A/N: don't you just hate life getting in the way? Oh well, it can't be helped so here I am, back with chapter three. Hope you enjoy it. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
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"Merlin, I know that face."
Gaius's voice cut into his thoughts and the young warlock looked up at his mentor as he entered their chambers. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "But…something is wrong Gaius."
"You haven't met another bird, have you Merlin?"
The young man threw a heated scowl across the room. "This isn't the time for jokes Gaius!"
The thundering yell caught them both by surprise. There was a tense moment of silence before Merlin sighed, allowing himself to drop down at the table, cradling his head in his hands. Now more than a little concerned, for Merlin's behaviour was most certainly out of character, Gaius took a seat across from him.
"Is something really that wrong?" he asked gently.
Merlin sighed, resting his chin in a hand. "Something is terribly wrong. Gaius, my magic keeps screaming at me. It senses something is wrong, that something is going to happen."
"Well then surely you can trace the source?" Gaius suggested, trying to catch the man's eye but his ward ducking away.
"It's only a feeling Gaius. And you can't trace feelings. I have no idea what's about to happen."
"Perhaps you could ask the Great Dragon?"
"He has nothing to say to me," Merlin replied as he swept from the table, heading for his own room. "I know-" he called back, anticipating Gaius' next words. "-because I just spoke to him. If he had known anything, he would've told me!"
"But did you ask him?"
The silence he got in return was the only answer Gaius needed.
A few minutes later Merlin came jogging back down the stairs, slipping his arms into his worn jacket, preparing to go and attend Arthur. It was only as he reached the chamber's doors that he turned to face his mentor was again, a dark frown on his face.
"There was a man, in the lower town," he recalled, eyes distant as his mind sifted through the memories. "He was almost…too friendly. Something about him…I didn't like it."
"It may only have been a reaction of paranoia," Gaius pointed out reasonably. "You've been uptight ever since this morning. The man's intentions may only have been honourable. Have a think about it over night. He may not seem so threatening in the light of a new day."
Merlin did have to nod, knowing that Gaius was right. What he was feeling towards Amyas didn't correctly reflect their meeting. The man had been nothing but kind to him. Truly, it may have been nothing, just his mind playing tricks on him.
"His name was Amyas," Merlin revealed as he reached the door, turning imploring eyes to Gaius. "If during your rounds…"
The physician sent him a smile. "Alright my boy, I'll keep my eyes out for him and see what I can find. But only because your instincts have saved our lives more times than I like to admit. Now off with you before Arthur has to come down here again."
"You never know, the exercise might be good for him," Merlin teased, grinning wickedly before vanishing from sight.
Gaius shook his head. That boy. One of these days…
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"And the scouting parties have confirmed that the path through the Mountains of Isgard has been blocked. I fear we will have to find a new trail, my Lord."
"Thank you Uncle. I…"
Arthur's voice wafted down the hallways and Merlin was quick to slip into the servant corridors. Arthur may have given him to day off but he would not be impressed if Merlin did not have his chambers prepared for him before he arrived. Dodging another scurrying servant and having to save a vase of flowers he accidentally knocked from falling to the floor, Merlin hastily unlocked Arthur's door, allowing himself inside. He took a quick look at the mess inside, his head tilting in disbelief. How any man could achieve this in a single day was beyond him.
"Bywan fore æðele modgeþancs."
The clothes flew back into their respective closets, the last wardrobe door closing just as Arthur entered the door, the king raising his eyebrows upon seeing the clean room and his servant.
"Well at least I can be assured that you're of some use to me Merlin." Arthur drawled, stepping behind the dressing screen as he prepared for bed. "Now, since you've been lazing about all day, I've come up with a list of chores for you to do."
"I'm sure you do," Merlin muttered, throwing a glare at the screen that was only half-serious.
"Come on Merlin, I know you love cleaning my socks."
"That's if I don't drown in the smell first!" he called back cheekily, earning a muffed 'hey!' in response.
"I need you to pack," Arthur stated, stepping out from behind the screen, depositing a rather substantial amount of clothes into Merlin's arms.
"Pack?" he repeated dumbly.
"Yes Merlin, pack." The words were said slowly, Arthur making out that Merlin was every bit the simpleton he teased him about being.
"But…but where are we going?" Merlin spluttered, confused. "You're supposed to stay in Camelot. You've got the Earl of Me-"
Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'm king Merlin. I can have a holiday if I wish."
Merlin's ears perked up. "We're going on a holiday?"
The look he was given was incredulous. "You really are a prattling fool, aren't you, Merlin?"
"So I take it we're not going on holiday then."
"Very clever of you. No, my Uncle has heard that the pass through the Isgard Mountains has been taken over by bandits. We need that route for trade."
"And how did Lord Agravaine here of this?" Merlin asked, hiding his suspicion behind a veil of curiousity as he carefully turned back the sheets on Arthur's bed.
"A peasant from a village managed to slip through them," Arthur told him with a dismissive wave of his hand. "The rest of his convoy was killed. Apparently only this Amyas survived."
The candle he had been setting on Arthur's bedside table suddenly slipped from his grip, landing on the floor was a crash! Arthur turned to stare at him.
"What is wrong with you today Merlin?"
"I'm sorry Sire," Merlin replied curtly, placing the candle in its proper place and hastily bowing. "I'll take it there's nothing more you need Sire!"
"Mer-!"
Whatever it was that Arthur shouted was lost as Merlin closed the king's door. He had to find this Amyas. Why was he here? Why was he suddenly bringing messages to Agravaine? And, most importantly, why did he give off such an ill air?
Perhaps if Merlin had been paying more attention to his surroundings than to the questions in his mind, he would not have found himself slammed into a wall, a strong forearm pressed across his neck. Glancing up, the warlock's breath caught when he found himself staring into the eyes of the very man he had been thinking of mere seconds before.
"So we meet again Merlin," Amyas whispered, voice cold and dangerous. "As you can undoubtedly tell, my intentions are not so pure this time."
"What do you want?" Merlin hissed, trying to shift the arm but being unable to; not without magic, and that was something he could not risk, not when this man could possibly already have ties to Agravaine. "What do you want with Arthur?"
"With Arthur?" he scoffed. "I have no quarrel with Arthur."
Merlin blinked in surprise. "Then…what do you want?"
"I want what you've hidden. I want that dragon hatchling."
Fear and rage swelled up inside of him, so powerfully that Merlin could barely contain. He didn't even know which emotion threatened to consume more, the fear or the rage; the heart-stopping fear of Aithusa being discovered or the blood-burning hate that someone dared threaten the young dragon.
"How…"
Amyas chuckled darkly. "I have my methods Merlin. You will bring this dragon to me."
"Never." Merlin's eyes flashed. "I will never give him to you."
"You do not understand Merlin," Amyas warned, pressing him harder into the wall. "You will be given a choice, the most terrible choice. That is, unless you bring me this dragon by sunset tomorrow."
Merlin scowled, magic bubbling right beneath his skin, aching to come out. "I will never hand him to anyone, and certainly not to you."
The arm pressing against his throat was abruptly moved, a harsh, swift punch to the stomach sending him sprawling to the ground. As he pulled himself off the ground, finals words wafted to him on the air.
"You will bring this dragon to me."
And he shivered.
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A/N: that's where I'll leave it for now. Anyone got any ideas as to what choice Amyas is going to force Merlin to make? I'd love to here your guesses. ^-^
~DeathGod777