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Post by pie on Nov 10, 2010 0:35:50 GMT -5
Merlin followed his mother home, a little slowly -- partially out of wanting to avoid the topic of his arrival, and halfly because he was still taking in the sights of his hometown. Oh, how he missed the place so! This had been where he had grown up, where he had grown to an adult -- though he was very much still considered a boy to many people! -- and where his friend... friend... had lived. He pushed that thought away as they neared the house.
"Just visiting, mom," he said, though he wasn't sure he could lie to his mother. She did, after all, know him better than anyone! "It's just been such a long time since I last came."
He tied the horse up outside the house when they got there. He couldn't let the horse wander and get away, after all. Then he entered the home, his old home, still his heart's home, and looked around, taking in the familiar sights of the place as memories rushed back to him still.
When his mom asked him if he was hungry or thirsty, he was going to say no, not wanting to make her have to get him anything, but his stomach betrayed him and growled loudly. He chuckled embarrassedly and said, "I guess I could use something to eat."
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Post by pie on Nov 10, 2010 0:24:17 GMT -5
When Merlin saw his mom, saw she was alright, he almost lost it, emotionally. He rushed forward towards the bed, and leaned down to hug her. And he didn't want to let go for anything. The whole time he had been worried for her, worried that he would fail and that he would lose her. That was an unbearable thought. The knowledge of what had happened to save Arthur still pained him. Though he wouldn't have been able to let Arthur die either.
He was profoundly relieved that his mom was okay, that he had set aside the magic upon her by killing Nimueh. That the Old Religion's effects could be countered and turned. Though, the knowledge of what the magic could do, of its potential, frightened him just a little bit. Still, he didn't think it evil, and it only strengthened his belief that it could be used for good or evil, whatever the user's intent was.
"Mom," he said in a choked whisper, "You're okay. Oh thank God, you're okay! I was so worried! I'm so sorry about what I put you through! It's over now, and Nimueh can't hurt anyone ever again!"
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Post by pie on Nov 10, 2010 0:16:29 GMT -5
 Merlin has begun to reach forward to grab Neav's hand and quickly pull him out of the cell so that they could leave, when he heard the footsteps from the hallway. His heart seemed to skip a beat, pounding in his chest painfully as his eyes shot open. Who could that possibly be? He needn't ask the question, as he knew already. Arthur. What was he going to say to the Prince? Would Arthur be angry?
Click. Click.
Even if they were faint sounds, to Merlin they couldn't seem any louder. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, as he had chosen this course and didn't regret it. He would do anything to protect Neav now, even if it required to use magic to escape Arthur and Camelot. If treason was required... Then so be it.
Click. Click.
The sounds seemed to come slowly to Merlin, as if everything was moving at a slow pace. Yet only seconds passed, he knew. This time, he turned around, his gaze set and locked in a determined look. And there stood Arthur. He wouldn't say anything until Arthur did.
To say the least, he was surprised when he saw Arthur toss the pack and cloak to Neav and ordered them to follow. So... Arthur was going to help, then? He couldn't stop a small smile from pulling across his lips. It calmed his nerves tenfold that Arthur didn't plan on letting an execution happen either.
He looked at Neav when he grabbed his hand, and still smiled more. "Yes, it appears Arthur isn't as cruel as we thought!" he whispered back, and hurried after Neav and Arthur.
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Post by pie on Nov 8, 2010 22:05:04 GMT -5
Merlin nodded when Neav whispered. Yes, he knew. Many times he had tried to reveal it, but in the end, it was never taken seriously, or something happened to prove otherwise. And with more and more terrible things happening dealing with magic, Merlin only feared what Arthur would think and do if he ever found out he had magic. Would he also order him to be arrested and executed? Magic was a crime in Camelot, an unjust crime, and it was predicted that Arthur would unite Albion in the future and allow magic, but... with how things were happening, he was beginning to doubt it...
