The day was bright, the sky was crystal clear, and Merlin wished more of his mornings were so calm. With one of the windows in the tower pushed open, the young warlock had made himself a comfortable perch on two of the chests while he flipped through an old book. The boy had finally found some time to do his own research into the old court sorcerer's things, and it had come with only a bit of twisting the truth around.
Arthur was busy all morning with training and had sent his servant off on a few menial tasks before leaving him free to aid Gaius. Of course, once those tasks were finished, Merlin had merely allowed his guardian to believe he had other pressing matters to attend to for the prince. And so he sat, with the sun warming the room and a book filled with strange runes sitting on his lap.
He had found that several of the books in the room were ones that Gaius had copies of as well. Many were of magical creatures while a few others were focused on healing spells and the process in which one went about brewing specific potions.
For Merlin however, his interest was piqued by one of the books that was far older than the others and far more used. Contained inside were pages upon pages of spells and potions that the warlock had never seen before. Not only that, but the previous sorcerer had taken their time in writing their own notes about their experience using those spells.
Lifting up a loose piece of parchment from a small stack that sat beside him, Merlin compared it to the page he was on and studied the two spells. It hadn't taken long to find the original source for the potion that had caused the chaos between himself and Arthur, but he had found that the one written in the book was different than the one in his hand.
The court sorcerer seemed to have found an interest in toying with the spells and changing its components to fit their own needs. Something about it didn't seem right, and though there was an edge of caution as he searched the sorcerer's belongings, Merlin couldn't deny his intrigue.
The boy had found that several of the pages in both the book and the loose parchment were written in a language he didn't know. Swirling script and strange runes that were familiar yet unidentifiable were scattered throughout words and letters that he was able to read. On more than one occasion the warlock had considered asking Gaius for his input, but he knew the elder would ask where his ward had found such things and Merlin had yet to feel the need to bring it up.
Setting the book down and rubbing at his eyes, the warlock pushed himself up and wandered over to the stack of things that he and Arthur had left sitting out. Kneeling down and rummaging about for a few moments, the boy pulled a leatherbound journal out of the top of a crate.
It was old and yellowed, and he'd remembered how intriguing it had been last time, though he hadn't dared to open in then with Arthur around. Now however, he was both alone and had the time to investigate.
Cracking open the cover and leaning towards the light, Merlin had only just caught a glimpse of the first page when the distant sound of Arthur's voice called out for him.
"Merlin!"
Slamming the book shut, the warlock quickly tucked it inside his jacket and against his tunic, sinching it tight with his belt to hold it in place. Standing to his feet and starting forward, the boy's eyes darted over a familiar piece of blue cloth, and he was pausing.
On the floor next to the chests he had been sitting on was one of his neckerchiefs, and confusion drifted over him as he bent over to retrieve it. It was definitely one of his, but when had he lost one while up in the tower? He couldn't remember taking one off, and he hadn't—
"Merlin!"
Shoving aside his questions at the voice growing louder, Merlin quickly tied the fabric around his neck and hurried to the door, reaching it just as the prince shoved it open and strode inside.
"There you are. What are you doing up here?" Arthur demanded, glancing around the room with the same amount of wariness the royal always had with anything remotely connected to magic.
"Cleaning." Merlin spoke without thinking, blinking at the blond who narrowed his eyes.
"Cleaning?"
"Yes, cleaning. The last time we were up here you complained about how filthy it was. So. I cleaned it. Am cleaning it."
Stepping past the boy and looking around the room with a frown, Arthur glanced back at his servant. "I sincerely hope you just started, because the place is still a mess." As the blond turned around and walked out of the room, Merlin's shoulders relaxed. "Come on," The man called. "I've got a job for you."
Following after him obediently, the warlock edged around the door and immediately tripped, his arms spreading wide and waving about while he wobbled before he crashed into a heap on the floor.
"You're really quite talented, aren't you Merlin?" The prince remarked while standing above his friend. "You do realize that you managed to trip over nothing, don't you?"
"I didn't.." Trailing off, the boy looked back to see that there was in fact nothing but empty space behind him.
"Hurry up." Arthur griped as Merlin scrambled to his feet and hurried to catch up to the blond. "I'm going to be busy all day sorting through reports for my father. We have a lot of work ahead of us after Caterina." The name was spoken with distaste and the warlock bit back a smile.
"Your stepmother really left everything a mess in her wake, didn't she?" The boy said as innocently as possible while Arthur glared in his direction.
It was no surprise to anyone that the efforts to clean—or rather scrub—the castle had taken days, and the efforts to go about fixing everything else the troll had ruined was taking even longer. Still, Merlin didn't think he'd ever not find the whole thing hilarious.
"Things were quieter when you were gone." The blond muttered as they started down the stairwell.
"But more boring." He countered.
"Regardless," The prince stressed. "I need you to get to polishing my—"
While the man was speaking, the warlock's boot caught the very edge of one of the steps, and the boy was suddenly falling forward. Once again his arms flailed about in an effort to balance himself, and they managed to grab hold of something to keep steady. Unfortunately, that something just happened to be Arthur, and as Merlin stumbled into him the two crashed against one another into the wall.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, shoving his servant off of him as the boy staggered back. "Can't you learn to walk?"
