The wooden floor under his knees is hard and cold, aching in his tired bones. His gaze casted down to the ground, not daring to look at a man who he had once trusted with his life, his heart and his friendship. Now, nothing is left of the feelings he once had, buried far and deep within his heart and locked away.
Standing before the man that he had laid down his life for many times, never once having hesitated to give his life. Never had he once doubted the man before him in his life that he was a good man. Now he isn't too sure anymore, the hopes upon him being the greatest king that Albion would ever have had been washed away with betrayal.
He had been beaten for him, he had been tortured, kicked, poisoned, used as a poppet. He had done so many things for him, never gotten a thank you for his efforts and devotion for saving his life. He had endured so many things for him and in the end his worst nightmares had come true.
He had lost so many things through the years, he had never been obligated to stay, to protect him from the dangers and his doom that had been prophesied. He had stayed in a place he would never be safe in and yet he had laid down his life for this man time and time again.
And now he can't believe that his efforts had been for nothing and the great dragon having been wrong about him and Arthur bringing back magic to Albion at all. If he had foreseen this part of his future, he would have never showed him his magic at all. He would still have gone unmarked through life.
For the last werk since ge had managed to safe Arthur at the lake of Avalon, he had been arrest upon arrival by the order of the king himself, declared a sorcerer and a criminal against the kingdom of Camelot. To be whisked away to the dungeons and to never have been seen the same by anyone.
In that long dreadful week of nothing but sitting in the dark and regretting all his life choices. He had refused to say anything to anyone who came to visit him in that week. He had seen everyone in the dungeon who had cared for him previously. Who he had considered a friend before. Not wanting to hear anything they had to say on any matter to him.
He did nothing but sit curled up with his back against the wall and his knees pulled up to his chest, his face buried within his knees. Silent tears falling down his face, refusing to meet anyone's eyes or listen to them. He ignored Gaius, Gwen, Gwaine, Percival, Lancelot, Elyan and even Leon.
Who had all come to see how he was fairing in that cold and damp place. Bring him food for him to eat but he didn't even acknowledge the food brought for him. He hadn't moved for anything at all. Nothing to show that he was even alive. He didn't even look up when Gaius came down per request of Gwen one time to check if he wasn't suffering from any illness.
Merlin hadn't even reacted when Gaius had checked him up for anything. Not even when the physician was asking him questions about why he wasn't eating, he didn't react nor did he even show any signs that he had heard the physician at all.
He didn't even react when the guards had come down to drag him off for his judgement. He didn't resist the pull nor the harsh hold they had on him. Nor did he flinch or acknowledge the hard wooden floor when he was shoved to the ground kn his knees before the king. He wasn't even listening to anything that Arthur was saying to the people around him.
Facing the judgement of the king and what he believes would be a 'good' punishment for his betrayal to the royal court of Camelot. What the king thinks has to be done in the situation that had been unfolded around them. It seeming to leave Arthur cold that he was deciding Merlin's fate.
Merlin doesn't care how many people are at his trail, nor does he even acknowledge the looks given him for being a sorcerer nor does he correct Arthur upon being accused of practicing it, nor correcting him upon the fact that he isn't a sorcerer but a warlock. What use would it be if he was correcting the king. He was already doomed to burn at the stake or get beheaded. What use would it be, it's not gonna change anything.
He's fairly sure that he's getting burned alive, what else would Arthur be doing to him. He broke the trust between them by lying and being the one thing that has killed everyone that the king has cared about. Merlin could not blame Arthur for hating magic anyway if it has killed both his parents.
"I hereby banish you, Merlin of Ealdor, from Camelot." The voice of the king rings in his ears, snapping him out of his mind.
He can feel tears gather in his eyes, stinging as they build up before spilling down his cheeks. He doesn't look up, he doesn't want to see the look on the king. He can't see the emotions on the face of the king, he can't bring himself to look. It would hurt too much to do so.
"You have until dusk to get your stuff and leave Camelot. And if you ever set foot on Camelot soil, you will be executed upon sight. Leave now before i change my mind and have you hanged for treason and practising magic," Arthur's voice booms around the throne room, his voice voided of any emotions.
Merlin doesn't say anything to that and nods his head, under the surveillance of Leon and Percival he is escorted back to the chambers of the physician to gather his stuff and be gone. His hands still tied with rope behind his back, numb and lifeless does he follow his mentor. Leaving the people of Camelot, the knights and the royal family in the throne room.
Merlin doesn't shed a tear through the journey back, nor does he feel anything anymore. Shutting it all out like he had learned in his magic book that he could do so with his magic. Shutting it all out like druids could to withstand torture.
He doesn't say anything when he gathers his stuff. Grabbing a back and stuffing a few clothes in, his spell book tucked away under the floor board as he doesn't want it anymore.
"It's best if you go to your mother, my boy." Gaius tells Merlin, watching from the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
Merlin just numbly nods his head before he look over his bag to see what he has packed and checks if he has everything he needs for his trip back home. As much as he wants to stay and bot leave the people he loves so much but he can't stay, he knows that none of these would want him to be around anymore as he's a warlock and they know now. Who would want to be around him.
Once packed and everything in his bag, he says his goodbye to his uncle and the man who had cared for him in the last three years. A hug and some words are shared between them before Merlin leaves on foot. Not even glimpsing back as he doesn't say goodbye to the others, he can't look them in the eye. The betrayal he has been hard on him and he knows that he let then down.
He knows that no matter what happens now, he would never go back to Camelot ever in his life. Since Morgana is no more, what use would there be for him anyways. He's useless anyway now that his destiny has been fulfilled.
~•~•~•~
A/n: first chapter of this book. I had read some books about Merlin getting banished and i wanted to write my ideas about it.
YOU ARE READING
To the ends of the earth.
Fanfiction"I hereby banish you, Merlin of Ealdor, from Camelot."
