'Now,' Arthur wondered. 'What to do now?'
In all the time he'd thought Merlin could have magic, he'd never actually thought about what he'd do if it were true. At least not seriously. He wasn't really going to put Merlin's head on a pike. Or at least he hoped not. Looking into Merlin's eyes, fearful but defiant, he decided that no the pike would remain head free – at least for now. If Merlin was an evil traitor he'd reconsider.
The doors were still sealed by magic. He could hear people straining to open them on the other side. 'Probably the knights' he thought sarcastically. 'How convenient.'
"You are not to discuss this," Arthur decided. "We will have a meeting of the Roundtable for just us later – maybe today. Gaius is invited if he knows about ... this." Arthur indicated the room and clear signs of magic. He very much doubted Gaius didn't know about this. Merlin was a terrible liar. But apparently quite good at hiding things. "Once I've sorted out the floor and windows." The last part was mumbled and exasperated.
"I can fix them," Merlin offered.
Arthur paused for a moment, deliberating whether he wanted his servant doing magic that was helpful, or indeed doing magic at all. He eventually nodded warily.
"Stán ágíeman, glæs ágíeman."
With these muttered words, the blacked stone lightened and the cracks in the slabs were filled in with a substance that was identical to that of the stone. Glass previously scattered over the floor, rose in the air and assembled in the windows seamlessly, not a sign of them once being shattered into a thousand pieces. The room was still stunned. Through the silence came a bang as though all the knights on the opposite side of the shield-door had been blasted backwards. Merlin raised a hand and the shield dissipated into smoke, blown away on the wind. He looked suspiciously at Arthur.
A group of knights rushed in and ran towards the king. They furiously inspected him and the area around him. They too seemed suspicious – but at the lack of damage to the room and any one in it.
"What happened to the sorcerer?" One asked curiously.
Gwaine replied, "We ... stabbed it."
"And the body?"
This time Arthur himself answered, "It exploded into ashes when the sorcerer died."
The knights looked appeased and started to sort out arrangements for removing the people out of the room and into somewhere 'safe'. Now he'd need to answer loads of inquires as to how they'd done it. And he still hadn't got any answers.
oOo
Hours later Arthur was walking to the Roundtable, having assured the Council with stories of an epic fight and a weak but theatrical sorcerer (called Elfric). If sorting this much out was this hard, it was no wonder his father had decided just to kill them all. Much less paperwork and council meetings. He nodded to the guards as he strode into the room. He was the first there, he noted as he collapsed into his chair. The others would be there soon – when they knew he'd left the council meeting. Gwen and the knights probably wanted answers as much as he did.
Gwen was next. He kissed her lightly and she sat in the chair to his left. They talked, casual conversation – her desperately avoiding the topic of the meeting, Merlin and magic or indeed either of the two conversation topics.
Leon, Elyan and Percival arrived together, still looking shell-shocked. Elyan struck up a hurried conversation with his sister, after they had sat, Leon interjecting occasionally. Percival just sat quietly. Like always. Gaius arrived next. Somehow Arthur wasn't surprised to see him. Gwaine was five minutes later; clutching a bottle of ale like his life depended on it. Arthur had the feeling he'd be needing it by the end of this meeting.
Merlin was last. Like always. Only now, Arthur was starting to realise, there was a reason as to why he was late. This magic stuff could take up time, huh?
"Merlin."
Sorry still not the talk – I need time to write it and I thought I'd give you this instead. If you have any ideas please review or PM me xx
