Title: Where the Day Ends

Authors: Cassy27
Words: 1972
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Merlin, sadly enough!
Spoilers: No spoilers in this post

Summary: When Arthur's dreams appear to happen in reality, Merlin is certain magic is being used. To make sure Arthur doesn't hurt anyone, he must stay awake. That proves to be more difficult than anticipated.

AN: Any and all mistakes are completely my own.

Another chapter has arrived and I tried to make it as suspenseful as possible. Will Merlin get to the King? Will he use magic? What will Arthur? Read on to find out... :)

Enjoy

Chapter 10

It was strange at first. Merlin could see his surroundings, but it was like he couldn't understand them; like he could see a door, but he didn't know what it was supposed to be used for. Trying to get his mind to focus again, Merlin suddenly saw Andreas standing before him. He had literally appeared out of nowhere and the young servant boy took a step back, startled.

"You," was all he could say. He feeling so incredibly dizzy and his vision blurred a little.

"Hello again," Andreas smiled.

Merlin swallowed heavily. His vision sharpened again and Merlin suddenly recognized the feeling like he was trying to gain control over his own body. "What have you done to me?" Merlin demanded to know. He found it hard to even to use the correct words. He didn't really expect Andreas to answer him, but he was proven to be wrong.

"Nothing," Andreas answered, his smile having vanished, "much."

"I'm dreaming," Merlin suddenly realized, his eyes wide. He tried to take another step away from Andreas, but his legs refused to take any order; he simply had no control over them.

"Yes, you are," the scarred sorcerer agreed, nodding his head slowly, "but you are a sorcerer, Merlin, that means it takes me some time to...adjust to your level. Your dreams are harder to control than Arthur's. It's rather difficult to explain."

"I'll see it as a complement," Merlin smirked, a little out of breath. He could feel every part of control he still had slip away. He didn't feel safe at all and every fiber in his body was panicking as he could do nothing to stop Andreas.

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin wanted to know, starting to breathe heavily now. As time passed, it was getting more difficult for Merlin to even speak.

"This is part of my plan," Andreas said, smiling now, "well, my back-up plan anyway. You messed around with my first so I had to come up with a whole new one." He paused for a moment as if to make sure Merlin was still listening. "Arthur is being watched every moment now, but you," he chuckled softly, "you can get to the King with ease."

"No!" Merlin exclaimed. That was all he could do, though. He wanted to storm forward, he wanted to do something to stop Andreas, but nothing worked. His body refused to take any orders from him anymore.

"I healed you for a reason," Andreas continued explaining, ignoring Merlin's comment, "not just to give you or Arthur a message."

"I won't do it," Merlin sighed, feeling his eyelashes become so terribly heavy, "I won't kill Uther."

"You can't control what happens in your dreams, right?" Andreas laughed now. "Certainly not when I control them."

Merlin's gaze became black all of a sudden, but it was a welcomed darkness, a soothing one. When Merlin's surroundings took shape again, he simply knew what he had to do. He didn't even ask himself how he had even gotten to this hallway in the castle and he had forgotten all about Andreas.

As Leon passed him by, greeting him quickly, Merlin ignored him. He had more important things on his mind at the moment, like reaching Uther's bedchambers. If only he could remember why, but Merlin shook those thoughts away from him. It didn't matter why.

When he got to Uther's chambers, Merlin entered, not even thinking twice about knocking. The King turned to face him, anger in his eyes. "How dare you enter without my permission," he scowled.

Merlin didn't give the King's behavior any attention, though. All that he noticed was how unarmed he was. He didn't even seem threatened by his presence. It made the young servant boy chuckle softly.

"My Lord," Merlin spoke softly then, "Arthur sends me with a message."

"And what is that?" Uther asked, still very angry.

Merlin carefully examined the King. He wanted to make sure no weapon lay around. Magic was only his last resort. He did not want to risk getting caught. "That he failed," the raven haired boy told him, "in protecting you."

"What?" Uther was astonished to hear this. Frowning, he waited on Merlin to explain himself.

The s young sorcerer didn't hesitate. Drawing out a sword (where did that come from?) he charged forward with a force he didn't know he even possessed. He was going to succeed however, Merlin was sure of it. No guard would stop him, no knight would be in his way.

Uther's eyes went wide for a moment, his astonishment having changed into shock. Merlin never reached him however. Four strong arms suddenly held him back, forcing him to drop his sword as a sudden pain invaded his shoulder. His arms were being twisted behind his back and all Merlin could do was struggle to get free. Nothing worked.

"Merlin," Arthur's hard voice came, "you are dreaming and you have to wake up!"

Merlin refused to listen to the Prince. He only had one task and that was killing the King. Not even his son would stop him. In his mind, different incantation started to form itself and Merlin needed to make up his mind as to what would be the best one to use.

"Why hasn't Gaius woken him up yet?" Leon asked Arthur, still holding back Merlin.

"Something is wrong," Arthur could only say.

"Arthur, I demand to know what is happening," Uther's demeaning voice sounded.

"This isn't Merlin," Arthur quickly explained, struggling to keep his servant under control. Merlin might not seem strong, he had some strength in those tiny arms of his. "The real Merlin is dreaming."

"I thought your dreams were being controlled," Uther said, not being able to follow anymore.

