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"Come on Merlin” says Hunith, as she tries pull the five year old away from the crowd gathering around the King Urian’s royal procession. Hunith knew that they needed to get away from the king before Merlin could accidentally display his powers, because King Urian was known to take sorcerers of great power into his court. If he found that Merlin was so powerful at such a young impressionable age she shuddered what would become of her little hawk. But Merlin didn't know that all he saw was a wonderful parade that was fun to watch that his mom was trying to take him away from.“Why mommy, Will gets to stay and watch why can't I?” Asked Merlin digging his heels “ I want to see him too!”“ Because he will take you away and then mommy will never see you again you will have to live with him and never come back to Elador. Is that what you want?” Hunith was getting desperate now the king was getting closer.“ No, I don’t want to leave you mommy.” Said Merlin he grabbed his mother’s hand and she started to lead him away.“ Halt peasant!” Yells one of the knights with the king “The king wishes to address this village!”Hunith immediately starts to consider her options, she could keep walking and hope that one lowly peasant and her son weren't worth pursuing or she could stop join the crowd keep a tight hold on Merlin and stay out of sight. She decided that staying was less risky as long as Merlin could stay quiet so she started walking back to the crowd. It was a decision she would regret for the rest of her life. Once they were back in the crowd she began to listen to the speech still clutching Merlin’s arm.“ I'm here to collect men and boys to train for my army.” Announces the king Urian “It is a wonderful chance for your sons to be kept warm and well fed. In addition to the fact that the pay is quite spectacular and can be arranged to be sent back here. In fact…”“ What right do you have to are sons we live in Cenred’s lands” interrupts one brave mother“ Yes, that’s right Cenred may not be a kind king but he doesn't come and steal are boys!” Cries another. The crowd was uneasy now shifting and whispering like the sea, bumping into one another.“SILENCE PEASANTS!” Shouts the king he had been trying to make this seem as if he was looking for recruits but he wasn't. King Urian was going to leave this village with ten boys whether they wanted to go or not. “ I tried to make this easy and let people choose to go but now you leave me with no choice, GRAB THE MEN!”In response to their king's orders they charged grabbing at men and boys and hauling them back to their horses. The villagers scattered left and right grabbing their families and running for the woods.Merlin, off balanced by the sudden jerk on his arm as his mother pulled him away and the bumping of the crowd, tripped and fell. His magic rushed to his aid and his eyes glowed gold he suddenly halted floating near inches from the ground. Merlin was only floating for a second before he realized what he was doing and told his magic to drop him but the damage was done.The king had seen and immediately stopped and shouted “ GRAB THAT ONE HE HAS MAGIC!”“ NO” yelled Hunith “ NOT MERLIN! NOT MY SON!”As the soldiers surrounded Merlin he shouted and they were all blown back by the sheer force of his magic.“ MOMMY” screamed Merlin as he ran towards her not noticing the blow aimed at his head. Then *THUD* and Elador dissolved into black. And one shivering twenty year old warlock awoke from his nightmare in the court physician’s chambers in Camelot.
