Chapter 36

Merlin's stomach contracted and his mind froze as he listened to Aerona's whispered words. No, it could not happen. Not like this. He had not done so much; given up everything, for Arthur to find out like this. For his friend to die hating him. He needed the chance to explain. Now Aerona was going to take this last thing away from him as well. Well he was not going to let it happen, not without fighting. Merlin closed his eyes and went into his mind; seeking the calm, good presence he had rejected but moments ago. The Earth Harp had to be there; She was his last hope. If She answered him perhaps it was not too late to draw Her back from Aerona and use Her power to re-awaken his own magic. Merlin knew it was a lot to ask, but he just had to try.

Deeper and darker into the realm of the unconscious Merlin went and then he felt it; another presence. A bruised and troubled soul, someone hurt and lost and alone. He knew it was the Harp, all he needed to do was reach out to Her, call Her to him and there was still a chance that all could be saved. Merlin stretched his mind, ignoring the building pain in his head and the burning in his body...just a little further, just one more try...

A scream.

Arthur.

It was Arthur screaming.

With a sickening churning and a frightening rush Merlin's consciousness was pulled back to the present and away from his final hope. Arthur's cry of pain had called him back and alongside it was the knowledge that any joining with the Earth Harp would come too late. Whilst he had been searching Aerona had struck and Arthur was hurt.

Merlin's eyes snapped open and an awful sight greeted his return to the light. Aerona was standing in front of the King, her favourite silver blade bloody in her hands. And Dera was there, the blood bowl held up to Arthur's side collecting...Merlin gasped as he saw the wound in Arthur's stomach. Gaping and deep, blood oozing out of it, some spreading over his filthy shirt and the rest pooling in the silver receptacle.

"No. No." Merlin's voice echoed across the Hall, delighting the watching Elders and amusing Aerona and Dera no end.

"You can't help him now Merlin; one little more thing to tell him before he loses consciousness and then I will allow Dera the pleasure of slitting his throat." Aerona chuckled lightly, really this was just all too delightful.

Dera lifted Arthur's fallen head and held the knife to his erratically beating throat. Merlin could see that the King's eyes were still open, though glazed over with deep pain. Aerona moved closer and began to speak...

"You remember that little secret that Merlin has? The one that will destroy your faith in him and make the thought of ever having him as a friend abhorrent to you? Would you like to know it before you die Arthur? Merlin has lied to..."

Merlin did not hesitate now. It as not the fear of his secret being told that made him act but the awful realisation that his King was dying; right now in front of his eyes. He would not let this be. His friend would live. No longer caring what Arthur saw or what fate awaited him the young Warlock raised both his hands and spoke.

"Stopiwch y wrach ac yn atal y gwaed"

As the spell left his lips the pain he had been expecting hit him with full force and he welcomed it. For if there was pain perhaps it meant that his magic had worked. Searing waves of blackness battered him from all sides and Merlin felt as if he was being torn apart from the inside. His sight and hearing shut down and he fell to his knees; writhing on the floor, lying cradled there in agony.

A noise...there was a noise that managed to enter through the haze of pain. It was Aerona. She was laughing. He fought the pain and pushed up back towards the light. Aerona laughing was not good. He needed to see; had to find Arthur; must protect him. He followed the sound of the now raucous hilarity and managed to open his eyes.

Aerona and Dera were standing where they had been a moment before but instead of being about to kill Arthur they were both staring at him, pointing and giggling loudly like two little maids. Merlin did not understand. What was so funny?

"Oh, my dear" Aerona managed to say amid her mirth "You are just too precious. Did you really think you could beat me? That someone as untrained and innocent as you could use your magic against me? Oh, I know how powerful you would have been; but you do not have full control over your magic at the best of times. And trust me Merlin, now is not the best of times. In fact look at you; weak, broken, defeated and under my anti-magic spells. It is a wonder you even managed to survive that petty little attempt at magic; my spell should really have killed you. But that would have been a pity for I would like you to be awake as I kill the King."

Merlin looked up fearfully, expecting to see the eyes of a confused and betrayed Arthur. But what he saw horrified him even more. Arthur was still, eyes closed, slumped down between two guards who were holding up his body. Merlin could not tell if he was alive or, gods forbid, dead.

