Chapter 3

All Arthur saw was a flash of light and a burst of flame out of the corner of his eye. There was a cry, and he turned just in time to see the man with blue eyes stumble back, his hands at his face, trying to fight off a ball of flame. Merlin was lying just in front of his, his hands outstretched, he seemed almost controlling the direction the ball of flame was going, Arthur had never seen anything like it before, but he knew what it was.

Everyone had frozen; watching with shock as the man fell to the ground screaming. There was another scream, the man with green eyes abandoned his fight with Arthur and went to aid his brother, who was still trying to fight off the flames.

Arthur then turned his attention to the man with brown eyes who was looking at him with pure hatred in his eyes. For some reason he blamed Arthur for the fire, why, Arthur would never find out.

The man with brown ran at him, lashing out with his daggers. However, Arthur could tell that this man was no fighter, he knew nothing. He was doing nothing to defend himself, he was just running at him, arms above his head. With almost slight regret that he was killing a man who was literally defensive, Arthur stabbed the man with brown eyes in the chest.

For a moment the man just stood there, a look of total surprise on his face as Arthur's sword pierced his eyes, then he fell to his knees, and died.

Arthur watched the man die in front of him, then looked up. Both the men were staring at him, the ball of fire had finally died out, though the man with the blue eyes still had his hand to his face. Merlin was still lying on the ground, watching everything that was happening above him. With a hushed whisper to the man with blue eyes, the two men got up and ran. Arthur didn't run after them, he knew that he had just killed their brother. No matter how evil you are, it doesn't stop you from loving your brother.

After the sound of the brother's running footsteps had disappeared, Arthur turned back to Merlin. Merlin stumbled to his feet, he knew that Arthur had saw what he did, he was no point denying it, he wondered what was going to happen to him now.

"Come on, we better find our way back." Said Arthur, his voice expressionless, Merlin said nothing, he simply nodded and followed Arthur away from the campsite and the warmth of the fire, and back into the cold, dense trees surrounding them.

Arthur didn't say anything as he stormed through the forest, Merlin was too afraid to say anything to him just in case he lashed out it him. In the meantime Merlin tried to convince himself that perhaps Arthur hadn't seen him perform magic, maybe he was acting in such an angry mood because he had just killed someone, or that he blamed himself getting both of them lost in the forest.

It was almost daylight before Camelot came into view, the great castle rising above the comparatively small towns and villages, draped in a variety of reds, purples, pinks and blues as the sun rose just behind it.

Merlin was exhausted, he didn't know how long or far he had walked trough the forest, but it must have been several miles and Arthur refused to stop. As they came into Camelot he stopped and opened his mouth to suggest to Arthur that he should perhaps go and see Giaus, as he would probably be wondering where he was, but Arthur seemed to know what he was going to say, and snapped;

"Don't you run off Merlin, I haven't finished with you yet. I want a word with you."

Without trying to argue, Merlin followed Arthur into the castle, his head down, trying not to look at anyone as he walked past. He felt like a child that had just got into big trouble, but in a way, he had got into trouble.

They climbed up the stone spiral staircase up to Arthur's chambers, where Arthur let Merlin in before slamming the door behind him. For a moment he said nothing, his eyes were gazing at the floor. For a few moments Merlin wondered if he should say something. But then Arthur's head snapped up, and he could see burning anger and rage in his eyes:

"What were you thinking Merlin!" Arthur yelled, his voice echoing off the stone walls, Merlin wondered if anyone else could hear them. "Tell me that what I saw in the forest was you, that ball of fire, that was all you! I saw you! You've been using magic, tell me it's not true!"

"I—" Merlin began, but he had nothing to say. There was nothing he could say to defend himself.

"Tell me the truth Merlin," Arthur growled.

"Yes," Merlin murmured, his head nodding solemnly. "Yes it was magic."

"I don't believe it!" Arthur cried in anger, pacing up and down; "all along, all this time that I have known you Merlin, and you've been using magic! You've been lying all along haven't you? And it wasn't just me, you've been lying to everyone! All my life I've been told that magic is evil, and the one person I truly trusted has been lying behind my back, laughing at me all along."

"I haven't—"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses, because they'll just be more lies! I can't stand the sound of your voice! You're a coward Merlin; you always try to hide behind the truth by giving another excuse another lie! I feel like such a fool, how many times have you used magic right in front of me, and I haven't even noticed?"

Merlin didn't say anything, he just looked down at the floor, there was nothing he could say. The words that were coming out of Arthur made him feel like his heart had just been ripped out. When the time came for Arthur to find out, if that time was ever going to come, he thought Arthur would understand.

From the silence, Arthur knew the answer; he shook his head sadly. "After all the things we've been through Merlin," he said sadly, as if someone close to him had just died.

"I'm sorry Arthur," Merlin just managed to mumble, he wanted desperately to say something, but he didn't know what and whatever he did say would just be met with Arthur's terrible rage.

"I can't believe you betrayed me Merlin." Said Arthur, the anger was seeping through the sorrow, Merlin could hear it by the walking Arthur was talking through gritted teeth. "You're lucky that I'm not going to tell anyone else about what I saw, because if I did your head would be on the block."

"I know, I'm, I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" Arthur burst out suddenly, Merlin was so surprised at the sudden and violent outburst he took a step back.

"There's nothing else I can say!" Merlin shouted back before he could stop himself. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just get out of my sight!" Arthur yelled, shoving Merlin into a stone wall. "You're not my manservant any more! I don't want to see you any more! All the things we've been through, I even thought I…I…Oh who cares what I thought! Ever since I met you the strangest thoughts have been going through my head, you've cursed me Merlin!"

"I haven't—"

"I thought I told you to shut up!" Arthur yelled, in his blind rage he grabbed a goblet that was sitting on the table, and threw it with all his force at Merlin. "Get out Merlin GET OUT!"

Merlin just managed to duck out the way as the goblet came flying at his face; it smashed against the stone wall. Without looking back at Arthur, Merlin turned and ran.

Merlin was surprised at how far he managed to walk away from the castle and into the city, before it got too much for him. He went down and alley way, sat beside a well, and cried his heart out.