Thaumaturgy

Chapter 23

"You're not fighting him either" Merin said to Gwaine in the same sternly calm tone.

"Och pal, ye cannae fight wi' Arthur" Burred Will.

"Violence is never the answer, my friend" said Lancelot, a whisper of tranquillity in Gwaine's furious ear. In the corner, Merlin noticed how Gwen stared at the scene unfurling in front of her. Gwaine struggled breifly in their arms, then stopped as he gazed lovingly at Rachel on the stage and knelt to the ground.

"Rachel, most beautiful creature of my heart." He said. She smiled nervously. looking more like a grimace.

"...yes?" she asked.

"Rachel, sweet Rachel....

I adore thee though this world may end,

The darkness comes, lit by my firey love,

Which, although it twisteth, shall never bend,

All other things to their destruction draweth,

Sweet Rachel, I shall love thou beyond my last breath,

For within thine love, there can be no death." Recited Gwaine loudly, with a flourished hand.

"That's quite enough of this!" gralled Alfred, standing to his feet once more, cape billowed from his regal shoulders. "Marry my daughter, or I will kill you where you stand!" Alfred drew his sword and levelled it at Arthur's throat, and the guards around the room took out their arms as well, surrounding the group with a circle of steel blade. Arthur's hand inched towards his sword which he had had strapped to his waist every day since Merlin first demanded he borrow them. He saw the other do the same out of the corner of his eye.

"You would die before your sword fell" came a voice from Merlin - but it was not Merlin's voice. He had spoken in the tone of the Ancient Magics that were wound through the land still, even as their vines and tendrils rotted and broke from the force emmitting from Camelot. A mass of power combined within him and a bright light and roaring rush of air swept through the great hall, shatering the tin kings sword in his gartered fingers with a clattering crash and he brought his hands up the sheild him from the bright white glow coming from MErlin.

"I am Emrys, and I will defend the once and future king until the end of the earth. You will submit" He said his voice booming through every fibre of the air, his eyes were blazing a terifying gold. The the light and the wind faded, and as the silence fell upon the hall, only the terrificied breathing of Notherumbria's king could be heard.

"Will you give us your armies?" Merlin asked again, calm and eyes returned to blue.

"Y-yes. I w-will." Say Alfred. All the blood was out of his face, making him powder white, like a ghost, and he stared at Merlin with his eyes bulging, terifyied if the power he had shown.

"P-please, take P-Percival and L-Leon with you. As a gesture of good w-will! I need some t-time to gather my strength, and then we shall ride out to m-meet you in a few days to take on the Mad King. Surely, with your power we could only be successful!" He smiled weakly at Merlin, his eye still glimmering in fear and panic; who glared back at him.

"It's an oath the lands will hold you to" Merlin intoned; voice like gravel, still with the Ancient Magics in it. Arhtur grinned proudly at his soulmate and stepped in, tone calm.

"Thank you, my lord. Your offer is most kind and we accept. We shall take Percial and Leon with us when we return to Ealdor, and trust your troops will follow soon" he said diplomoatically, hands on Merlin's chest, pushing him back from the king, to calm him down.

As Percival and Leon walked to join the small group, Arthu spoke again.

"I sense we have imposed on your kindess long enough, good sir, and we are all keen to return to our homes. We ride at dawn!" he announced, raising his right hand up in triumph.

"See that our horses are readied and we have supplies." Added Merlin, voice as fasley sacerine as tree sap. Arthur glowered at him and held his mate's wrist, worried that Merlin would push too far.

"...As you wish" Alfred conseeded and nodded his head to them. Merlin snorted disrespectfully and swirled out of the room imperialously. Everyone else followed behind as he stormed out. Arthur gave Alfred a quick and polite bow of thanks before following after the warlock.

As the massive throne room doors closed behind hem with a creak and a clatter, Merlin staggered and leaned hard again the wall next to him. Arthur was by his side his seconds supporting his weight.

"Are you ok?" He asked, a concerned moue on his face, but Merlin shook his head.

"I'm fine" He gasped out, but his face was as white as a sheet.

"We need to get you back to the room. Come on." Arthur guestured for the others, who were standing around in concern, go on ahead, while he put Merlin's arm over his shoulder and walked with him down the corridor that twisted stonily away from the throne room and through the bowels of the castle. Merlin halted and he turned to face his bonded.

"Arthur." He smiled lightly, pale face twinkling in the candles, "I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly, it's just..." suddenly and terrifyingly, he crumbled into a heap of collapse where he stood. Arhtur's heart dropped, in a plume of fear.

"Merlin!" he cried, his voice sharking in fear.

"It's nothing...just.....my magic...." Merlin gasped from his porcalin face. Arthur sighed.

"You shouldn't have done that. It helped but...I'd rather you were ok" He scolded Merlin, who smiled at him weakly.

"I'd do anything for you....you know that!" Merlin insisted, sounding stronger than he felt. As he protested, his feet stumbled again and Arthur lurched to hold him tightly in his arms that were muscularly toned.

From the other side, the left, came a more muscular arm, holding onto Merlin with strongth. Arthur looked up surprised into the face of Sir Percival, one of Alfred's knight.

"You look like you could use a helping hand," said Percival, the knight. Arhtur was torn between feeling relieved and distrustful, and as he opened his mouth to thanks him, Sir Leon appeared at his other side, walking in front of them and clearing a path for Merlin. Leon smiled back his kind smile, eyes twinkly as his hair sat ruffled.

"Let us help you, Sire. Merlin looks unwell." He said gently. Arthur sighed in deep resignation.

"Okay, thank you Percival and thank you Leon." He said, voice polite caramel as the four men made their way to the chambers that Merlin and Arthir shared. The others had all headed to their own personal chambers to pack their belongings for the next day's journey, although Arthur had his suspicions that Gwaine would soon be sneaking out to spend the lingering evening hours mooning towards Princess Rachel.

As the two knights dropped the prince and the warlock off at their chamber, Leon bowed deeply.

"Elyan has told us you are good and noble men. We look forward to servicing you in your campaign against Uther. We will help in anyway we can." Said Leon as he and Percival departed to ready themselves to leave. Arthur nodded his head in thanks before bring his inert bondmate to their bed.