I do not own Merlin. If I did, then it would be exactly like the jumbled mess I'm writing now. Enjoy, review and don't throw Nimueh at me. Oh, and I have to say something about chicks and male chicks for good luck.


Chapter Three

The Mark of Nimueh

Merline and Gaius were in the lower town, looking at a body facing downward. One of the townspeople had reported they saw the man looking ill and then collapsing. Merline really didn't like dead bodies. In her opinion, with the creepy way she looked and her powers it would make sense for her to have a thing for dead people. But she didn't. They didn't scare her much. But at most she was indifferent towards them. She was indifferent towards a lot of things. She looked over at Gaius and asked,

"Aren't you scared?"

"Of what?" Gaius asked.

"That you might catch whatever it is." She said, nodding towards the dead man. Merline didn't want to die slowly from sickness. Maybe in her sleep or in a dramatic way during battle, but sickness didn't appeal to her.

"I'm the court physician, Merlin. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of."

She wished that she could be as brave as him. He turned over the dead body to reveal a white face, not the usual white face of the dead, but pure white. The eyes were glazed over with white as well. You could see every vein in his body. If there was one thing Merline was terrified of, it was veins; which didn't work well for her because you could see a lot of veins through her skin.

"Nothing to be scared of," She gulped; taking her hair out of its usual ponytail and putting it back up in one swift motion.

"People mustn't see this. They'll panic."

The two put the body on a wagon and rolled it across the castle drawbridge. The load was heavy, even heavier to Merline do to the fact she knew that she was rolling a plagued man. She noticed Gwen on the bridge and she smiled and waved. Gwen walked over to Merline carrying a bouquet of pretty flowers. She looked over at the wagon, confused, and asked,

"What are you doing?"

"Erm... I'm just moving something."

"Looks heavy,"

"It's nothing really. Someone got you flowers?" Merline asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh! No." She giggled and handed her a small purple flower, "Would you like one? Purple would suit you."

"Thanks." Merline said, grinning wider. She put the flower behind her ear and giggled.

"Aw, that's the first time I've seen you put on something feminine. You're so cute." Gwen cooed and Merline stuck out her tongue, rolling her eyes.

"Goodbye, Gwen, have a lovely day."

"Bye."

Gaius and Merline returned to the Physician's room and put the body down. Gaius left the room for a second and the reappeared with a magnifying glass. He started to inspect the body as Merline stayed nervously quiet.

"I've never seen anything like this before." Gaius said finally. He put down the magnifying glass and looked at Merline.

"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" She asked, trying to stop her hands from shaking.

"No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?"

She realized he meant sorcery. Did stuff this crappy always happen in Camelot every other week or was it coming because she was there? Camelot was probably the worst best place to live. Good people, good food, beautiful architecture, daft monarchy and weekly terrors. Come to Camelot! She thought sarcastically.

"You think it's caused by magic?" She twitched. She wanted to pull her hair out, and she might have had growing-back-hair spells not been so complicated.

"Merline!" She heard Arthur yell, and she sprinted over to the door before he could come in and see the body. She didn't know how he would react and she didn't want to find out.

"I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late."

"Don't worry. I'm getting used to it." He rolled his eyes. He looked at the flower in her hair and furrowed his brow. Who would give Merline a flower? He pushed the thought out of his head, why did he care? He continued, "Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now."

"Okay…" She closed the door and looked over at Gaius, "Gaius-"

"I heard."

She tilted her head in confusion. Arthur hadn't been that far away from Gaius.

"Wait, why couldn't he just tell you himself?"

"'Cause that's the way it is. You're a servant."

Ah, the fairness of Camelot, she thought while walking over to the body.

"If they knew who I was, what I've done..."

"Then you would be a dead servant." He said, "Right, get this covered up."

"Hey, I'm not your servant." She grumbled.

"No, you're my dogsbody. Come on, hurry up."

She had nothing better to do, so she covered up the body. Why was her life so dreadful? She had to deal with dead bodies and destinies, how fun.

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Merline stood behind Gaius in the council chamber as he looked over a dead servant. She didn't say anything, because whenever she talked around King Uther it never ended well. He really didn't care about the actual people of Camelot; just the noble visitors that made up almost none of the population.

King Uther really didn't have any good qualities.

She looked over at Arthur and twitched with annoyance. Why did he have to look so perfect? It was a horrible mismatch with his actual personality. He should look like a horrible toad if the world was just and fair; though a world that gave innocent people such a plague didn't strike her as just and fair.

She didn't listen as Gaius talked about the origin of the plague and how he was planning on using science to fix it. All she cared about was finding a cure.

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Arthur and his guards searched the city on his father's request. He didn't want to lend out Merline, probably the only half decent servant he ever had, but it was for the people of Camelot. If their safety meant he had to go a few days without comfort, then it was fine by him.

Merline and Gaius walked through town. It broke her heart to see families weeping over what might be or what really happened. She saw a sick man that was barely still alive walking. The chance that they could save him made her heart soar.

"Gaius? Gaius. He's still alive." She said, pointing to the man. She could save everybody with one spell. Just one spell is all it would take. The temptation was so great, but she didn't yet know the consequences.

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him." Gaius said sadly.

"But we haven't tried."

"If we don't know what a disease is, then how can we cure him?"

She couldn't believe Gaius hadn't already thought of it.

"With magic," She said in a hushed tone.

"Have a look. They're suspicious of everyone." He said, and her shoulders sagged, she started to fiddle with her hair. Gaius continued, "This is not the time to be using magic. Science will lead us to the source of the disease."

