I do not own Merlin
I'm so sorry guys for not updating this. I had actually finished the whole first episode reactions but it was in my other laptop and it broke and it took ages for me to recover the data from it. When I got it I don't know how but I lost the wire that attaches the USB containing the lost data to my new laptop so now I have to buy another one. When I get it, I'll make sure to update all the chapters on here. What I'm publishing now, I had already apparently had saved here and I'd thought I'd published it but I just realised it was only a draft. Really sorry.
Merlin enters Camelot and Uther addresses a crowd from the balcony in the Square.
"Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass."
"Hypocritical bastard," Meilani said her hatred obvious as she glared at Uther, who promptly stiffened when she mentioned hypocritical. Did she know? No, it wasn't possible he thought to himself.
"Have care how you speak," Arthur said warningly but there wasn't much heat in it in light of what he remembered happened to her because of his father. Meilani understood that herself so she just rolled her eyes instead of replying.
Uther gives the signal and the man is beheaded. It showed Merlin's horrified pale face at the sight as he turned away along with Morgana from her room.
"Who is that?" Gwaine asked grinning lecherously at the woman.
"Look behind you," Meilani said and he did so and did a double take before his shocked eyes looked between the woman on screen and the woman behind him.
"Woah...What happened to you? Does turning evil make you lose all sense of fashion?" Gwaine asked with a raised eyebrow and Morgana scowled at him dangerously about to utter a spell when she remembered the warning and clamped her mouth shut instead opting to glare at him murderously.
"Gwaine don't sass the psycho," Percival said earning a round of laughter from the others and another dangerous scowl from Morgana.
"I just realised that this is the first thing you saw when you came to Camelot. Why on earth would you stay after that? I would have turned and ran," Gwen said to Merlin shocked.
"It was better than being..." Merlin stopped himself immediately when he looked to Meilani.
"Better than being what?" Meilani asked concernedly but Merlin shook his head and she had a sudden suspicion. "Please don't tell me it's what I think it is."
"I don't know. It depends on what you think it is," Merlin shrugged innocently but he wasn't fooling her.
"I am going to commit homicide and murder those bastards," Meilani raged.
"Lani it's fine," Merlin tried to calm her down.
"Fine? How is beating you to a pulp in any way fine?" Meilani raged before she winced as Merlin groaned slightly.
"What on earth do you mean by that?" Gwaine asked angrily.
"Uh...well...that is to say...um..." Merlin struggled to answer before sighing as he said, "I had no control over my magic when I was younger, it always reacted to my emotions and the others quickly caught on to the fact that weird things used to happen whenever I was around. They then began to blame me for any bad thing that happened to them. If their crops died, somehow it was my fault, if they lost someone, it was my fault and if the harvest that year wasn't enough, it was my fault. Being abastard didn't help matters either. The other families wanted nothing to do with me. They told their kids to stay away from me and as I grew up, I just became the... outcast, you could say, and the other children used to...well..." He sighed looking away from them at that.
"Used to what?" Arthur asked not understanding the bubble of anger that formed inside of him, on behalf of...his friend? his servant? a sorcerer? a traitor? Which one exactly he thought to himself annoyed.A traitor of course,the voice said again,what else? He has betrayed you in the worst way possible? Look at how much magic has taken from you. Your parents. Morgana. Your kingdom multiple times. And now the one you trusted most has fallen prey to it as well. He is a sorcerer, hiding under your nose for eight years. Just how many other secrets would he have? How much has he hidden from you?He shook himself out of those thoughts as he recalled Merlin's words and his agreement to reserve judgement for later. He would watch the memories and try to keep an open mind.
"Doesn't matter," Merlin said shaking his head.
"Your sister just mentioned something about beating you to a pulp, does that have anything to do with this?" Gwaine asked his eyes glinting winced slightly and that gave him his answer as some of the others bristled on his behalf.
"Is that true?" Arthur asked his jaw clenched as he thought of a young Merlin being beaten up and hurt just because of some silly superstition and not for any viable evidence of him being a sorcerer, but even then if there was, did he really deserve that? The answer was easy for some reason. No, no he didn't. He had said he was born with it so how could it have been his fault?
