A/N : Hi Guys, I'm back with another chapter, and awww - the story is nearing its end. There will probably be one more chapter after this one, but I'm guessing that will be it - - though fear not! I might come up with other stuff!
Please please tell me what you think of this chapter? It means the world to me! It really really really does! Pretty please?
Xo, as always
[Prologue : Gaius]
He wiped at Merlin's brow, praying for the fever to finally lessen, for that had not been the case ever since he had first looked upon the broken body. Pulling the heavy, royal blankets away to examine the wounds, he touched Merlin's arm briefly in passing, cursing himself when the face he had seen so very often constricted in pain.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, hoping that Arthur was right and that Merlin could hear them. It occurred to him that maybe the boy only listened when Arthur was speaking, knowing the connection between the two of them. Still, it wouldn't stop him from trying to get through to him as well. "You have to get better, Merlin. Arthur needs you. Your destiny is too great for you to give up like this."
He was startled by the sound of someone running down the hallway, and the door being yanked open, the out of breath servant Arthur kept 'on the side' motioning for him to come, panic written on his face. "Something's wrong with the King." Belior said. "You must come at once!"
Gaius sprang from his chair, nodding fervently. Though Uther's methods were somethimes a little harsh, the King respected his physician, and the feeling was mutual. "Stay with him –" Gaius spoke, motioning to where Merlin was laying, still unconscious. "I will return as soon as I can."
When the door closed beside him, Belior took heavy, leaden steps to where his nemesis was laying, and he smiled wickedly. "It's time you and I settle this once and for all, Merlin. It's time people understand you had it coming to you all along."
-
Arthur
He didn't know how it had happened, but when it did, his eyes immediately sought out his cousin, looking for the slightest indication that he had anything to do with what was going on. The small, almost unnoticeable smile lasted for a mere second, but it was proof enough. Bastard. He felt the need to lean forward and simply chop his head off, but right now, his father needed his assistance.
"Father.." Standing up, he went to Uther to slap him on the back – get whatever it was out of his system, but his father proudly held up his hand. Damn stubborn idiot. Arthur called for his servant, that he had insisted come with him tonight – if anything would be going down, he would be able to delegate, at least. "Call for Gaius, he's in my room. Go!"
When the physician arrived, it wasn't merely his father that was in need of assistance, anymore. Arthur's own throat felt as if it were closing off all air supply, and his whole body started to convulse. His fingers felt paralysed and tingled with numbness, the poison spreading through his system. He fought it – harder than he had ever fought anything in his life, and though he felt himself growing weaker by the second, his spirit had never been more eager to fight.
His cousin gripped the back of his neck, pressing his rough digits into the tender flesh there. "The rightful kings will live again," he whispered, his voice filled with pure disdain. "And the murderers of pure innocence will crumble to the ground."
"I'm not letting you do this." Arthur swung his head upwards, knocking it into his cousin's, making him cry out in pain. Blood trickled from his nose, falling on Arthur's dirty blonde hair, but Grady merely chuckled. "It's not that easy, ratbrain."
So you have been outwitted by a rat? Merlin jumped into his thoughts, and a single shock shot through his body – if he was being attacked, there was a good chance Merlin was in danger as well. His anger surged and his fist flew at Grady's features, rendering him unconcious. Yet it was impossible to know how long this state would last.
That was when he heard it. The clear, chrystal sound inside his head of a man crying out. 'Arthur.' Merlin's voice had never sounded closer, or more scared. 'They're here.' Arthur nodded, momentarily forgetting that his friend couldn't see him. Momentarily forgetting that Merlin was laying in his bed, constantly on the brink of peril.
Swinging his legs over the side of the bench with all the strength he could muster, he had never felt more relieved when Gwen suddenly lay his arm around her shoulder.
"Lean on me." She said.
He swallowed, hard. "Get me to my room," he ordered her. "Merlin's in danger."
-
He opened the door, his sword drawn, yet held in a heavily shaking hand. He hated this state of vulnerability, especially at a time like this, when several lives were at stake. "Whatever you're doing, you will stop it immediately, or you will die at my hand."
Lord Ulrich turned around, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I was only checking on the patient, sire – I mean no harm." When Arthur noticed his own servant standing by the bedside, a feverish anger in his eyes, it dawned on him how deep Ulrich's operation ran – his servant was betraying him for a mere stranger. Arthur had tried to show the man nothing but kindness, but it seemed it had all been in vain. Great.
Arthur charged forward, pressing the blade against Ulrich's throat, the iron sighing with the action. There was no steadiness in the threat, and his enemy noticed this as well. "Maybe you should lay yourself down beside your friend, your highness, you're not looking to well."
"I'm strong enough to kill you." Trying his hardest to stand tall, Arthur pressed the tip into Ulrich's flesh, making a small cut near the man's right ear.
"And if he isn't, we sure as hell are." Morgana walked into the room confidently, passed a sword to Gwen and held a battle stance, her sword pointing directly at the lord's heart. "Arthur, you need to eat this," she walked around him, waiting for him to open his mouth so she could place the leaf on his tongue. "Gaius says it will help against the poison."
Ulrich gasped unconvincingly. "O no, has someone tried to poison my lord?"
