A/N: I am not at all happy witht the start or how abrutply it ends... but I suppose that's just my crictical mind or it could be genrally bad...? Review and let me know. Thanks!
"Arthur, I need to tell you something." I said walking into his chambers without knocking, I've learnt not to come near his chambers in middle morning or middle evening; he most likely is getting changed as Gwen has told me.
"What is it Merlin." Arthur, who was writing on a thick piece of parchment, muttered.
"I'm a sorcerer" I blurted; I didn't mean to say it like that. Hitting myself in the face I realised that Arthur was looking up at me in disgust.
"Uh Oh." I mumbled, and Arthur stood up from his chair and strode towards me.
"Merlin, are you speaking the truth?" Asked Arthur as if searching for a small reason to keep me around, but not seeing the point I nodded.
"I am speaking the full truth, sire." I said looking directly into Arthur's eyes, disgust and loathing flashed through them and he yelled for the guards.
"Don't do this Arthur, Don't." I said desperately, not wanting to die. He shook his head and the guards came in.
"Take him down to the dungeons; he will be burned at the stake at midday tomorrow for sorcery." He snarled in disgust as the guards seized my arms.
"Arthur! No you can't please!" I yelled but he turned away, "Arthur please think, I haven't and won't ever hurt you!" I yelled again struggling to get free of the guards but they were too strong, I refuse to use magic on them, it would only worsen my situation.
"Please Arthur!" I screamed as I was dragged down the hall, "Please!"
I was dragged down into a cell and thrown in, locking it behind them the guards left only to be replaced by two others who stood either side of the cell door.
I leant up against the cold stone wall and let what had happened sunk in, I knew I should've waited to tell him. I knew I should have waited until everything had settled down. I'm an idiot.
I heard footsteps hurrying down the stairs and Gaius came into view, his eyes wide in fear and sadness.
"Please let me see him, I want to see him." Gaius said to the guards, they let him talk to me but only through the bars and only for a few minutes.
"Merlin what did you do?" He said worriedly and I looked at the guards for a second before telling Gaius.
"I told him I had magic." I muttered and Gaius rested his head against the cool bars.
"Merlin you idiot, what's the punishment?" He asked, I was surprised he didn't know. I touched his hand and frowned.
"I'll be burned at the stake tomorrow at midday." I told him, tears slipping down my face.
"Oh, Merlin." Cried Gaius, patting my arm which was closest to a hug I could have while I'm in here.
"I'm sorry but you have to go." Said the guards and Gaius left looking so sad it hurt me, I was his son he never had and now I was being taken away from him for my own selfish reasons, it's my fault he'll be hurting my entire fault.
I rested against the stones again and let more tears fall, I don't want to die. I've only lived for 22 years I want to live for more; I want to see my old age. I want to see an old Arthur when he finally won't have women after him. I want to have a wife, children. I want to travel out of Camelot without getting kidnapped.
I heard more footsteps and saw Gwen running down the stairs tears running down he checks.
"Please, Please let me talk to him, please." She said to the guard, who couldn't refuse the Queens orders, agreed and let her talk to me.
"My lady." I said bowing and she smiled slightly, I grinned back at her wiping away my tears.
"Merlin, you can't be evil. You evil is impossible, it's like Arthur cooking. It'll never happen." She said clutching onto my hands and I squeezed hers back tightly.
"I know, Imagine Arthur cooking." I said laughing and she joined in, if I only have till tomorrow to live it's my destiny to make everyone laugh.
"Merlin how can you be so light about this?" She asked sadly and I shrugged.
"If I'm going to die I may as well laugh and enjoy what l little time I have left." I said to her and she squeezed my hand again.
"I'll never forgive Arthur for this Merlin." She said angrily and I widen my eyes and shook my head.
"No, No! It's isn't his fault. Stay with him Gwen, be happy with him. He'll need you more than ever, it's not his fault. Don't make all this fuss over me, forgive Arthur but make him beg first. I won't deny you that little pleasure." I said finishing with a grin, she smiled back.
"You always know exactly what to say Merlin," I gave her a looked and she laughed, "Okay not always."
"I'm known for my stupidity." I laughed and she shook her head smiling.
"I'm going to miss you Merlin." Gwen sighed sadly, "Who am I going to tell about my Arthur troubles?"
"You can still talk to me Gwen, I'll always be around." I said smiling sadly and she smiled back.
"My lady, you'll have to leave now." The guard said and she nodded before waving goodbye to me and I waved back.
A piece of dry bread was thrown at me and I swallowed it down quickly, a small goblet of water followed and I drunk it swiftly before sinking onto the old rags in the corner and going to sleep.
I woke the next morning to several footsteps coming down the stairs and I looked up to see the knights of Camelot minus Arthur.
"Hey guys, Never been so popular." I said grinning and Gwaine chuckled a bit before realizing why he was here.
"Well, I just wanted to say goodbye." Gwaine muttered and the knights of Camelot echoed, I grinned.
"No need to be so sombre, I'll see you all sooner or later. Later I hope." I added the last part quickly and the knights smiled sadly.
"We can't stay long we have to help with the…supplies." Percival muttered awkwardly and I nodded.
"Can't keep you here then, go on!" I cried waving them out. Seconds later Gaius came down, tears were streaked on his old face.
"Three minutes, please." Gaius said to the guards and they nodded, running over to my cell in reached for my head and patted my head.
"I'm so sorry Merlin." He cried, tears streaming down his checks and I felt tears pouring down my own.
"It's alright Gaius, it's my fault." I choked out and Gaius pulled me into a sort of hug. I rested my head against the bars and Gaius leaned back.
