This was a tricky chapter to write, and I believe the longest chapter so far. Had many ideas for Merlin and Gwaine, Anyway hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Eight

"It's a dead end," said Gwaine frustrated – they had walk what felt like a few miles in one direction only to end up face to face with a wall of rocks. He was sure they were going to get somewhere - where that somewhere was. Gwaine thought he would get there soon.

Merlin pushed against the rocks – like he was hoping he would get thought somehow "May we should turn back," he said giving up.

Gwaine looked deep in thought, "Turing back doesn't mean we end up back were we started." He said carefully "It could take us anywhere." Gwaine thought back when he and Percival turned back hoping to prove they were walking in circles – but ended up in a completely different place. The tunnels in these caves didn't seem to follow any kind of logical rules at all.

Merlin signed to himself "Well, we can't stay here,"

Gwaine kicked the wall and then grunted with pain. "This is hell…" he mumble to himself. "In that note – you said we had to go down here….why?"

"I don't know," said Merlin, once again. He couldn't remember writing that note, he was sure it was him that did – but it could have been someone else, he couldn't rule that out completely. "We can't just stand here doing nothing. We have to keep moving."

"I know, I know," said Gwaine turning back and following Merlin back thought the tunnel. "I just don't like not knowing what is going on. I like adventures – don't get me wrong. And, I cannot miss a good fight… I can't miss a bad on either…..but all this?" Gwaine looked around him and the tunnels "This, I do not like." Gwaine really didn't like it - he had no control about what was happening and there wasn't even a bad guy for him to punch.

"I am not exactly pleased either," said Merlin

Gwaine ruffled Merlin hair a little and over took him so he was in front as they walked back the way they just come, "Well, at least you got more understand about all this," he said "I think I own you a few drinks when this is over…."

"I have to take note about the amount of times you three have said nice things," said Merlin a little amused now. "Maybe give it to Arthur as prove I am not as useless as he thinks I am."

"Maybe he will give you a day off," said Gwaine with a grin.

Merlin snorted a little, "What's a day off? If I am not with Arthur, I am doing jobs for Gaius. And I don't know what is worst sometimes…."

"Working with Gaius doesn't sound too bad," said Gwaine

"You go and clean the leech tank and see how you feel about it," said Merlin at once. He could heard Gwaine laugh a little and had made him laugh. Merlin really couldn't see Gwaine cleaning the leech tank.

"Good you point," said Gwaine, "You know what? I would like to see Arthur clean that leech tank," with that both Gwaine and Merlin laughed harder than before. If Gwaine was hard enough to imagine cleaning the tank, then Arthur also impossible. Arthur wouldn't be able to cope with it.

Gwaine took another step, because he was laughing he wasn't paying attention to where he feet where treading – it took him a moment to realised they was hole under his feet, and an large out at that. Gwaine grab hold of the nearest thing to him – Merlin. Merlin take by surprise was pulled down too. Down a large hole and out of sight.

...…..…...…...…...…...…..

They landed on something soft and the light was bright. so much so it hurt they eyes "We're outside," said Gwaine shielding his eyes from the light "Or… what looks like outside…." He and Merlin picked themselves up from the ground – rubbing their side where they had landed on the handle of the swords - that would leave some colourful bruises.

"This could be a dreamland," said Merlin. He and Gwaine couldn't remember the last one – but Percival and Leon had told them about it.

"It's nice to see the sun," said Gwaine "Real or not," he looked around all there was a grass and the sky. "Guess we should see what is here."

"I guess so," agreed Merlin, he looked around expecting to see something of some sort of importance – but he couldn't see anything. He and Gwaine began to walk in a random direction. Gwaine said he reckon whatever way they go –they would end up where they meant to be. And it seemed unwise to slit up to cover more ground.

They come around a large hedge they walked along side it then they come to an opening "A maze." Said Gwaine

"A labyrinth maybe," said Merlin

Gwaine shrugged at little. "I think they are basically the same thing," he said - but he had to admitted that he liked word labyrinth better. It sounded more interesting.

Merlin looked at the labyrinth in wonder "Didn't think I see one ever again."

"You have seen one before?" asked Gwaine looking at Merlin with a surprise look.

Merlin shrugged a little, "Arthur killed a unicorn – upset someone who put a cursed on Camelot…. Long story….."

Gwaine nodded his head a little. After all this he'll have to get the whole story from Merlin. It sounded like a good one. "Did you tell him not to kill the unicorn?" he asked – but Gwaine already knew the answer to the question.

