So I just want to get my story going and I'm enjoying writing this!
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
Merlin, Will and Archer were in the stables already outfitting their horses in the latest tack, the tension was high and they weren't talking. Merlin was gently brushing the mane of his horse, a beautiful white mare named Ophelia, Archer and Will often teased Merlin on his choice of horse. Female horses were not as fashionable as male ones. But the Mare was beautiful and Merlin found he could touch the mare's thoughts and lead her without having to perform much as a rider. Their relationship was a good one.
Cenred had given Merlin choice of any horse he wanted, any rooms he wanted, clothes and sometimes even very embarrassingly any women he may of wanted all of which he politely declined despite wanting very much to tell him where to shove his presents. He knew it was just Cenred's way of playing nice and buttering him up for when he wanted Merlin to do something particularly nasty.
But Ophelia had been a nice surprise and Merlin had named her himself which he received constant teasing for.
"He's forming an emotional attachment to an animal Archer," Will have joked.
"He'll be telling us her feelings next and how much horses are misunderstood," Archer had replied fluttering his eyelashes.
Merlin smiled in memory, at times when he was with his friends he could forget his situation forget the feeling of claustrophobia he felt when he was in Essetir, so long as he was Cenred's he would never be free.
Merlin traced the silver bangles that clung into his skin on his wrists and neck, they looked beautiful on the outside but only through whispered rumour did people hear what the bracelets, and choker actually contained. Freedom was a distant wish and the stars told him that freedom wouldn't come soon for Merlin if ever.
"Merlin?" Archer asked his hand on Merlin's shoulder.
"Hmm?" Merlin replied noncommittally lost in thought.
"It's time to go," Archer replied.
"They'll hate me, they'll fear me, and least here people leave me alone," Merlin said.
"They'll leave you alone Merlin, we'll make sure of that," Will said.
"Remember you're just there for effect, you don't even have to talk, and we'll deal with everything," Archer continued.
"I don't know where I'd be without you guys," Merlin said. They just smiled back in reply.
Merlin mounted up and stroked down Ophelia's neck in comfort as she wined softly. Archer and Will mounted there steeds both male and tough war horses named Oslo and Edgar and led the way out of the stables and out past the gate where they saluted the guard and headed out into the night.
The chill in the air set Merlin's fingers numb and he drew the hood of his cloak up around his head. The cloak was part of the uniform the three of them wore. Cenred liked them to make dramatic entrances and the hooded black cloaks with the Essetir Symbol on it stitched in gold hid their faces and added to the mystery of the council of shadows.
"Fæstgangol mín bróðorlufu," Merlin whispered in the old religion to Ophelia and watched as her pace straightened out and her hoofs created a steady drum on the ground below. Oslo and Edgar picked up her pace and followed.
"That's showing off Merlin," Archer called; Merlin's laugh was carried away in the wind.
"Relax Arthur you are much too nervous," Gaius called from behind were Arthur stood on the stone steps of his castle in a wedge of his knights with him at the centre. Gaius stood off to the side. Arthur had stood them all in a deliberately arrogant manner in order to create some sense of power.
"A sorcerer of immense power is about to enter my kingdom Gaius, forgive me for being slightly nervous," Arthur replied scathingly.
"Don't forget his henchmen that walk next to him," Gwaine said from where he slumped next to Arthur.
"Please," Arthur said.
"What? Don't underestimate them Arthur just because they don't have magic, they are still valuable weapons of Cenred's army," Gwaine replied.
"True," Arthur grudgingly admitted.
The noise of hoofs on the cobbled ground reached their ears and Arthur turned his head to see three figures clothed in black hooded cloaks astride powerful horses approach. The cloaks concealed their appearance and the only thing that was different about them was the smaller white mare that rode between the proud stallions.
It was as if they had rehearsed there dismount every day so they were perfectly in time. They simultaneously hitched their left leg from their horses and in a synchronised fluid movement dismounted gracefully whilst still keeping the hoods up. Arthur watched as a stable boy nervously stepped forward to take their reins.
The three men approached silently hands clasped in front of them and Arthur noticed the one in the middle was of a slighter thinner build despite the cloaks that covered their forms. They continued forward their faces still hidden and as one sank onto one knee before Arthur with their heads lowered.
"Well, they've certainly beat us on who can look the most impressive," Gwaine said out loud "But then again in these bloody capes they could have turned up naked painted pink and still looked more impressive than us."
"Yes thank you for your input Gwaine," Arthur muttered back. Their conversation got no response from the figures who still knelt and Arthur's feet.
"Rise Men of Essetir, and welcome to Camelot, I hope your stay will bring about peace between our great nations," Arthur said in his best king voice.
As one the three stood up and hands came out of their cloaks to pull back their hoods and reveal their features. Arthur didn't know what to expect from the legendary council of Shadows, tattoos, scars, red devil eyes… he supposed he had let his imagination get away from him.
"Thank you, King Arthur it is an honour to be in Camelot's walls," the one to the left replied.
He was dressed in full armour that befitted a knight of Essetir, silver armour similar to Arthur's own with the black cloak with the crest of Essetir stitched onto it. He was obviously the swordsman of the group he had brown hair and hard features.
"My name is William and this is Archer and Merlin," William said pointing out his colleagues.
Arthur turned his attention to Archer, a tall man with long blonde hair tied neatly at the back of his head, he wore chaps and a tunic and a bow that looked to be made out of the finest maple was hung on his back in a quiver. But neither of these held Arthurs attention for long. It was the young man in the middle that drew his attention.