After spending the rest of the afternoon picking up dead bodies, which got horribly depressing at times, they returned to the physician's chambers.

Merline almost never cried, she got angry (a lot), but she didn't cry. But now she was one more family crying for a lost loved one away from running to her room, sobbing and never coming out. She could have helped them all. She could have prevented most of the deaths. She cursed the laws. They were blind. They made her question whether she herself was evil. They were wrong.

Or maybe she was wrong? She thought, and then quickly pushed it out of her head. She tugged on the ends of her hair and tried to think about nice things. She looked over curiously at Gaius as he started to heat a vial of liquid.

"What are you doing?" She asked, happily finding a distraction from her thoughts.

"I'm examining the contents of that man's stomach." He said and she scrunched her nose.

"Will that tell you who did it?" She asked hopefully.

"No, but it might tell us how it's spread. One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind."

"Why would someone use magic like that?" She scrunched her eyebrows. How could anything think that by doing this they were good?

"Magic corrupts. People use it for their own ends." Gaius said, still focused on the vial of stomach content.

"But not all magic is bad. I know it isn't."

"It's neither good nor bad. It's how you use it."

She thought about this for a second. She promised then and there she would use magic to save lives. She knew that she would have to kill people, directly and indirectly (both she had already done), but she would only do it if the situation called for it. The one question that bothered her was whether or not she was doing the right thing. What if she was on the wrong side? Using magic for her own ends?

Just then, Arthur and several guards burst through the door. If they had been there a minute before they would have heard their conversation about magic. She supposed what they had been saying wouldn't be looked upon well by the king. Merline wasn't sure if her life was horribly timed or had fantastic timing.

"Over there." Arthur said to a guard, and then looked over at Gaius, "Sorry Gaius, we're searching every room in town."

He would have apologized to Merline as well, but it wasn't really necessary. Plus apologizing to his servant would have looked bad. He looked over at Merline and saw that she looked troubled. Well, he thought, she has been looking at dead sick people all day. Merline had always struck him as incredibly squeamish, even for a girl.

"What for?" Gaius asked and Arthur looked over at him.

"A sorcerer," He said, and he didn't notice Merline twitch.

"But why would he be here?" Gaius asked and Arthur agreed silently. He didn't know the old physician as well as Morgana did, but he knew him well enough and Gaius didn't strike him as an evil sorcerer. And Merline never did anything intelligent, so how could she stop from turning herself into a toad?

"I'm just doing my job." He shrugged, walking around.

"We've nothing to hide. Go on, then, search."

"All these books and papers," He asked, looking through them roughly. He could almost hear Merline twitch behind him. He never understood why she did that when annoyed. Half the time he didn't understand why she was annoyed.

"My life's work, dedicated to the understanding of science. You are quite welcome to read through them if you wish."

Arthur just forgot about them. They looked nothing like the regular sorcery books he sometimes found and he had no desire to read them.

"What's this room up here?" He asked; walking over to a small wooden door that looked poorly made.

"Erm, it's mine." Merline said.

"And what do you expect to find in there?" Gaius asked.

"I'm looking for material or evidence suggesting the use of enchantments." He said, almost laughing. Merline use enchantments? The idea was absurd. She looked worried for a second and Arthur entered her room. Her room was tiny and absolutely filthy, with clothes strewn everywhere and books at every step.

"Merline, come here. Look what I found."

She quickly walked in and raised her eyebrow. He was holding open a cupboard door that showed nothing inside.

"I found a place where you can put things. It's called a cupboard." He said sarcastically. She looked over to see her magic book on the floor. Without him noticing, Merline magically covered the magic book with her bed sheet. Arthur looked under the bed and saw nothing. Surprisingly it was the only clean spot in the room.

He left her room and walked over to Gaius, "How long do you think it may be before you find a cure?"

"It depends on how many interruptions I get." Gaius replied.

"Of course, I'm sorry." He turned to the guards and said, "We're finished here."

They exited and Gaius closed the door. He turned to Merline and said, "We have to hide that book."

"No, we must use it."

"Don't be stupid."

"If I have this legacy then what is it for? You keep telling me it's not for playing tricks." She demanded.

"You want to practice magic when the King is hunting for sorcerers? Are you mad? Merline, your life is destined for more important things."

"But if I don't practice, then how will I get to be this great witch?" She grumbled.

"There will come a time when your skills will be recognized."

"When? How long do I have to wait?" She asked. She just wanted to be able to help people without risk of being killed. Was that too much to ask?

"Patience is a virtue, Merline."

"Sitting by and doing nothing, that's a virtue?" She snapped.

"Your time will come."

"I could cure that man we saw!" She said, pacing the room.

"I know it's tempting to use the way you find easiest, Merlin..."

"It is when it would save a life!" She cried, throwing her arms in the air. She couldn't believe how daft everyone was being.

"It's no good just saving one person. We have to discover how this illness is spreading."

"Arthur is out there right now looking for the sorcerer!"

"A sorcerer who's powerful enough to do this will never be found searching the town."

She sighed, knowing it was true. She hated being powerless, "So what can we do?"

"Hope that science can find the answer before it kills us all."

She groaned. Saying that meant it was never going to happen.

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Merline and Gaius were examining a corpse of a beautiful woman. She wore courtier's clothing and Merline felt guilty for her death. She could have saved this young woman from dying before her time. She had to keep her secret safe to keep Arthur safe. But what made her life more important than dozens of people? She had to wonder.

