Chapter 20: Uncertainties
Arthur looked on in horror at his name on Merlin's skin; the mark was both beautiful and terrifying. He tried to call Merlin back, to distract him from the pain that seemed to course through his entire body. The anger of seeing the one he loved shake in pain drove Arthur mad, he quickly rose to his feet and charged the sorceress with every intention of killing her.
The old hag laughed even harder and raised her hand up, her wrinkled fingers twitched violently as her eyes turned gold for the third time and Arthur went flying backwards. He slammed into the wall hard and slid down to the floor half unconscious, the air knocked out of him. Arthur moved slightly, raised a hand to his head and a trail of blood ran down it to his fingers. He could feel the cold stone pressed against his back; it took him a moment to collect himself and sit up. Arthur tried to get to his feet but succeed only in stumbling back down, his eyes trailing back to Merlin. What he saw then caused his face to fill with even more dread.
Merlin still lay where he was, lost in his pain, within the voices in his head, and unaware of the danger slowly moving towards him. "Stay away from him." Arthur yelled as he tried again to get to his feet, but was held in place by an unseen force. He gripped his sword tighter and pushed harder to no avail, he watched helplessly as the old woman reached her hand out to Merlin and touched the side of his face. "Don't touch him!" Arthur screamed in pure helplessness and frustration.
"You act like I am the bad person here. I came to help." The old hag told Arthur, leaning down towards Merlin and whispered various unrecognizable words into his ear. As soon as she was done Merlin's eyes turned gold and stayed that color, his shaking stopped instantly.
Arthur struggled to free himself and could only stare at the back of Merlin's form as his fear of losing Merlin overtook his every thought. "I cured your arrogant Prince Roderick did I not? I set you free of the war that was to follow after his death." The old hag continued as her eyes moved past Merlin to rest on Arthur's, a wicked grin on her face. "And I offer my help for yet the final threat that still hangs over you and Camelot." Her grin grew wider as she noticed Merlin's eyes finally turned back to blue. She stepped back towards the other side of the room and stared at the undiluted anger spreading across Arthur's face.
Merlin stirred slowly back to consciousness as the voices in his head dissipated to a single voice and the pain subsided to a tolerable level. "Shall I help you Merlin? Do you want me to tell him what you cannot?" The young female voice echoed inside his mind. As he managed to push the voice from his mind, he looked up through his slightly clouded eyes.
"You have magic! It has always sought to destroy. Magic is no friend of Camelot; it is no friend of mine." Arthur spat at the old hag with great conviction as he once more tried to set himself loose and to his surprise he tumbled forward, the hold keeping him back no longer there. The old hag beamed with victory, she could feel one of the last pieces fall into place. Merlin's heart shattered just a bit more as the words of his beloved King hit their mark unintentionally and he stumbled all the way to the floor, eyes fully closed. "Merlin," Arthur cried out as he rushed to his side. "What have you done to him?"
"He is not the one you should be worried about. You're under a love spell; the mark on Merlin is proof of it. What you feel for him is not real." The old hag declared as she readied her next spell. "You lie, you've done something to Merlin and you won't get away with it." Arthur stated as he looked up at her, Merlin's head resting on his lap. "Ask your dear physician and he will confirm it or better yet take that vial and you will see." The sorceress said as she pointed a crooked finger towards the bottle Merlin had given Arthur. A gust of wind filled the room and then disappeared along with the old hag. "You will see Merlin, the kind of King you really serve." The words resonated in Merlin's once more unconscious mind over and over before completely fading.
