The Witchfinder
Merlin and Marayna ambled through the woods, a little worn as they helped the other peasants gather firewood. It was going to rain soon, they could all tell, and the villagers were trying to get the wood in to their homes and into small storage areas before it became damp. It was a bit chilly at night and the rain would only make it more so. It wouldn't do for them to have damp wood and try to light it in the dark and cold of night. That was another disadvantage of not allowing magic, with magic even the dampest of wood could be lit, or dried, or even enchanted to burn no matter what state it was in. Yet no one would ever know that little benefit magic could offer.
It was that thought that made them sigh, a disheartened one, not just for magic but for the day itself, spent marching back and forth and chopping and stacking wood. It wasn't terrible work, it was just...they were quite sad to be doing it. It was the first day off they'd had in a long time, Arthur had been lightening up their chores a little here and there, not so much as to be noticable to his father, but enough where they actually felt the free time they did have. But this was their first day off, the first, it seemed of many that Arthur was going to schedule for them. According to the prince, he was going to try and give them any two days a month to have to themselves. It seemed their little experiment in teaching him what toils a servant had to deal with had opened his eyes to just how hard they really worked. It was amusing as well because after that time, whenever Arthur saw them doing a chore he hadn't tried his hand at, he'd ask them if he could attempt it, even for a short while, to get a feel of it and how much skill his servants actually had.
Marayna had laughed for two days straight when Arthur had attempted mending a shirt with a needle and thread and ended up stabbing his fingers repeatedly, literally every time he moved it through the fabric he struck himself.
It was a nice gesture though, to see Arthur actively taking responsibility for the health and wellbeing of his servants, realizing how hard he was working them and trying to be considerate and grateful for all they did. As this was the first day of their sanctioned time off, they'd wanted to enjoy it as much as they could, celebrate the start of something with the people they wanted to spend time with.
...and now they were merely doing more chores.
It wasn't that they minded helping people, on the contrary, nothing made them happier than to help someone else. It was just...sometimes it was just hard to give up so much, even something as small as free time. It felt like everything they did since coming to Camelot had just been one sacrifice after another. They'd had to leave their home, their mother, they gave up most of their wages to send back to her, they gave up their time and freedom and interests to tend to Arthur, they had to conceal their magic all the more, they gave up their sense of security and safety, they were even giving up part of their heart to someone else...though that last one they were VERY ok with. It sometimes felt like everything just kept being taken away from them that to have even something as small as time to do as they wished was a blessing.
Merlin plopped down on a hillside overlooking Camelot as soon as he'd finished putting the last of his pile of wood into a small wheelbarrow, Marayna dropping beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, tucking her arm through his as he took her hand. They were exhausted. It was almost worse than mucking out the stables with how monotonous it was, except this required them to carry wood and walk back and forth quite a distance. They were exhausted and disheartened at the day they'd lost and saddened that it was going to rain soon so they couldn't even enjoy time outside for much longer.
Merlin tilted his head as he looked down at a small fire pit, the smoke billowing from it and wafting high above the trees in a thick white puff...and got an idea. He nudged his sister, squeezing her hand, "Hors, beride þá heofonum," he whispered, his eyes flashing as the smoke took the shape of a galloping horse, before fading back to smoke.
Marayna smiled at that, both of them just taking a moment to enjoy that little bit of fun. It was really just what they needed, some cheering up, some relief from the disappointment of the day. She'd just started to laugh under her breath at that, about to try and make a dragon appear in the small sparks springing up from the fire...when one of the village women ran up to them, grabbing Marayna's arm, "Did you see it?" she gasped, "The smoke, did you see it?"
Marayna frowned, though inside she was terrified, neither of them had realized anyone had seen them, had seen the horse. It had only been for a second or two and they'd thought the others were farther into the woods than the woman apparently was, "Yes..." she glanced over, "It's smoke," she gestured to it, "What about it?"
"Are you blind? You were right here! It was magic, I tell you. There's sorcery here. We must tell the king."
"No!" Merlin shouted, jumping up, "Wait!"
But the woman was long gone.
"This...isn't going to be good, is it?" Marayna swallowed, looking at her brother.
"Gaius is going to kill me," Merlin breathed.
~8~
Merlin and Marayna stood stiffly in the Main Hall as the peasant woman stood before Uther as the king sat on his throne, Morgana in her chair beside him, Arthur standing behind his own on Uther's right, "It was sorcery you saw, you're certain of it?" Uther frowned.
The woman nodded, "Yes, sire."
"And you swear this before your king?"
"I swear it."
"Perhaps your eyes deceived you, a trick of the light?" Morgana asked, having known just from looking at Merlin and Marayna's expressions as they entered that it had been them. She honestly couldn't understand how Arthur didn't notice their tension, but she could guess he just assumed it was 'fear' of magic instead of guilt.
"The smoke was alive, I tell you. I feared for my life!"
"From...smoke?"
"Aye Milady."
Morgana frowned at that, looking at the woman with pity for her belief. Merlin and Marayna had explained what it was in her mind the moment she'd sent them a curious look for their expressions. It was a horse. It was a horse galloping in the air. WHAT was so terrifying about that that someone would genuinely fear for their life? It saddened her deeply to know that Uther had inspired such a fear and hatred of magic in his people that something so simple, something meant to be carefree and to entertain others, was taken so out of context that people were actually terrified of it. It was just...so wrong, because she'd seen the beauty of magic, the good in it, the...wonder...to think of someone else seeing a simple little illusion and crying the blackest magic...it hurt.
