chapter three has arrived! Enjoy~
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin
Gwaine walked into the stable, and over to the stall where they had put the colts. The stable hands were too busy with the other horses, to notice the knight going into, what everyone else thought was a empty stall. His colt nickered to him, and came trotted over, nostrils flared. Gwaine smiled at the colt, and scratched its cheek. "i guess I'll need to think of a name for you, huh little fella?" he said, and the colt nodded his head up and down. "let me guess, your going to approve of it first, aren't you?" he asked, and the colt nodded again, making him laugh. The stall opened, and Gwaine spun around, facing Merlin. He relaxed,
"oh, its only you." he said, relief in his voice. Merlin chuckled,
"thought i was the Prince?" he asked teasingly. Gwaine chuckled, "something like that. I never would have thought, that you, of all servants, would be up this early Merlin." he teased, earning a fake glare from Merlin,
"i am not a lazy servant, against the opinions of some people." he said walking over to the coal black unicorn. "there will come a time, when two colts save the lives of two brothers, who are also the two greatest warlocks, as well as the future of Albion, during a time of many secrets, and lives at stake."the voice that has been bothering Gwaine again said. He sighed, and tried to ignore it.
"Gwaine." said the little unicorn in its language. Gwaine raised an eyebrow,
"i don't think i am ever going to get used to that." he muttered under his breath.
"Gwaine, call the Dragon. He has the answers." Gwaine sighed,
"yeah, alright. And exactly how am i going to do that? Only a dragonlord can call a dragon to come." the unicorn stepped lightly on his foot.
"your friend said something about Kilgharah last night. Ask him." he insisted, and Gwaine sighed in defeat.
"alright, alright." he said, knowing that this was a argument he wasn't going to win. He didn't realize how hard he was concentrating, or that he was using his mind to talk to the colt, until they broke eye contact. He leaned against the wall, and breathed deeply. "you okay Gwaine?" Merlin asked, and Gwaine nodded.
"um, er, yeah. i have something i want to ask you, but it will have to wait, cause here comes Arthur." glancing over at the stable doors, where the blond Prince was walking in. He looked over, "there you two are! What are you doing in there?" he asked wondering over. Gwaine glanced at the colts, then at Arthur who was staring at them,
"umm, visiting our horses?" he said innocently, and Arthur nodded, "i have never seen a colt that shiny." he commented, slightly awed, and Gwaine shrugged, hoping his poinding heart wouldn't give away the fact that they were more then horses, and that Arthur was getting too close to the truth for comfort. Arthur then turned, "Merlin, get my horse ready." he said, but then George appeared, "i have already done that, Sire." he said with a bow, and Arthur sighed,
"very well. Merlin, if you want to take the foals, you can. Only because i know other wise you will argue with me about it until i let you." he said with a glare as he walked over to his horse, George following. Merlin rolled his eyes, "i don't know how Arthur stands him." Gwaine commented as they led the horses out. "who?" Merlin asked, and Gwaine rolled his eyes,
"use your eyes! Your not blind. Who do you think?" Gwaine replied gently hitting him in the head. Merlin glared at him.
"I suppose you mean George." he replied dryly, "but maybe your talking about yourself." he added, then ran off before Gwaine could grab him.
"i will get you for that Merlin!" he yelled at the retreating servant, "i dare you to try." Merlin called back, smirking at Gwaine when he glanced behind him. He sighed, and mounted his gelding,
"are humans usually like this?" the unicorn wondered, making Gwaine laugh, "sometimes." he replied, knowing the unicorn could understand him, and getting a few strange looks from the other knights.
"lets go!" Arthur called out, kicking his horse into a canter, the others following. The colts stayed by their owners side, keeping the pace effortlessly. "do war horses normally go this slow?" the colt wondered, and Gwaine nodded,
"yes, although it isn't really that slow. Not to us humans anyway." he replied, and the colt nodded. "to us it is. We unicorns are used to running like the wind." he said with a slight smile. Gwaine thought a moment,
"i can't just keep calling you 'colt'. You need a name." he decided.
The colt sighed, "about time you figured that out." he replied sarcastically, making Gwaine glare,
"well it isn't my fault i am busy! I am a knight after all!" he defended, and the others looked at him, slightly concerned. Merlin rode up next to him,
"i think you better stay with the mental talking to him. The others are starting to think your loosing your mind." he said with a smirk, trying to hold back a laugh at the look Arthur sent them. Gwaine chuckled, and turned to his unicorn.
