As I have escaped the heat momentarily I start feeling human again! :)
Thanks as ever for your comments and favorites. It does make my day hearing you're enjoying yourselves! I'm on holiday now, but I'm hoping to keep the posts up over the next three weeks.
"Hunith!" Gaius stretches out his arms to embrace Merlin's mother as soon as he enters the living room at the Lake Cottage. Arthur watches them with a heavy heart, sharing their quiet grief at the bottom of his heart. When they finally part, Arthur walks up to the old chemist to welcome him.
"I'm glad you're here," Arthur says, stretching out his hand. Gaius takes it with a firm grip and a piercing gaze. There is apprehension there, to say the least. I bet he's wondering if my intentions are genuine.
"Can I see him?" Gaius asks, coming straight to the point.
Arthur introduces Gwen who gives Gaius the most essential details about Merlin's injuries. A few minutes later they're all standing around his bed, watching as Merlin's chest is lifting and sinking, wheezing heavily.
"Looks like the first signs of respiratory problems," Gwen says quietly, and Arthur's heart sinks like a lead balloon. He remembers only too well, how difficult speaking and breathing had been for Balinor.
"How is that possible? It's only been two days," Arthur mumbles in horror.
"Don't forget he had two doses of the Serum and his magic is more powerful than we can probably fathom," Gaius says. Then he looks round at everyone present. "I can try and help him with his exterior wounds to make him more comfortable."
As Hunith and Gwen nod, Arthur takes a nervous breath. It is obvious Gaius isn't referring to any kind of conventional treatment. He has magic. And he's going to use it right in front of my eyes.
When nobody speaks, Arthur realizes that all eyes are on him, quietly waiting. Unsurprisingly, using magic in the house of a Pendragon must appear completely incongruous to them. Little do they know!
"Is that okay with you, Arthur?" Gaius asks.
"Go ahead, please." Arthur says, trying to hide his uneasiness behind a cough. Of course he would do and allow anything to make Merlin feel better, but it's difficult to will away all the prejudice about magic in one single day. Gaius searches his face, and then acknowledges him with a tiny smile and knowing eyes.
Arthur suddenly feels hot under his collar. Gaius knows. He has barely accepted he has magic himself. Finding out someone else, apart from Merlin, has that information rattles him. He's hardly spoken to Gaius and has no idea what the man could do with that information. But for Merlin he's willing to take that risk. It's more important Merlin receives some help.
Gaius folds Merlin's blanket back to examine him slowly, getting more details about the nature of his injuries from Gwen as he goes along. "I'll try my best," he says. "It's been a while."
"But back then you were one of the best!" Hunith puts her hand on Gaius's arm and smiles at him. "No need to be that modest."
Arthur stares at him as he lifts his hands and then, one by one, touches Merlin's wounds while he mumbles what's clearly a spell. "Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare. Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare!" He repeats it again and again, until he's seemingly satisfied.
Even though Arthur witnessed the healing spell Merlin used on Morgana, he's shocked to see the scratches and bruises on Merlin's face fade away before his very eyes. And when Gwen carefully removes the bandages of his other injuries, it is evident that Gaius isn't that much out of practise.
"The broken rib will need another couple of treatments," Gaius says.
"Thank you," Hunith mumbles, her eyes glazed by tears. "At least he doesn't have to suffer those any longer."
Dumbfounded, Arthur brushes his fingertips over the spot on Merlin's face where the raw scar of a deep cut disappeared only a few minutes before. Merlin's skin looks as good as new. "I didn't know …," he whispers in amazement.
"That magic can be used for so much good?" Gaius suggests quietly, and Arthur tilts his head to acknowledge his words. Magic isn't all evil. Being with Merlin has taught him that much, but seeing this, close up, has made him understand on a completely different level. And suddenly the thought that some of this magic also resides in his own soul doesn't feel that threatening anymore.
"We need to talk," Arthur says, and Gaius nods.
A few minutes later the two men have settled on the sofa in the living room with a drink in their hands.
"Can you produce an antidote if I give you the formula of the Serum?" Arthur asks straight out.
Gaius does a double-take. "Give me the formula? Just like that?"
