FIC: Fealty (3/?) - Merlin/Arthur, PG-13
TITLE: Fealty - part 3
AUTHOR: Demon Faith
CATEGORY: Hurt/Comfort, Drama
PAIRING: Merlin/Arthur
SPOILERS: Up to 1x03, to be safe.
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 2,216
SUMMARY: A faithful and good servant is a real godsend; but truly 't is a rare bird in the land - Martin Luther
DISCLAIMER: I own not the boys, nor the show. Thankfully, they’re doing just fine.
NOTES: I made the fatal mistake of telling openskies that I was being harassed by a plot bunny. She then made me write on pain of capslock. ;)
It's still Friday, right? I apologise for this part being rather Merlin/Arthur light, but it's unfortunately necessary for the plot.
Gaius stumbled forward, hand outstretched, hovering but not touching. He had never seen anything like this…
Merlin and Arthur were surrounded by what appeared to be ice, but the surface held an unnatural shimmer, warning him not to stray too close.
'Find the dagger' he had said; Merlin had bought them precious time, but at what cost? Could he hide them before-
Footsteps thundered down the hall and two guards appeared at his door. "Gaius, Merlin and the prince are…"
Gaius recovered himself quickly. "Fetch the king! This is a new treachery."
They nodded slowly, but only one departed, the other edging closer to observe. It was only then that Gaius realised the magic book lay open on the floor, flaunting its power for anyone to see. There was no time to conceal it - there could be no way out of this for Merlin now.
The guard was quicker than most and pointed at it in horror. "A book of magic!" He looked at Gaius then, before slowly drawing his sword. Gaius shot him a look.
"I would consider carefully, young man, what accusations you may wish to make."
The sword lowered but was not resheathed; Gaius sighed under his breath. Wasn't he always telling Merlin to think things through? Then again, what options remained for them? Arthur was all but dead, and Merlin facing execution - this was the act of a desperate man and Gaius could not, in all honesty, say he would not have done the same.
Uther flew into the room like man possessed, his wild eyes darting from the block of ice to Gaius to the book on the floor. "Now tell me I'm wrong, Gaius. I stayed his execution on your account and look where that has brought us."
Gaius knew he had to tread carefully if they were all to make it out of this alive. "Sire, I had no idea the boy was capable of magic! He always seemed so…stupid."
Uther nodded grimly, keeping his distance from the bed. "Cut them out."
The guards exchanged looks, and Gaius stepped forward. "I wouldn't advise that, your majesty. We do not yet know what the enchantment is."
"It is killing my son! CUT HIM OUT!" The irate king drew his sword.
Gaius held up placating hands. "And that may kill them both!"
For a moment, he thought Uther might strike him but he lowered his sword arm, looking old beyond his years. "Sire, perhaps we should consider other motives for these actions. The boy was clearly distressed about the prince's condition - freezing them both in this way may, in fact, prolong life."
"You don't know that," Uther said coldly, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice. Gaius tried for one final push.
"If he meant to kill Arthur, sire, he had ample opportunity. Instead, he performed this enchantment." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "There may still be time to save the prince."
Uther regarded him with narrowed eyes. "You have one day before I take a sword to it. You two - guard this room, and make sure no one hears of this. Do not disappoint me, Gaius." He glanced once more at the frozen pair, before marching out of the room.
Gaius let out a steady breath. "One of you fetch the Lady Morgana's handmaiden - I will require assistance."
They hesitated, but one nodded to him and left the room; Gaius did not notice them, his mind whirring with all the permutations and possibilities of the attack plan. He needed the dagger, but first he needed a suspect. And to find a suspect, he required spies.
He would not allow Merlin's sacrifice to be in vain - they would find the real assassin and expose the truth, then deal with the consequences. Right now, he had two charges to save.
~
The luncheon was a terrible affair of ceremony and tedium. Uther had secreted himself in his chambers, leaving her as the only member of the royal household capable of leading a formal banquet. Because despite the current turmoil in the castle, they still had guests, and guests must be entertained.
"And then - then - I took the eel through the head with a spear!" There was a roar from the men, cheering Caradoc's little anecdote as if it were the best tale they'd ever heard. Morgana resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"And so the village was saved?" she said politely, and Caradoc grinned. It was a smile reminiscent of Valiant - and, in some ways, of Arthur, the Arthur of before. She suppressed the twinge of pain in her heart, refusing to think about the man lying upstairs; she could not grieve yet.
Caradoc began another hunting story, and she noticed Gwen moving up the side of the hall; perhaps she had come to save her from these idiots. However, her face was solemn and Morgana held her breath, heart racing as the girl came closer.
