Merlin fic: Para Bellum 3/7
Para Bellum
by Destina
Art by goss
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
See master post for notes and summary.
III.
During battle within his own citadel - which had happened far too many times for Arthur's comfort - Arthur was never fully engaged in combat. Soon after he had become king, he had drawn up specific plans placing a senior knight in charge of each gate, siege tunnel, and garrison of the guard, to ensure he did not have to be everywhere at once. But there was always the nagging sense he should fight each battle, be in each place a man was fighting for him.
This battle was no different. A part of Arthur was with Leon at the south gates, and with Gwaine and Merlin in the lower town, and with every other knight fighting to save Camelot.
When the fire stopped falling from the sky, Arthur rallied his knights to the aid of Camelot's citizens. Most of the lower town, and a great deal of the citadel, seemed to be on fire or smoldering, but the gates had held against a fairly paltry force of ill-equipped bandits and smugglers. It didn't make sense; Arthur checked the bodies of those who had fallen at the north gate, and many of the men were no longer in their fighting prime. It was almost as though whoever planned and launched the attack had chosen the least valuable fighters, and sent them to their deaths amidst the chaos.
"As a distraction," Arthur breathed. It was an old tactic, and one most attacking forces would not attempt. Men were hard to come by, and the time spent training them too valuable. Perhaps Morgana was growing desperate. "Leon. Check the vaults, the armory, and the food stores, and then find Merlin. Send him to me."
"Right away, sire."
Only after Leon had gone did it occur to Arthur that it was unusual for Merlin to have stayed away so long after the conclusion of battle. He stood staring at the bodies a moment longer, and then made his way back to the courtyard in search of Gaius. He found him there, circulating among the wounded as he had done all of Arthur's life, tending each with efficient care.
"Gaius, have you seen Merlin?"
"No, my lord. I was about to ask you the same thing. We could use more hands here."
"I will assign men to assist with stretcher-bearing." Arthur flagged down two of the nearest knights and set them to the task. A growing fear bloomed in his mind, but he pushed it away. It was ridiculous to assume that something had happened to Merlin just because he had not run immediately to Arthur's side.
"Sire!" Leon rushed toward him, four men bearing a stretcher just behind. Gwaine lay unconscious in the stretcher, his face streaked with blood. Ice crept through Arthur's body as he reached a hand to touch Gwaine's face. "He was found in the lower town, just as you see him."
"And Merlin?"
"Merlin was not with him."
That rush of dread returned, stronger this time, and now Arthur let himself react to it, as the king he must be. The safety of Camelot's most powerful sorcerer was a concern far beyond the seizing of his own heart. "Search the lower town and the area near the southern gates," Arthur said, gripping Leon's arm. "Check every body, Leon. Check every building."
"We will find him, Arthur." Leon laid his hand over Arthur's gloved one for the briefest of seconds, and then began shouting orders to the knights under his command, and more besides.
Gaius bustled over and crouched down beside Gwaine, ministering to him. He opened a vial under Gwaine's nose, and Gwaine bucked up, coughing hard and then groaning as he thrashed away from the vial. Arthur dropped to one knee beside the stretcher. "Gwaine, what happened? Where is Merlin?" Arthur asked urgently.
With a grimace, Gwaine pulled himself to a sitting position. "They were waiting for us," he said, voice raspy and thin. "Sorcerers, or soldiers with magic. Not sure which. Weren't interested in fighting me; they had bigger fish to fry."
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.
"Tossed me out of the way like a rag doll," Gwaine said, wincing, "and then they came for Merlin."
"Came for him," Arthur said, all sound around him fading into nothing in the background as the words echoed around his mind.
They came for Merlin.
Merlin, in the hands of the enemy, was a thought too large for Arthur to comprehend. He was too powerful to be taken alive; it should not have been possible. But someone had taken him. The world narrowed to that one thought, that one idea.
It did not matter who had come for him, or what their intent was. If Merlin was still alive, their lives would be over soon enough, either by Merlin's hand, or his own.
"But Merlin is more powerful than any sorcerer I have ever seen," Gaius said, and the astonished expression on his face mirrored Arthur's feeling. "He should easily have been able to defeat even skilled sorcerers."
"Never had the chance. The blonde Druid girl threw something around his neck. That was the end of it." Gwaine put a hand up to his head. "Tried to get up - was crawling over - and one of them put a boot in my face. Faster than magic I suppose." He looked up at Arthur, and the sorrow and fear there nearly seized Arthur's heart. "Arthur, I'm sorry."
Arthur didn't trust himself to speak; he squeezed Gwaine's hand briefly, as much of a message as he could give, for the moment. Then he looked up, seeking any knight who could assist; Percival was hovering nearby, supporting an injured comrade. Arthur gestured him over and found his voice. "Muster every knight who is not injured or engaged in rescue. Find our Druid guests-" he spat the word, tasting Merlin's blood in it "--and bring them to me in the great hall. Use the cold iron, Percival. Put special patrols out with a description of the girl."
Gwaine threw an arm over his eyes and turned his face away, as if ashamed.
"Sire, any magic that could arrest Merlin's powers would have to be remarkable indeed," Gaius said.
"Morgana is capable of it," Arthur said. "You've seen what she can do." The ice of disbelief was winding its way through his body like slow poison, and he shivered. "I trusted them," he said slowly. "On Merlin's word, I trusted them. I allowed magic users free rein in Camelot."
"Arthur," Gaius said sharply. "Just as Merlin is not Morgana, one untrustworthy girl is not the Druids entire."
"We shall see," Arthur said, the cold settling into him, driving fear and panic down deep inside, to the place where useless emotions must be kept. "All that matters is Merlin, now, and they will tell me where he is."
"And if they don't know?"
He fixed Gaius with a hard stare. "Send for Iseldir. Let him prove his loyalty to Camelot, and repay the debt he owes Merlin."
"He will do no violence on your behalf, Arthur. You know he will not condone it."
"He will winnow the truth out of these sorcerers, or I will do it with a sword and fire, and I will not stop until they are dead," Arthur hissed. "Summon him, Gaius, and make my intentions plain."
Even after Arthur turned his back, he could feel Gaius' silent stare cutting into his skin, and it took him only a moment to realize, it was the same way Gaius used to look at Uther when his father was on the wrong path. In his heart, Arthur knew magic was not to blame for what had happened; there was only one person responsible. He would find Merlin, and then he would cut Morgana's heart out, and end this once and for all.
**
The young Druids did not seem like much of a threat, crumpled on the stone floor before the throne in their black chains and grey robes, but Arthur knew better. More than once during the battle, he had seen the man, Liam, hurling fireballs aside, dispersing them over the fields just as Merlin had instructed. They were capable of harm as well as protection. Merlin's absence beside him was proof of it. He could not afford to be gentle in what he was about to do.
The girl - Kara - refused to lower her head, and she glared at Arthur with such hatred in her eyes, Arthur was surprised he had not burst into flames. Only the cold iron was stopping her from using her magic; she had killed three knights when they found her. It was a miracle they'd been able to take her alive.
Around them, the knights not out on search patrols filled the room, and many of Arthur's advisors, including Gaius.
"You know of our troubles securing the girl Gwaine has accused, my lord. The other two came without resistance; they offered no defense." Leon bowed and stepped away. Arthur realized with regret that until this day, he had not bothered to learn or remember all of their names. He could practically hear Merlin chastising him from afar, lecturing him about respect for those who practiced magic, and how important it was to see them as citizens of his kingdom.