"Isn't this the only way to help Merlin?" Arthur asks back. "So, can you do it?"
"I can, but I'm not sure it'll be ready in time to save Merlin," Gaius says gravely, a big frown on his forehead. "Things like that take months, sometimes years to develop."
"We haven't even got three weeks if we believe Edwin," Arthur says and recounts what Merlin told him before.
"Did the slimy sneak say that?" Gaius raises his right eye brow, but then lets out a huge sigh. "It's easily possible. Merlin's more powerful than anyone can fathom."
"Is he?" Arthur gasps out. "More powerful than you?"
Gaius chuckles. "In the world of cars I would be a tractor and Merlin a Ferrari, if that makes it a bit clearer."
Arthur chews on his bottom lip trying to take that in. He was more than impressed by what Gaius had done earlier, and Merlin's powers are way beyond those? I would love to see his magic. I could learn so much from him. But that's never going to happen if we don't find a way to save him.
"Unfortunately that also means that the Serum's going to finish him off a lot sooner," Gaius continues.
"Can you not use magic to speed up the production of the antidote?"
"I can have a go at that, but the time frame we have might still be too short." Gaius looks heartbroken, as he says it. "Believe me, I would do anything for that boy in there. He's like a grandson to me."
"But you will try?" Arthur asks anxiously.
"Of course. You don't need to ask," Gaius says with conviction.
Arthur nods and pulls a memory device out of his trousers' pocket. "It's on there."
"The formula?" Gaius asks, raising his eye brow once again. Arthur can hear the shock and surprise in his voice.
"Take it," Arthur says. "We must save him."
Gaius's eyes are moistening. "I would have never thought the day will come…" But then he pulls himself together, takes the memory stick to stow it away in the inside pocket of his jacket. Once he's done he looks up, straight into Arthur's eyes, to ask a question Arthur didn't expect.
"How are you?" And by the tone of his voice Arthur understands exactly what Gaius is talking about.
"You know." Arthur states the fact, but there's one thing he can't figure out. "How?"
"Not long after Merlin started working for you, he sent me some hypospray and asked me to check it out," Gaius answers.
"Really? Why did he do that?" Arthur raises his eyebrows. Did Merlin suspect foul play so early on?
"Gut feeling and curiosity, I guess. He'd watched you suffering from your 'condition' and how much you were affected by it, and simply wondered if an analysis would provide any clues to your illness."
Some gut feeling! Arthur's digesting the news slowly. Even then he sensed the hypospray wasn't doing me any good. Even then he was already trying to help me.
"I assume you've stopped taking that concoction?" Gaius throws him a concerned glance.
"Merlin made sure that message got to me," Arthur says hoarsely, a knot forming in his throat. Effectively he saved me from the fate he's facing himself now. What a fucking irony!
"Good." Gaius says rather pleased and then eyes Arthur from top to toe. "So how are you holding up?"
Arthur considers the question for a second. He hasn't taken his medication for three days, and he's experienced the beginnings of withdrawal symptoms, just like half a year ago, when he was kidnapped. A wave of nausea, here and there, some dizziness and a dull headache have come and gone, but so far it hasn't been really awful. Certainly nothing like the first time when he stopped taking the hypospray. It's funny actually, how it isn't that bad, and Arthur explains as much to Gaius. The old sorcerer scratches his cheek, as if he's weighing up some facts.
"It's amazing how you managed to survive that 'treatment' for so many years," Gaius says.
Arthur shrugs his shoulders, unable to comment. He's going to have that conversation with his father, and in the immediate future. Until then all he can do is accept the fact and get on with it.
"Hold on!" Gaius suddenly shouts out, as he jumps up from the sofa – well, as much jumping up a man of his age can do. "Oh my God! Why didn't I think of that earlier?" His eyes are as wide as saucers and his voice is shaking with excitement. "Good God. This might just work."
"Tell me!" Arthur almost growls with impatience.
Gaius rubs his chin, standing silently, his brain clearly immersed in some kind of idea. When he focuses on Arthur again, a tiny smile's playing on his lips. "You have taken the Serum in small quantities for so many years, and yet, you're still alive. "
The question mark over Arthur's head must be elephant-sized, but Gaius is already spinning his thought further. "That means, it MUST mean, you've developed some kind of antibodies against the Serum which makes you immune to a certain level of it in your blood."
