Out of Time

AvalonReeseFanFics

A/N: Well it's been a hot minute hasn't it? I have no excuse except for that I got sidetracked with another one of my fanfictions. It's freaking 300 chapters long and still going. Isn't that a mammoth or what? But since I'm trying to be more productive this year, I've decided I'm going to try and work on this fanfiction as well. Which means resurrecting it from the grave and trying to forge forward.

I had started posting this Fanfiction up on wattpad, and as of Tuesday it was officially caught up. Both accounts will update this story every Thursday. At the current moment I'm 6 of chapter ahead in the story so I should be able to keep us going for at least two months. I'm hoping to not lose motivation for this story but I make no promises. For right now, don't forget to leave a review so I can see how many people I have left who are interested in reading this story and I'll see you guys next week.

Chapter 33: Out of Faith

Kanen road into the little town of Ealdor expecting some sort of attack. Anything really, especially since they had that little song-witch on their side.

His pride was more than a little bruised. Not only had that witch escaped him but she had made them all look like prized idiots. How had they not noticed her picking hallucinogenic mushrooms? How had they not noticed her slipping them in? The resounding after affect of those mushrooms had him and his remaining crew down and out for days after. He had never been hit with something so potent, never been felled by a mere woman and forest fungi before. But this was no mere woman and he could not underestimate her no more than he could that prince she brought with her.

But e en with the men that ran off, and the men she had burned, he knew that he had strength in his numbers and his numbers had better weapons and better skills. He was banking on the people of that village not knowing how to hold themselves, and on the little witch not being strong enough to use her powers to hold them all off.

But no one was there. They had ridden in ready to wreck havoc, ready to swing their blades and weapons down on fleeing villagers put no one appeared. They rode into the middle of town and barrier went up, wooden with spikes, hidden from them by the hay. Their horses couldn't jump it without being impaled. They turned, spotted one of them running through the huts, Kanen ordered him shot but they had missed him with each bolt.

Seconds later a ring of fire cut off their route out. That left only one place for them to go to get out. Kanen wanted his men out, he had a feeling they were being herded, out numbered or not, these villagers could potentially take them out if they got them cornered.

But his men didn't listen, they headed down that one expanse left open for them and then the clamour of shouts hit their ears. The villagers were there, taking his men on, having herded them into a trap just like Kanen had suspected. They ripped his men off their horses, they were thrashing them thoroughly as Arthur charged through his men slashing them all through.

But Kanen knew, if he got a hold of that little witch all the fighting would stop. So he got off his horse and went looking. She couldn't be far, he just had to find her.

And when he did, he'd make the proud Arthur Penndragon beg for her, and then watched as he pleasured the little witch in a way the prince never would be able to. Once she was ruined, he'd kill them both and then no one would ever come against him again.

Merlin was doing quite well with the whole sword fighting business, considering up until a few days ago he had never really swung a sword. He wasn't going to tell Arthur but his lessons must have really paid off.

He sliced the man trying to bash his mother, and then turned to plunge his sword into someone else's chest. Yes, he was quite good at this. Tiring, but not nearly as hard as Arthur made it out to be. He might not have been as fancy as Arthur but he got the job done.

He turned to check if his mother was okay, which she was thanks to him, and heard the crash of a horse going down and when he turned Will was upon an assailant bashing him. The man must have been coming up on Merlin and he hadn't noticed. Merlin couldn't help but be surprised. He thought Will had turned tail and run. His father had died because a royal had him march to his death in a battle they were ill prepared for. He had been adamant that Merlin's royal wouldn't do that to him either. But there he was, he had come anyway and he had saved Merlin's neck.

"I didn't think you were coming," Merlin said.

Will just grinned at him. "Neither did I."

Well at least he was having fun. If they both got out of this alive this would make for a great story, he might even convince Will to come back to Camelot with him. He could run potions for Gaius seeing as Merlin was too busy with Arthur to really help the old man like he was supposed to and it would be nice to have true friend who knew all about him on his side in Camelot. Someone who would also give Arthur hell.

But even with the combined forces of two friends and all their villagers, they were starting to lose. Merlin would have to do something, and he figured in the middle of a battlefield no one would know where the magic came from.

There was a sudden yelp and then Addison was wedged between he and Will. Merlin turned to defend her from who was coming and then turned back to her. Addison had put on her practice clothes. Arthur's cast-off tan breeches and a cast-off blue tunic and over top she wore the chainmail, though she was hastily pulling it off.

"I know he wanted me protected but I can barely move in this," she said breathlessly as she got it over her head with Merlin's help.

"He wanted you safe and hidden," Merlin reminded her but even he knew that there was no way that she'd just stay behind. Though he did agree it was foolish to put her in the chainmail if he expected her to stay safely inside a hut. Even if it was just to weigh her down so she couldn't easily sneak off like she was prone to.

