A/N: Next chapter! The hugest thanks on earth for everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited :) I hope you will like this chapter; it's kind of sweet I think…

I'm going on a trip to London on Monday, so there won't be any updates for the next two weeks, I hope you understand.

Read and enjoy! ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. Surprise, surprise.

CHAPTER 8: FEARING ANGEL

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"So, I decided that, since we trained the whole day, we should spend the evening at the lake." Arthur announced while he left the gym, followed by the whole fencing team including Merlin.

"Nice idea. Today's the first really hot day this summer, I think we should go." Gwaine commented with a wink. Everyone knew he just hoped to find girls in bikinis. Nevertheless, everybody nodded in agreement. Well, everybody except Merlin.

"I don't think I have time…" The raven haired mumbled, hoping he would get away with that. But he was never that lucky.

"Come on, Merlin, don't be such a girl. You never have anything important to do! I promise it will be fun." Arthur said with a grin while slapping his friend on the shoulder.

"You may be right, but I still don't-"Merlin was interrupted midsentence while rubbing his aching shoulder.

"It's settled then!" Arthur said with a smile, totally oblivious to the raven haired's growing unease.

Merlin gulped. He had a problem now. A real problem. Being an angel, Merlin had never learned how to swim. There were no lakes, rivers or oceans in the heaven after all, so why should he have bothered with learning how to swim? There just had been no need to! And now everyone expected him to go to a lake and that meant they expected him to go swimming!

Maybe he could go there but just not enter the water. It's not that he feared the water, but he didn't trust it either. It was just unnatural for angels to go swimming, they just didn't do it. But wouldn't it be suspicious if he stayed outside of the lake? They would surely notice…

And if Merlin told them that he couldn't swim, they would get even more suspicious and maybe they would also laugh at him…

So what should he do now?

Merlin watched in silence as everyone parted ways with the promise that they would meet again here in an hour, ready to go to the lake. The young angel decided that he just wouldn't come with the excuse that he didn't feel well. Surely Gaius would understand his situation and support his lie.

With an expression of grim determination he headed directly to the older man's room, but didn't make it far as he suddenly saw Arthur rounding the corner.

"Ah, Merlin! Hurry up and get your stuff, I can't wait to go to the lake!" The blonde exclaimed with a grin on his face.

Why did Arthur have to be so cheerful today? Couldn't he just leave him alone? Now he had to make up an excuse, Merlin knew he wouldn't get to Gaius' room anytime soon.

"Well, Arthur, there's a problem…" Merlin started while shifting nervously.

"Just tell me, maybe I can help" Arthur offered with a skeptic look towards the raven haired.

"Emm… I can't… Í don't have any swimming trunks at the moment!" That wasn't a lie actually; Merlin really didn't have any because he couldn't swim after all.

"Oh, I see…You can have a pair of mine; they shouldn't be too big." Arthur said as he pulled Merlin into direction of his room.

Now that wasn't exactly going according to plan; why did Arthur have to ruin everything?! Merlin inwardly sighed and silently admitted defeat as he was dragged through the hallways. He would have to tell them… But not yet, maybe he could still get away with just not going into the water? Merlin honestly didn't believe in saving himself from humiliation, but he wouldn't give up!

When they entered Arthur's room, Merlin once again was surprised by how messy it was. Just how did everything in this room find its way to the floor?

Merlin's question was answered as Arthur started rummaging through his wardrobe and various clothes landed all over the room.

"You're just too skinny…"Arthur mumbled while he glanced over at the raven haired that stood awkwardly in the midst of the up piling clothing.

With a sigh, he pulled a pair of swimming trunks out from the very bottom of his wardrobe. "Those are the smallest I have, I hope they fit" Arthur said and tossed them over to Merlin, who failed to catch them and had to pick them up from the ground again.

"Uhh…Thanks…" Merlin grumbled as he warily eyed the blue fabric in his hands.

"Now come on, the lake is waiting!" Arthur said with a chuckle and continued to drag Merlin around, totally oblivious to the expression of distress on the younger one's face.