He had failed in that, and perhaps it had helped to lead them to this moment, and to Merlin's death. The thought was unbearable. There was only the task at hand, and he must see to it.
"Liam." The boy looked up at Arthur, and the fear in his eyes made Arthur swallow hard. He had never wanted to be feared, but if it would serve a purpose, then so be it. "I commend you for your service to Camelot during the battle. I know you were not directly responsible for Merlin's disappearance. But I will hear from you now: did you know anything about what was to come?"
"No, Majesty, I swear it. I did only as Emrys instructed, and I looked for him after the battle, but I could not find him." Liam bowed his head to the ground. "Please, sire, I would never bring harm to your kingdom, which I have sworn to protect. I would not dishonor my people or my vows."
"And you," Arthur said, turning his attention to Eira, who trembled beside Liam. "I am told you were nowhere to be found before the battle."
"I was looking for Kara," Eira said, tears streaking down her face. To her left, Kara twisted away from the guards to stare at her with loathing.
"You were not with her?"
"No! That is - not when the battle began, sire," she said, lifting her chained hands to wipe at her face. "Emrys sent us to do research, but Kara did not want to. She seemed so angry, and I knew there was something wrong, but she would not tell me what troubled her. When she ignored Emrys' instructions, I ran after her, but she did not answer my call. And then...then the attack began." Eira began to cry again. "I would not have let her harm Emrys. He is our teacher. He has been kind to me."
A moment later, Eira cried out as a gob of Kara's spittle struck her on the cheek. "Traitor," Kara hissed, before she was bent low by the guards. Eira rubbed her cheek on her sleeve, her face burning red, and turned away, sobbing.
Arthur looked from one to the other, frustration welling within him. He directed his attention last to Kara, who smiled a vicious smile the moment he did so.
"Ask your questions, Arthur Pendragon, and be assured only of my silence," she snarled.
Arthur did not bother. There were other ways.
The double doors swung open at the end of the room, and the guard announced, "Iseldir of the Druids, at the king's command, and Alator of the Catha." The knights parted to let Iseldir through. Clad in the same grey robes as the two students, he stopped behind them, and lowered the hood of his robe. Alator followed behind, but stepped off to the side. It was then that Arthur remembered he had gone to see Iseldir, to ask questions on Arthur's behalf.
"Arthur Pendragon," Iseldir said, bowing only slightly, as had always been his custom. "You sent for me."
"You have heard what took place here."
"Yes. Also that you believe Morgana Pendragon to be responsible." Iseldir looked down at the two Druids at his feet. "What do you wish to ask of me?"
"The truth. They are your people. You must do what is necessary to find...Emrys." The name was strange and unfamiliar on his tongue, but it had the desired effect on Iseldir; as it rolled from his lips, Iseldir stood straighter.
"If any of my people have caused harm to Emrys, they will be dealt with in the way of our people. They will be shunned by our kind and excluded from our rites." At that, Arthur noticed a shudder went through Liam, though he did not speak. A punishment of some significance, then, though for Arthur the punishment was irrelevant; he needed information.
"Not enough. You owe me the truth, Iseldir. I cannot force you to remain here, if you choose to use your magic to remove yourself and your people. But you made sureties and pledges to me regarding these emissaries. Now I ask you to honor those oaths." Arthur's voice dropped low, and he let the barest hint of his fury creep through. "I will learn if they have harmed Merlin, or know where he has been taken. You can obtain this information."
Iseldir seemed to withdraw a bit at that. His calm stare never wavered as he asked, "Are you become your father, then?"
Arthur resisted the urge to look elsewhere for reassurance - Gaius, or Gwen, who knew him best - and the silence at his right hand began to feel more and more like an open, festering wound. "If I were Uther, they would already be dead." Arthur leaned forward. "Merlin trusts you. Therefore I trust you. But that trust has been misplaced in the emissaries you sent to my court. This is your problem to correct, Iseldir, and you must do it now. I will have Merlin back at all costs, and every moment we waste discussing this is a lowered chance that he can be found alive and unharmed. "
Something changed in Iseldir's expression then, a softening, and he said, "Truly, you are not your father, but your father destroyed much for the sake of his lost love, Arthur Pendragon. Love must strengthen the heart, not harden it, even when the loss is unbearable."
Arthur clenched his jaw until he thought it might break under the sheer force of his control. When he was able to breathe again, he said, "I will have your answer, Iseldir." He lifted his chin toward Kara. "Start with this one."
"Sire." Alator stepped forward, his staff clicking on the ground. "If it is information you wish, I can...I will do it. Iseldir need not go against his beliefs."
Arthur held Iseldir's gaze, willing him to understand. "Yes," he said at last. "He must."
After a long, tense moment, Iseldir nodded, and pulled his hood back up, obscuring his eyes. Hands clasped together beneath the robe, he began to chant the words of the Old Religion which Arthur found both beautiful and frightening. Then he stopped, abruptly, and Kara gasped, falling forward on her palms, back arched. She made a tiny cry, and hunched there, body rigid, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, as if she were a puppet dropped from its tether, she sprawled on the floor, whimpering softly.
The moment Kara fell, Eira's back bowed, and she lifted her face to Arthur, eyes wide and terrified. Gold clouded them, and then all color seeped from her eyes, a white mist curling through them like fog. She screamed, an eerie, mournful sound, and collapsed, senseless, on the ground.
Liam was last, and he covered his face with his hands as he gave a long, mournful scream, his body twitching madly until he fell to the side, weeping softly.
Iseldir raised his head, and Arthur could see his golden magic fading in his eyes. "These two have not betrayed Emrys," he said, sweeping his hand over Eira and Liam. "Kara alone is responsible."
Desperation clutched at Arthur, but he refused to surrender to it. "Does she know where he is?"
"Perhaps. She is deliberately trying to cloud the information so I cannot retrieve it." Iseldir paid no attention to the Druids as they shakily sat up; he waited until Arthur nodded to Percival to release the chains for Eira and Liam, and then said, "In the coming days, you may have need of us. My people are allies of Camelot, and will remain so. These two will remain here, to do as you bid - as per the terms of our agreement."
"Get those two out of here - Gaius, see to them," Arthur said, looking at Alator.
"I would prefer to stay, sire," Gaius said, and Arthur knew he had seen through him easily enough.
"As you wish." He did not waste time with the inevitable argument, because although Gaius would be entirely correct, and give wise advice, Arthur wanted none of it. "Alator. Can you find out where Merlin is being held, and for what purpose?"
"If the girl knows, I can obtain the information."
"Then take her. By the laws of Camelot, her life is forfeit; Gwaine witnessed her complicity in Merlin's capture. She will hang as soon as the gallows can be erected. Therefore, do what you must."
"As you wish." Alator bowed, and as the guards took Kara from the room, he followed silently.
Gaius was looking at Arthur as if he did not recognize him at all, and Arthur had some sympathy for his sentiments. He suspected if he looked in a mirror just then, he would not like what he saw looking back.
He stepped down from the throne, Leon and Percival at his heels as he stalked through the corridors. "We can't waste time waiting for that information. Take as many men as are necessary and form patrols, Leon. Search as far from Camelot's borders as you must. Send riders to the courts of our allies informing them of the search."
"And if our allies refuse us crossing at their borders, so that we may continue looking?" Leon asked.
"None will, if they understand the nature of this search," Arthur said. He turned to Leon, meeting his eyes. "If any do, cross their borders in the woods and streams; cross any way you can, and find the truth of it. If any of the kings and queens I have welcomed here as allies are responsible, they may as well prepare for war. Let nothing stop our knights until Merlin is found, Leon."
