TOAFK - Le Morte D'Uther
Title: The Once and Future King
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Pretty Gen, like The Sword in the Stone, but with eventual (by fan vote) Merlin/Arthur and Gwen/Lancelot. Other pairings will be added as chapters with them are posted.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or its characters in any way, shape, or form.
Warnings/spoilers: up to 3x08
A/N: This is a sequel to The Sword in the Stone, and you should definitely read that before reading this.
Summary: Arthur knows of Merlin's magic, but their destiny has only begun. The journey to uniting the lands of Albion is long and filled with danger. Presented in 14 parts. Click Here for Masterpost.
Chapter Summary: When a fever plagues the kingdom, even the king is not immune. But illness is not all that has gone wrong in Camelot. A dark cloud is coming from the west and it may be Uther's soul, more than his life, in danger. With the arrival of the deadly Sluagh, the Seelie Court is Camelot's only hope, but there aren't any good fairies to be found.
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Part V - Le Morte D'Uther
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As the soldiers marched out of the room, Gaius turned his attention to the man lying on the table. Another man was on the floor by Gaius's bed, and a woman was lying in it. Merlin's bed had been taken by two children.
Merlin ran his hands through his hair. "This is insane," he said. "That's the twelfth person they've brought in today."
"I am the Court Physician, Merlin. When the city falls ill, they come to me," Gaius said matter-of-factly.
"But-" Merlin shook his head. "This many people all at once? What's causing them all to fall ill?"
The elderly man straightened for a moment and regarded his ward wearily. "I don't know. It seems to be nothing more than a fever, if a strong one. But I've no idea what's causing it. The best I can do is give them tonics to help lower the fever, but if that's just a masking symptom..." He gave a sigh and a vain shrug of his arms.
Merlin let out a displeased noise. "More people are falling ill every day. Soon all of Camelot will be lying sick in their beds." He motioned toward his bedroom. "I've checked the book, but there's nothing. I mean, I could try some things, but I might just make it worse if I'm treating the wrong problem."
Gaius shook his head. "No. Better not to chance it." He glanced to the window, taking in the sunlight that seemed at odds with the somber interior. He was probably looking for Archimedes, who had not returned from his nighttime flight, but he didn't say a word when he looked away and to his nephew again. "You should get to Arthur. Take the potions on the counter there," he pointed behind him. "They're for the king. He's been feeling ill for some time now, and I don't want him catching this fever on top of it."
With a nod, Merlin grabbed the potions and hurried from the room. He rushed along the corridors quickly, heading for the King's chambers. The Barghest had told Merlin that Uther would die within the year. The year was nearly over. Uther's time was almost up. It might be cruel, but Merlin wanted to keep the king alive as long as possible, even if he was sick the entire time. He was a mean king, but Arthur loved him and he loved Arthur. That was enough reason to help.
Merlin entered the king's chambers without knocking and came face to face with Uther in his bed, pale and sickly. Arthur stood to the right of the bed, his uncle Agravaine at his side. Everyone looked at him when he entered and he swallowed thickly, holding up the vials.
"G-gaius sent these up for you, milord," he said to the king.
When he'd first fallen ill, ill enough that he had to remain in bed anyway, Uther had accused Merlin of causing it. It was a weak accusation that Arthur dispelled almost immediately, but the distrust had returned to Uther's eyes. Now, Uther appeared to have decided it took too much effort to blame anyone for his illness. He just looked tired.
Not for the first time, Merlin wished he was good at healing magic. Nothing he had tried so far had worked - though all his attempts had been out of sight of both the prince and the king since he knew they wouldn't be welcomed by Uther and it would probably make Arthur nervous despite his ready acceptance of Merlin's magic, or sourly disappointed every time Merlin failed.
Agravaine moved to accept the vials from Merlin and then walked back over to the king. "You must take your medicine, Uther," he said, forgoing honorifics altogether, "or you will not get better."
Uther hated Gaius's vile potions as much as the next person, both Arthur and Merlin knew it. Still, he drank them without complaint or wince.
"There are matters to be taken care of," Arthur said once the vials were all empty. He touched his uncle's shoulder. "I leave him in your care, Uncle."
Agravaine gave a subservient nod and Arthur grabbed Merlin by the upper arm, practically dragging him from the room. When they were several hallways away, and no one was around, Arthur stopped them.
"Gaius needs to come and see my father for himself," Arthur stated darkly.
Merlin frowned. "The fever is spreading across Camelot. He's got a constant stream of villagers and knights who need medicines." Arthur was shaking his head. "As soon as he gets a break, I'm sure he'll be up to see your father himself."
Arthur growled. "You don't understand, Merlin. The way my father has fallen ill..." He shook his head once more, slowly. "I think he's been poisoned."
With wide eyes, Merlin gasped, "P-poisoned?!"
