IMPORTANT: The first part of the chapter happens simultaneously with the previous chapter, around the time Galahad brought Arthur Merlin's goodbye. I didn't put it in there because it totally didn't fit in with the rest of the chapter.
Again, not betaed...
Chapter 23: With A Bang
Morgana dealt with defeat in the best way possible. She picked herself up and then tried again. Even when she was still struggling with understanding her gift, she never backed down. Persistent to a fault and when that didn't work, hidden defiance. It had gotten her to accompany Arthur on his childish quests. It had gotten her through Morgause's rigorous training which normally took years to master, but she succeeded in less than that. It had gotten her to succeed in wearing two faces: the dutiful doted upon ward of the king and the capable sorceress plotting from within. It had almost everyone fooled. And it had gotten her over her sister's death.
Confidence, authority and a certain amount of charm had gained her allies, some more worthy than others. And some more easily controlled. Hréonhes was a failed plan. One however that could still benefit her despite his unnerving insanity. Why else would he lock her up in here for days? Sure at the beginning it felt like nothing more than a prison, an enormous and beautiful prison, but a prison nonetheless. However once Morgana had gotten over her anger and her previous task of finding out what went wrong with the summoning had been completed, she had looked around.
The grand hall contained more than just a dining area and place to do rituals. There were books, magical artefacts that her sister had deemed lost forever and enough beautiful expensive trinkets to seduce an army.
Morgana was drinking exquisite wine from a masterly crafted cup. She could mirror herself in its brightness and the precious stones decorating it shone with life. She let the wine swirl around in her mouth enjoying the rich aftertaste. This is what she missed and it was all thanks to Arthur and his secret protector.
At the moment she was waiting. The plans she thought up – with what knowledge she siphoned out of those ancient texts or by figuring out some creative way to use all those magical instruments – they all had to wait for know.
She wasn't the most patient person. She knew that. It had often led to her hurrying along her plans of the destruction of her enemies. She overlooked things, got surprised by unexpected obstacles and factors she had forgotten to calculate in. Her principal loose element was Emrys. She didn't know anything about him at least not anything that could be helpful. In turn Emrys seemed to know her weaknesses, her fears.
So in turn she summoned her own wild card. An adversary even Emrys would fear, making him waver and lose hope. Morgana chuckled humourlessly. In a way her wish had been fully granted. Hréonhes was utterly unpredictable, insane and powerful. She knew he saw his interaction with Emrys as a game and a challenge. What he needed to do to get to Emrys was just collateral damage, not planned. Morgana smirked, she hoped Arthur would get in the way. Though if she was honest with herself, Morgana was conflicted. She didn't know who she'd wanted as a winner in the end. Right now, she was even inclined to root for Emrys.
So Morgana took another sip of wine and merely waited for a change.
Suddenly the wind picked up inside the hall. Right in front of the dinner table a dark spot appeared in the middle of the air hovering at waist height. It expanded with tendrils of smoke, swishing in every direction. Morgana put her goblet down undisturbed by what was happening and waited as the vague form of a man solidified. She rested her hands on her lap and leaned back a bit, conjuring a condescending smile on her lips.
"Shouldn't you be out conquering the world as we know it?" Morgana asked when Hréonhes dropped out of thin air. The man looked around in wonder and excitement, something that didn't disappear from his expression when he answered her, "There has been a misfortunate delay in Camelot."
"What happened?" Morgana took a sip of her wine and smirked, "Were you playing with your food and it bit back?"
"Something like that." Hréonhes replied happily, "But don't concern your pretty head about it. It's merely a delay. I always defeat my enemies. That or I take them down with me." He walked to the table and plopped himself on a chair. He reached out with his hand, saying a few words and the wine pitcher and a cup moved towards him. He poured himself a full cup, almost spilling the wine over the edge and took a lengthy gulp.
"And yet you're still here." Morgana remarked.
"I am."
"So Emrys..." She eagerly leaned forwards.
"Is dead." Hréonhes finished cheerfully and raised his cup to toast. Morgana mimicked his gesture feeling overjoyed and anxious at the same time. For now the Dragonlord seemed in a good mood, so she vowed to keep him that way for as long as possible.
"To me." The Dragonlord toasted, "And my crude butchering talents."