"I'll explain later," Arthur said, rolling his eyes. He knew he shouldn't speak to his father this way, but Arthur really had no other choice. He needed to control Merlin, that was his first objective. "Come on, Merlin, wake up!"

Merlin's eyes flashed golden, but it passed to quickly for anyone to see. Leon stumbled back as if he had been pushed away with a brutal force. Arthur released Merlin as well, feeling like he had been hit by a sudden heat he couldn't bare. Merlin magic had worked excellent in having repelled a human touch.

He was free now and it didn't matter that in the mean time, Uther had picked up a sword. Merlin could easily defeat the King using magic. A grin filled his face. These were the final moment of Uther's life.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, "Wake up!"

As if on cue, Arthur was suddenly staring at empty air. His servant had simply vanished. Arthur didn't wait on Leon or Uther to follow him. He simply turned around and ran back to his own bedchambers to find Gaius standing over Merlin who was barely awake.

"Come on, Merlin," Gaius said in a soft voice as he helped his young ward back on his feet.

"I was sleeping so good," Merlin protested. His eyes were still only barely open.

"No pouting," Gaius told him, "just keep walking around."

"And I had this amazing dream," Merlin yawned, "it was so very vivid."

"Maybe because it was!" Arthur snapped.

Merlin frowned as he looked at his master now. It was so hard to believe. How could his dreams be-oh! "I tried to kill...the King?"

Gaius only nodded.

"That's not good," Merlin sighed.

"Oh really?" Arthur asked, his voice filled with sarcasm. He took in a deep breath to calm himself a little.

"Great," Gaius sighed, letting himself drop back down in his chair, "now we have two grumpy men around."

"Hey," Merlin and Arthur protested in unison.

M M M

"It's actually a smart plan," Gaius had to admit.

He and Merlin were back at their private chambers which gave them the perfect opportunity to talk about everything that was happening. Arthur was with the King at this very moment, trying to explain to him what had happened with Merlin.

"All eyes were focused on Arthur," Gaius continued speaking, "nobody was paying any attention to his servant."

"Thank God I didn't kill Uther," Merlin sighed. Letting his arms rest on the table, Merlin leaned back in his chair.

"Thank God you didn't use magic trying," Gaius added.

"Yeah, about that," Merlin sighed.

Gaius' eyes grew wide with shock. "Tell me you didn't-"

"No one knows," the servant boy quickly said, wanting to reassure his uncle, "no one saw. I only used it to get free from Arthur's and Leon's grip and they don't think it was magic. I woke up just in time." A short silence filled the room. "He knows, though," Merlin added, looking his uncle straight in the eyes, "Andreas knows of my magic. He wants Uther gone to have magic returned to Camelot. Having me kill Arthur's father using it is really his last resort. Andreas must getting desperate."

"He didn't threaten Arthur," Gaius suddenly understood, "did he?"

Merlin took in a deep breath. "No," he answered him, "he didn't. I tried to stop him, I tried to stay in control, but Andreas was too powerful. I couldn't do anything."

"You actually met him in your dreams?" Gaius asked, frowning. It was obvious that this fact distressed him, though Merlin couldn't really see why.

"He said he needed to gain control over my dreams first because I'm a sorcerer," Merlin explained, "there was a reason why he healed me, I should have known it wasn't just to give me a message. He must have slipped a flower underneath my bed when I was still unconscious."

"You can't blame yourself, Merlin," Gaius told him, "and besides, Uther is fine."

"For how long?" Merlin asked, sighing deeply. He truly wished he had the answer to that question. "Arthur and I are bound to go to sleep some time and Andreas won't be caught, you know he won't."

"We'll figure out a way," Gaius said, sounding sure about his words, "we always do."

Merlin wished he could believe him, he wished he could have that faith as well, but so much was at stake here and Merlin couldn't help but feel completely useless. Standing up, he walked to the cot he had been sleeping on not a day ago. Last time he had woken up, Andreas had been standing with him. Picking up his pillow, Merlin sighed when seeing the purple flower Andreas had planted there.

"We shouldn't have left you alone," Gaius sighed, coming to stand with Merlin.

"And I should have know," he said, his voice hard. Gaius could hear how Merlin was still blaming himself. "I should have felt that magic had been used on me."

Gaius took the purple flower and examined it with care. Unlike the flower they had found underneath Arthur's bed, this one was still full of color and life.

"I could use this," Gaius suddenly said, a smile playing around his lips, "I can try and make a cure. With some magic, I could actually succeed."

"Are you sure?" Merlin asked. This would be wonderful. If Gaius could come up with a cure, he and Arthur could finally get some proper sleep.

"Yes," Gaius said, sounding certain, "and Arthur doesn't need to know that magic has to be used as well. Science can explain it all."

"That's great," Merlin smiled, "you're a genius, Gaius."

The physician only laughed at Merlin's last words. He would never consider himself a genius, but he could fix this situation at least. He could not stop Andreas, but he could stop his magic. Without hesitation, he started to work, hoping that this would work in the end; he needed it to work.

AN: That was it again. It appears Gaius will be the one with the solution. Merlin seems to have dodged a bullet as no one saw him use the little bit of magic. Things could have been much worse for our favorite sorcerer... But what will happen next? Will Gaius' cure truly work? Will Merlin and Arthur be able to stay awake? Many, many questions are still floating around and I will answer them as soon as possible!

In the mean time, let me know what you think of this chapter! Reviews keep me writing :)