"The step was slick, and I—"
"I don't care. Would you try and keep your feet beneath you for a change?" Pushing off the wall with a scowl and storming down the stairs ahead of the boy, Merlin watched the prince disappear from view as he tugged at his neckerchief with a sigh.
He didn't blame Arthur for getting irritated, not really, the warlock was more then aware of his clumsy tendencies. Although, he did have to admit that he was having more trouble that day then most others.
Continuing down the steps at a slower pace, the boy's arm pressed against his side where the sorcerer's journal was still hidden. Had he fallen and the book shown itself, he wasn't quite sure what the prince would have done, and suddenly Merlin was working harder to be more careful.
"I said hurry up!" Arthur shouted up to him. "I need my armor polished this afternoon." The man was saying once his servant caught up to him in the corridor. "I'd have you sharpen my sword as well, but given the way you're acting today I'm concerned you'd cut off your own fingers instead."
Biting back a snide comment, Merlin merely rolled his eyes while walking beside the blond back to his chambers. As Arthur pushed open the door, the warlock's eyes drifted to the side, catching the edge of a shadow that passed through into the next hall before the door was slamming into his face.
Stumbling back a few paces and groaning, Merlin lifted a hand to his head as the prince peeked around and stared at him. "You know Merlin, when the door is open, there's no need to knock."
Scowling at the comment and hearing the man laugh, the boy rubbed at his aching head and trailed into the room after his friend. "What is wrong with you today? Are you distracted by something?" Arthur asked, gesturing to where his armor was before he was making his way to his desk.
"No." Merlin shook his head with a weary sigh. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Well, be more careful. We all know your penchant for getting into trouble, and I'd rather not have to fetch Gaius because you hurt yourself from tripping over air." The prince was obviously amused, but the warlock was more focused on gathering the armor without showing off the hidden journal.
He needed to slip away soon to get up to his room and hide it, but he wasn't sure when the time would arise. What he did know was that the longer it stayed on him, the more at risk he was of being discovered with it, and he couldn't think of a single person in the entire citadel that he wanted to try explaining his possession of it to.
Gathering the armor up into his arms with as much care as he could muster, Merlin turned and started for the door with his eyes trained dutifully on the ground. He wasn't going to trip again, even if he had to watch every step he placed. And to his luck, he didn't. Of course, instead, he knocked into a chair that had been pulled out, slammed against the table, and sent the armor clattering all across the floor in a cacophony of sound.
Standing frozen with a grimace, Merlin didn't even have to look across the room to know the prince was glaring. "Merlin."
"Yes?" He asked warily, finally daring to glance over and spotting the prince's icy stare.
"Are you ill?"
"No. Not that I know of."
"Let me rephrase that." Arthur said in a disturbingly even tone. "Are you mentally ill?" His voice rose with the words, and Merlin was drawing in on himself as he knelt to gather the armor again.
"Quite possibly." He murmured, though he was unsure if the blond had actually heard him or not.
Standing upright once again, the warlock could feel the prince's eyes on him as he carried the armor out the door and prayed for nothing else to get in his way. Something was definitely going on with him, and though Arthur had meant it in a sarcastic manner, Merlin ran through a list in his mind.
He didn't feel dizzy, nor did he feel off balance. His leg had healed a few weeks back and had been fine ever since. He couldn't think of any symptoms that he carried that matched any illness, which meant that in all respects he should be perfectly fine. Only he wasn't. And as the boy made his way through the halls, that fact was becoming ever more obvious.
It was as if everyone had made it their mission to get in his way no matter how closely Merlin tried to stick to the walls. He ran into other servants, nearly got knocked over by a passing guard, and dropped pieces of the armor twice more before he finally arrived in the armory.
Taking the necessary time to gather the items needed, Merlin breathed a long sigh of relief when he was finally sitting stationary at one of the tables. A piece of the boy was growing more grateful with each passing second that Arthur hadn't decided to have him sharpen his sword after all.
More than once the warlock's hand slid across the armor and felt the edge of the metal cut into his fingers, a feat that had never happened in the past. Merlin could only imagine how much worse it could have been had the sword been involved as well.
When he was finally done the armor was sparkling and three of his fingers had small slits in the skin that left drops of blood rising to the surface. The boy's day had gone progressively downhill, and as he stood, Merlin was almost unsurprised to feel himself tripping as his foot caught the leg of the bench. What did surprise him was the way his body fell, sending the boy careening straight for the sword rack where one of the blades was sitting propped beside it and lay directly in front of him.
Thrusting his hand out and shoving the weapon away with a push of his magic, the warlock tumbled into the empty space and landed flat on his stomach. Groaning at the contact he made with the hard ground, Merlin remained there for a moment to catch his breath as he looked over at the sword lying on the floor across from him.
"Merlin?" Jolting at the voice, the boy sat up and turned, spotting Sir Elacard standing in the doorway with a furrowed brow. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, of course." Merlin nodded quickly, clearing his throat and gesturing to the floor. "I was just.. cleaning the swords. And the ground. You know, like I do."
"Right." The knight nodded slowly, entering the room and setting the shield he carried in the corner. "You know, if you're hiding from Prince Arthur, no one would blame you." He commented as the boy pushed himself to his feet and brushed his hands over his tunic to steady the hidden journal once more.
"Why should I hide from Arthur?"
"Well, with all the work he gives you, and the way he treats you for it, I'd certainly be hiding."
