Chapter Text
To the lords, ladies and guests at the banquet, they would believe the night was going swimmingly. That nothing was wrong or off, that catastrophe is not just around the corner. But hey, this is Camelot and there is no rest for the wicked.
So as much as everyone was caught off guard by the group that burst in through the doors, it wasn’t surprising with the luck the kingdom had learned to expect over the years. The tables were blasted backwards, food and drink were flown away and guests knocked to their feet.
A group of seven glared mischievously at the guests and servants, malicious intent flickered behind their eyes but their hunger - or was it greed? - was clear to all. People cowered behind tables and chairs, one of the thugs faked a lunge at a small group and their hands flexed with sorcery and flames.
Some whimpered and others gasped. Not Uther Pendragon.
“How dare you come into my castle and use such evil,” He spat out as he made himself known in the room. “You will pay for your-”
From the side door that the servants used, someone clattered into the hall.
A dazed eyed Merlin stood to the side of the room, panting as he looked over the mess and chaos of the room.
“I must applaud you for thinking ahead, I’m guessing you had an inside man?” He asked as he stepped past the guests and past Uther. “Well at least I hope you do, or I just knocked out a poor servant for no reason, basically you don’t have one anymore though, just saying. It was incredibly smart of you to poison me, but I’m the prince’s manservant, I’ve had worse from some passer by in the lower town, it takes an awful lot to kill me as I have learned.”
“What did you do to Eric?!” A woman demanded, stepping forward from the group.
“Is that his name?” Merlin pondered as he grew closer to the group, everyone watched in horror as he fearlessly approached them. “He seemed more like a Blake, anyway, he’s not dead, merely going to be unconscious for several days. I’m not a monster, I don’t kill those who aren’t a threat.”
“How dare you!” The man who threatened the guests previously with fire ran at Merlin with his magic flaring.
Within a hair's breadth of Merlin, Merlin shot his arm up and blocked the attack, he ducked whilst grabbing onto the man's arm and flinging him over his shoulder and into the ground. While all at the same time he held up a force field between the guests and the attackers and Merlin.
“Traitor!” One of the thugs yelled. “You protect them! The killers!”
“I protect no killer,” Merlin scoffed, disgusted at the accusations. “I protect my people, I protect the king I am destined to serve, I protect the future of Albion from idiots like you!”
“You protect a tyrant and a murderer!” Another of the attackers stepped forward, they raised two long daggers from behind their cloak and ran at Merlin. “You project Uther Pendragon!”
“NO I DON’T!” Merlin shouted back, he raised his hands directly to the person and blasted them backwards, their body becoming limp at the contact with the stone wall. “I protect a great man, who I know will save us, help us from our own downfall, and my own stupidity as he loves to remind me. I protect the future of Albion, not to mention my friends, and I am known in your inner circles to go to great lengths to protect them.”
Merlin had had enough of the lies, of people getting the wrong idea. He stood up straight, giving a cold and angry glare to all the assailants.
“Have you heard of Emrys?” Merlin asked with no emotion, the bandits looked between each other with a look of recognition. Merlin smirked, this would be so much easier then.
“You’re looking right at him.” Merlin whispered. The bandits paled. “I serve the Once and Future King, who I believe is truly going to succeed. I protect and aid him where I can from interfering-”
Merlin flicked his wrist and the bandits all raised a couple of feet into the air.
“-idiots like-”
Another flick of the wrist and all of their weapons came tumbling to the ground.
“-you.”
With a drop of his hands, all of the bandits came crashing down to the ground. Merlin’s hold on them with his magic did not weaken for a second, its hold was still strong taking their ability to move.
“I would kill you here right now on the spot, but I am a man of mercy, I am not like Uther Pendragon. You think you can come in here, disrupt the celebrations and attack the nobles that are actually nice to the servants? I don’t think so.” Merlin waited for whatever stupid answer they would inevitably give him.
“Our sister is dead because of the Pendragons!” One of the bandits accused.
“Allow me to correct you there, Uther Pendragon killed your sister. Arthur Pendragon had nothing in such matters.” Merlin snapped back.
