Hello, as I said in the last post, this was meant to be a one shot, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to write more on it. However, I don't want to be the only one. If you're interested, use the first part of chapter one (between Merlin, Arthur, and Gwen) as a prompt for your own story. If you decide to, shoot me a PM telling me you did, I would love to create a community for this. Feel free to copy paste that first portion into your story(if you do please do not change its contents without asking me, chances are I won't mind), summarize it, or reference it in an author's note. I think this will be a fun little thing to do.
Alright *face buried in pillow* let's jump in to my take on this situation. *jumps into pile of pillows, muffled voice:* please review! Thank you~!
Disclaimer: look at the name of the website...
The onyx haired warlock flipped through his book without touching the pages when suddenly he stopped. "Should probably give him my answer…" he stood, snapping the book shut as he did so. The trek to Arthur's chambers seemed to go by in a second. Merlin's excitement was no secret but rather a cause for curiosity for everyone he flew by. Gawain called out as he passed, but the young warlock was already around the corner. Merlin pushed his way through the heavy wooden door of the royal chambers, the couple nowhere to be seen. He turned on his heel to search for them but paused, looking over his shoulder at the mess of a room. "May as well tidy up…" he sighed.
Soon the clothes on the floor were in a basket, the clean clothes that were in the basket were put away, the sword Arthur had left in the room had been sharpened, the armour was polished and set aside, the bed was made and the sheets were tucked, the mirror was clean, the fireplace swept out, and Merlin sat at the table, rolling an apple from the fruit bowl between his hands as he waited. It had been hours. The young man's eyes shot up to the door when he herd the farmiliar voice of a blond prat.
"I cannot believe Sir Regulus would recommend a southern assault on Cendread's forces. The ignorance-" Arthur pushed the door open as he spoke, then stopped mid thought at the sight of his manservent at the table. Leon stopped abruptly behind him. "Leon, you're dismissed." Arthur said formally.
"Sire." Leon bowed his head, turned, and walked briskly away.
Arthur shut the heavy door, never dropping Merlin's gaze. "Have you an answer for me?"
"Yes."
"Yes you have an answer or…?"
"Yes. Well, yes I have an answer, but the answer is yes." Merlin stumbled over his words.
"Alright," Arthur pulled out the chair across from his servant and took a seat, "you understand, this must be done in secret and if you are discovered I will be forced to treat you like any other sorcerer." The king gave him a downcast look.
"I understand." Merlin nodded and paused, "Do you mind, if I practice with little things? Like, polishing your armor, lighting the fire, small things like that?"
The blond thought a moment, "I suppose so long as you don't get caught, I don't mind." He stood, "Come. I have something to show you."
Merlin stood and followed the king out of the room silently. The two made their way through the winding corridors of the castle. The warm afternoon light spilling through the windows, casting shadows on the wall as the tall men made their way. A while of walking resulted in the appearance of the large, embroidered doors of the library. Inside Arthur greeted Geoffrey, and continued down the long aisleways of books. Finally they came to a halt in front of one bookcase, Merlin recognized it, it was the hidden door he had stumbled upon before releasing the goblin.
"Merlin, what I am about to show you needs to be kept a secret as well. Understand?'
The warlock nodded. Arthur turned back to the shelf, reached up and pulled a book slightly out of place. The device groaned under the weight of two men as it turned. When they stopped moving Arthur stepped into the dusty, cobwebbed room.
"Everything that you see in this room," he turned to look at his servant, "is magic related in some way or another. Books, tomes, scrolls, textiles, everything gathered over years and years of king's ruling with the aid of sorcerers. Until my father took over." His gaze began to wander over the numerous things in the room. "This place is yours to study, use, clean, really whatever you want." He paused, "Maybe not WHATEVER you want, but you get what I mean."
They both stood in silence a moment before Merlin spoke up. "How did you find this place?"
"When I was a child, Geoffrey opened it without noticing me behind him. He explained to me what it was and that if it stayed hidden no one would be able to use it for evil. Then… I forgot about it." He turned back to Merlin, who was now standing next to him. "Merlin," he spoke softly, "please do not betray me with this." With that he pulled the book again, spinning out of sight, leaving the warlock alone in his new center of resources.
Merlin spent the rest of the day flipping through texts and spells, completely absorbed in his new collection. Before he realized it the midnight bell tolled. He cursed to himself and rushed back to Gaius's chambers. The elderly man was asleep, his ward smirked as he silently made his way passed. A bowl of fruit and a few pieces of bread on the table caught his eye. He looked at them a moment, trying to remember if he had eaten anything for lunch. He shook his head, Gaius always scolded him for forgetting to eat, but it wasn't the first time and it probably wouldn't be the last. He sat down to eat, going through what he remembered from what he read. Eventually he finished and silently made his way up to his room, before collapsing onto his bed.
"Up up! You're going to be late Merlin." The rickety voice of his mentor accompanied by the light spilling from his open window dragged the young man from his sleep. He grumbled a response before wearily pulling himself out of bed. Merlin stumbled down the stairs, still rubbing the sleep from his face and paying his gnarled mess of hair no mind. "You look like hell warmed over." Gaius observed his assistant's delirious behavior and sluggish responses.
"Yeah, was up until midnight reading through a bunch of new spell books Arthur gave me."
"Who gave you what?" The physician did a double take.
"Arthur… is apparently more aware of the magic in his castle than I gave him credit for." Merlin finished with a yawn. "I'm going to be late." Merlin realized with a sudden moment of clarity.
The room was cold and dark, the ever looming sense of dread that settled like a dense fog over the room. The two guards that stood stoic at the door remained unmoving as the shivering man in a cloak entered the foreboding room.
"And you are?" A cold voice rang out.
"A- a messenger from Dagen. He- he's found the stone my lady." The cloaked man stuttered. The darkness before him shifted, churning with what he could only assume to be rage or excitement. Columns of fire erupted on either side of the now visible throne. A woman with gnarled hair sat in the center, a white, skull like, head with beady blue eyes watched the man intently from behind the enthroned woman.
"Where."
"S-south of the valley of the fallen kings m'lady." He knelt before her and helped out a rolled piece of parchment in his shaky hands. The light piece of paper was gone a moment later.
"You're dismissed. Aithusa… dinner."
The man looked up in time to see the snarling skeletal creature approaching him. The guards at the door shut there eyes at the screaming and ripping of flesh, it was all they could do not to flinch. If they did, they knew the same fate awaited them as well.