Smirking, the warlock scratched at his neck as he looked to the ground while making his way back to the armor. "Right now I've no need, but I have learned that the armory isn't the best place for that."
Grinning, Sir Elacard pulled his sword from its sheath and walked towards the sword rack. "That's good to know!"
Turning away from the boy, the knight's blade swung lightly in his hand as Merlin took his final step towards the table and felt his boot slide. Without warning the warlock was falling backwards and letting out a noise of surprise that caught the man's attention.
The boy could see everything happening from the corner of his eye as time seemed to slow. As Elacard turned, so did his blade, lifting in the air just as Merlin was falling. Sucking in a breath, the warlock shut his eyes tight and waited for the impact he knew he couldn't avoid. Only instead of steel piercing through his back, a hand caught his arm and slowed the boy's fall until he was sitting on the ground at the knight's feet.
For a few seconds neither of them spoke. Merlin sat frozen on the floor, his arm still in the air and gripped tight by the knight as the two collectively let out a breath.
"Are you alright?" The man finally asked, letting go of the boy's arm.
"Much better than I almost was. Thanks." The warlock shuddered, taking in another breath of air before he was standing up again.
"You're a bit unsteady on your feet today, aren't you?" Elacard asked as Merlin barely shrugged.
"Seems that way."
"Perhaps you should avoid being around any other weapons." The knight advised, offering him a teasing grin while he placed the sword firmly in the rack and turned to leave.
Staring down at his hands as the door closed behind the man, Merlin prodded at the aching cuts on his fingers and considered the knight's words. Was he positive he wasn't ill? Deciding to leave the armor where it was rather than risk dirtying it again, Merlin quickly and carefully made his way out of the armory, and a small breath of relief left him once the room fell behind.
Keeping as much to himself as he could, the warlock managed to only trip once more during his return to the prince's chambers—a feat he found extraordinary given how the rest of his day had been. Pushing open Arthur's door, the warlock stepped inside and spotted the blond sitting at his desk with scrolls and parchment cluttering the space around him.
"What is all of that?" Merlin asked upon entering, shoving the door closed behind him while the royal barely glanced up.
"These are the laws and reports I have to go through to make certain that Caterina did not change anything else during her time here." Arthur answered, his head turning as he referenced one of the scrolls beside him.
"Your stepmother left you with quite a bit of work." The boy hummed, feeling the prince's stare on his back.
"Don't you have work to be doing?"
"I'm getting to that now, Sire." Merlin grinned, walking about the room and picking up various pieces of clothing the man had left lying around.
Silence fell over them as they both worked, though it didn't last for long. The first time it was broken by Merlin tripping over his feet and falling against Arthur's bed, warranting a dirty look from the blond before he returned to his books.
The second time the warlock managed to pull too hard on one of the drawers of the dresser and the contents came pouring out, narrowly missing the boy's toes. At that, the prince turned to glare, heaving an irritated sigh that had the servant ducking his head.
The third time Merlin really had been trying to be careful. He'd gathered together a few articles of clothing that were still clean, and he'd just opened the wardrobe. That was it, he'd just opened the door, so he wasn't sure how it happened. He didn't remember grabbing the shelf, nor did he stumble into it, but somehow the shelf, the clothing, and Merlin himself ended up on the floor with a loud crash.
"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, dropping a book onto his desk before spinning around to face the boy.
"I don't know what happened—"
"It's obvious what happened! You're a wreck today, and absolutely useless. I can't focus with you breaking my things every few seconds!" The prince yelled while Merlin hurried to stand. As he did, his boot caught the edge of the broken shelf and the boy was tripping and falling flat on the floor right in front of where Arthur stood. "Get out."
"What?"
"Get out, Merlin. Go bother Gaius!" Waving a hand at the servant, Arthur stalked back to his desk while the boy looked despondently at the mess. He'd only just started to clean it when the prince's hand connected with his desk and made the warlock jump. "Clean it later." The man seethed, not even looking at the boy as he bowed his head and hurried out of the room.
Pausing just outside as he closed the door, Merlin leaned in until his forehead was pressed against the wood and he was staring at his feet. He was a wreck, but why? Maybe Arthur had the right idea and going to Gaius would help him find some answers.
Making his way back through the crowded halls and working to keep his steps as even and slow as possible, the warlock finally made it to the stairwell leading up to the physician's tower. Taking the steps with as much care and caution as he could, Merlin suddenly remembered the book that was still pressed into his side.
Touching the journal through his jacket, the boy's foot caught on a stair and sent him sprawling across the steps while a quiet groan left him. That was it. Something was definitely wrong, and it wasn't his usual clumsiness.
Clambering up the last few steps with an aching and bruised body, Merlin shoved open the door to his home. He was greeted immediately with the faint aroma of steeping herbs and the sound of Gaius' voice murmuring to himself while he worked.
"Merlin, is that you?" The elder called out over his shoulder as the boy closed the door behind him.
"Yes, I—" Merlin's words cut off abruptly as the edge of the door caught the heel of his boot and forced the warlock to twist it out of the way.
As he did, he stumbled forward, his hands catching the edge of the table to balance himself. Thankfully, he didn't fall. Unfortunately, a set of vials and potions sitting on the other side did. The potions shattered across the floor and sent shards of glass skittering towards himself and the physician, and the boy grimaced in response.