“Blood for blood, that’s what he deserves. Our sister was taken from us, so we’ll take his son!” Another proudly declared.
“This is what he wants you to do!” Merlin roared at the assailants. “You and I both know that what he preaches about magic is wrong, but neither the nobles nor the commoners know that. They think magic is evil, and each time you attack the kingdom and its people you are proving-” Merlin stabbed a finger behind him, roughly at the king. “- him correct.
“That is what Uther’s reign has done, instilled fear, prejudice, hate and anger. He speaks of peace yet there is an internal war inside of Camelot. I’ve learnt that the more he kills, more families and friends are left to take up the charge against his rule. He certainly is not the Once and Future King. His rule is full of blood, death and fear.
“I am Emrys, the immortal one, the most powerful sorcerer that will ever live. I have killed out of protection, do you know why?” Merlin’s eyes were lit with flames as each word he spoke was heard inside the banquet hall. “Because I serve a king that is yet to rule, he is kind and fair. He listens to those in need and protects those who cannot protect themselves. I am by his side each and every day, and I know that the prophecies are correct.”
“What are you going to do with us?” One of the bandits asked, the terror in their voice was present for all to hear.
“Like I do with everyone who is like you,” Merlin said gravely, he leaned closer to the nearest bandit. “I give you a second chance,” Merlin whispered, and the bandits' eyes widened. “Tell everyone and anyone who will listen, Emrys is guarding Camelot and I will not tolerate anymore attacks.”
All of the bandits shook their heads vigorously. Merlin heffed a smile and slowly released his hold on them, but before they could stand a golden light swarmed around them.
“You said you were letting us go!” They cried out.
“I am, you think I’ll let you roam through the castle though?” Merlin raised a brow and before anyone knew it the seven bandits that had previously barged into the hall, vanished.
Merlin let his hands drop and exhaled deeply, with the poison, he was exhausted. But in his weariness he had let down the barrier between him and the guests. The clear and see-through barrier that had let everyone see and hear every action and word made. The see-through barrier that prevented anyone else from getting mixed up in the scuffle.
And now that see-through barrier is gone.
And now people can get mixed up in the scuffle.
Maybe it was how tired Merlin was, or the poison, or the blood that pounded in his ears from adrenaline. But none of that mattered, because he still ended up with someone behind him holding a sword to his back.
At the slow contact with the metal, Merlin flinched as the blade hovered milimetres away from his skin, he felt it through his thin clothes. Cold metal pricked his back and Merlin ever so slowly raised his hands. It really wouldn’t have mattered if he had a weapon concealed on himself, but at this point he really didn’t want to be impaled.
There was one thought that circled through Merlin’s mind as he slowly turned around.
Don't be Arthur.
Please don't be him.
Arthur, please don’t hurt me.
I’m sorry.
Don’t be Arthur.
From the corner of his eyes, Merlin slowly turned his head and then his body followed.
Never in Merlin’s life was he so happy to see the king glaring at him with a dark expression. The sword that now was held against his chest pressed firmly against his skin.
“All these years I let you near my son, and you were a sorcerer the entire time,” Uther seethed with fury. “How much corruption have you caused?”
“Less than you,” Merlin replied with equal anger, but over the years Merlin had learned to hold it back. “You have caused more corruption to your kingdom and your son, you speak like you're a good king yet you aren’t even a good father.”
“You dare talk to your king like that.” The sword now was firmly pressed against his skin.
“I do dare, because you are not a good father - to either of your children.” Merlin felt the sword pressed deeper against his skin.
“How dare you imply such a thing!”
“I do not imply, I merely speak the truth.” Merlin jeered with wide eyes and a snarky smirk.
“You dare speak to your king like that!” The sword now dug into his skin, almost breaking.
“If you actually listened, you would have heard me say you aren’t my king, but you never listen. Not to me, or to your people, not even your own son.” Merlin’s defiance against Uther was now treasonous. “Your arrogance is and will be your downfall, and I will happily watch it as you fall.”
“Silence!” Uther snapped.
And with a push of the king's arm Merlin was impaled.
