Forgive?
Chapter Four
Merlin stood back to survey his work. The dungeon was so clean it was sparkling! No, really – it was sparkling; There was something silver glinting in the corner. Lying on the floor was a dusty silver bangle. It had obviously been there for quite some time, covered by the dirt in the dungeon. Merlin picked it up and brushed it off to examine it.
It didn't seem to bear any significance, so he slipped it into his pocket and forgot about it.
oOo
"Gaius, could I do necromancy?" Merlin asked Gaius as soon as he walked through the door.
"Necromancy? Why would you want to do that?"
"Why d'you think? To bring someone back to life!" Merlin exclaimed
"Who?" asked Gaius.
Who? Well isn't it obvious? Merlin thought Who else would be more deserving of resurrection than kind, brave, noble Lancelot? Who else could I possibly be thinking of?
"Lancelot, you clotpole!" Merlin said, impatiently
"Why Lancelot?" Gaius sounded incredulous
"Because Lancelot was kind, brave, noble, handsome-" Merlin began
"Handsome?"
"Well of course! His dark, tousled hair…his smooth, flawless skin…his soft, luscious lips…his deep, dark eyes…"
Merlin couldn't contain himself any longer. "Gaius, I'm in love with Lancelot!" he burst out
"In-in love?" Gaius stuttered
"YES! I LOVE LANCELOT!" Merlin cried, jumping up onto the table. As he did so, something fell from his pocket and clattered to the floor. Gaius bent down and picked it up.
"Wait…did I just say that I love Lancelot?" Merlin muttered. Yes, he had been…infatuated with Lancelot. Why would that be? What had come over him? "I don't! I don't love him…I don't know why I said that…I just…"
"I believe that this bangle in your pocket had a love spell on it. Merlin, I think we know why Gwen betrayed Arthur…"
oOo
"Guinevere…I've brought you here to talk. I love you with all my heart, but there are…complications." Arthur said, hesitantly.
Gwen promptly came crashing back down to earth. After their kiss last night, she had assumed that everything would go back to how it had been before. How could she have been so naïve? Arthur couldn't just forgive her like that, not after what she'd done!
"Arthur, I am so sorry. I cannot ever expect you to forgive me. My betrayal was…was…the worst thing I have ever done. And I shall regret it for the rest of my life. For years to come I will look back on that moment and ask myself why I did it. 'Til the day I die I will not forget how much we had, and how I ruined it all with that one kiss."
"No, you are wrong. I can forgive you. And I so want to forgive you. It will not be easy, and it will take time. But, Guinevere…" he took her hand in both of his and peered into her face, his beautiful blue eyes seeking an answer in her warm brown ones. But Gwen couldn't meet his gaze knowing how much she had hurt him. She looked away, into the trees.
"Guinevere, I have told you this before. I meant it then. I mean it now. I will always love you…
Gwen was on the verge of tears. He was being so kind, so sweet, while she deserved none of it. She continued to avoid his eyes, staring into the trees. But her eyes were becoming wet, and now all she could see was a blur of green, brown, red and blue.
"I always have loved you."
Wait a second…red and blue, in the woods? Gwen blinked and her vision cleared. There was a figure running through the woods. A figure in a blue shirt with a red neckerchief. A figure that looked remarkably like…
"Merlin?" Gwen exclaimed incredulously.
"I-I'm sorry?"
"Look, over there. It's Merlin!" Gwen pointed at the rapidly approaching Merlin.
"Merlin! Just what is he doing here?" Arthur muttered, standing up. "MERLIN!" he roared thunderously.
Sorry this chapter took so long, but I wasn't sure where to take it next., as I could've taken it in one of two directions: have Merlin deduct that the bracelet was enchanted using skill and knowledge, or have him find out by becoming enchanted himself. I thought the second would be funnier, so I chose it. Hope it works! Thanks for reading, reviewing etc. Chapter 5 is on it's way!
