Sorry for the delay, I started a new job last week as did my beta, so things have been a bit chaotic over the last few weeks. Many thanks to Caldera for managing to find the time to beta this.

Thanks so much for all the reviews, follows and favourites. This is where Merlin's vision comes to fruition; I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Chapter 7 Desperate Times Require Desperate Measures

Arthur twirls Excalibur, watching the light bounce off the shiny surface and cast strange shadows on the wall. Merlin named it, a powerful title worthy of the greatest sword he's ever had; the balance is perfect, the blade never dulls - it's unique and unmatched. Only the best for Merlin. Still, he's not sure if he can go through with it.

The king sighs, gets up and starts to pace. He's waited for Gaius, putting off the inevitable for as long as possible, but the physician is not here and time is running out. After what he's discovered, he can't afford not to act and needs to find his courage before anyone can talk him out of it.

They would stop him if they knew, but Arthur has told no one of his intentions - it is the only way. They will hate him for what he has to do, but in time they will understand it was for the best.

Decision made, Arthur wipes his hands on his breeches, rolls his shoulders, and takes three deep breaths. He strides over to his servant and stops at his side.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I hoped it would never come to this."

He lifts the blade high above his head, closes his eyes while whispering apologies, and brings the sword down hard and fast.

The warlock jerks awake, chest pounding. Above him stands Arthur, his expression, grimly determined and his sword high. No, not now, this can't be happening!

"I'm sorry." The king murmurs, eyes firmly closed as he brings the blade down hard and fast.

Merlin's irises burn gold, freezing time. The point of Arthur's sword is a hair's-breadth from his flesh. Shaking, he inches to the side so the king's weapon will miss and get firmly embedded in the cot. He has not the energy to move far but he can buy some bargaining time. He blinks and the blade continues on its trajectory, hitting the wood and sinking into the bed frame.

"Arthur!"

The king opens his eyes wide. "Merlin!"

Arthur wrestles with the sword as Merlin throws himself off the bed, yelling when he hits the floor and jars his leg.

"Merlin!"

Arthur has abandoned his sword and is charging toward the fallen servant.

Merlin tries to scramble backwards on his elbows. He grabs a stool, pulling it across his chest like a shield and holds up his other hand.

"You don't need to do this, Arthur. Please let me explain."

"I don't want to, but it has to be done."

"No."

"I'm trying to save you, Merlin. I need to get rid of it, before it poisons the rest of you."

"No. Arthur, please, you don't understand. I've only ever used it for good -"

The door bangs open, smashing against the stone. Gaius rushes in, flanked by Gwaine and Percival.

"Sire!"

Arthur turns towards the physician, willing the old man to understand. "I'm trying to save him."

Gaius's mouth falls open and his gaze flicks between the weapon stuck in the bed, his cowering ward, and the agitated royal.

"Explain." He demands curtly.

"Merlin injured his leg; we did our best to treat it but it's getting worse. The infection is spreading. He's delirious – I'm trying to save him."

"Save him?"

"His toes are dark purple, Gaius. I can find no pulse - you know what that means."

The physician gasps. "You were attempting an amputation?"

Arthur's shoulders sag and he nods. "Yes."

The room stills and an uncomfortable silence descends, save for Merlin's pained pants. Gwaine breaks it.

"Are you insane? Seriously, you were going to chop Merlin's leg off!" He yells, jabbing his finger at Arthur and sprinting over to the servant.

"Don't dare judge me; you weren't there! You didn't see him struggle or hear him shouting nonsense. I had to tie him down just to stop him hurting himself but he still thrashed so much he broke free and knocked himself out. It's rotting; can't you smell it? If it spreads it will kill him!"

"Let me be the judge of that." Gaius pushes past the royal and crouches down by his ward.

"Merlin?" He says, gently unpeeling his wards fingers and easing the stool away from the terrified man.

Merlin's eyes are wide, he's trembling and drenched in sweat. He looks at his knee and notices the tourniquet for the first time. Hysterical laughter escapes his lips. "Arthur wasn't trying to kill me!"

"Of course I wasn't! What -"

The royal is silenced by a stern glare from the physician.

Merlin chokes and suddenly sobers, grabbing Gaius' robe."I can't lose my leg, Gaius."

The physician does not answer; his attention is on the fetid bandages.

