Hannah Lynn McDonald: Don't know if he would appreciate that, though, ;) *Grins*
Mishy1824: Thank you! :DDDD (Out of curiosity, does your penname have anything to do with Misha Collins...?)
Alaia Skyhawk: Merlin agrees with you, *Laughing*
Bubzchoc: :D *Claps* Yay!
MerlinMorgana1579: Nope, it was on his wrist. *Claps* The mucking out stables thing seemed to be a hit, then! ;) And yep, glad you thought so!
The trip back to the city went by quickly. Before long, Merlin and Arthur had reached the outskirts of the city. With some consideration, they decided that it wouldn't be safe to return to the castle just yet. The king still thought Arthur was out hunting, and he didn't need to know better.
They'd spent a good ten minutes slinking through the grounds, looking for a place to hide, when they providentially ran into Frey. She had recognized them instantly. The young girl, now thirteen years old, had offered to help them stay hidden.
Which brought them to there sitation as of now. Arthur sat at the table of a small cottage in the lower city of Camelot. He sat contemplatively, deep in thought. Merlin was right. They needed to deal with Andrew and Jezebell. That was important; to say the least.
Merlin paced. "How are we supposed to deal with them? We can't very well just kill them."
Arthur looked over his clasped hands at his pacing friend. "Honestly, I don't know... but killing them may be our only option. Merlin, they know about you... at the feast, I saw the way Andrew and Jezebell looked at you... they know, I'm certain of it."
Merlin paused. Arthur offered to kill to keep his secret safe. He swallowed, before he continued to walk back and forth in the small room. "All right, then we try and convince your father that they... They..." he couldn't come up with anything. At least, not anything that Uther would believe, or care about.
"Wait... didn't..." Arthur stopped, glancing toward Frey, who was across the room. The prince stood and caught up to Merlin, catching him by the shoulder to stop his pacing. He whispered, "Didn't Kalian tell you that Jezebell and Andrew were using crystals to disguise who they really are? Wouldn't that mean they were allied with magic in some way? My father wouldn't tollerate that... He would get rid of them, and that would leave only the rings, would it not?"
"Yes. But how are we supposed to get the crystals?" Merlin asked, facing Arthur. "Gaius could take them sleeping draughts, and then we could take the crystals when they passed out?" he suggested.
Arthur nodded, pointing to Merlin as if pointing out his good idea. "Yes... the only issue is that they would need to be unable to sleep. Gaius can't take them a sleeping draught without reason... and even if he did, they wouldn't use it unless there was a cause to."
Merlin frowned. Then the frowned disappeared and he put both hands on Arthur's shoulders, "I've got it! I was reading a spell book, and I ran across a spell that made people believe they were being haunted, it was used sometime before The Purge - If I find the spell, and cast it on their room...?"
"Only if it stops them from sleeping. This would be a risk-one I'm not sure you should take. My father would be on the lookout for anyone possessing magic; if they told him what was happening... he would put guards around Andrew and Jezebell... so, can you do it without arousing suspicion?"
Merlin grinned, "I'm inconspicuous. And besides, I'm a servant, I could say I was changing the sheets, or checking for woodworm. Then Gaius goes in with the sleeping draughts, and takes the crystals, says he saw them glowing, enchanted and took them off. Uther trusts Gaius in the fight against magic, he wouldn't question his word if he was right, right?"
Arthur rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh. "Firstly... Woodworm?" He couldn't believe it. "Secondly, Merlin... you're my servant... and we're out hunting. It might be a bit suspicious for you to be seen here when I'm gone. But yes... my father trusts Gaius... but it may take him some time to come around... you know he rarely believes things right off the bat."
"Woodworm. Well, we come back from the hunt early, perhaps..." Merlin suggested. "Maybe you request their presence in the throne room, and I can put the spell over their room then? I don't know!" he huffed indifferently, "Do you have any better ideas?"
