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Merlyn lounged in the sun, eyes closed and face turned up to the sky. Hearing the familiar sounds of steel on steel stop, she opened her eyes and looked over at her knights who had finally stopped their training for the morning. It was time to rest and eat, then they would be right back at it.
She smiled up at Arthur when he strode over to her, hand already outstretched for the water-skin she held up to him, another going to Sir Leon who graciously passed it to the next knight behind him once he had a swig.
"You're in a good mood this morning, Blondie, did you stomp another fledgling into the dirt again?" she teased, rising to her feet. Today she had taught the knights how to fight with and against a staff and was dressed in pants, a blue shirt, and thick boots that Gaius had forced on her after she nearly stepped on a piece of broken sword.
Arthur gave a sarcastic laugh and passed the water-skin off to someone else behind him.
"Because that's the only thing that can put me in a good mood?"
"No, just puts you in a better one." Merlyn moved to duck the half hearted swipe at her head, but froze instead when she felt two very familiar magics brush up against hers.
Snapping around to where the market was, Merlyn felt all the color leave her face.
"Merlyn, are you alright?" Arthur asked, stopping his playful assault the second her attention shifted and instead laying the hand on her shoulder. Hearing the shift in tone of the conversation, some of the nearer knights similarly looked at their healer in concern.
"No…" she managed to gasp out, horror and terror taking hold as she suddenly bolted off, ignoring the shouts of the knights and Arthur behind him.
Taking off after her without a moment of hesitation, Arthur threw off the heaviest of his armor on the way.
'I'm sorry Merlyn.'
The words kept echoing in her mind, a desperation taking hold as she chased after two of the most important people in her life. Hearing the shrill scream of her brother only made her push herself harder. She came in sight of the closing doors to the citadel just as a small figure ran through. Spotting her second father surrounded by guards, Merlyn felt her eyes flash gold in her fear and anger. About to rush forward, she jumped in surprise when two arms wrapped around her, one around her waist, the other going to cover her mouth as she was dragged into the around the corner into the shadows. Pressed with her back to her assailant's chest, she knew who it was and tried that much more to get away before he could sway her.
"Stop it!" Arthur hissed into her ear, letting go of her briefly to turn her around to face him. "Tell me what's going on."
"Langet, Mordred, they're here! They have Langet!" she explained in a rush. She took a deep breath to calm herself. When she met Arthur's eyes once more, he was startled at how old they seemed, her shoulders sagging as if carrying a great weight.
"Merlyn, you know we can't do anything for Langet, I'm sorry." he whispered, cupping the side of her face tenderly.
"I know." she whispered back just as softly.
"Where is your brother?"
Her eyes hardened and she called out to Mordred's magic.
'Where are you Mordred?'
'Sister! Over here!'
"He's still just inside the citadel, the guards are already looking for him there." she relayed.
Grabbing onto his hand tightly with one hand, she similarly cupped the side of his face with the other and kissed him softly. Growing wary at the twinkle in her eye, Arthur returned the kiss hesitantly at first and conveyed his question without a word.
"Do you love me?" she asked. Arthur's expression softened and he brushed his thumb across her cheek.
"Absolutely."
Merlyn smiled genuinely and tightened the grip she had on his hand.
"Do you trust me?"
Noting how her eyes were still a molten gold, Arthur had to mentally shake himself out of the daze she put him in and back to awareness. Suddenly extremely aware of the grip she had on him, Arthur tried to pull away.
"Not with that look on your face."
She let out a short laugh and moved her hand from his cheek to his mouth, keeping him from breathing as her magic wrapped around them, teleporting them into an uncommonly used servant's passage that led to the courtyard.
"How the-" Arthur muttered in surprise, eyes wide before they refocused on the witch who was leaving him behind to the courtyard. Standing in the shadowed doorway, her now blue eyes scanned the area until she found the familiar green cloak hunched behind a small pool of water.
'This way Mordred, run! Run!' she commanded. Anger swelled higher in her when she saw the blood on his sleeve, but she ignored it for now as she herded her brother into the castle, locking the door behind them with a flash of gold to buy them some more time.
"My chambers are closer, the guards will not be far behind." Arthur met them within moments. He took one look at the injured boy before scooping him up into his arms. Merlyn thanked him with a nod and led the way to the prince's chambers, helping Arthur settle the boy on his bed just as a knock sounded on the door.
"Prince Arthur! Your father requests your presence in the council room!" a guard called from the hallway.
