"Do you trust me?" The question came out easier than his breath did, his chest constricting as Merlin met Arthur's gaze across from him.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, brows drawing together in apprehension as the warlock swallowed down his fear.
"Arthur, do you trust me?"
Blue eyes locked onto blue as a beat of silence followed the repeated words before the blonde's head barely tilted forwards. "Yes."
"Then move." Merlin urged, his fingers picking at his nailbeds nervously as Arthur's back pressed tighter against the door as the horde outside grew restless.
"Are you planning to throw yourself at them?" He demanded, concern for the boy clear on his face as guilt slammed against the warlock. "Because if this is you trying to be noble keep in mind that if you die I will as well."
"Move, let them in." He repeated, his voice turning softer as he watched the internal struggle happening inside his friend. After a moment the warlock's request won out, the King pushing himself away from the door and beginning to make his way closer to the boy.
"I'm sorry." The words fell out before Merlin could stop them, his body shifting away from Arthur as the man froze. "I'm really sorry, this isn't.. I-I didn't want this.." The door jarred again, one of the creatures thrusting their weight against it and causing a splintering noise to sound as a piece of wood broke free and the door swung open.
"Merlin?" Arthur called, a mix of emotions on his face as the warlock fought to control his breathing. Gods, why did he have to look at him like that?
"This wasn't the way I wanted you to find out." And it wasn't, this was never what he wanted. He had given a lot of thought to when he would admit to his magic, but using it in front of the man was certainly not on the list at all.
Tearing his gaze away from the other and settling it on the horde that had begun to amass towards him, he heard Arthur's strained voice. "What are you talking about?"
Shuffling back a step to allow more inside, Merlin's eyes darted over the bodies as he counted them in his head. It was almost time, he couldn't put it off any longer. "I'm sorry." He spoke again, his words ridden with guilt as he released a slow, albeit trembling, breath and stretched out his hand.
"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur demanded, taking a step towards him.
"Ic þé wiþdrífe." A breath of magic left the warlock, the spell a familiar feeling that wrapped around him as the horde in front of him fell back, bodies crashing into others before falling into motionless heaps at their feet.A surge of energy shot through Merlin and raced through his veins as the throbbing he'd felt so prominently in every inch of his body began to wane.
Dropping his hand, the warlock's eyes shifted back to the only person who was still standing. He wasn't sure what he'd expected. He'd often wondered how Arthur would react and the scenario had played out in his head multiple times in several different fashions. In some there was screaming, in others things were thrown, and in one he'd attacked him. But in no way could he have prepared for the expression that the King wore so openly. Not anger, not even fear. Just hurt.
The silence that lingered between them was more deafening than anything the warlock had felt in the past few weeks as Merlin stared back at the man nervously. Why wasn't he speaking? "Arthur?" He ventured, swallowing thickly.
"Magic." The word came out quietly, the King's body not even moving an inch as Merlin felt his heart begin to beat faster. "You have magic." It was a statement, not a question, and it was one that ended with a hint of anger.
"Yes." Merlin barely nodded, afraid to move himself as his eyes darted away.
"How long?" Glancing up, the warlock's brows knit together as Arthur inhaled sharply and glared at him. "How long have you been practicing magic?" And there it was, there was the anger rearing its head.
He almost wished the fury was all that was there, but that hurt still resided firmly on his face and Merlin fumbled to find the right words. "Arthur, I haven't-"
"I just saw you, Merlin, you can't deny it!" He shouted, the sudden rise in volume startling the boy as his body tensed. "How long have you been doing this behind my back?"
"I haven't been practicing magic, I was-"
"What? You were what, Merlin?" He demanded, cutting off the boy as his fists clenched by his sides. "Going against the law? Against me? Magic is banned and yet you, you're a sorcerer." He said the word as if it were the worst thing in the world, as if Merlin were the worst thing to exist.
"I was born with it!" The warlock shouted back, hurt of his own beginning to surface as a look of confusion struck the blonde.
"No you weren't." He scoffed, shaking his head at the notion.
"Yes, I was."
"No, you weren't. That's not possible you can't be born with magic."
"Well yes you can!" Merlin extended his arms out as frustration wove into his voice. "At least I can. And I was. I didn't go behind your back, Arthur."
