I am so sorry about the absence. School has pretty much taken over my life. But I will finish this! I promise. Have a great week.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
The wind whipped through Gwaine's hair as he and the wolf bounded through the forest. Though, bounded wasn't a good word for the running Rowena was doing. She wasn't running through the forest, she was flying. Gwaine wouldn't be surprised if her feet never touched the ground from the way they were zipping through the trees. When Rowena had first suggested Gwaine grab onto her, he had been afraid that he was too heavy for the wolf. But, Rowena quickly proved him wrong. To her, Gwaine probably felt only a little heavier than a fly. A nuisance, but not one that would slow her down.
The few times Gwaine dared to open his eyes, he squeezed them shut almost immediately, feeling sick from the view he was given. Trees shooting at the pair, drawing closer before appearing to jump out of their way in an effort not to be hit. Rowena wasn't running with the turn of the Earth, she was turning the Earth, making the world spin to her beat. Forcing it to comply with her wishes to arrive back at the citadel as quickly as possible.
Gwaine wanted to know how Rowena did it, what spell she used to travel so many leagues. But each time he opened his mouth the breath was stolen from his lungs. It was torn out of his body, dissipating into the air along with the tears that continued to leak from his eyes. But soon enough, the Earth returned to its normal rotation. The trees no longer flew at them. Rowena's paws began to hit the ground with a pace similar to that of Gwaine's heart. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. The cycle repeated itself. Though, they were in opposition with one another. For every second Rowena slowed down, Gwaine's heart sped up.
"Please be alright," Gwaine whispered as Rowena slowed to little more than a trot. His heart was beating so hard, he feared it would leap from his chest, running towards the little boy who was in danger, who was scared. Gwaine started to feel himself shift more, Rowena's magic no longer keeping him balanced on her back. He looked up to see the citadel, rising over the trees. But it was different than when he had last seen it. The white towers that once stood proudly against the sky were now in ruins, collapsing in on themselves and stained grey. The smoke rose from them, oscillating between large, billowing towers of black and small, delicate wisps of silver. Gwaine felt his jaw drop. His ears began to ring with the screams that were no doubt echoing around the castle, around the town.
"We have to hurry. If this is what the castle is like, then Merlin's probably in a lot of danger!" Gwaine cried, wondering why Rowena had stopped so soon. Why hadn't she kept up the pace all the way through the castle? Why had she slowed down now? Was it to make Gwaine see the destruction before taking off again? They could have been there by now if Rowena hadn't stopped to gawk at a ruined tower!
"Patience my pup." Rowena's silky voice came floating through Gwaine's mind. Her words were calming him, centering him. "I had to ensure there was no barrier to prevent my passage. The sorcerer within the castle is erratic, unpredictable. There is on telling what powers he possesses. One wrong move and we could have been killed before we found Merlin," she continued, her deep, rich voice continuing to act as an anchor for Gwaine's mind. Sure enough, as soon as the words were spoken, her feet began to beat against the ground once more until they no longer needed to touch it. Until they were flying again.
Gwaine squeezed his eyes shut, letting the wind cut his cheeks and pierce his body. Inside, his thoughts were raging, switching between worry eating away at his stomach, and anger boiling in his veins. If Merlin was hurt in any way, Gwaine knew that two things were going to happen. First, Gwaine would personally ensure Ulric would never live to see another day. He would hurt the man one thousand times worse than he hurt Merlin. He would ensure that with every injury dealt to Ulric's body, he would know that no one, no one, was allowed to mess with Merlin. No one was allowed to lay a hand on Merlin.
Gwaine also knew that if Merlin were hurt, he would never be able to forgive himself. The child was so innocent, and to have the violently ripped away from him because Gwaine couldn't keep him safe, just the thought made his gut twist and knot itself. Merlin had been through so much. He had endured too much. And Gwaine had sworn when he saw Merlin's small form lying still as death on that bed that he would do everything in his power to keep him safe.
But what had he done? He had run away. He ran away from his past, leaving that boy at the hands of a monster, someone he knew for sure was a monster. And now, Merlin would pay the price for Gwaine's cowardice.
Gwaine thought the he cared a great deal for Merlin. He thought he had finally found something worth protecting, something he would remain loyal to for the rest of his life. He was loyal to Camelot, no doubt about it. But it was more in the sense that he wanted to see it grow to become a wonderful kingdom. He was sure that only Arthur could make that happen. He cared for his friends, would die for them. But Merlin was so much more.
Gwaine was willing to walk through all the levels of hell and back just to keep Merlin safe, to see him smile. He would fight demons and topple gods if they posed a threat to that kid. He loved Merlin more than he ever thought possible. More than anyone ever thought possible. But while Gwaine may seem like nothing more than a playful drunk, he was passionate beyond all compare. Once an emotion was lit inside him, it would burst into an uncontrollable fire, spilling out of every pore as he let the world know exactly what he was feeling.
