BBC Merlin Fanfic - Destiny UNEDITED!

Chapter 16

Arthur quickly ran up the stairs approaching me, his face red with little balls of sweat covering his forehead. "Row, are you okay?" He seemed to take my arms examining the dress for any tears but all he found was the dirt stains from the ground moving his eyes upwards he seemed to look at my face for a rather long time. "Arthur, please I'm fine thanks to you, you need to stop this worrying. But the question here is if you are in fact alright? You're the one who faced that thing!" He nodded "Yes, but I couldn't kill it!" I understood exactly what he was saying because I saw it myself the spear broke into pieces after only a few strikes. The creature would not die from our iron.

We walked together to the main hall where Uther stood waiting, I was still wary of being around him but as long as I was with someone I felt okay. He spoke directly to Arthur now "You said your knights were the best in the land! You proved that today". Uther seemed to mess Arthurs hair up before he stepped a pace forward avoiding his father's touch. "All I know is that it's still out there."

"Let's not wait for it, the kingdom has been menaced by this creature for too long. You will finish this now." Gaius then interrupted "Sire if I may" the king's attention was now on Gaius and I noticed Merlin stood there and seemed to look nervous. "I've been researching this creature sire and I believe it to be a griffin." Our faces were full of confusion waiting for him to go into more detail. "The griffin is a creature of magic". Uther's facial expression changed to that angry one yet again and for some reason I moved closer to Arthur. "I don't have time for this physician." But Gaius wouldn't give in that easily. "It is born of magic sure and it can only be killed by magic". Uther took a few paces forward out of frustration "You are mistaken, it's a creature of flesh and blood like any other." But I could see Arthur debating whether to speak up, we both knew there was truth to what Gaius had said. "Arthur proved that today!".

"I'm not so sure father" Uther seemed shocked of his son to speak up so boldly. "I think there may be some truth to what he says" still not convinced the questions kept arriving. "What truth?"

"The griffin was unharmed sire, I weapons seemed useless against it" why I am I not surprised to hear yet another comment of disbelief. "Useless? I think not!" Our eyes met again until he looked over to Gaius why wouldn't he listen to his son! "It's tasted our steal once, the next time will be its last!" my eyes fell to the floor I couldn't even look at him, he was sending his son to certain death without aid. "When will your knights be ready to ride again?" Arthur could hardly look in one place for more than a second, the thoughts that must be circling his mind. "An hour, maybe two." He nodded to his son "good, we finish this tonight".

It was just the four of us now myself, Arthur, Merlin and Gaius. But silence was all we were able to muster. We knew the danger of what the king had asked and now Arthur had to go out there. "You can't go out there! What Gaius has just said is true we both saw it this afternoon!" Merlin came and stood by my side making me face him. "Row I'm sure there is another way out of this I promise we will try." I hated bloodshed and especially if it could happen to someone so close to me. "I have to go" was all he said before leaving swiftly.

I looked to Gaius for an answer "follow me" was his instruction. We walked hastily down the stone corridors in utter silence the tension was getting to all of us. I know I saw fear in those knights earlier. 

Gaius opened the creaky wooden door of the castle room he was given and we all walked to the centre where some open books lay. Merlin was the first to speak. "Is it true? He griffin can only be killed by magic?" his voice was quiet yet firm, I think we both needed to hear it again, and if it were so Merlin was the only one who could possibly help us. "Yes Merlin, I'm certain of it. If Arthur rides out against it he will die" the two stared intently at one another knowing exactly what I was thinking, for the sake of the kingdom we had to use magic to safe the crown prince's life. "He must be stopped, Uther must see reason" Merlin I already knew that but if you could find a way through his act then please let me know my thoughts on the subject were interrupted by Gaius once again. "