Why Dragons Shouldn't Gossip (3/3)oflittleuseJanuary 3 2012, 03:37:52 UTC
“Yes.” Merlin whispered.
“You are a witch?” Arthur asked further.
“No,” Merlin looked repulsed. “Arthur, I already told you I’m not a woman.”
“I told him too!” Godric piped up from behind them.
“You know what I mean,” Arthur snapped.
“I am magic,” Merlin admitted.
“And the rest of what he said ... the quest, the immortal army?”
“Yes.”
Arthur closed his eyes. He couldn’t look at Merlin, nor could he look at Godric. He prowled around the room. Merlin was magic. The very thing that had destroyed his father, taken away his sister before he had even known the truth about her, and had been chasing him since he was born. The one constant that had kept him sane through all of it had turned out to be a warlock.
He was a warlock that, if the boy and Merlin were to be trusted, had used his magic to save Arthur and Camelot time and again. He thought of all the narrow escapes and problems that had magically disappeared since Merlin had arrived. He thought of tree branches that had just happened to fall on a foe in battle and suddenly Arthur was angry at himself for not seeing it.
“What will you do?” Merlin finally asked. Arthur turned and saw his servant standing there. He didn’t look any different. He still had big ears, still wore horrible clothes and ratty scarves. Merlin’s eyes were red, but not a single tear had fallen.
Arthur felt so many angry words on the tip of his tongue. He could order Merlin to exile or the stake! He could bring Merlin to his knees. He could say that he would never trust Merlin again. Arthur could spit out the insults, put up the barriers and unleash his anger on the warlock. But it was Merlin in front of him. Those angry words died on the tip of his tongue. Only a sigh escaped. The anger left faster than Arthur wanted it to.
“You will be the death of me Merlin,” Arthur lamented. He closed his eyes and tried to bring back his righteous anger, because it was so much better than the hurt he felt. He could deal with anger.
“Arthur,” Merlin said, his voice so soft and worried, as he approached him. Arthur held out a hand to halt him, but Merlin ignored it. Of course Merlin ignored him. Arthur could not help but flinch slightly as Merlin laid a gentle hand against his shoulder. “I am still your servant.”
“Have you only used magic for the good of Camelot?” Arthur asked, so softly that he wasn’t sure if Godric could even hear them. Nerve-racking
“Yes.” Merlin swore.
“Do you swear fealty to me as your King that you will continue to use your magic only for the good of Camelot and any act which hurts this kingdom forfeits your life?” Arthur asked.
“I swear it.” Merlin was more serious than Arthur had ever seen him.
“And you Godric,” Arthur turned to the younger boy who seemed to shake under Arthur’s hard gaze. “Do you swear to use your magic and any magic taught under Merlin for the benefit of Camelot only?”
“To be taught by Merlin, Sire, I swear it,” Godric said, sending Merlin a hopeful gaze which seemed to unnerve the man ... the warlock.
“Very well, Godric, you are to visit the library, find all the old laws on magic and be quick - we will bring them before the council this afternoon,” Arthur commanded, the boy smiling broadly at being given a task by the king, or perhaps he was just happy to leave the tense conversation. The boy practically ran out of the room.
“Arthur?” Merlin raised a silent eyebrow to question what Arthur was doing.
“Too many people heard what Godric said about you. I might be angry at you right now, but I’m not letting anyone kill you before I’ve had time to knock some sense into you,” Arthur threatened. “You told a dragon of all of your little misadventures did you?”
“Well I never imagined he would blab it to half the countryside,” Merlin said defensively, folding his arms across his chest.
“The average person would keep a journal, but no Merlin has to tell all his secrets to an overgrown lizard. In order to see the folly of your ways, I think that Godric’s apprenticeship is the perfect remedy,” Arthur enjoyed Merlin’s panicked look.
“I don’t know what to do with an apprentice!” Merlin hissed at him, before blinking and a small smile appearing. “Does this mean that I will have less chores?”
