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Title: Vigil: Flashback
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: G
Character: Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Kilgharrah, Morgana Pendragon
Summary: Post Season 4. Pre-Vigil. An unexpected attempt on Arthur's life lead to another unexpected revelation.
--------------
Few days prior...
"Forbærne! Ácwele!"
Arthur could barely think of what to do as he sat on the ground, unarmed and vulnerable. He could fight anyone and anything that used physical weapons or solid, but against the users of magic? Last time it had been lucky that Morgana had not been able to use her magic to retaliate—for some reason—this time, he could not count on luck to save himself from this!
Without warning Arthur felt himself being pushed aside before hearing the sound of a blast and heat, reaching his senses. He looked up to see Merlin standing before him, trying to thwart the blast of fire Morgana had conjured... merely by using his sword, Excalibur. Oddly... though he thought he remembered hearing Merlin saying that the sword was not just an ordinary one. He never really convinced about that aside from knowing for certainty that the sword had been finely crafted. Now, he wondered if the sword was truly magical—since such feat could not be made possible if it had been just an ordinary sword. But still...
"Merlin! Don't be reckless! You can't possibly keep that up—!"
Just as he said it, Merlin's hold on the sword faltered before the magical blast hit his manservant's body squarely on the chest. Merlin staggered before Arthur caught him from falling. He flinched, looking at the damage on Merlin's body before his friend started to cough out blood.
Morgana laughed.
"Serves you right! See what your loyalty brought you now!" she said as Arthur stared at her angrily. But before he could respond, Merlin shoved him aside as he struggled to stand using Excalibur as support.
"I won't... let you... hurt Arthur!"
Morgana laughed again, as her own dishevelled appearance enhanced her aura of madness. "How'd you do that, Merlin? Don't think this time I'd easilyallow you to poison me again without my knowledge! How could you save Arthur when you could barely stand yourself?"
Merlin grinned despite looking so frail. "I don't think you should underestimate me. A lot of people did that..." said Merlin, before holding out a hand towards Morgana before continuing.
"Ic her aciege anne windræs! Færblæd wawe! Windræs ungetermed - ge hiere! Ic ðe bebiede mid ealle strangnesse ðæt ðu geblæwest ond sierest strange! Ge spurne þeos hægtesse!"
Despite the state he was in, his voice came out loud and strong as Morgana was taken aback. Merlin's eyes glowed golden as Morgana gasped aloud.
"Merlin! You... you had magic? All these times? Why? Why don't you side with me? Why did you protect Arthur? Are you—!" she cried out as Morgana tried to counter Merlin's whirlwind. But just as her powers had been useless when confronting Merlin before, this time was no different as Morgana was thrown further aback. Morgana had screamed in anguish before being thrown away.
Arthur blinked as he thought he saw something white, flying in the background. He shook his head as he told himself that it was an illusion and turned his thoughts towards the present.
All these times, he had seen Morgana and Morgause use their magic against Camelot. Never he thought there would be anyone else able to match up against them—much less Merlin—in terms of power and ability.
Arthur turned towards Merlin as he tried to make sense the scene he had just watched. Merlin, his Merlin... had magic and he had used his magic againstMorgana in order to protect him. But this do not make sense! Magic... for as long as he could remember, was pure evil. There was no such thing as goodmagic. Yet he could barely recall an old memory of that mysterious ball of blue light that had helped him in the past...
Merlin staggered as if the effort of conjuring the whirlwind earlier had taken all of the energy he had for keeping himself upright. He pulled out Excalibur from the ground before turning towards Arthur. Arthur held his breath as Merlin gave him the most saddened look ever graced the face of his manservant.
"Merlin?" Arthur started to say before Merlin began stepping backwards.
Suddenly, the ground started to crack and crumble as Merlin's foot touched air. Arthur tried to call out as Merlin started to lose his balance. Without thinking, Arthur dashed out to try grabbing Merlin's hand before he too had fallen from the edge of cliff.
