Merlin One Shots

Go Ahead

A/N: Angst. Magic reveal. The usual.

Setting: Mid series 5

Description: Merlin is forced to reveal his magic to save Arthur. The king doesn't react well.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot no matter how sucky it is.

        "Sorcerer!" Arthur snarled, pointing his sword at Merlin. Merlin trembled, not taking his eyes off of the sword that his king held.

         How could it all have gone so wrong?

➿➿Flashback➿➿

        Arthur, Gwen, Merlin, and the knights of the Round Table sat together at the table, enjoying their meal.

        Well, Arthur and the knights were enjoying their meal. Merlin was busy serving in the background, as per usual. Gwen shot him an apologetic glance as he stepped forward to refill Arthur's glass, and Merlin smiled at the queen.

        She opened her mouth to invite Merlin to eat, when a loud crash made everyone jump. There was a man, standing in the middle of the hall. His eyes glowed, a spell was said, and before everyone even had a chance to react, they were frozen to their seats. Merlin stood still, pretending to be under the spell, when in truth it had not effected him.

         "Arthur Pendragon!" The sorcerer yelled, his glare settling on the king. He pulled a dagger from his cloak, and Merlin felt his heart skip a beat. "You are responsible for the death of so many of my kind! You will pay!" The man lunged forward, and Merlin acted. Without magic.

          Merlin leapt in front of the king, and sorcerer, much to everyone's relief, pulled back just in time.

         "What are you doing, boy?" The man hissed. "My quarrel is not with you!" Merlin wanted to sigh in relief. Maybe the man could be reasoned with.

          "I can't let you kill the king." Merlin's voice was steady. The sorcerer stumbled back in surprise, before his gaze hardened.

         "Then you will die too." Protests came from the knights and royals at the sorcerer's words. The knife in the sorcerer's hands went flying towards Merlin, as beams of energy went sailing towards Arthur.

         Acting quickly, Merlin sidestepped the knife, right in front of the magical energy. The cries of protest became louder, but suddenly were silenced.

         Merlin had caught the spell.

        With an enraged shriek, the sorcerer chanted into an amulet around his neck, before disappearing. The spell on everyone wore off.

➿➿➿➿➿

       "Arthur, let's not act too rashly." Guinevere's words were calm, but her voice shook as she stared at the sword pressed up against Merlin's chest. Gwaine had already leapt over the table, and was standing within a foot of the two, ready to act if Arthur moved.

         The other knights all stood, unsure of what to do. Merlin was their friend, but everything they had been taught said that because of his magic, he wasn't.

          "He just saved your life, Arthur." Gwaine reasoned, holding his hands out as if to say he wasn't a threat. Merlin stood there, holding back tears as Arthur clenched his jaw, pressing the sword point a little harder against Merlin's skin. Merlin refused to cry out when the blade pierced his flesh, and blood trickled down his shirt, making an angry growl come from Gwaine, and a horrified gasp emit from Gwen.

          "He's a traitor." Arthur hissed. Merlin flinched at the venom in his words, before steeling himself. If this was his fate, so be it.

          "Then go ahead. Kill me." Merlin said simply. The knights and Gwen stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Frankly, Merlin was wondering the same thing. "If you kill me, I'll be with them again." He paused, then the names began to slip out. "Will. He took the blame for my magic, before sacrificing himself. Freya. My love." A strangled sound came from Gwen. "Taken from me just because of her curse, taken from me because I couldn't save her." He bit his lip, resisting the urge to place the blame on Arthur. "Balinor- my father." He hadn't meant to give the name. The mention of the Dragonlord made Arthur's nostrils flare, mostly in surprise, while the knights felt their jaws drop. "He sacrificed himself for me, even when I didn't deserve it." A few tears fell from Merlin's eyes. "Lancelot. I should have walked through the veil, I was going to. But he stopped me." Merlin met Arthur's watery stare. "So kill me, Arthur. I deserve it."

         Arthur hesitated. Then he raised his sword, and the knights and Gwen lunged forward to stop him, pleas escaping their lips.

         And the sword fell.

         To the stone floor.

         Merlin's eyes widened in shock as the others sagged in relief. Arthur met Merlin's gaze, and choked a single phrase.

           "I'm sorry."