Eyes Wide Open
Summary: After witnessing Merlin using magic, Arthur is faced with a series of hard decisions. Can he decide where his loyalties lie in time to defeat a new enemy that quickly approaches Camelot?
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters. All I have are my words and my squees of rabid fangirlishness.
A/N: Another huge thanks to all for reading and for the reviews! Two more chapters left to upload after this so I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 11
Merlin really didn't like the sound of that. The way Arthur had said it, 'why don't we find out', and the predatory gleam in his eyes when he had looked back, told Merlin that talking wasn't what the prince had meant. Although, he supposed, for Arthur – the clashing of swords and spilling of blood was certainly one form of conversation. But it was one that Merlin didn't particularly approve of, nor one he wished to participate in.
He trailed closely behind the prince, making sure not to lose sight of him, even when the tree branches kept threatening to ensnare on his clothes to hold him up. He only caught up when Arthur had eased into a pace so slow that a slug could slither right passed them with more speed. The thought caused Merlin's eyes to drop to the forest floor, as if half expecting to see a slug do exactly that. There was no slug but there was a low, warning growl as his distraction caused him to walk right into Arthur who had now stopped in his creeping.
A sheepish smile flitted across his lips but his gaze was quickly drawn away the near fatal glare that Arthur threw him and toward the lake up ahead. From where they were, Merlin could make out two figures. Sir Ivan and a man he didn't recognise. The very sight of the man caused Merlin's blood to run cold as his breath caught in his chest. Magic, he would know it anywhere. Then as the man turned to face the knight, Merlin saw the unmistakable flash of gold in his eyes.
"Can't you do something?" Arthur asked, his eyes also focused on the pair.
Merlin raised an eyebrow, more than a little confused by the question. "Do something?"
A frustrated rumble slipped from Arthur's throat and though he couldn't see, Merlin was sure he rolled his eyes. "You know, so we can hear what they're saying?"
Now Merlin's eyebrow rose higher, a frown tugging at his lips. It was true that they were too far away to hear what was being said but what did Arthur think he could do about it? "You mean like move closer?" He spoke slowly, unsure of what Arthur expected of him.
"Merlin, you truly are an idiot," Arthur spat out, sparing him a quick glance that shared the same sentiment as his words. "Magic, Merlin. You are a sorcerer after all."
If they hadn't been trying to hide, Merlin knew Arthur would have shouted the last part and was actually quite proud that the prince managed to restrain himself from doing so. No doubt if he had shouted, it would have been Merlin's fault.
The frown slipped from Merlin's face and he refocused his attention on the knight and sorcerer up ahead. "Magic isn't a toy," he answered simply and maybe a little too quickly because Arthur seemed to pick up on the unspoken words.
"In other words, you don't know how to?" It was phrased as a question but Merlin knew it was anything but.
"No." Well, that wasn't entirely true. He had read something in the book Gaius had given him but he wasn't quite sure whether it would enhance hearing or just cause a person's ears to grow. Being that he already felt self-conscious about the size of his, he'd never tried it. So trying to use such a spell now, for all he knew he would end up turning Arthur into a frog. Any other time, if Arthur hadn't just saved his life by helping him to escape from Camelot, then he may not have been too bothered but he doubted Arthur would be equally amused.
But they didn't need any special hearing spells to make sense of what was going on between Sir Ivan and the man. It was as they said, whoever 'they' were, actions speak louder than words, and for once Merlin thought he knew what they meant. Sir Ivan caught a pouch in his hands and Merlin felt his heart sink. If the knight had told Uther about Merlin's magic because he truly believed it was the right thing to do, then Merlin could understand. But this, taking payment from another sorcerer… it left Merlin wondering.
Ivan moved toward his horse but Merlin kept his eyes on the sorcerer, creeping around to the other side of Arthur to get a better view. What was he planning and why had he paid the knight to rat Merlin out? The only thing Merlin knew for sure was that nothing good could come of a sorcerer, especially one that looked colder than any winter Merlin had suffered through, being so close to Camelot.
That thought caused another truth to stir inside of Merlin's mind and he sighed. Leaving the kingdom was no longer an option. It wasn't just his job to protect Arthur but also his job to protect Camelot against sorcerers and their magic, whether Arthur was there or not. He had realised that long ago. He was about tell Arthur as much, turning to the prince only to find him gone.
It didn't take him long to understand that the damn arrogant, insufferable and ever so slightly idiotic dollop-head had gone after Sir Ivan. Damn it…
Not caring about the noise he was creating, he gave chase and arrived just in time to see the prince throw himself from the raised spot he had found and at the passing knight. He dragged Sir Ivan from the horse and down with him to the ground with a loud crash and plenty of shouts. Both men appeared oblivious to the frightened horse that reared. Merlin, though, felt panic run through him as he could already see the decent of those hooves and the place they would land - that place being Arthur.
