Merlin squinted as he opened his eyes to a brightly lit room. Had he overslept again? Arthur was going to throw him in the stocks for a week if he had. His body was heavier than after he was stung by a serket as the exhaustion weighed on him. He blearily looked around the large, spotless room. His confusion coupled with a new emotion, fear. He had no idea where he was. Well, he had some idea. There were rows of beds sitting innocuously in a pristine, windowless room indicating it to be an infirmary, but it was unlike anything in Camelot.
He started to sit up but felt a deep ache through his back. Memories of what had happened immediately came back to him. The events that had taken place flashed across his mind in jumbled pictures; the hunting trip, the ground falling beneath them, his paralysis, the man's hateful face as he looked upon his broken body with not even an inkling of sympathy.
His heart rate quickened. Where were Arthur and the knights? Even if he did know where to find them, Merlin couldn't move because of his extensive injuries. He looked at his useless legs. His heart leapt for a moment. A familiar warmth was pulsing through them. It was opposite of how they felt when he had been lying on the cold rock next to the dying flames. A small candle of hope lit in him and he prayed to anyone listening that it wasn't his mind playing tricks on him. He focused completely to even wiggle a toe on his right foot. To his surprise, his entire foot jerked to the side without any coordination whatsoever, but it moved. Merlin laughed as his other foot followed his directive as well. However sloppy and uncoordinated it was, he had the ability to move both of his legs.
Merlin's shaking laughter silenced as a noise reached his ears. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the door moving open ever so slightly. He swung his legs out of the bed, hastily standing in order to give him more of an upper hand. The sudden movement was too much. His legs quickly gave out, sending him tumbling to the ground. He gritted his teeth as his back was riddled with shooting pain. Forgetting everything for just a moment, Merlin tried to focus solely on taking one breath after another, in and then out. He hardly registered as a young woman entered the room quickly after hearing his clattering fall.
"My lord Emrys!" He heard her cry as she quickly approached him. She fell to her knees directly in front of him. Her long light hair nearly reached the floor and her young face was contorted into one of intense worry. Merlin stiffened as she reached towards him. Although she seemed hardly a threat, he attempted to push away from her reach. His arms did most of the work as his legs refused to listen to him. He was stopped when his back hit the bed he had just fallen from. She must have caught his fear as she quickly pulled her hands away, opting to clasp them together in front of her instead. She seemed to be holding in a fierce desire to move closer to him.
"St-stay back." Merlin stuttered, failing miserably in his attempt to look like an intimidating warlock in his feeble position. His back screamed in pain from the rough fall.
"I mean you no harm." She said sincerely. She offered her hands up in a sign of peace. Merlin kept his eyes glued on her, vigilant of any ill intention that might be brought forth but none came. She gave him a small smile and offered one of her hands towards him.
"Will you allow me to help you, my lord?"
Merlin eyed her warily. She had a kind expression, one that reminded him much of Gwen's when they had first met as he was pelted with rotten food. He gave her a small nod and offered no resistance as she came closer. She kept her head bowed respectfully as she grabbed his arm and pulled it over her shoulder. Gently, she lifted him to the bed where Merlin resisted the urge to lay in. He refused to stay settled for even an extra moment. He had to know where the others were. Arthur could be in any sort of trouble. Waking up without knowing what happened to any of them was disorienting and terrifying. He placed a solid hand on the bed post and made to push himself off from it when the girl placed her hands up to stop him.
"Please my lord." She pleaded again "You must stay in bed as you will be weak for a while. The healers left me in charge of you and told me to keep you from injuring yourself further."
"I have to get out of here." Merlin implored again from the floor. "The Knights-"
"You mean the men from Camelot?"
"Yes!" Merlin exclaimed finally getting somewhere. "Do you know where they are?"
"Of course I do." She replied. "It's not everyday our people get to try the king of Camelot and his most trusted Knights so they can finally pay for their crimes with their lives."
Merlin felt his stomach drop. These Druids that were once a peaceful people were resorting to the same type of cruel punishment that Uther had performed. Merlin was disgusted at the animosity born out of the great purge. This was something that he should have been remedying before now. He should have given the druids the old 'Arthur is the once and future king so please don't try to kill the prat while I am still working through the details of the prophecy' talk. It was too late for that now. These druids had swam in their anger for too long and they were about to enact their revenge upon the person that was supposed to unite Albion and bring magic back to the land.
