Revenge A Mergana Story

Fire

Arthur was beginning to feel bad. They were on their way to the town square of Castellum to make an announcement and normally Merlin would be at Arthur's right hand, but today he was stayed behind at the Inn to handle the horses. No doubt because of what Arthur had said about Morgana. Arthur was a little hurt. After everything he and Merlin had been through, Arthur couldn't believe a girl was what was getting between them.

"People of Castellum," Arthur said authoritatively once he had reached the town square. There were quite a few people out and about. Merlin had the clever idea of promoting a sale in the village market when Arthur was going to make his speech.

"It has been brought to my attention that there is a bandit problem here. We have reason to believe that these bandits are refugees from Plougher. People of Plougher please know that you do not have to resort to crime to support yourself. We have plenty of jobs in Camelot available for you. My men and I will be leaving tonight, but we will be leaving carriages and horses for you to come to Camelot on. When you come to Camelot go to the castle and say that you come from Plougher and we will find a job for you. No questions asked. Camelot is not like Plougher we believe in helping those who need it not suppressing them,"

♠   ♠   ♠

Merlin prepared the horses and carriages that were to be used by the refugees. As he was doing so he had a lot of time to think about his argument with Arthur. As much as he didn't want to admit it he knew there was a chance that Morgana could have gone dark. She had magic and she was scared of it. She put the whole of Camelot under a sleeping curse when she didn't know how to control her powers. She'd been away for years, if she had learnt to control her powers who knew what she could do now. But she wouldn't do anything evil... would she? She said she had forgiven Merlin hadn't she? Merlin thought back to his first time being alone with Morgana. He realized she hadn't outright said that she had forgiven him, but it seemed like she did. Or was that all a ploy? Perhaps she never forgave him for hurting her and she plans to use him somehow.

Merlin thought about that idea for a moment and then laughed it off. It was ridiculous. Despite what Arthur said, Merlin knew Morgana. He knew that girl who gave the cloak off her own back to the poor during winter. The girl who stood up to her father in defense of the mistreated. The girl who would spend summers nursing sick animals back to health and reuniting them with their families. That was the real Morgana. Not some evil powerful witch like Arthur seemed to believe. 

Merlin was startled out of his thoughts by screams. He ran out of the stable into the town square. There was a huge fire coming from the center of the town. 

"Oh, God!" Merlin thought "The orphanage is in the center of town!" He wasted no time and lept into action, charging straight toward the fire without a second thought.

♠ ♠ ♠

Arthur always trusted his gut. His gut was rarely wrong, and this instance proved no different. He had been suspicious of the innkeeper from their arrival. Something about him just didn't sit right with Arthur. Turned out he was the one making it hard for the refugees to live in Castellum by turning the village against them and refusing to offer them jobs. When he found out that the King was coming to help the refugees, he couldn't stand it, and decided to set fire to the orphanage which was largely filled with refugee children who had lost their parents in the war.

Luckily Arthur asked around and found all of this out and managed to get everyone out of the orphanage. He had even made sure that the fire wouldn't spread too fire, and that they would be able to catch the innkeeper red handed. 

Arthur stood watching the fire, feeling pretty good about himself when all of a sudden he saw a brown and black blur dash straight towards the fire.

He squinted and watched this strange person run TOWARDS the fire and not AWAY. 

"What's that idiot doing?" Arthur said to himself "He'll be burned to a crisp"

It was at that moment that Arthur realized that that "idiot" was Merlin. The same Merlin who wasn't speaking to Arthur at the moment and therefore never heard Arthur's plan.

"Oh God!" Arthur shouted "That fool's going to get himself killed, and I'll have to save him"

Arthur put on his helmet and ran towards the fire.