Six of One: 2
Part One
Part Two
It came quickly. One moment Arthur was sat before his council, listening to the Lords drone on about taxation. Then Merlin watched an inconspicuous servant dart into the room, whisper something in the Kings ear, and then Arthur was off, striding swiftly from the chambers. His knights shared a glance and followed quickly.
Merlin blinked and then blinked again, awful realisation forming in his gut. He had gotten so used to balancing on the sea of tumultuous magic that he hadn’t noticed that the storm was reaching its eye.
Instinctively, Merlin cast his eyes across the room to the table where Mordred still sat wide eyed and a touch fearful. Their eyes met, an eternity passing through their gaze then they too were off, leaving a council chambers of bewildered nobleman in their wake.
--
“I don’t want you to go,” Arthur choked out helplessly, gripping at his wife’s hand. She lay regally upon their bed, the only sign of her discomfort a slight paling in her face and she smiled back at him serenely.
“Arthur,” Guinevere murmured, lovingly pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “We’ve talked about this. And I won’t be gone; I will always be with you, and our child. This is what we want.”
“I know.”
“Then smile, you will meet our child soon.”
Arthur tried, and he managed a quick upturning of his lips at the thought of a child, an amalgamation of his and Gwen’s love into one spectacular being. Guinevere managed to return the smile momentarily before she clenched her teeth in pain and a small distressing sound escaped her lips.
Arthur could do nothing more than watch on helplessly, grip his wife’s hand and wait for the inevitable.
“Arthur, sire?”
Arthur blinked up to find Gaius stood beside his bed, eyeing him with unconcealed pity. “What?”
“It’s time perhaps you should-“
Arthur grit his jaw and straightened his shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere.”
--
“Cheer up mate,” Gwaine said, giving Merlin a slight punch to the arm. “We’ll have a new Prince or Princess to play with soon. This time we’ll get in there early, beat out the ‘Prat’ from a young age.”
The rest of the knights littered around the corridor tittered in laughter but Merlin could only swallow and try not to be sick. He felt similar to the time Arthur forced him on a boat, the floor moved beneath him and the magic surged around him trying to find its correct course, as if someone had stuck a massive great boulder into the middle of a docile river and the water was trying to correct its course. He didn’t know how anyone could stand it, how the knights could stand there so cheerfully and how Mordred could be standing there, hands behind his back leaning against the wall.
As if feeling Merlin’s increased scrutiny the druid looked up, his eyes meeting Merlin’s for a fleeting second before dodging back down to stare at his boots.
“Alright,” Leon sighed getting up from his squat on the floor. “This is going to take ages, back to your posts men.”
There were grumbles and groans but the group got up and started moving off until there was only Merlin and Mordred left. Tense silence filled the space.
Time passed indeterminately, the ebbs and flow of time moving on around Merlin. The only beings in existence himself and the Druid across the way. All of his focus, all of his mind settled on the still, silent man opposite; on the slump of his shoulders, on the cautious tilt to his head, to the blood red cloak hanging around his body. Merlin could feel it coming, the moment it all changed, and he was stood waiting in the shadows as normal to clear up the mess.
“Mordred.”
Merlin and Mordred both startled up from their respective glares; Merlin on Mordred and Mordred to the floor - to see Gaius sticking his head out of the wooden door frame, opening the door just enough so Merlin could hear the health cries of a baby in the room. His heart skipped.
“Sir Mordred,” Gaius spoke again now he had the knight’s attention. “The King and Queen request your presence.”
Mordred nodded and, with a glance at Merlin, slipped into the room.
“Gaius,” Merlin called just before the physician retreated. “What’s going on? Is everything-“
“Everyone is alright Merlin.”
“Everyone?”
“Yes,” Gaius spoke kindly. “Now, I have to go...”
Merlin frowned but nodded, retreating back to his spot against the wall. That wasn’t right - the new life was here, living breathing and crying in this world, so where was the price…
“Oh,” Merlin mumbled horrified realisation rushing through him. “Oh no.”
And he ran.
--
Leon smiled as he inspected the armoury shelves. He was happy for his King, and his Queen. There would soon be a bouncing baby royal wandering through the castle. The future and prosperity of Camelot certainly seemed secure and bright for the first time in a long time.
A clatter from the shadows of the room startled Leon from his reverie and put him on alert. Straightening his shoulders he unsheathed his sword and stepped cautiously towards the noise.
“Hello?” he called into the room, hearing his voice echo back. “Who goes there?”
He rounded the pillar swiftly and stopped in his tracks at the sight he saw.
“Leon,” Merlin whispered from where he lay half propped against the spear rack. Leon’s eyes widened and his stomach clenched as he took in the sight of the Kings manservant. His face, drawn and pale stared up helplessly from the floor. He lay sprawled as if he had no strength to stay upright and the blood…. speckles of blood mottled the corners of his usually pink lips.
“Merlin,” Leon breathed, immediately sheathing his sword and coming to his knees beside the servant. “What happened?”
