FIC: A King's Ransom (7/12) Merlin: Merlin/Arthur, PG-13
TITLE: A King's Ransom (7/12)
AUTHOR: Demon Faith
SERIES: Love and Loyalty
CATEGORY: Hurt/Comfort, Drama
PAIRING: Merlin/Arthur
SPOILERS: For Season 1 (AU after 1x5: Lancelot)
RATING: PG-13
WORDS: 1,569
SUMMARY: Camelot is burning. A Dragon's call, a Seer's voice and discord between lovers do battle in the fight for a kingdom - but can anyone truly emerge victorious?
DISCLAIMER: I own not the boys, nor the show. Thankfully, they’re doing just fine.
NOTES: Sequel to Fealty. Previous parts here
I really wasn't going to do this, but this savage little bunny latched on to my leg and wouldn't let go.
This is dedicated to The Coven and the Dragon. He knows why.
The castle was silent. Before, it had been pregnant with anticipation, awaiting the arrival of their crusading prince, their saviour. Now, he had arrived, and he was a prisoner.
Camelot had no hope.
Gwen pushed open the door to Gaius' rooms and Merlin shuffled inside, his head swimming with the effort of remaining vertical. Gaius hurried forward, shepherding him to his room and laying him flat; Merlin felt so helpless.
"You should not have done that, you know."
"I don't regret it," Merlin mumbled, sleepily. "Worth it. For Camelot." For Arthur
"You're damaged your leg further and your burns are not healing."
"They will heal." Merlin knew his body - he'd always healed quickly, had never stayed sick for long and always climbed back up the swaying trees long before his friends were allowed out of bed.
Gaius sighed and started fussing around him, changing bandages and arranging the bed linen to his satisfaction. "You have not...heard from Arthur?"
Merlin didn't remember telling Gaius about that. Still, he shook his head, which made the gentle spinning crescendo into a maypole dance of colour and movement. "Ow."
"You are not moving for at least two days."
He saw Gwen shake her head out of the corner of his eye. "But, Gaius, what about-"
"Later," the physician said sharply and Merlin sat up, despite his head, grabbing hold of the man's trailing sleeve.
"Tell me now," he said firmly. Gaius' face was neutral, but his eyes betrayed him, dancing with panic and fear and anger.
"Arthur...Arthur is due to fight one of Caradoc's knights at noon."
Merlin swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I need a hooded cloak and a stick."
"Merlin, you are in no condition-"
"He needs me."
Gaius pursed his lips and then glanced at the window. "You can rest for an hour at least."
Merlin sighed and got back into bed, but held out his hand. "I need my book."
Gaius hesitated, looking down at the floor. "Uther had it destroyed when you cast your spell over Arthur."
No book. How was he meant to practise magic without a book? Everything was lost.
"No, Gaius - I took it. He asked me to destroy it and I hid it away."
Gwen smiled and knelt on the floor beside his bed, forcing her hand between the frame and the mattress to pull out a sheaf of papers. She looked guilty as she handed them to Merlin, crossing the room to the other side of the bed. "I had to tear them out, because it was too big."
"That's all right," Merlin said, caressing the pages as if they were Arthur's hands. "This will be perfect.
~
Arthur was afraid.
The chain around his ankle didn't allow him to leave the arena, but he could defend himself. No, that wasn't what concerned him - any chance to destroy Caradoc's knights should be leapt at.
He was afraid for his people.
Without a leader, the tavern revolters could be picked off in minor skirmishes, and there would be no safeguard for their families. Caradoc's word was worth less than the breeze. Lancelot was hopefully far from Camelot but that would not save them in the end; no ruler suffered dissenters within his borders.
He was afraid for his family.
Looking up at the stand, he saw his father and Morgana, sitting impassively in the lower tier. They were closely guarded and the loyal people of Camelot were kept well away. There was no chance of escape. He had come home to save them and he had failed - his father was right about him.
He was afraid for Merlin.
The idiot had never been able to follow instructions, and he had shown no signs of leaving when Arthur had marched. That meant he was still in Camelot, and Caradoc had to know he was there. In his present condition, he was an easy target and an important enemy to eliminate. But Arthur knew Merlin wouldn't leave, couldn't leave Camelot while Arthur was in danger.
Because Arthur knew he could never leave Merlin.