"Tell me," she breathed, but Gwen frowned and then shook her head, coming to stand behind Morgana's chair.
"Gaius sent me," she whispered, as Morgana laughed at some ridiculous joke about peat workers. "It turns out that…Merlin is a sorcerer."
She couldn't bring herself to be surprised; she's been in the sewer when the flames had mysteriously flared into the Afanc, and it explained how Merlin always completed the ridiculous tasks Arthur requested of him.
"He has…frozen Arthur in Gaius' rooms." Morgana reined in her surprise; that bore further investigation. "We need to…well, we need to find the dagger. Merlin said it was black, and then-"
Morgana leaned forward, smiling despite herself. "Caradoc, that's a fine hunting knife you carry."
He paused for a moment, and Morgana caught the fear in his eyes. "A gift from my father. Now, the fox-"
"May I see it? The silverwork resembles that of one of my trinkets."
She had him - he could not refuse a lady's request without drawing attention to himself. With a forced smile, he drew the blade and passed it down the table. She took it in her hands - it was ice cold, the jet black blade reflecting no light and the silver refusing to shine.
A flash - ice cracking - magic, snap - blue eyes open - the block, the crown - alone, together - blood and water - fainting, fading - victory - and she came back to herself, with Gwen's hand on her shoulder. She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.
"I'm sorry. It reminded me…of my father, for a moment there."
With reluctance, she passed it back - she could not accuse him of wielding a magic blade without proof, and such scandal would not help Arthur or Merlin. Caradoc resumed his banal story and Morgana lapsed into deep thought. What to do…
"I will follow him," Gwen said and Morgana smiled. It was the obvious solution: no doubt Caradoc would attempt to get rid of the dagger, and they would be there when he did.
"Very well," she murmured, and Gwen moved away from the chair, leaving Morgana to glare poison at Caradoc behind a sweet smile.
~
Gwen was at her wit's end. Night was closing and Caradoc hadn't left his chambers. Maybe he wasn't going to dispose of the knife at all, keeping it close instead; however, it was incriminating - black blades were exceptionally rare, but suspicion wasn't enough to save Arthur.
She would have to take matters into her own hands.
With a nod to his guard, she knocked on the door and waited.
"Enter!"
Gwen slipped into the room, curtsied and kept her head bowed. "My lord, I'm here to renew the fire."
"Very well - carry on."
It was not difficult but it took time, and that gave her opportunity to observe the man and his surroundings. He didn't have a manservant and his room was a mess, but his hunting gear was carefully arranged by the window.
She managed a few glimpses of him as he ate an apple - he did look a bit worried, and he seemed to have removed the dagger. So, where was it?
The empty sheath was thrown next to the hunting gear. He had moved the dagger somewhere safe, or managed to throw it away. How were they going to help Arthur now?
"And I need my curtains pulled - the windows let in a draft."
"My lord," she said, standing quickly and hurrying towards the window. Maybe, if she could look at the sheath, she might learn something. She was just wondering how to do it, when she glanced out of the window and spotted a funny shadow in the gutter. Her heart leapt to her throat - it was the dagger!
A knock at the door made her start and she reluctantly closed the curtains before crossing to the doorway. "Yes?"
"The lady Morgana requests Prince Caradoc's presence for high tea."
He was up in an instance, straightening his tunic and grinning like a lunatic. "And I shall be with her directly."
Without a second thought, he was gone, leaving Gwen alone in the room. Shutting the door carefully, she strode to the window and poked her head through the curtains, contemplating the ledge and the gutter adorning its edge. There was nothing for it - she'd have to climb.
She opened the window and carefully lowered herself from the sill. It was a high room and the west wind was blowing hard and strong. She crouched low on the ledge, using her hands to guide her forward and keep her balance, but soon she had the dagger in her grasp.
The cold stone sucked all the warmth from her hand, but she held onto it, scuttling back towards the window and pulling herself up into the room. She closed the window and straightened the curtains, securing the dagger in the folds of her skirt.
The door opened.
"Forgot my -"
Caradoc paused, staring at her as his lips formed an uneasy line. Gwen looked down - her dress was damp and streaked with grime.
She looked up and held her chin up defiantly. "I know what you've done, and so does the lady Morgana. I'd run if I were you."
He paled then and she knew she had won. Caradoc turned and fled, his footsteps echoing along the corridor. Gwen smiled to herself and started to run, knowing that she could save them now, that it wouldn't be too late.
Merlin would know what to do.
~
When the door opened, Gaius knew they were lost. Uther regarded the room carefully, his sword drawn, before approaching the bed.
"I think you've had long enough, Gaius."
