Chapter 33
The next day passes slowly, my throat raw and losing my voice. I ended up in a dry cough anytime I had to speak. Torj and Castor felt guilty like I did taking the bread but their hungry convinced them to take it. Merlin had come to me, telling about Arthur's refusal to believe in the sorcerer. I only sighed, muttering something about there only being so much time left. The knights have been working all day, helping keep order in the town and Merlin is busy helping Arthur so I stayed put in my room, not having the mental capacity to do anything more.
A migraine decides to plague me in the late afternoon as I sit on my windowsill, watching the Square. I see Merlin or one the knights once or twice but I can't stand the light anymore, closing my eyes instead. I so desperately want to get to my bed but the movement makes blood pump through my scalp and dizziness to spin me around. I beg sleep to take me but it doesn't grant my wishes.
At night, Leon enters my chambers.
"Elena?" he calls. I let out a soft moan in response, not bothered enough to use my actual voice. "Hey? Are you ok?" He shuts the door, coming over to me a hand brushing over my forehead. I blink slowly, my throat itching. I scan over him, looking at his own chapped lips and dry skin in dismay. "Should I get Gaius?" he worries. I shake my head best I can.
"I just need…water," I croak taking a deep breath. Leon nods in understanding but it's obvious he doesn't know what to do. Eventually, he decides, his arms going under my back and legs, lifting me off the window sill. He places me down on my bed.
"Go to sleep," he soothes, stroking my head. He makes a move to leave but I grip his wrist.
"Stay?" I plead, giving him my best puppy dog eyes that I've learnt from Merlin. He hesitates but agrees, laying down on the bed with me, but leaning up against the headboard so I can put my head on his stomach. I thank the heavens he's not wearing his chainmail. The new comforting position lulls me to a soundless sleep.
I wake up the next day to Leon gone and feeling no better. I am not awakened by my own body clock however, a constant rapping at my door. Forcing myself out of bed, I'm greeted by Merlin who is beaming, holding up a ceramic jug and cup. Not even waiting for a greeting, he comes into my chambers putting the cup on my desk. Like a miracle before my own eyes, water flows out of the jug into the cup.
I gasp, racing over to the cup, taking it as soon as Merlin stops pouring. Its beautiful coolness soothes my throat and before I can satisfy it the cup runs out. I put it on the table and let the warlock fill it back up. This time I drink it slower.
"Take you time, there's plenty more where that came from. And you could make yourself sick," he warns.
"The water's back?" I ask incredulously. "How? Why?"
"Last night, Arthur and I were down in the vault and a man was down there stealing grain but Arthur let him go. He said something about being rewarded," he recounts, the grin still planted on his face. "I think it was one of the tests that the man told us about."
"Well thank god for Arthur. He may be the reason for all this but he'll end up being our salvation."
"I think he's starting to come 'round and believe it in. Now we just have to get our food back. Remember that rat, well, guess what Arthur's having for dinner," he says, pursing his lips and plops on my bed. "Your bed is so much comfier than mine," he groans.
"That's just gross. I think I'll stick to no food thanks," I snort, my voice slowly coming back now that my throat doesn't feel as scratchy.
"You need to eat," Merlin chides with a look.
"Humans can survive for like, two weeks without food. It's only been a few days."
And I'd much rather feel the sickness of hunger than the vomit that would come if I ate rat or any other type or Vernon. I don't even want to imagine what the people who were actually moving around all day feel like. Thinking of Leon lug around in chainmail frustrates me, knowing he is wasting precious energy but there is not much I can do.
"Do we know what these tests are going to be?" I question, hoping that it could give us an idea of what to prepare for. Merlin shakes his head dismally, still lying on my bed.
"No, but the last one was a test of character so maybe something like that again," he suggests lazily and drained. "I've got to get back to Arthur. I'm going to try and convince him to look for Anhora."
"Let me know if it works. I'll come along, give me something to do." The warlock nods in agreement. "Oh and good luck feeding Arthur rat tonight," I giggle.
I leave my room, needing to feel the sun on my skin again. The town is full of people from the outlying villages, desperate for food but soon Camelot is going to run out and then what will happen?
"El, you're feeling better then?" Torj greets, donned in his full knight outfit, cloak and all.
