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Everybody has a Fear. Not a little fear, something you can ignore or surpass, a Fear with a capital F, irrational, indomitable, and sometimes without any sense.
Merlin lives half his life in Camelot in fear someone discovers his magic, forcing him to go in the pyre, and the other half trying to forget this probability, as the ban was lifted and with his new position as Court Sorcerer no-one can force him into the fire. But the Fear stayed.
So when in the middle of a Rond Table session the bell rings, with the specific rythme for fire Merlin froze. Rationally he knows it’s not for him and when Arthur touches his arm he reacts urgently. At this exact moment George barge into the room, shouting :
“Fire in the lower town ! It’s Gwen’s old house”
Lance was the first to react followed by all the knights, the King and the court Sorcerer.
As the company runs, Arthur shouts instructions to contain the fire and protect the town people. But Merlin doesn’t stop, he was the first to arrive in front of the burning house, followed closely by a panicked Lancelot.
When Merlin began to calm himself to try magic, he was distracted by a man exiting the burning hell. Elyan was in a bad shape, coughing and spitting black bile. Percival rushed at his side supporting him, while he refocused his eyes on Lancelot, and with a small nod put the proud knight in a total shock.
This time Merlin doesn't flinch and began an incantation, only to stop abruptly :
“This is not a normal fire, there is black magic in it, I think there is an artefact in the house, something blocked my spells, I need to go in there”
At this worlds Arthur flinch and put himself in front of Merlin :
“Can you protect yourself ? Can you protect me so I can come ?”
“No, you stay here, I will need all my magic to stop the fire, I can’t worry about you in the same time and if you’re here I have something to go back to” After this world, he turns and put his hand on Lancelot shoulder, but before Merlin can says the comforting world he wants, his best friend look at him in the eyes and whisper to him :
“remember it’s not it, we will save you every time, just scream and we’ll be here”
The sorcerer takes a moment to look into his friend and his lover, put his neckerchief on his nose and enters the burning hell.
The raven rapidly enters the main room of the small house, finding Gwen on the floor, inanimate, barely moving, with her clothes practically all on fire. Without losing a moment Merlin reacted on instinct, eye became gold and without a word sent Gwen on an air mattress across the burning place, not stooping before sensing her finish her course in someone's arms.
Now that his friend is out of here he can investigate, he starts to look around but the place feels more and more hot, he begins to feel lightheaded by the smoke. Merlin starts panicking when he lets his magic take the lead and finds a black stone, but when he takes it found it’s cold. During his times at the court, legally or not, he has read about a lot of subjects and learn enough counterspells to react rapidly. He elaborated an incantation and it seemed like time stopped, the magic flux started to converge on the hand of the sorcerer and suddenly the cold stone turned into water.
The fire didn’t stop for it and the sudden movement followed by the energetic explosion destroyed the house entrance. Merlin sees his only way out disappear and anywhere he puts his eye he only sees flame.
The Fear his back.
He began to panic, as the smoke darkened his vision he saw his old nightmare come to life. The sorcerer hears shouts, takes it as a royal rage, he betrayed him and deserves to die. If Arthur wants him on the pyre why would he fight ? Even crying is useless, tears disappearing immediately, all he could do is accept the end. He just remembered to scream before finally give out.
But as Merlin falls he doesn't feel the ground, he lands on a pair of safe arms. And as he was preparing to finish here, immobile like stone he felt the ground moving. When he finally register someone as came for him he starts resisting, crying :
“Stop, please let me be here ! Arthur wants me dead ! I deserve it… Please for his love !”
“Merlin, stop moving please !” shout a very familiar voice. And Merlin froze when he thought he knew this voice. But he cannot be this voice, it must be another one, this voice who saved him wants him dead…
Minutes after the mysterious apparition Merlin feels some fresh air on his face, realizing he must be out of the burning hell.
He felt his savior flinch and put him on the ground as the man started coughing violently. With the fresh air come a little more consciousness, merlin coming back to present and murmur to the knight : “the fire isn’t magic anymore, you can end it”
His eyes started to close when he realized he hadn't seen Arthur since he exited the house. In a shock, all the events rush to him and he sits up abruptly searching for his lover and finding him near Leon finalizing a painful cough on the arm of his first knight. The king turn to him when he hear Gwaine trying to maintain still Merlin, as he sees his lover conscious he came in a hurry and takes his hand :
“Cariad you frightened me… What happened there ?”
“I… I… Arthur … Arthur you came… for me ?”
“Always my love”
“You shouldn’t have … I’m not worth it … I…”
“Now is not the time for this talk, come on you need Gaius”
After these few worlds Merlin found himself on the same safe arm and as they started heading for the citadelles he slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened them again he was in his and Arthur's bed and it was nighttime. Slowly he sat up, finding his lover deeply asleep, curled on the other side of the bed, the sorcerer found a cup of water on the bed table and after drinking he slipped into the arms of his king and found sleep again.
When morning came, Merlin stirred and opened his eyes on blues ones looking at him. With a smile Merlin wanted to kiss his king but Arthur stops him, and with a ferm voice, still looking at him says :
“Merlin, I never, will never and in any universe or timeline let you go on the pyre. I need you to understand that, you were never in danger since you came. Because since you came to Camelot, Camelot loves you, since you came in Camelot, I love you. You need to says to me you understand you’re worth saving, you’re the heart of this kingdoms and of mine and not one of the men and women on the round table will hesitate one second to risque everything to see you alive”
When Arthur finished his last sentence Merlin was in tears, the king placed his lover on his heart, firmly closing his arm on him, and kissed his forehead, a single tear running down his cheek.