Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been so long. College has been forcing itself down my throat and I had to get hypothetical surgery to remove it. But I have started writing again, and I am working very hard on my Relationships fic (which may turn out to be 7 chapters rather than the expected 6). As for this fic, I entered a Merlin fanfiction contest on Tumblr a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I would post my contest submissions on here as well!
This was my fic for Prompt 1. The prompt was "Poison", along with this image: http : / / media. tumblr. com/ tumblr _ ljm6shPZvc1qepbru. jpg . The word count was around 1,000 words, and I wrote 1,103. This fic got me into the second round, so I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the beauty that is Merlin.
Gwaine had been missing for two days and Merlin knew it was his fault. Part of him wanted to blame the mysterious woman who had shown up on Camelot's doorstep three days prior, but even that part was hesitant to do so. Merlin had found the woman far too suspicious for comfort when she first arrived, but he had told no one, save for Gwaine. The woman looked far too healthy to be the lost traveler she claimed to be, but when he explained to Gwaine the things he had observed, he had managed to convince his friend only that he fancied the girl. The two had fought, Merlin had stormed away, and that had been the last anyone had seen of Gwaine.
Now Merlin found himself traipsing through the forest with Arthur and Sir Lancelot in search of their friend. Surprisingly, it had been Arthur who had approached Merlin about the issue first rather than the other way around. In all technicality, Merlin had brought it up first, but Arthur had cut him off by asking where Gwaine was before his servant could get out the words "I was wondering if". Merlin had confessed that he had not seen Gwaine since the fight in the stables, and Arthur had confessed that Merlin had officially been the last to see Gwaine. At first, Arthur had instructed a few knights to scour the citadel and surrounding villages, assuming that Gwaine had gotten city itch once again and had left to explore some new bars. When Gaius informed Merlin and Arthur, however, that the suspicious young woman hadn't been seen for two days as well, the search grid was widened. Merlin had feared the worst: that his friend had been abducted and taken to an enemy kingdom either to be executed or ransomed. He hadn't expected to find Gwaine within three hours of leaving Camelot.
Nor had he expected to find Gwaine bound and gagged in a cave, lying at the feet of the young woman.
He had expected least of all for Gwaine to start writhing in pain and his veins to glow a bright green the moment his eyes met Merlin's.
The young woman cackled darkly and stepped over the knight, her long beige cloak sliding carelessly over his jerking shoulders. She looked Merlin up and down, circling him as he tensed and clenched his fists tightly.
"What are you doing to him?" Merlin screamed at her. He saw Arthur and Lancelot rush to Gwaine out of the corner of his eye, but he knew there was naught they could do.
"What am I doing? Oh Merlin, I'm offended," The woman, who until then had naught a speck of skin showing, lifted her hand and tossed back the hood of her cloak. Merlin's eyes widened in horror as she revealed veins that were equally as bright and sinister as Gwaine's. "I merely turned his emotional pain into a physical one. It's your fault there is any pain at all."
"What are you talking about, and how do you know my name?"
"Oh Merlin, I know many things. What I do not know is why you allow your friend to suffer so. All of this is unnecessary, you know. Though why he would succumb to a scrawny influence such as yourself is far beyond me."
"Tell me how to save him." Merlin wasn't the least bit surprised to find that he was crying, nor did he care who saw.
"It is Love, my dear. Love and its sister Anguish."
"Tell me how to save him!" In the background, Gwaine's agonizing screams were beginning to turn into dying whimpers.
"Such impatience. There are three ways to save him. One would leave him near death, one would leave him more alive than he's ever been, and one would leave him alive, but a different person. I cannot tell you which action will lead to which option. You have to figure that out for yourself. All I can tell you is that you, Merlin, are the poison in his veins. Only you have the antidote he is so…" The woman tossed a glance over her shoulder at her captive. "Desperate…to attain. Well, what are you waiting for? If you're going to save him, then I suggest it be sooner rather than later. You do know how impatient that man can be."
After glaring at the horrid captor for one final second, Merlin dashed toward Gwaine, kneeling next to his head and holding his hands just inches above his friend's skin. "Gwaine…can you hear me?" Merlin gulped, letting out a little breath he hadn't known he was holding when Gwaine nodded jerkily. "Alright…I…I'm so sorry. Gwaine I'm so, so sorry I didn't see it. I had no idea how you felt, honest I didn't. But…I want you to know…I feel the same way too."
Merlin sat up a bit straighter as the glow in Gwaine's veins began to dim. He didn't notice Arthur and Lancelot beginning to back away. He didn't notice the young woman beginning to fade. He didn't notice anything except for Gwaine. "I…I love you."
As soon as those final three words had been uttered, the toxic green in Gwaine's veins disappeared entirely. His body relaxed, the pain left, and the woman faded entirely. Merlin sighed with relief and began to untie his friend who, the moment his hands were free, pulled Merlin into a tight hug.
"What took you so long, friend?" Gwaine laughed, tousling Merlin's hair. Merlin smiled up at him, utterly confused.
"We had to check all the bars in Albion first."
"Pah, you and I both know that the citadel has the best mead in Camelot."
"So…are you two not going to discuss what just happened? Like, how Merlin just confessed his love for you, Gwaine, or, better yet, why an apparent witch just faded into oblivion?" Arthur suddenly stormed over, looking rather haggard and confused.
Gwaine simply shrugged. "Everything that needed to be said about the first topic was just said, and I'm sure you and Sir Prancelot will be able to figure out the second on your own. After all, Merlin and I didn't even see the fine lady vanish."
Gwaine had been missing for two days and Merlin knew it was his fault. Part of him wanted to blame the mysterious woman who had shown up on Camelot's doorstep three days prior, but even that part was hesitant to do so. The other part blamed himself wholeheartedly, and unlike just minutes before, he found himself rather thrilled that he was the cause of Gwaine's pain and subsequent love.