Alaia Skyhawk: Well as it's been requested by two people, I'll note on all future eps/sub-eps what episode of Whom History Won't Remember corresponds to them if there is one.

For "Valiant", the WH Episode that corresponds to it is "Twenty Years". I will give a forewarning though that while it's possible to read the fic just from there onwards, you'll miss a lot of the build-up of the conspiracy at the heart of it.

It's also been noted once again that Liam giving that advice to Arthur like he did in "Queen of Hearts", isn't liked by all my readers. To be honest, the only reason I had Liam do it then was because it was the only way I had to plug the plot-hole of not being able to have Morgana suggest the day out with Gwen directly. As it is, Liam won't be giving any advice like that again, it was purely a one off. It's Merlin's job to advise the prat :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music:

Whom History Won't Remember Episode: Twenty Years

~(-)~

Chapter 9: Valiant ~Part 3~

Ok, so maybe having Arthur actually listen to him, and go to Uther, was too good to be true. But even so, why did hearing those words hurt so much?

'I believed you, I trusted you, and me you made me look... a complete fool.'

'Didn't go to plan? My father, and the entire royal court, think I'm a coward! You humiliated me!'

'...I no longer require your services.'

'...I need a servant I can trust.'

'Get out of my sight!'

Merlin stood in a hallway, where he wasn't quite sure with all that was going though his head. How could things have gone so wrong? Gaius said that Ewan had woken up, confirmed he'd been bitten, but then during a short while he'd been left along he'd suffered some sort of relapse and died. He didn't think it was a real relapse, more likely the smirk on Valiant's face in the council chambers a short while ago meant something different. Meant that he'd sent one of his remaining snakes to deal with the only witness to his crime. And he, Merlin... He was paying the price.

Cursing under his breath, he started to wander, at a loss as to what to do. With no job anymore, he had nothing to try distract himself with, and magic... Well a lot of good his magic was going to do him in this situation. That audience with the king had turned into a complete disaster, and shattered that new and fragile bond of trust he'd managed to forge with Arthur. There was no other answer for it, he just wasn't the one meant to do this. How could he be, when he was such a total failure at it?

With that on his mind, he snuck into the lower levels to go speak to the dragon, the two guards bored and already semi-drunk despite the relatively early hour. Getting past them was easy, as was the walk down and down to the passage to the dragon's cave. Why he was even bothering to go, he wasn't sure. Maybe just to say what was on his mind... Maybe to hope the dragon would be able to help him.

He arrived at the ledge, seeing no sign of the dragon and hearing none either. When his initial query went unanswered, he shouted out instead with a voice tinged with frustration.

"I just came to tell you, whatever you think my destiny is, whatever it is you think I'm supposed to do... You've got the wrong person!" The statement was met with silence, Merlin sighing and starting to turn to leave. "That's it... Goodbye."

He started towards the passage, only to stop when now did the dragon deign to speak. In a flurry of wing-beats he drifted from from above, settling as he did before upon the raised spur of rock a short way from the ledge.

"If only it were so easy to escape one's destiny."

Merlin frowned at him.

"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who hates me?"

The dragon tilted his head, regarding the young warlock thoughtfully.

"A half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole. Very soon, you shall learn that."

Merlin was not looking impressed by the answer.

"Great, just what I needed. Another riddle."

"That your and Arthur's paths lie together is but the truth."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

The dragon started to smile.

"You know, young warlock, all times of challenge and hardship bear a lesson to be learned. This is not the end... It is the beginning. "

He spread his wings and soared up out of view once again, Merlin yelling at him in annoyance.

"Just give me a straight answer!" He sighed, grumbling under his breath and turning to leave. "Stupid, awkward dragon... Stupid riddles. This was a complete waste of time."

He made his way back up to the upper levels of the castle, resisting the urge to smack the two drunk guards' heads together and knock them out instead of just distracting them. Reaching the main courtyard, the night drawing in, he then sat at the bottom of the entrance steps once again completely lost as to what to do. He knew the shield was magic, but he couldn't prove it, and tomorrow Arthur was going to have to face it.

"Hello, Merlin."

He flinched, looking up to see Gwen looking down at him.

"...Hello."

