In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young girl. Her name: Merlyn.
I'm walking down the palace corridor when I hear a little boy scream, as if it was in my mind, and I look around the corridor, not seeing anyone around. I continue along the corridor headed to start my daily chores.
'Help.' A quiet voice pleads and I stop walking, looking around for the owner of the voice before I enter the Square.
'Help me! Please.' I stop to look around again and I see a little boy sitting by a stone ledge, looking at me. 'Please. You have to help me.' The voice pleads again and I realize it's the boy using telepathy. 'Help me.' He begs and I see guards enter the Square.
"Search in there. Take the other side. You, did you see a boy run in here?" The guards begin asking around for a little boy, and I look back to the boy.
'They're searching for me.'
"Why are they after you?" I ask him, using telepathy.
'They're going to kill me.'
"Guards! In here!" A guard yells and I run to a side door, glance at the guards and then nod to the boy.
"This way. Run. Run!" I instruct him, using telepathy. The boy runs to me, holding his arm carefully.
"Hey. There he is! Alert the rest of the guards!" A guard calls out and I grab the boy's hand, leading him up the staircase.
"In there. Quick, down there. We've got 'im." I hear a guard from behind us as we run up the curved stairs towards Morgana's room. I burst in her chambers with the little boy in tow to see her and Gwen gathered around the table talking.
"Is everything alright, Merlyn? And who is this boy?" She asks me and I smile apologetically.
"The guards are after him. I didn't know what to do." I explain and immediately after, a guard knocks on the door.
"My Lady? My Lady?" He asks, knocking again.
"In there." She gestures to a curtain and waits until we're hidden before opening the door.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, My Lady." The guard apologizes and the boy collapses in my arms as we hide.
"We're searching for a young Druid boy. We believe he came this way." The guard explains.
"I haven't seen anyone. It's just me and my maid." She lies to him.
"Best keep the door locked till we find him." The guard instructs her.
"Of course. Thank you." She says politely, before closing the door and I hear her hurry to check on him. I'm shocked to see that my hand is covered in the boy's blood and I give my friends a fearful look. We laid the boy on the floor and I removed his shirt so I could inspect his wound. Morgana and I watch the Square below, where the druid man is waiting to be executed. Arthur and Uther are standing on the balcony.
"People of Camelot, 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." Uther announces and Morgana gives me a scared look. Uther looks at the druid man. "Let this serve as a warning to your people." Uther informs him.
"You have let your fear of magic turn to hate. I pity you." The druid man retorts.
"I can't watch this." Morgana whispers tearfully as she leaves the window, sitting down on the floor, cradling the boy. I look back to the window to see Uther signal for the druid man to be executed.
'No!' The boy cries out using telepathy and Morgana's mirror breaks. Later, I'm stirring around my food, not really feeling hungry after what I witnessed earlier before I finally decide to ask Gaius.
"Do you know much about the Druids?"
"Very little. They're very secretive people. Especially now they're being hunted by Uther." He responds before looking up quickly. "Merlyn, please tell me you haven't got yourself mixed up in this."
"Me? No. Mixed up in what?" I ask, trying to sound convincing.
"For someone with such a big secret, you are a terrible liar." He retorts, walking towards me.
"Well, I haven't done anything." I deny, setting my spoon down.
"Merlyn..." Gaius presses and I sigh.
"I heard the boy calling out. He was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear him... like he was inside my mind." I relent, wringing my hands.
"Yes, I've heard of this ability. The Druids look for children with such gifts to serve as apprentices. While they're searching for this boy, you must be especially careful otherwise it'll be your head on the chopping block." Gaius cautions me and I smile at his obvious concern for me.
"I'm always careful. You know me." I reply, still smiling.
"Yes, Merlyn, unfortunately I do." Gaius retorts and I chuckle. On my way over to Morgana's chambers I see guards poking their pole arms through a hay cart, looking for the druid boy. I hurry up to Morgana's chambers and let myself in quickly.
"How is he?" I ask her worriedly, placing the bundle on the table.
"He's sleeping. He's very pale. I worry he may have lost a lot of blood." She informs me as she shows me where the boy is sleeping.
