Merlin

Episode 4.09: Lancelot du Lac Rewrite

Merlin du Lac

Chapter 3: First attempt

Merlin gazed down at the silver platter. He had made lunch for the King himself, and to say that he was proud of the crispy red color that covered the roasted chicken or the delicious aroma that rose from his dish was an understatement.

He sighed happily as he thought of Arthur's last meal. The plate only missed one key ingredient. The enchanted warlock pulled out the large vial containing indigo liquid from his jacket. A healthy dose of aconite to finish the meal, Merlin chuckled to himself as he poured a gracious amount onto the chicken.

Merlin picked up the platter, turning around and almost colliding with the head cook. He looked up furiously into her scowling face. All of his hard work, all of the time he had put into that one dish would've been food for the pigs if he had collided into the large woman. The servant's face scrunched as he took one whiff of the overpowering odor radiating from the woman before him.

"Mm. You stink worse than your food." Merlin smiled tauntingly at the offended cook before he weaved his way around, leaving her to fume.

The servant walked hastily down the hallway, his mind focused only on succeeding the task before him. Really, it was a foolproof plan – feed the King lunch, watch as he chokes and dies painfully and then escape to Lady Morgana's hovel. Lady Morgana would then be crowned Queen, as she rightfully should, and Merlin would remain at her side as her loyal slave. Merlin sighed happily as he peered down at the platter. The future of Camelot currently rested in the roasted chicken.

"Ah! The bog man!" Merlin's head shot up as he heard the exclamation from the rogue knight. Gwaine stopped in front of the annoyed servant, sniffing the platter as his gloved hand rose to his mouth. "I have to say, you're smelling better!" Gwaine joked. The rogue knight tugged off his glove and his bare hand made its way to the King's platter, attempting to steal from the plate just as Merlin tried to weave around the knight.

Merlin scowled as he twirled the plate around, dodging the knight with unnatural elegance. "This is food for the king of Camelot and is not meant to be soiled by your filthy fingers!" Merlin exclaimed as he finally escaped the knight's grasp. The servant hurried off, muttering grumpily to himself as Gwaine only stared confused, his mouth gaping wide enough for the glove to fall out and plop onto the floor.

Merlin didn't turn around and instead continued down the corridor, straight towards Arthur's chambers. He pushed the heavy doors open, and the joyous mask he had fell instantly. Really, he should have seen it coming, what with Gwaine and Audrey almost destroying his plans – almost as if they were ominous signs that his plan in the end would fail.

Because standing at Arthur's side and chatting happily with him and serving him Lunch was Lady Morgana's maidservant, Lady Guinevere.

"Oh, I might've known." Merlin thought out loud, voicing his anger just as Gwen poured Arthur a drink. Arthur looked up from his plate, a smile lighting his face at the sight of his servant.

"Hello, Merlin." Arthur nodded to his friend happily as he lifted his fork, ready to dive into the lunch that Gwen had prepared for him and completely ignoring the fact that the said friend was holding a silver platter meant for him.

"What's this?" Merlin asked crossly, pointing at the other plate in front of his king. Arthur followed the hand, gazing down at the plate before turning back to Merlin.

"Erm… lunch," the King of Camelot answered hesitantly. Merlin, on the other hand, completely ignored the king and instead turned to Gwen.

"Look, I know you like to take every opportunity to be by his side…" Merlin snapped just as he noticed the smile on her face fade. "But this is just getting ridiculous! You'll be pouring his bath water next!"

Arthur looked at the servant queerly. "Merlin, is something wrong?"

Merlin pointed at Gwen's plate. "This is what's wrong." He turned back to glare at Gwen.

"I was just trying to help. I thought you needed rest." Gwen replied, attempting to defend herself.

"Rest? No, no, I don't need rest. Do you know how long it took me to prepare this meal? I cooked it myself." Merlin pushed the plate in front of Arthur away and placed his own platter in its place.

"I think this is just a case of a simple misunderstanding," Arthur said slowly, pulling Gwen's plate towards himself while simultaneously handing Merlin his plate.

"Ah, yes. Well, you would take her side wouldn't you?" It was rather blunt, the way Merlin said it.

