Well guys, I think that it's about damn time you learn what the hell happened to Merlin.
It's really quite interesting, because I came up with the idea in the middle of writing the middle of the chapter when I decided to add the dragon haha.
I really am enjoying this story, it's a lot longer than I ever would have expected it to be, and I'm really happy you guys all like it.
I write on here for practise, and it's challenging, but here I am, somehow pulling it off
btw, I am indeed a beta reader. If ya need any help with a story I'll gladly beta read!
Chapter twenty five like how did this happen!
Here ya go.
Reactions of the Idiot King
Chapter twenty five- Meeting
They all rode out of Camelot, past the city walls when Gaius rode up next to Arthur, Gwaine way in the back, trying to talk to Merlin, who was almost acting like himself, but still extremely off and withdrawn. Arthur was scanning the area intently, unsure of what to think. Gaius had said that the dragon had wished to meet in a small clearing about two hours from Ealdor.
"Gaius, may I ask how you got Merlin to come?" Arthur said, sounding as if he couldn't quite get the words out right. Gaius took a deep breath, glancing back behind them at the boy.
"Told him we were stopping to see his mother." Gaius said, "He jumped for the idea right away."
"When Gwaine said he found out about Merlin, he said that Merlin was pretty much his normal self..." Arthur trailed, "Though he just randomly snapped-"
"Killigarrah has a theory about it." Gaius said as George rode up closer to them. Gaius smirked slightly as he saw Arthur tense in annoyance.
"Why did you have me bring the idiot around?" Arthur snapped, his voice low and quiet. Gaius smirked.
"Well, he will be watching Merlin." Gaius said, "If Merlin doesn't wish for us to know what the dragon wishes to tell us, we can't have him knowing what's going on. I am going to give him a sleeping draft, and hope he sleeps through the whole time we're speaking to Killigarrah."
"Won't the dragon want to see Merlin?" Arthur asked.
"We shall find out." Gaius said, "First, we must find out what's going on."
"So are we even going to make it there in time?" Arthur asked. Gaius just looked off ahead of them, not answering instantly.
"I don't know." Gaius said, "Though Killigarrah knows we're coming."
"I almost wonder if he's wanting me there just to swallow me whole." Arthur said, seeming to be kind of concerned.
"He wouldn't dare try such a thing." Gaius looked over at the King.
"We need to be vigilant," Arthur snapped to the other knight's. "We're getting into another bandit country."
"Well, at least we can take on bandits." Gwaine replied from the back of the group, Gwen flashing him an irritated look as Elyan raised his eyebrows.
"He makes it sound like this isn't a random trip to Ealdor, Arthur." Leon spoke up, noticing the glares. "Where are we really going?"
"That blabber mouth." Arthur grumbled, Gaius smirking.
"It's all this trip is," Gaius said, "We're going to see Hunith, and we are taking Merlin to see her too. There isn't much else out here this way."
"No, there's not." Elyan said, "That's our whole point."
"You packed up gear, and fighting equipment." Gwen said, Merlin listening to them closely. "Gaius, you never come along on these, your patients are in Camelot, and you don't just leave-"
"I have gotten a replacement who will distribute stuff as they see fit." Gaius snapped simply, "Now shush it, I don't want us attracting bandits."
With an exaggerated sigh, all of the knights decided riding in silence would be best. They rode in silence, the only words now and then were spoken quickly, in between two people, all the others not really hearing it. The sky grew dark as dusk slowly approached, the men only stopping to set up camp once the sun was out of sight. Leon was posted as Guard for the first part of the night as they all made dinner and quickly found their beds.
That next morning, they quickly packed up, heading towards Ealdor once again, when Gaius and Arthur stopped the group, the two talking with low voices. Gwen, Elyan, Leon and Percival strained to listen in on them when Gwaine started talking up a storm.
"Arthur, we can't do that." Gaius said, "We need to get the draught in Merlin, so that he's asleep and out for the count during lunch."
"But then are all the others tagging along with us?" Arthur asked, "We dragged them out here, sure, but they aren't expecting Killigarrah."
"Once Merlin is knocked out, we will stop, and walk to the clearing, it's not more than an hour from here, Arthur, the draught will take about a half hour to fully kick in while he's moving about and awake." Gaius replied. "We will have to take them, for I have no idea how long the Dragon wishes to speak."
"What if Merlin wakes up while we're gone?" Arthur murmured. "He doesn't hardly seem to trust us and his magic is uncontrollable while he's asleep so George really can't keep giving it to him."