Oh great, now I'm about to fall on my death alongside my servant who also had magic!, thought Arthur as he continued falling, which was quite surreal considering that he was strangely... calm... about this. Arthur closed his eyes as he waited for his death to arrive.
Yet, that did not happen as he heard a loud roar and suddenly something big had grabbed his body whole before flying away.
Oh good! Instead of falling to our deaths, I'm about to get eaten by a giant monster!
Arthur opened his eyes to find that a giant claw had held him in place, stopping his descent as the grounds below swept past his feet. He turned his glance to his side to find that the monster that had captured him also got Merlin on its other claws. He frowned. Merlin appeared to have passed out, yet he was still firmly holding Excalibur on one hand as if reluctant to leave it behind. He wondered about it as the creature gradually landed on ground before releasing them from its claws.
Arthur glanced back towards Excalibur before warily looking around for the creature. He turned to make a move towards Merlin before another voice stopped him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Arthur jerked his head up as the giant creature flew back down on the grounds near the unconscious Merlin. He gasped as he recognized the creature.
Kilgharrah cocked his head to the side before looking down towards Merlin.
"I would dare to assume that you intend to recover the possession of your sword. Though... I wonder to whom do you intend to deliver that strike you're intending to give using the sword."
Arthur blinked, rather stupidly. For once, he had not been thinking anything past recovering his sword back... just so he could at least feel safe. Now that the great dragon had reminded him, he wondered which or who would be the one he would strike. Would he try to attack the dragon? But if it was still alive right now, then that must mean his attempt at killing the dragon several years ago did not leave a scratch... unlike what someone seemed to have convinced him. Yet, aside from the dragon...
Arthur turned his eyes towards Merlin. Merlin had magic, and judging to how powerful it had been earlier... as well as past recollections where strange occurrences tend to happen when Merlin was nearby, it should not be wrong to think that Merlin had been practising magic for a very long time. Right under his nose, unbeknownst to others... or not really, considering the several occurrences where Merlin had directly or indirectly claimed or be accused of having magic.
Merlin had magic... all these times, and he had hid this from him for a very long time. All these times... while always remaining by his side. Never telling him, keeping this secret from him. Lying to him all these times!
Magic is evil... there would be no good coming from people who uses magic.
He immediately thought of Morgana... Morgause... Nimueh...
Magic was evil. Morgana had magic and she was evil. If that argument was correct and that applied to everyone that has magic, did that mean... Merlin... was he...
Arthur was so afraid of finishing that thought.
"I won't let you hurt Arthur!"
Yet... earlier, Merlin had defended him against Morgana. How could he... when he was the same as her—wait, that was wrong! For as long as he could remember, Merlin had always supported him... helping him throughout his journey since the time he had been the crown prince... until now. How could Merlin do that... if he... if he had magic? Seeing that he told Merlin so often in the past that he hated magic, since every time something bad had happened to him... magic had always been involved. If Merlin had magic... how could he remain by his side and not be offended by the frequency of him speaking out aloud on the evils of magic?
Yet... he could not erase what he had seen with his own eyes...
Was Merlin... good... or bad? Friend... or enemy?
Arthur wished it was not the latter; it had hurt so much when he had learnt that Morgana had betrayed him. That Agravaine... his own uncle, the only remaining relative of his own mother... was a traitor. If Merlin, the person he had grown so attached to... the man whom he had grown to trust, to care a lot... to value a lot... turned out to be a double-crossing enemy—he did not want to live in this world any longer. Not Merlin... not his Merlin...
He must have looked very much despondent if the next words the dragon spoke had been related.
"You looked as if you were stuck between two unwanted predicaments."
Arthur stared at the dragon oddly since he could swear that the dragon was giving him a peculiar look. The dragon... snorted?
"Many thoughts must have entered your mind right now..." said the dragon suddenly, "—but anything that you might be thinking, I should WARN you."