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Merlin sat up and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, it had been awhile since he dreamed about that day and what happened next… No! He won't think about it he won't he has to concentrate on his destiny. Things were playing out, Arthur was nearly king and the knights of the round table had been formed maybe soon they will unite Albion maybe soon Merlin could stop hiding his true self. But for now for sleep to prepare for yet another day of hellish chores and training, so slowly Merlin drifted back to the realm of dreams._linebreak_As little Merlin slowly awoke the first thing he realized that he was draped over the front of a saddle next he noticed that he had a gag in his mouth and a pair of cuffs on his wrists. He tried to wiggle so he could see his capture but when he started to move he heard a shout and the horses came to a stop. Merlin was trying to think of another way to move when he was suddenly jerked upwards by a pair of rough hands. He looked up to see one of the knights heaving up and off of the horse.“ Up we come now boy the king wants to speak to you.” He said as he half led half carried the boy closer to the king. Merlin gazed around at his surroundings carefully taking in everything. He saw many knights bearing the colours of King Urian sitting astride horses, but scattered behind them with their hands chained together were men, mostly from his village but there were a few faces he had never seen before, who looked dead tired. With a start Merlin realized that their chains were attached to saddles of knights and that the men were being made to run behind the horses, Merlin dearly hoped he wouldn't have to do that he would never keep up. Finally they reached the king at the front of the column Merlin was stood up straight in front of the king.“ Well here’s the little sorcerer.” Said King Urian “ The power you displayed knocking back five heavily armed knights with simply a scream makes me wonder what else you can do.” The king paused. Suddenly Merlin had an idea what if he used magic to knock everyone over than go home, so he tried to force out his magic when suddenly a sharp pain came through the cuffs on his wrists he screamed through the gag at the sudden excruciating pain. The king laughed and said “ You’ll find that those cuffs block off you magic quite well so don't try any of your tricks, what is it your mother screamed, Merlin that’s it. Anyway take him away I will question him further at the castle.” With that the king turned on his heel and walked back to his horse. Merlin had tears in his eyes as he was dragged back to the horse and draped over the saddle. He heard someone say to knock him out again then Merlin knew no more._linebreak_Gaius gently opened the door to his wards room, as he entered he saw his ward tossing and turning in his bed obviously in the throes of a nightmare. Oh Merlin he thought as he moved to shake his ward awake. The second Gaius moved Merlin sat bolt upright his hands shot out and a blast of unadulterated magic burst forth and knocked Gaius across the room.As Merlin slowly came awake sleepily blinking the sleep out of his eyes he duly wondered what the crash was suddenly he opened his eyes and took in Gaius groaning at the foot of his bed.“Gaius” cried Merlin “ Oh goddess, I’m sorry.”“It’s ok, you were having a nightmare. Was it about Morgana again? Because you know you did what you had to do.”“Yeah about Morgana.” Said Merlin feeling guilty. He didn’t want to lie to Gaius but it was like with Arthur, Merlin didn’t want to lie about his magic but he can't just go up to Arthur now and say hey by the way Arthur I have magic and I’ve been hiding it since day one. Merlin shook his head and quickly looked Gaius over for injuries, surprisingly there were none visible.“ Anyway, I was just coming up to wake you because you need to wake Arthur.” Gaius explained “ Oh” replied Merlin lamely as he began to get out of bed. Gaius left and Merlin began to get dressed devising new ways to wake Arthur.Coming down the stairs Merlin saw Gaius making him sandwich for breakfast.“ Are you sure you're ok” asked Gaius“ I think that I should be asking you that” responded Merlin laughing off the question when really he wasn't, he was concerned about why these dreams were floating to the surface all of a sudden.“ I’m fine, but are you certain you are?” Gaius asked againMerlin sighed and said “ Yes yes I’m good! Now I must wake Lord Prat of Pratonia, goodbye.” And with that he swept away with Gaius shouting something about being more respectful behind him.