Kilgarrah should have elaborated more upon how difficult destiny can be sometimes.
"How long have I even been unconscious?"
"A much shorter time than the healers anticipated." She answered. "You were transported here directly and they began working on you immediately. They believed that the spell Markus put upon you would have kept you out for nearly a day, but it hasn't even been an hour yet since you arrived. I apologize that it is only me left here. Those more qualified than I went to the trial."
"I'm sure you are still better when it comes to healing." Merlin muttered under his breath. She obviously overheard it as her eyes widened.
"No," She affirmed. "You walk with more power than any of us can fathom containing."
Merlin smiled at the young girl. "It doesn't mean that I always know how to use it."
There was an awkward pause as the young girl gaped at him. Although he could barely move his legs, Merlin itched to leave the room and get his friend's out of this mess. The only problem was that everyone here knew he had magic, hell, they nearly worshipped him. It would be impossible for him to keep his magic a secret from Arthur and the knights.
Merlin couldn't focus on that issue at the moment.
"Take me to them." He said firmly.
"Wh-what?" Her eyebrows came together in a worried look. She looked frightened. Merlin realized the position she was put in. The healers left her in charge of him thinking he wouldn't wake for a while. She was fighting between her orders from them and his request for her to help him.
"But my lord, the effect of healing such an extensive injury means that you will be weak for a while. They need to continue to check up on you to make sure that everything went well. You were in a very bad state when you were brought here." She proudly smiled. "Your health is our top concern in the present time. You shouldn't be walking while you gain your strength back."
"I don't care!" Merlin said adamantly. Wondering how far his influence extended, he set his face in a stern look. "I order you to take me to them- immediately."
She looked at him with fear in her eyes. Merlin never liked anyone to look at him in that kind of light.
"Please," He added in a gentler way. "These men are my friends."
Her eyes widened. "I will help you, Lord Emrys." She answered. "But the healers will not be happy."
"We'll deal with them later. And you can call me Merlin. I never got your name." He said as she pulled his right arm over her shoulder. He tried to stand on his own, but quickly found that he could only help by keeping his legs from dragging. Pain shot through him again and his face contorted into a grimace. At least she couldn't see his discomfort.
"It's Mary." She said with effort. Merlin half-carried out of the door which lead to a hallway. They continued on but at a slow pace. It was obvious that his weight was exhausting her. Nevertheless, she continued on and made no complaint. Merlin was quite impressed at her stamina. As they continued on, he glanced as they passed multiple hallways that snaked away from the one they were traveling in. The entire complex seemed like a labyrinth of various passageways that went on for who knows how long. How anyone could find their way around this place was beyond him.
They finally arrived at a set of tall ornate wooden doors. There were two druids standing by the door. One did a double take when she saw Merlin and began to furiously pat the shoulder of the man standing next to her. He openly stared at Merlin as though he were a rare creature.
Breathing hard Mary said "Here we are."
Merlin felt his stomach do flip flops as he heard faint speaking behind the doors. He feared what would happen in there. Not wanting to look weak while walking in there, Merlin willed his magic to strengthen his legs. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but he had the ability to stand in a more respectable way while sill leaning on Mary slightly.
"Let us in." Merlin said simply. The woman immediately nodded and he eyes flashed a golden color.
As soon as the doors opened Merlin sensed the change in the room. All talking ceased and the occupants of the rather large and very full room turned their attention directly at him. There were hardly any other times when Merlin had felt the kind of anxiety that threatened to overwhelm him in that moment. The silence allowed for him to hear the blood pounding quickly in his ears. The room was packed with people of all ages. Some of the occupants gawked at him while others glared. A young boy was standing next to a woman Merlin assumed to be his mother. He tugged furiously on her robe and pointing at him.
There was no hiding from these people. They knew the secret that he had spent is life protecting. A secret he had killed people over. The stone wall constructed to hide that side of him from those he was closest to was torn down in front of these people. In a way it felt good to not have to hide that part of him, but that feeling was short-lived. When the dust settled, Arthur's accusing fiery eyes that screamed betrayal and for his pyre to be built was all Merlin could imagine. Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind. He needed to keep a clear head. By the reaction that Mary had, these druids still respected Emrys. Perhaps they would listen to him.
