A Bucket List
Merlin is dying of an unknown terminal illness that even his magic cannot cure. Arthur had him devise a bucket list and is very enthusiastic to help him complete every single thing on the list, no matter how hard or how stupid it may be. EVENTUAL MERTHUR and crippling angst towards the end of the story.
Once again this chapter took a while and I'm very sorry about that. It's because I was busy finalizing university stuff as I finally got into med schoool yaaaaaaasss...not to do medicine tho to do biomed oops.
To make up for this I have written two chapters in one so yaay.
Chapter 6: Dirty little secret
"Yes, Arthur. I am a wizard."
Arthur staggered back,, his face is blank in expression. Merlin was unable to tell if his reaction was good or bad. The prince tried to let the thought of his best friend being a wizard slip in, but it just didn't make any sense to him. How in the world would such an ordinary, annoying, sorry excuse for a man servant be what his father had always warned him about as he was growing up? Merlin is dangerous. This sort of power would be enough to overthrow the kingdom, outsmart Uther and himself, take control of Camelot. Oh Merlin definitely had him fooled by becoming his best friend since that way it is easier to manipulate his mind. But if he had been a wizard all this time, why hasn't he done anything to harm the kingdom? More so, Merlin had helped save Camelot countless of times.
Merlin approached the prince slowly, but Arthur kept widening the distance between them. Slightly hurt by this, Merlin stopped pursuing Arthur, head down low.
"Arthur, I know what you're thinking. Your father would have me killed for this and I know that I shouldn't have kept this from you. But if I told you any earlier, then I wouldn't be alive right now and I wouldn't have become your best friend." Merlin's voice broke at that thought "But I am here to prove to you that not all born with magic use it for evil!"
Arthur finally managed a couple of words. "Oh I would love to believe that but have you seen how others with magic have tried so many times to kill my father? And shall I remind you that it was magic that killed my mother!" he snapped.
"Maybe if your father hadn't executed so many born with magic, they wouldn't have a reason to try and kill your father! Majority of them were not doing any harm they just happened to be born with it, like me!"
"Enough, Merlin! Your secret is safe with me but once we return to Camelot, I will have no further part in whatever plan you are brewing up! You will no longer be my servant for I cannot betray my father."
Merlin felt his insides exploding in anger, frustration and self loathing. He didn't ask to have magic, he didn't ask for the entire kingdom's fate to rest on his shoulders. This was too much responsibility for a twenty year old barely experienced in the world. And now he is losing his best friend who is blinded to see things the way Uther would see it. The young warlock grunted in frustration, tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes.
"Arthur...please." the poor boy pleaded, his voice breaking in the process but Arthur couldn't even look him in the eyes. His gaze wandered off to the landscapes, an attempt to focus his mind on something else. It was worse enough Merlin is dying and now he finds that he is also a wizard. However, hearing the young boy's quivering voice stung him right on his heart, plucking on his heartstrings.
"Arthur please don't throw me away like that. You have been my only best friend for the past few years."
The prince shut his eyes, clenched a fist, his heart telling him to forgive him and move on but his head contradicting and instructing him to be rid of Merlin.
Kilgharrah suddenly let out a roar, wings beginning to flap.
"Arthur! Bandits!" Merlin screamed.
All of a sudden, a three muscular men wielding tomahawks and crossbows emerged. Arthur galiantly wielded out his sword swinging to intimidate the three men. Arthur knew he could probably take down two on his own, sadly the size of the two men and the width of the tomahawk proved an advantage in comparison to his narrow sword. Merlin brought his hands up careful not to aim at Arthur.
"Frigus Aurius"
A cold gush of air radiated from his hands in an attempt to freeze the third man. However, he remained unaffected and swung his crossbow at Merlin hitting the boy on his shoulder. Kilgharrah snapped at the man and managed to startle him and he topples over. Arthur continued to taunt the two other men, slashing from one man to the other, panting, sweating and becoming weary. Merlin had to step it up a notch. He knew that Arthur couldn't carry on like this for any longer. The boy hopped onto Kilgharrah's back, commanding him in dragon tongue to snap on the bandits.
"Gol Hah Dov!"