"Sire, please-"
The door banged open and he was greeted with Gwen's flushed, smiling face. "I have it!"
Then she saw Uther and her smile faded, as she curtsied and drew closer, holding out the blade. It was indeed black as night, but before Gaius could examine it, Uther had seized it from her hands.
"But this is Caradoc's blade! How did you come by this?"
"Sire…" She looked troubled, but held her nerve. "Prince Caradoc…confessed, but then he ran. I retrieved the dagger from his room and brought it straight here."
Uther's expression turned ugly, as he slammed the dagger down on the table and raised his sword.
"Sire, no!"
The sword shattered, sending shards of hot metal flying through the room. In the confusion, Gaius seized his moment and, without thought, laid his hand on the ice.
"Merlin, come back."
The ice was warm and it started to melt under his hand; as he drew back, the whole block shimmered, cracks spread from his handprint, throughout the ice until one reached the top of Merlin's head.
Suddenly, the whole thing vanished and Merlin started, head rearing up to look at Gaius. "Did you find it?"
But Uther had regained his senses and now held the dagger in his hands, regarding Merlin shrewdly. "And why should I trust you, warlock?"
"Sire, there isn't time!" Merlin shouted impatiently, shakily climbing off the bed. "If I don't break the spell, Arthur will die. Please, I need the dagger."
There was a long moment of silence before Uther held out the knife. Merlin snatched it away and held it in both hands, closing his eyes. With a bright flash of light, the dagger broke apart in his hands, and then turned to fine dust.
Arthur gasped.
Gaius watched Merlin's face as he turned - joy and relief and…something else, quickly hidden but undeniably there. "Arthur?"
The prince's eyes opened and he frowned. "Merlin?" he rasped. "What happened?"
"You were stabbed with a cursed dagger, but it's all right now. It's all right."
"Guards, arrest the sorcerer."
Merlin was pulled back by the two strong men, who started dragging him towards the door.
"Father…what are you doing?" Arthur, the fool, was trying to rise, struggling against a body that refused to obey his commands. Gaius supported him as he wavered, desperately trying to pursue the guards. "What's happening?"
Uther regarded him imperiously, only a faint shadow of paternal feeling in his eyes. "Magic is banned in this kingdom, whatever its intention. You know the law."
"Father…I don't understand."
Gaius could only watch as Merlin was taken away and an exhausted, confused prince slumped against him, calling for a father who would not listen.
AUTHOR: Demon Faith
CATEGORY: Hurt/Comfort, Drama
PAIRING: Merlin/Arthur
SPOILERS: Up to 1x03, to be safe.
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 2,216
SUMMARY: A faithful and good servant is a real godsend; but truly 't is a rare bird in the land - Martin Luther
DISCLAIMER: I own not the boys, nor the show. Thankfully, they’re doing just fine.
NOTES: I made the fatal mistake of telling openskies that I was being harassed by a plot bunny. She then made me write on pain of capslock. ;)
It's still Friday, right? I apologise for this part being rather Merlin/Arthur light, but it's unfortunately necessary for the plot.
Gaius stumbled forward, hand outstretched, hovering but not touching. He had never seen anything like this…
Merlin and Arthur were surrounded by what appeared to be ice, but the surface held an unnatural shimmer, warning him not to stray too close.
'Find the dagger' he had said; Merlin had bought them precious time, but at what cost? Could he hide them before-
Footsteps thundered down the hall and two guards appeared at his door. "Gaius, Merlin and the prince are…"
Gaius recovered himself quickly. "Fetch the king! This is a new treachery."
They nodded slowly, but only one departed, the other edging closer to observe. It was only then that Gaius realised the magic book lay open on the floor, flaunting its power for anyone to see. There was no time to conceal it - there could be no way out of this for Merlin now.
The guard was quicker than most and pointed at it in horror. "A book of magic!" He looked at Gaius then, before slowly drawing his sword. Gaius shot him a look.
"I would consider carefully, young man, what accusations you may wish to make."
The sword lowered but was not resheathed; Gaius sighed under his breath. Wasn't he always telling Merlin to think things through? Then again, what options remained for them? Arthur was all but dead, and Merlin facing execution - this was the act of a desperate man and Gaius could not, in all honesty, say he would not have done the same.
Uther flew into the room like man possessed, his wild eyes darting from the block of ice to Gaius to the book on the floor. "Now tell me I'm wrong, Gaius. I stayed his execution on your account and look where that has brought us."
Gaius knew he had to tread carefully if they were all to make it out of this alive. "Sire, I had no idea the boy was capable of magic! He always seemed so…stupid."
Uther nodded grimly, keeping his distance from the bed. "Cut them out."