"Shh!" Arthur smacked a hand over Merlin's mouth.
They stayed that way, just staring at each other, for several moments, listening. There was no sound of footsteps, no breathing, nothing. They were alone. Arthur gave a sigh when he pulled away.
"I don't have any proof, but Gaius would know the difference between poison and illness. Still, until I know for certain, keep your mouth shut, Merlin." He flicked Merlin on the nose, causing the servant to take a half step back. "We don't need a panic, and I don't want the person responsible to have any chance to hide the evidence, or run due to suspicion."
The fact that Arthur was hiding his suspicions even from Agravaine spoke volumes toward Arthur's trust in the man. Ever since he lost, spectacularly, in his duel against Leon and failed to become Arthur's second, he'd been using his time to whisper in Uther's ear, belittling everything Arthur had ever accomplished and making him doubt his son in a way he never had before. If they found that someone was poisoning Uther, Agravaine might make it sound like Arthur had planned the whole thing.
Merlin nodded, eyes serious. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Arthur shook his head in the negative, but he seemed pleased that Merlin had offered at all. "No. I need you to help Gaius so that he can get up to see my father as soon as possible. Leave the detective work to me. Besides, you're about as sneaky as a dragon."
"Dragons can be pretty sneaky," Merlin quipped, but Arthur was already walking away.
...
...
The door shut behind Morgana without her hand ever touching the wood. She immediately headed to her cupboard and pulled out a bowl containing an ash-like substance and a deep purple cinch bag. She set them on her vanity table and took a seat on the cushioned chair before it.
Morgana looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. Her skin was paler than usual, but she still looked resolute. Taking a deep breath, she opened the cinch bag and took a pinch of black powder between her fingers.
"Ic ingecégan geweald þæs eald ǣfæstnes. Ingerǽcan gesihþ tō mec. Lǽdan mec tō þæs héafod ond ácýðan þæs sceaða," she chanted and then dashed the black powder in the ashes.
The ashes caught fire as the powder hit. Morgana leaned her face into the climbing smoke, eyes closed. She sat there, simply breathing, for several seconds. Then she opened her eyes and frowned.
"It's no use," she muttered, and waved her hand to dispel the smoke.
...
...
Merlin wound the dirty sheets into a ball and tossed them into a nearby basket he would later take to the laundry for cleaning. Patting his hands together as if to clean dust off, Merlin glanced around the room. It was quiet for the first time in a while, with no patients lying around. Gaius had sent them all home with medicine and then gone to see the king about Arthur's suspicions. Merlin hoped Uther wasn't poisoned. Illness was easier to cure than poison.
"Ki!"
Merlin's head shot up as Archimedes drifted in through the upper window. His arm went up just as the falcon came in for a landing, perching on his forearm. The silver of his wings sent sparks of light dancing around the room.
"Archi! Where have you been?" Merlin asked. "You were supposed to be back before sunrise, and it's been over a day."
"Ki ki ki..." Archimedes lowered his head. Then he ruffled his feathers and shifted on Merlin's arm. "I'm sorry. I saw a strange cloud."
Merlin blinked. "A cloud?" He moved to sit at the table and Archimedes hopped off his arm onto the wood.
"It wasn't a cloud. It was alive." The falcon seemed genuinely unnerved and flustered. "The ki kiii." He shook himself, his feathers ruffling briefly. "Sluagh!"
Merlin leaned closer. "What are Sluagh?"
Just as Archimedes' beak opened, so did the front door. Archimedes skittered to hide behind Gaius' work table in the blink of an eye. Morgana stormed in, practically slamming the door shut behind her. Merlin heard the lock click into place. In her hands was a box and her expression was so serious it was almost frightening.
"Can I help you?" Merlin asked hesitantly, still seated.
A nod. "Yes."
She set her box on the table and opened it. Then she pulled out a small bowl with ashes and a deep purple cinch bag. These two items she set in front of Merlin before closing the box.
"Gwen has fallen ill," Morgana announced as she sat down across from her servant friend. Merlin's eyes widened. "I tried to seek out the cause of the fever, but I failed. You see, to track something, you need to know exactly what you are searching for."
"You do?" Merlin asked. He'd searched for Arthur once before, but he'd just switched the word in the spell out for Arthur's name. He hadn't thought about the spell or how it worked beyond his dire need to find Arthur.
Another nod. "I couldn't do it. I have no clue what could cause such a widespread fever. I know it's magic, but nothing more. So I failed. But...I think you could find something." Merlin's eyes widened. "You are one of the strongest sorcerers I have ever met. I think you could find the cause, even if it's not a person or a creature."
Merlin had created spells from thin air before, to fit the circumstances and his needs - usually to save Arthur's life. So maybe he could trace something without a lead? Even if he couldn't, he'd try. Morgana looked like she hadn't slept last night and a hint of desperation was creeping at the corners of her eyes.