"Really?" The laugh that left the man was short lived and filled with rage. "You betrayed me. All this time, you've lied to me."
"I haven't betrayed you, Arthur!" The boy's voice nearly cracked, unable to believe that's what he thought. "I have never once betrayed you! I am loyal to you, Arthur. Only you!"
"You call this loyalty?" Gesturing towards the fallen horde and then at Merlin, Arthur shook his head again. "No, Merlin. This is called betrayal."
"How can you stand there and say that?" His throat was raw from shouting and his hands trembled beside him. "After everything we've done, everything we've been through, how can you stand there and say that I've betrayed you? I never have and I never would!"
A piercing shriek broke through their argument, both men turning their head towards the door as one of the creatures beside them shuddered.
"We have to go." Merlin said quietly, his eyes on the floor. "We can't stay here."
"No." Glancing up, Arthur had backed away from him, staring at the boy in such a way he was certain a knife to his chest would hurt less. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
Narrowing his eyes at him, Merlin's fingers tightened into fists. "Why? Because now you know I have magic? Five minutes ago you were ready to follow me."
"Five minutes ago you were someone I could trust."
"I still am!" Merlin cried out, his voice strained as a hand lifted to his chest. "Arthur nothing had changed, nothing!"
"You're wrong." The King stated coolly, turning his back to his servant as he started towards the door. "Everything has."
Standing alone in the middle of the room, broken blue hues watched as the man stormed from the chambers and out into the hall. Closing his eyes tight and sucking in a shallow breath, Merlin trailed behind him, an ache that had nothing to do with his injuries coursing through him.
Catching up to where the blonde was walking, the warlock stayed a couple of paces behind as another screech had him flinching. Casting a wary look behind them, Merlin felt panic begin to rise as one of the faceless creatures he'd dealt with began to lumber after them.
"They're coming!" He yelled, jogging up to Arthur and grabbing at his sleeve only to have the King wrench his arm back and draw away, creating a distance between the two as Merlin looked away. Why did it have to come to this? If they had time to sit and discuss it, surely he could get Arthur to hear him out, to just listen to him. How could he possibly think he'd ever betray him? Everything he'd done was for him, every time he risked his life it was for that prat and he honestly believed he could betray him?
Rounding a corner and descending the staircase they'd traveled up not long before, Arthur turned down a different hall before stumbling to a stop at the sight of two more of the bodies staggering towards them. Without a word the duo turned back and began to run, ducking to the right and coming to another crashing halt at a partially caved in wall blocking their path.
Cursing, Arthur looked behind them as Merlin took a step closer to the destruction, catching sight of a doorway that led to one of the guest chambers that had a small opening still uncovered.
"Through here!" He called, climbing over the larger pieces of rubble and crouching down to slip into the room as Arthur followed close behind. Pulling in heavy breaths of the dry air, Merlin pressed his back against the wall and peered around the small space.
It was in the same disarray as the rest of the citadel was, but there wasn't any blood which he took as a good sign. Perhaps they'd stumbled onto an area the horde couldn't get to.
Glancing to his right as Arthur fell back against the wall nearby, he found the anger and the hurt had given way to a blank canvas, the King hiding his emotions from his servant as Merlin's head dropped with a soft sigh.
Lifting his hand to the arm that Arthur had freed and tended to, his fingers probed at the fresh cuts beneath the stained fabric as he stared hard at the cracked floor while a chorus of screams erupted from the pavilion outside.
"Why?"
Turning his head at the voice, Merlin found harsh blue eyes staring back at him. "Why what?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
A tense pause lingered in the air as the two stared before Merlin barely shrugged. "You'd have had me burned."
"What?" Shock, horror and hurt all flickered across Arthur's face as the neutral mask he wore slipped away. "No! No, I-" He hesitated, his head dropping as he looked away. "I don't know what I would have done." He finished quietly as Merlin let out a short breath.
"Exactly." Looking back up at the warlock, Merlin shifted to look at him better. "I never wanted you to have to be in that position."
"That's what worried you?" He asked incredulously as a faint smile tugged at the boy's lips.
"Arthur, I know how you feel about magic, but not all of its bad." He said carefully, studying the other man as a hard look settled in his eyes.
"You could have.. You should have told me." He said sternly, a reproachful glare sent towards his servant.