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“ Rise and shine you great prat!” Exclaimed Merlin cheerfully as he ripped open the curtain “The sun is shining, the birds are singing and you as your father is … unable to perform his kingly duties you get to enjoy exactly none of it. In the morning you have a long, and i’m sure boring, council meeting about taxes or grain or something, then you must give a speech to the league of the coopers of Camelot and since you know nothing about barrels I wrote your speech” all of this was said very fast as Arthur groaned and rolled over away from the light of the windows. “ Shut up Merlin!” He said tiredly “ You aren’t aloud to be happy in the mornings I thought you knew that!” As he said that Merlin quickly crawled across the bed and stuffed the roll he was holding from Arthur's breakfast into Arthur’s mouth.“ I said it once and I’ll say it again! Get your lazy arse out of bed before I drag you out.” Said Merlin seemingly quite hopeful that he would get to do just that. Seeing as the king made no further attempt to move Merlin walked over and dragged him off the bed groaning from the weight.“ You are getting fat from all that feasting sire!”said Merlin sarcastically “ mmnfet.” Mumbled Arthur into the blankets“ Pardon me sire I believe only the blankets heard you.” Said Merlin mockingly “ Now would you pick your prattish face off the bedclothes and speak like an adult instead of a petulant child.”“ I said I'm not fat idiot! And those are some strong words coming from you.” Replied Arthur annoyed as he rolled out of his blankets to look at Merlin. When he finally looked at him all he saw was his manservant’s idiotic grin, then it finally dawned on Arthur that Merlin merely said those things to force Arthur to turn over and face the sunlight.“Up you get sire” said Merlin cheerfully as he tried and failed to pull Arthur off the ground. Arthur responded as expected and flicked a goblet at his servant's head. After a few more minutes of playful banter and goblet flicking, Merlin finally managed to steer a fully dressed Arthur to his desk and laid his now cold breakfast in front of him. A few years ago Arthur would have shouted, picked up the tray and launched at the head of whatever servant brought it. But today Arthur just shrugged recognized that it was probably warm when Merlin brought it and started eating, mind you Arthur was filings away this event to use against his servant next time they argued but at least he was not throwing a tantrum.“ So” Arthur says carefully “ what your saying is that i’m missing a perfectly wonderful day for council meetings and to give a speech to a bunch of commoners?” “No, not entirely in the late afternoon you have to train with the knights.” Responded Merlin just as carefully as if he'll was carefully treading through a minefield being very careful where he stepped. Arthur dropped his head to the table and groaned.“ It makes you feel any better, unless you assign me any other duties I have to sit through all of it to. Then to top it all off at the end of the day you get to use me as a practice dummy!” Exclaimed Merlin.“ That actually makes it better, knowing that you’ll be suffering to does make it better.” Responded Arthur only half jokingly.“ Glad to be of service sire.” said Merlin dryly, and after looking out the window and seeing the clock tower(A/N I know there probably weren't clocks but just roll with me here) he quickly said “But Prat Face you better hurry up the council meeting starts in ten minutes and Gwaine is an annoying git if he gets there first.” Arthur silently agreeing with Merlin quickly finished up and practically kept out of the room calling with Merlin stumbling along behind._Linebreak_After a long and utterly boring meeting full of long drawn out speeches by stuffy old men about taxes and grain production that nearly put Arthur and his knights to sleep, only kept awake by Merlin’s shenanigans from behind the council members, came the reading of a equally long and boring speech that Arthur had to read to a group of commoners. It was finally time for the best part of Arthur’s, except for maybe his time spent with Gwen,training.Now for Merlin training was a different story. He HATED it for many many justified reasons spanning from the fact that he became a training dummy whenever he stepped onto the field to simply the bad memories it conjured, no no don’t think about that, and on this particular day it just became worse. “ Ok men, recently I’ve noticed that the training of a knight leaves out several important skills such as knife throwing so today we're going to cover it.” Announced Arthur gleefully as he looked at the slightly doubtful faces of his knights. “ And to show us how to improperly throw a knife well, MERLIN!” The last part was shouted suddenly Merlin head popped up from behind the bench where he had been polishing armor.“ Yes Arthur” replied Merlin hesitantly as he slowly got up and walked to ward Arthur. Several newer knights sneered at the hesitation Merlin was showing, but the knights of the round table merely glared at them understanding that Merlin had every right to be hesitant because he could never be sure at what Arthur would do next.“ Well Merlin if you had been listening instead of daydreaming or picking flowers or whatever it is you do in your free time you would know that wouldn’t you?” Said Arthur patronizingly as he said this he saw Merlin’s eyes drift away from his face and his servant go away to whatever world was inside his head so he said quickly “anyway you idiot are going to show these idiots how to not throw a knife!” And before Merlin could clue into what was going on he offhandedly tossed Merlin the knife. Arthur was expecting it to fly a little over Merlin’s shoulder so he would have to run to pick it up, what he had not expected was for Merlin’s hand to shoot out like a cobra and grab the knife handle first and bring it into a fighting position.
