Arthur was upset. To say the least. After Gaius had told them that Gwen knew of Morgana's magic, Merlyn had set off to see her. Now Gwen and Merlyn were always whispering together about Morgana and how Merlyn could use her own magic to stop her. Arthur wanted to be the one that Merlyn would whisper with. He wanted to be the one to plan with her. But he knew that she wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't let him turn himself fully against Morgana until he spoke to her. But he didn't want to speak with her.

He was mulling this over when his father called him to the council chambers and informed him of a strange situation in magic that was arising.

"Merlyn would know." He muttered to himself.

"What?" Arthur looked up, startled. I said that out loud? His father was raising a critical brow and him and Morgana was smirking behind his back.

"What I meant, sire, is that we should sent for Merlyn and Gaius. They know more about healing than either of us. Gaius used to practice magic himself; he'll be able to tell us whether these miracles are really enchantments or not. And Merlyn is his apprentice. I'm sure Gaius will want her to learn from him." Morgana's smile faltered.

"You make a valid point, Arthur." His father mused. "Send for the physician and his apprentice." Uther snapped at a guard. Arthur raised an eyebrow at his sister in a challenge and she tilted her head curiously. A few moments later Gaius walked in with a harassed looking Merlyn behind him. Merlyn looked cross-eyed at Morgana and giggled when Morgana frowned at her.

Arthur smiled at her and she blushed and tucked her chin into her neckerchief. Gaius rolled his eyes at their antics. Uther noticed none of this. He looked up from the reports at Gaius and sighed. Arthur noticed how Merlyn stiffened when this happened.

"Ah, Gaius, there have been some disturbing rumors from outlying villages."

"Sire?" no doubt Gaius was wondering what this had to do with him. Merlyn's brow puckered and she looked at Arthur critically. He waved his fingers slightly in front of himself, in their silent symbol for magic. Merlyn raised an eyebrow and frowned.

"Someone, some kind of physician is offering treatments. I fear magic may have been used." Arthur and Merlyn both noticed how hard Gaius was trying not to roll his eyes.

"What is it that makes you suspicious?" Gaius placated.

"There are reports of miracle cures. A boy thrown from a horse, a farmhand mauled by a boar." Merlyn's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "All hopeless cases and each and every one had made a full recovery." Merlyn was impressed; even she didn't have that level of healing magic.

"It's hard for me to comment, Sire. I'd have to examine the patients myself."

"That won't be necessary, as a new case has arisen here in Camelot."

"Who?" Arthur tried not to smile as Merlyn was practically brimming with curiosity.

"The innkeeper. He's returned to work." Arthur informed them.

"That's not possible. The condition was critical, I saw him only two days ago."

"So you agree that magic must be involved?" Uther sighed wearily. Merlyn frowned at him.

"Well, I couldn't say for sure."

"Then go to the tavern and find out. IF sorcery is at work here, we must act quickly."

"Yes sire, I'll see to it right away." Gaius bowed and left, Merlyn trailing after him. Gaius had seemed particularly hesitant to blame sorcery. Arthur knew that it was sorcery. He also knew that Merlyn and Gaius knew it as well. He wasn't surprised that Merlyn would want to protect the sorcerer, but Gaius? Arthur wondered how he'd never noticed things like this before.

"It's unbelievable. Uther has no problem turning to magic if it's his family that's threatened." Merlyn complained as they walked through town.

"Keep your voice down, Merlyn."

"Oh, he is such a hypocrite." Merlyn muttered.

"He's also the King. So if you value your head, use it." Merlyn frowned at his back, insulted. They reached the Rising Sun and entered. Sure enough, Evoric the innkeeper was at the bar, perfectly healed. Merlyn glanced around and noticed some magical charms hanging unobtrusively in a corner.

"Welcome." He called and winked at Merlyn. She rolled her eyes at followed Gaius to the counter.

"What a pleasant surprise, Evoric." Gaius smiled at him.

"What can I get you?" Evoric's smile faltered.

"Nothing." Gaius said just as Merlyn reached for a roll she scowled at him and sat back down. "I just dropped by to see how you're doing."

"Much improved, as you can see." Evoric looked uncomfortable.

"Indeed. Remarkable recovery."

"All thanks to you, Gaius." Gaius raised his eyebrow of doom at the man.

"I think not. Evoric, I am, of course, delighted to see that you're well again, but I must ask you, from whom did you procure your remedy?"

"Don't know what you're talking about." Evoric paled.

"Now, you mustn't be afraid. I'm not the King after all."