"I thank you for bringing this to my attention," Uther nodded, "Your loyalty will not go unrewarded."
The woman smiled, "Thank you, sire," as she was led out by the knights.
"It cannot continue."
"I will hunt down those responsible, father," Arthur turned to his father, being sure to use the word 'hunt' just for his father's sake. His tone made it clear to those who knew how to listen that he would NOT let it turn into a hunt at all, not till he knew the reason for the figure in the smoke, was it an omen of an impending attack? A warning? A curse? ...or was it a child wandering the woods as its parents gathered wood and wanting to see a horse and just...making it happen?
He'd researched Rosaline, the little girl that had been burned in his father's Purge. She was 3 years old. There was no way he could see (or that anyone could expect) her to be taught magic, especially NOT during the purge and not the daughter of Uther's former-friend. Seeing her mother listed as one of the ones murdered for being a sorceress...it made him wonder...
Could people be born with magic?
The Druids seemed to be the sort to possess that and, if they were born with it...what choice did they have in being sorcerers? It would be like someone murdering him merely for having the fortune to be born a prince. They would be executed for the misfortune of having been born with magic. He knew it was a VERY slim theory, but...it was a doubt, and it was a doubt that made him want to investigate further. From what the woman described...what harm had befallen her, or the kingdom for that matter, in a smoke-horse? That hardly screamed 'evil' to him and he had promised himself and Marayna that he would ONLY punish the 'evil' sorcerers when he was king. For now...he had to follow his father's command, but that wouldn't stop him from doing all he could to free those who were truly innocent of malicious intent against Camelot.
"I promise they will not escape unpunished," he added.
"No," Uther shook his head, "Stronger methods are called for. Send for the Witchfinder."
The court gasped as Morgana looked utterly terrified, Merlin and Marayna glancing at each other, confused at the reaction but growing more alarmed, especially when Gaius stepped forward, "Sire, is it necessary to resort to such measures?"
"The Witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius. His help will be invaluable."
"Of course," he sighed, stepping back beside his niece and nephew, giving them a solemn look.
~8~
"How many times, Merlin, Marayna?!" Gaius bellowed as they entered his chambers, "How many times must I drive it into those thick skulls of yours that your magic is a secret to be guarded with your lives?! What were you thinking?!"
"I...I wasn't thinking," Merlin stuttered, both of them shocked at Gaius's reaction. He'd shouted at them plenty in the past but this...he was more angry than he'd ever been at them.
"Well think, boy, think!"
"Uncle he was just having a little fun..." Marayna tried.
"It was magic and it was seen."
"You're right," Merlin sighed, "I'm sorry."
"You must hide the book," Gaius turned, starting to search through his own chambers in the process, "Anything that can connect you to sorcery in any way..."
"What? Now?"
"Yes, now, Merlin. The man that Uther has sent for..." he shook his head, "I know him."
"The Witchfinder?" Marayna called as she went to get the book.
"Hmm, some know him by that name. I know him as Aredian. He is a force to be reckoned with."
"But I'm not a witch," Merlin joked, "Look," he gestured at himself, "No dress or anything."
"And what of your sister?" Gaius deadpanned, "She is as much a witch as YOU are a warlock Merlin."
"Got it!" Marayna cheered, walking back into the room with the book, not having heard their conversation, "Where do you want us to put it?"
Gaius sighed, "Take it to the Dra...Kilgharrah," he corrected when Marayna shot him a look, "That's the one place Uther will NOT allow him to look," Marayna nodded, moving to do so, "Merlin," Gaius turned to him, "Go see Morgana, she knows of the Witchfinder too, she will need you now more than ever."
Merlin frowned but dashed off at the concern in Gaius's voice.
~8~
"Is that him?" Merlin asked that night as he stood behind Morgana in her chambers, looking out the window at an older man who had entered Camelot, dressed all in black, a cage attached to his wagon.
"Yes," she swallowed hard, recognizing the man from when she had been but a child. Arthur was too young to remember him, but she was a few years older than him, she remembered the Purge, she remembered everything that had happened during it. For SO long she had thought that IT was the cause of all her nightmares, to have witnessed the horror of it as such a small girl...it had stayed with her even now and now...knowing what she did about herself and Merlin and Marayna...she was more terrified of the man than she had ever been before.
"Is the cage for..."
"Yes."
He nodded, reaching out to take her hand, "Come Gana," he tugged her away from the window, moments before Aredian looked up at it, "It'll be alright," he whispered, hugging her tightly in comfort. It had taken him the better part of the day to calm her down from when he'd arrived in her chambers. She'd paced, she'd ranted, she'd gone on a tangent about all that could go terribly wrong with Aredian there...he'd tried to be as calming as he could be and he'd finally gotten her to breathe and reassure her...when the Witchfinder arrived.
"Aya and I have a lifetime of hiding our gifts," he reminded her, "We'll be just fine."
She sighed, nodding into his shoulder, "What about me? I've only just started..."