Gwen eyed him uncertainly, before moving and sitting beside him. It was clear she wanted to ask something, but even so she hesitated for several moments before finally asking.

"It is true what you said about Valiant using magic?"

He nodded, at least Gwen would believe him even though he was 'just a servant.'

"Yeah..."

"Well what are you going to do?"

He looked at her, smiling at the irony. Everything seemed to keep landing on him.

"Why is it everyone thinks it's down to me to do something about it?"

She frowned.

"Because it is, isn't it? ...You have to show everyone that you were right and they were wrong."

He snorted at that. If he'd had an answer about how to do that, he wouldn't have been sitting here.

"And how do I do that?"

Merlin waited for her reply, Gwen eventually sighing in defeat.

"I don't know... Sorry for bothering you."

She stood up and walked away, leaving him sitting there, yet had she stayed a few moments longer she'd have seen him notice a nearby piece of statuary and an expression of inspiration cross his face.

Merlin stood up and went over to the statue, which was of a dog reared up so its front paws could hold a shield. He tried to lift it, grimacing when he realised it was too heavy to carry alone.

"You need help with that?"

Merlin looked up in surprise, his expression then becoming calculating. It was Sir Tarven's manservant, the 'man with the intelligence of a cabbage' as Arthur put it. The half-wit was stood there with a blank look on his face, waiting for him to answer.

Merlin stood up straight, plastering on his best innocent and cheerful smile.

"Yeah, I uh... need to take this to be cleaned. Will you help me carry it?"

Fyren broke out into a smile, nodding in eagerness to help... Pretending to be an idiot made this so easy.

The two of them carried the statue up the spiral stairway which led all the way to Gaius' chambers, the physician eyeing them with an expression of shock when they carried it through and placed it in Merlin's room. The dim-wit servant then left when Merlin gently shooed him out, before he faced his guardian and Gaius gave him a small frown.

"What are you doing with that?"

Merlin grinned, heading back to his room.

"I'm going to let everyone see the snakes for themselves." He closed the door, going and getting his spellbook from the hiding place he'd made beneath a loose floorboard, putting it on his bed and flipping through it until he found the Animation Spell. "Ber-bay-o-do thay... ary-san... quikum." He looked at the statue, narrowing his eyes and repeating the incantation again. "Berbayodo thay arysan quikum."

He kept trying, reciting it over and over again. Shouting it, whispering it, speaking it almost like he was begging the statue to move, but nothing happened. His frustration started to mount, causing him to throw his spellbook at one point, before eventually he slumped onto his bed cursing under his breath.

He left his room to find Gaius had gone out somewhere, but that didn't matter for what he wanted to do. If he couldn't use the spell, then he had to try talking to Arthur again.

He arrived there to find the door open, Arthur stood in front of his fireplace staring into the flames that burned there. The prince didn't move except to glance to see who had come in, his voice flat when did decide to speak.

"I thought I told you to get out of my sight."

Merlin didn't move either. He had to make Arthur see sense. If he didn't...

"Don't fight Valiant in the final tomorrow. He'll use the shield against you."

"I know..."

Arthur kept staring into the fire, conflicted and angry inside. Wanting to trust, feeling betrayed, yet at the same time still acknowledging that he believed what Merlin had told him. Had he ever felt this confused? This uncertain?

Merlin frowned at his acceptance of that truth, baffled as to why he was still going through with this.

"Then withdraw. You have to withdraw."

Arthur turned his head to look at him, to try and make his words sink into that thick skull.

"Don't you understand? I can't withdraw. The people expect their prince to fight. How can I lead men into battle if they think I'm a coward?"

"Valiant will kill you! If you fight, you die."

"Then I die!"

Silence fell between them, Merlin shaking his head in disbelief.

"...How can you go out there and fight like that?"

Arthur looked to the fire again, solemn.

"...Because I have to... It's my duty..."

Merlin backed up a step, struck by Arthur's expression. What had happened to the arrogant and carefree noble he'd thought he was? Was this what Gaius meant when he'd said Arthur was under a lot of pressure? If so, then maybe his first opinion of him had been wrong. Maybe Arthur wasn't as lucky in his position in life as he'd thought he was.

He returned to his room, staring at the dog statue and frowning. If Arthur couldn't back down from the fight, then it really did come down to him mastering this.