Merlin just sighed as he said, "I admit I had it rough growing up but it wasn't that bad. Atleast I had Will. He stood by me through everything, even when he found out about my magic. Though when mother found out about that, she, fearing anyone else finding out, sent me to Camelot and I'm glad she did." He sent a smile to his mother to show he didn't mind nor resent her for her decision for sending him away and she smiled back. Despite the hardships he'd faced, he'd felt more at home here than he'd ever had in Ealdor.
"How was coming to the place where your existence is a death sentence going to keep you safe?" Leon asked confused.
"Well it was a far cry better than being found out a magic user in Ealdor. Uther's hatred of magic stretched far beyond the borders of Camelot and yes, in Essetir, magic is not outlawed, but Uther wouldn't have thought twice to send men to capture me if word got out, but to be honest, I'd rather prefer to be burned on the pyre than to be found out by Cenred," Merlin shivered at the thought. "Being a slave to someone like him would be no better, In fact, it would be far worse, and personally I'd choose the pyre any day," Merlin said.
"Well, shit. Can someone give him a hug?" Gwaine breathed, his face pained for his friend. Meilani did it for him and Merlin smiled at that before he frowned at the looks he was getting from the others, sympathy and what looked like actual pain on their faces on his behalf and he huffed a laugh as he said, "It's fine guys. That wasn't the only hoped I'd learn how to control it from Gaius." Merlin shrugged thankful that the topic was changed.
"You knew?" Arthur said not entirely surprised, but from the betrayed glare Uther was giving Gaius, he certainly was.
"I did my lord. I chose to protect him and I will until my dying breath," Gaius said protectively and Merlin smiled at his mentor touched.
"Thank you for taking care of him," Meilani said gratefully.
"Always," Gaius said with a nod of his head.
"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."
"You celebrated a man's death? That's...I have no words," Gwaine said shaking his hand in disgust.
"Gwaine," Arthur said warningly.
"He's not wrong. What kind of person would celebrate the death of a man?" Meilani said sending a glare to Uther.
"Look, whatever your name is, just lay off my father," Arthur said annoyed. He'd just got him back, the last thing he wanted was anyone to badmouth him. He was still a little bitter about what his father had tried to do when he'd come back as a spirit though so he was still keeping distance.
"The name's Meilani and no, I will not. Someone needs to knock the man down a peg or two," Meilani said with a roll of her eyes.
"That's not your place to decide," Arthur said with a glare.
Meilani scoffed, "Then whose is it aside from those he has wronged? I have every right to say what I wish about your father. His hatred and prejudice has caused so much suffering, so much pain, so much heartbreak. I witnessed many a massacre in my lifetime, I treated wounds of so many and held those I couldn't save as they died in my arms, I watched friends I'd cared about murdered right in front of me, I watched as so many innocents were slaughtered in cold blood, I've watched families get torn apart, children holding their parent's dead bodies that had shielded them from sight, pleading with them to get up, I've seen so many lovers widowed too young, forced to live the rest of their lives without their other half, I've seen so many parents holding their dead children hoping beyond hope that the light they brought into this world was not so cruelly taken away from them before being forced to come to terms with the truth, that those eyes would never open and look upon them with all the trust and love a child holds for their parents all because of the man you call father," She felt tears roll down her face at this point as all those horrific memories flashed in her mind's eye, not catching any of their horrified faces as she spoke, her mind somewhere else, her eyes haunted.
"I had to say goodbye to my own child just moments after she was born with the thought that I wouldn't be there to hold her again, I wouldn't be able to hear her first word, teach her how to walk, to talk, to give her all the love in the world like she deserved. I had to say goodbye to my family and leave my child an orphan because of your damned father. Just imagine having a child of your own and having to give them away forced to watch as they were raised by others right in front of you, but not being able to hold them, to love them, to do anything short of just watching them grow up in the arms of another. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate everything my family did for Anna but it still hurt. And all of that pain, everything my kind have suffered, everything we've endured was all because one person couldn't come to terms with the guilt of his own mistake," Melissa spat, her rage clear in her eyes as she glared at Uther.
"What do you mean guilt of his own mistake?" Arthur asked confused. His father had said that magic had caused so much suffering and grief to the people, that he himself had suffered at it's hands, and he'd believed it because he'd seen firsthand the destruction magic has caused so what did she mean and why did his father look pale when she'd mentioned about the guilt of his mistake? What had his father done? A distant memory came to his mind before he pushed it away. That wasn't true he thought. It was a lie right?
