Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows - I really appreciate all the support.

For everyone asking for a speedy update thank Caldera32, who edited this chapter so quickly.

So, this story has been building up to this, hope you enjoy it. Feedback is always welcome.


Chapter 9: Hidden Talents

"Stunned". That was the only word for it. From his place on the dusty floor, Arthur stared up in disbelief at Lord Kane. How had things come to this? His shoulder ached but it was not serious. He could not say the same for the guards and knights who lay unmoving against cold stone. The king pushed himself forward so he was in front of Guinevere; he would protect her at least. She seemed unharmed and Arthur intended to keep it that way.

When the explosion happened the royals had been shielded by a protective wall of knights. Kane had then picked off the injured until only the king, queen, and a handful of council members remained.

Once again he had trusted someone who had turned against him. How could I be such a fool? As always, Merlin had seen through the façade from the start. He'd not said as much, but he disliked the noble; pointedly avoiding him. Merlin's funny feelings were seldom wrong and Arthur should have taken note of them – he'd been so preoccupied with the 'witch hunt' when the danger was right under his nose. At least the idiot was safe in the physician's chambers and not here – for that he was grateful.

Gwaine skidded as he ran full pelt into the room, sword in hand, shouting out the warning that was too late.

"Arthur! He's a sorce -"

The knight was flung against the wall with a loud crack, then dropped to the ground, limp and lifeless. Arthur's blood ran cold at the way Kane had swatted the skilled warrior like a troublesome fly. The grand throne room now lay ruined, dust and debris floated in the air, his knights injured - devastated in a blink of an eye.

The king had thought he was having a reasoned discussion and then it had all gone wrong. Arthur had declined the stone and refused to meet Kane's outlandish demands. The noble had become totally irrational, enraged - all hell had broken loose.

Kane's shrill voice broke through Arthur's thoughts.

"I am not a sorcerer! How dare you sully my name with such an association? They have no right to wield such power - some of them are simple, uneducated, peasant lowlives. The Veritas Saxum allows me to take their magic and utilise it as I see fit."

Arthur could not help himself. "So it's alright to have magic as long as the person is high-born; is that it?" The king thought of Morgana – she was of noble birth and superior education but was still corrupted by magic.

The lord turned, curling his lip in contempt. "Only the learned and responsible should have the ability to control others; those with breeding." He waved the now-glowing truth stone, punctuating his words. The air crackled with blue sparks.

"This," he gestured to the wrecked room and the injured, "is your fault. I wouldn't have had to hurt anyone if you had just given me what I asked - what is owed me." His face was puce with fury.

Arthur grit his teeth and tried again to make the vengeful noble see sense. "Camelot is successful but, as I explained, that wealth is tied up in trade. We need to feed and house our citizens, provide for our armies... if you take so much from the crown, it will be the innocent who will suffer – villages, farmers, families, and children. It is not reasonable or responsible to ask for such an amount."

"What about my suffering?" Kane jabbed at his chest. "I lost everything! My birthright, my parents, my sister... all because King Uther refused payment. Our family had no money, we'd used everything to finance the trip to this kingdom. But we left empty-handed, forced out of our home and made to live among the poor."

There was nothing Arthur could say.

"My father was a noble, a respected petrologist, but the simple-minded thought that studying rocks was a form of magic," Kane spat, grimacing. "He was a learned man, a scientist! After all he had done they treated us like criminals, hunted us like common sorcerers. Uther needed that stone to capture the dragon and when it was destroyed he went back on his word, said he would not pay for something that no longer existed. My father received nothing, not even an acknowledgment. You, Arthur Pendragon, a so-called honourable man, are indebted to me!"

Kane sent a bolt of borrowed magic toward the throne, taking a big chunk out of the wood and leaving it smouldering.

The queen had listened to Kane's tale with a sinking heart; his story shared similarities with her own. She hadn't been born with the riches Kane had, but she knew firsthand how quickly fortunes could turn. Her world had fallen apart when her father had been executed for mere association with someone of magic. Twice she'd been falsely accused of the craft, sidestepping the pyre by the merest margin, and she knew only too well the pain of being banished from her home.

