Arthur winced as Merlin came stumbling into Gaius's chambers.
"Do you hear clanging?"
He almost laughed, would have, if he did not see how unsteady Merlin was on his feet, Gaius noticed this quickly pulled the remaining armor off of Merlin and pushed him down into a chair. Arthur winced again as he heard Merlin's sharp intake of breath.
He knew he was often….hard on Merlin, especially when he used the manservant for training but – he didn't think – he winced again, he sometimes forgot with Merlin being well – Merlin, rushing headfirst into danger that he wasn't a knight. That his body wasn't used to training like this.
"It was horrible. Ahh, and I've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning," Merlin looked up and Arthur watched his eyes flash gold, "onhríne achtung bregdan." A book that Arthur hadn't noticed before slid across the table, flying open. Arthur was surprised when he didn't startle.
Gaius gave a surprised snort and slapped the back of Merlin's head.
"What've I told you about using magic like this?"
Merlin winces.
"If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself."
Gaius sighed and resumed his massaging.
"Never mind you arms. What do I do if you get caught?"
Merlin looked curious at that, which Arthur found odd, but then again through the years Merlin had been curious about a lot of strange things and Arthur found this to be one of the least odd.
"What would you do?"
Gaius doesn't answer.
"Well you just make sure it doesn't happen, for both our sakes."
Merlin yelped as Gaius touched his left shoulder and Arthur winced, perhaps the next time he trained with Merlin he could be a bit more gentle if it caused the servant this much pain. But – there really wouldn't be a next time, would there?
He'd made sure of that.
He turned his attention back to Gaius and Merlin's conversation.
"We all have our duties, Merlin. Even Arthur."
Merlin snorted.
"It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory."
"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot pressure."
There was silence and then Gaius gave a jerk of Merlin's shoulder as Arthur winced at the sound of bone's sliding against each other before popping back into their rightful place.
The scene changed.
Arthur found himself staring at Merlin and his younger self again. He wondered if it was bad that he wanted to punch his younger self because of the sheer amount of arrogance that resided in sneer he was directing at Merlin.
"You do know the tournament starts today?"
Ah yes, he remembers this now, he remembers the frustration that Merlin wasn't quick, and his hands were clumsy, he remembers the way his insides had been twisted into a knot, he remembers how impressed he'd been that Merlin had known what to do at all.
He doesn't remember ever being this mad before a tournament however.
He knew he was a royal – well, pain. That is he'd been told by Merlin and when he'd been younger, by quite a few disgruntled nursemaids, but this, he didn't remember this. He hoped that he still wasn't like this.
"Yes sire."
It was silent for a moment except for the scraping of fabric against metal.
"You nervous?"
"I don't get nervous."
Arthur snorted; and Merlin gave him a look that he would become quite familiar with in the coming years, clearly Merlin didn't believe his younger self either.
"Really? I thought everyone got nervous."
His younger self snaps.
"Will you shut up!"
Merlin has the audacity to grin as he fastens the cape around his younger self's neck, and hands him his helmet. "Great yeah, I think you're all set." Younger Arthur sneers, "Aren't you forgetting something?" Merlin looked around, and Arthur shook his head at the look of confusion on his face.
"My sword."
Merlin looked sheepish and his younger self grabbed the sword from his hands and stalked off. Merlin blew a bit of air from his lips, his unevenly cut fringe fluttering.
"That went well."
Arthur hurried after Merlin, who he found had been a lot closer then remembered him being, the idiot had hidden himself away behind a pillar dangerously close to the arena. He sighed and watched Merlin's face throughout his father's speech.
He wondered if Merlin hated his father.
"Knights of the realm, it's a great honor to welcome you to a tournament of Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur."
"Only one can have the honor of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces."
Things went quickly after that scenes blurring in and out at a rapid pace, he watched himself beat opponent after opponent and then he watched as his younger self and Merlin watched Valiant fight. He can't recall being afraid of him, or at least then, but knowing what was to come he wondered if he should have been.
Valiant exited the arena and approached the two.
"May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?"
His younger self nodded.
"Likewise."
"I hope to see you at the reception this evening."
Then he was gone.
"Creep."
His younger self snorted along with Merlin. Then; "Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail."
He remembered being afraid of the fact that Merlin could make him laugh right along with him. His father's teachings about how to rule had been in the front of his head and now wished he could tell his younger self what he now knew about what it was to truly rule over Camelot.
The scene changed.
The first thing he heard was the hissing.
He wonders if he should be surprised when – instead of turning and running for help like a normal servant – Merlin decided to investigate, he also feels he should be more shocked when the eye of the shield blinked, no matter knowing the outcome.
But he isn't, he does start however when the sword is thrust at Merlin's chest, Merlin finally showing the correct amount of fear backed up from the shield. Valiant was – glowering at Merlin – glaring in a way that made Arthur's skin crawl.