"My wife, she was desperate. I was slipping away."

"Go on."

"She met a woman, a healer, in the lower town and she gave her a cure."

"Well, can I see it?" Evoric passed it over and Gaius studied it carefully. "Interesting." Even Merlyn could see that it possessed magical qualities.

"Am I in some kind of trouble?" Evoric stammered.

"No, not at all. You've been most helpful." Gaius passed the treatment back and left. Merlyn deftly stole a roll and followed after him. He scowled at her but said nothing. The King and his council were still there when they got back. Arthur raised his eyebrows and Merlyn waved her fingers in their secret magic sign. He frowned slightly.

Gaius began to tell the barkeep's tale, conveniently leaving some things out. He told about how the keep's wife found another healer who gave them a remedy and healed him. Uther looked skeptical and Arthur raised his brown in surprise at Gaius' editing.

"What was the nature of this treatment?" Uther proclaimed.

"Hogwart and fenugreek." Gaius chirruped. Merlyn's eyebrow rose and she locked eyes with Arthur. Arthur suddenly realized that Merlyn was a confused by Gaius' lying as he was.

"Excuse me?" Uther asked, as if Gaius had just insulted him. Merlyn barely managed not to roll her eyes.

"Herbs, Sire. Whoever prescribed them was highly skilled. Their grasp of the five principles of herbal conjoinment was…"

"What about the boy and the laborer? Surely they were beyond the help of such remedies?" Arthur frowned at his father. Why was he determined to see sorcery everywhere?

"Not necessarily, Sire. A physician's art can achieve great things."

"Not miracles." Uther was adamant. Arthur's frown deepened; his father was losing himself to his lust for the death of magic. What would he do if he knew Arthur was in love with a witch? Arthur shivered at the thought. "The innkeeper was fatally ill, you said so yourself."

"Yes that was indeed my diagnosis. But my knowledge isn't perfect. There are many branches of my craft that are yet mysteries to me. I could not heal the innkeeper. Someone else could."

"Are you absolutely satisfied that no magic was involved?" Uther pressed.

"Entirely, Sire."

"Thank you, Gaius. You've set my mind at rest." Arthur highly doubted that.

"My lord." Gaius bowed slightly.

"I think it's great, what you did, protecting the innkeeper like that." Merlyn said through a mouthful of dinner.

"What do you mean?" Gaius turned and scowled at Merlyn. She frowned in confusion.

"He was a sick man. It was a matter of life and death. Magic was his only hope."

"But he didn't use magic." Gaius frowned.

"The potion was enchanted. I saw it with my own eyes. We both did."

"What you saw, Merlyn was a release of gaseous pressure. Entirely normal in a preparation of that kind." Merlyn's frown deepened.

"What about that totem?"

"The totem in the innkeeper's doorway bore the marks of the Old Religion."

"Nonsense. You're obviously tired, Merlyn. I recommend you get some sleep." Gaius snapped, taking away Merlyn's dinner before she could object. She grumbled about turning him into a grumpy old bat and crawled into bed. She couldn't sleep. Something wasn't right. It wasn't like Gaius to hide magic from her.

She heard an unusual amount of creaking coming from the main room. She slid out of bed and peeked through a crack in her door. Gaius glanced at her door before sneaking out. She frowned at him, grabbed her large brown coat and followed after him. Gaius walked casually through the lower town and knocked on someone's door. The door opened to reveal a pretty, plump old lady.

"Gaius?" she asked in shock.

"Alice." He smiled at her strangely. Merlyn frowned; it was a look she'd often seen on Arthur's face and associated it to the times he thought of her. Alice leaned forward and kissed Gaius and Merlyn gagged. The guards walked by and Merlyn dived behind an empty stall. Gaius and Alice hurried inside and Merlyn cursed; she'd have to go home.

Merlyn had dirtied her last pair of pants last night and growled as she pulled on a dress. She chose the blue and red one that Arthur loved so much; might as well make someone happy about this clothing change. She walked downstairs and saw Gaius reading at his desk, and smirked.

"Did you go out last night?" she tried to ask casually. Gaius froze momentarily and she could see him trying to think up an excuse.

"Yes. I had to get some herbs."

"Herbs?"

"A…a new supplier just arrived."

"Oh." Merlyn smirked when they made eye contact and he frowned. "Do your suppliers normally kiss you?" Gaius spluttered in shock.

"You followed me. How dare you?" he shouted. Merlyn flinched and blinked away tears that had suddenly pricked at her eyes; Gaius had never yelled at her before.