"We'll protect you," he promised, before leaning back to touch her face, gently lifting her chin to look into her eyes that were shining with tears, "I will never ever let anything hurt you Gana."
"I know," she swallowed, "And that's what I'm most afraid of," she murmured, before hugging him once more, burying her face in his chest as he just held her.
~8~
As Gaius, Merlin, and Marayna walked through the Lower Town, Aredian stepped in their way, having already gotten to work on investigating the kingdom for magic users the second he was able, "Gaius, isn't it? I never forget a face."
"Nor I, Aredian," Gaius stiffened.
"A physician now, I hear. You always did have a thirst for...knowledge."
"Scientific knowledge."
Aredian nodded as though not believing him, "Of course."
"My assistants, Merlin and Marayna," he gestured at the two of them, knowing it was best NOT to introduce them as his niece and nephew, any relation or connection to him and Aredian would use it against them.
"Merlin, Maria," Aredian nodded at them, Marayna rolling her eyes at that. She was quite used to people mispronouncing her name, but it was more an expectation sort of 'used to' which often left her more exasperated.
"May your investigation prove fruitful, Aredian. However, you'll have to excuse us, we have work to do."
"Naturally," he stepped aside, only to call out, "Merlin, Maria? I have a few questions I would like you to answer. Please be at my chambers in an hour."
"If he calls me Maria one more time..." Marayna grumbled under her breath, now more irritated than exasperated or scared.
~8~
"You are aware, then, that sorcery has been practiced in the vicinity of Camelot?" Aredian questioned the siblings as they sat before him in his chambers. Normally he wouldn't ever do this, interrogate two at once, but...if he were able to intimidate one, perhaps make the other aware that their sibling was in danger...they'd crack easier. He could tell from their expressions and stance in the market that Merlin would be the easiest to crack, the girl though...she'd need physical and visible proof her brother was in danger before she slipped up.
"Yes," Merlin answered, "I mean...apparently..."
"Someone claims that at least," Marayna shrugged.
"No, no, it cannot be denied," Aredian countered, "There was a witness STATING the act, not merely laying a claim of it happening."
"Yeah, a witness alright," Marayna snorted.
"You do not believe her?" Aredian eyed her.
"No, as a matter of fact I don't," she crossed her arms.
"And why not?"
"We were working outside, all day, in the sun, with smoke blowing into our eyes. You can't tell me someone suffering all that can be believed on what they see though tearing eyes?"
The man nodded, studying her carefully, "Do you also know that the woman has named you both as witnesses too?"
"But..." Merlin frowned.
"I've already spoken to her. She was quite clear on the matter."
"But we weren't witnesses."
"Oh, sorry. Perhaps I misheard. Do you deny that you were present at the time of the incident?"
"We were there," he nodded slowly.
"Well, so you saw it," Aredian assumed, "The horse conjured from the smoke?"
"All we saw was smoke," Marayna chimed in, "And that was about it, smoke and wood all day."
He frowned, "Are you saying that she lies?"
"She didn't say that," Merlin defended, "She said we didn't see what that woman saw."
"Hmm," he hummed, nodding sarcastically at that, "Well, how can that be, I wonder? How can one person see something and the other not?"
"Perspective," Marayna remarked, "Enchantment."
"So you admit the horse was enchanted!" Aredian pointed at her.
"No, you asked for how," she reminded him, "I'm merely listing possibilities, for example, Uther was recently enchanted not to see a Troll that he married, all others could. OR..." she cut in, seeing the man go to argue that she'd just 'admitted the horse had to be enchanted then' if they couldn't see it but others could, "You see a man run another through with a sword. To YOU, it's a man killing another. To the woman he was defending, he was protecting her. THAT's how. Or...if you prefer, I say that cloth is blue," she nodded to a tapestry hanging from the wall, "You might say it's indigo, it's all perspective. Or it could be that we were looking at Camelot and not the smoke even though it was above the castle...would you care for me to go on or have I provided you sufficient explanation."
"You seem to have thought this through," he eyed her suspiciously.
"My uncle is a learned man, my brother is a genius...stands to reason I'm rather sharp as well," she shrugged.
"Or perhaps you had excuses prepared because it was you who performed the magic!" he accused.
"It wasn't," Merlin defended.
"Can you prove that it wasn't?" Aredian scoffed.
"Can you prove that it was?" Marayna countered, seeming to startle the man with that question. No one really asked that, asked him to literally prove THEY were the magic user, most would just keep insisting they were innocent, or put the blame on others. They didn't really think of...well, him actually finding proof on the event.
"That'll be all," he stepped back from the table, "For now," he added when they moved to leave.
~8~
The court had been gathered, Aredian standing before three women, more witnesses that had come forward with more cries of sorcery in the heart of Camelot. Funny how that happened, no sorcery among the towns for ages and suddenly, because 1 horse appeared, more and more people were 'coming forward' about other instances.
Aredian merely led them to the king, urging them on, "Speak, do not be afraid."
One woman stepped up, "I...I was drawing water from the well, sire, when I saw them...faces in the water. Terrible faces, like people who were drowned, screaming. Screaming."
"Definitely not us," Marayna whispered to Gaius.