The guards exchanged looks, and Gaius stepped forward. "I wouldn't advise that, your majesty. We do not yet know what the enchantment is."
"It is killing my son! CUT HIM OUT!" The irate king drew his sword.
Gaius held up placating hands. "And that may kill them both!"
For a moment, he thought Uther might strike him but he lowered his sword arm, looking old beyond his years. "Sire, perhaps we should consider other motives for these actions. The boy was clearly distressed about the prince's condition - freezing them both in this way may, in fact, prolong life."
"You don't know that," Uther said coldly, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice. Gaius tried for one final push.
"If he meant to kill Arthur, sire, he had ample opportunity. Instead, he performed this enchantment." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "There may still be time to save the prince."
Uther regarded him with narrowed eyes. "You have one day before I take a sword to it. You two - guard this room, and make sure no one hears of this. Do not disappoint me, Gaius." He glanced once more at the frozen pair, before marching out of the room.
Gaius let out a steady breath. "One of you fetch the Lady Morgana's handmaiden - I will require assistance."
They hesitated, but one nodded to him and left the room; Gaius did not notice them, his mind whirring with all the permutations and possibilities of the attack plan. He needed the dagger, but first he needed a suspect. And to find a suspect, he required spies.
He would not allow Merlin's sacrifice to be in vain - they would find the real assassin and expose the truth, then deal with the consequences. Right now, he had two charges to save.
~
The luncheon was a terrible affair of ceremony and tedium. Uther had secreted himself in his chambers, leaving her as the only member of the royal household capable of leading a formal banquet. Because despite the current turmoil in the castle, they still had guests, and guests must be entertained.
"And then - then - I took the eel through the head with a spear!" There was a roar from the men, cheering Caradoc's little anecdote as if it were the best tale they'd ever heard. Morgana resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"And so the village was saved?" she said politely, and Caradoc grinned. It was a smile reminiscent of Valiant - and, in some ways, of Arthur, the Arthur of before. She suppressed the twinge of pain in her heart, refusing to think about the man lying upstairs; she could not grieve yet.
Caradoc began another hunting story, and she noticed Gwen moving up the side of the hall; perhaps she had come to save her from these idiots. However, her face was solemn and Morgana held her breath, heart racing as the girl came closer.
"Tell me," she breathed, but Gwen frowned and then shook her head, coming to stand behind Morgana's chair.
"Gaius sent me," she whispered, as Morgana laughed at some ridiculous joke about peat workers. "It turns out that…Merlin is a sorcerer."
She couldn't bring herself to be surprised; she's been in the sewer when the flames had mysteriously flared into the Afanc, and it explained how Merlin always completed the ridiculous tasks Arthur requested of him.
"He has…frozen Arthur in Gaius' rooms." Morgana reined in her surprise; that bore further investigation. "We need to…well, we need to find the dagger. Merlin said it was black, and then-"
Morgana leaned forward, smiling despite herself. "Caradoc, that's a fine hunting knife you carry."
He paused for a moment, and Morgana caught the fear in his eyes. "A gift from my father. Now, the fox-"
"May I see it? The silverwork resembles that of one of my trinkets."
She had him - he could not refuse a lady's request without drawing attention to himself. With a forced smile, he drew the blade and passed it down the table. She took it in her hands - it was ice cold, the jet black blade reflecting no light and the silver refusing to shine.
A flash - ice cracking - magic, snap - blue eyes open - the block, the crown - alone, together - blood and water - fainting, fading - victory - and she came back to herself, with Gwen's hand on her shoulder. She pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.
"I'm sorry. It reminded me…of my father, for a moment there."
With reluctance, she passed it back - she could not accuse him of wielding a magic blade without proof, and such scandal would not help Arthur or Merlin. Caradoc resumed his banal story and Morgana lapsed into deep thought. What to do…
"I will follow him," Gwen said and Morgana smiled. It was the obvious solution: no doubt Caradoc would attempt to get rid of the dagger, and they would be there when he did.
"Very well," she murmured, and Gwen moved away from the chair, leaving Morgana to glare poison at Caradoc behind a sweet smile.
~
Gwen was at her wit's end. Night was closing and Caradoc hadn't left his chambers. Maybe he wasn't going to dispose of the knife at all, keeping it close instead; however, it was incriminating - black blades were exceptionally rare, but suspicion wasn't enough to save Arthur.
She would have to take matters into her own hands.
With a nod to his guard, she knocked on the door and waited.
"Enter!"
Gwen slipped into the room, curtsied and kept her head bowed. "My lord, I'm here to renew the fire."
"Very well - carry on."
