Disclaimer: No, I do not own Merlin… but my thieves are coming back with their report on their progress now… so I will keep you posted! :D
Author's Note: *Peeks head over top of barrier* Ok please don't kill me! *throws hands in air* I really did mean to update sooner- honest! It's just that well first I was kidnapped and then a dog ate my computer and after I got a new one a random asteroid fell out of the sky and blew it up, and then I got beat up by a vicious old lady and... and- you aren't buying this are you… oh, well, it was worth a try anyways :D But either way I do apologize for the wait, and I seriously was gone for quite some time.
And to everyone who has been messaging me I just want to say that you would be proud! I stayed up until 4:47 A.M. writing this… noble right?
Well Enjoy!
TTT
Chapter Twelve
"Now I really hate to do this Merlin, but please tell me truthfully."
Arthur motioned at the two sleeping men, "Which one of these two men is Emrys?"
Merlin's heart skipped a beat.
All color and laughter drained from his face as he stared at Arthur in uncomprehending horror.
His thoughts franticly started spinning in mindless circles of panic and confusion, but one emotion stuck out over all, and that was dull sadness.
His best friend was here to kill him. He didn't seem to know it yet, but he was.
He had failed. He was going to die, and he had failed his destiny.
Hadn't he?
How did Arthur even know about Emrys anyway?
Arthur gave Merlin a questioning look, and Merlin floundered as he realized his prince was waiting for an answer.
Mind blank, he let his mouth take over, and could only hope that it would magically construct the perfect response to save his life- or at least come up with something halfway articulate.
"Uhhhhhh," Merlin shifted on his mattress, wincing as his voice cracked, "What was that?"
From where he knelt, Arthur raised an eyebrow. It was hard to tell in the dark, but Merlin's shadowed form now looked unnaturally rigid.
He cleared his throat and quietly repeated himself.
"I said, which one of those two men is Emrys? Really Merlin, I thought that we established long ago that you aren't deaf. Dumb yes, but at least not deaf."
Merlin stared down at Arthur's teasing face uncomprehendingly.
Normally, he would have been able to think up some witty retort, but he had neither the inspiration nor the will to do so now.
"Yeah, uhh, sorry," Merlin mumbled, his mind desperately racing for a way out of this seemingly inescapable problem he had somehow blundered into.
Yet there was no way out.
He refused to betray Danen, and his conscience would not allow him to accuse Bernard, but coming forward with the truth and admitting who he was would be suicide.
Wouldn't it?
He forcefully attempted to calm his wild heartbeat and think coherently.
Arthur watched him and frowned.
"You're sorry? Huh, that's a first."
His manservant didn't glare at him, in fact, he hardly looked at him, and that worried Arthur more than anything.
"Merlin, are you alright?" Arthur asked, poorly masked concern leaking into his voice, "You look even more sickly than usual."
Merlin attempted to pull himself together, and flashed his prince a happy grin, which Arthur saw through immediately.
"Oh yeah. You know me, I'm always alright!" Merlin replied with forced cheerfulness.
Arthur stared down at him disbelievingly. To think Merlin actually thought he could lie to him.
His eyes narrowed.
"You are in trouble, aren't you?" Arthur asked probingly, and his manservant's startled expression said it all.
The question had caught Merlin off guard, and his eyes flew to Arthur's suspicious face. Was he really that readable?
"No, of course not," Merlin answered warily, his smile still intact.
"Merlin," Arthur drawled in mock condescension, "you are a terrible liar."
"Maybe, but I'm not lying this time," The raven headed boy replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.
"This time?" Arthur asked, his eyebrows rising.
"Never mind," Merlin mended quickly, and added in a placatory voice, "I'm fine Arthur."
Arthur was quiet for a moment, studying him, and then asked abruptly, "Has someone threatened you? Merlin, if you are in danger, you know that you can tell me."
The concern was obvious in the Prince's voice, and despite himself Merlin felt his heart twinge bittersweet.
"Is that worry I hear? Oh Arthur, I always knew you cared," Merlin said, a genuine smile prodding at the corners of his mouth.
"Shut up Merlin, and tell me what's wrong," Arthur demanded, now a little irritably.
"How am I supposed to say anything when you just told me to shut up?"
"Well you are obviously having no problems with that handicap now are you?" Arthur asked in exasperation, "Now quit changing the subject."
"Sorry, what subject?" Merlin asked guilelessly.
"MERlin!"
"Sire?"
"Tell me who has threatened you, or upon entry to Camelot I will personally see that you are thrown into the stocks for what is left of your miserable life."
"No one is threatening me!" Merlin exclaimed stubbornly, and then added a tad sardonically, "Well, besides you of course."
"Then what is it?" Arthur asked, his training in interrogation letting him know that Merlin was about to crack.
"Nothing."
"Merlin, stop lying to me."
"I am not lying!" Merlin protested, his voice involuntarily rising slightly in pitch.
Arthur rolled his eyes.
All further prying into his guarded manservant's problems was cut short however by a quiet cough from Sir Kay, who stood inside the door.
Regretfully, Arthur tore his eyes off his friend to look at the knight.
'Right when I was beginning to make progress,' Arthur thought wryly.
"My apologies Sire," the knight said quietly, his gaze nervously surveying the dark hall outside, "but we must hurry."
Arthur nodded his head politely.
"Of course."
"Really Sire," Sir Kay said urgently, "It is almost day."
Startled, Arthur spun to face the window at the corner of the room.