If hurt, of course it bloody hurts. Merlin could feel his skin burn, his blood stain his clothes and the sword scrape against his ribs and bones. Merlin blankly stared at the king, he looked down at the sword that was held in place between his ribs and then back to Uther. “You’ve just proved everything I’ve thought about you, correct. You really don’t listen, do you?”
Uther staggered backwards, horrified at the implanted sword, Merlin was still standing and looked perfectly well, as if there was no blade in his chest.
Merlin was still glaring at Uther with a hating expression, he raised his hand and wrapped it around the blade. “I am Emrys,” Merlin’s grip tightened around the blade. “That means I am cursed with what others would consider a gift,” Merlin then pulled it out slowly. “It means I cannot die until I am given permission by the Triple Goddess herself,” Merlin yanked the sword directly out and a small bit of blood flicked out of the wound, he held out the sword - by the blade - to Uther. “I believe this is yours.”
He held out the sword and waited for Uther to take it. The blood slowly began to soak through Merlin’s shirt and the blood off the sword dripped onto the floor.
“C’mon just take it, my arm’s getting tired,” Merlin complained. “It’s not like this time is any different from all the others, I’m still a sorcerer begging for your pointless mercy.”
From his frozen trance, Uther took the sword by the grip and walked backwards even further.
Merlin smiled weakly and smiled. “Ah thanks, honestly I wasn't really expecting to be stabbed on top of the poison. I have survived a lot mind you,” Merlin scoffed. “But I’ve come to realise there is a limit with things like this.”
Merlin heffed a cough and blood dripped down his lips. As his legs buckled, he smiled with pride for himself at Uther’s petrified face.
Merlin fell onto the floor and his body collided with the cold stone floor.
As he bled out onto the floor and his vision became a blurry fading mess, he could only make out the last words from Uther.
“He will burn in the morning, that is if he makes it through the night.” Uther coldly ordered before turning away and storming out of the hall. He called over his back, “Lock him away for the night.”
Gaius, Gwen, Morgana and Arthur ran over to Merlin. Gaius immediately began to check over the wound while Morgana tried to ward off the hesitant guards and Gwen held Merlin’s head in her lap. Arthur watched from a distance, even if his body was there his mind was not.
There were a million questions, there will always be questions about Merlin, but he had never wanted an answer so badly before in his life.
Merlin, his Merlin, was lying limp on the floor. After performing magic. His Merlin was a sorcerer. Yet he defended Arthur, a sorcerer like Merlin should hate Arthur. Merlin will always be an anomaly to others, it didn’t matter how but to Arthur he just made sense. And now he needs to make sense again.
Arthur strode forwards and glared at the guards that were inching nearer the small group, under the gaze of the crown prince they faltered.
“Gaius, I like to believe I rarely ask too much of you but I need you to save him, please.” Arthur begged through watery eyes that refused to pour.
“But the king-” A guard interrupted.
“I don’t give a damn what the king says!” Arthur snarled.
With a nod from Gaius, Arthur picked the fragile body of his friend and left with Gaius and the girls behind him. Arthur could feel the slow bleed of Merlin’s blood stain his clothes against his front. At the feeling he tightened his grip on the slim figure and quickened his pace.
He kicked open the door to the physicians quarters and awkwardly cleared a table for Merlin to be laid down on. Just seconds behind Arthur, Gaius began to examine Merlin. Gwen was rushing around the room looking for ointments and herbs and bandages.
Morgana and Arthur both knew they were out of their depths, they were no help in such matters concerning these things. They had moved to a bench off to the side, closely watching at the slightest movement or sound.
Morgana had found herself grabbing at Arthur’s hands. There were too many factors at play that could harm any of them. The Guards, Uther, the people, infection, also his magic - what factors could that change or worsen.
It was at this point when Leon decided to burst inside. Arthur pushed Morgana behind him, protectively standing in front of the others, and pointed his sword at Leon.
“I can give you just under an hour at best.” Leon quickly looked back out of the door, looking for any more guards. “They’re all searching for you, so be quick. I can only divert them for so long.”