This was going to have a bad end; Merlin knew for sure.

Nothing good ever came from an overly cheerful Arthur.

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There it was. His archenemy, the most feared thing in his life. (No, he wasn't exaggerating.) Cold and dark and endless, Merlin felt as if he could be drowning by just looking at it.

Water.

Merlin watched with narrowed eyes how the people in the lake were splashing water at each other; they seemed to really enjoy themselves. They must really have a death wish if they went that far into the deep water, weren't they afraid?

The sun was shining heavily down on Merlin and he feared that if he didn't go into the shadows soon his pale skin would get a sunburn. He quickly found a tree and made himself comfortable under it. He would just stay here and not go into the water, then everything should be fine.

Merlin lay down and closed his eyes for a moment, just enjoying the peace and silence. He could stay like this forever, and he would have surely fallen asleep if it wouldn't be for Arthur.

"Come on, Merlin! Get changed!" He barked and Merlin slowly opened his eyes again. Everyone was already wearing swimming trunks and Elyan and Percy were already having a race in the water.

"What are you waiting for?" The blonde asked and walked over to the younger one. "Don't worry, the water isn't that cold"

Merlin sighed and closed his eyes again. "I won't go into the water."

"What? Why not?" Arthur demanded and looked down at the raven haired with narrowed eyes. "I already lent you a pair of swimming trunks!"

"I just don't want to" Merlin mumbled lazily and waved with his hand dismissively.

"No seriously, why not?" Arthur pestered, not being satisfied with Merlin's previous answer.

"Listen. I don't want to go into the water. Got it?" The raven haired said as if he was speaking with a child.

"Well, if you don't go on your own, I guess I have to push you a little, eh?"

Merlin's eyes instantly snapped open and he watched the approaching blonde with wariness. "Arthur, what are you- ahh!"

The young angel suddenly found himself being lifted up bridal style by his smirking protégé. "Let me down! Arthur!" He screamed and dreaded what this evil prat would do now.

But Merlin was ignored and Arthur carried him over to the edge of the lake. "Arthur! Let me down! Please, let me down!" Merlin was growing panicked with every step the blonde took. He wanted to free himself, but his body was paralyzed with fear as he saw the dark water nearing him.

"Please, Arthur! I don't- I can't- Please, let me down now! Please, Arthur, stop it, just stop it!" He literally begged but Arthur's smirk grew even wider. How could he be so heartless? Was he really intending to kill Merlin?!

"Arthur, I don't think you should-" Merlin heard someone, probably Leon, say but that someone was cut off by Arthur's chuckle.

"Too late."

Merlin suddenly found himself flying through the air, an unfortunately very unmanly scream escaped his lips as his eyes widened and he tried very hard to suppress his wings from breaking free and saving him from falling.

Suddenly, his back met with something cold and wet.

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He would die.

Merlin seriously believed that as his body hit the surface and sank into the water. Panic tightened his chest and he wanted to scream, but all that came out was the last bit of air he had had in his lungs in the form of bubbles swirling all around him and making it even harder to see anything. His eyes burned as they were still wide open in shock and Merlin started to shiver, partly from the cold of the water, partly from the fear of drowning.

But then he regained his senses and managed to maneuver himself into a standing position, his bare feet sinking into the warm sand. Merlin pulled his head up and finally broke through the surface of the hated water. He took a deep breath of the lovely air and let it rush into his empty lungs. Maybe he hadn't been under water for too long, but the panic had let him feel like he was drowning and Merlin swore to himself that he would kill Arthur once he was out of this wet evil.

Merlin quickly made his way out of the water, his whole body shivering and his clothes sticking to his skin. A few drops fell from his hair into his face, but Merlin didn't bother to brush them away, it would be useless as wet as he was.

As he spotted the blonde sitting in the grass with an amused grin on his face, Merlin started to glare daggers as he walked over to his protégé. He watched with grim satisfaction how the grin slowly vanished and instead was replaced by an unsure look in Arthur's stormy blue eyes.

