Mind Games
A/N- Thanks to TheJunebug1218 for allowing me to use the horse from one of her stories! I will update as soon as I am able, as my visits to the computer are random! XD Please read and review! Thank you!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own BBC Merlin. I am merely toying with them for my amusement.
Chapter One
Arthur waved a hand. "You're dismissed, Merlin." Merlin nodded his head, then turned for the door after stealing a glance a Arthur's supper. It was what Merlin would call it a miracle if he had seen it anywhere other than in the castle.
Finally, thought Merlin. Some time to myself.
Arthur had been worse about the chores than usual. Merlin supposed it was because Arthur had just recently tripped while training with the knights, landing face first in a puddle of mud. Merlin hadn't realized this had happened until after when he had to clean Arthur's dirty armour.
Gaius had already heard of the incident, apparently, because as soon as Merlin entered the physician's chambers he was assaulted by "Merlin! What were you thinking? You know how dangerous that is!"
"Hey!" Merlin defended. "It wasn't me this time!" Gaius raised an eyebrow impossibly high. "It wasn't?"
Merlin rolled his eyes. "Of course not! I wasn't even in the city walls, remember? You sent me out for herbs?"
"Hmph."
Merlin headed into his room. He fell onto his bed fully dressed, and almost immediately went to sleep.
IDIOTTOIDI
Oh no! Merlin thought as he raced through the castle. Gaius had been away at an emergency early in the morning. Since it was Gaius who usually woke Merlin up, Merlin had overslept. And he knew Arthur wouldn't be happy!
He was running too fast. As Merlin rounded a sharp corner, he felt his feet slip out from under him. Soon he found himself flat on his face. He picked himself up quickly. What Merlin didn't realize, however, was that he had smacked his nose hard enough to make it bleed.
Merlin burst into Arthur's chambers to find, at his dismay, the prince already awake. He groaned inside his head. Arthur was standing with his back turned to Merlin, liking out the window. "Ah, Merlin. So you finally decided to show up? You really need to stop being late. I need you to wash my clothes, polish my boot, scrub my floor, sharpen my sw- Merlin, what happened?"
The prince had turned around, and was staring at the blood running down his servant's face. Merlin felt the red substance dripping onto his lip for the first time. He put his hand against his nose and mumbled something about a corner and his feet. "Speak up, Merlin!"
"I was running around a corner and slipped. I must have hit my nose." Merlin went crimson with embarrassment.
"Well, for heaven's sake, go get something to staunch it! I don't want blood all over my room. Oh, and Merlin!" he called before his manservant got to the door. "You still have the chores!" This time Merlin groaned audibly.
IDIOTTOIDI
"Gaius? Hello? Gaius!" The old physician came out of a backroom: Merlin's room. Merlin pretended not to notice. Gaius had become a bit snoopy since Morgana had left.
"Yes? Good grief, Merlin, what did you do this time?" Gaius' eyebrows rose as he stared at the blood.
"I slipped," the warlock replied, unconcerned.
Gaius just shook his head. "The things you do…" Merlin smiled a lopsided grin.
In a flash the liquid gold passed over the azure eyes. Instantly the blood stopped flowing. "Once I clean up I have to do my extra long list of chores, so I probably won't be back for a while."
Gaius didn't even bother turning around. "Late again?"
Merlin grinned. "Yep!"
He quickly washed away the red, then said as he headed out the door, "See ya later!" Gaius grumbled a farewell.
IDIOTTOIDI
"Is this really necessary?" Merlin called form underneath Arthur's bed.
"Of course it is! Unless you would rather move my bed to scrub the floor instead of just crawling under there?"
From the underside of the bed came a muffled, "Prat."
Arthur automatically answered with "Idiot." Which Merlin followed with an exasperated hmph.
When Merlin finally did come out he was covered in dust and cobwebs alike. He could tell Arthur was trying not to laugh, as he said "Now I need you to muck out the stables; we're going hunting tomorrow!"
Merlin groaned. "Another hunting trip? Really?"
Arthur gave him a withering glance. "That's what I just said, wasn't it?"
So Merlin headed off to the stables, griping about it the whole way.
IDIOTTOIDI
Once done mucking out the stables, Merlin headed towards the door. Right as he reached it, he felt a piercing pain in his skull, followed by a faint voice: "Merlin. Merlin. Come Merlin." Merlin backed up and smacked his head against the wall in a feeble attempt to stop the pain. And then it was gone as suddenly as it appeared. Merlin took a shaky breath. Whatever that had been, he certainly didn't want to go through it again!