"I know." The boy admitted weakly, dropping his head as guilt and shame tugged at him simultaneously. "I'd planned to, but I just never found the right time."
"Never the right time? At any point, Merlin, at any point you could have come to me. You should have come to me." Arthur chided as Merlin let out a wry laugh.
"Any point? You mean when your father was alive and would have had me killed without a second thought? Or when you were on a rampage against all magic yourself?"
"No, don't even go there." Arthur snapped, pointing a finger towards the boy's chest. "How many times did I ask you what you thought of magic, how you felt? And what of now? My father is dead, Merlin, you had the chance at any point. You should have trusted me, like I thought I could trust you."
"You can trust me!" Merlin's voice rose in pitch as he turned, bracing his shoulder against the wall. "Everything I've done, Arthur, It's been for you! It's only ever been for you and I've never betrayed you!"
"Really?" A dark look passed across the man's features as a smile that was anything but kind stretched across his lips. "How many times then, Merlin? How many times have you used your magic on me?"
The question struck the warlock like a heavy blow from a shield, the breath stolen from his lungs as he looked away, his guilt mounting as Arthur's hand hit the wall behind them. "Arthur-"
"That's exactly what I mean, Merlin!" He shouted, pulling away from the boy and turning to face him directly. "You claim that I can trust you, but how many times have you gone behind my back? How many times have you lied? From the very beginning, all this time, it's all been a lie!"
"No it hasn't!" Merlin yelled back, his hands waving in the air as he spoke. "I'm still me Arthur, magic or not!"
"All this time you've led me to believe that you're just some.. some.."
"Bumbling idiot?" He offered, catching the man off guard as he thrust out his hand again. "Well it will please his royal highness to know that that part is still true!"
"Obviously!"
Their voices echoed throughout the room as the two men's shouting came to a halt, Merlin slouching back against the wall as he folded his arms across his chest and let the silence linger once more between them that was broken only by the continued manic screams.
Pressing the toe of his boot against the cracked stone and prodding at a loose piece of rubble, he peered up at where the King was standing beside a ruined wardrobe, his hands on his hips and eyes on something the warlock couldn't see.
"Whatever you think of me," He began slowly, his voice settling into a normal range. "Whatever you think of magic, I am still the same person. Everything I've done, everything I am, it's still me."
"I can't believe that." Arthur shook his head, turning and staring at his servant as Merlin felt his shoulders sag.
"Why not?"
"You lied to me, Merlin. Why can't you get that through your thick head? Are you really that stupid that you don't understand why I'm angry?"
"Oh I understand perfectly well why you're angry, but I also think you're being unfair."
"Unfair?" Arthur scoffed, throwing up his arms in disbelief. "Merlin, I've known you for years. Years. And all this time this part of you never came out. Not to me at least. Did you honestly think I'd have had you killed? Really?"
The warlock's eyes fell to the floor in silence, his hands pushing against the wall behind him as the man shifted in front of him. "Well," Arthur murmured as Merlin closed his eyes tightly. "That's really what you think of me then."
"No, I don't think you'd have had me killed." He responded softly, opening his eyes and lifting his head, his stomach twisting at the amount of hurt Arthur wore. "But banished? Locked away? I don't know, Arthur, I didn't know what would happen." He admitted, each word scratching against his raw throat as he swallowed uselessly. "Camelot is my home and I didn't want to leave it. I didn't want to leave you."
"You never trusted me, did you?" The blonde asked slowly, his eyes meeting Merlin's as the boy blinked away the tears that had been gathering.
"Of course I did! I do!"
"No, you don't, otherwise you'd have told me. Would you have ever told me, Merlin? If you hadn't been forced to use it, would I have ever known you had magic?" He demanded as the boy's breath hitched.
"Can you blame me?" Merlin murmured, pushing away from the wall and walking towards the King. "For being afraid?" Arthur's eyes studied him but he remained silent as the warlock came to stop in front of him. "All the executions, all the sorcerers that I've seen killed by your hand, Arthur. I was terrified for anyone to know. I didn't choose magic, I can't control how I was born. But would you have honestly listened? Once you hear anything about magic your mind is already made up."