"Ásæle." The spell slipped from his lips, his hand outstretched, and he felt his magic flare. The horse's reins quickly became tangled in the branches of one of the trees, pulling the horse away from Arthur and allowing the hooves to come crashing down on soft forest floor instead.
Arthur was unfazed, or more likely he just had no idea how close a call it had been but then Merlin knew that wasn't any different from normal. Both prince and knight drew their swords and Merlin watched with mild fascination as the former circled the latter. It was like watching a cat toy with an injured bird, spreading its claws for nothing more than show, or like a wolf with a stray lamb, its jaw set into a knowing sneer.
With one hand, Arthur swung the sword lazily in a circle before pointing it to Sir Ivan's chest, his eyes never leaving the knight's face. "How much was your betrayal worth, Sir Ivan? How much did he pay for you to break your silence?"
The knight cocked his head to the side, his fingers flexing before tightening once more around the handle of his weapon. He scoffed at the question, a smirk slipping onto his lips. "How much were you paid to keep yours?"
"Merlin earned my silence and trust when he laid his life down for mine."
"Either you're a greater fool than I thought you were or you truly have been corrupted by the boy." A dry chuckle echoed around the eerily silent area and Merlin swallowed hard at the sound. It felt like it didn't belong there and by being there, it was breaking some unwritten law of the forest. "I think your actions prove it is the latter. I no longer serve you so do not expect me to be merciful. After all, I am not the one who has betrayed Camelot – you are."
The words had barely finished vibrating through the air before Arthur lunged forward. Anger clouding the prince's judgement, Ivan deflected the blow easily and returned with a slash of his own. The tip of the blade ripped through the air inches from Arthur as the prince pulled back, leaving behind an angry whisper to trail after the metal.
Impatience, or maybe it was false confidence, caused the knight to strike again, stepping forward into the thrust he aimed at Arthur's side. Like it was a familiar dance routine that he knew all too well, Arthur swung to the side and round, avoiding the blade and bringing his elbow down on the back of Ivan's neck.
Losing his footing, the knight landed on the floor with a thump and Arthur immediately swooped down to grab the sword that had fallen with him. Unwilling to give up though, Sir Ivan rolled over onto his back, seconds away from making a desperate grab for his dagger or any other weapon he could reach, but the point of his own sword tracing the skin of his throat held him still and Arthur loomed above him.
"I said I would have your head." The words were callous and cruel, the blade far too steady in Arthur's grip. Blood trickled from the skin broken by the blade and fear darted across Sir Ivan's features. The sword was raised, ready for the kill, but Merlin saw the hesitation there and took advantage of it.
"Arthur!" he shouted, coming to stand before the prince, his posture rigid with determination.
For the first time since starting the fight, Arthur tore his gaze away from the knight and looked toward Merlin. The anger died away from his eyes and without a word, he released his grip on the sword, allowing it to fall to the ground with a clatter. He took a step away from Sir Ivan and sheathed his own blade, the growl still etched deep into his voice when he finally did speak.
"You're not worth it," he told the knight, looking down at him with hate and repulsion. "As the Crown Prince of Camelot, I banish you from this kingdom. Leave now and stay far away because the next time I see you, I won't be as tolerant."
Sir Ivan stood but didn't speak, glaring at Arthur as the prince turned his back on him. After several heartbeats, he finally moved toward his horse, grabbing his sword on the way. Merlin knew it wasn't respect that drove him but the fact that he knew he couldn't win. Either he did as Arthur said and left the kingdom, or he died.
"Should you ever whisper of what you witnessed or even think to speak Merlin's name in the same breath as the words magic or sorcerer," Arthur started up again, voice low as he turned his head enough so he could glower at the knight, "then I will hunt you down and finish what I started here."
The only reply was that of horse hooves and when they finally died away, Arthur looked to Merlin. The anger remained at the edges of his eyes but his expression had softened greatly and when he spoke, Merlin wasn't sure who he was trying to convince with his words. "You should have let me kill him."
"That's not the type of man you are," Merlin answered without thought because the words felt so true that no real thought was needed to speak them.
Arthur looked him over, his brow furrowing so much that Merlin wondered if he had grown a tail or a pair of wings. "You really are a mystery."
"So I've been told." A goofy grin lit up his face and he allowed himself to shake the tension from his shoulders. He could see the beginnings of a smile tracing the edges of Arthur's lips but before it could fully form, something else settled in the prince's eyes as his hand flew once again to his side where his sword sat.
Merlin felt the magic dripping from the air, surrounding them, well before he heard the spell. His eyes were locked on Arthur's but Arthur's were locked on something behind him, the blond's hand frozen in place, sword still comfortably in its sheath, in the same way Sir Ivan's had been by the lake.
"Your majesty," a voice echoed from behind, the words soaked in false humility and Merlin imagined the owner to be dipping into an excessively low bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Thank you again for reading!