"What's different about this victim?" Gaius asked her.

"She's a woman?" Merline guessed, knowing it wasn't the right answer.

"Sometimes I do wonder whether you're a magical talents were given to the right person," He said, and she had to agree with him, "Anything else?"

"She's a courtier?" She asked nervously and Gaius nodded, she felt relieved as she didn't have any more guesses, "How does that help us?"

"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?"

"They…" She paused to think, "Don't come in contact, breath the same air or eat the same food?"

"So what's the only thing they do share?"

"Water," She breathed, this was worse than she thought, how did you stop something like that?

"Yes."

"Water," She said clearer and louder than before, "You think the disease is spread through water?"

"Merlin, you're a prodigy." He said and she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. He handed her a bucket and she made her way to the lower town well. She often went to the lower town, but it felt so different then. With the fact she was collecting poisoned water and the silence. She felt almost alone, despite the people passing her on the street.

She heard footsteps pattering behind her quickly. She looked over to see Gwen in a panic running past her. She called her name, but Gwen didn't look back. Merline grabbed the bucket of water and ran after her.

When Merline finally caught up she found Gwen talking to Gaius.

"You have the sickness?" Gaius asked and Merline was shocked. If Gwen was sick Merline wouldn't be able to handle it. She would cure her with magic in an instant disregarding any warning Gaius gave her. But to Merline's relief, Gwen shook her head.

"My father, please, Gaius, he's all I have."

Merline couldn't tell if that was better or worse. If Merline's mother died, then she would never be the same again. She didn't want Gwen to go through that.

"Gwen, I have no cure." He said sadly.

"I am begging you!" She cried, looking sadder than Merline had ever seen her. She wanted to comfort her, but she knew it wouldn't help. Sweet words never did.

"I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve." He took her hand and said, "I'm sorry, Gwen."

Much as Merline expected, Gwen ran out of the room. After a moment of silence Merline said in a strained voice, "There must be something we can do."

"My best, let's hope that this can provide some answers."

"But that'll be too late for Gwen's father," She said knowing it was true. She doubted the Gaius's science was going to help. She was going to take care of the problem by herself, as always, though she didn't know where to start yet.

"I fear you may be right." Gaius said, then took some of the water out of the bucket and put it in a jar, placing a flower in it. She couldn't do anything now, so she walked to her room.

Night soon came and Merline walked out of her room, as she had come up with a plan. If Gaius found her it wouldn't be too obvious what she was doing. She walked over to Gaius and found him snoring quite loudly. At least she didn't have to worry about that.

She walked out of the castle and to Gwen's house without much trouble, though she did have to sneak past guards several times. She didn't get the point of curfew. Sickness spread in the daytime just as easily at night. Plus, if an evil all powerful sorcerer was on the loose then they could probably just attack everyone regardless if they were inside or not.

Merline walked inside Gwen's house. It was small, though nicer than some. She smiled when she saw that Gwen was sleeping next to her sick father. Merline placed a poultice under the pillow and said a spell. It felt to her almost like a prayer.

She knew Gwen's father would wake up soon so she left and watched from outside the door, trying her best to keep hidden. She couldn't make out their words, as they were quiet and she was too far away. But she couldn't help but smile when she saw Gwen's joy and relief.

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Merline entered Morgana's chambers to find Gwen humming happily as she gathered Morgana's clothes. Merline was extremely glad to see her so happy, though she expected this after healing her father.

"How's your father? Is he feeling better?" Merline asked, unable to leave out a lilt of glee in her voice, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, it's incredible. It's a miracle." Gwen said, sounding as if she was about the sing. She stopped her work for a moment and looked at Merline smiling.

"His skin's clear, back to normal?"

"Yes."

"Great!" Merline beamed and turned to leave.

"You don't seem surprised." She said and Merline mentally cursed.

"No, no, I am. It's a miracle." She said, trying to save herself.

"But how did you know he was well?"

"Because you're smiling," She said nervously.

"That's really weird because I haven't told anyone, but you know. How could you know?" Gwen asked, suspicious and Merline twitched, sure she had blew it. Though, if anybody had to find out so early on Merline was glad it was Gwen.

"Alright, you finally found out, I'll tell you." She gulped then said in a joking tone, "I'm psychic."

"No you're not." Gwen said giggling.

"It's true." She shrugged.

"Alright, what am I thinking?"

"That I'm not psychic."

"You're funny," Gwen laughed, then lunged forward snapping Merline in a hug, "Thank you."

"For what?" She asked and Gwen let go shrugging.

"Asking, I guess."

"I didn't like to see you upset," She smiled, "I have to go, bye."

The two girls waved goodbye and Merline skipped away. She was glad her secret hadn't been exposed and that Gwen was happy.

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Merline watched in horror as guards and Arthur dragged Gwen across the corridor. It was her fault, she knew it.

"No, please. You've got to listen to me! Please, I haven't done anything wrong! You have to listen to me, please! I am innocent, I swear! Let me go! I swear to you!" Gwen cried and Merline started to approach her. She didn't know what she was going to do, but she had to do something. This was her fault. Gwen turned to see her.

"Merline! Merline, please help me!" She screamed, then turned to the guards, "Why won't you listen to me?"

Gaius pulled Merline away and she could hear Gwen scream, "Please listen to me!"

Her heart hurt. She could barely tell that Gaius was taking her back to the Physician's chambers. He slammed the door behind them and yelled,

"What've you done?"

