Well, what can I say? ... OMG! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the AWARSOME feedback – I've never ever had so many reviews/alerts/favs in one day!
I toast you with my 4th diet coke (let's just hope I don't spill any on my keyboard) as I am now high on lovely E-numbers and Jelly Babies and decided to do this instead of my History writing assessment (cause this is far more important!).
Thank you again to Susie666 for editing this!
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Enjoy!
Gwen just stood there fidgeting, unable to understand the resent events. She looked up to find Arthur still pacing, she had never known him so frustrated, and the way that he was going he was soon to wear a hole in the floor.
They were so busy trying to comprehend it all that neither of them noticed the approaching servant until he popped around the corner, taking them all by surprise. The boy halted, eyes swelled in shock and fear. Although Gwen couldn't really blame him, for it must be strange turning the corner to find a very nervous, confused and uncomfortable looking servant and the Crowned Prince of Camelot glaring murderously and shaking with aggravation.
Luckily, for all three of them, the boy quickly got the hint that this was not something you want to disturb unless wishing physical harm upon yourself. He hurriedly took an awkward bow and practically sprinted away.
Gwen promptly decided that they could not stay in the corridor without being interrupted again, especially with such a delicate and dangerous subject.
She swiftly took Arthur's hand, meeting no resistance, and guided him to the nearest, secluded guest chambers that she knew would be empty. They entered, Gwen closing the door softly behind them, and Arthur immediately continued his pacing, while she quickly took a seat, before her legs gave out.
About five minutes passed, the only sound being Arthur's footsteps. She just couldn't take any more!
"Will you stop?" Gwen yelled.
His head snapped up, shock staining his face; he had probably forgotten she was there! He did, nevertheless, stop and for one second he looked at her with more vulnerability than she had ever known, but then it was gone and she was unsure if she had imagined it.
"Thank you, now you need to calm down!" she implored.
"WHAT!" Arthur shouted, making her recoil "you want me to CALM DOWN? How am I supposed to CALM DOWN? Please tell me, Guinevere!" The last sentence seemed to be more of a plea; however he swiftly resumed shouting, even adding his arms to the mix, flailing them around. "I just found out that Morgana may just be my sister, who sounds like she has magic and wants nothing more than to see me, my father and the whole of Camelot dead! Merlin tried to poison her and she tried to kill him in return, as well as threatening to kill him! And that idiot Merlin was the one who stopped the army of the dead! Plus, she thinks I'm stupid and uncaring; you, replaceable and a nuisance and Gaius, an old fool and I quote 'easily taken care of' – I don't think she meant a nice hot meal!" Arthur breathed heavily, having not paused once, and tried to calm himself down.
Gwen just stared at him in disbelief, mouth open. She soon recovered herself and closed her eyes to compose herself.
They sat there for a few moments, thinking and wondering how on earth two of their closest friends had kept such a huge secret without either of them suspecting.
"It's hard to believe that they're the same people, isn't it?" Gwen whispered, staring down at the floor. She finally looked back up at the man in front of her, "what do we do now?" begging the Gods that he had an answer.
"We confront one of them." He said simply, having deflated considerably.
"Merlin? Morgana was just too..." A shiver ran through Gwen when she recalled the disturbing memories of her friend, or was it former friend.
"Different" Arthur finished, him too frowning at evil that seemed to surround her as she threatened Merlin.
"I think only one of us should go, otherwise he may feel we're ganging up on him." Gwen suggested.
Arthur's face suddenly turned sour as he spat out "and what if he tries to poison us? What then?"
"Arthur!" Gwen scolded, although she could hear that he didn't believe in what he had just said, "Merlin radiated remorse for his actions, and from the sounds of it he did it to save Camelot. She even admitted that she wanted Camelot to fall!"
Gwen was trying to believe it herself, for she didn't think she could bare even one of them turning evil, let alone two. She could see that Arthur too was trying to convince himself, and he finally gave a slow, hesitant nod.
He was stupid! So very, very, very stupid! He hadn't meant to say it, not at all, it had just come out. Hell, it wasn't even true!
"Your sister is the cruellest, most malicious creature to walk the earth!"
But he did know cruller creatures; he had killed most of them for goodness sake. Merlin raised a careful hand to his still burning cheek, filching at the pain.
God, he hated this, for once he just wanted a day off, on an island somewhere, where there was no destiny, no magic, only beautiful landscapes and a glistening sea. There would only be him, no Arthur, no Uther, and certainly no Morgana, just him.