If Arthur was scared... he was not showing it. But he was sure that the dragon meant business... whatever it was it wanted to say.
"Do not attempt to try to kill the young warlock, or you shall live to regret it. Do not kill the one who had always been an ally to you... protecting you from the shadows."
Arthur blinked again. Warlock? His eyes fell on Merlin. Was that dragon referring to Merlin?
The dragon started to turn his attention towards Merlin before gently nudging his body with its head.
"Are you all right... Merlin?"
Suddenly all thoughts inside his head vanished as Arthur braved himself to come nearer towards them. As he stepped closer, he could have sworn he heard another voice—slightly weaker and softer—replying to the dragon's query. Hope suddenly surged into his heart at the thought that Merlin was still alive... despite his earlier conflict.
"I-is... he all right?"
The dragon looked up towards Arthur. It looked down again as if noticing that Merlin had passed out again.
"Merlin would be fine. No matter how many time he may have chosen to be so reckless with his own life... he would not die so easily," said the dragon before breathing out something towards Merlin.
"There... I've healed his body. Merlin should regain consciousness once the rest of him had recovered. That amount of magic used had taken a toll on his body... he'll need time to recover that strength."
The dragon stepped away before looking at Arthur cautiously.
Arthur slowly bent down towards Merlin as he noticed that the man had looked less pale as compared to before they had fallen from the cliff. He poked Merlin as the man did not respond. He turned around as he noticed the dragon started to move.
"A-are... you... going to leave us here?"
The dragon stared at him as if amused.
"As if you cannot return home by yourselves..." The dragon cocked its head, "—and despite my earlier supposition, I do not think that you're even slightly capable of slaughtering Merlin in cold blood."
"I am... capable... of that..." said Arthur unconvincingly as the dragon laughed before flying away.
Arthur looked down again as he eyed the man before him. Merlin was unguarded now... so vulnerable—if he should try to kill him now, it would not be so hard...
He hastily grabbed Excalibur from nearby and prepared to impale the sword into Merlin's body. Yet, as the tip of the sword graced Merlin's faintly rising and sinking chest... his resolve faltered. His hand shook before throwing the sword to the side. Arthur grabbed Merlin's body and shook it as he willed him to wake up.
"Oi... wake up! Wake up Merlin!"
Arthur frowned as he tried to willed himself not to cry. Why should he be feeling sorrow in his heart when he should be angry. Really angry... considering the most trusted person in his whole life had been hiding the biggest secret about himself. Merlin had LIED... about himself... to him!
Yet...
He recalled that old memory in his father's old chamber, when his father had lain on his lap... slowly dying. He recalled the other time when Merlin had pushed him aside and allowed himself to be attacked by the Dorocha, in order to protect him. He recalled the look of sadness Merlin gave him before falling off the cliff...
Arthur held Merlin's body close to him. Despite the dragon's claim that it had healed Merlin's injuries—Merlin's body right now was so cold... so frail...
Tears started to well in his eye, blurring his vision.
"Oi wake up... idiot!" said Arthur, his voice already starting to break. "You can't die yet. You can't... there's still a lot of explaining you have to do..."
Arthur buried his face against Merlin's cheek.
"Don't leave me... yet."
xxx
Arthur slowly dragged his feet towards the gates of Camelot. How he managed to find the strength to do that, he was not sure. Merlin's weight on his arms barely made a difference, the only thought inside his head was that... he had to get them home...
A flurry of men suddenly rushed towards them as Arthur could barely recognise anyone. Merlin was taken away from his arms, someone embraced him... squeezing his shoulders... but all he felt was a sense of numbness.
Merlin's smiles... that voice that was always, constantly teasing him. That ever supporting face that always gave him strength to continue fighting...
Arthur collapsed onto the ground as if his legs appeared to lose all feelings and gave way to weakness. A sudden realization hit him, as fast as the ground did.
He did not want to lose Merlin. Magical or not magical.