"what about Osvaldo? It means divine power." he suggested, and the unicorn thought a moment, before nodding. Gwaine grinned, and urged his horse to gallop, Osvaldo keeping pace. unicorns really are fast. he thought, a little surprised and awed that a colt this young, could keep up effortlessly with a trained war horse.
A few hours later, after no success in their hunt, Arthur decided to make camp. They stopped their horses in a small clearing, and Merlin was sent to get firewood. Gwaine smirked, perfect. "wait up, I'll help." Gwaine called running after him, the colt following, deciding to keep a eye on their new masters, and friends.
"you wanted to talk to me." Merlin said picking up a log, and Gwaine stopped,
"how the heck did you know that?"
"you only use that tone of voice when you want to ask me something. That and i can also understand unicorn, and hear mental talking." he said, and the unicorns chuckled.
"well, er, yes. I wanted to ask you to call Kilgharah for me tonight." Gwaine said, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. Merlin thought for a few minutes while he picked up more wood.
"why do you want him?" he asked, and Gwaine shrugged,
"answers that Osvaldo said he could give me." he replied, and Merlin sighed
"alright." he agreed walking back, Gwaine following, picking up the logs that Merlin dropped on his way back. Arthur glanced up when they walked into the clearing.
"finally! I started to worry you had been taken by bandits." he said, and Merlin smirked,
"i didn't know you were so worried about me, sire." he said mockingly, and Arthur glared at him,
"i was talking to Gwaine." he defended, and Gwaine snorted, "right." he said sarcastically. Arthur sent him a glare, and Gwaine smiled proudly. "prat." they heard Merlin mutter, and Arthur turned to face him,
"what did you just call me?" he demanded, and Merlin stood up, "i called you a prat, sire." he said and Arthur glared,
"I could put you in the stocks for that." the Prince threatened.
"you never will, and we both know it." he replied with a smirk, making Arthur a little more irritated, because he knew Merlin was right. "you really are a idiot, aren't you Merlin?" he asked, and Merlin rolled his eyes,
"dollop head"
"clotpole"
"cabbage brain"
"Incapable servant"
"lazy Prince" Arthur was silent, not able to think of a comeback, and Merlin smirked proudly before returning to the fire.
"you two argue like a married couple." Gwaine said, and Arthur sent him a death glare, while Merlin turned slightly red. The knights snickered, and sat down to watch the show that they all knew was coming.
"what did you just say?" Arthur exclaimed.
Gwaine grinned. "i said, you two carry on like a married couple." he repeated slowly, and Arthur fingered the hilt of his sword. Merlin saw this, and walked over to them, standing in the middle of them, but out of the way of the glares Arthur was sending Gwaine.
"don't hurt Gwaine, Arthur." he warned, and Arthur looked at him,
"do you hear what he is implying?!" he exclaimed, and Merlin rolled his eyes,
"of course, Arthur! I just make a point of ignoring it!" he replied, and Arthur glared at him, but didn't reply.
"see? Your good at ignoring people. Just not when it has something to do with me, or Gwen, being insulated." he said with a smirk, as he walked back to the fire.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, and he turned around, putting on the best innocent look he could, "yes, Sire?" he asked.
"shut up." he replied, and Merlin snickered, "whatcha goin to do if i don't?" he asked threateningly, and Arthur smirked proudly, knowing of one threat that would defiantly shut Merlin up,
"i will fire you and George will take your position." he replied, and Merlin was immediately silent, every now and then shooting Arthur glares, before returning to the stew he was making for dinner. Gwaine snickered, and sat down next to Merlin, watching him stir the stew. he sighed, and closed his eyes, falling asleep.
"Gwaine." Merlin whispered, and when he didn't respond, hit him on the side of the head... Hard. Gwaine jerked awake,
"ow!" he exclaimed, and Merlin silenced him,
"everyone is asleep, and Kilgharah is waiting in the clearing. I went and called him, after i moved your head from my shoulder." he said adding the last part dryly, and Gwaine turned slightly red from embarrassment,
"sorry." he muttered, and Merlin chuckled,
"its alright. Now go." he said shooing Gwaine away, Osvaldo following closely. Gwaine walked the short distance to the clearing, and looked up at the great creature in front of him that greeted him when he got there.