"What?" She asked, barely holding back tears.

"I warned you! Oh, I understand. You thought you were doing good."

"I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him!"

"Didn't you think it might look a bit suspicious, the curing of one man?" He said, and she saw what she did wrong. If she had healed a lot of people, then they wouldn't be able to pin anybody down.

"Well then, all I have to do is... I'll cure everyone! No one will ever have to know it was magic!" She squeaked, unable to hide the strain in her voice.

"It's too late! They think Gwen's a sorceress! They think she caused the disease!"

"But she didn't!" She yelled. Why did stuff like this always happen to her? Did she need the blood of a good soul on her hands as well the evil? She rushed to leave.

"Oh, and how are you going to prove that?" He asked, making her stop walking and think for a moment. She didn't know, but she wasn't going to figure it out by sitting there and doing nothing. She continued out the door and to the council room.

There, she saw Gwen being dragged by guards behind Arthur towards the king. What was she going to do? There was nothing she could do. She hated feeling so powerless. Was this how normal people felt? If that was so, then maybe having a messed up destiny wasn't so bad. She hid behind a large man near the door, because she wasn't sure how people would react to her being there. Perhaps she would be seen as fellow sorceress hoping to make an escape with her partner? Who knew, King Uther was rash that way.

He wasn't a bad king; the people loved him and trusted him. The only thing he was truly unfair with was magic, which was a lot less than many kings and nobles. But she was a little biased, since she was practically no less magic than a dragon.

Arthur looked calmer than she ever saw him; as if his face was covered in water then frozen. If she had that expression on her face she might have been put in the dungeon for only looking creepy.

"Please listen to me I have done nothing, please! I swear I haven't done anything!" Gwen yelled then yet out a yelp when the guards dropped her to the floor. They had no true proof she was the sorceress but they still treated her this way. The emotions Merline felt then were so tangled and mismatched that she couldn't tell if any of them were her own.

"Well done." Uther said to Arthur. Merline couldn't help but think how funny their names sounded when put together. She wondered if they did that on purpose.

"Why will no one believe me; he got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!" Gwen cried. Until then, Merline didn't know that shattered hearts could break into more pieces. But they could, she could tell you that now. Then, Morgana entered with an expression on her face carrying more determination than Merline had even seen on a single person.

"I believe you. Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally?" Morgana said, barely hiding the venom in her voice.

"And what of this poultice that was found?" Uther sniffed. Well, that was me, clotpole, honestly, Merline thought, any sorcerer could have snuck in and planted the poultice.

"What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!" Gwen cried, squirming on the floor. She looked so shocked Merline couldn't believe anybody could doubt her.

"It was found in your house. Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion." Uther snarled. Merline couldn't believe how little sense his accusations made. She wouldn't be surprised if he really did condemn frogs to death for being accused of magic.

"I can't!"

"I will show you no mercy." He said. No mercy for what? What did she do? Is his brain working correctly? Merline thought, scoffing in her mind.

"I am not a witch. I don't know how to stop the illness!"

"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty..." Uther said. So… Wait a minute… If she can't undo the spell because she isn't a witch, then in fact she is a witch and must be burned? My, Uther is a genius, for not having a brain that is.

"But I told you, I..."

"It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment. And under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death."

"No…" Gwen breathed.

"I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you." Uther said, as if he was checking the problem off his list of things to do today. Merline really didn't like him now.

"No! No!" Gwen screamed and Merline wanted to scream right there with her.

"Take her away." He said and the guards dragged Gwen out of the room, while she begged for him to listen all the while. Morgana and Merline watched as the courtiers left. No one else was in the room besides Merline, Morgana, Arthur and Uther. The rest paid no attention to Merline as she hid behind a curtain.

"I know Gwen; she's my maidservant, not an enchantress." Morgana said, breaking the silence that soon followed.

"Have you ever seen an enchantress? Believe me; they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye." Uther replied. Well yeah, because the ones you do find are either fake or, you know, not evil? Ever thought of that oh brainless king?

"I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a sorceress, why would she do this? Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!" Morgana snapped. In Merline's head, Morgana would make a better king than Uther and she was a woman and therefore would be a queen.

"You have no right!" To tell me the truth, I can't handle that much like my prat of a son I'm secretly proud of but can't show it because I'm a prat too. Merline added in her head. She almost had to hold back a snicker. Her silent comments were probably the only thing that kept her sane in this ordeal.

"You have a right to cast a judgment on that girl!"

"I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! I take no pleasure in this!"

"But you're sentencing the wrong person!"

"She's right, Father." Arthur said finally and Merline wanted to applaud him for standing up to the jerk, "You hear the word magic, you no longer listen."

"You saw it for yourself. She used enchantments."

"Yes, maybe," Arthur admitted, "But to save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of, of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart."

"I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand. I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish." Uther said. Merline didn't even want to start on mocking that sentence in fear she might start laughing and either die by execution for spying or being unable to breathe.

"I understand that." Arthur said nodding.

"One day you may become King." Uther said and Merline silently added, and be the greatest one ever thanks to your unappreciated servant, "Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces that threaten this kingdom."

Like, I don't know, things you ignore and I have to prevent? Merline decided she really needed to stop talking to herself. It was beginning to freak even her out.

"I know. Witchcraft is an evil, father. So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime." Arthur said solemnly, and Merline was impressed with the speech. Thought he did call witchcraft evil. She didn't know how or when she was going to tell him. She imagined something horrific ending in her very much dead.