"Gaius, it was the middle of the night, I was worried. I thought you might be in some sort of trouble." She backpedaled.

"There's nothing wrong." Gaius growled at his papers.

"What's her name?" Merlyn asked her breakfast, still trying to blink away tears.

"Alice. She's an old friend." Gaius' eyes got a faraway look in them. "Well, more than a friend, if truth be told."

"What do you mean?" Merlyn asked her bread, innocently.

"We were once engaged to be married." Merlyn's head snapped up to look at him.

"When was this?"

"More years ago than I care to remember. I had just been made physician to the King when I met her. It was like finding a kindred spirit, we had so much in common. Our love of science, or healing, and of magic."

"Magic?"

I was just a novice. But Alice's power and ability was uncanny. She had the gift. Soon she had mastered every aspect of sorcery, healing above all. It was wonderful to behold, Merlyn. She saved a great many lives."

"It was Alice that cured the innkeeper."

"Indeed. There was a time when her skills were famous in Camelot."

"So what happened?" Merlyn knew she was a sucker for a good tragedy.

"Uther declared war on magic. Overnight her world was turned upside-down."

"The Great Purge." Merlyn's blood turned to ice and she felt like killing something…as she usually did when she thought of the mindless slaughter of thousands of her kind.

"Uther drew up a list of everyone suspected of using magic. One by one, they were hunted down and executed. As close friend to the King, I was permitted to see this list. Alice's name was on it."

"What did you do?"

"The only think I could do…I struck her name off."

"Gaius, if you'd been caught…"

"I know, but it bought her time. Just enough to get out of Camelot, to escape."

"But…you stayed behind." Merlyn was confused now. Why would he stay when the woman he loved was in danger. Then she thought about if it was her and Arthur. Arthur would send her away to protect her but he wouldn't come with her. He couldn't. The thought made her incredibly sad.

"I was scared. I felt like I had no choice. I thought I'd never see her again. But now here she is, after all these years. I feel we've been given a second chance."

Merlyn flopped onto Arthur's bed next to him, startling him awake. His hand was half way towards his sword before he realized it was her. She smiled and kissed his cheek. He turned his head so that she was kissing his lips. She smiled into the kiss.

"What was that for?" Arthur asked, pulling her into a hug.

"I just heard a really sad love story and I wanted to convince myself that we wouldn't end like that." She murmured into his shoulder.

"Like what? What story?"

"Gaius loved a witch named Alice and then…the purge happened." Arthur froze, not knowing, yet fearing where the story was going. "And he… he struck her name off your father's list and sent her away. But he didn't go with her…couldn't go with her." Arthur kissed Merlyn's head and felt a few tears slide down her cheeks.

"We're not going to end like that, Merlyn. I promise. We'll always be together."

"Why don't I believe you?" Merlyn whispered to herself. Arthur felt himself getting sad. "They were engaged to be married." Merlyn sighed and rolled away, to prepare him for the day. Does Merlyn want me to propose? Arthur panicked. They couldn't; she was a peasant! And a witch! His father would have his head.

Arthur got out of bed and allowed Merlyn to dress him. He was silent, thinking. What did he want from this relationship with Merlyn? They'd never be able to marry…And he couldn't take her virtue and leave her with nothing. Not like that man did to her mother. What did Merlyn want from their relationship?

These thoughts plagued him during training. Merlyn held a hoop over head while he practice jousting and thought about what would happen if his father found out about her magic. Merlyn cowered behind a shield while he practiced mace work and thought about life without her.

"Come on, Merlyn!" he cried. Put your back into it!"

"Sorry sire. I'm just a bit…" Arthur hit her shield and she collapsed on the ground.

"Pathetic. You're pretending to be a battle hardened warrior, not a…daffodil." He sighed in exasperation.

"A daffodil?" Merlyn giggled. She collapsed back on the ground and started laughing hysterically. "I am a battle hardened warrior, thank you very much." She said when she stopped laughing.

"Oh really?" Arthur frowned down at her.

"I just have a different weapon than you." She raised her hand and wiggled her fingers. Arthur sighed and helped her up.

"Cheater." He whispered in her ear.

Merlyn trudged into the physician's chambers slowly, weary of her aching limbs. Her story seemed to have upset Arthur and he was pensive and silent all morning. But he never let up in his attack. Personally she didn't think he'd ever face a woman in battle so fighting her was kind of useless. If he ever did fight a woman she'd probably be a sorceress and he'd be dead.