The King remained quiet, his mouth set into a firm line as he turned away, a hand running down his face as Merlin sighed, looking off towards the ruined bedframe as he swallowed again. His throat was burning and his mouth was a desert and gods his head was pounding. Trying to talk to Arthur was like trying to talk to a brick wall; useless and irritating.
An ear splitting howl cut through the boy's thoughts, the voice nearby as both men looked towards the doorway to find one of the creatures crawling in the same way they had.
"How are they everywhere?" Arthur groaned, backing away as Merlin shrugged. "Well it's your head!"
"Well it isn't my curse!" He shot back, turning for the other door as they pulled it open and slipped out into another corridor, climbing over the pieces of debris that had fallen from the ceiling. "Figured out a way to wake me up yet?" Merlin asked as the blonde scoffed beside him.
"You're the sorcerer you figure it out."
"We're really going to do this?" Merlin scowled, shooting an annoyed glare towards the King that he refused to acknowledge.
Turning a corner and peering behind them, Merlin felt the rubble beneath him shift as he body lurched forwards. Throwing out his hands to brace for the fall, the warlock's eyes widened at the hole in the floor that loomed back at him, darkness leading down into the dungeons far below as fear gripped at his heart and he prepared for the worst.
Instead, a hand snatched the back of his tunic and caught his arm, yanking the boy upright and to the side as the two stumbled back and fell to the ground. Wheezing out a shaking breath, Merlin stared with a horrified gaze at the hole that had almost been his demise as Arthur shifted against him, his hands grappling at his servant's shoulder as the two stood.
"We'll have to go back." Arthur muttered, and though Merlin caught a touch of lingering fear and concern in his voice he didn't say a word.
Turning around and starting back the way they came, Arthur strode ahead as Merlin ran his still shaking hands through his dirty hair, glancing to their right as the King let out a groan to his left.
Whirling around, he found the man cornered by three of the faceless horde, one clawed hand digging into the King's arm while the other two pulled at his back in an attempt to drag him away.
"Arthur!" Merlin shouted, catching the blonde's eyes as he was wrenched backwards. Groaning, the man kicked and fought as they dragged him, a wail making the warlock's ears ring as he thrust his hand out without another thought. "Wáce ierlic!"
The creatures flew back against the stone wall, their bones creating a harsh 'crack' when they hit as Arthur ducked his head.
"Are you alright?" Merlin asked, taking a step closer as Arthur shied away, eyes flickering between his servant and the creatures as the warlock stopped across the hall from him. Did Arthur really hate his magic so much that he didn't even want his help if he used it?
The King straightened slowly, the sleeve of his tunic torn and revealing bloody cuts that trailed down the length of his left arm as the boy waited with baited breath. As his eyes met Merlin's the boy stood frozen, unwillingly to walk closer until Arthur reacted. Yet when he did, it wasn't in the manner he was expecting.
"Merlin!" Arthur's hand reached out for him, blue eyes growing wide with fear that confused the warlock a moment before fire burned through his side.
Another scream erupted through in the hall, but it was Merlin's own as he wrenched away from the creature that had attacked him from behind and clamped a hand against his side. Warmth pooled against his skin as the boy staggered back, a surge of pain turning the world on its head as he hit the ground, glass and rubble digging into his knees as Arthur flew past him in a blur.
Time seemed to slow around him, each breath too short and unsatisfactory as a cold chill swept over him. Looking down in a haze he pulled back his hand and stared down at his left side, his stomach churning at the chunk of his flesh that had been ripped away by the body's hands.
Blood dripped past his fingers and spotted the floor beneath him as an agonized shriek wailed behind him followed closely by the sound of something heavy crushing bone. Merlin's body began to sway, unable to stay upright any longer as he fell forwards and was caught by Arthur's hands.
"Merlin, Merlin!" He called, shaking the boy as his unfocused gaze fell on the King.
"You're bleeding." He murmured, his hand lifting towards the blonde's arm before it fell back, every bit of energy fading from his body as his eyes began to close.
"Merlin! Look at me, stay awake do you hear me?" He demanded, grabbing ahold of the boy's other arm and dragging it over his shoulders as he pulled the warlock up with a strangled cry. Fresh pain soared through him as he tried to force his feet to move, blindly following where he was guided as his vision shifted in and out of focus.
