Thank you, guys, for patiently putting up with my delay. Here's the promised chapter on the promised date. A treat for your patience is - EXTRA LONG CHAPTER!
I enjoyed my vacation a lot and here I am, away from home and back to work once more. Boo-hoo :(
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
Words: 5501
7. The truth that ran us down
Merlin's condition only worsened at the revelation of the Caves. Arthur, unknowledgeable of Merlin's magic, couldn't understand why his manservant was thrashing like a fish that fell out of water's reach. Yet, he tried with all his might to contain Merlin's fit by encircling his strong muscled arms around his lithe bony manservant without any extra effort on his part. Still, his screaming didn't cease. Arthur wouldn't be surprised at all if Merlin lost his voice after they made it out of here alive; if they made it out alive.
The hum was an irritable noise now, loud and overwhelming like the screech of a griffin. Somewhere, he could faintly hear his name through all that noise but it was faded. He tried to hold on to the fragment that pronounced his name yet all he could reach out to was more of that deafening noise.
"Stop, stop!" he chanted like there was no tomorrow.
As if on cue, the noises stopped abruptly. A blanket of pleasant silence wrapped around his mind, soothing his sensitive nerves. Yet, the silence didn't feel real because, in his mind's eye, he could see himself working in Arthur's room, or more precisely, making Arthur's bed like a routine. If the silence were real, he would not be in Arthur's room in Camelot now, would he?
He heard a humming noise again. It wasn't piercing but low and salubrious, like a song; he heard himself crooning a rhyme he distantly recalled his mother singing to him when he was a child – The Dark Prince. Though its title was not supposed to be on the list of children's rhymes, Merlin oddly felt attracted to this particular one. It talked about a Prince who brought upon treachery, anguish, revenge, and darkness to this world, which was once devoid of the aforementioned feelings. The Prince, mighty and hefty with lofty treasures, who loved another man so deeply; he couldn't help but take any path to claim that man as his own. On the road to gaining his forbidden love, he loses the revered path of righteousness and trails along a path unknown to mankind, invoking the darkness.
Lost in nothingness, the Prince was rendered blind and powerless. Alternatively, he decided to use his voice to reach the man of his dreams. The only drive that pushed him forward was the image of the man he loved and hopelessly wanted to claim as his own. When his voice did no wonders, his cries brought grave despair and anguish upon the otherwise jocund world. Blinded by his own tears even as the Sun filled the sky, the Prince turned into a curse for those around him. Anyone who approached him could only seek betrayal from the Prince. His treachery knew no bounds as it started to flow like a river through the hearts of all he met.
One fine day, beaten and battered by the challenges he faced, he came across the beauty who stole his heart and being. A smile graced his chapped blue lips after many years and he sought out to capture his beloved, only to find that the man is already a family man with two little daughters running about and an infant son. Angered and betrayed, the Prince unleashed the darkness upon the world, demolishing the warmth of the Sun and the Sun itself. His eyes, red like a venomous snake and so used to the Darkness, searched for an opportunity to strike his beloved's family. And, strike he did, a fatal one, in the name of revenge. His beloved found dead bodies of his wife and his children inside the little cottage he built for himself and his family.
The Prince then showed himself to the man he loved, told him of his never-ending love and that they could only be together if they weren't on this Earth. Without slipping a second, he pierced his beloved and himself with a two-sided dagger. They died together – one willingly out of twisted love, the other in a state of shock. The Prince, who brought upon evil and despair, was thus named the Dark Prince after his demise.
Merlin sang the rhyme with fervor as he did his chores.
"I do not understand why Hunith agreed to teach you that vile song, Merlin," Arthur now entered his field of vision.
Besides, how did Arthur know about that? He never told Arthur about his childhood or his life back at Ealdor.
"Because I liked it?" Merlin saw himself smile teasingly at Arthur by sitting on the Prince's bed.
Why the hell was he sitting on Arthur's bed like it was his own? Arthur would surely throw a fit.