She collapsed at the table and got into a fight with the armor she was wearing, as she tried to take it off. Once she had thrown the last piece of offensive metal against the wall, she realized she wasn't alone in the room. She looked up to see Gaius and Alice standing there at one of the counters, watching her. Merlyn was sure she looked a right mess in Arthur's sweaty tunic and breaches with her hair splayed out in all directions and a large bruise forming on her right cheekbone.

"Ah, Merlyn, I'd like you to meet Alice." Gaius raised his eyebrow at her.

"Merlyn, it's a pleasure to meet you. Gaius speaks very highly of you."

"You too." Merlyn tried to smile her goofy smile but it lifted the skin on her cheek. "Ow." She clutched her face in pain. Gaius rushed over with some salve and began rubbing onto her face. Pausing every time she flinched.

"Alice will be staying with us for a while." Gaius said as he tilted her face to check for more bruises.

"Great." She winced when he touched a sensitive spot on her neck that had nothing at all to do with training.

"That's alright with you?" Alice asked in surprise.

"Of course. I'll make up the spare bed."

"So you won't mind if she uses your room?" Gaius asked. Merlyn frowned but didn't see how she could say no to him.

"Be my guest." She smiled and winced. Again.

"Now, what's this bruise from?" Gaius asked, poking her love bite again. She hissed and covered it with her hand.

"Gaius I think you know what that is." Alice laughed and sat next to Merlyn, on the other side. Gaius frowned and looked at her in confusion. She laughed and Merlyn giggled. He looked back and forth between them, at a complete loss.

"MERLYN!" Arthur chose that moment to barge through the doors. "Merlyn I need you to do my laundry and what the hell happened to your face?" he looked at her bruise in shock.

"You happened to my face, you ass." Merlyn pouted. Alice started and Arthur stopped smirking at Merlyn and looked at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

"Arthur, this is Alice." Merlyn said meaningfully. "She's an old friend of Gaius' they haven't seen each other in over two decades!" Arthur frowned but welcomed her. He'd decided that if he ever had to send Merlyn away, he'd send for her the moment his father was dead. But two decades? She'd probably have moved on and had children by then.

Merlyn moved her hand away from her neck and reached for a cup of water. Arthur smirked when he saw the love bite on her neck. He caught Alice's eye and she had a knowing, yet slightly horrified, look in her eyes. He glanced to Gaius who was frowning at the mark as if it personally offended him.

"I still don't see how, even you could get a bruise on your neck." He muttered to himself. Merlyn chocked on her water and Alice patted her back, soothingly. Arthur clutched the door frame and cackled loudly. Merlyn glared at him; it was his fault she was in this predicament.

"Gaius!" Alice sighed. "It's a love bite!" Gaius recoiled from Merlyn and Arthur laughed hysterically.

"But…Merlyn….who? What? Love?" Arthur was crying, he was laughing so hard. Merlyn looked positively mortified; Gaius was practically her father!

"Melrin!" He scolded. "Who did this to you?" Merlyn turned beet red and shook her head. "Merlyn, tell me at once!" More head shaking. "What would your mother say?" Merlyn paled and then blushed brilliantly.

"Mum knows the boy…she likes him." She murmured.

"Well then…" Gaius was obviously uncomfortable with the idea that someone was courting Merlyn. "What would your father say?" Merlyn shot up from the chair and stared at Gaius in horror. Arthur frowned; Merlyn had said she'd never met her father.

"Did your father ever meet this boy?" Gaius demanded. Merlyn glared at him.

"I know what you're playing at old man." She hissed. Alice and Arthur watched as though it was a jousting tournament.

"You know your father wouldn't have approved, don't you?" Gaius shot Arthur a look. Suddenly Arthur wasn't so amused. Did Gaius suspect? Alice did, certainly …but Gaius? "He would have ripped the boy to shreds with his bare hands." Gaius sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Yes, and then he would have fed me to the wolves. But my father's dead so it's not like it matters." Merlyn sniffed and took off. Arthur blinked at the couple in front of him before following his maid. He found her in his room, ripping off his tunic and trousers and pulling on her dress. When that was done she collapsed onto his bed, on her back. Arthur lay next to her.

"Would your father really have hated me?" He asked.

"Well…he didn't like you but he didn't hate you." She sighed.

"Hold up." He rolled onto his side to look at her. "I've met your father?"

"Balinor." She sighed and looked away. "Balinor was my father." Arthur chocked a little bit.

"I'm so sorry." He gasped at last. "I told you that no man was worth your tears. I'm sorry, Merlyn."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault." She still didn't look at him.