"Has he said anything at all?" I ask my friend, concerned for the poor boy.
"Nothing. He won't even tell me his name." She explains sadly.
"You know, you're the King's ward. You're taking a huge risk helping the boy." I mention after a moment and Morgana looks at me before looking back to the child.
"I wouldn't see an innocent child executed. What harm has he ever done anyone?" She asks and I nod.
"Uther believes he has magic, and that makes him guilty. Doesn't matter if he hasn't done wrong." I bite out, disgusted by the persecution of magic users.
"Uther's wrong." Morgana retorts, agreeing with my view.
"You believe that?" I ask her, surprised that she'd disagree with Uther.
"What if magic isn't something you choose? What if it chooses you?" She asks me, and I really look at my friend, wondering if shes isn't already aware of her magic. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing." I mutter, sheepishly after having been caught giving her a weird look.
"Why are you helping him?" She asks me and I wring my hands.
"It was a spur of the moment decision. What do you think we should do with him? He can't stay here."
"We have to find a way to get him back to his people." She answers, determined to save the child. The next day, I hurry back to Morgana's chambers to check on the little boy.
"He's burning up. How long has he been like this?" I ask her, after checking his forehead for fever.
"Since early this morning. I think his wound may be infected. We need Gaius before it gets any worse." She informs me, worriedly.
"No. We can't involve Gaius. It's too dangerous. Besides, if he finds out about this, he'll execute me himself." I explain, shaking my head at the thought of telling Gaius.
"We need to get him out of Camelot, and we can't do that while he's sick. We need a physician."
"I'll treat him." I compromise and she gives me a look.
"Merlyn, do you know how to treat an infected wound?" She inquires and I wring my hands.
"Not exactly, but I'm a fast learner." I admit and just then, we hear footsteps in the corridor and knocking on the door. Morgana closes the curtain and goes to open the door while I hide with the druid boy, but I peek out the curtain slightly to see it was Arthur knocking.
"Arthur! To what do I owe this pleasure?" Morgana greets him, sarcastically.
"Don't get all excited. 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." Arthur informs her as he walks in the chambers and I hide my face behind the curtain.
"You're not searching my chambers." Morgana objects.
"Don't take it personally. I have to search the entire castle. Only take a few minutes." He explains before looking around her chambers, and Morgana sends me a worried look before trailing after him
"I'm not having you mess up my things." Morgana refuses and I shake my head at the reason for her refusal.
"I'm not interested in your things, I'm just looking for any evidence that the Druid boy's in the castle." Arthur assures her and I peek through the curtain to see the little boy's boots sitting int plain sight.
"Perhaps the Druid boy's hiding in your chambers. They're usually such a mess, you'd never know." Arthur retorts and I bite my lip as I can picture Arthur's face at that comment.
"It's hardly my fault I have such a lazy idiot for a servant." He defends himself and I roll my eyes, still being upset with him over the Sophia situation, even if he was enchanted, she couldn't have made him say those things.
"Bestepe 'scós." I whisper and the boots tiptoe towards me.
"Merlyn is only lacking in her duties because she is upset with you. But if you can't even find your own servant, what hope do you have of finding the boy?" Morgana asks him, and I raise a brow at my name, but I see Arthur start to turn around, where he could see the tiptoeing boots.
"Gestælle scós." I whisper and the boots hide behind a column just as Arthur turns.
"Really, I'm touched by the confidence you have in my abilities. And, as much as I'd love to stay and talk about reasons on how I upset Merlyn, the sooner we get started, the sooner we'll be finished." He retorts, looking away and I smile.
"Ástýre scós." I whisper and the boots tiptoe to me behind the curtain.
"Well, I'll save you the trouble." Morgana states and I see Arthur turn to look at her.
"Trust me, if I could find him, I would." Arthur assures her.
"The Druid boy's hiding behind the screen." Morgana informs him and I look up, freezing with wide eyes, scared that Arthur would find me with the boy. "I'm sure your father would love to know how you wasted your time by rifling through my things. Go on." Morgana threatens and I cover my mouth to suppress the snicker at the look on his face.
"So you can have the satisfaction of making me look a fool?" He asks her, hands on his hips.