Arthur didn't throw a fit. Instead, he approached Merlin sultrily; situating himself between Merlin's pushed open knees, an action, for the record, Arthur did.
"What else do you like, Merlin?" Arthur pressed his forehead to Merlin's and whispered.
"You mean, WHO," Merlin corrected, raising a perfectly black brow.
"Say it," Arthur barked, teasing Merlin by almost kissing him but drawing back when Merlin tried to glue their lips together.
"You, Arthur. I like you. Arthur, please!" Merlin begged, looking at Arthur's red plump lips.
"Arthur, please!" Merlin whined and everyone who heard his voice could hear the lust in his voice.
"Yes, Merlin, I'm right here," Arthur gulped as Merlin sank back into his chest and was surprised by the calmness that laced his voice against the erratic thudding of his heart.
Arthur didn't know what was happening to Merlin, just that it wasn't good or appropriate - the lust cradling his plea conveyed that part to everyone. He had to save his manservant and he had no idea how. Merlin was sweating so profusely that his shirt took on a deeper shade of blue, sticking to his skin. The blood flowing from his ears didn't cease either though it slowed down in speed and intensity.
"Sire?! Arthur!" Leon's urgent call snapped his attention towards the Knight and temporarily away from Merlin
"The sorcerers, I presume," he pointed his index at a few blurry darkened silhouettes that were walking out of the Caves of Peril.
"That they are. Assume positions!" Arthur commanded and was about to dismount his horse when he remembered that he still held his manservant in his arms, who was now limp and unmoving.
"Guinevere, I need you to stay with Merlin and try to revive him. Keep him safe," Arthur told Gwen.
"Yes, Arthur," she agreed immediately and helped Arthur in dismounting Merlin first, then himself. He carried Merlin in his arms behind a rocky sand dune that was to the far right of the Caves and laid him down onto the gravelly yet grassy floor. It ensured that Merlin and Guinevere were hidden from the vision of the oncoming sorcerers.
"Take care of yourself and do not enter the battle, if it must ensue, at any cost," Arthur didn't give Guinevere a chance to protest as he took her by a fierce long kiss. She returned the kiss with fervor and wished Arthur good luck. Sparing a worried glance at his unconscious servant, Arthur drew out his sword and rushed to lead his battalion.
They were seven in total, the sorcerers, as they stood a few paces away from Arthur, who was accompanied by Sir Leon to his left, Sir Vidor to his right, and Sir Caridoc amongst the army men. The sorcerers looked old, very. Their skin was visibly wrinkled, like the folds of a blanket after a good night's sleep. One peculiar thing Arthur or his men couldn't help but notice was the white in their eyes. There was no black or any color at all; they didn't seem to have any eyeballs. It was also surprising that they wore white robes, tattered at places, as opposed to the darkness that befell them.
Contrary to what Arthur expected, the sorcerers didn't seem scary or strong, save for their magic and their dubious eyes. His men could easily bring them down without lifting a sword even, he supposed. Mystifyingly, they stood in a 'V' shape, the pointy end towards Arthur and his men. The man who stood at the front was taller than the others, a bit bulkier, and had a queer air about him which gave out false vibes of relaxation.
"Leave while you have the chance, else you will be put to a trance! And shall save you none, if you choose not to run!" the frontman, Arthur supposed, spoke to them in simple understandable verses.
"I am – ," Arthur started.
"We know who you are, men of Camelot come from afar," a sorcerer, whose voice sounded distinctly like a lady, cut Arthur's introduction off. She stood at the last, to the extreme right of the 'V'.
"The Pendragon born of Uther, the young Prince Arthur," another male sorcerer spoke, who stood right before the previous lady speaker.
"You come here seeking war, against the sorcery you abhor," the frontman spoke again, his voice rough like tree bark.
"I only seek peace for my people back in Camelot. As long as you are here, peace would just be a far cry," Arthur said.
"What have we disrupted? Who have we corrupted? Lived all these years in fear, to our cries you paid no ear! Your father murdered our kith and kin, Camelot is deluged with the King's sin!" the frontman wailed and coughed after. His lack of use of his voice was evident in the way he spoke.
