The Eyebrow
Summary: Unable to stand Gaius' eyebrow, Merlin decides to kill him.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I own neither Merlin nor Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart.
It is impossible to say when I first truly took note of it; but once I had, the thought would never leave me be. Every time I looked at him I saw it, that monstrosity. I have nothing against the old man—I loved him dearly! He had never wronged me, never given me insult, nor I him.
It was his eyebrow.
He had a habit of it, raising that eyebrow whenever he looked at me, as though not he but the eyebrow, The Eyebrow, disapproved of me, disliked me, even hated me. Whenever it turned towards me, my blood ran cold, and I despaired of ever escaping it.
Then it came to me, slowly, like the forming of an icicle in winter: the idea came to me that I should kill the old man. Then I would truly be free of The Eyebrow.
I was never kinder to Gaius than during that week before I killed him. Every day, I did as he asked, and even more: I cleaned the leech tank without complaint, polished the multitudes of vials and glasses, dusted his books, and had his robes washed. And every night, when I returned from my other duties as the prince's manservant, I looked in on him sleeping behind his screen.
And wouldn't you be surprised?
Even in sleep that wretched thing, that immovable force upon the man's face, The Eyebrow still sensed my presence!
Each night my anger towards The Eyebrow grew. How I hated it for growing upon my guardian's brow, for acting of its own accord. It seemed dear Gaius hadn't the faintest idea the pain that monster caused me. If he had, he would have taken matters into his own hands.
But I—I did not want to bother him about it. The Eyebrow and I were enemies, and as such I had to do away with it myself. We were locked in mortal combat—The Eyebrow and I, not Gaius. It was never Gaius.
And one night my hatred of The Eyebrow overflowed.
I had just gotten back from tucking the prince into his bed, and looked in on Gaius sleeping. And there, there was The Eyebrow again! It never rested! In fact, it seemed to only grow stronger by the day. Soon it would have completely taken control, and no force in this world could have prevented it.
I had to act immediately.
But of course I didn't want to hurt Gaius, poor, poor Gaius. I had to find a way to do it quietly, softly. So I was going to smother him quickly.
When I went to fetch my pillow so as not to disturb his head, my leg knocked over a stool, waking Gaius.
"Who's there?" he cried out. "Merlin? Are you all right?"
He turned to look around, and there—! The Hateful Eyebrow once more appeared.
There was no time to lose.
I took up the nearest weapon, the fire poker, and raised it high.
Poor, poor Gaius! Quick in mind but slow in aged body. But The Eyebrow—I had to do it, I had to do it! I had to get rid of it!
"Merlin?!"
I—thwack!
Must—thwack!
Get—thwack!
Rid—thwuck!
Of—thwunck!
It—thwurrrck!
There…There…It is done…The Eyebrow would raise no more.