"I did actually," said Merlin remembering seeing the pure unicorn so close to himself.

Gwaine nodded his head again. "What was in the middle?" he asked not unsure if he wanted to know the answer to that question.

"To lift the curse Arthur had to pass some tests." Said Merlin "There was two goblets one had poison and one didn't. We both had to drink from one and all the liquid had to be drunken." Merlin paused for a moment "Luckily it wasn't actually poison and the curse was lifted one Arthur proved himself..."

Gwaine nodded towards the labyrinth "Looks like we need to go inside." He said as he and Merlin began to walk inside `"Lets hope they no monsters in here – you know, I meet this traveller from a land far away. He told me this story about this monster who lived in a labyrinth… use to eat humans…this king would have to send people into it every year... to stop the land being destroyed."

"What happen?" asked Merlin

Gwaine shrugged a little "The story a little hazy – I was in a Traven at the time." He said he thought about it a little more "There was something about tying a thread at the start so they could find the way out. And they killed the monster….. But all the other details I do not remember,"

"Maybe we should make a trail," said Merlin, he and Gwaine turned to see that the way they come had changed - much like the tunnels in the cave. "Or maybe that wouldn't work here anyway,"

"Did I mention I do not like this place?" asked Gwaine

They walked some more seeing nothing but dead ends. "The sun is so hot," said Gwaine "I think I am melting," Gwaine had wanted off take off his armour but then he would have to carry it anyway.

"The sun can't be real." Said Merlin shaking his head – but he too was hot and bothered "It just can't be…."

"It feels real." Said Gwaine running his hands thought his sweaty hair.

They at last come to a clearing and step inside "I think this is the middle," said Merlin stopping with Gwaine right beside him.

"There is nothing here," exclaimed Gwaine starting to lose him temper "There has to be something – even a child knows in a middle of a palace like this they is something, treasure or a monster – something…"

Merlin looked up and noticed something strange. "Err, Gwaine," he said

But Gwaine was still complaining and didn't hear Merlin talking to him, "All the great stories have something like this in it. I always dreamt of something like this… but they always something in the middle….what the point of finding the middle if there is nothing there..."

"Gwaine!" said Merlin a little louder this time

"What!"

Merlin pointed towards the sky "Look up," he said simply

Gwaine, did look up and frowned not understanding what he was meant to be seeing, "Is…is that the sea?" he asked looking up. Instead of the sky there was water, lots of water. There were waves but it didn't fall down on top of them.

"I think so," said Merlin

Gwaine blinked for a moment, "Now what? Are we meant to go fishing or something? What does this mean?" Gwaine looked at Merlin hoping he had some idea but he just shook his head, "Nothing in any of Gaius big old books?" again Merlin shook his head. "Any idea of….I don't know what water means in the old religion?" Merlin pauses for a moment – meaning he did know something, but was unsure whether he should say something or not. Gwaine waited for Merlin to speck – because Merlin would – if he knew something what could be useful he normally did speck.

"It has different meanings," said Merlin finally. "But, lot of things do, most things have different meanings to different people and cultures."

"So water?" pressed Gwaine trying to keep focus on the puzzle at hand.

"A way of seeing the future, a passage to a different world…meaning of life…." Said Merlin "Tones of superstition on top of that as well….."

"Different worlds?" asked Gwaine "Is that….is that even possible?" Then Gwaine thought that was a stupid question. They must be in some sort of different world right now.

"They are lots of old stories about people going to different worlds." Said Merlin at once. Merlin didn't added that in most of these stories the people that went were never seen again, it didn't seem like a good time to mention that. "Gaius, thinks most of them are untrue – but some of them could be."

Gwaine looked back up at the sky "Maybe it is better if we just see the future,"

"That sounds like a curse," said Merlin – he knew seeing the future sounded like a good thing but it wasn't. You only ever had pieces of the puzzle – very few pieces and missing the important parts – the parts that link everything together. And you could end up making things happen instead of stopping it. Merlin thought it best he didn't seek out the future. He really hoped he never got to see the future again.

Gwaine was still looking at the sky, "Well – the water must mean something…. Any idea how we can get to it?"

"No," said Merlin "Unless you expect me to make it rain or something….."

They both stood looking up at the sea, almost transfix to it. "Gwaine?" said Merlin "You said you dreamt of a labyrinth,"

"A few times," said Gwaine "But I don't think dreams mean anything….." Gwaine then looked at the sky "Do you dream about an upside-down sea in the sky?"

