERLIN
Merlin crumbled to the bench, wiping sweat from his eyes with the edge of his tunic. Arthur sat next to him considerably less winded. They'd been at it for hours and while he was ready for a hot bath, Arthur would still train knights after he was finished with Merlin.
"You have all the basics down, there's just a hiccough in your movement, something's staggering your fluidity. You can't be afraid to strike." He gave Merlin a nudge with his shoulder. "You won't hurt me."
"I'm more concerned with my own neck, thank you very much." He grabbed his waterskin and took a long pull. "I'm coming from behind, Arthur. You started training when I was a baby. I may never catch up."
"Of course not," Arthur said in an exaggerated superior tone "As the older brother, I will always be far superior in every way. But as my brother, you come the closest to being second."
Merlin rolled his eyes. "I know why no one can defeat you; they can't reach past that enormous head of yours."
"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur quipped back.
"Is that the best you can do, Arthur?"
"I'll show you," Arthur said, hoping to his feet. "Come on, one more round, and then I have others to train."
As much as he hated it, he really did feel grateful to Arthur for taking the time to train him personally. Considering most people trained for years before even being selected as squires let alone knights of Camelot, he was probably the most difficult student Arthur had ever taught.
With a groan, Merlin stood up and retrieved his sword. Once he had it up, Arthur gave a cry and rushed him. Abruptly, he was back in the dream, standing in his father's position, too petrified to moved. Two Arthurs raced forward, ready to strike. The Arthurs split, dream Arthur and real Arthur. Dream Arthur continued his advance while real Arthur came to a holt, watching Merlin curiously.
Merlin dropped to the ground, dram Arthur fading away.
"Merlin," his brother cried. "Are you all right? What happened?"
"I'm fine," Merlin stuttered, wincing at the obviousness of the lie.
"No you're not, you're shaking. What happened?"
"I'm just tired, didn't sleep well last night."
"Why didn't you say something?" Arthur said, exasperated.
Merlin stood up and walked over to the bench, picking up his waterskin. He drank from it, using the time to distance himself from the dream. Arthur came up beside him, his blue eyes narrowed to slits as he regarded him. He had that look to his eye, the look said he was going to be annoying, but it was for Merlin's own good.
"What's really going on, Merlin? You haven't been yourself the last couple of weeks. You've been more jumpy and jittery than usual. Morgana told me that you've been distant and constantly stare off into space. There is something wrong you aren't telling us. You aren't still upset with her, are you?"
"No. Look it's something you can't help me with, so just leave me alone. And stop talking to Morgana about me behind my back."
"Merlin! We're just trying to help." Arthur grabbed his arm, stopping his retreat. "What can I do?"
Pulling out of his brother's grip, Merlin said, "Nothing. Look, Arthur, this isn't something you can help me with. I just need some space. So stop trying to make me into something I'm not."
He stalked off the training grounds, feeling his face flush. Magic had gotten him into this mess and he was prepared to use it to get out.
