Hi everyone!
(see, I kept my promise. I updated in 2014!)
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Here is my (late) present for you! Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to tell me about it!
Last update I didn't really anwer to each review personally so I am doing it now:
TobiasBoon: The ability you proposed is so Mycroft-like! I am really lucky that you read this story, I don't know what I would do without you giving me such awesome ideas! Thank you!
Superwholockingers: Hallo xD I think your idea is really good, and I will certainly use it! Keep reviewing! Danke shön!
ThreeGoodReasons: Thank you for such a nice review! (now I know I can bribe you shamelessly!) I will include the ability you suggested as well!
Guest: The power you proposed will play a key role in the next chapters! Thanks for reviewing again!
Sparky199: I will try and use both the abilities you gave me! (mostly the one about capturing magic off people, but I'll try and include the lying one) Thanks for reviewing twice!
On with the fic!
"Arthur?"
The King emerged from unconsciousness as he felt a hand shaking his shoulder. He lazily chose to ignore it.
"Arthur!"
He mentally crunched his eyebrows. Why was he feeling so tired?
"Come on, Arthur! I need you to wake up!"
A short silence. Arthur briefly wondered if the annoying voice had at last decided to let him rest. Just as he was feeling consciousness slipping away from him, the voice called out for him again.
"Please, Arthur!"
He heard a small shudder as he faintly felt a hand resting on his head.
"Ic ácwice þe! Awace!"
The King felt the lingering darkness recede with those eerie-sounding words, but the tiredness remained. He felt so pathetically weak.
After a few seconds of gathering the little energy he had, he managed to open his eyes. He was met by a dim light. But there were no windows in the damp cell he found himself in. How in Albion…? He painfully turned his head, sore from all the days seemingly spent in the same position, and his eyes met his manservant's. They seemed to be glowing gold. Riiiight, that was the source of light… Arthur closed his eyes again and relaxed, before frowning. Wait. Gold?! Merlin, a sorcer-…? His memories came crashing down at him and he moaned.
"Arthur! Are you awake?"
He felt himself being turned around and moaned again to signal his awareness.
"Arthur, I need you to listen carefully."
The King weakly nodded, but did not open his eyes.
"I have managed to break the magic-suppressing bounds, but it has left me with really little magic. Thankfully, Morgana and Moriarty will not be back before tomorrow morning." Merlin's whispers became urgent as he saw Arthur was already beginning to lose consciousness again. "Arthur! We are going to get out of here, but to do so, I need you to Stay. Awake. I don't have enough energy to magically lift you and carry your lazy backside around." Merlin seemed to consider something. "But I think I can try to give you the little magic I have left. It will hopefully give you some energy."
After a few seconds, Arthur faintly nodded.
"Alright."
Merlin shifted and placed both his hands on the King's head.
"Arthur, you have to look at my eyes."
The King blearily blinked his eyes open and stared at Merlin's deep gold pupils.
"Good. Don't blink."
After a few seconds, Merlin whispered indistinctively and sagged.
The glow seemed to fade out of Merlin's eyes whilst Arthur felt his own pupils heat up more and more. He could feel an extraordinary rush of energy flow around his body as his cheeks regained colour and his eyes were at last able to focus. When the last speck of gold left Merlin's blue eyes, the warlock sank to the ground and was left panting there, by Arthur's side.
Arthur blinked to make the gold leave his eyes, pushed himself forward and was by the second at Merlin's side, just like his friend had been a few seconds ago.
"Merlin!" The warlock did not seem to hear him. In fact, he seemed on the verge of passing out. Arthur gripped his arm, trying to jostle his manservant up. "Merlin! Will you be alright?"
The young warlock sat up and shakily rubbed his eyes.
"Y-yes. I'll fare."
He hesitantly pushed himself up, supported by Arthur, and looked at him through heavy eyelids.
"N-no time to waste. Let's get out."
They hobbled out of the cell, Merlin leaning against the wall, shaking and breathing heavily every few steps.
When Arthur hesitantly asked him why he was so weak, Merlin tiredly shrugged and closed his eyes, as if to reduce his nausea.
"I think my body did not appreciate being drained of all my magic. Seriously, I don't know how you live without it."
Arthur looked even guiltier for causing Merlin's predicament – he had suspected that it was his fault, but hearing it made it real.
"Don't worry, Arthur. As soon as my magic finishes replenishing itself, I'll be fine, really." The warlock took a long painful breath. "We have to keep going."
Arthur nodded before putting his arm under Merlin's shoulder to hold him up. The warlock's legs were trembling under him, and would have given way if not for the King's strong support. Arthur bit his lip and pulled his friend beside him for a few more empty corridors before reaching a dead end. The King swore under his breath as he leaned Merlin down. The exhausted warlock sat up against the wall, panting, eyes closed. All of a sudden, he silenced himself. Arthur opened his mouth to ask him what was wrong before seeing Merlin gesturing him to keep quiet.
"There are people coming this way." The warlock whispered. "We have to hide."
He pushed himself up, swaying, and pointed to a wooden door, before weakly slumping into Arthur's hold.