"Sure am. Merlin brought some water to me this morning," I inform him. "I'm guessing you have all gotten some."
"Yeah lass, Castor nearly made himself sick with the amount he drank. I was going to bring you some myself but I saw Merlin up our end of the castle and figured he was going to see you," he comments, softly knocking my shoulder.
"Yeah, he came by earlier." Torj nods soberly, a small smile gracing his lips.
"He seems like a good friend," he muses. I nod my head quickly, thinking about the warlock and all that he's done for me.
"He's an amazing friend, I'm glad to know him."
I watch the people, my mood dropping again. Some people argue, even start a fight causing the guards to intervene.
"Merlin is going to feed rat to Arthur tonight," I remark tonelessly. Torj snorts, not even bothering to try and hide it.
"Wish I could be there to see it," he says, smirking to himself.
We stand watching for another few moments. Unexpected hands slide around my waist, making my stomach leap into my chest and my hands ready to fight but the hands don't trap me, just gently resting around my torso, interlocking with the other. The bottom of someone's chin rests against the top of my head making me smile and lead backwards against the chainmail.
"This is madness," Leon comments, joining us in watching the never-ending line of people. A new fight breaks out, the guards distracted with another dispute leaves nobody to stop them. Torj sighs, striding forward.
"Hey!" he yells, deepening his gruff voice. The two men who are fighting stop, seeing the red cloak of a knight walking towards them. I let a short laugh.
"Do you deepen your voice too when being all knightly?" I tease Leon who laughs softly.
"You tell me," he counters.
Merlin had told me last night that he and Arthur would be leaving at first light so I wake up relatively early having asked Merlin to awaken me, not trusting my own body clock. I get dressed half asleep, putting the shoe on the wrong foot twice.
"You're coming too?" Arthur queries as I show up just after sunrise.
"Lucky you," I snide, more so tiredly than out of anger. Arthur's face contorts into a 'she woke up on the wrong side of the bed' look but doesn't say anything further. We take three horses, riding out of Camelot with speed.
Reaching the forest we tie them off, Arthur tracking on foot. I'd never tracked before, even on the hunts. I'd left that to the experts.
"What exactly am I looking for?" I question, staring at the dirt on the ground unsurely.
"You're looking for footprints or broken branches. Anything that would indicate someone passed that…" he trails off but I don't really here, bending over to look at an indentation on the ground. It's a footprint, I can tell as I put my foot next to it. Looking up to tell them I realise Merlin is standing a few feet in front of me and I look back down at the footprint.
"Oh"
"Arthur!" the warlock calls, running after where he is last seen. I look up, eyes scanning through the foliage not even realising that Arthur had disappeared and now Merlin is running off too.
"Merlin!" I cry, trying to catch up but I trip over a rock. Unhurt but not unembarrassed I get back up running in the direction I saw Merlin go. I can hear him calling out for Arthur but the source of his voice keeps moving, making it difficult to keep following his track. I finally find him, along with Arthur who looks more frustrated than I've seen him in a while.
"Did you find him?" I ask innocently. Arthur shakes his head, not saying anything as he passes me, Merlin giving me a perplexed look, not understanding either.
We arrive back in Camelot, only to be informed by Gaius that the last of the grain supply has rotted, leaving the entirety of Camelot without a food source. I spend the rest of the day fixing some clothes but head down to Gaius' for supper, not wanting to be alone.
We sit at the table, a plate in front of the two males but I willingly refused to eat their chosen meal.
"I know Arthur's stubborn and pig-headed and annoying, but he cares about his people. More than he cares about himself. He will not forgive himself for making his people suffer."
"You must make sure he doesn't do anything rash," Gaius warns. Merlin scoffs, raising an eyebrow.
"The mood he's in, I don't what he's going to do."
"Are you sure you don't want to try it, Elena," Gaius asks, gesturing to their choice of meal.
"When you want to eat that more than normal meat then I might try it," I retort, looking at the black beetle in disgust. Anything creepy-crawly terrifies me, alive or dead. I think it's the legs that do it for me.
"Sure they're not poisonous," Merlin doubts.
"Quite certain," Gaius assures. "They say they taste like chicken. Unless we're to starve like Elene, we must hope their right."
