Sorry for the delay, here's today's chapter. Cheers!
"What happens now?" Arthur asked nervously, having refused Lancelot's proposal to take his place. Merlin was, had always been, his responsibility.
"You do nothing, Sire. We will begin the incantation, then we will call Emrys. If the spell works, then he will respond. But I can't promise you anything."
Arthur nodded. He stood in the center of a circle of druids who had locked hands, preparing to perform a dangerous spell involving him, with Merlin's life at stake. "Should this spell work, Iseldir," he promised," the druids will no longer have to fear Camelot or it's king."
Iseldir nodded. "Your words will be remembered, Sire." Then he began the incantation, a mixture of words Arthur didn't understand. Percival and Lancelot stood on the side, along with other druids, watching. Arthur thought he could see their hope radiating off them from the distance.
One by one, the druids joined into the incantation, until the powerful chorus raised goosebumps on Arthur's skin. He could feel that imperceptible change of the air that he had come to identify as magic. Flashes of light appeared before his eyes and he gasped.
Then the woods and the ever-chanting druids were back, weaving their spell as Arthur doubled over, burning in fire and ice. It was like Cado's torture all over again, then it was gone. Arthur staggered. He felt his blood tingle as the druids' incantation increased in speed. There was a strange rushing in his ears, as though he was under water.
"Emrys!" Iseldir called out, his deep voice carrying further than just across the woods. "Emrys! We call you, come back to us, your time has not yet come!"
Arthur felt the words ripple through him, but nothing happened. "Emrys," Iseldir called again, "come back to us! Your friends need you, Albion has yet to rise. Return!"
The world spun and Arthur fell to his knees, his ears ringing and bile rising up his throat. He could feel so much magic flowing through him he thought he might burst, as his ears rang and his eyes watered.
"MERLIN!", he roared in the sky, pain making dots appear in his vision. "Idiot, come back here!" The world around him exploded and shattered. His bones jarred as all the colors of the rainbow appeared before his eyes in a dizzying vortex, he was falling, falling into the void filled with wind and fire and the weight of the earth. He was dying, he was going mad.
Then it was over. Arthur lay on his back panting, dazed and breathless. He stared at the lights winking through the leaves as breathed in the scent of the forest floor. Then reality snapped back and he remembered. He sat up rapidly, looking around wildly.
There, next to him, lay a lean figure with raven-black hair. Lancelot and Percival shoved their way through the onlooking druids. Arthur scrambled over to his servant, grasping for his arm. He was still wearing the ragged clothes clothes he had the last time Arthur had seen him. He gave Merlin's shoulder a rough shake, his heart thundering in his chest.
"Merlin! Merlin? Wake up, Merlin!" And as his servant twitched and groaned, Arthur's insides melted in relief. The grief, the pain and all the hardships of responsibility faded from him as his friend stirred beneath his hand. Giddy, he exchanged a look with Lancelot, whose eyes were moist.
Merlin blinked, then opened his eyes. It took a moment, then they slid into focus as he looked at Arthur, then at the other two knights.
"What," he rasped, then coughed roughly, his voice harsh from disuse. By reflex, Arthur helped him sit up. "What happened?" He looked from one to the other. Lancelot pulled him into an embrace as Arthur laughed.
They told Merlin everything after he had eaten something. The stars had risen and Merlin had been ordered into his tent to rest. He protested feebly, but had fallen asleep before Arthur had left the tent. He sat at the fire, again, with his two friends, as he had for the last few weeks. But everything had changed. Lancelot sat opposite him, the firelight glinting off his teeth as he grinned.
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Just say it."
Lancelot's smile broadened. "I told you so! I was right all along; there was no way a punce like Cado could have killed Merlin."
"I will never doubt you again," Arthur couldn't help smiling at his own irony and Percival joined in their laughter. Arthur looked up at the sky. He couldn't wait to get back to Camelot, to Guinevere.
"I can't wait to see Cado's face," he said, smiling deviously at the thought. "Now we have magic on our side, as well."
"And not just any magician," added Percival. "We have Emrys!" Lancelot laughed maliciously.
Arthur nodded, stabbing at the fire. "We have Merlin," he agreed.
They rode back the following day. Arthur swore he would remember this. He would not forget that the druids had helped him in his hour of need. They had even given Merlin a horse, so he would not slow down the others, along with new clothes. When Arthur tried to thank them, Iseldir told him he trusted Camelot would reciprocate the favor in other ways. Politics.
