A/N So, here's my new chapter. I got some new followers and someone else favorited this story after my last chapter, so thank you all! I hope that this chapter doesn't disappoint. Thank you for your reviews (they really do help) and thank you for keeping them nice and constructive. I think that that's all I have to say right now, so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, because if I did, Morgause would've died in season 2. (I really dislike her)


The welcoming of the Mercians was tense, at best. Merlin noticed that everyone was on their toes, and for good reason. The two kingdoms had been enemies for many years, and the smallest thing could endanger the peace talks and start a war. The representatives of the two kingdoms met in the throne room, and after Uther said a few words, the two kings shook hands and the room erupted in uneasy applause.

After the dramatic entrance of the Mercians, Merlin and the other servants were left to carry their things to their rooms. Merlin passed Gaius on the stairs carrying two bags that were as big as her.

"Why do I always get landed with donkey work?" she grumbled. Gaius raised an eyebrow.

"You're a servant, Merlin. It's your job."

"My arms will be a foot longer by the time I get this lot inside." She scoffed before turning and running into another servant, who dropped their load. Luckily, the servant was carrying pillows, so nothing was broken.

"I am so sorry." She apologized, helping to pick the pillows up.

"It's fine." The other servant smiled. She was a woman, a few years older than Merlin, with striking blue eyes and a kind smile. Merlin recognized her as one of the Mercians. "I'm Cara"

"I'm Merlin." The maid held out her hand and the other girl shook it.

"You're the princess' maidservant, aren't you? It must be such an honor."

Merlin shrugged. "Well, someone's got to keep the place running." She joked and the other girl laughed. Merlin handed Cara her pillows back. The girl smiled and went back to her duties. Merlin turned back to Gaius.

"She's carrying pillows. I'm carrying luggage."

"As the old proverb says," He lied. "Hard work breeds...a harder soul." The maid rolled her eyes.

"There is no way that's a proverb. You just made that up."

"Shouldn't you get back to running the place?" Gaius teased, before leaving her to carry the bags upstairs.


"Ugh, do I have to wear that tonight?" Merlin was in Arthur's chambers getting her ready for the feast that would follow the signing of the peace treaty, and as always, Arthur was complaining about having to wear a dress.

"I know, a princess having to look nice for visiting royalty? Imagine that." Merlin muttered, dragging her behind the dressing screen.

"Don't you want to know what you'll be wearing tonight?" Arthur taunted as Merlin laced up the back of the red dress.

"I'm going to the feast?" Merlin asked, surprised.

"Not exactly. You'll be there to make sure my cup doesn't run dry. If I have to sit through Bayard's boring speeches, I don't see why you should get out of it."

"Well, can't I wear this?" Merlin looked down at her dark blue dress and red scarf she always wore. Arthur shook her head, barely able to contain her herself.

"Tonight, you'll be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot."

So, at the feast that night, Merlin stood in the corner wearing an ugly red dress that was hanging off her shoulders with a large cape and a hat with the most obnoxious feathers she had ever seen. From across the room, Arthur looked over at her maid and grinned before turning her attention back to the signing ceremony. Glynn came up behind her and gave a slight chuckle.

"Nice hat."

"Thanks." She sighed, pulling it off and running her fingers through her hair.

Both kings signed the treaty and everyone in the room applauded. Bayard stepped forward and motioned for a servant to hand him a box with two chalices in it. "As a symbol of our goodwill, and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to you, Uther, and to your lovely daughter, Arthelia, in the hope that our friendship may last."

Merlin felt a hand grab her arm and she turned to see Cara in a state of panic. "Merlin, I need to speak with you. Please, I don't know who else to tell." Merlin nodded and followed the serving girl out of the room, seen only by Gaius, who watched them curiously.

Cara began to explain once they were outside of the banquet hall. "It wasn't until I saw Bayard giving Arthelia the goblet that I knew. Two days ago, I was bringing Bayard his evening meal. We're supposed to knock. He didn't expect me to walk in..."

"What are you trying to say?" Merlin asked, trying to get her to cut to the chase.

"Bayard is no friend of Camelot. He craves the kingdom for himself. He believes that if he kills Arthelia, Uther's spirit will be broken and Camelot will fall."

"What did he do to the goblet?"

"I saw him put something in it."

Merlin's eyes widened. "What?"

"I shouldn't, he'll kill me if he finds out I said anything."

"I promise I won't let that happen, now tell me. Did he poison the goblet?"

Cara nodded and Merlin ran back into the banquet hall without hesitation. Bayard had just finished a toast to the royals when Merlin rushed in, trying not to trip on the bottom of her dress.

"Wait! Stop!" she yelled. "It's poisoned! Don't drink it!" She ripped the goblet from Arthur's hand.

Everyone looked at the maid in surprise. "Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur asked, knowing her maid was about to put herself in a difficult position.

"Bayard has laced the goblet with poison." Merlin announced, staring at the old king.

"This is an outrage!" Bayard shouted, drawing his sword. His knights followed in suit, but they were quickly surrounded by Camelot guards and Uther ordered them to lower their weapons.

"On what grounds do you base these accusations?" Uther asked, turning his attention back to the young maidservant. Arthur stepped forward to defend her maid.

