Magic Revealed

Give Me Back My Wallet

Merlin and Arthur had gone out early that morning that way Merlin could do his magic on the surrounding area, increasing the amount of edible vegatation. And grow apple trees. Merlin had a lot of fun with that. He grew one right under Arthur causing him to be lifted into the air as the branches grew around him.

The prince growled at him to get him down so he could run him through, to which Merlin just magicked away his sword and walked off to grow another tree, only to return a few minutes later.

He helped Arthur down and returned his sword before snickering at the leaves caught in the Prince's hair. He reached up and started to remove them. "What do you think you were doing up there?" He laughed.

Then he ran. The villagers watched in amazement as the Prince of Camelot tore after Merlin and tackled him to the ground, both of them laughing as the prince rolled off the warlock. Hunith laughed as Merlin scrambled to his feet and took off once more waving something, "Merlin! Give me back my wallet!" The prince cried indignantly.

"Maybe later!" Merlin called as he continued to run, knowing that the prince was chasing him. He dashed around his mother's house and whispered a spell, turning himself invisible. When the prince rounded the corner her frowned, "Your cheating."

Merlin did his best not to laugh at Arthur's face and tossed the small coin purse at Arthur, hitting him in the stomach. When it hit Arthur it turned visible again he snatched it but continued to look hi Merlin direction. The warlock grinned and carefully shuffled around till he was behind the prince.

"Merlin? Where are you?" Arthur said, disgruntled. The servant smiled and jumped on Arthur's back. The prince jumped in surprise, reflexively catching Merlin's legs so he was giving the smaller man a piggy back ride. "What the hell Merlin!" He exclaimed in shock as the warlock became visible again. "Since when can you become invisible?"

"Since about a minute ago. I've never tried that spell before." Arthur glanced over at Merlin had his arms slung across his shoulders. "Am I your guinea pig or something?" Merlin laughed at that, "Well you trust me right?" The prince shrugged and reajusted his grip on Merlin, "Why wouldn't I?"

Merlin smiled and gestured for the prince to let him down but Arthur smirked, "Nah. You stole my wallet." Merlin blinked and the next thing he knew Arthur had stepped through the back door to Hunith's house and thrown him onto the cot and began to tickle him. Merlin squirmed and tried to get away but he was not match for Arthur without his magic.

Finally Arthur let him breath and layed down on the cot next to Merlin who was breathing heavily. "Prat." Merlin muttered.

"Oh come on. If you were really mad at me you wouldn't have let me do that." Arthur said elbowing Merlin. The warlock rolled his eyes, "When do you want to leave?"

Arthur thought for a moment, "Maybe in 3 or 4 hours."

Merlin nodded as he regained his breath. Arthur found himself think about something he'd never asked, "How'd you survive the Deracha?"

Merlin looked over at the prince and they found themselves staring each other in the eyes, "They drain all the life out of you. But I'm the incarnation of magic. My guess is that it was just too much to take in one go."

"So, magic is pretty much the central part of you?" Arthur said slowly.

"I guess you could say that." Merlin closed his eyes but his face was still tilted toward Arthur, "Whenever my magic is blocked or drained it feels like someone is ripping my soul in two."

Arthur studied Merlin face, "I really wonder how you managed to keep it a secret for so long."

Merlin cracked one eye open, "Well the only people who found out either died or swore never to tell." His eyes closed.

"I can't really imagine you killing anyone." Arthur said softly.

"Me niether. I have though, when I needed to. At the same time, there have been people that I should have killed but didn't." Merlin took a deep breath. "Did you know you always smell of chocolate? Honestly, I don't understand it, you don't have anything chocolate scented at home and you definitely don't now."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, "Maybe it's your imagination?" He said.

Merlin breathing was rhythmic even as he spoke, "I doubt it. Everyone smells a certain way. My mother smells like brownies, all the time. Lancelot smells like sage. Gwen smells like ginger. Leon always smells like peppers. Gwaine smells like apples. The list goes on and on."

Arthur frowned, "Seriously?" He asked.

Merlin nodded and grabbed Arthur's wrist. The prince felt a sort of electricity run through him and suddenly all the smells in the room we're a hundred times sharper. He could smell the food in their bags and the ink on the night stand and the smell of the sheets. And sure enough he could smell chocolate.

He took a deep breath on instinct and smelled something else. It smelled like tea mixed with other rich spices. He shook his head a little, "You smell like the tea and spice store at the spring market."

Merlin's eyes opened and he blinked, "Really?"

Arthur nodded, "There are over laying scents too but that's the strongest."

Merlin stared at him, "You always smell like chocolate, but there's also a metallic smell from your armor and a cotton and flower smell from your cloths. On top of that you usually smell like paper and ink if you've been working."

Arthur stared at Merlin, "You just notice all this?"

Merlin smiled and closed his eyes, "I spend most of my time with you Arthur. I know pretty much all your tells and I notice how look, smell, sound, ectera."

Arthur watched his servant for a while until he realized that he'd fallen asleep. He rolled his eyes and soon found himself doing the same thing.

•••

When Merlin woke up he was surprised to find the prince still next to him. Actually, more accurately, on top of him. The prince had shifted in his sleep and ended up with an arm slung around Merlin's torso.

Merlin pushed Arthur off of him, not worrying about waking him up, he always slept like a rock, before standing and looking outside. They needed to leave immediately.

"Up and at em, ya lazy daisy." He said shaking Arthur. The blond blinked multiple times before focusing on Merlin. "We need to go." Merlin said, "We have to meet Morgana, if she's coming."

Arthur immediately sat up and he and Merlin quickly put their things into the bags before heading outside to their horses, all three of them, and said good by to Hunith.

As Merlin readied the horses Hunith pulled Arthur aside, "My lord. I want to thank you for protecting Merlin. I know he's not easy to contain and never does what he's told and I've been worrying for so long that it'll get him killed. But I think that now that you know more about him, he'll do anything for you. Anything. Please keep him safe." She seemed worried still but blinked when Arthur place a hand on her shoulder.

The prince smiled, "I'd never intentionally put Merlin in harm's way. Do not worry, I'm sure he's more than capable of taking care of himself and he now has many knights who have his back. He's not going anywhere." Hunith smiled warmly and then embraced Merlin when he came over to say goodbye.

As the rode off Merlin looked at Arthur, "What did my mother say?"

"I'm the prince Merlin, I don't need to answer your questions." Arthur said slyly.

"Arthur!"