A/N: Right, really not sure about this one. Let me know what you think!

The Witch finder

Part One

As Samantha was more than happy to point out to me, it was beginning to get cold. I had always enjoyed winter when we were back home. That is, in a time that had indoor heating that did not involve lighting a fire. It was early when I awoke. The cold was beginning to get to me and the blankets I had were proving useless. I sat up in bed and moved my feet over to the cold floor. It was absolutely freezing. I quickly ran over behind the screen and began getting dressed. Once I was done with that I walked over to the window and watched as Samantha and Arthur walked through the courtyard laughing. Leave it to Arthur to get Samantha out of bed early. There was a knock at the door. I walked over and opened it. Merlin was standing outside.

"Hey." He said.

"Come in." I said smiling.

"Actually, Arthur wanted me to go and get some firewood and I was wondering if you wanted to come." He said.

"I would like that." I said. he stepped out of the way and let me walk out first. We walked down the corridor.

oOo

"How is your father, since the whole troll incident." I asked as Arthur and I walked together.

"Apart from the initial shock of sharing a bed with a troll, he's fine." Arthur said.

"How many nights did he share a bed with a troll?" I asked.

"Three." Arthur said. I could tell that he was trying to hold in laughter. I couldn't help but laugh. "It's not funny."

"It is." I said. "What about you, are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm always okay." He said.

"Liar." I said. "No one is always okay."

"Listen, I am fine regardless of what my father does." He said.

"I just worry about you." I said.

"Let me do the worrying." He said. I smiled. He leaned in and kissed me.

oOo

Merlin had collected a handful of fire wood and we started back towards the castle. As he walked up the hill some of the wood slipped out of his hand. I knelt down and picked it up. He looked back and continued walking. He sat down on a log and stared at the castle. I sat down next to him. Camelot was truly a beautiful sight.

"Want to see something?" he asked.

"Sure." I said. He pointed at the smoke. He muttered something and it turned into a horse. I smiled watching it. "It's beautiful." I said. he looked away and it disappeared. Our eyes met. My heart began to quicken, it reminded me of when we first met. He leaned in to kiss me when someone came running up

"Did you see it?" The woman asked.

"See what?" Merlin asked.

"The horse in the smoke." She said.

"Your eyes must have been deceiving you." I said.

"It was sorcery, I am certain of it." She said. "We must tell the king." She said running off.

"No!" Merlin said. He looked terrified.

"I'm sure that they won't accuse you of it." I said. "I'm certain of it." Were accusations thrown I would be more than willing to take the blame for Merlin. I could honestly tell them that I was a sorcerer while Merlin could not. He was a warlock. Warlocks were way different.

oOo

"I saw it." The woman said. Aleya had briefly been able to fill me in on what happened before we were ushered into the throne room. She stood next to Gaius and Merlin.

"Perhaps your eyes deceived you, a trick of the light." Arthur suggested.

"The smoke was alive I tell you. I feared for my life." She said.

"I thank you for your loyalty. It will not go unrewarded." Uther said.

"Thank you sire." She said. she was led out.

"It cannot continue." Uther said.

"I will hunt down those responsible. I promise they will not go unpunished." Arthur said.

"No, stronger methods are called for." Uther said. "Send for the witch finder." The entire room let out a gasp. Merlin looked petrified along with Morgana and Aleya. The three sorcerers at the heart of Camelot.

"Sire, is it necessary to resort to such measures?" Gaius asked.

"The witch finder is a trusted ally his help will be invaluable." Uther insisted.

"Of course." Gaius said. We were dismissed and I quickly pulled Aleya out.

"What the hell were you two thinking?" I asked.

"Merlin asked me if I wanted to see something and I said sure. What if the witch finder finds him out?" she asked.

"What if the witch finder finds you out Ally, what then?" I asked.

"Pardon, but I am more concerned about Merlin here." She said.

"Well I'm sorry Aleya but I have to be concerned about you, because you're certainly not." I said.

"The witch finders coming is my fault." She said. "If Merlin or Morgana get found out I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself."

"It's not your fault. I promise that everything will be find." I said.

"I'm not so sure this time." She said before walking off. I assumed she was going to find Merlin.

oOo

I walked towards Merlin's chambers. He walked out looking a bit angry.

"Merlin." I said.

"Hey, I have to go help Arthur." He said.

"First I need to talk to you." I said.

"What about?" he asked.

"The witch finder. Do you know who he is?" I asked.

"Gaius said he was a man named Aridian." Merlin said. "He said that he had earned his title."

"And that means that he is good at, finding witches?" I asked.

"Listen, I won't let him find you." He said putting his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." I said pulling his hands off.

"Me?" he asked.

"Of course you. Why would I worry about me?" I asked. Before he could answer I heard Arthur yelling from down the hall.

"I have to go, but we're not done with this." He said walking away. I stood there trying to collect my thoughts before walking off to find Samantha.

oOo

"Aridian? What sort of name is that?" I asked. Aleya had just been to talk with Merlin.

"It's his name, and according to Gaius he earned his title." She said.

"But you're not a witch." I said. "No pointy hat, no warts."

"What about my broomstick in the cupboard?" she asked with a serious expression on her face. I laughed at that.

"I guess I should get rid of my cauldron." I said. she smiled and then looked out the window. I met her stare, it was raining and hard to see. She slid off the bed and walked over to the window.

"Sam." She said. "He's here." I walked over and watched him. He rode up with a carriage in the shape of a cage. He wore all black. There were several things dangling from the bars of the cage. They looked like torture devices. "What do you think the cage is for?" she asked.

