"Something's been upsetting you, hasn't it?" Arthur asked indifferently. Merlin had been acting weird the past few days, with first stealing Arthur's food, to carrying around a woman's dress. Now the servant just seemed put out, maybe even a little depressed.
"Maybe," said Merlin, not meeting his eyes.
He hated it when Merlin did this, locking him out, not letting him help. He did have a reason, though, Arthur supposed. Since when had the prince actually shown that he had cared about him?
Arthur internally winced at that. He couldn't show that he cared for Merlin more than anyone else, he couldn't show the world that Merlin was his friend, he couldn't even speak to Merlin as an equal sometimes.
It killed Arthur.
So, being the prat that Merlin always claimed him to be, Arthur ended their conversation by grabbing Merlin by the neck and messing up his hair. Not exactly what Arthur had wanted to do, with Merlin looking so sad, but it did succeed in making his friend smile.
Arthur shook himself out of another "memory." They were happening more often now for some strange reason. They didn't scare him, as most would think, they just annoyed him.
Merlin was the only one that knew he was having these "memories." The warlock acted as if they were as common as anything else and usually acted uninterested. But, through that, Arthur also saw something akin to hope in his babysitter's eyes when he rattled on about his latest chainmail and sword filled reminiscence.
A deep intake of breath brought Arthur out his thoughts. He turned his head and smiled at the sight of Merlin sleeping. His babysitter had his one leg, the one with a cast on it, outstretched across on side of the couch, whilst the other dangled to the floor, one of his arms with it. His head rested slightly sideways, somewhere between the seating cushion and the backrest. His lips were slightly parted and his breath came out easy, unlike when his broken ribs were still healing.
Glancing at the credits of the movie they had been watching, Arthur got up and stretched. He yawned widely, his little mouth making an 'o' shape. After blinking his cerulean eyes a few times, trying to get them to adjust to the darkness, he realized something.
He felt warm.
Not the "oh, I have a fever" type of warm, or the "it's hot in here" type. It was coming from inside him, like the feeling of love, except he physically felt it. It reminded him of Merlin.
He had felt this before, when he had ran away, cold and alone in the rain. He needed to find his Merlin, but he couldn't. He had begun to get frustrated, and as all frustrated children do, he had started to cry.
He couldn't see much with the downpour. Vaguely, he thought he saw the outline of a man, but dismissed it when it disappeared.
He was getting cold, so cold. He doubted even being wrapped in twelve blankets would help him now.
As he started walking again, a new sense of hope rose in his chest. He wasn't sure why, but he was four and didn't question things.
The next thing he noticed was the Warmth. It was inside him, bubbling up making him smile and think of good things, like Merlin. It however, evaporated when he walked down on street.
Arthur pouted at the ground. He wanted that Warmth back. It reminded him of Merlin. Glowering, he tried thinking of it, trying to conjure it. Nothing happened. He stamped his foot indignantly, but the wet sidewalk was, well, wet. It made him slip and tumble backwards.
After saying "ow" a couple of times and getting up, Arthur realized that he felt it again; he felt the Warmth. Eyes lighting up in comprehension, he took another step backwards, only to find that the Warmth intensified (though not uncomfortably). He took another step and another step.
The Warmth would disappear if he went off the way it seemed to be leading him in. Well, if it was in fact leading him somewhere. He thought it was.
Suddenly, in a burst the Warmth swept over him, all over him, and he felt as though someone was embracing him. Someone he loved.
And, like that, he found himself standing in front of Merlin's house.
This time, though, the Warmth wasn't as loving as it was the first time. Sure, it was welcoming and kind, but something was different…
While he thought about that, he absent mindedly started playing with Merlin's hair, a hobby that he loved to do even though it made the warlock a bit annoyed.
The Warmth made him smile and think of good things, like Merlin.
He wondered dully if that had anything do to with it.
"A'thur?"
Arthur looked down and saw his babysitter's eyes cracked open just a bit.
"Just go back to sleep, Merlin," he said as quietly as a four year old could as he ran his fingers through the warlock's raven locks. Merlin nodded, obviously not even fully awake, and shut his eyes. Arthur smiled at the sight and leant down, pressing a little kiss to his forehead.
The Warmth exploded. He felt it wrap around as it did just before he found Merlin's house. It embraced him tight; he could almost feel arms wrapping around him. It felt like Merlin hugging him.
And that's when it clicked. The Warmth was Merlin….
Then this other Warmth, the one that didn't feel loving, was somebody else!
Arthur wasn't sure if it made sense or not.
He chose not to ignore this Warmth. He took a few tentative steps, and it didn't disappear. He took a few more. It stayed the same.
He walked carefully around his house, following the Warmth. He only just glanced back at Merlin before he headed out the front door.
The Warmth led him down one street. Then another. Then another. Then another, then another, then around a corner, and into….a park?
Arthur was getting a little bit scared. This Warmth wasn't Merlin. What if it was one of those bad guys like he saw on TV?
All at once, he felt the Warmth explode. It was different than before; this Warmth didn't wrap him in love, but it felt like a friend flashing you a genuine smile, and a smile that was only meant for you. He liked it.
It began to die down as somebody walked up behind him.
"How small you are for such a great destiny," Arthur heard a voice say, as the Warmth left, making him jump.
He whirled around, coming face-to-waist with a man…no, boy, a tall boy.
"What?" he asked.
The boy smiled, showing his teeth, making him look almost reptilian like. It was unnerving. "I said how small you are for such a great destiny." He suddenly frowned and looked a bit distraught. "Or a past destiny, I suppose. Your destiny wasn't quite fulfilled…and it'd be kinda hard to do it today…."
He seemed to be talking to himself more than Arthur.
"Who are you?" asked the four year, forgetting everything Merlin and his father had taught him about strangers. He was a kid, maybe thirteen, he wouldn't hurt Arthur.
"My name is Greg." The boy smiled again. "But you can call me Kilgharrah."
A/N: You're probably all like "WTF?" right now, aren't you? Hehehe...I'll explain later.
So, is the "Warmth" thing confusing? 'Cause it wasn't even meant to be in this story. I just randomly starting typing and it appeared. Really, I didn't plan it. I have no idea how it came into existence. I'm not sure if it even makes sense!
Well, right now, I'd just like to thank all those who have reviewed. *moment of silence*
THANK YOU!
Alright. That's all I got to say.
IMPORTANT. READ THIS IF YOU WANT A CERTAIN CHARACTER TO LIVE.
Alright, I might kill a character (I'm no saying who!) and I have a poll about it on my profile. Vote now, or I might just kill him. (And it's not a minor character either. It's a major one. And the only two major characters at the moment seem to be Arthur and Merlin...maybe Morgan/Morgana and Freddy and Arthur's friends and their mothers if you go back a few chapters...)
BUT SERIOUSLY, IF YOU WANT HIM TO LIVE, GO VOTE.