"I can't do my job without it!" Merlin pleads, pulling at the thin fabric of his mentor's shirt.

"Damn it, Merlin, that's hardly important right now," the royal interrupts.

"Sire! This is a clinical area, if you cannot conduct yourself accordingly you will have to leave."

Gaius untwines Merlin's fingers but they seize his wrist. "I-I need more time, Gaius."

Shaking free of his ward, the physician peels back the sodden bandages and recoils. "That may not be an option, Merlin."

There is the sound of the door banging and someone vomiting outside.

"But I'm strong; you know how strong I am."

"Yes, Merlin, but it's not always enough."

The shelves begin to rattle.

"Gaius, please, you know what I'm capable of -"

"Merlin!" He warns.

The warlock is desperate, he needs to share his revelation, the reason he can't harness his magic properly. "There's still iron in the wound, Gaius. That's why it won't heal!"

Gaius nods then turns towards the knights. "Quick, help me get him on the table."

The physician swipes the contents onto the floor, clearing the area.

"No, Gaius, please." Merlin starts thrashing, tears in his eyes.

The open door slams, making a pot crash.

Gwaine grabs the servant's shoulders and Percival attempts to seize his legs but Merlin continues to fight, lashing out and landing a couple of punches as pots and books crash to the floor.

"Calm down, Merlin." Gaius hisses in his ward's ear. "I need to check the wound, that's all."

Merlin's movements become ineffectual, he's too exhausted to struggle and gives in. "Promise me, Gaius, please. You won't cut my leg off - I can't lose it."

"I can't lose you."

"You won't. There's iron in the wound."

The two knights manoeuvre him onto the table. Now that he's no longer fighting, all present can see the slight tremble of his frame and the way his ribs strain as he takes short, laboured breaths.

Gaius grabs a phial from one of the shelves then smoothes Merlin's forehead, wiping the dripping locks. "This will ease the pain."

Merlin shakes his head. "I don't want to fall asleep."

There is the sound of breaking glass as the tonic slips from the physician's grasp.

Gwaine pulls out his water skin, putting it to Merlin's lips. "It will help." He says, forcing his friend to swallow two mouthfuls.

"That's enough." Gaius instructs, placing a wooden tongue depressor between his ward's teeth. "Bite on this."

"Gwaine, fetch my knife. Place the blade in the fire and give me your skin."

The physician takes the container and pours the alcohol over his hands then carefully cuts the dressings away. The bandages pull at the skin, ripping at the scabs and making them bleed.

"I'm sorry, my boy." Gaius whispers as he pours more alcohol over Merlin's shin. His ward bucks violently but Gaius tells the knights to hold him down with a simple look.

"It's infected, Merlin, and if what you say is true I need to reopen the wound and clean it."

Merlin finally nods, salt rivers escaping the sides of his eyes and tracking down his face.

Gaius takes a sterilised knife, inserting the tip at the edge of the stitches and undoing the first. The gash reopens, putrid pus oozing out, more alcohol is applied and Merlin lets out a muffled scream as his head and shoulders repeatedly slam against the table.

"I need more light."

Arthur holds a torch, grateful for something useful to do and not wanting to be the one to hold the struggling servant down.

"There! Pass me the tweezers; dip the ends in the fire." The physician instructs.

Taking the instrument, Gaius uses it to delve into the rancid tissues; he retrieves a slither of black iron, no bigger than a fingertip. Sterilising the tweezers Gaius goes into the wound again and produces a second smaller piece of iron.

The king gapes. "How could that be missed!"

Guais answers but does not stop his ministrations. "If the trap was old and dirty, the teeth would have torn into the flash and fragments of metal would have been embedded deep into the fascia. It takes time for the body to reject them and bring them to the surface. To save Merlin's life, stopping the blood loss and closing the wound were the priority. I believe the injury was treated as best it could be at the time and under the circumstances."

After examining the tissues and pouring on more alcohol, he declares, "that is all of it". He looks at his ward and nods at him, then turns to Arthur. "It needs debridement but for that Merlin will need much stronger pain relief."

Merlin vehemently shakes his head, eyes wide.

"Yes, Merlin. I insist."

Merlin spits out the bit. "NO!"