"Don't think about that." I said. "You're not going to find out." I continued watching him. he was getting something off of his horse when he stopped. He turned and looked straight at us. Aleya flinched back into me.

oOo

Aridian was truly frightening. I was mortified of him. If he truly was so good at finding sorcerers then I would be rather easy for him to find out. Gaius had kept Merlin busy so he and I hadn't had a chance to finish our conversation. The witch finder had been here for a day and nothing had come of it. Samantha and I were walking back from her visit with Arthur when I heard a deep voice call my name from behind me. I turned and saw Aridian.

"Yes?" I said, I tried not to look frightened though my heart felt as though it was going to leap out of my chest.

"I would like to speak with you, be at my chambers in an hour." He said.

"Yes sir." I said. he turned and walked away. Samantha grabbed my arm. "He's figuring it out Sam." I said.

"No he's not." She said. "It makes perfect sense, you were there when the smoke was conjured. He probably wants to hear what you saw."

"I didn't see anything." I said trying to convince myself.

"That's the spirit!" she said. The hour seemed to fly by. I soon found myself at Aridian's chambers waiting for him to come out. Scenarios ran through my head. Samantha had offered to come with me, but I told her I did not want to implicate her were I to be found out. The door came open and Merlin walked out being led by Aridian.

"Ahh, Aleya. Come in." he said motioning for me to walk past. Merlin's face looked frightened. I walked past Aridian and quickly sat down in one of the chairs. He sat down at the desk. I quickly noticed that the ink jar on his desk was a skull. "I just have a few questions and then you can be on your way." He said.

"Alright." I said, I tried to fake a smile.

"Where you there at the time of the incident?" he asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Did you see the smoke?" he asked.

"Yes, but it was just smoke. Nothing special about it." I said.

"The woman and Merlin said that they saw you conjure the creature." He said. "Is this true?"

"No." I said. I wondered whether he was trying to trick me or Merlin actually said that.

"Can you prove it?" he asked.

"No." I said.

"I think I've got all I need." He said. "You may go." I quickly stood up and walked out to see Merlin standing in the hall.

"What did he say?" he asked.

"That you said you saw me conjure the smoke." I said.

"I didn't say that. I didn't even tell him you were there." He said.

"He was trying to scare me into admitting." I said.

"It would appear so." Merlin said.

oOo

Aleya had told me of Aridian's strategy to get her to confess. Figures. Why does Uther not see that it's not sorcerers who are to blame for the world's problems, it's snakes like Aridian. Arthur had come and gotten me and walked into the throne room with me. Aridian was going to tell Uther his findings. I stood next to Aleya. I could tell that she was trying to be discreet in staring at Merlin, she would move her stare every few seconds. Aridian brought forth three women who had apparently see things that could only be explained by sorcery. There was something not right though.

"Even now magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot." Aridian began. I looked over my shoulder at Merlin once the women were done speaking. Did you? I mouthed . he just shook his head.

"I scarcely believe it." Uther said.

"It is the truth my lord." Aridian said. "Fortunately I have used every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a quick resolution."

"The sorcerer. Do you have a suspect?" Uther asked standing up.

"I do, my lord. I regret to say, they stand among us in this very room." He said. Aleya just stared at Aridian now. She was not doing a very good job of concealing her fear. "My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable." He said. My heart began to quicken as he began to name his suspect. "The facts point to one person and one person alone." Aridian said. He turned towards us pointing his finger. "The boy, Merlin." He said. Aleya flinched and looked over at Merlin.

"Merlin?" Arthur said in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"This is outrageous, you have no evidence." Gaius said.

"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me. I am sure that a thorough search of the boy's chambers will give us all the evidence that we need." Aridian said.

"Merlin?" Uther said.

"I have nothing to hide from him." Merlin said.

"Very well, guards restrain the boy." Uther said. "Let the search begin." Everyone began shuffling out of the throne room and the guards took Merlin away. Aleya pulled me along towards Merlin's chambers.

"We can't go in." I said. She kept going. "Ally, stop." I said pulling her to an abrupt stop. She looked down at the floor. "Look at me." She lifted her head up. "Do you know if Merlin has anything that could tie him to sorcery?" I asked. She thought for a moment.

"He has a…" she began. Spell book. She mouthed. "But it's hidden."

"Then there is nothing to worry about." I said.

oOo

Samantha and I stood outside of Merlin's chambers. I heard Gaius yelling at the guards. I could hear them breaking things and pulling papers off of shelves. There was one loud shatter and then everyone went silent.

"Here" I heard someone yell.

"An amulet of enchantment." I heard Aridian say. "Were you aware, physician, that your assistant kept instruments of sorcery?" he asked.

"No." Gaius said. My stomach dropped. This was all the evidence that Aridian needed for Uther to burn Merlin at the stake.

"Well, our work is done. I must inform the king." He said. I heard him walking towards the door and ruling my options in my head I stepped out in front of him.

"The amulet is not Merlin's." I said.

"Aleya, what are you doing?" Samantha asked from behind me.

"If it is not Merlin's than whose is it?" Aridian asked.

"It's mine." I said. Gaius was giving me a, You're lying. Look but I didn't care to lie. As long as Merlin was safe.

Aridian had handed me off to one of the guards who was not very gentle in dragging me down the corridor. I heard Arthur's voice echo from down the hall telling Merlin that he was free to go. I was relieved to hear that. I saw Merlin being dragged by one of the guards down the hallway.

"Aleya." He said.

"I couldn't let you die Merlin." I said.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Say nothing." I said. I lowered my head as he was dragged by.

Neptune19: I am really excited for Lady of the Lake, Freya will throw a new one for their relationship!