Hannah Lynn McDonald: Ooooohh... Yeah, probably more in-depth, but I get the idea, ;) :D Thank you! And ooohh, well, Revelations, I 've read it a lot, now I'm reading nowhere specifically... Suggestions? Hahaha, well, it's nice to see what people think - some people are happy Mordred's here, some people, not as much... NOoo, of course not, ;) But now I do want to write a death fic, something has gotten into me... *Laugh*
MerlinMorgana1579: Haha, yup!
The Great Dragon: Ooohh yes. Of course, have you been on a ship in weather like that? If so, I don't envy you..! Sorry, but nope, not for me! *Laughs* Thank you thank you GRAMERCY SO MUCH! :) Louis thanks you, too. Okay, let me tell you, the SNOW, has now, ARRIVED. SO. MUCH. SNOW.
The-dreamer4: Flyngana! Thank you, they now have a ship/name! :D *Grins* How dare you say I'm reeking! *Falls over in fits of laughter* Do you mind if I put that in my book? xD *Laughing as I read your reviews* OOoooooohhh goodness... *Deep breaths, eyes pinched closed* Laughing is a workout.
Previously...
"Mordred?"
Merlin kept himself from standing and leaving right then, and there. The young warlock swallowed, a frown now plastered on his face, but he went back to trying to keep him warm, and heal him before the cold seeped into his lungs.
Blue eyes blinked up at Merlin. "Thank you, Emrys," he barely coughed out the words, but there they were. He was grateful for so much more than just being healed... after all, because of Merlin, people like them were accepted now.
Merlin ground his teeth, trying to loosen the muscles tightening in his back, neck and shoulders. "Flynn," he called.
Flynn glanced over, pushing Kalian aside so he could see Merlin. Kalian grunted and just walked out of the way, moving away to stand by one of the fires that had since been started.
"Yes?" Flynn asked, looking over Merlin at the child before him.
Mordred's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them, wondering what Merlin had called Flynn over for. He stayed silent, looking to Merlin for the explanation.
Merlin looked up at Flynn, "I'm going to check the others; Just in case, I don't know, I know any of them. Please stay with him?"
Flynn nodded, looking a bit confused. "The great Emrys, high-tailing it away from a scary little boy...?" Flynn mused, smiling at Merlin.
Merlin didn't pause, only grinned, tilting and shaking his head, and blinking quickly "You know how scary they are!" he quipped, and scrambled into a standing position, hands clenched at his sides. His clothes were starting to dry, and it was somehow worse than before. Now damp, growing disgustingly stiff, and starting to smell of ocean water and sweat. He was covered in mud, he felt nauseous, and now to top it off, Mordred. The child who was to kill Arthur.
He couldn't deal with all of this, some island, Arthur perhaps in danger, a group of his kin trapped and sick, Mordred, and... not right now. Not with the great dragon screaming in his head to kill him; or at least, his thoughts had taken on that voice to taunt him.
Maybe it was time to stop listening to the Dragon.
Flynn nodded and watched Merlin go. Clearly, the warlock was troubled, though he didn't say it aloud. Flynn looked at Mordred again, wondering what was so particularly awful about the child.
Merlin sat down on a stump, only to find it covered in a revolting muddy crushed-toad like paste. His body tensed, ready to stand up, but despite it he didn't move. He clasped his hands, pressing them against his face and resting his elbows on his knees.
"Emrys...?" a timid voice called, and he looked up to meet amber eyes. "My Mom's sick, and I hurt my wrist."
"Come here," he said softly, and stood up again, holding out his hand, his own long fingers wrapping around the little girl's. Kneeling before her, he uttered a healing spell, then straightened once more. "Where's your Mother?"
"She's this way, Mister Emrys." He was being dragged along by a six-year-old girl, boots sloshing through the muck. It didn't take him long to be led to the girl's mother, and it took him even less time to put a healing spell over her.