"I will be there shortly!" the blonde replied, waiting for the footsteps to fade before turning back to the two black haired siblings behind him.
"Go, your father will be suspicious if you take too long." Merlyn urged. Arthur nodded once and reached to give her hand a comforting squeeze, eyes darting to meet the light blue of Mordred's quickly. Merlyn returned the gesture and shooed him on. He quickly changed into fresh clothes behind his screen, leaving the old ones behind to be dealt with later.
"I will tell Morris he has a few days off so he won't bother you!" he said on his way out. The last thing he saw before the door closed and locked on its own was the back of his witch as she laid down beside her brother on his bed.
Leaning on the table to ground himself, Arthur fought with the fury rising within him, the Once and Future King bubbling just beneath the surface. His father had always allowed his fear and hate for magic blind him, he knew this as well as he knew his own name. But now he had new perspective. These were Merlyn's people. Merlyn's family. And he longed with every fiber of his being to have the same claim. He wanted to know every part of her, to share any and everything with her. That included her people and responsibilities. For now he could only hope that she felt the same.
"The druid was only here for supplies, not to cause harm, is it really necessary to execute him?" he asked, barely masking his anger. Had they more time, they could break Langet out of the cells, but given the circumstances, the druid would be killed within the next few hours while under heavy guard; Merlyn would not be able to rescue him without being exposed.
"Absolutely necessary." Uther replied without a moment of hesitation. "Those who use magic cannot be tolerated."
"The druids are a peaceful people." Arthur bit out.
Uther leveled him with a single, unimpressed look. The blonde felt indignation flash through him. That look made it known that nothing he did or said would change his mind, in Uther's eyes he was just a child who did not comprehend Uther's reality.
"Given the chance, they would see magic restored to the kingdom."
For a few moments Arthur tried to picture a Camelot where magic was once again welcomed. In the various scenarios there was one thing that stayed a constant: Merlyn by his side.
"They preach peace, but conspire against me." Uther continued, heading for the door. "We cannot afford to appear weak."
'You mean you can't appear weak.' Arthur was startled at the viciousness of the thought that immediately sprang to the forefront. 'You question why sorcerers attack you and your kingdom when it was you who began attacking them and hunting them down like animals.'
The Unknown was at the forefront now.
"Mercy can be a sign of strength." Arthur tried futilely.
"Our enemies will not see it that way, he have a duty to protect this kingdom and killing the druid will do just that."
Arthur looked away as the king continued on his way and down the hall.
"Find the druid boy, search every corner of the city if you have to."
Arthur searched the citadel first with all the diligence but none of the motivation he would usually have for such a task. He knew exactly where the boy was, after all. Instead, he performed for the guards with him and fled the moment they were done before they could drag him into anything else. When he returned to his room, he found his laundry hanging in front of the fireplace and his bed remade with new linen.
"Merlyn?"
"Behind here."
Arthur walked further into his room and peered around the changing screen. Merlyn was sitting next to her sleeping brother who laid in a nest of linens. He crouched down beside her and waited for her to shuffle over a little so he had room to sit beside her.
"He's just sleeping for now, I didn't want him to have to witness-" Merlyn stopped talking and took her hand off his arm, revealing a bandage that already had blood soaking through.
Arthur grabbed her shoulder and gently prodded at her until she turned around and fell into his embrace.
"I just don't understand why they would come here, they know better! I made very specific rules to prevent this kind of thing!" she grit out between clenched teeth, eyes watering in frustration.
"From what the man who sold them out said, they were buying supplies from him." Arthur replied steadily.
"Bastard." was all Merlyn allowed herself to say. She could understand his fear of magic, but couldn't comprehend why he would sell out a father and son just because they possessed it. They were undoubtedly planning to never see the man again, so why sell them out? For a few coins?
"I have to...be there. I asked for Lancelot and Morgana to be here with you." he said hesitantly. She fisted her hands in his shirt and nodded once. They sat that way until someone knocked on the door.
"Arthur, it's Lancelot and the Lady Morgana, what is the emergency?" Lancelot spoke from the hall.
Arthur reluctantly got to his feet and let the two people in, closing and locking the door behind them. Their expressions were alarmed, even more so when they moved further into the room and caught sight of a red eyed Merlyn and the unconscious boy behind her.
"What's going on?" Morgana asked cautiously, eyeing the boy with a strange expression. She took a look at the healer kneeling next to him and rushed to her side, offering what comfort she could give.