"It can't hurt to try," he agreed after a long pause.
Morgana motioned to the cinch bag. "Open the bag and take a pinch of powder. Then repeat after me. Once the spell is cast, toss the powder into the bowl. It will light on fire. Place your face in the path of the smoke. If this works, you should get a vision answering your request."
With a nod, Merlin did as told, and once he had his pinch he looked to Morgana for the words.
"Ic ingecégan geweald þæs eald ǣfæstnes."
"Ic ingecégan geweald þæs eald ǣfæstnes," Merlin repeated fluidly.
"Ingerǽcan gesihþ tō mec."
"Ingerǽcan gesihþ tō mec."
"Lǽdan mec tō þæs héafod ond ácýðan þæs sceaða."
"Lǽdan mec tō þæs héafod ond ácýðan þæs sceaða."
He dropped the powder in the bowl and it instantly lit on fire, making him jump just a little. When there were tendrils of smoke flowing up into the air, Merlin leaned forward and placed his face in the path of the smoke.
Merlin's eyes almost instantly snapped open, but his usually blue eyes were the brightest of gold. He saw Gwen, lying sick in bed, and a dozen other villagers and knights, sweaty and in pain. He saw Agravaine holding a vial of dark liquid. Then Merlin was rushing through Camelot, then the forest, until he stopped at an old, forgotten fortress. A man in black on a black steed rode into the dark stoned fort. Morgause stood over a pool of water, casting a spell. Camelot reflected in the water, then a strange black cloud.
But it wasn't a cloud - it was thousands of grey and black faerie creatures, like Merlin had seen when the gates of Avalon had been opened so long ago, only dark. Morgause stepped back from the water and grinned seductively at Agravaine. A vial of dark liquid passed from her delicate hands into his gloved ones. A cup of water on a bedside table by a dying king.
"Soon, Uther will cease to be, on this or any plane. The Sluagh will take his soul," Morgause crooned.
"And revenge will be ours," Agravaine added, wrapping his arms around Morgause's waist.
Merlin practically threw himself back from the table gasping and heaving. Morgana took his hands in her own.
"What did you see?" she asked, voice quiet.
After a few more gasps, Merlin was able to answer. "Morgause cursed everyone to be sick," he said breathily, his head still spinning from what he'd seen, heard, and felt. "She's poisoning the king, and she's cursed the city to hide it. And...and she summoned a cloud of Sluagh to...to steal his soul."
Morgana frowned. "What are Sluagh?"
The male sorcerer shook his head and shrugged at the same time. "I don't know. But they looked like...evil faeries."
The look on Morgana's face was conflicted. Merlin could tell that she didn't really care if Uther died, she made her distaste for him known on a daily basis. But she'd resolved to be good, to help Arthur, and thus she didn't know what to do.
"Sitting by while someone dies, if you know there's a chance to save them...that's about as bad as killing them yourself," Merlin said, simple but serious. Morgana flinched. "I may not like Uther, but I won't let him die. I'm going to get proof of the poisoning, and then I'm going to tell Arthur and his father who the traitor is." He stood and headed for the door.
"Who is it?"
He paused at the door. "Agravaine."
"No," Morgana said stiffly. Merlin gave her a curious look as she stood from her seat. "I will get the proof. You're still a servant, Merlin, and Agravaine is a lord. But," Morgana offered a humorless smile, "I am a lady. Besides, he doesn't like you. No doubt because of Morgause. I'll be more inconspicuous and he may trust me more. You worry about the Sluagh."
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...
The stars shone down on the small clearing just outside of Camelot where Merlin waited. It was only moments before he heard the flapping of giant wings and Kilgharrah flew into view. The Great Dragon landed in front of the sorcerer and frowned.
"As much as it pleases me to help a Dragonlord," he said wryly, "I left two terrors alone to destroy my new home, and I believe that is also your doing. So if you could keep this brief."
The human nodded. "I need to know how to defeat the Sluagh."
Kilgharrah laughed lowly. "Only those of the Seelie Court can defeat the Sluagh, and you do not have the time to win their assistance."
Merlin frowned up at him. "Why not?"
"The Sluagh are members of the Seelie Court who have been cast out. They committed atrocities against their own and other kinds and thus were branded the Unseelie. The Seelie Court wants nothing to with their fallen brethren," the dragon said like a reprimand. "Besides which, the gates to their world is two days ride away, and the Sluagh will be upon Camelot in a matter of hours. They fly as birds do, swifter than falcons. If the king is weak or dead, they will descend upon him before the sun has risen."
"So how do I save the king's soul?" Merlin asked desperately.