The arena was full, but there was a tense silence that unnerved him. It was almost as if they expected him to lose. Arthur looked at all the faces in the crowd, nervous and desperate, no longer believing in his immortality. When they won Camelot, he would have to prove himself a thousand times over to regain his standing in their eyes.
Caradoc sat on the throne, smirking, before waving to a guard. On the surface, he seemed elated, but he was ill at ease, sitting on the edge of his seat. Perhaps the Dragon had been right about the Northlands.
The guard sounded the gong. "The criminal Arthur will face the Lord Rhyl. READY!"
Arthur shifted his sword into position, painfully aware of his lack of armour and mail. He was practically naked and about to face a trained knight. Still, he fancied his chances and had sparred with Morgana whenever she had visited during the months they'd been away. Though it had been almost half a year since his last tourney and perhaps his arm was not as steady as he believed. Maybe he wasn't ready at all.
And that's when he saw him.
Barely upright between Gwen and Gaius, his idiot lover was making a ridiculously obvious target of himself and looking as if he was going to kill someone with his bare hands. Arthur wasn't entirely sure it wasn't him.
The gong sounded again and Arthur dodged the first strike, struggling to concentrate. Why was he here? What mad Merlin plan had entered that pretty head? What could he possibly hope to achieve by being caught?
A sword blow to the shoulder and he cried out, knocking off the knight's helm as he staggered back. Now he had a target, though he also had an injury. Arthur shifted his sword to his other hand, circling the man with intent.
Arthur. I want you to run.
The intrusion distracted him but he managed to dodge the knight's next swing, sword point coming up to slice open the man's cheek. Small victories.
No. The king, Morgana. Get them out.
They locked swords and he struggled to hold him steady.
I can get you all-
I'll distract them You can come back for me.
Arthur's sword slipped and he let the knight knock him to the ground. And then he played dead.
There were screams from the crowd, a great roar from Caradoc's men and the laughter of Lord Rhyl, assured of his victory.
He hoped Merlin had learned how to listen.
~
When Arthur fell to the ground, Merlin knew there was no backing out.
"Uther and Morgana," he whispered. "Not...not Arthur."
Merlin concentrated and the world around him slowed; he climbed the barrier, running despite his leg and reaching the lower tier in moments.
Now was the time for that new spell, and he only had one chance to get it right. Uther and Morgana were standing, frozen in rage and panic - Merlin reached up and grabbed for their arms, shouting the spell words as time sped up.
They both tumbled over the barrier, hitting the packed earth with force. All around them, there appeared to be a waterfall, muting the colours and sounds from beyond.
"Merlin!" Morgana exclaimed, grabbing his arm "Where are we?"
"We're not safe. We need to go." Merlin started walking.
"Not without my son."
Merlin stared up at Uther, his anger flaring. "You think I want to leave him? He said to get you out - I'm keeping my promise. Don't make me a liar, sire."
"But you are so adept at it."
Merlin was already moving towards the edge of the arena, dragging Morgana along with him. He didn't have time to turn Uther into a rat and he could feel his energy draining with every passing second.
He felt something touch his arm and suddenly Gaius was within the waterfall too. "This way, quickly. Arthur has started his attack."
"You..." Uther was pale, almost shaking. "You promised me you had...that you had stopped."
Merlin watched the two of them, staring at each other as if the world was ending in the space between them
"Desperate times," Gaius said softly, and Uther looked away.
They moved in silence then, through a muted blurred castle. Morgana was half-carrying him by the end, but they couldn't stop. Over and over, he thought on Gaius' words: Arthur has started his attack. What did it mean? Would he even be- No, he would not think like that.
Finally, they reached the tunnel beneath the castle. Morgana carefully passed Merlin over to Gaius and reluctantly came to stand at Uther's side; Merlin knew she wanted to stay and fight, but she would do as Arthur wished. For the moment.
"Gwen's waiting for you," Gaius said. "Merlin and Arthur's horses are tied up nearby."
"Go to the village," Merlin said quietly. "They know you there."
Morgana frowned."You're not coming?"
"Arthur needs me. I can't leave him."
Uther nodded curtly, ignoring Gaius completely as he set off down the tunnel.
"Be careful." Morgana hugged them both and followed Uther towards the light.
"What was-"
"I used my magic to find you. I broke my word to him."
They watched them until they were out of sight, the silence weighing heavy in the shadows. Small victories.