Chapter 2
Merlin stared at Arthur in disbelief, "That's not funny Arthur!"
"That is good, because I am not joking. Take him away. Be sure to use the Magic-Restraining cuffs."
"Yes, m-my Lord."
"Ar-Arthur! ARTHUR!"
This can't be happening. This is a dream. It has to be. Arthur wouldn't really execute me. He wouldn't, not after all we've been through! He wouldn't!
Merlin felt a tug on his arms as the guards dragged from the room and down the hallway. He watched as Arthur's room got smaller and smaller the farther he got from it. Thuddug thuddug THUD THUD THUD. The sound of his own heartbeat roared in his ears like Kilgarrah down in the cave. Echoing, pulsating within his mind. He didn't notice the servants who paused their chores, to point and whisper to each other. Their faces painted in fear. Their minds racing, questioning why the King's manservant would be dragged away. What crime he must have committed to warrant such an action. He didn't hear the gasp when Gwen caught a glimpse of him as she made her way from the other side of the hallway. He didn't hear the crescendo of her dress rustling as she got nearer, nor her voice as she raised it to bid the guards to stop.
He didn't register any of it. He didn't recognize the clanking of armor as several members of the Round Table turned the corner and saw the spectacle of the Queen arguing with the guards and in turn hurried over to find out the cause of it. His body trembled as his mind registered the fact that in a few hours time he was to be put to death. His blue eyes were dilated, his breath coming out in short pants, his fingers twitching.
Distantly, he felt the jostling as one of the knights tried to force one of the guards to release him, somewhere in his mind it was taking it all in to process later. The movement ceased a short time later and suddenly he was moving again, towards the dungeons. Several figures in red were marching towards the King's chambers, fury in every footstep. Arthur. Arthur. Arthur. Execute. Sorcery.
mo(-,-)om-
The King was standing at the window, gazing down at his Kingdom, a frown marring his face. His eyes flittered up to the heavy cloud cover that seemed to darken with each passing minute. The crashing of the solid wood doors against the wall brought him around, his lips twisted in outrage. He saw several knights barge into his room, the one in front with the shoulder length brown hair and anger burning in his eyes spoke first.
"What the hell are you playing at?!"
"I should ask you the same question; you better learn to mind your tongue and remember just who it is you are speaking to."
"Oh, I know exactly who it is I am speaking to Princess, or I guess Queenie would be more apt now. I am speaking to the man that just threw his best friend into the dungeons on some trumped up charges. What did Merlin do that displeased you so? Not fluff your pillows up enough, my Lord?!"
"He has been found guilty of using magic and enchantments."
While the knights had already heard this in their confrontation with the guards, it still caused them to glance at each other in astonishment.
"That's punishable by death."
The knights reacted, shouting at his declaration, each trying to be heard over the other.
"SILENCE!" King Arthur's shout was punctuated by a timely crash of thunder in the background.
The knights fell silent.
"Now, you are duty bound to uphold the laws of Camelot. If you cannot do this, then you will be stripped of your knighthood."
Stunned faces met with his announcement.
"Arthur!"
The Queen pushed through from the back of the group of knights, her long curly brown hair swishing as she rushed up to her husband.
"Arthur, please rethink this. Merlin is your best friend. I'm sure, that if by some chance, he were using magic it was only to help you! You know that he would never do anything to harm you."
"What I know is I have a lot of commoner knights that aren't able to uphold the ideals they have pledged themselves to. That is why we have never allowed such knights to exist because they are unable to shoulder the responsibility and honor that comes with such a title. And I have a Queen who dares to contradict her King in front of others. A Queen who is unable to give this kingdom what it needs, an heir. A male heir."
Gwen stepped backwards, her eyes shining with tears, as if she had been physically struck.
Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and the room was silent, six pairs of eyes darted to the window before they resumed looking at one another. Near the edge of the group Gwen's brother, Elyan, came forward wrapping his arms around his sister as she slumped bonelessly against him. Gwaine's face flushed a deep red and he took several steps towards the King, his hand trembling on the hilt of his sword.
In retaliation, the King pulled his own sword free and called for the guards stationed outside his room. Percival grabbed the knight by his upper arm, stopping his progress. He shook his head and physically dragged him back to where the rest were. At the same moment the guards answered their King's call, glancing around in confusion.
"Sire?"
"Remove these-persons from my chambers. Have the Queen escorted out of the kingdom, she is hence forth banished and these peasant knights are striped of their titles."
