The soul in the stone ( A Merlin fanfiction )

The Proposal

Arthur sat at the table in his chambers holding the stone, trying to get up the nerve to... whisper to it when there was a knock at his door.

"Come in" He said, fixing the slight quiver he heard in his voice. Gwen hesitantly opened the door and peered in the room.

"Arthur, the round-table is waiting for you in the counsel room." She said, eyeing him wearily. He didn't even look up. He hadn't remembered calling the meeting. But he knew that if this would end in a quest to save Merlin, the round-table would be who he needed to succeed.

"Thank you." He said, and waked to the counsel room, with determination in his steps.

As he entered he noticed, all his most faithful knights seated in their places at the table, with one empty seat, leaving an ache in his gut, and a fire in his heart. He sat in his seat and placed Merlin's stone in front of him earning a good amount of odd looks and questioning glances.

"I thank you all for coming," he started, but was cut off.

"Woah hold on, aren't you going to wait for Merlin? he is as much a part of this table as any of us princess." Gawain said, annoyance seeping from his voice.

"Actually, Merlin is what I was hoping to discuss..." He wasn't sure how to go about this. He didn't know if he needed to mention Merlin's magic in the attempt to get them to aid in the quest. And if he did, he wasn't sure how it would be received. The majority, he thought would be ok, as most of them were close with Merlin. It was Leon and Elyan who he thought might object. And then it hit him.... He was King, his knights could not condemn without his approval, and he did not give it. So with a deep feeling a guilt, he tried to start. He was met with a good amount of confusion and only two looks of concern and fear. Lancelot and Gaius, and by the looks on their faces, they already knew where this was heading. Did no one have faith in him? He took a deep breath and dove in.

"As you can see Merlin is... not here." He was trying to hid the sadness in his voice, but it leaked through. "Three days ago I was gifted this stone." He held up the stone, being very gentle in doing so.
"That night I had a dream of Merlin..." He stopped to glare at Gawain, who gave a wink. " He was chained to a wall, bleeding.... imprisoned. I thought it nothing but a nightmare but then it happened the next night, and i spoke with him. He seemed to think he was not dreaming. When i asked Gaius, he informed me that.... Merlin's soul has been imprisoned in this stone." What followed was silence so thick the dead would have been jealous. He swallowed and continued.

"The man who gifted me Merlin's....stone.... had said that if i was in need of his help, i need only to whisper my plea into the stone. What ever this man says, I intend to find Merlin's body and bring him home, to himself and his rightful place." He was growing in his confidence now, dammit all he didn't care who objected. " I intend to use magic to do so, and when Merlin is home I intend to lift the ban of magic." It was no longer silent, Gaius gasped, Gawain, Gwen, and Lancelot smiled, and Elyan and Leon frowned. Percival just looked like he was solving a puzzle.

"Sire..." Leon was using his rational voice, "I understand the need for magic, in the case of Merlin, magic must fix the magical harm done to him. But why lift the ban after we save him?" It was a fair question. One Arthur had been expecting. He looked to Gaius, who for his part looked like he was daring him to say something... so he did.

"I may not know how many times magic has saved my life... only that it has." now the whole table looked confused. "I know that there are those who practice who are not evil, those who's souls glow with magic. I know that if there is one like this, there must be more....and I know that I will not chose between the law my father has put in place and my brother." Gaius was holding his breath now, his eyebrow raised to it's utmost.

"What are you saying?" Eylan asked, concern growing on his face.

"...In my dreams i spoke with Merlin's soul...." he looked down at the stone on the table. "He is broken, he barely looked at me..." Gwen put a hand on his shoulder. "When he did.... his eyes." He heard Lancelot pull his sword, probably in a hope to fight for the man who was not there to defend himself, not that he would the idiot. "They were gold." This time the reaction was not quite what he anticipated. Gawain was smiling, Gwen looked... hurt.... Percival was nodding, Leon had a hard look about him, and Eylan he looked confused. Non of them spoke so he continued.

"I understand if this fact changes your decision to assist in his rescue, know that neither of us will hold it against you if it does. But if it does not then i would like to get started and whisper into this rock." It sounded silly but for Merlin he had done worse. But Leon stood up. his face still hard.

"Sire. You have been enchanted." Arthur looked at him. He sounded a bit like his father, it hurt.

"Leon, i have not been enchanted. I trust Merlin. If he had wanted to kill me he would have by now. He has always refused to let me die, I will do the same for him."

"HE IS A SORCERER!!" Leon yelled, making the air shake. "He does not deserve saving." The room was silent. Arthur knew what Leon had done for his father. Arthur knew he wouldn't be able to do this. He had killed innocents on the word of the king, on the belief that they were evil. To admit anything different would mean facing what he had done to those who never deserved it. He understood.

"As I said, if you wish to leave, it will not be counted against you." Arthur said. He gave me a deadly look and stormed out of the room. He sighed. He couldn't be angry, he understood completely.

"Does anyone else wish to leave?" He asked. He was rather surprised to see Gaius speak.

"Your highness, are you sure your are alright with this?" He gave me the eyebrow.

"No Gaius, but I want to be able to punch him in the face for lying to me, and i want to know that he will be there for me to punch in the face in the future....." He paused and swallowed. " Merlin is family, and I will not give up on him, even if he does not trust me, I plan on trying to earn that trust." He looked down at the stone. He did not see Gaius smiling.

"So you just whisper into that rock and what..?" Gawain said, trying to get this new quest for Merlin started. Arthur cleared his throat.

"I'm not sure, but it is what I am supposed to do yes." He answered.

"Well... what are you waiting for Princess? You already got the invitation. Merlin can't wait for ever." Gawain smiled. He had a great skill of making any situation feel lighter than it was. Arthur smiled. Merlin would have to. He nodded and leaned over to the stone.

"Please... we need your help to save Merlin." He whispered into the stone. Nothing happened.

"Well that was effective, maybe try shouting." Gawain earned a glare. And then as if just to spite Gawain, a column of smoke materialized out of thin air in the middle of the room. The smoke swirled as if creating a storm of greens and golds, and then it stopped leaving a man standing in the middle of the room,with look of utter relief, and a hint of worry on his face.