So, this is kind of my challenge to myself. I'm writing one fanfiction for each episode of Merlin. Some are one-shots, some are longer stories. I ran out of ideas for fanfictions so this is how I'm dealing with that. If anyone has any prompts for me, feel free to leave it in a review and if I write it after I finish writing these 65 stories, I'll dedicate it to you… so, thanks. And I give you Season 1 Episode 11.
Summary: What if Merlin manages to stop Arthur from drinking the poison and takes it himself? It turns out to be real poison, not a sleeping draft. What will Arthur do? Will he let Merlin die, or will he spare him? One-shot.
Story 11: Poison
"Look out," Arthur said pointing behind Merlin.
Merlin looked, worried they were about to be attacked. When he heard the sound of two goblets clanking and then a liquid being poured out, he turned with horror. Arthur had tricked him.
"No! I will drink it," Merlin said forcefully.
"As if I'd let you," Arthur told him. He would never admit it, but he cared for his manservant. Merlin was his friend and he wasn't going to let him die for his mistake. Arthur was the one that killed the unicorn, it was his responsibility to reverse the curse.
"You can't die, this isn't your destiny," Merlin told him frantically.
"It seems you're wrong again," Arthur said. He was looking at the liquid in the goblet, the liquid that was going to end his life.
"Listen to me!" Merlin said fearfully.
"You know me Merlin. I never listen to you," Arthur said with a strange look on his face. Arthur had accepted his death, but Merlin refused to. Merlin watched as Arthur lifted the goblet to his lips. He had a split second to make a decision. He could allow Arthur to drink the poison and die. Or he could reveal to Arthur that he had magic and use that to stop him. Merlin wouldn't live long enough for Arthur to kill him and at least he would die an honest man. He would have no secrets.
It wasn't really a decision, Merlin reflected. He knew his destiny. Arthur mustn't die. And if Merlin was really being honest with himself, he knew that this went beyond destiny. He doesn't want Arthur to die. He cared about him far too much to see that happen.
Instinctively, Merlin held up his hand, just as Arthur was about to drink from the goblet, it disappeared and reappeared in Merlin's outstretched hand.
For a moment Arthur stared, then he jumped to his feet and took a step back. "You have magic," he whispered.
"I do," Merlin said. Merlin carefully got to his feet. He looked towards Arthur. "It's been an honor serving you my lord." Merlin raised the goblet to Arthur as if he were toasting him.
"Merlin! No!" Arthur shouted as Merlin raised the goblet to his lips.
In one swift movement, Merlin swallowed all the liquid in his goblet. For a moment, nothing happened. Then he fell to the ground.
Arthur acted instinctively. "Merlin!" He yelled, running to his servant's side. He knelt down by Merlin's body and shook him. "Merlin! Wake up!"
Merlin didn't move. Arthur turned towards Anhora. "You killed him," Arthur said. He sounded like he was choking on his own words.
"Does it matter?" Anhora asked. "He is a sorcerer."
Arthur froze. He hadn't forgotten, not exactly, but he had thrown it to the back of his head in lieu of Merlin's sacrifice. Surely, Merlin couldn't be all bad if he was willing to sacrifice his life for Arthur's. There must be part of him, however small it was, that cared for Arthur. "I don't know," Arthur groaned. "His crimes are unforgivable, but I cannot ignore the good he has done. But it doesn't matter what I think. You killed him!"
"You will find the poison I used is not without a cure. You will find your judgment is the antidote. I told you that the test was to judge the decisions you make. A man's life is in your hands. Good luck Arthur Pendragon," Anhora said. The moment he finished speaking, he disappeared.
Arthur stared where Anhora had just been standing. What did that even mean? Arthur groaned. He wondered if there would ever come a day when someone would just come straight out and say what they mean. The only part Arthur had understood was that the poison used on Merlin had an antidote.
If anyone knew how to help him, it would be Gaius. He was able to cure Merlin the last time he was poisoned, perhaps he would be able to help him this time. Arthur picked up the goblet and tucked it into his belt.
Arthur carefully lifted up Merlin. He had no idea what was going to happen to Merlin. He knew Merlin would never be able to stay in Camelot, Arthur could never trust a sorcerer. But perhaps Merlin could have a life outside of Camelot.
