The Final Test Pt. 1/2

It took a while, but Arthur eventually made it back to the main road. He couldn't help, how his hands would clench into fists at his side at the lack of a weapon. He looked at the veins that protruded out of his hands as he did so and took a deep breath as he opened his palms back up. He reached up to run his palms through his hair. The short blonde locks felt so familiar and he was grateful for having all his limbs and voice back, but that did not bring back the comfort he thought it would.

He was back to his human form, but at the cost of all his people. He truly had failed his kingdom and now he had to return in shame. He had never felt more humiliated then when the sorcerer told him he failed. He had thought himself infallible, no matter the opponent Arthur had always come out on top, and now he knew that even if he was a prince he was at the mercy of the universe. In this instance he was as powerful as probably Merlin.

Arthur was unable to fight back or convince Ahnora to change his mind. He was akin to a servant, perhaps that was an exaggeration, but what good was his royal status, his blood and birthright when he was powerless to save his people.

"ARTHUR!"

He could even hear his servant as if he were here. How would he face Merlin, who looked up to him and time and again told him he would be a great king… ofcourse he also called Arthur a prat, but the point still stands. How could he look at Gwen or Morgana and watch the light vanish from their eyes.

"ARTHUR!"

There it was again. Almost like- Then the prince heard a fallen branch crack and a yell and he could practically see his Merlin tripping over his feet like an oaf and falling to the ground. Arthur turned in the direction of the noise and hesitantly called out.

"Merlin?"

A horse broke through the woods… wait he knew that horse. Then his servant came out his hand pulling out a leaf from his hair. He looked at Arthur and let out a laugh in hysterics before rushing and wrapping the prince in hug. While Arthur would never allow himself to be touched by his servant in any normal circumstances, after being lost and traipsing the woods for the latter side of a month he allowed it. He would argue later it was mostly due to the surprise of Merlin of all people actually finding him. He would also deny that he hugged the idiot, and would insist his hand remained at his sides through Merlin's emotional outburst.

Meanwhile, Arthur had just finished patting his manservant in the back before pulling back.

"Merlin! How on earth did you find me?"

"You wouldn't believe me." Merlin laughs again, "Arthur we need to head back to Gedref." Merlin moves to grab the reigns of his stolen horse and gives them to Arthur.

"Merlin-" The prince starts, his glee at finding his friend blown away by the melancholy underneath. "Merlin, I must return to Camelot."

The servant narrowed his eyes at the prince, "I agree, but unless you break that curse all of Camelot will starve. Your father is threatening to cut off the food donations to the people in two days." Merlin could see the prince processing, but he also knew they were wasting time. Merlin pulled himself onto the horse before holding his hand out. "I'll tell you all that you missed on the way."

The prince couldn't believe everything that happened in his absence. Hearing Merlin's side of the story also helped confirm what the keeper had been saying all along. Arthur alone could end the curse. Each moment that the city was granted reprieve coincided with a noble action he had accomplished as a stag. Even then there was something missing from Merlin's story. Something he knew the servant wasn't telling him, he just couldn't put his finger on it. He also wondered whether the man on the horse with him was truly his friend and not another mirage.

"Merlin, what was the first thing you did when we met?"

Arthur watched as the person who looked like Merlin stiffened in front of him on the saddle. "I… called you a daddy's boy and a spoilt prat for bullying Morris."

The wheels in Arthur's head turned. While that was true, would that be something that the sorcerer would know?

"What day did you arrive in Camelot?"

"Arthur, why does that-"

"I have seen the sorcerer create multiple mirages, how can I be sure that you aren't one of them? Or that you are the real Merlin."

Merlin nodded his head and smirked before opening his mouth, "I came on a Wednesday. My mother sent me to help Gaius, who is my uncle and Camelot's court physician, as his apprentice. On my first day in Camelot, not only did I walk into the courtyard to watch Uther execute a sorcerer, but I also ran into a prat prince bulling his servant and stood up to him leading to me ending up going to the dungeons and the stocks too. In the stocks I met Gwen for the first time. Gwen is the Lady Morgana's maidservant and daughter to Tom the blacksmith. I eventually ended up saving the life of the prat and ended up being punished for it- sorry rewarded by becoming his servant and having to wash his dirty socks."

