"Mordred, stay here," Merlin said, note of finality in her voice. The druid had been clingy and would never let her out of his sight. His eyes were now wild looking, and his face hollow. The dark circles under his eyes were evidence that he was not sleeping.
"Emrys," he whined, breathing becoming shallow. "Don't go."
"It'll be fine, Mordy. It's just a hunting trip-"
"No! Emrys, it's a trap! You'll get hurt! The voices…I will hurt…..no….no," the boy started shaking, hands over his ears. "Emrys, make it stop!"
She was on him in an instant, hugging him tight while checking for a fever she knew was there. Mordred started twitching, and turned a few shades paler. Merlin dragged him to his room and laid him on his bed.
"Mordred, shhhh, it'll be alright," Merlin smiled at him.
"No….I won't…hurt…Emrys!" He shot up. "Emrys! Pain…you'll…dead…Gwaine…Morgana…..breaks….Arthur…no," he muttered, really not making any sense. The voices had been talking to Mordred for a month now. At some moments, he was normal, at others he was, well….this; crazed and uttering nonsense. Merlin found a sleeping draught (something Gauis had started to leave in the druid's room) and dumped into his unquestioning mouth. There, that should knock him out for a while.
Merlin slipped out and went to the courtyard, where Arthur was waiting with Amby. This would be the prince's first hunt.
"Merlin," said Arthur, slightly annoyed. "What took you so long?"
"Mordred," she whispered, so Amby could not hear. Arthur's face took on a softer look and gazed down sadly. Mordred had grown on everyone, especially Arthur; they'd even gone on some misadventures together (let's just say Arthur, Mordred, three chickens, alcohol, and pink dresses don't mix anymore). The king shook his head and mounted his horse, Merlin getting on one beside him. Ambrose was seated with his Clotpole. They rode off.
The woods were usual, a rock here, a twig here, and Arthur, of course, was trying to teach his son how to track. "See these," said the king, indicating deer tracks. "If we follow these correctly, we can find the deer."
"What we gonna do when we find them?" asked Amby, shoving his thumb in his mouth.
"We shoot it," said Arthur, holding up a cross-bow.
The two-year old's eyes widened. "We're gonna kill it?! He burst into tears and ran at his mommy, who picked him. "I don't wanna kill it!"
Merlin glared at Arthur, then smirked. "Looks like someone else shares my views on hunting."
"Merlin."
"Arthur."
"Idiot."
"Prat."
"Love you?"
"Peacemaker. Love you too."
Neither of them saw Amby's eyes grow bigger, the story his Uncle Gwaine told him coming to mind. The little boy smiled, face buried in his mother's breast. The Prat and the Idiot. His Clotpole and Mommy. Arthur came over and sandwiched Amby between him and Merlin. If only this moment could last forever….
"If Amby doesn't want to hunt…" said Arthur, pulling away. "Want to ride?"
Amby nodded vigorously and Melrin smiled. They mounted their charges and set off again.
"C'mon, Clotpole, Mommy's gonna beat us!" screamed Ambrose, laughing as the wind rushed by. The forest was a great place to race, plenty of open space and no one around to watch. Arthur stared ahead at the clear path, then to Merlin racing at his side. Her hair was flowing back in almost an angelic way, and her expression was so concentrated it looked painful. He could tell she was having fun.
Laughing, but still focused ahead, Merlin shot a side long glance at Arthur. That was her mistake. A low-hanging branch knocked her off and she toppled to the ground, horse stampeding away. Arthur stopped and dismounted, running over in a panic.
"Clotpole!" cried a voice. Shit, he'd forgotten Amby for a second. The king turned and was surprised to see he had dismounted. "Is Mommy okay?"
"Fine," said Arthur, glancing at Merlin's unmoving form. Please don't be dead. "Amby, can you go pick some flowers? Really big ones with lots of petals?"
The little bot nodded and set off to do his mission, face screwed up in determination. Arthur collapsed at Merlin's side. "Merlin," he muttered.
