This was the last straw! Arthur was supposed to have a dawn training session today and Merlin hadn't woken him up. Arthur had been lenient for the past few months because the boy had never been a servant before, but after six months, the idiot should have gotten used to the schedule.
He no sooner dressed than Morgana burst into the room followed by Gaius and Uther.
"Thank the gods!" Morgana exclaimed before throwing her arms around the confused prince's neck.
"Sire, where is Merlin?" Arthur looked up at the fear in the physician's voice.
"I was just going to look for him, he never showed up this morning. Why? What has happened?" Arthur could see the relief in his father's face. Combine that with Gaius fear and Morgana's hug, something bad had happened.
"If he didn't… No! Gwen!" As quickly as she had come, Morgana fled the room in panic.
"What is going on?" Arthur was at a complete loss as to what all this was about.
"Someone tried to poison me this morning as well as a few of the council members. My taster caught the poison, but he did not survive. Sirs Allen and Caldwich are dead as well. It appears that your servant's tardiness may have just saved your life." Uther's eyes showed his relief, but none of it showed in his voice.
"Merlin has been your taster since the witch tried to blame King Bayard for attempting to kill you. If there was poison in your food this morning, he consumed it." Gaius explained in a worried tone.
"Oh Gods!" Arthur took of running, following the odd path he knew Merlin used to avoid the crowded hallways.
No one would find Merlin there, because no one came through here but Merlin. That idiot! He better have been late. After all that fuss about him almost dying last time, Arthur wouldn't lose him because he decided to use a short cut!
Arthur was halfway to the kitchens when he heard someone dry heaving. Arthur was relieved that Merlin was alive, because who else could his be, and worried that Merlin may not survive the effects of the poison, which he obviously ingested if he was vomiting. Opening the door to one of the visiting lord's servant's chamber, Arthur saw Merlin.
The poor thing was on his hands and knees. He was pale, sweaty, and shaking like a sapling in a windstorm. Around him was plate of food, a goblet of water, and puddles of phlegm and vomit.
Merlin shaking arms seemed to giving out as Arthur raced to his side. The prince barely got his arm around the thin man's chest before he went boneless. Merlin was still awake, but too weak to move.
As the prince moved the weakened form of his friend away from the mess, the door behind him flew open. Arthur was relieved to see Gaius, Gwen, and Morgana. As Morgana helped Arthur move Merlin to the matressless bed, Gwen checked the food, and Gaius started setting out supplies.
"Gaius! This is saltwater!" Gwen shouted happily from across the small room.
"Good work, my Boy. Good work!" Gaius said sending a loving glance towards the barely conscious Merlin.
"Why is salt water good?" Morgana asked as she smoothed the black hair off of the boy's face.
"It induces vomiting, which in turn helps remove a large amount of the poison. The salt also pulls the poison back into the stomach, so that it too can be purged. If he had not done this, it is likely he would have suffered the same fate as James, the king's taster." Gaius explained.
The entire group sighed in relief. Merlin was going to be alright. No one was losing the spunky servant today.
'~;~'
It took a week for Merlin to be "released from the prison of Gaius's chamber" as the boy had taken to saying. Merlin was still not able to eat heavy meals, so was unable to continue as the prince's taster as of yet. That was something Arthur was glad of.
He had not know Merlin had appointed himself to that task and never wanted him to carry it out. But he had and there was nothing the prince could do to change the past. But now, Arthur had time to talk to the idiot about the whole ordeal.
"Merlin, why the hell did you take it upon yourself to test my food for poison? We have people for that you know. It was not your job, so why did you do it?" Arthur tried not to sound like he had been worried, but he failed.
"Because no one test yours or Morgana's food. Only the king's food is tasted. And after the treaty feast with Mercia… You are the future leader of Camelot and you are just as much a target as your father. Someone needed to do it. Besides, how else will I ever get to eat like a prince?" That last part was clearly meant to lighten the mood.
"What do you mean no one checks our food? I am in charge of the pay roster, and there are three tasters on it. Are you saying that someone is pocketing that money?" Arthur was worried about the answer.
"I don't know, but Cecil, Morgana's taster, retired a week after I got here. And since I fix your plate myself, I know that no one but me has been testing the food. For all I know, they are still looking for someone trustworthy and are taking a while. James, your father's late taster had been checking Morgana's food since I pointed the problem out to him, but I told him I would be in charge of yours. It has been that way for months. Most of the poisons I notice before tasting. This is the first time I found one that didn't look odd." Arthur's eyebrows rose.
"You really thought this through, didn't you?" Merlin doubted the prince had meant for him to hear that question, but gave a smile in reply anyway.
"Even if you hire someone else, I will continue doing it. I need something to keep life interesting!" Both boys smiled.
~And Life in Camelot Continued~