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A boy was running through the woods.
A beast was chasing him.
His friends weren't helping him.
The beast was catching up.
It needed to stop
It wasn't.
It needed to STOP.
-
Arthur was alone. He felt so utterly terrified, wielding his sword as well as he remembered.
He knew it wasn't enough. He just wasn't tough enough.
-
Merlin woke up with a jolt.
Did the beast get the boy?
The young warlock didn't want the beast to get the boy.
Maybe I can stop it?
Merlin burrowed deeper under his covers, determined to save the boy.
-
The beast bit his sword, snapping it.
The boy froze.
Magic swirled around the sword.
It was whole again.
The beast was hit in the chest.
It went to sleep.
The boy rushed back to his red caped friends.
-
Arthur was shivering at the thought of being eaten, cornered by a tree, and he had no way to escape. His sword broke, and he knew he'd never make it out of there alive.
Just like his father said.
He'd end up getting himself killed if he didn't learn, he knew this.
He froze, ready to face his lesson.
Nothing happened.
The beast was sleeping.
The sword was fixed.
Arthur wondered whether someone had saved him, but quickly dismissed it.
He wasn't worth saving.
He must've imagined the sword breaking.
The prince rushed back to the knights,
"Arthur, you really mustn't go running off like that." one scolded him
"Honestly, the kid's a liability," he heard another whisper.
Arthur didn't know what a liability was, but he was positive it wasn't good,
"Yes sir. I'm sorry."
-
This time, Merlin was woken by his mam telling him it was time for breakfast. The familliar scent of freshly made bread filled the room, and the warlock grinned, hopping onto a stool, watching as she sliced a piece for him, and one for her,
"Eat up, little chick."
Merlin giggled, ripping some off, and feeling the warmth slowly spread over him,
"Thank you mama."
"So, what do you want to do today?"
-
"And then- and then the beast gets closer,"
Will thumped closer to Merlin's ma, who was cowering in the corner,
"And then...the sorcerer comes," he said, standing as tall as he possibly could, approaching the two of them,
"Then what? Do I eat the boy?" Will asks, stepping a little closer to Ma.
"No! The sorcerer stops you," Merlin conjured a little ball, and sent it over to Will, watching as it tickled him to the floor. Ma frowned, and Merlin stopped the ball from tickling Will, who grinned at his friend,
"Wow! That was awesome! What happens then?"
"Then, the boy meets the sorcerer, and they play together, and they have lots and lots of fun and never any bedtimes." He said, and Will pouted,
"I wanna be the boy!"
"Ma? Can Will take over?"
"Of course, why don't you two go over to the woods and play?"
"Can we?"
"As long as you're back in time for dinner."
"Thanks Ma!"
"Thank you!"
And with that, the two chaotic kids rushed out of the room, giggling wildly about their adventurous plans.
-
Merlin returned later on, alone, and covered in mud,
"Did Will go home?"
"Yeah, his mam wanted help with the goat."
"Ok, well, you'll see him tomorrow. Did you have fun"
The young warlock grinned, "Yeah! I conjured a mud monster!"
Ma laughed, "What does a mud monster do?"
Merlin gestured to his shirt, "It makes you muddy!"
"Were you careful, little chick?" she asked, as she did, every night,
"Yes, only me and Will saw it."
"Good," she planted a kiss onto his forehead, "Then, let's get you cleaned up."
-
The boy was picking flowers.
Someone was watching him.
"Arthur."
"Hello?"
Arthur looked in the direction of the stranger,
"Who said that?"
"Arthur Pendragon." the voice whispered,
"Gaius? Nanny? Who is that?"
"Come over here, Pendragon."
"I'm the prince of Camelot, you can't tell me what to do!"
The boy started to pick flowers again.
Something hit him in the chest.
The flowers hit the ground as he flew back, hitting his head against a tree.
The boy wasn't awake.
The stranger was going to get him.
-
Arthur decided to pick flowers for Morgana.
She'd been having bad dreams, and he knew father wouldn't help her.
He wanted to cheer her up.
"Arthur."
"Hello?"
Arthur looked in the direction of the person,
"Who said that?"
"Arthur Pendragon." the voice whispered,
"Gaius?"
"Nanny?"
"Who is that?"
"Come over here, Pendragon."
Arthur paused, "I'm the prince of Camelot, you can't tell me what to do!"
He went back to picking the flowers. Whoever it was couldn't tell him not to. He was brave, and he'd do this for Morgana.
Something hit him, and he flew across the forest, seeing the flowers float to the ground as the world faded to black.
Father would be angry. He shouldn't have even been out.
He would make a terrible king.
-
Merlin didn't know how to solve this. He couldn't send the stranger to sleep, they were too powerful. He didn't want the boy to die, especially now he knew his name. He wasn't a stranger anymore, and he needed help.
But Merlin couldn't do it.
The warlock slipped out of his bed, creeping over to where his mam lay,
"Ma? Are you awake?" he whispered, giving her a gentle nudge,
"Merlin? Why are you up?"
"Remember the boy from the game?"
"The boy with the sorcerer friend?"
"Yes! Well, he doesn't actually have a sorcerer friend. I saw him, in my dream, and saved him from the beast, and he didn't know it was me, and now there's a stranger and he got hurt, and-" Merlin was crying now, tears streaming down his face, "-and I don't know how to help him."
"Oh, Merlin." Ma opened her arms, and the warlock crawled into them, breathing in the familliar scent of mint, and sobbing. She ran her fingers through his raven hair, "It'll be ok, little one."
Merlin sniffed, "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am," she said, nodding at him,
"How?" he asked, as she wiped the tears from his face,
"Because," she said, "If anyone can save him, it's you."
"What if I can't?"
"Then I will. We'll work together, little chick."
"Together?"
"Of course. Just think of me, and I'll be there, Merlin."
"Promise?"
"I promise. Go to sleep, chicken."
"Goodnight ma."
"Goodnight, Merlin."
he drifted off in her arms with a smile on his face.
They'd save Arthur.
After all, Ma said so.
And Ma never lied.
-
Arthur woke up in his own bed, wondering if he'd dreamt of the sorcerer which tried to kill him.
No. They were always coming for him.
Something must've saved him, then.
He grinned.
Something wanted to save him.
Maybe his father was wrong.
Maybe he'd make a good king yet.
Especially if he was worth saving.
-
"Will! I've got a new game we could play!"
"Is it like the other one?"
"Yeah!"
"Then let's go! What're we fighting today?"
The boys rushed off into the distance, and Hunith smiled.
She picked up a pen and paper, and began to write to an old friend about Merlin's dreams.
Maybe Gaius had some insight she didn't.
Maybe he could help.
After all, she wasn't sure she'd be able to help Merlin as time went by.
He wouldn't be a chick forever, after all.