"But it wasn't yours."

"Yes it was. He was trying to protect me. And we wouldn't have needed him if I hadn't released that dragon." She froze after saying that and peeked at Arthur. He was frozen with a look of complete horror on his face. Arthur felt as though Merlyn had just ripped out his heart. Here he was, feeling sorry for her and then suddenly finding out she was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of his citizens.

He pulled away, betrayed. She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Arthur, please, let me explain!" she cried, tears brimming her beautiful blue eyes. Eyes that he didn't think he'd ever be able to look at again.

"Out." He whispered hoarsely. "Get out."

"Arthur." She reached for him and he recoiled.

"Now." His voice was flat, betraying nothing that he felt. She sniffled and ran from the room. Arthur curled up on his bed and tried not to cry. No man, or woman, was worth his tears…but the countless civilians and knights he'd lost then…perhaps they were. It hurt to find out that you loved a woman that was personally answerable for their deaths.

Merlyn couldn't sleep. The floor was uncomfortable. She missed her bed. She missed Arthur. She missed when things were simple. When she could just lie and get away with it. When she didn't have to share everything with Arthur. Her musings were interrupted when she heard hoarse voices coming from her room. She peaked through a crack in her door and saw Alice talking to….a monster!

Merlyn couldn't figure out what they were saying, only catching a few words here and there. But she was completely horrified. Alice seemed like such a nice lady. Why would she work with such a hideous beast? Alice took some of the beast's venom and tucked it away. Merlyn crept back to her make-shift bed and got no sleep that night.

The next morning she tried to prove to Gaius what she'd seen. But she couldn't summon the creature from the box and Gaius didn't believe her. He was downright angry with her. He sent her to work with Arthur but she found that another servant had replaced her. Arthur wouldn't even look at her. She hadn't felt so alone for a long time.

Arthur was having a horrible day. It was made worse by the realization that he'd already forgiven Merlyn. If the townspeople knew, there'd be a riot. If Uther knew she'd released the beast, she'd be executed the next day. He was certain that Gaius and Gwen would cry and Morgana would laugh. He knew that he wouldn't even be able to make it to the execution. He'd shut himself in his room and cry for his lost love.

The worst part was that he knew that Merlyn wouldn't try to save herself. He saw it in her eyes whenever they had to talk of those she killed; she didn't believe herself capable of being forgiven. She wouldn't forgive herself; she'd take the punishment willingly. When she showed up to find Toby in her place, she looked betrayed.

Arthur's heart clenched at the sight of her eyes filled with tears, knowing that he out them there. But she just nodded once at Toby and left. She hadn't said anything and she never came back. When he asked he'd found out she went to the library. It just didn't make any sense.

Merlyn was flipping through her seventh book when Geoffrey showed up. He cleared his throat and she startled so badly that she nearly dropped the book. She clutched it to her chest and stared at him in horror. "Can I help you?" he asked, not even reacting to her death glare that made even Morgana flinch.

"Yes." She said after she caught her breath. "I wonder, do you know anything about this creature?" she showed him the picture of the beast that was in her room in a box.

Ah, yes, that is the manticore."

"A manticore?" she bit her lip.

"Nasty looking beast isn't it?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that again."

"I believe it was first referred to almost a thousand years ago. The Ancients lived in fear of it, trembled at its very name."

"I've never even heard of it."

"I'm not surprised. 'Cause as far as I'm aware, the manticore is a legend, figment of the imagination."

"Are you sure?" she pressed.

"Oh yes. So if you were hoping to see one, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed." Merlyn sighed and headed back home. She opened up the door and startled Alice who shattered some vials on the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Gaius." She said with her pleading puppy eyes. Merlyn tsked and went to get some food.

"Don't worry. Merlyn will clear it up, won't you, Merlyn?" Merlyn paused and turned to stare at the mess.

"No, no! I can do it!" Alice cried and began to clean up the mess.

Merlyn snuck back into the library later that night. Geoffrey was snoring peacefully on a stack of books. Merlyn giggled and accidentally hit a book with her arm when she tried to stifle the giggles. The book fell and hit the floor with a loud thunk! Geoffrey woke with a start and looked around in shock.

"What's that? Who's there?" Merlyn started to make all the little objects on his desk dance and float around his head.

"No one. You're dreaming. Now go back to sleep." She whispered soothingly. Geoffrey nodded, put his head back down and started snoring again. "I can't believe that worked." She whispered and snuck by him.