Arthur shrugged. "It could work. But I would need a good reason to call a meeting. My father would have my head if I disturbed them without cause... perhaps a commendation in the fight against magic?" he huffed out, rolling his eyes. All this time, his father had commended Merlin and Gaius and he himself in the 'fight against magic.' Of all the people in the kingdom, they were the three that actually fought for magic. It was unbelievable just how blind his father was at times.
"It would work." Merlin nodded. "When do you want to do it? We could 'come back' today?" he half asked, half said. He waited for a reply.
Arthur nodded. "All right, today it is then. We were unsuccessful, and I decided that it would be best to... come back early," he stated, agreeing, and trying to come up with what he would tell his father.
"Then I need to go back to Gaius'," Merlin exclaimed; he had no idea what the spell was. "How much time could you give me?" he asked. He looked back, perhaps slightly to fast, the headache that had been plaguing him briefly flaring behind his eyes. He pressed fingers against his closed eyelids. Not only that, but they were both running on no sleep, and hardly any food. In fact, Merlin had to wonder, when was the last time he'd eaten?
Arthur shrugged. "As much time as you need... but ideally?" he paused, thinking, really how long would it take to commend someone in a fight against magic. "Ideally, about an hour? I can give you that much time, but be careful."
"Careful's my middle name," Merlin piped up. He turned to the young girl across the room, "Thank you, Frey," he said gratefully, then started backing up towards the door, still looking at the young prince. "See you in a few hours, then." He spun around, opening the door then turning to close it. He clenched his fists, leaning forward and forcing himself into a jog. He could imagine his brain jostling and hitting his skull, because, that's how it felt. And not only was it an unpleasant ache, but an unpleasant imagery.
*************ARTHUR***** *******
Arthur watched Merlin leave. He heaved a sigh and ran a hand over his face. He was tired, and not used to staying up for days on end.. also not used to missing meals, but he would live.
He nodded to Frey and thanked her. She nodded, responding that she didn't mind company. Arthur left, heading in the direction of the castle. He'd have to talk to his father. Merlin had taken the horses back to the stables hours before... so that was taken care of.
The prince walked at the edge of the street, covering his blonde hair with a blue hood. He didn't really want to be seen before he reached the castle. So he kept quiet and inconspicious until he reached the courtyard. He crossed it, nodding the guards and knights on his way. Many of them asked him why'd he'd returned so early, to which he replied that he'd had little luck on the hunt, and decided to come home early... besides he didn't want to miss spending time with the guests.
He reached the entrance and jogged up the stairs. He was in the large entry room of the castle, when, much to his surprise, he saw his father heading straight toward him.
"Father..."
"Arthur," Uther said in surprise. He moved one of his hands towards his son, clapping him on the shoulder and momentarily looking him over. "You're not hurt, are you? I was led to believe you would not return for another day," he said, something akin to suspicion in his narrowed eyes. "Did something happen during your hunt that I should know about?"
Arthur shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. "No, Father. I simply had little luck... and a loud servant to frighten off the animals," he laughed, grinning. He was surprised at how easy it was to lie to his father. He felt as though he should probably feel bad about it, but he didn't. It was this... or tell the truth, getting Merlin killed, and that wasn't about to happen.
Uther boomed a loud 'ha', his gloved hand tightening. "You could always get a new servant; but I know how much the boy means to you. Although, it would not hurt to bring another in his place while you go hunting."
Arthur shrugged. "Perhaps you're right. I'll look into it. Now, I meant to ask you..." he paused. How was he going to word this. He hadn't actually thought much about it. "Andrew and Jezebell... I think we should commend them, honor them... possibly throw a feast. So far, they have proved to be our greatest allies in the war on magic," he stated, surprised that he actually sounded interested in the words he spoke, when really, the idea disgusted him.
Uther glowed with pride. "Yes, I agree. That is a superb idea." Uther waved to a guard, "Inform the king and queen of this!" he said, and the guard dipped his head, leaving to do just that. Uther turned back to Arthur, a smile still on his face. "I'm proud of you." He once again clapped the hand that was one Arthur's shoulder affectionately.