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It was so hot thought Merlin as he sat behind the bench polishing piles of armor and weapons. He could faintly hear Arthur prattling on about something or other to the knights, he wanted to listen he really did but he was so tired. Merlin jerked himself awake again just before he smashed his face into the breastplate he was holding, those damn nightmares thought Merlin viciously the little sleep he had gotten the night before hadn't exactly been restful. He could normally battle through the exhaustion but staying awake for the council meetings had taken its toll and then being dragged out into the hot sun and doing such a mind numbing task as polishing…“ MERLIN” he heard Arthur shout and he dragged his mind kicking and screaming out of the realm of unconsciousness “ Yes Arthur” Merlin said hesitantly what had he missed he said his eyes jerking back and forth between Arthur and the rest of the knights. He saw the new ones snickering, normally he would glare at them but he was just sooooooo tired. Merlin was starting to drift off again when he registered a knife slowly coming toward him and before he could consciously decide on a course of action his hand shot out and grabbed the handle as his reflexes had been trained to, he lowered himself into a fighter's stance ready to lash out at anything that came near. Then his mind caught up no no no no what had he done he had been fighting those impulses for years! How had his brain managed to fail him this once. Immediately as these thoughts registered he dropped the knife as if it burned him and tried to stumble over himself, but the damage was done.Merlin looked up hesitantly at the faces of his friends they were staring at him in complete shock and said hesitantly “Beginners luck?”
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Chapter 9“Wh-what do you mean it will get me killed?!” Said Merlin staring wildly at Kay, Merlin didn't want anything like that to happen, all he wanted was to go back to his mother.Before the other boys could stop him Kay plowed on “Well when we reach the Harvest and Yule each year the bottom five boys of each year leave the league. They may not be officially executed but none of them make it past the gates.” All of the boys look sad at that.“But-but what do I do it's the harvest in two months how can I make it back to the top I'm so far behind. I didn't want any of this I just want to go home. I don't want to die I just want my home. I don't want to die, I don't want to die I don't want to die…” By this point Merlin was nearly catatonic rocking and crying and repeating that he didn't want to die. Galahad and Bedivere exchanged glances with each other and glares with Kay before Galahad finally made his offer.“Merlin, we’re pretty high in the class maybe we could help you.” Galahad said this slowly while approaching him and sitting down next to the much smaller boy. Merlin looked up tears still tracing their way over his cheekbones.“Really? Y-you'd do that for me?” Said Merlin because he had only known the boys for a few weeks.“Yah,” said Kay eager to get out of the whole he had dug himself with the others by scaring Merlin. “I'll teach you how to row a knife I was top of my class in that."“I can help in hand to hand combat.” Said Bedivere quietly“And I'll help with unseen movement and any other weapons training you need.” Finished Galahad soothingly “You'll be fine”They all waited a minute while Merlin finished crying and calmed down then his small voice said “when can we start?”_linebreak_Merlin jolted awake he should have known better than to expect an uninterrupted nap. He sat up quietly and rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. The sun was still high in the sky so he knew he hadn't slept for long and that also meant that he probably hadn't missed doing anything important for Arthur.Merlin lay there a few minutes just thinking about that day in his dream, him and the other boys had been close before but that was when they really took Merlin under their wings as their pseudo little brother. Bedivere protected them, Kay kept them smiling and Galahad kept them in line. Merlin missed them but there was no way he could happen not after the way he left, sometimes the Knights helped to fill the hole that they left but it still hurt.As he mulled that over a realization came to settle heavily in his mind, he had taken a nap in the middle of the day after running out on the knights and not telling them what was wrong, simply speaking Merlin was dead. He slumped back onto the bed groaning, he knew he should get up but facing Arthur and the knights was to much. Merlin was seriously considering just staying in bed that day when he heard Gaius calling for him from below him. He groaned again and rolled out of his bed and slowly descended the stairs rubbing his eyes.