Already the sky was beginning to lighten with the approaching dawn, and the stars were beginning to dim, as they sensed their time was almost up. So was theirs.
Spurred into action, Arthur grasped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, and pulled a startled Merlin off the low bed with his left.
"Hey, wait…" Merlin began, but Arthur ignored him.
The sword slid out of its sheath smoothly, the well polished metal hardly making a sound.
With the sword, Arthur motioned at the two sleeping men.
"Time to go. Which one?" he asked quietly.
"Err, what?" Merlin asked, feigning ignorance.
"The sorcerer," Arthur said impatiently.
"What about him?" The raven headed boy asked innocently.
"MERlin!" Arthur exclaimed in exasperation, wondering what was wrong with the ludicrous idiot today.
"Yes?"
"Quit stalling."
"I'm not," Merlin replied, agitation once again beginning to show in his voice.
Arthur turned his head to look at him in confusion.
He then voiced his thoughts, "What is wrong with you today?"
Merlin shifted uncomfortably on the balls of his feet.
"Nothing, I… I just don't want to kill anyone is all."
Arthur felt his heart sink, but stubbornly ignored the feeling.
Inwardly he berated himself for not anticipating this, for not knowing that Merlin would never stand for letting someone he knew get killed, no matter how evil.
"We don't have time to coddle your reservations, Merlin," Arthur said impatiently, glancing at the sky, "Every second we waste one of my men could be found and killed, giving their lives to buy us more time. Now tell me, which one?"
Merlin stared hard at the floor, wishing it would swallow him.
No rescue came from the floor, however, and Merlin was left to deal with his problems on his own.
He mumbled something to himself under his breath.
Unconsciously Arthur leaned forward, straining to make out his evasive servant's ramblings.
"What was that? Merlin you are going to have to speak up," Arthur sighed, making a mental note to throttle the idiot later.
Merlin lifted his shoulders in an almost indiscernible gesture.
"I can't," Merlin repeated a little louder, his voice betraying the strain he was under, "I just can't say, Arthur. Okay? Please, just, just trust me on this. I really can't."
Arthur stared at him blankly. For a second, Merlin thought that he saw genuine concern and confusion flicker across the Prince's face, but then it was gone and he was left to believe that he had imagined it.
"You can't?" Arthur repeated blandly, his eyes expressionless, and inwardly Merlin winced, experience alerting him as to what was coming.
"You. Can't. You can't?" Arthur's voice began to rise, and Merlin widened his eyes and shook his head quickly, motioning towards the rooms sleeping occupants, trying his best to make covert hushing noises which Arthur stubbornly ignored.
"Camelot is in danger, Merlin! He wants my father's head, and will stop at nothing to get it! He is a heartless murderer, a conniving coward and a filthy sorcerer, yet you defend him! Emrys must die, I have no choice and neither do you, now I command you to tell me who he is!"
"Arthur…" Merlin began desperately, but stopped at the look on his friend's face.
Some distant part of his brain noticed Danen stir at the noise, but Merlin really couldn't bring himself to process the movement or care, as his emotions had begun to rage in an inward battle, tearing him apart.
Arthur's angry eyes bore into Merlin's panicked ones, and they locked.
For a second, Merlin almost cracked. He wanted more than anything to just break down and tell Arthur everything, who he was, what he had done, unbury his heart and lay it out. He was so, so tired of hiding, of locking up his problems and fears for none to see. He just wanted it all to go away, and here was his opportunity.
Yet something made him hesitate. The same question that always made him hesitate, and plagued him night and day.
What if the time was not right and his destiny failed?
Then the tyranny would never end, neither would the hate, nor the death.
He couldn't let that happen.
Merlin's eyes sank to the floor, breaking the contact.
Beside him, Merlin heard a frustrated Arthur sigh, and felt his gaze leave him. The moment was gone.
…..
From his position in the corner, Danen lay entirely awake.
He had been awoken at the sound of an angry, blonde haired man's poorly muted exclamations, and had been forced to listen with growing horror.
"Camelot is in danger Merlin! He wants my father's head, and will stop at nothing to get it! He is a heartless murderer, a conniving coward, and a filthy sorcerer, yet you defend him! Emrys must die, I have no choice and neither do you, now I command you to tell me who he is!"
Danen quickly squeezed his eyes shut as the man paraded around the room in his tirade, wisely attempting to keep his breathing neutral so that the angry blonde man wouldn't know he was awake.
This task proved harder than he had expected, as his heart was making enough noise to wake a hibernating bear.
Possibly with the same results too.
This couldn't be helped however, and Danen couldn't really bring himself to care.
He was frightened, but the terror was for the life of a friend, not so much for himself. He wasn't the one about to die. Emrys was.
That man was obviously here to kill him, or at least someone with his name- if Emrys even was his name.
What had the large man called him? Marlin? Melrin?
Whoever the youth who had befriended him was, Danen found it really didn't matter, for right now that same youth was in danger, and whether his name was Marlin or Emrys, Danen found rather irrelevant.
For now at least.
Of course, not that this personal revelation did him much good, as the strained silence that had now fallen over the room slowly lengthened into a dangerous one.
Emrys had yet to say a word, and Danen had to fight the urge to open his eyes and look at his friend's face.
"Merlin…" The large blonde man began in a low, deceptively calm voice, but was cut off by the grating of steel on steel, followed by a loud, strangled gasp from the corridor outside.
…..
With the commotion, Arthur's instincts flickered to life and he bolted for the door, heart in his throat, but Sir Kay's body blocked the doorway and his outstretched hand forced him to skid to an abrupt halt.