"you wanted to speak to me, warlock?" he asked, but it was more of a statement. Gwaine nodded.
"i want answers." he replied, and the Great Dragon smiled a toothy grin,
"i suspect you do." he said stretching his wings.
"what is that voice in my head, that will say stuff about my future, but its like it isn't talking to me directly?" he asked and Kilgharah laughed,
"that would be me. I am reading to you pieces of a prophecy known only to a select few." he replied, and Gwaine glared at him. at least now i have someone to blame for the irritating voice. he thought with a sigh.
"who is my brother?" he asked suddenly remembering the dreams he has been having, and Kilgharah looked up at the stars,
"it is not time yet, warlock. You will know when the time is right, and not a second before." he said with another toothy grin, before flying up into the sky. Gwaine turned to Osvaldo, "well that was helpful. Pretty rude too." he commented sarcastically as they turned to go back to camp, and the colt chuckled.
Merlin watched Gwaine go, and sat down at the fire. The others snored softly, and nearby frogs and crickets sang their night songs. Everything seemed perfect. He gazed up at the stars, but sat upright when he heard something from the forest surrounding them. He got up, and heard someone behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, but when he did, he saw nothing.
He looked around, but saw nothing, so he turned around, and sat down at the log again, figuring it was a wild animal. He was putting another log on the fire when he saw a white pice of paper on the ground. He picked it up, and saw small golden letters on it. He tried to read them, but they were too small. He ran his fingers over them, seeing if it would trigger some kind of magic, and they glowed, before growing bigger, now large enough to read. He sat down, and held it closer to the bright fire to read it.
A wand of blue, and a sapphire stone, is the secret to your past, that you currently don't know.
A secret beneath, a far off memory, buried deep in your mind, until it see's fit to show thee.
Merlin read it over again, and sighed. Just then Gwaine came into the clearing.
"whats that?" he asked, and Merlin sighed,
"a poem. A rather confusing poem as well." he added, and Gwaine took it from him. He read it, and his face went from confused, to understanding, then back to confused.
"well, i know what wand it is talking about, because i have seen it is my dreams." he said, and Merlin looked at him, eyebrows raised in a unasked question, and Gwaine just shrugged in reply.
"I have the wand in my room somewhere." he said, and Gwaine nodded. Merlin yawned, and Gwaine grinned,
"get some sleep. It is almost midnight. I will take next watch." he said, and Merlin smiled gratefully as he walked over to his bedroll laying on the ground. Next to it, Forbes, his black unicorn, hardly visible in the darkness of night, lay, sleeping soundly. Merlin smiled, and laid down next to him, letting it put his head on his chest.
Morgause watched them with a evil smile. Morgana, who was sleeping soundly on the bed behind her, next to the fire, stirred. "what is it sister?" she asked tiredly, looking over at Morgause, who was looking into her crystal.
"nothing, dear Morgana. Go back to sleep. I have found a way to get rid of out enemy, once and for all." she said soothing, and Morgana smiled before drifting off into sleep once again.
"Merlin, you will pay for hurting my sister. You will pay." she whispered, before turning around and walking over to tend to the fire.
Merlin and Gwaine searched through every chest, box, and even under a couple loose boards in the floor, in Merlins room, but they couldn't find the dark blue wand. Gwaine was pacing, and Merlin sitting on his bed, with his head in his hand.
"what do you remember that might give us a clue as to where it is?" Gwaine asked, and Merlin sighed,
"not much. I remember it being given to be as a baby, but a younger child, who looked to be about five years old." he said.
Gwaine looked up, "five, eh?" he said thoughtfully, and Merlin nodded.
"i remember putting it in this chest when i was older." he said, barely remembering putting it in the small chest he had always had, and carried around with him. Walking over to it, he opened it, and he suddenly remembered where it was.
"i remember now! I put it in a secret, well hidden drawer in the bottom!" he said, closing the lid. he bent down, searching for the secret button near the bottom. when he found it, he pushed it, which pushed something else out just enough for him to grab it. He pulled it open, and there, inside, was the most beautiful thing Gwaine had seen. the wand was even more magnificent then in his dream, sparkling in the sunlight like a million diamonds.
