Hey guys here is chapter 10! I hope you enjoy it :) once again thank you so much for your review, follows and favourites!
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters. Merlin belongs to the BBC.
The group stood in a stunned silence, all gazes resting on the emerald eyed man as it dawned on everyone just how dire the situation really was.
"It makes sense" Leon said quietly "the distraction, being trapped in that cave, it was all to ensure Camelot was not as well protected. To separate you from your father Arthur".
The prince continued to breathe heavily as a million different scenarios and routes of action flashed through his mind. Would they be able to get back to Camelot in time? How long had they been trapped in that cave? Was it already too late? He fastened his eyes shut against the onslaught, pushing the heel of his hand into his forehead as he attempted to detach himself and think in military terms, trying to suppress the anger at how easily they had been tricked.
Merlin made to stumble forwards, to place a hand on his friend's shoulder and assure him that they would get back to Camelot and defeat this evil threat like they had done with so many others in the past, this time would be no different. However his tired legs would not obey the determined musings of his brain and crumpled beneath him. He landed in a heap on the grass with an undignified grunt, hand flying up to once again clutch at his throbbing chest as the sudden movement jarred his torso.
Arthur, along with his knights, span to look at the servant, the pained noise breaking him from his reverie and hastened to where the raven haired man was sprawled on the ground.
"Merlin, are you alright?" he asked frantically, clutching at his friends' shoulder. The servant smiled weakly up at the prince, the usual "I'm fine" response poised on the tip of his tongue but all that came out was an incoherent mumble.
Merlin could not recall a time when he had felt so weak, even being attacked by the dorocha and frozen to the bone did not compare to this, even drinking the poison that was meant for Arthur all those years ago didn't come close. He felt cold and bone chillingly empty, as if his life force and the pure essence of his being was leaving him, seeping into the dirt beneath him.
Arthur straightened and once again strode angrily towards the green eyed man whose gratefulness at being momentarily forgotten was quickly extinguished. The prince fixed a strong hand around the small man's forearm and half towed, half dragged him in the direction of the collapsed servant, shoving him roughly next to the weakened man. The knights crowded around to prevent their captive escaping, they formed a tight knit red circle, blocking any potential fleeing points.
"Look it doesn't matter what you did, just reverse it, please" Arthur said quietly, glaring at the small man.
The green eyed man glanced frantically between the prince and servant "I… I don't know what is wrong with him" Arthur took a steadying breath, clenching his jaw as he attempted to control his emotion.
"We do not have time for this, we need to get back to Camelot, Merlin will never make it in this state" his voice was strained as he looked pleadingly at the man before him. The small man, seeing no other option but to go along with the prince's demands, gently lifted the red of Merlin's tunic as Arthur once again prized the servant's hands from their tight grip on the fabric.
A sharp intake of breath sounded in unison around the red clad men as the full extent of the damage came into view, looking a thousand times worse in the glaring sunlight. The charred shadow had spread further since it had last been inspected and now crept menacingly over the warlock's stomach and up his shoulders. The emerald eyes of the captive man popped open in shock for a split second before apprehension dawned on his features and he stared open mouthed at the manservant beneath him.
Merlin met his gaze with a half lidded one of his own, a slit of blue just visible beneath his dark eye lashes. "But you-" the green eyed man stammered, surprise still making his mouth hang open in an almost comical 'O' "you are a mere serving boy"
Elyan advanced angrily "his name is Merlin" he retorted "and he is not just a mere servant, he is prince Arthur's servant and most importantly, our friend". Merlin would usually have swelled with pride at the knight's words, yet the way the green eyed man was staring at him with such awe unnerved him enough so that his friend's remark went clear over his head.
The captive man blinked suddenly, glancing quickly up at the dark skinned knight "Oh, of course" he spluttered "I did not mean, I just meant that-"
"I would strongly advise that you stop talking" Gwaine uttered darkly, the threat boiling in his brown eyes as he glared at the stuttering man.
The green eyed man quickly snapped his mouth shut and straightened up, the knights tensed around him, watching his every movement. "I cannot say I know what caused this, but I have seen it before and I know a-" he began, hesitating slightly "I know a herbal remedy which I believe will help"
"what do you need?" Arthur quickly cut in, relief apparent on his face.
