Arthur was sitting at his desk and staring at the door with a scowl set on his face and his arms crossed when Merlin entered.
"Where is he?"
Merlin bit down a cheeky comment and bowed his head. "How did you know?"
"You are always involved somehow when something like this happens and the druid boy wouldn't be able to hide without help."
Merlin sighed and came up to his prince. "I heard him calling out. He was nowhere to be seen, but I could hear him... like he was inside my mind. The same as with the dragon. Arthur, he's just a young boy. He doesn't mean any harm."
Arthur shook his head. "Where is he?" When Merlin opened his mouth to keep arguing, he held up his hand. "My father is going to send me out soon to search for him. I need to know where he is so I can be sure the guards don't discover him."
Warmth filled Merlin and he smiled. "I don't think that will be hard."
"What do you mean?"
Merlin nodded his head to the side.
Arthur glanced at his second door for a moment before turning back to Merlin. Then he did it again, eyes widening. "Merlin, please tell me you did not hide him in my chambers."
Merlin bit his lip.
Arthur shoved himself to his feet and stomped over to the door, throwing it open to reveal Gwen sitting on the bed next to an unconscious boy. He was pale with dark brown hair. He also had a druid cloak wrapped around him like a blanket. "You idiot!" he growled and Gwen flinched. "I see you also dragged Guinevere into this."
"For the record, she came to me."
Gwen blushed and ducked her head. "It wasn't hard to guess who had him."
Arthur saw that she had a bloodstained rag in her hand. "He's injured."
"Yes, and it looks bad."
"All the more reason for us to get him back to his people as fast as possible. They'll know how to treat him," Arthur said. He turned to Merlin. "Ready one of the horses and place it in the stables in the lower town. At midnight you'll take him out through the secret door in the armory. When I give the guards their routes, I'll be sure to plot out a delay that will give you time. After dinner, you will leave out of the castle under the premise of running an errand for me then return in secret. As far as anyone will know, you were out all night on my errand, understand?"
"Yes, Arthur," Merlin said, bowing his head.
"Guinevere, would you mind watching him until this idiot returns?"
"Of course not, Your Highness."
"Thank you."
"What took you so long?" Gwen asked when she let Merlin into Arthur's chambers.
"Sorry. Once Gaius gets talking about anatomy, there's no stopping him."
"Anatomy?"
Merlin pulled out a few vials. "Before I left to hide the horse, I wanted to get him something to make the trip easier on him. Gaius saw the book open. I think he's decided to make me his apprentice instead of his dogsbody. As if I don't have enough to do."
"I'll give them to him," she said and Merlin passed them to her. "Arthur left the key to the tunnel on the table as well as a cloak. He didn't want to risk anyone recognizing you if you're seen."
As Gwen ducked into the room, Merlin ran over to Arthur's desk.
Cavall stared at him from where he was nesting in the mound of fabric.
"Up you go," Merlin said, half pushing, half shooing him away.
The cat nipped his finger, but hopped down and headed towards Arthur's bed.
Merlin quickly hooked the key to his belt then picked up the cloak. It was one of Arthur's old ones. It had once been bright pendragon red with the golden crest on the shoulder, but the color had faded and the patch had fallen off, leaving a slightly brighter red in the shape of a dragon.
Merlin frowned at the light color before whispering a spell. The cloak darkened to black, the dragon becoming a dull grey. He slipped it across his shoulders and tied it.
Gwen was helping the boy to his feet when he entered, but she stopped to stare at the cloak.
"I thought it'd be more discreet," he said to her before asking the younger boy, "How are you feeling?"
Tired and cold, but a bit better, he answered with his mind.
"Your people will be able to help you, won't they?" Merlin asked, watching how shaky he was on his feet.
I think so.
"Will he be okay to ride out?" Gwen asked.
"He has to be." Merlin pulled both their hoods up then wrapped an arm around the younger boy's shoulders. "Ready?"
Yes, Emrys.
Merlin frowned at the name, but nodded at Gwen. She unlatched the door to the hall and stepped out. "It's clear, go," she whispered before walking off down the opposite way they fled.
Merlin glanced around nervously as they neared the stables.
"Stop, you there!" a voice yelled and Merlin tilted his head just enough to see three guards approaching.
He pushed the younger boy behind him and pulled his hood farther down. He held up his hand. "Swefe nu."
The guards collapsed to the ground, asleep.
"Hurry," he whispered and pushed the boy into the stables. He helped him up onto Hengroen before leading the stallion out of the stables. He swung up behind the boy and kicked the horse off.
Camelot's bells began to ring just as they disappeared into the trees.
