Part 8 The Prince's Memories
Or
What Arthur Has Overheard and His Conclusions
(Authors Note: Again couldn't decide on which title sounded better. See the thing is Arthur is not stupid; he has what I have named Pendragon's disease, which basically means that he is selectively blind. That doesn't mean he's deaf and dumb. Now as to the bit that mentions the scars Merlin received during the Basset incident, I will eventually be writing down my version of events here. BASIC WITH NO SPOILERS; Merlin found the Basset {Freya} in the catacombs. What do wounded animals do? Answer they lash out. She accidentally wounded him. And when Merlin was healed by Kilgarah from the serkets sting the sting actually broke off in his shoulder. Kilgarah couldn't get it out. I'll leave it at that. On with this story! I own nothing! Back to Arthur's perspective.)
He watched Merlin sink back into unconsciousness. He looked peaceful, but the image of that angry red burn wouldn't leave his mind. Merlin had looked terrified when Gwaine had asked for the story behind it. Arthur had practically seen the lies forming behind Merlin's eyes. Each had been tossed aside almost instantly and for a moment he thought he saw truth gleaming behind his eyes. But it was instantly shut down by a wave of almost uncharacteristic fear. Merlin had shaken his head almost imperceptibly. Arthur knew that Lancelot had seen it. Lancelot was covering for him. Why? What did Lancelot know that he didn't?
Lancelot hadn't been around five years ago. They had met him five years ago, yes, but he had left. He wouldn't know where the scar was from. Arthur knew Merlin was keeping secrets from him. He knew that there was a reason behind Merlin's strange behavior during Morgana's invasion. Morgouse's death hadn't been caused by steel. No, he had been at the door of the throne room attempting to force entry when he had heard Morgana's shriek. He began to replay what he had heard in his head.
"No! Sister!?" Then words he hadn't understood, magic, and a crash of metal against stone. That had to be one of his knights, but all save Lancelot were with him. But Lancelot couldn't be in the throne room. Lancelot was with…
"I'm sorry Morgana. I never wanted it to be like this." Merlin! Arthur had frozen, his ear pressed to the door as Gwaine tried to pick the lock.
"You did this! How?!" Morgana, rage and grief fighting for dominance in her voice. The sounds of footsteps.
"You spilled the cup!?" She shrieked disbelievingly.
"And once the cup is spilled the backlash of magic takes out the original caster." Merlin sounded shaken and sad. He had been Morgana's friend after all.
"It's over Morgana." Merlin's voice sounded older than any man of Merlin's age ever should.
"No! This has just begun!" Morgana shrieked and there was magic again. The sound of a body hitting the door just as Gwaine succeeded in unlocking it. Arthur yanked it open and found a hauntingly familiar scene. It looked far too much like the scene he had found when the knights of Mhedier had fallen. Only this time it was Morgana clutching Morgouse's still form, not the other way around. Lancelot's unconscious form against one of the side walls was new, as was Merlin laying at Arthurs feet, unmoving. Arthur watched as more words of magic fell from Morgana's lips. As she vanished with Morgouse in a whirl of dust and wind and falling debris.
Lancelot stirred and shot upright, his hand on his sheath. But his sword wasn't there. Giaus, who had been cornered by two now slain immortal warriors, ran over to him. Once he was sure Lancelot was alright he ran to Merlin's lifeless form.
Arthur started out of his reverie when a movement caught his eye. Merlin had shifted in his sleep. The knights had removed his ruined shirt and the cloaks fell away as he wiggled around. Finally he settled back down, his back facing Arthur. From this angle Arthur had a clear view of Merlin's back. There were scars there as well. Arthur knew what all but one of the four raised blemishes came from.
Three were from the incident with the Basset three years ago. Merlin had suffered more than most from that attack. Arthur hadn't found out until the day after the attack. Arthur once again sank back into his memories.
Merlin hadn't shown up for work the morning after the attack. Arthur had burst into Giaus's chambers, demanding his servant be thrown in the stocks if he wasn't out of bed in the next instant. Giaus had paled at that and told Arthur that Merlin hadn't come home last night. Arthur's heart had jumped into his mouth. He had immediately called Morgana and Gwen together and they had set to searching. But Merlin hadn't been found until Morgana had gone out riding. She had found him nearly a mile outside Camelot. He had been lying in the grass, soaked in his own blood.
There had been three long scratches across his back, claw marks. Later he had told Arthur that the beast, the Basset, had been wounded when it had found him and a girl. Merlin had said she was a girl he had known from Ealdor. He hadn't seen her in years and they had loved each other. The Basset had killed her. Her name had been Freya.
But as Arthur watched Merlin sleeping he saw a fourth scar. Another scar he knew nothing about. This one was thin and long. About as long as Arthurs hand and only as wide as his forefinger, it was positioned right below Merlin's left shoulder blade. There were small lines leading away from it. No, wait; he knew where that scar came from.
About a year ago Merlin had once again disappeared for a day. He normally turned back up without a scratch, simply jumpy or anxious for a few days then back to his normal cheerful self. But this time had been different. Gwen had found him on the stairs that lead to Giaus's chambers with an object lodged in his shoulder. It had been identified as the sting of a Serket. But Merlin should have died from the poison. Giaus had explained that the sting had come from a young Serket, too young to produce poison. Merlin had been insanely lucky. Then Cenred had attacked and Merlin had fought at Arthur's side. Arthur had forgotten his previous injury in the midst of battle.
Arthur saw him shiver and stood up, walking to him. He knelt down and pulled the cloaks around him. He saw, on the boy's upper arm, a small scar as he turned over once more. He had gotten that during the fight with the knights of Mhedier. Arthur had called it his first battle wound, but the scars made it obvious that the raven haired boy had had many wounds in many battles before that.