He could hear more screaming behind them and the labored breathing of Arthur beside him, but the pain was overwhelming and he could feel the blood seeping past his fingers faster and faster as he sank wearily against Arthur.
"Merlin, Merlin! Wake up." Struggling to open his eyes, the boy felt a wall against his back and found Arthur kneeling beside him, one hand pressed tightly against his side and one on his cheek urging him to focus. When had they stopped walking?
"Merlin? Merlin, stay awake. Listen to me, you have to stay awake." He sounded panicked, fearful. Arthur still cared about him, didn't he? He hoped he did. He didn't think he could take Arthur hating him. "Merlin!" Opening his eyes again, the warlock tried to force a smile that wouldn't quite come.
"I'm fine." He murmured, his head heavy against the wall behind him as Arthur rolled his eyes. Shifting his weight he grabbed one of the boy's hands with his own blood soaked one and placed it firmly over the still bleeding wound.
"You need to heal yourself, Merlin." He urged, a hard look in his eyes as his thumb brushed against the boy's cheek and shook his head. "Merlin, focus! Heal yourself, now." He instructed as the warlock blinked hazily, barely nodding as he worked to concentrate on a spell.
"Þu fornimest adl fram guman." Pulling away from the boy, Arthur pushed himself up and brushed his hands against his trousers as Merlin felt the pain in his side begin to ease, warmth drifting over him as his eyes shifted colors with his magic.
Pulling his hand away, he found the chunk of skin that had been torn had been mended, though it ached at the touch. His eyes blinked sluggishly, his body drained of energy as he tilted his head to look up at the blonde who stared back at him quietly.
"Thank you." He murmured, the words sounding slurred even to his own ears as Arthur regarded him indifferently.
"For what?" He asked, scrubbing roughly at the blood on his fingers.
"Helping me."
Arthur's eyes flickered to the side before returning to Merlin, his jaw locking as he turned fully away. "If you die so do I, that's all." The uttered words hurt worse than the injury had, the breath catching in Merlin's throat as tears stung at his eyes again.
"That's all?" He whispered, his voice coming out hoarse and broken as he stared at the King who refused to meet his eye. "So what, now that I have magic, my life means nothing to you? I mean nothing?"
"Merlin, that's not.. I didn't mean.." Arthur trailed off, dragging his fingers across his forehead as he barely shook his head with a heavy sigh.
"Do you have any idea what I would do for you? What I have done for you?" Tears were gathering faster as he tried to blink them away, Merlin's voice finally cracking. "I've saved you so many times, Arthur, I've saved Camelot, and I've never taken any credit for any of it. And that never mattered to me, not ever because you were safe, you were the one I cared about protecting. And I thought.." He couldn't finished, his head falling as he drew in a weak breath that was followed by strangled laugh, his eyes closing as pain swept over him.
"Merlin, don't." Arthur murmured, his words quiet and heavy as the boy opened his eyes and stared blurrily at his torn trousers.
"Does my having magic bother you that much?" He asked softly, his hands balling into fists beside him.
"I said don't."
"I'm still me. My magic changes nothing."
"It changes everything!" Arthur roared, his sudden outburst startling the servant as his head jerked up and found the man across the room from him. "You think this is about your magic? You think I care for one bloody second that you have magic?" Merlin stared in stunned silence as the King paced about the room, agitation fueling him as he spoke.
"Not all magic is evil, I know that. But look at how many times it's ruined things. That the people who I thought I could trust have ruined things with it." Stopping in front of Merlin the man crouched down beside him, staring at him intently.
"I trusted you. I thought that you, Merlin, out of everyone were someone that I could put my faith in completely. You're an idiot most of the time, reckless and clumsy and disrespectful, but I considered you my friend. But you've lied to me, used your magic on me just like all the others. And I can't just forget about that because you thought you were doing it for the right reasons or because you were scared of what might happen if you admitted the truth. You didn't trust me, Merlin, and now I can't trust you."
His words were harsh, but the guilt that settled over the warlock was somehow worse because he couldn't even blame him for what he knew was true. He'd had his reasons for not coming forwards about it, but were they really as important as he'd told himself they were?
"I'm sorry." He murmured, the words nearly drowned out by another shriek.
"Yeah, well, it's a bit too late for that isn't it?" Arthur muttered, reaching down and grabbing ahold of the warlock's arm once more and pulling it over his shoulders.
