Teach Me

Chapter 1

Mordred ran through the gates of Camelot holding his arm, crying as he went. He supposed it was natural to cry, after all he was a small child, wounded and alone in a strange place, but he felt as if it was beneath him to cry. Sure, he was a young boy but he was also a very powerful sorcerer and ever since day one of his apprenticeship he had been told, 'never let them see your pain, Mordred.' So he didn't. Until now.

He ducked behind an old wagon and cradled his bleeding arm from where a guard had struck him with a sword as he was running away. He closed his eyes, took a deep a breath, and said in his head, "Emrys help me. Help me. They're going to kill me. Help me Emrys.

                                                                                      * * *

"Fetch this for me Merlin, Clean this for me Merlin," Merlin mocked Arthur under his breath as he walked down the stairs of the castle to the marketplace, "you know, it wouldn't kill him to do something for himself once and a while."

"Help me," he heard a soft plea of a child. He looked around searching for the source of the voice but he saw no children.

"Help me," the voice cried again.

Merlin looked in all directions until his gaze fell upon a small child hiding behind an old wagon. The child was looking at him with pleading eyes while holding his arm.

"They're going to kill me."

Merlin realized that the child was speaking to him telepathically. He replied, "I'm going to unlock this door. When I tell you to run, you run as fast as you can."

The child nodded.

Merlin made his way over to a small door in the wall, usually used by servants of the prince and king for bringing in water to the castle. He sauntered over and unlocked the door, when he had it open wide enough for the child to run through, he said to him, "run."

The child quickly stood up and ran towards Merlin as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"Over there!"

"There he is!" shouted various guards around the marketplace.

They all left their posts and tried to catch up with the small boy, but failed. The door to the entrance of the castle was closed in their faces. They cursed and ran up the large staircase towards the castle to warn their king.

                                                                                            * * *

Merlin carried the boy through the hallways of the castle, careful to steer clear of the guards littered around the place. He reached a door and opened it, not even bothering to knock.

"For goodness sakes, Merlin, have you never heard of knocking?" Morgana asked as she looked at the intruder of her bedroom.

"Sorry Morgana, but the guards are looking for him, I didn't know where else to go."

She set down her wine glass, as did Gwen, and they walked towards the boy. Morgana set her hand on his forehead, "he's burning up. Put him over there," she pointed behind a screen in one of the far corners of her room.

Merlin nodded his thanks and carried the boy over, laying him down on the few sheets and blankets that had been folded back there.

There was a knock on the door and Merlin quickly ducked behind the curtain of the screen.

Morgana opened the door and a palace guard said to her, "sorry to disturb you, M'lady, but we believe that someone is hiding a Druid boy in the castle."

She shook her head and pretended to be surprised, "no I'm sorry, it's just me and my maid."

The guard nodded, "you may want to lock your doors until he's found."

She nodded her thanks and closed the door, heading back towards Merlin.

"How did you find the boy?" she asked, crouching down beside Merlin to look at the child.

"He called for help in the marketplace, I didn't know who he was but I wasn't going to let him get captured."

She nodded, "you were right to do so."

"You think?"

"I do. Was he with anyone?"

Merlin shook his head, "I heard he was with his master, he's just an apprentice, but his master was captured. He's to be executed."

"For what?" Morgana asked, growing slightly angry at the king's harsh laws.

"Druids practice magic and the king refuses to let them get away with it."

She shook her head, "I love that man like a father, but I don't always agree with him."

"Me neither,"

The child moaned and they turned their attention back to him, "let's get started on helping him."

Morgana nodded and left to go fetch some water and cloths to try to help bring down the fever.

Merlin sighed, "what have you gotten yourself into?"