"I fear you're right. She's played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire." Uther said, leaving the room. Morgana stomped out in a fury and Arthur began to pace. Merline snuck out after a good amount of time watching Arthur pace, which was really quite boring.

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After a sleepless night, Merline found Gaius sitting at one of his many desks doing work. She sighed, knowing she had to talk to him even if it resulted in more scolding.

"I thought I was doing good and that curing Gwen's father would help her." She said quietly, but loud enough so the physician could hear her, "I thought I was saving a life. It seemed so simple."

"An easy solution is like a light in a storm, Merlin. Rush for it at your peril, for it may not always lead you to a safe harbor." Gaius said and stopped working to look up at her.

"I can see that now."

"How many times have I warned you about the responsibilities of being a witch?" He sighed, putting on his 'worried or disappointed, you will never tell' look that annoyed Merline to death.

"I have to see her." She said, hitting her palm with her fist. Maybe seeing Gwen would give her an idea. Even if she didn't then she would at least see her friend before her execution.

She flitted out of the room leaving a confused Gaius behind.

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After Merline left she went downstairs to the dungeon, where she knew Gwen would be kept. If she really was a witch and wanted to escape death, then Gwen would have. But she wasn't a witch.

Merline passed a weeping Morgana sitting on a staircase. She wasn't surprised, if anyone would care for their servant in such a way then Morgana would. Merline squat down next to her and gave her an awkward hug. She had never been good at this, but Morgana squeezed her back with all the force of a knight trying to kill a man.

After they sat in that position hiding in each other's shoulders for a while, Merline told her she needed to see Gwen and left. She continued down to Gwen's cell at the end of the hallway stood there. Gwen was hunched in a corner, crying or sleeping Merline couldn't tell.

"Gwen." She breathed. Gwen stood up and tried to walk to the cell door but her chains were too short. Merline wanted to hug her, too grasp her work worn hand in hers. She wanted her out of that cell. She wanted to hear Gwen gushing about cute boys and to pretend not to care about them. Gwen had been crying, her eyes were puffy and her face was red.

Merline didn't cry often, but when she did it was the loudest and most horrifying thing that ever came out of her. It sounded like a goose dying. Merline sobbed as she walked over to the cell, stretching her arm through the bars and barely reaching Gwen's hand. She knew crying would probably make Gwen sadder, but she couldn't help it. She was her best friend since Will. The bond they shared was strong, far too strong for the few weeks they had known each other.

"Thank you." Gwen said finally,

"For what," Merline sniffed. Getting her locked up in this place?

"For coming to see me," Gwen said simply.

"I'm sorry," Merline whispered.

"It's not your fault." Oh, but it was…

"Well…"

"It's alright. Don't worry about me. There's no point crying about it." Gwen tried to shrug as if it was nothing but the heavy, confining chains stopped her.

"Oh, Gwen, I can't have this happen."

"Please, one thing. You, you don't have to, but..."

"What?"

"Remember me."

Merline wanted to cry more. As if she would ever forget such an amazing girl. Merline said clearly as if trying to tell the earth itself, "You're not going to die. I'm not going to let this happen."

Merline grasped her hand once more than rushed out of the dungeon, stopping only to give Morgana a quick hug. She ran through the castle and waited at the council doors for a moment. Was she really going to do this? Yes. She burst through the doors and said,

"It was me! It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!"

The council stared as her and she felt as if ants were crawling on the inside and outside of her body; eating her bit by bit.

"Gwen is not the sorceress, I am!" She said loudly, so that nobody missed her confession. Gaius stood up and stared at her.

"Merline, are you mad?" He asked her. She really didn't understand why her life was so much more important than another's. She saved Arthur's life already, maybe her job was done.

"I cannot let her die for me." She told him and then turned to Uther as if he were just another problem she had to protect Arthur from, which might have been true, "I place myself at your mercy."

"She doesn't know what she's talking about." Gaius scoffed, as if she was just a silly little child taking the blame for what another child did.

"I do." She replied, rolling her eyes. The physician should have known by know she could take care of herself.

"Then arrest her." Uther said simply, though with hesitation in his voice as if he didn't know who to trust. Another thing she didn't like about the king.

"Father, please! I can't allow this! This is madness! There's no way Merline is a sorceress." Arthur said, and she didn't know why he was protecting her. He didn't like her at all and he often said she was the worst servant he ever had.

"Did you not hear her?" Uther asked his son, as if he was insane.

"I did." Arthur replied in a bored way, as if he knew something his father didn't.

"She admitted it."

"She saved my life, remember." Arthur said. Great, she thought, somebody remembers when I don't need them to. That's it; my life is a form of amusement for the evil gods.

"Why should she fabricate such a story?"

"She's not the sharpest knife in the drawer," Arthur said, tapping his forehead, "Plus she's best friends with Gwen."

"Perhaps she cast a spell on you." Uther said to Merline and Arthur shot him a worried look. After a pause, Uther snickered and so did the rest of the council.

"Merline is a wonder," Arthur started and Merline sent him a confused look, then she understood as he continued, "But the wonder is that she's such an idiot. There's no way she's a sorceress."

She wanted to strangle him. Not only did he ruin her plan, but he insulted her as well. That was just adding boiling salt water to the wound.

"Don't waste my time again." Uther said, "Let her go."

Merline really didn't like the royal family.

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"Arthur's the idiot." Merline grumbled crossing her arms as she walked into the physician's courters with Gaius.