"Thank you Mister Emrys." Small arms wrapped around his knees. He almost toppled over, the only way he could balance being disrupted by her grateful hug. Somehow he stayed up.
By the time the six-year-old released him from the hug, his heart was hammering and his knees were on the verge of buckling.
He would describe his body's state as complete misery.
"Children ARE fairly scary!" Flynn called, having just seen what had occured.
The storm had died down a bit-much more than before-and the black clouds were now a dull grey. The sun would likely rise soon, but for the time being, the moon shone on the water.
Several voices began calling out that they saw a ship in the distance. People began running toward the water to see through the darkness. If it a ship, they may be rescued.
"No, don't -" Merlin pursed his lips, briskly walking after them, then moving up to a jog. His legs wobbled beneath him and a numbness settled in his thighs and calves, so the attempted run ended up looking more like an old man hobbling. "We don't know whose on the ship!" he exclaimed, "The Captain could have been coming with a fleet, and we wouldn't know!"
Many of the sorcerers didn't listen, but kept running, standing on the edge of the beach. Others, like Kalian, Flynn, and Jillian, stayed behind with Merlin. Flynn was still keeping an eye on Mordred, and had a grip on the child's hand, so he didn't wander off.
"Or perhaps it could be a fishing boat?" Kalian asked hopefully.
"Why would that be so wonderful?" Flynn questioned.
"Because, unlike you, I'm actually hungry-fishing boat equals fish, equals food."
"I'm with Kalian," Merlin said hastily, mouth watering at the mention of food.
Flynn laughed, smirking. "Fine, then perhaps it is a fishing boat... after all, I wouldn't crush your hopes."
Jillian snorted. "It's pro'lly just some old sailing ship just taking people across the ocean, with some jelly-faced captain that wants no more aboard his ship."
Merlin choked on his own spit, "Jelly-faced?"
Jillian looked at Merlin and shrugged. "Yeah, you know..." she puffed out her cheeks and poked them, making her impersonation of a 'jelly-face.'
Flynn and Kalian laughed. "Hopefully it's not one of them..." Kalian said with a grin.
Mordred even smiled slightly. "Jelly face..." he muttered quietly, laughing to himself.
Merlin watched the ship cautiously. An anchor was lowered, and from the speed and awkwardness of its descent, the people lowering it weren't exactly experienced. Boats were also lowered, and a small group climbed into it. The process was slow, but rushed, and the air that buzzed around them could almost be felt on the shore. Excitement, nervousness, battle-ready.
Flynn shook his head and looked at Merlin and Kalian. "I'm afraid it's not your fishermen... I'm sorry." he faked a tone of sympathy. Whoever it was was looking for them, and knew little of ships-that was probably good news.
The closer the got, the easier they were too see. Merlin finally stepped out, sinking into ugly swamp like sand. Morgana. Her long black hair and pale skin stuck out against the grey horizon. Some other people he didn't recognize, several knights, and then the bossiest, most iridescent-bot fly on earth. Arthur.
He grinned, teeth contrasting brilliantly against his brown-smeared, dirty face. "Arthur!"
From the lifeboat, Arthur heard the call. He recognized the voice of his friend. He pushed his way past the knights until he was at the front of the small boat beside Morgana.
"Merlin!" he called back, waving and grinning as he recognized the young man standing on the beach with... it must have been more than fifty others.
He turned to Morgana. "It's them, they're alive!" Of course, she would already have known, but he said so anyway.
"Where are the others? Do you see Flynn?" she asked, pulling her hair back and looking across the distance toward the shore.
Gwaine tossed his hair out of his face, staring at the people stranded on the shore. With a half-smile on his face, he looked sideways at Arthur, "I guess there aren't damsels to save after all." He paused before whispering under his breath, "What a let down."
Arthur breathed a relieved laugh. "I'm sure there are plenty of damsels... we'll see when we reach shore. I'm just glad they're all right."
"MERLIN! Are you unharmed?" the king called out.
