Hi everyone really big apologies for this chapter being so late. As a further apology I've produced chapter 5 along with it. Hope you all enjoy.
Chapter 4
Merlin hated going on long horse rides. It wasn't that he hated the horse or the journey, it was just the two never sat right together. He'd packed his bags and had left Camelot an hour ago in search of this mystery sorcerer. He had wanted to say another goodbye to Arthur, but when he went to the basket, Arthur hadn't been there. Merlin simply thought Arthur had gone off sulking yet again.
About half an hour into the journey, Merlin had made it to the location where they had been sat in the forest the day before. He awkwardly got down from his horse, accidentally kicking the bag on the way down. He hoped it didn't squash his cheese sandwiches.
Once down from his horse Merlin walked over to the tree, sat down and focused his mind. Using his magic, he could pick up another sorcerer's aura and track it. It was, Merlin had discovered, an easy and very valued trait of sorcery, as it had led to the discovery of a lot of his kind if he thought Arthur was in danger. Like similarly in the case of the druid boy.
He had, however, learned its disadvantages. The other person you where tracking could also track and find you if they sensed you, it wasn't a one-way thing. Merlin had realised he would need to take extra care whilst searching for a renegade sorcerer, so he sat there on the tree trunk base and thought hard. It didn't take long. Inside his mind he followed a blue trail of magic across a mind-made map of Albion's Isles. Merlin had learned that his trail was gold because that was the colour of his magic. As this man had blue magic, his trial would be blue.
"Got you," Merlin said mentally, and silently cursed. He really shouldn't have done that; now Lord Dellarux would know he was being searched for. Merlin cursed silently again. Now what?
"Perhaps he didn't hear," Merlin thought.
"You know you should really be careful when you use this gift," a rich, silky voice resounded in his head. "The idea is usually to try to remain undetected."
Merlin tried to listen for a hint of menace in the man's tone or something that would indicate his darker side, but he found none.
The voice was eerie inside his head, like a soft whisper inside his conscious. But it wasn't unpleasant.
"Why should it be?"
That made Merlin jump out of his skin and mind, almost.
"How are you doing that? Can you hear my thoughts? Wait? Why am I TALKING to you?" Merlin sent back before realising he'd done it.
"Oh, great I can't even control my own magic," he muttered afterwards.
"Surely you knew that I can hear your thoughts as you can mine?" Lord Dellarux's voice resounded in reply. "Have a try," he encouraged.
Merlin's mind told him to stop right there. He'd gone far enough, and had the information he needed. This was about helping Arthur, not having a casual chat with a sorcerer who'd caused all the trouble. And yet…
He couldn't help his curious nature; he was drawn to the idea of learning more all the time. And he'd never experienced anything like this before. Perhaps he should try; after all it couldn't hurt to learn…
"Okay, how do I do it?" he sent cautiously.
"Focus on my mind, concentrate on something you want to know. Then listen to the answer I send back," Dellarux's message was clear and calm, as if he was not unnerved about someone digging in his mind.
"What you mean like anything I want to know?" was Merlin's reply.
"Yes, providing it's not too private to be revealed."
Merlin thought for a moment then picked the basic question.
"Why did you place your curse on Arthur?"
"I did not know who he was at the time. Being a snake, one falls behind the times a little," to couple the words, an image came to Merlin from Dellarux's mind. And the young warlock felt that he was telling the truth.
"Can you do this all the time?" he asked.
"Private thoughts are blocked, of course, but other than that, yes. It is often safer to talk via this way as one cannot lie in his reply, without being found out."
"But you just read my mind, and I didn't want you to hear!" Merlin replied.
"You do not know how to block your private thoughts! That is why!" Dellarux's voice was calm and collected still.
"Then how do I do it?" Merlin asked in earnest. He knew instinctively he should stop completely. But he couldn't.
"Simply imagine a door in front of your thoughts. It is always possible to break doors, but if you create one, you have my word I shan't look."
"Like this?" Merlin enquired.
"Yes, but allow me to make a helpful addition to it?" Dellarux replied.
Before Merlin could answer, he felt a strange force backing up his block, and it suddenly became impossible to open.
"How are you-? Stop! Wait! What have you done?" Merlin's message was backed up by terror and frustration.
"It is alright," Dellarux reassured. "It is called a lock. Like one on a door, it prevents people from forcing their way in. Of course the more elaborate the door, the more elaborate the lock, and the more magic it uses."
"Can you remove it please?" Merlin asked
"Of course, once I do this you must break connection with me at once. Your prince is watching you, and is rather nervous."
This startled Merlin who, before Dellarux had the chance to lift the lock, snapped out of his memory lapse and turned to stare at the white and yellow snake, who was indeed eyeing him suspiciously.
At once he felt a massive headache coming on and his vision blurred, before he collapsed.
Somewhere across the plains and mountains Dellarux cursed and clutched his head.
"Stupid, stupid, idiot," he groaned. Although in truth, whether he was addressing himself or Merlin, he couldn't tell.
"What'sss wrong, Merlin?" Arthur hissed, slithering over to the curled up form of his motionless manservant.
When Merlin didn't move, Arthur tried a new tactic. Using his tail, he slapped Merlin in the face. Well, that woke him up all right.
"Ughh…" Merlin groaned, disorientated completely.
Arthur's snake-y face twisted into a grin.
"Do you alwaysss passs out every time you think, Merlin? Or isss it jussst that your usssing your brain for the firssst time?"
"Ow…oh, my head," Merlin groaned, sitting up. "Arthur what are you doing here? I thought you were safely sulking back in Camelot."
"Oi, watch it! I have venom, you know, and I don't sssulk, for your information," Arthur shot back, then more considerately added. "Are you okay? You ssseemed really out of it there…"
"I'm fine, Arthur," Merlin replied, for a moment taken aback by his friend's kindness. "But you should go back. I don't want you getting trampled on."
"I won't, I came in your bag, Merlin. Which remindsss me…" Slap! "You can have that for kicking me when you got off the horssse."
"Oww!" Merlin grumbled.
"So, come on then, what where you ussing that airhead of yoursss for."
"Nothing!" Merlin lied quickly, and stood up, only to fall back to the floor a couple of steps later.
"Ha ha! Ssservesss you right," Arthur hissed delightedly.
"Come on, Arthur," Merlin grunted, and stuffed a disgruntled Arthur back into the bag. "Let's go before we turn ninety shall we?"
Merlin climbed back on the horse, this time more careful not to kick Arthur, whose tail was waiting to give another slap when needed.
Please give thanks to my Beta Reader MagicByMerlin J all reviews welcome.