"You'll find out soon. I don't how much these memories will show but something as important as the reason for the purge would probably be shown," Melissa said with a shrug and a smirk at Uther's horrified face.
"Father?" Arthur asked confusedly registering his expression, but Uther could neither speak nor move so he sighed as he turned back to the memories. He wanted to tell the voice or whatever it was to get rid of the enchantments from his father but he also knew that his father knew about Merlin and his sister's magic and would definitely try something and as much as he felt betrayed, he truly didn't want him hurt until he got his answers.
"There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son."
"An eye for an eye makes the world go blind," Meilani said.
"Truer words were never spoken my lady," Gwaine said with a smirk.
"Shut it with the flirting," Meilani said procuring a dagger from nowhere with a flash of her eyes and twirling it in her fingers as she raised an eyebrow at him and he immediately raised his hands in surrender. No one but Arthur paid mind to Uther struggling in his seat as he glared at her in rage at seeing her eyes flash gold.
"I really don't think you want to mess with her Gwaine. She took on Arthur far longer than any one of us have done after all," Elyan said amused and wasn't that the truth? They'd never seen anyone so on par with Arthur before and it had been quite a shock.
"Quite the feisty one aren't you?" Gwaine asked her instead.
"Gwaine seriously? Can you not flirt with anyone else?" Merlin asked exasperated.
"Gwen is taken and I'm not sure evil witchy over there is going to appreciate it," Gwaine said jokingly and judging from the murderous glare on Morgana's face, he wasn't wrong.
"You can go and flirt with a bloody wall for all I care, just don't flirt with my sister," Merlin said sending him a glare. Meilani rolled her eyes at the two of them whilst Gwaine just sat pouting as the others laughed.
"Seize her!" Uther shouted pointing at her. The woman muttered a spell under her breath and was promptly whisked away in a whirl of wind and smoke.
"Can you do that?" Leon asked curiously.
"Probably. Haven't tried to before though," Merlin shrugged.
"Just how powerful are you?" Arthur asked his face still cold as he looked at Merlin who sighed looking away from him as he answered, "I don't exactly know my limits yet."
"Don't be modest Merlin. He's the most powerful warlock to have ever walked the earth," Lancelot said and when Merlin shot him a look, he just shrugged as if to say it's true. Uther had a being popping out his forehead as his face twisted in rage, red from exertion at trying to get up or talk but neither one was working so he just resorted to glaring at the servant.
"What?" Arthur said his hand resting on his sword again and Merlin nearly flinched at the action before he looked away from him appreciating Meilani's silent comfort who had sidled closer to him aware of his emotions.
"Wait...that means...you're Emrys," Percival said shocked and Merlin looked at him surprised as the others furrowed their brows in confusion whilst Morgana stiffened and clenched her jaw glaring at Merlin but knew she couldn't do anything for fear of having her magic restrained.
"How do you know about that?" Merlin asked.
"Little Perce used to travel with the druids when he was younger. He knows the prophecies," Meilani answered and Percival looked at her surprised as he stiffened at the name. No one ever called him that except...
"You," Percival said shocked. He vaguely remembered the woman now. He had been a child at the time so his memories were a bit vague but now he realised why the woman had seemed sort of familiar to him. He had first passed it off as her being related to Merlin but now that he knew they weren't related by blood, he realised exactly why he'd thought he recognized her.
"Me," Meilani said with a nod and a smirk. "I was wondering when you'd recognize me."
"How do you two know each other?" Arthur asked.
"He was in one of the druid camps I had stayed at. I moved around a lot you see. I had to go to and forth home and the druids so I've met quite a few druid camps in my life. I couldn't always find the same camp so I stayed with another. I knew him for a couple months before I moved I was watching from up there, I couldn't believe it was you when you came with Lance. It's honestly really good to see you again," Meilani said with a smile.
"It's good to see you too. I want to thank you for everything you did for me," Percival said gratefully. He had been in a bad place at the time because of what had happened but she had coaxed him out of the state he had been in and had cared for him for as long as she could. He'd been sad when she'd left but he was grateful that he'd met her, he would still be an empty shell of himself if it wasn't for her after all.
"No need to thank me, uh, I suppose I can't exactly call you Little Perce anymore can I?" Meilani joked and he and some of the others laughed."I'll settle with Perce then, if that's alright."
"It is," Percival nodded with a smile. before he frowned. "You said your name was Meilani but I could have sworn it was..."
