Author's note: Note on spells: I won't translate any use of Old English, i.e. spells, unless they're not canon and not used in the series originally. If I do use any other Old English however, I'll put up translations in the author's notes.
This chapter was updated and edited (only minor changes) in 2012-08-05.
Chapter warnings: minor character death (canon).
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I Am the Embers of Your Fire - You Are the Breaking of My Dawn
Part 5
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Like the king, Gaius is fuming - however with worry, not ire - when his ward returns. "I found fresh bite marks on sir Evan's throat."
The body has been covered with a plain white sheet and is already starting to grow cold.
"So Valiant sent a snake to finish him off," Merlin says bitterly. The knight somehow must have noticed the cut off snake head – the shield looked no different, but maybe one of them refused to come alive anymore. Or he noticed someone had been to his room and put two and two together. Lastly, Arthur had openly revealed that his servant did the deed in the council chambers not long ago. Either way, the knight now knows who did it and with the King on Valiant's side, Merlin knew he could be in trouble, even if Valiant showed leniency before – it was all just a show to get Uther on his side.
"How is the Prince?" Gaius asks. To say he'd seemed agitated when leaving the council chambers would be a great understatement.
The warlock begins to pace back and forth between the stone walls, biting his nails and looking at the door ever so often, as if said Prince would barge through – angry, anxious, forgiving; it doesn't matter which, just there's a reaction. Merlin wishes he could go back in time and turn things right … but he's not sure what he'd do then even if he were able to.
"Angry. Disappointed. I'm pretty sure he sacked me. He definitely doesn't want to see me again ... Like it's my fault!" he exclaims, upset. "If I could just … just, somehow … Just how do I convince him not to fight tomorrow?"
He sinks down on a chair and stares at the physician, wide-eyed and miserable. "He won't listen to me at all. Valiant might kill him, Gaius. He will kill him of he's not stopped."
"You must stop him, then. Like you did at the feast."
Merlin's jaw drops at this suggestion: Gaius always, always keeps warning him to be careful, and to hear him suggest this … "You mean using magic at the tournament? In the open? In front of everyone?"
The old man knots his hands solemnly. "It is a risky thing I ask of you Merlin, but I believe you are the only one capable of revealing his deceit."
It's not like he's got much to lose right now, Merlin admits; and maybe he could do it subtly, quietly from a corner when everybody else is focused on the fighting. He just needs to figure out how.
()()()
"Oh, hello."
Surprised he looks up to find Gwen standing there. She looks concerned. No doubt she's heard about what happened, either through talk in the corridors or through lady Morgana.
"Hi, Gwen," Merlin says gloomily. He's sitting on the grand stair leading into the castle, thinking, trying to come up with some reasonably logical idea but so far, he's had no luck, even trying to come up with utterly insane solutions that wouldn't work in real life. He has … nothing. Nothing that could stop Valiant in the fight tomorrow.
He's already scanned trough his magic book but the spells had made no sense or, if he figured out what they're for, they can't help him in this matter. So now he's sitting here, brooding and feeling rather pathetic and useless.
The maidservant takes seat on the stone steps next to him, anxiously smoothing down her skirts. "Is it true? About sir Evan's death and Valiant's shield?"
"Yeah."
"What are you going to do?"
Merlin turns his head to look at her with a raised eyebrow and recalls Gaius' words just an hour ago. "Why does everyone seem to think it's down to me to do something about it?"
"Because it is. Isn't it? You have to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong."
Her logic is so straightforward and simple – he wishes the solution was as well.
"And how do I do that?" he counters, palms up in despair. "I'm just a servant, nobody would listen to me."
She heaves another sigh and lets her eyes sweep over the courtyard. "I don't know. It's so unfair, that the King and his men don't listen to servants like they do to nobles. You know?" He nods distractedly. "Maybe if you, I don't know, found more proof, physical proof … Something they cannot doubt, that they see with their own eyes."