"Nonsense, I'm the only thing that man's afraid of," she snapped as she surveyed the damage and chaos around her. "And it looks like I got her just in the right time." She turned back to Merlin. "I'll help you."

She then offered him a hand to take which he took immediately. As soon as their hands collided, he could feel it, a sort of heat that travelled up his arm. Addison was lending him her power. He glanced back to where Arthur was behind him, dealing with his own bandits and then extended a hand forward.

As soon as he started chanting he could feel a pulse coming from Addison. Had he been looking he might have seen her eyes flashing silver, but as he was looking forward all he saw was the wind. This strong gust that swirled into a twisted Tornado. It knocked into every bandit, unhorses Kanen who had changed course and seemed to be coming for Addison, and sent the horses skittering for freedom.

Unbeknownst to them Arthur watched. Watched as the wind grew and saw that it was coming from where Merlin, Will and Addison were standing. One of them was doing magic and he had a feeling it wasn't his Addison.

But that lucky magical attack was what they needed. The bandits were defeated after that. They turned tail and ran with the villagers chasing after them telling them never to bother coming back. Everyone was ready to celebrate but Arthur, Arthur was not.

And neither was Kanen.

He shouted Arthur's name and he forgot all about figuring out which of those three were doing magic and turned to face him.

He heard Addison's own squawk of his name, a cry of worry dropping form those lips of hers. But Arthur dared not turn to her. He kept his eyes on the battle in front of him for that was the one that was important.

Kanen came towards him and swung his axe. Arthur had no problem dodging it, and getting around Kanen. He even based his back with his shield for added insult. Kanen turned, he swung again, this time his axe caught the shield and got stuck. Arthur swung his swore and dislodged Kanen's grip and the axe from his shield in one blow.

Kanen took half a step back, and then kicked at Arthur, his foot slamming into his shield and shoving him back.

Arthur staggered back only a few steps before he got low and ready. The man was faltering, he was older and tiring, Arthur was young and spry and about to end this. He let Kanen pull a sword from one of his fallen comrades. It wouldn't do to fight an old man with no weapon, no honour in that. Not that Kanen had any honour or deserved it, but Arthur was Crown Prince and he would not be accused of being dishonourable anyway, least of all a battlefield.

They parried, Arthur managed to circle his sword, keeping him in a spin that Kanen couldn't disengage, however the move bought them closer and Kanen checked Arthur with his shoulder, sending the boy back again.

"Oh, you big bully!"

And then a boot glanced off the back of Kanen's head. Both men turned their eyes to Addison who was in the process of yanking off another one no doubt to lob that one too at Kanen.

"Addison, stay out of it!" he ordered and then he watched Kanen point a sword or at her.

"I'll be coming for you next," he hissed at her. Addison didn't even have the good grace to look afraid, her face was still set in a glare, and Arthur didn't doubt that if Kanen tried to come anywhere near her she'd probably set the man on fire.

"You're not going anywhere near her," Arthur growled and then lunged forward. Kanen had plenty of time to turn and block and from there Arthur let Kanen make all the moves. He blocked blow after blow waiting for the opportune moment and then it came.

Kanen left himself wide open and Arthur stabbed him. Impaled him right through his chest. He then retracted his sword and then let Kanen's body drop to the ground. With Kanen dead on the ground turned his attention on, his idiot lover, his idiot servant, and his idiot servant's idiot friend.

"Who did that?!" he cried heading towards them. He paused only to pick up Addison's boot. He stalked towards them and then shoved the boot into Addison's arms.

"Well… I'm not sure how you missed it, but uh… you were the only one fighting him, Arthur, so it was you who…"

"No… not that," he cried pointing to Kanen's felled body shutting Addison right up. "I mean the wind. Wind like that doesn't just appear from nowhere. I now magic when I see it. One of you made it happen."

"Ah, yes, I did," Addison said as she hopped about trying to get her boot back on her foot. She bumped into Merlin who attempted to steady her but failed miserably.

"No, no see, you don't have a firm grasp on wind yet. So, try again."

They all exchanged glances and Merlin stepped forward with a soft utterance of Arthur's name. Dear god if Merlin announced he had magic he wasn't sure what he'd do.

But suddenly Will cried: "Look out" and shoved Arthur out of the way in time to catch the bolt fired from Kanen's bow right in the chest.

It was a last shot, Kanen used the last of his energy to kill Arthur in a spiteful rage. Arthur shouldn't have turned his back on him until he was certain he was dead. Will went down and Addison and Merlin followed suit both crying Will's name.

Arthur was taken aback. He sort of thought, after Will called him out at the town meeting a night ago, that he didn't like Arthur. But he had just saved his life.

He came to kneel down in front of him, as Merlin had Will in his lap. "You save my life," he found himself saying which was about as lame as one could be.