Arthur's forehead furrowed in confusion. "Excuse me?" Merlin didn't say anything, opting to glare at Gwen instead. "Merlin, I think you must be tired. You've been through quite an ordeal."

"I just want to resume my normal duties." And for just a second, Merlin sounded like a petulant child, pouting because he didn't get what he wanted. Arthur couldn't help but note how Merlin still wanted to serve the King who had not been able to grant the secret warlock his much deserved independence. Arthur's eyes twinkled ever so slightly. What did he do to deserve such unwavering loyalty?

Although that intense look of malice that Merlin shot at his future Queen was questionable... For just a brief moment, it seemed that Merlin was indeed jealous. Arthur cleared his throat, awkwardly. "Well, I'll be pleased to have your assistance preparing for the knighting ceremony later," He replied nonchalantly.

Merlin paused, as if just now noticing that he was fighting a losing battle. Instead he gazed at the King, a mixture of hurt and anger flashing across his face. "Thank you, sire." What was he going to explain to Lady Morgana?

Merlin turned on his heels and started to exit the chambers, before pausing and turning back to Gwen and Arthur. He lifted his finger, shaking it slightly as he opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and instead left the chambers.

So much for the future of Camelot resting in his well-prepared last meal for Arthur. It ended up being food for the pigs after all.

Merlin must've have faced at least a hundred different magical creatures and several assassination attempts (magical and non-magical), solved millions of complicated puzzles, lost several of his loved ones, and even found cures for incurable diseases – all in the past six years he spent hiding in Camelot. Yet, never had Gaius seen the young man pace with such gusto and frustration as he was now.

Needless to say, Merlin was pacing up the entire chamber, completely lost in thought, and obviously, unnaturally angry.

"Merlin," Gaius called back to his ward. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm pacing." Merlin replied instantly, still walking. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as the blue eyes traced the wooden pattern on the floor.

"Yes, I can see that." Gaius waited Merlin to talk, expecting him to reveal this problem that had set the normally calm warlock in motion.

Merlin stopped briefly, giving the old man in front of him a very annoyed look. "A man who is alright does not pace, Gaius."

"Oh, well, that's why I asked." Gaius turned around in his chair to face the still-pacing warlock.

"I am wrestling with a problem and there are many factors to take into consideration, and I have not yet come up with a solution."

Two gray eyebrows shot up in the air. Normally, Merlin would tell the old physician by now. Well, might as well try being direct. "Can I be of assistance?"

Merlin let out a sound, a mixture between a scoff and a laugh. "No." Gaius averted his gaze from the servant, attempting very hard not to show that he was insulted before trying again. Perhaps the recent impertinent attitude could be attributed to some danger Camelot was currently facing that Merlin couldn't solve yet.

"Sometimes, two heads are better than one," Gaius tried again. Merlin stopped pacing, turning fully to face the physician.

"Yes." Gaius looked up hopefully. "But not when one of them's yours."

And if Merlin saw the confused and pained look that flashed across Gaius's face just before the insulting servant left the chambers, he certainly didn't show it.

Merlin groaned as the cold black metal bit into his soft skin. The constrained man looked up, and attempted, for perhaps the millionth time, to gauge his surroundings in vain. Really, Merlin didn't even know if he was lying down or floating in midair.

Because surrounding him was pure blackness. It had been that way since Morgause captured him, sealing him in a coin. And for a moment, there was a brief flash of blinding light, as if his soul was being freed. And then he ended up back in the oblivion. It felt like he had been stuck in here for eternity… blind and deaf…

Really, what was up with Morgause and her uncanny affinity towards chaining her enemies up with indestructible chains? The warlock's eyes flashed gold, and he felt the chains weaken slightly before they tightened again, squeezing the captured man and leaving him wheezing for breath. Merlin let his head droop in defeat, the last of his strength giving away.

"This is where you were!" A voice suddenly interrupted. The warlock's head perked up at the first sound he had heard in days. "Seriously, we were so worried." A middle aged woman stood in front of the warlock, adorned in a beautiful flowing green gown. Her golden hair fell down to her shoulders, intertwined with green vines and flowers.