"Can I help you with something, boy?"
Merlin shook his head.
"Nope. I'm good. I-I was just…I was, erm, gathering my master's armor."
Valiant glowered.
"Then you best be on your way."
Merlin nodded gathering all the pieces of armor nearly falling as Valiant stuck his foot out. The scene changed and Arthur found himself in Gaius's chambers as Merlin and Gaius hovered over a prone form that Arthur vaguely recognized.
"How is he?"
Gaius frowned as Arthur stepped forward slipping through Merlin – it was odd, the rush of cold and warm that was the response of such an action – to stare down at the young man that Arthur now remembered being a competitor in the tournament.
He took note of the two small, ragged holes in the man's neck.
"It's most odd. Look at this. See these two small wounds. Looks like a snake bite."
"How could he have been bitten by a snake? He was injured in the sword fight." Gaius didn't look up, but his brow creased further, "But the symptoms are consistent with poisoning: slow pulse, fever, paralysis."
"Can you heal him?"
"Well, if it is a snake bite, I'll have to extract venom from the snake that bit him to make an antidote."
"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?"
"Then I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do for him. He's going to die."
Arthur stepped back just in time to see Merlin's jaw tense.
"He was fighting Knight Valiant."
Gaius looked up.
"What's that?"
"Nothing."
Then he turned on his heel and left. Arthur followed lengthening his strides to keep up with Merlin – he didn't want to think about what would happen if he lost sight of him in what was essentially a memory – who turned ducked into a hallway.
A familiar hallway, and really it must be some horrible coincidence that they'd given Valiant the same rooms as they'd given the mother that impersonated Lady Helen (1) and he see's realization flash behind Merlin's eyes before he cracks the door open.
The shield is – alive, and yeah, he knew it was, but to see the horror in Merlin's face and when Arthur had fought Valiant he had known but – this? He didn't like it, he liked it even less when Merlin gasped and Valiant gave chase.
Merlin didn't stop running until he reached Gaius's chambers where the physician was sitting next to the bed where the fevered young man lies. Merlin spoke, his face ashen.
"I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive. He's using magic."
Gaius looked up, his face entirely serious.
"Are you sure?"
"The snake ate a mouse – one swallow, straight down. Sir Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield. I have to tell Arthur."
Gaius sighed.
"Is there any chance you might be mistaken?"
"I know magic when I see it."
"Perhaps, but have you any proof?"
Merlin looked vaguely hurt at that.
"Don't you believe me?"
"I fear you'll land yourself in trouble. How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chambers?"
"What does it matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!"
"But you can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of servants over the word of a knight."
"What? So what I say doesn't count for anything?"
Gaius frowned, a shadow of – something, passing across his face. (2)
"I'm afraid it counts for very little as far as the King is concerned. That's the way it is."
The scene changed.
Merlin rounded on Gaius something like fire burning in his blue eyes.
"Valiant's going to fight Arthur in the final. He'll use the shield to kill him."
Merlin turned and stalked away.
The scene changed again
Arthur found himself standing next to Merlin who was staring down at Ewan – it was dark, the room illuminated only by candles and Arthur found himself just staring at Merlin, the man looked haunted in a way that Arthur had seen only a few times before.
Looking at Merlin now he could see how someone could mistake Merlin for being something otherworldly – it was in the way he stared far too hard, the way he seemed to see right through you and the way his blue irises seemed to be ringed in gold in the flickering light of the candles.
Merlin looked fae, and the very thought that Merlin could be something so – untouchable scared him, this man he was seeing in these memories? It was so different then the Merlin he knew – the one he assumed was lazy and at times in the past useless – and he wondered how he hadn't seen this.
Not just the sorcery but the very person Merlin was.
The door opened but Merlin barely acknowledged it. Arthur turned his head and watched Gaius walk to stand beside his ward, his eyes unreadable.
"Merlin, about what I said yesterday….look, Uther wouldn't really listen to you or me, but you are right. We can't let Valiant get away with this."
Merlin didn't look up, but he spoke his voice flat.
"But we don't have any proof."
"Well if we could cure Ewan he could tell the King that Valiant was using magic. The king would believe another knight. But how we get the antidote…well, that's another matter."
Merlin pushed off of the table he was leaning against and left without a backward glance. Arthur followed his heart sinking because of course Merlin would want to do it himself. He sighed and watched as Merlin's eyes flashed gold a spell falling from his lips as the door unlocked itself with a soft click.
Merlin steps inside the room and grabs a sword from a rack; he approached the shield on cautious feet, until the tip of the sword was poking the shield.
Nothing happened, Arthur sighed in relief only to take a sharp intake when he heard the sound of approaching feet. Merlin turned and Arthur has the advantage point to see what Merlin could not, he watched the snake slowly slither out.