"Forgive me, Sire," The lithe knight whispered in a low voice, "but it is merely a guard, and we have taken care of him. Yet I fear that his comrades heard and are close behind him."
Arthur cursed under his breath.
They were out of time, and he had had enough of this.
Turning on his heel, Arthur deliberately marched back into the servants' chambers, heading in a beeline for the sleeping form of Bernard.
If his useless excuse for a manservant, not to mention useless excuse for a subject, wouldn't tell him who Emrys was, he might as well ask the two candidates.
….
From between half-slit eyelids, Danen watched the dark silhouette of the large man shake the redheaded youth awake with mounting horror.
This wasn't going to end well.
Danen heard Bernard groan and turn over, waving his arms.
"Go away," The youth whined in his sleep.
The blonde man just shook Bernard harder.
"Hey, wake up," the man demanded above him.
"No," Bernard mumbled stubbornly, half asleep, "You can't make me."
"Are you sure?" Arthur asked casually, reaching for a goblet of mead by Bernard's bedside.
"Quite," Bernard mumbled, and yelped as the contents of the goblet were poured deliberately on his head.
"Get, up," Arthur demanded simply, and grabbed the redhead by the ear.
Enraged into waking up, Bernard was finally pulled into a sitting position and looked around furiously.
"You idiotic imbecile!" The youth screeched, "You brainless cow! What is wrong with you-" Bernard broke off as he got his first good look at the man who had awoken him, and more importantly, got his first good look at the sharp piece of metal in that same man's hand. He wisely bit his lip.
The blonde man looked down at him with an eyebrow raised.
"Morning," the scary intruder said conversationally, "What's your name?"
Bernard glared at him.
"Who's asking?"
"A brainless cow, apparently," The man said, and lifted his sword in front of Bernard's nose, "Name?"
Bernard moodily wiped the mead off his face.
"I don't know what you want, but whatever you are here for has nothing to do with me. Everyone is always pointing fingers at me, blaming me for their problems, and I take it! You want to know why? 'Cause I am the best person who has ever walked the face of this earth, so whoever you are here to kidnap, it can't be me! Abduct one of them," Bernard gestured at Danen and Emrys, "They aren't important."
Bernard made to lie back down, but was quickly hauled back up by his hair.
"You can go back to sleep, but only after you tell me who Emrys is. Then I will leave you alone," The blonde man said reasonably.
"Emrys?" Bernard asked sullenly, "That's all?"
From his position on the bed, Danen tensed.
Bernard didn't know what was going on, and he didn't have the intuition to figure it out.
Bernard was about to sentence Emrys to his death.
"Yes," the blonde man said amiably, "just tell me who he is."
Panicked, Danen's terrified brain grasped for solution to save him, convinced that he would do anything.
When the answer came to him however, Danen's shoulders slumped with defeat. He didn't really like that solution.
Danen tried to ignore the unpleasantly sick feeling in his stomach, and begged himself to forget about the idea.
He told himself it was a reckless, stupid plan, that it would never work and would only result in suicide.
He argued that there was no reason for him to really care anyway, that he had only known Emrys for a couple weeks, and that it was unreasonable to do so much for him.
He told himself to go back to sleep, and that it would all be over in the morning.
And he told himself, in no uncertain terms, to mind his own business.
Yet as Bernard lifted his hand to point in Emrys' direction, Danen's sagaciously brilliant advice flew out the window, and he sat straight up in bed, announcing in a voice that almost would have passed for bold if it hadn't cracked with fear, "It's me! I-I am Emrys!"
…...
Arthur turned towards the new voice in surprise, unceremoniously forgetting about the weird little redhead altogether, who happily went back to sleep, oblivious and uncaring to the world around him.
"What?" Arthur heard a confused Merlin ask from the other end of the room and then add in a more panicky voice, "Wait, no! No, Arthur! He is lying!"
Arthur ignored his servant, and surveyed the man who had spoken.
He was young, just about as old as Merlin, with brown hair, brown skin, brown clothing, and although Arthur couldn't see his eyes clearly in the darkness of the room, he suspected that they would be brown as well.
All in all, there was nothing very remarkable about him, but Arthur knew that looks could be deceiving with sorcerers.
"You?" Arthur asked, beginning to advance upon him, sword outstretched.
The brown-headed youth hesitated, and then nodded affirmation.
"Danen, what are you doing!" Merlin exclaimed in horror, but the man didn't look at him.
Instead he addressed Arthur, "Yes, it is me. Now, why do you ask?"
Arthur narrowed his eyes.
"You want to kill my father, and I am here to make sure that never happens."
"Arthur! Wait no, you don't understand," Merlin exclaimed, suddenly in front of him, eyes wide.
"Stay out of this Merlin," Arthur commanded, flashing his manservant a quick glance as he moved him protectively to the side by his forearm.
"He is not Emrys, he doesn't know what he is saying!" Merlin protested, putting his hand on Arthur's shoulder, trying to get him to see sense.
Arthur angrily shook him off.
"Leave it, Merlin. We both just heard him admit it with his own mouth," Arthur said grimly.
The prince pushed away from Merlin, gravely advancing upon Danen, who had leapt off his bed and was slowly backing up.
"No he didn't! Well maybe he did- but…"
"It's me," Danen lied calmly, deliberately giving Merlin a quick glance, telling him it was okay.
A lump formed in Merlin's throat. Why was he doing this for him? He didn't deserve it! He would never deserve it.