"How are you feeling?" Gaius asked, I wanted to say fine. I
was going to say fine, I had all intentions to say fine but instead I said, "I'm scared Gaius."
"I know you are." He soothed and I broke into sobs.
"I don't want to die, Gaius. I don't want to go." I sobbed and Gaius patted my arm, it was comforting but I would've preferred a hug.
"I'm so scared."
Arthurs POV
I heard Merlins screams towards me, his pleads to let him go but I ignored them too busy with my thoughts. I cannot believe that my servant, no my friend. No not even that, my best friend is a sorcerer, my best friend practises magic.
I'm doing the right thing, I tell myself. Merlin is a sorcerer, an evil sorcerer. All magic is evil and therefore Merlin is evil for uses it for practising it.
Gaius knocked and came into my chambers looking confused, "Why is Merlin being dragged through the castle by two guards?" He asked confused, a basket of remedy's hanging off his left arm.
"Go and ask Merlin." I snarled, looking out at Camelot. Yes I'm doing the right thing. Of course I am, I am doing this for the sake of Camelot.
Gaius left and I continued to stare out into Camelot, I could see the knights of Camelot. Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Elyan they also happened to be the Knights of the Round Table.
Minutes later I saw Gaius rushing out of the Castle and my heart dropped, he was crying. I realised then that I've just taken away someone that Gaius thinks of as a son.
Gaius ran towards Gwen, who was talking to a serving girl, Gwen was now Camelot's Queen and my wife. When Gaius told her what I assume is the news about Merlin she froze and tears started to fall down her cheeks.
She ran off into the castle, I presume to see Merlin. Why is this sorcerer getting so much sympathy, Surely Merlin couldn't have made that many friends.
A guard was marching towards the knights who were training, I saw the grinning faces freeze and turn to frowns.
Gwaine looked up at me and I walked away from the window and sat on my bed, head in my hands.
I'm doing this, this is right. Merlin is evil, Magic is evil. I'm doing the right thing.
My chamber door burst open and an angry looking Gwen marched through the doors, "Gwen." I said getting up and reaching for her hand but she stepped away.
"Merlin isn't evil." She said softly looking into my eyes, I looked away guiltily.
"He is." I murmured, "Magic is evil."
"But Merlin isn't Arthur please, listen to me." Gwen pleaded, "Don't kill Merlin, Don't kill my best friend don't kill yours. Haven't you noticed how much happier it is with Merlin here, you still need your idiot. Please don't do this Arthur." I shook my head.
"Merlin and Magic is evil, Merlin is a sorcerer. He can't be trusted." I said looking up at Gwen again who had anger flashing in her eyes.
"Fine, be a murderer. Kill everyone's friend. You explain to Hunith why her sons dead." Gwen spat and stormed out of the room, Arthur sunk to his bed once more.
My servant couldn't just have a horrible mother and no friends, my servant couldn't just have been un likeable, dull, boring. No I had to have Merlin, a funny, likeable, idiot with too many friends everywhere, with a mother so kind she'll blame the death of her son on herself.
I laid back on the bed and fell asleep, I'm doing the right thing kept playing through his mind but each time It got weaker more uncertain.
Waking up to the sounds of running footsteps I poked my head out of the doorway and saw Gaius running past me towards the cells.
Pulling on my clothes I followed and instantly wished I didn't I could hear Merlin, crying.
"I'm scared Gaius." He cried and I stood frozen to the spot, what I'm doing is right, I am doing the right thing.
"I know you are" I heard Gaius trying to soothe Merlin and Merlin broke into sobs, Merlin is evil, magic is evil, and he deserves to die.
"I don't want to die Gaius, I don't want to go." I could hear him sob, He deserves to die, he is evil, magic is evil, and I'm doing the right thing, for the safety of Camelot and its people.
"I'm so scared Gaius." I couldn't take any more of it, I ran away from the cells and back towards my chambers but when I got there I could smell fire burning. I went to close the doors out to the balcony but I saw the piles of straw and wood. I ran away from my chambers and towards the kitchens but I heard the women crying, I ran further to the court rooms but Gwaine was there drinking already, his eyes red and puffy. I ran to the throne room but memories of all the times Merlin and I were here laughing, enjoying ourselves or fighting side by side. I realized how many times Merlin saved my life with his magic.
NO! MERLIN IS EVIL! DON'T LET HIM FOOL YOU! MAGIC IS EVIL, SORCERERY IS EVIL, DO NOT FALL FOR THEIR TRICKS! MORGANA IS EVIL AND A WITCH SO MERLIN IS EVIL FOR HE IS A SORCERER. YOU'RE SAVING CAMELOT! YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING!
My thoughts screamed at me and I realised they weren't my thoughts; it was spoken in my father's voice. My father had drilled it into my head that magic and sorcerer's are evil.
They are evil, everything related to magic is evil!
"No!" I yelled, running out of the throne room I ran outside to see the straw getting lit, the fire spreading. I could hear Merlins choked sobs and some of the crowd sobbed with him.
"No! Stop!" I yelled but it was too late, the fire burnt stronger and engulfed Merlin, I could hear his moans of pain.
"My son! Merlin, my son!" I heard someone scream, looking over I saw Hunith pushing through the crowd. She reached the front and fell to the ground, "Merlin! Merlin!"
Wails rose up through the crowd and I sank to the ground tears leaking from my eyes, "No, Merlin. No."
The fire continued burning and Hunith stayed put, sobbing. I went up to my chambers and leant over the railing crying. The fire burnt out and nothing was left, nothing but a pile of ashes. Hunith ran for them but they blew away in the wind.
I remember Merlin saying something about wanting to travel outside of Camelot without getting kidnapped and a small sad smile grew on my face. He won't get kidnapped now.