Kilgharrah examined Merlin silently for several long moments. Merlin shifted anxiously. If the Sluagh were so close, then he didn't have time for the dragon's antics. Kilgharrah didn't like Uther, hated him, but Merlin needed to save him. If he had to force the answer out of this dragon, then he would. Just before Merlin could open his mouth, Kilgharrah spoke.
"A curse is upon the Sluagh, who brought shame upon the Seelie Court. They can only unleash their terror if they come from the west."
"But-"
"That is all you need to know. They will come from the west."
Merlin nodded. He met the dragon's eyes and gave a gentle smile. "Thank you."
"Whatever for?" the great beast asked.
"You called my name when I was lost and returned my memories to me."
Kilgharrah snorted. "I did no such thing. Your own will and magic returned those memories. All you needed was a push."
"Still," Merlin said with a brighter smile, "thank you."
"It was a pleasure, young warlock," Kilgharrah admitted with a bow. "Good luck. Now, I need to go remind someone where the restroom is and where it is not." Merlin laughed as Kilgharrah took off. The dragon called back to him, "You will not find it so amusing when you have your own children to care for."
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A servant grabbed Merlin just as he entered the castle again, saying Arthur wanted to see him in the throne room as soon as possible, so Merlin diverted and went there rather than toward Morgana's room. The halls surrounding the room were suspiciously empty.
Merlin opened the side door and slipped quietly inside, shutting it behind him, then turned around and froze. Arthur, Morgana, Gaius, and Agravaine were all watching him from their places near the throne.
Arthur frowned. "Merlin. So nice of you to join us," he drawled, obviously annoyed. Even as Merlin opened his mouth to speak, Arthur interrupted, "No, no, I don't care where you were. The tavern or the cells or Ealdor. Just get over here and shut up."
Agravaine lifted a curious eyebrow as Merlin jogged over to stand behind the prince. "Excuse me," he said, eyes shifting to Arthur, "but I thought you wished to speak of your father's failing health and the plague upon the city."
A nod. "I do."
"Then why wait for your servant? And why the secrecy?"
Arthur glanced at Merlin, his expression mildly confused. It was like being asked why you waited for your food to be placed in front of you before you ate it. Then his expression cleared and he frowned at his uncle. "Because what I'm about to say should not leave this room. If it must, then it will, but I hope we can settle it quietly."
"Settle?" Agravaine asked, uncertain. "Whatever do you mean?"
Arthur reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small vial full of dark liquid. Merlin barely held in his gasp or kept himself from glancing at Morgana. She'd found the poison Merlin had seen in his vision! Agravaine stared at the vial, as still as a statue, for several long moments. Then he seemed to come alive again and looked directly into Arthur's eyes.
"What is that, milord?"
The prince was not amused. "You know. This is the poison you have been feeding my father ever since you arrived those months ago. Not to mention mixing in with his medicine," the blonde accused.
"I don't know what you're-"
"I have several reliable sources who saw you in the act, and this vial was found in your room," Arthur interrupted. "Gaius has confirmed that my father is not suffering from the fever but from the effects of poison. This poison."
Agravaine narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, but kept up a noble stance. "Who are these sources?" he asked, simple curiosity in his voice.
"For their safety, they will remain unnamed. Simply know that I trust every single one of them," Arthur said. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Agravaine looked between the four others gathered with increasing anxiety. He was trapped and he knew it. "Would you not make a finer king than your father, my lord?" he asked. "You pulled the fabled sword from the stone-"
"That doesn't mean you kill the king," Merlin interrupted hotly, unable to stay silent. Anger was coursing through his veins at the admission from this snake-like man.
He'd been trying so hard to keep Uther alive. He'd been working himself ragged protecting Arthur, the city, and Uther while working for Gaius and being a manservant. Then Agravaine had to go and commit treason. Now Arthur's father was dying and it would take a miracle to save him.
His comment earned him a glare from the older man. "You do not talk back to me, boy. I am a lord. You are a servant and a traitor."
"Traitor? You're the traitor." Merlin glared.
Arthur's uncle turned to the prince now. "Merlin has-"
The throne room doors flew open, catching everyone's attention and cutting Agravaine off. A guard was there with Uther's personal servant. The servant boy looked shaken.
"The-the-the-" the servant stuttered.
"Our apologies for interrupting, milords, milady," the knight took over. His tone was grave, "but the king...He has passed away." He shuddered as he said it.
Arthur froze as still as a statue. Without a word, Gaius hurried from the room, taking the guard and servant with him and muttering to them as they went. Merlin watched Arthur closely, how his face shut down. Morgana placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder while a slimy, proud grin crept over Agravaine face.
"It seems that our plan has succeeded, even though I will not be around to see it end," he said, pleased.
As Arthur pulled his sword, swinging it at his father's murderer, Morgana shouted "Arthur, stop!"
