The Secret in the Cave for Willowsmarika
Title: The Secret in the Cave
Recipient:willowsmarika
Author: ajsrandom
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Summary: Sent on a quest, Arthur and Merlin deal with more than just a nasty sorceress.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1368
Author's Notes: Willowsmarika, I tried to incorporate most of your wishes into one fic. I hope you like it! Thanks to my beta, B. :)
Disclaimer:Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.
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“Are we there yet?” Merlin asked, not really wanting to know.
“No Merlin, we are not. And I know you are just trying to needle me, asking that every five minutes,” Arthur replied.
“You found me out.” Merlin grinned. “I guess you do have a sense of humor after all.”
“Of course I do. You just do not seem to appreciate it.”
“All right, then, tell me a joke.”
“We are here.”
Merlin’s head whipped around to find they’d emerged from the dense forest and now faced a large cave. “You’re not joking, are you?”
“No, I am not.”
“Why does it always have to be a cave? Nothing good happens to us in caves.”
Arthur chuckled. “It does seem that way. Anyway, I am sure this is a perfectly lovely cave.” He strode toward it. “See? Nothing amiss about this cave.”
“You say that now. Just wait. Within a few minutes, we’ll be running for our lives.”
“Come on, Merlin, we have a stray magical object to find.”
“Do you even know what it is?”
“Not exactly. But I am sure I will know it when I see it.”
Merlin was sure that he would know it when they found it, but he doubted its existence. The information had come to them from an old peasant woman who had mysteriously shown up in Uther’s court one day, gave him vague information, and had vanished. If that wasn’t suspicious, he didn’t know what was.
After taking a few minutes to craft a torch, they entered the cave. After a several minutes, Merlin began to relax. There didn’t appear to be any wilddoren. Everything was quiet. Not even a mouse scurried about, which was odd. And the cave appeared to have only one tunnel. He didn’t see any side tunnels at all. His guard went back up.
“Arthur, be wary. It’s too quiet in here.”
“I agree. There is something unnatural about this cave.”
“You agree? You almost never agree with me.”
“Untrue. I agree with you often-I just don’t tell you I agree.”
“Arthur, I-”
Jut then, a loud cackling split the air. Arthur and Merlin stopped in their tracks. A white light appeared in front of them, blocking their passage. Out of that light stepped the peasant woman who had appeared before Uther. Merlin was nearly blown away by the strength of her magic. This sorceress was at least as strong as Nimue, and he had barely survived her. Now he had Arthur to protect.
“Arthur Pendragon, how kind of you to come walking into my lair,” the sorceress said.
Arthur stood his ground and spread his arms wide. “As you say. Now what do you want with me, sorceress?”
“What I imagine every magic user wants with you-revenge against your father.”
“That does seem to be a theme in my life.”
Merlin’s jaw dropped. Was Arthur bantering with the sorceress? “Arthur, um, shouldn’t you, you know, try to kill her?”
“Oh yes.” He drew his sword. “Prepare to die!”
He lunged at the sorceress, who backed away. “You fool! Do you think to defeat me with a mere sword?”
Merlin watched the sorceress. The second she started mouthing words, he yanked Arthur behind him. “Do me a favor and stay behind me.”
“Merlin-”
“Just listen to me for once!” He turned back to the sorceress and raised his hand. He muttered the most powerful shield spell he’d learned and prayed that it would work. It must have worked, because no spell hit him or Arthur. “It worked!”
“Are you . . .? What are you doing?” Arthur asked.
“Sorry, no time to chitchat. Must defeat this sorceress.”
“But-”
“Really, Arthur, got to go.” He turned back to the sorceress, whose face was turning purple with fury and effort as she shot bolt after bolt at Merlin’s shield.
Now it’s time to go on the attack. He lifted his shield and shot a stunning spell at her. She flinched but didn’t fall. It was time for something stronger. He couldn’t do what he did to Nimue because they weren’t outside. But he could do something similar. With a word, a bolt of lightning discharged from his hand. This time the sorceress went down. He was about to jog forward to check on her when Arthur ran past him. “This is your end, sorceress.” And with one stroke of his sword, he beheaded her.
“But-” Merlin made to go to Arthur, but Arthur pointed his sword at him.
“Do not move, sorcerer,” Arthur spat.
“Arthur, it’s just me.”
“I said, do not move.”
Merlin’s sense of victory faded. Of course Arthur would act like this. He’d just revealed his magic in a spectacular way. He knew the repercussions and he did it anyway. “Arthur, please, I just want to explain myself.”
“Explain what? You made yourself perfectly clear by your actions, sorcerer.”
“Actually, it’s warlock.”
“What?”
“Technically I’m a warlock. I was born with magic.”
Arthur frowned further. “No one is born with magic.”
Merlin sighed. “Most magic users are born with magic. They choose to develop it or not.”
“How do you know this?”
“Experience, mostly. Look, would you put down the sword? I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, I’ve been protecting you for the last year and a half.”