"Merlin!" Dropping the book he was holding and whirling around at the commotion, Gaius started forward only to stop and stare at the scene in abject horror.
"I'm so sorry, Gaius." Merlin stared, beginning to move only to be stopped by his guardian's outstretched hand.
"I have been working on those all day, Merlin." The man spoke, his voice a mixture of weariness and frustration.
"I didn't do it on purpose, Gaius, I swear. I think that there's something wrong with me."
"What's wrong is you don't pay enough attention." The physician scolded, looking at his ward in frustration as the boy lingered back. "You rush about in such a hurry to get your work done that you don't take the time to look around you."
Clamping his mouth shut, Merlin glanced away. The scolding would normally be called for, but the boy knew that something wasn't right. This wasn't his usual self, he was never this clumsy. It was as if everything that could go wrong was going wrong.
"Gaius, I'm sorry." Merlin said again once it seemed like the elder was finished, and the boy took a cautious step closer. "But I really do think that something is wrong." While he spoke, the warlock's hand gestured to the side and knocked directly into a brewing potion.
Before he could stop it, before he could even utter a spell, the vial was tipping over and a dark blue liquid spilled across the table and began dripping to the floor. "Oh.." The boy murmured, staring with an open mouth at the new mess he'd created.
"Out."
"What?"
"Out!" Gaius yelled, shooing him back with his hand. "I've been working on that since yesterday and now it's all over my table. Out, before you ruin anything else."
The harsh tone that accompanied the elder's words stung, and Merlin backed a step away. "Gaius—"
"Merlin, please. Just go." Pressing his lips together, the warlock turned and strode silently to the door, forcing away the ache at being ignored by the one person he thought would listen.
Managing to keep upright on his way down the stairwell and through a corridor, Merlin was just rounding a corner when a laundry backset knocked into him and pushed him to the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry!" A voice gasped while a set of feet stepped away. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." The boy mumbled, sitting upright and dropping his head. Maybe he should just stay there. Stop moving, stop ruining things, stop getting in the way.
"Merlin?" The voice asked again, and this time the familiarity of the tone caught his attention. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" Looking up as Gwen knelt down, the maid sat the basket beside her and looked him over in concern.
"I'm fine." He said again, turning away under her watchful gaze.
"You don't look fine." She murmured, and Merlin's lips twitched up in amusement. "I mean, that isn't what I—what I meant was—"
"It's alright, Gwen." He assured with a chuckle, though the moment faded just as fast as the boy sobered quickly.
"You still haven't moved." Gwen said after a moment.
"What?"
"You still haven't gotten up. Are you sure you're not hurt?" She pressed, shifting uncomfortably beside him.
"I'm alright, I'm just.." Heaving a sigh, Merlin ran a hand haphazardly through his hair. "I'm having a bad day is all."
Standing up, Gwen lowered her hand towards him and offered him a smile. "Maybe I can help."
"No." Merlin shook his head, shying away and drawing the concern back to her face. "I don't want it to rub off on you."
"You don't want what to rub off?"
"I don't know," He muttered, staring hard at the ground. "This, curse or whatever."
"Merlin, you're being silly." Reaching down and taking hold of his hand, Gwen tugged at him. "Come on, I promise, you're not cursed. Everyone has bad days." Reluctantly letting her pull him up, Merlin stood with another sigh.
Leaning over to pick up the basket for her, the boy started to pass it over when the edge slipped from his grasp. Gwen lunged for it as he did and the two collided into each other as the basket and its contents spilled onto the floor.
Stepping to the side, Merlin's boot caught the end of the maid's dress and as the girl pulled away the fabric began to rip. A large tear made its way around the bottom of Gwen's dress and left a wide gap that had the both of them staring.
"Oh God, Gwen, I'm sorry." Merlin gasped, quickly backing away and stumbling over the basket.
"It's alright, Merlin," The girl shook her head, picking up her skirts to examine the damage that was done. "I can mend it later."
"I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Merlin—"
"I have to go." He whispered, his hands balling into fists at his sides.
"Merlin, wait—!" Gwen's shout echoed after him as the boy turned on his heel and ran, feeling the book he'd hidden earlier pressing into his side.
What was going on with him? Was he actually cursed? He'd made a mess of Arthur's room, nearly impaled himself twice, managed to ruin all of Gaius' work, and now he'd torn Gwen's dress. If he kept going like this, who knew what else he'd make a mess of or how much of a danger he'd become to himself or others.
Making his way down the steps and out into the courtyard, Merlin shied away from everyone that he could. The boy kept one arm pressed tightly against the journal while the other hung stiffly by his side. He needed to go somewhere quiet where he could be alone. The less people he was around, the better.
A piece of him considered returning to the tower, but in his current state the idea of being around any leftover potions or possible magic seemed like a poor one. So instead, Merlin made his way to the stables. Given the time of day, only a couple of the stable boys would be around, and no one would think anything of the warlock being there.
Slipping inside the building and straying far from the horses, the boy settled out of the way in the back with the wood panels behind him. Easing the book out from inside his jacket, Merlin turned it over in his hands with a frown.
His luck couldn't have anything to do with that, could it? He'd been carrying it most of the day, but was it possible for a book to affect him in such a way? Sliding his thumb beneath the front cover, the boy had just started to open it when the doors of the stables opened and caused him to pause.
