Arthur and Merlin stared at each other for a moment. Drops of blood fell from Arthur's fingers onto the floor. It was now clear to both of them that Arthur was changing, and not in an entirely good way.
"Gwen," Arthur said suddenly. "We need to find Gwen."
"Arthur," Merlin said, holding up a palm. Arthur stopped, towing the line between upset and flustered.
"What?"
"Put that down," Merlin said. "You'll scare someone."
Arthur very carefully set the heart on the floor next to the dead man. Merlin produced a rag and wiped Arthur's hands clean. He was not sure how much of Arthur other people could see.
"We'll cover more ground if we split up," Merlin suggested. Arthur went left down the hallway, towards the staircase that wound down to the throne room. Merlin, who was concerned for Gwen but far more worried about Arthur, went straight to Gaius.
The old man was just waking up from his unexpected nap when Merlin burst into the room.
"There's something wrong with Arthur," he said. "He, well, he was just protecting George, but I don't think he meant for it to happen like that. I've never seen Arthur – he wouldn't do that…"
"Merlin, spit it out," Gaius said. Merlin explained what had happened with Marissa and the other druid and George, and what Arthur had done.
"It's like his energy has changed," Merlin said. "I sense – I don't want to say anger, but…"
"I feared this would happen," Gaius said. "It is not good for the dead to walk among the living, Merlin. They do not belong here, and being here can drive them mad."
"But it's Arthur," Merlin said. Even so, he knew Gaius was right.
"Merlin, you're going to have to send him back."
"I can't," Merlin said. "I won't."
"You must."
IOIOIOIOIOI
Arthur found Gwen waking up in hallway near the kitchen. She was alone, and apparently unharmed. A great relief washed over Arthur. He put his hand on her shoulder, and she jumped in the way she had before. She looked right at him, and she seemed so scared. Arthur couldn't bear to have her look at him like that.
"It's me!" he shouted. Gwen's eyes darted around the room, like she'd just heart a feint voice on the wind. Then, Tristan and Galahad came thundering down the hall, dragging between them an injured man with a druid tattoo. Gwen turned away, and that made Arthur wildly frustrated. He let out a scream. A few pieces of the castle, weakened by Marissa's spell,
tumbled down around Gwen's shoulders.
"My lady!" Tristan said, "Are you alright?" He left Galahad with the weight of the injured druid to attend to Guinevere.
"I am fine, Tristan," Gwen said. "We must check on George. And who is that?"
"This man was trying to kill Merlin's dragon," Galahad said. He explained that they had seen Leon, who had George, and that there was a dead man in the boy's chambers.
Arthur hoovered behind Gwen, nudging the pieces of castle that had fallen around her. Had he done that?
The injured druid boy tilted up his head. He said, "You are not alone here."
Gwen recoiled.
"Don't listen to him, my lady," Tristan said. "Surely he just wants to scare you. Do you want me to accompany you? Galahad can take care of the druid from here."
"That won't be necessary," Gwen said. She ordered the young man to the cells, and said she would find Merlin so that he could tend to his wounds. When the knights left, Gwen had the distinct feeling that she still had company. She felt very loved, and protected, but she also felt an intangible rage swirling through the air. It was both familiar and alien, and she needed to know more about it.
IOIOIOIOIOI
Merlin and Gaius fell silent when Gwen walked into the room.
"Are you alright, Merlin?" Gwen asked.
"Fine, yes," Merlin said. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," she said. A moment passed where neither believed the other, and they both decided to let it go. "There is an injured druid boy in the cells who needs your attention."
Merlin nodded and gathered his basket of supplies.
"Try to find out why he and the others attacked Camelot," Gwen said.
Merlin left, and Gwen hoovered in the room. Gaius raised an eyebrow and said, "Can I help you with something, my lady?"
"Gaius," Gwen said. "You have always been honest with me. I need to know, am I being haunted?"
IOIOIOIOIOI
Arthur followed Merlin to the cells, because he desperately wanted to know why Camelot had been attacked. He could not abide anyone – magical or otherwise – hurting his family, his people, or his home.
"You're awfully quiet," Arthur said.
"Hard day," Merlin said.
The guards admitted Merlin to the cells to look after the boy. He had a cut on his arm and a large burn mark on his back.
"Fought a dragon," Adrian said. "The dragon won."
"What is your name?" Merlin asked. He went to work, tending the cut first.
"Adrian."
"Why did you and your friends attack Camelot?"
"Are you him?" Adrian asked. "Are you Emrys?"
Arthur, standing by with his arms crossed, asked, "Emrys?"
Merlin said, "Some call me that, yes."
"I suppose I can tell you," Adrian said. He told Merlin of the stories that passed through the druid camps. He told Merlin about brave Morgana and noble Mordred, and how a group of druids banded together on the principle that Arthur's legacy could not be allowed to go on. They called themselves the Order of Mordred. Marissa was their leader and high priestess.