“Protecting me?” The sword wavered. “Why would you do that?”
“Because it’s my destiny. Look, can we get out of this cave? Being near dead bodies is depressing. I don’t care if you hold the sword at my back the whole time. I’d just like to see sunlight before I possibly die.”
“Fine.” Arthur gestured with his sword. “Walk.”
Merlin turned around and began walking. After they’d walked the few minutes to the cave’s entrance and outside. “Okay, talk,” Arthur said. “You said it is your destiny to protect me. Why?”
“Because you’re destined to be the greatest king this land has known.”
“But you are a sorc- warlock. Why would you protect me when my father has done so much to hurt your kind?”
“I believe in you, Arthur. You’re not hardened the way your father is. You could be ten times the king he is.”
Arthur’s sword fell. “I have no wish to usurp my father.”
“I’m not asking you to. Far from it. You’ve seen my power-I could have taken his life if I’d wanted to, many times over. But I didn’t, because killing him with magic would have hardened you. And I don’t want that.”
“What do you want?”
“Oh there’s a loaded question.”
“I mean, from me.”
Merlin frowned. “Well naturally I’d like you to spare my life, so I can keep saving you from magical and non-magical threats.”
“You have really saved me a lot then?”
“More times than I can count.”
“There’s got to be more to it than that.”
“There really isn’t. I believe that when you become King, you’ll do the right thing by magical folk.”
“And what’s ‘the right thing?’”
“Repealing the ban on magic.”
Arthur sheathed his sword. “That is it?”
“Yes, actually.”
“If I let you live, you will keep on protecting me?”
“Until the day I die.”
“Well, that will not be by my hand.” Arthur offered his hand to Merlin.
“Really?”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Yes, Merlin.” He reached out and took Merlin’s arm in the way that knights did.
“Thank you, Arthur.”
“Now that you have proven that you are not, in fact, harmless, please keep your magic more discrete. If you are caught by anyone else, I will not be able to protect you.”
“I know.”
“So now we need to work out a story as to why we are not bringing home a magical artifact.” They began walking into the forest. “Father will want to know.”
“Well, we could go with a variation on the truth. That kind of story always works for me.”
“There really is a lot more to you than I’ve seen, isn’t there?”
“You have no idea.”
“Please enlighten me.”
“How long have you got?”
Arthur laughed. “The entire way back to Camelot.”
“Okay then. Well, you already know I was born with magic . . .”
Recipient:willowsmarika
Author: ajsrandom
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Summary: Sent on a quest, Arthur and Merlin deal with more than just a nasty sorceress.
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1368
Author's Notes: Willowsmarika, I tried to incorporate most of your wishes into one fic. I hope you like it! Thanks to my beta, B. :)
Disclaimer:Merlin is owned by the BBC and Shine. No copyright infringement is intended and no profit is being made. Don't send us to the dungeons.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................
“Are we there yet?” Merlin asked, not really wanting to know.
“No Merlin, we are not. And I know you are just trying to needle me, asking that every five minutes,” Arthur replied.
“You found me out.” Merlin grinned. “I guess you do have a sense of humor after all.”
“Of course I do. You just do not seem to appreciate it.”
“All right, then, tell me a joke.”
“We are here.”
Merlin’s head whipped around to find they’d emerged from the dense forest and now faced a large cave. “You’re not joking, are you?”
“No, I am not.”
“Why does it always have to be a cave? Nothing good happens to us in caves.”
Arthur chuckled. “It does seem that way. Anyway, I am sure this is a perfectly lovely cave.” He strode toward it. “See? Nothing amiss about this cave.”
“You say that now. Just wait. Within a few minutes, we’ll be running for our lives.”
“Come on, Merlin, we have a stray magical object to find.”
“Do you even know what it is?”
“Not exactly. But I am sure I will know it when I see it.”
Merlin was sure that he would know it when they found it, but he doubted its existence. The information had come to them from an old peasant woman who had mysteriously shown up in Uther’s court one day, gave him vague information, and had vanished. If that wasn’t suspicious, he didn’t know what was.
After taking a few minutes to craft a torch, they entered the cave. After a several minutes, Merlin began to relax. There didn’t appear to be any wilddoren. Everything was quiet. Not even a mouse scurried about, which was odd. And the cave appeared to have only one tunnel. He didn’t see any side tunnels at all. His guard went back up.
“Arthur, be wary. It’s too quiet in here.”
“I agree. There is something unnatural about this cave.”
“You agree? You almost never agree with me.”
“Untrue. I agree with you often-I just don’t tell you I agree.”
“Arthur, I-”
Jut then, a loud cackling split the air. Arthur and Merlin stopped in their tracks. A white light appeared in front of them, blocking their passage. Out of that light stepped the peasant woman who had appeared before Uther. Merlin was nearly blown away by the strength of her magic. This sorceress was at least as strong as Nimue, and he had barely survived her. Now he had Arthur to protect.