Stifling a groan, Merlin stood and fought to keep as much of his weight off the blonde as he could as they stepped through into a different hall and away from the horde. The tension between the two continued to grow, and while Merlin hated to admit it, Arthur had been right. Everything was changed now.
He'd lost Arthur's trust and at the end of the day magic was still banned in Camelot. Would he be forced to leave his home, his family? And what of his destiny now? He couldn't exactly unite the lands or keep Arthur safe if the man could hardly even stand to look him, let alone trust him. Though in truth, he didn't particularly care about that at that moment. Arthur was his friend before anything else, had he really ruined that by keeping his magic a secret for so long?
Making their way down a set of stairs littered in glass, Merlin felt Arthur's arm around him tighten as the warlock struggled to keep his feet beneath him. He wasn't bleeding anymore but his body had finally given in to the exhaustion and he found himself fading in and out of the things around him.
Turning through another hall, Arthur's foot slammed against a door as Merlin looked up, watching as the entrance to the throne room swung wide. Stepping inside as the door fell shut behind them, both men froze.
"It hasn't been touched." Arthur murmured in awe, his head swiveling to look around as Merlin glanced behind them.
Unlike the rest of the citadel not a single thing had been broken or shattered. Each window remained intact, every curtain and drape was still hung, even the walls and the floor lacked a single crack or marred spot that the rest of the ruined citadel held. The only notable difference of the room was the lack of the round table, instead offering a wide expanse of open space around them.
Starting forwards into the room, Arthur lowered the warlock to the ground, easing him back against a wall. "Why isn't this place in ruins like the rest of it?" The blonde asked aloud, pulling away from Merlin as the boy wrapped an arm around his chest and released a short breath. "Your dreams are just as odd as you, Merlin, I shouldn't be surprised." Arthur commented dryly, his voice sounding far away as the pain in the warlock's body gave way to a numbness that began to settle over him.
They were running out of time, if they waited much longer neither of them would make it out alive. "You need to wake up, Arthur." Merlin muttered, blinking slowly as the man glanced down at him.
"Not until we figure this out. Besides, I'm not finished yelling at you yet."
Scowling at his stubbornness, Merlin stared just as angrily at the King as he stared at him. "Arthur-"
"I'm not leaving you here to die, Merlin, so save your breath."
"Why won't you just listen to me?" Merlin demanded, forcing as much strength into his words as he could as Arthur scowled.
"I already told you I-" He cut off suddenly, the aggravation fading as he narrowed his eyes and wore a curious expression, the wheels turning inside his head practically visible as Merlin stared.
"Arthur?"
"Listen." He said quietly, eyes scanning over the windows above them
"What?"
"Merlin, shut up." He shushed, waving a hand at him as he turned, looking around the room next. "Listen."
"What are you talking about?"
"Shut up!" Arthur hissed, stretching out his arms and turning slowly in a circle before stopping and gesturing around them. "Listen, Merlin, listen."
"To what? Arthur there's no noise." The warlock stated, looking up at the blonde as he pointed a finger at him.
"Exactly." Wasn't Merlin the one who was meant to go mad? What the hell was he going on about? "The entire time I've been here, those things have been screaming and chasing after us. But not here. This room, they haven't stepped foot in here. And since we have, there hasn't been a sound." Turning his head towards the door, Merlin's own thoughts began to race to catch up.
"What is this room used for, Merlin?" Arthur asked, his voice carrying across the room as he made his way towards the center of the floor.
"I don't know, a lot of things." The boy shrugged, shifting his weight with a grimace.
Whirling around, Arthur's eyes fell on the boy and for a moment there was a look on his face that was all too familiar. "Well, you're right about one thing. You really are still an idiot." Rolling his eyes at the King, Merlin's gaze followed him as he walked back towards the boy. "Trials, Merlin, trials. When anyone was accused of breaking the law by magic-"
"Their trials were held here." The warlock finished, suddenly catching hold of the idea the other was running with as Arthur nodded, grabbing ahold of his arm and tugging him up again. "What are you doing?" He complained with a stifled groan as Arthur kept a hand on his arm and walked with him towards the back of the room.