"Please Arthur, just listen to me!" Merlin pleaded, his hands subconsciously clutching his hair, and even as he said the words he knew they fell upon deaf ears.
Arthur didn't hear him, or maybe, he just didn't want to.
Sickened, the raven headed boy watched as his friend cornered a man who was offering his life in exchange for his own, and suddenly, calmly, he realized it was time to finally tell the truth.
The boy's heart lurched in his stomach, and Merlin felt a dizzying sense of relief and anxiety, causing his breath to hitch and his heart to beat faster.
He didn't have to hide anymore. It was time for it all to come tumbling out. He could come forward… Arthur would finally know! He would be free!
Wouldn't he?
Merlin pushed back the doubt. This was for Danen.
Stumbling from fear and cautious happiness, Merlin moved forward to block Arthur's path, mainly to shield Danen but also because a small part of him knew that Arthur would take the news better if he could look him in the eye.
Determinedly, Merlin bounded in front of Arthur, ignoring the prince's angry exclamations, but as they made eye contact, Merlin thought that maybe doing so hadn't been such a good idea after all. Arthur's angry, questioning, all-too-normal blue eyes made his heart jerk, bringing the enormity of what he was about to do descending upon his shoulders like a wave, and he panicked as he realized he couldn't find his voice.
Arthur made to roughly shove him to safety once again, but stopped as he saw the look on his manservant's face.
He frowned.
"What is it now, Merlin?" Arthur asked impatiently, keeping one eye on Danen.
Merlin stiffened, and tried to regain his composure.
In the semi-darkness, Arthur gave him a pointed look.
"Well?"
"Arthur…" Merlin began hoarsely, and cleared his throat.
His nerve began to scamper away, and it was all he could do to stay still.
Some sixth sense seemed to alert Arthur to the importance of what Merlin was about to say, something that had been tickling and taunting the back of his mind, forever out of his reach.
The prince looked at Merlin closer, now seeing the fear in his eyes and his determined stance.
"Well Merlin?" Arthur asked again, kinder this time.
Merlin was looking at the ground, yet abruptly, almost violently as Arthur watched, his shoulders straightened and his head came up.
"It is me," Merlin said quietly, trying to keep his voice steady.
Arthur stared at him blankly.
"What is you?" Arthur asked raising one eyebrow.
Merlin frowned, not wanting to elaborate. His hands were shaking, and he both dreaded and hoped for the moment Arthur figured out who he was.
"Emrys- Arthur, Emrys is me," Merlin said a little louder, forcing the words out.
The back of his neck was beginning to burn, and his palms sweat. He stubbornly pushed the terror away, telling himself that if Arthur didn't accept him now, he never would.
Arthur looked almost uncertain.
"What are you talking about, Merlin?" Arthur demanded loudly, his sword unconsciously lowering as his attention was diverted.
Merlin felt a twinge of bitter relief as he realized he had the Prince's full attention.
"That," Merlin said, enunciating every word and motioning behind him, towards where Danen stood in the corner, "isn't Emrys. His name is Danen Gelonesson and he is just trying to protect me."
Arthur frowned slightly as he looked into Merlin's pleading eyes, not sure what the boy was saying, and an alarm telling him he didn't want to.
Merlin took Arthur's silence as an invitation to continue. He felt butterflies swarm in his stomach, his mind not yet fully believing what he was about to do.
"Arthur," Merlin said, in a voice that was barely a whisper, "I am Emrys. I am the one you are looking for, and I, nobody else, am the one you are here to kill."
Arthur stared at Merlin.
Denial, shock, and not a little fear landed in his heart, making it cold.
He slowly shook his head in disbelief, not saying a word.
His face twisted ever so slightly and his head lowered as he stared at the blade of his sword, his eyes confused.
Slowly, so very slowly, his gaze shifted back to a Merlin, who could feel himself trembling.
"No," Arthur said softly, then shook his head adamantly, almost fearfully, "No, no, you can't be."
Merlin smiled sadly, heart twisting from the confusing feeling of being exposed. The exhilaration of it almost outweighed the fear.
"No Arthur, I really am. Trust me," Merlin said quietly, unsure whether to laugh or cry, "I am Emrys."
"You are Merlin," Arthur said forcefully, still shaking his head, "My friend."
Merlin laughed, the sound coming off as a half choked sob as he realized that this was the first, and more than likely the last, time he was ever going to hear Arthur say that to him.
"Yeah, Arthur," Merlin said with a watery smile, "Yes I am."
Arthur stared at him hard, and Merlin could see denial in every line of his body.
"You are lying," Arthur whispered hoarsely, his confused eyes searching Merlin's sad ones, "Merlin, tell me you are lying!"
Merlin shook his head once, a lump in his throat.
"I am not," Merlin said unsteadily, not trusting his voice to say more. He knew that what was about to happen would not be easy on him, and breaking down would just make it worse. He had learned that lesson the hard way.
"Yes you are!" Arthur said angrily, but the fear in his eyes made Merlin flinch.
Frantic, Arthur swiveled around, turning on a startled Danen with his sword outstretched.
"You have enchanted him," Arthur said tightly, unable to look at Merlin's face, "It is the only way you could get Merlin to admit treason."
Danen stared into Arthur's angry eyes cautiously, trying to decide on the best way to answer him.
'Act like a sorcerer would,' Danen told himself firmly, 'I won't just stand by and let Emrys die.'
"Of course I did," Danen replied smugly, trying simultaneously to laugh confidently, "and I will only take it off of him if you promise to let me go, and not harm me."