He had no problem with telling Neav, had no fear of letting him know. Even though he barely knew him, he trusted him with his secret, as he wanted Neav to feel like he could trust him, also. Because whatever it took, he was going to get Neav out of Camelot and to safety... Still, he wished that he had Arthur's assistance, that the Prince didn't want this to happen to the poor boy. If Arthur or Uther found out Merlin was aiding Neav... He would face those possibilities and consequences later, then, and without regret. He knew that this was the right thing to do.
The fact that Neav knew the title that the Druids called him by, surprised Merlin, however, which was evident as his eyes widened. He had never fully gotten over that title, Emrys. And he still did not know what it meant or entailed, but several people he had met had called him by it. He wasn't even sure if the title was a good thing or not!
Yet he nodded again, and this time spoke, "Yes, I'm Emrys. But really, I prefer Merlin more. Not realizing I was Emrys is a good thing, I'd think. Meaning no one suspected me, at least that I know of. But we should quickly leave, before Arthur returns, or before the guards wake up." Yes, wake up. He didn't know how long his spell would last.
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Post by pie on Nov 8, 2010 19:39:03 GMT -5
Merlin heard the cry, and his gut felt like it was wrenched. What was that noise -- surely it wasn't human! --? The dragon had left, he had ordered it to leave and not come back, so it would have disobeyed a direct order from a Dragonlord, right? Then, what was it this time? He could tell Arthur was thinking the same thing, or similar to it. If the Dragon was back, he didn't know what he would tell Arthur -- he had told him he had killed it!
He exchanged glances with Arthur when he looked his way, then started running off with him, towards the creature. From the distance, he caught flashes of the creature. It wasn't as large as a dragon, so it wasn't Kilgarrah, but it was still large enough to prove a threat. He saw smoke rising from the buildings, heard the monster's cry, heard screams of terror begin.
From what he could tell, the monster was large, frightening, and definitely dangerous. Camelot did not need this -- didn't need another attack from a magical creature so soon after the dragon attack! What he would see when they would reach the scene was not pleasant. . .
[ The "Unknown" creature - LINK
Note: People can start joining in now! ]
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Post by pie on Nov 8, 2010 19:20:19 GMT -5
Merlin already wanted to stab him in the back... If only he had a dagger... As Arthur snatched the shirt from him and went to dress behind the screen, his glare lingered on the Prince. He couldn't help commenting, but he made sure to at least make his tone "cheery", "Don't get your shirt stuck, Sire!" In his head, the words came out bitterly, his gaze only darkening, and he rolled his eyes to Searu about the Prince, as if saying, "Can you believe him?".
A sudden thought came to him, then, and he wrung his hands together in front of him and glanced at Searu, suddenly beginning to get doubts -- not about her, not about Arthur not being evil, but about the future course --. Would he be able to do this well? Would Arthur suspect that something was wrong? What would the Prince do if he did? Merlin was having a hard enough time concealing his anger towards the man, what if it showed through?
No. He had to go through with this no matter what.
And he wouldn't have it any other way. Where once Arthur had been what he considered a friend, now all that Merlin saw in him was an enemy. Nothing the Prince had done so far, and surely nothing he would do, would be able to counter the powerful magic that was coursing through him right now, the magic that made him see Arthur as an enemy, and would continue to prove him to be an enemy. The magic would continue to run through him without his knowledge unless Nimueh ended it, or unless there was something that could break it.
To Merlin, Arthur was the worst man there was right now. Any subtle mocking, any harsh jokes, would go by as insults. The magic had removed the one part of him that had him knowing they were otherwise -- the knowledge that Arthur was his best friend.
When Arthur came back out from the changing area, he quickly discarded the glare in favor of a more casual look. He began to walk around the room, straightening up anything he thought needed it as he fought to contain his angry looks ands thoughts at how Arthur treated him, allowing his glare to slip through whenever he passed behind him.
"Do you need anything, Sire?" he asked respectfully. Perhaps too respectfully for him, but nonetheless, he thought nothing of the unusually respectful term and tone.
