The Labyrinth of Gredef

(MERLIN POV)

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"Tell me again why we had to go on another pointless hunting trip?" I Sighed grumbling as I carried Arthurs arrows through the forest. A yawn fighting to break from my lips. I had only just returned from Eldador yesterday, when Arthur barged into my room this morning demanding I get up. I of course shrieked and hid under my blankets as I was in my night gown. Yet the oblivious prat not taking the hint thought I was just being stubborn so proceeded to rip the blankets from me. Yep his cheek is still sore from my hand slapping him silly, if the way he keeps rubbing at it is any indication.

"Its not pointless. Its sport. Not to mention meat for the kitchens." Artthur argued his hand once more unconsciously lifting to rub at his bruised cheek. I smirked at that. I may not have meant to slap him so hard but I certainly hope he thinks twice next time before forgetting his chivary next time. Though the tounge lashing Gauis gave him when he found Arthur in my bedroom. Without supervision probably  scared him worse than my anger any day.

"Arthur the kitchens are over flowing with food right now. They don't need any more meat at the moment.  Your just killing for fun, and..."

"Quiet do you hear that." Arthur whispered intruppting me as he crept cautiously forward. Rolling my eyes I followed grumbling quietly under my breath. Suddenly he stopped a grin spreading on his face as one of horror appeared on mine.

"Arthur no!" I hissed as Arthur yanked an arrow from my hands and loaded his bow. Eyes never leaving the snow white unicorn in the clearing. I watched in stunned disbelief as he sent the sharp object spinning through the air straight into the creatures side. I gasped in pain as my magic cried out in anger and pain at the death of a creature so pure. It was like I was the one laying on the ground bleeding rather than the unicorn.

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as Arthur whooping in victory charged over to his kill. Crowing and dancing happily over the creature as its tired dying eyes watched its killer rejoice at its suffering. Suddenly its fluttering brown eyes found mine. The moment our eyes connected my knees collasped. The sheer pain and sorrow consuming me was over whelming. Its like the entire earth was suddenly screaming at me. Feeling my heart with terror over what Arthur had done.

I knew just by looking into those suffering brown eyes as the light slowly faded from them. That this was not over. Arthur just made a big mistake. The figure that suddenly appeared in the shadows across from the unicorn watching me seemed to agree. For his eyes were like flames promising retrubution before he vanished once more. Only after he had gone did I become aware of Arthur crouching beside me looking at me in concern.

"Merlin. Whats wrong? Are you..." He started placing a hand on my shoulder which I promptly shook off.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled pushing him away and shakily getting to my feet. Stumbling I shakily wobbled over to the now dead unicorn. Collapsing beside it I placed gentle fingers on its eye lids. Slowly closing them so it looked like it was merely sleeping.

"Merlin what in the blazes are you doing?" Arthur asked bewildered as he approached us. I felt my anger burst at that. The fool doesn't he know the legends? Jumping to my feet and spinning angrily around I glared at him with so much anger that he physically recoiled at the sight of me. Eyes blazing, cheeks wet and tear streaked I ripped him apart where he stood. Shaking in my rage.

"YOU FOOL! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! A UNICORN IS SCARED! THEY CARRY A CURSE FOR THOSE STUPID ENOUGH TO KILL THEM! YOU HAVE DAMNED US ALL!" I screamed quivering in anger. He gaped at me. Shocked at my anger until finally he came back to himself and squared his shoulders. 

"Thats ridiculous.  Thats just an old wives tale." He laughed brushing past me as he knelt by the creature.

"Yeah thats what Roger thought to, but now he's dead." He glanced up at that confusion in his eyes. An unspoken question on his lips.

"Roger was stubborn mule from the village. He was a bit arrogant  and looked down his nose at anyone who he deemed below him. Also didn't help that he was the village elders son. Well he asked me to marry him one day and of course I said no. He didn't take kindly to me saying no and decided to woe me.  He did everything possible from gifts, to singing some crappy song trying to convince me to agree. I of course said no still. He vowed to convince me to say yes. The next day he appeared at my cottage with a package. Handing it to me he smirked as he watched me open it and scream in horror at the horn. He had apparently come across a unicorn while hunting and thought i would fall head over heels in love with him if he brought me the horn. I was horrified.  Everyone in the village knew the rumors of a curse befalling those who killed a unicorn. Roger had thought it a myth. No one knows exactly what happened but shortly there after his whole family caught the measles and died. He soon followed. We had to pick a new village elder because of it. Some called it a coincidence.  Me I believe it the curse." I solemnly stated watching as he rolled his eyes at me.

