Sherlock won a Bafta! and I hit 100 reviews!
Oh I swear that makes up for exams! XD I wasn't sure if I should put this up but my friend said it was good so he ya go : P
On a more serious note sorry for keeping you waiting and thanks for all the good lucks I have been getting for my exams :D
If you want to help change the way this fic is going read the note at the end! Read the chapter first of course : P
Enjoy
She was there the whole time. The slight outline of the figure in the darkest corner standing resolute and completely still, she stood there and watched
It's cold but it's warm. The stone floor beneath him is freezing to an almost painful degree while the heat from the fireplace feels as if it's scorching his back. Merlin gasps spitting out the blood in his mouth as his eyes wander around the blurred dark room. Everything's out of focus and the pain is unbearable.
But this had already happened. Tears swam in his vision as his eyes scanned the darkness for Arthur, for anyone.
She peeled away from the darkness just as she had before. Pale skin standing out in the darkness as black silk swept across the ground around her. The expression on her face was pitying but Merlin knew better then to trust whatever mask she may be wearing. It wasn't the same as before, she hadn't been carrying a knife then; long curved and vicious looking. It wasn't the same, but it was.
"This is your doing." He accused even as his already failing vision began to fade completely.
"But it had to be done Merlin." She replied coldly. She held the knife in the air reading to bring down on his in a moment's notice.
Emrys
Merlin's head snapped round, dizziness forgotten. Arthur's room was gone, the whole space seemingly enveloped in grey mist. Merlin was still lying on his side but slowly he pushed himself in to a sitting position.
Hello Emrys
This time the voice was clearer and Merlin turned to meet the cold eyes of a dark haired boy with skin as pale as the dead, the one who looked O so much like Morgana.
"Emrys." He said again smirking in satisfaction as Merlin's eyes widened upon seeing him.
"Mordred? What are you doing here?" He spat leaning away from the boy who perched perfectly still sitting on the ground beside him.
"I've never been too far away." His image flickered then changing quickly to that of a small scrawny brown haired page whose hair flopped down in front of his eyes. Merlin's eyes widened further remembering the boy dashing around telling them about the witch and having Arthur leave to go to the main hall.
"You-" He hissed, finding himself lost for words. Mordred actually smiled this time and if he had been creepy before the image of the alien almost uncomfortable looking expression on his face pushed the child to looking almost demented.
Just like that Merlin felt something new surge up to the surface within him the emotion so strong it fought to get to the surface dragging his magic up along with it.
"You will pay for this." Merlin growled and if he remembered Mordred was only a child now it didn't show. Anger roared up inside him filling the empty space and the pain and all of it, all of it for that moment was directed at the unwell looking boy and of course Morgana.
The smile slipped off his face as quickly as it had appeared and Mordreds expression quickly flicked back to that hateful disapproving glower that seemed to fit more naturally.
"We shall see about that Emrys."
-M-
Merlin woke with a gasp eyes open wide as they took in the dark room and cool air. He slumped slightly back in place when he realized where he was. His room, no one had stayed this time but his door was very purposely left slightly open so Gaius could check up on him without causing too much noise.
Breathing slowly and letting the tension slowly ease from his body he waited for the constant aches and pains to make themselves known. Gaius had kept him on almost constant mixtures to hold back the pain but that had been when he went to sleep, hours ago. As he'd learnt the previous evening, waking up was always the worst.
His ribs were first to remind him on the damage done they settled with a full ache that burned worse every time he moved to breath. His arm, his hands, his legs too seemed to be protesting from the walking he had been putting them through the day before and he hadn't even gone that far.
He closed his eyes pushing back the tears that were burning just behind his eyes. One escaped all the same and it drew a cold line down the side of his face before it soaked in to his pillow. his heart reminded his sadistically that physical wounds weren't the only ones he would have to deal with now that all his hopes had come crumbling down around him.
Now, after all the pain and been suffered and he'd been forced to look each and every one of his concerned friends in the eye –except Arthur of course- it was only now that his mind began o play back over the events of that night. It had remained as pristine and clear as it had been at the time, the whole memory had a sort of nightmarish quality at his remembered the hatred in the eyes he was apparently 'destined to protect'.
Merlin's eyes opened sliding to the window. He found himself glowering at the dark sky as his mind slid to the Great Dragon flying free somewhere out there. He wondered what Killgharah would think of the destiny now, wondered how he would respond if he could set eyes on the damage it had done. He felt The Dragons consciousness tweak with curiosity at his attention and finally turned his mind away.
He didn't want to speak with Killgharah now, nor could he see himself making it all the way to the clearing in one piece without assistance. Dropping his eyes from the window something else caught Merlin's attention and he frowned as he caught sight of the faint red blotch on his bed.
His eyes narrowed to pick out the shape in the dim light and when he finally did he stared taken aback. Slowly his hand moved reaching out of the blanket until his fingers entwined with the soft material. His red neckerchief had been folded carefully and left on the side of his bed.
His fingers could feel a change in the material, it was smoother then it had been and the faint sent of soap wafted from the material. His mind flickered back to when he had last seen it, Arthur had had it at some point before screwing it up and discarding it on the floor. Someone must have found it and cleaned it for him. His mind drifted to Gwen but the scent was different from the herbs used by the Castles servants.
