By the time the warlock had reached Gaius' chambers, It was already time for him to be waking up and preparing for the day ahead, 'just as well' he thought because although he was exhausted, not going to sleep meant no nightmare which would shake him to the core and make his magic go out of control.
"Ahh Merlin you're awake already?" The old voice came from the physician who was just himself waking up "I must say, you're taking your duties much more seriously now, I'm pleased."
"Aha yes that's what I'm doing... no time like the present to improve on myself, after all with no looming death hanging in the balance, I may as well make the most of this freedom" the ward expressed, entering further into Gaius' chambers as he did so and headed over to the pots to begin making their breakfast.
"No need to do that Merlin, here let me." Gaius walked to the boy and took the pans from him, Merlin nodded in response and went to sit at the table reading the odd bits of parchment the old man had left out. "Those letters you wrote on my behalf were excellent, I sent them straight away, and all the potions you concocted worked perfectly. I'm glad to see the time you have spent here with me hasn't been a total waste." Gaius continued and went to sit across from Merlin, delivering the bowl of porridge to him as he did so.
Merlin stared down at the food in front of him, stirring it with the spoon with no intent to eat it.
"Everything alright Merlin? You normally eat the entire contents before I've even placed the bowl down" Gaius chuckled. His ward looked up, as if waking from from a dream not realising he had been staring aimlessly at his food.
"I'm fine" the boy lied, the physician raised his eyebrow not believing his words, "Honestly Gaius I'm fine, just a little tired that's all, Arthur had me stay with him all night to talk about magic" Seeming somewhat satisfied with the answer the physician queried further into Merlin and Arthur's conversation. The father and son talked for a while about all that the servant had said, of course none of the stories were new to Gaius but there was only one question in the man's mind. The physician leaned forward as if insuring no one could hear, even though the room was vacant.
"Did he ask to see them?" He whispered.
"See what?" Merlin was genuinely confused.
"Your scars Merlin"
"Oh..." the warlock got up from the table, taking the bowls to the kitchen area "yeah... no I didn't tell him about that"
"What why?!" The old man exclaimed "He knows the truth now, you can tell him" Merlin listened as Gaius continued to pester him about how he could tell Arthur the truth "...It is silly to hide these things..." The warlock could feel the anger inside of him building up, normally something like this wouldn't bother him, he was calm by nature, anyone could testify to that, but this was like what happened when he heard about Gwaine, the anger was running through every vein in his body. "You need not worry, he will believe you, you should tell him the next time..."
"NO I CAN'T GAIUS!" Merlin shouted, startling the old man, the anger erupted inside him and as it did a pot which stood on the dinning table shattered into hundreds of pieces.
"Merlin?!" the physician stood in shock as he watched the boy's eyes flare red "Why did you do that?" The man looked down at the shards of the ceramic pot, but before he could look back to face the boy. Merlin's hands were clutched around Gaius' neck strangling the man "Merlin... stop... what are you doing" the physician choked between his harboured breaths, but the warlock didn't reply instead he now pushed the man back against the wall, his hands grasping stronger round Gaius.
"Merlin?" The boy's eyes returned back to their ocean blue and his face softened as he heard the old man say his name. Merlin kept his hand wrapped around the mans neck whilst he took in his surroundings.
YOU ARE READING
The Aftermath (Merlin)
Fanfiction*Sequel Out now* Kilgharrah may have told Merlin that nothing he could do would save the Once and Future King, but that doesn't mean he was right. The warlock takes things into his own hands when he revives Arthur at Avalon, but there are consequenc...