"No. He was right to do what he did. And, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity." Gaius said, and she faked offence bringing her hand to her heart and gasping dramatically.

"What else could I do? It's my fault Gwen's going to die." She said seriously, stopping her grumbling.

"Yes, but you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. You do it by finding out what's causing the disease!" He said. Merline really hated it when the old man used his superior logic to make her feel worthless. He didn't even try, she knew he was just saying the truth and trying to make her see reason, but it made her feel like the substance she had to muck out of Arthur's stables.

"Well, whatever it is one thing's for sure; Arthur isn't going to find it. He thinks he is so sharp!" She scoffed, rolling her eyes, Arthur was almost as obtuse as his father, "But even when I told him I was a witch he still couldn't see it!"

"Sometimes they're pretty hard to spot."

"Well, maybe I should wear a pointy hat?" She snorted. She doubted that was going to work, she would have to get on a broom walking around waving her arms screaming. Then she would need to perform a magic show in front of the king yelling about how she was an awesome and powerful witch.

"I don't think you'll find one big enough." He said. Was he saying she had a big head? If anybody had a big head, it was Arthur, "Anyway, forget that. If we're going to save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water."

"Then stop making jabs at my ego and let's get to work."

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Merline and Gaius walked down to the underground water supply. It was dark and dreary, seemingly the perfect place for anyone to do evil.

"The water from here supplies the whole town. Take a sample." Gaius told her, and she kneeled down on the dirty and wet floor to collect water in a jar. After she collected enough water and was about to stand Gaius said, "Let's take it back and examine it."

Out of nowhere a wrinkled brown monster emerged from the water in a flash and went down just as quickly. Merline shot up and Gaius stumbled back, surprised. This was the source of the plague, she knew it. It made Merline's throat feel as if somebody stuffed cloth down it. She knew she was going to have to kill it. That was just how things turned out for her. But the size and fear the monster inflicted made her wonder whether or not she could defeat it.

"What the heck was that?" She spluttered, stumbling to the ground. Gaius didn't answer, he just took her arm and they left, leaving the water sample behind.

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Merline and Gaius sat looking at a book. Merline was barely paying attention because she had no idea how to find out what the monster was. Gaius suddenly pointed to a place on the page.

"Here, it was an Afanc." He said triumphantly. Merline gave him a strange look, completely confused.

"A... A what?" She asked. She had never heard of one before. How was she going to slaughter it mercilessly? Perhaps it was a friendly ugly thing that sweated poison, and all they had to do was ask it to leave? Too bad nothing was that easy for her. Was there going to be a day in her life that went smoothly?

"A beast born of clay, and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer; now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?" Gaius looked over at a shelf of books and began to rub his chin. Merline sighed; it would take days for him to find the answer.

"That could take days. Gwen will be dead by then." She groaned, banging her head against the table.

"Have you got a better idea?" He asked, walking over to another shelf of books and looking it over. She walked out of the room without much notice from Gaius and passed a pyre being built in the square. She shrugged it off. Gwen wouldn't be executed. She continued to the dungeons where she found Gwen sleeping on the floor.

"Gwen?" She whispered, "I'm going to get you out. I will."

Then she left, off to talk to the riddle dragon. She walked deeper into the dungeon, coming to the dragons cave. She honestly couldn't believe they didn't guard it better, though she doubted two brainless guards would pose much of a threat to the great dragon.

"Hello?" She squeaked. She would admit she loved the dragon, but she knew he was a bit flakey. He could, and would, burn her to a crisp if he saw fit.

"Hello." He said flying down, where from Merline still had no idea. Why would they go through all the trouble to build a roomy place for a dragon if they hated them so much? Oh the great logic of Camelot. He continued, "The great witch returns, as I knew she would."

"I need to know how to defeat an Afanc." She said clearly, hoping it would prevent the dragon from making her bang her head against the wall with his answerless riddles.

"Yes, I suppose you do." He chuckled.

"Will you help me?"

"Trust the elements that are at your command."

"Elements? But what is it I have to do?" She groaned. Another riddle, the dragon was hopeless.

"You cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other." He seemed amused by the analogy.

"I- I don't understand." She stuttered, "Just tell me what it is I have to do."

With that, the great dragon flew off, leaving a more confused Merline behind.

"No! Please, help me!" She yelled after him. Why did he always leave her all alone with no straight answer? Was everybody in Camelot on the cider?

"I have."

"Oh, yeah, right. Thanks." She rolled her eyes and slowly walked away.

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Merline frantically looked through books. She needed to find something to help her. Was there anything on elements? She rubbed her temple and started on another pile of books. She looked up when Gaius entered, in case he could help her.

"Merline, what are you doing?" He asked, raising his eyebrow in that wise-man way that really annoyed her.

"Looking for a book, what does it look like I'm doing?" She asked sarcastically, then continued to ruin the order the books were put in.

"Are you going to tell me which one?" He asked and she paused for a moment then looked up at him.

"A book on elements." She said, leaning back on the table waiting for him to respond.

"Elements?"

"Yes." She answered and then cocked her head, "Which one would I find them in?"

"Well, most of them. The study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process." He said and she nodded then asked, more to herself than to him,

"But how would they help me kill the Afanc?"

"Well, the Afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements."

"What about the other two?" She asked, hitting her palm with her fist. She was on the edge of finding the answer, or at least part of it, she could feel it.

"Well, perhaps they will destroy it. You want fire. Wind and fire, how did you find this out?"