"Now Gareth and Gaheris are dead, and Marissa is gone, and Anna, the other woman, will disappear so well that you will never find her," Adrian said.
"I'll find her," Arthur snarled. "If she had any part in this, she will be punished."
Merlin cast a glance over his shoulder.
"There's someone else here, isn't there?" Adrian asked. "I felt it in the hallway. A presence."
"You are badly hurt," Merlin said. He rolled the boy on his side in order to apply a salve to his burns. Merlin tried not to think too much about Adrian's story; it painted him as a villain. He did not want to doubt, even for a moment, that he had always been on the right side.
"Will I be killed?" Adrian asked.
"I don't know," Merlin said. "The Queen asked me to tend to your wounds."
"There is hope, then," Adrian said.
Merlin left Adrian's cell feeling unsettled. Arthur lingered there for a moment, looking at Adrian in a way Merlin had never seen Arthur look at anyone. He called Arthur under his breath, and the ghost king followed him away.
IOIOIOIOIOI
Merlin dreamt he was on a quest with Arthur and the knights. It was not a specific memory or a certain quest. In fact, it could have been any of a hundred nights they spent huddled around a fire between places. Gwaine chattered away with Elyan. Leon whittled and Percival dried his socks. Lancelot was there, too, leaning on his sword and staring thoughtfully into the fire. Arthur sat down next to Merlin, and bumped his shoulder gently as he often did. He said, "Cheer up, Merlin."
Merlin woke up to sound of the warning bells echoing through the crippled castle. He stuck his head into the hallway, and saw Gwen a few doors down doing the same.
"There is a fire in the cells," Leon announced.
"Evacuate the castle," Gwen ordered. She and Merlin rushed next door to get George, who was wide-eyed in his bed. Along with Leon, they quickly made their way down the staircase and out of the castle.
Outside, Gwen, still in her nightgown, watched the smoke billow from the ground level of the castle while holding George's shoulders. The young boy was startled by all the shouting and the palpable worry in the air.
Merlin looked around quickly to count the others who had gathered in the field outside. Aithusa was there, though fire did not bother her much, and Tristan helped Gaius along the rocky terrain.
Merlin turned and charged back towards the castle. George shouted his name, but he did not stop. The whole castle would burn if Merlin didn't act now.
Servants and some of the knights worked as quick as they could to bring water up from the well to dowse the flames, but it was a loosing battle. Merlin took a bucket from Asha and instructed her to join Gwen in the field. He tossed the water onto the flames blocking the entrance and ducked inside.
He growled out a spell, which lessened the flames and cleared enough of a path for him to walk. Merlin was fairly certain he could put out the fire with magic, but he had to find its source first. Attacking the edges would do no good.
The cells appeared empty. The guards had fled quickly, and there hadn't been any prisoners – except young Adrian. Merlin found him unconscious in his cell, oddly untouched by the flames. Arthur stood over him with a wild look in his translucent eyes.
"I didn't mean for this to happen," Arthur said. He sounded desperate and entirely unlike himself. "I don't know how to stop it."
"You started the fire?" Merlin asked. "Why?"
"I came down here to see the man who tried to kill my family," Arthur said. The fire burned around him, and though him, giving him an ethereal glow. "He knew I was here. He even guessed who I was. He insulted me and cursed at me. I got angry."
Merlin tried to shake Adrian awake, but the smoke was in his lungs and he needed more serious attention.
"He screamed," Arthur said. "He was so afraid of the fire. And I enjoyed seeing his fear. I was ready to watch him die, then I realized, he's just a boy, isn't he? Marissa filled his head with nonsense, but he's just a boy. He doesn't deserve this."
Merlin realized that the flames had not touched Adrian because Arthur was stopping them. He did not know how, but he knew it was true.
Merlin stood up, and he drew out his words. In a very old language spoken by very few, he commanded the fire to stop. The flames fought back. They did not want to relent. Still, Merlin's words were strong, and the fire bent to his will. It did not go entirely out, but it largely reduced itself to smoldering embers.
Arthur looked around in complete surprise. No matter how many times he saw Merlin's power, it always seemed new to him. His dawdling, idiot friend was so much more than he had ever realized in life.
Merlin then turned to Adrian, and said a healing spell which revived him enough that he could stand with Merlin's help.
"Fought a spirit," Adrian coughed. "The spirit won. And, he's still here."
Merlin dragged Adrian out of the cells. Merlin himself was feeling rather lightheaded from the lingering smoke. He was relieved when Leon appeared and took Adrian's weight.
"Go on," Merlin said, "I'm right behind."
Merlin turned around and wandered back into the depths of the cells.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.
Fire is stubborn. Already, it was starting to spark back up. Merlin worried if he did not cast a second spell, it may reignite as soon as he walked away. Close enough to the center of the cells, he held up his palms and coughed a few times. He tried to speak the spell, but the world tilted sideways. He fell to his hands and knees, and felt the heat of the fire flare.
"Merlin!" Arthur called.
