Two Kings, a witch and a servant

Blurb: King Uranus of the Poseidon realm finds himself dealing with a witch. The problem is that said witch has cursed a young servant boy by the name of Merlin into a bear. Not a problem since servants weren't thought of that is until he found out that said servant is the young servant of Prince Arthur a neighbouring Prince who promise war after he found out his servant was taken by a witch.

Chapter 1

There was a witch in the woods.

A witch.

Nothing unusually there normally was a witch in the woods lurking nearby ready to kill him and his servant. A witch. Great, just what he needed another nomad ready to attack him and ready to kill him just for a castle.

"Alright men be on the look out there's a witch nearby," said King Uranus as he held out his sword. His horse neigh and the group kept together.

"Sire, tracks nearby," said the servant as he glanced at the ground. "Some of them don't look human.

They look bear like."

"Bear like?"

"Bear Sire."

"A bear? A bear in this type of woodland?" King Uranus asked looking most displeased. "Are we sure?"

"I'm sure. It's a bear."

"Hmm, stick together men."

"And, women," said Gaea.

"And, women," King Uranus said.

The horses let out a silent neigh and kept on walking forward.

"Who goes there?" a voice said. It was female, King Uranus noted as he kept silent.

"Do you know you're walking on Kings land?"

"I came from another Kings land. Do you think I'll care about walking on another Kings land?" asked the possible witch in front of him.

He moved an inch when he heard footsteps walking towards him. Ready to attack only to come to a pause when he saw a creature with golden eyes.

"You have a shapeshifter with you?"

"In a sense."

She waved a hand around the bear and a silver chain attached to its ankle appeared the bear let out a moan of pain.

"Iron causes magical creatures such sickness. Is this wise?" King Uranus asked.

"Do you want him?" she asked with a smirk. "He fetches a fair trade on the black market."

"An illegal trade you can be hang for such a deal."

"Can I now?"

She waved her other hand and red dust sparkle across his eyes. He blinked and for a second he got caught up and lost in the eyes of the witch. She was beautiful in a sense more pretty than the village women he had seen more pretty than the maids who work for the castle. Fair in skin tone with long dark curly hair dressed in a thick black dress with dark rose pattens printed around it.

Then he paused.

Then he frowned.

He gritted the edge of his sword, ready to stab her before he fraught her magic off with his bear strength.

He woke up, snapping out of her trance, but by the time he did. The woman and the bear were gone.

He gather his troops shortly after and told them to spread out and look for the witch and the bear, but his troops found nothing. He hummed to himself thoughtfully as he and his troops walked off. He rolled in his sleep later that night thinking about the golden eyes of the bear he witness, but he soon ignore it and found himself falling asleep.

His dreams turned to nightmares.

He dreamt of a neighbouring King, a King who was furiously with him. The blonde man realised his sword and marched towards him holding it at King Uranus neck.

"Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"My servant. My fool."

"Your fool?"

"My gestured."

"Your musician," he hummed to himself.

There was anger in his eyes.

"Who is your friend?"

He wasn't a servant wasn't a slave. He was more then just that because Kings didn't go demanding on where their servant nor their slaves were unless they were something more to them. And, at the words the man at ease as best as possible, but the tightness around his sword was still there. Ready to kill him and because of that all of sudden this dream didn't feel like a dream. It felt as if two Kings were really meeting face to face.

"Merlin."

And, he woke up in cold sweat.

It was still nighttime, but if the witch has stolen an important subject of a neighbouring King then he knows for a fact he must act fast. He must because if he didn't then the man might come here for the wrong reasons. Reasons like war and the last thing he needed was war because his subjects wasn't ready to battle a neighbouring Kingdom, but still he was prepared.

"I want blacksmiths working on swords and axes. We might need them."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Sire there troops on their way at least a platoon," said a paper boy.

"I'm unsure, but their capes wore a dragon symbol Sire."

And, then it dawned on him, but yet at the same time he couldn't believe the conclusion he came to.

"Camelot?"

"My Lord?"

"Camelot meant to be a mths."

"They don't seem like a mths, My Lord," the paper boy said nervously.

He could hear them from a far.

"We will soon see then lad," said King Uranus.

By the time they arrived a large platoon of knights appeared at the castle door. King Uranus slightly wished he had more men with him. He felt out number and limited and if the King of his foe dare to challenge him. His men and him would be doom, either way he pushed back his fear and marched to the gate both men stared down at each other.