Merlin reached down, and gently picked it up. The sapphire stone shone when Merlin touched the wand, and the blue topaz stones shined brightly, like a light was lit inside of the wand. Gwaine reached out and touched it as well, and when he did, the sapphire stone suddenly wrapped them in a light as bright as the sun, and the memories came for both of them. Memories of their past
Merlin looked up at his mother, puzzled as to why she was sobbing. He was probably three at the time, and didn't understand that his brother had vanished. "mama, why are you cwying?" he asked innocently, and she pulled him close. "your brother is gone, little Merlin. But we will manage." she said through her tears, and Merlin looked at her in surprise,
"big brother is gone?" he asked, close to tears as he finally understood what had happened. Hunith nodded, and a few small tears fell from his sad, blue eyes. But even though he was so young, he knew that his mother needed him to be strong, so he brushed them away, and stood straighter,
"i will take care of you, mama. I will take care of you until brother Gwaine is found." he said, and Hunith smiled at her youngest son, hugging him close to her as though he too would vanish. The wand had stopped glowing and shining, even when Merlin touched it, ever since Gwaine had disappeared, as though it understood that a person very important was gone.
Merlin was puzzled, but didn't dwell on it long. He may have been young, but he took it upon himself to take care of their small family, and he intended to keep his promise to his mother.
Visions change~
Gwaine walked through the forest. He wasn't exactly sure what happened, but he did know he messed up with a spell, and ended up here, in the middle of some forest. He kept walking all day, going in the direction he thought would take him home. He finally forced himself to stop when it was too dark to see, and made a fire, using the light from a glowing ball in his hand to look for wood. The bushes rustled, and Gwaine spun around. There stood a Druid, looking rather guilty, though for what Gwaine didn't know.
"what do you want?" Gwaine asked, and the Druid smiled a little,
"i have come to bind your magic. You are very powerful, and have not yet learned to control it. You are in Camelots boarders, and it is not safe. I came here because i felt powerful magic close, and i wanted to warn you." he explained, and Gwaine nodded, and thought about it.
"for how long?" he wondered, and the Druid shrugged,
"it isn't up to me, it is up to magic. When it thinks you are strong enough, it will show itself." he explained, and Gwaine nodded again, than asked,
"what of my mother? And little brother?" he wondered, and the Druid smiled tenderly,
"your mother will be fine, and you and your brother are united in a special bond, thanks to the wand you made when he was born. Your destinies are intertwined together, and you will meet again." he reassured. Gwaine smiled,
"alright. Do it" he said, and the Druid muttered a spell. Gwaine gasped when it felt like something important was removed from him.
"in time you will learn how to manage without your magic, and when the time comes, you will learn how to manage with it." he said, then turned,
"i must go." he said, and Gwaine smiled again, "good bye then, and thank you." he called out, as the Druid walked calmly away, towards his camp.
Visions suddenly stop~
the bright light that had surrounded them, retreated back into the safety of the sapphire stone, and the two were left, numb with shock. They looked at each other, then at the wand Merlin was holding.
"What. Was. That." Gwaine asked, and Merlin looked at him,
"memories buried deep in your mind." Merlin whispered, repeating a part of the poem. Gwaine grinned, and they looked at each other. suddenly, all of their memories of their past that had been forgotten, rushed in. Gwaine opened his arms, and Merlin hugged him.
"i missed you brother." Gwaine said with a goofy grin on his face.
"what the heck was that light?!" Gauis explained, choosing that precise moment to rush into the room, but stopped when he saw the two friends hugging. they stopped, and turned to him, Gwaine keeping his arms around Merlin's shoulder though.
"it would appear to be the wand." he replied calmly.
Gaius looked at the beautiful wand, wide eyed, "you made that?" he asked, nervously.
"my brother did, when i was a baby." Merlin replied, and Gauis nodded, calming down slightly.
Gwaine thought a moment, "If i remember correctly, it was a rather complicated spell. Especially considering i was only five." he said, and was rather amused when the old physician's mouth dropped opened as he looked at first his ward, then Gwaine, and back again. He suddenly started to fall, but Gwaine caught him before he hit the ground, carrying him to a chair, and setting him down while Merlin got some water. Gaius got up, and looked at the two,
"y-your brothers?!" he yelled the last part, and Merlin chuckled, "yes, it would appear so, but we would prefer that the whole world doesn't know." he said dryly, and Gaius nodded, a dazed expression on his face. Gwaine sighed, and sat down on the bed, "well, this has been a interesting evening." he said casually as he laid down, ignoring Merlins glares.
theres chapter three! Hope you like it! all reviews welcome :)
cunning bird~