"My father did what he had to because your kind waged a war against us!" Arthur shot back in anger.
"Says the man who wasn't even born, fake revenge you try and adorn," the frontman sneered disapprovingly at Arthur.
"Fake revenge?! You will pay for your crimes, sorcerer, you will pay with your life now!" Arthur sneered back and turned towards his men.
"For the love of Camelot!" Arthur raised his sword in the air as a signal for his men to charge forth.
"For the love of Camelot!" everyone echoed, their swords bowing to Arthur's sword in the air.
And they rushed towards the sorcerers.
Morgause transported Morgana to the Caves using a spell. Their plan would go well this time, they were sure of it and finally, Morgana would claim her rightful place on the throne of Camelot. She was deprived of a Father and a Mother from her childhood. Her true Father never acknowledged her as his daughter; she was always only his 'ward' and nothing more. She felt no love, she had no one until she met Morgause, her sister, who loved her like a mother, cared for her like a father. Morgause was the only one she could confide in.
Even her friendships were a pretense. Gwen? She would stab her for Arthur any day. Merlin? He knew that she had magic and he never chose to divulge his secret to her. She could've shared her burdens with Merlin but that chance was long gone when Merlin poisoned her and tried to kill her. For once, she could've had the chance to not be alone anymore, to not be disgusted with what she was yet Merlin betrayed her and her trust in him. He betrayed her fondness for him and he deserved no more than death for it, but first, he had to lose everything and everyone; himself even. And Morgana would ensure that; she would make sure that his hidden truth will collapse the trust and love he built with Camelot, its people, and especially, Arthur Pendragon.
"You know what you must do, sister," Morgause pressed Morgana's shoulder for emphasis.
"I do," she answered confidently as she watched Arthur and his men being brutally beaten by the sorcerers of the Caves of Peril.
When will Uther and Arthur understand that it is only sorcery that can counter sorcery? Manmade weapons are nothing but toys in the face of magic.
"There, the servant boy and the servant girl," Morgause pointed towards Merlin and Gwen.
"I see them, sister. Now it's my turn to be the good Morgana I've always been in their eyes," she chuckled with a sway of her body as she looked at an unconscious Merlin.
Morgause smiled sinisterly.
The clang of swords dulled as the men of Camelot fell one by one.
"Acwellan seo mannes (Kill the man!)," a sorcerer pointed his stick at Sir Caridoc and he fell down in an unmoving lifeless heap.
"No!" Arthur whispered at the Knight's abrupt death as he tried to fight against the magic.
"More shall fall, unless you off the battle call," the frontman warned.
"We return from here after you die," Arthur screamed and charged forth.
"Faerblaed hine fiornsip! (Blast him away!)" the front man directed the spell at Arthur, who was lifted off the ground and thrown into a nearby tree.
Arthur's head hit the tree hard, rendering him insentient.
"Arthur, no!" Guinevere and Leon exclaimed in unison.
Forgetting the plight of Merlin and Arthur's warning, Gwen was immediately at Arthur's side, checking for injuries and worried beyond measure.
Morgana took this as a chance to secretly slip into the commotion, laden in her armor and sword, closely followed by Morgause. She stealthily walked towards Merlin and knelt down beside him, who was now quivering again, still sweating and muttering incoherent words. Morgause situated herself behind the rock dune, away from any peering eyes.
"What's happening to him, sister?" Morgana asked, frowning down at Merlin's body.
"He's trapped in hallucinations. As I've mentioned earlier to you, this place is an abode of Dark Magic. It has been so for years. And, this place can only accept magic of its own kind," Morgause explained.
"That means?" Morgana asked.
"That means this boy is the light to our Darkness, Morgana. The Magic infiltrating this place is more powerful than the boy's magic and it's slowly crippling him from the inside. He is now trapped in a world of his darkest desires and his magic is not strong enough to counter the hallucinations he's seeing," Morgause continues, as she palmed Merlin's cheek rather softly. "I'd rather say, enjoying," she added with a smirk.
