Chapter Text
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DRAGON'S CALL
No man, no matter how great can know his destiny.
Merlin treaded cheerfully down the paths of grassy valleys, the sun bright over his head.
He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold.
Like everyone, he must live and learn.
And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot.
He walked through forests of trees that held branches capable of taking eyes out. All the while, he had a faint smile on his face, excited to arrive in this new place. He had been travelling for some time now, he should be in his destination soon.
A boy that will in time, father a legend.
His faint smile grew wider as the tower peeks came into view and he walked faster.
His name,
Merlin.
He hadn't even been two hours in Camelot and he had witnessed a beheading, had seen the King, had heard proclamations of banishment of magic, had seen a sorceress cry and curse out of grief, had also seen her vanish into thin air hissing a spell and saved the Court Physician from falling to his death. Okay, maybe not to his death but broken limbs would be very possible.
Merlin was starting to wonder why his mother thought coming to Camelot was a good idea. He decided to keep faith, maybe things could go well from here and on.
"What did you just do?!" Asked the white-haired man.
"Umm," Merlin stuttered looking for an explanation that was devoid of magic.
"Tell me!" The man exclaimed, struggling to rise from the bed.
"Ah, I uh, uh, I have no idea what happened." He lied.
"If anyone had seen that..."
"No! No that was, that was nothing to do with me , that-that was--" If he hadn't known that magic was punished with execution he wouldn't have made such a sorry attempt at covering up.
"I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!" The man prompted. Merlin stuttered again. "So how is it you know magic?"
"I don't!" He denied and shook his head miserably.
"Where did you study?" The Court Physician tried again, more calmly. At the lack of response he shouted again, "Answer me!"
"I- I've never studied magic or been taught." He said truthfully.
"Are you lying to me boy?"
"What do you want me to say?" He asked.
"The truth!"
"I was born like this." Merlin said firmly, answering with the truth.
"That's impossible!" Merlin lowered his head, that's what everyone seemed to think of him. Even himself, all his life he wondered how it was possible he was born with magic."Who are you?"
The man questioned and Merlin was broken out of his thought, eager for the change of topic. "Oh! Uhum," He moved his backpack around, searching for his mother's letter. "I have this letter..." Picking it up he spreaded his arm to give it to the old man.
"I don't have my glasses."
He took a breath to relax and a very faint smile came back to his mouth. "I'm Merlin." He said hoping for a recognition.
"Hunith's son?"
"Yes!" He replied with a grin and nodded.
"But you're not to be here till Wednesday!"
Merlin frowned and blinked. "It.. is Wednesday."
The old man simply froze with an open mouth and closed it letting out a sound of realization.
Merlin felt the urge to laugh but he supposed that would be rude. After the physician told him where to put his stuff he turned around and asked him, "You won't say anything about..."
"No."
Soon the sky had turned darker, the sun had dimmed giving away to the night. Merlin had unpacked what he had taken with him and now sat at his bed with a few candles blazing. He stood up, deciding to open the wooden window and find out what view it had.
He stepped on a wooden table and unlocked the window. He opened it and saw the moon bright white and clear over the dark cloudy sky. There was a slight noise of chattering from the houses below, and he could see light from their own candles.
Merlin grinned warmly, he really was excited to figure this place out and see what life he could find for himself. He stood there for a bit, feeling peaceful against the night air.
And after some time, he laid down on the bed he was offered, with a blanket over him. He had the last normal sleep for a while most likely.
His first full day at Camelot had started. He woke up bright and early to deliver some potions to two of Gaius's patients and then walked out to the town.
"Where's the target?"
An unfamiliar cold voice asked and Merlin turned his head to see who it was and who it was talking to.
"There, sir?"
"It's into the sun."
"Is not that bright."
"A bit like you then!" The boy said in mockery.
Merlin had stood still, over some other townspeople and watched the scene. A blond boy in a part armor attire was adressing another boy who Merlin figured was probably a servant from the way he stood.
The males behind the blond laughed at his words. Merlin smiled and nodded at a woman passing him to get to her work. His gaze went back to the scene, a smile on his face despite himself.