"Sir Gwaine, we are nearly there," Rowena spoke once more. "I will not be able to communicate with you much longer. The spell is wearing thin. Even now it is hard for me to talk with you." Gwaine patted the side of her neck the best he could while ensuring he didn't fall off.
"That's okay. I just want to find Ulric and make him pay for what he's done," Gwaine said, meaning every word of it. Rowena growled in response. Though he couldn't see her eyes, Gwaine was sure they were alight with a fiery passion, feeling every bit as enraged at Gwaine.
Finally, they skidded to a stop outside the throne room. Gwaine got to his feet before recoiling at the sight of all the bodies piled outside.
"This was a massacre," Rowena growled. Her teeth were bared, fangs dripping with saliva, ears pulled back, contorting her once regal and beautiful face into something to fear. Gwaine nodded and carefully stepped over the bodies. He did not want to be disrespectful to those who had died because he was unable to be the brave knight Camelot needed.
At 16, he was an idiot, a fool who thought himself unbeatable. At 18, he was a coward, not returning to finish what he started. But now, now he was something more. He was a fighter. He was a knight. And he cared about Merlin enough to know that he would never allow Ulric to hurt another person again. He would never allow himself to once more run from his duty to restore balance to the world.
The smoke from the destroyed building was starting to clog Gwaine's senses. His eyes were watering and it was hard to breath. A booming laugh reverberated off the walls, running down the corridors and letting all know who was in the room. Gwaine felt himself tense. He had hoped to never hear that laugh again. He had hoped that he could live his life, only remembering it in his nightmares. But this wasn't a dream. This was a chance to make things right.
Gwaine took a deep breath and turned to look down at the wolf. "How about we make this bastard pay for hurting Merlin, eh?" he asked. Rowena looked up at him, her eyes glinting with amusement. Gwaine had a feeling she would like nothing better than to tear Ulric apart with her own teeth.
He pushed open the doors and quickly pulled his sword. The laughter stopped as soon as the doors were forced open, the wood cracking against the wall. Ulric was where Gwaine expected him to be, perched on the throne as if he had already won. Gwaine felt a rush of air and looked to see Rowena by Lancelot, licking his wounds. Gwaine tried not to notice how pale Lancelot had become. He shifted his attention, seeking Merlin out. He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing the child. He was next to Arthur, the man's arm wrapped tightly around Merlin's shoulders, shielding him from Ulric. The boy looked scraped, pale, and scared beyond measure. But he was alive, and that was all Gwaine wanted.
Next to him, Elyan lay on the ground. He was gasping for air, his chest expanding painfully to draw in the next breath. So Gwaine had let two of his friends needlessly suffer. He had two people who, should their lives be lost, he was responsible for. He didn't like this feeling.
Gwaine shifted his eyes once more, seeing Leon and Percival standing next to an old man. Gwaine wondered who he was and why he was there. He didn't look like any of the council members. He also didn't look like he was going to last for much longer. One good gust of wind would probably cause the old man to break a hip. Ulric started laughing.
"Oh my! I can't believe my eyes!" he said, gasping for air as he doubled over, falling off the throne. "I thought for sure you would have died by now, little brother! I thought you would have been mugged and left for dead! How are you here?" Ulric laughed, starting to gasp for air, but refusing to cease his cackling. "I haven't, I haven't seen you since you were 16! What are you doing here?" he gasped, finally started to calm down.
"Wait, little brother?" Percival said, stepping forward. Gwaine paid him no heed. Now, Ulric was important. Gwaine raised his sword, pointing it straight at the demon that ruined his life.
"I am here to end you Ulric. Like I should have done the last time I saw you," Gwaine growled. Ulric's face lit up even more.
"Well you were such a coward the first time. All weak and scrawny. It was probably a good thing those servants drugged you and smuggled you out of the castle. I wouldn't have gone easy on you just because you're family," Ulric said, showing off his teeth.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, pulling Merlin in tighter. "Gwaine, what is going on?" Ulric turned to Arthur and smile.
"Well, my dear king, this idiot you see in front of me is my little brother. Well, half-brother would be more accurate," Ulric said, looking fondly at Arthur. It made a shiver run up Gwaine's spine. What was Ulric's game? Why hadn't he killed anyone yet?
"What do you mean, half-brother?" Arthur growled. Ulric slicked back his hair and began to pace around the room.
"Well, you see, my birth mother wasn't strong enough to carry on the family lineage," Ulric began.
"What does that mean?" Leon said, starting to maneuver so he was in front of the old man.
"It means she died in child-birth. Our father was always obsessed with creating the perfect family. A family strong enough to survive anything. If you didn't fit his image, you were gone," Gwaine snarled.
"That's horrible. What kind of man doesn't mourn his wife after she's died?" Percival gasped.