"You are looking for your gesture. Are you not?"

Who was the boy? He did not know this man he was far too young, so he knew he wasn't the infamous Uther not by a long length.

"Where is he? I know you've seen him recently."

Could the boy mean the bear he saw out in the woods with the witch? Maybe, he rubbed his chin and thought deeply about the question.

"Were you dealing with a witch by any chance?"

"A witch." the man paused. "What kind of witch?"

"A woman in black wearing a rose printed dress."

"It isn't my sister then," mumbled the King. "I know it's not allowed in my Kingdom, but I had hopes that it wasn't true."

"King Arthur."

There was silence and a pause and people glanced around only to see the witch from before.

"You again. Where is my servant?"

"Your servant or your friend?" asked the witch.

"You look awfully familiar to me," said King Uranus.

"I have crossed your path many times the both of you. Both for different reasons."

"You are not Lee Fay, so you must be Hecate." King Uranus said.

"I don't care who you are. I want my servant back." King Arthur demanded.

"Not until you learn to treat him like a man," Hecate warned.

"He is just a servant compared to a King and at least he is not mark as a slave," said King Uranus.

"And, that is better treatment?" Hecate wondered.

"It's better than most. Especially with Uther old ways," said King Uranus.

"Either way. I have your young King friend until the laws are changed and only then he may be released."

She changed and clapped her hands and then she was gone in a puff of smoke.

Chapter 2

"You must be a very young King," said King Uranus in a firm voice. "Marching into another realm is typically the sign of warfare especially without that said King permission."

"You sound like my father," King Arthur glared.

"Then be lucky that he teaches you, modern day manners," King Uranus huffed. "You seem native not to know the basic of ruling a city. Does your father not know you stole half of his men to chase after a slave?"

"A servant and these men are strictly loyal to me."

"A servant and yet he holds magic. Last I check Camelot does not allow this type of behaviour into its boundaries."

"Laws have changed."

"Have they?" mumbled King Uranus.

"Maybe."

"So, you plan to trick your poor servant boy?"

"No, of course not. I just plan to keep him hush until my father dies."

"Golden eyes are normally the sign of magic Prince Arthur. Because by the sounds of it you are not King yet. Meaning what? Your servant will be killed right off the bat."

"My plan still has a few holes in it."

"So, what is the point of being so furiously about this quest of yours Prince Arthur. He may be in pain, but it sounds like he's better off with Hecate then with you. At least with her he will get a life."

"In pain?" Prince Arthur said.

"Or hard labour like you expect him to be?" scoffed King Uranus.

"I just want my friend back."

"Explain?"

"He's from Camelot. Known him since I was five. Didn't know he was practicing something evil."

"Like magic?"

Arthur nodded his head and King Uranus frowned.

"He could've been in a coven. It might explained his reasons for magic. It was something he was likely force to do."

"For what purpose?"

"What else is there to do? But take out the King?" asked King Uranus.

"Merlin would never."

"You trust a servant with your life?"

"He's worth a knight," Prince Arthur auger.

"Knights are noble blood. To say such a thing is a mere insulted."

"You don't know him then."

"I thought your father would know better then to allow a Prince to hang around a slave."

"A servant," Prince Arthur fought back.

"A servant is no better than a slave," said King Uranus.

"Then I shall fetch him myself with the help of my knights."

"And, if your father writes to me. Whatever shall I say?"

"Not the truth."

"Your father is known for finishing wars rather than starting them. If I go along with your lie it may cost the people and myself our lives."

"If you don't I'll kill their King," Prince Arthur said sounding horribly stubborn to King Uranus.

"You will dare to kill me boy? You sound more foolish than your fool."

"I just want my friend back."

Friends were unheard of, but the man didn't seemed to think anything else. Merlin was a friend. Not a fool or a servant he was a friend. A friend. What is a friend? King Uranus didn't know it sounded unfamiliar unknown to him. Then again he also didn't want his own Kingdom slaughter at the hands of a stubborn furious brat, so he scoffed.

"Very well. Let's go on this adventure to look for this slave."

"Friend."

"Slavness?"

"Is not a word," Prince Arthur said with a stare.

Chapter 3

Prince Arthur glared at his neighbouring King.

