I'm so sorry that this took so long! We had exams, then I had both grandmother's birthdays, one after another, then I had my birthday, then my friends birthday and then we got so much homework for school, I'm so, so sorry that this took forever to put up. It's 1,798 words long, as a thank you for putting up with the break. Some people were asking what timeline this is set in, well, it's after Morgana showed her true colours, (after 3x13), but Uther's alive, (so before 4x03). It's also in the story description if you missed it. Thanks to NightsAnger, Juliana Brandagamba, Lya200, JCR and BookyBookworm for reviewing the last chapter. On with the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
While the laughing was still echoing through the forest, a dark-haired figure was running as fast as his legs would carry him, back to Camelot. Kolby's head was reeling. He thought back to what he had just seen.
Kolby was walking through the forest. On his arm was a basket and he was walking down the less travelled path in favour of finding more berries. He was thinking about how much his youngest sister loved eating blackberries, when he saw the bandits.
They were sitting around a campfire, sharpening their swords, and hollering about their latest plan to capture more travellers in the forest. They were dressed in brown, holey clothing, that couldn't decide if it was brown by colour or by years of dirt and sweat collecting into one piece of fabric. Kolby was beginning to get nervous, what of the saw him? Should he run, or should he stay hidden until they leave. Kolby had just decided to get comfortable, when, all of the bandits turned their heads as one, like a pack of dogs catching the scent of a wounded animal and ran off through the woods, in the opposite direction of where Kolby was hiding.
Kolby knew the area well, and knew that the bandits were going in the direction of the path that Camelot's patrols often took. Kolby could make a good guess that the bandits were tracking so Knights of Camelot, but the question was, what was he going to do about it? He could run home as fast as he could and stay there until the bandits moved on, or he could go and watch. As a boy with a grand sense of adventure, there was really no choice. Kolby started chasing the bandits.
So there he was, running through the trees after the bandits. He passed by them after a few minutes, (he was a very fast boy), and hid under a bush. In horror he realised the bandits were tracking the Prince and his servant. He listened as they bantered and realised that, surprisingly (though not surprisingly, considering all they'd been through, what with Morgana lately), they shared a friendship. He winced as he heard the war cy that meant the bandits had caught up.
He heard them say, as though they were one person instead of two; "We just can't catch a break, can we?" and smiled because he knew they had dealt with bandits before and would be ok.
He winced as the Prince killed four out of the five bandits, (who had become surprisingly clumsy over the course of the fight), before the last one ran, and almost laughed out loud as the Prince called his manservant a Damsel in Distress…only to be rendered speechless as a blue shield blocked the arrow flying towards the prince.
He couldn't believe what he just saw. The Prince of Camelot can't have magic! His father started the Great Purge, that killed so many people, including his own father, who had been wrongfully charged with magic. It was impossible! Some other magic person was here, yeah, that's it, and they made that shield. Although, what sorcerer would help a Pendragon with magic?! Surely they had some sense of self-preservation.
Kolby was certain that he hadn't seen what he thought he saw, when the prince's manservant, (what's his name? Marvin? Merlin? Yeah, Merlin) coming out from behind a bush and stating:
"You have magic."
Kolby's blood ran cold when he heard the Prince's reply. "Yes. I do."
Kolby turned around and ran as fast as he could without being heard by the pair. He ran, and ran, and ran until he'd past the clearing where he'd spotted the bandits, when everything made sense in the world, and kept on running. He was going to Camelot.
Kolby was out of breath by the time he could see the top of the citadel peeking through the trees. The guards were understandably shocked when Kolby ran past them, but he was gone before they could react. He was stopped at the Throne Room doors by a guard, who asked what his business was with the King. Kolby asked for an audience with the King, saying he knew the location of a magic user. Uther saw him immediately and it was then that he had doubts.
Not about what he saw, but more about how Uther would react. He didn't want to be put in the dungeons or even executed for accusing the prince of having magic. But he was already inside, so he had to continue.
"What brings you here, peasant?"
Kolby was a bit put off by the harsh reminder of his social status, but continued anyway.
"I know the location and name of a sorcerer, sire"
"Who is it?"
How would Uther react? Kolby could be hanged, or whipped, or Uther could believe him and send him on his way with a few coins. The latter seems pretty near impossible, the former is the most likely. But it's too late to back down now, so here goes nothing (well, everything, but that's not the point).
"Your son, sire. The Prince of Camelot."
"How dare you make these accusations! Arthur is my son, and he would never betray me or Camelot! This is treason, I will have you hanged for this!"
So the former it is then.
Gaius steps forward and approaches Kolby. He thought knew this kid from somewhere. "How old are you, my boy?"