The next morning she found Gaius walking down the phoenix corridor. She hurried and caught up with him. He sent her a sidelong look but said nothing. "Gaius, I need to talk to you about Alice."

"Merlyn, this must stop!" he said, exasperated.

"There's a reason the box was empty. It isn't a container. It's a portal, a gateway for the manticore."

"This must stop now." Gaius hissed.

"No, Alice is up to something and whatever it is, it isn't good."

"You're wrong Merlyn. Alice is the kindest and most compassionate person I've ever known."

"No. You're wrong. You're just blinded by your feelings for her."

"I can see perfectly well, Merlyn. And what I can see is that you cannot bear for me to be happy. I cannot begin to guess why that may be, but it saddens me. More than I can say." Neither of them noticed Arthur who'd been standing a few feet away the entire time.

"You know what I see?" Merlyn snapped. "I see a foolish old man who's ridiculously selfish."

"Selfish? How dare you? Do you know how much I've had to listen to you whine about your life?" he spat.

"Well excuse me for having a difficult life. But that wasn't what I was talking about. This is just like what happened with Frey." Gaius recoiled. "Yes he was dangerous, yes he killed people but he didn't want to. We were going to run away together but you couldn't bear the thought of me happy! So you betrayed me!" Merlyn was shouting now. "And you told Uther and Arthur where to find him. And he died! Because of you! And you have the audacity to say I've been selfish? At least I wasn't blind to his faults!" Merlyn stifled a sob and ran past.

Gaius grumbled to himself and went the other way. Arthur stood there completely shocked. That nice lady had something planned. Something to do with a manticore. Whatever that was. Gaius and Merlyn were fighting. Gaius and Arthur were responsible for the death of the man Merlyn loved.

Arthur's new servant, whatever his name was, didn't show up for training. So that meant that Arthur was currently throwing polearms at Merlyn as she walked around with a target on her back. His latest throw brought Merlyn down on the ground.

"You're meant to bob, Merlyn, weave. You might as will be a barn door!" Arthur sighed as he pulled the pole out of the shield and offered Merlyn a hand. She eyed it warily as if he were going to hit her with it. At first Arthur didn't understand. But then he remembered that he'd yelled at her and she'd runaway in tears.

"Yes sire." She mumbled, grabbing his arm and standing.

"For goodness sake, what's your problem?" he sighed. Then he paled, realizing she had a lot on her plate right now.

"Nothing." She muttered, brushing mud off of his favorite dress.

"Right." Why would she never talk to him about her problems? "Either you tell me, or we go back to the lance and hoops." Merlyn paled but said nothing. Arthur sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched and looked away. "Merlyn, I want you to trust me."

"How can I, when you won't even hear me out?" she whispered. That hurt. Arthur felt like his heart was being slowly squeezed.

"Merlyn, I—"

"Gaius and I had a falling out." She said, still looking away. He said nothing, instead choosing to pull her into a hug. She sobbed and grabbed the lapels of his jacket. The other knights looked at her warily and edged farther away; no man really knew what to do when a woman was in hysterics.

Merlyn and Arthur were playing a round of chess when the warning bell sounded. They tore out of the room and followed the shouting. Ending up in the King's chambered. Uther was lying on the floor as if dead. Arthur had a miniature heart attack and tried to wake him. Gaius showed up moments later. Arthur was still on the floor, cradling his father.

"I found him this way. I..I can't rouse him." He sobbed. Gaius knelt next to him and checked the king's pulse.

"The King's alive, but his pulse is weak."

"What's wrong with him?"

"Please, I must examine him. Seal of the King's quarters. Just then Uther gasped and sat up, only his eyes were completely black. Merlyn shrieked and recoiled into the wall. Gaius froze and Arthur swore colorfully.

"What was that?" Merlyn whispered.

"Hush Merlyn." Gaius chided. Arthur and Merlyn both scowled at him. They moved Uther to his bed where he sighed and closed his eyes. A small bottle fell out of his hand. Merlyn snatched it up before Gaius could do anything.

"Well?" Arthur demanded when Gaius sighed.

"I am afraid I cannot yet determine the cause of your father's illness."

"Well, he's been poisoned, hasn't he?"

"I cannot say at this stage."

"Just look at him, Gaius. What else could it be?"

"We must not jump to hasty conclusions, Sire. Please watch over him until a I return." Gaius headed out. Merlyn narrowed her eyes and followed him.

"I don't think we need any more information." She said quietly.

"Since when are you the expert in such matters?" Gaius turned around and snapped at her.