King Uranus was an odd man he acted a bit too much like his own father. He's clearly ruled his Kingdom successfully in the last four years. It was much busy city then Camelot was, but he was sure with time Prince Arthur could do one better and get Camelot to even busier city then that of Poseidon realm. Either way, he was tiny thankful for the help he was reviving just a tad. At least now he knew he wouldn't be alone with just his men in unfamiliar land he has someone with the knowledge of the landscaped to guide him and his troops to wherever Merlin is.

And, who knows.

Maybe.

Just maybe, Merlin might be able to stay with King Uranus until Arthur becomes King and maybe just maybe Arthur might be able to make his friend a knight instead of a servant because one thing for sure his friend deserves.

"So, do you have anyone a friend or a lady friend?" asked Prince Arthur as his horse troops through the woodland.

"A lady friend. Why would I need one of those for? Last I hear they drunk your ale and eat your food until you have nothing left, but a nice shiny new plate."

"Women can't be that bad."

"Have you met a woman who didn't do that?"

Prince Arthur thought about it deeply, but the more he thought about it the more he thought about his own sister who did just that. Drunk his ale and ate his ham until there was none left. And, when he said no you can't go about drinking his ale or eating his ham she went mad and decided to burn half of the Kingdom down in a hiss of fury ran away into the woods and almost took Merlin along for the ride and Prince Arthur never saw his sister again.

He shivered at the mere idea of seeing her again especially with her state of mind.

"The only lady friend I've ever had is my own half twin. And, she's in a state of madness."

"A state of madness?"

"Father thinks it comes from a curse. Mother thinks it runs in the family mainly his side."

"Ah, a sickness one can't control normally comes from curses. Why do you think magic is ban? It causes more harm than good."

"What's the difference then between it and a blade?"

"Explain," said King Uranus as he chopped a tree branch down with his sword.

"Both can kill. The blade moves swiftly to kill a man and magic moves through the body like a virus to kill the person. Both can kill."

"And, let only a knight is allowed to hold a blade while the everyday slave seem to think they can wield magic."

Prince Arthur puffed. "What if it's self defence?"

"I've been travelling for the last year or so and I've heard some wonderful stories. But most of them very dark and twisted stories and most of them often dealing with cases where magic is the killer not the blade. I have yet to hear a story where magic saves lives," said King Uranus in a serious tone.

"And, if I can find someone who uses magic for good."

"Then what a feet you've made. Maybe then I might change my laws about it's practice and maybe them I might add it in the law book. Until that day though as far as I see magic is evil. All of it, the good the bad and the ugly it's all evil. Meanwhile the blade is used for self defence or for survival. Take this tree for example. I well need its bark one day. I can't get it without my blade. Now, can I? No, I simply can't I will break a nail or find a splinter in my finger either way both well be painful. But with my blade. I can chopped it down and it will give me the wood I need for tonight and the morning. Now, that's survival. Can you do that with magic, young Prince?"

"Merlin probably could," Prince Arthur whispered.

"Can he make it rain?"

Clouds started to form above them the pair looked up to the sky.

"Maybe that was a coincidence," King Uranus mumbled to himself.

"I think not," said Prince Arthur pointing in the distance. "Look over there."

King Uranus narrowed his eyes and stared off into the distance he noticed a man wearing red rags running away his hair was dark black, but his hand tighten around his sword once he noticed the golden eyes.

"Merlin?"

He noticed his friend in seconds running away. Running away from what?

"Golden eyes mark of the devil. Come on men."

"I don't think so," said Prince Arthur as he and his men moved around King Uranus and his knights.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I'm not letting you near him," Prince Arthur said bitterly to himself.

Two swords met.

"You really want to fight over a slave with devil eyes?"

"I want my friend back even if it means killing you."

"You can start war by doing that?"

"You'll be dead and stepped on like ants. My father won't even allow you to touch the gates much less walk through the city hall."

King Uranus narrowed his eyes and Prince Arthur glared vicious.

"You will only kill your own father by doing this. The witch wants your father dead and he's the wizard with the power to kill. So, it's a win, win situation for Hecate."

"I've lost my sister. I won't lose my friend as will," he vowed.

"You're a fool not a Prince."

Chapter 4

The battle starts.

The knights are at each other throats their swords heard clashing against metal, sparks of iron flys through the air and a Prince and a King swords meet.

Clash.

Clang.

Clash.

Clang.

And, repeat.

It brings a loud bang to the ear and King Uranus is sure he might go deaf.

That's if he makes it out of this battle alive.

