A/N: See the ending author's note for information regarding a new update schedule. Thanks!

The Power of Three

Chapter Ten: A Remedy to Cure All Ills, Part Three

It took less than a week to find out what it was that Edwin was truly after, and honestly, it would have been quite easy to discover the truth even if Merlin had not spied on him as Arthur had asked. Edwin wasn't exactly subtle about his goal, though he did mask it in a nauseating slew of apologetics, kind words, hesitant smiles, and flattery. By the time that he had approached the king with his concerns about the current physician's competency, all was made very clear to Arthur and Merlin: He wanted Gaius's job.

What wasn't clear was why.

Morgana, who had nearly recovered, though perhaps a bit paler and more fragile than usual, had been the most outspoken during the audience with the aspiring healer, defending Gaius boldly from her seat at Uther's side. Although she had no response when reminded of how close she had come to death because of Gaius's lapse in judgment - which they were absolutely certain was no fault of Gaius's at all now - she had stormed out of the throne room after the meeting was adjourned, seething at how quickly her guardian had agreed to allow Edwin to examine Gaius's work over the years more closely, just in case.

She was waiting for Arthur at his chamber door when he arrived, troubled and weary from trying to work everything out.

"Morgana, you must be feeling better," Arthur said in surprise. "You must have run all the way here."

"Not quite; you're just slow," Morgana teased, but there was no real fun in the jab. She was worried, he could see it in her green eyes.

Arthur opened his door and gestured for her to enter. "Sit down," he offered.

Morgana shook her head. "You and Uther need to stop treating me like I'm made of glass," she complained. "I'm fine."

Arthur didn't respond, but stood before her rather uncomfortably. This was the first time he'd had a chance to talk to Morgana alone since she had been ill, and since he had learned that they had been unknowingly linked in sharing Merlin's secret for months now. Mogana, of course, was unaware that Arthur knew, and the weight of their shared knowledge of such a big secret hung heavy over him.

"I don't trust Edwin," Morgana cut straight to the point, as always.

Arthur lifted an eyebrow. He couldn't say he was surprised; loyalty had always come so easily to Morgana, and he knew she would remain loyal to the physician who had cared for her and been like an uncle or grandfather to her all her life. Still, though - Edwin had brought her back from the brink of death - surely that counted for something?

"And I know what you're thinking," she continued. "I know that Edwin saved me, but do you see the way he's trying to slowly undermine Gaius in front of Uther? He may act repentant, but he's ruthless. He's trying to discredit Gaius, maybe even take his position as court physician!"

She must have expected Arthur to argue with her, for her red lips fell open in a rare show of astonishment when the prince let out a great puff of air and said, "I know. But why?"

Morgana quickly regained her composure. "I… haven't quite worked that out yet. But I do think it is awfully convenient that he was in exactly the right place at the right time, when I suddenly became gravely ill. It makes me wonder if he somehow didn't know I would fall sick."

Arthur thought about the conversations he and Merlin had had on this very subject. More and more he was ascribing to Merlin's theory that Edwin could have caused Morgana's sickness in the first place, though he did not voice this aloud now.

Morgana still stood there, watching him with an odd, almost expectant expression on her fair face.

"Is there something else?" Arthur asked tiredly. He still had to train the knights before dinner, and he was already mentally and physically exhausted. He'd hoped to grab a quick catnap before Merlin came in to help him into his light armor for the session.

"Actually, yes, there is. Especially with your own doubts about Edwin, I am appalled that you have just offered up Merlin's services to him like you have! What if he's dangerous?"

Arthur thought briefly about telling Morgana about Edwin's magic, but decided to hold out a bit longer as he had no idea how she would react. According to Merlin, she'd been all too happy to keep his magic a secret, but if she had the same misgivings as Arthur about other magic, he didn't want to overstress her. She'd said she was fine, but there were light smudges of exhaustion lingering under her eyes, and an almost imperceptible tightness to the corners of her mouth, as if she were fighting the last remnants of her sickness.

Arthur shrugged half-heartedly. "Merlin can take care of himself."

Morgana's eyes narrowed. "I thought even you cared more than that."

Arthur was confused for a moment with the understanding that Morgana knew just as well as he did that Merlin had ways of protecting himself beyond what his scrawny appearance suggested. Then it dawned on him that Morgana still didn't know that Arthur knew about Merlin's magic. Her disapproval stemmed not from Merlin's being in any real danger, but on principle alone, it seemed - she was upset because she thought Arthur was willingly throwing his supposedly defenseless servant into harm's way. Arthur found himself to be both touched and annoyed by this revelation, and briefly he considered telling Morgana that he knew. He quickly decided against it, not necessarily because he felt he owed it to Merlin to tell her himself, but rather because he didn't want to be further in Morgana's ire but rather relished the idea of Merlin being on her bad side for once.