"I'll put the target on the other way, sir."
Merlin watched the blond boy raise his brows and nod sarcastically with an expression of exasperation. He said something to his companies and they snickered.
The blond took a position as the servant picked up the target. Merlin had a bad feeling about what going to happen.
"Hey, hang on!" The blond boy had struck his knife to the target, hitting it along the line of the red circle.
"Don't stop," He said spreading out his arms and with what looked like a roll of the eyes. Merlin drew his brows together, not liking the show.
"Here?" The servant asked in fear.
"I told you to keep moving."
He threw another knife and the servant barely had time to put the target over his head. The knife struck straight in the middle of the red circle. The servant was wide eyed and afraid.
In other circumstances, Merlin would have been impressed at the aim and at awe of the armored boy. But not now.
"Come on! Run," He said with a laugh as wind went through his gold hair.
He threw another knife, "We want some moving target practice." And another knife. The servant was running in opposite directions as the blond threw one more knife. At last, he fell down and the target went rolling on the ground reaching Merlin's feet.
He took a breath and decided to talk. "Hey," He said with a sheepish smile at the blond who was now snickering with his company. He turned to look at him, a grin from snickering still on his lips. Merlin continued. "Come on, that's enough." He said with a warm smile, so as not to appear like he wanted to start some fight.
Appearently the other boy was either deaf or not comprehending Merlin's method. "What?" He asked with confusion and a cold stare.
"You've had your fun, my friend." Merlin added as he saw him strut towards him. He looked over the red shirt and the armor, the swords strapped to his waist once more.
The boy smirked with confusion. "Do I know you?"
Merlin blinked and held out his hand. "Uh, I'm Merlin."
"So I don't know you."
He let his hand fall. "No." The blond was now before him. Seeing the blond boy's snappy atittude he thought, mayybe, it wasn't a good idea to speak up.
"Yet you called me 'friend'." The blond pointed out, amusement lacing his voice.
Merlin thinned his lips and nodded, looking over the silver amor once more, finding it hard to keep himself looking at the other boy when he put out such an air of confidence.
"That was my mistake." He replied looking up at him again.
"Yes, I think so." The blond agreed thinning his lips as well before turning them into an amused smile that only grew wider when Merlin agreed again.
Obviously, Merlin was unaware of that, and was not satisfied with that chat and to bring up his dislike to what the blond boy did, he said the following, "I never had a friend that could be such an ass!"
He moved to walk as the blond laughed and tilted his head down, only to bring upwards again as he looked at his back. "Or I one who could be so stupid."
Merlin was not liking this.
"Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"
Merlin took a breath at the absurd question and turned around looking at their feet as the other boy went even nearer to him. He looked up and answered. "No."
The blond was quick to continue. "Would like me to help you?" He questioned with a smirk.
Merlin huffed as he tried backing his head away, his tone slightly shaken when he said, "I wouldn't if I were you."
The blond simply laughed saying, "Why? What are you going to do to me?" He asked with humor in his voice.
Merlin took a breath. "You have no idea." He knew he shouldn't be using magic in public for any reason, he could be killed, but this boy was really getting to him. A warning couldn't hurt, besides he was sure the boy was thinking of other things about his reply.
"Be my guest!" He said with glee glancing once at the red scarf around Merlin's neck. "Come on! Come on," He spread his arms wide gesturing for other people to watch. "Come ooooon," He told him with wide eyes.
Merlin was really irritated with him, he was making a scene and damn it, he couldn't use magic and he knew he couldn't fight. That was just what he had to do though, wasn't it? He had to throw some punch at him.
He tried.
In a matter of seconds the blond held his arms over his back and had him turned around. Merlin grunted at the pain on his arms. "I'll have you thrown in jail for that." The blond said with a grimance, still pulling Merlin's wrists.
"Who do you think you are? The King?" Merlin exclaimed hearing his words.
The blond armored boy was delighted to inform that, "No, I'm his son. Arthur."
Merlin felt dread before he felt another pain and he stumbled down to the floor.
×++×
The stocks were horrible.