"Honestly Merlin. I highly doubt it. It was most likely just an unfortunate coincidence." Arthur scoffed turning back to his kill. Clamping my lips shut I watched in silence as he withdrew his sword and sawed off the horn. Each bite of the blade through flesh making me cringe as my magic screamed in agony. Pulling the horn off the corpse he turned to me holding it up in triumph. 

"Now isn't that a beauty. Can't wait to show my dad. Here Merlin you can carry it." He sang plopping the bloody horn in my arms and walking away. Obvious to my agony as the blood felt like acid against my skin as my magic rebelled against the horrific act preformed here. I felt like sobbing as I reverently wrapped the horn in cloth, (ignoring my blistering skin where the blood touched.), and sadly followed after my master.

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I could practically feel Arthur's eyes boring into my back as I hunched over the bloody sword he gave me to clean. Yet still I ignored him. Gauis and the king upon hearing of Arthur's trophy had very different reactions. The king of course was delighted wanting to mount it on a wall in the treasury. Gauis had repeated the legend of the curse.  Which shortly thereafter the sudden plague affecting the kingdom . Water turning to sand, grain dying in a matter of seconds, food in the kitchen spoiling or growing mold. The kingdom in just half a day of us being away was in full blown famine mode. Already the king was calling for the rationing of what grain we had stored. Along with a mandatory curfew. Not to mention Anhora showing up and claiming Arthur killing the unicorn brought a curse upon the land, and that Arthur will be tested 3 times to see if he is pure of heart. If he fails the test camelot will fall. So needless to say Arthur was grumpy as I wasn't talking to him and Gauis wasn't talking to him unless nessicary.

"Oh come on Merlin how long do you plan to be mad at me." Arthur complained leaning against the wall by the window. I ignored him choosing instead to focus on the sword. While also attempting not to flinch every time the blood touched my skin. I am actually surprised Arthur hasn't noticed the small blisters on my hand now. Though he never was very observant.

"Merlin it was just a unicorn. The curse is not re..."

"Oh and I suppose Gauis saying the same thing as me, or this famine, or even Ahnora..."

"That Sorcerer was lying Merlin. He was the one who cursed us not the unicorn. Once I kill him the curse will end."

"Arthur he said the curse even upon his death won't be lifted unless you pass the tests. I doubt you running him through will fix things."

"He was lying. You can't trust anything sorcerers say. They are all liars." Arthur huffed looking out the window into the darkened courtyard below. I was about to respond when the frown on Arthur's face caught my attention.

"Whats wrong. " I ask moving beside him and placing the now clean sword on the table. Glancing out the window I frown as I notice a shadowy figure sneaking into the storage building where the reserved grain is.

"Stay here." Arthur said grabbing his sword and marching out the door. I snorted as I followed him. Like I was going to stay behind. I may be mad at him but I wasn't about to leave him to the wolves. He merely rolled his eyes when he saw me following. Obviously knowing that I would disregard his orders.

"Fine stay behind me than." He sighed. Nodding I following quietly as we snuck into the grain building where a scraggly man was working on taking one of the grain bags.

"Halt." Arthur orders rushing forward and pointing his sword into the mans filthy shirt back. Slowly turning around. The mans terrified green eyes meet Arthurs unimpressed blues.

"Please don't kill me. I have a family." He whimpered trembling under Arthurs gaze.

"Should have thought of that before trying to steal. Stealing food during a famine is grounds for execution." Arthur spat his sword never wavering as it rose to set comftably on the mans bobbing adams apple.

"I'm sorry. I was desperate. My daughter is starving. She is all I have left. Please don't make me leave her an orphan." He begged tears pooling in his eyes. Arthur stared at him a moment before sighing and sheathing his sword.

"Go, but don't let me catch you in here again. I won't be so merciful next time." He smiles putting down the bag of grain as he profusely thanks the prince for his mercy. Yet as he goes to leave Arthur stops him. Grabbing his arm to get his attention.

"Wait." Turning to the prince in confusion we watch as Arthur stooping down grabs the small bag of grain and hands it to the man.

"Here use this sparingly. Don't know when you may be able to get more." Arthur stated watching as tears pool once more in the mans as he sobs his gratitude.

"Thank you so much. Thank you sire this will bring its own rewards." He cried smiling at Arthur before disappearing around the corner. By this point my anger from early had completely faded. Its times like this that remind me just how wonderful a king Arthur will one day make. Obviously Ahnora agrees for the next day the sand in the wells turn back to water. The curse has begun to lift. Just two more tests to go.