I watch them, holding in a gag as the bite into it. I can hear the crunch, sending a shiver down my spine, a thick amber substance sprouting from the middle.
"This tastes nothing like chicken," Merlin gags and Gaius' face tells me that he agrees. They much through it and eventually I can't watch, hiding my eyes under my arms.
"You two disgust me," I groan.
"Arthur's going to the Labyrinth of Gedref for his final test. He wants to go alone," Merlin tells me the next day. My stomach hurts but it's almost numbing by now, giving up on sending my brain messages.
"You're going?" I ask.
"Of course," he scoffs.
"Then I'm coming too."
"Are you sure?" he asks. I nod. Where ever Merlin goes, I go.
"Did he say what this test is going to be?"
"No, he wouldn't say anything, but Arthur's getting ready to go now."
Ready in less than ten minutes, Merlin and follow Arthur out, staying out of his line of sight on our own horses. In a few hours, we reach the entrance to the labyrinth. A hedged maze that looks eerie. We dismount, tying the horses to a tree near Arthur's we wait for him to enter, shortly following him in.
"Which way did he go," I mumble, looking left and right with Merlin who shrugs, choosing a random direction. I'd always been intrigued by mazes, loving the adrenaline of getting lost in them as kids but this one didn't feel the same at all.
We turn another corner, coming face to face with Anhora.
"You said Arthur would face a test. And here you are, preparing a trap for him," Merlin snarls.
"The trap isn't for Arthur. It is for you, Merlin. Gehæftan," he cast, vines protruding from the grassy hedge, wrapping themselves around Merlin.
"Merlin!" I cry, grasping his hand but he is pulled away from me. "What are you doing?" I confront the man, stepping up to his face. "We have no quarrel with you, we're doing what you asked of us.
"You're just a nuisance," he mumbles, casting another spell, the vines begin the wrap themselves around me, snaking up my ankle and arms. I shriek, trying to pull away from them.
"Get off!" I cry kicking at them but thick vines cover my mouth, holding my voice in.
We are brought to a rocky beach, Merlin placed on the seat with two goblets on the table. I was kept back, hidden out of sight and silenced by the vine. I struggle against in but the vines are so tight that I can't even move my arms from my body.
Arthur finally finds the exit to the maze, seeing Merlin seating.
"Merlin?"
"I'm sorry," the warlock says. Arthur glares at Anhora.
"Let him go. I'll take your test, but not till he's released," he bargains but Anhora isn't interested in striking a deal with the Prince.
"That is not possible. Merlin is part of the test. Please sit. If you refuse the test, you will have fail, Camelot will be destroyed and the girl will die," he instructs, as though it is a simple procedure.
"The girl?" Arthur questions, perplexed as he looks to Merlin. "I know he's-"
"He's talking about Elena," Merlin cuts off, rolling his eyes.
"Elena? Where is she?" The Prince's head turns, looking around for me but I cannot do anything to signal him. "Merlin, did you bring her here? You bringing yourself into these situations is bad enough, but you cannot bring her into this," Arthur warns, pointing his finger at his servant. I roll my eyes.
"There are two goblets before you. One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other goblet, a harmless liquid. All the liquid from both goblets must be drunk, but each of you may only drink from a single goblet," Anhora informs us and I realise the actual intensity of the situation. I lean forward, desperate to make myself known and stop this. Merlin is predictable; he will drink the poison himself, killing us both. Arthur cannot drink it for obvious reasons so the only logical solution is for me to take it.
The momentum sends me forward, rolling on the ground near Anhora's feet.
"Elena!" Arthur calls, going to stand by Anhora signals for him to sit. "What kind of ridiculous test is that? What does that prove?"
"What is proves if for you to decide. If you pass the test, the curse will be lifted."
"Let's think about this. What if I drink from my goblet first?" Merlin queries, looking intently at the two goblets.
"If it's poisoned, you'll die," Arthur counters.
"And if it's not, then you'll have to drink from yours, and you'll die. There must be a way around it," he says in thought.
"It is perfectly simple. One of us has to die. We have to find a way to determine which goblet has the poison. And then I'll drink it.
"I'll be the one to drink it," Merlin declares.