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Post by pie on Nov 8, 2010 0:47:07 GMT -5
For being a usually warm week, it was a fairly cold morning. In fact, the sun was still set, and would be for a few hours to come. So why, you ask, was Merlin Caradoc out, alone, so far from Camelot, in the middle of the night? Simple... He had gone for a ride. Yep, he had taken a nice, brown mare from the stables and gone and left Camelot, just to get some time out of the city, and explore the surrounding areas. Had it all gone wrong? Yes, when didn't it? In fact, he had been forced to take an alternative route when he spotted a group of bandits camping on a roadside, looking for any traveler foolish enough to venture close enough.
And now he was lost. Not only that, but his horse was being a terrible pain! It seemed to not want to go anywhere at all. In fact, it had gotten stuck in a rather deep puddle of mud that Merlin was more than ready to assume was some sort of quick-sand-mud substance as he thought more than a few times him and his horse were growing shorter. Could have been his imagination, though. Either way, the horse wasn't helping at all. Merlin tried more than a few times to pull the horse out, him stuck knee deep almost in the mud, but the horse would not budge!
"Oh come on you stupid horse!" he hissed at it quietly, pulling frantically on the reins. This forest was crawling with bandits! What if he were caught by a group of them? Or even just one! He would be useless, with only magic to aid him, which would go better if there were only one or two of them. But could he outrun all of them? He'd also have to leave the horse behind! And was lost! It would be rather inopportune if bandits found him struggling to remove the horse from the mud. And so far, all he was successful in doing was falling over in the mud a few times as the horse swatted at him with its head!
This wasn't working well, and he was about to give up! He had to be back in Camelot by morning! What would he tell the Prince if he were late? "Yeah, sorry Arthur, I left Camelot without anyone's knowledge, for absolutely no reason, to take a ride, nearly got caught by bandits, and in the end, my stupid horse got stuck in mud!" he said this aloud, bitterly, near the end of his patience! If it took any longer, he would have to think of some kind of spell that could get the horse out, and he wasn't sure he knew any!
As time dragged on, he had even pulled the sword he brought with him -- though he wasn't very good at using it -- out of its cover under the saddle so that it would be within easy reach if he needed it.
Place: In a forest
Time: Early morning, before the sun has risen
Timeline: One year gap
Tagged: Lancelot
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Post by pie on Nov 8, 2010 0:16:05 GMT -5
He breathed a sigh of relief. Good, they hadn't hurt him! He didn't know what he would have been able to do if they had, but it was a relief that they hadn't! That they still treated him kindly enough not to hurt him. He nodded slowly to Neav's words, knowing well that being a prisoner awaiting your death couldn't have been a pleasant feeling. He took another deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "Neav..."
He took another step forward, slowly, towards the boy, until he stood in front of him. He shook his head. "Don't be afraid, Neav. What they're doing here is wrong. You don't deserve this, just for saving one of your friends. I..." He took another deep breath, and looked towards the cell door, somewhat glaring at it. "I am not going to let this happen! By tomorrow morning, they will find an empty cell, and you will be far away from Camelot! If, of course... You want to escape? I won't let them execute you. I will help you escape, and you can get back to your grandfather, or wherever you want to go." He spoke softly, not wanting to frighten him with the possibilities of what would happen if they were caught.
If they were caught, however, Merlin would still do anything it took to protect him. Even use magic. "I know the fear of being found out that you have magic. The fear that you can't let anyone know or... this will happen. I won't let it happen!" Yes, he had no problems with letting Neav know he had magic too.
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 23:32:02 GMT -5
Merlin was surprised by Arthur actually not noticing him outside the cell when he came out. Nor did he notice the guards sleeping on the dungeon floor. Curious. Oh well, better for him. So as Arthur walked off the other direction, Merlin would take a gamble and talk to Neav himself while he could. If Arthur wasn't going to save him, then he would! Yes, he would disobey Arthur's orders -- when did he not? --, he would commit, in simple words, treason. But again, when did he not? This seemed to be a frequent thing, him disobeying the law. Of course, he only did it for what he saw as good.