Arthur stares at Gaius. "Could you filter this out and give it to Merlin?"
"It's not as simple as that, but it would give me a hell of head start," Gaius seems to have forgotten Arthur's there, as he's pacing up and down the living room like an antagonized lion in a cage. "Yes, I could …" He mumbles ending in some technical gibberish Arthur can neither make head or tail of. "I need to take your blood." Gaius has stopped right in front of Arthur. "Now."
Fifteen minutes later Gwen hands a vial with Arthur's blood stashed away in a pack of ice over to Gaius.
"Anything you need, you've got my number," Arthur says for the third time, as he accompanies Gaius on his way out. Just before the old man heads out of the door to step into the private car Arthur sent for, he turns round to face Arthur.
"I can see why Merlin likes you. You're a good man, Arthur Pendragon, and I'm sure ALL citizens in Camelot will have a better life once you become the Governor." And with that he gets in the car, and a minute later it speeds down the road, and then out of sight.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
What an amazing dream! Arthur was holding and kissing him as if there was no tomorrow, his eyes full of love and regret. Merlin holds on to the image in his mind, while subconsciously taking stock of what's happened and how he feels. It seems the last few days have consisted of nothing but a rapid succession of waking and sleeping, leaving him in a state of perpetual confusion.
He notices the lack of bandages on his body and the ease with which he can move his limbs out of a sudden. Have I been sleeping that long? He wonders, but when he touches his face and finds the scar on it gone, another option springs firmly to mind. Somebody must have healed me. How did that happen?
He breathes in deeply, a massive mistake, as he notices a split second later because it triggers a bout of coughing and a sharp stinging pain emanating from his lungs. Fuck. Merlin has no delusions what that means – it's the beginning of the end.
Unwilling to think about it he pushes the thought away, preferring to slip back to the image he barely left behind a few minutes ago. Arthur, close up to him, whispering his name with fondness. Merlin turns onto his other side with a wanton sigh, and, to his bafflement, bashes straight into something warm.
Automatically he stretches out his hand to figure out what it is. When his eyes snap open he stares at the man lying next to him with bewilderment. It's Arthur, wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt just like him and seemingly fast asleep.
Shit, I didn't dream it. Merlin's heart jumps, mesmerized by the revelation. We did have that conversation. I just can't remember what happened after that. God, Arthur. He could hardly believe when Arthur said all the things he'd been craving to hear for so long. And now the man's right here, slightly snoring and puffing air out of his mouth. He looks beat, but Merlin's never seen a more welcome sight.
Merlin simply HAS to touch him, he's got absolutely no choice about it. He lifts his hand and strokes over Arthur's arm and side. I can't believe he's here, and he kissed me. The ache inside his heart chokes him momentarily. God, I wish, I wish I could live to be with him. To really get to know him. Our time together was far too short. And the way things look, time isn't on their side now, either.
Merlin moves a little closer to bask in the warmth of Arthur's body. Hell, doesn't that feel amazing! He runs his finger-tips across Arthur's chest, following the movement of his chest, to finally rest his palm over his heart. The steady drumming and the knowledge that this heart will keep on beating, long after he's gone, offers more comfort than Merlin could ever express.
When Merlin takes his hand away, he jerks in surprise at the dozy, "Don't stop!" coming from Arthur.
"I didn't mean to wake you," Merlin mumbles, a little guilty to disturb the sleep Arthur so desperately needs. But, instead of complaining, Arthur wraps his arm wordlessly round Merlin's waist and pulls him tight.
"Don't stop," he repeats, and Merlin's never followed a request with more enthusiasm. He slips his hand under Arthur's T-shirt and traces circles along the bottom of his back, relishing how Arthur relaxes into his touch.
"So good," Arthur sighs, his eyes still closed.
"Better than good," Merlin answers, and to underline his words he runs his thumb over Arthur's stubbly chin, before his lips follow the same path. The smell of Arthur's skin, the scent of his masculinity so close to him, wash over Merlin. Overcome, he follows his instincts and lets his mouth roam over Arthur's neck and cheeks. The stifled groan escaping Arthur's mouth lights a fire inside him he'd almost forgotten.