"We haven't done anything, we promise," Merlin added as Gaius nodded, he believed them, even if they HAD done magic...they were NOT the sort to try and make an illusion of screaming, drowned faces.
"Tell them what you saw," Aredian gestured another woman forward.
"A goblin dancing on the coals," she whispered, timid, "It was dancing in the flames, and it spoke, sire. My heart near stopped for fear of it."
Aredian grinned and turned to Uther, throwing an arm out at the three women, "As you've heard, My Lord, the incident in the woods was only the beginning, hmm?"
"There was a sorcerer, sire, in the square," the third woman added, "There were creatures jumping right out of his mouth."
"Seriously?" Marayna grumbled, "And NO ONE else noticed THAT happening? Why just HER?"
"Hush," Gaius nudged her, seeing Aredian glance over.
"And what manner of creature?" Aredian turned back to the woman.
"Toads, sire," the woman answered promptly, "Great, green, slimy things as big as your fist."
"The sorcerer laughs in your face," Aredian baited Uther, playing right to the man's hatred of magic, "Even now magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot..."
"I can scarcely believe it," Uther breathed.
"Yet it is the truth, My Lord. Fortunately I've utilized every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a swift resolution."
"The sorcerer?" Uther straightened, "You have a suspect?"
"Oh, I do, My Lord. I regret to say, they stand among us in this very room. My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable! The facts point to one person and one person alone...the girl, Maria!"
"It's MaRAYNa," she crossed her arm, "Honestly, if you're going to accuse me of sorcery at least get my name right!"
The court started to whisper, half-amused that she would say such a thing in the face of execution, that she was so calm at being accused of SORCERY as to be more concerned for her name than the fact she was being pointed at for such a crime, the other...disbelieving that Marayna could have a single magical bone in her body.
"Mara?" Arthur scoffed, giving Aredian the most incredulous look he could muster.
"Rayna?" Morgana blinked at him, shaking her head.
"You can't be serious."
"This is outrageous!" Gaius added, knowing the man was just going for her because she had openly countered him in her inquiry, according to the rather proud report Merlin had given him of it, "You have no evidence!"
"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me," Aredian shook his head, standing straight, sure of himself, "I am certain that a thorough search of the girl's chamber will deliver us all we need."
Uther...actually seemed to hesitate at that, as he looked at the girl, scarcely able to believe it, "Marayna?"
She shrugged, trying not to show how startled she was that the KING was actually asking HER permission to allow a search, it (she hoped) might just mean he actually trusted her and Merlin...well, he'd better after all the times they'd saved his son's life, "Go ahead, I keep my magical talismans folded in my dresses if you'd like to tear them apart to get to them."
"I'll just have more dressed made for you Mara," Arthur rolled his eyes, the court starting to breathe easier as they realized she wasn't admitting to the sorcery but more trying to get something she disliked destroyed, "Nice try though."
She sighed, "It was worth a shot."
Uther shook his head, "Guards...restrain the girl. Let the search begin."
Marayna just held out her arms to the guards as they each took an arm to lead her, unstruggling out, the court watching her go. Merlin frowned when he saw Aredian looking FAR too pleased about the whisperings of the court, that there had to be NOTHING in the chambers if Marayna was so calm about it. He looked over at Morgana who just seemed pale and tense, giving him a small shake of the head that this...was NOT going to end as well as they'd hoped.
~8~
Merlin, of course, had remained at his sister's side, standing outside her cell in the dungeons as their rooms were searched. She was calm, they both were, nothing was in their rooms to incriminate them, nothing at all...so they were not too surprised when Arthur opened her cell with a short, "You're free to go."
They were, however, surprised to see Gaius being led in, in chains, "Uncle?" Marayna gasped.
"What's going on?" Merlin demanded.
"Say nothing, Merlin," Gaius called to them as he was led away, "Marayna, do nothing. Promise me!"
They looked at each other before running down the halls and back to the physician's chambers to see what could have happened in the search that had led to this...only to see it ransacked and torn apart.
~8~
Merlin and Marayna watched, solemn and silent, as Gaius was dragged out of his cell for 'questioning' with Aredian, half-manhandled by the guards who showed him none of his previous well-earned respect.
"Come on," Marayna tugged him away, they needed help.
They ran down the corridors, making sure no one saw as they made their way to Kilgharrah's cave, "What is wrong?" the Dragon asked as soon as he saw them, already knowing something was very wrong by how frantic and out of sorts they appeared, "You both look so pale."
"I did a stupid thing," Merlin remarked, "Stupid, stupid thing. Aya was almost taken and now Gaius is going to pay for it."
"Gaius means nothing to me," Kilgharrah shrugged.
"But he means a great deal to us!" Marayna glared up at him for how easily he was able to brush that aside, he...truly sounded like he didn't care at all for Gaius.
Kilgharrah sighed, his heart pinging at seeing her upset, the tears in her eyes, he could admit he...had come to care for her more than her brother and the sight of her so hurt...it affected him more than it should have after 20 years in solitude, "Very well. Tell me what has happened."
"Uther's summoned a witchfinder and he accused me of magic..."
"That I did," Merlin frowned.
"And now he's arrested Gaius instead."
"We need a way of saving him short of confessing ourselves," Merlin explained, knowing Gaius would kill them if they confessed to save him.