Footsteps sounded nearby, and Merlin leaned over to peer around the corner where he caught sight of Morgana. The woman was in her riding gear and was tugging on a pair of gloves while standing in front of the stall that held her mare. It was obvious she thought she was alone, and it wasn't until his elbow slid out beneath him and made him crash to the ground that the king's ward spotted him.
"Merlin?" She called, her brows furrowing as the boy sat up and quickly stuffed the book back beneath his jacket.
"Morgana." He nodded, offering her a flustered smile as the woman walked closer to him.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Oh, just.. working."
"Working?" Morgana asked doubtfully. "It looks more like hiding to me."
Merlin briefly considered coming up with a different lie, but he was exhausted, and under her intent stare the boy was deflating. "Arthur kicked me out because I made a mess of things. And Gaius kicked me out after I ruined his work. So, I suppose I am sort of hiding."
"What happened?" A sympathetic look crossed over the woman's face as she wrapped her arms around herself.
"I don't know, honestly. It feels like I must be cursed today." Merlin groaned, throwing his hands up only to end up smacking himself in the face. "Everything I do ends up poorly for myself, or someone else. Or both. I don't know what's happening, but I can't even do my job properly without ruining everything."
While he scraped his hands through his hair, Morgana's expression contorted into the same concern that Gwen's had. "It can't be as bad as that, Merlin." She assured him, stretching her hand out in the same manner that her maid had. "Perhaps all you need is a break."
"No." The warlock shook his head adamantly while keeping his hands firmly in his lap. "Gwen tried to help me up too and I ripped her dress because of it."
"You ripped her dress?" Morgana repeated, pulling her hand back and staring at him with her green eyes wide.
"It was an accident. Everything has been. But if you ask Arthur or Gaius I'm sure they'd think I was doing it all on purpose."
"Merlin—"
"It doesn't matter." Merlin spoke, forcing a smile as he started to push himself up. "At this point, what else can go wrong?"
He never should have asked that. In fact, he never should have doubted himself at all. The question was merely tempting the fates, and it seemed they had quite a bit still in store for the boy.
As the warlock stood he braced his hand against an empty stall door. The wood had looked strong and steady as he leaned against it, but just as he was about to pull away the wood buckled, and Merlin fell through into the stall. The door cracked beneath him, and the boy landed in a heap into a pile of hay, splintered wood, and dung.
A sharp gasp of surprise left Morgana as the boy pushed his hands beneath him with a grimace. "Like I said," He mumbled, looking at his jacket in disgust. "Cursed."
Scrambling to his feet, pain shot through his side, and the boy was checking on the journal as Morgana stepped closer. "You cut yourself." The woman winced, gesturing towards his neck as Merlin lifted his fingers and probed at an ache.
Pulling his hand away and finding the pads of his fingers dotted in blood, all the boy could do was sigh. "Today keeps getting better." Merlin grumbled, cutting his eyes to the king's ward who was still staring. "I should go." The boy spoke, the stench of his clothes beginning to make his eyes water as Morgana gave him plenty of room to pass.
"I'm sure it will get better, Merlin!" The woman called after him, but the warlock couldn't find the energy to respond.
No longer did he have to try and keep away from others while he walked. Between the state of his appearance and the smell, no one wanted to be within ten feet of him.
Merlin was certain Gaius would be annoyed to see him returning so soon, especially in such a state, but he didn't have much of a choice. Wearily climbing the stairs back to his home, the boy found himself dreading the thought of seeing his guardian.
He wasn't one to balk at getting scolded or yelled at, but it was different coming from Gaius, and it was different when it was undeserved. And Merlin had come to the firm decision that none of this was his fault, at all. He had never been this bad, and for all he tried to be careful, it only seemed to make it worse. Something else was going on, he just wasn't sure what.
Reaching the top of the landing and pushing open the door to the physician's chambers, Merlin stepped inside and looked up in time to see Gaius partially turn. The elder did a double take as his ward stepped closer, and the man's eyebrows lifted considerably as he looked the boy over.
"What happened to you?" He asked as Merlin kept far away from the tables.
"I fell." He mumbled, directing his gaze back to the floor as he walked straight for his room.
"What?"
"I fell." The boy reiterated with a bite to his words as he shoved open his door and slipped inside.
Taking the journal out first thing and finding it thankfully clean, Merlin opened his wardrobe and hid it between a few of his tunics before he pulled a fresh one out and tossed it over a chair. As he closed the door to his wardrobe his bedroom door opened again, and Gaius stepped inside carrying a basin of water and a folded cloth.
Barely glancing up, Merlin pried off his jacket and folded it in on itself to keep the mess as contained as he could. Neither of them spoke as the elder placed the basin on the boy's nightstand while the warlock tugged futilely at his neckerchief.
The more he seemed to pull, the tighter the knot became. Was everything going to go this way for him? Growing frustrated, Merlin's fingers yanked at the knot until he felt Gaius behind him, the physician's hands pushing his away.
"Tell me what happened." His guardian urged, and Merlin stared hard at the floor as the scarf was pulled away.
"There's no point." He muttered, still feeling miffed over their last interaction as he tugged his tunic up over his head. "No one believes me." Avoiding the hard look coming from the physician, Merlin stepped over to the basin of water and scooped a handful up and splashed it against his face.
"Perhaps I was a bit too hasty in my lecture." Gaius said after a moment, and the warlock paused with his hands hovering over the dish.