"Really, you want to do this right now, Arthur," Addison hissed. "The man is dying!"

Yes, and it was entirely his fault. In Merlin's arms Will half laughed through the pain. "Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking."

Well at least he still had his sense of humour. Arthur shoved Addison aside so he could help Merlin lift him and then called to the other villagers: "Come on, let's get him inside!"

Together with the help of the other villagers they got Will not a hut and onto a table, but even Arthur could see that there was nothing they could do for him.

They tried to get him as comfortable as they could but the village had very little comforts here. He was surprised Merlin managed to grow here at all. "That's twice I saved you," Will told him with a half a chuckle as he shuddered and gasped with the pain.

"Twice?" Arthur found himself echoing. So far he only knew of the one.

Will nodded. "It was me. I'm the one that used the magic."

Merlin shook his head. "Will, don't."

"It's alright, Merlin. I won't be alive long enough for anyone to do anything to me."

Arthur found that he could only stare at Merlin. This was his friend. He must have known all along that he had magic and he hadn't told Arthur. And why? Because he thought Arthur would have turned him in? Beheaded him on the spot? Actually, what might he have done? Maybe nothing if he had just been let in on the secret.

Will turned back to Arthur. "I did it. I saw how desperate things were becoming. I had to do something."

Arthur was still having a hard time digesting this, mainly because it just didn't make any damn sense!

"You're a sorcerer?"

Will chuckled again, the sound coming out more like a cough as he chocked. "Yeah. What are you going to do, kill me?"

Addison had made her way to the top of the table, she brushed Arthur aside and leant in to kiss Will on the cheek. "You were very, very brave."

Arthur shook his head. He took Addison's arm and pulled her away. "Do what you can for him," he whispered to Merlin and then left the two friends together to go and lecture Addison outside.

Once everyone had left Will turned to Merlin. "I was right about him. I told you he was going to get me killed."

Merlin, however, was still in denial. "You're not going to die."

But Will, Will knew better. "You're a good man, Merlin… a great man. And one day you're going to be servant to a great King. Now you can still make that happen."

"Thanks to you."

God he was just trying not to cry. This was his childhood friend. He had grown up with Will. Will had been with him through everything and now, now Merlin had let him die and his magic couldn't even help even. Even though he had taken the credit for what happened so Merlin wouldn't get punished. That wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair at all.

"This place has been boring without you," Will admitted. "It was good to see you again."

From there the conversation stunted. Will was trying not to cry, Merlin was already crying manly tears and Will, will was asking him to tell him it was going to be alright when it so clearly wasn't. But what was he going to say?

Merlin was forced to watch his friend fright and struggle before finally going limp and silent on that table. And when he was truly gone, Merlin let the tears flow for his fallen friend.

There are loved ones in the glory, whose dear forms you often miss. When you close your earthly story, will you join them in their bliss?

Will the circle be unbroken? By and by, Lord, by and by. There's a better home awaiting. In the sky, Lord, in the sky.

In the joyous days of childhood, oft they told of wondrous love. Pointed to the dying Saviour, now they dwell with Him above.

Merlin stood flanked by Addison and Arthur as they watched Will's funeral pyre burn in front of them. The whole town was there with them to pay respects to him. Addison was singing a soft funeral song for him and Merlin was glad for her angelic voice and kindness. He even let her hold his hand even though he was certain the side eye he was getting from Arthur was because of it.

Luckily Arthur didn't say anything to him about it. But as Addison continued to sing her song of mourning Arthur leant in and whispered: "I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend."

That was nice of him to say, though his deep voice and low tone meant that he had more to say of a more serious nature.

Merlin didn't want to argue so he simply said: "He still is."

"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you?"

And there it was. The argument that Arthur wanted to have. He was going to question Merlin's loyalty at his dead friend's funeral. The cad.

"That's what you were going to tell me?"

Merlin could have easily told him the truth. No, you giant clot pole, I was going to tell you that I was the sorcerer. But he couldn't say that to him. He had no idea how Arthur would react. Arthur didn't care for him in anyway and definitely not in the same way that he cared for Addison. He wouldn't protect Merlin like he protected Addison.

Still it pained him to say: "Yes. It was."

"You know how dangerous magic is," Arthur reminded him. "You shouldn't have kept this from me, Merlin."

He moved away from their side and Addison continued to sing. He thought he would feel more, especially since he was thinking of staying at the village with his mother. But even at that moment he knew he wouldn't, Arthur still needed him, and with Addison holding his hand he was reminded that he still had an ally in Camelot, one that needed him as much as he needed her.

So, he held Addison's hand grateful for her unwavering friendship and let her words and melodies wash over him

Will the circle be unbroken? By and by, Lord, by and by. There's a better home awaiting. In the sky, Lord, in the sky.