Irony of Secrets
Galaya
Previous chapter: Smoke Mountain
Sorry I didn't update yesterday! I fell asleep four hours early! I stayed up way to late the night before. I'll try to do at least two updates tomorrow, one of them most likely well over 1,000 words, to make up for it!
I'll refer to Merlin/Emrys as "the sorcerer" when its Arthur's point of view, and "the warlock" when it's Merlin/Emrys's.
Chapter 11: Verin
"That 'Verin.' He's ahead of us."
"If you are doing this to escape…" Arthur threatened as they stalked along the outside edge of the path.
"What reason would I have to escape? I'm perfectly happy keeping out of trouble," Merlin stated.
"Aren't you already in a bit of trouble?" Gwaine asked.
"No. Not really," the warlock replied.
"How aren't you in trouble?"
"No one is holding a sword to my throat, so I must not be in danger."
Chuckling, the roguish Knight spun around and held his sword to the surprised warlock's throat. Merlin wondered for a second if the Knight was actually going to kill him. Then he saw Gwaine's grin and realized it was all a joke.
"You really are a 'noble' Knight, aren't you?" Merlin shot back, feigning annoyance.
Gwaine had a look of pure confusion and shock.
The young warlock chuckled to let Gwaine know he was also joking.
"Oh. Umm… Ha! Ha!" he tried to cover up his earlier surprise.
At that moment, there was an explosion in the trees. All of them looked over.
The light of the explosion caught Merlin's face, forcing him to blink rapidly and turn away.
Gwaine glimpsed his face for that split second.
'Who is he? He looked a bit like Merlin!' he thought. But, no, that can't be right. Merlin's back at Camelot, injured. Huh. Must be a trick of the light.'
"Golau, streic y cnawd!" they heard Verin yell.
Emrys immediately threw himself out in the open and chanted, "Tarian ni!"
A bright blue wall of magic shot up between them and Verin's spell.
"Cadwyn y troseddwr!" Emrys shouted.
Strands of blue light shot at Verin. He tried to ovoid them but wasn't able to shake them. They wrapped around him and squeezed, stopping Verin from being able to return the attack.
"Well, that's handy, now isn't it?" Gwaine commented, ever joking.
"We should find out what we can about him," Arthur stated. Turning to Emrys, he asked, "Can you…Umm…Keep from using magic against us?"
Emrys nodded, and then said, "Ddiarfogi y carcharor."
The Knights and Gwen shivered at the sight of seeing a sorcerer use magic so openly. Quite powerful magic at that.
Kneeling in front of Verin, Arthur questioned, "Why are you trying to kill us, other than the fact that Camelot executes sorcerers?"
"May I ask you why you are traveling with a sorcerer?" Verin snapped back.
"He's a special case; we have him under constant guard."
"How are you supposed to keep a powerful sorcerer under 'constant guard?'"
"Just answer the question!"
"Camelot deserves to fall! What other reason do you need? You slaughter innocents just trying to make a living! You say sorcerers are the corrupt ones, but it is you! You are full of hate and anger!"
"Are sorcerers trying to destroy Camelot killing innocents? Are you not angry and hateful?" Emrys queried calmly.
All of them were shocked (besides Emrys.) None had expected a sorcerer to protect Camelot, let alone from another sorcerer. Verin was the first to recover.
"You have not seen their cruelty!" he insisted.
"Never try that with me. I have seen Camelot's cruelty. But I have also seen the cruelty of sorcerers. Who or what you are born as doesn't determine your actions and personality, your decisions do. I have chosen a peaceful path. Not one decided on hatred and anger."
"No one in Camelot deserves to live! They all have coal for hearts!"
"Never say that! You are speaking direct treason!" Sir Korwan threatened.
"What are you going to do, kill me?" Verin taunted.
No one even had a chance to react. Sir Korwan swung his sword and decapitated the offending sorcerer.
Good chapter? I wasn't originally going to have Verin be an evil sorcerer, but it went with the story, so there you have it! Please, oh, please review!
Chapter spoiler: the next chapter will have quite a bit of Merlin's past in it.
Next chapter: A Dangerous Enemy, a Powerful Ally, and a Loyal Friend