"My father is going to...he's their father." Arthur explained. "I didn't want her to be alone."
Morgana's expression was murderous as her head snapped his direction.
"And why can't you stop it! Or stay here with her at the very least!" she demanded hotly. Arthur grit his teeth, hands fisting until his knuckles were white.
"Because there is no time to save him! My father has ordered his death in less than an hour and as the future king, I have to be there as well!" he half-shouted at her, trying to keep his voice out of the hallway.
Sufficiently cowed, Morgana turned her attention back to her fellow witch who stared resolutely at her brother.
"Stay away from the windows." she warned. "And the balconies." she added as an afterthought.
Arthur nodded in understanding, eyes pained as he stepped forward to drop one last kiss to her brow before stalking off, Lancelot closing and locking the door behind him.
"Who is he?" Lancelot questioned good naturedly, sitting a respectful distance from the women so he could keep a close eye on them without being intrusive.
"Mordred, my brother. He and his father came in for supplies and they were betrayed. I couldn't save Langet." Merlyn choked out, following Morgana's gentle prods to rest on her.
"There must be something we can do." Morgana insisted, looking to Lancelot for support, but the knight shook his head minutely, dark eyes glancing down at the other witch pointedly.
"He knew the risks of coming here against the laws I put in place. As much as I want to save him, I cannot abandon Arthur, not even for him. Langet knows this." Merlyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes tight as she sensed her second father being pushed to his knees, head on the chopping block. She filled their mental link with all the happy memories and love and warmth she could find, comforting him to the very end.
The second the axe met flesh, a blood curdling screech escaped Merlyn's lips, eyes glowing bright as glass shards from the windows and mirror exploded outwards. Lancelot sprang into action and quickly restrained the flailing woman as a startled Morgana went to holding the boy down after he nearly shot to his feet, blue eyes wide in horror and terror.
She didn't calm until Arthur had returned. The prince took half a glance at the situation before he had her settled on the bed beside him, his arms wrapped tight about her waist while she cried into his neck.
-Earlier with Arthur-
Arthur made his displeasure no secret as he stood as far away from his father as publically acceptable. Having taken Merlyn's warning seriously, his back was pressed against the stone behind him. The druid at the block stared up at the king fearlessly, boldly.
"You have let your fear of magic turn to hate, I pity you." he called out.
Infuriated, Uther jerked his hand up.
The druid was forced to his knees, his head to the block.
As the axe raised, his brown eyes met sad blue.
Please take care of my children, Arthur Pendragon.
Blue eyes widened, a startled gasp escaping his lips.
The axe fell.
And startled screams filled the air, nearly silenced by the deafening sound of hundreds of windows shattering. The shards littered the courtyard like a heavy rain, none large enough to kill, but plentiful and sizeable enough to cut. Standing in front of a large window as he was, Uther got his fair share of pain, blood running down from his head and neck to soak into his clothes which were beyond repair.
True to Merlyn's word, Arthur could see small cracks appear in the stone of the balcony they stood on, though not deep or large enough to cause significant damage yet. He made a mental note to hire the masons to fill them before winter.
Using the distraction given to him, he all but ran back to his chambers, banging on the door forcefully until Lancelot finally opened it.
"She won't stop!" Morgana cried, trying and failing to comfort the crying woman.
Several minutes later, after sending Morgana and Lancelot out, and making sure Mordred had fallen back into an exhausted slumber, Arthur climbed onto his bed beside his witch.
It broke his heart to see her in such pain.
He watched her long after her tears had stopped and she fell into a fitful sleep. He felt a surge of protectiveness fill him and he vowed to never see her in such pain again.
The next morning, Morris woke them, face bright red in embarrassment at having caught them in bed together despite them being fully clothed. The poor servant didn't even notice the linens peeking out from behind Arthur's changing screen which was completely closed to hide Mordred in case a similar situation occurred.
The unexpected entrance of another person, that is. Not Merlyn spending a night in his bed.
If Merlyn or Morris saw the red in Arthur's face, they didn't mention it.
"I thought i had given you time off, Morris." Arthur grumbled, reluctantly releasing the woman so he could swing his legs over the edge of the bed, one hand running down his face in exasperation and exhaustion.
"S-sorry sire, it's just that you've never given me any time off before, and Gaius said that Merlyn hadn't returned last night and i thought you might like to know, but obviously you knew where she was as she was here, not that there's anything wrong with that of course-!" Morris babbled nervously, speaking faster and faster until Merlyn finally stood up and motioned for the man to calm down with a gentle smile.