So when he was sure that Arthur was far enough away, he slipped into the cell and stood silent a moment, taking a few deep breaths to steady his beating heart. What if Arthur came back? What if Arthur came back and brought Uther? What if the guards woke up and caught him? If he tried to help Neav escape, he would be risking a big gamble!
"Neav, the guards didn't hurt you when they brought you here, did they?" he finally spoke, quietly. "This is wrong." The last he said more to himself.
And surely he believed so, still. Everything about this was wrong. Uther's attitude towards magic was wrong -- not everyone with magic used it for evil! Take him, or Neav, or even Gaius for example! --, the whole execution plans were wrong, the whole ban on magic was wrong, the whole philosophy on magic was wrong. And if Arthur agreed with them, then he was wrong, too! And he didn't plan to let this happen!
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 21:12:44 GMT -5
"Searu it is, then," would be his only response to the name he was given. No, he had no clue what it meant. He knew a few meanings of the words of the Old Religion's spells, but this one wasn't one of them. And so no comment would be forthcoming from him about it. And so, confident in the task at hand, he would march forward, perhaps looking a little too confident and unlike himself, but no one made any comment about it. So finally, they would reach Arthur's chambers.
He gave Searu a small smile at her encouragement as they entered. Yes, everything would be okay. And she was here to help hide the truth behind the matter. Oh, how he didn't know that she really was hiding the truth! He just had to act like his usual self around Arthur, to keep him off guard, so that no one would suspect him. Or more so, so Arthur wouldn't suspect him.
He had known all along that Arthur would be angry about him taking so long, so he wasn't surprised about that part. But he did raise an eyebrow as he noticed that Arthur wasn't wearing a shirt. Well, was he having trouble getting dressed again? He forced a sigh and walked in, allowing Searu to come in more, and walked over to the wardrobe and took out a shirt. "Really, Arthur, you should learn to get dressed on your own!"
He had also known that Arthur would wonder about the girl that was with him. Coming up from behind now, he hid a smile before walking around, indicating for Arthur to lift his arms up so that he could help him put on the shirt that he had grabbed. "This is Searu, she's my cousin. She recently moved back to Ealdor, but thought to come and pay me a visit when she heard I was in Camelot. I hope that it's okay that I brought her with me. Gaius wasn't at home, and I didn't want to leave her all alone without knowing her surroundings. Besides," he continued as he pulled the shirt over Arthur's head, whether he was ready or not, "she was very eager to meet you."
Yes, very eager indeed...
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 20:34:55 GMT -5
 Merlin heard the tone, knew that he was making the Prince angry, but didn't show any indication that he had. Instead, he just kept looking forward, a thoughtful look on his face, as he continued to speak, despite the silent threat in Arthur's words. "So, so very arrogant," he drawled out. He was silently amused by this, but he didn't let it show on his face, and wouldn't let him know either. Of course, he was being joking, even though there was some truth in what he said! But Arthur had begun to be different from when they first met. He enjoyed teasing the Prince whenever he could get the chance, being the end of most jokes all the time. "And rude," he added on a higher note, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"And surely I shall," he whispered. Yes, in the long run, would he wind up having to run? He didn't doubt it, though he would still not leave Arthur's side no matter what, even if he was ordered to! He only shot a half-glare at Arthur, not even turning to look at him. And then he claimed that he knew he was right in where they were headed and wouldn't try to prove himself wrong. That was a good thing, of course, but still. "So very arrogant," he repeated in a partial whisper, though it would still be loud enough for Arthur to hear, which was Merlin's purpose.
He half-heartedly turned the bread over in his hands a few times before taking a bite. He knew Arthur was worried about Gwen and about the matter at hand. He couldn't fool him! But he wouldn't say anything, because he was also not sure if Arthur was really telling the truth in being hungry or not. It could very well be that he truly wasn't! So, he would let that matter slide, and instead give a small nod, and say, "Alright, fine. But I'm going to make sure you do eat later, Arthur."