Her emerald green eyes evaluated the baffled warlock. "Who are you?" Merlin choked out as soon as he found his voice. The woman looked offended.

"You've already forgotten me?" When Merlin failed to respond, the woman sighed. "I'm Life."

"Life." The woman nodded. Merlin's eyes narrowed in confusion. "The same toddler that I met in the Spirit World."

Life laughed merrily, a melodious sound that Merlin had never heard before. "Is that what you imagined me as? So how do you see me now?"

"Like a beautiful middle aged golden haired woman," Merlin answered honestly. Life looked down at herself, as if willing to see what Merlin did.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay that works too." Her green eyes glittered mischievously. "Although I must say, I'm flattered to hear that you think of me in such a way." Merlin blushed and averted his glance, his azure blue eyes falling on his surroundings.

"Where am I?"

Life twirled around. "This? I guess you could call it the ninth world."

"The ninth world." Merlin repeated.

"Well, technically it's the First World. But people never seem to care much about this place…" Life's voice trailed off, and she looked around the blackness with awe.

"Why did Morgause capture me here? How do I get out?" Merlin looked at the woman before him anxiously. "I need to get back to Camelot. How do I get out of here?"

"Technically you're already in Camelot." Life replied uninterestedly, still gazing into the distance.

"What?!" Merlin looked around, a sudden fear encompassing him.

"Oh, no, this isn't Camelot." Life sighed softly. "This is … a place in your body."

"What?" the warlock asked feebly. It seems that all three of the sisters loved being vague with the warlock.

"When a human is born, he is born with inputters, outputters and a processor." Life explained. "The inputters are your senses. They provide you the information – whatever you see happening in the outside, whatever you hear, smell, taste… The outputters are the body parts that allow you to communicate with the outside… your ability to talk, move, feel and so on. All of this is processed by the mind." Life opened her arms, showing the warlock the place surrounding them.

"This, my dear, is the First World of the nine worlds. The mind that exists in every living thing's body is a world of its own, and quite a powerful one too! Because here is where creation occurs." The Black oblivion suddenly burst into fireworks as splashes of vibrant colors painted the surroundings. Merlin gaped, awed at his surroundings.

"The Mind is a complicated World. It is the only connection between every living thing. He who sees inside himself, he who controls his sensory input and motor output from the physical world, he has the Mind under his control. This is the basis of magic." Life explained, a large grin encompassing her face as she gazed down at the bound warlock.

"When a normal sorcerer fuels his magic, he pulls from the outside. Yet, no sorcerer recognizes that he has an endless supply within himself." Life looked down sadly. "And soon, after eons had passed, no one cared to look within themselves. They only cared about their material needs, their selfish goals. But Merlin, you are different. You were born with Magic that connects you to the magic of the nature. You possess the necessary eyesight to see within yourself. You have the ability to harness the power of the universe."

Merlin didn't reply as he stared at the golden-haired woman. Most of what she had told him made no sense to him whatsoever. But he did understand (especially with that display) that she could free him. She had control in this world. "So this is your realm, right?" Life nodded slowly.

"Not so much my realm as it is yours…"

Merlin's head perked up. "I can free myself?"

"If you look inside. You have a pure heart, an unselfish desire to see everyone happy. I think you should be able to do it." Life smiled warmly.

"But why can't I do it?" Merlin whined. "I've been trying for eternity! Why can't I free myself?"

"Spells won't set you free, young warlock." Life said softly. "You've been bound by powerful dark magic – an art of necromancy. Morgana brought you back to life, and in doing so, she's implanted her desire to kill Arthur within you. Her deepest desire to destroy Camelot has now manifested itself as its own personality." Merlin looked up, shocked.

"I'm in Camelot. And I'm trying to kill Arthur." Life only nodded as Merlin paled visibly. "And no one knows. They all trust me." Damn Morgana for torturing him like this.

"The only way to free your soul is through magic. The surroundings of your own mind should help you break free from the bindings temporarily, but only a blood sacrifice can destroy these bindings." Life explained.

Blue eyes widened in shock as Merlin realized what Life was suggesting. "You're telling me to kill myself?"

