AN: Yikes! I did not intend to update so late! It was unintentional, believe me. More on that at the end of the chapter...

I don't own Merlin or the characters. I do, however, own the plot of this story. So take that BBC!


The room went silent, but not for long.

"Merlin!" Arthur called. He spotted the two guards retreating hastily into the shadows of the throne room. "Seize them!"

The knights had unsheathed their swords, already rushing to circle the two guards that had dropped Merlin, dagger and all, to the ground. Their vicious sneers were enough for Gwaine and Elyan to raise their swords to the men's throats as they ushered them to the cells.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried again, kneeling next to his manservant. "Merlin!"

Merlin was clutching the handle of the dagger that was still embedded in his side, blood beginning stain its way through his jacket. His medical training, as limited as it was, was enough to remind him to leave the blade in, as much as he wanted to rip it out.

He was quickly turning pale.

And Arthur did not know what to do.

"Gaius…..get me to Gaius," Merlin gasped. He turned his gaze to his side, mystified by the sight of it, before looking back at Arthur.

He was in shock, the pain of the wound yet having no effect on him.

Arthur had been in countless battles before, Merlin always at his side. He had seen his enemies fall, his knights as well. He had seen Merlin wounded before, on the brink of death even, but nothing compared to the dreadful feeling that was building up inside of him now. This attack was unexpected, to say the least. And Arthur couldn't help but feel vulnerable himself as he assessed the situation before him.

For this attack was in Camelot, by Camelot's trusted guard, right under Arthur's nose.

"Y-you may be a prat, Sire, bu-but now would b-be nice," he shuddered.

The King snapped his head up. Merlin needed to get to Gaius now or else-

Or else-

Arthur didn't want to think about that. He needed someone's, anyone's, help.

So he searched for the closest pair of hands, grateful that they weren't that far away.

"Uncle!"


Agravaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes, for it was just his luck to have Arthur call to him for help with Merlin. "Might as well let him die right here," he thought. But he needed to keep up this façade that had become his life in Camelot.

"Arthur?!"

"We need to get to Gaius. Here-" The King took ahold of one of Merlin's arms and pulled him up, despite the painful gasps and cries coming from the manservant. Agravaine draped Merlin's other arm around his shoulder and they set off to the physician's chambers.


After dropping a delirious Merlin and a concerned Arthur off with Gaius, Agravaine marched his way to the cells. He dismissed the guards outside of the cell with a nod and a trite excuse for his presence, something with the words "King Arthur" in it. As the guards shuffled away, Agravaine let his mask wither away until it was his cold, bitter glare that cut right through the bars and into the eyes of the two men in question. He was beginning to regret his decision to choose them to kill Merlin, considering how sloppy and careless they were.

"You stupid fools!" he harshly whispered. "I told you to get rid of him, not to make a scene out of it!"

The taller of the two stepped forward and met Agravaine's malice with his own.

"No. You told us to take care of it. And we did." He stared at Agravaine with a deadly stare, as if he wished he still had that dagger…

"In front of the King and the Knights?! Do you really think that a dagger will kill him?! Gaius is already treating him as we speak!" Agravaine ran a hand through his hair as he began pacing outside of the bars.

Heinous chuckles began to emanate from the other man hiding in the shadows. They grew in strength as he rose to meet Agravaine. "Do you really think it was just an ordinary dagger? Hm?"

Agravaine was speechless.

"Don't be so quick to judge us. That dagger," he sneered, "was coated in poison."

"What are you saying?" The hope is Agravaine's chest began to bubble up. Could this ploy to kill Merlin possibly still work?

"What I'm saying is….the poison is deadly."

He paused, giving Agravaine a wicked smile.

"What I'm saying is that our little sorcerer will not live to see another day."


AN: This chapter was really difficult to write, and it's not like I wrote a lot either! Between making changes to the plot, catering to life's challenges and just thinking a lot about everything, I've finally decided to sit down and finish this chapter!

I'm trying to focus this story more on Agravaine than Merlin and Arthur and their amazing friendship. But there will be some whump in the next chapter because I believe whump makes the Fanfic world go round' :D (But that's just me...)

During my break I read a lot of Fanfics, so chances are, I probably read yours too :) I think my main source of encouragement was the reviews, so please feel free to leave one! Oh and also, You're the Voice by John Farnham definitely played a role in this update (I've probably listened to it over 30 times today...just a little FYI...lol) That song should really be the fandom's anthem!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't worry, I haven't given up on this story :)

Til' then, MerTrexTer :D