Merlin quickly shook his head, riding him of the dream. He was stuck here with his destiny and everyone that wanted to kill him, so there was no point sitting around and moping about it!
He continued changing the prince's bed, stripping the dirty sheets away and fitting on the new ones. When he arrived to the chamber this morning, he had found it surprisingly empty. But then again, it was probably because the prat was rummaging around the castle looking for him. Well, at least today's lateness wasn't entirely his fault, no, it was Morgana's and hell would freeze over before he told the dollop head that - there would be far too many questions.
"Ahem"
Merlin practically jumped out of his skin; spinning around to find Arthur standing there in the middle of the room, his arms behind is back, looking directly at him and very uncomfortable.
Tilting his head sideways and raising his eyebrows, Merlin tried not to burst out laughing; he had never seen the 'Fearless Crowned Prince Arthur of Camelot' look so twitchy and concluded quickly that it probably had something to do with Gwen, because, wasn't it always?
"Merlin..." his voice was edgy, and certainly a lame attempt at intimidating.
"Arthur..." Merlin responded when it seemed his friend would not continue. The man seemed to be in an internal battle, and it was pretty funny. "What happened this time?" The prince's head shot up, eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Well, you only get like this when it involves her." Merlin explained.
Arthur's eyes grew narrow, as if examining his servant and it was Merlin, this time, who became anxious. After a few minutes of silence, the prat finally spoke, "I know"
The way he said it, it seemed to have extra meaning, like he was saying that he knew Merlin's deepest, darkest secrets, but he couldn't, could he?
"Pardon?" he croaked, panic already making his throat dry.
"Merlin, I know." Arthur took a step forward, hands moving forward as if to emphasise his point, "I saw you and heard everything!"
Arthur knew? Oh crap...
"You did?" his voice now unnaturally high, as his mind tried to work hard as he tried to think of the last time he used magic. And, well, that was yesterday...oh crap...
Merlin swallowed thickly, as if trying to consume his panic, but it was no use.
"Are you handing me over to Uther?" Merlin rasped, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.
"No" it was said so bluntly that Merlin withdrew, hesitant to believe he had heard right, "I think I understand why, the way..." Arthur seemed unable to finish the sentence as he moved toward the window, staring at the landscape.
"I'm not going to be executed?" He needed Arthur to say it, say that everything was going to be alright, that their friendship was intact and still strong.
Arthur looked back at him, his expression slightly baffled, "I told you Merlin, no. Why would I?"
'Why would I?' Had he seriously just said that? How about 'magic is evil'? Or, 'all sorcerers are bent on destruction'? Luckily, he decided to keep his mouth closed, best not to change his friends mind and get himself burned!
Merlin took a deep breath, "so everything's going to be alright?" He was very conscious of the pleading tone, but Arthur seemed to brush it off as he returned to gazing out of the glass.
"I don't know" the Prince replied truthfully. Merlin closed his eyes, not wanting to think of the implications in that statement. "You're going to need to explain this me and Guinevere before anything is decided."
Eyes snapping open, Merlin stared at Arthur, bewildered; "Gwen?" his squeaky voice back.
"She was with me in the alcove, she knows too." Arthur replied, not looking at him.
He didn't even want to think of the implications of them, together, in a dark alcove, anythi – wait, what alcove? Since when did he perform magic in corridors? Gaius said he was reckless, but he wasn't that reckless! However, brushing it off, he responded with a nod, thinking that Arthur could probably see him in the corner of his eye.
"One thing though, Merlin" Arthur bowed his head, closing his eyes as he whispered, "Why? Why did you do it?"
Merlin, confused for a moment, finally he realised that Arthur was probably wondering why Merlin would want to study magic.
"I was born with it" Arthur's head turned to him, his puzzled expression clear. "I know it doesn't sound possible, and I know it's never happened before, but it's true. I was born with it."
If anything, Arthur looked even more perplexed. Merlin took a deep breath and continued.
"I could perform magic before I could walk or talk!"
Till the day Merlin dies, he will never forget the look on the face of his friend, for it was one of pure horror.
And that's when Merlin realised; Arthur wasn't talking about his magic...
Arthur didn't know...
And he, Merlin, was going to be executed...oh crap...
He he he, I do love cliffhangers! Remember, the more the reviews, the quicker I update!
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