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 20:15:53 GMT -5
 Merlin nearly yelped when the dagger hit the shield only about an inch away from his head! If the Prince planned on making him scared, it was working! Would Arthur try to kill him?! Something told him he wouldn't, but all his mind would say was that he would! Merlin did not want to be sliced to pieces by daggers thrown by this man! He was losing his patience with him! But that patience, at this moment, was being filled with growing terror and nausea.
Then he was told to run! Oh, for heaven's sake! Exactly why hadn't he used common sense and not made the Prince angry at him! This was absolutely ridiculous! He was a living target for Prince Arthur's amusement! And surely the Prince would enjoy every second of it, much to Merlin's distress! He hoped that he wouldn't miss the shield and take of an eye or a toe or something! Or just plain hit him with one of those daggers! Those really sharp... pointy... deadly daggers...
Biting his lower lip, he hoisted the shield up a little more to cover his head. If anything was going to be hit, he'd rather it be his lower half rather than the upper half! In all reality, he tried to curl up into a ball as he began to run, trying to use the shield to cover every inch of his body. He was sure that this wouldn't work very well, would probably wind up backfiring on him too, as he ran. "Don't kill me!" it was a plea for the Prince not to hit him with one of those daggers! He didn't care if he would wind up begging! He did not want to be hit!
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 19:59:35 GMT -5
 Merlin should have known that Arthur would spot him after he came back out of his room. Yes, he should have known that, and probably should have stayed inside. It would have been safer, he was sure, as he doubted that Arthur would have suspected that he had successfully managed to slip back inside and instead just assumed that he had run away. Arthur would have followed what he believed Merlin had gone. But no, the clicking noise has caught the Prince's attention, which he realized when he saw Arthur looking his way.
He stared at him a moment with wide eyes, knowing that this time it would be harder to get away, and any reasoning flooded out his head. No, instead of telling the Prince about the potion, he would instead be thinking about keeping his life intact with his body and all of his limbs! He didn't even think of the remedy at that moment!
"A-Arthur!" he exclaimed, almost as if to begin an excuse, and it came out as a squeak. Instead of continuing with any excuse, he turned abruptly away to start hurrying down the hall away from the angry donkey-Prince, picking up pace as he moved away. He had to think of a way to get away from him!!
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 19:50:36 GMT -5
 Merlin sighed again when Arthur spoke. Okay, so he was scared -- also didn't help him feel any better about this whole thing -- but he was still being sarcastic about the whole situation. So, Merlin would just have to live with it. After all, this might very well be one of the last times that they saw each other. Cenred held their lives in his hands. Cenred, Morgana, and if he could tell right, probably Morgause also. At any time, any one of them could die. He was sure that they had a better chance of living longer with Cenred, as he knew Morgana would want Arthur out of the way as soon as possible so there was nothing standing in her way of the throne. Whereas Cenred wanted information on Camelot's defenses. Merlin wouldn't doubt it that Cenred would try to take Camelot from Morgana, or at least attack it to get rid of Uther.
However, Arthur's words only made Merlin more dispirited. Yes, Arthur was meant to rule Camelot one day, and their captors wanted to take that away. This couldn't be allowed to happen! Destiny said that Arthur would rule Camelot, it had to come to be no matter what happened! Therefore, Arthur couldn't be allowed to die here! And he didn't even want to think about what Cenred would do to Arthur! The thoughts were too unbearable, and he closed his eyes tightly almost as if it were happening right in front of him.
"Do you think it's possible to escape here?" he asked in a low voice. "If we break out, I'm sure you could get out of here." Yes, Merlin's words might be taken as "if we", but Merlin thought, if he could just blow that door open, he could give Arthur enough time to escape and flee this place. Yes, his words really meant that he would stay behind as a distraction to help Arthur escape. He wondered if the perceptive Prince would realize that. He didn't doubt it.
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 19:40:38 GMT -5
Merlin rolled his eyes slightly at Arthur's glare and words. Well, he wouldn't have been telling him what to do if he wasn't so stubborn! They needed to get out of here! They needed to get this over with so they could leave! "Right, fine, Arthur." Thankfully, he didn't make any more actions against letting him put the makeup on; he just stood there like previously, indicating he was ready. So, shrugging, Merlin abandoned his slightly-hostile advance and walked closer with one of his frequent grins once more.
