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

Part. 2

Bittersweet Reunion

Merlin walked until he found an alcove that broke off from the main cave. He stumbled a few times but managed to stay on his feet. The loss of blood was taking its toll. If he didn't get patched up soon he wouldn't last much longer. Thank the universe for the magic coursing through his veins keeping him alive while trying to heal its self.

Once Merlin entered the small alcove he let the bag of supplies fall messily to the ground. He leaned against the wall for support. He breathing was heavier taking more energy just to fill his lungs than it should have. He groaned and shoved away from the wall and sat unsteadily on a boulder. He leaned the sword and dagger against the cave wall to his side.

Merlin was beginning to feel the damage from the fiery piece of wood Morgana threw at him and the new dagger wound only added to it. Pain was only pain, and Merlin had experience his fair share of agonies, so on a scale this barely registered. It wasn't horrible but it was going to hurt for a while.

Merlin whispered in the old religion and a floating blue and white orb materialized before him giving him light. Stiffly he remove his shirt and started to clean his wounds as best he could with it.

Once he cleaned the blood off as best he could he leaned forward to riffle through his spilled supplies on the ground. After a few second of nothing he finally found the small pouch he was searching for and pulled out a needle and thread. Ah! He exclaimed. He knew he had them. His grin slowly morphed into a frown. He couldn't reach the wound on the back of his shoulder. The one wound that needed to be tended.

Merlin took in a deep breath. He hissed when the sudden expansion of his lungs brought attention tot he three inch long slash just below the right side of his ribcage. He huffed, aggravated beyond his ability to control. How was he supposed to fight in this upcoming battle if he was useless in a fight?

Merlin tossed his blood stained shirt to the ground in anger and picked up the needle and thread on his lap. That darkness, that monster shackled inside his mind frothed at the mouth for something to bite into to. For something to kill. The orb of light flickered in between gray and darkness, and blue and brilliant white. The struggle inside him there plainly for him to see. Merlin shut his eyes briefly to get a handle on himself before he started sewing. The orbs light evened out into a radiant blue and white glow.

Merlin opened his eyes and threaded the needle. He grit his teeth and went about sewing up the gash. He breathed through his noes as the blunt needle pierced the tender flesh around the raw wound.

Arthur didn't know what to do next. It felt like a lot of what he should do wasn't what was going to help them win this war. In order to win a sword fight you needed to fight steel with steel. It must be the same concept with magic, he was sure.

Arthur turned to Merlin for council but the sorcerer was no longer there. Concerned and a little wary about why Merlin disappeared Arthur left Ranoue and the new kids by the fire and went to find his friend. He followed the corridor towards the exit of the cave. He followed the strange glow that lit the cavern. At the end of his journey Arthur found Merlin.

Merlin was bathed in a blue-white light that made the smears of what had to be blood darker. As Arthur got closer he noticed the light was a floating orb. He watched Merlin stitch up a gash on his side in silence. The only noise was Merlin's harsh breathing. As Merlin stitched himself up, more blood seeped from the wound. It flowed down the warlocks toned abdomen in this rivulets of black. Merlin's hands were covered in blood and steady but his breathing was uneven as he patched himself up. Arthur's foot accidentally kicked a pebble alerting Merlin to his presents.

Merlin automatically reached for his sword as he jolted up off the boulder. He faced Arthur like a knight, and though Merlin tried to hide it Arthur saw the skin around his eyes wrinkle and his lips press tightly together in pain and discomfort. He swayed slightly on his feet but again his sword arm never falter.

"Arthur," Merlin gasped relieved and a little shocked. He straightened up and bowed respectfully, completely ignoring the searing pain he felt with every beat of his heart. The needle swung from his newly sealed wound. The orb hovered just over his head allowing more light to touch on his face. He set the sword back down and quickly retook his seat and went about finishing sealing his wound.

Merlin looked pale, paler than usual, and shadows were forming under his eyes as if he hadn't had a descent nights sleep or adequate meal in a very, very, long while. Arthur gut twisted. He remembered all the nights that he had felt Merlin try reach out to him for help and Arthur could do nothing but swear and curse at Morgana.

