A/N: I don't own Merlin. That was the luck of the BBC.
I am on a roll with these chapters! I'm finding it difficult to stop writing, so I hope you're enjoying the longer chapters.
"Did the lad just…?" Petch pointed at Merlin, then at the glass shards littering the floor.
The room filled with various protests of 'No, I'm sure there must be some kind of draft', making it perfectly obvious to Petch that it was in fact Merlin who'd caused the beaker to fall. What astounded him was that a Pendragon, the family famed for persecuting magic, was covering for a sorcerer. Whilst there had been talk that there were far fewer executions and pursuit of magic wielders under Arthur's rule, he'd never have imagined that he'd be such close friends with someone who practised magic.
"He has magic." The sentence reiterated Petch's understand, and was said in such a tone which commanding no more lying to him. There was a kind of neutrality in the lowlands about magic, it was neither revered nor oppressed; it just existed, part of life.
"He does." Gwaine nodded, seeing no reason to lie about it now, there was no reason for the beaker to fall on it's own. He had been worried about Merlin when they'd first made camp, the way he made the fire flicker, and now the beaker. He knew Merlin was not a destructive person, but he didn't seem to know what he was doing with his magic at the moment.
"You didn't think was pertinent knowledge to give to a physician treating him?" Petch frowned, as if he were chastising schoolchildren.
"We didn't. Magic isn't exactly something you go around telling everyone about." Arthur darted his eyes away from Petch, worried that his insecurities were showing through once more.
"Especially from someone like yourself, I would imagine." Petch's tone didn't exactly hold judgement, but it was far from unbiased.
"Do you know about magic?" Arthur changed the subject, hoping he could shed some light on what Merlin was doing.
"A small amount, I've had dealings in the past with sorcerers." Petch bit his lip, unsure if he should tell them more. "Many passed through whilst leaving Camelot, on their way to other lands."
"And you're okay with him?" Arthur's eyes glanced nervously from Petch to Merlin.
"If you're asking iam I going to tell anyone about him, or try to kill him, then the answer is no. Magic is just something else to work with, like an extra limb." Gwaine had to stop himself bursting out laughing at the mental image of Merlin with three legs that was currently floating around inside his head.
"Why hasn't he healed himself?" Leon pondered, up until now being his usual quiet self. His opinions on magic were mixed, but what little he'd had first-hand experience with was when the druids had healed him. He'd heard of sorcerers whose only use of magic was to heal people with, so he was confused as to why Merlin was still so ill. Petch thought for a moment, then got up and cast his eyes over Merlin once more.
"It's true, the boy's injuries have progressed as they would in an ordinary man. They should be far more healed if he's had the assistance of magic." He was paying more attention to the burns and cuts on his wrists. "He was suppressed, I take it? For how long?"
"We think we were there about four days. They took Merlin almost straight away, and I assume they cuffed him from then." Petch opened one of Merlin's eyes, watching the gold flickering through like an extinguishing fire.
"He's trying to do something. I've never seen someone who would attempt spells through unconsciousness. He must be powerful." Petch paused. "Am I right in saying Merlin here was what these people wanted?"
"Person. One person. He wanted the throne of Camelot, and thought Merlin would be perfect as a weapon." Arthur clenched his jaw, the mere thought of Drin making his blood boil.
"And I take it he did not succeed?"
"No, Merlin wouldn't give himself over to Drin no matter what." Gwaine smiled, pride and awe shining through.
"Drin?" Petch spat. "That bloody despot did this?" The physician had suddenly turned angry.
"You know him?" Arthur sat up.
"Unfortunately. For a long time he tried to form a coup and create a kingdom here in the lowlands. It was just him and his small gang of thugs, which all the villages managed to resist. The lowlands is not a kingdom, we support ourselves within our villages; we take care of ourselves. Eventually he just stopped trying and I believe he took up residence in a tower somewhere west. That was the last I heard of him, I assumed he'd died."
"It seems not, now it's him and a band of mercenaries, and he's angling for Camelot's throne." Petch let out a guffaw.
"He thinks he can take over Camelot? He couldn't even oust Redferran! You tell me everything, from the beginning." Petch continued working at his desk, but wore a steely expression that demanded answers.
They all began to recount the tale, each knight adding in extra facts, until they had a comprehensive story. It was lucky Merlin was out cold, the trauma recounted enough to make even the strongest man's stomach turn.
"…and Merlin practically collapsed that tower when we broke out." Arthur concluded.
"Broke out? How did you manage that?" Petch's ears were pricked, intrigued and bemused how they'd manage to escape such captivity.
"Merlin broke free from the supressing cuffs." Percival stammered, still unsure of Merlin had actually managed that.
"He did what?" Petch was wide eyed and alert, nearly knocking over most of his work when the pestle fell from his agape hand.
"I don't know how strong they were, if they were weakened…" Elyan thought aloud, applying his limited blacksmith knowledge.
"Let me tell you all something. His wrists bear the marks of strong manacles, both physically and magically. The burns are a common symptom, it's how the metal reacts when in contact with the energy produced from trying to summon magic. The amount of burns are consistent with roughly four days usage, but if the cuffs broke easily then there'd be less burning."
"Because they would be weaker and less effective?" Arthur finished.
"Yes. Those cuffs were not weakened. There's no way he should've been able to access his magic." Petch shook his head with amazement, gobsmacked at the power of the young man laying before him. He then went about applying salve to the men's chafed wrists, until all of them were less red and puffy. "I'll speak to Katherine, I'm sure we can accommodate all of you until you travel. Come with me." Petch wandered towards the door, already imagining how agog his fellow villagers would be at the sight of such nobility vising them. "I'm guessing one of you will want to stay with Merlin?"