"You really killed him?"
"With ease and much pleasure." He grinned at the memory, "Last night actually, but I amused myself with a bit of exploration here and there and everywhere. Aren't you pleased I'm back for dinner? I'll conjure up a feast."
"Sounds wonderful." Morgana cordially accepted the invitation, not that she had another choice. Emrys' death was indeed a cause of celebration. The earlier conflict had vanished from her. Hréonhes seemed more whole this time. He was smiling, actually smiling out of genuine happiness. There was another emotion present and it took Morgana a few moments to figure out it was relief. It seemed Hréonhes for all his bravado hadn't been that sure he could defeat Emrys.
"So the old bat finally died." She leaned back again and smirked. Hréonhes shot her an amused smile as if she had said something funny. She dismissed it, crediting his apparent amusement to his still questionable sanity.
"Bled to death." Hréonhes informed her, "It was like a work of art. And yet so disappointing."
He sighed, "But my army's gone, I'll give him a point for that. Never would have thought he'd poison another." Morgana tried to piece together what exactly had happened in Camelot but Hréonhes was intentionally vague. It maddened her, but she hid those emotions behind pleasantness. Hréonhes suddenly got up again. He paced up and down in front of the fire for a few seconds and jumped up and down. Morgana was just about to remark on this sudden change when without warning he shattered a nearby vase with a blast of fire.
"It's not working." He said letting out a deep breath, "I need to work this frustration out on somebody. Maybe Emrys's king?" The Dragonlord walked back to the table sagging morosely down onto his chair and sighed.
"Arthur?" Morgana demanded clarification.
"Yes, yes." He waved his hand around, "Happy now?"
"Very." Morgana answered and smiled in her cup of wine. Things were looking up again.
"I'll just have to finish Camelot myself, buggers. You might not have guessed, but I'm frightfully lazy sometimes, still it will be fun. Fun, but easy pickings."
"So why are you still hovering here?" She asked.
"Just thought I ought to give the King some time to mourn."
"Arthur won't mourn Emrys." Morgana argued.
"If you say so." Hréonhes shrugged his shoulders, "Still, a day's rest is only polite. Just because I'm pure evil doesn't mean I can't be civil once in awhile. No, one day reprieve before I kill every single one of them. Just after breakfast seems suitable." The Dragonlord spoke a few words in the Old Tongue and the table was once again filled with lavish dishes, "And after tomorrow, my dear Morgana, I'll start dealing with you."
She spat out the wine she was drinking, narrowing her eyes in anger and fear at that ambiguous statement. Maybe it would have been better if Emrys had won.
"Arthur?" Leon yawned as he rubbed the fatigue out of his eyes. It was quite a surprise to wake up to the sight of his king sitting next to Merlin. He'd never heard the king come in. Arthur looked up somewhat startled at hearing his name, but that emotion passed and was swiftly replaced by yesterday's passiveness. The knight sighed and sat up straighter tipping his head and waited for the satisfying crack in his neck to tilt his head to the other side, "What time is it?"
"Early," Arthur replied, "It's just getting lighter in here." The king was leaning back in his chair, running his thumb across the black pebble.
"Did you get any sleep at all?" Leon got of his chair to stretch his legs. He really must stop falling asleep wherever he closed his eyes. The others were still sleeping soundly. Leon smiled when he saw Galahad's position.
"We need to hold another meeting." Arthur announced and gently got up. It didn't go unnoticed that he hadn't answered Leon's question, but the knight knew it would be futile to push.
"But not here." Leon stated. It was not hard to read Arthur's thoughts when the king refused to look at Merlin.
"No." Arthur replied walking towards the door, "Wake the others. Guinevere's asleep in our chambers. Tell them to meet me at the Round Table in an hour."
"Understood, but Arthur," Leon asked making the king pause in the doorway, "where are you going?"
Arthur stopped and turned around briefly letting his gaze linger on Merlin, "I'm not sure."
A few minutes later Arthur found himself sitting on top of the stairs in the courtyard. There was a light drizzle in the air this morning. He wasn't the only one awake. The king watched how the night guards were relieved. A couple of servants hurried across the courtyard carrying all sort of things. They all noticed their king sitting there seemingly staring into empty space. They watched how he put something down, picking it up a second later and holding it in his closed fist. None of them approached Arthur however. It wasn't their place. That had been Merlin's.