"He volunteered," Arthur said, which wasn't true, but it might get Morgana off of his case.

"And you just let him do it?"

Arthur barked out a sharp laugh. "Morgana, have you ever known Merlin to do anything that he doesn't want to do?"

Morgana quirked a small smile at that. "I suppose not. He and I are very much alike in that manner, I believe."

Arthur let that comparison hang in the air between them, unsure of where to take the conversation from here but glad that Morgana had backed off for the time being.

She broke the silence. "Well, let me know if you find anything. I'd like to talk to Edwin myself-"

"Please, don't," Arthur quickly cut in. "Let us handle it."

"Why, because I'm a woman?" Morgana bristled.

"No, because you're still recovering. And because we already have something in the works, and it would be foolish to add another asset at this point."

Morgana sent him a quelling look. "I'm much more subtle and better at extracting information than you and Merlin combined."

"What, because you're a woman?" Arthur sullenly threw her own words back at her.

With a mischievous smirk, Morgana dipped her head. "Among other reasons." At Arthur's annoyed frown, she chuckled. "Don't worry, Arthur, I won't mess up your plan. But I do intend to find out what Edwin is up to, and why he seems so keen on Gaius's position. If you and Merlin want to do the same, I suggest you up your game."

"This isn't a race, Morgana!" Arthur cried, exasperated. "It isn't a game."

Her eyes sparkled. "It is now."

Her dress rippled at her ankles as she traipsed purposefully from the room.

A weight had settled in right on Gaius's heart, nestling there like a dark, brooding cat the moment that he made the connection between Edwin Muirden and the young boy whose parents had burned for dark magic during the Purge.

It had not been easy for the old physician to obtain the records from that bleak time in Camelot's recent history - it was only his deep friendship with the court genealogist and record-keeper, Geoffrey of Monmouth, that had allowed him the opportunity. It was a huge risk, digging out the cursed records of the scores of men, women, and children killed in Uther's fantatic tirade against magic. Initially, Gaius's old friend had refused to lend him the records, knowing that if they were caught, they could both be killed. However, he must have seen the urgency in his friend's eyes, or maybe he just felt sorry for Gaius, who was steadily on the track, it seemed, to be replaced as Court Physician.

It all made sense, Gaius mused dejectedly as he made his way slowly but purposefully down the corridor to Edwin's chambers. He was amazed he hadn't figured it out immediately. The burn scars on Edwin's face, he'd seen them when they were fresh, seen them on the face of a devastated child who had just tried to leap into the flames of a pyre to rescue his burning parents from their execution. Gaius had witnessed many terrible things during the Purge, and Edwin's plight was one of the most heartbreaking. Perhaps he had put it off from his memory because of this. With this memory resurfaced many of the feelings of shame and horror at what he'd stood by and watched twenty years ago. These too, he had managed to quell except for in the darkest hours of the night when sleep decided not to come.

But he had moved on from that, he told himself firmly. He had done what he'd had to do to survive, and it was good that he had. If he too had been killed in the Purge, who would have been in Camelot to help Merlin keep his daft head on his shoulders?

Taking a deep breath, Gaius knocked on Edwin's door.

It took so long for the man to answer that at first Gaius thought he was out. Then the door swung open to reveal the healer who Gaius could now only see as a poor orphan, salty tears pouring into bloody burns, having failed to save his parents from the pyre.

Gaius shook himself out of the memory. He was here for a purpose.

"Gaius!" Edwin exclaimed. "It's good to see you. Come in, please."

Gaius made his way slowly into the room and stood before Edwin like an old leaning willow - frail in body but with roots branching wide and stubbornly planted in his purpose. "I remember you now," he said bluntly. "I am ashamed I didn't see it before. Edwin Muirden - I remember treating you when you tried to save your parents from the pyre."

True shock registered briefly on the man's scarred face before he quickly recovered. "Very clever, Gaius. I didn't expect you to remember them, or me, since you just stood idly by while they burned to death."

Gaius ignored the stab of guilt that assaulted him. He countered, "Your parents were practicing dark magic, doing some truly evil things." That, at least, was true.

"That's a lie," Edwin said flatly, and only the rage burning in his eyes betrayed him. "But even if it were not, what about all of the innocent people who burned who were not guilty of anything other than practicing harmless magic? What about those who were accused of sorcery and killed though they had none? They must have deserved to die, too, seeing as you stood complacently at the king's side and watched them suffer as well."

Gaius shook his head. "I did what I could to gain Uther's ear for the innocent," he protested.

