Hello everyone!
Yes, yes a new chapter, and not even that late! (am I not getting better?)
I want one more to thank you all for reading and following and reviewing this story! You are all my stars!
And special thanks to my beta again for her hard work!
And without further ado, enjoy!
Chapter 28:
One week of night guard duty and Gwaine was beginning to think that he had been sufficiently punished.
Not that he had stopped feeling guilty or anything. He just felt that it wasn't the princess' right to punish him. The offence had been done to Merlin after all.
The fact that he had not been able to visit the tavern once in the past week had nothing to do with it either. Obviously.
He was reflecting on these thoughts while keeping his post near the front gate after a long and boring night when he saw a shadow move in the corner of his eye.
It had been almost unnoticeable. In fact, he probably wouldn't have even noticed it if Merlin had not spent some time training the knights to see the unnoticeable, arguing that it was far too easy to enter the castle undetected.
That's why, trusting his instincts, he silently drew his sword and headed towards the moving shadow.
He kept his feet silent as he crept from shadow to shadow, only vaguely registering that he was not heading towards the castle but away from it.
He bid his time until finally the shadow took the form of a hooded person in the flickering light of the stables torches.
Gwaine jumped ahead and threatened the figure's back with his sword, applying enough pressure for the tip to be felt without hurting.
"Reveal yourself!" He ordered.
The man's shoulders dropped in defeat and the hood of his dark cloak was lowered to reveal a familiar mop of dark hair.
"Merlin!" The knight exclaimed hastily putting his sword away. "What are you doing creeping around like that? I could have run you through!"
The young man in front of him looked down, obviously uncomfortable.
"Well… I was… Hum… Checking on my horse!"
Gwaine arched an eyebrow and nodded to the bag he had just noticed at his friend's side.
"And you obviously need that for it. In case you get lost on the way of course."
Merlin let out a small forced laugh.
"You know me… Anything could happen."
Gwaine sighed, crossing his arms on his chest.
"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't lie to me like that Merlin."
At least Merlin had the decency to look chastised.
"I'm sorry Gwaine."
"I'll consider pardoning you if you tell me what's really going on with you." He declared even if he knew he wasn't really mad with the younger man.
He just wanted Merlin to trust him. Again. Even after everything that had happened recently.
"Fine. Fine. I have somewhere I need to go and I want to leave as soon as possible."
"Where?"
"The Crystal Cave." Merlin mumbled.
"What? I thought you hated this place! Why do you want to go?"
"I just need water from there for a potion."
"For a potion." Gwaine repeated dubiously.
He may not know much about magic but he had listened to Merlin's stories if nothing else. So he knew that the Crystal Cave was the birth place to magic and that anything in it was more than powerful… And that only bad things arrived there.
"What sort of potion?"
"Gwaine!" The warlock whined.
"No Merlin. I want to know or I'll have to officially stop you and take you before the king. I'm sure dear Arthur won't like it any more than me that you are leaving alone, in the middle of the night to go to one of the places you hate the most."
"I don't really hate it… It just… Makes my magic restless."
"Merlin…" Gwaine interrupted.
"There really is no way around this, is it?"
"Nope. It's either you tell me or we go see Arthur."
Of course, Merlin could also choose to use his magic to escape but the knight knew his friend would never do that.
"This really isn't fair."
The drunkard just watched him expectantly.
"It's a magic-enhancing potion."
For a moment, Gwaine thought he hadn't heard well.
"Why would you need that?"
Merlin took a step back to lean against the stable wall, his face falling in the shadows.
"Because I want to perform a ritual that requires more magic than even I possess."
"Then why do you want to do it?"
"Because I want to bring dragons back!"
The admission sounded as if Merlin hadn't wanted to reveal it and made Gwaine gape at him.
"What?"
And that was how the knight learned of Merlin's stupidly dangerous but brave plan to call the dragons, even in their human forms.
"You really think it can work? That there really still are dragons out there?"
Merlin nodded.
"I'm sure of it."
"Fine. I'll go with you then."
And with that Gwaine made his way to the stable's door, ready to prepare his horse. He had to admit that he had been itching for some adventure recently. And spending time with Merlin seemed to be a good way to work on building trust back between them.
"What?" He heard the warlock exclaimed as he opened the door with a loud creak. "You can't!"
"Really? Why not?" The knight asked. "Of course I won't go in there with you but I'm sure my horse will like the work out. And it will make a nice change for me, watching a gate no one walks through during the night."
Merlin opened and closed his mouth a few times with no answer coming forth.
"That's what I thought. I'm coming then."
And with that both men entered the stables and saddled their horses, leaving just as the first rays of sun appeared at the horizon.
"So… How mad will Arthur be when he finds out about this?" Gwaine asked after an hour of silent riding.
Merlin shrugged.
"I left a note."
Gwaine laughed out loud.
"Yeah, we'll definitely spend some time in the dungeon you and I."
He saw Merlin smile next to him and was suddenly remembered that it was a rare occurrence these days.
"Glad it makes you happy."
Merlin shook his head, the corner of his mouth still up.
"He's not going to put us in the dungeon. And even if he does, I'll break us out."
"You rebel!"
"Well, I was never able to do what I'm told."
Gwaine smiled, silently agreeing as they carried on their way through the forest.
"How far is it?" He asked when they stopped to water the horses another hour later.
"Not too far. Couple hours I'd say." Merlin answered, his hand stroking his mare side.
Gwaine nodded.
"How dangerous is it really? The ritual?"
The question had been burning his tongue since the beginning of their journey.
A shrug met his question and Gwaine thought that Merlin wouldn't answer.
"Dangerous enough I guess. It has never been done by a single sorcerer. Usually it is done by a combination of dragonlords and powerful sorcerers or warlocks."
"Hence the potion."
The warlock nodded.
"Well, I can't say I like the idea but I think I understand why you want to do it and you can count on me." The knight decided.
"Thank you Gwaine… We'd better go now."
They mounted back up and carried on their way at a leisured pace until, finally, they reached a dense part of the forest that covered the entry of a small clearing which, at the back of it, had the entrance to a cave.
The knight saw Merlin shiver and thought he himself felt as if the air had shifted somehow.
They dismounted slowly and attached their horses to nearby trees.
"Well… That's it." Merlin announced.
"Looks like a normal cave to me."
The warlock smiled softly.
"Trust me, it is anything but normal." He seemed to hesitate for a moment, watching the cave with an unreadable expression. "I'd better go. The sooner this is done, the better."
Gwaine nodded.
"Be careful Merlin."
The younger man nodded and stepped forward. He found a branch and lit it with a flash of golden eyes.
Gwaine watched as he then went into the cave, feeling his gut churn with unease. He wasn't sure he liked this place very much and couldn't wait to leave.
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