Arthur went back to Camelot as quickly as possible. He didn't know why he cared so much. Merlin should be just a servant. Arthur shouldn't feel so betrayed by the magic he possesses. He shouldn't feel the need to protect a sorcerer. But he did.
Arthur ignored the questioning stares of his knights. His knights were too tired and hungry to pursue the matter and Arthur was too anxious to explain. Arthur didn't stop until he had thrown open the door to Gaius's chambers.
Gaius looked up, annoyed at the intrusion. His annoyance disappeared when he saw who Arthur was holding. "Put him on my bed. Quickly," Gaius said.
Arthur did as he said and Gaius rushed to Merlin's side. Gaius was tired, hungry, and thirsty, but he forced that aside as he examined Merlin. His pulse was weak. "What happened?" Gaius asked.
Arthur told Gaius everything. He told him about the unicorn and the task he had failed that would condemn his people to a slow death. He told him about the labyrinth and about the riddle at the end. Finally he told him about Merlin's powers and Merlin drinking the poison.
Gaius fixed Arthur with a piercing stare. "What do you intend to do to Merlin?" Gaius asked him.
Arthur looked at Gaius questioningly. "What do you mean?" Arthur asked confused.
"I'll not try to find an antidote for him just so you can send him to the pyre," Gaius told Arthur seriously. "I'd rather he perish unawares than suffer that fate."
"You knew," Arthur said shocked. "You knew he was a sorcerer."
"Yes, I knew," Gaius agreed. "When he came to Camelot, his mother wrote me a letter explaining the gifts he possesses. He was born with his magic. He has powers the likes of which I have never seen."
"How could you not tell me? Not tell my father?" Arthur asked angrily. "You were harboring a dangerous sorcerer!"
"Merlin is only dangerous if you are his enemy," Gaius said, his voice neutral. "And you sire are far from that. Merlin uses his magic to protect you and those he cares about. He would never allow harm to befall you nor Camelot. You have witnessed this many times since Merlin came to Camelot. He saved you from the dagger that the witch tried to impale you with. He saved you using magic. He drank poison for you twice now. And there is much he has done that you don't see. Look in your heart and you will find that he is a good man. His powers don't change that."
"I don't know what I am going to do if he recovers," Arthur told Gaius honestly. "He is a sorcerer and I cannot excuse that, but I cannot send him to his death. I need time to understand what he does and why he has his powers. He cannot remain in Camelot. When the time comes, I will have to banish him, but no. I will not kill him."
Gaius studied Arthur for a moment. Arthur was nothing like his father. If Uther had found out someone close to him had magic, he would have them killed in a heartbeat. It gave Gaius hope that Arthur might come to see the good in magic. That he might one day welcome Merlin's powers rather than fear them.
"Do you have the goblet?" Gaius asked Arthur. Arthur nodded and handed it to Gaius.
Gaius took it and went over to his workbench. He tipped the cup and a couple of drops fell into a vial. Gaius took a deep breath hoping he would be able to identify the poison.
While he worked, Arthur asked him questions. "You said that Merlin has done stuff that I haven't seen. What did you mean?" Arthur asked him.
"There is much Merlin is responsible for that you don't realize. He has used his powers to save your life several times," Gaius explained. He studied the liquid in the vial, swirling it around.
"When?" Arthur asked quietly. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Merlin had magic in the first place. The man that couldn't enter a room without walking into something and knocking it over was a powerful sorcerer.
"Do you remember Sir Valiant?" Gaius asked.
"How could I forget?" Arthur asked darkly. He could still remember how humiliated he had felt and how his father had refused to properly apologize when Valiant used magic to summon the snakes.
"It wasn't Sir Valiant that summoned the snakes during the fight. It was Merlin. He needed to expose Sir Valiant so he wouldn't be able to kill you," Gaius explained.
"But that put me in more danger," Arthur said shocked. "The snakes nearly killed me."
"When Sir Valiant used the snakes to kill Sir Ewan, no one even realized he had used them. Merlin feared the same thing would happen to you. Sir Valiant would have won and no one would have known that it was because he had used magic," Gaius explained.
