Magic Flames

He was in a cage. They were bringing him here in a cage, like some sort of animal. Even Uther, the man who made all this happen, had to turn around. He couldn't watch the death of his old friend, and yet he did nothing to stop it, even when he had the power to do so.

"Easy there! Show some respect!" Arthur yelled at Aredian. The man who said that Gaius was a sorcerer. But Gaius was the man who knew him since birth, he was like an uncle to him. He always took good care of him, how could he be a sorcerer?

Aredian paid little attention to what Arthur told him, he took Gaius by his arms and helped him up to the stake. He tied his hands around the high tree trunk in the middle and smiled when he realized what he had accomplished. Gaius was about to die. In flames. Brilliant.

"Arthur!" Someone called him. It was Gwen. "Arthur! You've got to stop this!" She told him hurriedly. Arthur looked at her, and then back at Gaius. He knew that he couldn't do anything. Uther had made his decision.

"Come on, Gwen, you know I can't." He replied. He didn't want to look at her, at her face and into her brown eyes. He couldn't see how disappointed she was. "My father has already passed the sentence, there's nothing I can do." Arthur said. He didn't want Gaius to die, but how could he stand against his father, the king?

"You can do the right thing, Arthur Pendragon!" She said and Arthur looked at her. She had used her scolding voice. "You can show some faith in a loyal friend or you can stand by and watch an innocent man die!"

"Guinevere-"

"You did it once before to my father!" She said and looked at him pleadingly. "Are you really willing to let it happen again?" He looked at her. "And you can stop looking at me like that, I know I'm only a servant." She looked down for a few seconds and then back into his eyes. "I thought you were a prince! So start behaving like one!"

Arthur looked back at Aredian. That man had already lit the torch for Gaius. Gwen was right, Gaius was innocent. He had to be. It was all Aredian. How come they trust a man they know only a few days over a man they've known their whole lives?

Gaius looked away from the fire, his long white hair blowing in the wind. Aredian came closer to the stake with the fire prepared in his hand. He came closer and closer, lowered the torch to the straw and branches around Gaius. It was now or never.

"Wait!" Arthur yelled at him, but it was too late.

Too late.

The straw was glowing with red and yellow flames and the fire was quickly growing, making its way towards the innocent Gaius. "Ohh!" Gaius moaned, looking at the flames with fear in eyes. The heat was still closer and closer to him.

"No!" Gwen cried out and started crying. Arthur took her hand, but she put both her hands to her mouth, crying loudly. "No!" She sobbed. Arthur hugged her, not caring about anyone who might see them.

Arthur made himself watch and looked into Gaius face for one last time. His mouth was open, and he was sweating through his white tunic. It was terrible. Arthur didn't want to, but he had tears in eyes. He knew the man his whole life, and Gwen was right. He could have stopped it.

Suddenly the flames disappeared and all people gasped in unison. Gwen pulled away from Arthur's chest and looked at Gaius. He looked just as confused as all other people around him. Uther came back when he didn't hear Gaius' expected screams and looked at the situation through the balcony.

"Sorcery!" He yelled, looking around. "He has an accomplice! Find him!" He ordered and soon the knights started looking around.

Aredian took his torch and started the fire again.

"No!" Arthur tried to stop him, but he didn't even have to, the flames disappeared again. Arthur quickly looked at Gaius. The old man was looking somewhere into the crowd of citizens. Arthur followed his gaze and found the person responsible.

It was... Merlin?

The boy's hands were clenched in fists and his face was desperate, concentrating. He was crying. Suddenly the windows in the castle shattered and the glass fell down into the courtyard. People started panicking, they ran in all directions, all of them wanting to get away and not wanting to be held by the knights as suspects.

Arthur took Gwen into his arms again, protecting her from the shards flying through the air. Wait, was Merlin alright? He was much closer to the windows! Arthur looked again at his servant, his friend and focused on his face. He gasped.

Not only was Merlin standing still like a statue, not caring about the glass or other people.

His eyes were...

gold.