"It's just the facts of life. People die. My father needed strong people to continue our dynasty, to create a bloodline that would outlast kings. He wanted to create something that could take down gods! And that was me, Emrys!" Ulric said beginning to laugh once more.
"You're mad," Arthur said shaking his head. Merlin had shifted so that he was now clutching onto Arthur's tunic, shaking so badly Gwaine wondered how he was still standing. Arthur was probably holding up the boy.
"No! I am all-powerful. I am immortal. You and I, my liege, together we will create a kingdom that will be everlasting!" Ulric cried.
"I don't want to live under any man who's killed children for the hell of it," Gwaine snarled lunging forward. His sword thrust in front of him, prepared to cut Ulric down. Ulric pulled out his sword and brought it down on Gwaine's, blocking the attack.
"I needed to thin the herd. Your mother and brother were weak. The boy was always sick. He had to die eventually. I chose to do it in a humane way," Ulric snarled. He pushed Gwaine's sword off of his. Gwaine stumbled back a few steps but quickly recovered, lunging forward and catching Ulric's left arm with his blade. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to startle Ulric.
"I say, you are much better than you were at 16. I thought you might be able to help me rule. I should have known better. I should have known how weak you are. You are not worthy to carry our father's blood in your veins. You are not worthy to call him father," Ulric snarled, advancing on Gwaine once more. Gwaine blocked the strikes with relative ease.
"I wish to have no part in sharing your cursed and wicked lineage," Gwaine snapped.
"Why don't you use your magic," Gwaine snarled. The two continued to fight. Each strike met with a powerful block. Gwaine was cut across the chest, his shirt and skin split open from the blade. Ulric sustained more cuts as well. Leon and Percival were helping the old man out. Arthur had started dragging Elyan out of the way, ensuring Gwaine or Ulric wouldn't trip on him and further harm him.
It was during one of the strikes that Gwaine noticed what had happened with Elyan. There was an ugly burn painted on his chest. The skin blackened and blistered from the fire that had struck him. It sickened Gwaine, almost made him lose. But Gwaine held fast, matching Ulric's skill.
"If you're so powerful, then why don't you use your magic?" Gwaine snarled. His wrists were hurting, straining under the numerous blocks Ulric had delivered.
"Because, dear brother, I want to make this at least a little fair for you," he said, panting with exertion. Gwaine smirked.
"You're not Emrys. You aren't even that powerful!" he cried, lunging forward once more.
oOoOoOo
Merlin watched the battle raging before his eyes. Arthur had put him in a corner and told him not to move, he didn't want to get in Gwaine's way and cause him to get hurt. Merlin sucked in a breath as Gwaine managed to block another of Ulric's blows. He was scared. He wanted this to end. Merlin looked to Lancelot. Gaius and Rowena were both there, trying their best to keep him alive. But Merlin could help. Merlin was always able to make the pain go away.
So, he crawled quickly over to Gaius and Rowena.
"Merlin, you need to get out of here. It's too dangerous!" Gaius gasped, his hands covered in blood. Merlin shook his head.
"Lancelot needs help. I can help," he said quietly.
"My pup, you always were a stubborn one," Rowena said, nuzzling Merlin's temple. Merlin leaned into it and centered himself, blocking out Gwaine and Ulric. He could heal Lancelot, he just needed his magic to listen to him. Feeling it thrumming through his veins, Merlin allowed his eyes to open. They flashed gold and a bright light engulfed the room. Merlin felt the magic pouring out of him, healing Lancelot, de-aging Uther, bringing Elyan back from the grave. He allowed it to caress all those who had been injured by this evil man fighting with his friends. He allowed it to end this battle once and for all.
oOoOoOo
Gwaine knew what was happening probably before anyone else did. He saw Merlin's magic beginning to pour out of the small child. He saw a light begin to fill the room. Ulric cried out, covering his eyes, attempting to shield the bright light. Gwaine took his chance. He squeezed his eyes shut and lunged at where Ulric was last standing. Sure enough, Gwaine felt the blade pierce flesh.
He opened his eyes as the light began to dim. He saw his blade, sticking out of Ulric's chest. The man's eyes were wide with confusion and a little fear. He was staring down at the blade, unsure if what was happening was real or not. He looked up at Gwaine, blood beginning to dribble out of his mouth.
"Impossible," he panted. Gwaine let his hands drop from the blade. Without him holding the sword, Ulric fell to his knees. Gwaine watched as he collapsed forward, pushing the sword further into his torso.
He turned to see Merlin collapsed on top of Lancelot, looking so much paler than before, if that was even possible. The others seemed to be in good shape, though the old man had disappeared and was now replaced with Uther.
Gwaine stepped back from Ulric's body and ran a hand through his hair. It was because of him that all this happened. It was because of him that Merlin was hurt and scared. Now, the child lay on Lancelot, sleeping, unconscious due to the amount of power he was forced to use. Ulric may have been dead, but Gwaine was still a failure. Arthur should have never have knighted him.