“Please,” the servant choked, reaching out a shaking hand to grab at Leon’s wrist. Leon watched in horror as more blood appeared from his mouth. “I tried -“
“Merlin,” Leon spoke urgently gripping the man’s shoulder. “We must get you Gaius. You will be alright.”
“No there’s nothing…” Merlin shook his head a few heart-breaking tears slipping helplessly form the corner of his eyes. “Here, help me…”
Merlin’s other hand lifted shakily to his neck and started pulling fruitlessly at his neckerchief. Startling into action Leon jumped into assist the Physician’s assistant, reaching around the man’s now lolling neck to untie the scarf. Leon held it urgently forward to Merlin, but Merlin shook his head tiredly.
“Tear it,” he exhaled, “into eight.”
“Merlin-“ Leon began, his heart beating quick and worried at the paleness of the man before him, and the ever increasing blood now dribbling from the man’s mouth.
“Just,” Merlin interrupted, staring at Leon with wide pleading eyes clouded in pain. “I don’t have much time.”
Leon stared back and swallowed down his rebuttal, tearing into the thin fabric with vigour. Once the scarf was held in Leon’s hands in tatters Leon held it out to Merlin quickly, but instead of grabbing the fabric and applying it to his unseen wounds, instead of doing any of the myriad of things Leon had expected Merlin reached a shaking hand out and placed it lightly over Leon’s.
“Merlin what-“ Leon began urgently, seeing the man’s deteriorating state. But Merlin just blinked back tiredly and then Leon felt his hands grow warm. A gentle tingle in his palms that made him frown down. A golden light sprouted from beneath Merlin’s fingers so brightly and suddenly Leon reared back and blinked up to see a residue of gold fading from the servant’s eyes.
“There,” Merlin sighed, slumping back against the spears. “That should…. I hope that’s enough. It’s all I have, please…. Leon….”
Leon startled back from his shock in time to see Merlin’s eyes slip closed and his body go limp against the rack, a long shaky exhale leaving his lips. The knight darted forward, discarding the objects in his hands and reached frantically for the servant.
“Merlin!” he called. When he received no response he grabbed the boy’s arm and lifted his body from the cold ground, rushing from the room.
He almost collided with Gwaine on exit, the knight not unsurprisingly away from his post. Gwaine quirked an eyebrow in amusement that quickly retreated into concern when he saw Leon’s face and recognised the figure slung over the knights shoulder.
“Gaius,” Leon called frantically at Gwaine as he swept passed. “Get Gaius!”
--
Mordred blinked and looked at the King poised regally on the side of the large bed; his arm wrapped tightly around the shoulders of his Queen, and in the Queen’s arms lay a baby. Then Mordred blinked and looked again and frowned. This wasn’t right, he had… he had done everything he was supposed to, there had to be a price…
“Mordred, what is this?” the King asked. “You said there would be a price, yet Guinevere… she’s still here. Is magic just playing with us?” he finished dangerously.
“No sire,” Mordred assured. He concentrated on the glimpse of magic’s currents he had mastered. It was difficult but he could get an idea of the movement of magic through the mortal world. And there had been an imbalance, he could feel it. But it was righting itself right this minute.
Mordred looked back closely at the Queen. She looked tired, but… there was no linger of magic on her and she looked perfectly healthy. Her eyes gaze back at him, hopeful yet afraid; afraid to feel hopeful before her life was pulled from her. She clutched more tightly at the little bundle in her arms.
“The balance is restored,” Mordred spoke slowly, still trying to follow the trails of magic for an answer. But it was difficult, like trying to catch water. Only a true creature of magic could follow its path.
Mordred swallowed down the impending sense of dread he could feel sneaking up on him and Emrys’ voice ringing through his mind. ‘These powers are much too ancient for a boy to play God with’.
…He needed to find Emrys, to beg for his guidance in this, to find out what would be taken before it was all too late-
“Gaius!” a frantic voice shouted through the door. Sharing a concerned look with the king the physician hobbled over to the door, opening it to reveal Sir Gwaine’s worried face. “Gaius you need to come quick it’s-“ but the knight cut himself off glancing quickly at the King, “you’re needed urgently.”
“Sire?” Gaius asked glancing back over to Arthur.
“Go Gaius,” the King nodded, face frowning slightly in concern before the bundle in the Queen’s arms wriggled and he looked down to them both, his face softening, “and thank you.”
Gaius nodded and followed Sir Gwaine swiftly from the chambers. The door closed behind them but Mordred stared at its wooden face, the ancient magic still running through its grain, as with most of the castle like its life blood.
“So Guinevere is safe?” the King asked, drawing Mordred back to the present.
“But the balance-“ the Queen began from her bed.
“You’re alive Guinevere,” the King interrupted. “And we have a son, what else could matter.” King Arthur turned to Mordred then and his mouth opened and words came out but Mordred didn’t hear them, because it was at that moment he felt it; the sound of the world imploding around them. He watched in horror as the gold net encasing the chamber, in the wood and the stone began to recede, he heard the Druidic elders, voices so long dormant in his head, cry out in anguish.
He felt Emrys die.
Part Three