Chapter 4

.:Arthur:.

He felt calm.

Oddly, he thought he should be panicking, should be frozen with worry, his mind racing to try and find an excuse. But he had passed all of that. He had even passed the brief stab of worry he felt when he realised Merlin wasn't at his mother's. It was logical thing to think. Merlin had been banished from Camelot, but Ealdor wasn't in Camelot's kingdom. So Arthur had just assumed he had returned to his childhood home.

But now an icy numbness was settling into him. It gave him the strength to look Gaius in the eye, as he stood up, gathering the documents from the meeting. He would finish them in his chambers where he would be least likely disturbed.

"Merlin has been dismissed, branded a traitor to the crown and so banished from the Kingdom of Camelot" he said, the eerie calm slipping into his voice as well.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Gaius blanch, but the guilt that he would normally feel at such an action didn't come. He was the King, he had nothing to feel sorry for.

"Sire?" Gaius's voice was small, yet demanding.

Arthur sighed, pausing in his attempts to walk out of the council chambers. "It was revealed to me Merlin's true nature." he looked Gaius in the eye, eyes narrowing as he took in the way Gaius wouldn't meet his eye.

"You knew?" he stated. It wasn't a question and Gaius didn't treat it as such. He remained quiet. If Arthur didn't know better, he would say the old man was going into shock.

Turning slowly, Arthur ran a tired hand through his hair. "Then I have no longer have need of your services" he said flatly.

Gaius snapped his head up, pale eyes wide.

"You have a month to find a suitable replacement"

He turned, thinking that would be the end of the conversation, but Gaius's next words had him pause and turn back.

"What happened to you Arthur? This isn't the young Prince I remember"

He felt a niggle in the back of his head and just behind Gaius's shoulder Merlin stood, an anguished expression on his face. Arthur locked gazes with the sad blue eyes. He had never been able to stand Merlin's disapproval before. In the past, each time he had made a decision he would seek out those eyes, hoping to see approval in them and even sometimes a proud looking smile.

But that was before, when he had begrudgingly called Merlin a friend, maybe even his best friend, despite their differences in status. Now he saw it for the weakness it was. He didn't need anyone's consent, he was the King and Merlin could have easily have exploited this weakness to shape the Kingdom to something of his purpose.

So he numbed the niggle pushing into his thoughts, locking in back down with all of the confusion, betrayal and worry that had been his constant companion these past months.

"I am the King, Gaius" he said tearing his eyes from Merlin's and placing them back on the older man. "And I have no place for liars and betrayers in my court"

Gaius looked sad, opening his mouth as if to say something more, but Arthur had had enough. Turning, he left Gaius standing in the middle of the hall. "One month Gaius" he called over his shoulder before closing the door shut.

Breathing in deeply, he leant against the wood for a second collecting his thoughts. The pieces of parchment felt heavy in his hands. He didn't know how long this calm and feeling of clarity would last. He remembered his anger from earlier, the madness that he had demanded his knights to search everyone in the castle. He didn't regret his decision, after everything that had happened over the past few weeks, it had been a thought pressing on his mind more often than not.

But with the clarity, he saw what it must have looked like to his knights and councillors. He grimaced.

Well what is done, is done, he thought.

Making a decision he pushed off of the door. Striding confidently through the darkening corridors, he made his way quickly to his chambers.

A warm crackling sound greeted him as he entered. Arthur relished the warmth that swept over him, and the sight of cold meat and some fruit thoughtfully left out for him. The scene had once caused a dull ache in him but now he just glanced at it, ignoring the growl of protest from his stomach as he walked past the food. Placing the papers down on his desk to await his attentions later, he retreated from his chambers once more.

The corridors were empty at this time of night, making Arthur's progress down to the dungeons quick and easy.

The guards on duty started at his presence. The dice they were using to play some sort of game dropped out of the man's hands and clattered onto the floor.

"Sire" they both said once they were standing, and bowed.

Arthur waved his hand at them. "I want some time alone with the prisoner" he said.

The men bowed again, scurrying quickly off.

He approached the bars of the cell slowly, taking his time to let his eyes adjust to the gloom. After he was able to make out the edges of a figure leaning against the far wall he took his keys and unlocked the door.

The creak of the protesting wood made the girl, who had been sleeping, raise her head slowly. Her eyes widened in panic and fear when she saw who it was. Scrambling to her feet, she dipped her head down low.

"Yo.. Your Highness" she stuttered.