Merlin looked down at himself, suddenly unsure of whether he was or not. He looked back up, still smiling. He tossed his arms out, "Yes!"
Arthur saw the motion and rolled his eyes. "Yes, though perhaps with a bit of brain damage?" he teased.
"Well then I must have had it long before this - putting up with-" Merlin held out the last word, straining to come up with something, "Such a - cow faced turtle!"
Arthur snorted and threw his arms out to his sides. "Really, Merlin, it's almost as though you WANT to be left on that island!" he snorted out. He didn't hide a smile though.
"Maybe I do! Better than being stuck with you!" Merlin retorted, still beaming. He trudged out, until he was about knee-deep in water, and reached the boat, helping haul it to shore. Despite shaking like a leaf, at least now he felt as though he had some kind of energy again.
Arthur and the others hopped out of the boat. Arthur yanked Merlin into a rough hug, wrapping his arms aroung the scrawny frame of the warlock, then pulling him back to ensure he wasn't injured.
Merlin let out a jovial laugh, then looked back over his shoulder, the quick motion sending him awkwardly sprawling backwards onto the young King, then sliding down into the water.
Arthur pulled Merlin up, keeping a grip on Merlin's shoulder, to ensure that he didn't drown himself after they'd all gone through so much to save him.
"For being so powerful, you are bound to be the clumsiest person on the planet, Merlin."
Gwaine trudged up beside Merlin, looking over the soaked-and-muddy-man. "Gwaine," he introduced, and nodded several times. Merlin looked away from Arthur.
"Merlin," he said.
"Ah - you're the one he spoke of. Well, Merlin, I'm going to find myself some damsels in distress," he said, and as he passed by gave the warlock a quick slap on the shoulder.
Arthur grinned and shook his head. "He owns the ship. We met him, and a man named Percival, at a tavern while we were looking for you. They would make good knights-noble, honest, and helpful. Really, Merlin, you should take lessons from them," Arthur teased.
...Morgana was glad she wasn't wearing a dress, as she made her way from the boat. She saw a child, running towards her, and in a brief moment of confusion, she recognized him. Shock and happiness at seeing him again made her momentarily pause, before she embraced him tightly. "Mordred? It's so good to see you! Are you well?" she pulled back, looking him over.
"Yes, Morgana," he replied quietly, yet strongly. She let out a soft, short laugh, smiling widely, and keeping her hands on his shoulders.
Glancing up, she looked over the crowd of magic-users. Her eyes met Flynn's. She looked down at Mordred, the boy she'd saved so long ago now. "I won't be a moment," she said, and at his shrug, she moved.
Her purple velvet cloak trailed behind her, dragging over the ground and staining itself. She didn't bother to think about it, until it snagged on something. She lifted it up like the skirt of a dress, and started running, her long hair being swept across her back.
Flynn was glad to see Morgana safe. He'd been concerned for her safety. Luckily, she'd not been taken-she was there now though. He met her halfway, stopping her and putting a hand on either side of her face.
"Are you all right?" he asked in concern.
Morgana searched blue eyes, before her arms were reaching out and around Flynn's neck, her cheek brushing against his.
He wrapped his arms around her, not having expected that exactly-though he didn't mind it. He smiled slightly, then pulled back. "I take it you are then..." He ran one hand through her dark hair, pushing a loose strand out of her face."I babysat Merlin for you," he added after a moment of silence.
She near-laughed, her head angling down, pink lips still pulled back in a smile. "He does need babysitting sometimes, doesn't he," she joked fondly, and pressed full-lips against his cheek, before putting a hand on the back of his neck, and the other on his back, her forehead coming to rest on his shoulder.
"Yes." Flynn smiled as Morgana leaned against him. He ran one hand slowly over her back, while the other stayed on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're safe-I thought they may have taken you-" his voice trailed off.
Morgana nodded, and quietly let out a long breath.
"We're all okay."
THE END, ThANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!