"Allana?" Meilani asked and he nodded. "That is what the druids call me. You may call me Meilani though."
"Ok I am confused. The both of you have other names?" Elyan asked.
"Yes. We both have names in the druidic tongue stating our part in a prophecy. It is said that the most powerful warlock in existence would protect and guide the Once and future king into a land of peace where all five kingdoms are united. A time where magic and men can co-exist once more," Meilani explained.
"So If Emrys is Merlin, then the Once and Future King is..." Leon said as he looked to Arthur in realisation who scoffed in disbelief.
"You cannot be serious. I willneverlegalise magic. It had brought nothing but pain and suffering to my kingdom," Arthur said firmly and Uther nodded at that with a wrathful glare on his face.
"You only witness those sorcerors who have nothing left to fear anymore and are only driven by vengeance and hatred because of the death and destruction Uther's reign had wrought amongst our kind. You do not see the beauty, the peace and the kindness magic is supposed to be for because you and your father's hatred and ignorance has driven these people into hiding. Those who oppose you have had enough, they have lost too much, suffered more than you know and have lived in fear for so long, to the point where they don't care anymore. They just want revenge. Your father has ripped apart so many families, has killed and murdered in cold-blood, has slaughtered thousands upon thousands of suspected sorcerers and has created enemies from every corner of the five kingdoms. If you didn't expect any retaliation on their part then you're more daft than I thought, and if you judge the entirety of magic on those who few encounters then you're as judgemental as your father," Meilani ranted in anger before taking a few breaths to calm herself down.
Everyone was shocked into silence as they heard her rant and the knights exchanged looks. They were actually surprised that they could actually understand where she was coming from. It made sense why they would only see the bad side because they'd driven all the good away.
Arthur was another matter entirely. He didn't know whether to be furious on behalf of his father, reluctantly impressed by her gall, or a tiny bit understanding of the predicament she had laid out before him. Uther though, well there was nothing he could do but glare at her and hope she'll spontaneously combust.
"My brother sees something in you. I don't know what that is but I hope he's right. There's been enough bloodshed, enough suffering. I hope your reign will put an end to that for those with magic and those without. Watching these memories will show you the side of magic you have not been subjected to so all I ask is that you keep an open mind," Meilani said more calm now.
"Magic corrupts," Arthur said his voice not as firm as he'd wanted it to be.
"No. Fear corrupts. Power corrupts. What did you feel when you were younger, as prince, knowing your station was higher than the others. Did you exploit it? Did you flaunt it?" Meilani asked and a flush encompassed Arthur's face as he recalled his younger years giving her her answer. "Abuse of power occurs in many ways, not just with those who possess magic. A king with a crown has the power to do whatever they'd like, they can rule over their people with an iron fist, like a tyrant, or they can be a kind and merciful king that listens to the woes of his people regardless of their status. They have a choice though, between right and wrong. Sorcerors have that same choice, we can use our magic to do good, helping in harvests or protecting and healing someone but we can also use it for bad, like some of the sorcerors you've met. That does not make the magic itself bad, no, magic itself is neutral because like a sword, it is just a weapon. What matters is the intent of the person wielding it, because like any other human, they are capable of good and evil," Meilani said and at that, she had all the knights. They were in complete agreement now, they're indecision from before disappearing, because the argument she put forth was valid.
"But..." Arthur began looking from his father's furious face to Morgana and Mordred who were staring at Meilani in shock.
"I can't expect you to give up beliefs that you were brought up believing so soon. No, I'm telling you this so you can start to understand. Baby steps and all," Meilani said and she saw the war behind his eyes and stepped forwards towards him. She noticed him stiffen but she didn't stop until she was in front of him. Her eyes flashed gold and he flinched, his hand reaching for his sword but she regarded him calmly as she held up sword of her own balancing it on her hands. "See this sword. If I run your knights through with it, who would you blame?"
"You of course," Arthur scoffed and Gwen paused immediately realising where she was coming from as a smile spread across her face.
"You wouldn't blame the weapon used?" Meilani asked raising an eyebrow.
"No. Why would I blame the..." Arthur paused comprehension dawning on his face.
"Say I had no magic and I ran your wife through. If you wish to follow in your father's actions, you would have to start a purge as well. A purge of all swords in the kingdom perhaps. Or maybe a purge of all woman seeing as I'm one. Or it could be anyone with green eyes as well. Or perhaps..." Meilani said before she was cut her off as the others laughed, well except Uther who looked like he was having some sort of brain aneurysm.