Gwen walked beside her brother. Elyan had insisted on escorting her. When they reached the council room Gwaine was already there relighting the fire. He was using the poker harsher than necessary making the ash fly up. The queen took her seat and waited. Gaius shuffled in, Galahad's hand guiding him by his shoulder. The young knight still looked pale but determined as he helped the old physician settle in his usual chair. Leon was the next one to enter. He was followed by some servants who left bread, water and fruit on the table. Gwen thought it was a waste, surely she couldn't eat now.
The hour passed and the six of them waited. Arthur suddenly entered - dishevelled and wet from the rain - looking as miserable as he no doubt felt. Without so much as looking at anyone present he strode over to his chair and sat down. Only then did he look around, careful not to let his eyes venture to much to his right. The king frowned, Percival wasn't here yet.
"Does anyone..." Arthur trailed off when the knight entered. He was holding something in his large hands and walked up to Merlin's empty place. Arthur had no choice but to look now. He'd been carrying a candle and lit it at the fireplace. Without saying a word or explaining what he was doing, Percival placed the candle on the table just in front of Merlin's empty seat.
The flame playfully bobbed for a moment before calming down.
"Thank you, Percival." Arthur inclined his head when the man was seated. The king gazed for a few moments at its flame before addressing the rest of the Round Table.
"I know you all have questions, not all of mine are answered but as Galahad must have informed you all, Merlin left me a message. He-" Arthur stopped abruptly and tightened his hold on the pebble. Gwen placed her hand on top of his. Arthur drew the necessary strength from that gesture to continue, "He asked me to say goodbye to you all." There was a short pause. "He also informed me Kilgharrah told him he was going to die. He knew."
For a moment no one spoke nor uttered a sound until Gwaine cursed and said, "That explains so much. Leon, do you remember the story he told on the way to Nortcliff?" Gwaine turned to the older knight.
"How could I forget?" The knight replied. The conversation that followed was one he'd replayed in his head many times.
"What story?" Arthur asked.
"The details don't matter, but it was about a man who ended up dead, no matter what he decided to do. Why didn't we see it earlier?" Gwaine asked suddenly frustrated, "Something was clearly upsetting him. He sounded so defeated at the end of that story."
"He was too used of doing things by himself." Galahad remarked.
The rest of the Round Table saw the truth in that statement. But it offered no comfort. Quite the opposite in fact. Arthur had been listening to Merlin's goodbye over and over again. And every time Merlin said he was allowed to yell at him a sharp pain stabbed his heart. It was dulled by now, but Arthur couldn't help remembering vividly every sharp remark he uttered to his friend in the past couple of days. And everything he yelled. And the worst of it all was that he had told Merlin to get himself killed, right here in this very room.
Arthur took a deep calming breath, "Merlin also mentioned that he secured Camelot's safety. He gave no details and I don't want to doubt him, but he doesn't exactly sound very sure of himself."
"But Hréonhes left and the curse was broken." Leon stated.
"The curse was actually Queen Annis' doing. Her death ended it." Elyan spoke up, "Lothian told me. He told me his aunt knew and said goodbye. He also told me Merlin visited her right before the siege started."
"Do we have any idea if this is truly over? Gaius?" Gwen asked.
"I'm not sure." The elderly man said uncertain.
"Galahad? How about you?" Arthur went on.
"I looked for some answers myself and basically my father's ignoring me." The druid admitted with a pained expression, "I tried to contact him yesterday about everything that happened. That's why I went back to the vaults in the afternoon."
"That's unusual, any idea why?" Arthur suddenly turned worried.
"He does that if he thinks I'm bothering him for no reason because I have all I need to figure out the answer for myself." Galahad scowled and then seemed worried, "Or..."
"Or?" The king repeated.
"Or if he can't answer." The young knight spoke softly. "But I trust Emrys and I need to trust that he did everything to ensure our safety. You know Merlin, Arthur. For you he was willing to do everything." Arthur heard the unspoken 'even die' in Galahad's statement. He trusted Merlin as well, he just couldn't believe his friend had thought that his death was something Arthur deemed acceptable.