Even as the words left his lips, he felt the rightness of it in his heart.
"Some will offer assistance in the search," Percival said. "Should we accept it?"
"Accept nothing until we have verified that the offer is not simply a way to throw us off the scent." Arthur paused outside the door of his chambers. "Updates as soon as every patrol comes back, Leon - no exceptions."
"But sire, you should rest-"
"No exceptions." Arthur gave Leon a hard look, and then entered his quarters, closing the door behind him quietly.
"Sire," George said, rising from the chair by the fire. "What can I do?"
"Go and ready my armor," Arthur said, hearing only Merlin's voice, and the touch of his hand as he dressed Arthur; like ghosts, the tiny, vanished joys of the past swirled around him, taunting him with his failure to keep what he loved safe. "I'll send for you when I'm ready to dress."
"Shall I bring you something to eat?"
"No. If Alator sends word, or if Leon has information, I want to know immediately. Otherwise, I don't want to be disturbed."
George, ever the perfect servant for an imperfect king, slipped past Arthur and turned the key in the lock as he left. Arthur made his way to the chair George had just vacated and eased down by the fire, his muscles crying out for some relief. He had barely settled since the battle, except to climb on his throne and demand something terrible from the one true magical ally he had.
He put his face in his hands, and leaned toward the fire, but it seemed pale and cold against his skin; no warmth, no life. Not when Merlin had been there less than a day before, laughing, teasing him, offering a voice of reason when Arthur made plans with his heart - plans which may have provoked Morgana's attack, and helped to deliver Merlin into her hands.
If she had him, he might already be dead. But a small part of him was whispering that it made no sense; if she wanted Merlin dead, she would have left his body for Arthur to find, and stormed her way in to the citadel. The enemy corpses told a tale which didn't match the facts.
Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer who had ever lived; he was too powerful to leave alive. What they wanted with him, who had him, why they had chosen not to press the attack on Camelot - questions swirled around in Arthur's head until he thought he might go mad with them.
Always at the center of it, the image of Merlin's face.
He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and sat back, staring into the fire. George had left a pitcher of watered wine and a goblet on the hearth to warm, but he would have none of it. He would need a clear head for what was to come. There was no kingdom he would not destroy, no king or queen he would not challenge, to find Merlin. They would all do well to remember him as the warrior his father had trained, instead of the peaceful king they had come to expect.
He stared into the fire, willing himself to stay still, thinking of Alator and Kara in the dungeons below.
He did not think of Gaius' disappointment at all.
**
Merlin stood under an oak tree on a desolate plain. Sunlight and moonlight washed over him, one tumbling after the other, and clouds sped by overhead. Arthur could not see his face. Darkness clouded his throat, his chest; Merlin's hands were lashed to the tree. And everywhere around, the sound of Merlin's quiet, plaintive cry -
Arthur Arthur ARTHUR
Arthur woke with a shout, clawing at his throat, and jerked from the chair where he'd fallen asleep, landing on the floor with a thump. He rested one hand on the seat of the chair and looked about him wildly. He was still in his chambers beside the fire. He must have dozed off.
He swallowed, with the sound of his name from Merlin's lips still ringing in his ears, and touched his throat again. Something was wrong with Merlin's magic, but a terrible, tenuous certainty had taken hold in Arthur's heart - Merlin was alive, and he was in great danger.
A sharp knock sounded at the door; a moment later, it creaked open. George peered around its edge, ever discreet. "Sire, are you well?"
"Fine." Arthur rubbed his face wearily and beckoned George in. "Is there any news?"
"Sir Leon is expected shortly, my lord. He sent word not to disturb you until he actually arrived. And I just received word that Alator would like to see you."
"Bring him to my chambers. Summon Gwen, Gaius, and the senior knights, and have them attend also."
"At once, sire."
"Any word on Sir Gwaine's condition?"
"He is up and his usual self, my lord," George said, his tone of disapproval telling more of the story than his words. "When last I saw him, he was terrorizing Cook and taking extra bread for the wounded knights."
The picture those words conjured in Arthur's mind brought a tiny lightness to his heart. "Very well. Have Gwaine join us, too."
Arthur took advantage of his brief moments alone to wash his face and hands briskly. It was too much trouble to remove his mail and change clothes. He could hear Merlin having him on about dressing himself, and that lightened his heart even more. They would have those moments again, because anything else was impossible. Arthur would find him.
A quick knock, and George swung open the door to admit Alator. Arthur stood awkward for a moment, the heaviness of his request catching up with him, before taking a seat at the table. "Please, sit."
"Thank you, sire." Alator pulled out a chair and leaned his staff against the table before he sat down. He gave Arthur a peculiarly sympathetic look, which chafed against Arthur's skin. "Forgive me, but I believe it was difficult for you to ask me to use my particular skills."
Arthur nodded, and swallowed. "So it was."
"I should have thought Emrys' great faith in you terribly misplaced if it was not," Alator said gravely. "But even if you had not asked it, I would have found a way to see the girl and extract the information anyway. For Emrys' sake, I would have done it. You understand all too well, I think."
"Yes." Their eyes met, and there Arthur saw a fierce devotion he was not unfamiliar with. "What did you learn?"
"Mordred is responsible for Emrys' capture. The girl and Mordred were friends as children, and she has a staunch loyalty to him. She was to meet one of Mordred's men outside the city walls when the battle was over, but she did not manage to leave the citadel before she was caught by your men."
"Does she know where he's been taken?"
"No, but she did give up a good deal more information which might be useful." As Alator began to continue, another sharp knock sounded.
"Come," Arthur said, and Gwen opened the door.
"You sent for us, my lord?"
"Come in," Arthur said, standing to pull out a chair for Gwen. Gaius followed her, and the knights behind, including Gwaine, whose face appeared to be one large, mottled bruise. "Continue, Alator."
"It is as I suspected; Mordred and Ruadan are in league, and they have found a new ally to feed them troops and weapons. They have formed an alliance with King Lot."
"He wouldn't dare!" Leon gripped the table and turned to Arthur. "He knows what you would do!"
"He's been waiting for his opportunity," Arthur said, swallowing back the bile flooding his throat. "Now he's embraced the war I promised him if he ever harmed Merlin."
"We don't know that he's harmed him," Gwen said, placing her hand over Arthur's.
For her sake, Arthur did not say that he knew it would not be long before Lot did much more than harm Merlin. He remembered the exact tone and cadence of his threat to use Merlin, and his magic was not the prize in question. The thought of it raised a rage in Arthur he knew he could not control, and he must be in control. He must. For Merlin's sake.
Instead, he said, "If they've taken Merlin, there must be some sort of plan - otherwise why not just kill him?"
"To provoke an action of some sort from the king," Percival said. "He knows you'll come after him."
"He wouldn't be foolish enough to take Merlin to his own kingdom, where we could easily find him," Gwen said. "If he wants him alive, he would lock him away somewhere out of our reach, at least for the time being."
Gwaine made a small thoughtful noise across the table, and Arthur's attention immediately shifted. "What is it, Gwaine?"
"There is a place," Gwaine said slowly. "The Perilous Lands. Lot used to take prisoners there when I was young. He'd store them in one of the ruined keeps on our borders with a minimal guard, and then dispose of them in the bogs or pits, or feed them to the wyverns."
