A/N - Halfway through!
Thank you Spnlove101 for following. And thanks for the reviews padfootl0ve and GuestM. GuestM, you are completely right. You know, I wasn't really happy with Gwaine's reaction when I wrote it, but I couldn't decide what he would do, I think he would be angry, but not at Merlin... perhaps a little hurt and jealous that Lancelot knew Merlin's secret when he didn't... (I have many many many thoughts about the relationship/rivalry between Gwaine and Lancelot and the parallels between both of their relationships with Merlin, I'll go into them someday) Anyway I have gone back and edited it slightly now, I think it's better, see what you think...
But enough about last chapter, moving on to this one!
No. 16 – Forced to beg / Hallucinations
Light streamed into the room as Merlin opened the curtains.
"Good morning, Sire!" he called to the still sleeping lump beneath the blanket. He heard Arthur groan but there was no movement from the bed.
Merlin had heard Arthur screaming in the night, plagued by nightmares. Not that he was surprised considering the creepy ruins of an old tower they had visited yesterday. There had been a lingering undertone of dark magic in the place that had made Merlin's skin turn to goosebumps the entire time they were there. Ghostly screams echoed in his head. Arthur had looked particularly troubled as they rode back to Camelot and had refused dinner with the knights, going straight to his chambers.
"Arthur, wakey wakey…"
Merlin gently pulled the blanket away, poking Arthur in the side.
Arthur rolled over to look blearily at Merlin as he put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur's eyes widened and he scrabbled back across the bed, almost falling out the other side.
"What are you doing?!" he asked, his voice shaking.
"Waking you," Merlin said with a smile. He reached a hand towards Arthur but the prince slapped it away, stumbling out of bed and backing up against the wall.
"Get away from me."
"Arthur?"
"Don't point that dagger at me!" Arthur yelled, his eyes frantically darting around the room.
Merlin looked down at his empty hands, then back up at Arthur, confused frown working its way over his eyebrows.
"I haven't got a dagger," he said slowly.
Arthur slid along the wall, not taking his eyes off Merlin.
"Don't lie to me. You want to kill me."
"Don't be stupid!" Merlin threw his hands up, Arthur flinched.
"No… No!" Arthur was shaking, his hands uselessly scrabbling at his waist, reaching for a sword that he wasn't wearing.
Merlin edged around the end of the bed, his hands held up where Arthur could see them. Slowly he approached the prince, who screamed. Arthur's face was fixed terror. Fearing he was making the situation worse, Merlin stopped moving towards Arthur. He walked steadily backwards until the back of his thighs bumped into the table.
"Here." He kept his voice calm as he filled a goblet from Arthur's water jug. He held it out.
"I won't drink it!" Arthur hissed.
He ran at Merlin and knocked the goblet from his hand. Water splashed to the floor and all down Merlin's front.
Merlin instinctively jumped, letting out an exclamation of disgust as the cold water seeped through his shirt onto his stomach.
"Does it hurt?" Arthur cried. "That was meant for me?"
He pushed Merlin hard. Merlin fell backwards onto the table, sending the whole water jug flying. Water cascaded over the table, streaming over the edge like a waterfall to the floor. Arthur leapt backwards as it puddled near his bare feet.
His eyes seemed glazed, almost unfocussed as he glared at Merlin.
"Arthur! I don't want to hurt you, Arthur!" Merlin shouted, but Arthur kicked Merlin's legs out from under him.
He slipped in the water, falling painfully onto his back. Arthur pinned him to the floor, wrestling his arms over his head and tearing at Merlin's hands.
"Give me the dagger!"
"I haven't got a dagger!"
Arthur kept snatching at Merlin's hands, desperately clawing. Merlin wriggled, trying to break Arthur's grip, to push him off. But Arthur was much stronger than him. He held him down, one hand now wrapping around Merlin's neck.
"Arthur! Stop it!" Merlin shouted then gagged as Arthur pressed down on his throat.
He struggled, fighting to breathe. His magic welled up, ready to free him, humming in his chest. He let it out, pushing Arthur away. Arthur wasn't in his right mind anyway; he'd never remember that Merlin had used magic. He hoped.
Arthur screamed.
Merlin scrambled to his feet, hands up again. Arthur ducked past him, sweeping his sword from the desk and spun to face Merlin. The blade quivered as Arthur's hand shook, but it remained pointed at Merlin's chest.
"Get away from me," Arthur growled.
Seeing no other choice, Merlin ran.
Arthur collapsed against the side of his desk, sword clattering down on the wood, sending parchments fluttering to the floor. He gasped and panted, trying to stop the tears that began pouring from his eyes.
He could hear screaming in his head, along with the muttering, "Die, Arthur Pendragon. Die!"
Merlin had threatened to kill him. Held a dagger at his throat while he slept. Had tried to force him to drink from a poisoned goblet. The floor and the table were still smoking where the vile liquid pooled.
With shaking hands, Arthur lifted his sword belt from the desk, securing it around his waist and stuffing his dagger into it. He looked down at his paper knife and snatched that up too, sticking it beside his dagger. He needed as many weapons ready as possible in case Merlin came back.