Arthur glared at him condescendingly, but couldn't help the slump of his shoulders as newfound relief descended upon him like a warm blanket.
Merlin wasn't Emrys… He really was still innocent old Merlin- his friend. And that, if nothing else, would never change.
"Take it off him," Arthur demanded, now boldly, striding forward and glaring hotly at Danen, "You have no right to do this to my servant! Release the enchantment or the breath you carry now will be your last!"
"Arth-" Merlin began, terrified, but was cut off by a stubborn prince.
"Not now Merlin!"
Danen stubbornly shook his head.
"I will not until you give me your word that you will let me go," He replied almost calmly.
Arthur lifted his head.
"I will give you no such privilege, sorcerer," Arthur said proudly, spitting the last word out in a way that made Merlin wince.
"Then I will not release the enchantment," Danen replied simply.
Arthur's eyebrows rose.
Only Merlin saw the prince's body language change ever so subtly, and alarm bells began shouting warnings in his head as he realized what Arthur was about to do.
"Arthur, no!" Merlin protested, running forward, his fear for Danen becoming a cold spike in his chest, "You can't! You don't understand… I am not enchanted… Danen can no more enchant me than he can defend himself!"
An unexpected crash and a shout of alarm from outside the chamber's door made Merlin's heart lurch in surprise and Arthur jump.
"Sire!" A voice shouted from the hallway, "They have found us!"
The voice was cut off, morphing into a strangled groan, followed by more shouting and the sound of steel scraping on steel.
Sir Allen burst through the door. His face was cut and his armor was bloodstained.
"My Prince!" He yelled hoarsely, "You must kill the sorcerer now!"
A man clad in the black uniform of the soldiers of Escetia appeared behind the burly knight, a sword, glinting red in the light of a nearby lantern, poised in his hand. His sword hovered in the air as he prepared to strike at the unsuspecting knight's exposed neck.
"Allen!" Arthur screamed, fear clotting in his stomach as the swordsman swung.
Allen ducked and threw himself backwards, barreling into the black clad soldier, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Three more soldiers of Escetia stormed into the room, stumbling slightly over the scrambling bodies of Allen and his attacker.
Almost immediately, they distinguished Arthur as the most imminent threat, and with a throaty war cry that made the hairs on the back of Merlin's neck stand on end, hurtled towards the arms of the waiting prince.
Arthur lightly skipped to the side as the first soldier reached him, the man's clumsy jab passing harmlessly by his forearm. Arthur turned the easy movement into a complete pivot, and kicked at the back of the soldier's legs, causing him to fall in a hapless heap to the ground.
"Arthur!" Merlin's desperate voice yelled, and the prince recognized the warning in his tone and instinctively looked for an attacker.
The glint of torchlight reflecting off steel flashed in the corner of Arthur's vision, causing his head to snap to the right.
A cold blade was cutting through the air at eye level towards his face, and Arthur's blood froze. Without even having to assess the situation Arthur knew that he could not move away in time, and was at death's door. The sword was just inches away with nothing to block it, moving in slow motion towards his head. He tried to lift his sword, but it moved even slower than the soldier's.
He was going to die.
A fraction of a second before the honed weapon collided with Arthur's face, the man cried out in pain and the sword left his grasp. The dreaded blade flew through the air, and only stopped when its hilt hit the temple of another Escetian soldier with a sickening crunch. The man crumpled to the ground, senseless.
Arthur stared, eyes wider than usual with shock as he surveyed the damage his most recent stroke of luck had caused.
He was still alive! As impossible as it was, he was still standing, and his attacker had fallen. He felt almost dizzy with relief.
Once again there was that irritating thought, or beginning of a thought, tickling the back of his mind, an idea that he could never quite grasp, forever out of his reach.
"The sorcerer!" Sir Borch's voice screeched from the hallway, "Just kill the wretched thing… If I may say, Sire."
Arthur regained his composure and quickly scanned the room's occupants, knowing Sir Borch was right. His eyes alighted almost immediately on the so-called-sorcerer. The man stood nearby, back pressed against the cold stone walls, trying to hide in their shadows.
'Typical,' Arthur thought scathingly, 'Just like sorcerers to cower in dark corners while people are dying.'
The brown headed man wasn't looking at him now, and as Arthur slowly began advancing, keeping his movement subtle, the man didn't notice a thing. He seemed to be in shock.
"No, Arthur! No please stop! You can't!" Merlin's pleas rang loudly in the chaotic clangs and shouts disturbing the once peaceful little room.
The brown headed sorcerer heard Merlin's cries and looked up just in time to see Arthur approaching, weapon in hand.
Startled, Danen yelped and retreated to the other end of the room, Arthur now hot on his heels.
Danen skidded to an abrupt halt as a soldier of Cenred's kingdom swung his sword wildly at a knight, the blade cutting a hairsbreadth away from Danen's nose.
Unnerved, and adrenaline searing through his veins, Danen dove around the man and fled as fast as he could away from the Prince of Camelot, only to be met with the very discouraging sight of a stone wall blocking his path.
He instinctively dove to the right, only to be met with another wall.
Dead end.
Fighting the urge to close his eyes, Danen slowly turned around, heart sinking as he saw the grim blonde headed face of the Prince standing before him.
"Arthur, please!" Merlin begged, now standing beside his Prince, pleading. "Danen isn't a sorcerer! He couldn't hurt anyone!"
Arthur looked genuinely upset. He turned his head to look at his pleading manservant and felt a surge of affection.