~(-)~

The new day dawned clear, but their was an ominous air to it for those aware of what was going on in the shadows. Arthur visited the arena just after dawn, gazing at the stands which were presently empty of people. Was he going to die in this place today? Would he die if he failed to defeat Valiant before he could use the shield against him?

He went back into the castle to prepare, summoning Bern to come tend to his armour seeing as he didn't have a servant right now. It still edged at him that it hadn't been right to dismiss Merlin, not when he still believed him, but he couldn't go back on his word. Not now, without proof of that allegation against Valiant being true.

His feelings weren't helped when Morgana showed up to help check his armour, clearly worried for him, for some reason also believing he was in danger... Her words as he'd left to go to the arena deepening the chill inside him.

"Arthur... Be careful."

Arthur headed for the arena, the crowd roaring in approval when he appeared before them. And then both of them drew their swords, and the fight began.

~(-)~

"Bebeode pe arisan cwicum... Bebeode pe arisan cwicum... Bebeode pe arisan cwicum..."

Merlin sat on the floor, propped against the foot of his bed, half asleep as he still continued to murmur the incantation over and over. He'd been at this all night, with no success, and yet now when he was too tired to try so hard he was ironically finally pronouncing it right.

He didn't hear it when it happened, still fighting to keep his eyes open, murmuring the spell until the sound of a dog barking roused him to the alert.

He started at the 'statue', which was now a living, breathing dog that seemed to have the intention of chewing on him. He scrambled to his feet, darting out of his room and closing the door, before quickly heading for the door of the outer chamber and passing Gaius as he came in.

The physician was urgent when he saw him.

"Arthur is fighting Valiant."

Merlin nodded, glancing at his room before racing away.

"I know... And uh, what ever you do, don't go in my room. I'll deal with it later."

Running down the stairs, Merlin could hear the distant cheers and gasps of the crowd at the arena. How could he not have noticed it? Most fights only lasted about ten minutes at the most before both fighters began to tire and make mistakes, and that would be what Valiant was waiting for. How long had the fight already been going? More than five if Gaius had had time to travel from there to here.

He didn't have time for this, he knew it... Ah well at least the headache would finish waking him up.

Merlin's eyes flared gold, the world slowing almost to a standstill around him. It was eerie running through the castle with things in that state, to pass by servants without them even being aware of him. He would just be a flicker at the corner of an eye, there for a moment and then quickly forgotten. If only the magic itself could 'forget' to punish him for this when he stopped behind one of the tents near the gate.

The aftershock of speeding his time hit him, far worse than two days ago, sending him to his kneels to retch helplessly for several seconds. What little had been in his stomach now gone, he forced himself upright and stumbled towards the gate, gradually regaining his bearings until he reached the point from which he'd watched all of the tournament thus far.

Both Arthur and Valiant were showing signs of tiring, their blows more crude than the careful swings they would have been at first. Both no longer wore their helmets, their coifs pushed back leaving heads and necks exposed. It seemed his arrival was just in time, as he witnessed Arthur being knocked over and forced to abandon his shield to dodge a vicious downward stab. He was then backed into the arena wall, lashing out with a foot to drive Valiant back after then losing his sword.

That was all Merlin needed to see... Arthur defenceless and in need of help. He raised his hand, pointing at Valiant's shield and frowning in concentration.

"Bebeode pe arisan cwicum!"

The snakes emerged from the shield, the crowd gasping at the sight, while Valiant stared at them in disbelief.

"What are you doing? I didn't summon you!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes, still backing away to a safer distance. The weight from his gut was gone, now that he was vindicated in the eyes of his father. There was no denying that this was proof of Valiant using magic!

"And now they all see you for what you truly are.

Valiant looked at him, laughing for a moment before speaking to the snakes.

"Kill him!"

The snakes left the shield entirely, slithering towards Arthur who was once again forced to back away. Morgana cried out to him from the stands, pulling the sword from the belt of Sir Tarven and throwing it to Arthur where he stood.

He caught it, swiftly beheading the snakes before advancing on Valiant, ducking a blow from the knight and darting in close to run him through.

"I guess I'm going to the feast after all."

He let Valiant topple to the ground, dead, the following silence then changing to a roar of approval from the crowd. He had defeated his treacherous opponent! Their prince had won!