"The sea or a lake," said Merlin verily "But never in the sky like this…"

Gwaine blinked for a moment, "But….we fell down," he said "We were in the cave…. Then we fell from the sky…." Gwaine still looking at the sea. "You said water could be a passage into another world… maybe we are in it now…."

Merlin blinked for a moment, "The question now is… what kind of world are we in?" Merlin thought it could have been a dream type world – it made sense in a way. Merlin disagreed with Gwaine about dreams having no meaning. He knew that dreams had a lot of meanings – he had try to learn about it – but books on the subject was hard to get and Gaius disapprove with that area of magic. Gaius was more practical person – learning spells that could be of use rather had the more guess work magic involve in dream reading or star reading.

"Where are we supposed to go from there then?" asked Gwaine "I thought finding the middle would be the end of… this…."

"Or maybe it is the start," said Merlin "If we water was the passage to another world…. Then maybe we should have stated here….."

"But we didn't." said Gwaine

Merlin thought about it, "No, because we didn't go thought any water, we fell down a hole…. A side door if you like…. Or a secret door….."

"Why would a place like this need a secret door?" asked Gwaine

"To find that out, I think we have to find our way out of the labyrinth," said Merlin

Gwaine huffed in annoyance but choice not the say anything as me and Merlin try to work out how to get out. The route had chance from when they enter by the time they find their way out the sky was dark and the full moon was out.

"That was quick," said Gwaine "The sun didn't even set….." Gwaine signed "Come on, let's have another look around," Gwaine looked up "The sky isn't like water here," They started to walk across the long grass than come up to their knees.

"Apart from the clouds."

"What?"

"Could have water in them – that why it's rains," said Merlin at once "It's science,"

Gwaine didn't really care about science at the moment. "Why do you dream of water?" he asked

"Why do you dream of Labyrinth?" asked Merlin at once.

They carry on walking in the moonlight, until their reach the edge of a dark woods. "I am guessing we have to go in." he said. Merlin nodded his head slowly. And they walked into the trees. It was hard to see anything in the trees and they could hear things moving around them, then a large wolf come out of the tree towards. It walked to them slowly – then it stopped and stood in front of them,

"I think we should follow it," said Merlin

"Followed the wolf," said Gwaine slowly "Sure why not, it's not the weirdest thing that happen today is it?"

The wolf began to walk and Merlin and Gwaine followed. "Aren't wolfs meant to be linked to witches or something?" asked Gwaine "Or are meant to be bad luck or a bad omen or something?"

"I thought you were not superstitious," said Merlin

"I might be a little bit now," said Gwaine truthfully "You are avoiding the question, this is a bad omen, right?"

Merlin shrugged a little, this didn't feel like a bad omen "I think it just depends on who you talk too," he said fairly "I think it may be more important to the old religion…..not so much with the new….I think that wolfs just have a bad reputation.

Gwaine look thoughtful for a moment and nodded his head. "So, we are going to follow the logic of the old religion?"

Merlin shrugged again – he didn't like talking about this, it make him feel uncomfortable, talking about the old religion in anyway was like taking openly about magic "We have been doing it without too much thought already," he pointed out, as they duck under a low hanging branch. "And anyway – that is no normal wolf. Wolfs don't normal get so close to humans if they can help if… and wolfs normal live in packs. This one is alone."

"You get that from one of Gaius books also?" asked Gwaine, in a tone that make Merlin thinks that he knows not all of Merlin's information dose come from Gaius's books.

"No – from growing up in a village in the middle of nowhere," said Merlin as they ducked again. "You ever seen a wolf on your travels?"

Gwaine thought about it – he never really gave it much though before "Only from a distance," he said "Hear them thought."

They arrived at a clearing and the wolf ran to a stone table. Then it stood on it hind legs with it front paws on the stone table. It looked at them expectantly. Merlin and Gwaine walked forward and saw the stone table had writing on it. The wolf watched them – its eyes huge and round. Almost like it wanted to talk to them.

"This is magic," said Gwaine looking at the writing "I know this is magic," he said. He looked at the wolf "I think he wants us to read this out…."

"Seems like it," said Merlin quietly, also looking the spell on the stone table. He knew Gwaine was watching him.

"Can you do it?" asked Gwaine as calmly as he would ask if he wanted an apple. Merlin didn't answer, he didn't know how to answer. "I mean," carried on Gwaine "You live with Gaius and everyone knows Gaius used to study magic a long time again…. And you said you're father escaped Camelot during the great purge. Plus you grow up outside of Camelot – different kingdom, different rules….." Merlin still didn't say anything "Could you do it?" he asked again.