"I will." Every man answered in unison, all worried for their friend and concerned that any moment could be his last.
"I'll stay." Arthur yawned, the circles under his eyes had grown a deep purple, giving away the lack of sleep he'd had since they'd been captured.
"No, let me." Gwaine nodded, the more awake of the two. Arthur was about to protest, but Gwaine met Arthur's worried gaze. "Let me." He reiterated.
"Okay, but you come and get me if anything, and I mean anything happens." Arthur agreed reluctantly.
"Of course." Gwaine nodded, then watched the scruffy ensemble exit the house. He pulled the stool from Petch's bench over to the bed so he could sit by Merlin. "You scared me, mate." Gwaine mumbled to sleeping boy. He'd never felt as frightened as he had done in that moment he'd realised he'd have to return to Camelot alone, lacking the person who kept him grounded. His heart was still slightly off kilter, and was now speeding up, unaccustomed as he was to speaking so openly about his feelings, even to someone who was unconscious. "I don't know what I would've done without you. You're my best friend." He started when he saw Merlin's eyelids begin to flutter, a sure sign of his awakening. "Merlin?"
"Mm? Gwaine?" Merlin mumbled, yawning. "Did I fall asleep?"
"Petch gave you a small sleeping draught, he said it would help you." Merlin nodded sluggishly, the last of the draught wearing away. He tilted his head to alleviate the ache in his neck, and immediately spotted the remnants of the beaker sparkling all over the floor.
"What happened there?" Merlin pondered, trying to recall the glass breaking, but the last few hours were still a fuzzy haze in his mind.
"Nothing, you know Percival, the man doesn't know his strength sometimes; I think he bumped it with his arm." Merlin squinted hard at Gwaine, the man was a terrible liar. How he'd ever won anything playing cards was anyone's guess. Actually, knowing Gwaine, he'd never won anything, he'd probably just elaborated the stories.
"So what really happened?" Merlin sounded like a parent, trying to coax the truth out of a naughty child.
"You know it's a funny thing…" Gwaine chuckled nervously, his eyes darting around the room, landing everywhere and anywhere other than the warlock.
"Tell me Gwaine." Merlin was growing impatient, a bad feeling settling in his stomach. If there was a reasonable answer, Gwaine wouldn't be dancing around the issue as much as he was.
"You kind of… sleep-magic." Gwaine shrugged, as if it wasn't ground-breaking news to Merlin.
"What?" Merlin froze.
"You do magic when you're asleep." Gwaine awkwardly explained.
Why had he offered to stay with Merlin? Elyan was good at withholding information, as was Arthur, as was Percival, and Leon… well three of them were good at withholding stuff they probably shouldn't be telling Merlin the moment he woke up. Gwaine couldn't keep a secret to save his life, hence the numerous bar fights and endless travelling, except when it was truly life or death, such as Merlin's secret.
"Oh no." Merlin ran his hand through his tussled hair. "I didn't do too much damage, did I?"
"Nah, just that broken beaker, I don't think it bothered Petch too much." Gwaine clamped his hand over his mouth the minute the words came out. God he was loose-lipped!
"Petch knows?" Merlin gaped, almost leaping out of bed, and he would've fell on his shaky legs were it not Gwaine immobilising him quickly.
"Yes. But he's good with it. Trust me." He rushed, trying to calm Merlin. "If I'd had any inkling you were in danger, you'd not still be here." He smiled.
"I suppose." Merlin relented. "Where are the others?" He glanced around the empty room.
"Getting some sleep. I said I'd stay with you." Gwaine released his grip on Merlin and reclaimed his spot of the stool.
"Gwaine you didn't need to-" Merlin started, then stopped abruptly when he was met by Gwaine's stormy gaze.
"Let me stop you there. In the last week I have seen you tortured, disowned, nearly executed, nearly banished and nearly die. So please don't tell me I don't have to stay with you Merlin, because I do. Because I almost lost the one person in this world who I care about." Gwaine breathed, his unexpected rant thick in the air.
"I'm sorry." Merlin grimaced. "I'm so sorry I put you all through this. If Drin hadn't seen me, if I'd hidden a bit better…"
"None of this is your fault, we're supposed to look after you, not the other way around." Gwaine cursed under his breath. There was a moment of silence before Merlin finally raised the elephant in the room.
"So I have magic…" He grinned sheepishly. He knew this wouldn't be as difficult as talking to Arthur or any of the other knights, but he was worried that Gwaine would be upset about the deceit.
"It appears you do." Gwaine laughed. "But don't worry about it mate, I've known all along."
"You have?" Merlin frowned. "Since when?"
"Flying plates, not very subtle. And you think princess could defeat all those bandits by himself? That those branches just happened to fall?" Gwaine snickered, finding it all quite funny in hindsight.
"You never said anything." Merlin pouted, unsure if he was upset or not.
"If I told you I knew, you would've had one more person to worry about, one more way your secret could've gotten out." Gwaine sighed.
"And now everyone knows." Merlin contemplated. "It's strange. I don't feel relieved, I just have more to worry about."
"You tell me straight away if-"
"No, not like that." Merlin was quick to reassure Gwaine. "Not that he would, but you'd be the first I told. I worry for our future. Things at Camelot aren't going to be the same, everything's changed."
"It has. But change isn't always bad, sometimes it can be beneficial for everyone."
"We'll see."
Oooh. *Ominous music*
Ahh Gwaine, you big mouth! Though Merlin and Gwaine did get their moment, finally.
I'm thrilled you're on board for a sequel! Points to anyone who can guess the title. (Hint: 'Of [redacted] and [redacted]')
The title will be announced at the end of chapter 20, along with anyone who got it right.
N.b: There are no prizes, just the knowledge that you guessed correct. Sorry.