"Okay. Enough. It's you. Only you could be so insolent and mouthy."

"I wouldn't say insolent."

"O'?"

"Maybe bold?"

"Nope, definitely insolent."

The two shared a smile before Merlin pulled lightly on the reins as they neared the entrance towards the maze. Merlin stepped off the horse, the prince following his lead as they moved to enter the maze. Before they could pass they were stopped by an enchantress with pearlescent white hair, lightly tanned skin, and a white dress. She had a headpiece made of birch branches with daises and lilacs in the mix.

"Hello Prince Arthur."

"I have come to speak with Ahnora-"

"The Keeper," she cuts him off with an almost teasing smile on her face, "is waiting and has made me aware that you would be coming. However you alone must make your way through the maze. Worry not he has sent me to keep your friend company."

The duo turned to look at one another before turning back to face the woman. Merlin pauses, "Is there truly no way I can go with him?"

The enchantress shakes her head. Don't worry Emrys no harm will come to your prince.

Arthur nods sighing, "Right" he pulls Merlin aside "Will you be alright with her?"

Merlin turns to look towards the pretty lady then back to the blonde, "I doubt she'll cause me harm."

"She's a sorceress, she has magic."

Merlin frowned, "Is that really such a bad thing. She doesn't look evil, and despite the curse I do not think Ahnora was evil either."

Or Freya.

Arthur thought as he pressed his lips together. He does not have the time to evaluate his entire life right now. "Right well, be careful."

"You too."

Arthur may not be too familiar with mazes but he did have a strategy to make it through. He was going to follow the left side of the maze to try and get out. If there was a break in the path or a fork in the road he would continue going left. If he ended up getting lost or hitting a dead end he would retrace his steps and head to the junction and try a new path.

It would take a while, but eventually he should be able to make it through. In all, getting out was probably the least challenging obstacle he had ever come across. It all seemed a bit too simple, for his tastes.

Yes a maze was challenging to get through, but how was this a supposed to end the curse? There must be some sort of monster or obstacle or something in here. He had heard stories of minotaurs and labyrinths and while facing a bull-headed man without a sword seemed reckless, it would feel… right? Just taking turns and memorizing paths was a bit nerve inducing at best, but he wasn't sure how it would help him prove himself.

The Prince kept thinking and pushing forward when he heard it. A yell that sounded eerily like Merlin. Could his servant have evaded the sorceress and come to join him? Or… was this one of the first traps he would encounter. The latter made much more sense, but the what if made him switch his route and head towards where he thought the voices were coming from. Trap or not. He refused to leave Merlin behind. His steps came to an abrupt stop when he reached a dead end.

Arthur tried to look around the dead end and decided he must have made a wrong turn. As he started to turn back to try and head to where he deviated from the path multiple vines pushed out from the maze wall and grabbed the prince. He tried to move every which way and tug himself out, when the vines tightened more and more till it was impossible to move.

"Welcome to the final test, Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur couldn't move his head to see who spoke, but knew it had to be the keeper.

"What does this prove?"

Ahnora moved into his line of vision, "You need to see something. From this point onward what you see will not only affect every decision you make, but show what kind of ruler you will be to your entire kingdom and each and everyone one of its inhabitants."

The Unicorn Keeper picked up his talisman- stick to Arthur- and started chanting a spell. The more he chanted the more power he channeled into the stick until it glowed with a bright golden light that matched the keeper's eyes. Eventually the chanting stopped the part of the maze Arthur was facing, turned into a window overlooking his friend who had the same eerie glow that Ahnora had. The same glow every sorcerer his father had sent to the pyre and he himself has slaughtered and ran through time and again. The same amber-gold hue that the druids had. That Freya, the real one, had.

Merlin had magic.