“Arthur Pendragon, how kind of you to come walking into my lair,” the sorceress said.
Arthur stood his ground and spread his arms wide. “As you say. Now what do you want with me, sorceress?”
“What I imagine every magic user wants with you-revenge against your father.”
“That does seem to be a theme in my life.”
Merlin’s jaw dropped. Was Arthur bantering with the sorceress? “Arthur, um, shouldn’t you, you know, try to kill her?”
“Oh yes.” He drew his sword. “Prepare to die!”
He lunged at the sorceress, who backed away. “You fool! Do you think to defeat me with a mere sword?”
Merlin watched the sorceress. The second she started mouthing words, he yanked Arthur behind him. “Do me a favor and stay behind me.”
“Merlin-”
“Just listen to me for once!” He turned back to the sorceress and raised his hand. He muttered the most powerful shield spell he’d learned and prayed that it would work. It must have worked, because no spell hit him or Arthur. “It worked!”
“Are you . . .? What are you doing?” Arthur asked.
“Sorry, no time to chitchat. Must defeat this sorceress.”
“But-”
“Really, Arthur, got to go.” He turned back to the sorceress, whose face was turning purple with fury and effort as she shot bolt after bolt at Merlin’s shield.
Now it’s time to go on the attack. He lifted his shield and shot a stunning spell at her. She flinched but didn’t fall. It was time for something stronger. He couldn’t do what he did to Nimue because they weren’t outside. But he could do something similar. With a word, a bolt of lightning discharged from his hand. This time the sorceress went down. He was about to jog forward to check on her when Arthur ran past him. “This is your end, sorceress.” And with one stroke of his sword, he beheaded her.
“But-” Merlin made to go to Arthur, but Arthur pointed his sword at him.
“Do not move, sorcerer,” Arthur spat.
“Arthur, it’s just me.”
“I said, do not move.”
Merlin’s sense of victory faded. Of course Arthur would act like this. He’d just revealed his magic in a spectacular way. He knew the repercussions and he did it anyway. “Arthur, please, I just want to explain myself.”
“Explain what? You made yourself perfectly clear by your actions, sorcerer.”
“Actually, it’s warlock.”
“What?”
“Technically I’m a warlock. I was born with magic.”
Arthur frowned further. “No one is born with magic.”
Merlin sighed. “Most magic users are born with magic. They choose to develop it or not.”
“How do you know this?”
“Experience, mostly. Look, would you put down the sword? I’m not going to hurt you. In fact, I’ve been protecting you for the last year and a half.”
“Protecting me?” The sword wavered. “Why would you do that?”
“Because it’s my destiny. Look, can we get out of this cave? Being near dead bodies is depressing. I don’t care if you hold the sword at my back the whole time. I’d just like to see sunlight before I possibly die.”
“Fine.” Arthur gestured with his sword. “Walk.”
Merlin turned around and began walking. After they’d walked the few minutes to the cave’s entrance and outside. “Okay, talk,” Arthur said. “You said it is your destiny to protect me. Why?”
“Because you’re destined to be the greatest king this land has known.”
“But you are a sorc- warlock. Why would you protect me when my father has done so much to hurt your kind?”
“I believe in you, Arthur. You’re not hardened the way your father is. You could be ten times the king he is.”
Arthur’s sword fell. “I have no wish to usurp my father.”
“I’m not asking you to. Far from it. You’ve seen my power-I could have taken his life if I’d wanted to, many times over. But I didn’t, because killing him with magic would have hardened you. And I don’t want that.”
“What do you want?”
“Oh there’s a loaded question.”
“I mean, from me.”
Merlin frowned. “Well naturally I’d like you to spare my life, so I can keep saving you from magical and non-magical threats.”
“You have really saved me a lot then?”
“More times than I can count.”
“There’s got to be more to it than that.”
“There really isn’t. I believe that when you become King, you’ll do the right thing by magical folk.”
“And what’s ‘the right thing?’”
“Repealing the ban on magic.”
Arthur sheathed his sword. “That is it?”
“Yes, actually.”
“If I let you live, you will keep on protecting me?”
“Until the day I die.”
“Well, that will not be by my hand.” Arthur offered his hand to Merlin.
“Really?”
Arthur rolled his eyes. “Yes, Merlin.” He reached out and took Merlin’s arm in the way that knights did.
“Thank you, Arthur.”
“Now that you have proven that you are not, in fact, harmless, please keep your magic more discrete. If you are caught by anyone else, I will not be able to protect you.”
“I know.”
“So now we need to work out a story as to why we are not bringing home a magical artifact.” They began walking into the forest. “Father will want to know.”
“Well, we could go with a variation on the truth. That kind of story always works for me.”
“There really is a lot more to you than I’ve seen, isn’t there?”
“You have no idea.”
“Please enlighten me.”
“How long have you got?”
Arthur laughed. “The entire way back to Camelot.”
“Okay then. Well, you already know I was born with magic . . .”