Merlyn's Final Truth

The Sword in the Stone P1

Arthur closed his eyes.

He'd been foolish to believe he would get a moment of peace, envious of the ignorance he'd held onto only seconds ago. For the first time since Merlyn had left, he'd been at peace with himself. With Gaius' help, he'd sent her a message, resisting the fear that curled inside him as the physician's eyes had burned gold, praying that she could find it within herself to forgive him. He didn't deserve it, but he only wished that she would give him the rest eternity to make it up to her.

The feast was going relatively well, the wine flowing freely, the kitchens sending up more food than the king knew what to do with. His court seemed in good spirits, laughing and jeering with all the jest that came with full bellies and a few too many drinks. Arthur had hardly filled his plate, doing his best to ignore his sudden worry, to consider the chance that Merlyn may never return.

And yet, this scene couldn't last forever. As Gaius turned to him, uttering some question he couldn't quite hear, the warning bells sounded.

Wonderful.

Arthur had done his best to ignore his uncle's absence all evening, but now it seemed a far harder feat. He stood, eyes darting around the room for some kind of answer just as Gwaine stumbled through the door, a haggard look already upon his face.

"Sire, we're under attack. They are within the city walls." He barked, turning back towards the faint cries that had just begun in the far part of the night.

Arthur unbuckled his ceremonial cape, scanning those around him, hoping to find someone useful, someone he could trust.

"Gwen!" He cried, relieved to see the familiar face. "Get everyone to the inner chamber."

"Yes, sire." She didn't hesitate. "Everyone, follow me!"

The courtesans hurried towards Gwen, desperate to follow her to relative safety. Arthur couldn't worry about them now.

"Percival, with me!" He demanded. They ran for the corridor, heading for where the screams were loudest. Arthur peered out of the window, his heart pounding as he watched what must have been more than a hundred soldiers, each armed to the teeth, advancing on the castle, their torches burning any glimpse of darkness. If Merlyn was going to show up, he reckoned that there was no better time than the present.

~

"Gaius!" Merlyn shouted as she barreled into his makeshift infirmary, the large hall already piled with far more knights than she expected. She wasn't particularly worried about being seen: it seemed that Camelot had larger problems than a fugitive.

The physician was working on a young man Merlyn vaguely recognised as one of Arthur's newer recruits, his arm badly slashed. Wordlessly, she helped to wrap up the wound, perhaps feeding a little magic into the injury. From the impatient glare he was giving her, the man was itching to return to the fight; the least she could do was make sure he could actually hold his sword.

As he disappeared back into the fray, Gaius finally looked at her, his face pale. "The Lower Town is lost. It's only a matter of time before they reach the Citadel."

Merlyn nodded grimly. "It seems that Agravaine's plans have worked."

"Then your worst fears have been realised, Merlyn." Gaius always knew what to say to make her feel better. She couldn't stay here. Gaius was working quickly, in no need of a clumsy assistant.

"I've got to find Arthur." She declared, unsheathing her sword. Whilst she hadn't managed to take much from her chambers in her hurry to get to Arthur, she wasn't stupid enough to leave unarmed.

Gaius let her go, not that he could have stopped her. She did have a destiny, after all.

~

Arthur couldn't help the sense of relief he felt when he stabbed his first soldier and the man fell, lifeless, to the ground. After battling skeletons and an undead, invincible army, he had been worried that he may face something similar in this battle. Then again, perhaps he would have preferred to face such immortality. Those armies had conveniently disintegrated whenever he'd fought them...