Arthur stared at him, processing the use of the word 'our'. "And how is your knowledge of Lot's practices so different now from when you, Merlin and I were last in the Perilous Lands?"
Acute discomfort twisted Gwaine's features as he tapped out a rhythm on the table. Finally, he gave Arthur a half-smile and said, "I haven't been completely honest. I may know a bit more about King Lot than I let on before."
"How so?"
Gwaine leaned back in his chair, and as if the words tasted foul, he spat, "He's my father."
It explained so much about Gwaine, so many pieces of the puzzle that had never quite fit - his skill with a sword, his easy manner with other nobles despite his outward disdain - and Arthur felt he had been a complete fool not to have realized it.
"Your father?" Leon said faintly.
"Don't hold that against me. He's a despicable pig," Gwaine said. "He held me prisoner in the Perilous Lands when my mother ran off with his first knight. Even threatened to have me killed, just to take revenge on her. I escaped, and I've been footloose and fancy-free ever since." Quietly, he added, "There's no end to the depravity he's endorsed, Arthur. It'd be just like him to throw in with them so he could get his hands on Merlin." He winced, as if he realized what he'd said. "On Merlin's power," he clarified, but Arthur knew he'd had the right of it the first time.
"Lot has an impressive army indeed, and if he's thrown its might behind this man Mordred, we will not have enough knights to make an even match on the battlefield," Leon said.
"What of Morgana?" Gwen said. "Is she mixed up in this as well?"
"Can you confirm it?" Arthur asked Alator, who shook his head.
"I cannot. I have only my instinct, and the signature of magic used here is not that of Morgana Pendragon. Her magic is...older. Deeper. The magic used to attack Camelot yesterday is the kind that is drawn from practice and instruction, not an elemental magic."
"Sire, if we are facing an army of magic-users, we have a problem we have never encountered before," Gaius said. "Iseldir is our ally, but his peaceful Druids are no match for the warrior sect. They would repel attack, but they would not press an offensive."
"You will need allies among the magical races." Alator lifted his staff and set its base on the ground. "I can be of service here. The Catha will stand with you; I can summon them to your borders today. Some have remained within Camelot for these many years, waiting for the world it was promised Emrys would bring, and they will gladly assist."
Arthur turned his head to the right to ask for Merlin's advice, and his absence struck him all over again, a pang of loss so harsh he could barely breathe. He tried to wrap his mind around the idea that magical creatures might want to fight alongside Camelot's knights, but it had only ever been a speculative discussion, one Merlin had dropped because Arthur knew he could sense it was too soon. Arthur had moved many leagues down the path toward accepting magic, but there were some things he had yet to come to terms with.
Druids were one thing, but there were so many unknowns beyond that familiar ground, and it was difficult to know who to trust without Merlin's steady, grounded truth.
"Sire, I will contact the Sidhe, to begin with; perhaps they will be willing to stand with Camelot." Alator seemed to be speaking to him the way one might a kicked dog, with infinite patience and gentleness, as if he could sense Arthur's immense discomfort. "For Emrys, they may be willing to lend their power to your cause."
"These races are dangerous, Arthur," Gaius said, giving Arthur cause once again to be grateful he still had Gaius' sound advice. "While I concede we may need their help, it would be unwise to forget that their power can be difficult to control."
"Iseldir can assist with that, can he not?" Arthur asked, looking from Gaius to Alator.
"I believe so. Like all of us, he will do whatever he can to ensure Emrys' safe return, and the safety of this kingdom," Alator said. His conviction that this was the right path was obvious. It was easy to see why Merlin had chosen to trust him. Such unwavering loyalty and devotion was useful, and Arthur reminded himself that Merlin's judgment, however much Arthur might sometimes disagree with it, was usually sound.
"Very well, "Arthur said. "Leon, you will remain here to oversee the search and the preparations for battle, if it comes to that. Continue reinforcing our defenses. Alator, you will work with Gaius and Leon on securing these new allies." A deep breath and then: "I will ride for the Perilous Lands tonight, along with Elyan and Percival. Gwaine, can you manage the ride also?"
"Absolutely," Gwaine said, with that firm, deceptive calmness Arthur relied on in battle as well as at the council table.
"Sire, perhaps..." Gwen hesitated, looking around at those assembled, and said, "Perhaps this is premature, if you'll forgive me for saying it. We have no confirmation that Merlin is in the Perilous Lands. Sir Leon should go in your stead. If attack is imminent, then your place is here."
"I agree," Leon said. "This will be a dangerous mission, one we must undertake in secrecy, and with few men. Your safety cannot be compromised."
"The mission is not even sure of success - we cannot be certain they have Merlin, or that Kara's information is genuine." Gaius was watching Alator as he spoke. "Sire, a kingdom in crisis needs its king."
They were right, and Arthur knew it. He had been raised to send men to their death on his behalf, to trust that they would give their lives for what he deemed most important. His father had ensured he would know the cost of being king, the agony of those decisions. It was an old argument - the king must stay behind, be protected, be safe - and Arthur had never agreed with it, even when his advisors were right.
Even so, everything he was rebelled at the idea of staying behind, drawing up battle plans and supervising the rebuilding of walls, while Merlin suffered at the hands of unknown captors.
He thought of the dream of Merlin on a desolate plain, one he was sure he had seen before. He could still hear the echo of Merlin's cries.
"I must go," he said softly, unable to find words to explain which would not make him seem like a love-sick, dream-addled idiot.
"Of course you must; it's folly to say otherwise." Gwaine rescued him with a toss of his hair and a simple truth. "You must be where Merlin is. I'd do the same."
"Well then." Arthur cleared his throat. "Alator, if you will work with Gaius in our absence to shore up our...our..." He struggled to say it, and Gaius chimed in.
"Magical defenses, sire?"
"Yes. Those." Arthur pointed to Gaius, then sat back in his chair. Eventually he would come to terms with what that might mean, but not this day.
"I will do my best." Alator nodded to Gaius, who met his gaze steadily.
"Sire, with all due respect, I'm not certain four men will be enough to free Merlin, if Lot has him." Leon glanced around at the others, looking for support. "He has been known to kill hostages and throw them from his parapets of his fortress at the first sign of trouble, and that plain is wide open. Your approach will be noticed."
"Not only that, but the danger from sorcerers is immense," Gaius said. "There may be magical defenses in place as well."
"We can't take a larger force," Arthur said. "If four would be noticed, how much worse would a hundred be? No, stealth is on our side, if we approach by night."
"And if you free Merlin," Gwen said, "he can use his magic to help with the escape."
Words hung unsaid in the air: if he is able. Arthur dismissed the thought from his mind, because they would find Merlin and bring him home, no matter the cost. He turned to Gaius. "Perhaps I should send a patrol to bring Hunith back here."
Gaius shook his head. "There may be no need to alarm her."
"She should be here," Arthur said, thinking of her kind face, and the worry in her eyes nearly every time Merlin was within her sight. "She should know what has happened, and I must be the one to tell her, if..." Arthur broke off, unable to say it, unable even to bear the idea of it.
"Merlin needs only the tiniest opportunity, sire, and he will free himself. He is quite resourceful, as you know. I have faith that you will find him, or he will find you." Gaius gave him a slight, encouraging smile.
"Your optimism does you credit," Arthur said. He reached for that optimism inside himself, and found only a cold, ruthless determination, waiting to be tapped.
"I cannot think any other way, sire. Merlin is as a son to me. I must believe, or else there would be no point."