Arthur regarded at him silently as Merlin tied off the thread. The knowledge that Arthur now held... the knowledge of the power that Merlin hid inside him and all the multifaceted lies he must have had to create made it hard for Arthur to see who exactly it was standing before him. His mind played tug-of-war with itself. All of Merlin's multifarious identities were trying to reconcile their place in Arthur's heart and life. It all blended and blurred and then sprung apart in a desperate attempt to understand.

Despite Arthur's acceptance of Merlin he didn't know if he could ever accept that Merlin had magic. Who was he? Clumsy idiot? Dangerous warlock? Lazy servant? Wise adviser? Selfless companion? Who was Merlin really?

"Come back to the fire and I'll help dress your wounds." Arthur finally spoke.

Merlin's eyebrows rose in surprise. He looked over at Arthur. "I think I can manage Sire."

"Don't be an idiot." Arthur rumbled. He snapped his mouth shut when he realized what he had said. It never really occurred to him that every time Arthur made Merlin angry or annoyed he could have killed him, or at least turned him into a toad. Literally.

A ghost of Merlin's old smile came to play on his tired face. "I would rather be here right now, thank you." Merlin urged. He didn't necessarily want to stay where he was at. It was cold and damp but he couldn't let James, Darrin and especially Ranoue see how bad off he was.

"Fine." Arthur huffed. He knelt down to examine Merlin's stitching job. "Not bad," Arthur murmured. He gently took the needle from Merlin's fingers, grabbed his knife and sliced the thread. He probed the area around the wound to see if there was any other damage to the ribs other than a flesh wound. He pushed down on his third rib where some discoloration started to appear turning his scar riddled skin a motley black and blue.

"So the two new kids, " Arthur grit. He re-threaded the needle "They have magic?"

Merlin looked at him with narrowed eyes."Yes," Merlin said. "And they are to be protected. They have a part to play in this war."

Arthur didn't say anything. He just nodded silently and stood up to tend to the wound on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin didn't so much as twitch when Arthur started to stitch the wound. If Merlin had magic, why hasn't he healed himself? He has seen other sorcerers heal, so why not the great Emrys?

Arthur finished the last stitch and tied the thread off. He sliced it with his knife and handed the needle back to Merlin who put it into a small pouch along with the thread and grabbed what looked like a salve of healing herbs. The smell was familiar. Giaus must have taught Merlin how to make it. Arthur took the salve from him quietly applied it to the wound on his other shoulder. It was more of a burn. Done with the salve, he knelt down and set it back into the bag.

He wiped his hands on Merlin's old bloody shirt and hung his head for a moment. It was difficult for Arthur as he dressed Merlin's wounds. There were so many scars. All that pain, torture and torment Arthur witnessed in his visions... it was all real and here was the proof. It was etched into Merlin's alabaster skin. These silver scars will haunt him forever. Arthur felt sick as he contemplated how much pain Merlin would have had to endure to accumulate so many of them.

He had a nagging suspicion that Morgana only marked Merlin while conscious. The jagged cuts and blurred branding suggested that he had been awake. If he were unconscious the cuts would have been cleaner, less grotesque. Like the brutal scar on Merlin's face that stretched from cheekbone to chin.

"You have magic Merlin." Arthur suddenly blurted. Merlin looked at him strangely.

"Yes," Merlin's said cautiously. Arthur grabbed the bandages and stood up. He let his eyes roam over Merlin's wounds once more. Satisfied that they had been adequately covered he began to wrap the bandages around his injuries.

"Thanks," Merlin nodded. He grabbed the extra shirt he brought for himself along with the boys clothes and quickly put it on to cover his scars. He didn't like to have them exposed, especially the brands that mark him as a traitor, and the one that branded him Morgana's property. He was thankful that Arthur didn't ask about them out right.

"No problem." Arthur murmured, watching Merlin. "So, why haven't you healed yourself with your magic.

Merlin's dark eyes assessed Arthur quietly before he smiled sadly. "I'm not the best at healing." Merlin rubbed his neck and looked up to the orb floating above him. With only a thought the orb jumped to hover a foot off the rocky ground between Arthur and Merlin. "My talents lie elsewhere..." Merlin hedged.

"Like what? Never ending clumsiness?" Arthur teased. Merlin's lips twitched in restrained humor.

"You know I am glad to see you." Arthur confided. "It's just..." He faltered, unable to come up with any words.

