Strongest of the Warlocks: Chapter Sixteen: The Sought Druid
AN: Ooh! Excitement concerning Percival's brothers, I see. They won't show up yet, so it might be a few more chapters until they meet her, but it'll be fun, I promise. The twins are a real crack.
And at last we'll get to meet young Mordred in this chapter, which has been something I've been looking forward to for awhile.
Merlin gets into far much trouble doing absolutely nothing, which I find hilarious.
Merlin examined the stall of apples, grasping one and feeling it for any imperfections before pulling out a coin to hand to the vendor who gave her a small smile in return.
"Look after yourself, Merlin," the woman winked.
"I always do," Merlin replied, continuing down the road as she bit into the apple.
She'd been running errands for Gaius and Arthur respectively all morning and she was sure she smelled like an herbal tincture from the sheer number she had had to make and take to the patients that needed them.
Merlin was just glad everything for that morning was over and done with so that Merlin could have some breathing room, which she had been sorely lacking since the time she'd woken up.
As usual, she blamed Arthur, because when wasn't it Arthur's fault? He was the one that shoved all those duties on Merlin in one day, the tosspot…why couldn't he be a normal person and spread them out over the course of a few days?
Merlin took another aggressive bite to the apple as she walked from the lower town to the upper town and then into the stone courtyard, giving a nod to the guards of the great double doors that led into the palace before taking those steps two at a time, making in the direction of Gaius' quarters when a scream pierced through Merlin's mind and she froze, dropping the apple.
It was not a scream that could be heard by others, it had come solely from the mind of another magical being. But who was it?
Merlin narrowed her eyes, taking the small staircase down to the side corridor that led into the stone courtyard.
Help, a voice called weakly to her and Merlin knew it to be the same voice from before, the one that had been in pain. Help me, please!
Merlin opened the door to peer out into the courtyard that was, for the most part, deserted, barring the few servants that were flitting about, the two guards on duty, and a few who had come to speak to the king. She could sense him…where was he?
Help me, please! The voice begged again and Merlin looked around again, her eyes focusing on a figure in a dark green cloak, huddled under a stone ledge. From where she was, Merlin could make out a mop of dark hair and a pair of bright blue eyes, and it was those eyes that were fastened on her, directing his thoughts to her mind. Please, you have to help me!
Merlin's eyes ripped from his, glancing towards the courtyard entrance where several more guards had entered the square.
One of them pointed to a covered wheelbarrow that had been dropped off earlier with supplies for the kitchen. "Search in there. Take the other side." Then the guard went to the nearest servant he saw. "You, did you see a boy run in here?"
The servant shook his head hastily, clearly wanting to be as far away from the guard as possible. Merlin could imagine why; some of the guards had reputations as violent individuals.
They're searching for me, the boy sent her way and Merlin's eyes flashed to his again, narrowing suspiciously.
Why? She sent back to him.
They're going to kill me, he said, his words tainted with his fear.
Merlin didn't have to hazard a guess as to why. No matter how kindly and gentle the Druids may have been, Uther still considered them to be a threat to his rule, especially since the brief takeover of Camelot by a Druid, in fact, he probably considered them even more of a threat than before because of the brief takeover, which had been entirely Merlin's fault.
"Guards! In here!" a guard called and the guards moved towards the area closest to the gate on the east side, giving the boy only a small window of when he could run so Merlin opened the side-door further, curling her fingers at him in a 'come hither' gesture.
Run, now! She thought.
The boy struggled to his feet, clutching his arm as he ran to where Merlin was holding the door for him. But he was too slow.
A guard saw him as he rushed past, drawing his sword with an eager cry of "Hey, there he is! Alert the rest of the guards!"
Merlin jammed the door behind the boy, grabbing his hand and nearly jerking him up the stairwell, moving fast in her haste to find him a safe place to hide.
They came out in a hallway, but Merlin drew short about taking him down it when she heard the voices of the guards echoing down it, so they took the curved staircase up to the next level.
Morgana's room was the first one in sight and Merlin didn't even think, she just yanked the door open and shoved them both inside, clearly interrupting Morgana, who stopped laughing at something that Gwen had said when Merlin shut the door behind them.
"Have you forgotten how to knock, Merlin?" she asked clearly amused before taking note of the young boy that Merlin had her arms around.
"I'm sorry Morgana but I didn't really have a choice," Merlin said breathlessly, "the guards are after him and I couldn't just let them take him."