Arthur did not yell, he did however tell Merlin – who he rationally knew would not hear – in a very loud voice to turn around or run.
Merlin whirled and swiftly cut the head from the snake only stopping long enough to pick it up before he was dashing from the room as the rest of the snakes slowly slithered from the shield. Merlin once again ran from Valiant's chambers all the way to Gaius's.
Merlin burst through the door handing a shocked Gaius the head before sinking down into a chair pale faced and gulping in air. Gaius quickly grabbed a small bottle pushing the fangs down into it to extract the poison.
The sickly liquid slowly trickled into the bottle.
"I'll get started preparing the antidote."
Merlin nodded pushing himself to his feet.
"I'm going to tell Arthur."
Gaius nods thrusting the snake head into Merlin's hands. Merlin turns then and is ready to leave and just like the first day Gaius calls him back.
"And Merlin, what you did was very brave."
Foolish, dangerous, Arthur thinks but he nods, because it was brave to, it was recklessly brave and it was something Merlin seemed to excel at. Arthur followed Merlin then and watched the disbelief flash across his younger self's face.
You? You chopped its head off?
Merlin nodded his head jerkily. Arthur took note of how white Merlin was and he wondered why his younger self didn't.
"Ewan was bitten by a snake from the shield when he was fighting Valiant. You can talk to Gaius, you can see the puncture wounds in Ewan's neck where the snake bit him. Ewan was beating him, he had to cheat."
"Valiant wouldn't dare use magic in Camelot."
"I don't like the guy, but that doesn't mean he's cheating. "
"Gaius is preparing an antidote to the snake venom. When Ewan's conscious, he'll tell you what happened. If you fight Valiant in the final, he'll use the shield. It's the only way he can beat you. Look at it! "
Merlin grabbed the snake head and thrust it at Arthur, his eyes daring his younger self not to pay attention, not to believe him. Arthur remembers those eyes and he remembers believing because there was no way the fear and concern in Merlin's eyes could be fake.
"Have you ever seen any snakes like this in Camelot?" Younger Arthur doesn't respond but Merlin doesn't give him a chance to "I know I'm just a servant and my word doesn't count for anything. I wouldn't lie to you."
Finally his younger self cleared his throat his eyes and face serious.
"I want you to swear to me what you're telling me is true. "
Merlin nodded.
"I swear it's true."
His younger self nodded.
"Then I believe you."
The scene changed and Arthur found himself in the throne room his father and Valiant in front of him, Valiant who was clutching his shield a little too tightly. His father strode foreword.
"Why have you summoned the court?"
Younger Arthur strode foreword meeting his father halfway.
"I believe Knight Valiant is using a magic shield to cheat in the tournament."
His father looked doubtful but turned to Valiant.
"Valiant, what do you have to say to this?"
"My Lord, this is ridiculous. I've never used magic. Does your son have any evidence to support this outrageous accusation?"
His father raised an eyebrow but turned towards his younger counterpart.
"Do you have evidence?"
Younger Arthur nodded motioning Merlin foreword who handed him the king the snake head. The king looked at it for a moment – turning it this way and that – before turning back to court. "Let me see the shield." His younger counterpart drew his sword as the king poked and prodded the shield to no effect.
"As you can see, my Lord, it's just an ordinary shield."
His younger self scoffed. "He's not going to let everyone see the snakes come alive."
His father turned to him then. "Then how am I to know that what you say is true?"
"I have a witness. Knight Ewan was bitten by one of the snakes from the shield. It venom made him grievously ill; however, he received an antidote. He will confirm that Knight Valiant is using magic to cheat."
"Where is this witness?"
His younger self looked around.
"He should be here…."
"I'm waiting!"
His younger self swallowed. "I'm afraid the witness is dead."
"So you have no proof to support these allegations. Have you seen Valiant using magic?"
"No. But my servant fought one of the snakes from..."
"Your servant? You made these outrageous accusations against a knight on the word of your servant." His father looked murderous. "I believe he's telling the truth."
Valiant stepped forward then.
"My lord, am I really to be judged on some hearsay from a boy?" Merlin burst forward then and Arthur was reminded of stupid reckless bravery. "I've seen those snakes come alive!"
His father rounded on the stupidly reckless man. "How dare you interrupt?! Guards!" Two guards grabbed Merlin by the arms then and pulled, Valiant smirked. "My Lord."
"Wait!"
I'm sure he was merely mistaken. I wouldn't want him punished on my account."
His father rounded on his younger self, rounded on Arthur.
"You see? This is how a true Knight behaves – with gallantry and honor."
"My lord, if your son made accusations because he's afraid to fight me, then I will graciously accept his withdrawl."
His father looked shocked at that.
"Is this true? Do you wish to withdraw from the tournament?"
"No!"
"Then what am I to make of these allegations?"