"You should also know that Hréonhes was already in the castle." Galahad added hesitantly.
"What!" Exclaims of disbelief echoed around the Table.
"Galahad, I know it's not fair for me to ask, but can you tell us what happened?" Arthur insisted gently. The young knight nodded, "He was near the infirmary when I first felt him. After Hréonhes reached the tower... It turned really chaotic. Merlin did some powerful, very powerful magic and then there was an exchange and then Merlin's magic just withered. It was dying and then it stopped."
"An exchange you say?" Gaius suddenly spoke up. It was the first spontaneous thing he had said this morning.
"Of magic." Galahad confirmed. The physician nodded preoccupied. He seemingly stared at something far away for a while until Arthur cleared his throat, "Gaius?"
"I think I might know what he did. Guinevere showed me a peculiar burn around Merlin's wrist. It flummoxed me, but now I understand. Powerful oaths leave a mark like that."
"He made a deal with Hréonhes?" Arthur cried out. Unbelievable of all the harebrained things to do...
"Is there any way of knowing what the oath said?" Gwen asked the physician. Gaius shook his head, "I'm rather more curious of how he persuaded Hréonhes to seal it. That boy..." The old man suddenly smiled fondly recalling fond memories.
"There was a satchel on the staircase." Arthur suddenly remembered, "I forgot for obvious reasons, but it was Merlin's..."
"I'll take a look at it as soon as possible." Galahad said quickly before Gaius felt obliged to help.
"And now, what will we do next?" Elyan asked unsurely and he wasn't the only one who looked at the lone candle next to Arthur. It was daunting to have this meeting without Merlin present. The king braced himself before he answered, "We endure. Merlin gave me, gave us a gift. I'm not proud of myself and of how I acted these last couple of days, but he believed in me. He never stopped believing in me." Arthur laid the black stone next to the candle. "And I mean to honour that belief in every way I can. He's gone..." Arthur's voice trembled at that, "But we did share a dream. All of us do so-"
Suddenly the candle's flame was snuffed out. The smoke whirled up fading out the higher it got. In that moment time froze for a heartbeat and then the doors of the chamber began to rattle. Out of nowhere wind picked up inside the room and the torches and fire were smothered as well. The knights got up, moving as one and withdrawing their swords. Arthur backed up and wanted to draw his sword as well. Then he realised he had left it next to Merlin during the night. In his haste to leave this morning he had forgotten it. He cursed.
"Arthur..." Gwen whispered unsurely helping Gaius up while the knights started to murmur as well. Arthur raised his unharmed arm signalling everyone to be quiet. It was quiet but the air was filled with anticipation. The king looked around the chamber, something was coming. It was like the moment before the storm struck...
The doors were blasted open, both barely staying in its hinges. The food and water was swept of the table but for some reason the candle remained untouched. Someone strode forwards determined, arrogant and smiling.
"Hréonhes." Arthur said coolly when the other man stopped opposite him on the other side of the table. He was exactly like he imagined the man to be: dark, powerful and cruel. His greeting apparently amused the Dragonlord for he chuckled, "Emrys welcomed me in the same manner."
The king clenched his hand a few times desperately wanting to run this monster through and finally settled on grabbing the chair before him. Hréonhes presence was disturbing and truly unexpected. Arthur didn't feel safe at the moment, Merlin's last plan seemed to have failed. He actually admitted he wanted to yell at his friend this very moment for doing such a thoughtless and now proven pointless thing as dying.
Both men stared at each other for a few moments. The second Hréonhes walked across the threshold everyone moved out of his way. Leon, Gwaine and Galahad stood on one side near the pillars while Gwen, Gaius, Percival and Elyan had sought refuge at the other side. Percival was trying to shield the physician and the Queen. Gwen hadn't even noticed the knights' efforts of pulling her further back. Her full attention was firmly fixed on Arthur. Her husband hadn't moved. He stood in front of the fireplace right behind his chair and seemed to wait for something to happen.
"I know I invited myself to this quant gathering," He made it sound like an insult as he looked around the room, "but at least I brought a gift." Hréonhes took something from beneath his cloak and held up a blood crusted dagger, "I call it my 'Essence of Emrys'."