It was not difficult but it took time, and that gave her opportunity to observe the man and his surroundings. He didn't have a manservant and his room was a mess, but his hunting gear was carefully arranged by the window.
She managed a few glimpses of him as he ate an apple - he did look a bit worried, and he seemed to have removed the dagger. So, where was it?
The empty sheath was thrown next to the hunting gear. He had moved the dagger somewhere safe, or managed to throw it away. How were they going to help Arthur now?
"And I need my curtains pulled - the windows let in a draft."
"My lord," she said, standing quickly and hurrying towards the window. Maybe, if she could look at the sheath, she might learn something. She was just wondering how to do it, when she glanced out of the window and spotted a funny shadow in the gutter. Her heart leapt to her throat - it was the dagger!
A knock at the door made her start and she reluctantly closed the curtains before crossing to the doorway. "Yes?"
"The lady Morgana requests Prince Caradoc's presence for high tea."
He was up in an instance, straightening his tunic and grinning like a lunatic. "And I shall be with her directly."
Without a second thought, he was gone, leaving Gwen alone in the room. Shutting the door carefully, she strode to the window and poked her head through the curtains, contemplating the ledge and the gutter adorning its edge. There was nothing for it - she'd have to climb.
She opened the window and carefully lowered herself from the sill. It was a high room and the west wind was blowing hard and strong. She crouched low on the ledge, using her hands to guide her forward and keep her balance, but soon she had the dagger in her grasp.
The cold stone sucked all the warmth from her hand, but she held onto it, scuttling back towards the window and pulling herself up into the room. She closed the window and straightened the curtains, securing the dagger in the folds of her skirt.
The door opened.
"Forgot my -"
Caradoc paused, staring at her as his lips formed an uneasy line. Gwen looked down - her dress was damp and streaked with grime.
She looked up and held her chin up defiantly. "I know what you've done, and so does the lady Morgana. I'd run if I were you."
He paled then and she knew she had won. Caradoc turned and fled, his footsteps echoing along the corridor. Gwen smiled to herself and started to run, knowing that she could save them now, that it wouldn't be too late.
Merlin would know what to do.
~
When the door opened, Gaius knew they were lost. Uther regarded the room carefully, his sword drawn, before approaching the bed.
"I think you've had long enough, Gaius."
"Sire, please-"
The door banged open and he was greeted with Gwen's flushed, smiling face. "I have it!"
Then she saw Uther and her smile faded, as she curtsied and drew closer, holding out the blade. It was indeed black as night, but before Gaius could examine it, Uther had seized it from her hands.
"But this is Caradoc's blade! How did you come by this?"
"Sire…" She looked troubled, but held her nerve. "Prince Caradoc…confessed, but then he ran. I retrieved the dagger from his room and brought it straight here."
Uther's expression turned ugly, as he slammed the dagger down on the table and raised his sword.
"Sire, no!"
The sword shattered, sending shards of hot metal flying through the room. In the confusion, Gaius seized his moment and, without thought, laid his hand on the ice.
"Merlin, come back."
The ice was warm and it started to melt under his hand; as he drew back, the whole block shimmered, cracks spread from his handprint, throughout the ice until one reached the top of Merlin's head.
Suddenly, the whole thing vanished and Merlin started, head rearing up to look at Gaius. "Did you find it?"
But Uther had regained his senses and now held the dagger in his hands, regarding Merlin shrewdly. "And why should I trust you, warlock?"
"Sire, there isn't time!" Merlin shouted impatiently, shakily climbing off the bed. "If I don't break the spell, Arthur will die. Please, I need the dagger."
There was a long moment of silence before Uther held out the knife. Merlin snatched it away and held it in both hands, closing his eyes. With a bright flash of light, the dagger broke apart in his hands, and then turned to fine dust.
Arthur gasped.
Gaius watched Merlin's face as he turned - joy and relief and…something else, quickly hidden but undeniably there. "Arthur?"
The prince's eyes opened and he frowned. "Merlin?" he rasped. "What happened?"
"You were stabbed with a cursed dagger, but it's all right now. It's all right."
"Guards, arrest the sorcerer."
Merlin was pulled back by the two strong men, who started dragging him towards the door.
"Father…what are you doing?" Arthur, the fool, was trying to rise, struggling against a body that refused to obey his commands. Gaius supported him as he wavered, desperately trying to pursue the guards. "What's happening?"
Uther regarded him imperiously, only a faint shadow of paternal feeling in his eyes. "Magic is banned in this kingdom, whatever its intention. You know the law."
"Father…I don't understand."
Gaius could only watch as Merlin was taken away and an exhausted, confused prince slumped against him, calling for a father who would not listen.