There was a sort of desperation in Merlin's eyes and it was one that Morgana could sympathize with as she shared a glance with Gwen. The boy was dressed in worn clothes, thread-bare and sturdy, made for comfort in the wild, if nothing else; they were the clothes of a Druid. And Morgana had seen far too many Druids executed for being nothing less than what they were born to be.
Morgana's eyes fastened on the boy and there was a sense of familiarity that trickled in the back of her mind, only to be jolted out of it by the harsh knock on the door.
"My Lady? My Lady!"
Morgana gave a jerk of her head towards the curtain close to the window. "In there."
Merlin pulled the boy until the pair were both obscured from sight by the crimson cloth and then Morgana opened the door with Gwen standing politely at her side.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady," the guard said as the boy collapsed into Merlin's arms, and she had to sink to the floor to cushion him from the hard stone. "We're searching for a young Druid boy. We believe he came this way."
Cold fury bit at Merlin's heart, that those in Camelot would so swiftly execute a child for doing nothing but being what he was: a Druid. The boy reminded her a bit of Caedmon, but Caedmon was younger and he never strayed from his clan, he knew what doing such a thing meant.
"I haven't seen anyone," came Morgana's voice. "It's just me and my maid."
"Best keep the door locked till we find him."
"Of course," Morgana said simply, "thank you."
A moment later the door had shut and Morgana and Gwen had made their way around the curtain to see Merlin examining the boy's bloody arm.
"What happened?" Gwen asked, her dark eyes wide.
"One of the guards must have cut him when he was fleeing them," Merlin said with an angry hiss, examining the wound. "I need to treat it before it becomes infected…but there are too many guards around for me to go and make a poultice."
"You'll have to do without it for now," Gwen said, crouching closer and pressing Merlin for details. "Merlin, what do you need?"
Merlin pressed a hand to the boy's brow, feeling the heat under the skin. "I need a wet cloth to cool his skin."
And Gwen moved to comply while Merlin's eyes flickered towards Morgana.
"Thank you," she said quietly and the lady gave her a small smile in return.
It took them an hour to prepare for the execution of the Druid that the boy had come with and that was probably the worst part of it. Those in Camelot now found it so common to see executions and it made Merlin want to put Uther's head on the chopping block.
Morgana and Merlin stood at her balcony, not hidden but not clear to see, watching the Square below as the man was brought out to be executed. There was a bit of resignation in his face as he stood with his spine straight as Uther walked out onto the main balcony with Arthur following after. Merlin narrowed her eyes at Arthur but his face was pinched and his lips were turned down in a frown; clearly he didn't approve of his father executing a man who had only come to Camelot for supplies.
"People of Camelot," Uther intoned, "the man before you is guilty of using enchantments and magic. Under our law, the sentence for this crime is death. We're still searching for his accomplice. Anyone found harboring the boy is guilty of conspiracy, and will be executed as a traitor. Let this serve as a warning to your people."
Morgana reached for Merlin's hand and Merlin squeezed it comfortingly with her face set in a stony mask.
"You have let your fear of magic turn to hate," the man said, unsurprised by the outcome, and Merlin couldn't help but admire him for being so unafraid in the face of death. "I pity you."
"I can't watch this," Morgana said, and neither could Merlin.
Morgana left the balcony to sit down with the boy but all Merlin did was turn away from the view, her eyes dead and staring at the wall, pressing a hand to her mouth, feeling the bile roiling in her stomach.
There was the dull sound of the axe striking down followed by a blood-curdling scream of a child in Merlin's mind, echoing and sharp, and Merlin jumped as the mirror she was standing beside cracked suddenly in the boy's pain.
Merlin looked at the shattered pieces, unease coiling deep inside her.
The blue liquid sloshed around in the flask that Merlin was holding up to the light, dutifully ignoring Gaius' presence, which was something she had done even before she had found herself at odds with her guardian; Merlin preferred to work in silence and uninterrupted.
"Is this for someone in particular?" Gaius asked lightly, interrupting her, which she didn't appreciate, going off of how she frowned at him for doing so.
"A patient," Merlin didn't elaborate, replacing the tincture over the fire and moving to mash together some berries and roots to make a paste for the Druid boy's wound; she could only leave it untreated for so long before infection would spread.
"Please tell me you haven't gotten yourself involved in this Druid business, Merlin," Gaius warned, "you already have enough difficulty keeping your own secret under wraps."
"I think I actually manage just fine with my secret, thank you very much," Merlin said stiffly, spooning the paste into a smaller bowl before pouring the blue liquid into a small jar to be taken by the mouth. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Gwen is running a fever and she's got a cut that I need to treat."
