Title: The legend of a Warlock who Served the Once and Future King
Author: Lamiabellascrittore
Rating: T+
Warnings: Violence, sexual content, adult situations and more- deal with it. There is more to come.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, or any of the characters. If I did there would be a season six, seven, eight, and so on, and a movie, of course.
Spoilers: Possibly.
Summary: Merlin and Arthur go on a mission that was supposed to be strictly reconnaissance. However, nothing ever goes as planned, and they get separated. Merlin is kidnapped by Morgana and Arthur must find a way to rescue his ever loyal servant. But, will Arthur still save Merlin after he learns Merlin has magic? This story is building up to the battle of Camlann. There most likely will be a sequel if you all want.
A/N: Sorry for the wait. Family drama takes its toll and its all I can do to try to keep writing.
So on brighter note. If you like it I will continue. Please be kind. ;) The more you review the more likely it is that I will continue with a sequel 1000+ years into the future.
Sorry for any errors, it becomes difficult after editing it so many times. It becomes a lot like a word repeated over and over again until it no longer makes any sense. ; p
Okay. New A/N: So the story is getting darker. Sorry. Can't help it. I like the dark sexy stuff. It will most likely get more intense.
Come on people give me some love and review. 3
I hope you enjoy...
Chapter 25
Troubled Thoughts
Arthur walked back to his horse in a daze. His thought were calm. Calmer than he believed they would be. It all just made so much sense, in a twisted sort of way, and Arthur couldn't understand why Merlin had never told him.
It almost didn't register that his horse was gone. Arthur cursed. Who the hell would have stolen his horse? Arthur sighed to exhausted to feel much more than a stirring of annoyance. Arthur started to make his way back to the cave Arthur and Gwain had seen a little while back just off the trail.
It felt like rain, and if it rained it meant possible snow, and he needed some kind of protection for the night. Arthur set about gathering wood for a fire on his way to the cave. There wasn't much to find unfortunately but there was enough to keep him warm for a while. Maybe even the night, maybe. He found the cave empty and took shelter. He set up the wood and added some dry moss and leaves between the sticks. He grabbed a good size rock and pulled out his dagger. He clanged the hilt of his dagger to the rock and sparks jumped to the wood and kindling.
It caught easily enough. He sat down with his back against the cave wall. Arthur has gotten better at lighting a fire. Living every night out in the forest for just under a month was good training. Arthur sat heavily on the ground close to the fire. Not to mention not having a servant with magic around to do it for him, Arthur thought feeling suddenly deflated.
No matter how close he got to the fire he couldn't get warm. His hands were icy cold. The heat of the flames barely even registered and made no real difference. The image of Merlin commanding that dragon was branded into his mind. Arthur had never seen his servant look so...powerful.
Arthur remembered the look on Merlin face when he faced Morgana...there was something in Merlin eyes that sent an involuntary shiver down Arthur's spine. He shook it off and glared mercilessly at the dwindling flames.
As time passed and the fires flames slowly burned down into embers. Arthur finally had enough time to think about Merlin and his magic. It all clicked into place. All the narrow escapes, the branches falling on their own. The times he had regained consciousness only for Merlin to be there smiling at him, and the beasts they had been battling were all dead.
Arthur shivered violently. His teeth started to chatter and he could practically feel his lips turning blue. He shifted his position against the cave wall trying to get a small bit of comfort but none came. He huffed. It wasn't the cold that made him react this way. It was fear, trepidation and heartache.
Arthur only entertained the thought of Merlin being evil for a moment... okay maybe more but Arthur was raised to believe all magic was evil. Only there was no way that bumbling idiot had a malicious bone in his body. He has had countless opportunities over the years to take the life of both Arthur and his father, and make it look like nothing more than an unfortunate accident but he never so much as attempted to hurt Arthur. In fact he did the exact opposite by throwing himself in the path of all sorts of threats just to keep Arthur safe.
A sudden scuffling alerted him that he was no longer alone in the cave. Slowly he got to his feet and silently drew his sword. Cautiously he crept forward around the bend in the cave passageway. Arthur bumped into a warm body.
On instinct he grabbed the intruder and swung him around into the dieing fire light. He pressed him into the cave wall with Arthur's sword at his throat. The tip sliced into where the pulse beat in Merlin's neck causing a small trail of blood to trickle down, disappearing under his shirt.
Arthur paused finally getting a good look at the intruder. "Merlin?" Arthur growled. He pressed his blade in more causing the trickle of blood to become a slow steady stream. He didn't expect his anger to be so striking. Arthur thought he would be relieved but there was no running away from the beliefs his father established in him, or the betrayal he felt upon realizing Merlin had lied to him all these years. Arthur's thoughts played havoc with his mind. Merlin practiced magic, and magic is evil. Merlin is evil. But Merlin couldn't be evil. He was big ear and goofy smiles. Late breakfasts and cold baths. He was brave and loyal to a fault and he was a friend, a brother, not that Arthur would admit that out loud and this can't be happening.
Merlin watched Arthur struggle with his inner thoughts. There was a high possibility that Merlin would die right now. He found the possibility almost endearing and it was kind of amusing that he couldn't muster up enough of anything to really care if he did die right here and right now. If Arthur hated him then what was the point? All the fears that he has suppressed since setting foot within the borders of Camelot set upon him like a plague.