"In my experience, you don't need any help looking like a fool. Take Merlyn for example. What other reason would she have for avoiding you and not completing her chores than the fact that you hurt her by chasing after Sophia? What are you waiting for? Take a look behind the screen." She elaborates and I steal a glance at Arthur's face to see guilt and something else, that I don't recognize, before his normal expression is back.
"Why don't you go back to brushing your hair, or whatever it is that you do all day?" He retorts before heading to the door.
"Bye, Arthur. Good luck with the search! And I suggest apologizing to Merlyn!" She calls out, as he slams the door and she turns to me smirking, while I'm just gaping at her.
"I can't believe you told him that it hurt me! I'm never telling you anything ever again! He's going to know that I- Ugh! Morgana!" I exclaim, wringing my hands and she giggles.
"Now he knows and you saw him. He felt bad. That means he cares about you." She informs me and I blush a deep scarlet color as I look down at the sleeping druid boy. I head back to Gaius's chambers and begin rifling through books to figure out how to treat the little boy.
"Bites, bruises, burns, wounds..." I read out loud looking for how to treat him before I find it. "Infections.." I trail off as I read the ingredients needed to treat the boy. I hurry over to the work table and grab a few bottles and some herbs that I'll need and put them into a bag, just as Gaius enters.
"Ah, there you are. I need you to pick some heather for me." He informs me as he walks in.
"Er, can I do it later? I was just going out." I ask him pointing to the door as he sets his things down, noticing the book.
"Who set this book out?" He inquires and I realize I forgot to put the book away.
"It was me. I was doing some reading." I lie, ending with a small smile.
"Oh? I'd given up hoping you might take more of an interest in my work." Gaius confides.
"No. It's fascinating." I admit.
"Merlyn, you are riddle wrapped up in a mystery." He informs me and I nod, smiling.
"That's me. I was just getting some cleaning supplies. Arthur's been complaining about the state of his chambers." I excuse myself after holding up the bag as I hurry to the door.
"I think Arthur's chambers can wait. I'm not missing the chance to begin your education." Gaius explains and I shake my head.
"Really. I should go." I protest.
"Sit!" Gaius instructs and I sit on the bench. "We'll start with some basic anatomy..." He informs me as he pulls out a giant volume. I finally escape from Gaius and rush over to Morgana's. She opens the door after I lightly knock and I walk in.
"What took you so long?" She asks me sharply, obviously worrying for the boy.
"Sorry. Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him." I explain as I begin treating the boy.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Morgana asks me, and I look back at her.
"I'm doing my best." I reply, putting the mixture on his wound.
"I'll get you some more water." Morgana tells me, going off to get some.
'Thank you, Emrys.' The boy speaks in my mind and I knit my brows in confusion.
"Emrys? Why do you call me that?" I ask him, using telepathy.
'Among my people, that is your name.'
"You know who I am. How?" I ask him using telepathy, but he doesn't reply.
"Speak to me, please." I plead out loud, hoping for a response, but receive none.
"I don't know if he can't speak, or... he's just too scared to." Morgana admits as she reappears next to me with a jug of water. I see the guards continuing to search the castle as I go down the Tunnel corridor to the dragon's cave.
"Hello?" I call out, looking around for the dragon. He climbs around a corner, roaring and I gasp, stepping back before I regain my composure and sigh.
"Do you have to do that? You scared the life out of me." I exclaim, giving him an annoyed look.
'The young witch. No doubt you're here about the Druid boy.'
"How did you know?" I ask him, confused on how he knew about the boy since he's locked up down here.
'Like you, I hear him speak.'
"Why does he call me Emrys?" I ask him, wanting to know why the boy called me that, and how he said his people knew me.
'Because that is your name.'
"I'm pretty sure my name's Merlyn, always has been." I retort.
'You have many names.'
"Do I? How does the boy know who I am? I've never even met any Druids." I inform him.
'There is much written about you that you have yet to read. You should not protect this boy.'
"Why? He has magic. He's just like me." I explain, curious as to the dragon's warning.
'You and the boy are as different as day and night.'
"What do you mean?" I ask him, completely confused now.
'Heed my words, Merlyn.'