"If you confess, the Witchfinder will just burn you both," Kilgharrah remarked.
"Yes, we figured that," Marayna rolled her eyes.
"If you were to die, you would endanger the lives of all those that rely upon you."
"So tell us what to do then!" Merlin snapped, "There must be something we can do. There must be. Please help us."
"I see you are distressed by this," Kilgharrah frowned, actually sounding sorry for once, "But I cannot help you because I do not know how to."
"We can't just...stand here and watch our uncle burned!" Marayna sniffled "We can't!"
Kilgharrah looked at her regretfully, sorrowfully, "I am sorry," before he flew off.
"Fat lot of good you are, you overgrown lizard!" Merlin shouted after him, before spinning on his heel and taking his sister's hand to pull her away.
~8~
Their worst fears had been confirmed when court was called later that day and Aredian threw Gaius to his knees before the king, "Confess! Confess!"
Gaius took a shaky breath, "I...I am a sorcerer, sire. I am responsible for conjuring the smoke. I'm guilty of practicing magic in Camelot, the goblin, the faces in the well, I...I am the sorcerer who conjured the toad from his mouth."
"What?!" Marayna nearly demanded had Merlin not clapped a hand to her mouth. How could ANYONE believe that?! Gaius had been nowhere NEAR the smoke, not even within sight of it when it had happened! But it appeared...there was someone who COULD believe it...
The most unsurprising of all.
"You've betrayed me, Gaius," Uther glared at him, not even pausing to think that there was something wrong with this, that one of his best friends would do that to him after so many decades of loyalty, "Betrayed your friends. And above all, you've betrayed yourself. By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you to death."
"The sorcerer will be purged of his magic by means of fire!" Aredian smirked, "He shall be burnt at the stake tomorrow at dawn! Bear witness and heed this lesson!"
"No!" Morgana gasped, watching in tears as the guards dragged Gaius out.
Marayna pulled away from Merlin and stormed over to the laughing Aredian...slapping him across the face, "You foul, evil, loathsome, little cockroach!" she lunged at him for good measure...
Only for Arthur to run forward with a cry of, "Mara!" and pull her back, holding her tightly as she struggled.
"You're a liar!" Merlin glared.
"Guards!" Uther shouted, seeing Merlin heading for Aredian as well, two of them grabbing him and dragging him out with Arthur.
"Follow me," Arthur ordered, leading the guards to the dungeons and shoving Merlin and Marayna into a cell, making them stumble as they were pushed in, "I know you're upset," he began as they rounded on him, glaring, "I know you're angry. It's alright. I'm not throwing you in jail."
"You threw us into a cell," Marayna deadpanned, gesturing to the cell around them.
"Only till you calmed down," Arthur defended, "I'm not arresting you either."
"Then what are you doing?" Merlin frowned.
Arthur gestured for the guards to leave, before he pulled out a set of keys, "I'm breaking the law," he unlocked their door and nodded them out, leading them over to Gaius's cell and opening it, "I can only give you a few minutes."
Marayna nodded, tears in her eyes, "Thank you sire."
He put a hand on her shoulder as she passed, squeezing it before stepping out, giving them a moment in privacy.
"They wouldn't let us see you," Merlin explained, guilt eating away at him as he recalled him and his sister trying to see her before Aredian questioned him, "There was nothing we could do."
"I know," Gaius hugged them tightly, "I understand."
"I can't believe it. I can't believe Uther would do this to you."
"I can," Marayna huffed, "Bloody paranoid ponce."
"Marayna," Gaius gave a small smile for her spirit before sighing, "He had no choice. Once Aredian had found the amulet..."
"We didn't even know you had such a thing," Merlin murmured, recalling what Gwen had told them of what happened, the girl having snuck after Arthur and Aredian as they investigated the chambers. She'd told them of how there had been an 'amulet' hidden in the room, a magic one apparently.
"It isn't mine."
"Why say it was then?" Marayna frowned.
"I was trying to protect you. He accused it of being yours."
"You shouldn't have done that."
"Yes, I should have," he smiled at her, "Family...looks out for family."
"No, I mean you really shouldn't have, because the amulet wasn't mine either. Nor Merlin's..."
Gaius started to frown at that, he'd thought it had been something she'd been trying to enchant as a protective amulet like the one she'd made for him, "Then how did it get there?"
"Aredian," Merlin glowered, working it out.
"Aredian?"
"He's right," Marayna nodded, "He's the only one..."
"But why?"
"It doesn't matter why," Merlin shook his head, "All that matters is...if we can prove he planted it, you're saved."
"No," Gaius cut in, "You must let this go."
"You're falsely accused!" Marayna shouted, "You are going to BURN unless we prove that, so don't you DARE ask us to..."
"No, Merlin, Marayna," he tried again, "You must not."
"I don't understand," Merlin looked at him, "Do you want to die?"
"No. But neither do I want either of you to die. And die you surely will if you get too close to Aredian. He will trap you, he will manipulate you, and, without ever meaning to, you will incriminate yourself. You must let this go."
"We must let you go?"
Marayna shook her head, tears in her eyes, but a hardness behind them, a determination, "Sorry Uncle, but that's NEVER going to happen."