The blade stopped bare inches from Agravaine's head. Arthur's breath heaved in and out and his sword shook as he glared at his uncle. When he pulled the sword away, Merlin took a step forward.
"Merlin," Arthur said in a low warning tone. His body was so taut that Merlin knew he wanted to scream and lash out, and letting Merlin get so close to a murderer was testing his control.
Merlin turned and gave Arthur a small shake of his head, then faced Agravaine again.
"No." Merlin glared at Agravaine's shocked expression. "You don't get to die. Not so easily," he snapped. "Do you know what you've done? Do you have any idea?" He shook his head. "I swear to you, your plan will not succeed. Uther may be gone, but you will not get his soul."
With a nod toward Arthur, Merlin turned and rushed from the room. He needed to speak to Gaius. No one tried to stop him. He heard Morgana call for the guards just before he was out of earshot.
...
...
Gaius looked up when Merlin entered. The look on his face was grave and a bit lost, and Merlin
remembered that Uther was once Gaius's best friend.
"Gaius-"
"There is nothing to be done," Gaius interrupted, adjusting the covers over Uther's chest. He didn't look at Merlin while he spoke. "The king has passed."
Merlin walked over and placed a hand on Gaius's shoulder. "I was going to say 'I'm sorry'," he said. When Gaius looked up at him, Merlin wrapped his mentor and uncle up in a hug. "I would have saved him if I could have."
The old man squeezed him tighter for a moment and then stepped back. His eyes were dry, but his voice was layered with sorrow. "I know." He cast a regretful look to Uther. "At least we caught the culprit."
Now Merlin frowned, and it wasn't from sorrow. "Agravaine was working with Morgause, and she summoned the Sluagh to take Uther's soul after he died," he revealed grimly.
Gaius paled. "Oh no."
A nod, and Merlin glanced at the deceased king. "I asked the dragon, but all he said was that 'they will come from the west.' I don't know how that helps us save Uther's soul."
The sky outside was already dark, but Merlin thought he could see a darker spot - a cloud - on the horizon. Maybe he was imagining it.
The chamber door opened and Morgana and Arthur walked in. The knight and the servant from before were in the hall, the knight ready to guard and the servant weeping. Morgana closed and locked the door behind them, blocking out the sound of tears.
She turned to face the males in the room, but her eyes focused on Merlin. "I did my part," she said. "Have you figured out how to stop the Sluagh?"
"What are Sluagh?" Arthur asked, voice quieter than Merlin ever remembered it being. His jaw was set and his expression was grim, but Merlin knew that was how Arthur kept from crying, kept up a brave face for the kingdom.
"Members of the Unseelie Court," Gaius added helpfully - or unhelpfully, as Arthur didn't know what that meant.
Merlin shook his head. "No," he answered Morgana. "All I know is that they're coming from the west."
The servant took a moment to look over his prince. Arthur was looking anywhere but at the bed, as if that would keep his father's demise from being real. He already seemed worn down with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His blue eyes alighted on the window and he motioned to it. "Is that west?" he asked, voice stronger this time but not quite with its usual fervor.
Everyone turned to the window now. Arthur was right. Uther's bedroom window faced almost directly west.
"A curse is upon the Sluagh, who brought shame upon the Seelie Court. They can only unleash their terror if they come from the west."
Merlin ran over and practically slammed the window shut. Then he dropped the heavy curtains, hiding the window from view.
"Merlin, what are you doing?" Gaius asked, eyebrows raised.
As he spoke, Merlin made certain the window was completely covered. "The west. The Sluagh can only hurt someone if they come from the west. If they can't get in, they can't take his soul."
"Since when was my father's soul in danger?" Arthur snapped, eyes frightened.
There was a brief silence after Arthur's outburst and then Merlin jumped into action without answering. "People are weak because of the fever. The Sluagh will be after them as well. The guards should tell everyone to shut their windows. To make it faster, just tell everyone to close every window, that way they don't have to explain."
Morgana nodded. "I'll give the orders." She glanced at Arthur, who still looked a bit bewildered, and then strode from the room with quiet but determined steps. Merlin didn't know what reasoning she would come up with for shutting the windows and he didn't care, as long as they were shut.
Now Merlin turned to the oldest man in the room. "Gaius, you should stay with the king," he continued. "I'm going out to try and stop the Sluagh, but if I fail then he'll need protection."
The elder man frowned. "Only the Seelie Court can stop the Sluagh."
"I can't defeat them," Merlin admitted, "but I can try and change their direction." He was already walking for the door. He'd done the impossible before and he would try it again tonight.
When he passed Arthur, the prince reached out and grabbed his arm. Merlin looked back with wide eyes, his heart jumping in his chest. Arthur gazed at him with a serious expression. "Take someone with you," he said.