The scent was familiar and it took only a moment more to place it. The scent was distinctive and the same as the bath oils Arthur had been gifted with last week. He remembered filling the bath for Arthur himself and the sweet smell filling the room in moments. Merlin froze his shoulders tensing once again as his mind worked over this. Arthur had cleaned this himself, he must have found it in his room and rather then get a servant to clean it as would be normal…
His eyes heated again with tears as they stared in to the dark material, there were still blood stains in places but they were mostly washed away. Arthur actually cleaning something would almost seem ridiculous were the circumstances different; but that fact remained if he had passed the job off to anyone else they would have the good sense to use something that would actually aide in cleaning the material rather than the Princes personal bath oils.
Pain tore at Merlin's heart like it had never done before. Because Arthur, his friend, had finally found out the truth and responded in the most brutal way possible, but Arthur didn't know that. Arthur had no idea what he'd done and some small hopeful part of Merlin began to wonder if Arthur could change, if his reaction would be different if he found out again.
But then the memories would return, the pure hatred in his once friend's eye directed at him, hatred for something he had been all his life and hadn't chosen. They had known each other for three years, Merlin had considered them friends even if the Prince refused to admit it out right. Yet after three years of friendship Arthur had-
…Arthur had destroyed everything.
-M-
Sitting in a dim, stinking, loud, candle lit tavern listening to the various songs of the early drunkards and brooding over a large, over priced drink was probably the best thing Lancelot had ever decided to do since like… ever.
It was warm stuffy and all the windows were blocked out so when you woke up you could have your hangover in peace. It was probably the best tavern inside the cities walls, even if like all the places of business in Camelot, it was priced as high as anyone could possibly pay for. Apparently knights got a discount, or at least according to the young barmaid still battering her eyelashes at him from the other side of the room.
Right now he couldn't care less either way, he just wanted a drink and -by gods he sounded like Gwaine- but he couldn't care less where it came from.
"Aaand there you are."
Lancelot closed his eyes with a faint groan as a familiar figure dropped down in the seat next to him.
"You know I had to check four taverns just to find you here?" Gwaine replied.
"Yeah, and you probably had a drink in every one I'd bet." Lancelot replied proud that even after his forth he'd managed to keep any hint of a slur from his voice. Gwaine snorted, a drink seemed to materialize out of nowhere before him. Gwaine winked at the bar maid, the accompanying giggle didn't fail to make Lance feel sick.
"I won't say you're wrong there." Gwaine grinned. The moment Lancelot's eyes flicked back to his drink though the smile faded in to a scowl fitted with seriousness unlike his usual expression. "I kno-"
"I know what you are going to ask." Lancelot said cutting him off, "and you must surely know, I cannot answer."
"What the hell do you mean you can't answer?" Gwaine shouted temper quick to flare. Lancelot glanced at him sideways but otherwise went back to brooding over his drink.
"I mean I can't, I won't, and I promised that I wouldn't." He downed the rest of his drink, then took Gwaine's.
"Merlin made you swear?" Lancelot nodded shortly, missing completely the brief look of fury in his friend's eyes, "So he did tell you?" He growled. Again Lancelot nodded slowly and Gwaine bit back his anger.
"Don't tell me you're going to get jealous over this of all things?" Lancelot grumbled and this time his voice did slur. He stared in to the bottom of his mug as Gwaine's lip twitched briefly in disgust.
"That is not why I'm angry, friend." Gwaine growled. Lancelot snorted obviously not believing him, Gwaine's jaw tightened and his eyes burned, if looks could kill… "I'm angry because you know, and you're sitting here in a tavern, Lancelot."
"Oh?" Lancelot replied chuckling humorously, "and what would you do in my place? If you were in my position that is, which you obviously are not."
Gwaine leaned down close to the knight's face, determination and fury in his eyes as his drink remained lone and forgotten on the table next to him.
"What I would do, Sir Lancelot, is keep the promise to Merlin, hunt down the bastard that did this to him and make what's left of his life a living hell." Lancelot blinked looking up blearily as he realized the pure spite that lined the knight's words. Lancelot frowned at him.
"He doesn't want that, I'm not- I can't…" His voice gave out. Gwaine's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"You're not going to tell me." He murmured, "but I wonder if I can hazard a guess."
Lancelot blinked up at him a worried expression on his face waiting for Gwaine to make his guess.
Ok heres the problem. You could probably tell this fic is a bit of a filler and its mostly because my semi planned plot line gave up on me under the stress of exams.
One suggestion was have Merlin leave. My idea was/is to have Morgana and Mordred attack Camelot and Merlin chose to help or not…
Anyone hate/love these ideas? Got some way you have been wanting the story to go all along and have been jumping up and down screaming for that to happen… what is the most common favored end game here?
Yeah maybe its cheating but I seen other people do it damn it! : P
You can now help chose the fate of this story while I cry over my psychology book…
Please review : P or I will just give in and right the whole Morgana thing eventually… I really hate that woman now …
Anyway thank you all again for reading and being genuinely very nice :D
Byes!
SQ