"His darkest desires… I wonder what he's seeing," Morgana genuinely said as she stroked Merlin's eyes with her thumb.
"He can only see that shall never come to pass in reality, sister. That is why these hallucinations are filled with a person's darkest desires," Morgause said.
"Can we see what he's seeing? In that way, we can have more control over the situation," Morgana sounded extremely curious about Merlin. Of course, Morgause would never admit that out loud.
"Geunnan usu beinnan cerdic swefnreccerum ond critesmel brimlad (Make way and allow us into his dreams)," Morgause chanted with her palm facing Merlin's head, a few inches away from it.
Now, they could see the secret Merlin long stashed away in the darkest corners of his heart.
o#*#o
"Merlin, you are beautiful, so handsome," Arthur praised as he kissed down Merlin's naked chest.
"No more," Merlin whispered hotly, his eyes closed and his head was thrown back into Arthur's pillow in sheer ecstasy.
"You mean it?" Arthur stopped kissing Merlin, and the latter whined at the loss of Arthur's lips on his skin.
"No, not at all. Come up here," Merlin tugged Arthur's golden hair rather harshly as he crashed their lips together.
"I could never get enough of your lips, your tongue," Merlin said against Arthur's swollen and bloody lips from biting and nipping.
"Nor I yours, love," Arthur pecked Merlin softly.
o#*#o
"Utfarum! (Exit!)" Morgause chanted and they were snapped back to a reality of swords and screams and falling bodies.
"Arthur?" Morgana spoke in a daze. Morgause was nonplussed by what she witnessed and her mind couldn't help but take in this new information for later use against the boy and his Prince.
"A servant who is love with the Prince! A male servant," Morgause looked at Morgana but received no response.
"Merlin desires Arthur," Morgana unknowingly tightened her grip on Merlin's neckerchief.
Morgause was rooted to the ground in shock when a couple of tears escaped Morgana's eyes.
"Morgana? Sister, why are you crying?" she asked worriedly.
Morgana truly felt betrayed. Everyone toyed with her feelings. Had she always cared for such people? She must've been truly mad for trusting them, for letting them rule over her mundane life while she was trying to be recognized and love. She had been a fool, an utterly despondent fool!
"It's nothing, sister. I will have my vengeance against Uther, Arthur, and everyone else," she looked down at Merlin.
"Then wake him up and do your part in letting Arthur see for himself who his servant really is," Morgause goaded her sister.
"I will. You must leave now, sister. I will call for you later," Morgana smiled, her eyes glowing with love Morgause had never seen prior to this day.
"Good luck," Morgause grasped Morgana's hand one last time before vanishing.
"Now, Merlin, time to face your truth. Oiricwrecce nu (Wake now)," Morgana's magic was not strong enough to wake Merlin.
"Oiricwrecce nu!" she let her magic flow freely in her veins as her eyes glowed gold once again with more intensity than before.
With an inaudible snap, Merlin's eyes flew open. For a moment, they shone golden before turning back into bright blue. His head, ears, and his whole body hurt. He tried sitting up with the help of a blurry figure who looked like a woman. He rightfully assumed the figure to be Guinevere, the only lady in their group.
"Gwen, is that you?" he asked, clutching his head and resting against the rock.
"Hello, Merlin," Morgana greeted. Merlin could recognize that voice anywhere and his posture immediately turned defensive as the world became clearer and more audible to him by the second. He could hear screams of the men of Camelot as they fought against the most powerful sorcerers.
"What have you done to me, Morgana?" he rasped as he moved away from her.
"Oh, I have done nothing this place could do to you and your magic, Merlin," she felt an odd satisfaction in watching Merlin tensing over the revelation of his magic. His brows swallowed by the untidy fringes of his hair and his eyes twitching in shock and fear; Morgana relished in his reaction.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Merlin said with a subtle yet hasty shake of his head, which worsened the pain in his head.
"You can deny or hide your secret all you want, Merlin but it doesn't change the fact that you have magic. Like me. We are the same," Morgana said.