"That would just put them in danger," Merlin countered.
Arthur frowned. "But if you go alone then you'll have no protection should things go wrong."
Merlin pulled his arm from Arthur's grip and instead rested his hand on the prince's shoulder. He made sure their eyes were locked before he said, "I have better chances on my own than surrounded by guards. You know that, Arthur. Besides, what would you tell them we were doing?"
For a long few moments, Arthur just stared at Merlin, almost without blinking. "I could come-"
"Arthur, no," Merlin interrupted. "You're of more use to your father here. If anything could hold his spirit to the earth, it's you."
That caught Arthur off guard. His gaze traveled to his father's pale face and closed eyes for several moments. Then he mirrored Merlin, setting his hand on Merlin's shoulder, and nodded at him with a grim expression. "Be careful."
A smile. "Aren't I always?"
"That's what I'm afraid of," Arthur said, his voice too somber for their usual level of snark.
...
...
The air was cold upon the battlement. The sounds of knights moving through the city, low talking, and windows shutting echoed up to him. There were no guards in view. Merlin looked up at Uther's dark window.
He knew Arthur would be up there, mourning his father, and his wished he could be there for him. His eyes fell to the city, to what he could see of Gwen's house. If she wasn't ill, she would probably be with Arthur too. Arthur would be king soon, and Merlin had no doubt that Gwen would become his queen. Knowing Arthur, he'd insist on courting Gwen first, even though it was obvious she would already say yes. And yet, despite knowing that they would be a good match, an excellent ruling pair, Merlin couldn't help but feel bittersweet about it. Would Arthur need Merlin once he had a wise wife at his side?
There was a change in the air and Merlin flipped his attention back to the west. His eyes flashed gold, time slowing down around him, and there! a cloud made of hundreds of small, dark faeries! They were at the far tree line but flying with the speed of stampeding horses. Merlin flung his hand out and a gust of wind burst forth from him. The wind hit the sluagh cloud, knocking a few of the sluagh sideways. Still they came. Merlin used his already outstretched hand and threw it to the side. Wind hit the cloud, pushing the sluagh several dozen feet over, but they continued to advance without pause.
They were almost to Camelot's walls now, only about fifty feet away and approaching fast. Merlin reached behind himself with his mind and forced every still open window to shut at once, westward facing or otherwise. He hit the sluagh once more with the wind, pushing them even further over. Then they reached the wall. The Sluagh were upon him and time sped back up.
"Agh!" Merlin gasped, feeling a dozen pairs of hands grab onto him all over. Tiny claws snatched at his clothes and skin and hair. He couldn't hear anything over the sound of all of their wings around him, a buzzing instead of a flapping, drowning out the world and his own thoughts.
One sluagh, face deformed and dark, grabbed Merlin's face. It was only slightly bigger than Merlin's head but it was an ugly, skeletal creature. It looked him in the eyes with its own black gaze and then sucked in a deep breath. The air going in whistled like a breeze through a cave. Suddenly Merlin felt like his chest was being squeezed, and then he was floating but his feet were still on the ground. Were they taking his soul?!
"No!" he shouted, but it didn't make a difference. Everything exploded into pain and then darkness.
...
...
Gaius stood by the window, silently observing the prince. Arthur was kneeling by his father's bedside, staring at his pale but calm features. He wasn't speaking or crying. He was just quiet. Gaius knew that if he were alone, Arthur would let himself weep. If the situation were not so dire, Gaius would leave and let him mourn properly. Hopefully there would be time for that later.
Suddenly there was a sound like small rocks hitting the glass of the window. Arthur's eyes snapped to the curtains, but aside from the noise nothing changed. He looked to Gaius for some sort of guidance as the noise grew louder and louder - as if more and more rocks were being tossed at once. Or as if there were dozens of nails tapping on the glass.
"Merlin?" the prince whispered, voice wrecked from the tears he wouldn't cry.
Gaius tried to school his expression into one of confidence, but he wasn't sure how well he succeeded. It wasn't just Arthur's friend out there. It was Gaius's nephew. "I'm sure he's...fine."
Arthur stood and drew his sword, moving around to stand in front of the window. His doctor frowned.
"Arthur-"
"If we're wrong and they break through that window, I will not let them take my father without a fight," Arthur declared. "I trust Merlin, and I know he'll fight them too. But if he fails," he hesitated for only half a moment, "then we are the king's last defense."
Gaius refrained from making a comment about who the king would be now that Uther was dead. It was too soon for such talk.
The window rattled like it would with a rough, strong wind, as if a twister had unexpectedly landed in Camelot. The two men in the room listened while the glass squeaked and clattered. A buzzing filled the air, coming from outside, growing louder along with the chaos of other noises. It seemed as if the glass would break at any moment, would shatter into a million pieces and unleash the Sluagh upon them.