The only good thing to come out of it was meeting Gwen. She was a really nice girl and he hoped he could have a friend in all this madness. Besides an old white-haired physician.
He learned there was a dragon underneath the castle and he couldn't help but be fascinated at that.
After a rather peculiar visit at Lady Helen, to give her some medicine for her voice, he walked out the castle into the market. Guess who he came across?
He tried to speed up and go by unnoticed by the blond prince, his heart heavier in his chest.
Unfortunately, that plan didn't work. The prince halted and turned around, exclaiming, "How's your knee-walking coming along?" With amusement evident.
Merlin took a deep breath. Just keep walking, ignore him. "Oh, don't run away!" He said with a mocking sad tone. Merlin thinned his mouth in annoyance and stopped walking despite his earlier thoughts.
"From you?" He was still not facing him.
"Ah, thank God," The prince muttered. "I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."
Merlin turned around slowly. "Look, I've told you you're an ass I just didn't realize you were a royal one." He saw the prince look back to his men. He noticed he was wearing silver armor again, and a grey shirt.
"Oh, what are you doing to do? Get your daddy's men to protect you?"
Arthur genuinely laughed at him. He looked at Merlin up and down and said with a smirk, "I could take you apart with one blow."
"I could take you apart with less than that." Merlin was quick to answer with a smirk of his own.
"You sure?"
Merlin was sure he looked like an idiot when he took off his jacket to supposedly prepare for a fight, because one, he wasn't totally blind to another interpretation of their dialogue, and two, everyone seemed to laugh wholeheartedly.
He watched in internal horror as Arthur was given a weapon that he tossed to Merlin as well as took one for himself. Arthur twirled it around above his head as he started walking towards Merlin.
"I'm warning you, I've been training to kill since birth." Was there a sympathetic tone in there?
"And how long have you been training to be a prat?"
Arthur was bewildered at this boy's way of talking to him, amused more than offended for some reason. No one had dared call him any of the sort and have such an attitude. He found himself enjoying the situation.
"You can't adress me like that." He shook his head at the boy with a grin.
Merlin chuckled. "Sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, my Lord?"
Arthur laughed but that was the last draw. He brought the weapon over the startled boy's head and their fight began.
He had a strong urge to make this Merlin boy realize what he could do, he wanted him to respect him. Did he want to prove himself? Pfft, prove himself to a peasant, what a ridiculous thought.
At the end, he did win and as the guards held him, he said, "Wait, let him go." He walked towards him. "He may be an idiot but he's a brave one." He admitted.
As the boy looked at him in a strange expression he found hinself inspecting his face. Dark messy hair, pale skin, blue eyes, full lips... "There's something about you, Merlin." He looked at his poor clothing. He didn't seem to look any different than any peasant boy even though something was telling Arthur otherwise. "I can't quite put my finger on it."
He looked at the dark-haired boy's blue eyes once more as the sun's rays went through them and he left, irritation in his mind even though he had managed to get what he wanted.
×++×
So there indeed was a dragon underneath the castle.
"How small you are, for such a great destiny."
Merlin was shocked that he was looking at the dragon, that it spoke to him and much more that it seemed to know him.
"Why? What do you mean? What destiny?"
"Your gift Merlin, was given to you for a reason."
"So there is a reason." He was thrilled to know. He had to know. All his life he wondered why in hell he was born like that.
"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion."
"Right..."
"But he faces many threats. From friend and foe alike."
"I don't see what this has to do with me." He asked confused.
"Everything! Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you there will be no Albion."
Merlin shook his head. "No..." No way that was his destiny! "No, you've got this wrong."
"There is no right or wrong! Only what is and what isn't."
"No! I'm serious! If anyone wants to kill him they can go ahead! In fact I'll give them a hand!" Okay, maybe that was extreme. He may not like the prince's attitude but he wouldn't want to kill him. Mind you, that is because he didn't want to kill anyone in general.
The dragon started laughing. Rude..
"None of us can choose our destiny Merlin! And none of us can escape it."
"No." Merlin shook his head again. "No way..." He was born with magic to protect some blond arrogant prat? "There must be another Arthur cause this one's an idiot."