"I understand, Arthur." Merlin said softly not meeting Arthur's eyes and instead gazed at the floating blue and white orb that hovered between them. "More than you know." Merlin looked up at him finally meeting his eyes.

Merlin has said this before, but now Arthur read it for what it was. It was a bittersweet reunion for both of them. Merlin rested his elbows on his knees and looked back at the orb. Arthur couldn't take his eyes off Merlin. It was as if he saw him in a whole new light.

Merlin possessed that certain unfathomable look of his, which, for all intense and purposes looked like the misty-eyed, yet unassuming gaze of a man contemplating the meaning of life itself combined with the gaze of a man who was off in one hell of a daydream, or rather nightmare was more accurate, and both of these were undoubtedly Merlin.

"You want to talk about it?" Arthur asked genuinely worried for his friend. Merlin looked back over at him. His penetrating gaze assessed Arthur silently for a moment.

"Maybe one day." Merlin finally consented. "But not today." He looked back at the floating blue and white orb that hovered a foot of the ground between them, it illuminated the small area enough to see each other clearly. Merlin let the silence stretch.

Arthur nodded to himself and looked behind him for a place to sit. He leaned back getting comfortable.

"What are you doing?" Merlin murmured. He sat up and watched Arthur get settled.

"Getting comfortable, what does it look like?" Arthur made a face at him.

"I see that." Merlin raised a brow. "Why?"

Arthur huffed and sighed. "Because you don't look like you want to join the others anytime soon." He shrugged. "I'll keep you company." Arthur leaned back against the cave wall. A ghost of a smile flitted across Merlin face. "Besides." Arthur continued offhandedly. "I've missed you." Arthur confessed. He didn't know what possessed him to be completely honest, maybe it was how many times Arthur had realized how much he needed Merlin. Arthur cleared his throat. "It's good to have you back."

Slowly Merlin's smile faded. He wasn't back, he was just passing through and had to return to hell, to Morgana."I can't stay, Arthur." Merlin said sadly. He fidgeted, one hand playing with the fingers of the other.

"What?" Arthur demanded sitting up.

Merlin grit his teeth. "I need to go back." Merlin said slowly. He pushed himself further back on the boulder he occupied, one leg bent at the knee, the other dangling off the boulder with his back leaning against the wall.

"What?" Arthur hissed and sat forward. "Your going back to Morgana?"

"I have to make sure no one comes after you."

"No," Arthur growled. "No way in hell are you going back to that witch."

"Its a devils bargain Arthur, but its all we've got." Merlin insisted. He looked to the heavens leaning his head back against the wall for support. Why couldn't he see it was the only way to ensure Arthur at least made it to the battle of Camlann.

"So what? Your just going to return to you master like a good little hound?"

Merlin's eyes snapped to Arthur. "That's not fair, Arthur." He lifted his head and sat forward.

"Your psychotic." Arthur snapped. Arthur crossed his arms over his chest as if he could protect his heart from Merlin and hold himself together simultaneously.

Maybe, Merlin thought and shrugged leaning back. "I prefer creative." Merlin smiled and flashed his dimples but that normal light in his eyes was gone. His smile slowly melted into a blank mask as the silence again engulfed them. "If I can give you a head start to meet up with your army before Morgana gets to you, I will. "Merlin looked at him seriously. "If she gets to you, she will plant your head on a spike and the war will be lost before the battle even begins."

Arthur opened his mouth but slammed it back shut. It Merlin left there was no guarantee that Arthur would see him again. It wasn't something Arthur thought he would particularly enjoy going through again but what could he say to change Merlin's mind? Besides, ultimately Merlin was right.

"How long can you stay?"

Merlin looked at Arthur quietly with hollow eyes. Arthur looked older than the last time Merlin saw him. He was more worn out and a little terrified. "I'll stay until dawn." Merlin finally assented. "But no later."

"Okay." Arthur nodded. It was something.

Arthur stared off into the floating orb. There was something familiar about it. He had seen one like it once before when he went to get the antidote for Merlin when Nimueh poisoned him. Arthur's eyes snapped back and for the between the orb and Merlin, whose eyes flashed intermittently with gold every few minutes keeping the orb of light alive. It was a little unsettling.