Arthur paled and Hréonhes threw the dagger onto the table with a dramatic gesture. It skidded across the table stopping right in front of Arthur who couldn't peel his eyes off the object before him. He genuinely felt sick and faint. He clenched his hand even harder around the back of the chair just to stay upright. The king looked back up trembling all over.
"Why?" Arthur whispered brokenly and just stared at the man. He never felt this hopeless before. Merlin was gone. Arthur was truly alone now and he knew there was nothing standing in the way of being killed. Even begging Hréonhes to let the others go was a futile endeavour. Arthur knew men like Hréonhes. Men who knew no mercy, who lived for cruelty and were been driving slowly insane by their unobtainable ambitions. So he didn't know why he asked that question, it just sort of slipped out.
And then Hréonhes sighed uncharacteristically sad for a moment, "I actually regret killing him this early on. Don't get me wrong, it was always part of the game, but it was just too easy." He bemoaned the fact and looked back at Arthur, "So I came here in the hope you would at least fight me, but I notice you don't even have a sword. Pity. And I really can't even be bothered with your knights."
Hréonhes lifted his hands and his eyes glowed gold. The swords of Leon, Gwaine, Galahad, Elyan and Percival were all yanked forwards and were plummeted in the middle of the Table. The steel blades swayed for a moment and then they stilled. Arthur briefly glanced to his left side and offered Gwen a reassuring smile. She smiled back and he sincerely hoped his smile was more convincing than hers.
"Now that I won't be disturbed I can take my time. After all, I got to know dear Merlin a bit before I killed him. I should give you the same consideration." Hréonhes smirked and started to walk around the table. Despite their loss of weapons the three knights rushed forwards to protect their king but the Dragonlord stopped annoyed and whispered a few words. The knights were forced to retrace their steps. They were still able to move, just not forwards, which was all the more frustrating. Leon and Gwaine shared a worried look. They were powerless against this magic.
"Where to start..." Hréonhes muttered to himself. The next moment Arthur was blown a few feet back and smashed hard against the side of the fireplace. The impact was like a hot poker to his shoulder and Arthur couldn't stop the scream that was torn out of him. He wasn't the only one yelling. Gwen was horrified and Percival had to put a real effort in holding her back. He had exchanged a glance with Arthur earlier and the man had begged him to keep Gwen safe. Percival would do that for as long as he was capable.
The king groaned as he fell to his knees. He cradled his shoulder and winced when he tried to get up yet he fell back to the ground. Arthur stubbornly tried again. He was not going to die on his knees grovelling at his murderer's feet.
"What is your game, Hréonhes?" Arthur asked defiantly as he got up. He briefly leaned back against the wall for support before he pushed himself off it. He took a deep breath to smother the throbbing pain and lifted his chin proudly. He was the King of Camelot. He may not look like one now: no crown, no sword, not even a fancy shirt and one useless arm.
But that didn't change a thing. He took a step forwards and challenged the seemingly baffled Dragonlord further, "Are you going to play it until no one's left? Until you're all alone ruling a world of corpses? You and Morgana have one obvious thing in common. You both think the road to power is one born in fear and oppression. You both would built your kingdom on that. And mark my words, Hréonhes, the words of a dead man. It will inevitable crumble because greatness isn't reached by fear. It's reached through servitude."
The Dragonlord was silent for a moment apparently gobsmacked, but then he slowly raised his hands and clapped three times, "Inspiring I'm sure, but all I heard was blah blah blah."
Hréonhes resumed his stroll around the table and walked up to Arthur who remained rooted on his spot refusing to back down. He just stood there regally, calm and waiting. It was just a brave facade though, Arthur clung onto the fine thread of his bravery that still – and always will – remain. Nevertheless his heart was hammering inside his chest. His back was to Guinevere which might be best. He heard her pleading him to run, but he couldn't lose his resolve now. Arthur braced himself for what would come next as Hréonhes smiled maliciously.
Completely unexpected the Dragonlord suddenly banged into an invisible barrier. The sight would have been comical if the situation hadn't been so dire. Nonetheless Gwaine couldn't help but snort when the man gracelessly staggered backwards rubbing his nose.
"Someone's using magic." Hréonhes growled and menacingly looked around the room. Everyone else followed his example looking at either Gaius or Galahad. The old physician sadly shook his head. It took Galahad a moment longer for it to sink in why everyone was looking at him now.