Merlin nodded, stepping out of the cell and rushing off with his sister as Gaius sighed and shook his head behind them, he should have known not to ask them that...they never listened in the best of times. He could only pray that they would think this through, be cautious, and...fail.
Better him to die than them.
~8~
Gwen burst into the physician's chambers, everyone else in the area had been so busy watching Gaius's pyre being built in the square that they hardly noticed her running down the hall as a frantic mess, "Merlin? Rayna! He won't let go! He won't stop!"
"What happened?" Merlin spun to her.
"The Witchfinder's questioning Morgana..." she swallowed hard, "Again."
"Oh my God," Marayna gasped. She could admit...she was VERY worried for Morgana. It had taken her YEARS to manage to be able to lie about her magic, to reach a point where she just...didn't care, it made it easy to fib, to hide it, if she wasn't always terrified she'd be caught. If she didn't care whether she was caught and died...it took the nerves away. Though...she could also admit, since coming to Camelot and making the relationships she had...she was starting to care again.
"I'm worried," Gwen told them, "She's close to breaking point."
Merlin's jaw tensed as his fists clenched, "That's what he does. He breaks you down and in the end you confess whether you're guilty or not."
"What do you mean?"
"Aredian set uncle up," Marayna told her, "He planted the amulet."
"But why would he do such a thing?" Gwen stared at her, horrified. She knew Gaius had been a sorcerer, AGES ago, he'd admitted it to her himself, but...she knew he hadn't practiced since the Purge, and to find that Aredian had planted the evidence...it was terrible.
"He's paid to catch sorcerers isn't he?" she shrugged, "I hardly doubt he cares whether someone is guilty or not."
"Maybe he gets confessions by lying, by planting evidence, just as long as he gets a confession, he gets his money," Merlin nodded.
"But even if this is true, what can we do without proof?" Gwen asked, "Morgana won't last much longer."
"Then we get some," Merlin determined, a hard edge in his voice, "We get some before that can happen."
"Let's go then," Marayna took his hand, pulling him out of the room.
~8~
"Gana!" Merlin ran into Morgana's chambers, knowing she'd need him now after her interrogation with Aredian more than Marayna would in snooping through Aredian's rooms, Marayna had Gwen to help keep look out as well.
"Merlin!" Morgana gasped, running into his arms, clutching him.
"It's alright," he soothed, running his fingers through her hair, "It'll be alright."
"No, Merlin..." she looked at him, "I may have made it worse for Gaius. Aredian kept asking about my dreams and Gaius's potions and I couldn't lie because everyone knows I've been taking them and..."
She was cut off by Merlin, kissing her, calming her, "Thank you for caring," he whispered to her, kissing her forehead, the fact that she was so upset about this, more upset that she'd endangered Gaius than her own life, showed him how much she cared about his uncle and about him as well.
"Of course I care," she managed a weak smile, "He's GAIUS."
Merlin chuckled in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, "Don't worry Gana, Aya and I have a plan."
~8~
Marayna, not quite as calm about this as her brother as she wasn't in the arms of her love at the moment, stormed into Aredian's chambers, not caring to try and be quiet, not caring if the door thudded against the wall before bouncing back shut behind her, the man wasn't there anyway. She looked around, knowing she didn't have time to waste going through everything, knowing she couldn't risk moving something out of place. So she tried the cupboards, tugging them till she came to one that was locked
"Tospringe," she whispered, unlocking it and spotting flower petals within. She looked over her shoulder, hearing a single knock on the door, Gwen's sign that someone was coming, and grabbed one, locking the cupboard once more before dashing out the side room just as Aredian entered.
"Got it!" she called, grabbing Gwen's hand as they ran down the corridor.
~8~
"This is hopeless!" Gwen remarked as she, Merlin, Morgana, and Marayna flipped though book after book in Gaius's chambers, trying to find a flower that matched the petal. A man like Aredian would NOT keep flower petals, of all things, in his room without a purpose.
"Keep looking Gwen," Morgana murmured.
"We don't even know if this flower means anything."
"No we don't," Merlin agreed, "But it's all we've got."
"Here!" Marayna called, pointing to a page, "Belladonna."
"I know that one," Morgana moved to Marayna's side, reading the passage to be sure, "'For the alleviation of ulcers, allergies, and muscular inflammation...and under certain conditions, a tincture of the flower can produce hallucinations!'"
"Aredian's witnesses!" Merlin realized, "It wasn't magic they were seeing, it was visions."
"It makes sense," Gwen nodded, "If he's faking the evidence."
"But how can we prove it?" Morgana looked at them.
"Aredian's too clever to give the witnesses the tincture himself," Marayna agreed.
"So the witnesses got it from someone else," Merlin nodded along.
"They could've been getting it from anyone though," Gwen shook her head.
"Is there anything, anything at all, that these people had in common?"
"They were all women?"
"That doesn't tell us anything," Marayna sighed, rubbing her head, unable to think of anything in that that would help.
"Yes, it does," Morgana cut in, "There's one thing that only women buy," she smiled, "Things to make them look beautiful."
"Brilliant!" Marayna cheered.
"Oh Morgana I could kiss you!" Merlin smiled.
"Then do it," she beamed, challenging him, as he leaned in to do just that.
"Wait till after we save uncle yeah?" Marayna called before they all ran out.
