Merlin pulled the black hood over his face. Another gift from Arthur. Far nicer than anything he'd ever worn. This was his first time wearing it. He was hoping the guards, if they did see him, would assume he was just a lord or lady sneaking around and wouldn't bother him.
He snuck into the vaults, making his way through the darkness. Two guards sat, half asleep by the main gates.
Merlin raised his hand. "Swefe nu." He whispered. The guards fell back against the chairs, snoring deeply.
Merlin passed by and reached the final locked gate, using the keys to enter the vault. He was momentarily overwhelmed with all the riches in there, before coming to his senses and focusing on the task at hand. He searched the vault, looking for the crystal described by Alvarr.
He wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for, but soon he felt the familiar pull of magic and followed it to a remote corner of the treasures. There, lying on a lush pillow of velvet, sat the crystal. Merlin reached for it.
"What are you doing?" Arthur said and Merlin felt his heart jump to the back of his throat as he turned, looking at him terror.
"A-arthur! I-I was just… I…" Merlin stammered. Arthur came closer and looked at the crystal.
"Well, look at that, you found it. Excellent work." Arthur said placing it carefully in a cloth, careful not to touch the crystal. "Good thing the guards were asleep, but really, you shouldn't have tried to get it for me." Arthur said and passed it to him. Merlin could still hear his heart racing in his ears. "Come on, let's get out of here before the guards wake up." He said and Merlin could only nod, dumbfounded.
Arthur practically pulled him out of there, taking the keys from him, locking every door they met until they were out of there once more. No one would even know they were there.
Once back in the room, Merlin knew he had to explain, but his mind had gone blank all the way up.
"Arthur… I…" Merlin started but Arthur simply held his hand up to silence him.
"I'm sure you have a very good explanation for what you were doing, but I don't want to hear it, Merlin." Arthur said. "I'm tired of being lied to." Arthur wouldn't even look at him.
Merlin felt his mouth go dry. As if he didn't hate lying, but how could he possibly tell him the truth? "I was just…"
"Merlin. Shut up." Arthur said, taking off his cloak and finally released a defeated laugh, shaking his head. "Tell me, Merlin, have you ever trusted someone dearly only to know you weren't trusted in return?" Arthur asked as he moved to light the candles one at a time.
Merlin's head hurt, the ringing from the crystal becoming louder. He tossed it on the bed, stepping away from it. "I don't know what that feels like." Merlin said. Arthur didn't reply, simply poured them both a cup of wine and motioned for Merlin to sit with him before the fireplace.
Merlin hesitantly grabbed the wine and did as he was indicated, watching Arthur nervously.
"My father has lied to me all my life." Merlin felt his shoulders sag with relief. So Arthur wasn't thinking about him.
"Oh? I'm sure he… must have had the best of the kingdom in mind." Merlin forced out and drank the wine.
"No, he was only thinking about himself." Arthur said.
"How do you know?" Merlin asked and took another sip.
"The Great Dragon underneath the dungeons told me so."
Merlin gasped, causing the wine to choke his lungs. He spat it back out, succumbing to a coughing fit that he tried to control unsuccessfully.
Arthur stared at him coldly, sipping his wine without a care in the world.
"Y-You wh-wha-at?" Merlin coughed in between every stammer.
"I spoke to the Great Dragon. He told me the truth about what happened twenty years ago." Arthur said simply.
"Is…" Merlin cleared his throat. "Is that all he told you?" Merlin asked.
"Is there something else he should have told me?" Arthur asked in mock confusion and Merlin stared at him, a knot getting tighter and tighter at the back of his mouth. "No… of course not… You'd tell me if there was, wouldn't you? We're friends after all." Merlin's vision blurred and the tears rolled.
"I'm sorry." Merlin gasped, his voice breaking. He covered his mouth. He didn't trust himself not to break if he tried speaking again. Arthur didn't yell, he didn't demand explanations. He simply sipped his drink making the silence all the more torturous for Merlin. When Merlin gathered enough strength he looked back up. "I have magic." Merlin whispered.
"Is that so?" Arthur said and put the cup down, standing walking away toward the bed.
"Arthur, please… how could I have told you?" He asked.
"This morning would have been the excellent chance!" Arthur finally yelled and Merlin sobbed.
"I couldn't! How could I admit that I'd been lying to you since we first met?" Merlin exclaimed, standing to face him.
"You lied to my face again and again, even though I would tell you everything!"
"Clearly not everything! Since when have you been speaking to the dragon?!" Merlin yelled.
"Don't you turn this on me, Merlin!" Arthur yelled. "Your magic has been out of control just a few days after we joined for the first time!"
Merlin felt his blood freeze as he heard that.
"I woke up to find you encased in light, orbs of light forming in your hand and hovering over us. Then you woke up, and I followed you." Arthur said.
Followed him? "You heard what he said?" Merlin whispered.
"That we're mates? That we're married by an accidental ancient rite? Yes, I heard that." Arthur said.
"So you understand! How on earth was I going to even start to unravel all the lies I told you until then?" Merlin exclaimed.
"You simply start!" Arthur yelled. "Give me the chance to send you away before you get me to fall in love with you!"
"I couldn't give you that chance! I couldn't let anything happen to you! I would gladly give my life to save yours and I've almost done it before! I was not going to get sent away!" Merlin yelled, trying to catch his breath before the argument was processed by his mind. "Wait… what did you just say?" Merlin asked softly.
"You heard me just fine." Arthur said, glaring at him despite having just confessed his love.
"No… you can't love me." Merlin whispered.
"According to the dragon, we were soulmates, long before we were mated." Arthur said. "And thanks to my father, we're closer than we've ever been."