Arthur faced his father, who nodded in acknowledgement. Tarven vaulted over the rail, both to retrieve his sword from the prince and clap him on the shoulder in congratulations. There was one face missing though, once face Arthur found himself wanting to see right now. Turning to look to where the servant had stood each of the three days before now, he saw only Tarven's servant leaning against the wall that Merlin had watched from the end of. Merlin himself wasn't there, and right now he couldn't go looking for him.

Beyond that wall, beyond the gate, the warlock in question was doing his best not to stumble as he made his way back into the castle. A night with little sleep, combined with twice abusing the power to speed up his time in just as many days, and he wasn't exactly feeling too grand.

He trailed his way back to Gaius' chambers, once again propping himself against the walls using a hand as he went. The question about what had happened was there in the physician's expression when he entered through the door, Merlin smiling and answering it.

"I did it... Valiant is dead, and everyone knows that Arthur isn't a coward."

He forced himself to walk normally, if a tiny bit slower than normal, hiding the fact his head was pounding and he wanted to sleep for a week. But Gaius wasn't fooled, he'd seen many a man putting a brave face on before.

"Merlin, are you all right?"

Merlin shook his head to deny being unwell, fighting not to wince when it made him dizzy.

"I'm fine, great... Never better."

Gaius picked up a book and slammed it back down onto the nearby table, watching as his ward cringed at the sound.

"Oh really? Unsteady on your feet, squinting slightly, and a sensitivity to loud noises... Not to mention you didn't quite completely miss your shirt when you threw up."

Merlin looked down at his shirt, seeing that it was speckled with the evidence. He then looked up at Gaius again, grimacing.

"It's nothing, really. I'll be fine."

The physician started to frown at him, coming over, grabbing him by the shoulder, and forcing him to sit down.

"I'll be the judge of that. What did you do to cause this?"

Under that stare, Merlin's bravado crumbled somewhat and he sighed before explaining.

"My ability to speed my own time up. When you came in and said Arthur was fighting Valiant, I knew if I just ran to the arena I probably wouldn't get there in time. So I used it... to get all the way from here to there fast enough that no one would be able to see me do it."

"What?"

Gaius was staring at him, clearly not sure whether to be shocked or concerned, and Merlin knew he'd best be honest unless he wanted to be clipped round his already pounding head for this.

"When I use it in short bursts, for a few seconds, it's just tiring... But if I use it for longer than that, when I stop it's like being hit when the world catches up to me. It gives me headaches, and makes me feel sick, but the sick feeling goes after a minute or so, and the headache in about an hour. I used to practice it a lot, thinking it would get better if I did, so I know."

"Well you may be confident about it, but I don't like it." Gaius turned away, going to get a bottle down from one of his shelves. He poured some of the liquid from it into a small cup, handing it to the young warlock. "That should settle your head and your stomach, but I want you to promise me you won't use your power like that again. It's reckless for you to put your health in danger like that. I promised your mother I would look after you."

Merlin downed the contents of the cup, which thankfully tasted fine, before letting out a long sigh.

"Fine, I won't use it like that anymore... Not unless it's an emergency. Is that fine with you?"

Gaius gave him a long look, frowning before nodding reluctantly.

"Fine, but in return I want you to make sure you keep studying that book I gave you. The more you know of that kind of magic, the less you'll have to rely on the one that makes you ill." He pointed to his bed firmly, his expression brooking no protest. "Now get some rest. The grand feast will start mid-afternoon, so you've some time to get the sleep you lost last night."

Merlin stood up, eyes moving to look towards his room.

"But what about the dog?"

Gaius took him by the arm and led him to the bed, forcing him to sit and then lie on it.

"You can sort that out later when you're not exhausted. Now sleep."

He needn't have bothered telling him to, for Merlin's eyes were already drifting closed. He was asleep within moments, breathing softly as his expression relaxed and became peaceful.

Gaius sat on the chair beside him, watching over this young man who had changed his life so much and in such a short time. After all his effort, Merlin deserved this rest.

~(-)~

Later that day, in the great dining hall, Merlin stood beside Gaius as the king announced his son's arrival and Arthur escorted Morgana into the room. He let out a short laugh as he watched it, murmuring to his guardian.