When the warlord Helios had abducted her, a life of slavery and shame would have been hers had she not escaped. She was not bitter at those misfortunes, however, and when her circumstances changed she rejoiced in her new life without disavowing her old one. Her upbringing defined her, gave her inner strength, and taught her many lessons which she was now in a position to act upon. Gwen did not want to ask what had happened to Kane's sister. She knew the fate that pretty young girls often fell into – what she had almost been forced to do herself.

The king rubbed his temple. Despite everything, Arthur had loved his father and had always craved his respect - but there was no denying Uther had been ruthless. It pained Arthur to hear how his father had treated Lord Kane Senior, but his son had taken his retribution too far. Arthur took a breath, hoping the situation was still negotiable.

"I am sorry to hear what happened to your family and for your losses. I am prepared to compensate you - but within the means of the citadel and not at the expense of my people. Surely a man of your learning and stature can accept that?"

Guinevere saw an opening and joined her husband in appealing to the broken man.

"Lord Kane, Camelot strives for equality; we're trying to give the poor access to education, opportunities to better themselves... slavery is outlawed here, and I have looked into reuniting families that have become separated -"

"Quiet!" Another window shattered.

Kane had listened silently to the simpering royals, becoming increasingly irate. "I don't want to find her; I know what she has become. She is no longer worthy to carry the family name – she is dead to me."

"That's not her fault!" Gwen gasped.

"No, it's his!" Lightning shot from the glowing stone.

For all the attributes Kane thought noble blood afforded him, a good aim was not one of them. It had been close, though; scorch marks stained the floor a hair's breadth from the king.

Kane readied himself to attack again.

"STOP!"

The lord hesitated, arm poised. All turned towards the door.


Merlin surveyed the scene as if it moved at a snail's pace; his king and queen sprawled at the base of the throne, held captive by an unhinged, rock-wielding noble. He saw the guards and Gwaine, injured and unmoving. The sight was sickening.

This is my fault – I should have prevented it.

Merlin's destiny was to protect and he was completely impotent. No magic, no sword… the only weapon available was his tongue and, sharp as it was, he'd never had any real control over it.

Solutions flew through his head quicker than could process them but Merlin didn't have a plan. He hoped only to distract Kane long enough for Arthur, Gwen, or even Geoffrey to make a move. He was sure the queen still had her dagger and she knew how to use a sword if she could get one. The lord was bound to underestimate her, maybe that would be his weakness.

Magic crackled and Kane shouted, aiming the rock at the royal.

Nothing else mattered - the warlock had to save his king.

"STOP!"

Arthur's heart soared then sank at the sound of that voice. Immense joy that Merlin was finally awake battled with fear for what the man had walked into. He turned, hoping his friend had brought reinforcements; instead he saw a lone figure requiring the support of the wall to even stand up.

Kane observed the servant as well. He paused, incredulous, then threw back his head and laughed.

"You would be wise to turn around and walk away, boy." He gave a dismissive gesture with his free hand.

Arthur silently urged Merlin to leave. The servant just stared back and gave a barely discernible shake of the head.

"Scuttle along now; you won't get another chance."

Merlin bit his lip; he was twenty-six summers, not a child. He was Emrys, a fearless warlock, and he had no intention of leaving.

"No."

"No?"

"These people are hurt; they need medical attention."

"Who are you?" Kane asked with disgust.

"Merlin, my lord – the acting physician. Please, let me tend to the injured."

"A physician? You are the king's manservant, are you not?" The noble sneered.

Arthur's voice boomed out, clear and strong. "Merlin has worked as Gaius' apprentice for a number of years. Our senior physician is at the forefront of medical advancement and has served the royal family for generations. Merlin has learnt from the best and is highly skilled in what he does."

At any other time Merlin would have glowed with pride at such praise, but this was not the occasion.