Their lips collide, and they explore each other's mouths, as inquisitive as if it was the first time. When their kiss deepens and none knows where he ends and the other one begins, Merlin presses his body flush to Arthur's, aware of every move, every ripple of muscle and every tremble that runs through him.
"Merlin," Arthur rasps when they pull apart for the need of air. "Careful, I don't want to hurt you."
"Hurt me? Do I look as if I'm hurting?" Merlin snuggles into Arthur's arms, ignoring the stinging pain inside his guts and the knowledge that the Serum is working relentlessly to bring him closer to his end every single second.
He melts into Arthur solid warmth, revelling in the happiness of the moment. He can hear the pounding of Arthur's heart while his is thumping like mad against Arthur's chest. And then it hits him. This is the time to say it. The words he'd been unable to express before because too many uncertainties had been hanging over them.
"Arthur," he says, lifting his face up to the man in his arms, "…there's something I have to say … something important that's way overdue …"
"Stop rambling and spit it out," Arthur mutters, drowning his face in Merlin's hair, completely oblivious where this is heading.
"I love you," Merlin says, simply and almost shyly, before he holds his breath. Arthur pulls a bit away to meet his eyes. His pupils are wide with wonder when he cups the back of Merlin's neck and connects their mouths, sending a shiver of desire down Merlin's spine.
"I'm yours," Arthur breathes into Merlin's mouth before he leans in again and presses another kiss on his lips. "I'm yours, always."
There's nothing Merlin can do about the tears welling up in his eyes. It means everything to hear those words and to know Arthur loves him back before his world crumbles to dust and he has to leave everything behind that's dear to him.
Merlin tightens his embrace and languidly strokes Arthur's back, aware his insides aren't only aching from love. Not now! Merlin kicks the thought into the deepest corner of his mind and lets his hand slip under Arthur's T-shirt one more time, allowing the feel of his skin under his hands take him somewhere completely different. In silent understanding Arthur draws his T-shirts over his head in a swift move, to then gently remove Merlin's.
Merlin can feel Arthur's eyes on him, taking in his skinny frame, his protruding ribs and the hard edges of his collarbones. A shadow of pain crosses Arthur's face for the fraction of a second, Merlin's sure about it. It's distressing for him to see me like this. But just now no darkness should come between us, none at all.
"Don't," Merlin says tenderly, catching Arthur's eyes and holding his gaze steadily.
"So sorry," Arthur says, hesitant and full of regret. "This is my fault."
"Arthur," Merlin says, "You can't take the blame for this. This whole situation was fucked up right from the start."
Merlin opens his arms and Arthur readily sinks into the embrace, their lips finding each other for another earth-shattering kiss. Merlin lets his hand wander over Arthur's taught back, rediscovering every plane and ripple right down to the curve of his butt. When he meets the resistance of Arthur's sweat pants he tugs at them in a quiet request. Arthur complies immediately, pushing them off to then stretch out next to him in his full naked glory.
"You're gorgeous," Merlin mumbles as his eyes roam over Arthur's body, taking in every little delicious detail as if he wants to commit it to memory.
"Of course, that's why you fell in love with me," Arthur lips quirk when he says it, and Merlin understands instinctively he's trying to lighten the mood, and Merlin's more than happy to go with the flow.
"Arrogant arse," Merlin says with so much affection Arthur's eyes light up.
"Impudent sorcerer," he retorts with a warm smile, and they both grin at each other like they used to.
"Did you just use 'sorcerer' as a term of endearment?" Merlin smirks cheekily, unable to hide his amusement. Who would have ever thought that?
"What do you think?" Arthur teases and presses his lips to Merlin's temple.
"I missed this."
"My radiant charm, my sparkling charisma, my undeniable magnetism?" Arthur whispers into Merlin's ear, making his lips twitch.
"Your capacity of self-deception," Merlin moans as Arthur's sinks his teeth into the outer shell of his ear. Damn, he still remembers how to drive me crazy.
