Arthur held Gwen as she cried, it was a small comfort, He could feel tears pricking his own eyes but he refused to let them fall. He had to be strong for Gwen and for his brother. Merlin wouldn't die, he couldn't. His magic would save him, right? Reluctantly Arthur let Gwen go as he heard his father approaching, this was going to be awful.
"What happened?" The king bellowed seeing Merlin on the table, lying all too still.
"Morgana happened" Arthur admitted slowly. He could see his fathers rage building up and quickly indicated to Gwen that she should leave. As she left Arthur spared a look at Gaius, the old man took a deep breath. Better tell Uther the news now.
...
Arthur was aware that Sir Leon was watching him, the man was especially loyal. This proved it. The rain was pouring down in buckets while the prince mangled and beat his training dummy to a pulp with as much anger and energy as he could muster. Every now and then he let a yell of frustration escape his lips, it wasn't fair, it wasn't FAIR!
After hours, the prince finally tired himself out. All emotion just seemed to drain out of him he couldn't feel a dam thing. That's when he remembered a certain gift he had hidden in a draw of his desk. A dragon bone whistle. Kilghrah! He'd know what to do! He'd save Merlin!
With renewed hope he ran past Leon, shooting him a thankful glance as he headed up to his room. grabbing the whistle with more joy than he'd felt for what seemed like forever. It was a shame he'd have to wait until dark to use it, but Kilghrah would come, he had to. He'd save Merlin.
...
"I cannot watch him die Gaius" Uther spoke from his place at Merlin's side, pushing Merlin's dark locks out of his face.
"I wish there was something I could-"
"No you don't understand" Uther interrupted, "I cannot lose him, no matter what happens he cannot die"
"I will do everything I can sire" Gaius sighed
"No, what ever it takes" Uther corrected, "What ever it is I don't care, you must save him"
As the men quietly conversed neither of them noticed the slight flicker of movement between Merlin's eye lids, or the twitch of his finger.
"You're not understanding me Gaius!" Uther growled, "Cure him, I don't care what remedy you use, there must be something...something in the old religion"
"Are you suggesting?"
"Sorcery" Uther confirmed, "Yes"
...
"Father?" Came the small voice, Uther looked up to see four year old Merlin standing at the foot of his desk, craning his neck to see over the top of the wooden structure.
"What are you doing here Merlin?" The king asked putting down the stack of papers he had been organizing, "Where is Arthur?"
"Pwaying with Leon" Merlin replied sourly, "They are pwaying knights, Art'r says I'm too little"
Arthur was three years older than Merlin and as tradition dictated he began practicing with wooden swords at age seven. The boys had been inseparable up until lately, Merlin was the youngest child, besides a few nobel babies, in the entire castle. His brother was his only play mate.
"You are too young to play with swords" Uther pointed out, "Why don't you go to Gaius, he can give you another lesson, you like learning to read don't you?"
"Yeah" Merlin mumbled climbing down from where he was hanging off and starting to walk away. The king turned back to his paper work, however he dropped the papers in shock when Merlin's small voice asked.
"Father am I a 'filthy ingrate?'"
"What?" The King asked gaping at the ignorant face of his youngest son,
"Twistan says told me 'Merlin Pendwagon, you are a filthy ingrate'" Merlin repeated, "I don't know what that is"
"Did Tristan say anything else?" Uther asked, the quill he was holding threatening to snap with the force he was gripping it will.
"He said I'd never be king, but tha' s'ok, cause I don' wanna be" Merlin grinned, "Art'r said I could be his abaoisor"
"Advisor" Uther corrected, "And that is true, you will be his advisor"
"Does that mean I'm an ingrate?" Merlin asked again.
"No!" Uther yelled angrily, "You are not, an ingrate is worm, somebody who gets something they don't deserve"
Merlin's face fell when he realized what Tristan had been calling him.
"You are not an ingrate Merlin, you are special"
...
Arthur stood at his fathers side as he sat with Merlin, the latter breathed slowly, struggling for each breath, it was killing him. Merlin just had to hold on a little longer, just till it go dark enough.
Gwen knelt on the ground at Merlin's other side, weeping softly. Gaius placed a hand on the boys stomach, Arthur could see the tears in the corner of the old mans eyes.
"His breath's leaving him" He sighed, "He'll be gone by morning"
Arthur couldn't take it, it was already late evening, it was dark enough, he couldn't wait any longer. Luckily he knew nobody, not even Gwen would follow him. He had whispered his plan to Gaius earlier in order to make sure everything went smoothly.
"This isn't fair!" He yelled, turning and walking out the door, slamming it for extra effect. He could hear Gaius assuring the king and maid that he 'just needed some time alone, to come to terms with things'.
After that the prince ran as fast as he could, down to the stables and rode out to the clearing before grabbing the bone whistle, turning it in his fingers before taking a deep breath and blowing. To his surprise the sound that emerged was a deep, echoing roar, reminiscent of Merlin's summoning spell.
Those few minutes he waited for Kilghrah were the longest of the princes life, he paced back and forth, wearing a trench in the long grass. His heart soared when the looming shape of the dragon appeared, touching down a few feet from him.
"You summoned me?" He asked looking surprised, "I wasn't expecting you to make use of my gift so early"
"Merlin is dying!" Arthur blurted out, the dragon became serious. Kilghrah's face darkened as Arthur explained the situation, hissing at Morgana's name.
"Things are most serious, she will attempt to kill Uther again" Kilghrah pointed out, "You will need Merlin"
"So what do I do?" The dragon looked down at the prince with what Arthur could only describe as fondness. The dragon leaned forwards and breathed out a strange translucent mist, Arthur had never seen anything so amazing, the mist gathered up, into the dragon shaped head of the whistle and suddenly Arthur knew exactly what to do.