"I am nothing like you," Merlin spat in disgust and anger, which offended Morgana.
Before she could say or do anything, two voices interrupted her.
"Morgana?!" "Lady Morgana?" Arthur and Gwen exclaimed.
Her cunning face morphed into beauty before she showed herself to Arthur and her maid.
"Arthur! Gwen!" she stood and hugged them both, one after the other.
"What are you doing here when you're not supposed to be here?" Arthur demanded, shaking her by her arm slightly.
"I thought I could help you and so I followed you. I want to face the evil that haunted me for the past year, Arthur. I don't want to hide anymore," Morgana started crying towards the end and Merlin, as he stood on his feet, thought that Morgana was now beyond any redemption.
"I understand. If this will help you, so be it," Arthur wiped away her tears lovingly.
"Thank you, Arthur," she smiled.
"Be careful," he told Morgana before realizing that his manservant was wide awake.
"Merlin! I thought I lost you," Arthur chuckled in pure happiness as he hugged Merlin.
"You won't get rid of me so soon, Arthur," Merlin's eyes wrinkled with his broad smile. He acknowledged Gwen with a nod, who, he observed, smiled at him tightly, as though she wasn't happy to see him alive.
A loud scream brought the men back to reality. They looked in horror and terror as Sir Vidor's head was slashed from the rest of his body. Sir Vidor's head rolled and stopped at Arthur's feet, who looked like he was going to vomit any second. This was barbaric! He had never seen his Knights beheaded and the ease with which these sorcerers attacked them without hesitation, surprised Arthur. With Sir Vidor's head at his feet, Arthur was sure that no magic is healthful. Sorcery is pure evil and it must be eradicated at all costs.
"I will bring justice upon my fallen men. This is my oath as the Prince of Camelot," he declared and ran towards the frontman, closely followed by Merlin.
"Gwen, you must stay here," Morgana pushed her maid into the safety the rock dune provided before rushing out into the battlefield.
She saw Merlin fighting a sorcerer with his magic and smirked. It is time she showed Arthur who his servant really was. It is time she killed the root of her problems, Merlin. As for Arthur, he can be patiently dealt with after removing his manservant from his side.
Merlin's magic was unstable. Even the power and knowledge Kilgharrah provided him with was turning out to be utterly useless. There was no chance he could win against magic that was older than the Old Religion yet he tried with every nerve in his body to contain the dark sorcery.
"Boy with the magic of light, you know not your doomed plight! You are but the flame of a candle, it is nothing the darkness of night cannot handle," the lady sorcerer guffawed as she blasted Merlin away.
In blasting him away, she saw Merlin's magical aura shift. He wasn't just a normal sorcerer; he was the destined one they've always heard of and feared. He was Emrys! This puny little boy with magic weaker than a leaf would bring upon their destruction? What had the old prophecies thought? They were such a faux!
"Drihten! (Lord!)" The lady shouted for the attention of the frontman. "This boy here is Emrys, the one destined for the abyss!"
For a moment, the sorcerers stilled at her announcement. Arthur took this chance to attend to Sir Leon, who was bleeding profusely from his thigh. Tearing a strip off his tunic, Arthur tied it around Leon's wound tightly to stop more blood from flowing.
"You need to rest, Leon," Arthur said.
"Sire, our men are lost. Only a few of us are standing. I cannot afford to rest," Leon spoke breathlessly.
"I know. We shall retreat for now," Arthur said, clearly disappointed in himself for leading a failed mission.
Leon nodded.
"Emrys?" Morgana wondered, listening to the sorcerer's conversation.
"Retreat!" Arthur tried commanding his men inconspicuously but was heard by the Drihten of the Caves.
"Not so fast, you cannot now run past," the frontman growled and with the pull of his magic, he stuck the men of Camelot to the ground, including Gwen and Morgana, who squealed in shock.
The Drihten walked till he stood in front of Arthur, sparing a fleeting yet knowing glance at Morgana.