Arthur frowned. He wanted to find fault in that logic, but he couldn't. It was true that Arthur would have died with his honor still tainted with cowardice. Arthur sighed. Merlin wasn't supposed to be smart.
"What did he do next?" Arthur asked.
"Do you remember the water sickness?" Gaius asked. "Merlin found a way to defeat the creature that was tainting the water. The afanc is a creature forged using water and earth. Merlin realized to kill it he had to use fire and air."
"He used magic right in front of me and I didn't even realize it," Arthur said horrified.
"Perhaps you didn't want to see it," Gaius observed quietly.
Arthur wasn't sure if that was true. More likely was that Merlin was the last person Arthur would ever expect to have magical powers. Yet he had them. How did he have them? He was supposed to be an idiot. He wasn't supposed to be smart enough to know to combat elements with elements.
"What else?" Arthur asked.
"He drank the poison," Gaius said. "And he killed the griffin."
"Lancelot killed the griffin," Arthur told him with certainty. Arthur had woken up when the griffin had fallen and he had most definitely seen Lancelot on a steed. Merlin hadn't been anywhere near the griffin.
"The griffin could not be killed by a mortal weapon. Merlin stayed up nearly all night memorizing the spell that would enchant the lance and kill the griffin. We weren't sure he would be able to. He's powerful, but we feared magic like that might be beyond his abilities," Gaius explained. He couldn't help but smile. He could still remember how proud Merlin had been when he killed the griffin. "Merlin was terrified when Lancelot told him he knew he had used magic. I think he feared Lancelot would tell you or Uther. But Lancelot proved much more loyal to Merlin than he expected."
Arthur was silent for a moment. He could remember how uncomfortable Lancelot looked when Arthur commended him for killing the griffin. At first Arthur thought he was just uncomfortable with the attention, but maybe he looked that way because he knew he didn't deserve the praise.
"Was it he that created the fire that killed Edwin?" Arthur asked curiously. It was something no one had been able to explain. When they had found Edwin's body, there were scorch marks everywhere. It was believed that the smoke killed him.
"No," Gaius said. "Edwin created the fire to try to kill me. He wanted to kill the king to avenge his parent's deaths and I had to stop him. I may not agree with much of what your father does, but he is a good king. Edwin was too blind to see that. I truly thought I was going to die, but Merlin got there before he could kill me. He sent an axe towards Edwin then saved your father. His powers continually amaze me. He was able to call out the beetle that had nearly killed your father."
"He saved my father?" Arthur asked shocked. "Not that I'm upset, but no one would have blamed him if my father had died. I would have thought that someone like him would have been happy to see my father dead."
"By someone like him, you mean a sorcerer," Gaius said quietly. "Merlin cares a great deal for you. He knew that if you lost your father you would never forgive yourself. Merlin doesn't hate Uther, far from it. He might not like him, but he would never see him dead. He protects your father as he protects you and protects Camelot."
Arthur didn't ask any more questions. He didn't think he could handle learning anymore about Merlin. He sat in silence and just thought about everything he had learned.
Hours passed as Gaius studied the liquid, testing it for various poisons. He was at it for hours, but no matter what he tried, he could not identify the poison.
"I'm sorry sire," Gaius said after a long time. "There is nothing in this wine that shouldn't be there."
"There must be! You have to find the antidote! Merlin can't die," Arthur said desperately.
"Why do you care?" Gaius asked bitterly. He normally wouldn't have used this tone with the prince, but his emotions were getting the better of him. Merlin was like a son to him and Gaius felt like he had failed him.
"I didn't know. Not until now. I didn't know how much I need him, and not just for his powers. He is my friend. I lost sight of that in my anger," Arthur answered quietly. "He can't die. I need him."
"I'm sorry," Gaius said. The fight left his voice. He stared at the table numbly. "There is nothing I can do."
Arthur walked over to where Merlin was lying down on the bed. His breathing was shallow and was getting slower. Arthur sat down in the chair by the bed. He took a towel and wiped Merlin's forehead. His brow felt like it was on fire. Arthur hesitated before he wiped Merlin's hair away from his forehead. His hair had been glued to his forehead with sweat, but Arthur didn't care.