"Well… I don't love you, so stop it." Merlin insisted. Arthur laughed bitterly.
"Yes, because you'd give up your life to save just anyone, isn't that right?" he said sarcastically.
"Y-yes!" Merlin forced out.
"Lies! Again!" Arthur yelled and Merlin let his arms drop to his sides in defeat.
"Arthur… please… you can't. I'm not just a sorcerer… I'm a warlock… the warlock." Merlin whispered. "I'm supposed to be the most powerful warlock there ever was. I was born with magic and hid it in Ealdor for as long as I could! Then I kept getting stronger and stronger! All my life I've believed that I was just a monster! Evil! Until I came here and found that you were my destiny! You needed me… to protect you." Merlin held himself tight, feeling his magic trembling under his skin. "But I'm just a monster! Now I can't even control it! I'm scared all the time! What if I hurt you?" Merlin held himself tighter.
He didn't notice Arthur stepping closer until he felt the other's strong hands cupping his face, making him look up at him. "You could never hurt me." Arthur whispered, leaning in, pressing their lips together.
Merlin gasped against Arthur's mouth and struggled. "No… don't." Merlin begged,
"You're not a monster." Arthur whispered, stealing another kiss and Merlin moaned against his mouth, trying to find the will to fight back.
"Please…" Merlin whispered.
"And I love you." Arthur said and Merlin lost all fight, pulling Arthur closer as his arms wrapped around the prince's back, kissing him with as much fervour as the other was displaying.
They tugged at each other's clothes in desperation, tossing them to the ground on their way to the bed, falling onto it while still devouring each other. Arthur went for his neck and Merlin turned his head to give him better access. The feeling of Arthur's teeth grazing his neck made him shudder with want and he felt his magic tingle stronger under his skin.
Merlin didn't notice when his skin began to glow. As their bodies rocked together, he didn't notice his magic passing onto Arthur, wrapping them both in light.
"Merlin… I love you." Arthur kept whispering in his ear and Merlin felt tears burn on the corners of his eyes, holding onto him tighter.
"I love you, Arthur…" He moaned and cried out as his magic made itself known, blasting energy through them, forcing them into their climax which caught them both by surprise. Merlin felt everything go dark, passing out with a gasp.
When Merlin opened his eyes once more, everything was dark and his head throbbed in pain, as if once more he'd done too much magic. He groaned trying to reach for Arthur.
"Sleep." Arthur mumbled, pulling him closer.
"Mmh… My head… what happened?" Merlin mumbled.
"We can ask the dragon tomorrow." Arthur said.
"Mmh…" Merlin held his head some more. He soon felt Arthur passing his fingers gently through his hair. Slowly the pain was soothed enough for him to fall asleep, Arthur's fingers lulling him to sleep.
oOoOoOo
Merlin opened his eyes late mid-day. He frowned, confused, sitting up, looking around the room, wondering what the hell had happened. Was last night a nightmare? Or did Arthur actually know about his magic?
Merlin blushed remembering what they'd both confessed to each other. He felt something heavy on his hand and looked down to see Arthur's mother's ring on his index finger. His heart raced as he played with it. He pulled his hand to his chest, feeling loved and it was such an unusual feeling for him, who thought he'd always be alone, that it left him winded.
Wait… the crystal!
Merlin shot up, looking around for the crystal, only to find it gone and his heart raced.
The door opened and Arthur walked inside, dressed in his forest cloak.
"You took the crystal to Alvarr." Merlin whispered. "Without me! What if something had happened to you?" Merlin yelled.
Arthur showed him the crystal and Merlin's shoulders dropped, what was happening?
"He didn't want it. Mordred wants to stay with Morgana. Without Mordred, he can't wield the crystal." Arthur said, throwing it at Merlin. Merlin caught it and looked down at it, freezing as images began to flash before his eyes.
oOoOoOo
"Come on! Arthur!" Merlin yelled, pulling him from under his shoulders, using all his strength to drag a pale Arthur closer to the lake of Avalon.
"Merlin… without the horses… we can't." Arthur said.
"I'm not letting you die." Merlin insisted and groaned as he tripped, Arthur's weight resting on his chest.
"Just… just… hold me." Arthur whispered.
oOo
Merlin cried as he placed his hand on Arthur's forehead, crying at his loss, knowing that Arthur's spirit had crossed over already. How could he go on without him? Arthur was everything to him.
oOo
The boat with Arthur's body floated away and Merlin cast the final spell he would ever cast for Arthur. The boat lit with flames and Merlin dropped to his knees.
oOoOoOo
Arthur tossed the crystal to Merlin and turned his back as he went to remove his cloak.
"So there's nothing to worry about. We'll just have to find a way to return it to the vaults so father doesn't notice anything." Arthur said going to pour himself a cup of wine.
"Arthur…" Merlin gasped.
"Hmm? What?" Arthur asked and went to his table, spotting a few unread scrolls on the table. Silence answered and Arthur frowned. "Merlin?" He turned to see Merlin holding the crystal with shaking hands, staring at it, tears rolling down his face as he sobbed.
"Arthur…" He repeated, mournfully, sobbing miserably, unable to look away from the crystal.
"Merlin!" Arthur ran to his side and tried to pry the crystal from Merlin's hands, but a zap made him pull back.
"Arthur… no…" Merlin whispered, more tears streaming down his face until finally Merlin curled into himself, holding the crystal close to his chest as he wept quietly.
"Merlin, I'm here." Arthur said gently, reaching to cup his cheek, but Merlin didn't respond, eyes distant, trapped in whatever horrible vision that crystal had cast in his mind.