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: G
Character: Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Kilgharrah, Morgana Pendragon
Summary: Post Season 4. Pre-Vigil. An unexpected attempt on Arthur's life lead to another unexpected revelation.
--------------
Few days prior...
"Forbærne! Ácwele!"
Arthur could barely think of what to do as he sat on the ground, unarmed and vulnerable. He could fight anyone and anything that used physical weapons or solid, but against the users of magic? Last time it had been lucky that Morgana had not been able to use her magic to retaliate—for some reason—this time, he could not count on luck to save himself from this!
Without warning Arthur felt himself being pushed aside before hearing the sound of a blast and heat, reaching his senses. He looked up to see Merlin standing before him, trying to thwart the blast of fire Morgana had conjured... merely by using his sword, Excalibur. Oddly... though he thought he remembered hearing Merlin saying that the sword was not just an ordinary one. He never really convinced about that aside from knowing for certainty that the sword had been finely crafted. Now, he wondered if the sword was truly magical—since such feat could not be made possible if it had been just an ordinary sword. But still...
"Merlin! Don't be reckless! You can't possibly keep that up—!"
Just as he said it, Merlin's hold on the sword faltered before the magical blast hit his manservant's body squarely on the chest. Merlin staggered before Arthur caught him from falling. He flinched, looking at the damage on Merlin's body before his friend started to cough out blood.
Morgana laughed.
"Serves you right! See what your loyalty brought you now!" she said as Arthur stared at her angrily. But before he could respond, Merlin shoved him aside as he struggled to stand using Excalibur as support.
"I won't... let you... hurt Arthur!"
Morgana laughed again, as her own dishevelled appearance enhanced her aura of madness. "How'd you do that, Merlin? Don't think this time I'd easilyallow you to poison me again without my knowledge! How could you save Arthur when you could barely stand yourself?"
Merlin grinned despite looking so frail. "I don't think you should underestimate me. A lot of people did that..." said Merlin, before holding out a hand towards Morgana before continuing.
"Ic her aciege anne windræs! Færblæd wawe! Windræs ungetermed - ge hiere! Ic ðe bebiede mid ealle strangnesse ðæt ðu geblæwest ond sierest strange! Ge spurne þeos hægtesse!"
Despite the state he was in, his voice came out loud and strong as Morgana was taken aback. Merlin's eyes glowed golden as Morgana gasped aloud.
"Merlin! You... you had magic? All these times? Why? Why don't you side with me? Why did you protect Arthur? Are you—!" she cried out as Morgana tried to counter Merlin's whirlwind. But just as her powers had been useless when confronting Merlin before, this time was no different as Morgana was thrown further aback. Morgana had screamed in anguish before being thrown away.
Arthur blinked as he thought he saw something white, flying in the background. He shook his head as he told himself that it was an illusion and turned his thoughts towards the present.
All these times, he had seen Morgana and Morgause use their magic against Camelot. Never he thought there would be anyone else able to match up against them—much less Merlin—in terms of power and ability.
Arthur turned towards Merlin as he tried to make sense the scene he had just watched. Merlin, his Merlin... had magic and he had used his magic againstMorgana in order to protect him. But this do not make sense! Magic... for as long as he could remember, was pure evil. There was no such thing as goodmagic. Yet he could barely recall an old memory of that mysterious ball of blue light that had helped him in the past...
Merlin staggered as if the effort of conjuring the whirlwind earlier had taken all of the energy he had for keeping himself upright. He pulled out Excalibur from the ground before turning towards Arthur. Arthur held his breath as Merlin gave him the most saddened look ever graced the face of his manservant.
"Merlin?" Arthur started to say before Merlin began stepping backwards.
Suddenly, the ground started to crack and crumble as Merlin's foot touched air. Arthur tried to call out as Merlin started to lose his balance. Without thinking, Arthur dashed out to try grabbing Merlin's hand before he too had fallen from the edge of cliff.
