Burning Change

Part 1~Peaceful Embers

Sitting up, I stretched out my tired limbs. The burn marks still hurt and restricted my movements. But it is not like anyone knew that, I hid my scars. No one could ever see them. If they saw them, they would question them. Question how a little severing boy ever came to have so many injuries.

Most came from saving Arthur, day after day, but some came from 'the run'. That is what Sukie called it, 'the run'. The way of life for people like me. For our kind, but I didn't run anymore. I was Arthur's servant, I had to finish my destiny first.

Looking out the window, I smiled at the beaming sun. Time to get Arthur up.

The city was peaceful, it always seemed to be. Ever since Arthur took control of the city, a new air of peace was born. It wasn't completely peaceful due to Morgana, but it was more peaceful than it was before.

I went to the kitchen and took Arthur's food, it was almost coded into my blood. The routine I did every morning, midday and evening. I took the familiar steps to the chambers, throwing open the door and placing the food on the table.

I strolled over to the curtains and threw them open. Arthur groaned in protest, clearly not wanting to get up.

"Come on, Arthur. Up. You have training today with the knights and you don't want to be late, now do you?" I pulled Arthur's covers off him and watched him jump up.

"Merlin!"

I laughed quietly, rolling my eyes slightly. "Time to get up."

Arthur forced himself up and towards his food while I looked in his closet. I pulled out the outfit for today and laid it out on his bed. By the time Arthur was done, I was ready to help him change.

"What did you say I had to do today?"

Rolling my eyes, I helped Arthur put on his chainmail armour. "You are training the knights."

Arthur nodded, I grabbed his sword. "Then I better get going. Merlin, take the plates back and sharpen the swords."

Nodding, I followed my chores. Naturally, I got kicked out of the kitchen the second I entered but I didn't mind. I didn't like the kitchen anyway. To eat you should hunt. To hunt is to let the animal's souls leave this world. To be served did not do this. For all I knew, those animals could be slaughtered, alone and afraid.

Shaking myself out of these thoughts, I happily sat down on a chair, watching the knights fight against each other and Arthur beat them all. Arthur was trying to teach the recruits and was slowly getting more and more frustrated. I brought out the first sword and started sharpening it against a rock, smiling at the calming scene.

"Come on, the way you're fighting even Merlin could beat you."

I popped my head up at the mention of my name. Arthur and the Knights were laughing at one of the new people. I wonder what they did to get my name mentioned.

"What do you say, Merlin? Want to give it a try?" Gawain laughed at me, holding out a sword for me to take.

"Don't get him involved. Merlin can't hold a sword to save his life," Arthur dismissed.

Smirking, I stood up, placing the sword I had been sharpening back in the rack. "Let's try." I was not one to back down and it had been a while since I'd had a proper fight.

My demeanour caused a Cheshire grin to twitch at Gawine's lips.

"You don't have to do that, Merlin." Elyan held out his hand to stop me from taking the sword.
Rolling my eyes, I took the sword and swung it a couple of times. "You'll be surprised by what I can do Arthur."

I went up to the recruit and waited for him to make the first move. He looked unsure but I motioned for him to come forward. He took a deep breath before charging at me. He swung his sword lazily.

I ducked under and swirled to the side. He tried to hit me again but I blocked and pushed against him. I quickly spun the sword around and caused him to stumble back. He was getting frustrated and charged at me. I ducked under and swiped my foot across, sending him falling to the ground.

The recruit was getting even angrier as I swung my sword around and retook my stance. He let out a war cry and lunged forward. I swiped easily with my hand to send his sword flying to the side. I pointed the blade to his throat and smiled softly. It's been too long.

I laughed at the shocked looks plastered on the knight's faces.

"As I said, you'll be surprised." I swung the sword and went to put it back.

I pulled out a new sword and started sharpening it as if nothing happened, for nothing had. I used to fight all the time with Thomme. He trained me, taught me to fight with a sword, to throw knives, to shoot a crossbow and a longbow. It's just been a very long time since I've had to use any of it. I wasn't fond of fighting against people who couldn't give me a challenge and the only people who could give me a challenge were long gone. Don’t think about that.

The knights eventually came out of their shock and continued. Mordred was looking at me in foreign confusion. He knew me as Emrys and therefore knew I wasn't as hopeless as the rest of the knights thought. But I've never used an actual weapon in his presence. He didn't know I could fight with one.

Absentmindedly, I focused on my work. The knights were talking about something or another, trying to correct the terrible stances and awful technique. By the time they gave up on training the recruits, it was clear Arthur wanted a proper break.

"Merlin, prepare the horses."