"Then I will borrow your faith until I can refill my own," Arthur said.
on to part four
by Destina
Art by goss
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
See master post for notes and summary.
III.
During battle within his own citadel - which had happened far too many times for Arthur's comfort - Arthur was never fully engaged in combat. Soon after he had become king, he had drawn up specific plans placing a senior knight in charge of each gate, siege tunnel, and garrison of the guard, to ensure he did not have to be everywhere at once. But there was always the nagging sense he should fight each battle, be in each place a man was fighting for him.
This battle was no different. A part of Arthur was with Leon at the south gates, and with Gwaine and Merlin in the lower town, and with every other knight fighting to save Camelot.
When the fire stopped falling from the sky, Arthur rallied his knights to the aid of Camelot's citizens. Most of the lower town, and a great deal of the citadel, seemed to be on fire or smoldering, but the gates had held against a fairly paltry force of ill-equipped bandits and smugglers. It didn't make sense; Arthur checked the bodies of those who had fallen at the north gate, and many of the men were no longer in their fighting prime. It was almost as though whoever planned and launched the attack had chosen the least valuable fighters, and sent them to their deaths amidst the chaos.
"As a distraction," Arthur breathed. It was an old tactic, and one most attacking forces would not attempt. Men were hard to come by, and the time spent training them too valuable. Perhaps Morgana was growing desperate. "Leon. Check the vaults, the armory, and the food stores, and then find Merlin. Send him to me."
"Right away, sire."
Only after Leon had gone did it occur to Arthur that it was unusual for Merlin to have stayed away so long after the conclusion of battle. He stood staring at the bodies a moment longer, and then made his way back to the courtyard in search of Gaius. He found him there, circulating among the wounded as he had done all of Arthur's life, tending each with efficient care.
"Gaius, have you seen Merlin?"
"No, my lord. I was about to ask you the same thing. We could use more hands here."
"I will assign men to assist with stretcher-bearing." Arthur flagged down two of the nearest knights and set them to the task. A growing fear bloomed in his mind, but he pushed it away. It was ridiculous to assume that something had happened to Merlin just because he had not run immediately to Arthur's side.
"Sire!" Leon rushed toward him, four men bearing a stretcher just behind. Gwaine lay unconscious in the stretcher, his face streaked with blood. Ice crept through Arthur's body as he reached a hand to touch Gwaine's face. "He was found in the lower town, just as you see him."
"And Merlin?"
"Merlin was not with him."
That rush of dread returned, stronger this time, and now Arthur let himself react to it, as the king he must be. The safety of Camelot's most powerful sorcerer was a concern far beyond the seizing of his own heart. "Search the lower town and the area near the southern gates," Arthur said, gripping Leon's arm. "Check every body, Leon. Check every building."
"We will find him, Arthur." Leon laid his hand over Arthur's gloved one for the briefest of seconds, and then began shouting orders to the knights under his command, and more besides.
Gaius bustled over and crouched down beside Gwaine, ministering to him. He opened a vial under Gwaine's nose, and Gwaine bucked up, coughing hard and then groaning as he thrashed away from the vial. Arthur dropped to one knee beside the stretcher. "Gwaine, what happened? Where is Merlin?" Arthur asked urgently.
With a grimace, Gwaine pulled himself to a sitting position. "They were waiting for us," he said, voice raspy and thin. "Sorcerers, or soldiers with magic. Not sure which. Weren't interested in fighting me; they had bigger fish to fry."
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.
"Tossed me out of the way like a rag doll," Gwaine said, wincing, "and then they came for Merlin."
"Came for him," Arthur said, all sound around him fading into nothing in the background as the words echoed around his mind.
They came for Merlin.
Merlin, in the hands of the enemy, was a thought too large for Arthur to comprehend. He was too powerful to be taken alive; it should not have been possible. But someone had taken him. The world narrowed to that one thought, that one idea.
It did not matter who had come for him, or what their intent was. If Merlin was still alive, their lives would be over soon enough, either by Merlin's hand, or his own.
"But Merlin is more powerful than any sorcerer I have ever seen," Gaius said, and the astonished expression on his face mirrored Arthur's feeling. "He should easily have been able to defeat even skilled sorcerers."
"Never had the chance. The blonde Druid girl threw something around his neck. That was the end of it." Gwaine put a hand up to his head. "Tried to get up - was crawling over - and one of them put a boot in my face. Faster than magic I suppose." He looked up at Arthur, and the sorrow and fear there nearly seized Arthur's heart. "Arthur, I'm sorry."
Arthur didn't trust himself to speak; he squeezed Gwaine's hand briefly, as much of a message as he could give, for the moment. Then he looked up, seeking any knight who could assist; Percival was hovering nearby, supporting an injured comrade. Arthur gestured him over and found his voice. "Muster every knight who is not injured or engaged in rescue. Find our Druid guests-" he spat the word, tasting Merlin's blood in it "--and bring them to me in the great hall. Use the cold iron, Percival. Put special patrols out with a description of the girl."
Gwaine threw an arm over his eyes and turned his face away, as if ashamed.
"Sire, any magic that could arrest Merlin's powers would have to be remarkable indeed," Gaius said.
"Morgana is capable of it," Arthur said. "You've seen what she can do." The ice of disbelief was winding its way through his body like slow poison, and he shivered. "I trusted them," he said slowly. "On Merlin's word, I trusted them. I allowed magic users free rein in Camelot."
"Arthur," Gaius said sharply. "Just as Merlin is not Morgana, one untrustworthy girl is not the Druids entire."
"We shall see," Arthur said, the cold settling into him, driving fear and panic down deep inside, to the place where useless emotions must be kept. "All that matters is Merlin, now, and they will tell me where he is."
"And if they don't know?"
He fixed Gaius with a hard stare. "Send for Iseldir. Let him prove his loyalty to Camelot, and repay the debt he owes Merlin."
"He will do no violence on your behalf, Arthur. You know he will not condone it."
"He will winnow the truth out of these sorcerers, or I will do it with a sword and fire, and I will not stop until they are dead," Arthur hissed. "Summon him, Gaius, and make my intentions plain."
Even after Arthur turned his back, he could feel Gaius' silent stare cutting into his skin, and it took him only a moment to realize, it was the same way Gaius used to look at Uther when his father was on the wrong path. In his heart, Arthur knew magic was not to blame for what had happened; there was only one person responsible. He would find Merlin, and then he would cut Morgana's heart out, and end this once and for all.
**
The young Druids did not seem like much of a threat, crumpled on the stone floor before the throne in their black chains and grey robes, but Arthur knew better. More than once during the battle, he had seen the man, Liam, hurling fireballs aside, dispersing them over the fields just as Merlin had instructed. They were capable of harm as well as protection. Merlin's absence beside him was proof of it. He could not afford to be gentle in what he was about to do.
The girl - Kara - refused to lower her head, and she glared at Arthur with such hatred in her eyes, Arthur was surprised he had not burst into flames. Only the cold iron was stopping her from using her magic; she had killed three knights when they found her. It was a miracle they'd been able to take her alive.
Around them, the knights not out on search patrols filled the room, and many of Arthur's advisors, including Gaius.
"You know of our troubles securing the girl Gwaine has accused, my lord. The other two came without resistance; they offered no defense." Leon bowed and stepped away. Arthur realized with regret that until this day, he had not bothered to learn or remember all of their names. He could practically hear Merlin chastising him from afar, lecturing him about respect for those who practiced magic, and how important it was to see them as citizens of his kingdom.