And with that said, she grabbed a few bandages and wrenched the door open, disappearing behind it before Gaius could even consider stopping her, and it swung shut behind her, leaving her guardian to give a sigh.
When she entered Morgana's chambers, Morgana spoke in a low voice. "He's sleeping for now; I only just got him to close his eyes."
Merlin gave a small sigh of relief. "That's good. Do you know how he is? Has he said anything?"
"I think he may have lost a portion of his blood from that cut," Morgana said quietly, glancing to where the boy was hidden behind the curtain. "He's very pale and sluggish…and he hasn't said a word, he won't even tell me his name."
Merlin said nothing to that, setting down her healer supplies on the table as quietly as possible so as not to awaken the boy.
"I know you didn't have to help him, so thank you," Merlin said to her quietly, tugging at the end of her tight plait.
"I wouldn't see an innocent child executed," Morgana said sharply before quickly quieting and the rustling sound beyond the crimson curtain. "What harm has he ever done anyone?"
Merlin gave a helpless shrug. "Uther's been on a warpath since a Druid took over Camelot, and he finds fault in anyone that's used magic, even if it was for a good cause." Her lips thinned into a line.
"Does that make you angry?"
"Doesn't it make you?" Merlin arched an eyebrow at her friend. "My godfather is a Druid Chieftain who has healed countless people who were near death with his skills in magical healing. Magic shouldn't be something that you are punished for having."
"What if…" Morgana wet her lips and started again. "What if magic isn't something you choose? What if it chooses you?"
Merlin's lips curled into a soft smile.
"What? What is it?"
"Sorry," Merlin said lightly, the smile still on her lips, "you just remind me of someone else; she has the same views."
And that was to say Merlin herself but she couldn't exactly blurt out to Morgana that she was actually a Warlock, having her magic since birth.
"We should meet one day," Morgana replied, her eyes glittering in amusement. "Besides, you took a risk as well, helping him, so why'd you do it?"
"I trust the Druids," Merlin said simply, "I know a boy close to his age and I never turned Caedmon away, so why would I turn him away?"
Morgana's eyes softened as she reached out to touch Merlin's arm. "Sometimes I think you are far too kind, Merlin…you truly are the best of us."
"I find that hard to believe," Merlin said with a small chuckle. "I believe a better word would naïve and far too trusting."
"It depends on the person, I think," Morgana replied easily.
Merlin flicked her braid over her shoulder. "So," she said, "what are we going to do? He can't stay here, not with Uther searching Camelot up and down for him."
"We have to find a way to get him back to his people," Morgana decided after a moment, wrapping a curl around her finger. "But getting past the patrols will be difficult."
If not impossible. Merlin cursed Uther for hating those who used magic so much.
The next morning Merlin came to examine the boy again with Morgana hovering anxiously at her side as she changed his bandages for new ones, examining the wound.
"Is he going to be all right?" Morgana pressed.
"The wound's healing, see?" Merlin showed it to her and it certainly didn't look quite so irritated or red like it had the previous day.
"But his fever…" Morgana said nervously.
"It just hasn't broken yet, that's all," Merlin insisted, giving her friend a small smile. "Trust me, Morgana, I know what I'm doing."
"I know you do," Morgana was quick to agree, "I'm just worried about him is all."
Merlin opened her mouth to say something when there came the sound of fast approaching footsteps and a sharp rap on the door.
"Expecting anyone?" she asked Morgana with a quirked eyebrow and Morgana shook her head, pulling herself to her feet to draw the curtains and answer the door.
"Arthur," Morgana uttered in surprise. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
The prince strode past her into her room without so much as a "May I come in?" and Merlin couldn't help but roll her eyes, it was Arthur's typical arrogance.
"Don't get all excited," he drawled out, "it's not a social call. I'm looking for the Druid boy. I'm afraid I'm going to have to search your chambers."
"You are not searching my chambers," Morgana insisted and Merlin leaned back so that she would be out of view from the crack in the curtains.
"Don't take it personally," Arthur replied. "I have to search the entire castle. It'll only take a few minutes."
Merlin gritted her teeth together in annoyance. Why couldn't Uther just believe that the boy had somehow found a way to make it past Camelot's gates, it wasn't like it was as difficult as he made it out to be. The boy probably wouldn't have had any trouble with it if he was at his full strength.
"I'm not having you mess up my things," Morgana said as Arthur moved to examine her closet as an ideal hiding place for a small Druid boy (Merlin didn't blame him, the closet did have some merit).
