Merlin sat quietly in his cell as he heard the commotion up above him and sighed. He'd been a fool. Using his magic out in the open like that had been an idiotic move and now he would burn like his parents had. Uther would stand outside with his stupid necklace and he'd be powerless, normally the flames would be no threat to him however with no magic he wouldn't stand a chance of escaping.
His chest tightened at the thought of burning to death and he pushed the hair from his head, the chains around his wrists reminding him that he wasn't welcome in his home anymore. There were no friends here that he could turn to, no parents that could tell him everything would be okay. Merlin was alone in this.
At the sound of approaching footsteps his body tensed and he hugged his knees to his chest, making sure to stay in the shadows. He didn't want anybody to see him looking this weak. "Merlin?" A quiet voice broke the silence and he glanced sideways to see two hands gripping the cell bars. He didn't need to see the person's face to know who it was. "I know you're there, I can see you in the corner … you always did have trouble when hiding from me."
"Maybe you need to learn how to take a hint."
"Touche," Arthur replied and silence fell between them. What do you say to someone who let their Father imprison you? Arthur could have defended him, shown some kind of sign that he didn't want Merlin to be taken, instead he just stood there and let Uther's men take him away. "If there was something I could do I'd do it," Arthur muttered and Merlin glanced in his direction. "I don't have the power to over rule Uther, you know that. If I did you'd be out this very second … you wouldn't have even been captured at all."
"You're just making excuses to make yourself feel better when you think back on this. You'll remember how you watched me burn and tell yourself that you couldn't do anything." Getting to his feet, Merlin walked slowly towards the bars keeping him trapped and glanced at the necklace hanging from the pin outside his cell. "However right now you could be taking down that necklace and setting me free. I could escape this island with my dragon and nobody would ever know it was you."
Arthur looked over his own shoulder at the necklace and sighed, "You know I can't do that."
"Why? Will Uther somehow know that it was you who set me free? It could have been numerous people on this island trying to rebel against him or just help me. He can't execute you all without any firm evidence." Covering Arthur's hand with his own he gave a small smile, "Help me. Be a better man then your Father. Show me that I wasn't wrong about you."
He watched as Arthur leant his forehead against the bars and stared at him with a look he couldn't describe, all he could tell you was that it sent butterflies to his stomach. "Will I ever see you again?" Arthur whispered.
"I hope so," Merlin admitted. He hoped that one day he could return to this island and call it home, to walk free amongst the people and not feel so different. Until then he would stay away. Arthur seemed to come to a decision since he moved away from the cell and towards the necklace, his intention to remove it so Merlin could have his magic back to break free. However luck wasn't on their side.
"Good, you're here." Uther's voice said from the door and Merlin sunk back into the shadows to watch him claim his necklace which Arthur had been within reaching distance of. "I've decided it's better to rid our island of this sorcerer now rather then later. Who knows what tricks he has up his sleeves and I won't chance him harming our home." He clicked his fingers and two men entered Merlin's cell after unlocking the door. "I'd like you to stand by my side whilst this sorcerer burns to show the people your loyalty to them."
Merlin didn't have enough strength to fight off the hold of the two men when they began to drag him from the cell, one of which took the necklace from Uther to keep Merlin at bay, and he didn't get to hear Arthur's response since he was being taken out into the courtyard. He was then lead down the path into town where he was thrown into his home and locked inside. As he looked around his home he saw that it had been turned upside down and searched thoroughly for any signs of sorcery, they would find none. Merlin had not been taught magic, it had been instinctive.
Moving on from his destroyed furniture and belongings, he saw that his windows were barricaded and he didn't doubt in his mind that his back door was as well. He was trapped. There wasn't even any point attempting to escape since he could feel the power of the necklace just outside the building, forcing his magic to be shut off from him.
"Today we watch the last sorcerer burn to rid our island of evil that has haunted us for decades," short words and to the point. Uther wasn't wasting any time in getting rid of him. Pushing himself up to his knees, his eyes watched as smoke began to appear under the door and the memories of his parents death surfaced. How they had held him in his arms and somehow managed to get him to safety. That part he didn't understand.
How had his Father used magic when Uther no doubt had the same necklace he did now?
"No magic can be bound when it is a part of you that no one can touch."
Merlin frowned at the sound of a voice entering his mind, he recognised it but knew it to be impossible, there was no way Kilgh was here. He couldn't have reached the village without his help. His thoughts were unfortunately interrupted when a cough escaped him, the smoke thickening and his vision slowly beginning to blur.
"Use the magic you know is yours to control. All you have to do is believe you can use it. Don't let him win."