"It's alright Morris, you're not in trouble. It was irresponsible of me to leave my guardian without telling him where i was." she said. She nodded to Arthur once and gave Morris's shoulder a friendly pat before heading for the door.
"I don't suppose I have to explain what will happen to Merlyn's reputation should you tell anyone about this, do I Morris." Arthur commented almost too nonchalantly after Merlyn had left, face finally back to its original color.
Morris's expression became horrified, as if the possibility hadn't crossed his mind. Knowing him, it probably hadn't.
"I won't tell anybody! Merlyn isn't like that at all!" he all but shouted at the prince. Arthur laughed and gave reassuring pat to Morris's shoulder, moving around his servant to pull out his clothes for the day.
"Of course she isn't, which is why we can't let other people think that."
Morris nodded seriously before going about his duties, eyeing the changing screen with some confusion, but leaving it be at Arthur's order.
Merlyn didn't return til after lunch, sorrow still lingering in her gaze despite the humored expression she wore.
"My Uncle has spent the last few hours making sure I knew the consequences of 'intimate relations' in great detail, as well as the damage rumors can do." she informed a chuckling blonde prince before cheerfully adding, "Then he showed me the numerous magical and non-magical methods of castration, should I be pressured into it again."
Arthur choked on his laughter to Merlyn's amusement.
"Don't worry, Blondie, I told him it wasn't necessary...for now."
Merlyn internally cackled at his expression, the mix of emotions indescribable, but no less satisfying. It was only fair he had to suffer a small portion of her pain. Gaius was positively livid with her for not only being out all night (she certainly didn't help his suspicion stumbling in at the crack of dawn, hair mussed, clothes rumpled, and eyes still a little red from crying), but busting every window and mirror within the citadel. He especially didn't appreciate her cheery reminder that it didn't affect their rooms at all considering they didn't have windows.
Personally, she thought it was a rather impressive example of control on her part, there was a lot more she could have broken.
Arthur couldn't help the twitchiness even as he asked her how she planned to get her brother out of Camelot.
"We're going to walk out the front gate of course!" she chirped cheerfully.
No longer weak from blood loss, Mordred stood in the middle of the room, standing still as Merlyn used her magic to change his clothing, his cloak going to the fireplace. Hair now brown, skin a few shades darker, freckles on his face, and eyes a dull green, Mordred looked completely different.
"How is this even possible?" Arthur wondered, examining Mordred's face with the boy's permission. Merlyn finished re-braiding her hair, letting it sit over one shoulder and turned to look at him.
"I didn't change his physical features, it's actually just an illusion. As long as I focus a bit on him, it should hold." she elaborated. "I already called for Iseldir to meet us a fair distance past the lake where the knights don't patrol often."
Arthur nodded and let Mordred climb onto his back before following Merlyn through several servant passages and some that even he had never seen. Before he knew it, they were in the middle of the lower town, Mordred having climbed down at some point and practically glued to Merlyn's side. On the way, the woman was greeted by several people who had gone to her and Gaius for treatment as well as a few of the orphaned children she regularly spent some time with, always bringing a meal with her. To his amusement, Mordred was radiating pride at how loved his sister was.
They made it through and out of the city well enough, the only trouble they had was the guards at the outer wall, wanting to know why their prince and knights' healer was leaving on foot and with a child to boot.
"I got word he had family in the next town over so I'm taking him to them, Blondie wanted to tag along so he could skip the cleanup in the citadel." Merlyn explained with her usual tease, laughing at Arthur when he hissed her name out threateningly. The guards, more than used to their endearing antics, waved them off with a promise not to sell them out after Merlyn promised them spoils from the kitchen.
They walked in mostly silence until they could no longer see the walls of Camelot. Once out of sight, Merlyn picked Mordred up and pulled Arthur's arm around her waist before teleporting them into the middle of the Druid camp.
"Emrys!" "Mordred!" several of the druids called in relief, quickly surrounding the trio and welcoming them home.
"Merlyn." a gruff voice barked out over the chatter of the others, quickly silencing them as they parted and let a man Arthur recognized immediately.
"Father." Merlyn greeted with a warm smile, finally setting Mordred down to join the other children just in time to be lifted into his embrace.
"I'm glad you are well." he whispered in her ear, making her smile all the more as she pulled away and motioned to the blonde prince behind her.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, sir." Arthur greeted with a short nod. Balinor appraised him and eventually nodded in return.