Arthur didn't know if he should stab Merlin or hug him. Arthur looked into Merlin's strange northern kaleidoscope eyes and saw something familiar yet completely foreign. It was something he never truly understood until now. Anxiety. Fear. Acceptance. Merlin looked as if his whole world just burned to the ground. He wasn't just afraid, he was terrified... of Arthur.
Arthur let go and shoved Merlin away from the wall, away from him. He couldn't stand to look into those eyes any more. It was all there, all that raw emotion and it chocked Arthur to see how truly frightened he was.
"Good to see you too..." Merlin murmured a little bitter and a lot damaged. So silent he was sure no one heard him.
Arthur glared down at the small bit of blood on the tip of his sword. Merlin was afraid of...me. Arthur thought distressed. He sheathed his sword and looked past Merlin to the figures behind him looking for something to change the path of his thoughts.
"Ranoue!" Arthur exclaimed. He searched to other two faces but didn't recognize the others. "Where's Garret?" Arthur wondered. Ranoue glared at Merlin.
"He's dead." Ranoue huffed angrily.
"Dead?" Arthur's brow knitted together. "How?" He looked at Ranoue questioningly.
"Does it matter?" Ranoue huffed. He knew it was only a matter of time before he got his moment with Merlin alone. Ranoue didn't need to give Arthur any reason to think he would have a reason to harm the warlock before Ranoue had the chance to kill Merlin. With arms full of wood he walked by Merlin and ruffly knocked his shoulder into him as he passed intentionally to cause him pain. He dumped the wood to the side of the dieing embers for the druid boys to work with.
Merlin grit his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut and looked down trying to even out his breathing again. His hand automatically went to his shoulder. He hissed from the shocking wave of searing pain. He tried to cover it up as best he could but Ranoue saw Merlin react. Ranoue smiled and walked past him again.
"I'm sorry, did that hurt Emrys." Ranoue sneered at him under his breath. Merlin purposefully removed his hand from his shoulder and looked up. He was pale and a little shaky.
"Not at all." Merlin grit.
"Pity," Ranoue pouted. A small discreet smirk tilted up his lips. The smirk could give Morgana a run for her evil.
Merlin watched Ranoue walk fully past with narrow eyes. He kept his mouth shut forcing his sharp tongue to be docile for once and turned to James and Darrin on unsteady legs. He locked his kneed to keep from falling down.
"Darrin, James you can set the extra wood off to the side away from the fire. Use the kindling Ranoue brought in first." Merlin said tiredly from behind Arthur. Merlin nodded to the place farthest from the cave entrance. Arthur finally looked back at Merlin questioningly. It was to dark for Arthur to see him clearly but Merlin was sure he didn't look well. He didn't feel well.
Arthur gave him a funny look. "Did you know I'd be out of wood?" Arthur wondered out loud.
Merlin scoffed. "No." He watched James and Darrin set themselves near the fire. "I just had a feeling we would need it." Merlin knew Arthur, and the clot pole wouldn't know how much wood he would need to get through the night, and from what he saw, Arthur didn't even have a horse. Merlin sighed internally. He was born to serve Arthur, no matter how much of a dolt he was.
"Huh." Arthur silently watched the other two new arrivals situate themselves near the dieing fire. They tossed in a few large pieces of wood. One of the boy's eyes flashed gold and the fire reignited. Arthur froze, eyes wide open. He looked at Ranoue who just shook his head and wondered off to the side away from the others but close enough to feel the fires warmth. Arthur noted Ranoue was fingering a small dagger in his hands. It looked familiar but he didn't know why. He hid the dagger well, but not well enough from him. It glinted with every movement in the fires light.
"Where did you get that?" Arthur asked walking over to Ranoue.
Merlin eyes followed silently as Arthur went to talk with Ranoue. Merlin slowly merged with the shadow of the cave. The boys were safe enough and Merlin desperately needed to tend to his wounds. He was feeling a little dizzy. Once he was sure no one was paying him any attention he turned and started his way back out of the cave and into the corridor of the cavern.
Ranoue looked down to the dagger he held. "This?" He smiled faintly as he remembered the look of shock and pain on the warlocks face as the knife went in. Emrys' blood was on this blade. "I took it off a guard that stabbed Merlin."
"Stabbed?" Arthur asked. "He didn't look like he was hurt." He turned to look at Merlin but he wasn't there. "Merlin?" No reply. Arthur's heart started to pound out of control. Did he leave?
Darrin scoffed. James shushed him. Arthur ignored them. Ranoue glared at the pair over Arthur's shoulder. James gave Ranoue a hard look. A warning. He knew why Ranoue had that knife. He watched the knight take it from the guards chest when Merlin wasn't looking. Ranoue's lips twitched and he raised a brow at Darrin daring him to say what he was thinking aloud.
"Why?" Darrin demanded. "Tell him why Merlin was stabbed?." Darrin challenged.
Ranoue laughed. "Because we were about to try and escape with no real weapons," He shrugged. "And the warlock was ill prepared." Ranoue smiled.
Darrin snorted. "Darrin, enough." James hissed.
Arthur turned to look down the dark corridor, now more than a little worried about his servant and the wounds he must have sustained. I hope he didn't leave, Arthur wondered.