"Ok I get it," Arthur said cutting her off as she laughed and Gwen couldn't help but giggle behind her hand. Arthur shot her a look but she just shrugged.
"Do you?" Meilani asked raising an eyebrow at him.
"You're saying that...magic...is basically a weapon...like a sword, that can be used for good or evil, but the choice lies with the person that is wielding it?" Arthur said more of a question than anything. Uther stiffened in shock as his mouth spoke words no one could hear glaring at his son who refused to look at him.
"Yes. Your father has judged us all from the actions of one. It would be the same if I killed every human on this earth because your father is the reason for the death of the love of my life," Meilani said sending a murderous and hateful glare to the man in question. She looked back at the king and said, "Just think on what I said and maybe there'll be hope for you yet." She shrugged and walked back to Merlin who was smiling at his sister in awe and in gratitude.
"Wait, it's not only my father you hate, it's me as well. I saw it in your eyes. It's something personal isn't it?" Arthur asked afraid to know the answer.
Meilani stiffened before she turned to face him and sighed as she said, "It wasn't only your father's men I witnessed invading the druid camps and slaughtering those I'd called friends." She gave him and Leon a pointed look and the two flinched at the clear accusation. Arthur swallowed remembering the few times he'd led the raid on the camps and realised that she might have been in one of them. He'd given instructions not to harm the woman and children but none of the knights had listened. Leon had, but he still remembered the carnage they walked out from and he still felt guilty for every single time, maybe not much before, but after being healed by the druids that time, he'd been having a change of heart about Uther's teachings and since coming here, he'd had a new insight without any prejudiced opinion, and it was safe to say he'd never felt so much guilt in his entire life as he remembered his actions when serving under the king.
"I...I'm sorry," Arthur said not knowing what to say and Meilani just shrugged walking back to Merlin refusing to deem that with a response. She had done what she could. The rest was up to him.
"Wait. You only mentioned Merlin's part in this prophecy. What about you?" Gwen asked curiously.
"The druid's call me Alanna. In Celtic, the meaning of the name, among a few others, is Harmony. To understand my part in the prophecy you have to know of the original prophecy which states that the time every magical being has longed for since the beginning of the Purge would be naught but a dream for there will be no balance as the weight of destiny falls to the shoulders of one man and one man alone. With Emrys, a land of peace where the five kingdoms are united as one, a time where magic is once more revered, Albion, as we call it, will rise, however despite his efforts, the prophecies foretold a time where Albion will one day fall, as the Once and Future king succumbs to a fate not even Emrys himself can save him from. Magic itself then reacted against that fate, and so I was born. The prophecy was therefore altered and insteadspoke of a time of peace to all, magical creatures, sorcerers and humans alike, a time of Harmony for centuries to I died, the part of the prophecy that included me died with me so fate altered itself according to the original prophecy once more. I think it may possibly be why we were brought here," Meilani said shrugging. "I'm not sure if it will change now that I'm alive though. We're not sure how long we're to stay after all."
"So you're saying that despite everything I've done, Arthur is to die?" Merlin asked looking positively broken at the thought. He'd know his sister had played a part in this prophecy before she passed but he'd never known the full extent of her role in it so he hadn't known what would have happened without her.
Arthur felt some ice thaw around his heart as he saw the look on his face, that couldn't be faked. Did he really care so much?
"That was to be his fate, yes, until this happened. Clearly someone was not looking forward to Albion's inevitable fall," Meilani said with a shrug laying a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "He's fine now Merls. Hopefully, maybe, bringing me back may somehow kickstart the altered prophecy into motion."
"Some of you that have been brought back will not be able to stay longer than the duration of this viewing, however there are some that will be able to, but those that will stay will be chosen by the Triple Goddess herself. I have no say in that matter and neither do any of you. The prophecy as of now is not yet as certain as it had been, it will once again shape itself depending on the outcome of this viewing and the choice of who is to stay after, so for now, you need not worry yourselves over the future and instead learn from the past,"the voice spoke and the screen played as the others sighed settling down despite the multiple questions and concerns niggling their minds.
They watched as Merlin entered the palace and asked a guard, "Where would I find Gaius, the- the court physician?"
The guard points in the direction and Merlin walks up the steps and knocks on the open door to the physician's quarters.