"I'm not interested in your things," Arthur countered. "I'm just looking for any evidence that the Druid boy's in the castle."
"Perhaps the Druid boy's hiding in your chambers," Morgana replied, her words just this side of scathing. "They're usually such a mess, you'd never know."
"It's hardly my fault that I have such a lazy idiot for a servant."
Incredulity marred Merlin's face at that. Lazy idiot? Oh, she was definitely going to get him back for that…she wondered how he would feel about being beaned in the face with an apple; Merlin liked that idea very much.
"Really, can you still blame Merlin for your shortcomings? It's not that hard to keep your own room orderly."
Merlin listened to them trade barbs for a few moments longer before Arthur finally went on his way without even bothering to check behind the curtain and Merlin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Too close.
"Will you tell me about the Druids?" Morgana asked her once the door was locked again and Merlin was back to changing the boy's bandages and wetting another cloth to place it over the boy's forehead.
"I'm not sure there's enough time in a day to tell you about the Druids," Merlin smiled. "But maybe one day I will…I can tell you that there are some Druids who don't use magic and some that do, just as there are Druids who are kind and those that are cruel. In reality, they are no different from you or me."
"But you must have some stories about your time with them," Morgana said as Merlin knotted the bandage carefully.
"Iseldir! Iseldir!" Merlin was twelve and curious as she tugged on her godfather's arm. "I want to see the Perilous Lands! Will you take me?"
"Iseldir! Teach me how to use magic to save people!" Merlin was fifteen and fierce.
"Iseldir, why do people hate magic so much?" Merlin was seventeen and tired of hiding.
"I've got a few," Merlin said, blinking a few times to clear her thoughts. "But I'll tell you a few stories later, Morgana, when we've gotten the boy back to the Druids."
Morgana hummed in agreement, moving to fetch some water for herself as the boy's eyes slid open at long last.
Thank you, Emrys, came his weak voice in her mind and Merlin's eyes focused on him, confusion knotting her brow.
Emrys? My name is not Emrys, my name is Merlin.
Among my people, the boy spoke in her mind, that is your name.
That's not possible, Merlin countered. I have been among the Druids since I was a child and they only call me Merlin.
But the boy gave no answer, falling into a deep slumber once more, leaving Merlin in her confusion, and the best person to get answers from had to be the dragon locked in the lowest dungeon.
It was easy to bypass the guards this time around, probably having to do with just how busy they were searching for the Druid boy they could not find.
"No doubt you are here about the Druid boy," Kilgharrah said as soon as she had made her presence known.
Merlin chewed on the inside of her cheek, tightening her grip on the torch. "The boy…he called me Emrys."
"That is because it is your name," Kilgharrah spoke in that ancient voice of his.
"I've met Druids before, though," Merlin insisted, "I've spent a lot of time with Druids and not one has called me by that name."
But the Druids were always respectful towards her, something that the younger Merlin had always found a bit odd and chalked it up to her being the goddaughter of the Chieftain, and they'd only ever called her: Merlin or Lady Merlin.
"I suspect that was because you did not yet know your destiny," Kilgharrah said with a bit of amusement. "I believe they didn't want to burden you."
"How kind," Merlin drawled out sarcastically. "But how did the boy know who I am? Did the other Druids tell him?"
"There is much written about you that you have yet to read," the dragon said cryptically, as usual, before warning her, "You should not protect this boy."
"Not protect him?" Merlin repeated the words dubiously and incredulously. "He's just a boy, Kilgharrah, a boy with magic and a boy that's injured; I'm a healer, I can't just step aside."
It went against everything she was to simply give up the boy who was clearly in need of help merely because of what the Great Dragon said.
"Helping the boy will only bring you further trouble," the dragon intoned. "Mark my words, Merlin, he is a danger to you and to your destiny."
Merlin curled her hand into a tight fist. "I don't care about my destiny," she hissed angrily. "Enough people have died because of me as it is, I will not be adding this boy to the list!"
And with that said, she took her torch and spun so fast on her heel that she made a ribbon of orange in the air before stalking off in the direction she had come, still fuming.
Kilgharrah sat on his perch, knowing what would come from her actions and wondering if he was right and wrong.
Perhaps Merlin could change one's fate from her own actions, he would just have to wait and watch.
AN: Haha, it's been awhile since I updated this fic, but I figured I might as well hammer this chapter out, especially since all the really good stuff is so far away…well, not so far away, I'm sure that Percival's brothers might make an appearance in a few chapters
Iseldir should pop up in the next chapter, which I'm looking forward to because he's my favorite Druid.
As always: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!