Oh great, now I'm about to fall on my death alongside my servant who also had magic!, thought Arthur as he continued falling, which was quite surreal considering that he was strangely... calm... about this. Arthur closed his eyes as he waited for his death to arrive.
Yet, that did not happen as he heard a loud roar and suddenly something big had grabbed his body whole before flying away.
Oh good! Instead of falling to our deaths, I'm about to get eaten by a giant monster!
Arthur opened his eyes to find that a giant claw had held him in place, stopping his descent as the grounds below swept past his feet. He turned his glance to his side to find that the monster that had captured him also got Merlin on its other claws. He frowned. Merlin appeared to have passed out, yet he was still firmly holding Excalibur on one hand as if reluctant to leave it behind. He wondered about it as the creature gradually landed on ground before releasing them from its claws.
Arthur glanced back towards Excalibur before warily looking around for the creature. He turned to make a move towards Merlin before another voice stopped him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Arthur jerked his head up as the giant creature flew back down on the grounds near the unconscious Merlin. He gasped as he recognized the creature.
Kilgharrah cocked his head to the side before looking down towards Merlin.
"I would dare to assume that you intend to recover the possession of your sword. Though... I wonder to whom do you intend to deliver that strike you're intending to give using the sword."
Arthur blinked, rather stupidly. For once, he had not been thinking anything past recovering his sword back... just so he could at least feel safe. Now that the great dragon had reminded him, he wondered which or who would be the one he would strike. Would he try to attack the dragon? But if it was still alive right now, then that must mean his attempt at killing the dragon several years ago did not leave a scratch... unlike what someone seemed to have convinced him. Yet, aside from the dragon...
Arthur turned his eyes towards Merlin. Merlin had magic, and judging to how powerful it had been earlier... as well as past recollections where strange occurrences tend to happen when Merlin was nearby, it should not be wrong to think that Merlin had been practising magic for a very long time. Right under his nose, unbeknownst to others... or not really, considering the several occurrences where Merlin had directly or indirectly claimed or be accused of having magic.
Merlin had magic... all these times, and he had hid this from him for a very long time. All these times... while always remaining by his side. Never telling him, keeping this secret from him. Lying to him all these times!
Magic is evil... there would be no good coming from people who uses magic.
He immediately thought of Morgana... Morgause... Nimueh...
Magic was evil. Morgana had magic and she was evil. If that argument was correct and that applied to everyone that has magic, did that mean... Merlin... was he...
Arthur was so afraid of finishing that thought.
"I won't let you hurt Arthur!"
Yet... earlier, Merlin had defended him against Morgana. How could he... when he was the same as her—wait, that was wrong! For as long as he could remember, Merlin had always supported him... helping him throughout his journey since the time he had been the crown prince... until now. How could Merlin do that... if he... if he had magic? Seeing that he told Merlin so often in the past that he hated magic, since every time something bad had happened to him... magic had always been involved. If Merlin had magic... how could he remain by his side and not be offended by the frequency of him speaking out aloud on the evils of magic?
Yet... he could not erase what he had seen with his own eyes...
Was Merlin... good... or bad? Friend... or enemy?
Arthur wished it was not the latter; it had hurt so much when he had learnt that Morgana had betrayed him. That Agravaine... his own uncle, the only remaining relative of his own mother... was a traitor. If Merlin, the person he had grown so attached to... the man whom he had grown to trust, to care a lot... to value a lot... turned out to be a double-crossing enemy—he did not want to live in this world any longer. Not Merlin... not his Merlin...
He must have looked very much despondent if the next words the dragon spoke had been related.
"You looked as if you were stuck between two unwanted predicaments."
Arthur stared at the dragon oddly since he could swear that the dragon was giving him a peculiar look. The dragon... snorted?
"Many thoughts must have entered your mind right now..." said the dragon suddenly, "—but anything that you might be thinking, I should WARN you."
