The Fire Inside- A Merlin BBC Fanfic

Suspision.

"Have the scouts returned?" Lot asked one of his trusted Knights.

"Not yet, my Lord. We believe that the party has a late start to their next stop," The knight reported back, retelling the information he'd gathered from his Camelot spies.

"And Camelot is oblivious?" The king reassured. He knew one wrong move would end this in a war.

"Not even any rumours, sire," the king nodded at this, a smile creeping up on his wrinkled face. If only Uther could see his beloved brat of a son now.

~

Back in Camelot, however, Gwen was getting suspicious.

"Not one peep?" She tried asking again.

"Not to be rude, milady, but why are you so worried? The people aren't rioting, and yet you act as if they were," Sir Leon reported. He was used to the queen being paranoid but this was just ridiculous.

"That's what worries me. I assumed they'd rebel by now, especially with Malgraine being loose. They could be up to something," Gwen tried to explain to the round table again.

"That may be true, but they haven't done anything to punish yet, Guinevere," Elyan commented, seeing his sister's message.

"We'll have to wait and see," Leon added, hoping Arthur would be back soon. At least then everything made sense.

~

"It's dawn, we need to get moving," Arthur stated again as he tied his pack to the white stallion.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Arthur, we're missing a member," Merlin pointed out while snuffing the fire out.

"Then hurry up and find her!" Arthur snapped back. Honestly they had plenty of time, but Arthur was in a foul mood from a nightmare.

The dream started in the Camelot throne room. The tapestries that had lined the walls were crumpled to the ground, and the crowd of nobility seemed to be laughing at Arthur with a devilish glare in their eyes. He raised his head to see Merlin and Cyra sitting on the thrones, their eyes holding the same cruelty.

"And so, Arthur Pendragon, I announce you unfit to rule the kingdom of Camelot," Merlin announced, with cackling emerging from the crowd. Arthur noticed now that that witch Cyra was wearing Guinevere's favourite red dress, and Merlin wearing King Uther's most lavish getup. This, and the announcement, turned Arthur's confusion into anger.

"How dare you say such a thing? I've earned my right to the throne, you've said it yourself!" Arthur spat at his crowned friend. He tried to stand, but saw that Cyra seemed to be holding him down with some form of spell. His father's words about magic danced around Arthur's head as he struggled against the sorcery.

"You honestly believed that? I knew it would be easy to knock you down, your majesty. I just never thought you wouldn't expect it," Merlin mocked the Pendragon.

"Let me go, you coward!" Arthur grunted as he struggled against his invisible bindings.

"Merlin is no coward, Arthur," Cyra stared into his eyes with a slight playfulness, "He just uses something you never thought to- magic is a very powerful thing," the nobility around Arthur snickered at his bewildered face.

"See Arthur? This is what magic can do," Merlin spoke, but it was Uther's voice. The scene flipped to see Camelot in flames, and Arthur only got a chance to see Merlin's smiling face in the flames before he jerked awake.

It took the King a while to gather his wits. Magic wasn't as evil as his nightmare had shown, he knew that. And Merlin didn't have the motive to take over Arthur, let alone the wits to do so. It was just the green with that worried Arthur. He didn't trust her, especially with the show she'd just put on with the Druids. She was powerful and secretive, a combination he'd learned to be wary of.

"Oomph!" Merlin grunted and he was tackled to the ground. Arthur looked over from where he sat to see Cyra sprawled out over Merlin, pinning him to the forest floor.

"Merlin, did you just try and catch me?" Cyra asked dryly, lifting her head so that she could look Merlin in the eye instead of having her head lay on the ground next to his shoulder.

"Well you were falling..," Merlin tried to reason, but realised that his plan wasn't the greatest. He'd hoped to have a moment of glory and to catch Cyra, but it seemed the world never wanted him to look like a hero.

"I jumped from the tree, Merlin. Which means I meant to fall," Cyra added sarcastically, but started cracking up at Merlin's face and put her head back down. Merlin joined in the laughter, getting over the initial embarrassment.

"A-hem," Arthur cleared his throat from where he sat, and the two quickly realised how awkward they must have looked and scrambled to get up.

"Right. Are we all set to leave?" Arthur asked as he glanced at the two. They responded with silence,  still blushing, but nodded and untied their horses. Merlin helped Cyra up and double checked everthing one last time before climbing on to his horse.

"Where to now?" Cyra asked as she followed Arthur, Merlin trailing behind her.

"South. The next colony is said to be at least double the first one," Merlin responded after Arthur remained silent.  The dream swirled through his mind, the image of Camelot burning clouded his thoughts as he blocked out all outside noise.

"How long until we arrive there?" Cyra asked, this time more towards Merlin.

"I think around a days time, maybe longer," Merlin replied unsure, "We'll have to see,"

Cyra nodded and triple checked that her books she had bought were safe. Something about them seemed to be radiating energy, and it was a new feeling. She just had to keep reminding herself; magic is a very powerful thing.

~~

Okay a few things. One- the picture including is my pencil drawing of Cyra, which I am very pleased with. Two- I'm at my grandparents so expect more writing. Three- opinions on the chapter or the drawing are always welcomed. And four- WE'RE AT CHAPTER TWENTY WHOOP WHOOP!

Hope you enjoyed!