The green eyed man cleared his throat nervously and cast a look around at the surrounding greenery "I will need some herbs, the first is a yellow flower which has red thorns and the second is" he paused, eyes darting around for inspiration before landing on the red of the knights' cloaks "a poppy like flower, but it will have very light leaves". He bit his lip and waited, watching the knights' expressions.
"Ok" Arthur said purposefully "Leon, Elyan, Gwaine, with me. Fan out and look for these herbs" he turned to his largest knight "Percival, stay here and keep an eye on Merlin" The emerald eyed man, shifted slightly, eyeing the knight towering over him "I can you assure that will not be necessary" he said timidly "I will be able to watch over Merlin and the more of you searching for the herbs the quicker-"
He cut off at the look on Arthur's face. The prince took a few steps towards the small man "be ready when we return with what you need" he growled quietly "if you so much as touch my servant or if you try to run, my men will find you and kill you, this is your only warning". The small man bowed his head "I understand" he said quietly, voice tremoring.
The knights began moving stealthily in the direction of the surrounding forest, eyes darting around, searching desperately for what they assumed would save their friend. Percival pointedly planted himself on the ground, back leaning against the bark of a tall oak, fixing the captive man with a steely gaze.
Leon deliberately moved closer to Arthur as they spread out in the clearing, worry creasing his stubbled face "Sire" he whispered, gaining the prince's attention "I understand why we are doing this, really I do, but Camelot, your father, should we not be heading back?" Arthur scrutinized his knight, the same torrent of emotions flashing over his features before he resigned himself. "It'll take us twice the amount of time to reach Camelot travelling with a wounded man" he said simply "our best bet is to get Merlin in a state where we can move him then head straight for Camelot". The red haired knight nodded curtly and questioned the regent no more.
In the now sparse clearing, Merlin shifted uncomfortably at the proximity of the strange man to him, he felt unnerved but surprisingly not frightened. The man kept glancing over his shoulder at the large knight unwaveringly surveying him then back at Merlin, eyes roaming over the vile darkness gathering on the man's torso, looking at it with a strange combination of awe and horror.
Merlin cleared his throat, catching the eye line of the man "who are you?" the warlock asked in a raspy voice, throat dry from his weakened state and the inhalation of dust and debris. The green eyed man watched him for a moment before once again taking a hurried look at the knight behind him, and leaned forward
"My name is Rowan" he whispered, so quietly that Merlin had to strain to hear him "and you" the man's eyes widened as he spoke, boring into the blue of the servant's "you are Emrys".
Merlin felt his body go rigid at Rowan's words, panic fluttering like a trapped butterfly in his stomach, he opened his mouth to speak, unsure of what would come out, denial? An explanation? A threat?
The green eyed man seemed to notice the servant's distress and he quickly leaned further forward, whispering hurriedly "please you have nothing to fear of me, I cannot begin to tell you how much I regret what I've done, trapping you in that cave, and this-" he gestured to the blackness of the warlock's chest, guilt contorting his features "it is my fault that you have had to suffer this, I trapped you in there" he bowed his head in regret, refusing to meet the servant's eyes. Merlin frowned in confusion at the frantic man's words, he tried to reply but did not know where to start, which part of Rowan's shame ridden words to address first.
The captive man brought his head up again to where Merlin could see his emerald eyes swimming with remorse "I am so sorry Emrys" he whispered "if I had known what Seskel had planned, if I had known what he had done to that cave, the unspeakable curse he has placed on such a pure place" he shook his head, regret clear on his troubled face "you could be dead and it would be all my fault, I had no idea what you were"
Merlin managed to locate his voice at this strange remark, confusion untangling his vocal chords "what do you mean?" he murmured, still regarding the pained man with caution.
"You are not a mere sorcerer" Rowan whispered, green eyes suddenly bright "you are magic" Merlin flinched slightly, eyes darting to Percival sitting a few feet away, the knight showed no reaction that he had heard any of the whispered conversation.
"Seskel has enchanted the crystals within the cave to consume and devour magic, I felt the darkness being emitted as soon as I was near it, but you are a warlock Emrys. You were born with magic and it is your life force, the very essence of your being, your magic is the very blood running through your veins"
Merlin listened, mouth slightly agape as realization finally dawned on him, why he felt so weak, why he could not move the rock fall, and why he had not been able to resist the pull of the crystals.