The solution hits him like a crossbow bolt and he wants to hit himself for being so stupid, when realizing how obvious the answer is. It should've been the first thing he'd thought of!
That's the moment Merlin catches sight of the statue. It's rather dusty and insignificant in the corner of the yard; no one gives it a second glance. Surely, no one will miss it if it's gone for a few hours …
"That's it! Gwen, that's brilliant!" he exclaims, jumping to his feet and rushing off.
The woman rises and calls after him: "Merlin? Where are you going?"
But he's too busy trying to make sense of his newly formed plan to properly answer. He can just assure her it's going to be fine and rushes off to find a wheelbarrow.
()()()
Gaius gives him the eyebrow look when he enters the physician's room, probably about bringing the heavy old statue and getting dirt everywhere; Merlin ignores it. There are no words to berate him however.
There has to be a useful spell somewhere in his magic book. Somewhere. If he could just find it …
As if on cue, just half a dozen pages later, his eyes catch bold black lettering and he has a feeling at the bottom of his gut that this must be it. He's never seen the words before, but on a subconscious level immediately understands how they can be used and he grins.
This might actually work!
()()()
The day passes by and falls into eve; there are no stars tonight. Merlin does not notice, however, he's pulled the curtains and closed all doors (just in case) and is lying on his stomach on the mattress, book resting propped against the foot of the bed, in front of the dog statue.
Which stubbornly remains a statue for hours and hours and Merlin keeps chanting the spell, aloud and in his head, searching for the magic inside him. Weaving it around the statue, trying to push it into the stone, bury in the core and make it come alive. But for so long there's nothing, not a twitch and he nearly gives up hope.
He's stubborn though. More stubborn than any piece of rock can ever be, he tells himself, and keeps on going.
()()()
"Make me proud."
Arthur's heard his father utter those words countless times by now. At each tournament or competition they've been a constant reminded echoing in his ears between the ringing of clashing swords.
Today, the words are unusually sharp and cold though, a sharp reminder of his blunder yesterday. He can't bash his stupid manservant's head in for humiliating him, the idiot has run off somewhere – he wasn't there this morning to help him into his armour and the servant Arthur had to call for happened to be even worse than Merlin. All quivering hands and uncertain with the clasps and probably not knowing where the put the helmet. Arthur had endured impatiently.
It doesn't matter that he might believe Merlin. The snake head had been real and he hadn't been blind to the accusing glances sir Valiant had sent his manservant – making him wonder just how Merlin got his hands on that snake. The boy has some nerve and courage, traits Arthur has always valued among his knights, and never looked for in a servant before. But it doesn't matter now. Maybe Valiant is using magic, maybe not, either way Arthur is going to beat him.
He's going to give his father a reason to be proud of him.
()()()
"… arisan cwicum. Bebeode þe arisan cwicum."
Gods, he's tired. He wants to sleep so badly, if he just closes his eyes a little bit … a short while … "Bebeode …"
Outside, the local chanticleer crows loudly over the rooftops.
Something lands suddenly in his lap, causing him to startle. Something heavy and breathing and barking.
Merlin's eyes open wide and he drops the book onto the floor. The dog is pawing at his knees and now trying to possibly eat up his face like an eager puppy, and it's alive.
It worked! The spell worked!
It's now when he raises his head he notices how high the sun is up – or, well, that the sun is up at all. The tournament probably already has started! He's got to get there now, before it's too late.
The dog tries clawing at his boots when he runs out of the room and he remembers to shut the door in the last minute; Gaius wouldn't be happy to have a dog on the loose among his valuable medicine equipment.
"Merlin!"
He twists his head as he realizes he's just run past his guardian. The old man looks worried.
"Where are you going – and where have you been? Arthur has been looking for you. His battle with Valiant is just about to begin."
"I've got it!" Merlin shouts back, feeling strangely light and energetic, his nerves tingling. "I'll fix everything. Oh, and don't open my door! I'll take care of that later."