"Why should I not protect him?" I ask, wondering why this boy seems to make everyone feel threatened, but I don't get an answer as the dragon flies off. I head back to Morgana's the next day wearing a cobalt gray dress with my red scarf and a red poppy flower pinning my hair back. I knock on Morgana's door lightly.
"It's Merlyn." I call out softly and Gwen opens the door, showing me to where the druid boy is.
"How is he?" I ask her, concerned for the boy, and worried about the dragon's warning.
"He's getting weaker. Whatever you did yesterday, it hasn't worked. We have to ask Gaius for his help." She informs me and I sigh, wringing my hands together nervously, which she notices. "After all you've done, you can't give up now! Please! If he doesn't receive treatment, he'll die!" She begs me and I nod.
"Okay." I relent, hurrying back to Gaius's chambers to ask for his help.
"The search for this Druid boy is becoming a real nuisance. With all the extra security around the castle, it's taking me twice as long to do my round. Is that everything?" Gaius explains as he packs his medicines and I wring my hands as I try to find the words while sitting on the steps that lead to my chambers.
"Morgana's hiding the Druid boy in her chambers." I blurt out, and then wince as he stops walking and turns around setting his things down on the workbench.
"When you say that Morgana's hiding the Druid boy, I take that means that you're helping her?" He asks me and I look down at my hands as I wring them nervously.
"Sort of." I admit.
"Merlyn, you promised me that you wouldn't get involved." He reminds me and I sigh.
"I know. I'm sorry. I had no choice." I apologize, closing my eyes for a brief second before opening them again before standing and walking towards him.
"Every guard in Camelot is searching for this boy, and you're harboring him under their very noses. Can't you see how dangerous that is? What were you thinking of?" He scolds me.
"Was I supposed to hand him over to the guards to be executed?" I inquire.
"You think you can save this boy? What happens if you're caught? Who's going to save you?" He prompts and I raise a brow.
"You're saying it's wrong to harbor a young magician?" I retort, giving him a look and he frowns.
"The difference is, Merlyn, that your magic is still secret. Though it's a wonder how, considering how careless you are." He explains and I turn to look at him.
"The boy's hurt. He's really sick. I've tried to treat him. We need your help." I inform him.
"So, now you want me to risk my neck, too? I wish the boy no harm, but it's too dangerous." He tells me, refusing to help.
"But if you don't, we may as well hand him over to the guards, because he'll die anyway. You didn't turn your back on me. Please don't turn your back on him." I plead and he relents. Gaius and I hurry back to Morgana's chambers so he can examine the boy.
"I will treat the boy, but as soon as he's well, you must get him out of Camelot. And woe betide anyone caught helping him." He informs us, and I smile in relief that he's agreed to help. "Well, one thing we know for certain." He states after a minute and I knit my brows.
"What's that?" I ask him, confused and he turns back to me.
"You're no physician." After that, we leave Morgana's chambers to try to find a route out of Camelot. Once in the lower town, Morgana, Gwen and I notice that the guards are searching everyone before they leave town.
"The guards are searching everyone leaving the town." Gwen observes and I nod.
"There is another way out. There's a secret door in the armory. It leads to the lower town. I'll take the boy out that way." I inform them.
"No. It's too dangerous. I'll do it." Morgana objects and I look at her.
"But I-I'm good with secret doors and things." I argue, knowing I can get out with my magic.
"If you are caught, Uther will execute you. The boy's my responsibility. I'll smuggle him out of the castle." She continues, and I sigh, realizing Morgana won't give in.
"Well, you'll need a key for the door." I explain, wringing my hands subconsciously.
"Who has it? You're doing the hand thing you only do when you're nervous." She points out and I look down to see I am in fact wringing them.
"Arthur." I breathe out and she smirks, realizing why I was so nervous. Later that night, I place Arthur's soup in front of him, before walking over to the bedpost but I hear him stand before I can turn and use the spell to take the keys while he's eating like I planned.
"Merlyn?" He calls out and I turn, raising a brow as I wring my hands nervously.
"Yes, Arthur?" I ask him and he frowns when he notices my hands.
"I make you nervous?" He asks me and I let go of my hands.
