Truth under spell (Merthur)

Extra 1: Alternate scene

Chapter 3: Alternate scene

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Merlin stood hesitantly in the middle of the room. Stuck between leavening the room and going to Gaius. To try and get something for the pain. Or staying with the prince. Not sure what to do Merlin looked at the floor and cradled his arm.

His ribs hurt as well. A throb in his left side, a bruise in the shape of a foot already forming under the servants' clothes. His arm not doing much better. It wasn't dislocated, but there was most defiantly going to be bruising. Which was just great, note the sarcasm. The knight hit him with enough force to knock him off his feet and the metal of the armor added to the injury. Not to mention Merlin was small and easily bruised anyways.

The sound of Arthur hitting his fist against the door snapped Merlin's attention to the blonde. When Arthur turned around his eyes locked with the others. Merlin breathed deeply then winced in pain. A sharp pain came from his side.

When he looked back up at the prince he was no longer by the door. He stood right in front of the servant. Merlin tensed up when Arthur raised his hand. However, he didn't move.

Arthur noticed Merlin tense up and stepped back, dropping his hand.
"Are you okay?" He was slightly offended Merlin thought he would hit him.

Merlin wanted to say yes. Like he always did. Never before had he admitted to being in pain. But the spell had other plans. "No."

In his head Merlin cursed himself. "Stupid spell! Stupid, stupid!"

"Come here, sit down." Arthur said. He walked over to the wooden table in the room and pulled out one of the chairs.

Merlin watched but didn't move. "No, I can't." He would be lying if he said what the knight told the prince didn't get to him. He was right after all. Arthur let him get away with about anything. He knew he was disrespectful. He was just grateful that no one had told the king about it yet.

"Is there something wrong with your legs?" Arthur asked concerned.

"No." Merlin answered and that was one question he didn't mind answering. 

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Then come sit down and let me look at your injuries. You said you were hurt. Take your shirt off." 

Merlin was filled with a different panic. He couldn't take off his clothes. It would reveal a lot more then bruising. It would bring questions he didn't want to answer. He shook his head. 

Arthur frowned. "Come on Merlin. You were plowed into by a suit of armor. Then kicked, let me take a look." 

Merlin stepped back and wrapped his arms around himself. "I will go to Gaius." 

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him. What are you hiding? He thought. Why didn't Merlin want him to see? What was it that Merlin didn't want him to see? "Come here." He wanted to know. 

Merlin shook his head and turned to make a run for it. 

Arthur saw what he planned to do and rushed over. "No you don't" He grabbed his good arm. Pulling him back over. 

Merlin struggled and tried to get the hand off his arm but didn't think he could. Arthur was stronger then him physically even without the wounded shoulder. "Prat!" 

"Stubborn servant." Arthur countered and pushed him onto the bed. "Take it off." 

Merlin turned and tried to crawl off the bed. "No!" 

"Yes!" Arthur grabbed his leg and pulled him back. He reached for the bottom of the shirt. Attempting to pull it off the other. Merlins eyes widened and his hands went to hold it down. "Stop! What are you doing?" 

"I am trying to look at your wounds!" Arthur shouted back and kept pulling. They both struggled with the shirt for a moment before they both heard a ripping noise. 

They both stopped and stared at each other wide eyed. The shirt had been torn. Arthur held the fabric in his hands and looked at it guilty. "It was poorly made." 

"Your a brute!" Merlin glared and tried to get off the bed. Hold his shirt closed so Arthur couldn't see. 

"Nope, come on it's already torn, one step closer to it being off." Arthur pushed him back down. 

"Arthur!" Merlin frowned and really didn't want him to see. He will ask question. Merlins body was covered in marks he doesn't want to explain. 

"What? What is wrong? Why won't you let me see? I just want to check on you." Arthur asked. 

Merlin body burster with pain and burning. He clamped his mouth shut and tried not to answer. He tried so hard not to say. He didn't want to say. Please...please...He begged the magic to just stay down. "I.." No..." I don't want you to see." 

"See what?" 

Merlin wanted to cry. "The...scars." 

Arthur frowned and didn't understand. Scars? What scars? He had never seen Merlin without his shirt before. Even when the knights all took a swim in the lakes and ponds, even when it was hot outside. Or when they were training, travelling, Merlin never took off his clothes in eye sight of others. "Everyone has scars Merlin. I have scars. Nothing to be embarrassed about." 

"They aren't like yours." Merlin said and turned to look away from him. Some were made by blades or from being roughed up during Arthurs training sections, but there was one large one made from magic. One he knew would bring up questions. 

Arthur snorted and didn't believe they could be that bad. "Well lets have a look then at all these nasty scars." He grabbed the shirt again. 

"Arthur!" His hands lost their grip on the shirt from the surprise. He didn't think Arthur would continue! The shirt was pulled open and ripped the rest of the way. He pulled his hands up to hide his chest.  However it was to late. 