"Erm... I just knew, you know? One of my powers," She said nervously, touching her index finders together trying to act innocent. She didn't know how Gaius would react if he found out she was in a one-sided friendship with a dragon. It sounded ridiculous, even to her.

"What else do your powers tell you?" He asked, raising his eyebrow again and she got the sense that he knew something.

"That I am only one side of a coin. The brighter side, obviously." She said, brushing off her shoulder.

"And who's the other side?"

"I think that might be Arthur." She said shrugging. Merline jumped as the door burst open and Morgana came running through, her hair in a whirlwind of dark curls.

"They're bringing forward the execution." She panted; it was obvious she had been crying, tear stains streaked down her face and her eyes were red and puffy, "We have to prove Gwen's innocence."

"We're trying." Gaius told her, grasping her hands.

"Please, just tell me what I can do to help." Morgana said in a strained voice. Merline didn't know how she still managed to be beautiful in such a state, but she did.

"We need Arthur." Merline said, determined. She had the workings of a plan spinning in her head. Arthur just needed to distract the beast as she killed it with magic and then take the credit afterwards like he always did. The plan was flawless, because her crazy ideas always seemed to work out fine.

"Arthur?" Morgana asked, looking at Merline as if she said they should just let Gwen die because she was annoying anyway.

"There's a monster, an Afanc, in the water supply." She explained calmly, "That's what's causing the plague."

"So, what are we to do?" Morgana asked worriedly.

"We need to destroy it. Then the plague will stop and Uther may see sense."

"And that's why you need Arthur." Morgana snapped her fingers and nodded.

"He's our best chance." At hiding the fact I'm an awesome sorceress, "But he won't want to disobey the King."

"Leave that to me." Morgana said, bringing a finger to her mouth and grinning. Morgana flitted away, much more composed than she had been when she entered. Gaius silently handed her keys, which she recognized to belong to the water tunnels. He left too, leaving Merline alone to her plotting.

It was a good thing she wasn't evil, because the world would spin into chaos if she was. Honestly, who plagues a town when you can burn them with magic, adding irony to the fact that they would burn you if they found out you were a sorcerer.

She scared herself sometimes. She started to hum and she sat at the table and waited, spinning to keys around her fingers.

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Arthur and Morgana walked into the square, waiting only a moment before Merline skipped to meet them. Merline shot Arthur a smile, and he didn't understand why she was treating this so lightly. He wondered for a second whether or not this could be a trap, but decided it wasn't as Merline hadn't deceived him yet.

They walked to the tunnel door and Merline opened it with keys he wondered how she got. Merline always seemed to have something up her sleeve. Arthur lit a torch before they descended, as it would be a bad idea to walk blind into the darkness. Morgana lit a torch as well, but Merline didn't for some reason.

"You'd better be right about this, Merline." He said and he could see her roll her eyes, as if she knew something he didn't. He didn't like that about her, she was so simple minded, how could she know anything?

They continued down the tunnels and a loud growl erupted from below. Morgana gasped, Arthur looked over at Merline the see that she almost looked bored. Why was that?

"You two should stay here." He told them.

"I'm going to follow you anyway, so it's either I'm beside you where you can protect," Merline said protect as if it was the funniest word she had ever said, "Me, or I walk behind you and trip on a rock and die."

He rolled his eyes, but decided that it would be best if she didn't follow him from long behind and die.

"I'm coming too." Morgana said simply, shrugging. Arthur could risk Merline; she was only a servant, but he wasn't going to risk Morgana.

"No." He said, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Scared I'll show you up?" Morgana scoffed.

"Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I'd endangered you."

"Well good thing he doesn't know about it then." Morgana said rolling her eyes. She had always been defiant towards everything, but she had gotten a lot worse since Merline showed up.

"I'm telling you, Morgana, turn back. You could get hurt." He told her, grabbing her shoulders.

"You could too... If you don't get out of my way," She said and Merline looked as if she was barely holding back a laugh. He rolled his eyes at both of them. Apart they were bad enough, but together they were just ridiculous.

"How are we going to find it?" Morgana asked, changing the subject. Arthur decided he had no chance changing her mind so they continued walking towards the water supply.

"I just hope we do before it finds us." Merline said shrugging, as if she didn't care whether she lived or died at that point. Arthur would never understand Merline; her personality changed more than Morgana changed her dresses. He paused, seeing something out of the corner of his eye he turned.

"Stop," He said and Merline shot him a confused look, but she stopped walking anyway.

"What?" She asked, tilting her head up like she always did when expecting a conflict.

"It's just a shadow." Arthur said finally and Merline shot him a look that said, it's never just a shadow. But he ignored it anyway. They continued to move, Merline kept trying to get in front of him. He continued to cut her off just before she could pass him. He didn't get the point of it, but it kept his mind off the danger that was at hand.

If either Morgana or he died, his father would probably explode, accusing Merline as a witch or something of the sort. His father was a wise man, but if something happened that was slightly related to magic he would always blame the wrong person.

They continued walking until they reached the water source. Arthur felt a sense of unease. This was what was causing his people a grave illness and he was about to face it. Arthur always had to take care of something that would tilt the fate of Camelot, no matter how little it was. He was always alone in this, bearing the weight of what seemed like the world on his shoulders.

Recently he had gotten the feeling somebody was helping him, but he had disregarded the idea.

