Playing with Pawns - Part II (Mordred)

[youngwarlock]

"No one else is going to die." Merlin replied spitefully, backing up until his spine bumped against the solid window pane, fearful to turn around incase Mordred might cast some sort of spell whilst his back was turned, but still he risked a glance at the window, it's clear panes revealing nothing but blackness as rain lashed against them. Merlin moved closer, forgetting himself for a moment, intrigued by what was out there. It was that same darkness that was consuming parts of the castle. A black emptiness that seemingly led to nowhere. There was no escape.

He turned to face Mordred, feeling almost defeated as the druid knelt before him, pledging his honesty and begging the warlock to let him help. Should he give in so easily? It seemed there was nowhere else to go. The castle was being consumed by something Merlin had no understanding of. What he did know however, was that this was far beyond Mordred's power.

"And what of Morgana?" he asked, taking one brief step towards the boy. The prophecies spoke of an alliance between Morgana and Mordred, the two of them united in evil. That is what the great dragon had said to him, and Merlin could think of no other explanation for what was happening. It had to be the work of Morgana Pendragon. "What part does she play in this?"

[mordred]

The druid sighed quietly, quietly agreeing with Merlin. Great though Merlin's powers might be, Mordred would do anything in his power to stop anyone else from suffering the same fate as their dear King had. After all, wasn't that the service of a Knight of Camelot? Even though the table was broken, the Knighthood ended, he would stand by those rules, those morals, until his deathbed.

He glanced up as Merlin mentioned Morgana, a genuine look of confusion flickering across his features. "What of her?" he asked, shaking his head a little. "Merlin, I have pledged my allegience to you, to Arthur, to Camelot - over and over and over again. I do not know what else you would have me do. I cannot speak for Morgana, for I know nothing of her plans - I cast her aside the minute I sawy how darkened her desires were."

[youngwarlock]

A frown creased the warlock's features upon seeing the genuine look of confusion in Mordred's eyes. Surely Morgana had to be involved. The druid boy was not capable of such evil by himself, and that is precisely what this was. The darkest sorcery Merlin had ever witnessed, dragging him here into this false but very realistic world of decay and lies and haunting black shadows which seemed to plague the King's loyal servant from every corner. Merlin was not responsible for any of this. No matter how convincing the story may be, or how real this situation was, Merlin knew deep in his heart that he simply was not responsible, and nothing could convince him otherwise.

"Send me back, Mordred." he said firmly, not caring anymore who had caused this. He'd deal with that later. All he wanted now, was to go back to his own life, with Gaius and Arthur and his magic. And as for Mordred.... he'd be keeping a much closer eye on Mordred from now on.

[mordred]

Green eyes watched the brunette warily as Merlin seemed to make up his mind about something. He was offering the hand of friendship to the warlock, but apparently Merlin seemed to be of the mind that Mordred was out to harm. But then, the warlock had never thought well of the druid. It seemed that Mordred was doomed to be a deliverer of evil - at least in Merlin's eyes. Taking a slow breath through his nose, the brunette met Merlin's eyes.

"I cannot." He explained softly. "There is nothing to go back to, this is life; this is reality."

[youngwarlock]

"No..." the warlock answered defiantly, his eyes piercing the druid's with their darkened depths.

"NO!"

The second time, it was a scream, and Merlin threw himself forward, his hands grasping hold of Mordreds clothing by the shoulders and dragging the boy forwards, twisting and turning until they were both spinning towards the window, glass smashing and shattering into the air as they collided with the solid pane and tumbled over the ledge and out into the darkness.....a rush of cold air swept upwards all around Merlin as they sailed downwards into dark empty space, the warlock still holding onto the druid, making sure there would be no escape for him this time. No escape at all. If this were real, and there was truly nothing left of the world he once belonged to, then Merlin wanted no part of it. He would remove himself from this terrible place and he would take the druid boy with him so that Mordred could have no part in causing further destruction to the land of Albion.

Merlin awoke with a small yelp, his chest heaving, his brow soaked with perspiration. A slight relief washed over him with the realisation that he was awake. Free from the terrible land he had been trapped in moments ago. That was the second nightmare he'd had in two days. Both being about Mordred. The druid had been on his mind a lot, ever since his arrival, and then his knighthood. The closer Mordred got to Arthur, the more concerned the warlock grew, for he had seen the future. The prophecy that may come to pass. Arthur's destiny now relied on Merlin to see to it that the druid did not destroy everything.

Careful not to wake Gaius, Merlin exited the physician's chambers and quietly crept into the palace, unstopping until he reached Mordred's own chambers where he hesitated a brief moment before placing his fingertips on the handle.

"onlucan" he whispered into the silence of the sleeping castle, his eyes lit by amber hues as the spell unlocked Mordred's chamber door. The warlock's fingers curled around the latch and slowly began to open it. He didn't pause until he was safely inside the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

[mordred]

The young Knight and druid lay, huddled up in bed, his features in a peaceful resting state. One arm curled up protectively against his chest, whilst the other clutched at a dagger. The Knight was slightly shivering - in aftershock of his earlier nightmare, and though he slept somewhat peacefully, he was mumbling in his sleep. So deep in sleep was the druid, that the sound of the door did not disturb him, and he simply sighed in his sleep, and turned over, exposing his back to the door.

For once, the druid's dreams were peaceful.

[youngwarlock]

He turned slowly to face the bed in which the druid was sleeping soundly, and stood silently in the darkness of the room, watching Mordred as he slept with steady breaths, comfortable and safe in the knowledge that nothing could harm him here in Camelot, for he was a knight. He had gained Arthur's trust completely and one day the boy would rid the lands of the greatest king ever to have lived.

Merlin, still heavily under the influence of his nightmares, wondered wether Mordred did indeed know his own destiny. Had he made up his mind yet? It seemed blatantly obvious that he had wormed his way into Camelot, gaining everyones trust in this way, just so that he could murder the king when the perfect opportunity arose. If that was his intention, and this were an act, then it was a damn good act. Had Merlin not seen the prophet's vision himself, he too would have fallen under Mordred's spell of kindness and good deeds. But it was easy enough to put on such an act. The warlock knew better than anyone just how easy one could grow accustomed to keeping such secrets.

His eyes darkening with both fear and fury, he slowly began to move towards the bed, determined to put a stop to this once and for all. The nightmares had been so real, they had felt like prophecies themselves, and yet here was the druid, sleeping peacefully and no doubt content with such nightmares if he were to have them. With a stern look upon his features, Merlin knelt beside the bed and reached out with one hand to grasp the boy's shoulder...