Arthurs eyes widened as he saw what Merlin was trying to hide. A large burn scar on his chest. The skin was wrinkled and healed but no less shocking. It looked like it had hurt a lot. "What..." He could tell that it wasn't made by any normal fire. The edges of the burn looked like lighting across his skin. This was done by magic. "Who? Who did this to you?" 

Merlin curled up and tried to hide. His throat burned as he held the answer in.  

"Merlin! Who did this to you!?" Arthur yelled. 

Merlin closed his eyes. "Nimueh." he whispered. 

Arthur frowned. "The witch that poisoned you?" 

"Yes." 

Arthur frowned and thought about her. They hadn't seen her in a long time. He hadn't thought about her at all. "When did this happen?" 

"When you were hurt by the Questing beast." Merlin answered. 

"When..." Arthur didn't remember much from that. All he knew was that he had somehow recovered from poisoning. That he shouldn't have lived but somehow he did. "How? Where did you meet her? How did it happen?" 

Merlin closed his eyes. "You were dying...I couldn't stop it. I was told to go to the isle of the blessed. Where members of the old religion would have a cure. I was told that...to save a life another must be taken. I went full prepared to trade my life for yours." 

Arthur listened and didn't know if he felt horror or shock. Maybe a bit of both? "Merlin..." 

Merlin felt tears come to his eyes. "When I got there I was greeted by Nimeuh, she gave me a cup of water. At the time I assumed the cup was just a cup. Now I know it was the cup of life. I came back and Gaius had you drink the water. You recovered in a few hours." 

"Your still alive. If your still alive then it didn't work." Arthur said but it must have. He was still alive. 

"It did." Merlin couldn't stop now. The story poured out of him. "It worked, it was just not my life it was going to take. That night I had gone to sleep. Thinking I would never wake again. I woke to find my mother on the floor. Sick and covered in blisters. Nimueh took her life instead of mine." 

"Hunith..." Arthur felt his heart break. She was a good woman, someone he knew Merlin loved deeply. "You never told me she died." He felt awful that he didn't know. That Merlin had to deal with that alone for so long. He never even asked how she was doing. Some friend he was. 

"She didn't." Merlin said. "I went back. Before she could I went back to the isle to make it right. To do it again. Offer my life in place of my mothers." 

Arthur grew confused and upset. Merlin risking his life so many times. "But you are still alive, and so is she." 

"Gaius was there. He went before me the night before. He was going to fix my mistake. I had thought he was dead when I got there. I argued that this isn't what I offered. I didn't offer any life but my own. She said that the old religion doesn't care. That as long as there is balance it didn't matter. Then she made me an offer, to join her and take down Uther. I declined and she cast a fire ball spell at me. I dodged the first and the second got me here." He touched his chest. 

Arthur felt liked crying as he listened. He had no idea the other man had done this. Had risked so much for him. "It must have hurt." 

"It did, so much." Merlin felt the scar ache. As if talking about it made the pain come back. 

"How..." 

He didn't need to finish. He knew he was going to ask about Gaius "I killed her. Nimueh, I killed her and balance was restored. Gaius woke up perfectly fine." 

"You...killed her. A priestess of the old religion?" Arthur asked. "How?" 

"Magic, she is a priestess but I am a priest of the old religion." Merlin said and curled up more. "I have magic Arthur." He was going to be killed now. Or have to go on the run. Neither things he wanted. 

Arthur looked at him. He looked so scared and vulnerable. Arthur realized what he must be thinking. "I knew...I know..I mean not about the priest of the old religion thing but the Magic. I knew already." 

Merlin looked at him. His turn to be shocked. "What?" 

"I knew." Arthur said. "I've know for a long time. I have been waiting for you to tell me. Waiting for you to be ready to tell me. I just never thought that keeping quiet would lead to...this. Had I said something It would have saved you from this." He looked at the scar on his chest with sorrow. "I'm so sorry." 

Merlin looked at him dumbfounded. 

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And it was at this point I realized I couldn't add this in without changing the whole story. I was already half finished with the fic when I thought of this. I wanted to edit and add it into the actual chapter but couldn't think of a way to. So it isn't truly completed but please enjoy this alternate scene to chapter 3. I wish I could have added it for I feel it is much better then, "I think I'm tiny and don't want you to see." but I would have had to delete and rewrite all the chapters after chapter 3. I did not wish to do that. For many reasons. I already had it planned out a certain way, and I felt chapter 3 was to soon of a reveal. Also you all had been waiting for an update at that point for so long and didn't want to push it back again by changing the whole story. 
Anyways. Do enjoy, more extras to come! 

Extra ideas: 
Wedding
Ghost of Uther finds out he married a man and a servant, Legalized magic once more. Like episode 3, season 5. Death song of Uther pendragon. 

The darkest hour, Arthur panicking about Merlin being frozen by the ghost things. 

Feel free to suggest other things!! Those are the ideas I have at this moment!