Title: It's Like Magic
Author: Kiki1770
Rating: T for Language
Setting: After 4x05 His Father's Son
Summary: Merlin's secret is revealed. Will Arthur choose to save him from King Lot?
A/N: As always, super thanks for the all the lovely reviews. The information I've been using about King Lot and Essetir is from the Merlin Wikia site, although I altered a few things for the purpose of this story. There should be two more parts to this. Enjoy!
Short Story 3: Captured Part III
Sorcerer, sorcerer, sorcerer, the word echoed around mercilessly in Arthur's mind. A more rational part of him knew he should not be frozen in the presence of an enemy but hearing that his Merlin, his best friend and servant was a sorcerer, rendered him immobile. Merlin wasn't just a sorcerer; he was "the most powerful sorcerer to have ever lived." Arthur couldn't help but stare at his friend in horror. But whether it was in horror for him or of him, Arthur had yet to determine.
"Fear not, young King. He is as docile as lamb now, although it took me three days to break him." The King muttered mindlessly. King Lot stared at Merlin like he was an animal, a wild filly in need of taming. The king's ravenous gaze was more sickening than Arthur learning his most trusted friend was everything his kingdom had fought against. "He was quite stubborn you know? You trained your pet sorcerer well Arthur. He didn't even start screaming till the third day."
Arthur paled to a ghastly green. "M-merlin is not a sorcerer." He muttered in denial, although deep in his heart, it made complete sense. All of Merlin's incredible luck, his uncanny knowledge of magical beasts, Arthur's slaying said beasts while he'd been unconscious, immortal armies perishing on their own. It was Merlin all along.
"How ignorant you are your Highness. Your servant, Merlin, as you put it, is the Emrys, the sorcerer of myth and legend. With Emrys under my control, I shall become the true Once and Future King and rule over all of Albion." King Lot laughed loud and rambunctiously. Arthur froze at those words. He'd heard them before. In fact, it was Merlin that called him that. The Once and Future King, was that what Arthur was? Was that what Merlin believed him to be?
Something warm washed over Arthur, a warm realization that it didn't matter who or what Merlin was. Arthur knew who Merlin was. Merlin was an idiot, the most useless servant in his service, and the greatest friend Arthur had ever had. Suddenly, it no longer mattered that Arthur couldn't start a war with Lot. The only thing that mattered anymore…was Merlin. Arthur knew in that moment that without Merlin he was nothing.
"You lay another filthy finger on him and I will kill you Lot," Arthur promised, the warm feeling was replaced by a murderous rage for the King who dared to hurt his friend. Beside him, Gwaine, Percival, Elyan and even Leon raised their swords in accordance with Arthur. Arthur nearly smiled –he felt so liberated– his knights believed that saving Merlin was the right thing to do.
"I do not think so Arthur. You are in my castle and at the mercy of my men. Attack!" King Lot shouted. Soldiers, both scrawny and built, bandits and farmers alike, came pouring out from the citadel and completely surrounded Arthur and his knights.
"The odds seem to be ten to one. I understand if you men choose to leave." Arthur whispered to his knights as they stood back to back in a defensive position. Gwaine was the first to respond.
"Those odds were exactly what had me join his kingship," Gwaine snorted.**
"We've been through much together sire, I would rather die than abandon you here," Leon responded, Elyan and Percival nodded in agreement. Arthur couldn't help but feel touched just as he always did around his Knights of the Round Table.
"For Merlin!" Arthur shouted and they charged. But they were doomed to begin with. Arthur knew it, and his knights knew it as well. They were mercilessly swamped by farming boys. Killing them might have made things easier on them, but Arthur couldn't condemn the boys while they were only children. He knocked out as many as he could, his knights did the same. In the end, Arthur had been brought to his knees, four peasant boys held him down.
The peasants parted like the sea when King Lot triumphantly strides out toward Arthur. Arthur glared at Lot with as much dignity as he could manage on his knees. There were no need for words, with a wordless snide smile, Lot raised his execution blade. Arthur had no doubt it was the same one that Lot used to behead his subjects.
Two things happened simultaneously. First, something hot and wet dripped down Arthur's cheek. As the smell of rust invaded his nostrils, he realized with the startle it was blood. Arthur looked up, his best friend hung directly above him, his blood dripped down Arthur's cheek. Merlin was awake.
"Do not touch him," Merlin's broken voice whispered, deadly and soft all at once. And then…the courtyard exploded in a brilliant supernova of gold and sunlight.
** Yay, Gwaine has finally promoted Arthur from Queenship to Kingship! And oooh, Merlin's awake!
Review, review, review.
Kiki1770