"I really am sorry, Merlin," Arthur said seriously, "But this is for my Father, and this is for Camelot."
With that, Arthur closed in the gap between himself and Danen with one large bound, drawing his sword back in the smooth motion that had been drilled into him since he could barely walk.
Danen shrunk back against the wall, terror in his eyes as he realized that this was the end. That this was the last moment of his life.
"No!" Merlin screamed.
The sword fell, slicing downwards towards the male servant's unprotected body with a finality that would have made executioners flip over in their graves.
But it never reached its mark.
As Arthur was inwardly wincing at the sickening thought of killing someone who was truly nothing more than a boy, he felt his hand clamp up, tightening until he couldn't move, and the feeling stabbed upward through his arm, numbing and freezing his shoulder, traveling into his legs, and then lastly his other arm.
He was stuck.
'Magic,' Arthur thought in disgust, trying to be angry to distract himself from the sinking feeling of fear in his heart. He had been wondering why the sorcerer was not using the black art, and had almost believed that his never failing luck would save him once again. Apparently he had been wrong.
Arthur shook off his fanciful thoughts and began squirming desperately, lunging with everything he had to get free.
Yet as much as he twisted and jerked, it was to no avail, and Arthur began to feel panicky with the sensation of not being able to move, and claustrophobia began to take hold.
Before him, still hunched over with his eyes closed and hands held over his head, stood the brown headed sorcerer, and Arthur wondered bitterly why the man was still cowering, why he hadn't killed him already, when the prince was obviously so vulnerable.
Slowly the sorcerer opened one eye, involuntarily wincing as if expecting a sword to come out of nowhere.
Yet as he began to realize that by some miracle he was still alive, his tightened muscles hesitantly loosened and his face slowly cleared, causing him to straighten up, looking purely shocked.
"Wha-" the sorcerer began but stopped, stunned speechless.
Arthur noticed he was trembling.
"Go on," The Prince said in a low voice, determined not to cower, "I can't do anything to stop you. Just get it over with."
The sorcerer did not answer and as Arthur warily watched his terrified face, he realized that the man's eyes were not on him at all, but on something behind him.
Confused, but with the indomitable feeling of hope rising once again, Arthur began to turn his head, but what the brown headed man breathed next made his heart lurch to a stop, his brain reeling.
"Emrys?" Danen asked wide eyed, looking slightly dazed. Then his face split into a tearful smile, "Thank you."
Arthur's head spun as far as he could in the direction Danen was looking, dread a cold leaden weight in his chest as suspicion and half-made assumptions that shouldn't even be an option formed in his mind, polluting it.
As his eyes alighted on the sight before them and all the suspicions became hard reality, Arthur's emotions and feelings split in half, raging against one another in an aching, hurtful battle, blatant denial becoming all the more stubborn in the light of the unrelenting truth. The chaotic clash of the weapons dimmed, and the hoarse throated war cries coming from scores of beaten men stilled as all eyes turned to watch, in awe, anger and not very well hidden fear.
Merlin stood before his Prince, eyes ablaze with golden flames and murmuring quietly to himself in the black language no decent person should know, causing a thin white light to come shining out of his outstretched hand, falling on the center of Arthur's back, holding him firmly in place.
Arthur slowly shook his head, in one last loyal denial.
"No," Arthur said softly, numb, "no."
Arthur dully saw Merlin's shoulders slump ever so slightly at his words and the golden fire in his eyes dimmed, then extinguished all together, taking the white light shooting from his hand with it.
Merlin stumbled slightly but his hand was seemingly forgotten and remained outstretched, so when Merlin finally looked up to be met with Arthur's rejecting eyes, he quickly withdrew his hand as if he had been burned.
"Arthur…" Merlin whispered softly, but his voice cracked and the Prince had to watch the painful process of him regaining control, "I'm sorry."
Without waiting for his reply, Merlin jerkily dropped his hands by his sides and without saying a word, snapped his fingers, and then stood motionless. Every eye was now upon him, waiting, and an unsettling silence descended upon the room.
For a moment, nothing happened, then without warning the spears, swords and crossbows the Escetian's were wielding began to glow. A pure, pulsing light started to fill the room, emanating from the glowing weapons, which began to glow white hot and the soldiers yelped and dropped them, fear in their eyes.
The light got brighter and brighter, causing every last shadow lurking in the forgotten corners to flee and men to cover their faces and hide from the pulsing light.
The ground began to tumble and shake, in sync with the beating of the inescapable light, and men cried out in terror, for they knew they could do nothing to defend themselves.
Arthur stumbled where he stood as the quaking became worse, unable to keep his footing.
An ear-splitting crack shook the room, knocking men over with the force of it, and Arthur's heart did a summersault as he felt himself falling, no, more like gliding through the pulsing light, all sound muffled in its warm rays.
Then abruptly it all came to an end and Arthur tumbled into a dirty alley, three hundred yards from the castle.
Arthur winced as the back of his head smacked against the slimy, damp stones, and flinched involuntarily at the sharp clang ringing in the alley as Merlin and the knights arrived only seconds after him, not there one minute, and within the blink of an eye flashing into existence meters above the ground the next, hitting the stones with a sickening thud.
Arthur squeezed his eyes shut as his head throbbed and he rolled onto his side, fighting off a wave of nausea.
He clutched his head and waited for the feeling to subside, taking quick, shallow breaths.