The King pushed the door open and pulled the still form of his friend into the room before locking the door behind him. He exhaled. They had reached the throne room of Essetia, which was thankfully desert at this late hour of the night.
"Merlin!"
The raven-haired warlock looked up at him weakly.
"I think we are safe for now."
A loud cackle came from behind Arthur.
"Oh, I don't believe so!"
John was swiftly following the Prince of Semloh inside Essetia's castle, ducking every so often when Sherlock gestured him to.
"Are you sure this is the good direction? The cells are at the other side of the castle."
Sherlock ignored him again and sprang forward, hand at his sword's hilt and ready to take it out.
When they had gotten to Essetia, John had taken Sherlock to his old home, which was now unoccupied, and had gotten him a sword from his secret cave – that Sherlock had obviously been aware of before even reaching the house.
Then, they had somehow managed to make it past the numerous guards of Essetia – that were, according to Sherlock, 'worse than Camelot's' – and to sneak into the castle. So far, they had not seen a soul. Which was not a good omen, as John kept telling Sherlock. The Prince would just shrug it off and keep walking, taking such large strides John had to jog to keep up.
This was the most frustrating rescue party he had ever undertaken. Ever.
Sherlock suddenly turned right, disappearing from John's sight. The ex-knight sighed and followed him before being grabbed by the Prince and pushed in an alcove.
"King Arthur and his manservant have locked themselves up in the throne room when they heard us coming, obviously thinking we were Moriarty and Morgana. But they are not alone in there."
John looked at him quizzically.
"What do we do?"
"Isn't it obvious? We barge in. Now come on."
Sherlock pulled him out of the alcove, leapt to the door and fidgeted the lock for about three seconds before a small 'pop' signalled the door was open. John tried not to look too impress for Sherlock' big-headedness's sake. He swiftly took out his sword just as Sherlock silently pushed the door open.
"Oh, I don't believe so!"
Morgana was standing by Moriarty, Sherlock's renegade cousin, and gloating at King Arthur. Sherlock could not see the King and his manservant as they were behind one of the thick stone pillars supporting the high gothic roof.
"What do you think you were doing?"
Sherlock looked behind him and gestured John to keep close before tiptoeing to the closest pillar to hide from Moriarty and his acolyte's sight. The ex- Essetir knight ducked beside him, his eyebrows crunched in a concentrated expression.
"Sneaking out of your cell like that was extremely rude"
Sherlock held out his hands and gestured John his plan. He mimicked walking with two of his fingers, then pointed John and himself, then the direction of the two men they had come to save.
"Moriarty and I did not appreciate your lack of gratitude for our good cares"
John nodded. Sherlock carefully stood up and risked a look at the witch and Moriarty. Seeing they were not looking in his direction, he rolled to the next pillar.
"But, look there…what is it…?"
They had just reached the last pillar before King Arthur's when Morgana took notice of them and yelled.
'Astrice!"
The pillar burst into pieces. John caught the brunt of explosion and was blasted into the wall. He did not stand up; but a quick look assured Sherlock that the ex-knight was only knocked out.
Sherlock pushed himself up, rubbed the dust generated by the collapse of the pillar off his dark cape, and stepped out of the shadows in front of a wide-eyed Arthur Pendragon. The King was standing protectively in front of a fallen boy who was breathing heavily and struggling to stay conscious. Sherlock could not see his face though – perhaps it was better; it would preserve him from a disillusion when Hunith's Merlin turned out not to be his little brother.
"I am here, as you wanted. You will let them go." Sherlock said, trying to keep his voice devoid of emotion.
Moriarty smirked.
"Do you really believe it would be that easy? No, nooooo…. This is only the beginning"
He looked at Morgana, who let out a sick giggle.
"Knock him out."
The witch's eyes burnt a muddy gold. Sherlock hesitated – was it the right time to reveal his ability?- and only had time to dodge the spell.
Morgana shouted angrily as she released a new wave of magic. Sherlock saw he had no choice but use his power – his enemies would have known sooner or later after all.
The Prince raised his arm before Morgana's spell and orientated it just in the right direction to knock out Moriarty. The felon was out cold before knowing what had befallen on him.
Morgana stopped her attacks to stare at him with awe. He smirked and took out his sword in one short motion before bursting into a run towards her.
The witch took her knocked-out accomplice's hand and shouted a few words. A raw wind spirited her away before Sherlock could reach her.
The Prince, without stopping to catch his breath, turned around and went to King Arthur's side, purposefully not looking at the other boy. Arthur was laying on the ground, trying to prop himself up to reach his manservant but too weak to do so. Whatever energy he had seemed to have when Sherlock had entered the throne room had left him.
Behind Sherlock, John was waking up from the blast and scrambling to his feet. The knight went as quickly as he could to Arthur's side and began tending to him. Sherlock took a long breath, closing his eyes to calm down, and looked at the manservant.
…and he will see his brother for the first time in years in… 2015!
I wish you all to have a Happy New Year Eve and see you next year!
Don't forget to review :) (if you do maybe you'll get a special treat and a new update before 2015!)