Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"You want us to stop attacking your villages? And that we go away? You mean us no harm? Hah! You expect me to believe you? You, who killed so many of my brothers! You expect me to believe you!! Never!" barked Elijah. 

Arthur looked down, clearly ashamed of what he had done. And the fact that his people had to suffer because of him.  "I'll do whatever it takes. Whatever you say, just leave them be." pleaded Arthur.

"Whatever I say, eh? You will do just as I say? What about your Knights? Will they?" sneered Elijah. Percival and Gwaine's hands tightened on their swords. Whatever Elijah was going to suggest wasn't going to be a pleasant walk in the garden. 

"Alright then! Five of my men will fight against you all. All at once but one for one. And the fight will go on until one falls. Not in each pair...oh no! I am not that cruel. Hah! No, no no. One man from all. That's it. That's all I ask." he said.

"How are we to be sure you won't use magic?" questioned Leon. "Not all of my men are sorcerers. See these ten here? They are the sorcerers and they won't be fighting. And if we did use a spell won't you be able to see?" he said and rode away with his men. 

"Gaius! All those swords, the ones Elijah's men had. All of them were forged in dragon's breath. It also seemed that they were coated with something." whispered Merlin. "Most probably poison. Of course they aren't going to use magic, their weapons are prepared in such a way that none of them would even survive a gash." said Gaius back in reply. 

"I have to do something!" said Merlin. 

"You only have until tonight, Merlin. Think of something fast." said Gaius and went off. '

Merlin thought for a minute and then he had his answer. It was the only way and if not...he didn't care. He felt it to be best for all...

Chapter 4

Arthur entered the throne room with Merlin trailing behind him. He asked the woman, who had come to state her problems.

"You Majesty. there have been attacks on my village. They ask not just for grains but for people as well. Anyone who dares stand up to them they just......kill him. Killed him..." She stifled her sobs and continued. 

"They have magic, Sire. They have used it in front of us. Please help us sire. They have threatened to kill every single one of us. They come each week and take grains and people alike. Please Sire! You have to help us!” she pleaded.

Arthur got down from his throne and approached the woman.

“You and your village have nothing to fear. Me and my knights will ride at dawn tomorrow. Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and Leon be ready!” said Arthur and the knights nodded.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, my lord!” said the woman. “Are there any injured in your village, Cara?” asked Gaius while taking her away and she nodded. Gaius turned to Merlin and he understood.

“Sire, may Gaius accompany you? There are injured in the village. They will need help.” asked Merlin.

“Of course. He must. Oh, and Merlin. Tell George to be ready at dawn too.” replied Arthur. “George!?” exclaimed Merlin, All the knights turned to him.

“Yeah?” said Gwaine. “But am I not accompanying you? Why would you need George?” asked Merlin, already panicking. The attackers have magic. They will definitely try to kill Arthur. He has to be there. He has to! “No, you are not. You will be there with Gaius tending to the harmed. For our services we will be taking George.” replied Leon. “I can do both. I-” started Merlin. “Will not go against the King’s orders!” said Percival.

There it was again. The snapping. He was just asking a question, not defying any laws! Why the sudden change? They had been friendly since morning and now?

Foolish! I have been so foolish. They were not being ‘friendly’ they were being ‘polite’. You are not their friend. Arthur is the King of Camelot and these are the Knights. I am just a servant, thought Merlin.

“Sorry Sires. I will inform George at once. And I apologize. I shouldn’t have exclaimed like that. I have no right to object to wyour orders.” said Merlin. And then he softly added, “I am but a lowly servant.”

He started for the door and passed Arthur on the way. For a moment it seemed to him that Arthur’s face fell. 'It can’t be. You are just a servant. Not his friend that he’ll be sad because you are,' thought Merlin and left.

I've always pretended to be happy to not worry others

My facade is so strong i sometimes fool myself into believing that I'm happy

But in the dead of the night

Alone in my room it hits me like a train

I'm not

I'm not happy

I'm not okay

I'm not

Chapter 5

All through their two day journey Merlin and George decided to share all their work. George was more than pleased to be working directly for the King, Merlin was dreading every moment he would have to spend near Arthur.

"Merlin!" Gwaine called out. Merlin's head snapped up. It had been weeks since Gwaine had called to him. A bubble of hope formed in Merlin, and he quickly rushed towards him.

"Yes G...Sire? Yes sire?" he said, catching himself mid way. Gwaine looked up and looked as if he realized he was doing something illegal. He shook his head and just threw his boots towards Merlin. Merlin's face fell, and he left taking the boots with him. Merlin had realized that no matter how much he works, no matter whatever he does they are not going to be his friend. "A lowly servant" is what he had called himself, he had hoped that if they were his friends they would contradicted. No one. No one had said anything. Well no one except Gaius, who had given him a whole speech on how he is a powerful sorcerer and how he is like he is a son to him. 

Now he had given up. He had accepted that he was a just a servant. A lowly servant.

They reached the village and Merlin and Gaius immediately set out help the injured. 

"What is this?" said Merlin while examining the wound on a man's shoulder.  "Poison. From what I see, all of their swords are coated with poison." replied Gaius. "Merlin, get my bag. I think I have left it where we first stopped." 

Merlin obediently left. He reached there and inside the Knights and Arthur were talking...

"This was not supposed to happen! Have you seen him?" said Elyan. " I have. He is not his usual self." replied Gwaine.

"Arthur, we need to to stop. You saw what happened that day..." started Percival when he spotted Merlin near the door. 

"I am sorry Sires. I was just here to get Gaius's bag. So sorry Sires." Merlin bowed and left. He rushed back to Gaius. He had a lot of questions. Who is not like himself? What is it that Arthur is doing? Could it be that....that they were talking about him?

He shook his head. Whatever they were talking about is not of his concern. 

Whatever you do don't imagine the Hargreeves siblings after Five disappeared.

Don't imagine Ben sleeping in Five's bed for weeks after he left because it still smells like him

Don't imagine Vanya playing his favourite songs night after night because he'd always come into her room when she did

Don't imagine Klaus hoping he doesn't randomly appear in front of him and that's when the drugs started so that even if he does appear Klaus won't have to see him

Don't imagine Diego researching everything about time travel and pestering Pogo to find any way to get him to go behind Five

Don't imagine Luther sneaking into Reginald's office and trying to find proof that this was all his doing and that Five will return

Don't imagine all the others dragging Allison in front of Five's picture while they cry and she softly whispers

"I heard a rumour that you came back"

Chapter 3

"What you are thinking is not correct Merlin. Why would you think they hate you?" asked Gaius over dinner.

"What else can be the reason, Gaius? They don't behave like that with other servants. It's just me. I must have done something to make them behave like this. I must have imagined Arthur's politeness as his friendship. I am his manservant. They are the Knights. If not, his equal they are his friends. I should understand that. They are not my equals and thus cannot be my friends." 

Gaius sighed. There is no use telling Merlin anything once he has decided otherwise. He just hoped that Merlin will be proved wrong.