The pair of guards blinked before raising their spears hesitantly, motioning for them to precede them out of the room. Gwaine ripped his arm away from the giant of a knight, his hands jerkily reaching up to the ties of his cape and pulled at it with enough force that a quick ripping sound accompanied it. The red fabric was wadded into a ball and dropped to the floor, crest landing face up. The sharp tongued man made sure to trample on it as he marched out of the room. Elyan used one hand to remove his and let it flutter to the ground, accompanied by Percival's. Four persons in addition to the guards left the room leaving two people still facing each other and at the King's nod, one guard closed the door.
"Something to say, have you, Sir Leon?"
"If I may be so bold as to speak freely, my lord?"
"Go on."
"It's just, you have never shown displeasure to either those knights or your Queen, until now..."
"I may not have brought you into my confidence but it is something that I have been thinking of as of late. Their reaction has only solidified my position."
"About the boy, Merlin, with this weather I presume that his execution should be delayed until a fairer day?"
The soft sound of rain pelting on glass seemed to punctuate the Knight's words, and drew both their attention.
"It is ghastly weather for a pyre. Perhaps if this is to continue I should plan for a drowning, but yes, for now it would seem that it will be delayed."
"Yes, my Lord. Shall I inform the prisoner?"
"No, let him stew, thinking of his own upcoming sentence."
"Yes, Sire."
With a bow, Leon left the room, only glancing back after the door closed, his face pensive with a worried brow. He picked up his pace, relieved when several moments later he came upon the newly demoted knights and their guards.
"I shall take it from here, you are relieved. Return to your assignments."
The guards glanced between themselves before they backed away, clearly not upset at this change. The remaining knight waited until they were out of ear shot before he spoke, and even then in low tones.
"There is something wrong, Arthur is not himself and I don't know why."
"I'll tell you why, because the King has a sword stuffed up his-"
"That is not helping." Elyan broke in, his eyes trailing down to his sister in his arms, whose eyes were unmoving, she was clearly in shock.
"Elyan, you should take her to Gaius, then get her out of here but stay close. Something tells me that we'll need her help in the end if it is to return Arthur to his former self. No man could love a person so deeply for three years and then discard that love in a day."
The muscles in Elyan's jaw flexed as he forced himself not to return to Arthur's chambers and challenge him to a honor fight. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to the rest of them before shepherding Gwen to Gaius' rooms.
mo(-,-)om-
Gaius looked up as his door opened. He set aside his beaker as he quickly shuffled over to the knight.
"What happened?"
"She had a major shock. I am hoping you can help her? Maybe a calming draft? Or a sleeping aid?"
"Why did you bring her here? If she should be resting, the best place for her would be her chambers where she would be the most comfortable."
Elyan shifted his feet, "They're not her chambers anymore, Arthur has banished her."
The old physician's face went slack, "What-how is this possible? Arthur would never do such a thing. His love for Gwen is beyond anything I have ever seen. Are you sure?"
"I was there-"
"No, no, no...Arthur-why?"
Gwen's slender hands fisted themselves in the chainmail. Tears cascaded unimpeded down her cheeks, sobs bursting from her throat. Gaius motioned for her brother to help her up the stairs to Merlin's room, where he carefully set her down, pulling the thin blanket over her trembling form. He watched as she turned on her side, gripping the pillow from under her head to hugging it to her chest, forlornly. Elyan laid a hand her head, before he sighed heavily and left, closing the door behind him.
Gaius was waiting for him, his hands clasped behind her back, "At least Merlin will be able to use the cot down here, she is welcome to stay as long as she needs. Now what all transpired that facilitated-."
Elyan's face fell at the mention of Gaius' nephew, his eyes lowered to the ground, refusing to meet the old physician's. Gaius' words died in his throat as he felt long bony, cold fingers wrap themselves around his heart and squeeze. Blood drained from his face as he realized that Gwen was not the only one to suffer under Arthur's sudden burst of anger.
"Where's Merlin? What happened?"
"I-It would seem as though Arthur has found him to be guilty of sorcery. He sentenced him to be executed today but with the weather as it is I am sure it will be delayed. We will still have time to clear his name and this...mess."
"..Merlin..."
The knight winced at the physician's tortured whisper, he could understand the man's pain as he was going through a similar one.
