Camelot_drabble Prompt: pt 479: Windy Day
Author's Notes: unbetaed, during Moment of Truth. AU.
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. ~ Frederick Douglass

Merlin didn't dare look at Arthur's face. The whirlwind had already decimated the bandits, blowing them far out into the pasture and the woods beyond Ealdor. In the distance, he could hear cheering, Kanen's men defeated, never to return. His village was safe. His mother need never fear the brigands again.

But the cause of it, wind conjured up with magic and desperation, was a large sword hanging over Merlin's head. Sorcery was forbidden in Camelot and even though they were outside that powerful kingdom, Arthur, Camelot's prince, and the man Uther had taught to hate all magic, good or bad, was staring at Merlin with horror in his eyes.

Merlin didn't know what to say. Arthur had seen him conjuring up the wind and that alone would condemn him.

As Merlin stumbled back, trying to find the words to hide/explain/hide the reality of what he'd done, Will, ever-constant friend, said, "I did it, you pillock. Don't even think that it was Merlin. It was me." He stepped closer, fire in his eyes. "And forget about dragging me back there. Because I won't go."

"Will, don't. It will be all right… it…." Merlin started to explain—he couldn't let Will take the blame, but suddenly, Kanen was there, bellowing something.

Pushing Merlin out of the way, Will shouted, "Look out!"

Merlin turned to see an arrow heading for Arthur and Will trying to stop it somehow.

Instinct kicked in. Reaching out with his magic, time seemed to freeze around them, the arrow hovering in mid-air, vibrating as if eager to reach its goal. Then with a flick of Merlin's wrist, it reversed, sending the bolt straight into Kanen's heart. The bandit was dead before he hit the ground.

In the silence after, Merlin couldn't breathe.

It wouldn't matter that Arthur and Will had been saved, that Ealdor had been saved. Merlin had used magic, powerful magic, and his gifts were out in the open. He couldn't hide it anymore.

But Will tried anyway.

Turning to Arthur, Will sneered, "See, I'm so good a sorcerer that I even made you think it was Merlin doing the magic." Cackling a little, he waved his hands about as though trying to perform magic tricks. It would have been hilarious if not so dire. "And there's nothing you can do about it. This isn't Camelot, so piss off."

"Will, don't. He saw it all and…." Merlin stumbled to a stop, not knowing what else to say.

"Merlin, now." Arthur stomped away, clearly expecting Merlin to follow.

Grabbing onto Merlin's arm and shaking him a little, not willing to let go, Will said, "He's not your friend, Merlin. He's not anything but a pompous windbag with delusions of grandeur, well, okay not delusions but still he's not good for you. Let him go home and you stay with us. The village will protect you, I know they will. Even old man Simpson will be singing your praises after this."

"Will, he's my… destiny. He's… I can't explain it, but I need to be there. With him." Merlin nodded in Arthur's direction. He knew it was impossible to make Will see that Arthur was everything to him, supercilious arrogant arsehole that Arthur was.

Will shook his head but Merlin said, "Will, I love you like the annoying brother I never had, but he's it for me. I have to go back. He'll die without me there. I just hope that he'll… understand."

"You idiot, he'll chop your head off and send it back to us in a sack." Will's grasp tightened. "You don't have to do this. Merlin, don't be a fool."

"Will, please, take care of my mum, okay?" Merlin said. He knew it was useless to fight with Will. Will loved to argue for the sake of hearing his own voice but Arthur was waiting and no matter what, Merlin needed to talk with him.

Will must have seen something in Merlin's eyes, determination or regret or maybe how Arthur was Merlin's entire world, because he let go then. "You always were a self-sacrificing idiot, you know. I love you for it. But it's going to get you killed someday. I… I don't want to be around to see it."

Merlin pulled Will in, giving him a sharp hug before letting go. "It will be alright. You'll see."

Will just harrumphed and nodded toward a waiting Arthur. "If he's an arse, send for me and I'll set him straight."

Merlin nodded. Will was a good friend, but he would never understand. Merlin barely understood it himself.

It was almost like a thundercloud of fury hanging over Arthur's head. As Merlin walked over to him, Arthur snarled out, "What the hell was that? Have you been lying to me all this time?"

"You'd have chopped my head off if I told you the truth. Even now," Merlin said, tilting his chin toward Arthur's hand clenched tight about his sword hilt. "Even now, you want to kill me."

"What did you expect, flowers and love notes?" Arthur snapped back. "Magic is illegal. On pain of death." He stepped closer, glaring at Merlin. "And what kind of idiot practices magic in a place where it can get themselves killed? I always knew you were a total buffoon, sloppy and drunk half the time, but I had no idea you were also stupid enough to learn magic. In Camelot! What were you thinking?"

