A/N:

I know I said I would get back to the prompts for this chapter...but I have had the WORST couple of days at work. We are understaffed and I'm stressed to the max. So I got this idea on my 40 minute train ride home. It does have a plot, but also some therapeutic Whangamance. I will definitely be returning to your prompts, but that involves watching particular episodes with the subtitles on and taking notes, which is frankly, too much effort for me right now...but hey, I love you all for the kind words, so think of this as a late Christmas present! I have no idea how many parts it will have (yes, I intend it to be longish) but I'm sure you will enjoy it like the sadists I know you are...

Neither Merlin or Arthur belong to me...if they did, I probably wouldn't be as stressed...

CHARACTERS: Just Court Warlock!Merlin and Arthur (because of bromance, that's why)

RATED: I'm just going to go ahead and make this an M.

GENRE: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Spiritual, Horror

WARNINGS: It's an M...I feel like crap. I've taken painkillers...so there is going to be some Merlin bashing people (I'm sorry Merlin, I do love you and your ridiculously large ears) Also, supporting character death...

Merlin begins to have intense precognitive visions during the day, whilst at night he dreams of an old, decrepit castle that chills his blood. They must go on a quest to see what is causing these terrifying dreams before Merlin succumbs...

THE ADVENTURES OF MERLIN

Second Sight – Part 1

'...lin! Merlin!'

The young Warlock snapped out of his reverie, to a pair of fingers snapping impatiently before his nose. He jumped back, startled – nearly tipping over backwards in his ornate chair.

'What's goin' on?' Merlin asked gormlessly, his brow furrowing as the Knights of the realm stared at him from around the table.

'Have you been listening to a word I've said, Merlin?' The King questioned scathingly, drumming his fingers impatiently against the solid wood as he continued to glare at him with such intensity that Merlin flushed and ducked his head.

'Not particularly, sire.' He admitted, scratching his raven mop and peering around the Great Hall.

Truth be told, he was rather distracted of late – severe headaches caused by his recent sleepless nights, bought on by a bout of terrifying nightmares, meant that he wasn't able to concentrate on anything as complicated as the matter of illegal smuggling of magical creatures into Camelot. Being the newly appointed Court Sorcerer meant that he had to be present at all meetings regarding anything even slightly magical.

'I am not above putting you in the stocks, you know,' Arthur said casually, leaning closer to the young man.

Merlin cocked an eyebrow and gave him a small smile that didn't equal its usual wattage. 'You could certainly try Arthur, but I can get out now without the risk of getting my head lopped off.'

The King flinched, as he always did at the mention execution. He had been so close to dropping his arm, before he saw the tears of the man who had become his brother, refusing to look away from his King in his last moments.

Arthur had dismissed the crowd, sent the executioner home and held Merlin for half an hour while he cried, still trembling in fear.

The King shook his head to rid himself of the memories and sent the youth a scathing frown for bringing it up, even if he was only joking...but he had zoned out again – his eyes glassy as he stared unblinkingly at the golden Pendragon crest, emblazoned upon the centre of the Round Table.

Now slightly concerned, Arthur dismissed the meeting, which went unnoticed by the Warlock. Worry creased the King's brow as a slug of dark blood appeared at his nose, eventually increasing in flow from its slow beginnings.

Merlin was still staring at the crest. He hadn't moved or blinked in over five minutes.

Arthur pulled his chair out, turned it to face him and grabbed Merlin roughly by the shoulders.

Under the fine material of his tunic, the King could feel the tremble of his muscles that came with fear; only to be contradicted by his lax facial expression.

'Merlin, can you hear me?' He asked gently, tapping his cheek with a finger – noting with a twist in his gut that his cobalt irises where not glazed, more misted over white – like he had gone blind.

In his panic, the King's slaps were getting more desperate as Merlin continued to stare like...like he had died.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, the King carefully lifted the youth from the seat, earning quite a sizeable bloodstain for his efforts as he flung the light man over his shoulder like a sack of grain before heading for the doors.

He made it halfway across the room when Merlin began to thrash.

In a thrice, he had the young man laying against the wall, blinking rapidly and gasping for breath as Arthur tore a large strip of fabric from his cloak and pressed it against his nose.

'Calm down...' he murmured gently, placing a hand at the nape of Merlin's neck and pushing his head down so the blood wouldn't run down the back of his throat.

'Gaius...gods Arthur...I have to get to Gaius!' Merlin cried pushing him back and jumping to his feet.

'Merlin, wait! I'm taking you to him – but you have to take it slowly!'

'No time!'

The warlock sprinted from the room so quickly that the King suspected he was aided by magic.

Sighing resignedly, the King followed.

Arthur froze at the threshold of Gaius's chambers, staring blankly at the figure sprawled on the floor.

Merlin was curled up next to the old Physician, great choking sobs muffled by fabric as he pressed his face into Gaius's shoulders.

Gaius's unmoving shoulders...

The King felt a sense of overwhelming sadness wash over him as he approached the youth, who was shaking so badly Arthur feared he would simply break apart.

'Merlin...' he said softly, kneeling next to his best friend and resting a hand upon his shoulder. 'I'm sorry...'

It took a few moments for Arthur to realise the Merlin knew this was going to happen.

'Merlin...how did you know?' Arthur asked, pulling the boy away gently from the Physician's corpse and cupping his bloody face.

The boy looked ten years old – eyes puffy from crying and lips trembling as his breathing hitched, Arthur felt his heart break as he brought him in for an embrace.

'I-I wasn't f-fast enough...' Merlin sobbed into the King's tunic. 'I saw it...in the meeting. A vision...like the crystals.'

'Merlin, what are you saying?' Arthur pulled back and caught Merlin's sorrowful gaze.

'I just saw this happen...in the Great Hall, during the meeting...I...Gaius is gone...'

Arthur didn't want to think about the implications of Merlin with precognitive abilities, considering the amount of blood that smeared his face. Merlin needed him now...he needed comfort, and frankly so did Arthur. The King shushed him and brought his arms around the bony boy, pulling him into his chest.

'Let it out...'

So Merlin cried until he fell into a restless sleep, still held by the man who couldn't mean any more to him than a brother...

End Part One

I hope you enjoyed that...the end reads a bit slashy, and It's cool if that is how you wish to interpret it. I hope I didn't give you guys diabetes with the sweet ending