"Maybe," said Merlin. They was no way he could get out of this one. They needed to get out of these caves and to do that he had to do this. He had to use magic in front of Gwaine. Gaius was going to kill him when he got back to Camelot. First Percival and then Gwaine.

"Do you know what the spell dose?" asked Gwaine looking back down at it. He knew this was magic, but what it would do he had no idea.

Merlin looked at it – then looked at the wolf. "That is not really a wolf." Said Merlin "Just someone in the body of the wolf."

Gwaine looked at the wolf "So…this free them?" Merlin nodded his head.

"If I do this – you can't tell anyone," said Merlin "I am rather attached to my head,"

"I won't tell a soul," promised Gwaine "You know me,"

Merlin nodded his head slowly and look and the spell – it was hard one and he had to concentrate. He read the spell slowly and when he open his eye they flashed gold and in front of them stood a man – and druid.

"Wow – you did it first try." Said Gwaine sounding impressed

The druid was looking at his arms and then looked at them, "Thank you," he said "I have been stuck in that form for over a thousand years." He looked at them "You have questions – many questions."

"We have," said Merlin specking first. He had spoken to the druids a number of times. Gwaine (at the best of his knowledge) had not. "What is this place?"

"This place is not here – nor there," said the druid "Somewhere in between."

"That doesn't explain anything," said Gwaine more to himself – but he didn't think he would get a real answer.

"Do you know about the cave?" asked Merlin

"I do know about it – I went inside and never come out." Said the druid "You are your friends are trying to escape – you have got further than anyone else has ever got."

Merlin and Gwaine looked at each other for an moment "Are we almost to the end?" asked Gwaine

"Almost," said the druid

Gwaine felt a but coming "But you can't tell us what it is?"

The druid shook his head "I cannot – because I do not know,"

"It was said that me and Merlin had be here," said Gwaine "You only needed Merlin."

"That is not true," said the druid "The labyrinth – is also important. And the labyrinth would only come to you." The druid paused for a moment "Now I am once again a man – I can go on,"

"Where?" asked Merlin

"Somewhere else," said the druid vaguely.

Merlin had lots of questions but knew he couldn't asked much more, "How did you get cursed?" he asked

The druid looked at Merlin for a moment, then said. "I thought I would outsmart the cave, so dug a hole. Fell though and become a wolf."

"So that hole, the hole that me and Merlin fell thought?" asked Gwaine

"A mistake…. My mistake," said the Druid, he looked at Merlin and Gwaine "You must go – now. Back to the middle of the labyrinth and go back to your world. Your friends will be there." With that the druid walked into the trees and disappeared

Gwaine and Merlin made the way back thought the trees of the woods – everything seem lighter and when they got out of the woods it was like the middle of the day. Gwaine and Merlin didn't stopped and didn't talk until their reach the opening to the labyrinth.

"Merlin?" asked Gwaine – he seemed to be contemplating something.

"Yes?" asked Merlin feeling a sense of doom.

"You have used magic before haven't you?"" Merlin nodded his head, they was no point trying denying. "That's explains a lot." Said Gwaine walking into the labyrinth leaving Merlin a little confused. Merlin went after him.

"Is that it?" asked Merlin feeling very confused.

"I don't care," said Gwaine "As long as you are you are not working with Morgana – and I know you're not because you stupidly loyal to Arthur or some reason…." Gwaine smiled a little "Relax, Merlin." He said "I take it Arthur doesn't know," Merlin shook his head. "Well, like I said I won't tell anyone…."

"Why?"

"I travelled more than other people, seen things, meet a lot of people, heard a lot of stories." Said Gwaine with a shrugged. "And, thinking about it, we probably all be dead if it wasn't for you,"

"Thank you," said Merlin not knowing what else to say.

They manged to find the middle of the labyrinth with ease. They looked up and the sea in the sky. It began to rain. A little a first, then it got heavier and heavier unstill it got so heavily they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.

Then it stopped raining and Merlin and Gwaine found themselves back in the cave. They looked at each other – they were both wet from the rain – then they heard footsteps. Gwaine put a hand on a sword then let it go when he saw Leon and Percival walking towards them. "You would not believe what me and Merlin had to do." he said

"I don't think you two will believe our story either," said Leon "Are you too wet?"

"The sea was fell on us," said Gwaine. They looked down the tunnel "Come on, we got told we are nearly at the end….." and with that they started too walked down the tunnel.