They rode hard into the night, following the directions the boy gave him. Hours later, Merlin was starting to worry the boy would collapse before they could find the druids.
"The man you came with, I'm sorry we could not get him out as well. Is he your father?" Merlin asked, trying to keep him awake.
Mordred shook his head. I-I don't know my father... My mother was a noblewoman of Essetir. I don't - turn left here - know what family, but I remember her name was Anna. She gave me to the druids when I was really young because she feared what would happen to us if she kept me since she wasn't married. I've been apprenticing under Cerdan for the past year.
"I never knew my father either. My mother never talks about him, but I know they weren't married either. It was hard growing up." He frowned and in a soft whisper admitted, "I almost wish she had given me to the druids too. I love her more than anything, but I know her life would have been far easier without me in it. And maybe the druids could have helped me figure all this out so much sooner."
The younger boy looked up at him, but before anything else could be said, they came across a group of men in cloaks like the boy's standing on the road, clearly waiting for them.
"You're people," he asked quietly and Mordred nodded.
To Merlin's confusion, they kneeled as he stopped in front of them, heads bowed.
"He needs help. He's injured," he said, slipping off the horse.
"Our healers will see to him. We are forever indebted to you, Emrys, for returning him to us," one said, standing up and coming forward to help the boy down.
Merlin frowned. "He called me Emrys as well. Why?"
"Because that is your name," the man said, holding the boy close.
"I'm pretty sure my name's Merlin, always has been."
"You have many names."
"Do I? How do you know who I am?" Merlin asked. "I've never even met any druids until now."
"The druids have heard many of your tales which have not yet come to pass. We know of you, just as we know of your king."
"Uther?"
The man sent him a look that said he knew that Merlin knew that wasn't who he meant.
"You can't tell anyone, please."
"We will not. You have my word."
"Thank you." Merlin looked over at the boy with a smile. "Take care."
Thank you, Emrys.
"Merlin, please. Can I know your name?"
The boy looked up at the man, who nodded. "It's all right."
"My name is Mordred," he said, his first words aloud since Merlin had found him.
"Good luck, Mordred."
"You too, Merlin-Emrys."
Merlin… Merlin…
"Merlin," Merlin groaned as he stomped into the dragon's cave, "is trying to sleep."
The dragon was waiting for him, looking unimpressed. "What happened with the boy?"
Merlin perked up. "How do you know about him?"
Mordred's mentor had been executed earlier that day and Merlin was grateful that they had gotten the boy out of the city before that happened. If he'd come back…
"Like you, I heard him speak. Where has he gone?"
"I brought him to Arthur and he helped me get him out. Why?"
"You brought him to Arthur?"
"Well, to Arthur's rooms. Arthur just happened to figure it out."
The dragon hummed and looked towards the ceiling.
"What does it matter?"
"Time will tell."
Merlin ran his hand over his face. He was far too tired for this. "Can't I get a straight answer for once?"
The dragon looked back down at him. "This boy, his fate is tied closely to your own. And by extension, Arthur's."
"That's… good?"
"Perhaps, though I feel that his fate is also tied to that of the witch."
"Witch?"
"That tie seems weak. Hopefully, this bodes well."
"… I'm going back to bed."
"Merlin," the dragon called just as the warlock made it to the door. "Please tell your daimons to keep away. Their presence annoys me."
"Daimons?"
"Meow."
Merlin looked down to see Cavall walking into the light of the torch.
"That," the dragon huffed.
"He's Arthur's cat, not mine. And there's only one."
"At this point in time."
Merlin decided to ignore that and simply shooed the cat towards the stairs. "Go on, Cavall, go lay on Arthur or something. Stop bugging him before he eats you."
The dragon snorted and Cavall flicked his tail at the sound, but thankfully he started up the stairs.
"You should keep better control over them," the dragon said.
"He's Arthur's. He listens to me about as much as Arthur does, meaning he doesn't."
The dragon gave another snort and flew off.
They reflect the temperament of their master, young warlock.
Merlin shook his head. Wasn't that what he just said?
Mordred's parents in the myths are complicated. His mother can be Morgause, Morgana, or Anna (Arthur's full sister who does not appear in the show, likely since she's often combined with Morgause in the myths) and his father is either King Lot or Arthur himself. I decided to make his mother a random noblewoman named Anna while leaving his father a mystery. It's probably Lot (who is not yet King since Cenred's still alive), but I tell you I was tempted to make it a certain hermit for the sheer comedy of it.
TFW you're suddenly overcome with the need to throw in an unnecessary side plot that has no basis in reality.