"No, it's just-" I break off, not knowing what to say.
"Morgana seems to think that you're upset with me over what happened with Sophia." He explains and I can't help the wince at her name, which he notices. "Ah, so you are." He surmises, leaning against the table.
"That's ridiculous. I have no reason to be upset. I am only your servant, after all." I retort before I could think otherwise and Arthur frowns.
"Merlyn, you aren't just a servant to me. You're my friend, and I'm sorry if I upset you." He apologizes and I nod, noticing how close we are, I back up wringing my hands and Arthur sighs.
"Thank you for apologizing." I tell him and he steps closer to me.
"See, you keep doing that around me. Why are you that nervous around me?" He asks and I bite my lip.
"I'm sorry I've been lacking in my duties, sire. It won't happen again." I inform him, and he winces at 'sire'.
"Don't call me that. Merlyn, what's wrong?" He asks and I chuckle humorlessly.
"Why I'm upset, the reason? You. I'm nervous because I don't know how to act around you. One minute we're fighting in the square, the next I'm your maid, then you save me from Valiant, and you were so angry about that, which I don't understand, then you risk your life to save me after I drank the poison, and I honestly thought you cared, but then you had me lie for you, go to the stocks and be pelted with rotten food so you could go traipsing around with Sophia, and you were awful to me. You are so enigmatic I never know how you're going to act, I never want to do something wrong and I have no idea why I care so much but I do." I ramble and Arthur just stares at me a moment before I blush, realizing I've said way too much.
"I'm sorry. I'm under a lot of pressure from my father and trying to prove that I will be a good king, I never really gave a second thought as to how I treated you. You are a friend Merlyn, probably my closest friend, and I wasn't aware of how difficult I've been." He explains and I smile.
"Well, thank you Arthur, I appreciate it." I tell him, reaching up and kissing his cheek quickly. "Now, sit down and eat your soup so I don't have to hear you complain about it being cold." I tease and he smiles, a slight pink tint on his cheeks, as he sits down to eat, while I look down at my hand, as I walk out of the room, to see the keys. I head to Morgana's chambers and knock swiftly.
"It's Merlyn." I call out and Gwen opens the door.
"We're going to get you out of Camelot. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise." Morgana assures the boy.
"Are you ready?" I ask her and she nods.
"Did you get the keys?" Morgana asks me and I blush deep scarlet.
"Yeah. Er, the door is behind the shield at the far end of the armory." I explain, handing her the key that will open the door.
"I'll pack you some food and water for the journey. Be careful." Gwen pleads before we both leave, heading back to Gwen's house to wait for them. Gwen is packing supplies while I pace, wringing my hands.
"I hope they're okay. Morgana really cares about the boy. I've never seen her this way with anyone."
"I'm sure she just wants to protect him." I reassure her, going over the dragon's warning in my mind. I'm jolted out of my thoughts as I hear the warning bells sound, so I glance out the window.
"They're coming." I announce just before Morgana and the druid boy enter.
"There's enough food for three days." Gwen informs our friend, giving her a pack.
"Your horse is fed and watered. I'll take you to it." I explain quickly.
"No. There's no point in all of us risking our lives." Morgana
"What about you?" I inquire worriedly.
"I'm the King's ward. I'll take my chances." She replies and I frown.
"Morgana!" Gwen exclaims, not liking this plan of hers.
"I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to either of you. We must go." She confides before opening the door.
'Goodbye, Emrys.' The boy telepathically says his farewell and I give him what I hope to be a reassuring smile before Morgana leads him away. Arthur caught Morgana and brought them both back to the castle, and the boy will be executed at dawn. I head to Morgana's chambers to visit my friend, hoping to comfort her.
"I promised that I wouldn't let anything bad happen." She admits tearfully and I walk over, gathering my friend in a hug.
"You can't blame yourself. You tried your best." I reassure her, and she hugs me back.
"It's not enough." She whispers sadly.
"He's in jail now. There's nothing more we can do." I inform her gently and she steps back, but takes my hands.
"I will not let him die. Can I count on your help?" She asks and I smile, squeezing her hands.
"Of course." I promise and she smiles.
"Thank you." She says before leaving the room.