"Obviously there has been a misunderstanding. I withdraw the allegation against Knight Valiant. Please accept my apology."
Valiant nodded, the smirk not having left his lips.
"Accepted."
The scene changed.
I believed you; I trusted you, and you made me look a complete fool."
Merlin sighed and Arthur realized how tired he looked. Arthur sighed and wondered why his younger self couldn't see it.
"I know it didn't go exactly to plan? My father and the entire royal court think I'm a coward! YOU HUMILUATED ME!"
Arthur turned away then. He knew what was coming next.
"We can still expose Valiant."
"I no longer require your services."
"You're sacking me?"
"I need a servant I can trust."
"You can trust me!"
"And look where it got me this time. Get out of my sight!"
The scene changed and Arthur turned back around. Arthur watched Merlin. The man looked furious and the torch he carried swung back and forth as he seemed to search out the cave's inhabitant.
"Where are you? I just came to tell you: whatever you think my destiny, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do, you've got the wrong person! That's it. Goodbye."
Merlin turned to leave as the dragon descended.
"If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny."
"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?" Arthur frowned Arthur didn't think he had it in him back then to hate Merlin. He had been angry but he'd never hated him.
"A half cannot truly hate that which made it whole. Very soon you shall learn that."
"Oh, great. Just what I needed. Another riddle."
Arthur snorted.
"That your and Arthur's path lies together is but the truth."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You know, young warlock, this is not the end. It is the beginning."
Merlin growled.
"Just give me a straight answer!"
The scene changed and Arthur blinked. Merlin was wheeling a wheelbarrow, with a dog statue in it. Sadly it wasn't the strangest thing he'd seen today. Or yesterday, there was no measure of time here and he wondered how long this had been going on for.
"What are you doing with that?"
Ah, Gaius. Good old Gaius.
"I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves."
Arthur frowned. This didn't sound at all safe. Merlin wheeled the statue into his room before pulling up a loose floorboard and removing his spell book. Settling himself on the bed Merlin flipped through the book before settling on a single page.
Arthur couldn't read it at all. But apparently Merlin could.
"Bebay odothay. Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
Nothing happened and Merlin frowned.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum. Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
Again nothing, Arthur groaned and settled himself down on the floor and watched. Merlin tried the spell well into the night, until finally he fell asleep sitting up, Arthur frowned, the idiot. He was going to kill himself like that, working until finally he fell asleep exhausted.
Arthur watched until finally in the early morning he woke, already muttering the spell.
"Bebay odothay...arisan quickum."
He sighed.
Merlin tried again, his head settling on his chest his eyes closed.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
There was a growl and Arthur started his eyes swinging to Merlin then the stature that – wasn't a stature anymore but a growling dog. A big, growling dog.
"Bebay odothay arisan quickum."
The dog barked and Merlin's eyes flew open before a grin broke out across his face. "I did it!" The dog barked and Merlin was on his feet in seconds and out the door shutting it in the growling animals face. Gaius looked up.
"Arthur's fighting Valiant!"
"I know. I'm on my way. Oh, whatever you do, don't go into my room. We'll deal with it later."
Arthur laughed as the scene changed and Merlin muttered the spell. Arthur watched his own shocked face as the snakes burst forth from the shield. He remembered being terrified as the snakes came at him but most of all he remembers Valiant's horror filled gaze.
"What are you doing? I didn't summon you."
He remembers being confused by that statement, because as far as he could tell the snakes had to be summoned and who would summon them except for the owner?
Apparently a Warlock would.
The fight was over then and the scene changed.
So i am sooo afraid about putting this chapter up because i think it's bordering on suckish but i'm going to be brave.
(1) okay so i have no concrete proof of this buuuut, i think it would be funny if like every character that's tried to kill arthur has stayed in that room. Make it like a running gag.
(2) i believe that before the purge started Gaius and Uther's relationship was something like Arthur's and Merlin's so to realize that his best friend wouldn't listen to him must have hurt.
IndiaMoore:Thank you
EVeBB: I tried although I'm not quite sure how it turned out.
Sarajm: I'm glad you like it
Nameless Secret Keeper: Thank you!
Angeleyenc: I imagine it would be an amazing episode. Let's just hope Arthur doesn't react like i made him react in this story.
Guest: I don't know...i should try that...
TheImpossiblePen: THANK YOU! I will!
TigerTiger: I loved Lancelot too! I was so sad when he was killed off. I agree Gwaine is amazing!
Medchan: hahaha that awesome! Will is in season one i believe and yes THAT will be fun to write. Nimueh's death is also season one and THAT i imagine i'm going to struggle to captur because of the sheer awesomeness of it all. I'm so glad i have someone who liked Morgana on here because i have plan's for her character in this story. As for Gwaine i always thought that yeah he liked to drink but i figured he could use that to his advantage for information gathering and such.