Keep Your Enemies Closer

Chapter 2

Uther and Merlin rode in the cart for hours. Hours turned into days. It was the three days later by the time they had reached the caves the bandits were hiding out in.

"Arthur will never find us here." Uther whispered to himself.

"No. He will, sire." Uther gave him a look.

"How can you be so sure?" The boy always had this certainty when it came to anything. Merlin always kept his head high. Even when talking to royalty.

"Because. It's Arthur. How could he not?" Uther looked over at him. Merlin wasn't facing him. He was facing the bandits. Watching them. Taking in every detail. Merlin noticed the stare he was getting from the king.

"I believe in Arthur. And in all honesty, I think that we can break out of here and meet Arthur half way." Merlin went back to stare at them.

"So do you have a plan on how we are to get out sire?" Merlin hated saying the word. Well, he hated saying it properly. Using it to insult Arthur was fine.

"I may have a plan. But who says its to get us out of here. I could just leave you behind."

"Oh but I wouldn't." Merlin stared at the guards once more. He seemed almost preoccupied with watching them.

"And why is that?" Uther asked.

"Because Arthur won't allow it." Merlin mumbled still watching the guards.

"Alright if you don't have a plan we'll use mine. Yeah, there are more of them but if we leave at night while most of them are asleep, I think we could make due with only two of us. It'll be easy if we are completely silent. I don't think we'll wake them up."

"That's it? That's your plan? Wait until night! How are we going to get out of these chains, or how about the cell!" Merlin rolled his eyes. Royals, always so stubborn.

"Well, sire. I told you all you needed to worry about! Tonight fall asleep and I'll get us out." Merlin hissed.

That night Uther tried his best. He really did. He did whatever he could to stay awake. But it was almost as if sleep was calling to him. Which was weird, he had slept the night before. Yes, it wasn't a comfy night but still he got to sleep.

Merlin's eyes faded back to blue as he watched Uther slowly fall into a short deep sleep. Merlin looked at the cuffs and they fell to the ground. He looked at the door and broke the lock.

By the time he was done Uther was awakening from his short sleep.

"Uther. Let's go." Uther opened his mouth to tell him to address him properly when he got a glare from Merlin, he shut his mouth.

They almost made passed the men when the one guarding the cave opening noticed them.

"Hey you! You're supposed to be in your cells!" Merlin glanced at Uther, who glanced at Merlin. Merlin nodded and the two quickly grabbed a sword from a sleeping man. By the time they were armed most of the men had their swords pointed at the pair.

"I believe now would be an amazing time to run." Merlin whispered.

"The run!" Uther snapped back and began to run out. Merlin waited till Uther was farther ahead to enchant a spell, which would cause them to run slower. Then he ran.

The ran for miles until they both finally collapsed. When they looked up they could see that it was almost dawn.

"Which way is Camelot?" Uther asked himself more than to Merlin. Merlin closed his eye and tried to sense something, the dragon. He could sense the dragon. And it was coming from the east.

"East." Uther looked at Merlin. How could possibly know that?

"Come on. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we get back home."

"I am king and you are to listen to me!" Uther spoke sternly to the boy.

Merlin nodded and stood there for a moment.

"Come on. Milord" Then he started to walk away. Uther stared at the boy as he walked away. How dare he? Isn't he the king of Camelot? And he is what, a servant!

"You can continue to stand there and mumble to yourself or you can follow me. The choice is yours." Uther turned red with anger. But seeing he had really had no choice he followed. He lectured Merlin for a moment, but when he saw no fear in merlins eyes he stopped. Then they walked in an awkward silence, neither really wanting to talk. Until...

"So tell me about yourself, Sire?" Uther just looked at the boy.

"Just started getting tired of the awkward silence. So, what did you do for fun before you became king?"

"Why?" Uther asked. He honestly was confused beyond belief. Why was Merlin interested in his life, he had never shown true interest in his. It had almost been his fault the boy was dead.

"Just trying to make conversation."

"What I did when I was younger is none of your business."

"I understand. When I was little I liked to write." Uther looked at the boy, who smiles at the memories.

"In my head, when I was little, I would come up with these stories. Stories about anything really. When I learned to write it was amazing. It was all I would do. Then once my stories started getting good I would use that to teach the other children to read and write. Then they would write me stories. It was nice." Uther almost smiled. Almost, he stopped when he realized who he was talking to.

"Why are you telling me this? It's not like I care."

"I know." Was all Merlin said. Not even looking at Uther.

Minutes later Merlin heard from behind him a small voice speak.

"I liked to whittle. I would make little animals then give them to the local children. Every once and a while I see a newborn playing with one, given to them from their parents. It makes me smile, knowing that I made that child's life a little bit more fun." Merlin could hear Uther smiling.

They continued in silence once more until they came upon a mountain.

"We need to find a way around it." Merlin said looking for a path.

"No, we should climb it. It will be faster and we will be able to see the path ahead." Merlin was about to protest when Uther stared up the mountain.

And up the mountain, he followed.