"Here, this is a draught for her. It should allow her several hours of uninterrupted sleep which will be the most beneficial to her at this point. If she should awaken after at least six hours and is agitated, you may give her a sip of this, but just one. That will help to soothe her nerves in the meantime. I just hope we are able to save Merlin-"
The dark skinned knight took the proffered bottles from the older man's trembling hands, looking carefully at each before he nodded his understanding and stepped aside.
"He'll be in the dungeons at this point, I don't think it will matter but Arthur did mention something about restraining cuffs?"
Gaius' started violently at the mention of the special cuffs. He turned his attention back to the wall of bottles and jars, his hands flitting over several of them as he seemed to grab them at random, along with several strips of cloth. Stuffing them in his bag, he left without another glance towards the former knight and made his way as quick as his old bones would allow towards the depth of the castle.
mo(-,-)om-
This is by far the worst stay in these dungeons I have ever had. Merlin groaned, trying to curl into himself but his limbs wouldn't obey his commands, in fact the only thing that would obey were his thoughts and even those weren't consistent. He remembered the fear that shot through him as he was dragged through the corridor of cells, going deeper and deeper into an area he hadn't seen before. He could feel his magic roiling under the surface in agitation as they approached the end of the hall with the solid metal door that looked completely different than the rest.
Light was far and few in between at this end. The scant amount of light he could see flickered in the distance making the shadows appear even more menacing as they bobbed and weaved, their arms seemingly to reach towards him hungrily. When the shadows finally seemed to reach him, he felt himself loosing control of his own body, he felt it in his legs first as they turned to jelly. Limp and without strength. The arms reached his stomach, and it swirled in response, acid churning, threatening to rebel but by that time they had reached his neck. Air seemed to be a precious commodity that wasn't as readily available as his brain would like, only rasping shallowly.
What's happening?!
Merlin figured the shadowed hands must have reached his head because at that point, reality lost all meaning. It was with a detachment that he saw the guards hovering in his peripheral vision, moving as they secured him in the room he couldn't remember entering. He himself could barely see through the pressing darkness and he figured that the lack of light was what was taking the guards so long. So very long. There was a very loud click and the edge of his vision turned dark, closing in around him. So much so, that he could only see a faint tunnel of blurs, blobs and indiscernible shapes.
He watched as the red blobs moved farther away from him and closer to the light, until one did something and the light was extinguished. He was left in complete and utter darkness. Alone,along with his thoughts, his useless body and unresponsive magic. It flowed through his grasp like fish in a stream as he tried to catch them with his bare hands. He always came up empty.
Arthur. Arthur, wouldn't do this to me. Not even if he discovered my magic. This wasn't Arthur. But then what other explanation is there? We were in the Valley of the Fallen Kings, that's where this all started. That's where it came from. It's something of a recent addition to the area. The last time we patrolled there (and was attacked, again), he took refuge in a similar place but not the one we ended up in, that's for sure. There has always been some sort of presence in the Valley but it didn't feel...malevolent like this one did. This one radiated with...anger, unrest. Perhaps a departed spirit that didn't leave under peaceful terms? A bandit? A peasant attacked on their way to Camelot, the city of refuge (for non-magic folk)? Wha..t...t..h...en?
Merlin could feel himself slipping away, it was as if someone was wrapping his mind up in a blanket of warmth, and gradually just lulling him to sleep. Is it sleep? Or..is this death beckoning me? Without...m...y...magi..c...woul..d...I...die? It doesn't hurt, this death...it's almost peaceful. Just like falling asleep.
mo(-,-)om-
Sir Leon nodded to the guards in the dungeons, currently seated at a table with a cup of dice between them and several coins in a mound. They tried to scramble to their feet when they finally noticed him, but he waved them off, not caring for once that they were slacking in their duty. He kept his course true. He ignore the various people languishing in the cells on either side of him, there wasn't many, in fact since Arthur's reign there were far fewer arrests that were without provocation. He had a sort of knack for ferreting out the innocent from the guilty and punishing those that gave false reports against their neighbors.
That is, until Merlin. For all his wisdom, how could he believe that the boy would ever plot against him? I may have had my doubts about his competency in the past, but he has proved himself time and time again as an ally of Camelot. To Arthur especially. Perhaps foolishly so. Always throwing himself in harm's way, despite his lack of training or in spite of, I guess. Though, I cannot deny that strange things have not happened when he has been around.