His men are out number compared to the young Prince and for the life of him the man couldn't work out why Prince Arthur was going through such length in order to save a slave.

Was it magic?

Has magic taken over his body and his mind?

Maybe.

Either way King Uranus was out of breath and at battle with a Prince.

Someone younger than him, stronger than him but he had more experience. Didn't he? He was sure of it and yet he was losing.

He's never seen such determination in a person before much less determination to save a slave.

He groaned in pain.

He was hit.

He was stabbed and the sword moved out of his body quickly just as it has moved quickly in. He clutched onto his side to stop the bleeding, but it was no good he knew he was dying.

He chuckled to himself at the mere thought of dying at the hands of a prince and all of a sudden all he could see was a perfect copy of King Uther.

"Your father will be proud."

Were King Uranus last words before his head was chopped off.

Chapter 5

Merlin ran.

He's been used to that latterly running. Running a lot and so he ran.

He jumped over the fallen tree branches and ran up the muddy slopes trying his best not to fall over. His old boots got caught in the thick long grass, but he was able to free himself.

He was let go. Hecate let him go and turned him back into a person.

Hecate.

He didn't know why, or how come, or the catch behind the matter, but he was let go and so he ran.

He ran past the bloody battle that was shown cast and ran for his life.

He glanced over his shoulder and almost tripped on some sticks when he noticed Hecate behind him.

He halted and turned around fully only to see she was gone.

Merlin gulped and ran again.

"Merlin."

Someone was calling after him, but he didn't stop to see who it was it might've been Hecate for all he knows. It might've been. So, he runs.

"Merlin."

He runs again and he kept running not daring to look back even though the voice sounded male. Sounded like a very strong male and yet strangely familiar. He frowned.

"Merlin."

Go on.

Go on, apart of his mind whispered to himself and he shiver because it sounded as if it was Hecate. Sounded.

Go on, stop and turn around. Stop and see. Stop and see if that is your old master.

And, so he did.

He stopped and saw and he saw, he saw Camelot knights and Arthur himself.

"Merlin, stop this madness your welcome home."

"Says by whom?" asked Merlin.

"Says by me."

"Your father will see to I that I will be dead. So, what are you doing chasing after me? I'm not nobility like your sister Arthur. I'm nothing but a slave, I shouldn't even call you that name."

"You're as close to a Prince. You grew up in the castle not in some run down village."

"And, yet I am not Master Arthur," said Merlin.

"Merlin."

There was shock and anger in his tone. What has he done? What has he said? Either way he runs again taking a turn and runs down the hill the knights of Camelot following him and Hecate wicked laughter in his ear.

He didn't get far because he was soon caught by none other than Sir Leon.

"Got him Sire."

"Don't stab him and don't kill him. We will set out camp and have our court day there I want to find out why he started practicing magic and what caused this to begin with."

Merlin struggled out of the man gripped, but Sir Leon was stronger than him. He narrowed his eyes he wasn't doing court day he could escaped. He could use his magic to flee, but Arthur and his men would still catch up to him. He gritted his teeth and sent along with the court day knowing there was no chance of escaped and Merlin wasn't the man to kill. He never could stand the sight of blood.

The fire started to flicker as Sir Gwaine lighted it away. Normally the bold knight would've talked to Merlin by now, but the man hasn't said anything not that Merlin blamed him. He was once a servant made a slave.

"Merlin when did this happened?"

"When did what?" asked Merlin as he stared blankly at the fire.

It burnt away and Merlin remembered he used to be scared of the flame, but not anymore because now he still had a chance to escaped he could still run just in the form of a different matter.

Go on, Hecate voice whispered with the wind. Jump.

He almost did instead he jumped at the sound of his name.

"Merlin."

"I'm listening," he quickly auger. "I am. I'm just focus on other things."

"What other things?"

"I'm not going down in shame I refused to take part in this court day. My reasons for practicing are for my own to know and not for you."

He was standing now. Standing on both two legs slowly walking backwards and the knights have noticed which wasn't good because he needed to act fast in order for this to work he refused to be taken out like this. A court day? For what and for whom. Clearly not for a servant made slave he never made it into the worker rank much less a Prince. He's lost the closer thing he had to assisted and so Merlin took a step back.

"For Hecate."

He jumped into the flame without a second thought mumble chant and the others tried to rush to him, but it was no good Merlin was dead by the time they got to him. Burnt to death.