Arthur looked down at her, worn dress draping over her thin frame. How could something so small cause such trouble, he thought before stopping himself. It was a stupid thought. Just look at the trouble Merlin always seemed to land himself in.

"You used magic, despite knowing the laws. Do you deny this fact?" he asked.

Still she didn't meet his eyes, just shook her head wildly from side to side.

"No you don't deny it or no you didn't use magic?" Still he was calm, numbness tingling over his skin. For weeks he had been putting this off, despite his councillors asking him that a decision needed to be made. But it was because of this girl that everything had gone wrong. If she hadn't had used magic, maybe Merlin hadn't had felt the need to reveal himself. But then he would have been living a lie, would have still be seeing friends when there were only snakes. In some sort of way, he supposed, he was grateful for the woman.

Her head finally lifted up. "No… no I don't deny it.. My Lord" her voice was barely above a whisper but it echoed around the walls. Arthur deflated at the words and tears began to sparkle in the woman's eyes. "Please… My Lord… I wouldn't have done it… but I couldn't I couldn't just let the boy die.. When I… when I could have done something.. Pease My Lord"

Arthur raised his hand and the woman's begging reduced to sobs.

"You saved a citizen of Camelot" Arthur began. "A life debt is owed" he clenched his teeth. He could see the beginnings of hope shining through the tears.

"As King of Camelot and all of her people, the life debt is mine."

"My Lord?"

Arthur sighed. "You are free to leave. I give you, your own life in return for the one you saved."

The woman trembled, eyes still shimmering with tears. She stood frozen, gazing up at him in hope but also fearful that he was about to laugh and call it a joke, slamming the door shut in front of her face again.

"I have one question before you go though"

"Of.. Of course, My Lord"

"Why did you begin to study magic. You know the laws of Camelot, yet you still practised it"

The woman smiled sadly, wiping hastily at her tears she stood to her full height. It was then Arthur noticed the lines at the corners of her mouth and eyes. She looked like a mother and suddenly Arthur felt like he was 5 again, about to learn something valuable.

"Some of us don't have a choice, My Lord."

Arthur frowned in confusion. The numbness was slinking away, emotions beginning to poke and tug at his brain and heart once more.

"Sometimes despite our wishes, magic chooses us and we are forced to learn to control the powers the Gods blessed us with. If we don't we risk losing control and hurting someone we care for" she smiled warmly at him but then faltered somewhat. "My Lord" she added on hastily.

Arthur stayed quiet. He could feel himself starting to shake.

"You can go" he bit out forcefully when he felt his control starting to leave along with the calm. The woman curtseyed once more but said no more, rapidly making her way out of the cell.

He stared at the moonlight filtering through the thin grate at the top of the cell. Had everyone his whole life just been lying to him. His father had told him that all sorcerers were evil that they practised magic only for their own greedy need for power. Was that a lie? Was the woman lying? Confusion and anger bombarded him, demanding him to make a decision. But he couldn't.

He finally saw his life for what it was. He was just a playing piece of some sick game. People prodding him forward or tugging him back when they felt it was the wrong direction. He wasn't human to anyone, not to his father, not to his knights, not even to his friends.

They all just wanted something from him. His father wanted an heir, someone to rule in his stead with his beliefs. His knights wanted justice for the land, for him to be a wise and powerful leader they could admire. And Merlin… Arthur paused. What had Merlin wanted? He didn't know anymore, he didn't know anything.

The world spun, the rocky slabs of stone blurring into a grey mass, swimming before his eyes. He dropped to his knees and then the world went black.

.:Merlin:.

They circled around him, heavy black cloaks draping over their shoulders and falling to the ground, making their movements sound chilling in the early morning mist. Curved swords were drawn, the steel glinting just as wickedly as the men's eyes.

"Bad time to get lost boy" One spat out, blackened teeth grinning madly at him. The others roared in laughter at the man's words. The sound was like stone grinding against each other. Merlin winced at the noise. He eyed the lot warily. There were 8 in total, grown man easily towering over him and built like ox's.

He should be scared, terrified, but as his thumb ran over the jagged edges of the green stone, he felt himself grinning right back.

"Oh I'm not lost" he replied. "So if you would kindly step out of my way, I'll just be going"

Another round of laughter followed his words and the biggest of the men stepped forward, a leer on his face.

"I don't think you quite understand the situation lad" he brought his face down so it was level with Merlin's and a sword was gently placed against his throat.