"No, you won't. Merlin is my job to protect you so I will drink it." I send through my mind but he doesn't answer.
"This is my doing. I'm drinking it," Arthur argues.
"It is more important that you live. You're the future king. I'm just a servant."
"This is no time to be a hero, Merlin. it really doesn't suit you." Merlin sighs, thinking about the goblets again.
"What if I drink from mine first, and if that's not poisoned, I well then drink yours?" Merlin suggests. Arthur looks to Anhora, as though realising something we don't know.
"He said each of us is only allowed to drink from a single goblet." He smiles at his servant. "I had no idea you were so keen to die for me."
"Trust me," Merlin smirks, "I can hardly believe it myself." The Prince snorts unattractively.
"I'm glad you're here, Merlin," he sighs but Merlin is still trying to figure the goblets out.
"I've got it. Right, we pour all the liquid into one goblet and then we can be sure it is poisoned. Then all the liquid can be drunk, and it will be from a single goblet." Even I admit that is a smart idea, a small smile playing on Anhora's mouth, unnoticed by the two other men.
"Merlin, you better knock that prince out and give that drink to me or so help me I will murder you" I seethe.
"I'm not letting you take my place. You mean as much to me as Arthur does,"
"You never cease to amaze me, Merlin," Arthur remarks with a soft smirk that's almost a smile.
"Is that actually a compliment?"
I try to wiggle closer, not really sure what I'll do when I get there but I don't have the chance to think it through.
"Look out!" Arthur shrieks, pointing behind Merlin. My eyes quickly glance in the direction but flicker back once I realise he's fooled us. Arthur pours the second goblet into his own.
"No! I will drink it!" Merlin demands, reaching for the goblet.
"As if I'd let you," the Prince retorts.
"You can't die, this isn't your destiny."
"It seems you're wrong again."
"Listen to me!" the warlock cries desperately, leaning over the table. "Arthur!" but the prince doesn't listen, drinking the entirely of both drinks, surely poisoned. I cry out, claustrophobic in these vines as the Prince falls to the ground. "What have you done?" he leans over the unconscious body. I bite into the vine which is holding my scream back. Merlin pleads with the Prince to wake up. "Please. Please just let me take his place," he cries.
"This was Arthur's test, not yours."
"You've killed him. I was meant to protect him!"
"He is not dead," the man informs making me look at him in utter shock. "He's merely consumed a sleeping draught. He will come round shortly." What? I stop struggling, feeling the relief flood through me, a few tears of joy escaping my eyes. The vines around my body disappear, making me draw in a dramatic breath, finally able to talk again.
"You're all idiots!" I exclaim.
"A unicorn is pure of heart. If you kill one, you must make amends by proving that you are also pure of heart. Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save yours. He had proven what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted."
"Don't have food on you here do you?" I ask. A loud grumble at the mention of food sounding from my stomach. Anhora disappears without answering. "Guess not," I mutter.
We wait for Arthur to come around, waking up, Merlin explains everything to him, causing the Prince to nearly practically laugh in relief. We ride back into an entirely different Camelot than the one we left. People are bustling about, fresh food being distributed. Uther greets his son, questioning if the deed had been done. Arthur gives a simple answer, leaving the events a secret to everybody but the three of us and likely Gaius.
"There's something I want to do," Arthur says to the both of us. We follow him, collecting the unicorn horn from the main council room where it has been stored. We mount our horses again, riding back out to the area which they hunted it. Spending the next half an hour digging a small grave, Arthur places the horn into it, wrapped in the Pendragon red cloth.
"I should never have ended your life. I'm sorry," he says solemnly, Merlin placing a stone over the small grave and I help, covering it entirely. Before Arthur can stand up, I leap onto him, wrapping my hands around his neck.
"I'm so proud of you," I whisper in his ear, hoping he hears the sincerity in my voice. He's proven himself a worthy king, friend and someone who has grown and learnt from their mistakes. He seems surprised but returns the hug.
"Look," Merlin says quietly, standing up. We follow his gaze and I can hardly believe my eyes. Standing in front of us by mere meters is a unicorn, alive and well. Still, in Arthur's arms, I slap him, silently screaming in excitement. He grabs my wrist to stop me from hitting him but I hardly notice, watching the fantasy creature trot away.