()()()
The fight is even and heated and Arthur has gotten in a couple of well-aimed blows. But Valiant always raises his shield in time to protect himself, and after a moment of ill-considered movements, Arthur finds his sword twisted out of his hand. It's rare, being defeated, and it only spurs him on.
Then, suddenly, there's a rush of voices from the audience and people standing up in disbelief, shouting and muttering. Sir Valiant pales in panic and hisses at the two snakes that are now crawling out of the shield on his arm. The creatures do not listen to his orders however.
"Stop! I haven't summoned you!"
So Merlin was right then.
"Give up!" Arthur cries. "Your secret has been revealed."
"I might as well defeat you without hesitation then," Valiant says albeit Arthur is sure the man wouldn't have hesitated anyway. "Kill him!" the man yells at the snakes and they slither forward, their owner smugly watching.
"Arthur!" Morgana's voice reaches him from the sidelines and he raises his hand in reflect, grasping around the hilt of a sword. In one smooth movement he's sliced off both snake's heads – their long thin bodies fall back heavily on the sand where they twitch for a moment before stilling completely – and Valiant starts backing off in panic, but Arthur is quicker. The man fails to raise his shield in time. When the sword slides in between his ribs, the man looks more surprised than anything.
"It looks like I'll be going to the feast after all," he mutters into th dying man's ear, and the man makes a noise like a curse before he falls to the ground.
Gaius walks out from the edge of the field but knows he cannot save the man – not that the king would have allowed it either way. The knight just tried to kill his son using magic.
When Arthur turns toward the physician, he briefly spots a familiar red neckerchief under the glaring sun, and when walking out of the arena he makes sure to pass by that spot and pat the boy's shoulder. He doesn't say anything, but the way Merlin grins, he's sure the boy has gotten the message.
()()()
Later, Arthur is also somewhat relieved to see his manservant - former manservant - during the feast later that night, after a heavy meal and two cups of warm heady wine. The feeling is accompanied by something unfamiliar at the pit of his stomach and he pushes it away, as he approaches the boy, glad to get away from Morgana who so adamantly claims to have saved him while she definitely hadn't.
"Did you hear that? Morgana claims she saved me – as if I ever needed any help."
Merlin raises an eyebrow at him, as if not at all agreeing with the Prince even though he should. Lacking propriety again. When will he ever learn?
Arthur shifts on his feet.
"I might have been a bit too … rash about sacking you earlier."
"You're apologizing?" the boy exclaims and Arthur rolls his eyes at the tone and is glad his father is across the room and unable to hear this particular conversation. "Should I write this achievement down?"
"Not exactly. I'm rehiring you – anyway, it's easiest that way, since your being sacked hasn't reached the Chief of Staff yet. That good enough for you?"
"Well," the servant says. Slightly suspicious, like he does not entirely believe what he's hearing. "Hand me a drink and we're even."
Arthur splutters. "What? You're so thin and wiry; you'd probably be out under the table after two cups anyway. I don't want my servant making an idiot of himself right after I've proved that he's right."
The boy is staring at him now with large eyes and Arthur frankly finds it a bit unnerving. "Did you just … Was that some kind of compliment in that insult? Admit it, it was! You mean it, I was right!"
"No, something must have gotten stuffed in your big ears and made you mishear," the prince cuts him off and walks away but swears he can see Merlin grinning like a fool from the corner of his eyes, and it makes him feel glad, in some inexplicable way, like it matters that Merlin's proud of him (and that he might be a bit proud of the idiot in turn).
()()()
There's still a dog in his chambers to take care of.
Gaius suggests he'd try turning it back into a statue but when Merlin looks at the animal playing with a scrap piece of paper, waggling its tail and barking so happily, his chest feels heavy at the thought. He just can't bear stealing the life he's given it, even if it's just an illusion of life.
