AN: Hello! Remember me? You probably don't, but I'm back. I'm so incredibly sorry about the temporary hiatus. As you know from the previous Chapter 10 (that was deleted, which, now that I think about it, was sort of an unofficial hiatus notice) everything has been going crazy, but we are in the term 3 holidays at long, long last and I am back from the 'dead'. I got over a bad case of writers block and spent about half an hour planning where I want this story to go. This chapter is 1,704 words long and this story overall with no AN's is, wait for it, 14,374 words long! I am so happy and I hope you've enjoyed reading this just as much as I have. Thanks to bubzchoc, Ladyliz2, morningstar115, Lya200, Guest, Guest, NerdGirlAlert, Guest, Juliana Brandagamba, Guest, fastreader12, NC and TheTownWeirdo for reviewing that last chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
The sound echoed around them, as silence stole through the caves.
The silence went on for a few moments, before Arthur, being the attention-demanding prat he is, broke it by cuffing Merlin around the head.
"Ow!" He cried, indignantly.
"That was for keeping another secret. You said you had none left!"
Merlin mumbled something indecipherable.
"What was that?" Arthur asked, in a strained voice.
Merlin mumbled a bit louder.
"I can't hear you. Can you please say it louder?"
"I said, I was getting to it."
Gwaine face-palmed. "You were getting to it? Honestly mate, you're gonna have to do better then that!" He said, before Arthur could get in.
Merlin shrugged. "That's all I've got. Although, in my defence, I wasn't really thinking about the prophecy when I told you I had no more secrets. The ones I told you are the important ones. It just slipped my mind!"
"Slipped your- Merlin! Are you telling me that you forgot?" Arthur patronizingly asked.
Unabashedly, Merlin answered immediately. "Yes. I was a bit preoccupied at the time. The secret that could literally get me killed, was just revealed, so excuse me for not remembering some small detail. Besides, your secret was revealed at the same time, were you thinking about some random upcoming quest when we told the Knights?"
Arthur looked down. He hadn't thought of it like that. Not wanting to seem like Merlin's words were affecting him, his head quickly shot back up, a neutral expression on his face.
Merlin saw all this, and as though he could read Arthur's mind, and smirked. Then he turned to Iseldir and sent a mind-message to him.
"Is there anything else you'd like to say, or can we rest before dinner?"
"Of course Emrys. I forgot how tired you all must be. I'll show you to a tent and we'll call you for dinner."
"I'll help with dinner. But the Knights will want to rest."
"No Emrys, we would be happy to cook for you. I'll show you to a tent now. Though I am curious, what secret were you referring to, that the Once and Future King is keeping."
"It's not my place to tell you that-"
"Of course not. My apologies." Iseldir interrupted him
"Though I'm sure that he'll be happy to tell you very soon." Merlin finished his sentence.
The silence had stretched in for a while now, with Merlin and Iseldir's gazes locked. Gwaine was going to clear his throat when Isaledir nodded and said:
"I'm sure you'll want to have a rest; it has been a very long day for all of you. Elali, will you show our guests to an empty tent? We will call for you when dinner is ready."
"Thank you." Was all Arthur said. The other knights nodded their agreement and they followed the young boy to their tents.
Merlin, being Merlin asked Elali all about himself, which Elali was only too happy to answer. Elali was fifteen years old and an elemental sorcerer. He could connect with the element Earth and made it a point to wear the colours green and brown as often as he could. His mother was killed by Uther a year and a day after his birth. His father was killed three weeks after that, when he gave himself up to the Knights because of, as the Elders have told him, a broken heart. Elali was raised with the Druids and lived with one of the village elders; Annwyn. She was the healer and had helped his mother through pregnancy. However, Annwyn turned to Morgana's side after Morgause came to the camp to recruit followers and now makes poisons for Morgana's enemies. This was about a year and a half ago. Now Elali is under the care of Haemus. He can always make everyone laugh without even trying and takes care of all the orphaned children. Elali assured them that Haemus is really nice and that Elali was ok with all that had happened in his short, but eventful life.
Elali brought them through the crowd of Druids all clamouring to see their saviours and into a tent on the far side of the camp. Gwaine privately though that he was enjoying making them squirm and was already planning his revenge when they reached their tent. It was a large, thread-bare blanket that couldn't remember any colour other than the dirt-stained beige it had become over time. Arthur and his Knights made their way into the tent and found six mattresses set up with blankets, the same colour of the tent, next to them.
Merlin was quietly talking to Elali outside, but when Arthur called him in, he gave a quick goodbye and came inside. He put his pack down and pulled out the blankets and cloaks. Each knight grabbed their cloak while Arthur and Merlin took a blanket each. They chose their beds and Merlin put his dragon figurine at the head of his mattress. They were all thinking about the prophecy and then Arthur asked the big question.
"Merlin?" Merlin looked at Arthur, to show he was listening. "Why didn't you tell us about the prophecy last night?"