He had failed in that, and perhaps it had helped to lead them to this moment, and to Merlin's death. The thought was unbearable. There was only the task at hand, and he must see to it.
"Liam." The boy looked up at Arthur, and the fear in his eyes made Arthur swallow hard. He had never wanted to be feared, but if it would serve a purpose, then so be it. "I commend you for your service to Camelot during the battle. I know you were not directly responsible for Merlin's disappearance. But I will hear from you now: did you know anything about what was to come?"
"No, Majesty, I swear it. I did only as Emrys instructed, and I looked for him after the battle, but I could not find him." Liam bowed his head to the ground. "Please, sire, I would never bring harm to your kingdom, which I have sworn to protect. I would not dishonor my people or my vows."
"And you," Arthur said, turning his attention to Eira, who trembled beside Liam. "I am told you were nowhere to be found before the battle."
"I was looking for Kara," Eira said, tears streaking down her face. To her left, Kara twisted away from the guards to stare at her with loathing.
"You were not with her?"
"No! That is - not when the battle began, sire," she said, lifting her chained hands to wipe at her face. "Emrys sent us to do research, but Kara did not want to. She seemed so angry, and I knew there was something wrong, but she would not tell me what troubled her. When she ignored Emrys' instructions, I ran after her, but she did not answer my call. And then...then the attack began." Eira began to cry again. "I would not have let her harm Emrys. He is our teacher. He has been kind to me."
A moment later, Eira cried out as a gob of Kara's spittle struck her on the cheek. "Traitor," Kara hissed, before she was bent low by the guards. Eira rubbed her cheek on her sleeve, her face burning red, and turned away, sobbing.
Arthur looked from one to the other, frustration welling within him. He directed his attention last to Kara, who smiled a vicious smile the moment he did so.
"Ask your questions, Arthur Pendragon, and be assured only of my silence," she snarled.
Arthur did not bother. There were other ways.
The double doors swung open at the end of the room, and the guard announced, "Iseldir of the Druids, at the king's command, and Alator of the Catha." The knights parted to let Iseldir through. Clad in the same grey robes as the two students, he stopped behind them, and lowered the hood of his robe. Alator followed behind, but stepped off to the side. It was then that Arthur remembered he had gone to see Iseldir, to ask questions on Arthur's behalf.
"Arthur Pendragon," Iseldir said, bowing only slightly, as had always been his custom. "You sent for me."
"You have heard what took place here."
"Yes. Also that you believe Morgana Pendragon to be responsible." Iseldir looked down at the two Druids at his feet. "What do you wish to ask of me?"
"The truth. They are your people. You must do what is necessary to find...Emrys." The name was strange and unfamiliar on his tongue, but it had the desired effect on Iseldir; as it rolled from his lips, Iseldir stood straighter.
"If any of my people have caused harm to Emrys, they will be dealt with in the way of our people. They will be shunned by our kind and excluded from our rites." At that, Arthur noticed a shudder went through Liam, though he did not speak. A punishment of some significance, then, though for Arthur the punishment was irrelevant; he needed information.
"Not enough. You owe me the truth, Iseldir. I cannot force you to remain here, if you choose to use your magic to remove yourself and your people. But you made sureties and pledges to me regarding these emissaries. Now I ask you to honor those oaths." Arthur's voice dropped low, and he let the barest hint of his fury creep through. "I will learn if they have harmed Merlin, or know where he has been taken. You can obtain this information."
Iseldir seemed to withdraw a bit at that. His calm stare never wavered as he asked, "Are you become your father, then?"
Arthur resisted the urge to look elsewhere for reassurance - Gaius, or Gwen, who knew him best - and the silence at his right hand began to feel more and more like an open, festering wound. "If I were Uther, they would already be dead." Arthur leaned forward. "Merlin trusts you. Therefore I trust you. But that trust has been misplaced in the emissaries you sent to my court. This is your problem to correct, Iseldir, and you must do it now. I will have Merlin back at all costs, and every moment we waste discussing this is a lowered chance that he can be found alive and unharmed. "
Something changed in Iseldir's expression then, a softening, and he said, "Truly, you are not your father, but your father destroyed much for the sake of his lost love, Arthur Pendragon. Love must strengthen the heart, not harden it, even when the loss is unbearable."
Arthur clenched his jaw until he thought it might break under the sheer force of his control. When he was able to breathe again, he said, "I will have your answer, Iseldir." He lifted his chin toward Kara. "Start with this one."
"Sire." Alator stepped forward, his staff clicking on the ground. "If it is information you wish, I can...I will do it. Iseldir need not go against his beliefs."
Arthur held Iseldir's gaze, willing him to understand. "Yes," he said at last. "He must."
After a long, tense moment, Iseldir nodded, and pulled his hood back up, obscuring his eyes. Hands clasped together beneath the robe, he began to chant the words of the Old Religion which Arthur found both beautiful and frightening. Then he stopped, abruptly, and Kara gasped, falling forward on her palms, back arched. She made a tiny cry, and hunched there, body rigid, for what seemed like an eternity. Then, as if she were a puppet dropped from its tether, she sprawled on the floor, whimpering softly.
The moment Kara fell, Eira's back bowed, and she lifted her face to Arthur, eyes wide and terrified. Gold clouded them, and then all color seeped from her eyes, a white mist curling through them like fog. She screamed, an eerie, mournful sound, and collapsed, senseless, on the ground.
Liam was last, and he covered his face with his hands as he gave a long, mournful scream, his body twitching madly until he fell to the side, weeping softly.
Iseldir raised his head, and Arthur could see his golden magic fading in his eyes. "These two have not betrayed Emrys," he said, sweeping his hand over Eira and Liam. "Kara alone is responsible."
Desperation clutched at Arthur, but he refused to surrender to it. "Does she know where he is?"
"Perhaps. She is deliberately trying to cloud the information so I cannot retrieve it." Iseldir paid no attention to the Druids as they shakily sat up; he waited until Arthur nodded to Percival to release the chains for Eira and Liam, and then said, "In the coming days, you may have need of us. My people are allies of Camelot, and will remain so. These two will remain here, to do as you bid - as per the terms of our agreement."
"Get those two out of here - Gaius, see to them," Arthur said, looking at Alator.
"I would prefer to stay, sire," Gaius said, and Arthur knew he had seen through him easily enough.
"As you wish." He did not waste time with the inevitable argument, because although Gaius would be entirely correct, and give wise advice, Arthur wanted none of it. "Alator. Can you find out where Merlin is being held, and for what purpose?"
"If the girl knows, I can obtain the information."
"Then take her. By the laws of Camelot, her life is forfeit; Gwaine witnessed her complicity in Merlin's capture. She will hang as soon as the gallows can be erected. Therefore, do what you must."
"As you wish." Alator bowed, and as the guards took Kara from the room, he followed silently.
Gaius was looking at Arthur as if he did not recognize him at all, and Arthur had some sympathy for his sentiments. He suspected if he looked in a mirror just then, he would not like what he saw looking back.
He stepped down from the throne, Leon and Percival at his heels as he stalked through the corridors. "We can't waste time waiting for that information. Take as many men as are necessary and form patrols, Leon. Search as far from Camelot's borders as you must. Send riders to the courts of our allies informing them of the search."
"And if our allies refuse us crossing at their borders, so that we may continue looking?" Leon asked.
"None will, if they understand the nature of this search," Arthur said. He turned to Leon, meeting his eyes. "If any do, cross their borders in the woods and streams; cross any way you can, and find the truth of it. If any of the kings and queens I have welcomed here as allies are responsible, they may as well prepare for war. Let nothing stop our knights until Merlin is found, Leon."