Morgana POV
I decide to sit at Arthur's table and wait for him to come back to his chambers, which doesn't take that long.
"Make yourself at home." He tells me, sarcastically, once he sees me already sitting in his chambers.
"You can't let your father execute the boy." I beg him, scared for the druid boy.
"You're lucky he's not executing you. Are you telling me he really was behind the screen when I came to search your chambers?" He asks, sounding surprised and I nod.
"So was Merlyn. She's the one that rescued him in the first place." I inform him and watch his face change to horror and fear, and something I would describe as admiration, maybe even love.
"Why would you tell me that? I'm supposed to arrest any and all people guilty of hiding the boy." He explains, irritated and I smirk.
"Because I know you won't arrest Merlyn. That would mean her execution and by your reaction, you care about her too much to let her die. I know this just like Merlyn knows you believe Uther to be wrong in executing him." I reply and I see him think for a moment before shaking his head.
"What I believe doesn't matter. My father's made up his mind. He won't be talked out of it. I tried." He admits and I stand up, determined to keep the boy alive.
"Then the time for talking is over." I exclaim and he doesn't look at me as he walks over to the window.
"Whatever you're thinking, it's not going to happen." He denies and I sigh.
"We have to get the boy back to his people." I plead with him, desperate to save the sweet little boy.
"No. Forget it." He refuses, turning to glance at me, before back to the window and I'm appalled at his lack of cooperation.
"I can't believe you'd let an innocent child die! God, what would Merlyn think, the man she cares for willing to let a child die?" I ask him and I see that my words had the desired effect when I see his back and shoulders tense.
"It's too late. He's been caught. I have no choice." He informs me sadly and I scoff.
"Like you said you had no choice before you went to retrieve the flower that saved Merlyn? And is this how you will rule when you are King? You're not like your father. The way you feel about Merlyn proves that you aren't Uther." I tell him, hoping that he'll see the truth in my words and help us.
"I will not betray him." He finally replies, not looking away from the window.
"If I know you at all, if Merlyn knows you at all, you won't stand by and let this happen. Please. If you won't do this for the boy, then do it for her." I plead, knowing that he'd do anything for Merlyn. He turns around, a smirk on his face and I rush over, hugging him.
"You always seem to bring my maidservant into an argument." He comments and I smirk back at him.
"You always relent once I do." I retort and he chuckles, his cheeks turning slightly pink.
"Fine, I'll help with this. On the condition that Merlyn is not to help. I don't want to risk her life in this." Arthur informs me and I nod, smiling at his protectiveness over Merlyn.
Merlyn POV
On my way to Arthur's chambers, I watch the executioner sharpen his axe, before I shake my head and hurry the rest of the way. I enter Arthur's chambers to see Morgana and Arthur look at me. I blush when I realize I didn't knock.
"Sorry. Was I interrupting something?" I ask, hoping I didn't interrupt anything important.
"Nothing you need concern yourself with. Go make yourself useful, muck out my horses." Arthur retorts and I roll my eyes, turning for the door.
"I trust Merlyn." Morgana assures him, and I turn to see an unspoken argument occurring between them, finally resulting with Arthur motioning for me to enter.
"We're going to break the Druid boy out of the dungeons." Arthur informs me and I blanch.
"You can't do that." I whisper, looking at Morgana, fear clearly written on my face.
"We have to. Uther's going to execute him at dawn." Morgana insists and I wring my hands.
"It's too dangerous. You've already been caught once, and if the King catches you a second time he'll never forgive you." I inform her, worried for my friend's safety.
"I'm not worried for myself. And I'm sure Arthur isn't worried for himself either." She informs me and that only makes the fear on my face grow.
"Good thing you've got me then. I'm worried enough for the three of us." I mutter, not liking this.
"Merlyn's right. When my father finds out the boy's escaped, he will suspect you being involved." Arthur agrees and I give him a grateful smile.
"It's suicide." I add in, hoping to deter her from risking her life.
"You must go to my father and apologize. Dine with him, he cannot hold you responsible if you're with him when the boy escapes." Arthur suggests and I give him a look, not thinking he'd carry on with this.
