500 Days of Freya (Merlin)

Lights

Chapter 19

Warning/s:

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

A/N: I think this is terrible but oh well. Sorry for this chapter coming up a bit late but I went on a bike ride with my friend a couple of days ago, fell into a bramble bush and I've been resigned to bed rest for ages! (And when I say I fell into a bramble bush, I mean that I went in one end, through it, out the other, and broke my ankle in the process.) Please leave me a review to let me know what you think of this chapter!

Prompt: ruapilot2: "Arthur and his knights go to investigate reports of sinister floating lights luring people off to their deaths. After they arrive, Merlin falls victim to the lights. The knights of Camelot have to spend the whole night trying to prevent their friend from running off to his death. While he is under the spell Merlin desperately trying to get to someone he calls Freya. While under the spell he spends the whole time alternately calling out to her, raging at them for making him loose her again, begging them to let him go to her, apologizing to Freya, and simply crying. When morning dawns everyone is exhausted and no one says a word about Merlin's Freya. They had learned all they needed to know about her during the night. Merlin barely says a word all the way back to Camelot."

"Please, Your Majesty," the farmer stammered. "This sounds absurd, I know, but – it is truly happening, and I do not know a way to stop it."

"Go ahead," Arthur said kindly. He was used to having his citizens who were overwhelmed in front of the King and the many members of the court, and he tried to encourage them gently when he could. "However strange, I have no doubt seen and heard stranger." The comment earned him a rippled chuckle from around the court.

"Well, Sire, the thing is...recently at night, people have been seeing these floating lights. Myself among them. We had no idea what they were, of course, but then..." The man hesitated, obviously about to reach the part of the story that he considered unbelievable. Arthur nodded his head to show him that he could continue. "Some people started following the lights," the farmer blurted. "And they never came back. We heard horrible screams so we did not dare follow. But we did manage to stop one lad, and he said that he was drawn to the lights because they had his dead wife." The farmer swallowed. "We're confused by them, Sire, and we suspect magic is involved. We just...we're out of our depth, and it is getting harder and harder to stop our friends from walking to the lights."

Arthur leaned back in his wooden throne. This was by far one of the more interesting cases he'd heard of. "You say that only some people are attracted to the lights?" he queried, just to be sure.

"Yes, Sire. We looked for a connection but we could not find one."

"Thank you for talking so honestly. Have any of you remained at the village?"

The farmer shook his head definitively. "No, Sire. We all came here to talk to you. All of those that are left, that is." He swallowed, and Arthur felt a pang of sympathy; he had seen how in a small community, like in Ealdor, everyone was close to each other and losses were not just suffered by the family.

"I will see that you are all given shelter and food," Arthur promised. "For while we investigate at least and, if the problem cannot be solved, for as long as you live."

Arthur thought the old man might have cried if he was not in front of so many people. The last time he had seen someone so touched was when he had given Merlin the day off because his mother wasn't well and he could barely focus on work due to the worry.

The man shuffled backwards, bowing, and Arthur nodded to a few of his knights to accompany the man and the other villagers to new homes and make sure they were fed. "The council is dismissed for today," he announced, and the various Lords and Ladies scattered. The only ones who stayed were Merlin and his most trusted Knights of the Round Table.