"You see" the man continued. "I'm going to kill you" his grin grew wider. "But first, how about we have some fun"

Merlin could feel the sword pierce his neck, feel a rivulet of blood trickle down until it got absorbed into his neckerchief.

The men's laughter echoed all around the small clearing, their eyes black as they slowly stepped forward.

"No I don't think you understand the situation" Merlin lifted his gaze, locking it with the man who held the sword to his throat.

"If you don't back away now and run away with your tail between your legs" He grinned letting a pulse of magic get thrown from his body. The man stumbled backwards as the force hit him, a surprised expression on his face. "I'll kill you" Merlin finished.

The men suddenly looked uneasy, laughter dying on chapped lips as they looked to who Merlin assumed was their leader for support.

"You little prick" the man was now glaring at him, eyes black with rage. "You think you can take on all of us. I've been killing whelps like you before you were a twinkle in your dad's eye."

Merlin merely grimaced as the man suddenly came rushing towards him, sword raised above his head and a war cry on his lips.

"Don't say I didn't warn you" he shrugged before jumping out of the man's way just before the sword came crashing down where he was standing a moment before.

Arms immediately came and wrapped around his neck and another grabbed a hold of his legs. "We've got him boss" the men shouted. Merlin stood still, watching and waiting patiently as the leader righted himself, pulling his sword from out of the ground and rushing towards him once more. Summoning his magic, he slammed it into the ground at his feet at the last minute.

Huge cracks were sent rippling though the soil, making the ground tremble and break apart. Only the men who had jumped back safely a few metres away were left standing by the end of it and the leader was knocked out cold, blood running freely from a wound on his head.

The hands around his neck loosened slightly allowing Merlin to twist around in their grip. The men holding him looked young, eyes fearful as they began to back away slowly.

Merlin faltered slightly, pulling his magic up short where he had began to summon flames to his hand. They didn't look older than 16, a shadow of their first beard growing on their jaws.

"What are you waiting for! Get him!" The leader suddenly shouted from behind him, apparently coming to.

The men hesitated for a second, eyes darting between Merlin and their leader.

Merlin waited tense, magic brimming under the surface just waiting to be called forth. Logically he should just fry them all. They were bandits and if he didn't kill them, then they would just continue on with their killing and plundering of helpless people. Yet they looked so young, boys really and Merlin had already killed more people than he would have liked. In his duty to the King, he hadn't given it a moment thought, just did what needed to be done. He hadn't like it but it was better than the alternative. Now he was free, he didn't want to be that kind of person any more.

Raising his hands, palms facing outwards in a peaceful gesture, he took a step forward. "I don't want to hurt you" he said just as the leader screamed "kill him!"

The combination of the command and Merlin edging closer seemed to make the boys snap. Hesitation gone, they raised their swords and sprung forwards.

Merlin sighed, dropping one hand while leaving the other one raised as he summoned the fire. Whirling around, he sent the fireball careering across the torn ground and towards the leader while raising his other hand back towards the boys.

The push of air sent them flying backwards, hurtling into the ground where they landed looking dazed but otherwise unhurt.

A wail pierced the air just after as the flames began to consume the leader. All around the men looked on, wide eyes staring as flesh and leather began to melt into one another, releasing a putrid smell.

Merlin fought against the urge to throw up at the smell. Maybe he shouldn't have use fire, he thought as the wails suddenly lost volume and the flames began to die down a bit.

"Let's get out of here" A voice sounded from one of the men who had jumped away from Merlin's first spell. The other men quickly nodded their consent, a couple breaking off to haul the two boys to their feet while the others quickly disappeared into the sparse woodland that Merlin had just come out of this morning.

Giving one last look at the ashes that now laid black and in stark contrast to the snow covered ground, Merlin turned.

He could see the tower in the distance, smoke curling up into the sky above it. He had been travelling a week since making the decision to help Aithusa. Steadily making his way Northwest until he made it out of the perilous lands and into Amata. Now he could see where the dragon was being held, only a few hours away.

Shouldering his pack, he carefully made his way around the still smoking ashes and onwards, intent on freeing Aithusa by the end of the day.

TBC…

A/N - As I've said before, I'm using this map as reference for this fic (/works/1037453/chapters/2069264 on archive of our own website) however, it didn't have the kingdom of Amata on it (where Aithusa is being held) so I just substituted Amata in where Deira is supposed to be.

Sorry Merlin's pov is just a bit of a filler, I wanted to inject a bit more action into the story.

As always, thanks for all the favs, alerts and reviews, I'm grateful for each and every one.

Harlisan