Even as the words left his lips, he felt the rightness of it in his heart.
"Some will offer assistance in the search," Percival said. "Should we accept it?"
"Accept nothing until we have verified that the offer is not simply a way to throw us off the scent." Arthur paused outside the door of his chambers. "Updates as soon as every patrol comes back, Leon - no exceptions."
"But sire, you should rest-"
"No exceptions." Arthur gave Leon a hard look, and then entered his quarters, closing the door behind him quietly.
"Sire," George said, rising from the chair by the fire. "What can I do?"
"Go and ready my armor," Arthur said, hearing only Merlin's voice, and the touch of his hand as he dressed Arthur; like ghosts, the tiny, vanished joys of the past swirled around him, taunting him with his failure to keep what he loved safe. "I'll send for you when I'm ready to dress."
"Shall I bring you something to eat?"
"No. If Alator sends word, or if Leon has information, I want to know immediately. Otherwise, I don't want to be disturbed."
George, ever the perfect servant for an imperfect king, slipped past Arthur and turned the key in the lock as he left. Arthur made his way to the chair George had just vacated and eased down by the fire, his muscles crying out for some relief. He had barely settled since the battle, except to climb on his throne and demand something terrible from the one true magical ally he had.
He put his face in his hands, and leaned toward the fire, but it seemed pale and cold against his skin; no warmth, no life. Not when Merlin had been there less than a day before, laughing, teasing him, offering a voice of reason when Arthur made plans with his heart - plans which may have provoked Morgana's attack, and helped to deliver Merlin into her hands.
If she had him, he might already be dead. But a small part of him was whispering that it made no sense; if she wanted Merlin dead, she would have left his body for Arthur to find, and stormed her way in to the citadel. The enemy corpses told a tale which didn't match the facts.
Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer who had ever lived; he was too powerful to leave alive. What they wanted with him, who had him, why they had chosen not to press the attack on Camelot - questions swirled around in Arthur's head until he thought he might go mad with them.
Always at the center of it, the image of Merlin's face.
He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and sat back, staring into the fire. George had left a pitcher of watered wine and a goblet on the hearth to warm, but he would have none of it. He would need a clear head for what was to come. There was no kingdom he would not destroy, no king or queen he would not challenge, to find Merlin. They would all do well to remember him as the warrior his father had trained, instead of the peaceful king they had come to expect.
He stared into the fire, willing himself to stay still, thinking of Alator and Kara in the dungeons below.
He did not think of Gaius' disappointment at all.
**
Merlin stood under an oak tree on a desolate plain. Sunlight and moonlight washed over him, one tumbling after the other, and clouds sped by overhead. Arthur could not see his face. Darkness clouded his throat, his chest; Merlin's hands were lashed to the tree. And everywhere around, the sound of Merlin's quiet, plaintive cry -
Arthur Arthur ARTHUR
Arthur woke with a shout, clawing at his throat, and jerked from the chair where he'd fallen asleep, landing on the floor with a thump. He rested one hand on the seat of the chair and looked about him wildly. He was still in his chambers beside the fire. He must have dozed off.
He swallowed, with the sound of his name from Merlin's lips still ringing in his ears, and touched his throat again. Something was wrong with Merlin's magic, but a terrible, tenuous certainty had taken hold in Arthur's heart - Merlin was alive, and he was in great danger.
A sharp knock sounded at the door; a moment later, it creaked open. George peered around its edge, ever discreet. "Sire, are you well?"
"Fine." Arthur rubbed his face wearily and beckoned George in. "Is there any news?"
"Sir Leon is expected shortly, my lord. He sent word not to disturb you until he actually arrived. And I just received word that Alator would like to see you."
"Bring him to my chambers. Summon Gwen, Gaius, and the senior knights, and have them attend also."
"At once, sire."
"Any word on Sir Gwaine's condition?"
"He is up and his usual self, my lord," George said, his tone of disapproval telling more of the story than his words. "When last I saw him, he was terrorizing Cook and taking extra bread for the wounded knights."
The picture those words conjured in Arthur's mind brought a tiny lightness to his heart. "Very well. Have Gwaine join us, too."
Arthur took advantage of his brief moments alone to wash his face and hands briskly. It was too much trouble to remove his mail and change clothes. He could hear Merlin having him on about dressing himself, and that lightened his heart even more. They would have those moments again, because anything else was impossible. Arthur would find him.
A quick knock, and George swung open the door to admit Alator. Arthur stood awkward for a moment, the heaviness of his request catching up with him, before taking a seat at the table. "Please, sit."
"Thank you, sire." Alator pulled out a chair and leaned his staff against the table before he sat down. He gave Arthur a peculiarly sympathetic look, which chafed against Arthur's skin. "Forgive me, but I believe it was difficult for you to ask me to use my particular skills."
Arthur nodded, and swallowed. "So it was."
"I should have thought Emrys' great faith in you terribly misplaced if it was not," Alator said gravely. "But even if you had not asked it, I would have found a way to see the girl and extract the information anyway. For Emrys' sake, I would have done it. You understand all too well, I think."
"Yes." Their eyes met, and there Arthur saw a fierce devotion he was not unfamiliar with. "What did you learn?"
"Mordred is responsible for Emrys' capture. The girl and Mordred were friends as children, and she has a staunch loyalty to him. She was to meet one of Mordred's men outside the city walls when the battle was over, but she did not manage to leave the citadel before she was caught by your men."
"Does she know where he's been taken?"
"No, but she did give up a good deal more information which might be useful." As Alator began to continue, another sharp knock sounded.
"Come," Arthur said, and Gwen opened the door.
"You sent for us, my lord?"
"Come in," Arthur said, standing to pull out a chair for Gwen. Gaius followed her, and the knights behind, including Gwaine, whose face appeared to be one large, mottled bruise. "Continue, Alator."
"It is as I suspected; Mordred and Ruadan are in league, and they have found a new ally to feed them troops and weapons. They have formed an alliance with King Lot."
"He wouldn't dare!" Leon gripped the table and turned to Arthur. "He knows what you would do!"
"He's been waiting for his opportunity," Arthur said, swallowing back the bile flooding his throat. "Now he's embraced the war I promised him if he ever harmed Merlin."
"We don't know that he's harmed him," Gwen said, placing her hand over Arthur's.
For her sake, Arthur did not say that he knew it would not be long before Lot did much more than harm Merlin. He remembered the exact tone and cadence of his threat to use Merlin, and his magic was not the prize in question. The thought of it raised a rage in Arthur he knew he could not control, and he must be in control. He must. For Merlin's sake.
Instead, he said, "If they've taken Merlin, there must be some sort of plan - otherwise why not just kill him?"
"To provoke an action of some sort from the king," Percival said. "He knows you'll come after him."
"He wouldn't be foolish enough to take Merlin to his own kingdom, where we could easily find him," Gwen said. "If he wants him alive, he would lock him away somewhere out of our reach, at least for the time being."
Gwaine made a small thoughtful noise across the table, and Arthur's attention immediately shifted. "What is it, Gwaine?"
"There is a place," Gwaine said slowly. "The Perilous Lands. Lot used to take prisoners there when I was young. He'd store them in one of the ruined keeps on our borders with a minimal guard, and then dispose of them in the bogs or pits, or feed them to the wyverns."