"I told you... He gets all the girls and all the glory."

Gaius smiled at him, proud of his ward.

"And he owes it all to you."

Walking down the centre of the chamber, Arthur hoped for a similar pride to have been earned from his father. He'd thought he'd made a mistake to do what he had, listen to Merlin, but the servant had been right. He'd come forward and said what no one else would have. He'd persisted in trying to protect him even after he'd told him he was fired. What a strange person Merlin seemed to be. First seeming to hate him, or at the very least dislike him, and yet now doing something beyond the call of normal duty. He owed him an apology, he knew that, but there was just the problem of the fact that nobles never apologise to their servants, lest they look demeaning by doing so.

"Has your father apologised yet for not believing you?"

Morgana's question distracted him from his thoughts, reminding him of another person who didn't like to say sorry. He glanced at her sidelong, still keeping his smile in place for the guests congratulating him.

"He'll never apologise... And I hope you're not disappointed it's not Valiant escorting you."

They arrived before the High Table, Arthur releasing his grip on her arm so she could face him. Her expression held a hint of amusement.

"Turns out he wasn't champion material."

There was a moment of awkward silence between them, not surprising seeing as they rarely were interested in the same things. To fill it, Arthur said the first thing that came to mind.

"Well that was some tournament final."

Morgana smiled, looking pleased with herself.

"Tell me about it. It's not every day a girl gets to save her prince."

Arthur seemed to freeze, starting to stare in disbelief.

"Uh, I wouldn't exactly say I needed saving... I'm sure I would have thought of something."

"So you're too proud to admit you were saved by a girl."

"Because I wasn't..."

Morgana was now glaring at him, all amiability gone as the almost sibling rivalry they usually displayed rose to the fore once again.

"You know what, I wish Valiant had won the tournament."

"Me too... Then I wouldn't have to listen to you."

"Fine!"

She stormed away, Arthur muttering under his breath about the inconvenience of woman who acted like little sisters. He then looked around the room for any sign of Gaius, hoping the man would have brought his ward with him.

And there he was, Merlin stood off to one side trying not to look bored. Arthur strode over to him, stopping beside him and venting his frustration at Morgana to the younger and rather off guard man.

"Can you believe, Morgana? She says she saved me. Like I needed any help."

Merlin blinked for a moment, surprised that not only was Arthur willingly talking to him again, but he was being so frank about what he thought of his father's ward.

He looked away, not sure how to respond.

"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't."

Arthur's ire at Morgana faded, replaced by regret and a solemn expression. It was impossible to miss the barb in Merlin's statement... Without his warning that fight could have ended quite differently.

He hesitated for a moment, frowning slightly before saying something his honour needed him to say.

"I just wanted to say... I made a mistake, and it was unfair to sack you."

He looked away, while Merlin started to smile... The prince trying to apologise, without actually apologising.

"Well don't worry about it. Buy me a drink, and we'll call it even."

Arthur pointedly didn't look at him, folding his arms across his chest.

"I can't really be seen to be buying drinks for my servant."

Merlin blinked, turning to faced Arthur with a startled expression on his face.

"Your servant? You sacked me."

Arthur was smiling ever so slightly, and looking rather smug as well when Merlin started to smile in return.

"Now I'm re-hiring you... My chambers are a complete mess. My clothes need washing, my armour needs repairing, my boots need cleaning. My dogs need exercising, my fireplace needs sweeping, my bed needs changing... and someone needs to muck out my stables."

Over the course of those words, the humour bleached from Merlin's face, and he folded his arms across his chest before shaking his head and muttering in disgust.

"...Prat..."

"What was that, Merlin?"

"Nothing, Sire..."

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: Yay, time for another sub-ep!

You may have noticed the deliberate spelling mistakes of the spell when Merlin was first trying it. That's just me poking at how he changes the pronunciation by the time he gets the spell right XD

Also, I plugged the plot-hole of Gaius having time to get to his chambers from the arena, and for Merlin to get to it from there, before the fight was over. Literally, when you look at how short even the tough tournament fights are in the various parts of the show, it should have all been over before Merlin got there... Plus him using his magic like that let me put that sort-of-cute bit in with Gaius fussing over him and making him get some rest. I liked that bit :D