His eyes went to five chained and kneeling men facing the front of the room. Even though Merlin couldn't see their faces he knew immediately who they were. Arthur and the knights had their arms pulled behind their backs and held there with iron cuffs. From the back, their hair was slightly disheveled, but other than that they were unharmed. He pushed the magic down that had surfaced in response to a possible threat to Arthur. It wasn't what was needed now. Fighting would only make the situation worse for everyone.
"Lord Emrys," A woman's voice said. Half of her wispy graying blond hair was plaited away from her face as the remainder fell behind her back and away from his view. Her eyes were a steely gray that would make even the fiercest skies afraid of her storm.
Merlin could only assume she was the one in charge as she stood regally at the front of the room. His mind flashed to an image of Gwen at her coronation as queen of Camelot. Any nerves the new queen had on that day were masked by a fiercely strong and powerful presence that not even one of the oldest council members could have denied. That image was one that Merlin doubted he would forget any time soon. As Merlin watched her even more closely, he understood just how much of an influence she had as those immediately around her seemed to be readying themselves to act in the event that a sudden order were to be called. As she stepped forward, so did those around her. She walked towards him and stopped just passed Arthur and the knights who were still kneeling. "My name is Catherine. It is an honor to be in your presence. I am sorry at the confusion that my men had earlier. They had no idea it was you in the cave."
She took in his obviously weak form as he was still leaning against Mary. "I was informed by a healer that you were not going to leave the infirmary for a while until you regained your strength. You seem to be in need of more rest, my lord. We can postpone their sentencing until later so as to allow you more time to recover if your wish to be present. I'm sure we would be willing to allow your input in their sentencing as well."
Merlin willed more of his magic to help him stay standing and stepped away from Mary on his own. He prayed that he would strong enough to stay upright. It would be hard to sell himself as the almighty Emrys if he fainted in front of everyone.
"There will be no need for that because there will be no punishment for King Arthur and his Knights." Merlin said with as much strength and power as he could muster. In truth, his voice ended up shaking and cracking at the end. He watched as the Knights and Arthur stiffened at the sound of his voice. They knew it was him. By some unknown unity they all decidedly remained in silence as if to prompt Merlin to continue speaking. There was no way that he could worm his way out of this one with his secret still intact.
Life, as he knew it, was over.
"I don't understand." She said. "You need not follow his orders." Catherine motioned towards Arthur. "If he has any sort of control over you we can end it now."
Merlin swallowed the large lump resting in his throat. He tried to stay firm in his resolve, but he was inwardly panicking. Here he stood, barely, with his secret spilt before Arthur while trying to negotiate for his life in an underground fortress built by Druids who didn't believe in his role anymore.
This was a far cry from any scenario he had played out in his head.
They obviously knew of the prophecy, yet years of hiding from Uther had blinded them to the fact that Arthur was the other side of the coin. Arthur played just as much if not more of a role in the creation of Albion as he did.
"Arthur and his knights are some of the finest men to ever live." Switching to a more commanding tone, Merlin added dangerously, "It would do you well to release them now before anything irreparable happens."
Outcry erupted throughout the people. Loud shouts echoed in the room and people frantically spoke to each other mentally. None seemed to want to accept what Merlin had just said.
A bold looking man stepped forward and Merlin recognized him as the one who had cast the sleeping enchantment on him.
"No disrespect," the man began in a tone that was laced with arrogance. "But why should we do that when we finally have the man responsible for hunting and killing our kind. He wouldn't have shown any of us this kindness. I say that we do the same."
"The reason is that King Arthur's destiny has been spoken about for centuries. He is the once and future king." At this statement the room erupted once again. Merlin was impressed with the effect that his words were having on the people.
"And furthermore, I will stand by King Arthur no matter what. He is not his father." Merlin took a breath as pain ran through his back. He fought to keep his face neutral, but was struggling to stay grounded. "Arthur is a just king who will lead us all into a time of peace, a time of Albion."