"You stupid, ignorant, selfish prat!" Merlin wasn't shouting; it was more like a low, threatening voice but the words echoed loudly in Arthur's ears. Maybe he had once again gone too far? Merlin seemed really pissed…If Arthur hadn't known that the boy was a clumsy idiot, he might have watched the murderous look in Merlin's azure blue eyes with fear.

"Just so you know, I can't swim and you just threw me into the water!" Merlin whispered while bending down to Arthur, their faces just inches apart. "Fun at the lake my ass! I'm out; you can have your stupid arrogant fun without me." The raven haired turned around and walked away without glancing back.

Arthur just sat there dumbfounded. Merlin couldn't swim? Why couldn't he swim? And more importantly, why hadn't he just said so?

"I seriously though he was going to punch you in the face" Gwaine mumbled as he watched the retreating form of their friend. "You deserve it" He added while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Seriously Arthur, he can't even swim!" Elyan scolded while he put on his sunglasses.

"How should I have known that?!" Arthur responded and looked away, not wanting to face the disapproval of the others.

"But you could have just listened to him when he told you that he didn't want to go into the water. Didn't you think that he had a reason?" Percival suddenly pointed out.

"Well…no. I just thought…" Arthur trailed of, not knowing what he actually wanted to say.

"That's the problem, Princess. You didn't think. Not about Merlin's well being at least." Gwaine said without sympathy for Arthur's growing guilt.

"Look, I'm sorry and I regret throwing him into the water. Satisfied?" Arthur mumbled, slightly ashamed. He hoped that the others would forgive him, then they could support him with apologizing to Merlin. If Arthur was honest, he didn't really want to go and speak with the utterly pissed Merlin alone.

"Arthur, you should apologize to Merlin, not to us." Lancelot said with a serious tone, but a soft smile lightened up his face.

Arthur just sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright…Does anybody want to accompany me?" He asked with the most innocent smile he could force onto his face.

"You should do this alone, Arthur. But we wish you good luck." Leon said that as if Arthur was going off into some kind of life threatening battle.

Arthur just stood up with a sigh and made his way to where he assumed Merlin must have gone to.

He just hoped he would get out of this alive.

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"Uggh! He is so stupid! Endlessly stupid! The most stupid on earth and in heaven! He is so stupid; he doesn't even deserve my help!"

To say that Merlin was angry with Arthur would be an understatement. The young angel had been so close to punching Arthur, but he had been able to hold himself back. Partly because he was sure that Arthur would just punch him back, probably even harder, and partly because he was Arthur's guardian angel. It was only permitted to use violence when it was necessary to defend one's protégé. The worst thing a guardian could probably do was to hurt his protégé and Merlin really didn't want to break the law. Who knew what punishment would have awaited him?

With an exasperated sigh, Merlin slowed down and stopped right under a tree near the edge of the lake, but still far enough from it to keep the raven haired safe from the water.

He sat down and rested his back against the trunk, eyes slowly falling shut again. Being out in the sun always made him feel so tired…

Back at home, the sun had been shining almost every day, since they were high above the clouds. It really was a curse to have such pale skin then, because he would always get a sunburn if he wasn't careful.

And Will would always tease him about it and his mother would always scold him when he stayed in the sun for too long. But then she would smile at him and use her powers to heal his skin. His mother had never been a guardian angel, since she had given birth to him before she had completed her education, but she never complained about that. Merlin guessed that she was afraid of going down to earth and preferred to stay in heaven.

Now that he wasn't a child anymore, his mother had become a medical angel and healed angels who weren't able to heal themselves.

Merlin himself wasn't an expert at healing; he just knew the basics which every angel had to learn. He had always been better at releasing energy, mostly in form of fire, lightning or shockwaves. Not that he was destructive or something; it was just that this was more natural to him than healing someone. Maybe it had to do something with Kilgarrah's education?

Merlin silently smiled to himself while he thought about all those he had to left behind; he really missed them…

Oh no, now he was getting homesick.

The smile on the young angel's face started to vanish and he blinked his eyes open.

He literally jumped to his feet when he noticed a girl sitting right in front of him, staring at him as if he was some kind of painting in a museum. Why hadn't he felt her presence?