His mentor is vague about it when he asks what he meant by that: that only truly powerful sorcerers could create life, while you can trick the eye and the mind quite easily. The dog had never been fully alive and never would be, just like the snakes on the shield. Somehow, it was disappointing to hear, but also relieving. It meant a lot less to take care of for one, and if he'd really brought it to life ...
Merlin would have beenalarmedat wielding such power. He'd have panicked, wouldn't have known what to do.
The dog doesn't eat or need to answer any calls of nature, but on the other hand, it never sleeps and keeps them awake some whole nights, relentlessly wanting to play fetch. Gaius swears if they don't get rid of it soon the physician will drag it out and leave it in the forest himself. Merlin doesn't want that. In addition, he has a feeling the dog would probably find its way back to Camelot anyway, drawn by magic to the person who made it.
"It's kind of big and ferocious-looking," Merlin says thoughtfully and pets the thing behind the ears during breakfast next morning. "Don't you think I could put it among Arthur's hunting dogs? He's really good at finding stuff, at least when you ask nicely." That was true: it had found two old pair of boots of Gaius' and an ancient book the physician lost years ago (and nearly destroying the fragile book in the process but that's beside the point). "Would anyone notice?"
"I don't think it's able to breed, Merlin, and as soon as that's found out they'll deem the creature useless and have it killed," Gaius points out.
Merlin's face falls. "Oh."
"But you could always ask Prince Arthur, if you find it so important. Then at least we'd be rid of it."
"Well, yeah, it kind of is," Merlin bites his lip and glances at the dog who, oblivious what the conversation is about, wiggles its tail. "It needs a name …"
Gaius sighs. Merlin is so attached to the thing, if he put it in the forest now his ward might never forgive him.
()()()
"You're late. Again," the Prince states as his servant enters his chambers, followed by a black furry thing, which causes Arthur's eyebrows to rise. "Why is there a dog following you?"
Merlin wrinkles his nose. "Gaius didn't want it in his rooms, said it took too much space."
"You're my servant, not that thing's babysitter. You certainly won't have time looking after it."
"Yes, I do! I can do two things at once I'll have you know. Sire," Merlin adds the last hoping that Arthur will be more reasonable if he pays the prince some proper respect for once.
"Why do I doubt that ability? Don't answer that question." Arthur gestures at the animal that's approaching to sniff at his feet curiously. "Whose dog is it, anyway?"
"Err, mine. I found it. In the forest. When gathering herbs for Gaius. It's probably run away and now it just won't leave," Merlin says hoping the prince will buy the lie. It's not that big a lie anyway, just a white one. He did find it, in a way, and no one seems to have reacted at the missing statue. "Beowulf is perfectly trained and well-mannered. But there's no place really I could keep him. It seemed a shame having to get rid of him …"
"'Beowulf'? What a stupid name. Well, I'm not surprised given it was you who named it."
Merlin glares at him. "It's not a stupid name! I think it suits him. Don't you think so, Beo?" he asks the black animal who barks happily and rubs his head against Merlin's knees in confirmation. "See? He likes it."
The Prince looks at the animal thoughtfully. Then, to Merlin's surprise (and relief), he says: "Seeing both you and Gaius has no time to care for it … Go down to the kennel and talk to the keeper. I want it examined to be part of my pack of hunting dogs – tell him it's the Prince's orders and he'll listen." The servant looks both happy and anxious, and the prince rolls his eyes. "Go on, Merlin. You'll still be able to see the thing when we go out hunting and it'll be well taken care of."
The boy smiles gratefully and sends the dog a loving look that makes Arthur wonder whatever in the world the dog has done to earn it. It's just a dog, for heaven's sake.
"Thank you."
The Prince momentarily gives him a smile back, but then wipes it off his face; he can't have the servant think he's going soft or anything. "Fetch my laundered clothes while you're at it but keep your hands clean! I can't find my red jacket, the one with the studs."
Always the studs, Merlin thinks, and wonders if he maybe should magic some studs onto Arthur's other jackets so he won't have to run all-over the place looking for that red one all the time.
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