Sir Leon paused, and he looked around as he felt the hair raise on the back of his neck, prickling eerily. Normally the flickering torches didn't do anything to his state of mind, but this day, this time he eyed them warily. His hand automatically went to his sword but he forced himself not to draw it out. A strange breeze teased the bottom of his cloak, catching the ends causing it to bounce under an unseen wind. Dust swirled in soft patterns along the stone floor, whirling upward in soft spirals before settling closer to the ground and then skidding to a stop just behind the knight as if there were some sort of barrier preventing its escape.
The wind moaned in protest, it's fingers tugging incessantly on Sir Leon's cape like a little child begging for parental attention but getting none. Using his gloved hands the knight tugged his cape free of its clutches, his eyes darting for the source of the wind. He found none until it changed its mind. Instead of flowing in the direction of freedom towards the lit hallway, it sucked backwards towards the dead end. It was back to tugging, but tugging towards the chambers Merlin was said to be held in and this time Sir Leon allowed it. He let himself be pulled to his intended destination, somehow not afraid of the force anymore.
He, more-so than the others, knew that magic should not be cause for an automatic execution. He knew because he was only alive due to the magic performed by the Druids when he was on the verge of death. It was not his place to question his King, even though in that part he did disagree, at least with Uther. Arthur, he reflected, was not his Father, and while magic was not readily accepted, it was also not feverishly hunted without just cause. In the case of someone using it for ill then knights were dispatched to deal with the problem appropriately.
He dug his heels into the ground as he was pulled gently to the cast iron door. It was a curious door, one that had strange marking etched in it. Nothing that the knight could read, even being the fairly learned man as he was. The characters were scratched into the walls without elegance. The wind didn't like his pause, it tugged at his cape harder this time, with urgency. His forehead frowned in response, with a slight tremor in his hand, he lifted the bolt and opened the door.
As the door creaked open, the wind's movement vanished. It felt as if the very air had been sucked out of the room. Sir Leon gasped at its sudden departure as well as the sight before him. Light fell across the prone form of Arthur's manservant, his arms were fastened to metal cuffs above his head, attached directly to the wall. His face was pale, bloodless, his eyes closed with his head tilted to the side as if he had not the strength to keep it aloft. His back was curved painfully between the wall and floor with his legs stretched haphazardly before him.
"Merlin!"
The body didn't stir, didn't twitch, didn't acknowledge the presence of anyone beside the suffocating darkness. Leon hurriedly knelt beside the boy, his hands already tugging off his gloves so that he could more easily detect a pulse on the side of his neck. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the thready beat, shallow as it was. He shifted his hands to the thin boy's shoulders and shook them lightly, Merlin's head bobbed at the movement but his eyes didn't flicker open.
The knight didn't focus on why the boy was in the condition he was, even though he knew that those cuffs were specifically made to restrain magic users. He focused solely on how to get him out of them. Standing up, he drew his sword and slid it between the thin gap where the metal closed over each other and tried to leverage his weight against it but all he got for his trouble was feeling a bend in his sword. Spying a lock dangling from one side, he set about hacking at it, so that he could release the metal irons and free the boy.
After the first two hits caused strong vibrations throughout his arms and rang loudly in the silence, Sir Leon took a moment to close the door, but made sure that it didn't lock from the other side. He set about to repeatedly striking the lock with his sword, and it was on the tenth strike that he heard the tall tale clatter of it falling to the stone ground beside Merlin. Sheathing his blade, he released the boy with a swiftness that would have startled anyone in his presence, so earnest was his efforts.
Merlin's arms stayed in position for only a moment after the metal cuffs were swung off his wrists and cast away. They fell to the floor with a dull thud. Leon winced as he lunged forward, catching the servant before he slid sideways causing his head to bounce. His hands on either side of his face, he gently slapped the boy, trying to arouse him from his slumber. Several moments passed with no sign of waking. Just as he was about to draw back, he felt a strange prickling sensation, it was the same feeling as when one would be too close to a lightning strike.
The air around them seemed to charge with a sort of electricity. Tiny golden sparks danced from his hands and was absorbed into Merlin's skin, each spark seemed to bring color back to his cheeks. Spark after spark jumped from Leon's hands into Merlin's face until the last one fizzled out and the boy's eyes fluttered open ever so slightly that the knight could see a sliver of blue peeking out.
"Merlin...?"
Lethargically he blinked, his eyes catching the light from the hallway, they seemed to smoldered gold before returning to his natural vibrant sapphire. The boy drew in a deep breath through his nose and released it again. Their eyes met, Merlin's full of questions, Leon's of concern.