“Yes Gaius what do you want?” Asked Merlin punctuating his question with a yawn. His eyes were still half closed when he heard Gwaine’s sarcastic voice break through the sleepy fog in his brain.“Are we waking you there mate, need a bit more time for your beauty sleep. I guess the princess is rubbing off on you.” Merlin laughed and opened his eyes I front of him was Gwaine, he looked like he had just rolled out of bed himself. Merlin was about to comment when he noticed Lancelot standing behind Gwaine looking very neat in comparison but also out of his armour.“No Gwaine the prat isn't rubbing off on me I was just tired is all. Is there a reason that you and Lancelot are dropping in for a visit?” Asked Merlin.“Well me and Lancelot here-” “Lancelot and I.” Interrupted Gaius moving across the room to put away some books.“Oh I apologize for my horrendous breach of the rules of grammar I shall-” said Gwaine pompously stopping suddenly when Lancelot stepped forward and punched him in the side.“What Gwaine meant to say, is that we were wondering if anything was wrong. You ran from practice pretty quickly today.” Said Lancelot diplomatically while gently pushing Geaine back behind him. After Lancelot was done Gaius turned turned to look at him one eyebrow crawling up to meet his hairline. Merlin quickly shifted his gaze away from the prying eyes of his friends and mentor.“It's nothing, I just don't enjoy talking about Will is all.” Merlin finally said, more than a bit uncomfortable with the careful questioning.“Bullocks!” Exclaimed Gwaine, Lancelot whipped his head around to stare wide eyed at Gwaine for his sudden angry outburst but didn't try to stop him, “You wouldn’t stop talking cause of that now what's bothering you! Plus you would have told me you had some sort of skill with weapons” At this point Merlin was just about done with the Interogation from his friends and mentor so suddenly his control burst and his voice exploded out of him and he saw red.“You know what Gwaine you say that but how well do you really know me, hmm? You didn't even know I had a friend named Will before today! How do you, a knight that has been here a few months and that I had spent maybe 2 weeks tops with before hand, expect to know every upsetting trigger that I have! You nothing about my life before coming to Camelot, you know that I was poor, that I am from a farming village called Elador that's it! For gods sakes sakes what is my mother's name! As for the assumption that I would have told you about everything, you don't know anything! You didn't know that I'm a bastard, that I nearly starved several times during my childhood because we were so poor, you didn't know that I was bullied as child about my ears to my father or rather my lack of one, you didn't know about my m-” he stopped his rant no that was not the way to reveal his magic to Gwaine.“-others health issues a few years ago.” He finished lamely after a slight pause, thinking of the incident with the questing beast a few years ago health issues indeed. But as his head started to clear he looked at the faces surrounding him Lancelot was staring at him in shock mouth hanging open, Gaius was staring his eyesbrows furled and raised to his hairline and worst of all he was staring at Merlin in shock but it was different from the shock on Lancelot’s face Lancelot looked shocked at the fact that Merlin had shouted, Gwaine on the other hand looked like Merlin had just punched him in the stomach, he looked shocked and hurt that Merlin react like that.Merlin's heart was beating in his ears he was breathing heavily but as he calmed down he felt worse and worse he hadn't lost control of his feelings like that he was so lucky that he hadn't destroyed the room with a hurricane or something, secondly the look on Gwaine face was killing him, he started to step forward and opened his mouth to apologize but Gwaine turned tail and ran. Merlin watched him helplessly and started to move toward the door when Lancelot reached out to stop him Merlin shook his hand and said “I need some air.” And left in search of Gwaine.
