The Silence After part 1
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: The Silence After - part 1
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Will
Summary: In the battle against Kanen and his bandits, in defending Ealdor, Arthur finds out the truth about Merlin and magic.
Word Count: 791 (1901 total)
Camelot_drabble Prompt: pt 479: Windy Day
Author's Notes: unbetaed, during Moment of Truth. AU.
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
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It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. ~ Frederick Douglass
Merlin didn’t dare look at Arthur’s face. The whirlwind had already decimated the bandits, blowing them far out into the pasture and the woods beyond Ealdor. In the distance, he could hear cheering, Kanen’s men defeated, never to return. His village was safe. His mother need never fear the brigands again.
But the cause of it, wind conjured up with magic and desperation, was a large sword hanging over Merlin’s head. Sorcery was forbidden in Camelot and even though they were outside that powerful kingdom, Arthur, Camelot’s prince, and the man Uther had taught to hate all magic, good or bad, was staring at Merlin with horror in his eyes.
Merlin didn’t know what to say. Arthur had seen him conjuring up the wind and that alone would condemn him.
As Merlin stumbled back, trying to find the words to hide/explain/hide the reality of what he’d done, Will, ever-constant friend, said, “I did it, you pillock. Don’t even think that it was Merlin. It was me.” He stepped closer, fire in his eyes. “And forget about dragging me back there. Because I won’t go.”
“Will, don’t. It will be all right… it….” Merlin started to explain-he couldn’t let Will take the blame, but suddenly, Kanen was there, bellowing something.
Pushing Merlin out of the way, Will shouted, “Look out!”
Merlin turned to see an arrow heading for Arthur and Will trying to stop it somehow.
Instinct kicked in. Reaching out with his magic, time seemed to freeze around them, the arrow hovering in mid-air, vibrating as if eager to reach its goal. Then with a flick of Merlin’s wrist, it reversed, sending the bolt straight into Kanen’s heart. The bandit was dead before he hit the ground.
In the silence after, Merlin couldn’t breathe.
It wouldn’t matter that Arthur and Will had been saved, that Ealdor had been saved. Merlin had used magic, powerful magic, and his gifts were out in the open. He couldn’t hide it anymore.
But Will tried anyway.
Turning to Arthur, Will sneered, “See, I’m so good a sorcerer that I even made you think it was Merlin doing the magic.” Cackling a little, he waved his hands about as though trying to perform magic tricks. It would have been hilarious if not so dire. “And there’s nothing you can do about it. This isn’t Camelot, so piss off.”
“Will, don’t. He saw it all and….” Merlin stumbled to a stop, not knowing what else to say.
“Merlin, now.” Arthur stomped away, clearly expecting Merlin to follow.
Grabbing onto Merlin’s arm and shaking him a little, not willing to let go, Will said, “He’s not your friend, Merlin. He’s not anything but a pompous windbag with delusions of grandeur, well, okay not delusions but still he’s not good for you. Let him go home and you stay with us. The village will protect you, I know they will. Even old man Simpson will be singing your praises after this.”
“Will, he’s my… destiny. He’s… I can’t explain it, but I need to be there. With him.” Merlin nodded in Arthur’s direction. He knew it was impossible to make Will see that Arthur was everything to him, supercilious arrogant arsehole that Arthur was.
Will shook his head but Merlin said, “Will, I love you like the annoying brother I never had, but he’s it for me. I have to go back. He’ll die without me there. I just hope that he’ll… understand.”
“You idiot, he’ll chop your head off and send it back to us in a sack.” Will’s grasp tightened. “You don’t have to do this. Merlin, don’t be a fool.”
“Will, please, take care of my mum, okay?” Merlin said. He knew it was useless to fight with Will. Will loved to argue for the sake of hearing his own voice but Arthur was waiting and no matter what, Merlin needed to talk with him.
Will must have seen something in Merlin’s eyes, determination or regret or maybe how Arthur was Merlin’s entire world, because he let go then. “You always were a self-sacrificing idiot, you know. I love you for it. But it’s going to get you killed someday. I… I don’t want to be around to see it.”
Merlin pulled Will in, giving him a sharp hug before letting go. “It will be alright. You’ll see.”
Will just harrumphed and nodded toward a waiting Arthur. “If he’s an arse, send for me and I’ll set him straight.”
Merlin nodded. Will was a good friend, but he would never understand. Merlin barely understood it himself.