Yet as his heart calmed and his stomach finally decided to return to its usual living chambers, Arthur groaned and slowly staggered to his feet, hearing his knights quietly cursing under their breaths as they followed his example.
Merlin, however, remained quiet, almost unnaturally so as he shakily regained his footing, keeping his eyes down.
Arthur leaned exhausted against a wall and watched him, eyes narrowed.
Nobody in the alley said a word.
Merlin stood in the center of the street, trembling slightly, and as Arthur slowly straightened up and stepped closer to him, jaw locked, the boy still did not look up.
"What was that, Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly, bitterly, and when Merlin didn't respond he lunged at him, twisting his arm behind his back and slamming his manservant into an alley wall.
"What was that?!" Arthur shouted, unable to control the aching betrayal that laced his words. Merlin didn't struggle.
"Arthur…" The raven headed boy began, but stopped, not wanting to break in front of him. The prince, however, was no fool, and had heard the crack in his manservant's voice. He slammed him harder against the wall.
"It's Your Highness, to you," Arthur spat out bitterly, "You may not address me by my name, especially as you have been lying about yours."
"Please," Merlin gasped out, hiding his face, "Just let me explain."
"Who even are you?" Arthur demanded angrily, his voice thick, "What do you want?"
"I would like to know the answer to that myself," A thin voice asked from behind them.
Startled, Arthur dropped Merlin and spun around, unsheathing his sword, and the alley rang with the sharp sound of metal scraping on metal as his knights did likewise, hearts in their throats.
Yet the sight that met them was an average one, a forked alleyway, muddy stones, shifting, dipping shadows, but no man.
The men shifted uncomfortably, and Arthur got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew that voice.
"Where are you?" Arthur called into the darkness, mimicking himself from times past.
"I'm here," the voice replied from directly beside him, causing Merlin to yelp and fling himself around.
Arthur, however, was a bit more composed, and turned on the voice with his sword outstretched.
His heart lurched as his eyes alighted on the man, his suspicions confirmed as he saw the black cloak the man wore, covering his face.
"You," Arthur said angrily, memories of dead comrades still fresh in his mind.
The man laughed.
"Well well, if it isn't the little Prince of Camelot," The man said mockingly, "We had thought you were dead."
Merlin frowned.
"Arth…" Merlin began, but caught himself, deep sadness in his eyes, but continued a little awkwardly anyway, "Sire… Who is this?"
The Prince began to reply, but the black cloaked sorcerer cut him off.
"Your friend and I had a lovely evening together in the woods a few days back, nothing that you must concern yourself with, young warlock," The man said lightly. The knights slowly began to surround him, swords outstretched.
"The real question," The sorcerer continued amiably, "Is who are you? And even more importantly I believe, who do you want to be?"
"That's a stupid question," Merlin muttered under his breath, but no one seemed to hear him besides Arthur, who snorted in spite of himself.
"My name is Merlin," He said instead, glaring at the man who, by the looks of things, had tried to kill Arthur, "Now what is that to you?"
"Ah, Merlin," The sorcerer repeated knowingly, in a way that caused Arthur to subconsciously step in front of his manservant, "That is your name, yes. But I am not so naïve to believe that that is who you truly are Emrys."
The sorcerer leaned a bit to the side and surveyed Merlin's sad eyes and tight face, sounding almost sympathetic.
"Am I right in assuming Merlin has been rejected? If I am, I would think that there would be far too much pain in that name and that life to bear to live it any longer."
Merlin didn't respond, but the man saw that he had hit a sore spot.
"No," the sorcerer continued quietly, "I definitely think it is time for a change. Throw away Merlin, Emrys, and be who you were born to be."
Merlin rolled his eyes, surprising the man.
"Let me guess, you wish to rule the world with me?" The raven-headed boy asked, mildly amused in spite of himself.
The sorcerer smiled beneath his hood. This was going well.
"No, not with you. I am merely the messenger of fate, not the subject of its will. You could be a ruler of all. A maker and destroyer of kingdoms and lives, the one that has been prophesied through the ages to come… the most deadly and powerful sorcerer of all time. A man who has whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, however he has to get it. Join with me Emrys, for that is who you are, and don't bother fighting fate. It will come to pass as I have said."
Merlin couldn't help it. He laughed.
The feeling felt hollow, however, void of happiness.
He felt Arthur's disbelieving eyes on him as he answered.
"I think you may have me confused with someone else. What I want doesn't matter, and even if it did, who I am would remain the same. I don't wanta fate of destruction."
The man cocked his head at him, and then asked simply, "And how long do you think that will last? You are not wanted Merlin. Your friends are now the ones who want you dead… how long do you really believe you can remain the ever loving, ever caring friend? If you continue on this path, it will only end in pain."
Merlin shook his head, and answered quietly, "Then so be it."
The sorcerer was silent for a moment, watching him.
"Then so be it," The man echoed finally, and stepped back, making a hand signal Merlin didn't notice but made Arthur tense.
"Run!" The prince shouted, but before any of them had a chance to take another breath the scraping sound of metal boots filled the alleyway as they were surrounded by men with weapons drawn on all sides, cornering them in the alley with no way to escape.
Arthur cursed and shot a quick look at Merlin, whose face was pale. Still the useless manservant.
"Then take the way of pain, Merlin," The man said, still backing up, "You have chosen it, and it will come unrelentingly. I may even help it along."
Arthur's jaw locked.
Nobody, and he meant nobody, was allowed to hurt his servant but him.
"You may find that more difficult than you think," he said quietly to himself.
Merlin was talking to the man again.
