Chapter 3 Destiny Complete

Merlin watched as the spell he performed on Mordred, began to take effect. He could see the pain disappear from the young man's face, as his eyes slowly closed and sleep finally claimed him once more. Merlin stood there for a minute or two, just staring, it felt like his mind was in freefall. So many thoughts were running through his head, that he felt quite dizzy and suddenly unsteady. He put his hand on the table to keep himself upright.

After a few minutes, he eventually came too and moved into his own room, sitting down on his bed. For a second he held his head in his hands, as he tried to make sense of the conversation he'd just had with Mordred. In all the possibilities he'd imagined might happen between him and the Druid boy, never for one minute could he have foreseen this.

The idea of Mordred discovering the true reason for Merlin suspicion's about him, suddenly seemed like a catastrophe. It was something he could not get his head round in any clear way. Before this, Merlin had a strategy with which to deal with him, but now that was in tatters, and for a second he had no idea what to do.

It wasn't helped by the shock in the boy's voice as Merlin told him about the prophecy. For all of Merlin's misgivings about Mordred, his reaction to the news had taken him by surprise somehow. Merlin tried to put himself in Mordred's shoe's for a minute in an effort to see it from his eyes.

He had always known that by purposely pushing Mordred aside, he was risking alienating him, but to begin with it had seemed like the best thing to do for himself especially. Yet the longer Mordred had stayed at Camelot and Merlin had observed him, the harder it was for him to actively dislike him. The boy had proved to be loyal and true to the King. He had become a friend to all the Knights, and to Merlin's embarrassment had attempted to make a friend of Merlin as well.

Merlin as ever felt awkward sometimes when forced to push the boy away, after another attempt to be civil to him had occurred. He would winch when he saw the hurt on Mordred's face betray him. Then he'd have to remind himself, that he had no choice. This was the best way he could protect Arthur from the Druid boy.

Then there was the complication of Mordred's relationship with Arthur to consider. This was even more tricky to cope with. When he watched them become ever closer, he could feel a twitch of envy inside his heart erupt. It was not something he knew how to cope with, as usually his demeanour was sunny and friendly. He guessed that the years of having to hide his true self from everyone was beginning to seep inside himself. He could feel that now he was starting to dislike both himself, and with that came the unnatural outpourings of negative feelings towards others.

He knew there was even a gap between himself and his friend Arthur. They were no longer as close in spirit as what they'd been. Arthur was married too, and suddenly Merlin felt cut off from him in almost every way. Into that cocoon of emotion came Mordred causing even more resentment piling in, that Merlin did not know how to cope with. Now this on top of everything else.

Merlin suddenly felt like a forest animal trapped in a corner, not knowing which way to escape. His gift had long been as much a pleasure as a curse. Suddenly all the decisions he had made before, came rushing into him, making him feel even more uncertain. One thing was real in all of it though. The dragon had said that Mordred was destined to kill Arthur, he had also said that Merlin needed to take action to avoid it happening.

He stood on the edge of the stairs of his room, and stared at the boy lying on the cot. Mordred's breathing was more regular now, the boy's face seemed crazily innocent in the light of the room, and once again Merlin found it difficult to think that this man would kill Arthur. Maybe he could still do nothing, and just buy time. Why should he make things even harder for himself? Protecting Arthur in itself was hard enough.

He hardened it was the best thing all round, even for Mordred though he wouldn't think it. Judging the boy on what he was now, it would at least stop him from having to do the act, and by dying now he would die a hero, rather than a traitor. Merlin sat down on the steps wearily.

"What happened to the boy who came into my chambers a few years ago?" Merlin sat and asked himself the very same question. He is tired about lying to his friends, being forced to live out in the shadows, being treated as a fool, when he knew so much. He was fed up about being fed information, and then being forced to make decisions that affected not only his own life but other peoples, and then being forced to live with the guilt and the consequences of those same decisions.

Was this really the life he signed up for when he left Ealdor all those years ago? He closed his eyes and tried to fend off the loneliness and the total despair about what was flooding through his mind. Was there another way to this, a way where everyone could go forward as one? A way that didn't lead to murder or a feeling of guilt and being forced to live with yet another horrible secret.

Merlin went back on the conversation that he and Mordred had only hours before. The boy was so heartfelt in his misery at the prophecy, so out of hope about what lay ahead for him at the beginning. But Merlin had sensed in him, in their later conversation another side. A side where the boy was prepared to work with Merlin to make sure the prophecy never happened.

All of a sudden the mist that had covered Merlin's mind began to move away. Could it be done? Could he and Mordred sort this out amongst themselves like men? The dragon had always claimed that destinies could not be escaped, but who was to say with a little work they couldn't be altered in even a small way? Surely it was worth a try?

Merlin could not see a way out with Morgana, maybe this was a way forward, to righting that wrong? Suddenly Merlin knew he had to at least give it a try. If Mordred was prepared to work with him, then surely between the two of them, they could find a way to avoid the destiny occurring?

As Mordred began to come round, Merlin's mind was at last made up. Today would be where the hard work began, today would be the way a new destiny was born, one where everyone was together, fighting on the same side, against the evil that plagued them.

Merlin moved towards Mordred as the boy came around and waited until he was fully awake.

"Well what is your judgement?" Mordred asked his voice sounding as if he'd already understood his fate.

"I take you up on your offer Mordred." Merlin replied watching him carefully for his reaction. Suddenly he could see all the colour and life come back to Mordred's face.

"You will work with me?" Mordred asked his eyes shining.

"Yes." Merlin confirmed. "It will not be easy, and there will be setbacks on both our sides, in those times we must remember to not overreact."

"I agree, and I promise you I will do everything I can to disprove the prophecy." Mordred replied sincerely.

For a second there was brief moment where each eyed the other carefully. But a sudden warmth broke through, as each pair of eyes softened to the others. Mordred held his hand up, and after a brief second Merlin took hold of it, and the tension slowly left the air.

"Now I must find a spell that can heal you. Then the work can begin."Merlin smiled.

Mordred smiled as he watched Merlin look through his book. Suddenly he felt as if his life was truly beginning again. He had been granted another chance, and he knew that he could not fail it. He put his head down, this time his mind relaxed and he dreamed about the days of his future. His future with his King and the great Emrys, a day a new destiny was born that could take Camelot forward and into it's glories.