The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 2

Merlin heard them coming long before Arthur entered into the dark cave he'd been living in, if what he had been doing could have even been called living. His fire was smouldering embers and he sat hunched on the ground in front of it, with his back to the door of the cave. He heard Arthur and the knights approach - Gwaine, Percival, Elyan, Leon and....a stranger. He could smell them now, like he'd been able too ever since his turning, he knew then they'd been in the woods, the paths that have followed on knight patrol. He knew where to avoid.

His time had come. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to continue to live, as he was, as this....animal. He had accepted his fate long ago, and waited every day for this end, either by Arthur's hand or Arthur deed he had accepted his impeding death.

He shivered as Arthur neared, his classic scent of leather and the oil used on the armour and something....that was just Arthur growing stronger as he entered in the darkness of the cave. He screwed up his eyes to press down the nostalgia he felt and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Hello Arthur" his voice was rough, as he was so unused to using it except for to howl, crying out in torment every month. The footsteps behind him scuffled to a stop and he heard the king's breath catch in his throat.

Merlin stood up slowly in his long legs, careful and trying not to spook the king he stepped slowly forward, right hand out in a placating gesture. His sad eyes met the blond king's firm blue ones.

Merlin felt his heart squirm uncontrollably in his heart at the sight. The king looked just as he remembered him. Tall and blond, his armour gleamed even in the dim light, his blond hair slightly awry and damp with the sweat of a long day's horse ride, shone dimly even in the dark of the cave. The crest of the Pendragon house sat firm and comfortable on his chest and made Merlin's ache with familiarity. In his strong and gauntleted hand he grasped the handle of Excalibur, at rest in its scabbard but poised to strike at the drop of a hat, his whole body was coiled with energy like a spring.His jaw, clean shaved and strong as the rest of him was firm and showed no pity, only resolve and Merlin, Merlin silently thanked the goddesses for that small mercy.

"Merlin...." whispered Arthur in awe, eyes raking down and up his ragged form, wearing all black to blend in to the darkness.

His pale skin was luminous in the low light, broken only by a smear of grime that snaked its way across his sharply boned cheek. His hair was wilder than before, grew long and shaggy over time, but not so long a pair of familiar ears didn't poke out. Dark hairs lined the werewolf's delicate jaw, forming a small beard that under cut his cheekbones. His body was lean, but toned with whipcord muscles that Arthur knew hadn't been there before he left. His hands were encased in fingerless gloves despite the warm weathe rand his clothes, a simple shirt and trousers with a jacket made of some kind of leather. His old red neckerchief was still around his neck, a deep rich red. Blood red. He wore study black boots, surrounded by straps.

A thought filter through Arthur's head wondering which noble the other man had stolen them from before he remembered they had been a gift he had given to his servant the last beltane before his disappearance. They were deeply scuffed and Arthur couldn't repress his reaction and Merlin saw it, a glimour of sadness. Merlin's heart hardened into anger.

"If you're going to kill me, best to do it quickly....sire" he said in a cool voice, hiding the torment he felt at seeing his friend again. Arthur swallowed deeply and tightened the grip on his sword, his eye flickered across the wolfman's face, studying him. He sighed deeply before holstering his sword again.

"I'm not here to kill you Merlin," he replied unable to keep the scone from his voice.

"Oh so you're going to have one of your knights do it? Have you brought that new one out here to proof his metal?!" Merlin retorted, rattled by Arthurs same old tone.

"New one....? Mordred! How do you know about Mordred?" astonished the King, taken a back.

"I can smell everything. And hear everything." Merlin said, waving his hands in a gesture.

"Just because I look human, don't think for one second I am any more...." he continued arms drooping to his sides as he trailed off, voice lost. Silence reigned between them as Arthur staired at Merlin, the Merlin he knew and cared for....but also not. Could he have changed so much?

"I....I need your help" Arthur said eventually.

"My help?" Merlin repeated septically. His eyebrow twitching in surprise as he looked up from where he had been staring blindly at the floor lost in thought to Arthur. To his friend, the man he would always have done anything for. Even died for. Nothing had changed.

"King Barghest of Mercia has issued a trial by Champion..." Arthur pressed started.

"Well that'll be no task for the Knights of Camelot!" broke in Merlin rolling his eye with a scoff.

"....And the champion he has named...." Arthur pressed on louder through this interuption.

"Oh let me guess, Thorax the Destroyer, or maybe Minkor the Murderer, or, I know, Ethel the Terrible!" Merlin rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"....is the Beast of Dean." Arthur finished. Merlin's sarcasm stuttered to an abrupt halt. His face dropped and he stared at Arthur. His heart contracted in the panicked thought of the king fighting the beast, terrified that he would be torn to shreads in scant seconds.

"The Beast of Dean?" Merlin whispered.

"Yes. It's a giant vicious wild violent boar that-" Arthur spoke bruskly, mouth taut.

"I know what the Beast of Dean is Arthur! You can't fight the Beast of Dean. It'll rip you apart." Merlin responsed shoutingly, a crush of emotion at the thought in his chest.

"Trust me I won't be here if I didn't have to be." Arthur muttered, tone offhand.

"I....I can't Arthur" Merlin turned away from the king, hurt stabbing in his chest, his eyes threatening to tear.

"Merlin" Arthur said imperiously.

"No! You don't understand! I can't control myself anymore!" screamed Merlin, turning back to Arthur. Like you think I can't Arthur thought bitterly.

"No Merlin, you don't understand, I am still your king, I'm not asking you. I am ordering you. Now pack up, we're leaving for the camp immediately." He ordered, swishing his cloak as he left the cave, not even looking over his shoulder to make sure the werewolf was following him.

Merlin watched him go, turning to his scant possessions and pulling only a knife from the little pile and tucking into his boot. He sighed before loping along to catch up with the king eyes down cast.

As he reached the mouth of the cave Merlin heard the conversation, steeling himself for the knights reactions

"Move out." said Arthur's clipped tone.

"Did you do it? Did - MERLIN!" came Gwaine's accented voice and within a moment of leaving the cave Merlin found his self surrounded by a hug and squished into the knights chainmail. The other knights followed, clapping hnds on his shoulders in greeting, all smiling and happy to see him.

"Gwaine? Leon? I...I didn't think you...." He stammered out.

"We missed you man" Percival said with a reserved smile.

"Move. Out." Arthur repeated, cutting out the joviality.

"Excellent! Back to camp! I'm absolutely starving" Gwaine said jovially, slapping Merlin's heartily on the back.

"We brought you a horse" Leon said indicating to a grey gelding that stood to the side blustering and stomping the ground.

"Thank you" Merlin said with a quiet smile. He mounted next to the new knight - Mordred - whom watched him with a quiet fascination as they headed their horses back to the camp and a hearty meal, Gwaine's stomach rumumbling loudly in anticipation.