"So youcanknock?" Arthur asked with a roll of his eyes.
"Of course I can sire. I just choose not to," Merlin said with a light smirk on his face.
"Of course," he scoffed but he couldn't stop the small twitch of his lips.
"Wouldn't want you to get a heart attack if I follow your orders for once, now would we?" Merlin asked jokingly.
"I wouldn't get a heart attack," Arthur said rolling his eyes.
"No? Then definitely a brain aneurysm," Merlin said smiling in amusement.
"Merlin," Arthur said.
"Shut up?" Merin asked with the corner of his lips upturned.
"For once," Arthur said shaking his head, he had to clench his jaw to stop the full out smile from spreading on his face. It was like he was really the same person. Was his father really so wrong? Had he been adhering to his orders all these years without giving an ounce of thought about it himself?
"Not a chance," Merlin smirked at him and he scoffed a laugh before looking back at the memory neither of them noticing the relieved smiles on the others' faces. They had hit a pretty huge barrier in their friendship but it seems they would get through this as well.
Uther, on the other hand, was watching their back-and-forth banter with nothing but anger on his face. How could his son be so laidback in the presence of a sorcerer? Two no less? He should have ran them through ages ago and yet he was standing there doing nothing.
"Hello?" Merlin asked wandering inside the room. "Hello? Gaius?" he calls again before clearing his throat.
They see Gaius turn around from the top of the stairs before accidentally tripping backward causing the railing to break under his weight as he falls.
"Gaius!" Many call out in concern. The knights stepped forwards in alarm as others froze in concern. Hunith had a hand over her mouth in shock as she looked at her brother's descent to the ground in horror, even Uther was a little wide-eyed before he schooled his features, the man had betrayed him and he didn't care he said to himself.
Merlin's eyes glow and he slows time enough to magically sweep a mattress under Gaius before he hits the floor.
"Did you just slow time?" Elyan asked shocked.
"Uh, yeah," Merlin said with a shrug.
"You didn't say anything though. Sorcerors normally use spells," Arthur said confused.
"I'm not a sorcerer. I'm a warlock," Merlin said.
"What's the difference?" Arthur asked confused.
"Sorcerors learn magic. Warlocks and witches are born with it. It's always been instinctual to me and at this point in the memory, I'd never learnt any spells, my magic just reacted. I've gotten more control over it now though, thankfully, or it would've been my head rolling," Merlin said and his friends winced at the thought sending glares to Uther who was just sitting there and glaring at nothing in particular. It must be pretty traumatizing to not have everything going his way for once.
"Were you really born with magic?" Arthur asked his voice quite than normal.
"Yes," Merlin responded with a sigh.
"It's true sire. You wouldn't believe the shock I'd felt when he'd been but a day old and his eyes flashed gold as a toy floated to him," Hunith said smiling at the memory.
"Or when he summoned me from the other room to him because little Merls wanted a hug," Meilani said teasingly as some of the others laughed at the image.
"Shut up," Merlin said embarrassed as a flush encompassed his cheeks.
"Oh this is gold. I need more blackmail material," Gwaine said grinning mischievously.
"No. Absolutely not. The last thing I need is you telling your friends at the tavern any embarrassing stories about me, and nor do I need you to threaten me with any of them to get me to do something, like, I don't know, getting drunk as you've been trying to do for ages now," Merlin said shaking his head.
"Thank the lord you didn't," Meilani said relieved.
"Why not? I bet Merlin would be a funny drunk," Gwaine said with a wink at Merlin who rolled his eyes.
"When someone with magic gets drunk, their inhibitions are lowered, and so like regular humans would say things they wouldn't normally say or do things they wouldn't normally do, those with magic have the same problem, however that also includes their use of magic. It becomes erratic and responds more to their emotions since their mind is jumbled so if Merlin got drunk, depending on how much of a lightweight he is, his magic will start to do crazy things around him and that is basically a one-way ticket to certain death," Meilani explained.
"Oh," Gwaine said in realistion. No wonder Merlin refused to drink if he had the threat of execution hanging over his head.
"Then if you don't drink, what the hell do you do during the multiple times you go to the tavern?" Arthur asked confused.
"Merlin in the tavern? You've got to be joking. The only times he's ever there is to drag my drunk arse back to my room," Gwaine said to the and Gaius exchanged a look and understanding dawned on Arthur's face.
