No one and nothing part 3b
Title: No one and Nothing – part 3b
Rating: R
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur
Summary:Merlin saves Arthur’s life in front of the whole court and has to run for his life.
Warnings: graphic depiction of execution of a family
Word Count: 2670
Camelot Drabble Prompt: 547 Smoke
Merlin bingo 3145:M4 burns
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
With a grunt, Arthur flushed, then turned pale, but he seemed to gather his strength and said, “Leon is with me. We are hunting.”
“Leon’s here?” Merlin looked around, thinking of where to hide, thinking that it might be a trap after all.
Arthur just shook his head. “Leon can be trusted at least in some things. I told him that I wanted to apologize to you for everything and make sure you were not the worse for exile. He didn’t think it wise, but he agreed that you shouldn’t have been killed for saving my life. So he’s my cover.” Arthur stopped then, drawing a little breath, then continued. “But I wasn’t sure how far to push him. His family is beholden to the crown and while he is a loyal friend, I wouldn’t want to test him about what some might consider rebellion. I am not sure who to trust, if truth be told.”
“Gaius might know. He smuggled my father out when the purges started, and I know he’s kept his contacts as best he could. I would also say Gwen, for she has a good heart, but it could be dangerous, and I wouldn’t want her to get caught up in it.” But as Merlin was talking, Arthur turned white as a sheet, swaying against the rocks. Merlin grabbed him, feeling the heat under his hand. “You’re burning up. What the… what were you thinking? And Leon should know better.”
“It’s only a scratch and besides, Leon doesn’t know. And you aren’t going to tell him.” Arthur tried to jerk away but Merlin’s grip was too strong.
Leaning over, Merlin pulled at Arthur’s coat and tunic, only to see the horror of Arthur’s wounds, strips of weeping red and bruises purple and yellow littered across his back. It was there in for all to see, Uther’s paranoia in pain and blood.
Biting back curses and an overwhelming urge to kill Uther for it, instead, Merlin said, “Hell, Arthur, these are not scratches and they are infected, too. Surely Gaius should have treated you for this.” When Arthur turned mulish, Merlin glared right back at him, then let go. Getting up and rummaging through his meager supplies, Merlin said, “I can make a poultice to help with the bleeding and a potion for the pain, but you need to see Gaius as soon as you get back.” When Arthur didn’t say anything, Merlin turned around and gave him his most annoyed look. “Promise me, you arse.” And finally, Arthur nodded.
“Fine.” Merlin reached over and shoved some of the now burnt fish in Arthur’s direction—Arthur grimaced at the mess but he did start to eat one. In the meanwhile, as Merlin began to grind some of the herbs into a paste, he said,“I don’t have much. I was planning on foraging when I had a chance, but you will sit still and let me attend to those… scratches.”
Merlin watched Arthur out of the corner of his eye, making sure he wasn’t about to do something stupid, like refuse to have Merlin treat him. While Arthur finished off the fish, Merlin gathered a few rags he’d stolen a while back— they weren’t really rags but old shirts that had been hanging to dry and he did leave a dead rabbit in payment—, and took them over to the stream, cleaning them first, and then using them to wash Arthur’s back, carefully wiping off the dried blood and patches of pus oozing out. It was worse than he had expected but he didn’t tell Arthur that, not when the prat would just deny everything.
When Arthur’s back was as clean as Merlin could make it, Merlin slathered his makeshift poultice over the worst of it, then took another clean rag to keep it in place. By then, Arthur was shaking but he didn’t say anything, just bore it like the warrior he was.
Done, Merlin steeped a bit of willowbark in a cup of hot water and handed it to Arthur. At least, that would take away some of the pain. Had he still been in Camelot, Merlin could have done a lot more, but his supplies were now down to a few herbs. He’d have to go foraging for more once Arthur left.
“Look, Arthur, you have to take better care of yourself. You can’t help anyone if you die of stupidity.” Merlin gave Arthur another glare, then wolfed down the single remaining fish, now almost inedible.
“You are one to talk,” Arthur muttered. “You are not my keeper.”
“Well, you need one. I swear you have the brains of a bone-idle toad, sometimes.” Merlin just shook his head and went over to clean off his hands, then watched as Arthur’s shoulders seemed to ease a little. He still looked flushed and in pain but at least now, he should be able to ride back. But it was a relief that Merlin knew Leon would be there to help.
But a big question remained. Why had Arthur changed his mind about magic users? In a way, that was key to whether Arthur would change his mind yet again. With all the things they been through together, battles, fighting fantastical beasts, shared firelight and soft laughter, Merlin knew that it was not his sacrifice that precipitated this. Arthur must have had a more compelling reason than the ruination of Merlin’s life.
Finally, knowing it would gnaw at him until he did know, Merlin said, “Why did you change your mind? I know it wasn’t just because of me. After all, the debt was paid. And yet you are about to turn everything around, even oppose Uther’s laws, and for what?”
“I was angry about you making a fool of me over the years, but in letting you escape, I thought it was enough. A debt paid. Even with Gaius telling me some things, I could put it all behind me and follow my father’s edicts. After all, he had kept the kingdom together for decades and it worked for some really well.”
Arthur looked down at his hands then, shivering a little, a worrying sign that made it seem like the poultice hadn’t been enough. But then Arthur folded his arms tight against his chest, as if fighting against memories too painful to bear and murmured, “My father executed an entire family. The little girl, Rose, had burned her arm as kids do and her mother cured it with magic. When the guards came to arrest her, Owen, just six, pushed at the guards with magic, too.”
Arthur shuddered, then cleared his throat. “My father, in his infinite wisdom, had the boy thrown into the lake and when he struggled to get out, they threw him back in. He was just a little boy, not even seven years old and he didn’t understand why no one would help him. He kept crying for his mum. Rose was able to escape the guards’ grip and when she tried to save her brother, my… the king refused to let anyone help her and she drowned, too. After, Mary was burned at the stake while her husband, Tomas, watched, helpless, chained up. And when she was dead, because Tomas was married to her, he was an accomplice, and they threw him onto the remnants of the pyre. It took a long time for him to die. When it was done, the king had the bodies, what was left of them, thrown into the cesspit, for the dogs and rats to feast upon.”
“Arthur, he has been doing this all your life. That’s what he does,” Merlin pointed out. “His paranoia infects all of Camelot.”
“He had a feast after, to celebrate. And Mary, the witch burned into nothing, had been pregnant. He couldn’t even wait.” Arthur looked ill at that, as if he wanted to vomit but knew it wouldn’t make any difference.”It can’t keep on like this. I have to do something.”
That was enough and more than enough. Merlin wanted to give Arthur a hug, to try and ease the pain, but he knew it wouldn’t be wanted, so instead, he knelt beside Arthur and took Arthur’s hand in his. “I swear to you that we will fix this.”
“It’s too late for them,” Arthur said, his voice full of loathing. “But I swear it will be the last time. I swear it.”
It was as good as any vow.