"Oh, you don't need to be a physician to see what's happened."

"Merlyn!"

"Gaius, he's been poisoned, and I think we both know who did it." She held up the bottle. Gaius tried to grab it but she pulled back.

"What exactly are you implying?"

"It was Alice. It had to be. She's been helping you with the potions. She's had every opportunity to corrupt his medicine."

"Merlyn, you have no proof of any of this." He barked. She held up the bottle again.

"How else did he ingest the poison? There is no other explanation."

"Of course there is!"

"So then you poisoned him then?" she cried. He frowned at her. "Oh, come on, Gaius! I understand why you're protecting her. Really, I do. But in your heart of hearts, you must know what I'm saying is true."

"All I know is that the King is gravely ill and your place is by his side." Merlyn huffed and walked back into the King's chambers. Arthur was sitting by his father's side, frowning.

"It doesn't make any sense. His food and wine are tasted each and every meal. It's brought here under armed guard. No one can interfere with it in any way. So, it can't be his food and drink. The only other thing he's had is…Gaius' remedy." Arthur looked at her with horror filled eyes.

"I think I know what happened." Merlyn said, looking him in the eyes. "I know who did this."

Alice. Arthur growled. Why was the world determined to prove that Merlyn was the only good sorcerer? He charged into the physician's quarters with guards in tow. "You're under arrest for high treason. Take her away." The guards did so. Merlyn looked at Gaius, who looked positively heartbroken.

"I had no choice. It was either her or you, Gaius." She whispered.

"It wasn't your choice to make." He snapped.

"You will mind your tongue." Arthur snapped at Gaius. Gaius blinked at him in shock. Arthur and Merlyn headed to the cells to question Alice.

"Do you admit to poisoning the King?"

"Yes. Yes! But it forced me to do it. It made me!" She cried.

"Who forced you?"

"The creature. The creature." She started rocking.

"You're lying! There's no creature. You're just trying to save your own skin."

"No, no." she started crying.

"Please, my father is dying. If you have a single shred of goodness within you, you will tell me how to cure him." He pleaded. Merlyn watched silently.

"I don't know." Arthur hit the cells doors in anger. Merlyn and Alice both flinched. "I don't know! I'm so sorry. The manticore…"Merlyn had confronted Gaius with talk of a manticore. Alice stopped talking and her eyes turned black, just like his fathers.

"Arthur…" he turned and followed Merlyn as she headed toward his father's chambers.

"How is he?" she asked Gaius.

"He's fading. He won't last the day." Arthur chocked back a sob.

"Gaius…"

"It's alright, Merlyn. I understand. You were only trying to save me from harm. Thank you. But I don't believe Alice wanted this."

"I know she didn't." Arthur spoke then. Gaius jumped, as looked surprised to see the young prince there. "The poison is from the manticore."

"The creature she's hidden in my room." Merlyn clarified.

"We cannot counteract the manticore's venom. It's too deadly, by far." Gaius sighed.

"So what do we do?" Merlyn sighed wearily.

"We can kill the manticore. The poison is imbued with its magic. With the manticore dead, it will lose its potency."

"How do I kill it?" Arthur didn't like how casually Merlyn put herself in danger.

"You can't. You don't have the power." Merlyn's eyebrows skyrocketed and Arthur frowned in confusion. "It is a creature of the Old Religion."

"As am I." Merlyn frowned.

"Maybe there's another way, if I can remember….Ah! The manticore cannot live in this world for long. It' life source is an ancient evil that exists in the spirit world."

"So if we can trap it in this world…"Arthur trailed off. Merlyn turned to him and smiled. His heart warmed at the sight and he found himself smiling back at her.

"Exactly! If we summon the creature and you keep it at back long enough, perhaps I could break the box!" Merlyn said and smiled in relief.

"The gateway." Arthur remembered.

"If the gateway is destroyed, then the creature's connection with its life source will be destroyed with it." Gaius said, smiling at the two of them.

"And then the manticore will die?" Arthur asked Gaius.

"I believe so."

"Arthur, the box is enchanted. It would need magic to destroy it." Merlyn said carefully.

"I am aware of that." Arthur said pointedly. "Do you think you can command such magic?" Merlyn scoffed and bounced out of the King's chambers. Arthur turned back to Gaius. "I take it that is a 'yes' then?"

"Merlyn, is the most powerful sorcerer who ever has, or ever will walk the earth." Gaius chuckled and followed after her. Arthur followed in awed silence. At least that explained why she was surprised when Gaius said she couldn't kill it.