"You're overdressed," Arthur mumbles with frustration when his hands slide over Merlin's hips to pull him close.
"Do something about it then," Merlin challenges him, and two seconds later, they both gasp when their bodies connect skin to skin, from top to toe.
"Merlin," Arthur rasps and finds his lips yet again. And that's what becomes Merlin's whole world for that instant in time – Arthur's lips moving over his, his tongue licking its way into the depth of his mouth mercilessly and his teeth nipping at his chin. A surge of want and heat grips Merlin, letting him forget everything burdening his mind. All he feels and sees and hears and tastes is Arthur. Arthur who is here at his side and who loves him, proving it with every little kiss and lick and caress.
"Touch me," Merlin murmurs, unable to contain the need for more any longer.
"But you …" Arthur starts, but Merlin places a fingertip on his mouth before he can finish what he doesn't want to hear.
"I want you, one more time before…," Merlin doesn't need to continue.
A deep rumble erupts out of Arthur's throat as he cuts Merlin's words short with a blazing kiss. "Anything. Let me take care of you," he whispers into Merlin's ear, his voice like gravel. Their eyes meet and Merlin contentedly drowns in the sea of blue he's so often pictured in his mind.
Arthur leans over Merlin, trailing a series of kisses along his torso, while running his hands along his sides, teasing and tickling, until he's covered in tingly goose bumps all over. Fuck, this is heaven already. Merlin barely manages the thought, giving himself totally up to Arthur's hands and mouth.
Arthur traces a line along Merlin's sternum, twirling his fingers through the short hair smattering his chest. When he lightly circles his nipples with his tongue, Merlin arches into him, impatient and so ready for more. The need to feel Arthur everywhere, fuelled by the knowledge that they might never be together like this again, is all consuming.
And Arthur understands that, too. Merlin can sense it in the intensity of his touch and the urgency of his kisses, as if the world was ending. They both know that in a couple of weeks they'll probably be ripped apart forever, and it makes every single contact more significant and meaningful, and so bitter-sweet.
"Arthur," Merlin whispers, when the blond palms his arousal and squeezes it lightly, and he shudders, dropping his head to Arthur's shoulder, dizzy from the feel of Arthur's hand moving in steady strokes. In some agonized sort of teasing, Arthur's fingers swirl over his most sensitive spot, spreading silvery lines over his hardened length, the feathery touch taking him closer and closer to the edge. Impatiently, he pushes himself hard into Arthur's hand, seeking friction and some sort of temporary relief.
"Easy," Arthur says, removing his hand to Merlin's chagrin, but making it up with a slow and thorough kiss. Then he climbs over Merlin, placing a hand on either side of his chest to keep his full weight off. Being encased in Arthur's heat and scent makes Merlin giddy with elation, and when Arthur locks their hips, their hard lengths pressing against each other in the most luscious way, he lets out a husky growl.
"Merlin," Arthur mumbles, bending down to sear his lips over Merlin's, his tongue pushing and demanding, the passion shaking Merlin to the core. The core where a pain resides that doesn't want go away. I don't care, I need this, and if it's the last thing I do, Merlin thinks defiantly, looking up to the man he loves to find his own feelings very much reflected in Arthur's eyes. This is the place where I want to be. Forever, if that was an option.
Arthur starts to undulate his hips over Merlin's, brushing their cocks together in an ever increasing rhythm. Merlin knows he won't be long, and as Arthur rocks against him, thrust after thrust, he's bucking his hips helplessly against him, the most delicious agony unfurling inside him.
A whole sky-full of stars explodes inside Merlin's mind just at the mere thought that Arthur still loves and desires him and that the heat and passion radiating off the man are for him and him only. To hear him panting with want, see his beautiful body working for both their pleasure and to feel his erection rubbing, teasing, pushing against him, dripping with desire, solid and hot, pushes him finally over the edge.
When he erupts he hears himself cry out Arthur's name and his whole body vibrates with the most blinding pleasure he can remember. Arthur follows him just an instant later, groaning at the intensity of his release, before he collapses next to him.