Title: The Silence After - part 1
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Will
Summary: In the battle against Kanen and his bandits, in defending Ealdor, Arthur finds out the truth about Merlin and magic.
Word Count: 791 (1901 total)
Camelot_drabble Prompt: pt 479: Windy Day
Author's Notes: unbetaed, during Moment of Truth. AU.
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
-------------------------
It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. ~ Frederick Douglass
Merlin didn’t dare look at Arthur’s face. The whirlwind had already decimated the bandits, blowing them far out into the pasture and the woods beyond Ealdor. In the distance, he could hear cheering, Kanen’s men defeated, never to return. His village was safe. His mother need never fear the brigands again.
But the cause of it, wind conjured up with magic and desperation, was a large sword hanging over Merlin’s head. Sorcery was forbidden in Camelot and even though they were outside that powerful kingdom, Arthur, Camelot’s prince, and the man Uther had taught to hate all magic, good or bad, was staring at Merlin with horror in his eyes.
Merlin didn’t know what to say. Arthur had seen him conjuring up the wind and that alone would condemn him.
As Merlin stumbled back, trying to find the words to hide/explain/hide the reality of what he’d done, Will, ever-constant friend, said, “I did it, you pillock. Don’t even think that it was Merlin. It was me.” He stepped closer, fire in his eyes. “And forget about dragging me back there. Because I won’t go.”
“Will, don’t. It will be all right… it….” Merlin started to explain-he couldn’t let Will take the blame, but suddenly, Kanen was there, bellowing something.
Pushing Merlin out of the way, Will shouted, “Look out!”
Merlin turned to see an arrow heading for Arthur and Will trying to stop it somehow.
Instinct kicked in. Reaching out with his magic, time seemed to freeze around them, the arrow hovering in mid-air, vibrating as if eager to reach its goal. Then with a flick of Merlin’s wrist, it reversed, sending the bolt straight into Kanen’s heart. The bandit was dead before he hit the ground.
In the silence after, Merlin couldn’t breathe.
It wouldn’t matter that Arthur and Will had been saved, that Ealdor had been saved. Merlin had used magic, powerful magic, and his gifts were out in the open. He couldn’t hide it anymore.
But Will tried anyway.
Turning to Arthur, Will sneered, “See, I’m so good a sorcerer that I even made you think it was Merlin doing the magic.” Cackling a little, he waved his hands about as though trying to perform magic tricks. It would have been hilarious if not so dire. “And there’s nothing you can do about it. This isn’t Camelot, so piss off.”
“Will, don’t. He saw it all and….” Merlin stumbled to a stop, not knowing what else to say.
“Merlin, now.” Arthur stomped away, clearly expecting Merlin to follow.
Grabbing onto Merlin’s arm and shaking him a little, not willing to let go, Will said, “He’s not your friend, Merlin. He’s not anything but a pompous windbag with delusions of grandeur, well, okay not delusions but still he’s not good for you. Let him go home and you stay with us. The village will protect you, I know they will. Even old man Simpson will be singing your praises after this.”
“Will, he’s my… destiny. He’s… I can’t explain it, but I need to be there. With him.” Merlin nodded in Arthur’s direction. He knew it was impossible to make Will see that Arthur was everything to him, supercilious arrogant arsehole that Arthur was.
Will shook his head but Merlin said, “Will, I love you like the annoying brother I never had, but he’s it for me. I have to go back. He’ll die without me there. I just hope that he’ll… understand.”
“You idiot, he’ll chop your head off and send it back to us in a sack.” Will’s grasp tightened. “You don’t have to do this. Merlin, don’t be a fool.”
“Will, please, take care of my mum, okay?” Merlin said. He knew it was useless to fight with Will. Will loved to argue for the sake of hearing his own voice but Arthur was waiting and no matter what, Merlin needed to talk with him.
Will must have seen something in Merlin’s eyes, determination or regret or maybe how Arthur was Merlin’s entire world, because he let go then. “You always were a self-sacrificing idiot, you know. I love you for it. But it’s going to get you killed someday. I… I don’t want to be around to see it.”
Merlin pulled Will in, giving him a sharp hug before letting go. “It will be alright. You’ll see.”
Will just harrumphed and nodded toward a waiting Arthur. “If he’s an arse, send for me and I’ll set him straight.”
Merlin nodded. Will was a good friend, but he would never understand. Merlin barely understood it himself.