They ended up in Gaius' chambers. Merlyn pulled out the box and bit her lip nervously. "What if this doesn't work?" she whispered.

"Then we're going to have a very angry manticore on our hands." Arthur said dryly. Gaius hung back, watching nervously. Arthur unsheathed his sword and swallowed. Merlyn opened the box and said a spell. Arthur was distracted by the way her eyes lit up. He sighed in frustration; it was just one more thing to love about her.

"It didn't work." She cursed colorfully. Arthur blushed at her brash words. She tried the spell again and the manticore came screaming out. Arthur and Merlyn yelled in shock as it tried to kill Arthur who was immediately in its eyesight. Arthur fell to the ground, holding it back.

"MERLYN!" he cried. She gulped and turned to the box, uttering the spell that Gaius had given her. Nothing happened. "Merlyn! Merlyn it's now or never!" Arthur grunted, dodging another blow from the small but powerful beast. Merlyn swore once again and yelled the spell just as the beast launched itself at her.

The box shattered and the manticore shriveled up and turned to dust, mid leap. Merlyn collapsed next to Arthur and breathed out a laugh. He laughed as well and pulled her into a kiss. She pulled back and stared at him in shock.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to your story. I promise I'll try to listen in the future." She smiled and kissed him again. Gaius gagged and then cleared his throat. The pair broke apart in embarrassment.

"There is a King that we should check on." He said, raising his eyebrow of doom.

"I am fortunate, indeed, that you found an antidote." Uther shifted in his bed and winced. Merlyn blushed.

"It will take time, My Lord, but you will make a full recovery." She said, smiling. Arthur smiled and Gaius beamed.

"What of the woman?" Gaius's smile fell and Merlyn's became rather fixed.

"We have her in the cells, Sire. She awaits your judgment." Uther frowned. "Father, if I may?"

"Arthur?"

"It would seem that this woman…Alice?" he turned to Gaius as if checking her name. "Was being controlled by some sort of creature."

"A manticore, sire." Merlyn put it. "That is where the poison was from."

"And it controlled her?"

"Yes, Sire." The trio chorused.

"It learned that she was coming here to visit me and decide to take control of the opportunity. She had no control over her own actions." Uther frowned at Gaius.

"Very well. She is pardoned." Merlyn looked at Arthur in shock.

"Thank you, Sire." Gaius beamed again. "I would like her to stay here and help me with my practices. She is a skilled physician and Merlyn had other duties to attend to." Gaius informed the King. Uther nodded and winced.

Arthur woke up with a start. He could have sworn he'd heard something. He really wished there was nothing though. He'd just broke up with Merlyn, almost lost his father, taken on a manticore, saved his father and reunited with Merlyn. He really didn't think he could take anything else this week. He heard a loud crash and a curse from the antechamber.

"Merlyn." He rolled his eyes and headed over there. He opened the door and saw Merlyn half on the floor and half on the spare bed. Her upper half was on the floor and her hair was everywhere. Where bare legs were hanging onto the bed for dear life. "Just what are you doing?" he raised his eyebrow. She looked up at him and blushed. Suddenly Arthur realized that she was only wearing a tunic…and it was one of his.

She carefully got to her feet and he looked away politely as she did so. "I fell off the bed while I was sleeping." She muttered, trying to pull the tunic down.

"Why are you sleeping in here? Don't you have your own room?" He refused to look away from her face. Both he and Merlyn were blushing brilliantly.

"Yeah but…Alice is back." She said, trying to cue him in. he blinked in confusion.

"So?"

"You know Alice right? Alice, Gaius' fiancé that he hasn't seen in over two decades?" Arthur blinked again. Merlyn gave up and put her hands on her hips. "Alice and Gaius have stolen my room. You could hear a mouse through that door. I am not staying in those chambers." She said in exasperation.

"Oh. Ugg." Arthur blanched and blushed some more. They stood there in silence for a moment more. "It's cold in here. Come sleep in my bed." Arthur suggested. Merlyn scowled and pointed her finger at him, her other hand still on her hip.

"Now, look here mister, we are not—"

"NO!" Arthur blanched again, realizing how his question had sounded. "No! I just meant to sleep!" Merlyn huffed and stalked into his room. By the time he'd closed the door to the antechamber and returned, she was curled up on the left side of his bed. He crawled in next to her and kissed the top of her curly head. "Goodnight, love." He smiled.

"Don't try anything mister. My magic reacts to things, all by itself, during the night." She warned. He swallowed but saw that she was smiling and he settled down to sleep.