"You need me if the plan's to work. You can't do this on your own." Morgana insists and Arthur looks deep in thought, almost at war with himself, his jaw popping before he looks at me.
"Merlyn will take your place." He announces and I don't miss the look of surprise on Morgana's face.
"Me?" I ask, curious as to why he wants me to help.
"I'm going to take the boy out through the burial vaults. There's a tunnel that leads beyond the city walls. Get my horse from the stables and meet me there. There's a grate that covers the entrance to the tunnel. Bring a rope and a grappling hook to pull it off." He instructs and I swallow loudly.
"No- no, I can't..." I stutter and he takes my hand reassuringly, and I blush at his touch.
"Merlyn. Do you understand? If you're not there to meet us, we'll surely be caught." He tells me carefully and I nod. I quickly make my way down to the dragon's cave, needing to know more about his earlier warning about the boy.
"I need to know why you told me not to protect the boy." I insist.
'You seek my counsel and yet you choose to ignore it.'
"Just tell me why." I exclaim, not wanting to hear any cryptic answers, just the truth.
'If the boy lives, you cannot fulfill your destiny.'
"What's he got to do with my destiny? You said it's my destiny to marry him and become Queen. To protect Arthur." I remind him, not understanding why the druid boy effects my destiny.
'Then you have the answer you seek.'
"You're telling me that little boy is going to kill Arthur?" I ask incredulously.
'It seems that is up to you.'
"No. You can't know that for certain." I argue, not wanting to believe it.
'You have it in your power to prevent a great evil.'
"There must be another way! The future isn't set in stone!" I exclaim, trying to find a way to save them both, not wanting to choose.
'You must let the boy die.' After my visit to the dragon's cave, I head back to the Gaius's chambersand sit down at the table, knitting my brows together as I try to think of any possible way to save the boy and prevent him from killing Arthur in the future.
"I assume it's the plight of the Druid boy that's causing your forehead to wrinkle like a lizard's elbow." Gaius comments and I look up at him.
"Would you let something terrible happen if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?" I inquire softly as I wring my hands in my lap.
"I suppose it depends on what the 'terrible' and 'even worse' things were." He explains and I sigh.
"One of them's bad, really bad. And the other, it's...unthinkable." I elaborate, thinking of what I would do if something ever happened to Arthur, what I would feel, how I would carry on after he was gone and I shake my head, deciding I wouldn't let him die. I would do anything I had to in order to save him.
"It sounds as if you've already made your decision. You can only do what you believe to be right, Merlyn. I just hope it doesn't involve you putting yourself in terrible danger." Gaius warns me and I look down at my hands.
"For once, you don't have to worry. I'm going to do nothing." I whisper guiltily as I think of the poor druid boy that I have to let die to save the man that I've come to care deeply for, the man who will become the greatest King of Camelot. Later, I'm sitting on my bed, silently weeping as I try to think about anything other than the fact that I'm supposed to be meeting Arthur and the boy. I hear the warning bells and I weep harder as I realize that the boy has been found missing and the guards are searching for them.
'Emrys. Emrys. Where are you, Emrys? Emrys. Help us. Please! They're coming.' The boy pleads and I only cry harder as the guilt tears me up, setting in my stomach like a weight.
'I'm scared, Emrys. They will kill me. Don't do this. Don't ignore me. I know you can hear me. I thought you were my friend. We're the same. I don't want to die. Emrys! Emrys! Emrys!' He calls out in my mind and I sneak out of the castle and over the drawbridge.
"Hey!" I whisper, bending down in front of the grate.
"Where the hell have you been?!" Arthur whisper yells at me.
"I had trouble getting out of the castle." I lie, hoping to explain my tardiness.
"Well, get this grate off, they're coming!" Arthur whispers as he moves back and I attach the grappling hook, pulling off the grate. I lift the boy onto the horse in front of Arthur.
"If my father asks where I am, I've gone on a hunting trip. You'd better make yourself scarce, or they'll execute you in his place." He instructs me, with a hint of worry in his voice and I smile at him.
'Goodbye, Emrys. I know that someday we will meet again.' The boy telepathically tells me and I smile at him, hoping that in saving him, I haven't condemned Arthur.