“You would do that for him?” Morgana asked from behind Arthur’s shoulder, peering over to the knight.
“He’s my friend, of course I would.” Leon firmly replied. “I must go, good luck.”
Leon left as quickly as he came.
The next half an hour felt too long, but soon it wasn’t long enough. For Uther himself burst into the room with a large group of knights and guards.
“Take him to the cells, immediately!” The king commanded.
Several of the guards approached the small group, Arthur desperately tried to force them away, but the knights apprehended him, holding him back.
“Father you can’t!” Arthur begged. “Please stop this, he saved our lives!”
He fought against the knights but he was exhausted, only running off of adrenaline and anxiety. Arthur looked desperately over to Morgana and Gwen, both held by the guards. Even Gaius had a knight tightly holding onto the frail old man's shoulder.
“He is evil itself, Arthur.” Uther justified, Arthur felt repulsed to be related to the man. “I’m doing this for you and the good of the kingdom.” The king turned to the guards that held Gwen, Morgana and Arthur. “Lock them in their rooms.”
The three of them were dragged away; Morgana was screaming every insult under the sun, Arthur was kicking and fighting with each new step, even Gwen was struggling and squirming under their hold.
The guards, thank the gods, were lazy. So they threw the three of them together into Arthur’s chambers as it was the nearest. The guards locked the door behind them, Arthur ran at it slamming his fists against the wood.
“Let us go!” He shouted to unlistening ears. Gwen curled up on the floor beside Arthur’s bed and wept, Morgana paced the room in turmoil.
Arthur continued to pound against the door until his fists were bruised and bloody. He was left with a heaving chest and weak mark in the wood, splinters in his hands and an empty hollow feeling of forebode. Arthur turned around to Morgana and Gwen, Morgana had stopped her pacing and walked joined Arthur by the door. She took his hands in hers and closed her eyes tightly.
Morgana concentrated and all of a sudden she opened her eyes, they were a bright gold, similar to Merlin’s. The splinters, cuts and mangled bruises that marked Arthur’s hands slowly disappeared.
“You’re a sorcerer.” Arthur breathed out. He looked over to Gwen and saw that her face matched his shock.
Morgana dropped his hands and took a chair at his table. “Yes, I’ve told no one. Not even Merlin.”
Gwen sniffed and wiped away her tears, she shakily stood up and walked over to Morgana at the table.
“How did you do that?” After what Gwen had learned, she was open to sorcerers, to a new way of thinking. But now, she just wanted to understand her friends.
“Merlin didn’t tell me about his magic, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Morgana began. “But I think he suspected my magic, he subtly directed me to a few books in the library that were well hidden. It now makes sense why he knew about them.” Morgana’s eyes once again prickled with tears, she hastily wiped them away. “I read through them and taught myself some of the spells. My nightmares lessened, and my control over it grew.” Morgana turned from an attentive Gwen to a still and unmoving Arthur. “Arthur, I need you to say something, anything, please.”
It was as if he were knocked out of a trance.
“Am I untrustworthy?” Arthur was no longer the Crowned Prince or best swordsman out of the Five Kingdoms, he was a scared man in the dark about many things.
“Of course not.” Morgana fiercely reassured.
“Then why didn’t you tell me? I might be the king’s son, but I see you like a sister. I wouldn’t hurt you. And Merlin- and Merlin he’s-” Arthur began to shake, he looked down to hide his tears. “He’s my- my-” Arthur struggled to say it. “He’s my friend.” He finally looked up.
Neither Gwen nor Morgana had ever seen Arthur cry, but when it came to Merlin, Arthur was always unpredictable. Tears flooded down Arthur’s face and broken empty cries escaped from his mouth. His face was scrunched up and his eyes were squinting, it was a futile attempt to lessen the tears, but he still brought his hand to face to try and wipe them away.
Both Morgana and Gwen instinctively stood up and walked to Arthur, he met them halfway, and just like when they were younger, they hugged each other with so much love and protection. They all fell into each other's arms, almost collapsing onto the floor, they sat there clinging onto each other on the cold stone. Arthur, being the tallest, pulled the girls into his arms and they both held onto all of them tightly.