"First of all, I'm smarter than you apparently since you haven't noticed a thing until now." Arthur started to sputter at that, but Merlin ploughed ahead. "Secondly, I didn't learn magic in Camelot. I've been doing it since I was a baby and I'm pretty darn good at it. Thirdly, I use it because you are a total prat about getting yourself into trouble and maybe dying. A lot. And I keep that from happening."

"I don't die a lot, you bumpkin," Arthur shouted, then lowered his voice. "I am a trained knight and I'm quite good at what I do. Unlike you. And what makes you think you keep anything from happening that isn't related to slovenly work and shoving dung?"

Merlin scowled at him. "I've already lost count of how many times I've saved your skin. Just because I don't shout it to the rooftops doesn't mean it didn't happen. Or did you really think all those bandits just happen to die from falling branches? Or magical plagues just go away on their own? Wake up, Arthur. You need me there."

For a second, Arthur seemed to actually think about what Merlin was saying. Still angry, Arthur said, "Even… even if I thought that was true and I'm not saying any of it is, you can't return to Camelot. I have a duty to arrest you the instant you step foot in the kingdom."

"You can try," Merlin murmured. "I'm pretty good at getting out of impossible situations. And saving your skin."

Arthur blinked at him, looking as if he couldn't believe what Merlin was going to return to Camelot. Finally, scowling, his forehead scrunched up so tight, Merlin would be surprised if there weren't creases there tomorrow, Arthur snapped, "I'll sack you if you show up again. And then arrest you."

"As if I'd ever listen to you." Merlin just shrugged. "You are stuck with me, cabbage-head."

"You are the most stubborn, pig-headed, shabby looking." Merlin sputtered at that, but Arthur wasn't done. "Idiot I've ever met. I'm your prince, damn it. You have to do as I say."

"I've never did before. I'm not about to start now," Merlin said, his voice final and immovable-object stubborn.

"Merlin, I'll clap you in irons and throw away the key." Arthur looked like he was serious, too. And still pretty upset about everything.

Trying to lighten the mood, waggling his eyebrows, Merlin said, "Oh, kinky."

"What?" Arthur looked like he wasn't having any of it. "Merlin…."

Sighing, Merlin said, "Look, Arthur, I use my magic for you. I use it to keep you safe because you are my friend, and I don't want to lose you. Please, just… I don't want you to die." When Arthur shook his head, clearly not willing to accept Merlin's words, Merlin tried a different tactic. "They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If you think me the enemy, then keep me close. If you must, have me watched, know what I'm doing and that I'm doing it for you and for Camelot. Just don't send me away. Please."

Arthur seemed to be considering it. "How do you know I won't agree and then have you arrested once we get back home?"

"You don't have a dishonourable bone in your body." Merlin relaxed a little, giving Arthur a tentative smile. "Look, from this day forward, I promise to tell you the truth and… if you want, we can discuss things before I use magic to help you. Like your father does with Gaius."

"What?!" Arthur looked gobsmacked, as if this was the first he'd heard of it.

Merlin shrugged. It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Uther was a consummate manipulator. When it suited him, he'd use anything and anyone to get what he wanted, even Gaius, even Arthur. Especially Arthur.

Clearing his throat, a bit hesitant, Merlin said, "The king is always talking to Gaius about magic and… things. They think they are quiet about it, but I hear them talking a lot. Gaius finds a magical solution, the king tells him he doesn't want to know and then, well, things get better. Did you think a non-magical solution would work for magic? Umm… no. It doesn't work that way."

Standing there, frowning down at the ground, then back at Merlin, Arthur said, "Are you determined to return with me?"

Merlin nodded. "You can't find your own backside without me being there."

"I believe it's your backside that gets lost." Arthur stopped, then nodded. "I will keep you close but and it's a big but, if I catch you using magic without my permission, I will arrest you. I will, Merlin, I swear it."

A huge weight seemed to lift from Merlin's shoulders, and he grinned hard enough that it started to hurt a little but in a good way. "You won't regret it, Arthur."

"I already do," Arthur muttered. "But one thing I don't understand. Why didn't you just let Will take the blame? It would have been so much easier."

"I was tired of lying. Tired of hiding who I really was around you. And…," Merlin stopped, glancing toward Will who was still watching them carefully, and said, "Will is one of my best friends and I couldn't do that to him. It wouldn't have been right."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, it wouldn't have been right."

Merlin wanted to dance. At long last, Arthur knew, and while things would be a bit dicey for a while yet, Merlin could feel the promise of a new day. And once he got Will to agree—and he knew Will would agree eventually—Merlin would return to Camelot with a new mission, protecting Arthur and bringing about a kingdom fair and honest and true.

He couldn't wait.