Life shook her head. "You're immortal, remember. Unfortunately, dark arts are often linked with pain and blood. But if you stay in this World like this, you will have to be Morgana's slave as long as she lives."

"Can't I just break free from these bonds, and then kill her… would I come to life then?" Merlin asked.

Life smiled, amused. "I've never tried that. I guess you could try it. Let me know how it goes!" She smiled happily. "I need to go now, young warlock. You are on your own from here. I did reveal to you the secrets of Magic and my realm. Now it is up to you to utilize that information."

And with that, Life vanished, taking her vibrant colors with her and leaving the warlock in the darkness.

Lancelot slowly made his way to the Merlin's chambers. Ever since the young warlock had come back, Lancelot intended to speak with him, perhaps fill him in on everything that happened during his absence. Even though the Round Table knew of Merlin's magic, Lancelot figured Merlin would still be uncomfortable talking with them about it. And yet, the servant had been busy, apparently avoiding everyone and apparently in a very temperamental mood.

Lancelot entered Gaius's chambers and gazed around at the surroundings, surprised to see Gaius missing. Perhaps Gaius decided to go on the rounds today instead of sending Merlin. The noble knight moved towards Merlin's door, slowly creaking it open, and finding Merlin sprawled across the bed, the crook of his elbows covering his eyes.

"Merlin," Lancelot called out softly, prompting the tired man to prop himself on his elbows.

"Lancelot." Merlin acknowledged, nodding slightly and gesturing to the nearest chair as he pulled himself into a sitting posture.

"I just wanted to make sure everything is fine with you," Lancelot said as he made his way to the chair, seating himself before turning to the warlock.

"Thank you, Lancelot," Merlin replied dryly. "I'm just tired. It'll wear off soon." Merlin smiled. And yet, Lancelot noticed, the smile never reached his eyes.

Lancelot shifted uncomfortably. "Would you like me to leave?"

"No. No, it's fine. What is it?"

"Just thought I'd fill you in on what happened while you were gone." Merlin smiled weakly, as if telling the knight to continue.

Lancelot nodded, returning the smile. "As you probably already know, Uther died, leaving the throne to Arthur. What you don't know is that Morgana played a role in Uther's death… and so did a traitor amongst us, according to Arthur."

Merlin didn't reply, his mind instantly wondering if Lancelot had already suspected his treachery. Or maybe they know about Agravaine? Merlin almost smiled at the thought of Agravaine getting caught and put to death. If that were to happen, it would leave Merlin as the most valuable person in Morgana's eyes.

Lancelot hesitated. "Arthur and the rest of us… we can't help but wonder if Uther would still be alive if we had magic on our side…"

Merlin sighed dejectedly. "Don't we all? What wonders we could do – I could do, if I had magic…." Merlin's voice trailed off at the end, and he abruptly stood up, a new idea forming in his head. If the servant couldn't kill the King with poisoned food, he'll just have to try another approach. Lancelot, on the other hand, looked up, too shocked to say anything else.

"Sorry, Lancelot, but I have to get back to the King. Help him dress for the knighting ceremony. You know how he is." Merlin said hurriedly. The servant practically ran out of his chambers, too caught up in his new murderous schemes to notice the baffled look that dawned upon the noble knight.

A/N: I know the ending seems slightly rushed, but I didn't know how else to take the conversation. Add the last scene to the list of scenes that I'll probably come back to once I'm done with the series.

I've been unnaturally and awfully busy the past week, and honestly this week is double the busy… I might not get the chance to update until much later (Probably sometime in the first week of October). I sincerely apologize for that.

On the other hand, if I follow through my plan, there are only 3 more chapters in this episode before "Spirits' Secrets" is over! (That's really exciting because I really have grand plans for the third and final series!)

Thank you to all who reviewed last chapter! It really makes me feel like writing despite having such a busy week. Reviews are the only motivational factor and primary incentive for fanfic writers, so if you have the time, please review! I'd love to know what you are think about the story so far. Even if it's a critic, a suggestion, or a simple "Hey! How are you doing?", I'd love you forever if you review.

Moral of the story: Don't forget to review!