Merlin sighed and looked down. He knew should have known that Arthur would see though his, quite bad, excuse. He had been dreading this conversation since last night. He knew that he should have told them when the other secrets were told, but he couldn't. They wouldn't understand. They didn't know what it was like to have a gift that could get you killed. A gift they had been taught since they could remember to keep hidden, to keep secret, to never let anyone know. But most of all, they didn't understand how it made him feel. He was prophesised to do what seems like the impossible. To protect the man that would bring magic back to the lands. He was bombarded by Druids who knew what he was prophesised to do before he did, who knew the prophecies and thought they knew everything about him. It was bad enough that he knew he was powerful and born with his magic, something unprecedented, but having everyone else know…it was painful to think about.
Merlin sighed again. He remembered his words to Gilli. "It's, lonely. To be, more powerful than any man you know, and have to live like a shadow. To be, special and, have to pretend you're a fool. No one knows what that feels like. But, it became a habit. Wake up, serve Arthur, help Gaius, save Camelot from some threat, sleep, repeat. I liked it. I didn't want anything to change. Yes, it was lonely, but I was content. If I told you, you would have looked at me differently, like you are now. You might have hated me. So I was happy to leave it as is, because I was scared you would hate me. I treasure our friendship too much to risk that.
"As for last night, secrecy is a habit. I've always been taught to keep all my cards close to my chest, so I kept this quiet. I am sorry for keeping secrets, but I'll answer any questions you have, unless there is a real reason not to."
And thus the conversation about everything Merlin has done for Camelot began. The dragon, Valient, the afanc, the griffin, Edwin Muriden, the Sidhe, the wraith, the unicorn, Cornelius Sigan, the troll, Freya, the Knights of Medir, the goblin, the crystal cave, immortal armies, the Changeling, the Fisher King, the manticore and most recently, the cup of life. They laughed, they cried and their hearts went out for their youngest brother, who had done so much, sacrificed almost everything and could keep going, keep smiling. Eventually, their talk turned to Camelot, and what they were going to do.
"We should stay here. My father would sooner kill us than welcome us back to Camelot." Arthur said. No one had the heart to remind him that Uther Pendragon was no longer his father.
"But what about Gaius, Gwen, Leon?" Asked Merlin.
"If they want us, they can come find us." Gwaine put in. The others nodded in agreement.
"I can put an enchantment on us, so only people we know who are looking for us with good intentions can find us" Merlin put in. Arthur looked surprised at this idea and nodded his consent. "Good idea Merlin." Lancelot said.
"Smart idea. What do you guys think?" Gwaine asked. Percival and Elyan agreed and let Merlin do his thing.
"Protekus ni æt wrydan ge nedezirata okulo. Protekus ni æt wrydan ge nedezirata okulo. Protekus ni æt wrydan ge nedezirata okulo *" Merlin chanted softly, slowly getting louder. A soft light filled the tent and surrounded the six of them. Arthur recognised the light as Merlin and relaxed into it. Elyan was slightly nervous until he felt the light. He drowned in the innocence and pureness of the magic. This is Merlin. He realised. Protective and loyal to a fault, but kind and caring to everyone and anyone he meets. The other were having similar thought as the magic died down and they were left with a tingling feeling spreading from their toes to their head that soon faded.
They stayed like that for a few seconds, relishing in the magic that had just passed though them, when Arthur said. "Great, that's sorted. Now, I need you to polish my armour, sharpen my sword, do my washing, rub down my horse-"
Merlin cut him off. "You're not Prince Arthur anymore. You're just Arthur. So you're not my master. And I don't have to do a thing that you say."
"Not like you ever did anyway." Arthur muttered snidely.
Merlin overheard and just had to counter such an insult to his person. "Dollophead"
"Girl" Arthur was always ready to engage in a verbal battle with the his destiny.
"Clotpole"
"That's not a word, Merlin! Define, clotpole." Arthur said, having a feeling he knew what was coming
"In two words?" Merlin asked. He had been waiting to say this for years.
"…Sure?" Arthur had a very bad feeling about this.
"Arthur Pendragon" Merlin cried happily, preparing to run, duck or dodge what was coming.
"MERLIN!" Arthur screamed.
Merlin out of the tent to escape the Prat's rage and went to help make the dinner, laughing all the way.
*Protect us from harming and unwanted eyes.
Super sorry for the long, long, long wait, but I have two weeks to write and hopefully finish this story. Chapter 11 is underway and will come out asap, considering the fact that I'm not doing anything except watch YouTube and read FanFiction for the next two weeks. Special thanks to Ladyliz2, morningstar115, Lya200, Guest, NerdGirlAlert, Guest, Juliana Brandagamba, and Guest for answering the Question of the Chapter.
The 'see you in another life' thing was from the SuperCarlinBrothers (well done to Guest, fastreader12 and TheTownWeirdo for getting that right). I love their channel and I absolutely recommend checking them out. They don't do Merlin things, but they have lots of harry Potter and general Pixar/Disney theories and I love watching them all the time. Please check them out (#notsponsored, just a really big fan).
Question of the chapter: What is your favourite villain/bad guy in Merlin?
See you in another life. ScruffydaDruid.