"Sire, if I could ask you to get the camphor, please"

Arthur reaches for the bottle but drops it; fast reflexes allow him to catch the container before it smashes. He uncorks it, pouring some of the strong-smelling fluid onto a clean cloth. Keeping it as far from his own face as possible, he walks toward Merlin.

"No, Arthur, please."

"It's for your own good."

"Promise me I won't lose my leg when I'm asleep."

"Gaius will do all he can."

"Promise me!"

"I can't.

The royal places the rag over Merlin's mouth. He watches as Merlin's deep blue eyes lock with his, full of defiance and betrayal. He tries not to gag as Merlin's jerking ceases and his irises dim and roll back.

"I'm sorry." He whispers at the limp form.

"Can you save it, Gaius?"

"I don't know, Sire. If I can remove the necrotic tissue there may be a chance now that the source of infection is gone."

Gaius washes his hands and gets the instruments ready.

"Is there anything more we can do?"

"I thank you all for your help, but I can manage from here."

"Are you sure, Gaius? Merlin was surprisingly strong; I really struggled to hold him. I -"

"Thank you, Gwaine." The old man began steering the knight towards the door.

"Perhaps Guinevere would be able to lend her sewing skills. Her eyes are sharp and her fingers nimble. I know she wants to help."

"That is very gracious, Sire, but the queen has done so much already. I am an experienced physician and this procedure is delicate and best done alone."

"Of course, Gaius. I meant no offence."

Reluctantly, the knights and the king leave.

Gaius washes his hands; he has done all he can. He stripped away the necrotic tissue so all that remains is healthy. There is a chance to save the leg but at what cost? Much of the muscle mass is gone, it will be tantamount to useless and no doubt a constant source of pain.

Gaius runs his hand through his ward's hair.

"I'm sorry, my boy. What I would give to have your power and make things right. All you told me and I dismissed has come to pass. Please forgive an old man."

He bends down and kisses Merlin's forehead. Righting himself, he holds his hand over a mortar containing crushed herbs and begins to chant. The contents bubble and the physician steadies his ward's chin and pours the green fluid into his throat, gently massaging until Merlin swallows.

The spell should get rid of any lingering infection and aid the healing, but it's too little too late.

There is a pungent aroma of rosemary and other fragrant herbs as Merlin stirs but the only thing he is aware of is the pain in his leg and the need to check it's still there. Craning his neck he can see the heavily-bandaged appendage. He desperately tries to move his toes which only brings bile to the back of his throat, the offending limb remaining limp and useless.

He can't live with his leg like this. He can't fulfill his destiny. There will be a cost to healing the limb, but he can see no alternative.

Merlin closes his eyes, focusing on his magic; he tries to gather the gold but it slips through his grasp. Undeterred he imagines each strand, pulling them together and forcing his gift into his lower limb. He has seen enough cadavers to know the anatomy of the muscles, the two heads of gastrocnemius and soleus, thus he starts the process of mending his tattered flesh. He sees gold wrap itself around broken vessels and fibres, forming them anew, filling out the calf and replacing the missing fascia. Finally he feels his magic and blood circulate and warmth reach his toes. The whole process has robbed him of his energy. Exhausted, he slips into a black abyss only knowing his limb is safe.

Arthur rubs his nose and becomes aware of the slight tremor in his hands. Only now does he register the aches in his joints and the weight of fatigue in his limbs. He closes his eyes and lets out a sigh. How close I came to permanently maiming my friend. The thought of what could have happened tightens his throat and causes his stomach to twist. Would Merlin have ever forgiven me? He had told himself it was better to lose the friendship than the man and he sticks by that; he would never have forgiven himself if Merlin had died. Even with Gaius' expert care Merlin's future is not certain.

A king is supposed to protect all his subjects, to know everything that is going on in his realm, and he failed - not only as a monarch but as a friend. Merlin runs away to another kingdom in the middle of the night and he has no idea why nor does he know the reason the delirium made Merlin fear him and no one else. Arthur wants answers. He needs to understand the man he thought he knew and whatever happens Arthur won't rest until he finds out - until he solves the enigma that is Merlin.

TBC

So, who guessed what was going to happen? I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on all that has gone on and what you think will happen next!

For anyone that is interested, there is an illustration to go with this chapter. You can see it on A03 as Omens Art or visit The Heart of Camelot site, where I have an art thread!