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Chapter 11As Merlin scrambled through the undergrowth his mind raced coming up with excuses and stories that were dismissed as soon as they came up. No he wouldn't lie to Gwaine, it was clear that even if he wanted to he wouldn't be able to. Gwaine would hear the truth, from beginning to end and who knows maybe then Merlin would feel better about it. He made his final decision just as they broke through the trees and were left gazing out over the lake of Avalon. Without looking back Merlin walked to the shore and sat not looking back and not reacting when Gwaine settled down next him. Merlin took a deep breath and prepared to speak.“I don't know what I am going to tell you, I don't know how or where I am going to start but let me assure you everything I am about to say is the truth.” Throughout his short speech Merlin still hadn't looked at Gwaine and remained rigid as he stared out over the water.“I grew up in a small farming village on the edge of Cenred’s kingdom. I was the bastard child of a poor woman so I wasn't treated very well, despite this I was happy we had just enough food on the table and I was loved. This all changed when I was five. It was just after the harvest and a contingent of men on horseback trouped into our village, at the lead was a king. The village stopped what they were doing and looked on in shock, the king called for silence saying that he was King Urian and he was looking for men and boys to join his army. Naturally my village said no. What right did this man have to our families? We were citizens of Cenred's kingdom not his. Soon after we pointed this out he sighed and simply told the guards to grab any man or boy who looked eligible. Of course our village scattered like sheep when faced with a wolf and in the confusion I was seperated from my mother and knocked down. As I fell I did something, I don't want you to judge me when I tell you just listen.” Merlin took a deep breath and prepared to spill his secrets when Gwaine interrupted him and said,“Just get on with it mate, your just building up suspense here.” Merlin just sighed and continued.“I did magic Gwaine I have magic.” It was only then that Merlin finally looked at Gwaine. Gwaine was sitting staring at Merlin with a strangely blank expression on his face, Merlin sat fidgeting wait for the reaction he believed was coming fear, anger and hatred. What he got instead was a giggle. Merlin's head whipped around and stared and the tremors racking Gwaine's body and the tears of mirth coming to his eyes.“It all makes sense now!” Gwaine half shouted when he finally had his body under control, Merlin continued to stare on in shock as his friend did the exact opposite of what he expected.“The random falling branches, the weird sudden skills, the misdirected arrows and spears, the fire in the slavers lair and you making it through almost every fight unhurt without any armour.” Gwaine continued, with each sentence Merlin's stomach dropped slightly he knew he wasn't that subtle but did all the knights know. Seeing Merlin's fear Gwaine hurriedly covered.“ Don't worry I only noticed because I actually bother watching my surroundings and you while I fight, the others are all too thickheaded to notice you during fights. Except for maybe Lancelot.” Merlin relaxed at that.“It's ok if Lancelot notices he's known almost since we first met.” Seeing Gwaine's slightly hurt face he quickly added.“I didn't tell him he found out because of the griffin.” This left Gwaine with a strangely bemused expression on his face.“Now there’s a story I'll have to hear eventually, but now continue with your story.” Gwaine appeared appeased and much happier now that Merlin was being on the level with him but Merlin was sure that it could snap at any moment.“Once I arrived at the King’s court I was assigned to the… assassins guild.” Once again Merlin paused and checked his friends reaction, Gwaine appeared a bit shocked and it looked like things were starting to add up in mind.“When I arrived I was assigned a room with three other boys. They're names were Galahad, Kay and Bedivere. Kay was a lot like you always laughing and joking, Bedivere was more like Percival I guess strong, large and silent but Galahad was my best friend. He was like Lancelot with a bit of Arthur, kind and loyal to his friends but to his enemies he was brutal and merciless and held long hard grudges. He had magic aswell, he was a Druid and his camp was massacred by Uther as a child he hated Camelot and Uther for that. All three of them had come of their own accord to be trained from an orphanage in Urian's kingdom. They were all seven and I was a scrawny five year old the youngest trainee ever, they adopted me as their younger brother and protected me from the older boys when they could.” Here Merlin paused thinking back on his childhood before the missions and the death, then he plunged back into his story.“When I arrived I didn't want to learn to kill I just wanted to go home and I figured that if I was bad enough at what they were teaching me they would let me go so I only tried when they taught me how to use my magic or to read and write. About two months before the harvest when the boys confronted me about it they then told that the worst boys of each year are cut and released at the Harvest and the Yule, but even though the King may have released them they will become the first kills of the top bays in the year before they reach the gates. With their help I picked up the slack then and worked my way to near the top of the listings and survived the first cut, I hated it but I did it to survive.” Here Merlin took another breather to think about his time at King Urian's court and how to explain it to Gwaine.“I guess the next thing to tell you about is my first kill.”