"I'll take care of this." She took the goblet and grabbed Merlin's arm, trying to drag her out of the hall. "Merlin, you idiot, have you been at the sloe gin again?"

"Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me why you think the goblet is poisoned now." Uther ordered and Merlin pulled her arm out of Arthur's hand.

"He was seen lacing it." She explained.

"By whom?"

Merlin looked over at Cara, who was standing at the doorway and remembered her promise. "I can't say."

Uther held his hand out to his daughter. "Pass me the goblet."

She handed it to the king and he approached Bayard. "If what you're saying is true…"

"It is." The other king stated simply.

"…then you have nothing to fear, do you?"

Bayard sheathed his sword and motioned for Uther to hand over the goblet.

"No, if it does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself." He turned to Merlin and held the goblet out to her. "She'll drink it."

Arthur looked at her father, horrified. "If it's poisoned, she'll die."

"Then we'll know she was telling the truth."

"And what if she lives?" Bayard interjected.

"Then you have my apologies, and may do with her as you will."

Merlin took the goblet from the king and looked at the poisonous liquid inside.

Gaius stepped forward. "Please, Uther." He begged. "She's just a girl. She doesn't know what she's saying!"

"Then you should've schooled her better."

"Merlin, apologize!" Arthur commanded her maid. "This is a mistake, I'll drink it!" she made a grab at the goblet, but Merlin pulled it away from her.

"No. It's alright." She assured. She faced Bayard and held the goblet up before putting it to her lips and drinking all of the wine. Everyone sat completely still and watched the maid for some kind of reaction. After a few seconds, Merlin looked down at the cup, confused. "It's fine." She whispered. Relief fell over the hall as Uther motioned at Bayard. "She's all yours."

Suddenly, Merlin began to choke and grab at her throat. She couldn't breathe!

Morgan was staring at her in a state of shock, while Glynn stood behind him frozen with horror. Arthur ran to her maid's side as she fell to the floor, the goblet rolling from her limp hand. Uther immediately ordered the Mercians to be arrested while Glynn, Gaius and Morgan rushed over to Merlin.

"We need to get her back to my chambers. Glynn, grab the goblet. We'll need to identify the poison." Gaius declared as Morgan and Arthur grabbed her by her arms and carried her after Gaius.


Morgan and Arthur gently laid Merlin down on Gaius' cot while the old physician told Glynn to grab a towel and some fresh water.

Arthur looked to the physician. "You will be able to cure her, won't you, Gaius?"

"I won't know until I have identified the poison." He answered.

"Her brow is on fire." Morgan exclaimed

"Keep her cool; it will help control the fever." Gaius ordered. "Glynn, pass me the goblet."

The manservant handed him the goblet and watched as Gaius removed something from the inside.

"What is that?" Arthur asked, eyeing it curiously.

"It looks like a flower petal." Gaius flipped through one of his books before finding what he was looking for. "Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower." He read. "It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree." Arthur looked over his shoulder and pointed to a picture in the book.

"That doesn't look particularly friendly."

"A cockatrice." Gaius informed her. "It guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgaard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive."

Arthur sighed and glanced over to her maid, lying in bed dying because of her. "Sounds like fun."

"Arthur, it's too dangerous."

"If I don't, what happens to Merlin?"

Morgan and Glynn both looked over to Gaius, who looked down sadly. "The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death. She may hold out four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually, she will die."


Arthur stormed into her room and threw her sword on the table, before turning and staring into the fireplace, thinking back to her argument with her father.

"What's the point of having people taste things for you if you're just going to get yourself killed anyway?" Uther had asked when she requested permission to go after the flower.

"I won't fail, no matter what you think." Did her father have so little faith in her?

"Arthelia, you are my only child and heir. I can't risk losing you for the sake of some servant."

Arthur scoffed. "Why? Because her life is worthless?"

"No, because it's worth less than yours. One day I will be dead and Camelot will need a ruler. I'm not going to let you jeopardize the future of this kingdom over some fool's errand."

"Please, Father," she begged. "She saved my life. I can't just stand by and watch her die."

"Then don't look." had been his final word on the matter. Arthur was still staring into the fire when Morgan entered her room.

"Say what you like about the food, but you can't beat our feast for entertainment." He joked dryly.

Arthur smirked, but didn't respond.

"I heard that you got an earful from Uther." Arthur looked over to the dark haired man and sighed.

"I don't know what to do. He has forbidden me to go."

"If there's one thing I know, it's that sometimes you have to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences." He advised. Arthur shook her head.

"If I don't make it back, who will be the next ruler of Camelot? There's more than just my life at stake, Morgan."

The young lord rolled his eyes. "Those are your father's words, not yours. Tell me, Arthur," He picked up Arthur's sword and held it out to her. "What kind of ruler would Camelot want? One who would risk their life for that of a lowly servant? Or one who does everything their father tells them to?"

Arthur considered this before taking the sword. She and Morgan shared a smile. "Keep Merlin alive until I return with the flower." She ordered before running out of her room and down to the stables, where she stole a horse and rode to the Forest of Balor.


A/N What did you think? Like I said, I always welcome constructive reviews. Also, thank you everyone who answered my questions I had on my last story, you were a lot of help. Next chapter should be up soon, but until then

Vale, my pretties!