The room stood in a combative silence. The man who had already spoken against him seemed to be preparing another argument. By the looks of it, he was not the only person to refuse to believe what Merlin was saying. Merlin knew he had to stop this quickly if he was to keep control of the situation. The most important thing at the moment was keeping his friends safe.
"You all know that you do not want me as an enemy." Merlin added and he saw the eyes of some widen in shock and fear.
Catherine looked intently at Merlin as though trying to find any weakness or fallacy in his statements. He stood his ground even when he wanted to collapse as her eyes studied him. Finding nothing she gestured to those attending Arthur and the Knights. They stepped forward quickly and removed the shackles binding them. Arthur and the Knights all leapt to their feet and quickly turned around. Shock was written evidently on their faces. Merlin glanced to Arthur who's face was riddled with emotions with many emotions- anger, sadness, betrayal. Merlin couldn't tell the difference. They met eyes and for a second Merlin thought that Arthur would hear him out. That was before the king's eyes hardened. Arthur quickly masked any emotion he was feeling. It was a practice Merlin had seen him do time and time again throughout the years.
Tearing his gaze away from Arthur so as to not let fear and guilt compromise himself, Merlin turned to Catherine and asked, "Am I correct in assuming that living quarters have been prepared for me or am I to stay in the infirmary?"
"They have." Catherine seemed taken aback by the abrupt nature of the question. Merlin was convinced that she had noticed the awkward exchange that occurred between their group. What confused Merlin was that she didn't call it to the attention of everyone else. She allowed it to pass between them silently.
"Good," He continued. He was not by any stretch of the imagination in any situation where he could question her reasons. His body was drained and pain was continually worsening. "I'm going to take King Arthur and the Knights with me. We wish to not be disturbed for a while."
"Of course." Catherine said with a nod. She glanced from Arthur to Merlin calculatedly. Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat and attempted to reign in his flurry of emotions. From the few minutes of interacting with her, Merlin knew she was a very astute woman.
He was afraid for his friends. The only reason Arthur and the others were not being led to their execution was because he forced their compliance with a threat. It was not a solid foundation to build from, but it was a foundation nonetheless. He didn't know what she was capable of and preferred not to find out when he had to account for the lives of his closest friends.
"Mary will lead you there." Catherine stated after eyeing up his hopefully stoic expression. Merlin nodded and gestured for Arthur to follow. He fought the urge to react when when each of the Knights closed in upon their king as if to defend him. Arthur's face was a blank page that Merlin was unable to read. Arthur had always been so much more practiced in masking his emotions than Merlin was. Merlin wore his right on his face for all to see.
Mary began to lead them out of the large hall and Merlin finally began to look around at the occupants in the room. Some looked ecstatic. The prophecy was being realized. In their eyes Arthur was their great leader. Others still seemed to hold a grudge against the ruler of Camelot. It wasn't ideal, but it was definitely a start. Merlin attempted to prepare himself for the onslaught of reactions from Arthur and the Knights. Maybe he could say that he was pretending to be Emrys to keep them all safe. But these were foolish thoughts. There was no way that Merlin would be able to talk his way out of this one.
It was time for Merlin to stop running.
He was tired hiding who he was. He only wished this had been on his own terms. He had often thought about what the best way to tell Arthur. He would play out scenarios in his mind for hours at night. This had not been one of those imagined times. This was possibly the worst way for Arthur to discover his magic. He not only had to explain why he had magic but also why all these druids were calling him Emrys.
They walked in silence down a tunnel and passed several more ornately decorated doors until they stopped at one of them. Mary opened the door from them and lead them into the room before curtsying and leaving Merlin with the silent men. As she shut the door, Merlin went to ensure that it was locked. He didn't want anyone to disturb whatever would happen. There was no way to know how any one of the men in the room would react.
As Merlin turned around, he was violently slammed into the door behind him. His head hit against the solid frame hard enough for him to see stars. A hand gripped his shirt effectively pinning him in place. As Merlin's eyes cleared his stomach dropped.
It was Arthur.
Before Merlin could say anything, his king's other hand was on his throat, effectively stopping his air supply. The Knights circled around the pair at a distance. Each seemed angry, but none were as enraged as Arthur. His eyes were narrowed slits as he glared at his servant.
"Who are you?" He demanded. "And where the hell is Merlin?"