Then, as abruptly as it began, all the noise stopped. Uther's chambers were left in an utter silence that left Gaius's ears ringing.
Both men continued to look at the window for several moments afterward. What did the silence mean? Arthur looked to Gaius, but the aging doctor was as unsure as he was. Where was Merlin? He would know the answer, for certain.
There was a knock at the door and a knight opened it. He wore a concerned expression. "Are you alright, your highness?" he asked.
Arthur took a deep breath and sheathed his sword before facing the knight. "Yes. We're fine in here. Do you know what that wind was?" he asked, playing dumb but in charge.
A negative shake of the head. "A gust of wind, I think, sire," he said. "It shook the windows in the hall, but no damage was done."
"Good then," the prince let out. "I need you to fetch Merlin for me."
The knight nodded. "As you wish, sire." And with a bow, he was gone, the door shutting behind him.
Arthur immediately hurried to the window, pushing the curtains aside. There was nothing on the windows, not even a scratch. Hesitantly, Arthur cracked one open. Nothing came rushing inside. Sticking his head out into the night air, Arthur looked around. This high up and this late at night, he could hardly see anything on the battlements below. He could not see Merlin.
His eyes searched the skies for the sluagh, regardless of the fact that he didn't know what they looked like, but saw nothing except open air and stars.
...
...
In the dungeons, Agravaine waited. There had been a commotion before but now it was silent. He could not hear the guards at the end of the hall, and at the moment there were no other prisoners around him. He was all alone. He was not afraid, though.
Light footsteps alerted him to a presence moments before the dark haired beauty entered his line of sight. He smiled.
"Ah, Lady Morgana," he said in the tone of voice he usually reserved for flattering.
The Lady was frowning. She kept her hands clasped in front of her and stayed two feet from the bars. "You are a fool."
Agravaine frowned now too. "My Lady," he said. "I know you hated the king just as much as any person, and rightly so. He would have seen you beheaded, or burnt at the stake. Now Camelot can fall to its rightful ruler."
"And I suppose you believe that working with Morgause and doing such terrible things will somehow put Arthur or myself on the throne and work in your favor," Morgana stated coolly.
"Of course it is meant to be you." Agravaine stood and held the bars in his hands. "Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, but he is still a Pendragon. He stood by and watched as his father committed atrocities, committing them right alongside him. Surely a magic user of noble blood, you yourself, would be a better fit for the kingdom."
For a long while, Morgana simply stared at Agravaine. He stood like a nobleman and he spoke like a snake.
She made sure to look down her nose at him. "If you're expecting Morgause to come save you, she won't," she stated. "Morgause does not care for men, unless they are magic. You were a pawn for her schemes and now that you have been found out, she will leave you to die."
"No."
Agravaine's expression was so resolute, so certain, that Morgana actually felt pity for him. She shook her head.
"I am not the one destined to rule this land, Agravaine. Arthur may be a Pendragon, but so am I. That is how I know that Arthur...Arthur will bring Camelot into a golden age, where magic and man live in harmony," she said. "You, however, will not be part of it."
The look that crossed Agravaine's face was a mix between pleased and frightened. It was odd.
"Are you going to kill me, Morgana?" he asked in a sly whisper, like a dare.
And oh, did she consider it. There would be work involved to keep Arthur from falling into depression from his father's sudden passing at the hands of a loved one. His trust in people would be fractured. But he had her, he had Gaius, he had his knights, and he had Gwen. He had Merlin, always Merlin. They would make it through this. But for now, Arthur would be emotional and perhaps a bit unstable.
She gave an almost twisted smile. "No. When Arthur commands it, you will face the executioner's axe. In the meantime, I will leave you here to rot, sleeping in darkness and filth with the rats like the vermin you are," she said darkly.
Then she turned and began walking away. Agravaine did not call out to her, but she knew he watched her go.
...
...
Something sharp poked his cheek and Merlin jolted, throwing his arms out. It wasn't until the light registered that he realized the sluagh were gone and he calmed. He took in several deep breaths, his chest aching with each one. It felt like his body was in two places at once, and he couldn't tell which place held his heart or head.
"Merlin?"
Gaius. His voice was so near, but Merlin couldn't see him, even with his eyes wide open. He couldn't call out to his mentor either. Everything hurt. The light seemed fractured in front of his eyes. He couldn't tell where he was. Was this his bedroom? The throne room? The battlements? The forest? It was so bright.
Something touched his forehead, but Merlin hadn't seen it coming. It was soft, a barely there presence. "The sluagh did this," a voice said. It took entirely too long for Merlin to realize it belonged to Morgana. It felt like her voice was coming to him through water. The thing on his forehead had left now. "His body is here, but his soul...He's very far away."
"Can we get it back?" Gaius asked, voice quiet like he thought there was no hope.