"Perhaps it is your destiny to change that."
Change a prince? He wanted to say. How can I change someone like Arthur? How in hell am I supposed to do that?
But before he could voice his doubts about himself and his destiny, the dragon took flight. "Wait stop! I need to know more!" He shouted desperately but got no response.
It was time for the feast. Merlin went with the Court Physician and had a smile on, seeing how everyone was enjoying themselves, and the buffet. What? Gaius's meals are fine but nothing against the delicious sight.
Merlin turned to the right and saw a blond head with a red cape and brown formal attire. He was laughing with his friends, probably the same ones from before, outside the castle. Merlin was annoyed to see that the prat looked good in armor as well as his current type of clothing.
For some reason Arthur was astounded at something from another direction. Merlin turned to look who it was that got everyone speechless.
It was Lady Morgana. She came in walking like she knew the effect she was having on people. Merlin had seen her for the first time earlier today, not as dressed up as now and he still thought she looked beautiful, she was even more so now.
Gaius elbowed him and Merlin looked at him questioningly. "You're here to work." Merlin nodded sheepishly and looked over Morgana again to see Arthur reaching to talk to her. Of course, good-looking people go together. Wait, what?
"She looks great, doesn't she?!" Merlin turned to see Gwen standing with a proud grin on her face, stopping his disturbing thought.
"Yeah..." He admitted and unwillingly turned again to stare at the two of them.
"Some people are just born to be Queen."
"No." He said with an irritation he didn't understand.
"I hope so! One day." He looked back at the pair with an odd distaste. Morgana would be Queen if she married Arthur. Married. Arthur. Was he looking at the future King and Queen right now? And why did he seem to be so against that idea?
After a strange talk with Gwen about 'ordinary men' he heard a sound that meant the King arrived. Also known as, Merlin's indirect killer should he find out he had magic in his veins.
He stood at a spot away from the room and realized the Lady Helen that everyone wanted to see, was enchanting everyone with her voice. He put his hands over his ears and watched in fear as everyone fell asleep and webs started forming over them.
He saw the enchantress intensly look at Arthur and he widened his eyes when she took out a dagger from her sleeve. She was going to kill Arthur?!
Prat or no prat, he knew he had to do something. The chandelier fell to the enchantress and she stopped singing and fell down. Merlin took away his hands from his ears and looked around to see if everyone was waking up now.
Indeed they were. He heard mumbling from everyone and the royal family stood up. He looked back at the woman and saw she was the one from the execution the day he arrived in Camelot.
She threw the knife across to hit Arthur.
Merlin didn't even think about what he was doing. He used magic to stop time for a few seconds, just enough to grab Arthur and get him out of harm's way.
They fell down, Merlin still clutching him when the dagger pierced the chair instead of Arthur's heart. The prince sat up and stood as everyone in the room was shocked at what happened.
He stood as well, only now realizing he had just saved Arthur's life out of instinct. The dragon really ought to be laughing at him.
He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the dead sorceress, feeling Arthur's and more people's stares at him.
He finally looked at him when Uther Pendragon spoke to him, "You saved my boy's life."
He did damn it.
Arthur was staring at him with shock and he didn't seem to stop. Merlin couldn't hold his gaze and looked down, at his father, anywhere really.
"A debt must be rewarded."
"Ah, well," He stuttered.
"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded." The King insisted.
"Honestly, you don't have to, your Highness."
Arthur was still staring. "Absolutely! This merits something quite special." Now Arthur was staring up and down.
"Well, " Merlin shrugged. He couldn't say no to that.
"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household." Merlin started smiling but then, the King added, "You will be Prince Arthur's manservant."
This did seem to elicit some other reaction from Arthur than just staring. He widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Father!"
Merlin wasn't exactly happy with the news either. For some reason everyone clapped as if becoming a royal prat's personal servant is something to celebrate. In Merlin's opinion, no, it was not.
But he didn't complain. Later, in his room he found himself with a book of magic and a revelation about his destiny.
Perhaps it was after all, his destiny to protect the blond idiot.
Splendid.