'Help' It was the sound of a young boy's voice 'Help me, please'
Merlin walked out of the castle, looking for the source of the voice in his head.
'Please'
He caught sight of the boy, hiding from something.
'Please, you have to help me'
Looking around, he saw the guards asking about a boy.
'They're searching for me'
'Why are they after you?' Merlin questioned in his mind
'They're going to kill me'
Looking to see if the guards were distracted, he waited until all of the guards had left the square completely before turning to the boy again.
'This way' he instructed, walking to another entrance of the castle not so full of people 'Run. Run!'
The boy ran and followed Merlin, who guided him into his chambers in the physician's quarters. Merlin moved to his window and cast a spell on the woods to mislead the guards, then moved back to his room. The boy passed out on his bed.
A few minutes later, he saw the guards prepare the executioner's block. Uther announced that the boy had escaped into the woods and to any that see a sign of him to immediately warn a guard. So he was safe, for now.
He was glad the boy was asleep when the man that came with him was executed.
•••
"What are you– Merlin!" Gaius walked in to see him applying a concoction of herbs into the boy's chest where he had been struck.
"Shhh, not so loud" He motioned for Gaius to close the door.
"Do you have any idea of what danger you're putting yourself in by harboring that child?!" He whispered in a very scream-like way.
"Yes, but what am I supposed to do, hand him over for execution?" He glared back at the physician.
"… You do have a point. But you are sending him away at the first chance you get, do you hear me?"
"Yes, Gaius, thank you. I'll wait until the guards lower their guards and find a way to smuggle him out."
"Fine, now get out of here; I will take a look at him"
It was night when the boy opened his eyes again. Merlin was sitting by his side, worrying over the wound.
'Thank you, Emrys'
'Emrys? Why do you call me that?'
'Among my people, that is your name'
'You know who I am. How?'
He never acquired an answer, for the boy was asleep again before managing to speak.
•••
The dragon did not hold many answers either; he discovered some time after that.
"You should not protect this boy"
"Why?" protested Merlin "He has magic. He's just like me!"
"You and the boy can come to be as different as day and night"
"What do you mean?"
"Heed my words, Merlin," The dragon said, flying away.
"Not much to heed, now, is there?" He mutters, angrily "Why should I care about the opinion of an oversized lizard? Do you hear me?! I make my own destiny"
He turned back and went for his chambers, mind made up. He did not care about what they could come to be, but what is now. Now there is an injured boy in need of his help.
'Do you have a way of contacting your people?' He tried to initiate the conversation
'Yes,' the boy moved slightly on the bed, looking at Merlin, who was surprised it had worked 'There's a spell… I can't do it now' he looked down at his hurt chest.
'Is there a camp nearby?'
'No, but… If we were in the woods, maybe I could speak to one of them'
'I can take you to the woods' Merlin said in tone of promise.
The boy opened his mouth and coughed immediately after. Merlin hurried to his side, pulling a wet cloth to clean the sweat off his pale face. The boy smiled up at him slightly before his eyes rolled back and he fell unconscious.
He was leaving his chambers in the following morning, with Gaius out to run errands, when Arthur barged in.
Hehe, I sense trouble.
I also sense another chapter coming...