"Um…err…Sorry…" The girl mumbled and hastily scooted to her feet, taking a few steps away from Merlin and giving him some space.

When he had escaped his state of shock, the raven haired gave the girl in front of him a closer look.

She had long dark brown hair and warm hazel eyes that still stared at him with mild curiosity. The girl was wearing a long moss green dress and no shoes.

Merlin couldn't help but smile at the girl; she made him feel like he was at home. He simply ignored the fact that her aura confused him, he could think about that later.

"You don't have to apologize" He simply said and sat back down again, still smiling like an idiot. "Why don't you keep me company?"

The girl looked at him for a moment with an unreadable expression, before she nodded and made herself comfortable next to the raven haired.

"I'm Merlin by the way" he introduced himself and held out his hand so the girl could shake it.

"I'm Freya" She answered with a shy smile and took his hand. They shook and then let go again, although a little reluctantly. Merlin was sure he had never felt such soft and warm hands in his own.

"That guy was mean" Freya suddenly said and earned a confused look from Merlin. "That blonde guy, he was pretty mean to you"

Merlin felt a little heat rising to his face and he cursed himself. "You saw that?" He mumbled ashamed and stared at the ground.

"Yeah…But it's okay. I like people who admit their weaknesses much more than some stupid bully." She said with a bright smile and Merlin noticed how his heart skipped a beat. She was such a kind girl…

"Thanks, that cheered me up" He said with a smile and lost himself in Freya's deep and warm eyes. He didn't want to see anything else again, just those eyes that made him nervous and calm at the same time.

She brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and gazed up at him. "I could teach you how to swim, if you want" She offered with a sweet smile. "But I won't force you to anything if you want to keep your distance from the water."

Merlin tilted his head slightly and considered her offer. Suddenly entering the water didn't sound so bad if Freya would be in his company. "I'll think about it" the raven haired replied with a short glance at the water.

"I promise, once you can swim, you won't want to ever leave the water again." Freya exclaimed and her expression seemed to lighten up, she really seemed to love the water. Maybe, Merlin thought, he could learn to love the water too if Freya was his teacher.

"When you say that I can't help but believe you" he teased and unconsciously came her a little closer. Freya chuckled and it sounded like the ringing of golden bells to Merlin.

"We have to meet here again…" She said but trailed of as they came closer to each other.

A small blush found its way to his face as it was just inches apart from Freya's. He could see every one of her long dark lashes and the light that danced in her eyes.

Now Freya was blushing too and her eyes slowly fluttered shut.

The raven haired's gaze wandered from her eyes over her face down to her lips. Soft, pink kissable lips…

Merlin came even closer, feeling his heart beat in his chest loudly…

Wasn't that happening to soon?! He only met that girl a few minutes ago! And yet…he felt drawn to her like he had never felt before… Maybe he should just-

"Merlin! There you are!"

Merlin jumped a little as he heard the voice of a certain blonde and instantly leaned away from Freya out of reflex. She did the same and stared at the ground with a bright red face.

The young angel imagined that his face was the same color and he turned around slowly, sending a death glare at his protégé.

"Arthur." He said simply, his face a stoic mask. He was still angry from earlier and now he was even angrier. That prat ruined everything, really everything!

Although, he had to admit, he was a little bit thankful that he hadn't continued… It would have been a mistake to just kiss a girl he had only just met, right?

And there was still the thing with her aura… She wasn't a fallen angel that was for sure… She felt a little like an angel, but not quite… She also felt a little like a human, but then again she didn't… It was just confusing to say the least, but as Merlin though about it, he came to the realization that he simply didn't care.

It didn't matter who or what Freya was, at least not to him. It was enough that she existed.

"What do you want?" He asked his protégé with a sigh. Arthur looked slightly uncomfortable and glanced at Freya every few seconds.

"Did I…interrupt something?" He asked sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

Merlin felt himself blush again but glared at Arthur nonetheless. "Yeah, but that doesn't matter now, does it?"

Arthur looked at the ground before he glanced up at the raven haired with guilt in his eyes.