"This will only end with your head in my hands, young Pendragon," he hissed in Arthur's face before incanting. "Heafod sylfum Arthur Pendragon cyrfe fram cerdic grynel - ," (Head of Arthur Pendragon severed from his neck - )
The frontman never completed his incantation as a powerful roar, accompanied by an unseen force, pushed him away from Arthur. Like a storm, the place was filled with strong wind and it slammed down everyone, friend and foe included.
"You shall not harm Arthur Pendragon!" Merlin screamed like an otherworldly being at the sorcerers of the Caves, his hand stretched out, legs unsteady yet firm and his eyes... they were glowing balls of fire.
Morgana, having accomplished her mission without any solid involvement on her part, felt it was her lucky day and smiled evilly when Arthur looked at Merlin with something akin to shock and despair, as he sat up from the ground. The force of Merlin's magic, combined with a few of the dragon's powers, caused an explosive wind of power. After gathering her strength, Gwen crawled out to situate herself beside Arthur, Morgana to her right. The remaining men of Camelot looked at the scene in unprecedented fright.
Merlin's chest heaved with exertion as he tried controlling his blown out magic and brought it in successfully. And a fight ensued.
Sorcery against sorcery.
Light against Dark.
One against Seven.
Morgana smiled in triumph when tears of visible betrayal choked Arthur's eyes.
"No, he can't be. It's Merlin… I refuse to accept it," Arthur's voice broke and Gwen hugged him, trying to soothe him.
"It is Merlin, Arthur. He is a sorcerer," admitting it was even harder for Gwen.
Now, it was time to play her part, Morgana thought, as she crumpled her victorious face into a fear-filled face.
"Arthur, there is a reason why I'm here today. It wasn't just about facing my fears. I also wanted to warn you about Merlin," she started.
"What about Merlin? Wait, did you know he was a sorcerer, Morgana?" Arthur asked, looking at Merlin fighting the sorcerers with his magic and losing.
"Yes, I did. But I also know more. I don't know how to tell you this, Arthur," she clucked her tongue in mock frustration.
"It's okay, my Lady," Gwen took her hands in her own as a gesture of compassion and strength. Morgana smiled at her before speaking.
"It was Merlin who caused Uther's hallucinations and sent him to his possible death. He used a mandrake root to torture your father mentally by making him see the ghosts of those he once murdered," Morgana said, a lone tear escaping her left eye.
"How did you know? And why haven't you told me all these weeks?" Arthur demanded furiously.
"I've known it from the start! Besides, you wouldn't have believed me. Your trust in Merlin is too hard to break," Morgana said feebly.
"You do not get to decide who I trust, Morgana! You should have told me," Arthur growled earnestly.
"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Arthur, because your servant, who is apparently a sorcerer, threatened me with my life!" she looked down, picking at the grass. Gwen gasped in pure shock and disbelief.
"Threatened? It isn't like Merlin at all," Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"See, Arthur? This was why I could never tell you. Merlin isn't all that he seems and here's your proof, dancing with sorcery right in front of your eyes!" Morgana pointed at Merlin, who was now on the ground, beaten and bloody. Nobody was even trying to help the man because they had seen his sorcery too and they were truly and deeply frightened.
"I can't believe Merlin would try to kill the King. He's a loyal man and he could never do it, my Lady," Gwen's confidence irked Morgana and Arthur's silence even more.
"Believe what you want, Arthur, Gwen. I know what I saw and I feared my life though I was safe under the roof of the citadel. Merlin is nothing more than an evil sorcerer who tried to kill my guardian, my King and I will never forgive him for it. If you want to save him, you must do so now. If you believe me, you know what you must do," Morgana ended her argument.
"Arthur!" Merlin croaked, stretching his hand out for Arthur's help.
Yes, he let loose his magic but he was sure that Arthur would discuss his magic later, after escaping from the clutches of the Dark sorcerers. His magic couldn't survive against the Dark magic of seven powerful sorcerers and he fell. Now, he needed help, Arthur's help else, he would lose his life.