"I can..."
Morgana's voice drifted away from him. It hurt to try and keep listening. It hurt to keep his eyes open, but he couldn't blink no matter how hard he tried. It hurt to think. It hurt to breathe. Or was he breathing at all? He couldn't feel his body, his arms or legs or heartbeat.
All of a sudden the pain intensified a thousand fold. Merlin's mouth dropped open but he couldn't scream. He was being torn apart! His fingers spasmed against the bed sheets. He could feel the bed sheets. He could feel his fingers. And the light was blending like a mirror fixing itself, making Merlin dizzy and nauseated. As the pain lessened, Merlin could see the roof of his bedroom. He could hear his own harsh breathing and feel how his chest was heaving rapidly. It didn't hurt anymore.
His breathing slowly calmed. He took one last deep breath, his heart still racing, and held it, shutting his eyes for the first time in what felt like ages. When he let it out again, he lifted his head just a little and looked at the rest of his room.
Morgana had her hands hovering just over Merlin's chest. Her hair was falling out of its pins and she was wearing the same outfit Merlin had seen her in the night before. Was it the night before? Gaius was by the window, also in his old clothes. They both looked tired.
Merlin tried to smile but couldn't find the strength. He let his head fall back to his pillow and huffed out a breath. "Hi."
"Hi, yourself," Morgana scoffed playfully as Gaius hurried to stand closer to the servant.
"Merlin, we were so worried," the old man said wearily.
Merlin looked him over and frowned. "What happened? The sluagh? The king?" he asked, his voice getting more frantic with each question.
Gaius and Morgana both put their hands on his torso to keep him down. "The king is safe, Merlin. I don't know how you did it, but you got rid of the sluagh," Gaius said.
"They tried to take your soul," Morgana picked up. "You must've had a swarm of them on you, if the scratches on your face mean anything. You gave Arthur a fright when he saw you." Merlin moved to touch his face but couldn't lift his arm past the two people holding him down. "Lucky for us, you're much too strong willed to lose your soul to the Unseelie Court."
He shook his head. "I don't remember what I did," he admitted. "I was trying to knock them off course with the wind, but they just kept coming. And then they were on me...It felt like they were pulling me outside of myself...and then...I don't know. I panicked."
For a moment, no one spoke. Morgana and Gaius shared a look, and then the Lady stood back from Merlin, wiping her hands together and folding them in front of her.
"Well, whatever you did last night, I felt its power. You frightened off a pack of sluagh and then walked all the way back to the king's chambers before collapsing, with your soul half missing," she informed him. "I'm glad that we're on the same side now. If I were Morgause, I'd be shaking in my boots." She grinned after her tease and then turned to leave. "Now get some rest, you fool."
Merlin caught her wrist and she gave him a startled look. He smiled. "Thank you."
He knew she was the reason he was back to normal, why the pain had stopped. She must have done something to reattach his soul to his body. He would be eternally grateful to her for it.
Morgana had a faint but endearing blush on her face as she left. Merlin then pushed himself up, regardless of Gaius's whining. "I need to go to Arthur," he huffed, already exhausted.
Gaius made a tutting sound. "And I am sure he would be grateful to see you as well, but you will be of no use to him if you collapse in the halls and further injure yourself. Besides, Arthur is mourning in the great hall. You can't see him right now."
"No." Merlin shook off Gaius's hands and stood up. His legs felt like jelly, but they were getting stronger by the second. "No, Gaius, you don't understand. I need to."
For a long while, the older and younger man just stared at one another. Merlin wouldn't be swayed, even if he had to fight his uncle off or crawl to Arthur, he would go. Finally, Merlin's determined gaze won out and Gaius sighed.
"Alright alright. At least let me go with you in case you stumble," he acquiesced.
Arthur needed to mourn now, Merlin understood that. But Arthur would also need to know he was not alone. He needed to know he still had people around him who would do anything for him. He still had friends and family to help him. Perhaps tomorrow Gwen would be well enough, now that the curse was over, to go and visit him. Perhaps soon Morgana would have a talk with him. But Merlin fully intended to be nearby for whenever Arthur was ready.
...
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tbc
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Next Time: Dawn of a New Age
With Uther's death, the dawn of a new age is upon all of Albion. But before Arthur takes the throne of the future, he decides to travel back to his birthplace and lay to rest the ghosts of his past. Secrets are revealed and an old friend appears, this time as a prince. Arthur has an announcement to make.
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Translations:
Ic ingecégan geweald þæs eald ǣfæstnes. Ingerǽcan gesihþ tō mec. Lǽdan mec tō þæs héafod ond ácýðan þæs sceaða. = I invoke power of the Old Religion. Give sight to me. Guide me to the origin and proclaim the enemy.
Once again, I don't actually know old English.