"Spread out." He said. He was becoming well aware that he was accompanied only by two girls. Merline could barely walk, to add to the list of disadvantages. Why did he bring her again? They split up and Arthur heard a growl. He barely saw a glimpse of a lump of a monster with jagged teeth before it swiped him across the back and he stumbled to the ground. He looked around, but what he supposed was the Afanc was gone.

Morgana rushed over to him to help him up. He felt stupid being helped by a girl, but he was glad she was there.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Morgana asked, almost too quickly for him to hear.

"Yeah," He shrugged, brushing off his armor. Merline walked over slowly, looking at her feet. Well, it was her fault, bringing them here.

"Did you see it?" Merline asked him. He shouldn't have been surprised, her caring about the monster more than him.

"Yes." He nodded. It had only been a glimpse, and he couldn't tell you exactly what it looked like, but he had seen it.

"What did it look like?" She asked, as if she was making sure it had been the right thing. He remembered Morgana telling him that Merline told her that there was an Afanc in the water supply, but he didn't think that she would have seen it. Though now he thought the assumption was stupid. How else would she know it was in the water if she hadn't seen it?

"It was… Fast," He said and Merline nodded. They paused for a moment a looked around. Within a second, the Afanc had come up in front of Morgana. She screamed and Arthur stabbed at it, but before his sword reached it the Afanc disappeared.

He backed away, looking all around. By now, even Merline looked slightly shaken, but not as much as the rest of them did. How did she stay so calm?

"Where is it?" He asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"I think it's gone this way!" Merline said, pointing to her left. Arthur didn't know how she knew, but it was more than he had at the moment. They walked in the direction where she pointed and the Afanc crept out of the corner into full view. It was painfully ugly, a disgusting brown color, shriveled, with long ugly teeth and sunken-in eyes.

Arthur swung at it but the monster pushed it away and it flew out of his hand. Morgana jumped forward, trying to wave it away with the torch, but the monster pushed her back and she fell to the ground, the torch going out.

Arthur circled it with his torch. He looked over annoyed at Merline who was just standing there. She didn't look frozen by fear. She was just standing there, as if waiting for the right moment. To do what? He had no idea. Merline couldn't really do anything.

"Arthur, use the torch now!" She yelled, and he rolled his eyes. Well, duh, what else do I have to use idiot? He thought, though he swung the torch without hesitation.

Without him noticing, Merline said a spell that would cause the Afanc to burst into flames.

"Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan," She chanted under her breath. The Afanc turned to ashes in seconds.

Arthur looked at where the beast had just burst into flames. That was a lot easier than he thought it would be.

"Come on; let's go before Gwen gets burnt." Merline said, picking Morgana up and rushing out of the tunnels.

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Merline, Gwen's father, Tom, and Morgana rushed into the cell as soon as the guards opened it. Her father was the first to talk to her, grabbing her in a hug and lifting her up as if she was a little girl and weighed no more than a small sack of flour.

"Dad," Gwen said, hugging him back. She planted a kiss on his forehead. Merline couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She wished she could have moments like this with the father she never knew.

"Oh, my little girl," Tom exclaimed, putting her down after a minute so the rest of them could have a turn. Gwen grasped both of her hands.

"Thank you," She said to both of them, but mostly to Morgana.

"It was all Merline," Morgana shrugged, smiling at Merline.

"I'm sure you did a lot too." Gwen said, wrapping the both of them in a hug. Her eyes looked a little teary when she said, "I don't know what to say, I have amazing friends."

"I didn't do anything." Merline said, shrugging. The killing of the Afanc barely balanced out the fact she put Gwen in jail in the first place.

"I'm- I'm grateful to you all. Come on, Gwen." Tom choked out holding back tears, he put an arm around Gwen and started to walk her home.

"I'm really glad you helped us Merline. Despite your almost annoying modesty," Morgana said in a joking tone, "I'm glad you're our friend. You're really there for us. All of us."

Morgana pulled her into a hug and Merline couldn't help but hug her back. It had been a month since she first came to Camelot, and she was far from the same person. She couldn't imagine what would happen after awhile longer.

She didn't want to think about it. She just hugged Morgana harder and buried her face in Morgana's shoulder.

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The Mark of Nimueh, END

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So yeah, sorry this is a day late… I lost like 1,000 words worth of hard-to-write-stuff-because-I-had-writers-block-at-the-time-writing. So that discouraged me but I forced myself to write.

This is not the best chapter I've ever written… But I'm really excited with the plan for the next episode. I'm looking forward to writing that. XD

Thank you for your story alerts/favorites/reviews. They make up for my lack of social life… I mean… Yeah, they make up for my lack of social life. No use denying it.

Let us reply to the anonymous reviews/ones I can't answer with PM.

Thefluffball: Thanks, I get that a lot. The I-can't-believe-you're-thirteen thing (I'm so tall –-) though I don't think you meant it that way… XD

These chapters keep getting longer. I used to barely be able to write down 1,000 word chapters… NOW LOOK AT ME, TOP OF THE WORLD, MA'!

Here is a bonus part, 'What Merline thinks will go down when she tells Arthur about her magic':

Merline: Hey, Arthur, I finished cleaning you're armor. By the way, I'm the most powerful sorceress… Ever. What do you want for supper?

Arthur: -Stare-

Merline: -Stare-

Arthur: -Stab-

Merline: -Oh so very dead-

Arthur: Well, I'm off to go hunting, where even the bunnies are out to get me.

Bunny: -Stare-

Arthur: -Dead-

Honestly, I don't know how Arthur even eats without being killed. XD

Tell me if you see any mistakes. XD