"No. Don't tell me..." Arthur began.
"Yup," Merlin said nodding his head
"All those times..."
"Yup."
"You were..."
"Yup."
"But...that was like so many times. What on earth were you doing? Practicing your magic or something?" Arthur asked. It was so weird to associate Merlin with anything to do with magic. He had to literally force the word out of his mouth.
"Well, you could say that. Saving your life time and time again made me learn a lot of spells," Merlin shrugged.
"Saving my...Are you telling me all those times I thought you were in the tavern you were actually saving my life?Every time?" Arthur asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Someone needs to save your royal backside. I swear the amount of danger you get into is beyond me," Merlin said with a roll of his eyes. "And lets not even mention the threats to the kingdom. Camelot itself is probably as worse as you. She literally attracts danger like a flame does a moth."
"But sometimes it was days on end though. What were you doing then?" Arthur asked confused.
"Well, sometimes it got a bit complicated and I got captured or had to get captured but..." Merlin began before he was cut off.
"Captured? And what do you mean had to?" Gwaine asked immediately.
"Uh...well, there were just some times when I needed to get captured to get the information that I needed," Merlin shrugged and Meilani grimaced in remembrance. She'd hated what she'd seen.
"You purposefully got yourself captured?" Leon asked shocked.
"The situation called for it," Merlin said.
"But...why? Why would you put yourself in those situations in the first place for a kingdom that would have you dead," Arthur said not understanding the man he'd thought he knew.
"I do it for you Arthur," Merlin said.
"Why?" Arthur asked baffled.
"Because it's my destiny, as it has been since the day we met," Merlin said with a shrug.
"I tried to take your head off with a mace," Arthur reminisced with a minuscule twitch of his lips.
"You tried to what?" Gwaine asked as shocked as anyone else who wasn't there.
"And I stopped you, using magic," Merlin said in response to Arthur.
"You cheated," Arthur said with a slight glare at Merlin.
"You were going to kill me," Merlin shrugged.
"Should've," Arthur said half-heartedly earning glares from the others and a hurt look from Merlin which he tried to ignore.
"I'm glad you didn't, otherwise you'd definitely be dead by now," Merlin said before his face fell slightly at the reminder that had they not been brought here, the prophecy would have been fulfilled despite all his efforts. He didn't even want to look at Mordred for fear of doing something the voice had specifically told them not to do. He couldn't even use his magic anyway though and that soured his mood as he now tried not to glare at Morgana as well.
"So...you do this all, for this prophecy?" Arthur asked looking away from him so as to not let him see the vulnerability in his gaze. He didn't want to believe that Merlin's loyalty all these years had been just to achieve this destiny, as much as he would perhaps understand considering his treatment of him, it would still hurt.
"Not only that. Even without the meddlesome prophecies, my bothersome destiny, Gods I hate that word, and without my duty to the crown and to my people, I would still have saved your life that day, I would have still been appointed your manservant, I would have still saved your life all those times because as much as you pissed me off at first, there was no way I was going to just let you die when I knew I could prevent it. I'm your friend Arthur, first and foremost. I do it for you. Don't ever question that. Our friendship, everything that makes me me was never a lie," Merlin said earnestly.
"How do I know that? How do I know that the Merlin I know is really you after all? In my head right now, there are two different people, Merlin, the stupidly brave, clumsy fool with unquestionable loyalty and then there's Merlin, the liar, the sorcerer, or warlock, whatever and I don't know which one to see in you right now," Arthur said finally bursting out what he wanted to say.
"That is not his fault, but mine. When I found out what he was, there was a moment I'll admit where I contemplated k-killing him, thinking it would be more merciful in the long run, with the constant fear he'd have to live with and then when his luck ran out, the inevitable execution where he'd be b-burnt on the pyre. I-I...I was...I was going to...I...I nearly did," she said tears running down her face as the others listened horrified. They couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of place she had been in. Was she the only one forced in that kind of position they thought in horror. God, the mere thought that they would have never met Merlin was a thought to painful to dwell on. He'd become such an important part of their lives and they only now realised how much they couldn't even think of a life without him. It just wouldn't be the same. Camelot wouldn't be the same.