"We will just have to be sure we aren't gone for more than six hours." Gaius said, then glanced over at the other knight's, who were shooting deadly glares at both Gwaine and the King.
"I can't tell who they're more annoyed at." Arthur said.
"I'd think that would be us, Sire." Gaius said, "They wouldn't be listening to Gwaine if it weren't for us."
"I'm surprised Gwaine hasn't said a word about it." Arthur replied, looking at the one knight who knew what was actually going on.
"He's as close to the boy as can be, Arthur." Gaius said, "He cares for Merlin's safety."
"Why? If he's just his dragon lord, then wouldn't the dragon want him to die?" Arthur asked, looking at Gaius, who looked back at Merlin.
"Merlin is the last of the dragon's kin, Arthur." Gaius said as Arthur hopped off of his horse, Gaius climbing off of his as everyone else followed their lead.
"Why are we stopping?l Gwaine asked, looking at Arthur.
"We need to knock Merlin out." Gaius said, looking almost nervous.
"It's not like he's asleep this instant he won't throw you into a tree Gaius." Arthur said as Leon looked at them confused.
"Why are we knocking Merlin out?" Leon asked, Arthur cussing under his breath as Gwaine turned to Leon.
"You will find out." Gaius said, "I can't say much, because I only know where we are going, nothing more. It's his magic I'm worried about, it may sense the potion in there."
"That can't be good." Gwaine replied. Gaius shook his head.
"I've gotten a spell from Killigarrah that I've used on it-"
"Wait, you have magic?" Leon's shock was as evident as Arthur's.
"Did Merlin not tell you Arthur when you heard his whole life story from before his banishment?" Gaius asked, sounding surprised. "Yes, I do, I studied it before the purge and have seldom used it since."
"And my father knew about it?" Arthur asked. Gaius shot the King a look as he nodded.
"Yes, I had to renounce my ways." He simply said, then walked off to Merlin, leaving the dumbstruck to themselves.
"What is that?" They heard Merlin ask as Gaius handed him a small leather pouch.
"It's water, with a few herbs to help your strength stay up, Merlin." Gaius murmured as Merlin opened it up, smelling it.
"Then why does it smell strongly like a sleeping draft? Are you wanting to knock me out?" Merlin asked, looking at Gaius, the fear prominent in his eyes. Gaius shook his head.
"Dear laddie, you're all mixed up. It's a simple potion to help your pain." Gaius lied, "Drink up, we want you in top shape when you're mother sees you now, you hear?"
"Since when did everyone use magic behind my back?" Arthur asked Gwaine and Leon as Percival, Elyan and Gwen walked up to the trio.
"Now, Guinevere." Arthur's voice was suddenly full of accusation. "You haven't been practising magic have you?" He saw Gwen cast him a strange look, looking at Leon and Gwaine to see if he was kidding around.
"I'm married to you Arthur, and you still think I might have magic?" Gwen asked him, crossing her arms as she looked at him in the eye with a raised eyebrow look that Arthur could swear she picked up from Gaius.
"No, no not at all." Arthur raised his hands in defeat.
"Be nice to my sister Arthur." Elyan growled lowly, looking at him as she went off to Gaius, who had finally coaxed Merlin to drink all of the liquid.
"I had to double check-" Arthur muttered, only to suddenly have his head lashing to the side, staggering back from Elyan and his retreating fist.
"I don't care if you are King," Elyan said, "Don't even try accusing my sister."
Arthur glared at the man, only to gasp in shock as he heard a voice in his head. 'Arthur Pendragon, I am at the clearing you promised to meet me at. I was told you were traveling with all of your company that Merlin is so fond of. I expect Merlin to be no where nearby, for if he finds out what I am doing, he will send me off, and the situation will only come to be worse.'
Arthur looked around, tensed, Gaius smirking slightly as if he knew what had happened, "Gaius, not a damn word out of you." Arthur snapped, heading to his horse. "We are off, we must go quickly."
Okay, I'm a mean person. You guys have to wait until the next chapter to come out to find out what happened to the poor boy.
In this one... Well... It's just something to pass the time.
I am sorry for taking a while to update this, the first week of school has kept me busy, so has writers block... And then I had no desire to write for a while.
And I have Allstate and an honors band I'm practising auditions for...
So yeah, I'll try updating faster.. But I've been busy, and tired.
Please, review/message me anything that comes to mind about my story... I'd like to know what people are thinking. And don't hold back, I won't be offended if you say stuff about the parts I could have done better or screwed up.