"Okay, so... You're wearing red, so the best color scheme, I would have to say, would be... red and pink! Perhaps just a splash of purple..." Really, he was purposefully speaking around in an attempt to creep the Prince out. Looking down at the makeup, he would proceed to put it on Arthur, slowly for "dramatic" effect, and grinning all the while. When he was complete, given if the Prince didn't prove to interrupt in any way, he would look quite different! Complete with a powered face, red lips, pink-tinged cheeks, and red and purple eyeshadow! Yes, he didn't look like Prince Arthur at all! Except for the general face structure, of course.
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 17:23:11 GMT -5
Merlin was walking through the city with Arthur, a frequent thing in the casual days he spent beside the Prince. So what made this time any different than any of the others? Well, they were preparing for a hunting trip. So it wasn't that uncommon, but that was what was happening. They hadn't left the city yet, and were actually heading back to the Courtyard to meet up with those guards and knights that would be coming along to protect their Prince.
He didn't particularly like these hunting trips. After all, he really wasn't of much use in them, but he was Arthur's manservant, he had to come along unless ordered otherwise. Not that he would have it any other way, of course. He would insist on coming along if he was told not to. Arthur was his friend, and Merlin wanted to protect him. Though Arthur wouldn't ever know that he actually did on quite a few occasions -- using magic, of course.
And so, he didn't complain about this trip, and nor would he, even though, secretly, he felt that they shouldn't be going on it. Somehow, something always happened. At least, most of the time it did. And this time, he had a really bad feeling about this. There was just something in the pit of his stomach that told him that this wouldn't be a normal day, hunting trip or no. But what could possibly go wrong? Surely nothing would happen! Nothing had happened in a few days, so surely that peace wouldn't be ended now, would it?
That thought didn't ease his worry. . .
Place: Many places, but for now the City
Time: High noon
Timeline: One year gap
Tagged: Arthur Pendragon, Brynn Reade, Uther Pendragon, Richard Vawdrey II, Ysoria de Rysme, Amerante Patrizo, Gaius, Alegra Silvertongue, Alexander, others who want to join
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Post by pie on Nov 7, 2010 1:17:35 GMT -5
 When Arthur smacked him in the back of the head, Merlin's eyes came open again. He blinked away his weariness and tightened his grip on the Prince. It wasn't like he was slipping, it just gave him that mental hold that he needed to keep his eyes open. Also, it would let Arthur know if he was falling asleep again, because his grip would slacken. He had to remain awake, like Arthur wanted him to. He had to remain awake and trust that Arthur knew what he was doing, and that they weren't heading in the wrong direction, that there was an Inn up ahead.
When Arthur began to talk, Merlin knew that it was to give him something to keep his attention on. And he was thankful for it. He focused his mind on only paying attention to that, on ignoring the pain and the rain. And, despite that pain, he smiled. Despite being mocked, the words words brought him comfort. He knew that he could trust Arthur to keep him alive. His only fear was that the bandits would come back and get Arthur, too.
If he wasn't in pain, he would have even laughed. Extraordinary talent in mucking out the stables? Well, he wouldn't exactly call it that! "Heh, mucking the stables sounds pretty good right now," he rasped out. Yes, he would much prefer to be doing that!
Still, despite himself forcing himself to stay awake, despite the distraction that Arthur was providing, that didn't stop himself from growing weaker. It might be binded, but it was still not properly fixed, and was still wounded. His grip loosened a little, but not much, as he clung to Arthur. So when Arthur spoke again, about an Inn, he wanted to drop with relief. There WAS an inn! He sagged a little, but this wasn't out of him slipping, but out of a show of his relief.
He tried to take on some of the walking himself, so that Arthur didn't have to practically drag him, but it was hard and made him dizzy. In the end, he resorted to the Prince's help once more. He shook his head at Arthur, indicating that he didn't plan on dying and having the Prince come all this way for nothing. No, he had to remain conscious. If Arthur didn't make it there soon, however...