The days went by much faster after Arthur had gone back to the habit of calling Merlin an idiot on every occasion and Merlin retaliating by calling him a clot pole. Still, he felt slightly tense around Merlin, so many things they had yet to speak of.
"Merlin, do you think you can defeat Cado?" Lancelot obviously had no such inhibitions.
"Lancelot, leave Merlin in peace", Arthur ordered. "We will talk about this once we've gotten back to camp."
"No, it's alright", Merlin said quickly. He looked back at Lancelot, hesitantly. "I don't know, Lancelot. I mean, Cado is very powerful and he has Morgana on his side- besides, magic is illegal in Camelot. Imagine if someone saw me and reported me!" Merlin looked at his friend with wide eyes.
Lancelot chuckled and the mock horror slid off Merlin's face as he joined in. Arthur felt the blow from the side for what it was.
"Merlin, there are many things I would love to have you flogged for, but using magic is not one of them. I could have you flogged for cowardice, though. Fleeing battle like that, evading your duty, running all the way into the spirit world- Really, Merlin?"
Merlin sputtered in indignation, but Arthur saw his eyes sparkle in humor. "If you hadn't been a big enough prat to let yourself be enchanted by Cado, I wouldn't have had to save your noble skin!"
"Merlin, you do know that I am king, right?"
"That proves it then."
And Arthur laughed, truly laughed, for what felt like the first time in years. Merlin smiled at him, his eyes crinkling and Percival used the opportunity to budge in.
"Now that that's settled: How exactly will you defeat him?"
Merlin's laughter dissipated and he slowed his horse, thinking. "I don't know yet", he said seriously. "I don't think I can fight him in the city. One blow on his whistle and the rats will come running. And Morgana- no. We have to get them out of the city. If we could separate them, all the better."
"Leave that to me", Arthur said. "I'll get them to come out. But what then, Merlin?" He couldn't completely keep the concern out of his voice. What if Merlin failed? He didn't think his kingdom could take another failure. Neither could he.
"I'll think of something. I'll improvise!" Merlin smiled coyly at him and Arthur groaned in frustration. "Merlin-"
"Don't worry, Arthur! I've been doing this for years, and in secret to boot. Trust me, we'll handle this." Arthur lowered his gaze.
They rode til the brink of night, until they dared to go no further. He gazed into the night as they rested for the night. He longed for Guinevere. Arthur couldn't wait to tell her that Merlin was back and healthy. He walked back towards the knights, who were dividing the provisions they had received from the druids among themselves. Lancelot finished piling up some deadwood, then looked at Merlin. Arthur didn't miss the small look Merlin threw him before his eyes glowed and flames sprang to life, licking at the branches.
Arthur sat leaning against a tree, his back to the fire. Percival and Lancelot rested, their breathing the only sound beside the wind in the trees. A branch snapped, and Merlin sat next to Arthur.
"You should rest", Arthur said, without looking at Merlin.
"Can't sleep", Merlin answered, making himself comfortable. He wrapped a blanket around himself.
"What was it like?" Arthur looked at Merlin. "In the spirit world."
Merlin's brow crinkled. "I- don't really remember", he confessed. "It was intense, I know that there was so much power- but I remember only darkness, no images."
"Did it hurt?"
Merlin shook his head.
"If we, if you don't succeed, then all of Camelot will perish."
"I know that", Merlin answered gravely. "I won't let that happen. Neither will you. You are the king."
Arthur nodded.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Merlin's voice was low and tired. "I wanted to, so many times, I even tried- but I couldn't. I knew what your father thought about magic, and I didn't want to put you before the choice to either kill me or betray your father. But that's not the whole truth. I was afraid. You were right earlier: I am a coward." His voice broke.
Arthur sighed. "You're not a coward, Merlin. To live in Camelot, concealing in Camelot takes a lot of courage. Not many men are that brave. Not many men are so stupid, either. But I'm grateful you are such an idiot." Merlin looked down at the leaves to his feet. Arthur shoved him lightly.
"Of course, I was very angry, Merlin. Don't get the wrong impression. I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me. I hope you know I would never have handed you in. Not even when I was still prince." The king tried to catch Merlin's eye, to make sure his meaning was understood.
"But you might have chased me from Camelot", Merlin replied softly. "And I couldn't allow that to happen. Someone had to protect you from all the magical threats and no one else could. But this is moot: The past cannot be undone. We both made our decisions and have to live with them now."
Arthur looked at the stars in silent agreement.
Thoughts? Concrit? Favourite lines?