Rowan fixed the warlock with a sad gaze "It was rumoured among those with magic that Emrys had once stepped foot in the crystal cave before now, and was always a shadow's step behind Arthur Pendragon" he shuddered slightly "Seskel planned this well, the way he drove you all there, knowing Emrys, well you, would not be far behind the prince"
Merlin's head span as this new information clicked into his jumbled brain like pieces of a puzzle. This whole horrendous chain of events had all been to trap him, render him powerless to protect Camelot and Arthur. A chill ran menacingly down his spine as the images he had witnessed in the crystal flashed once again in front of his mind's eye.
"We need to get back to Camelot" he breathed, renewed adrenalin making his heart thud and his breaths come in short, harsh gasps. Rowan placed a hand on the warlock's arm "I will do what I can, but my magic is not very strong and you need time to heal, not all your magic was devoured but it will take a while for it to replenish itself"
Merlin nodded in understanding, feeling an odd combination of relief at the knowledge he would be able to use his magic again and terror at having to face a threat to Camelot without the full power of his gift.
Rowan placed a gentle hand over the warlock's chest, barely touching the burnt skin yet still eliciting a pained hiss from the raven haired man. He fixed Merlin with a determined glance, his emerald gaze on the servant's torso.
The deep breath he was taking suddenly hitched in his throat as cold unforgiving steel pushed against his throat. "Take your hand off of him" a low and deadly voice sounded over Rowan's shoulder as Percival stood threateningly over the smaller man. Rowan's eyes widened in fear and his gaze was almost sky ward due to the unyielding weapon beneath his chin
"Please I am trying to help" he gasped through ragged breaths. The large knight lowered his sword slightly, keeping it close enough to still warrant a threat, the green eyed man slowly lowered his head "the flow of blood must be stimulated, otherwise when the others return with the herbs the remedy will not spread fast enough to be effective".
Rowan waited as Percival mulled over his words, looking to Merlin for confirmation. The warlock gave a small nod to the knight who then lowered his weapon to his side, keeping a grip on the hilt, positioning himself intimidatingly behind the captive man.
Rowan could feel a burning sensation travelling down his back as the knight's eyes bored into him, watched his every move with the precision of a bird of prey. He turned again to face Merlin, feeling sweat beginning to bead on his forehead as he willed himself to help the weakened man.
The warlock's eyes were darting between Rowan and the knight standing tall above him, a look of uncertainty on his features. The emerald eyed man placed another trembling hand on the servant's charred torso and began circling his palms over the black flesh, barely grazing the skin beneath. Merlin noticed Percival step slightly forward, watching intently, he held his breath at what he knew was about to come.
Rowan shut his eyes and his lips moved in a lightning fast movement, forming silent words of power and only Merlin caught sight of the gold glimmer beneath his lashes, gone as quickly as it had appeared.
The effect was instantaneous, a feeling of comfort spread throughout the warlock's chest, massaging his scorched nerve endings with a beautifully soothing warmth. He released the breath he had been holding in a relieved huff as the wonderful pain relief fanned out over his body, he could feel his magic close beneath the surface, still sluggish but flowing slightly more fluidly than before, contentment washing over him at the familiar heat of it flowing to his fingertips.
He took a deep breath, feeling for what felt like the first time in an age the full expansion of his lungs and the unrestricted rise of his chest. A small ache still plagued his torso but it was more like an old bruise rather than the feeling of being repeatedly impaled that he had been experiencing.
Rowan removed his hands from the servant's chest and shuffled backwards slightly, not wanting to aggravate the large knight any more than he already had, the man still had a tight grip on his sword. "You would be surprised at what something as simple as improving circulation can do" he said with a nervous laugh as Percival glared down at him.
Merlin pulled his elbows beneath him and pulled his tired body up into a sitting position, placing his hands on his knees as he waited for the vertigo to ease up after the action of going from horizontal to vertical. Once the light headedness had cleared he found himself feeling relatively normal, but decided to stay seated for the time being just to be safe.
The sounds of movement and twigs snapping behind them had all three men frozen, heads rapidly whirling and eyes darting around the surrounding forest as the sounds of approaching footsteps fractured the silence.
There is chapter 10! thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 11 will be up soon! :)