Merlin wasn't too concerned about it since it had stopped, but he felt like he ought to.
As he brought Arthur's lunch, Merlin stopped just short of the table. The pain came back, only worse. He could the voice was not the Great Dragon when it spoke again- 'Come, Merlin. Come' It was louder this time, more urgent. He almost dropped the platter because of the pain and the voice. The pain was longer, making spots dance before his eyes. Then it disappeared. Just like that. One minute it was there, the next... Gone. Merlin was more confused than ever.
"Uh, now, Merlin. Not tomorrow." Merlin quickly set the plate down in front of Arthur.
"Sorry Sire." He didn't even try to join in on what would have been a great opportunity for their usual banter. Instead Merlin fled out the door.
PRATTARP
What was that about? Arthur wondered as his servant left. When he had stopped, Arthur had seen pain and confusion in Merlin's eyes. And then he had called Arthur 'Sire'! Merlin almost never did that!
But of course, Arthur being Arthur, he dismissed the thought of asking what was wrong, not wanting to seem like he cared (which he did).
Instead, he went to see how Gwen was. She had been a little shaken up after Morgana's betrayal.
PRATTARP
"So you're sure you're fine?" Gwen just rolled her eyes at Arthur. "For the umpteenth time, yes!"
Arthur was still reluctant to leave. "Alright then. See you, Gwen."
"Goodbye Arthur"
Arthur turned and strode back to his room. He had spent the whole afternoon talking, and was hungry.
Arthur sat down, and after a few minutes Merlin appeared. "Finally! I was wondering if you were ever going to show, Merlin!" What he did say was something that surprised Arthur.
"Sorry Sire."
What's wrong with him? Thought Arthur.
He snapped back to reality when Merlin dropped hi dinner, then backed up against the wall where his manservant proceeded to smack the back of his skull once, twice. Arthur looked into Merlin's eyes and saw pain etched in the blue depths. He opened his mouth to ask if he was alright, but thought better of it. He replaced it with this: "Merlin you fool! Pick this up you idiot!" It came out harsher than he meant.
Merlin stood like that a minute more, then dropped to the ground. He picked up the tray, left, and soon returned with more food. He delivered it, then left swiftly causing Arthur to wonder what had gotten in his manservant.
IDIOTTOIDI
Merlin's head was throbbing. This… outburst had given him a headache.
He entered the physician's chambers, and was greeted by a much-too-loud Gaius. "Hello, Merlin. How did your day go?"
Merlin winced, and said quietly, "Headache. I'm going to bed." Gaius just nodded.
Merlin closed his door and his window, shutting out most of the light. He then got into bed and closed his eyes.
A few minutes later Gaius came in. "Here, drink this. It will help." He was much quieter this time. Merlin slightly nodded and opened his eyes.
It was too dark to see the color, but it tasted foul. The aftertaste was worse. Almost immediately Merlin's eyes began to droop. It had been a sleeping draft instead of a pain reliever. But quite frankly, Merlin didn't care. He was just glad for the ability to rest.
Yet he was blissfully unaware of the danger hiding right behind the corner.
IDIOTTOIDI
The pain. Oh, the horrible gut wrenching agony! It felt like someone had split Merlin's head open with an axe.
He let out a whimper, not comprehending what was going on. Words were shouted in his skull. "Merlin! Come! Come NOW!"
The pain dropped significantly, but it was still there. And the voice was still yelling.
Merlin stumbled out the door, down the castle steps, and ran towards the stables. There he led his black mare, Jenny, out. He flew onto her back which held no saddle, and urged the horse into a gallop. The warlock steered her towards the forest hurting too much to have another thought.
The guards didn't even blink an eye when they saw Merlin leaving. They were used to him getting herbs for Gaius, sometimes at night. Merlin passed unchallenged as he rode for the thick of the woods.
IDIOTTOIDI
As he came close to a clearing, Merlin dismounted and, because he had a feeling he wouldn't be needing her for a while, placed a spell on her so she would go back to Camelot and the right stable.
The glade that Merlin stepped into was dead. Weeds and flowers had turned a ghastly shade of brown. All the leaves on the trees facing the clearing were decaying. All in all, it was completely devoid of life other than Merlin. And the person at the other edge of the clearing, facing him.
It was Mordred.
"Welcome Emrys."
A/N- Yes, I am evil with the cliffhangers! Please review, they make my day!