The unshed tears Merlin held back earlier are falling fast now, rolling over his cheeks, but he doesn't even notice before Arthur brushes them aside with his thumb. Wordlessly Merlin links his fingers with Arthur's and squeezes his hand like an affirmation of what they've just done.
"Okay?" Arthur sounds worried.
"Okay?" Merlin chuckles, noting subconsciously his breathing's suddenly so much more work. "Are you kidding?" He turns his head at that to find Arthur staring at him, his eyes ridiculously expressive, condensing all his conflicting emotions in just one look. Love, fear, tenderness, desperation, all wrapped into one single gaze.
"I love you," Arthur whispers as he presses his forehead against Merlin's, both savouring the moment of coming home, but it lasts no longer than a couple of minutes.
Merlin starts to cough out of nowhere, and first he simply tries to shake it off. But it's quickly becoming a coughing attack on a major scale, and within a few seconds he's struggling to breathe. "Can't …"
"Shhh. Don't talk," Arthur murmurs as he sits up quickly to hold Merlin steady while his chest convulses rapidly. Every cough slices through Merlin like a knife, leaving him more and more breathless, and then it gets so intense he has to curl on his side from the pain cutting through his insides. He presses his hand against his mouth automatically as if he could stop the attack by such a simple gesture. His body is shaking from the effort to put air into his lungs, but then it suddenly all stops with a huge cough, and Merlin going limp.
"Merlin!" He can hear Arthur's anxious voice next to him, wanting to answer, but not finding the energy to do so.
"Come here," Arthur says and lifts him to put a pillow under his head. The angled position seems to help Merlin to breathe better and when he does, he finally manages to speak.
"Tired," he whispers, as his eyes are drooping.
"I'll get you cleaned up and then you can rest a little while," Merlin hears Arthur say from somewhere in the distance, and he vaguely takes in Arthur's wiping his chest with a warm cloth and dressing him before he dozes off.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Arthur's frantic with panic and fear. To drop from the high of holding Merlin in his arms and making love to him to the low of seeing him crippled by the Serum, was more than cruel. In fact, it's ripping his bleeding heart out.
No, no. no. This is all too soon. He's going to die before Gaius has even started. And I can do nothing about it, nothing at all. Nothing. Arthur clenches his fists in reality hurts.
A reality that has Merlin on his bed, dozing in an exhausted sleep, his chest rattling with every breath. Maybe we shouldn't have …, Arthur wonders for a split second, but then he shrugs the thought off. Merlin wanted it, we both wanted it, needed it, and I won't regret loving him.
I need to get Gwen to check on him. Arthur heads for the door when it opens to reveal Gwen popping her head in. "All right?" she asks tentatively. "I heard him coughing."
Arthur quickly describes Merlin's symptoms, Gwen listening intently. "It's his lungs. They're usually the first organ to be affected. Let's have a look at him."
Gwen examines Merlin carefully and is about to turn round to give her verdict when her eyes fall on Merlin's hand. Her face blanches and Arthur's throat goes dry at her look. When he walks closer and sees what Gwen's looking at, his heart drops rock bottom. There's blood in Merlin's palm.
"He's coughing blood, "he says faintly and bites his lips. He tries to look away, but he can't hide his emotions from Gwen.
"I know it's hard to watch, but he doesn't want your pity. He needs you to be you. That's all. And we're not going to give up hope, until there's no more hope to be had."
Arthur swallows hard, acknowledging her encouraging words with a pat on her arm. "Is there anything at all I can do?"
Gwen seems to instinctively understand that Arthur NEEDS to do something. Needs to busy himself. "Keeping him occupied would be a good thing," she says. "If you keep his brain going it'll take his mind off what he's going through."
"Thank you, Gwen. I'm so glad you came."
"Me, too," Gwen smiles. "And now let's go and get breakfast. I can't have you faint on me as well."
Arthur follows Gwen's advice and two hours later, when Merlin wakes, he takes him through to the living room where he's prepared a loadful of cushions on the sofa for Merlin to get comfortable. Fuck, he looks so ill.
"How about eating something?" Arthur suggests, but he knows the answer before Merlin gives it.
"Can't. My stomach…," Merlin shakes his head, a surge of coughing drowning the rest of the sentence.