“I still don’t understand,” Gwen quietly whispered. “How did he manage to hide his magic from us? Someone must have known.”
Morgana wiped another tear away from her face. “It’s dangerous for people to know about someone else’s magic, if his mother knew, which I’m sure she does, then that would put her in more danger.”
Arthur swallowed down more threatening cries. “What about Gaius? He didn’t seem surprised in the hall, or when he was trying to heal Merlin.”
“Of course Gaius knew, it’s Merlin after all. Gaius is like his father to him,” Gwen pointed out, like always, she was right.
“Just because he didn’t tell us, doesn’t mean he doesn’t trust us.” Morgana thought logically, speaking from her own experience. “It’s better to not know something, if it keeps you safe. Gwen, you could be accused of harbouring or aiding a sorcerer. And Arthur…”
Arthur didn’t want her to finish her sentence. At that moment, Arthur made a decision. They needed to break out and rescue Merlin, get the answers they so desperately needed and then lecture the idiot about everything. The lecture part was still in the works, but anyway!
Jumping up, Arthur pulled the other’s up with him. He wiped the tear tracks away from his face, continuing to do the same to Gwen and Morgana. “We need to help him, get him out.”
“I agree.” Morgana replied. “I could try and break the locks, but I don’t know how long it will take me.”
“Gwen, help me find some daggers and knives. I know they’re in here somewhere, Merlin, he…” Arthur trailed off, he remembered a day when he and Merlin went out to the forest under the guise of hunting, they had spent the entire day mucking about, he remembered how much Merlin laughed that day, and he remembered how close he was to losing that laugh. “He put them somewhere, he’s surprisingly organised about my stuff, everything else though, that’s an entirely different story.”
Gwen and Morgana both laughed because they knew it to be true, Merlin was indeed a mess and quite disorganised about most things yet when it came to Arthur he had everything ready and in-order.
Arthur and Gwen quickly set to looking through drawers, cabinets and cupboards, looking for anything that could make a dent in the door.
As he searched, Arthur felt guilty, he was acting as if Merlin was already on the pyre. And it hurts, because they really are so close to losing their friend. He’s so close to losing the man that helped him reopen himself back to Morgana and Gwen. Reintroducing himself back to a world of love, kindness and touch, Merlin had managed to melt the ice prince. And Arthur would be damned if he would lose Merlin so easily.
“Aha!” Gwen cried, pulling a chest from under Arthur’s bed. Arthur recognised it as one that was commonly used in the armoury. He rushed over as Gwen threw open the lid and to his joy the chest was filled with knives, swords, daggers and other assortments of weapons. Arthur immediately grabbed a dagger and set to work on the doors hinges; trying to dig them out of the wood, hacking away at the bolts.
Deep below the ground, hidden away from everyone and everything, even from The Great Dragon. Merlin lay on the mouldy, bloody, damp ground chained up in cold iron. The shackles burned his wrists, but the fever from the poison and stab wound burned harsher. But as the poison spread through his veins and the stab wound continued to bleed and fester with infection, all of the contamination inside of Merlin was met by an unbeatable force; magic… and Merlin’s stubbornness.
Unknowingly, in his feverish sleep, Merlin called out, barely a whisper so that not even the guards outside his cell could hear, “Freya… Freya I need you… Help… Please…”
What the rats and a naked eye saw was a suffering and dying man, too weak to carry on living through the night. But to any magical user, they would notice the powerful aura that surrounded Merlin, how much magic was entering and leaving his body and that it was being transferred away somewhere. Or to someone.
Just enough magic for someone to leave her lake, just enough magic for someone to help him escape Camelot in the coming morning. Just enough magic for Merlin to see Freya again.
It flowed and blossomed, grew and changed, Merlin was unknowingly doing something thought only possible by the gods. Beings normally have a limit to their magic, that limit is set at birth. But Merlin was doing something that broke the rules, just like always. If Merlin was awake he would laugh to himself, because Arthur would probably say something along the lines of ‘Merlin never listens to the rules I set him, you really think he’s going to listen to the rules of magic and the gods?’.