~8~
The small group of four ran through the Lower Town, Gwen leading them right to the door of the apothecary, the only one in the town that would be able to provide such products to the women. Gwen knocked on the door of a small house, waiting impatiently till older man stepped out.
"Gwen?" he moved aside to let them in, glancing hesitantly at one of their group in a dark green cloak.
"Do you sell Belladonna tincture?" Marayna cut in.
"What's this all about?"
"Please," Gwen added, "It's important."
"Well, I...I think I've got some somewhere," he turned to root around for them among his potion bottles, "But what you'd be wanting with eye drops in the middle of the night, I really don't want to know."
"Eye drops!" Gwen took the vial from him.
"Yes. Women use them to make their eyes more beautiful."
"Where did you get this?" Merlin asked.
"Well, my usual suppliers..."
"Sure you didn't get it from someone else?" he gave the man a pointed look.
"Of course I'm sure," the man tensed, starting to shift, "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to get some sleep."
"Aredian gave it to you, didn't he?" Marayna eyed him, seeing him getting jittery and defensive.
"Don't know what you're talking about..."
"But you know that Gaius is going to be executed tomorrow, don't you?" Merlin asked.
"That has nothing to do with me," the man started to shake his head, holding up his hands in innocence.
"Oh doesn't it?" Marayna stepped up, "Aredian's so-called 'witnesses' saw visions, ones that were the result of the Belladonna in those eye drops!"
"If we can prove this, we have a chance of saving Gaius!" Merlin agreed.
"Please," the cloaked figure said, pulling the hood down to reveal the Lady Morgana, "I can promise you no harm will befall you, you will be protected and you will not be accused of purposefully creating such visions...but you MUST tell us the truth."
The man seemed to sag with relief at knowing the finger wasn't going to be pointed at him for giving the women the potions, "He forced me to sell it. He...he said he'd kill me if I said anything to anyone."
"So it was him? Aredian?"
"Yes, it was him."
"Thank you!" they shouted, before running out again.
~8~
"That's it," Merlin took a breath as he looked at the tincture and petals, scooping them up, "We've got everything we need."
"But is it enough?" Gwen frowned.
"We've got a witness as well. Surely that's enough?"
"It's still just our word against Aredian's," Morgana sighed, "Even if I vouch for you, he'll just..."
"He'll just point the finger at you as well," Merlin realized.
"Well then," Marayna cut in, looking down at the bracelet that had been left in the room as a testament to Gaius's 'guilt,' "We just have to give Uther some more...proof, don't we?" she held up the amulet, "Something Aredian won't be able to talk his way out of."
Merlin smirked as she tossed him the amulet, understanding completely, "I'll be as quick as I can."
"I'll stall Arthur," Marayna nodded.
"I'll try to talk Uther round," Morgana agreed, she and Gwen rushing out after them.
If Aredian could plant false evidence...why couldn't they?
~8~
Marayna ran everywhere trying to find Arthur, it figured the one time she actually needed to find him he was nowhere. But then she saw it, Gaius being led to the pyre, Arthur standing among the people as Uther watched from above in the castle. She practically flew down the corridor, down the stairs, and out into the courtyard.
"Easy there!" she heard Arthur shout as the guards shoved her uncle, "Show some respect!"
"Oh shove off!" she muttered, pushing her way through the crowd as they blocked her path, "Move it!" she was fairly sure she elbowed someone in the gut, but she didn't care, "Arthur! Arthur, you need to stop them," she grabbed his arm.
"I can't, Mara," he sighed, "You know I can't."
"Merlin and I have proof that uncle's innocent!"
"My father's already passed sentence."
"Oy yes," she rolled her eyes, "And how many people did your father burn who were actually innocent?!"
"Mara there is nothing I can do!"
"You can do the right thing, Arthur Pendragon!" she snapped, "You can show belief in someone you KNOW has always been loyal to Camelot or you can stand there like a bloody hypocrite and watch them burn an innocent man! I thought you said you were only going to punish the guilty!"
"Mara...I'm not king yet and..."
"That is MY uncle up there," she cut in, on a roll, not even caring that people were starting to stare at her half-screaming at the prince, "The closest thing I have to a father. You would have me watch him BURN? You are a prince, a future king, so start acting like one! Step up and stop this. Just...believe me. LISTEN to me!"
Arthur swallowed, "Wait!" and turned, stopping Aredian just as he moved to lower the torch. He'd promised a long time ago to try and listen to his servants more, he'd failed miserably at it for the most part, but they had truly proven time and time again that they KNEW what they were talking about when they brought things like this to him.
If she said she had proof and Gaius was innocent...she was right, it was time to start acting like a future king and taking responsibility, standing up to injustice, and protecting his people.
~8~
"Sire," Merlin and Marayna stood before Uther in the Main Hall, Merlin holding up a vial of the tincture, the witnesses, the apothecary, and Aredian gathered among them, "The witnesses saw nothing but hallucinations induced by the Belladonna in these eye drops."
"And you bought this Belladonna from this man?" Uther asked as the three women present nodded, eyeing the apothecary, "Where did you get it from?" but the man was silent, glancing at Aredian as the Witchfinder glared at him, making him frown in suspicion, "Don't be afraid, no harm will come to you here."