"Arthur, help!" he called out again but saw no sign of Arthur coming to help him.
After contemplating Morgana's revelations Arthur reached a decision. Morgana would never lie, not to him, at least. There was too much evidence against Merlin to believe that he was a good person though he had magic. "I will help no sorcerer like you," Arthur's words pierced through him like the sharpest sword and Merlin felt himself tearing apart on the inside. Arthur's words seemed like a sad lie at first. Maybe, Arthur was toying with him but when he saw how steely Arthur's posture was, he understood that Arthur wasn't one to joke in life-threatening situations. Arthur was abandoning him for being a sorcerer. This wasn't the Arthur he served.
Morgana rejoiced in her success.
"Arthur, I'm sorry I hid my magic from you. We can talk about this after we go back to Camelot. I only ever used my magic for you, Arthur, only to save you," he spoke frantically as Arthur and the others stood up.
"Camelot shall house no sorcerer. You are an evil murderer and I will not help you, Merlin. I'm truly sorry," Arthur was turning his back on Merlin and he couldn't help but cry in fear for his life, in fear of separation from the man he loved, cared for, and served with due honor.
"I am not a murderer! My magic has always been your slave, Arthur, believe me, please!" he was begging desperately now that the Drihten's magic is pressing on him forcefully. His own magic was effectively countering the Drihten's magic but it wouldn't be long before his magic is deemed useless.
"Your magic is only a slave to all the evil in this world, Merlin," Arthur spat.
"My magic is not evil," Merlin's voice trembled.
"You're right. There is no evil in sorcery, Merlin. It is only in the hearts of men," Arthur quoted Merlin's words from before as he gazed deep into Merlin's eyes, letting his message of 'It is you who are evil, not your magic' sink. For once, Merlin did not respond and the silence seemed curious for words.
"Let's have a deal, Arthur Pendragon," one of the sorcerers spoke and he was glad that the man was not speaking in rhymes or verses.
Arthur snapped his gaze towards the man, who looked a tad bit younger than the rest.
"This boy, Emrys, is a very powerful sorcerer who is mentioned in every prophecy ever written. We need him. You need your freedom and Camelot's safety. We shall not infiltrate or invade your lives any further if you leave this boy to us. A fair exchange, don't you think? The boy for Camelot's safety," the man spoke.
Arthur hesitated. He looked at Merlin, whose eyes mirrored the betrayal in his own eyes.
"No, Arthur, please," Merlin cried for help, as he tried to gather his magic to blast the evil sorcerers away in vain.
"It is a onetime deal, Pendragon," the man provoked.
"You promise to never harm any civilian or the Royal family of Camelot?" Arthur queried.
"Arthur, no!" Merlin's scream of plea went unheard.
"We promise," the man acknowledged.
"Then you can have him," Arthur titled his head towards Merlin.
"How can you leave me here?! How can you betray my trust in you?" Merlin asked, angered by Arthur's actions, his tears now flowing freely down his reddened and bloody cheeks.
"You've betrayed my trust in you first, Merlin. It is only fit that you stay where you belong," Arthur said.
"And I belong in Camelot! By your side!" Merlin gritted out through his pain, nearing unconsciousness.
"No, you don't anymore. Your truths ran down whatever we once had between us," Arthur's voice broke once again as the essence of Merlin's betrayal filled his heart. His chest hurt so much that he couldn't help but break down.
"Arthur," Gwen intertwined their fingers and Arthur clutched her hand like a lifeline.
"Please don't leave me here, please," Merlin resorted to begging in his last conscious moments.
"Goodbye, Merlin," Arthur said and those were the last words Merlin heard from the Prince.
He committed Arthur's retreating slumped back to his memory before finally losing consciousness.
Do remember the Dark Prince rhyme mentioned here. I might use it in my later chapters.
PLEASE REVIEW, FOLLOW AND FAVORITE! It is what keeps me going!
Stay tuned for the next chapter and this time, I ain't giving any summary for the next chapter! Sorry!
Until next time, bye!
~ Wheezy.