“You are a witch?” Arthur asked further.
“No,” Merlin looked repulsed. “Arthur, I already told you I’m not a woman.”
“I told him too!” Godric piped up from behind them.
“You know what I mean,” Arthur snapped.
“I am magic,” Merlin admitted.
“And the rest of what he said ... the quest, the immortal army?”
“Yes.”
Arthur closed his eyes. He couldn’t look at Merlin, nor could he look at Godric. He prowled around the room. Merlin was magic. The very thing that had destroyed his father, taken away his sister before he had even known the truth about her, and had been chasing him since he was born. The one constant that had kept him sane through all of it had turned out to be a warlock.
He was a warlock that, if the boy and Merlin were to be trusted, had used his magic to save Arthur and Camelot time and again. He thought of all the narrow escapes and problems that had magically disappeared since Merlin had arrived. He thought of tree branches that had just happened to fall on a foe in battle and suddenly Arthur was angry at himself for not seeing it.
“What will you do?” Merlin finally asked. Arthur turned and saw his servant standing there. He didn’t look any different. He still had big ears, still wore horrible clothes and ratty scarves. Merlin’s eyes were red, but not a single tear had fallen.
Arthur felt so many angry words on the tip of his tongue. He could order Merlin to exile or the stake! He could bring Merlin to his knees. He could say that he would never trust Merlin again. Arthur could spit out the insults, put up the barriers and unleash his anger on the warlock. But it was Merlin in front of him. Those angry words died on the tip of his tongue. Only a sigh escaped. The anger left faster than Arthur wanted it to.
“You will be the death of me Merlin,” Arthur lamented. He closed his eyes and tried to bring back his righteous anger, because it was so much better than the hurt he felt. He could deal with anger.
“Arthur,” Merlin said, his voice so soft and worried, as he approached him. Arthur held out a hand to halt him, but Merlin ignored it. Of course Merlin ignored him. Arthur could not help but flinch slightly as Merlin laid a gentle hand against his shoulder. “I am still your servant.”
“Have you only used magic for the good of Camelot?” Arthur asked, so softly that he wasn’t sure if Godric could even hear them. Nerve-racking
“Yes.” Merlin swore.
“Do you swear fealty to me as your King that you will continue to use your magic only for the good of Camelot and any act which hurts this kingdom forfeits your life?” Arthur asked.
“I swear it.” Merlin was more serious than Arthur had ever seen him.
“And you Godric,” Arthur turned to the younger boy who seemed to shake under Arthur’s hard gaze. “Do you swear to use your magic and any magic taught under Merlin for the benefit of Camelot only?”
“To be taught by Merlin, Sire, I swear it,” Godric said, sending Merlin a hopeful gaze which seemed to unnerve the man ... the warlock.
“Very well, Godric, you are to visit the library, find all the old laws on magic and be quick - we will bring them before the council this afternoon,” Arthur commanded, the boy smiling broadly at being given a task by the king, or perhaps he was just happy to leave the tense conversation. The boy practically ran out of the room.
“Arthur?” Merlin raised a silent eyebrow to question what Arthur was doing.
“Too many people heard what Godric said about you. I might be angry at you right now, but I’m not letting anyone kill you before I’ve had time to knock some sense into you,” Arthur threatened. “You told a dragon of all of your little misadventures did you?”
“Well I never imagined he would blab it to half the countryside,” Merlin said defensively, folding his arms across his chest.
“The average person would keep a journal, but no Merlin has to tell all his secrets to an overgrown lizard. In order to see the folly of your ways, I think that Godric’s apprenticeship is the perfect remedy,” Arthur enjoyed Merlin’s panicked look.
“I don’t know what to do with an apprentice!” Merlin hissed at him, before blinking and a small smile appearing. “Does this mean that I will have less chores?”
“Don’t be an idiot Merlin. Of course not.”
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