He couldn't get the image out of his mind; Merlin, with eyes glowing red like blood, advancing on him with a long dagger, grinning maliciously as he brought the dagger up, readying to plunge it into Arthur's chest. He had laughed cruelly, hissing that he was going to kill him. The voice so un-Merlin-like it scared Arthur to the core.
The door banged open, Arthur spun around, eyes wide as Leon stalked into the room.
"Leon!" Arthur threw himself forwards. "Merlin's trying to kill me!"
Leon laughed.
Arthur froze, there was a wicked gleam in Leon's eyes… his bright red eyes. He pushed Arthur backwards, sending him tumbling to the floor. Then drew his sword.
"I'll kill you Arthur," he spat. "We all want you dead."
He dragged his sword point along the floor as he advanced on Arthur, the scraping sound ringing in Arthur's ears. A sick grin took over Leon's face as he stood over him with his sword pointed straight at Arthur's heart. Arthur crawled backwards, his back hitting his chair. He pulled himself up. Ignoring the tears that streamed down his face, he pulled the paper knife from his belt.
"Get away from me!" he shouted. "No!"
Leon took a step forwards and Arthur lunged. He plunged the knife into Leon's shoulder. Leon looked down at the knife in his chest and laughed.
"You think you can hurt me? You're nothing, Arthur. No power, no strength. Everyone hates you. Your father hates you. He wants you dead. I'll do it for him."
Leon's sword hissed as it swung at Arthur's head. He ducked, twisting away, only his honed reflexes saving him as Leon executed a perfect backswing that would have taken Arthur's life. He ran back to his desk, snatching up his sword.
The force of Leon's blow jarred up Arthur's arms as he blocked it with his sword. The clash of swords meeting echoed around the room, joined by Leon's cruel laughter and the screaming still in Arthur's head.
Leon swung again and again, impervious to the knife in his shoulder. His red eyes glowed nastily. Arthur beat back with all his strength, driving Leon backwards.
"You won't kill me!" he shouted, blocking and slashing as Leon's sword danced towards him.
A lucky hit sent Leon to his knees, Arthur drove his advantage. He'd kill Leon before Leon could kill him.
Gaius hurried along behind Merlin as they ran to Arthur's chambers.
"Hallucinations and paranoia? It sounds like he's suffering from the effects of a mandrake root," Gaius puffed. "Are you sure he didn't touch anything at the tower ruins?"
"I don't know?" Merlin skidded around a corner, almost slamming into the wall, then paused to wait for Gaius to catch up. "He could have done, I guess. The whole place felt like dark magic."
They reached the corridor outside Arthur's chambers and were met by the sound of swords clashing. Merlin threw the doors open.
Leon was on his knees at Arthur's feet, his sword raised above his head to block the rain of blows Arthur was inflicting on him. Arthur's small paper knife was jammed into his shoulder, blood staining his shirt. He was begging Arthur to stop.
"You can't kill me!" Arthur screamed, using both hands to slam his blade down against Leon's, weakening Leon's grip as the force pushed the crossed blades closer to his face.
"Arthur! Please! I don't want to hurt you! Sire! Stop!"
He scrabbled back, his arm shaking under the pressure of Arthur's attack. Leon was defending only, he would never raise his sword in attack against Arthur, no matter what.
"Please, my lord, please!"
Merlin and Gaius ran into the room. Arthur screamed again, yanking his dagger from his belt and hurling it at Merlin. Merlin slowed the blade with his magic, dodging under it and grabbed Arthur.
"Knock him out," Gaius told Merlin.
Arthur fought against Merlin's grip. Putting weight into his hand with magic, Merlin hit Arthur carefully on the back of the head, he sagged in his arms. There was a clang as Arthur's sword fell from his limp grip. Merlin kicked it away, lying Arthur down gently on the floor, his head in his lap.
Leon leant forwards, his own sword falling as his hand came to rest on Arthur's shoulder.
"He thought I was trying to kill him," he told Gaius, looking worriedly up at the old physician. "What's wrong with him?"
"He was hallucinating." Gaius knelt beside Arthur, lifting his eyelids to peer at his glazed eyes. "I believe he disturbed a mandrake whilst you were at the tower yesterday."
"Will he be alright?" Leon asked.
"Merlin." Merlin looked up from Arthur's face, it was still pinched with fear, even in his unconscious state. Gaius waved his hand around the room. "Check around, make sure there is no trace of the mandrake here."
Merlin slid Arthur's head from his lap, Leon scooted closer, letting Merlin reposition the prince on his legs instead. He first checked under the bed, then began meticulously searching every nook in the room.
"If the root is not here, he should recover in a day or so," Gaius said. "I'll give him something to keep him asleep."
"Thank you, Gaius." Leon bowed his head.
Gaius waved the thanks away, patting Arthur's chest gently then turning to Leon.
"Let me see that knife."
Merlin finished his check of the room, it was clear. He built up the fire in the grate, plumping up the pillows on the bed. By then, Gaius had cleaned and stitched the wound in Leon's shoulder, which thankfully wasn't deep.
Leon helped Merlin lift Arthur back into his bed. He removed Arthur's sword belt and Merlin tucked the blankets in around him.
"We'd never hurt you, Arthur," Leon muttered, his hand resting briefly on Arthur's forehead.
A/N - I have very strong headcanons about Leon being like a big brother to Arthur, in case no one could tell!