The Golden Age Universe
All for Love - Chapter 2
~Fran Gipani
Disclaimer - I don't own Merlin, or the characters...I'm just borrowing them and adding a couple of awesome OC's
AN - I am really happy with the response I got for the last two chapters, it really is a rather large showing despite the time gap since the last story in this series. Thank you to musicnlyrics who is my first reviewer to this story, and also a reader from the last story :) I'm glad to see you again. Also thanks to all the other folllowers and favouriters :) I hope you all enjoy the next chapter :)
The next morning Arthur and Merlin, along with Gwaine, Percival, Leon and much to the frustration of the king and his warlock, Brooke and Gwen had insisted they come on the search for Morgana too. Merlin and Arthur had taken the lead with Brooke and Gwen following, then the others in a line at the back. They took the path from the Castle through the forest, and towards the valley where Morgana had last been spotted. All the while Merlin was reaching out with his magic, trying to find any traces of Morgana's magic close by.
"You know," Gwaine spoke up, "I have a feeling we should split up if we really want to find Morgana."
Merlin slowed his horse to ride next to Gwaine"No, I don't think we should, we don't know how powerful she is, if we do find her you'll probably need me to do something. I know you are all fine fighters, but this is Morgana." I don't even know if I could beat her. He didn't voice this to the others however, but kept pushing his horse forward to catch up with Arthur again.
"Ahh, I see Merlin, so if we do find her what are w-" Gwaine was cut of as an arrow lodged itself into his chest causing him to fall sideways off his horse.
"Gwaine!" Percival called out, pulling his sword from it place on his belt. The others followed suit, guiding their horses to surround the fallen man. Seconds later a group of about 20 men ran in one big wave over the hill and down into the valley, their yells echoing and reverberating around the clearing. Brooke jumped down from her horse and began to heal Gwaine's wound, since she'd married Merlin she had been working with Gaius and training her magic to heal the sick and wounded. It took her a while but it worked almost every time.
Merlin was about to cast a spell to create a forcefield around the group when he felt a ball of strong energy hit him in the stomach causing him to fall back off his horse, hitting his head on a jutting out rock. Just at that moment Morgana emerged from the group of black clad men who had now surrounded the knights, a smirk crossed her face to see that her spell had hit her target. Feeling a little dizzy and confused the warlock still managed to cast the spell with a flash of gold in his cobalt blue eyes, but in his dazed state he couldn't make it reach out far enough to cover himself too. He stood on wobbly legs, reaching a hand up to the back of his head he felt a warm, sticky liquid between his fingers - blood.
"Why hello Emrys, fancy meeting you here," Morgana smirked, "though really I planned all this, you see. Right," she took a step forward, "to the last," she was almost nose to nose with Merlin, "detail."
"Morgana." Merlin slurred slightly, "do you honestly think I didn't think of this as a possible outcome to this trip?"
"Merlin." Arthur growled warningly, he knew what Merlin would have done, as well as making a protective bubble, his friend would have made it so that they couldn't leave as well. He was about to say something else but Merlin indicated for him to stop, much to Merlin's surprise as his own, Arthur stopped.
"I guessed so," replied Morgana, "you are Emrys after all. You though, are also Merlin, a man who cares for his friends so much it costs him his own safety, again and again. You've done it again. I can sense it, that dome of power, it doesn't cover yourself does it?" She smirked, "that was your first mistake. Your second, leaving your only other source of protection inside."
"Morgana, Emrys and I are the same person, we both care the same." He frowned, "but it must be so freeing for you to not have those sorts of cares anymore, no one to worry about but yourself."
"You have the lower hand Emrys, I have you trapped, and right now, you're vulnerable."
"Good." Merlin replied defiantly, he opened his mouth to speak again but then he heard a familiar voice in his head. 'Merlin, my love, what are you doing? Let me out! Please, I can help you.'
"Merlin no!" Arthur had no problem with being loud, "extend the dome you idiot!"
Again Merlin ignored them.
"Interesting, very interesting," Morgana smirked, "you know Emrys, once you're gone, I can do what ever I like with Camelot, and Arthur."
Merlin nodded. Only just fighting the urge to pass out on the ground. "Though you know I will have put up wards and protections..."
"They can be broken Emrys." A smirk filled her face before she carried on speaking, her dark cold eyes were gloating. "Okay then, let's see how far away you can be before the dome breaks down. You two," she beckoned over the two closest men, "follow behind him and make sure he doesn't fall. The rest of you follow behind, I'll leave them there. By the time the dome fails it will be too late for them to find us."
"Merlin!" The knights yelled in unison, "what the hell are you doing?"
"Trust me, everything will be fine!" Merlin called back as loudly as possible, and with his head pounding, that wasn't much. 'It better be!' Brooke's voice echoed in his head again, be careful my love.
With that Arthur, the knights, Gwen and Brooke watched helplessly as Merlin was lead from the valley up a steep slope then disappeared in the distance with Morgana and her men. "Arggh! Damn it!" Arthur yelled, "he didn't listen, he didn't damn well listen to me." He was fuming, he hit the dome with a clenched fist, he retracted it immediately, a painful bruise beginning to form. Arthur growled in pain, "he is such an idiot."
"Arthur calm down," Gwen approached her husband slowly, "I know Merlin didn't listen to you, but you need to remember, when was the last time one of Merlin's plan's went wrong."
Yeah, there are plenty, Arthur thought, the worst was that idea of his to kill the Shadow, that didn't work out too well did it? But then again, he saved my life. Arthur nodded, "I trust him, but I wish he would have told me what he was planning."
"Arthur, I don't think he could have, we needed to be surprised for it to ave worked. He did what he did hoping we'd trust him."
"And we will, but if he's there too long, I'm going to get him." Seconds later the shimmery light disappeared around them and they all managed to breathe a sigh of relief. Brooke and Percival then helped Gwaine back on to his horse, before Brooke pulled her self up as well and they set off in the direction of Camelot. Complete silence fell upon the group, each lost in their own thoughts. Brooke most of all though, having lost mental contact with her husband the moment the shield had gone down, despite her trust in the man she still worried. As she knew Merlin well enough to know he was highly likely to do something risky and self sacrificing, Brooke wondered if possibly that would have been the last time she saw her husband alive. Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she concentrated on thoughts of seeing Maire again, thus keeping her mind off her husbands fate.
AN - Right into the action I know, you guys may not like it though I hope you do! There's a little cliffy there but you guys will see more of Merlin next chapter! Please remember to review if you have the time! :)
PS - I am changing the name of this story to 'All for Love' I will be changing the title of the story when I upload the next chapter :) sorry for any inconvenience