"Wait, what? You know I can't do magic!" The druid sputtered hastily when he realized what he was being accused of. Hréonhes looked positively murderous now and took a step away from Arthur and in Galahad's direction. Gwaine pulled him back fast trying to shield the younger man behind him. His actions proved to be unnecessary when another voice suddenly spoke up.
"But I can."
Nine pair of eyes swirled towards the entrance. There, leaning casually against the doorframe as if he had never left, stood Merlin.
"Surprise." He said a tad sheepishly and raised his hand in an awkward wave. That word was by far not enough to describe the shock everyone was feeling. Percival practically had to intervene when Gaius sagged against the wall. Gwen breathed in relief and smiled. Arthur was safe. There's no way Merlin would let anyone harm his king. Elyan released the hold on his sister when he felt her calm down.
"Well, I'll be damned." Gwaine uttered awed blinking his eyes. He briefly wondered if he had drunken all those bottles. It would explain the delusion before him. Galahad closed his gaping mouth, this was impossible... Leon just shook his head in stunned amusement. Only Merlin...
Arthur stared at the man in the doorway. A sharp intake of breath signalled he had forgotten to breathe for a moment. Is it really Merlin? He certainly looked like him, but it can't be... There hadn't been a pulse. His hands had been covered in blood. It took him so long to wash it off, it was almost too much. He had hoped though. From the moment his eyes found Merlin's prone body on the tower, he had prayed this wasn't real. So was this real now or just another cruel trick?
The doubt was immediately quelled from his mind when he heard Merlin's familiar voice ordering him inside his head.
Arthur, get back now.
The king stumbled back a step still to shocked to really obey the order completely. He had listened to that voice for the better part of the night, sometimes drifting off and imagining that Merlin had said more than that short goodbye. He wasn't dreaming now though. His shoulder was in agony. He had never been so happy to feel pain. This was real! It was Merlin, his clumsy servant and true friend with wise moments and a penchant of apparently surviving everything. On the other hand Arthur hardly recognized him. He looked so commanding and confident right now. The blue cloak and shirt suited him and reflected his current position of power. In this moment Arthur fully understood why the Druids revered Emrys, the most powerful warlock alive...
Whatever Hréonhes had done to contain the knights Merlin had undone. Leon quickly went to stand beside Arthur or tried because Gwaine pulled him back the moment the older knight moved. Arthur hadn't stirred. After that single step he just continued staring at his friend who stood there alive and breathing. It wasn't until Percival pulled him aside and the three knights stepped further back as well, that Arthur vaguely realized Merlin must have given that instruction to everyone. The Dragonlord didn't notice a thing. He as well was too preoccupied with this sudden reappearance.
"Well, well, so the game continues. I must say Emrys, this is indeed quite the surprise. The lengths you went to entertain me." Hréonhes smiled congenially before his face contorted in anger, "But you changed the rules! You're supposed to be dead. I cut you open. Drove that dagger into your chest up to the hilt! I FELT RIBS CRACK!"
Merlin brought his left hand up and probed his chest experimentally, "They feel fine now." He said completely unimpressed with the man's outburst as if it were nothing more than a childish tantrum.
"This is impossible!" Hréonhes protested vehemently.
"We're doing magic. Everything is possible." Merlin simply said. His approach reminded Arthur of the way one handled a trapped animal: cautiously but determined and fully prepared for unexpected actions.
"How?" The man asked truly flummoxed. Arthur actually empathised with him for a second. He himself was feeling completely out of his depth.
"You broke your oath the second you killed me." The warlock explained and stepped into the room. Arthur noticed Hréonhes involuntarily took a step back when that happened. For all Hréonhes' loud words it was clear to Arthur who was master of the situation and it wasn't him. "And the moment you hurt Arthur I was, let's say compelled to step in."
"That can't be true." Hréonhes argued, "The oath only applied to those in Camelot. And once you died it was void. Our living magic, remember?"
"We never left Camelot." Merlin said. When Hréonhes failed to react the warlock rolled his eyes in annoyance and added, "I was bluffing."
"You told me we left Camelot." Hréonhes looked affronted by the mere idea of being told a falsehood by Merlin, "We were back there."