"When...When I decided to raise him, I drilled the fear of God into that boy. I told him countless horror stories of the knights in the blood red capes, I...I yelled at him so much whenever he used his magic...I was sick once, bedridden, and shivering, he saw that and...he was too young to know how to light a fire...so he used magic to do it...he wanted to make me warm...and I had to yell at him. It hurt...because he was only trying to help me but I couldn't let him be so careless for my own comfort or his. I yelled at him for every innocent act he instinctually called his magic for until he was too scared to even bother protecting himself from the older boys...I'd never felt so guilty when he came back home looking h-half-dead. He could have stopped them but he didn't because of that fear. It's my fault," Hunith said bursting into tears and Merlin immediately stepped forwards kneeling before her holding her hand in one of his as he used the other to wipe her tears. The others swallowed when they heard her words. Such an act of kindness and he had to be scolded for doing nothing but being who he is. It just wasn't fair.
Morgana listened to this and her eyes lost its cold glare as she turned away with a minute movement of her throat as she swallowed. Could she blame him for not telling her after what she'd heard? Could she really do that when she knew what fear was like more than anyone? No. No she couldn't. He had still tried to help her despite it, knowing the consequences if he were found out and yet he still did. Yet there was still questions unanswered. One particular stood out amongst others. Why did he poison her then if not for her magic?
"It's not your fault mother. I never blamed you. Never once have I held it against you. I understand why you did what you did and you were right to do so. If you hadn't, I would have been found out a long time ago and I would not be here right now. It is because of you that I am who I am now, and I'm proud of that. I never want you to blame yourself for someone else's mistakes. It's not your fault," Merlin said softly and earnestly as the others tried to give them some privacy.
"I do love you my boy. I don't know what I did to deserve a son like you," Hunith said cupping his cheek softly as she gazed at him with absolute unconditional love in her eyes.
"Something particularly great I would guess. I am wonderful after all," Merlin said playfully as she laughed at that. He sobered up as he looked at her with a small smile on his face and said softly, "Thank you for not giving up on me."
"Never," Hunith swore and he smiled as he wiped away any more tears stains on her cheeks and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead.
"I love you mother," Merlin said with a smile.
"I love you too," Hunith said and Merlin stood up at that turning to Arthur who had watched the exchange with a slight pang in his heart. He wished he could have had that with his own mother.
"I...I never wanted to lie to you Arthur despite what you may believe right now. At first, it was fear of your father and just not wanting to make you choose between us because that would have been unfair. And then he passed and you blamed magic and once again, my hands were many situations arose after that, magic once again being the cause, and the fear and hatred of magic had only heightened and it became impossible to tell when things seemed to die down a bit, I thought that it was finally time, but it had been so long by then that I feared, if not outright executing me, you'd banish me, and then I wouldn't be able to protect you anymore," Merlin explained.
"Why do you care so much?" Arthur asked throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. He feared being banished, not because he had to leave his home and the people he cared about behind but because he wouldn't be able to protect him. How was that in any way evil he thought as he chanced a glance at his father who looked pretty confused himself despite the anger radiating from his form.
"Because...you're my friend," Merlin shrugged as if that was all it took for him to go to the lengths he had.
"I don't understand you Merlin," Arthur said shaking his head.
"Still haven't fathomed me out?" Merlin asked with a light smirk, the two remembering their conversation that day before Merlin had threw himself in front of the dorocha and Arthur swallowed at the memory.
"No," Arthur said shaking his head with a small laugh.
"Ok are you both done flirting? I don't know about you but I'd rather not have to stay here longer than necessary," Morgana said annoyed as she glared at the two of them.
"We were not flirting!" The two chorused indignantly with disgusted looks on their faces. Meilani couldn't help but sort in amusement along with Gwaine and a few others.
"I don't know about that. I did say that the both of you sound like an old married couple when fighting," Meilani said in amusement.
"We do not!" They chorused once again glaring at her as they crossed their arms petulantly earning laughs from the others at the image the two represented, even Gwen couldn't hide her amusement. "Gwen," the two exclaimed in betrayal.
"I'm sorry, but I was a servant once and I've heard the multiple rumours regarding the two of you. I know it's not true...now...but it is still funny," Gwen said trying to stifle her amusement.
"What rumours?" The two asked cluelessly.
"Nevermind," Gwen shook her head as the others exchanged amused glances. They knew that the two saw each others as best friends, more like brothers than anything, but it was still amusing to hear the rumours and sometimes, in Gwaine's case, egg them on just for the fun of it.