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Post by pie on Nov 6, 2010 22:07:01 GMT -5
Oh wonderful, Cenred planned on torturing Arthur. That made him feel so much better! No, it only made him feel worse. Why did Cenred need to torture Arthur if he had Morgana, anyway? This whole thing made no sense. He wanted to just blow the lot up! Perhaps then they would leave Arthur and the others alone! That's all he wanted, was for the others to finally be safe.
He grunted and sighed, staring at the door again. "Aren't you afraid?" If Merlin was afraid for Arthur, than surely Arthur couldn't be in a great mood about being tortured, either! It just wasn't the greatest of things to have happen, or even think about. Nope, being tortured, and for information about Camelot -- and no doubt for Morgana's pleasure -- wasn't a good thing.
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Post by pie on Nov 6, 2010 21:39:53 GMT -5
Merlin listened to the conversation inside the cell with more than a passing interest. In fact, as the conversation went on, he grew more and more interested. Still, he stood by his belief that what was happening was wrong! Neav didn't deserve any of this! And if Merlin had to disobey Arthur's orders and get the boy out with his own magic, then he would.
He remained perfectly silent, afraid to even breath. He didn't want Arthur to find him eavesdropping. Who knew what the Prince would do! But he hard a hard time not gasping in surprise when he heard that Neav was Anhora's grandson! Anhora! That was the man that had put Arthur through tests to save Camelot because he killed an Unicorn! What a surprise, if he did say so himself! For some reason, he had never even imagined that Anhora would have had children that would then go and have their own children! It just never seemed important to think of!
But, here was the sorcerer's grandson. Maybe that would prove a reason for Arthur to help the boy? Even if it was out of fear of brining destruction on Camelot?
Neav's reason as to why he had used magic didn't surprise Merlin nearly as much. He knew the feeling of protecting his friends whatever the cost, even if his friends weren't the horses. But did that make a difference? No, not to him, at least. He would have done the same, he knew. He wouldn't have been able to let one of his friend's die, and he didn't think he would have been able to let a horse die right in front of him either.
Merlin believed that Neav's decision was justified. But that didn't mean that Uther would, or that Arthur would. He just hoped that the man he had chosen as his friend wasn't without compassion...
[ Sooorry for the lateness! ]
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Oct 7, 2011 20:25:46 GMT -5
Tag me @pie
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Post by pie on Nov 6, 2010 21:15:27 GMT -5
Merlin continued to stare at Arthur for long moments before finally turning away. This was pointless, wasn't it? Were they to die here, in this stinking cell, away from the others, and all because Morgana wanted Arthur dead? All because she wanted the throne for herself? This shouldn't be how it should end. No, no one here deserved to die, for no one did anything. Arthur deserved to become king, or at least die honorably or of old age. Gwen... she didn't deserve any of this, she deserved to be happy! And he didn't know Elyan, but if he was Gwen's brother, and she cared for him, than surely he didn't deserve any of this either! No, instead, they were trapped here, helpless.
Yet they couldn't just sit here and do nothing! But he didn't have a plan. What could he do? Blow the door off its hinges? Perhaps, and reveal his secret, and if Morgana tried to play Miss Good Girl again, and Arthur believed her, he couldn't do anything to stop her from coming back to Camelot, where she would probably reveal his secret. And he was sure that Uther would believe her over his words. So, that was a no go. But what, then?
He sighed, and closed his eyes until he heard Arthur's voice again. He gave him a brief glance before looking away again and staring idly at his lap. Proper warfare. Merlin, while he agreed with Arthur's words, didn't care about the proper warfare. The only thing that mattered to him right now was that he was sitting in a cell beside his best friend and who knows what would happen? Arthur's tone didn't register in Merlin's mind. If it did, perhaps he would have realized that Arthur was trying to come up with some king of plan.
"I don't understand why we're not... dead already," he said dejectedly.
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