"The Witchfinder," the man stuttered, "He gave them to me."
"Did he tell you what it was for?"
"No. Only that if I did not sell it...he'd have me burnt at the stake."
Uther tensed and turned to Aredian, "How do you answer to these accusations?"
"They're absurd," the man laughed, "The boy and girl have clearly concocted these lies in the hope of saving their master."
"Our UNCLE," Marayna cut in, "Honestly, how do you trust him, sire, when he cannot even get the simplest of facts correct?" Marayna asked the king, bringing up a...rather good point actually.
"That's even more reason for them to create this farce," Aredian argued.
"It's not a farce," Merlin glared at the man but he just scoffed.
"Then you 'won't mind if we search your chamber,' will you?" Marayna sneered at him, mocking him.
"Father..." Arthur turned to him, seeing his father about to comment on their demand being completely out of order, "Let's settle this once and for all. If what Merlin and Mara say is wrong, they must bear the consequences. But if there is some truth in what they say..." he squared himself, "Then I cannot let you condemn an innocent man to the flames."
"I have nothing to hide, Aredian stated, straightening when he saw Uther nod.
~8~
Aredian led the king, Arthur, Morgana, Marayna, and Merlin into his chambers, the guards stepping past him to search, tossing a number of items aside in their quest.
"You're wasting your time," Aredian rolled his eyes.
Arthur sighed, looking over...when a glint caught his eye, "The cupboard over there," he pointed.
A guard walked over immediately and opened it, allowing dozens of amulets just like the one found in Gaius's chamber to fall out, along with a stash of Belladonna tincture.
"These things don't belong to me!" Aredian shouted immediately, falling into his own trap for his victims, "This is a trick!" he coughed, glaring at Merlin and Marayna as he pointed at them, "They're plotting against me!" he coughed once more, trying to clear his throat…only for a toad to spit out of his mouth.
"Sorcerer!" Uther glared.
Aredian turned, grabbing Morgana in one last desperate bid for defense and pulling her to him, his dagger at her throat.
"Aredian," Uther took a threatening step forward, "Think carefully about what you're doing. You will never escape from Camelot alive."
"I will if you value the life of your ward. Hmm?" he smirked.
Had anyone besides Marayna been looking, they would have seen Morgana was not afraid at all, not while her eyes were locked on Merlin's, or they too would they have seen Merlin's own eyes harden at the threat against her, "Forbærnan," he half-hissed under his breath, making the hilt of Aredian's dagger heat up to the point where he dropped it.
Morgana fled from his grasp as he stumbled backwards, alarmed at his dagger's sudden change in heat and realizing...there just might be an ACTUAL sorcerer present...and he was NOT prepared to face one of them.
Marayna's eyes flashed gold as well as a box appeared behind Aredian. She meant for him to trip over it, to fall to the floor so the guards could grab him easier...but Aredian seemed more clumsy than she thought as he tripped over it...falling out the window instead.
Uther and Arthur and the guards ran to the window, looking down at Aredian, allowing Merlin a brief moment to hug Morgana in comfort while their backs were turned.
Marayna swallowed hard at the sound of a terrible thump outside, not having meant that to happen, and magiced the box back where it had been so no one would see it.
~8~
"What I don't understand is how you knew he'd concealed the evidence in his chamber," Gaius remarked as he sat down before Merlin, Marayna serving them both some food, trying to put him in better spirits than Uther's own rubbish attempt at an apology had been. The king had come to their chambers to personally apologize to Gaius for his lack of faith and what he'd nearly done to the man.
Gaius had NOT been amused and had told Uther exactly what he'd thought for years, how he let his fear of magic blind him to his true allies and friends.
"Just a hunch, really," Merlin smiled.
"I see. And the toad?"
"That I, er...ahem, we, er...can't explain."
"I can hardly explain it myself," Gaius gave them a look, "Unless, of course, you put it there."
Marayna laughed, "You've far more skill than Aredian, uncle," she commented, putting his plate down before him.
"Do I?"
"You just need to lift your eyebrow and anyone would confess."
Merlin laughed as she sat beside him, though she was sitting half on top of the table, "It's true."
Gaius shook his head, laughing, "Honestly, the toad was a step too far."
"You should've seen the look on his face!"
Marayna mimicked him blanching as the toad fell from his mouth, sending Gaius laughing more, the siblings smiled, happy to see him in better spirits and recovering from his ordeal. One thing could be said from this...they would protect their uncle, their family, the people they loved to their last breath.
No one threatened their family.
A/N: Awww, look at Arthur taking another stand against his father :) All through the episode, I really wanted someone to just give logical counters to Aredian and I couldn't see Marayna being quiet when she had a chance to prove someone else wrong lol. Little bit of a HP Hermione hint in this chapter too ;)
All I can say is next chapter...it's not over yet }:)
Some notes on reviews...
Yup, Dean Winchester :) I could see him and Arthur wearing 'Arthur/Dean wuvs hugs' shirts :)
Lol, I just might write the Anderson story one day :)
I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter :) I definitely switched it a little with Marayna more bluntly helping Arthur grow instead of Merlin, but he's got enough to worry about keeping Morgana on the straight and narrow ;) We'll definitely see wise Merlin pop up often and help Arthur as well though ;)
