Title: Dark Magic

Authors: Cassy27
Words: 1387
Characters: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, Morgana, oc
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Merlin, sadly enough!
Spoilers: No spoilers in this chapter

This story takes place somewhere in season 1

Chapter 11

Arthur couldn't believe how well it had gone with his father. Uther had believed him immediately when he had told him that he had been on a hunt with Merlin when they had encountered this sorcerer. When he had told him that Merlin had gotten stabbed by him, Arthur thought he could see worryness in the king's eyes. When he looked a little closer, it had already vanished.

As Arthur was walking back to his chambers, he saw Morgana walking up to him.

"Did everything went well with Uther?" she asked and Arthur nodded.

"Good," she smiled faintly, "that is a relief. Do you know how Merlin is doing?"

They had reached Arthur's chambers and entered. Now they were sure that nobody could hear them. Arthur went standing in front of Morgana and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"What you did," he looked her straight in the eyes, "you had to do."

"I stabbed him," Morgana didn't seem to believe her own words.

"If you hadn't done it, he would have killed me and he would have been completely lost to dark magic. Trust me, you had no choice. Merlin will be alright and when he wakes up, you will see that he will not blame like nobody does."

Morgana nodded. She had tears in her eyes, but she managed to keep control over her own emotions. She blinked a few times and then smiled again, this time more convincingly.

"Thank you," she whispered before leaving the room.

Arthur felt exhausted and let himself drop down on his bed while his back protested a little because of all the sudden rough movement. Arthur gritted his teeth together and tried to ignore the pain. He stood up again while pulling of his shirt and walked towards a large mirror which stood in the corner of his room.

Disgust filled his face when he saw the red and raw skin. Lashes covered every inch of his skin and Arthur knew that when they would heal, if they would heal, that they would turn into large and ugly scars. They would always make him feel uncomfortable and in battle, they would certainly obstruct him in movement.

"Not a pretty sight."

Arthur quickly turned around to see the old man standing next to his bed and then he sighed.

"I did as you asked," Arthur mumbled, turning back to the mirror again and glaring at the lashes.

"Indeed," the old man said, "Merlin is safe."

"So he'll make it? He'll live?" Arthur knew Merlin was saved from the sorcerer, but that didn't mean he was saved from the stab wound he had gotten in the process.

"He will live," the old man confirmed.

"Then why are you still here?" Arthur couldn't help but ask. He hoped he didn't sound rude, he was just curious.

"There is one more thing I need to do," the old man smiled.

"Which is?" Arthur pulled his shirt back on and then looked the old man straight in the eyes, waiting on an answer.

"You will soon find out," the old man smiled, "but this is the last time that you will see me. At least, that depends on how you look at it."

Arthur frowned, not understanding, but he did feel relieved that the man was leaving. He had arrived with only bad news and had only appeared when trouble was just around the corner. Maybe that meant there would be some peace and quiet around here now.

The old man turned around and left the room, carefully closing the door behind him. He whispered some curious words and after his eyes flashed gold, he smiled. His job was truly done now and he could return to his King who would already be anxiously waiting on him. King Arthur hadn't like the idea of him going back to the past, but it had to be done. After another few curious words and another flash of gold, the old man disappeared.

In the room, Prince Arthur turned to the mirror again. He had an odd tingling feeling in his back which turned all warm all of a sudden, it was a nice feeling, though. Pulling off his shirt again and turning around, Arthur couldn't help but gasp. The skin on his back was perfect again and with his finger, he traced his spine, not even feeling the smallest abnormality. His smile grew even wider.

But many thoughts invaded his mind as well.

The sorcerer from the forest might have been using dark magic as he had been corrupted with vengeance and hate, but the old man that had just left was a sorcerer as well who had been the one to help him and to heal his back because Arthur just knew it had to be him who did this. The old man used his magic for good as he had not only saved Merlin, he had saved him as well when Merlin was about to kill him in this very room so how could he be evil?

Arthur left his chambers after quickly having pulled on his shirt again and he was walking through the hallway on his way to Gaius and Merlin when he couldn't help but think that his father must be wrong. Not all magic was bad and evil, not all sorcerers deserved the punishment of death.

Arriving at Gaius' chambers, Arthur knocked on the door before entering. Merlin still lay in the bed where Arthur had only hours ago laid him down and it seemed that he already had regained some color in his face. He was still breathing rather fast and the wound in his side seemed to be hurting as the skin all around it was red.

Even though the old man had told him that Merlin would be alright, Arthur still needed to hear Gaius tell him, only then would he truly feel reassured.

"How is he?" Arthur asked, walking closer to Merlin and Gaius who sat next to him.

"He has lost a lot of blood and he is still running a high fever," Gaius answered, "but he will be fine in the end."

"Good," Arthur said, relieved, "that is good."

"Did your father believe you?" Gaius asked when starting to replace the wet cloth on Merlin's forehead.

"Yes," Arthur answered, "how are you, Gaius?"

Gaius raised one eyebrow, not understanding why Arthur would be worried about him.

"Your hands and wrists," Arthur explained.

"Oh," Gaius smiled now as if he felt silly to have forgotten about his own wounds, "I'll be fine, don't worry about me." Gaius glanced at a small bottle filled with a yellow substance and Arthur couldn't help but ask.

"Is that a painkiller?"

Gaius nodded.

"Why don't you take some then?" Arthur didn't understand. Why would Gaius remain in pain when that could easily be helped?

"That is all that is left," Gaius sighed, "and I want to safe it for when Merlin wakes up. His pain will be greater than mine."

Arthur didn't try and persuade Gaius in taking some of the painkiller anyway because he knew it would be pointless. Gaius would never take it as he always put Merlin in the first place.

"Will you let me know when he wakes up?" Arthur asked and after Gaius nodded, he said goodbye and left the room.

Gaius was just about to start reading a book about anatomy while sitting at Merlin's bedside in the hope he would find something helpful in it for Merlin with the wound when the young servant groaned softly. Gaius nearly threw the book aside and went sitting closer to Merlin, placing his hand on that of his ward.

"Can you hear me?" Gaius asked, hope filling his voice.

Merlin groaned again and now his eyes opened a little.

"Welcome back," Gaius smiled.

Merlin didn't answer him, but Gaius didn't mind. Merlin was slowly waking up and that was good enough for him. The only question Gaius now still had was whether or not Merlin would remember everything that had happened the last couple of hours.

AN: Again, a new chapter done. Not much happens, I know, except with Arthur and the old man now revealed as Merlin himself from the future. I know this story could have worked without this aspect, but I just thought it would give everything some more mystery. I hope it was fun when you read that part about him returning to his King and I also very much hope it didn't ruin anything.

The next chapter will be done soon and it will be revealed whether Merlin remembers anything or not...and don't forget to review =)