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"You have failed the second test." Ahnora proclaims sending ice through my blood. After the water had been restored Arthur had decided to go and hunt for Ahnora in the area the unicorn had died in. While looking for him we had run across a druid gathering herbs in the forest. I could tell just by looking at him that he didn't have any powers. Arthur also noticed this and was going to let him go but than the druid had started to mock the prince. Arthur in his anger had killed the man. Which brings us to now.

"W...what but how?" Arthur stammered attempting to hold his ground as he glared at the unicorn protector. Though even from here I could tell Arthur was panicking.

"You killed an innocent man just to satisfy your anger. The man had no magic, nor did he carry any weapons. Yet you killed him why?"

"He called me a toad stool." Arthur excalimed as if that was explanation enough.

"So you killed him for it? Just because he said some un kind things you ran him through?" Ahnora asked raising an eyebrow and glancing at the bloody corpse beside him. I winced at that. I knew killing the man was a bad idea, but does the prat ever listen to me? Noo of course not. Why would he listen to his maidservant?

"Well I mean..." Ahnora shook his head sadly. His eyes sorrowful as he spoke.

"You should have just ignored him. For because ypu listened to your ego and killed a man who did nothing wrong but say a few insults Camelot is doomed." Arthur paled at that. His sword following to the ground as he dropped to his knees.

"Please don't punish my people for my wrongs. Please have mercy on them."

"Its not me who is punishing them. You brought this on yourself. Goodbye Arthur Pendragon."

"No wait!" Arthur called lunging foreward to grab him only to be met with air as Ahnora vanished. Arthur pushing himself onto his feet and sheathening his sword. Dejectedly walked past me. A sorrowful look in his eyes. Camelot is doomed.

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When we got back it was to the wails of the people as the last of the grain had rotted away. The water had returned to sand, and children had started getting sick and dying. For the next few days as the people slowly withered away Arthur disappeared to the forest for hours on end. Begging Ahnora to give him another chance. It was during one of these times that I decided to follow him to the clearing. Finding him kneeling in the grass, overlooking a cliff, sobbing as he screamed into the air to forgive him and give him another chance.

After a moment of watching him I decided to say something. So slowly as to not startle him I placed my hand on his shoulder. Opening my mouth to speak I was cut off. Gasping in shock as the ground suddenly crumbled beneath us throwing us over the edge of the cliff we were over looking. Eyes glowing golden i managed to grab onto the edge of the cliff with one hand and Arthur with the other. I could feel my muscles trembling in my arm as I struggled to hold both our weight.

"Don't worry I got you." I panted through gritted teeth as Arthur cradled a no doubt broken arm to his chest as he stared wide eyed at me. His other arm clutched desperately in my trembling hand.

"Merlin you can't hold both of us."

"I have to. I will. Is there any way you can use me as a ladder and climb up."

"No I hit my arm going over. I think its broken." Arthur anwsered making me groan at the situation. Also doesn't held that the hand holding us up is my weakened hand from the unicorns blood.

"Merlin..." He starts only for me to cut him off. I knew by his tone where his mind just went. There was no way I was allowing it.

"No get that thought out of your head you prat. I am not letting you fall." I snapped attempting to lift him up only to gasp in pain and lower him again. My fingers on the cliff slipping a little.

"Merlin we aren't both going to make it. If you don't let me go we will both fall."

"No that is not an option. I am not letting you die." I spat tears forming in my eyes at the thought.

"While I won't let you die because of me. I'm sorry Merlin."

"No Artgur don't!" He gave me a gentle sad smile before pulling his hand free and falling into the darkness below.

"ARTHUR!!!" I scream panicking. Suddenly in the midst of my horror I am surrounded by a golden light that pulls me into the air and sets me safely onto the grass. A few minutes later the unconscious body of my prince appears from the abiss and lands gently beside me. I scramble over to him. My hands trembling as I check for a pulse. I nerly burst out laughing in relief at the strong heart beat beneath my fingers. Its at this revelation that I realize we are not alone. Looking up I frown as I see Ahnora smiling down at us.

"Arthur has passed the final test." My frown deepens in confusion.

"I tjought after he failed the 2nd test he wasn't going to get another one." He chuckles at that.

"Yes that was the plan, but the earth was touched by Arthurs remorse and decided to give him another chance. By him being willing to offer his life so you could live he has proved himself pure of heart. The curse will be lifted. Congratulations Emrys." He laughed disappearing in thin air and leaving me alone with Arthur once more. Glancing fondly down at the unconscious prince I smile as I smack his chest. Huffing in slight annoyance as I wait for him to awaken.

"Stupid prat you scared me."