So this was the famous sorcerer that made the five kingdoms shake in fear. He wasn't even looking Arthur in the eye; instead he kept his gaze lowered. But Arthur could tell he was beautiful, in an ethereal sort of way. His hair was the darkest black that set of his pale skin and red lips and his high cheekbones gave him a sharp appearance. He easily drew the eye of everyone in attendance. Merlin, William had said his name was, he was expecting something more intimidating.
As If sensing his lingering gaze Merlin slowly looked up, and his ice cold blue eyes to stared into Arthurs. It was as if he was reading his very soul. There was something knowing and omniscient about his gaze as if he could draw the truth out of his very eyes, he refused to break the contact though he refused to appear weak, eventually it was Merlin who lowered his eyes back to the floor. He definitely looked like he wasn't quite human, he looked well, magical.
"You requested that you have rooms together?" Arthur asked. He had received William's letter a day before their arrival telling him what they would expect, the fact that they wanted quarters together confused Arthur. Were they really that close or did they not trust that Arthur wouldn't try to harm their sorcerer when he was on his own and vulnerable?
"Is that a problem?" Archer asked addressing the king for the first time.
"Of course not, my manservant George will show you to your quarters," Arthur said. The three nodded in reply and as one bowed. Their synchronisation was rather startling.
"Do you like practice that or something, cos it's a bit freaky if you ask me" Gwaine said voicing what none had dared to voice.
The three young men turned calculating eyes on Gwaine. And Gwaine was subjected to the same gaze Arthur had been when Merlin looked into his eyes. It was as if he saw everything.
"Of course not, we have lived together for a very long time Sir knight," Will said.
"Gwaine please, as long as were on pleasant terms," Gwaine said glaring.
"You call these pleasant terms?" Archer asked.
"What could be more so than a peace treaty between two warring nations," Gwaine said raising his eyes to the sky.
"You're intoxicated," Merlin spoke for the first time without realising it, everyone turned to stare at him including Archer and Will although they didn't look shocked, just proud and somewhat smug.
"What?" Gwaine asked now looking directly into Merlin's eyes in confusion.
"You're intoxicated; you have been for most of your adult life, you ran away from your father, you felt you were never good enough for him, the shame at never being able to hold down a job, caused you to travel from place to place seeking somewhere to call home, since you have never known what one has felt like," Merlin said his head slightly tilted to the side.
The silence seemed suddenly very loud, and you could cut the tension with a knife. Gwaine was glaring at Merlin with hatred and something close to loathing. Arthur was staring at the boy in shock, how did he know that? He knew things about Gwaine even he didn't, did the young man read minds or something?
"How dare you?" Gwaine said quietly his voice laced with venom.
"You treat these proceedings with nothing short of contempt and you show no respect to your king nor to my friends, I only see the truth Sir Gwaine, it is you who has to deal with it," Merlin said. And once again turned away and lowered his gaze, leaving Gwaine dumfounded.
"I apologise if my knight has offended you," Arthur said in a crisp voice.
It was his turn to feel Merlin's stare.
"Don't apologise if you don't mean it young King," Merlin replied.
"Okay!" Will interrupt before things could get more heated "Perhaps it would be best if we went to our quarters and gave everyone some air?"
"I think that would be best," Arthur said, then stepped aside as the three men in cloaks followed George into the castle.
Once inside the throne room Gwaine started having a tantrum throwing chairs and benches onto the floor.
"Who they hell does he think he is?!" He shouted to no one in particular.
"Gwaine," Percival said in a soothing manner.
"How did he know that stuff?" Gwaine shouted "that was personal!"
"Because he's evil Gwaine," Arthur said throwing himself onto his throne with all the grace of a wild boar.
"No," Gaius said.
"No?" Arthur questioned "Gaius the kid practically knew Gwaine's entire life history and broadcasted it for the whole of Camelot to hear."
"He's an incredibly gifted young warlock who can't help what he is," Gaius replied.
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.
"Legend speaks of creatures of magic that can see into a person's very soul, they draw the truth out of you,"
"He can read minds?" Arthur asked.
"Not exactly it is my suspicion from observing him that he is a soothsayer as well as a powerful warlock," Gaius said.
"What the hell is one of those?" Gwaine asked.
"Soothsayers often had the ability to know when someone was lying or being mistrustful, some also had the ability to read the stars," Gaius said.
"Read the stars?" Arthur asked.
"It is said that the future is written in the stars and that if one looks closely you can see your destiny," Gaius said "although that was a very rare thing amongst soothsayers so maybe our young friend doesn't have that talent."
"He's not our friend Gaius," Leon said.
"Well you had better try to be for the duration of this visit, you don't want him going back to Cenred with tales of cruelty do you?"
"It's still not right what he did," Gwaine said.
"Neither was it of you to disrespect our guests, this is a time of war, you should be more serious, I suspect it was his way of warning you," Gaius said.
"Did you get a look at his buddies they looked proud as punch," Gwaine replied.
"He is a very powerful being any friend would be proud especially given his situation," Gaius said.
"His situation, he's an evil sorcerer Gaius, who cares about his situation?" Arthur questioned.
"Maybe once you know him better your opinion could change," Gaius replied.
Arthur seriously doubted it!
Another chapter done…man call me butter cos I'm on a roll!
Fæstgangol mín bróðorlufu"- steady my love
Review!