Arthur stared at him, processing the use of the word 'our'. "And how is your knowledge of Lot's practices so different now from when you, Merlin and I were last in the Perilous Lands?"
Acute discomfort twisted Gwaine's features as he tapped out a rhythm on the table. Finally, he gave Arthur a half-smile and said, "I haven't been completely honest. I may know a bit more about King Lot than I let on before."
"How so?"
Gwaine leaned back in his chair, and as if the words tasted foul, he spat, "He's my father."
It explained so much about Gwaine, so many pieces of the puzzle that had never quite fit - his skill with a sword, his easy manner with other nobles despite his outward disdain - and Arthur felt he had been a complete fool not to have realized it.
"Your father?" Leon said faintly.
"Don't hold that against me. He's a despicable pig," Gwaine said. "He held me prisoner in the Perilous Lands when my mother ran off with his first knight. Even threatened to have me killed, just to take revenge on her. I escaped, and I've been footloose and fancy-free ever since." Quietly, he added, "There's no end to the depravity he's endorsed, Arthur. It'd be just like him to throw in with them so he could get his hands on Merlin." He winced, as if he realized what he'd said. "On Merlin's power," he clarified, but Arthur knew he'd had the right of it the first time.
"Lot has an impressive army indeed, and if he's thrown its might behind this man Mordred, we will not have enough knights to make an even match on the battlefield," Leon said.
"What of Morgana?" Gwen said. "Is she mixed up in this as well?"
"Can you confirm it?" Arthur asked Alator, who shook his head.
"I cannot. I have only my instinct, and the signature of magic used here is not that of Morgana Pendragon. Her magic is...older. Deeper. The magic used to attack Camelot yesterday is the kind that is drawn from practice and instruction, not an elemental magic."
"Sire, if we are facing an army of magic-users, we have a problem we have never encountered before," Gaius said. "Iseldir is our ally, but his peaceful Druids are no match for the warrior sect. They would repel attack, but they would not press an offensive."
"You will need allies among the magical races." Alator lifted his staff and set its base on the ground. "I can be of service here. The Catha will stand with you; I can summon them to your borders today. Some have remained within Camelot for these many years, waiting for the world it was promised Emrys would bring, and they will gladly assist."
Arthur turned his head to the right to ask for Merlin's advice, and his absence struck him all over again, a pang of loss so harsh he could barely breathe. He tried to wrap his mind around the idea that magical creatures might want to fight alongside Camelot's knights, but it had only ever been a speculative discussion, one Merlin had dropped because Arthur knew he could sense it was too soon. Arthur had moved many leagues down the path toward accepting magic, but there were some things he had yet to come to terms with.
Druids were one thing, but there were so many unknowns beyond that familiar ground, and it was difficult to know who to trust without Merlin's steady, grounded truth.
"Sire, I will contact the Sidhe, to begin with; perhaps they will be willing to stand with Camelot." Alator seemed to be speaking to him the way one might a kicked dog, with infinite patience and gentleness, as if he could sense Arthur's immense discomfort. "For Emrys, they may be willing to lend their power to your cause."
"These races are dangerous, Arthur," Gaius said, giving Arthur cause once again to be grateful he still had Gaius' sound advice. "While I concede we may need their help, it would be unwise to forget that their power can be difficult to control."
"Iseldir can assist with that, can he not?" Arthur asked, looking from Gaius to Alator.
"I believe so. Like all of us, he will do whatever he can to ensure Emrys' safe return, and the safety of this kingdom," Alator said. His conviction that this was the right path was obvious. It was easy to see why Merlin had chosen to trust him. Such unwavering loyalty and devotion was useful, and Arthur reminded himself that Merlin's judgment, however much Arthur might sometimes disagree with it, was usually sound.
"Very well, "Arthur said. "Leon, you will remain here to oversee the search and the preparations for battle, if it comes to that. Continue reinforcing our defenses. Alator, you will work with Gaius and Leon on securing these new allies." A deep breath and then: "I will ride for the Perilous Lands tonight, along with Elyan and Percival. Gwaine, can you manage the ride also?"
"Absolutely," Gwaine said, with that firm, deceptive calmness Arthur relied on in battle as well as at the council table.
"Sire, perhaps..." Gwen hesitated, looking around at those assembled, and said, "Perhaps this is premature, if you'll forgive me for saying it. We have no confirmation that Merlin is in the Perilous Lands. Sir Leon should go in your stead. If attack is imminent, then your place is here."
"I agree," Leon said. "This will be a dangerous mission, one we must undertake in secrecy, and with few men. Your safety cannot be compromised."
"The mission is not even sure of success - we cannot be certain they have Merlin, or that Kara's information is genuine." Gaius was watching Alator as he spoke. "Sire, a kingdom in crisis needs its king."
They were right, and Arthur knew it. He had been raised to send men to their death on his behalf, to trust that they would give their lives for what he deemed most important. His father had ensured he would know the cost of being king, the agony of those decisions. It was an old argument - the king must stay behind, be protected, be safe - and Arthur had never agreed with it, even when his advisors were right.
Even so, everything he was rebelled at the idea of staying behind, drawing up battle plans and supervising the rebuilding of walls, while Merlin suffered at the hands of unknown captors.
He thought of the dream of Merlin on a desolate plain, one he was sure he had seen before. He could still hear the echo of Merlin's cries.
"I must go," he said softly, unable to find words to explain which would not make him seem like a love-sick, dream-addled idiot.
"Of course you must; it's folly to say otherwise." Gwaine rescued him with a toss of his hair and a simple truth. "You must be where Merlin is. I'd do the same."
"Well then." Arthur cleared his throat. "Alator, if you will work with Gaius in our absence to shore up our...our..." He struggled to say it, and Gaius chimed in.
"Magical defenses, sire?"
"Yes. Those." Arthur pointed to Gaius, then sat back in his chair. Eventually he would come to terms with what that might mean, but not this day.
"I will do my best." Alator nodded to Gaius, who met his gaze steadily.
"Sire, with all due respect, I'm not certain four men will be enough to free Merlin, if Lot has him." Leon glanced around at the others, looking for support. "He has been known to kill hostages and throw them from his parapets of his fortress at the first sign of trouble, and that plain is wide open. Your approach will be noticed."
"Not only that, but the danger from sorcerers is immense," Gaius said. "There may be magical defenses in place as well."
"We can't take a larger force," Arthur said. "If four would be noticed, how much worse would a hundred be? No, stealth is on our side, if we approach by night."
"And if you free Merlin," Gwen said, "he can use his magic to help with the escape."
Words hung unsaid in the air: if he is able. Arthur dismissed the thought from his mind, because they would find Merlin and bring him home, no matter the cost. He turned to Gaius. "Perhaps I should send a patrol to bring Hunith back here."
Gaius shook his head. "There may be no need to alarm her."
"She should be here," Arthur said, thinking of her kind face, and the worry in her eyes nearly every time Merlin was within her sight. "She should know what has happened, and I must be the one to tell her, if..." Arthur broke off, unable to say it, unable even to bear the idea of it.
"Merlin needs only the tiniest opportunity, sire, and he will free himself. He is quite resourceful, as you know. I have faith that you will find him, or he will find you." Gaius gave him a slight, encouraging smile.
"Your optimism does you credit," Arthur said. He reached for that optimism inside himself, and found only a cold, ruthless determination, waiting to be tapped.
"I cannot think any other way, sire. Merlin is as a son to me. I must believe, or else there would be no point."
"Then I will borrow your faith until I can refill my own," Arthur said.
on to part four