"Thank you, Father." Arthur nodded, feeling slight guilt nagging him. He'd always wanted to hear that from his father. 'I'm proud of you.' Four little words that meant the world... and now they were for a lie. But he knew-deep down, he knew that he was doing the right thing-whether Uther was proud of that or not, this was for the right reason. "So, when will the feast be?"
Tonight! Have a servant inform the kitchens."
Arthur nodded again. "Very well, thank you, Father. I'll prepare for it then."
***************MERLIN*** ****************
Merlin finally reached the physicians chambers, flung the door open, and headed straight for his room, boots thudding against the floor, and almost-hissing or scratching as he moved up the stairs. He burst into his room, dropping to his knees beside his bed and pulling off the piece of wood from the floor, pulling out his spell book, all in a mad rush of long arms and legs.
Gaius, who had been innocently mixing a potion, stood, flabbergasted by how quickly the blur of his apprentice had rushed by. Gaius' gaze followed the young man, and he raised one eyebrow, halting his mixing of herbs to see what on earth Merlin was doing, and why he was back so early.
"Merlin...?" he asked, coming into the room and looking at Merlin, who was tearing apart the floor with one hand, and holding a spell book in the other. "What on earth are you doing?"
Merlin slammed the wood back into place, hugging the book to his chest as he leapt up, and quickly rushed past Gaius, all the while explaining in a wild haste of words. "I have to find a spell to enchant the king and queens room and Arthur can only distract them for so long before they come back and I have to memorize it and I have no idea where it is in the book and - Gaius!" he exclaimed, as if just seeing the physician. "We need your help! They need to take sleeping draughts so we can take off these crystals that are changing their appearances and - Oh! Neckerchief!" he said, throwing the book onto the table and running back to his room, and when he came back out he was tying a red scarf of sorts around his neck.
Gaius nodded his head, and tilted it and frowned contemplatively. "Don't ramble, Merlin... I'm an old man. I can't keep up with you as Arthur can." He blinked rapidly and walked after Merlin, then yanked the spell book from his hands. "What is it that you're trying to find?" he asked, waiting for Merlin to repeat what he'd said a moment before.
Merlin explained everything, from slightly slower this time. He explained being captured by Ytaf, the jailer, and explained everything that had come from that. He followed behind Gaius, peering over the man's shoulder. He frowned. "Is there anything to eat?"
Gaius nodded toward a cast-iron pot on the stove. "It's stew... eat up and sit down while I..." he sat down with a thud, "...look for your enchantment."
He opened the large book and began pouring over the pages, eyeing them and going over everything. He glanced at the images and pictures, the titles on the pages. This may take a while. He looked for an enchantment that would cause the supposed king and queen to lose sleep... not just one to haunt there room, but anything that would cause them to be unable to get sleep.
Merlin dished himself out stew, and practically inhaled it, standing behind where Gaius sat and looking over his shoulder. "Find anything?" he asked after barely a moment. He got more of the food, and did the same with it - shoveling it into his mouth.
Gaius turned and gave Merlin a look of disbelief. He sighed and went back to searching. Yes, he'd found something. The old physician tapped the faded papper with his index finger.
"This..." he tapped a drawn picture of a man in a bed, his eyes wide, clearly awake. "This is the spell of insomnia... said to keep the occupants of a room from sleep until the enchantment is revoked by the one who cast it. The spell travels with the one who is cursed by it... so no matter where they are, they can find no rest."
He glanced at Merlin, watching him suspiciously. "You intend to curse the king and queen to make them ask me for a sleeping draught? You know... in order to make it work, you will have to lift the enchanment so they can sleep... my draught is not powerful enough to cause sleep over such powerful magic."
"Yeah, I will. Thank Gaius," Merlin said, looking at the words. Gefultuma híe þæt heo onslæpe, Acene slæp swilce cwalu. He repeated it, whispering it under his breath as he attempted to burn it into his memory. And of course it had to be one of the longest spells known to Albion, he thought sarcastically.