"And I lied. You would have realised it if you weren't that afraid. Fear does that to people. It grasps your heart, churns it around and makes you lose focus. You're after all only human, Hréonhes." Merlin clarified, "And while that's a weakness for me too, it's my greatest strength as well. But you, you've spent so much time ignoring that part of yourself that it left you blind."
"That annoying habit of breathing you have, I will have to put a stop to that." Hréonhes suddenly nodded to himself, "We killed you once, I can do it again."
"Please, as if, I let you kill me." Merlin said and gently pulled the swords from their position in the table and proceeded to hover them over to the knights. They all felt much safer with the familiar steel in their hands. Merlin focussed his attention briefly on Arthur and in his mind the king heard his friend sigh. You left your sword? Arthur shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment before glaring at Merlin. It wasn't exactly his fault that he had been to preoccupied with other things.
"Why?" Hréonhes suddenly asked and Merlin turned his concentration back to the Dragonlord after responding to Arthur's glare with a happy grin. Arthur was glad Hréonhes asked that question otherwise he would have. He desperately needed to know the reasons, but he knew Merlin didn't need a distraction. For once the king wisely choose not to interfere and stood next to Guinevere and Elyan.
"You were a favourite of the Old Religion basking under her protection. In order to succeed I needed to turn her against you. I did."
"That doesn't explain anything!"
"It does. The Power over Life and Death isn't the only force keeping this world in balance. You broke your Oath." Merlin repeated and rolled up his right sleeve exposing the burn mark. Hréonhes mimicked that action and revealed a similar burn. He waited for Merlin to explain."It was powerful Magic. It still is. And you turned your back on it in the most traitorous way possible."
"You're talking too much." Hréonhes remarked out of the blue.
"Yes, I know and the only thing you can do is listen."
"True, but you haven't won yet. You fear for others." Hréonhes said and his eyes turned gold again.
Arthur hadn't been complaining that they had been reduced to audience in this magical standoff. None of them were a match for Hréonhes. So it was quite a shock when an invisible force suddenly yanked him forwards back to the fireplace. In a blink of an eye his good arm was wrenched behind his back and that bloody dagger was held to his exposed neck. He felt Hréonhes hovering behind him.
Merlin's eyes widened in fear but Arthur also saw resolve in them. He calmed himself and the rush of adrenaline subsided. He trusted Merlin and his friend still had everything under control even if Arthur did feel the sting of the blade right now. Out of reflex he tried to tilt his vulnerable neck out of reach but in response the Dragonlord just increased the pressure against his skin.
"Don't threaten Arthur." The warlock's voice turned cold as he enunciated every word clearly. "Others have made the same mistake. They've never gotten far." There was rage radiating from him and for the first time Arthur admitted to himself that Merlin looked truly dangerous. The Dragonlord clearly agreed with him. With a reluctant sigh Hréonhes lowered the dagger and pushed Arthur forwards, "Fine, I take it back. See?" The king hit the edge of the table hard and sagged halfway on his knees again with another painful groan. "No harm done." The man raised his hands diplomatically.
"I must say I'm impressed, Emrys." Hréonhes admitted, "This was a brilliant move. I'm looking forward to see you next time." The man gave him a salute and the wind picked up again. As sudden as it appeared the air settled down again. Arthur looked at Merlin just as his eyes turned blue again. The Dragonlord stared at the warlock in horror.
Merlin smiled sadly and shook his head, "You had your chance."
"You can't kill me." The Dragonlord said and to Arthur it sounded like the man was mostly reassuring himself instead of threatening Merlin.
"I'm sorry." Merlin said and raised his hands lightly, "Your era has ended, you are holding on to a world where you don't belong anymore." It didn't feel like a treat or a taunt. The way Merlin said it, he was merely stating a fact. "I cast you out."
He held both his hands up now and looked at Arthur who was still leaning half off and half on the table between him and Hréonhes.
Close your eyes, Arthur.
Merlin smiled serenely and then there was light.
White blinding light.
Shorter than the last, but I hope me bringing Merlin back compensates for that. I told some of you that I was a sucker for happy endings :) If you feel as puzzled as Arthur, you'll both get your explanation in the next chapter. There's one more left and then I'll wrap everything up in an epilogue.