The floorboards creak and Elaine sits bolt upright, dagger in hand, squinting the the morning sun. Her eyes begin to adjust and she manages to make out Merlin basking in the morning glow resembling a startled stoat. His hands raised by his head as if signalling surrender. The dagger gleams in the sun rays causing Elaine to squint again, the blade falls to her side, an apologetic look plastered all over her face.
"Oh god Merlin, I'm so sorry! I, I didn't realise - I'm sorry I..."
"Is that a...?" Merlin questions pointing to the small blade shimmering in the sun.
"Yes, it is and I'm sorry. I forgot where I was and when you live in a forest or with Morgana and noise poses a threat, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to threaten you"
Merlin lowers his arms and comes closer, perching on the end of the bed.
"It's my fault really, I startled you"
Elaine looks down ashamed she's already brandished a dagger at a newly found friend.
"I guess it must be hard living with Morgana - I don't know how you did it" Merlin admits, it felt weird saying her name after so long, after all she had done. Merlin looked at Elaine and tried to push the image of Morgana out of his mind, trying to allow himself to see Elaine for who she really was.
"You may find it hard to believe but it wasn't all that bad. She isn't "evil" all the time, in fact when I feel into her care I watched it fall away - she can still care you know, she just doesn't like to show it or let herself try"
"Is that so?" Merlin wonders aloud
"I should have known you'd find it hard to believe me...Emrys"
Merlin's head snaps back around and he stares at Elaine.
"How do you know?"
"Oh I was right" Elaine laughs nervously "how don't I know - the Druids always speak of you! Who hasn't heard of Emrys?!" Elaine looks a little sheepish, and merlin wills her to continue "I just didn't know it was...well you!"
"What's wrong with me being me?"
"No nothing at all, that's not what I meant!"
Elaine lays back down, defeated. "What's wrong now?"
"I've come to realise that I don't really have a knack at dealing with sensitive subjects like this. You think that last night taught me that much - I'm sorry"
"It's fine, I'm just not used to people knowing my "other name""
"Well your secrets safe with me!"
"Are you sure"
"Yes"
"You haven't told Morgana have you?"
Elaine scoffs "how could I tell her? I had heard your name before - she even spoke of you Emrys and she is absolutely none the wiser of who you really are - just like I was as of five minutes ago"
"Then how could you tell"
Elaine waves her hands around gingerly "you've just got this air about you - I don't know it was a good guess really"
Merlin wasn't so sure, hearing the name Emrys has rocked him.
"I'm sorry" she admits.
"So what else do the Druids say?"
"They talk of the Trinity"
"What's that then?"
Elaine sits up and stares at Merlin intensely.
"I actually have no idea"
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Rabbit Heart - Merlin Fanfiction
Fanfiction"This is a gift - it comes with a price, Who is the lamb? Who is the knife?" When Morgana departs to recruit members for her army, Elaine stumbles on a discovery that changes everything. Unexpected visitors throw loyalties out the window and a host...
