The soul in the stone ( A Merlin fanfiction )

The mission

The following day was one of awkward glances and baited breaths. Gwen was really the only one acting anything that resembled normality. she put back on her roll of a servant, much like a cloak, or hat. Even the protests of the knights and Arthur had her shaking her head and continuing her work. As he watched her Arthur realized it was her way of feeling like she was helping the quest, and her way of keeping her mind of what could be happening to her friend at that very moment.

The knights were much the same, tense, silent, everything down to the very air felt as thought it were waiting for something to happen, or someone to make a move. and then as if my magic... it did. A thunderous rawr came from the heavens. It  rattled the company to their vey souls, and came closer with every heartbeat. the trees started to dance, and the ground shake. Arthur knew this, this was a dragon. Its coming etched into his mind for the remainder of his days, and to feel it again, a nightmare. But come it did. It landed with a grace that should not have belonged to the beast as it was as large as the inner citadel. 

"Young Penndragon." It's voice shook the stones beneath Arthur's feet. "I do not come to harm, I only with to know what have happened to your manservant." The words took Arthur by surprise, not just because he had no idea the dragon could talk, but also because he was asking about Merlin. Almost defensibly he grabbed hold of Merlin's stone and held it tightly, not wanting anything to happen to it, he said nothing. 

"A high priestess of the old religion has his body on the isle you are close to, but i cannot.... feel more than one presence there." The dragon said, as if he meant his words to mean more than one thing. "Do you know why that is young Penndragon?" It was almost like a parent scolding a child the way the dragon looked and spoke to him, and it made Arthur a little more than a little offended. 

"What you think I did this?" At this moment he probably wouldn't have heard what the dragon said, had he spoken. Arthur was to mad. Mad with grief and hurt, with betrayal and pain. He had been trying to keep everyone together, for their sake and Merlin's, but the dragon showing up was the last straw. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Why would you think I did this?! Putting aside the fact that i would have had no way of doing this, what would make you think i would try in the first place?!" His eyes stung with tears that were begging to be let out, " What in the name of the five kingdoms would posses me to have Merlin's soul ripped from his body and put in a bloody rock?! What would make me hand him over to a psychotic witch who is no doubt finding pleasure in torturing him as we speak, how could you think i would do that to him. And don't ask me why im here beast! I'm sick of people thinking that Merlin isn't worth my trying, that i would sooner spit in his face than show him kindness, HE IS NOT WORTHLESS AND HE IS NOT WORTH LESS!..... he's my brother is all but blood." Arthur was shaking, and the last words were whispered as if he only wanted them to be heard by the wind and no one else. The dragon heard them thought, and studied Arthur with a new found curiosity. 

"It seems the time of the golden age is nearly upon us, tell me young king... how well do you know your servant?" The dragon was stoic as he said this, as one administering a test. Arthur knew exactly what he meant thought.

"Well enough." He said, hoping it was what the dragon wanted to hear. 

"And you still do this for  him?"  it was a continuation of the test, the final question. Arthur squared his shoulders and looked the beast in the eye.

"Yes." He said with the confidence of a thousand generations of kings in his voice. All was silent for a moment, as if nature it's self were waiting for the dragon to decide if he had passed, then the dragon spoke, his voice different than before.

"You will need help," He said this as if they had already been in the middle of a discussion on battle plans, "Nimue is strong, and only Merlin can truly rival her, I will buy you what time I can, while i face you, you must get Merlin and go. But do not go far. The water surrounding the island is that which heals, bring him to the mainland and place his in the shallows, with the stone on his chest. then you must hope the the Lady of the Lake, comes to help him, for she is his  soul's only hope in returning to his body. You are but a day away from the Isle, I shall meet you there at day break on the second day, be ready, and ever vigilant. Farewell you king." And then as soon as he had come, he was gone, leaving a cloud of dust and the feeling of awe in his wake. For a heartbeat all was silent, than trust Gwain to break it with a loud laugh. 

"Well it looks like we have a plan, I say we stay here tonight and head on in the morning." He had already started taking his packs off his horse as he said this, It was as if a calm had settle on the troupe. The kind of calm that only comes when you know what's going to happen, when you are no longer groping in the dark for the way, but a candle has been lit and you can see the path ahead. It was a sigh of relief, and a prayer that it would work.

That night Arthur woke in the ghost of Camelot, but not as he had before... he was woken up in the ghost of Camelot, by the not so silent spirit of his servant.

"Rise and Shine!" The words were yelled out around him and it hurt to hear, those were Merlin's words... in Merlin's voice... He jumped out of bed and faced the man in front of him. Merlin looked just as Merlin should. His black hair was messy and unkempt, his hands slender and callused, but clean, and free of blood, his neckerchief was strait, all was as it should be save for his eyes, as they shone with both laughter and magic. Arthur had never been so happy to see such a normal sight in his whole life, and he promptly pulled Merlin into a tight hug, leaving the other speechless, which in most other cases was a near impossible task to accomplish. Everything within Arthur ached for this to be the waking world, that it had all been a dream. But he knew it wasn't he was just glad he had this, this part of Merlin he knew was safe, as was the Merlin he had always known, this small piece of normalcy sheltered from the storm of evil that had gotten hold of everything else. 

"Arthur, are you ok?" Merlin's smile was faltering a bit as he asked. Arthur didn't much feel like explaining himself, so he decided to move on with business. He motioned for them to sit, and began.

"The dragon came...you'll have to explain to me why, but he did." Merlin looked away, knowing Arthur didn't want him to explain yet. "He has a plan, and it's a good one. Do you have any idea who the Lady of the Lake is?" He asked hoping Merlin did, he was right and knew it immediately as recognition and something else flooded Merlin's eyes.

"Yes." He whispered, " I know her very well." Arthur figured that was a story for another time and continued. 

"The dragon said if we lay your body in the lake with the stone on your chest she can heal you, but only if she decides to help.... do you think she will?" A small smile started to play on Merlin's lips, giving Arthur a glimmer of hope.

"Yes, if there is something she can do, i know she will." There was no doubt in his voice, and it gave Arthur the calm that the other felt after the plan was voiced. "Good," he breathed out, glad allowing the relief to flood him. They sat in silence for a time, enjoying that it was not strange, and they could hold on to the normalcy of it like a rope. When Merlin did speak, it was well thought out and precise. 

"Arthur, if Freya cannot help, I want you to know that nothing in my life has brought me more pride than my service to you." Merlin met his gaze with a fierce steadfastness, that took Arthur's breath away. He wanted to answer, to assure him that he was going to make it home whole and alive, but the room faded, and he awoke, feeling nothing but the cold ground beneath him and an ache in his heart.