Art By @kairennart for chapter 1 of "Let Our Souls Resist On Together" (ALSO known as what happens when you ask Tansy what Arthur should be wearing and she is in a humorous mood.)
Merlin was approaching him slowly across the grass. His hands were raised tentatively, almost appeasingly. After hearing Merlin call him a monster in his dreams, Arthur did not want Merlin approaching him like that. His veins seemed to fill with ice water.
“Merlin! What are you doing? Stop it!” Merlin looked scared… of him? The very idea was horrifying. He wanted Merlin to stop. He needed Merlin to stop.
Merlin had almost reached him now. “Arthur… How are you feeling? Is there anything you suddenly want to do?” His voice was high and thin, his hands partly extended with flat palms out. Merlin looked as if he was trying to gauge the danger of a magical monster. He looked as if he expected Arthur might turn on him and become the enemy he had named him in Arthur’s dream.
“What are you talking about?” Arthur snapped. “I’m fine! You are the one walking over to me like I might explode!”
“Arthur. Everything is going to be okay, I promise.” Merlin was still watching him with a wary look, but there was determination and a bit of fury in his eyes now as well that was swiftly growing.
“Why would everything not be okay? What is going on?” Arthur demanded.
“Because they are trying something on you… I don’t know what it is, Arthur, but I will stop them.” Merlin hesitantly placed a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “There has to be a spell I can use to tell… if they are still… At least on you… I know you well enough, so I should be able to...”
What was he talking about? Merlin paused for a moment, then spoke the words __Drycraeft cyþan nec. Sy Sidhe galdorleóþ geweald on inan andweardnes
. Arthur felt Merlin’s spell wash over him. It felt comforting as usual, yet he remained alarmed and confused.
His sorcerer let out a breath of relief, then rushed forward and wrapped both his arms around Arthur, murmuring into his neck, “It's not actively controlling you… If it's still in you, it's dormant.”
Arthur tried to ignore his growing dread at the words ‘actively controlling you’. He spoke firmly and insistently, trying to ignore his fear. “Merlin. I’m going to ask one more time, and you NEED to answer me. What. Is. Going. On?”
Despite his demanding tone, he wrapped his arms around Merlin, returning the embrace. Then held him by the shoulders as they broke apart.
Merlin looked at him, pupils still dilated in alarm, though he sounded calmer. “When you teleported… your eyes turned red,” he said as if this explained everything.
“What does that mean?” Arthur demanded.
“It means you were under some sort of Sidhe magic… or that you were using Sidhe magic.” Merlin continued softly, meeting Arthur's eyes.
Read it Here