"The circumstances could have been better." he said.
"You will need to move camp, soon, Uther will send his search parties out if he thinks we have camped anywhere near Camelot," Merlyn reminded him, "Marie isn't due for another month at least, the travel will have to be short but enough that you will be out of rang-"
"Stop Merlyn." Balinor commanded gruffly, slowly removing his hand from her mouth when she finally stopped talking. "I know what Langet meant to you, perform the rites and return to Camelot, we will be fine here, I will look after Mordred and we will move tomorrow."
"Yes father."
Balinor nodded to them both before stalking off, leaving them to themselves.
"You have funeral rites?" Arthur asked after a few minutes of silence, watching as Merlyn slowly pieced herself together.
"Yes, to honor our dead and rejoice in the birth of their magic elsewhere in the world." Merlyn explained shortly, taking him by the arm and leading him deeper into the camp where she knew they kept the supplies needed for the task.
"Is there anything i can do to help?" he offered, watching as she gathered a few plants, oils, and even a deer hide.
"Not this time. As the leader of the tribe, and High Priestess in training, I must perform the rites myself. The others will likely gather to bear witness and mourn with me, however." she lead him to one of the many tents a short distance away, ducking under the flap and surprising him when she kept him from following.
"No man can enter this tent, Blondie. My father would be well within his rights to take your head if you did." she laughed. At his confused expression, she elaborated, "Only women and babes are allowed here."
"My apologies." he said quickly, worried he had unintentionally crossed a line. He drew back a few steps, pretending he wasn't blushing even as he revelled in Merlyn's delighted laughter.
She was insufferable.
"Why are you loitering outside my daughter's tent?" a deep baritone sounded from behind, Arthur nearly jumped as he whipped around to face Balinor.
"I apologize, i didn't…" Arthur stammered, not relaxing even when the same blue eyes that Merlyn had stared back at him, amused.
"Relax boy, it was in jest, as long as your intentions are honorable." there was a dangerous note in his voice that had Arthur's instincts screaming at him.
"Of course, sir. If i may be so bold, i care deeply for Merlyn, i would like to think she cares for me in return."
The prince did not feel the power of his station as he met Balinor's gaze evenly. In this moment he was just a man, no, just a boy, asking for favor from the father of the woman he loved.
He had never felt so vulnerable.
He would never let Merlyn be taken from him, the Unknown was sure of that, yet he would prefer to not be the cause of strife between Merlyn and her father.
"You are acceptable. Hopefully you will prove to be more than Uther's son." Balinor finally said. Arthur inclined his head and finally relaxed, jumping slightly when a familiar pair of arms wound around his waist from behind.
"Is he intimidating you?" Merlyn laughed. She had changed, now dressed in a simple white dress with thin straps crossing behind her neck, she looked near ethereal even as her magic braided her hair for her.
"It is my right." Balinor reminded her, a warm smile on his face as she stepped forward to hug him once more.
Arthur felt his mouth go dry as he was able to take in the rest of her. While layered to preserve her modesty, the fabric of her dress was partially see through and left two long slits in the front almost to her hips, exposing her legs and-
"Where are your shoes, Merlyn?" Arthur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
"Where they belong, far from me." she retorted, whipping around, her lip curl in distaste.
"It's unsanitary."
"It's freedom."
"What if you step on something you shouldn't?"
"Wouldn't matter, my magic protects what the callous won't."
"And the filth?"
"Regular bathing, and again, magic."
"You can't solve everything with magic, Merlyn."
"I'm pretty sure i can actually."
"You sound like your mother." Balinor chuckled fondly. Merlyn flushed and ducked her head. Rarely did her father speak of her mother, but it was always with genuine love. "Go and perform the rites Merlyn, we will move soon and look after Mordred. No getting distracted."
Merlyn nodded and rushed off to do as she was told, Arthur following after bidding a respectful farewell to her father. They returned to Camelot in the dead of night to the same guards who were keeping their fellow guards far from the delightful treats Merlyn offered as bribes, (Mary guarded her kitchen jealously and was not to be crossed even by the Prince, thus it was not a surprise that Merlyn had charmed her and became something of a favorite niece to the woman) and fell into their respective beds, slipping into exhausted slumber.
AN: Hello again! Fair warning, i am about to deviate from the episodes now, i am planning a surprise appearance in the next chapter that i hope you will all enjoy :)
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