"What?" Turning around with water trickling down his neck, the boy watched while his guardian sat on the edge of his bed and held his neckerchief loosely.
"You said that you thought something was wrong, and you do seem far less coordinated than usual. Are you feeling ill? Has anything happened?"
Looking away again, Merlin ran a wet hand through his hair before he stepped to the side and retrieved the clean tunic. "I don't know what's wrong, Gaius." He admitted quietly, turning the tunic over in his hands.
"I've been tripping over my feet all day, more than I ever do, and I don't know why. I broke through a stall in the stables, I tore Gwen's dress, and if it weren't for one of the knight's I would've impaled myself on a sword." Tugging the clean clothing on over his damp hair, the boy straightened the fabric and frowned at his hands. "I can't seem to go more than a few minutes without wrecking or ruining something."
"You seem well now."
Looking up, Merlin met Gaius' stare and felt himself bristling again. "I'm not making it up, Gaius."
"I never said you were," The elder spoke, lifting a hand in a calming manner. "I'm simply saying that you haven't had an issue since coming inside. I half expected the water to be all across your floor by now."
Blinking, the warlock looked to the basin in thought. "You're right.." He mumbled, taking a step closer and picking up the cloth that hung across the side.
Dropping the rag in the water and wringing out the excess liquid, Merlin repeated the motion twice more before draping it over the side of the basin again. "That's strange, I was just—"
"What is this?" Gaius' voice interrupted Merlin midsentence, and the boy turned his head to find the physician holding up his neckerchief with a frown.
"If it's got something on it you may not want to hold it that close," The warlock warned, ruffling his hands through his hair again. "I told you I fell in the stables."
"It's not that. What is this?" Turning the scarf over in his hands, Gaius held the fabric aloft and pulled back the edge for his ward to see. Along the very bottom and nearly hidden from view were thin letters stitched carefully into the neckerchief with golden threat.
Reaching out and brushing his fingers over the script, all Merlin could do was shake his head. "I've never seen those before. The letters look familiar, but I don't know what they are."
"They're very old magic, Merlin." Gaius said grimly, pulling the scarf back and eyeing the boy.
"Magic? Wait, you mean to say that I actually was cursed?" Merlin stared, his mouth hanging open in shock.
"It seems that way."
"Is that possible? To put that sort of spell on something like that?" The boy gaped, taking a step away from the scarf that singlehandedly made his day one of the worst he'd had.
"For a very strong, and very experienced sorcerer, one can imbue an item with magic. Though I must say, I've never seen it done in such a way before." Gaius stood while he explained, holding the neckerchief out away from him as if worried the curse might attach itself to him next.
"Am I alright then?" The warlock asked, trailing behind the elder as he made his way back into the main chambers.
"So long as you're not wearing it you ought to be, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Carrying the scarf towards the hearth, Gaius pushed aside a stool and dropped the neckerchief down into the flames. Merlin stood back in curiosity as the two watched the fabric begin the burn, small holes appearing through the cloth as the flames ate away at it. Just as the boy started to turn away, a small spark shot out of the fire and the warlock felt a chill run through him.
"What was that?" Merlin asked, throwing out a hand to steady himself as he swallowed away a feeling of nausea.
"That was the spell breaking." Gaius said, stepping away from the fire and placing his hands on the table across from his ward. "Did you get that out of your wardrobe this morning?" The physician questioned, and Merlin started to nod before he froze.
Normally he would get a neckerchief from his room, but after the day he'd had he'd almost forgotten that this time, the scarf had been taken from the tower. Realization began to dawn on the boy, and another rush of ice swept through his veins. Someone had left that scarf there for him to find. Someone else knew about the tower, they knew that he would be there, and they had used magic to curse an item of his.
"Merlin?"
"I have to go." The boy uttered, turning around and striding for the door while his guardian stared after him.
"Merlin, what's going on? What are you mixed up in now?"
"I'll explain later!" He called back, slipping through the door and taking the stairs two at a time.
His mind had begun to race, and there were small fragments that he was trying desperately to fit together. Merlin was missing something though, some piece of the puzzle that would help guide him to the answer, and there was only one place he could think of to look for it.
If the neckerchief had been left for him, maybe there was something else as well, something he'd overlooked or missed. Whoever had left it had obviously known enough about him to know how frequently he wore them, and they had counted on him getting distracted enough to not think about it when he was putting it on. But who could it have been?
Had he been foolish to think that only he and Arthur knew about the tower and what it contained? Everything had been so coated in dust he'd just assumed, but what if he was wrong? What if someone had known about it all along?
Dashing through the halls and darting around those in his way, Merlin made his way to the stairwell that led to the tower and ran up them with heaving breaths. It wasn't until he reached the landing where the balcony he frequented sat that the boy stopped to catch his breath and slow his pace.
The corridor that led to the room was small and as empty as always, but at the end of the hall Merlin could see that the door was now partially open and practically beckoning him inside. Walking quietly towards it, the warlock pushed it open the rest of the way and peered into the room.
Everything was as usual, with boxes and crates spread about and the piles of items littering the floor where he and Arthur had left them. Stepping further inside, Merlin's eyes were scanning the room when movement by the windows caught the boy's attention.
