Thanks as usual for all the reviews, alerts, and favoring. I am going to try to get this finished before school starts again but this week is a bit crazy so my uploading will be a bit sporadic.
All the knights gave Merlin curious glances as they spotted him but no one said anything as they took their positions around the table.
"Morgana is going to attack Camelot with a force of fifty sorcerers at sunset." Arthur said bluntly.
The shock of everyone present was tangible. "How reliable is this information, my lord?" Leon asked.
"We received it from the most reliable source." Arthur said, nodding towards Merlin.
Now everyone's attention was focused on him. Once more it was Leon who spoke. "Who is this man, my lord?"
The word "Merlin" was forming on Arthur's lips when he realized what he was doing. He began fumbling, trying to figure out how to respond.
Merlin, thinking quickly said, "You may call me Emrys."
Percival visibly started at this and Merlin had to fight the urge to smack his head against the table in frustration. Idiot, he must have heard the legends. However Percival made no comment as Arthur began giving them all instructions as to how to prepare for the attack. During the briefing all of the knights would occasionally shoot Merlin curious glances, however about halfway through Lancelot began openly scrutinizing him. Merlin looked down and tried to avoid his gaze. There was a sudden intake of breath from across the table and Merlin raised his gaze to look at Lancelot. "Merlin?" he mouthed. Merlin bowed his head in confirmation. From then on Lancelot pointedly looked anywhere except at him. Merlin rolled his eyes. Yes Lancelot, because that isn't suspicious at all.
Arthur finished speaking and the knights and Gwen exited the room, leaving Arthur and Merlin alone. Merlin stared down at his feet for awhile, trying to make up his mind on what to do. Finally he spoke, "I am going to go talk to Gwaine." He said, and walked out of the room before Arthur could speak a word.
Merlin had no trouble finding Gwaine. He was leaning against a wall outside the stables and after studying him for a minute Merlin realized something he hadn't noticed before. He's even more drunk than usual! No wonder he didn't recognize me.
Merlin approached the man he still considered his friend. Gwaine's eyes were unfocused and he was leaning on the wall heavily to hold himself upright. As Merlin came to stand in front of him though, his eyes focused and he grinned widely. "Hello Emrys, I'm Gwaine!"
Under different circumstances Merlin would have had to resist the urge to laugh. He was in no laughing mood however as he put out his hands and gripped Gwaine's shoulders. "Gwaine, you have to believe me. I didn't attack you. You are my friend!" Tears were threatening in Merlin's eyes. "I was having trouble controlling my powers and you surprised me. It was instinctual. I'm sorry!"
Gwaine was looking down at his feet, now apparently sober and shaking his head slowly. "Merlin," he sighed. He now lifted his head up to look at Merlin, grinning widely.
Surprised, Merlin took a step backwards, releasing Gwaine's shoulders as he did so.
"You're forgiven Merlin. I know that it was an accident."
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You didn't believe me the last time I told you that. You thought I was evil," he said, clearly suspicious.
Gwaine laughed. "Merlin, I had just taken quite the knock to the head. After these past three weeks of thinking and Arthur pestering me, I realized what you had said was true. Besides, I had suspected you had magic for some time, so it wasn't too far a leap."
Merlin was going to respond but a young girl bumped into Gwaine and dropped the basket she was carrying. Gwaine handed it back to her and stood up to find Merlin frozen, eyes unfocused.
"Merlin?" Gwaine questioned.
He stayed like that a moment longer then he looked at Gwaine, his eyes focused once more. "We need to get to the castle walls, now!" He began running and without hesitation Gwaine followed. "All knights to the east wall immediately." Merlin sent the message to all the knights. He could only hope they would heed him and actually come.
The sun was beginning to sink behind the trees and the streets were utterly deserted as Merlin and Gwaine rushed to the east wall.
…
Arhur had heard Merlin's message and after a brief shock he had come to the wall as instructed. He was glad to see that everyone else had come as well. It was lucky because none of them knew that "Emrys" had magic.
Merlin and Gwaine burst through the door and onto the wall. Gwaine was smiling widely- a good sign.
"What's going on Me…er Emrys?" Arthur asked.
Merlin didn't reply but looked out towards the forest, all the knights following his gaze. They began emerge from the trees, all fifty-six of them, Morgana and Morgause standing in front.
"Well it seems that my brother's pet has warned him that we were coming." Morgana called upon seeing them. "It won't do you any good though, we will still crush you." Arthur noticed that Merlin's eyes hardened at Morgana's words. His knuckles were white as his hands gripped the stone of the outer wall. "You can still turn around Morgana. You can all leave with your lives and your freedom."
Morgana ignored her brother's words and instead spoke again to Merlin. "You can still join us Emrys."
"No." the word was a sent to everyone's mind, forceful and final.
"Emrys, you are a traitor!" Morgana screamed. "And you will die as a traitor. You have betrayed your own kind Emrys…or should I say Merlin."
Percival, Leon, and Elyan's heads whipped around to look at Merlin, realizing what they had missed. Arthur was also studying Merlin intently. The anger was clear on his features. It was something Arthur had never seen before and frankly it was scary. He never wanted Merlin to look at him like that. As he watched Merlin's eyes flashed gold and Morgana's head snapped around as though someone had slapped her across the face. Gwaine whooped in laughter.
Morgana glared at them, a trickle of blood flowing from her nose. She raised her hand in the air for a moment and then dropped it- the signal for attack.