"You want a drink, then?" Arthur won't give up that easily, and to his delight, Merlin agrees. "Tea, please."
"Your mum's preparing some soup for later, "Arthur says for no apparent reason, and Merlin attempts a grin.
"Stop mothering me, Arthur." But then he bends forward and grabs Arthur's hand to kiss it. "Thanks, I do appreciate it."
Arthur wills himself to keep his composure and distracts himself by coming straight to the point. "I wanted to talk to you about Edwin." And then they share the information they have accrued independently from each other to arrive at the same result.
Edwin has magic. He's working with Alvarr and he's trying to undermine the government.
"He used me to discredit your father?" Merlin says in astonishment, when he hears Arthur's assumptions about his trial.
"Yeap, and it looks like he was quite happy getting rid of me, too," Arthur adds.
"Killing you with the hypospray." Merlin throws him a weary look. "Any more withdrawal symptoms?"
"They're there, but not as bad as I'd expected." Arthur says, tilting his head in thought. "Gaius said I might have some antibodies against the Serum in my blood. Wonder if they play a part in this?"
"Gaius was here?" Merlin exclaims in surprise, and of course, that's something Arthur needs to fill him in, as well. Once he's finished, Merlin whistles quietly.
"So it was Gaius who healed me," Merlin says, a grateful smile playing around his lips. "And he thinks there might be a chance of developing an antidote in time?"
"He was very vague about that," Arthur greets through his teeth, aware how much he hates saying the words.
"He has to be," Merlin says. "It would be unreasonable to promise something like that. I've worked on a couple of antidotes against poison before, and things like that simply take time, effort and a lot of accuracy."
Arthur scratches his chin, realizing he's never heard Merlin talk about his real profession before. "You like your job?" he asks, remembering the time at the Research Lab in Lamia House when Merlin got side-lined by all the equipment around him.
"I love it. Every aspect of it," Merlin's eyes are smiling at him.
"And I have been told you're one of the best?" Arthur says, unable to hide a certain pride in his voice.
Merlin shrugs his shoulders. "Guess so. That's what they say."
"You must have hated your job as a PA with me," Arthur wonders, throwing him a pensive gaze.
"It did have its perks," Merlin's lips are twitching, and Arthur smiles back at him.
"How the heck did you manage to pull it off?" Arthur asks.
"I used all my resources," Merlin mumbles and goes quiet.
Shit. That's the last thing I wanted. Making Merlin think about his magic. Shit, shit, shit. Arthur swears inside his head, cursing the silence spreading between them. It's time for diversion tactics.
"So what do you think Edwin's up to?" he asks, drawing Merlin's gaze to him.
"Apart from trying to do you and your father serious harm?" Merlin says, taking a laboured breath. "Seems he's after the power."
"But even if he has the support of some citizens, he can't possible topple the government just by himself?"
"He does have Alvarr, and Alvarr has twisted the minds of quite a lot of harmless MUs to do his bidding."
"True," Arthur agrees, but then shakes his head ferociously. "It still doesn't make sense. If Edwin wanted to get to power with the help of sorcerers, why would he kill them with the Serum? We've never got as far as formulating an idea why he would do that." A second later he blanches. Shit, I've done it again. Brought the topic back to Merlin dying. Am I an idiot or what? I'm supposed to take his mind OFF it!
"Arthur?" Merlin asks quietly, and when their eyes meet, Merlin looks softly at him. "I can cope with you mentioning things about … my fate. Okay? It's important we talk this through, right?"
Seeing through me like glass. Arthur sighs and answers quietly, "Point taken."
"Coming back to your question: Why did Edwin kill those sorcerers at Lamia House? From what you're saying, quite a few MUs have disappeared there over the years. The question remains why, and why the heck does Edwin pump extra Serum into MUs? My gut feeling tells me that the key to understanding what's going on lies there."
And with that another serious coughing fit rips Merlin apart, and when he's finished Arthur's horrified to see a trickle of blood dripping out of his nose and mouth.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
An hour later Merlin's back in his bed, dozing. No wonder he doesn't last long. He hasn't been only fighting the Serum, but he also hasn't been eating solids for a few days, Arthur thinks, as a tight band around his heart is pulling even tighter. When he closes the bedroom door behind him with a sigh, he finds Leon and Percival waiting for him outside.