As he turned, blue hues settled on a towering figure standing in the shadows. The person was tall and wore a long black cloak that seemed to blend into the darkness, covering their face and body almost entirely. For a moment the boy couldn't speak, too shocked to do much more then stare, but when the figure kept as still and silent as a statue, Merlin took a step closer and cleared his throat.
"I didn't know anyone else knew about this tower." He said, attempting to keep his voice as light as possible.
"You know very little about this tower at all." The voice was quiet but sharp, and Merlin's eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar tone.
"Who are you?" He asked, taking another step closer to the mysterious figure.
"The better question is who are you, young warlock."
Freezing in his spot, fear and dread washed over the boy as Merlin's mouth opened and his breath caught in his throat. "How.. How do you know what I am?" The warlock forced out.
"I've been watching." The figure declared, and there was a tone of humor in their voice. "You're rather.. amusing, I must say." At that, Merlin scowled, his hands tightening into fists.
"You're the one that cursed me." It was not a question, but a statement, and it was one that the stranger did not deny.
"It did not last as long as I had hoped." The stranger's cloak twisted, and their head lifted a fraction towards the young warlock.
Merlin still had no idea who the man was, but he could see the curl of a smile on their lips, and irritation at being toyed with hung heavily over him. "Why did you do it? What was the point?"
"You ought to be more careful about the things you take from strange places, child." The figure hummed, but there was nothing friendly about their voice. "You ought not take things that you know nothing about."
"Why do you care?" Merlin demanded, taking a step to the side in an effort to see past the hood. "You have no right to be here." He added when the stranger didn't answer.
"I have more right to be here then you, young warlock." The figure spat, their voice filled with such venom that the boy stood frozen once again.
Merlin said nothing else after that, though the tension in the room grew thicker with each passing second. "Do you want answers?" The stranger suddenly asked, and the boy's brows drew together as curiosity surged through him.
"Yes." He nodded, watching as the figure's head turned towards him. Most of their head was still shrouded in shadows, but the lower past of their face revealed a dark complexion and a reptilian smile that was anything but kind.
"I will answer your questions if you first answer one of mine."
"What do you want to know?" Merlin questioned, forcing his impatience down as the stranger's lips parted and the amusement resurfaced in their voice.
"Do you know where your prince is?"
Blinking, a fresh wave of confusion swept over the warlock and Merlin frowned. "What?"
"Do you know where your prince is?" The stranger repeated, forcing the boy to fight back a shudder at the chilling words.
"Yes." He said firmly, though in truth he hadn't seen Arthur in some time.
"Are you sure?"
"What did you do?" The warlock asked tightly, his heart beating faster as an ominous chuckle left the stranger. "What have you done to him?" Merlin demanded with a roar.
"How important are your answers?" The stranger asked, his hands spreading apart to gesture at the room. "You can stay here and I will keep my word, I will answer any question you wish to ask. Or, you can go to your prince before it's too late."
The warlock stared at the figure in disbelief as their hands drew back around, standing just as still and statuesque as they had when the boy first walked in. "Make your decision soon, young warlock."
Cursing, Merlin turned and sprinted out of the room, panic driving him past the balcony and down the stairwell. Making his way down with little care, the boy stumbled on the last step and fell hard to the ground, his face slamming against the stone as pain shot through his cheek and nose.
Pushing himself back up and ignoring the looks of shock thrown his way, the warlock kept running. What had happened to Arthur? What had the stranger done? How could he have known what he was? Merlin had too many questions and not nearly enough answers.
He could have stayed, could have gotten every answer he wanted, but he knew he couldn't take the chance. Who knew what had been done to Arthur? Anything could have happened while he was away. Maybe that was the reason for cursing him, maybe he wanted to force Merlin away so he could get to the prince easier.
Gritting his teeth, the warlock rounded the final corner and threw himself at the royal's door, crashing into Arthur's chambers and sending the door banging back against the wall. The blond was still seated at his desk, just where Merlin had seen him last, but at the noise the man jumped and turned with a startled gaze.
"What the hell are you doing, Merlin?" He demanded, a quill that had been freshly dipped and was now dripping ink clutched tight in his hand.
"Are you in danger?" Merlin asked, still standing just inside the prince's room as he drew in heaving breaths.
"Yes," Arthur said, glaring hard at his servant. "I am in danger of not finishing my work because my servant has gone mad." Scowling, the prince dropped his quill and narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Why are you bleeding?"
Blinking at the question, Merlin's hand lifted and brushed beneath his nose as a spark of pain shot through his face. Pulling his hand back, blood was smeared across his palm, and he could feel the blond watching him.
"Are you alright?" The boy asked, dropping his hand and ignoring the previous question while Arthur studied him.
"I'm fine." The prince said slowly, concern lingering in the man's stare. "Are you?"
"You're not in any danger?" Merlin demanded, walking further into the room and looking around the bed and on the other side of the table. "You're not in any trouble?"
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked in exasperation as the warlock came to a stop a few paces away from him.
The man looked fine, albeit irritated, which wasn't new. So why had the stranger led him to believe that his friend's life was in danger? Ignoring the prince's stare, Merlin thought back on their conversation as the manipulation suddenly dawned on him, hitting the boy hard and fast.
"No," The warlock breathed, turning from his friend and running once more for the door. "No, no!" Stumbling into the wall as he ran into the corridor, Merlin started back towards the tower.