"You have one last job to do." He stated, the words hanging heavily over the warlock as he came to a stop beside the throne. Backing away and making sure he was able to stand on his own, Arthur turned away and strode for the door.
His footsteps echoed loudly throughout the room and as he pulled open the door the hall was filled with the faceless bodies waiting. Walking back towards his throne with a tense expression, Arthur's eyes met Merlin's briefly before he climbed the steps and stood partially beside and in front of him.
"What if this doesn't work?" The warlock ventured as the King straightened his back and cleared his throat.
"Then I'll have killed us both." He murmured before turning his attention to the creatures that had begun to silently fill the room. "My name is Arthur Pendragon." The man's voice rang out strong and clear, his hands at his sides as all movement stopped in front of them. "Son of Uther Pendragon, and King of Camelot." Merlin caught his friend's gaze briefly and nodded, encouraging him to continue as Arthur's chin lifted and his eyes fell on the crowd. "And I am ready to listen."
For a moment nothing happened, the two men standing silently in front of the horde, not a single muscle moving before one of the creatures began to stagger forwards.
Merlin swallowed down his discomfort at seeing the blood oozing from the body, half of its skin charred and torn away. But as it grew closer the air shifted and the creature stepped forwards, crossing through a shimmering veil as the blood and the burns and the haggard form faded away. In its place was a young woman with long blonde hair and pale blue skirts that swept against her ankles as delicate fingers brushed against an apron tied around her waist.
Kneeling before the King, the woman's head bowed before glittering brown hues stared up at them. "My Lord."
"What is your name?" Arthur asked as the woman dipped her head again.
"Ada, My Lord."
"You have been caught using magic."
"Yes, but only to save my child." She spoke quickly, tears in her eyes as she looked first at Arthur and then to Merlin. "He was very ill, he couldn't breathe and we were in the woods. I would never use magic to harm anyone, only to aid."
Arthur shifted where he stood as Merlin felt the same twinge of guilt as before strike him. Never to harm, only to aid. Just as he had always done.
"My Lord, it was either use magic or lose my child and I couldn't just let him die when I had the ability to save him."
"I understand." The man cut in, lifting a hand to halt her words. "You may go."
The woman blinked in surprise before bowing her head again and rising, turning to look at Merlin who nodded his own head towards her. "Thank you." She mouthed, turning away and walking to the side as another body stepped forwards.
It happened the same as before, blood and gore fading away and being replaced with a man that stood tall with dark skin and darker eyes. Kneeling before the throne, his head bowed as well and Merlin looked past him towards the horde that all stood behind, each awaiting their own turn.
"State your name." Arthur announced, and as the man looked up, there was hope in his eyes. He began to speak just as the woman had and explanations began to fill the room. Magic used for failing crops, ailing family, even magic from a child to save a beloved pet. And Arthur listened to them all. He allowed each to defend their use of magic and each time he sent them away to listen to the next. The cries of his people were finally being heard, just as they'd deserved to be before they'd been killed.
Glancing to one of the windows, the orange hue that had covered the kingdom had faded, a soft blue filtering inside the throne room as Merlin blinked wearily.
A dull ache spread across his chest as he backed a step away, his hand falling against the throne to steady himself as the corners of his vision began to darken. Arthur was listening to another sorcerer as the boy felt himself giving in, a last look landing on the King that had proven once again to be Camelot's finest.
The room began to spin and Merlin's hand fell away from the throne, his body falling backwards though his back never collided with the ground. Instead he kept falling. Further and further as darkness caught hold and wrapped around him. For the first time in a long time Merlin felt peace within the silence, his worries and fears fading as his final thought fell to Arthur, pride and sadness mixing together as the darkness drew him under its veil completely.
A/N
I spent so many hours on this chapter. So. Freaking. Many. I've been playing this scene out in my head for two weeks, I don't know why it took so damn long to write or why it was so hard. But also I was so tense writing them fighting? Like each time I'm sitting there going CALM DOWN ALREADY. But also I can see it from both sides? Especially Arthur's, I'd have trust issues after everything too. At least Arthur still cares though, hurt as he is. In the end I like how this turned out, so I suppose there is that!
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed! The final two chapters are coming, and they'll (hopefully) be shorter than these last two monsters have been. Leave me some comments and tell me how you feel about how things were resolved or just anything in general, I love hearing from you!