"Easy for you to say," Merlin muttered and his body fell sideways onto the wooden floor. Maybe it was better this way. He wouldn't have to hide anymore, he'd be able to see his parents again and there was a small chance he could be happy. That sounded a lot better then reality.
"Don't make your parents sacrifice pointless. They died so you could survive."
He felt his magic stir inside him and Merlin tried to grab hold of it, trying to use it to escape. Except nothing happened. He wasn't as strong as his Father had been, it was impossible for him to fight the power of the necklace, especially when he was surrounded in flames and smoke.
"Arthur is waiting for you."
This was Kilgh's last attempt to get him to break free and for some reason the knowledge that Arthur was waiting for him gave him enough strength to open his eyes, his magic now flowing through him and the next time he opened his eyes he was in a forest he recognised as the one his Father had sent him to.
Turning his head to face the village, his eyes saw the colour orange as he saw his home be consumed by flames and to everyone's knowledge himself. If he had waited another second he would have been trapped under the roof of his home and crushed to death, that is if the smoke hadn't suffocated him. Now all he could do was see how many people looked relieved that he was gone. See how many people had wanted him dead.
"The sorcerer is gone! We shall feast in celebration, everyone to the dining hall!" Uther yelled and numerous people cheered, except Will, Gaius and a handful of others who he could see glaring in the leader's direction. If only he could tell them he was okay however that wasn't possible. They all had to think him dead otherwise he'd be running for the rest of his life.
"Merlin," a soft voice said from above him and he turned his gaze away from the village to see a tall blond staring down at him. "I feared you hadn't made it out in time," he admitted and dropped to his knees so he could cup Merlin's face in his cool palms. "Are you okay?" As he asked his eyes scanned his entire body and Merlin managed to find the strength to raise his hands to cover Arthur's, his touch weak but filled with gratitude that Arthur was there. "I couldn't just watch you burn so I came to get Kilgh."
He heard movement beside him and glanced over to see Kilgh peering out from some bushes he was hidden inside, "How…" he began. There was no way Arthur got to Kilgh and back again in the time it had taken since Merlin last saw him. Not unless he had magic himself.
"Kilgh was already on his way. I think he knew you needed his help."
"You should have called me."
Merlin could hear the anger in his dragon's voice and smiled a little, he may have almost an entire village hate him but at least he had a dragon that cared for him. Plus an annoying prat that had gone against his Father to rescue him. "How did you know I'd be here?" Merlin managed to whisper and Arthur smirked.
"You can't hide from me, remember?" He brushed Merlin's hair across his forehead and Merlin could see the worry in his gaze, like he couldn't quite believe Merlin was here. That instead he was burning in the building that had now turned to ash. "We'll build you a new home," Arthur said quietly even though they both knew it to be a lie. He could never return here, at least not until Uther was gone.
"We must go."
Arthur couldn't even hear Kligh and yet Merlin was suddenly being pulled to his feet, the strong, tall blond now helping Merlin over to the bushes when he was helped onto the dragons back. In that small amount of time Merlin felt his magic returning to him and found the energy to sit up, his eyes now on Arthur who was glancing back at the village. "Go," he whispered quietly.
"No, I'm not leaving you. Who knows when I'll ever see you again," Arthur said with determination but Merlin simply put his palm to Arthur's cheek to keep him in place. "You can't make me go."
"I won't have you sacrificing your life for mine. You belong here with the people, until you rule over them I cannot return and when that day comes I'll be proud to be a part of this society. For now I will travel this island and remain hidden, that's the way it should be."
"We need to go now."
"Why do I feel like I'll never see you again?" Arthur asked quietly and moved closer so he was pressed up against Merlin's leg which straddled the quiet dragon. "How will I find you if I need you?"
"You have never needed me," Merlin whispered and without thinking he dipped his head to press a soft kiss to Arthur's lips. "I can never hide from you. If you find there's a day when you do need me then you won't have to look very far, promise." Their lips met once more and then the sound of people yelling came from the village in search of Arthur. "Be careful. I won't be around to jump on dragon's backs to rescue you anymore."
"As if I'd need you to rescue me," Arthur remarked and Merlin laughed under his breath. He watched as Arthur ran out to join the people he was no longer a part of and sighed, hoping he could come home soon.
"Go," Merlin told the dragon quietly and Kilgh began to walk through the trees since it would be stupid to lift off in plain sight. Where they'd go, Merlin wasn't sure. He just knew that he'd always be around if Arthur ever needed him.
Little did he know that that day was sooner then he thought it would be.