Her eyes flashed open. "Ow."
"Merlin!" cried Arthur, panic mode turning on.
"Yes, that's my name. Ow," said Merlin, hand going to a bleeding gash on her head. "Shit. This hurts."
"Will you be alright?"
"One moment," said Merlin, going warlock on this. "Hethlaye." The gash sealed and she sat up, Arthur supporting her on the way up. "Blaaaaaaahhh. I. Hate. Pain."
"Who doesn't?"
"Shut it, prat."
At that moment Amby returned, hands muddy and full of flowers. Some still had roots attached to them. He proudly dumped them in his mother's lap before saying, "Found flowers!"
Merlin smiled. "Very good. Now what do you do with flowers?"
He smiled gleefully, scooped them up again and ran off. Arthur turned to Merlin. "What do you do with flowers?"
Merlin groaned and slumped on him. "Nothing. I just didn't want Amby to see me hurt. For all I know, he could be eating them right now."
"Can you stay here for a while? I'll get the little monster."
He really shouldn't have left her there.
Camelot, Camelot was his. Mordred stood above it all, watching it burn.
"Yes," crooned a voice in his ear. "Camelot is your's for the taking. You have the king's and Emrys' trust. Take it now."
"No," he murmured, shaking his head. "No."
"Then you leave us no choice. Find Emrys."
"What do you want with her?" he screamed.
"Her? What do you mean?! Emrys – that death deity. He did this. Emrys needs to be-"
"Master, there is a way," said another voice. Mordred felt sick.
"One cannot undo an enchantment that one of its kin has made," the first voice whispered back.
"Master, you can still tamper with it."
Mordred felt as if his head was going to explode. Voices, too many voice. They wouldn't stop. Wake up, he yelled at himself. WAKE UP!
"True," said the voice, as if pondering the idea. "It will work. Mordred." It turned back to him now. "Cast this on Emrys –"
"NO!" he roared. "Leave me alone!"
"Mordred, it is your destiny, which you have failed. You formed a bond with Emrys, the one that will be your downfall. You are Arthur's bane. You should not have befriended them."
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Mordred, so young and so hurt. You do not realize your true-"
"PISS OFF!"
"Mordred," it whispered. "They will watch you burn. They will-"
The druid couldn't take it, and all he could do was cover his ears and scream. The voices went away. The darkness surrounding his mind lifted. He saw light.
"Arrrrggghh," was the first thing out of his mouth when he woke. The next was a gasp as the voices did not return, but instead they filled his head with visions.
Camelot burning.
Blood staining the walls.
A man in chainmail, lying dead as a black-haired woman screamed in grief.
Ambrose flat on his back, eyes open and unmoving.
Merlin's shirt drenched through with blood.
Arthur eyes wide as a sword went into his chest.
Morgana, eyes golden, destroying everything in her path.
Knights of the Round Table, nooses around their necks as their stools are being kicked away by the executioner.
He blinked and it was gone. You will do this, the voice whispered.
"I said piss off."
Merlin was left alone with the pain for a while, but was sucking it up. It wasn't that bad, but, still, pain…
She jumped when a voice whispered, but she could not tell what it was saying. It was too low and too fast. Someone screamed, a bloodcurdling, bone-chilling one not unlike the Dorocha. Merlin felt pain. Intense pain, all over, as if her body was on fire. Her eyes rolled back, and she convulsed on the ground. Her mouth started foaming. It lasted a full minute.
Merlin only had one thought as the pain ceased instantly.
What the hell? Oh, shit, not again…..
Blaaaaaaarg. Hello there! Well, um, here's the chapter. Yeah.
Okay, let's talk: one main character is going to die. Any guesses who? I'm not telling. Don't worry, there'll will still be a happy ending.
And thank you to Lady Blade WarAngel, Luka Knight, bubzchoc, and Meegan for reviewing! You get ice cream C see? it's in and cone and on it's side! :3
Well, I need to go get a life...bye!