"I'm sorry," he whispered to Merlin. "I'm so sorry that we couldn't save you. You were never meant to die. It should have been me." Arthur hesitated. He wasn't sure if Merlin could hear him, but he had to try to get through to him. He needed to say it before Merlin was gone, because then it would be too late. "I don't hate you for your magic. I thought I would when I first saw it. I was so angry. I now know everything you have done for me, for my father, for this land. I just want to say… thank you."
Arthur squeezed Merlin's hand. It was too little, too late, but it was all he could offer. As soon as Arthur had finished speaking, Merlin took his last shuddering breath. "Gaius!" Arthur called.
Gaius rushed to Merlin and felt his neck. He put his head close to Merlin's chest. "He's still alive, but only just," Gaius said sadly. "He only has a few minutes left."
"No," Arthur moaned. "No. No. No." A tear fell from Arthur's eye. "Gaius what can I do? How can I save him? This was never supposed to be him. He wasn't supposed to die. I was supposed to die. It should have been me that drank the poison."
"Merlin would never have let you," Gaius said softly. "You were his destiny Arthur. He has his powers so he can protect you. He needs to keep you safe, even at the cost of his own life. This was his choice. This was his sacrifice for you."
"But I'm not worthy of that," Arthur said. "He may be a servant, but he is a better man than I. He has proven that by his actions. I wasn't worth it."
"You are worth far more than you realize," a tired voice said.
Arthur's head snapped up and he looked at Merlin. Merlin was sitting up in the little bed. He was pale and looked exhausted, but he was alive. "Merlin!" Arthur said excitedly. "You're alive… but how?"
"I told you that your judgment would be his antidote," another voice came from the corner of the room. Arthur, Gaius and Merlin turned to see Anhora standing in the corner. "You have passed the final test. Despite the fact that Merlin is a servant, you still tried to save him. You still pardoned him for his abilities. You have proven that you are willing to rule with your heart, not just with your head."
"Then my people, they will be spared?" Arthur asked.
"Even as we speak your people are rejoicing for there has been a miracle. The water has returned and there is an abundance of food," Anhora told him. "You've surprised me Arthur Pendragon and precious little surprises me. You have righted a grievous wrong. If this is how you will rule, Camelot is in good hands." With that Anhora disappeared.
"He's right you know," Merlin said. "One day, you will make a great king."
Arthur smiled before he turned to Merlin. "With you by my side, I don't doubt it," he said honestly.
"Was that a compliment?" Merlin asked with a small smile on his face.
"Don't be ridiculous Merlin," Arthur said amused.
Merlin chuckled and eventually Arthur joined in. "I'm glad you're back Merlin," Arthur told him seriously. "But you shouldn't have done it."
"It was my destiny to do it," Merlin told him quietly. "I will protect you until the day I die. Your destiny is far more important than mine."
"You're wrong," Arthur told him.
Merlin shook his head. "No I'm not," he argued.
"I'm the prince Merlin, you can't argue with me," Arthur told him.
"Never stopped me before," Merlin told him with a shrug.
A long silence stretched before them. Arthur hesitated before he spoke. "Can you promise me something?" He asked uncertainly.
"Anything sire," Merlin said quickly.
"Next time you have the opportunity to save my life, don't do it at the cost of your own," Arthur said quietly. "I don't want you to die."
"That is a promise I cannot make. You are destined to be a great king one day. You are going to unite the lands of Albion. If the price of that future is my life, I will gladly pay it," Merlin told him. He didn't so much as blink while he was speaking. He meant every word he said.
"I'm not saying this as your prince. I'm saying this as your friend. Keep yourself safe," Arthur said.
"Friend?" Merlin asked quietly. "But I'm just a servant."
"You've never been just a servant, you know that as well as I do," Arthur said quietly. He felt emotionally drained. He had never been very good at talking about how he felt. This was no exception. "Now I'm going to give you the rest of the day off, but in the morning, I expect you in my chambers with my breakfast. You have much work to catch up on."
Merlin chuckled. "Yes sire," he said. Arthur turned to leave, but Merlin stopped him. "Arthur?" Merlin waited until Arthur was facing him again. "Thank you."
"For what?" Arthur asked confused.
"Accepting me," Merlin told him softly.
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