"Can you hear me, Merlin?"
Jerkily, the boy nodded, pulling away under his volition; clearly not accustomed to finding one so close when he woke up. Sir Leon allowed the boy to push himself up against the wall so that his back was supported, watching him all the while. He watched as the boy blinked several times, still trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind.
"Arthur-?"
Leon shook his head. His eyes shifting to the walls of the cell, his posture strained and stiff. He cleared his throat, still trying to put words into what had happened in his absence. Wetting his lips, the knight tried again but words still failed him.
"What has the prat done now?"
"Did you notice anything strange about him today?"
"Besides sentencing me to death? Yeah, ever since the patrol he's not been himself, I fear we awoke something in the dark in that Valley."
The knight was clearly relieved to hear such news to confirm that the King would not act as he did without such reasons.
"He, the king-Arthur, has banished Gwen and striped Elyan, Percival and Gwaine of their titles and rank. "
Merlin blinked, his blue eyes becoming unfocused as he digested the news.
"No...he's undoing everything we've worked so hard to achieve! Undoing..."
The boy gasped, his hands latching onto Leon's cape that had shifted over one shoulder.
"What did he say? What were his exact words?!"
The knight was taken aback by the sudden fury in Merlin's eyes, the seriousness that changed his countenance only times of extreme peril.
"Commoner knights...peasants, Gwen being a serving girl...um."
While it wasn't exact words, they were the ones needed to confirm Merlin suspicions. It settled in his stomach like a ball of hot lead. His face must have reflected his feelings as Leon asked if he was ok, noting the pale green twinge to his skin. He waved him off, instead choosing to focus on how this could be possible.
"Gaius. I need to speak to Gaius."
"You need to get out of here, before Arthur finds a way to execute you without a pyre."
"No. I will stay here."
Sir Leon gaped at the boy, He knows, the King is seeking his blood yet he wishes to remain in the one place he is sure to die in?
Merlin motioned to speak again, but the soft shuffling of a person nearing his cell caught his attention. Panic filled him, If Sir Leon is caught in here...! Pulling himself slightly more upright, Merlin swayed briefly, before he motioned for the Knight to duck into the corner behind the door. He stretched his arms up as if the cuffs were still on him, with no light from the door, one could reasonably assume that he was still chained in place.
The door creaked open, spilling light directly into Merlin's closed eyes. He struggled not to flinch at it, and only narrowly succeeded.
"Oh, my boy."
Merlin's eyes snapped open when he heard the words of his Uncle, he dropped his hands and got up. Gaius gasped, "What...how? I feared...Don't you ever do that to me again!"
"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't know it was you! Here, close the door a little. Leon, it's just Gaius."
Sir Leon was already creeping from behind the door even before Merlin spoke, having recognized the old man's voice himself. Gaius looked between the two, and just shook his head.
"I heard the King was looking for you Leon, you best hurry before he suspects you are down here, as I believe it was not in your directive to do so?"
"You are right. Merlin, you can't stay here. It's not safe."
The boy smiled sadly at the Knight, who was already risking so much for him. Seeing he was unable to change his mind at this point, he resolved to return again when he had the chance.
Once the Knight was gone, Merlin approached the older man and enveloped him in his arms. They spared just a moment to enjoy this reunion.
"I feared you would be dead before I reached you. This cuffs will not harm a normal sorcery but for you, a creature of magic, would kill you if left on long enough."
"Let's hope Uther doesn't know that."
"Uther? Merlin did you hit your head?"
"Well, there may be that as well, but no. Uther's back. And he has Arthur."
"You're not making any sense."
"When we were in the Valley of the Fallen Kings, you remember I talked to you about a presence I felt there? I think it was Uther. He didn't go back to the spirit world, he somehow went to the Valley and he waited. When we sought shelter from the bandits, we must have stumbled into him. I don't know how or why but I do know one thing."
"And what is that?"
"We must take Uther down."
AN: Whew...it almost got away from me, but I wrestled it back into submission. Next update...and final, might be a little bit late as S.I. is at it a really important part(and I haven't started the next chapter yet)...soooo C U soon...hopefully!
SaidtheLiar13 (I love your name...a like psych reference?). and thank you!
Guest: Glad you are enjoying this!
WishIwasthere: wow...glad I got such a great reaction to that. Hope you liked this one as well.