Fic: The Coming of Arthur: An Interlude (2/6), for lolryne ♥
Title: The Coming of Arthur: An Interlude (2/6)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur, established relationship, but Arthur knows nothing of Merlin's magic
Summary: What happens after the last scene of 3.12.
Warnings: violence, angst, spoilers for Merlin 3.12
Disclaimer: I disclaim.
Author's Notes: This gift for lolryne is supposed to ease her waiting for episode 3.13! It is my take on what could possibly happen between 3.12 and 3.13, and will be posted in six parts, one part on each day that we spent waiting. Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine. Also, apologies for the lame title. It was late.
Someone is sounding the bells, and there are guards moving on top of Camelot's walls, shouting, gesturing towards them. Morgause was quick to man the defenses, and they have spotted the two intruders.
Merlin pulls them up, Arthur grabs the sword from the ground, as if that could help them - as if anything could protect them!
They make for the woods, as fast as Arthur's legs will allow. Merlin reaches out with his magic, lets it run through his friend's body to ease the pain. Immediately, Arthur speeds up, but the spell is not without retribution. Merlin can feel every ounce of strength that he pours into the Prince be taken from his own.
He dares looking back only once, seeing riders emerge from Camelot's gate, dashing towards them. The sight fills him with such panic that he stumbles. He would have fallen, too, had Arthur not caught him just in time.
When they reach the edge of the woods, Elyan, Gwaine and Gaius await them, and Merlin wants to shake the fools. They should have gotten away while they were ahead.
„Run!“, Arthur shouts from afar, and they do not need to be told twice. Together they take flight through the woods, chased by the wild thrumming of hooves hot on their heels. Merlin is pulling Gaius along, and continues feeding his magic into Arthur's body, but the bloodguard comes closer and closer nevertheless. The full moon is too bright, the woods sprenkled with light, light that betrays them. Soon, arrows are hissing through the air around them, horses nicker wildly, and suddenly they are surrounded. Arthur does not hesitate: He pushes Gaius and Merlin behind himself, and Elyan and Gwaine form a circle around them, swords drawn, even as he orders: „Protect them with your life!“
„Are you mental?!“, Merlin shouts. „They're immortal, they cannot die! You can't fight them!“
„Now's not the time for your pessimism, Merlin“, Arthur answers. „We'd need a bit of an optimistic outlook for once!“
„'Optimistic'? Can you even hear yourself talk, you thick goat?!“
„Merlin!“, Arthur shouts, even as his sword clashes with that of a guard, the first wave of attack hitting. „As soon as my kingdom is restored, you'll spend a week in the stocks for this!“
Then there is no time for talking. Elyan, Gwaine and Arthur fight with all their skill, but they are outnumbered ten to one, and their enemies are immortal, immortal, for the love of Camelot!
Immortal through magic.
Something in Merlin's head clicks. If there is anyone who can stop them, it is him. Whatever it takes.
„Gaius!“ He takes his mentor's hand, speaks into his ear, through the deafening noise of the battle. „Gaius, I'll try and stop them.“
„No, Merlin, it's too dangerous-“
„We're going to die if I don't! Look, once I'm … done, take the others away from here, okay? Make sure you take them somewhere safe. And be there for Arthur. He'll need someone to give him perfectly sensible advice that he can then ignore.“
„My dear boy, please ...“ His mentor's grief, already etched too deeply into Gaius's face from years of sorrow, is too much for Merlin to bear. He closes his eyes, wraps his fingers tightly around Gaius's, and says: „Hide me from their view. He must never know of my betrayal.“
„Don't-“, Gaius begins, but Merlin interrupts him again, merely breathing the next words: „Thank you. So much. For everything.“
He allows himself one last look at Elyan, at Gwaine - at Arthur. Fighting so valiantly to protect them, against all hope, against an unimaginable foe, never once breaking their circle of defense. His gaze lingers on the Prince: Those blue eyes and the golden hair he will never see again in the sunlight. The lips he has kissed for the last time. The voice he wishes he could hear once more, ordering him around, sneering at him, mocking him, driving him wild with annoyance or desire. That smile. That smile that he can never get enough of, all the more for how rarely it is bestowed.
Then Merlin closes his eyes once more, takes a deep breath, and plunges into his magic. It takes a small caress, a sharp order, a sheer unbearable effort that seems to last eternally, forever, forever, until his magic abruptly explodes out of him.