"I was looking forward to meeting you, Arthur Pendragon; to see if the reputation you have gained was true. I must admit to be being disappointed. What sort of sovereign has commoners as knights, takes a serving wench for a wife, and lets an uneducated peasant treat the sick?"

Arthur let out a snarl that was almost feral and was only prevented from launching himself at the noble by a whispered "no" and the firm grip of Guinevere around his arm.

"A physician?" Kane laughed. "Do you think me a fool? He's nothing, a nobody, caput mortuum."

Merlin had always had an ear for languages and had read enough medical tomes to become knowledgeable in Latin. Kane had called him worthless. The insult stung and the rebuttal was almost instantaneous.

"Precsimum genus inimicorum laudantes!"

There was a stunned silence and, just as Merlin was about to translate, a small chuckle came from the back of the room. Geoffrey of Monmouth seemed so taken by the academic word play that he had temporarily forgotten the gravitas of the situation. The old man smiled to himself.

"Flatterers are the worst type of enemies - Oh, very good, young man!" He slapped his chest in merriment.

Kane was livid. "How does a peasant like you know Latin?"

"Doctus cum libro," Merlin shot back, unable to hold his tongue.

Geoffrey snorted. "I read it in a book." The old man wiped tears from his eyes.

Masonry exploded and Merlin fell backwards trying to avoid the blast. He rolled onto his side and only just escaped the second shot.

"Stop!" Arthur shouted.

Kane paused, hand splayed and ready. He turned slowly towards the king.

"Please, he has nothing to do with this. Let him go and we can come to some arrangement."

Merlin saw Kane face the king, putting the monarch's life in the firing line once again – he had to stop it. He clambered to his feet and staggered further into the room.

"No! This is wrong. Where is the honour in injuring innocent people? You stole something that does not belong to you and twisted it beyond recognition for your own dark purpose."

A blast of light was directed at Merlin and he crashed to his knees, barely able to dart away from the assault. The warlock crawled on his belly, but still managed to croak out some insults.

"You have no understanding of the powers you are playing with or the damage you will cause - "

A chair exploded close to the servant's head, but Merlin did not stop - whilst Kane's attention was on him it wasn't on Arthur.

Merlin wiped some dust away from his mouth and nose, leaving a smear of crimson across his cheek, and continued.

"Magic is a force that can't be contained -"

Dust and sparks flew up as a bolt hit the floor inches from him.

Arthur scrambled to his feet, transfixed for a moment as Merlin proceeded to goad the noble. Years of target practice for the knights meant the servant was dodging everything Kane was throwing at him but he was tiring, movements becoming sluggish - soon the inevitable would happen.

Merlin screamed as masonry hit his leg, tearing the fabric of his trousers and pinning him in place. Kane let out a maniacal laugh and rounded on his pray.

Merlin stared, blood dripping from his nose.

"You're just a coward hiding behind something that's not yours," the warlock yelled, defiant above the noise and Gwen's pleas for mercy.

Arthur used the distraction to throw himself at Kane, but it was too late.

He knew the bolt would hit Merlin square in the chest, knew it before he saw it happen.

Time seemed to slow. Merlin instinctively brought up his arms but nothing could stop the flare. Blue light shot from Kane's hand, lifting Merlin off his feet and smacking him into the wall across the hall.

Arthur stared in horror at the wide eyes of his best friend as he sailed through the air. It was all over. They'd lost.


TBC...

So anyone predict that?

I never studied Latin. I'm familiar with some terms from medicine and anatomy but all these were taken from a book; 'Say it in Latin! 1000 useful phrases for every occasion'. Ed Eugene Ehrlich, 1995.

Caput mortuum, worthless residue, literal translation is 'death's head', a skull. The term was used by alchemists to designate the residue in a flask after distillation was complete. Can now be taken as any worthless residue or a useless person.

Precsimum genus inimicorum laudantes, Flatterers are the worst type of enemies.

Doctus cum libro, I read it in a book. (Spot the Game of Thrones reference!)