Kilgharrah roared and snapped a bandits arm in its fangs, chewing on the flesh before letting him run off. Merlin wasn't intending on killing the men of course. Afterall, now that he knows how short life is, no matter what fault the men had it didn't mean that their life should be cut even shorter. The dragon then let out an icy roar, chilling the last two bandits to the bone. In response the men retreated, threatened by the great dragon. Arthur collapsed to the ground, fatigued from the sword work...and bleeding.
"Arthur!"
Merlin rushed to his prince. This time, Arthur did not inch himself away from the warlock. He allowed him to get close. The warlock cradled the prince, removed the hand covering the wound and replaced it with his own.
"Vulnera"
And before Arthur's very eyes, he witnessed himself the intention of Merlin's magic. A glowing matter hovered over his bleeding torso before dispersing into the wound where he felt a tingly sensation rattle through his entire body. The broken skin managed to glue itself back together, his muscle aches were also diminished. Merlin helped the prince back on to his feet, the prince in awe at Merlin's loyalty.
"You really would do anything to save me. But why?"
Merlin inched a bit closer to Arthur. It was time for him to know the truth. For Albion.
"Arthur, you may not know this but you are destined for great things. There is a prophecy, that includes my existence, that you and I together will bring back magic into Camelot so that there is peace in every single kingdom in this land."
Arthur scoffed. But he knew that there was seriousness in his servants voice.
"That seems too far fetched don't you think?"
Merlin nodded, "But it is possible."
"But it will be a long time before I am king as I'm sure my father has decade or more of his life to go...and I sure hope you make it for that long."
"Oh I sure hope to see the day you become King Arthur. Maybe with that much responsibility you wouldn't have enough time to be a prat."
Arthur playfully hit Merlin on the forearm.
"Oh shut up! You love me really."
Merlin smiled brightly at the prince. "Haha okay then. So, are you okay now with me being...me?"
"Of course you idiot!"
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After a few more hours of mountains and chilling (literally), the pair travelled back to Markarth on Kilgharrah to gather their belongings as they began decided to leave for home early. After all, the sooner they get home, the sooner Merlin could fiddle around with the centurions to build whatever he pleases. Knowing Gaius was getting old and cannot see small letters clearly anymore, he may make a machine to mix and organize the potions for him. Or perhaps, Arthur's own automaton servant so Merlin could have more free time. The possibilities are endless! Once en route to Camelot, Merlin suddenly remembered something.
"Oh my Arthur!"
"What?"
"I've tamed a dragon, and we are riding on one, but I haven't exactly become a dragon yet!"
Arthur suddenly jolted a bit, wobbling on Kilgharrah's back.
"Oh don't you dare, Merlin! Not here!"
"Whoops! Too late!"
Merlin had learnt this spell years ago. He had never put this spell into practice though, his reasons were obvious: Dragon's are not welcome in Camelot. Now that Arthur knows, he may as well relish this opportunity.
"Reforma Draco!"
A bright white ribbon of light wrapped around Merlin's body, blinding Arthur in the process. Merlin felt his arms and legs lengthen, his nails dramatically lengthening and curling downwards. Wings sprouted out from through his spine, stretching out fully, his skin replaced by dark emerald scales.
Arthur panicked as he watched his friend undergo the dramatic transformation, fighting through the bright light surrounding him. It certainly looked painful. Merlin was going to be turned in to the most feared beast, the more powerful beast, the most destructive beast known to man. Arthur expected big, scary, fiery...oh how much more wrong could he be?
Unfortunately for Merlin, the spell was only half effective. Tail? Check. Nails? Check. Scales? Check. Wings? Check. Monstrous size? Nope.
"I'm a baby dragon?!" Merlin screamed in frustration.
"You're a baby dragon!" Arthur laughed hysterically, cooing at Merlin.
"Awww...who's a cute little baby dragon? You are, Merlin. Yes you are!" Arthur blew raspberries onto Merlin's dragon wings, pinched his 'little' dragon horns and did all sorts that new mother would do to their newborns. Merlin can't complain. He loved all this attention.
"I had no idea baby dragon's would be this cute!"
The warlock blushed on the inside, his heart thumping wildly. Maybe he should use this spell more often.
