Fear and Trust

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by katelyn_writes_stuff

by katelyn_writes_stuff

Title: Fear and Trust
Description: Merlin and Lancelot have a short conversation about fear and trust. That's it :)
Word Count: 343
Part: 1/1
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Sorry this one's really short. I've been working on a fic for a couple weeks now and I was hoping to post it, but it wasn't done in time😭 Literally this happened last week too. And maybe the week before, I can't remember. Also I don't want to split it into two parts so here is this really short one instead. Sorry :(

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"You don't have to keep doing this alone Merlin. I've kept your secret. You can trust me with problems you can't share with anyone else."

Lancelot was in the physician's chambers with Merlin. He was currently bandaging a wound on his arm that Merlin, to no avail, had tried to hide from him.

"I-" Merlin was at a loss for words.

"It's not that I don't want to trust you, Lancelot. I really do. It's just that, when you've been hiding your whole life... You couldn't possibly understand."

"Then help me understand. I have no idea what life has been like for you, so tell me."

Merlin hesitated, clearly unsure of what to do.

"I've been like this ever since I was born. And I can't stop using my magic. It's like asking me to stop breathing. You do it for long enough, you get hurt. Even longer and you die."

Merlin paused to take a deep breath.

"Living in Essiter, a place I would be a slave if anyone found out, was hard enough. But living on the border of Camelot? That was even harder. My poor mother had no idea what to do with me. So she drilled fear into my brain. If anyone from Camelot found out I would burn. If anyone from Essiter found out I would be imprisoned and used in the king's army."

Lancelot nodded, encouraging Merlin to go on.

"It was-" he paused, taking a minute to gather his thoughts before continuing, "It's hard to get over that kind of fear. "If anyone finds out, you'll be murdered or enslaved..." What a thing to tell a kid, right?"

Merlin laughed lowly, tears starting to form in his eyes.

Lancelot, who had finished bandaging Merlin's arm, was feeling very sorry for his friend.

"I would never hurt you Merlin. You know that, right?"

Merlin nodded.

"I know. It's just... living with that kind of fear for your life is hard."

"I know. Thank you for trusting me, Merlin."

He smiled and Merlin couldn't help but smile back.