"Twelve winters, sir."
That's it! This is Kolby from the Lower Town. His father wrongfully charged as a sorcerer and his youngest sister has been sick with the flu for two weeks now. Addressing Uther. "My Lord, he is just a boy. I don't believe he understands what he's saying. Perhaps we should humour the boy and then send him back to his family."
"No! He has committed treason and he will be punished as the laws see fit!"
"Sire, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but don't blame the boy for what Morgana did, and certainly don't treat your people like she has. By punishing an twelve-year old for having an overactive imagination, you show that you are no different from Morgana, that you have no mercy or compassion for innocents."
Uther had a range of emotions on his face. Anger and sadness for Morgana's treachery, pleasure that he could finally punish someone to relieve his guilt and annoyance that Gaius is on the boy's side. But Uther knew that he couldn't let the council think he was like Morgana, so he allows the 'peasant boy' to tell his story.
"Very well. Tell the story you came here to give, boy."
Kolby was shocked. He couldn't believe that the King had decided to listen to him. He was very quick in telling the story, should he be stopped before he finished and stumbled a bit on his words.
"W-well um, I was in the forest and I was picking berries for my youngest sister, be-because she's been sick for a few weeks now ad she likes blackberries. I-I was going down the path to the clearing i-in the middle o-of the woods, because there are less-picked bushes around there. Bu-but when I got there, there were bandits sire. T-there was six of them and then they turned around and went off into the forest. I followed them sire, because I know that area of the forest well, and so I got ahead of them. Th-then I saw the Prince and his servant and then the bandits attacked. Then the Prince killed four of them and then the fifth one ran off. The Prince th-thought it was over, but then the sixth one, who was hiding in a bush, shot an arrow at him. The Prince t-turned around and raised his hand and a blue shield appeared out in front of him and the shield blocked the arrow. Then the Prince ran up to the bush and killed the bandit who was too shocked to do anything. Then the servant asked if the Prince had magic and the Prince said y-yes and then I ran away and came here."
Uther was about to dismiss the boy, when he realised that if Morgana, the kindest person he knew, has magic, was it such a stretch that Arthur has it too, especially considering the circumstances of his birth? With this logic. Arthur certainly could, but does that mean he does? Uther remembered when Arthur went to help his servant's village, what was it called? Aladar? Elander? Ealdor? Yeah, Ealdor, there was a sorcerer there. Apparently, he saved the village, but most likely only so that he could destroy the whole village and take credit for it later. The sorcerer was Arthur's servant's friend, so the servant knew about his despicable magic. So the servant could be killed for not bringing his 'friend' to justice. The sole reason the servant hadn't been killed, was that he somehow means so much to Arthur, that it would destroy him if the boy was killed. So the sorcerer could have taught the servant, and then the servant could have taught his master, but Arthur would have just killed the servant for mentioning magic around him. No, Arthur does not have magic.
But… it would explain all those times that Arthur went into tournaments and on impossible quests and was the only one who came back alive (well, except for Leon, but he's Leon). He faced a dragon for heavens sake! He should have been killed along with the hundreds of other faceless peasants and knights. It's almost impossible to kill the dragon without a DragonLord. To be clear, Uther is very happy that Arthur succeeded, but it just shouldn't have been possible. Magic must have been used. It's not that unlikely that Arthur has magic, when you think about it. He has survived twenty odd years of assassins and impossible odds. Arthur could have magic. Should have magic. Logically would have magic. And, according to this boy, does have magic. Arthur must have magic.
The council members watch as Uther's face morphs from disbelief, to anger, to shock, to denial, to anger, to more denial and finally understanding.
Addressing the knights. "You are to arrest Arthur on sight and bring him to me."
At the council members looks of protest, he says; "There will be no discussion on this matter."
To himself; "I have a son to deal with"
AN: Ok, so, Uther. He's not crazy in this fic because I think that he could have some days where he doesn't necessarily forget, but doesn't really think about Morgana's betrayal and also I need him to be the tyrant he is for later chapters. So I hope you can understand that and don't bombard me with reviews about how 'Uther goes mad after Morgana betrays them'. I'm aiming to have the next one up in about three-four days, but we all know how great that went with the last chapter. But we go on school holidays in a couple of weeks so I'll be able to have more chapters out sooner. If there's any problems with the timing of the chapters, I live in Australia so I go by Australian time, so, if the chapters are out a day early or late then it's because it was put out for Australian time. Btw, there doesn't seem to be any Australian writers on this site that I can find, but I might just not be looking hard enough. For anyone who's Australian, answer me this: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie...
See you in another life, ScruffydaDruid.