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Chapter 7: The Viagra Song
Arthur and Merlin arrived back in Camelot at sunrise. Merlin excitedly rushed to Gaius' chamber in which he is greeted with a long hug.
"Gaius! You cannot believe how many centurions I have found." Merlin proudly presented all twenty centurions before Gaius.
"Well that's wonderful, Merlin! What exactly are you going to do with all this anyways?"
Merlin wasn't so sure yet, as he had no idea how these worked anyways.
"Eh. I'm going to attempt to build some machinery. You know, to help you out with all your potion making. But this could lead to greater discoveries too! Soon, we wouldn't even have to write our own letter by ourselves. Or we won't even have to open doors by ourselves! Oh and..."
Merlin continued for a whooping ten or so minutes before Gaius could successfully exit the room leaving Merlin to fiddle around with the centurions for a few hours.
Around three hours later, Arthur paid him a visit. Merlin was sat down at the table, pieces of a centurion scattered about.
"So what's next on your list, Merlin?"
No response came from the boy. Only the creaking of the tools in use.
"Merlin?"
A harsh 'Shh!' was heard from the younger one. Arthur approached him, curious to what the boy was doing. He grabbed the paper next to the boy. It was a blueprint. Some sort of lab perhaps? A condenser? Those little spinny thing they use in the kitchen? God knows what this was. All this was to Arthur was pieces of scrap junk put on top of another.
"Look at this, Arthur."
Merlin held up his finished product and poured a bit of water inside it and some salt. If Arthur were to be honest, it looked like just another bowl. But then, Merlin turned a crank fitted to the side of the bowl, and the two substances were being mixed. Arthur smiled in amazement.
"That's great, Merlin. But I think that mixing isn't necessarily a difficult chore."
"It isn't. But Gaius isn't getting younger and his hands are not as steady as they used to be. At least this mixer bowl thing is completely spill free!"
Merlin set the bowl to the side and continued to design the rest of the 'alchemy lab'. Arthur offered to help here and there, only a bit fascinated with the mechanics and machinery.
After five hours, the two marveled in their victory of creating the first ever 'non-man powered alchemy lab'-with a cooling system. The two tested the machine by making a fatigue potion. The machine pretty much did everything, just a few turns of the crank and the ingredients have already been crushed, mixed with a solution, heated and cooled, then bottled.
"Care to try the potion, Arthur?"
"If I die I will kill you."
"Not likely if you are in that state."
Arthur rolled his eyes, prayed to the alchemy gods that Merlin didn't mess up the potion and gulped the entire vial down in one go.
"Well? Do you feel more energetic?"
Arthur's body felt hot, sweaty and indeed very energetic. But something didn't exactly feel right...down there.
"It certainly did work. But at the same time, I'm not sure."
Merlin tilted his head to the side, confused. "What do you mean by that?"
Arthur crossed his legs, hoping Merlin doesn't notice a growing eggplant between his legs. His face turned a bright red, in agony and in great embarrassment. He tightened his legs together only worsening the situation by doing so. After a few moments of awkward stares, he finally felt a release, his nose wrinkled up and he breathed out a sigh. Only then did Merlin realise what he has made when he saw the prince's trousers grow wet.
"That stain on your trousers!"
Arthur quickly shut his legs again. "What!?"
"You did a thing!"
"What thing?"
"The potion!"
"Did what?"
Then it hit them both right in the face...this was the answer to all of Merlin's money problems.
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"Oh roses are red
and violets are blue
Drink the smexmaker
And you'll give her pleasure.
Your sausage is old
Your mistress is lonely
drink the phallusegro
And she may give you fellatio"
Arthur had hired the finest bard to perform such a crude piece. Meanwhile, Merlin was having the time of his life, selling the endless line of men the newly discovered potion he had accidentally created. After Arthur's incident, Merlin managed to make some variations to the potion allowing for either the 'turning on' of the man or the 'turning on' of the eggplant. It was fortunate to say that the business was definitely a success.
"Come get your Phallusegro and your Smexmaker now gentlemen!"
I had redbull.
Please leave a review xxxxx
The next chapter would not take as long as this chapter did, I promise. I have this whole summer off xx
-le author