In desperation Merlin looked back towards Aerona, his unspoken question plain for even this mad woman to see. Was Arthur still alive?

"Oh yes. He lives; your little demonstration delayed our final act. But he saw and heard enough before he passed out to know what you are. You should have seen his face Merlin, the loss and the sorrow, it really was quite moving."

Merlin stopped breathing. It had happened. Arthur knew and now he was going to die without him getting a chance to explain. Arthur would die betrayed and hurt, believing that his closest friend had lied to him all these years. And Merlin would never be able to tell him the truth. For the young Warlock this was the end. His destiny was gone and his friend would die hating him. Whatever Aerona had planned for him could not happen soon enough. There was nothing he could do alone so he just wanted to go. He had no illusions he would be allowed to go to Avalon and join those whom he had loved and lost. No, his crimes were too great and his failures too complete to be allowed that peace. All he hoped for as he closed his eyes was that he was sent to a place of total darkness and nothingness where he would not have to see the ruination he had wrought upon his world.

But he knew he could not desert Arthur at the end so he opened his eyes and watched as Aerona approached the King, knife in hand and a large smile on her face.

And then a whisper, a nudging from far off, a murmour...it was Her. She had felt his magic, heard his desperate plea and She had not given up on him. She was calling for him, the Harp was reaching out one last time. And this time Merlin was ready. The call was Arthur's last chance of life and Merlin's last hope of redemption and no matter the cost he would answer Her. Summoning all the strength he had left Merlin raised his arms and spoke.

"Rwy'n derbyn fy eneinio ac ymuno gyda chi."

At these words the World exploded. Music of such proportions and majesty flooded from the Earth Harp; accompanied by the most gorgeous colours and lights. These radiant beams of power all converged into a rainbow of hues and illumination about ten feet above the Earth Harp; paused a moment and then plunged downwards in a glittering waterfall of brilliance and lustre. And they hit Merlin.

Merlin's magic glowed throughout his whole body; it had been waiting so long to be free and now it was being called. It accepted without hesitation; it knew its destiny was joined with the Earth Harp and it revelled in it. As the cascade of light touched Merlin's body so the bonds on his magic were broken; the beams had Anointed him. Magic erupted from him and his body rose up in the air; borne aloft by the sheer power that was being passed through it. Merlin was a yard off the ground and spinning round and around; encased in the most beautiful and inflaming light.

As he felt his magic and that of the Earth Harp's join together Merlin was filled with a sense of hope and faith. This was always meant to happen, his magic was telling him, and Merlin could no longer understand why he had ever doubted. It felt right; no, it was right.

Feeling his feet touch the ground again Merlin opened his eyes. And they were beautiful. They were not just blue or gold. No, they were filled with every colour in the World; each one at its most brilliant and penetrating best. As his eyes shone, reflecting the changes going on inside of him Merlin could sense the magic course into his very being and it was good. So very good. They were one, as it was always meant to be.

Looking up he could see that he was surrounded by a delicate web of ribbons of sound. Each note from the Earth Harp was expressed visually in front of him; showing their joined power to all. Twisting and twirling about him, they formed an intricate shield over him and from him; protecting him as the full connection was made. Beyond it Merlin could just make out all the Elders of the Tribe; they were either lying unconscious on the floor (blown to the ground by the surging power) or were running for the doors. They were no threat.

But she was. As he turned around the Warlock caught sight of Aerona. For the briefest of moments she too was immoveable...almost unable to comprehend that the Harp had chosen another and that she had so badly misjudged this youth. She stood, rooted to the spot by the destruction of her dreams; but not for long.

"Curse you, boy. You will not win it all."

Her face contorting into something so ugly and as she screamed these words Aerona leapt forward to where Arthur now lay abandoned on the floor. She flung herself onto his motionless body and drew her hand back; and the silver knife began its dreadful journey downwards towards Arthur's unprotected neck.

XXX

A/N – translation

"Stopiwch y wrach ac yn atal y gwaed" – "Stop the witch and stop the blood" (Welsh)

"Rwy'n derbyn fy eneinio ac ymuno gyda chi." – "I accept my anointing and join with you."