OOOHKAY so this is the last chapter. yeah it just seems a good place to round off. There will be a sequel, I think, with more Arthur and Merlin and definitely more magic because there hasn't been nearly enough magic in this. I hope this ending is good enough! Love and thanks to everyone who's reviewed/favourited/followed this story and/or me! And sorry for all those times I've kept you waiting for the next chapter! this is the lastttt chapter. (I'm relieved and kinda sad and kinda glad haha) Anyway, happy reading, for the last time on Merlin's Voice...
The king and all he cared deeply about sat around the large circular table, conversing, laughing and drinking wine like no tomorrow. This was to be the late celebration of Merlin's promotion to Court Sorcerer, which had, so far, been eventful to say the least.
Arthur sat in the middle of his two favourite people: his wife and his warlock. Every so often, Merlin and Arthur would catch the others eye and they'd share a comforting look. The king knew that what they had talked about earlier had been hard for his friend to relive and thought he could at least reassure him that everything was okay now Arthur knew about what had happened to Merlin.
Many stories of Merlin's childhood, long before Walter's time, told by Hunith and caused much laughter and even Gaius caused a few chuckles with his stories of hiding Merlin's magic for all those years before Arthur found out. Then, abruptly and without indication as to why, Merlin stood up. For a beat, nobody moved, but all stared at Merlin. It was as if he had suddenly been possessed and he gazed ahead while speaking.
"I'd like to say something." Without looking for approval from Arthur, Merlin continued. "I... I told Arthur something earlier and while it is not something I wish to repeat, it taught me something. Saying it aloud made me realise that... I'm not alone. I have all of you." Smiling, the warlock moved away from the table and went to stand a few steps back from it. By now, everyone sat around the table, the king, queen, their knights, the Court Physician and Merlin's mother, all looked fixedly at Merlin.
Without warning, Arthur beamed.
Despite only seeing the look his warlock had on his face once before while they were both drunk, Arthur recognised it well. As the others all noticed the grin on their kings face, some of them began to pick up on what was about to happen, and joined Arthur.
"I don't have to be afraid anymore," Merlin said, laughing, relieved.
Then, slowly, Merlin began to sing. He let the words of the Old Tongue swallow him and his instincts took over as a slow drumbeat thrummed throughout the room, everyone felt it within their bodies. Next came the strange instrument Arthur had seen when Merlin had sang for the first time in front of him, glowing a burnt orange. The light from the instrument seemed to travel up Merlin's arms towards his face then disappeared at his jaw-line. All of a sudden, his eyes opened wide, blindingly gold as words tumbled from his mouth poetically.
None understood what he was saying (other than Gaius, who picked up every few words or so), but if they had said it wasn't the most amazing thing they'd ever heard, they would be lying. Even Arthur and the knights who had heard Merlin sing before, hadn't heard it with as much passion or ferocity as he was putting into it now.
His voice filled the room for some minutes, while his friends stared in awe and respect. Although only three of Merlin's friends knew what had happened to him, the rest could clearly see how much courage it took for him to sing like he was.
After a few minutes, Merlin stopped all of a sudden, the song over. The drumbeat silenced and the strange instrument in his hands vanished.
No one moved, for a beat. Then with the smallest of hesitations, all of Merlin's friends were around him, complimenting him and clapping him on the back, not knowing that scars littered his torso. But it didn't matter anymore.
Merlin grinned widely. He really didn't need to be scared anymore, no one wanted to hurt him here. Now his thoughts from before came back, but he brushed them off, thinking himself idiotic for even thinking it could happen again.
Merlin felt safe with Arthur, it had just taken a story to let him see that. Now Arthur knew of Merlin's 'secret', the warlock could tell him anything and wouldn't be judged or hated, he knew that now. He also knew that together, they were unstoppable.