Arthur raised his knee and landed a blow into his opponent's stomach, making him fall to the floor. "Here's what's going to happen," he lightly said, "you are going to get up and undo whatever it is that's happened to Merlin – and you and your sad, pathetic protegé will be leaving the realm or be executed." He cocked his head angrily, already experiencing the healing effect of the herbal antidote. "I haven't made my mind up yet."
Reaching down, he grabbed the man by his collar, hauling him up. But apparently, his victim had already been prepared for that, because when he was lifted, his hand went over Arthur's heart, holding a steady pressure there and muttering in a strange language. "Joustior arechna solian re."
Arthur flew backwards, his chest heaving in pain, his heartrate slowing and his eyelids dropping. But then another voice filled the room – or was it merely his head? – and he felt the pain ease, his breathing return to normal. He lay still against the ground but raised his head slightly, staring at the bed in wonder. Merlin's hand was resting outstretched above the covers, but his lips hadn't moved – and neither Gwen nor Morgana seemed the least bit unnerved, so they must not have heard. Arthur was grateful for that, because at the end of the day, the less people knew about Merlin, the better.
He went to stand again, grinning at the man who brought the darkness and was now pinned under the girls' swords. Ulrich nodded slightly. "He's good." He amended, his tone holding a trace of respect.
Arthur smiled. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." He raised his eyebrows playfully, before furrowing them together darkly. "I want you to fix Merlin over there. Now." He articulated clearly, making sure every word spoken was completely understood.
"What did you do to Grady?"
"Let's just say your wild child will be suffering a headache for a while, but after that he should be fine." He could have done worse things to his cousin, but at the moment all that mattered was being okay and saving the one person who always came through for him. For what felt like the millionth time today, he motioned towards the subject in question, and ordered his prisoner to heal him.
Ulrich closed his eyes in thought, before sighing. "There's going to be a price to pay.."
"I don't see where you get off making demands."
Ulrich took a slight step back, immediately copied by Gwen and Morgana. His greying hair now pressed against the wall, he held up his hands in a silent plea. "All I'm asking is that Grady be left alive. I don't care what you do to me, but he doesn't deserve to die because I raised him to think of evil."
"I'll see what I can do, but not until you heal Merlin."
"Sure, but you will have to call off your dogs so I can go near him." He glanced towards the girls, and Arthur signaled at them that it was okay to step aside. Sure, there was no guarantee that they could trust Ulrich now, but Arthur felt that he truly cared about Grady, and that the young boy who was four years his senior was reason enough for his guardian to give in.
"Irene andayla myandi." A soft glow flowed from his hands, the light travelling across Merlin's body. It reflected into their eyes, small stars dancing in the darkness. When all of it had faded, it seemed there was no change, and Arthur felt the deafening burden of failure fall upon him.
"Why isn't anything happening?" His voice had risen, his shoulders tense. One of the girls lay her hand upon his back in comfort, but he had nor the strength, nor the desire to turn around and figure out which one of them it was. "WHY isn't he waking up?" As he raised his sword anew, Ulrich hurried to explain.
"It takes time," he told the small, anxious crowd. "he needs medical care, also – you should tell Gaius to prepare a tincture made of the leaf of small aureis flowers, and give it to him twice a day. He'll wake up in no time."
Laying his hand against Merlin's chest one final time, he managed to whisper a final statement before the guards came in to pull him away. "Goodbye, Emrys."
-
(three days later)
The straw puppet stood tall in the open field, never bending with the wind, for there was none today. It was a slow, heated morning, and the sun was blaring against his face. Raising the crossbow to shoulderheight, he aimed his shot and took it, content when the whirring of the arrow resulted in a headwound.
"Arthur…"
He jumped, nearly dropping the weapon on his toe, or worse – spinning around and pointing it at her. "Guinevere, don't ever do that again." He turned around to face her and granted her a small smile. "What is it?"
"He's awake, Arthur – Merlin's awake."
-
He walked into his own bedroom, the mattress he himself had been sleeping on laying untidy next to the bed, and cocked his eyebrow at the small figure sitting up (finally!), who was looking at him with a small smile.
"So," Arthur began, letting his fingers drum against the wooden door. "some foolish girl nearly got herself killed trying to make sure I knew you were up again."
"Oh, yeah." Merlin grinned back at him. "Girls do lots of crazy things where I'm concerned." He rolled his eyes, indicating the contrary was true. "How are you?"
Arthur sighed, shaking his head in wonder. "You're the one who nearly died, Merlin. I was just a bit poisoned."
"You make it sound like an adventure."
"Well," Arthur quipped. "I did enjoy the peace and quiet, for a change." He came to sit on the edges of the bed, his expression changing from carefree to worried. "Are you alright?"
Merlin nodded, sipping the cup of soup Gwen had brought him, his eyes sparkling above the rim of the earthen bowl. "I'm fine, I'll be up and running again in a few days."
Sighing, he added. "I'll have my work cut out for me. Your room's a mess. Honestly, Arthur – can't you do anything without me?"
Arthur punched him in the arm, making Merlin's mouth fall open in a silent 'ow'.
"Shut up, Merlin. Eat your soup."
Oh, pleaaaase tell me what you think? Pleaaase tell me if you liked it?
Xo, as always!