"Merlin!" Arthur was shouting behind him, but the boy didn't slow as he rounded the corner. How could he have been so stupid? How could he not have seen it? "Merlin! Get back here!"
Jumping over a basket a maid had set down on the floor, Merlin glanced over his shoulder before rounding the next turn. All it took was that one second of not paying attention to ruin him, because as soon as he looked back, the boy was slamming into a guard he hadn't seen and was falling back hard onto the ground.
"Merlin, what in the name of God are you acting like this for?" Arthur demanded, finally catching up to his servant as the warlock struggled to his feet and murmured an apology to the guard.
"We have to go." Merlin shook his head, starting to move again when Arthur's hand shot out and caught the boy's arm in a tight grip.
"No, Merlin. Tell me what's going on right now. Why the hell have you been acting so strange all day?"
Heaving a sigh, the boy glanced behind him before directly facing Arthur. "I was cursed."
"What?" The prince stared, still looking at his servant as if he'd lost his mind.
Rolling his eyes, Merlin pulled his arm free and gestured for his friend to follow him. "I found one of my neckerchiefs up in the tower earlier, and I thought I'd left it there by mistake. Turns out, it was cursed. Someone stitched some sort of spell into the fabric." The boy explained, gesturing with his hands while Arthur frowned.
"Are you still cursed now?"
"No, Gaius took care of it." Merlin shook his head, running his fingers beneath his bloody nose again. "But I went back to the tower, to see if anything else had been changed or moved or left, and when I got there I found a man waiting."
"A man?" The prince scoffed, grabbing the boy's arm again and leaning closer. "Are you sure you're not ill? No one else knows about that place. Unless you told someone.."
The threat was clear even after he'd trailed off, and the warlock continued forward. "I didn't tell anyone, but he was there all the same."
"Well, who was he?"
"I don't know." Merlin sighed as they slipped around another passing guard.
"That's very convenient." Arthur muttered, his disbelief clear.
"I asked what he doing there," Merin continued, ignoring the blond's doubt. "But he wouldn't say anything." Well, that wasn't entirely true. The stranger had quite a lot to say, it just wasn't something he could share with Arthur. Just how long had that man been watching him though? "When I kept pushing him he asked if I knew where you were. He led me to believe that you were in some sort of danger. He gave me the choice to have my questions answered, or to go and find you."
"And you chose to come find me?" The prince lifted his brows in surprise while the warlock nodded. "Very noble of you, Merlin." Arthur said slowly. "Absolutely ridiculous, but noble, I'll give you that."
"Ridiculous?" The boy repeated, offense clinging to the word.
"Merlin, have you seen yourself fight?" The royal laughed as they neared the stairwell that led to the tower. "You'd be more likely to put both of us in danger before you would manage to help me."
Biting back the first thing that came to mind, Merlin merely settled for a huff of indignation that Arthur laughed at. "I'm not saying I believe you, but at this point with the day you've had I wouldn't be surprised if you'd managed to knock over another potion that riddled your mind with fear." The blond declared as they reached the landing and the closed door that lay ahead.
Walking faster, Merlin reached the door first, but Arthur put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back as the prince opened the door himself. Peering in at the same time, Merlin's mouth fell open in shock as he pushed past Arthur to step inside the room.
"I don't understand.." The boy breathed, walking into the middle of the floor and looking from side to side. "It's gone. It's all gone."
The tower was still covered in dust except for where the prince and the servant had left their boot prints, but aside from that, the entire room was empty. Not a single crate, box, or journal remained. There were not even any marks on the floor to indicate that anything had ever even been there in a long, long time.
"Who the hell was that man, Merlin?" Arthur asked quietly, walking to one side of the room and looking around.
"I don't have any idea." The boy said weakly, tilting his head to look up at the landing before he was checking the room at the back.
Everything was gone. How could it all be gone? There were no scraps of paper, no books left behind, and even the glass that he'd scooped into a pile from when they broke the potion was gone.
"How can it all just disappear?" The prince was saying as Merlin leaned back against the wall. Even the window he'd opened had been shut, and judging from the dirt and the grime, didn't look as if it had been touched in decades.
Closing his eyes and trying to think, Merlin's head fell. "I have more right to be here than you, young warlock." The stranger's words echoed inside his head as the pieces to the puzzle shifted in the boy's mind.
"For a very strong, and very experienced sorcerer, one can imbue an item with magic. Though I must say, I've never seen it done in such a way before." Gaius' explanation about the cursed scarf hit him next, and Merlin's breath was ripped away as he staggered forward, everything suddenly falling into place.
"Merlin?"
"I know who it was." He whispered, trying to force the air to return to his lungs. "At least I.. I think I know."
"Well get on with it," The prince snapped. "Who was it?"
"I think.." Drawing in a deep breath, Merlin looked up and caught Arthur's eye. "I think that might have been Camelot's court sorcerer."
A/N
I literally do not know how to write short chapters anymore.. BUT I am SO ready for this story arc, you guys have no idea how much I have thought about and planned for this, I'm so excited!
Also, sorry for the long wait on this chapter! I got to see my brother finally after he was in Japan for almost two years, and a lot of my family have been back and forth while we try to get readjusted to living together again. The next one might take a bit longer as well, so apologies in advance!
I hope you guys enjoyed, and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. If you want, leave me a comment or a review! They're my absolute favorite part, and I would love to hear your thoughts!