"Arthur!" Leon says. "Can we have a word?"
"Sure." Arthur heads towards the living room, when Percival stops him. "In private."
Arthur raises his brow a bit bewildered. What is this all about? "Is there something going on?" he asks, as he leads them into the library, demonstratively closing the door behind him.
Both Leon and Percival look a tad uncomfortable, but eventually it is Percival who speaks up.
"Arthur, you know we both trust you with our lives. You know there's nothing we wouldn't do for you."
"That's quite a little speech, Percival," Arthur grins, wondering where on earth this is heading. "What do you really want to say?"
Percival has the grace to blush, but then gives himself a visible push to speak. "You sure that this was wise?"
"What are you referring to?" Arthur says, definitely alarmed now.
"I heard from Hunith you gave the Richardson guy the formula," Percival says, biting his lip.
"I did," Arthur confirms quietly. "And?"
"I kind of understood why you brought Merlin, here," Leon continues.
"Kind of?" Arthur bites his lip. "What exactly does that mean?"
"He's a committed criminal. Breaking and entering, infiltrating the government are all clearly defined offences. Taking him away from Lamia House could seriously backfire on your career, you as a person and the Pendragon government."
Arthur breathes through deeply twice. Of course Leon's right. He's taken a huge risk releasing a man who's been branded Camelot's enemy number 1 in the media. A man Leon should be searching for, not hiding. Have I been asking too much of my friends? Have I compromised their integrity?
"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," Arthur says. "I couldn't leave him there. He stood no chance against Edwin. I want him alive to see his trial declared unlawful. I accepted coming here as a calculated risk." And I love him. Arthur knows that they're all thinking it, and he suddenly feels incredibly selfish. "I shouldn't have put you into danger for my sense of justice," he says, but before he continues, Percival intercepts.
"This isn't what we're trying to say, Arthur," Percival throws him a concerned look.
Leon picks up where Percival left off immediately. "As I said, I do get why you acted the way you did for most of the part."
"So what …?
"How could you give the formula away? That's on a completely different scale! This concerns everyone in Camelot. As soon as word is out, all MUs will go crazy. I have no idea how we can possibly stop them when it comes to that."
"It won't come to that," Arthur says, full of conviction, and both his friends throw him a questioning look.
"How can you be so sure?" Leon wants to know.
"First, I trust Gaius to keep this a secret. He's using the formula to develop an antidote for Merlin in the first instant. We have to wait and see whether he's going to succeed before we worry about anything else." Arthur says, his insides knotting at the thought that Gaius might fail. "Second, I have come to the conclusion that not every sorcerer is to be feared just for his magic. Many MUs are just normal people like you and me."
Leon and Percival look at Arthur as if he's just grown wings, turned bright pink and proclaimed he likes girls now.
"I know we had cases where MUs were not treated right. I remember the family that was sentenced for no reason at all. But saying that sorcerers are just like us?" Leon clearly struggles with the concept. "That's definitely taking it too far."
"You reckon?" Arthur says, deciding on the spur of the moment to go for this. "If you say 'like us' does that include me?"
"Of course it does," Percival says, puzzled at the strange question.
It's an all or nothing situation. Either his friends will freak or they'll stand by him, as they've always done. Arthur sincerely hopes for the second. He's trusted these guys all his adult life, and they trusted him, but considering the enormity of his announcement he can't be sure. Is this too much of a risk? At least if I get this out of the way now, they can't blame me for keeping the truth from them later.
Funny, how he's suddenly able not only to accept there's more than blood running through his veins, but also feels the need to share it with those who're closest to him. Arthur's mind is made up, and he takes a deep breath before he says it.
"Interesting, Percival," he says slowly, gauging their reaction, "because I'm definitely more like them than you think.
When Leon and Percival stare at him in total confusion, apparent concern about his mental health written all over their faces, Arthur adds the vital sentence of explanation.
"I'm a sorcerer. I have magic."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Hmmm. Wonder what you made of that.
How do you reckon Percival and Leon are going to react?