"I just came here to say sorry…I really regret throwing you into the water against your will…I know that I behaved stupid and mean… "

Merlin looked at his protégé for a few seconds, figuring that he probably meant what he said. His features softened and gave Arthur a little smile, he just couldn't be angry at him when he was apologizing with such honesty.

"Alright, I forgive you."

Arthur stared at the raven haired with big eyes. He forgave him? Just like that? Well, he surely wouldn't question that.

"I have to go now. But I'm sure we will meet again soon, Merlin." Freya suddenly said to him, but her eyes were directed at the sun which was slowly starting to set. With a last smile, she turned around and walked away, her moss green dress floating behind her.

Merlin just stood there and watched how she vanished behind some trees. He was already missing her…

"I didn't know you were such a womanizer. Is that your girlfriend? You have to introduce us the next time" Arthur teased and slung an arm around Merlin's shoulder; he was just glad to be getting along with Merlin again.

"She's not my girlfriend." Merlin said and rolled his eyes, shrugging of Arthur's arm but not in an aggressive manner.

"Sure."

"No, seriously, I only met her today."

"What, and then you attempt to kiss her?!"

"I'm not as slow as you. By the way, Gwen is still angry at you."

"Who understands the taste of women?"

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The warm summer wind was blowing her dark hair into every direction. Wide spread wings cut sharply through the air, leaving some lone snow white feathers floating through the air before slowly falling to the ground.

Freya loved it to fly while the sun was setting; it always felt so warm and comforting, as if the sunset would just wash away her sorrows. But at the same time, she feared the sunset. Not the sunset directly, but what would be happing when it was over. It would become dark and the moon would raise high above her head.

It would become night.

But today, Freya didn't even notice the sunset; her mind was occupied with other things.

Or more specific; with one person.

Merlin.

What a wonderful name, suitable for a wonderful person like him.

Freya had no experience with that, but she felt drawn to the angel. His smile would make her feel secure and his touch would make her heart beat faster in her chest.

Was that what they called love?

Freya didn't remember having ever felt like that. She really wanted to see Merlin again, especially to see the real Merlin; with wings and golden eyes. Freya dreamed of flying through the clouds with him, of teaching him how to swim and of watching the sunset with him.

She suddenly realized that the latter probably wasn't a good idea. He didn't know what she was.

Would he hate her? Would he call her a monster if he found out?

Freya didn't dare to think about it. She just wouldn't tell him and they would just meet in the daylight and not at night. But who was she kidding? Merlin would find out eventually and then he would leave her like everybody else had. And she would be all alone again…

But no, Merlin wouldn't do that; he was far too kind hearted for that, right? He wouldn't hurt her; she had seen it in his eyes. Freya believed his unspoken words, she trusted Merlin with everything she had, even though they had just met, she knew she loved him.

And Merlin must like her too, right? Otherwise he wouldn't have tried to kiss her.

A blush appeared on her cheeks at that thought and for a moment Freya didn't look where she was flying. She barely managed to avoid crashing into a church tower and decided that any further flying was too dangerous at the moment so Freya landed on the roof of the church, where she made herself comfortable.

She slowly closed her eyes but she always saw the lovely face of one certain guardian angel. His bright smile; those big blue eyes that covered probably even more beautiful golden ones; that soft black hair and those utterly cute ears.

Lost in her daydreaming, Freya failed to notice how dark it was getting until the moon stood high in the sky, surrounded by twinkling stars.

The bell in the church tower rang twelve times and Freya's eyes suddenly snapped open and she stared blankly at the dark sky above her.

It was midnight.

With some kind of resigned horror, the brunette watched as her previously snow white wings turned pitch black.

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A/N: I hope it was to your liking, a review would be nice :) Like I already said, I'm going on a trip to London, so no updates for the next two weeks…I hope you don't mind :)

The next chapter contains: Morgause and Mordred wreaking havoc and Arthur getting injured (no more Freylin for the next chapters, sorry for those who want more, you'll have to wait)

Until next time and enjoy your summer~

by DarkChain