The last thing Merlin knows is that he is smiling. He is not afraid of failing.
Because this - this is his destiny.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur, established relationship, but Arthur knows nothing of Merlin's magic
Summary: What happens after the last scene of 3.12.
Warnings: violence, angst, spoilers for Merlin 3.12
Disclaimer: I disclaim.
Author's Notes: This gift for lolryne is supposed to ease her waiting for episode 3.13! It is my take on what could possibly happen between 3.12 and 3.13, and will be posted in six parts, one part on each day that we spent waiting. Unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine. Also, apologies for the lame title. It was late.
Someone is sounding the bells, and there are guards moving on top of Camelot's walls, shouting, gesturing towards them. Morgause was quick to man the defenses, and they have spotted the two intruders.
Merlin pulls them up, Arthur grabs the sword from the ground, as if that could help them - as if anything could protect them!
They make for the woods, as fast as Arthur's legs will allow. Merlin reaches out with his magic, lets it run through his friend's body to ease the pain. Immediately, Arthur speeds up, but the spell is not without retribution. Merlin can feel every ounce of strength that he pours into the Prince be taken from his own.
He dares looking back only once, seeing riders emerge from Camelot's gate, dashing towards them. The sight fills him with such panic that he stumbles. He would have fallen, too, had Arthur not caught him just in time.
When they reach the edge of the woods, Elyan, Gwaine and Gaius await them, and Merlin wants to shake the fools. They should have gotten away while they were ahead.
„Run!“, Arthur shouts from afar, and they do not need to be told twice. Together they take flight through the woods, chased by the wild thrumming of hooves hot on their heels. Merlin is pulling Gaius along, and continues feeding his magic into Arthur's body, but the bloodguard comes closer and closer nevertheless. The full moon is too bright, the woods sprenkled with light, light that betrays them. Soon, arrows are hissing through the air around them, horses nicker wildly, and suddenly they are surrounded. Arthur does not hesitate: He pushes Gaius and Merlin behind himself, and Elyan and Gwaine form a circle around them, swords drawn, even as he orders: „Protect them with your life!“
„Are you mental?!“, Merlin shouts. „They're immortal, they cannot die! You can't fight them!“
„Now's not the time for your pessimism, Merlin“, Arthur answers. „We'd need a bit of an optimistic outlook for once!“
„'Optimistic'? Can you even hear yourself talk, you thick goat?!“
„Merlin!“, Arthur shouts, even as his sword clashes with that of a guard, the first wave of attack hitting. „As soon as my kingdom is restored, you'll spend a week in the stocks for this!“
Then there is no time for talking. Elyan, Gwaine and Arthur fight with all their skill, but they are outnumbered ten to one, and their enemies are immortal, immortal, for the love of Camelot!
Immortal through magic.
Something in Merlin's head clicks. If there is anyone who can stop them, it is him. Whatever it takes.
„Gaius!“ He takes his mentor's hand, speaks into his ear, through the deafening noise of the battle. „Gaius, I'll try and stop them.“
„No, Merlin, it's too dangerous-“
„We're going to die if I don't! Look, once I'm … done, take the others away from here, okay? Make sure you take them somewhere safe. And be there for Arthur. He'll need someone to give him perfectly sensible advice that he can then ignore.“
„My dear boy, please ...“ His mentor's grief, already etched too deeply into Gaius's face from years of sorrow, is too much for Merlin to bear. He closes his eyes, wraps his fingers tightly around Gaius's, and says: „Hide me from their view. He must never know of my betrayal.“
„Don't-“, Gaius begins, but Merlin interrupts him again, merely breathing the next words: „Thank you. So much. For everything.“
He allows himself one last look at Elyan, at Gwaine - at Arthur. Fighting so valiantly to protect them, against all hope, against an unimaginable foe, never once breaking their circle of defense. His gaze lingers on the Prince: Those blue eyes and the golden hair he will never see again in the sunlight. The lips he has kissed for the last time. The voice he wishes he could hear once more, ordering him around, sneering at him, mocking him, driving him wild with annoyance or desire. That smile. That smile that he can never get enough of, all the more for how rarely it is bestowed.
Then Merlin closes his eyes once more, takes a deep breath, and plunges into his magic. It takes a small caress, a sharp order, a sheer unbearable effort that seems to last eternally, forever, forever, until his magic abruptly explodes out of him.
The last thing Merlin knows is that he is smiling. He is not afraid of failing.
Because this - this is his destiny.