"So may I at least have the pleasure of knowing who my soon-to-be-killer's name is?" He asked, almost cheerfully.
The sorcerer stopped a little before he reached the lines of his men and slowly withdrew his hood, revealing an entirely hairless head, his eyes black pools of hate.
The man held out his hand and an orange flame began bouncing playfully in the air above it.
"My name," The sorcerer replied with a chuckle, "Is Maggot."
The orange light left Maggot's hand, and struck Merlin's neck.
Pain exploded in front of Merlin's eyes, causing him to cry out and crumple to the ground, his vision red. He felt like he was burning… and freezing at the same time. Every single cell in his body burned with raw, unrelenting pain. He should have died; Merlin just knew that no one should be able to survive an attack like this. They shouldn't have to. His throat felt raw and he knew he was screaming, but he couldn't hear himself. He vaguely heard his name shouted, and then shouted again.
He wanted to die… he couldn't die. He was stuck in this never-ending torture.
Then… he felt something different.
Warmth, a softness filled his heart, a power. The power was screaming… but not from pain. It was screaming at him.
It was trying to tell him something… something important.
He just couldn't figure out what it was.
It began pounding in his veins, opening up his senses, and he was now able to hear the clash of weapons, and the shouts of men in battle.
The pounding got worse, the pulsing of his magic in his head, all trying to tell him something.
'Arthur.'
He could almost feel it, sense it, touch it. What was it trying to say?
'Arthur!'
His stomach clenched in a way it always did when someone he cared about was in danger... Arthur!
He needed to save him!
White exploded in his head with a roar, and his eyes snapped open.
He almost fainted with relief as he realized the pain was gone. Yet he could see blackness blurring the edges of his vision, and he knew that he was about to once again lose consciousness.
But he couldn't. Not yet.
He had a prince to save.
The alley was reverberating with the screams of men, and the noise pierced through Merlin's head, making him wince.
He was lying crumpled on the ground, and from there he had a rather limited view of what was happening- but nevertheless, what he saw made him grow cold.
The knights were fighting, but some of them were scattered, and one of them had already died, his blood seeping out, forgotten on the cobblestones.
In the midst of the fighting, Maggot stood calmly, arm outstretched and fingers making a claw-like motion upward.
Merlin followed his gaze.
Suspended in the air, clutching his throat, hung Arthur, just as he had in the woods days ago.
Something in Merlin snapped.
He had had it.
No more death.
Thunder rolled in the sky above as black storm clouds gathered together, twisting and swirling in the predawn sky.
Lightning lit up the heavens, and the soldiers glanced nervously upwards, while the knights glanced suspiciously at Merlin.
The sky groaned, the hairs on the back of everyone's necks stood on end, and Maggot noticed what was happening just a second too late.
A brilliant streak of light shot down from the sky, striking Maggot in the chest, causing him to shudder and collapse to the ground, shaking.
Arthur fell to the ground, gasping for breath, and the Escetian soldiers cried out in terror at the sight of their leader, writhing on the damp stones.
"Sire!" Sir Allen yelled, running to his Prince's aid and helping him to his feet, "If I may say, Milord, I do believe that now is the time to- " The crash of more men coming to aid their comrades broke him off, and Allen half dragged the Prince away.
"My thoughts exactly," Arthur mumbled.
Merlin felt strong hands grab him, and he was thrown over a shoulder.
From his position hanging upside-down, Merlin saw the city's muddy houses and horse-reeking roads pass by beneath him, as his bearer sprinted him away.
His head and heart reeled from the shock of the last couple of minutes, disbelieving and sickened, but they also carried with them a thread of hope. Maybe all was not truly lost after all.
Nevertheless, Maggot's words haunted him.
It will all end in pain.
Author's note: Dun dun dunnnnnn… Okay, so how was it? I do hope it was worth the wait… no? I'm hurt. :D
Anyways I just want to thank you guys so much for all the feedback for the last chapter, it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
So thanks again: Notquitebezerk,(no steak? Really?) Ebonyice, 1, Falling Down The Stairs, Ruby890, Eclipseoftheheart17, Wisegirl24256, Castwomanswrath, Cwam, Emachinescat, Suzie, Lilyplusjamesistotallove, Whirlwind421, llLethell, The 10-11 Doctors, Nykskyblue, Rawr52, Ariacle, Coby, Katherine Moonhawk, Micro Chibi Baka San, Ringo's imaginarycat, TaintedXIllusion, 104Arianna, Imperial Mint, Teenmuggle, Arbitrary9, Klester1987, Sydelle Rein, DragonGem777, SilverHeart09, DragonflyonBreak, BabyGlover, Kjate95, Hazelbunny, I Am Theta Sigma, Chibiotaku, Sesshouluver, Owl Watcher, HanaSolo, Jissai, CollinFan, Yabbit, Bookaddict27, Nekomata Hanyou, xLadyxAmbrosiusx, Moonchild08, Acklesaddict, Mel, NoReallyIDontCare, MissOrange8587, Kaykit, Jayley, CM, Ellie, Lindaaa, Kitty O, Noelle, Dor, WaffleDragon, Tagrea, 98Penguin, LikeIdTellU, Magicflower23684, and Highlord24! Phew! Oh and I do want to apologize in advance if I have entirely butchered any of your names… Do know that it was not intentional- mostly :D
Thank you guys very much for sticking with me this long, whether you have reviewed or not! You don't know how much it means to me!
Cheers! And to all of you, don't forget to have an amazing day!
TTT