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He turned to leave again and Gaius pressed his luck once more. “Sire, what of Merlin?”
At that Uther did look around. “Where is the boy? Was he changed as well?”
Gaius had no idea if Merlin was changed or not, just as he did not know if he played a role in all of this and, more importantly, just where he currently was. “Your men did not return with him.”
Uther turned to the nearest knight and demanded, “My son, my ward, and their servants left together. There were four of them. Why did you think to only return three?”
It was Leon who was bold enough to answer. He stepped forward and offered, “We thought it best to return the prince and you ward to the safety of the castle, especially in light of their new conditions.”
Gaius turned on him before Uther had the chance to. “Did you even bother to look for him? Changed or not, you left him alone in a forest with a known sorcerer. At best, he is his usual self and left at their mercy. At worst he is as young as the others and completely defenseless!” He thought of Merlin, full-sized, fighting off the sorcerer, unleashing his own magic only to be left injured or dying with no one to help, no one to bring him home. His mind then drifted to the child he had known nearly two decades ago, barely toddling about, skinny as all get out, and surrounded by all the dangers the forest had to offer.
Uther sighed and Gaius honestly could not tell if he was about to defend his knights’ actions, or agree with him. The decision was apparently made for him though when Arthur pulled himself back into a standing position with the help of his father’s boot and pointed to the window set high in the wall above his head. “Merlin!” he declared, as clear as day. At the questioning looks he received, he pinched his lips together in an expression eerily reminiscent of his older self. “Want Merlin!” he shouted. He pointed again to the window and even stomped his foot. “Want Merlin now!”
Gaius crouched down to his level, silently cursing his aging joints for popping with the action. “Arthur?” he asked, drawing the child’s attention to him. “Did you see Merlin?”
The little blond head nodded vigorously. “Merlin,” he repeated.
Figuring it was worth the try, he asked, “Was Merlin small like you, or big like Leon over there?” He did not dare ask the child to compare Merlin to himself, knowing the age difference would confuse him.
Arthur seemed to think about it for a moment before he said, “Merlin big.” Gaius heaved a sigh of relief. Right up until the boy added, “Big like me.”
Uther cursed and all three knights paled. “Find him!” he ordered.
no subject
He turned to leave again and Gaius pressed his luck once more. “Sire, what of Merlin?”
At that Uther did look around. “Where is the boy? Was he changed as well?”
Gaius had no idea if Merlin was changed or not, just as he did not know if he played a role in all of this and, more importantly, just where he currently was. “Your men did not return with him.”
Uther turned to the nearest knight and demanded, “My son, my ward, and their servants left together. There were four of them. Why did you think to only return three?”
It was Leon who was bold enough to answer. He stepped forward and offered, “We thought it best to return the prince and you ward to the safety of the castle, especially in light of their new conditions.”
Gaius turned on him before Uther had the chance to. “Did you even bother to look for him? Changed or not, you left him alone in a forest with a known sorcerer. At best, he is his usual self and left at their mercy. At worst he is as young as the others and completely defenseless!” He thought of Merlin, full-sized, fighting off the sorcerer, unleashing his own magic only to be left injured or dying with no one to help, no one to bring him home. His mind then drifted to the child he had known nearly two decades ago, barely toddling about, skinny as all get out, and surrounded by all the dangers the forest had to offer.
Uther sighed and Gaius honestly could not tell if he was about to defend his knights’ actions, or agree with him. The decision was apparently made for him though when Arthur pulled himself back into a standing position with the help of his father’s boot and pointed to the window set high in the wall above his head. “Merlin!” he declared, as clear as day. At the questioning looks he received, he pinched his lips together in an expression eerily reminiscent of his older self. “Want Merlin!” he shouted. He pointed again to the window and even stomped his foot. “Want Merlin now!”
Gaius crouched down to his level, silently cursing his aging joints for popping with the action. “Arthur?” he asked, drawing the child’s attention to him. “Did you see Merlin?”
The little blond head nodded vigorously. “Merlin,” he repeated.
Figuring it was worth the try, he asked, “Was Merlin small like you, or big like Leon over there?” He did not dare ask the child to compare Merlin to himself, knowing the age difference would confuse him.
Arthur seemed to think about it for a moment before he said, “Merlin big.” Gaius heaved a sigh of relief. Right up until the boy added, “Big like me.”
Uther cursed and all three knights paled. “Find him!” he ordered.