If Arthur was scared... he was not showing it. But he was sure that the dragon meant business... whatever it was it wanted to say.
"Do not attempt to try to kill the young warlock, or you shall live to regret it. Do not kill the one who had always been an ally to you... protecting you from the shadows."
Arthur blinked again. Warlock? His eyes fell on Merlin. Was that dragon referring to Merlin?
The dragon started to turn his attention towards Merlin before gently nudging his body with its head.
"Are you all right... Merlin?"
Suddenly all thoughts inside his head vanished as Arthur braved himself to come nearer towards them. As he stepped closer, he could have sworn he heard another voice—slightly weaker and softer—replying to the dragon's query. Hope suddenly surged into his heart at the thought that Merlin was still alive... despite his earlier conflict.
"I-is... he all right?"
The dragon looked up towards Arthur. It looked down again as if noticing that Merlin had passed out again.
"Merlin would be fine. No matter how many time he may have chosen to be so reckless with his own life... he would not die so easily," said the dragon before breathing out something towards Merlin.
"There... I've healed his body. Merlin should regain consciousness once the rest of him had recovered. That amount of magic used had taken a toll on his body... he'll need time to recover that strength."
The dragon stepped away before looking at Arthur cautiously.
Arthur slowly bent down towards Merlin as he noticed that the man had looked less pale as compared to before they had fallen from the cliff. He poked Merlin as the man did not respond. He turned around as he noticed the dragon started to move.
"A-are... you... going to leave us here?"
The dragon stared at him as if amused.
"As if you cannot return home by yourselves..." The dragon cocked its head, "—and despite my earlier supposition, I do not think that you're even slightly capable of slaughtering Merlin in cold blood."
"I am... capable... of that..." said Arthur unconvincingly as the dragon laughed before flying away.
Arthur looked down again as he eyed the man before him. Merlin was unguarded now... so vulnerable—if he should try to kill him now, it would not be so hard...
He hastily grabbed Excalibur from nearby and prepared to impale the sword into Merlin's body. Yet, as the tip of the sword graced Merlin's faintly rising and sinking chest... his resolve faltered. His hand shook before throwing the sword to the side. Arthur grabbed Merlin's body and shook it as he willed him to wake up.
"Oi... wake up! Wake up Merlin!"
Arthur frowned as he tried to willed himself not to cry. Why should he be feeling sorrow in his heart when he should be angry. Really angry... considering the most trusted person in his whole life had been hiding the biggest secret about himself. Merlin had LIED... about himself... to him!
Yet...
He recalled that old memory in his father's old chamber, when his father had lain on his lap... slowly dying. He recalled the other time when Merlin had pushed him aside and allowed himself to be attacked by the Dorocha, in order to protect him. He recalled the look of sadness Merlin gave him before falling off the cliff...
Arthur held Merlin's body close to him. Despite the dragon's claim that it had healed Merlin's injuries—Merlin's body right now was so cold... so frail...
Tears started to well in his eye, blurring his vision.
"Oi wake up... idiot!" said Arthur, his voice already starting to break. "You can't die yet. You can't... there's still a lot of explaining you have to do..."
Arthur buried his face against Merlin's cheek.
"Don't leave me... yet."
xxx
Arthur slowly dragged his feet towards the gates of Camelot. How he managed to find the strength to do that, he was not sure. Merlin's weight on his arms barely made a difference, the only thought inside his head was that... he had to get them home...
A flurry of men suddenly rushed towards them as Arthur could barely recognise anyone. Merlin was taken away from his arms, someone embraced him... squeezing his shoulders... but all he felt was a sense of numbness.
Merlin's smiles... that voice that was always, constantly teasing him. That ever supporting face that always gave him strength to continue fighting...
Arthur collapsed onto the ground as if his legs appeared to lose all feelings and gave way to weakness. A sudden realization hit him, as fast as the ground did.
He did not want to lose Merlin. Magical or not magical.
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