"Well, it wasn't enough, but I'm sure knowing you did something has helped you sleep at night."

Gaius glared back at the younger man. "I don't need to explain myself to you," he retorted.

"No, I suppose that's why you are here, correct? Now that you've found me out, you need to discover why I'm back here in Camelot, the hell that took everything from me."

Gaius interrupted, having already worked it out for himself. "You're here to kill the king," he said plainly, and again, momentary surprise lit in Edwin's eyes.

"You really are cleverer than you look, aren't you, old man?" A dangerous smile was spreading slowly across Edwin's face, and not for the first time, Gaius wondered if it had been wise to confront the man alone. "Have you worked out how I'm going to do it yet? Hmm?"

"You're going to take my job as Court Physician," Gaius said wearily, "so that you can get close to the king. After that, I imagine you plan to poison him."

"Very good. And I suppose you are going to try to stop me?"

"I have more pull with the king than you do. He may be impressed by your trick with Morgana, but he will believe me if I tell him that you have magic."

"Will he?" Uncertainty flared in Gaius for the first time since he had entered the room. Why was Edwin so calm? "I mean, I suppose it's true, he very well might believe you ... In fact, let's go tell him together, right now, you and I!" He started for the door just behind a very confused Gaius but stopped when he was inches away from the old man's face. "Actually," he added in a low, dangerous voice, "while we're at it, why don't we tell him about Merlin, too?"

Icy terror clawed its way into Gaius's heart. He tried to play dumb. How did Edwin know? "What about him?"

"Merlin has magic," Edwin said gleefully, "and I like the lad, but if the king finds out I have magic, he finds out that Merlin does too. " He leaned in even closer, his voice adopting a deadly growl. "We can burn together, he and I … just like my parents did." He took a step back, flashed what would have been a friendly smile at the physician, and added, "And on that note, Gaius, why don't you just go ahead and step down as Court Physician? I'm sure the king would be very happy to let you retire … after all, you've given him many years of loyal service."

His shoulder bumped Gaius's as he swept past the reeling physician and out of the room. Over his shoulder, he called back, "Oh, and if you tell anyone about this conversation, Gaius, well… you know what will happen."

Everything had gone wrong, so terribly wrong, and Gaius was at a loss of how to fix it. If he didn't give up his position as Court Physician to Edwin, if he didn't stand back and allow Edwin to kill the king - Gaius's friend, yes, but also Arthur's father - then Merlin would die. Gaius wished at once that he had left everything alone and never spoken with Edwin. If he hadn't gone digging into things that were honestly much better buried, then Merlin's life wouldn't be at risk.

He couldn't tell anyone else about Edwin's threats, either, that much had been made clear. Uther would probably believe Gaius about Edwin, but he'd certainly in turn believe Edwin about Merlin. In fact, the only people that even stood a chance of getting the king to listen to them … both knew about Merlin's magic already and wanted to protect him as much as Gaius did. Gaius could have slapped himself for not thinking of this sooner. Perhaps I am getting too old… he thought, then hurried out of the chamber to search out a servant who could gather the two people he needed most.

Arthur was just finishing his dinner, and Merlin was doing some last-minute tidying in Arthur's chambers before he left to meet Edwin. He'd been helping the man with his rounds, but Edwin had also been teaching him magic on the side. Most of it was magic Merlin could already do instinctively, without verbal spells, but he did not of course tell Edwin that. It was interesting to now have more control over those spells, at least.

A knock on the door made both Merlin and Arthur glance up. Arthur hadn't been expecting a visitor, but he nodded to Merlin and said, "Get that on your way out, will you, Merlin?"

"Surely you're not tired of my charm already, Sire!" Merlin exclaimed, full aware that Arthur wasn't kicking him out but giving him leave to spy on Edwin once more.

"If you had charm of any kind, it would be refreshing," Arthur retorted. "I am tired of your shoddy dusting job, though."

Merlin made a face and opened the door, surprised but pleased to see Morgana standing there. "My lady! How are you feeling? I'm sorry I haven't been to see you since you were ill; I've been-"

"Spying on Edwin, I know," Morgana finished for him as he let her in.

"Did you talk to him today like you planned?" Arthur asked her from across the room.

"I tried," Morgana answered, frustrated. "But I think he was avoiding me."

Arthur muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Can you blame him?"

"What was that?" Morgana's sharp voice showed clearly that she had heard exactly what Arthur had said.

"Nothing, nothing." He rushed on before Morgana could retort, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Morgana glanced between Arthur and Merlin before shrugging. "A servant caught me on my way back from trying to speak to Edwin again. Gaius is apparently on his way to your chambers, Arthur. He wants to talk to us."

Merlin's brows furrowed in concern. "What? Why?"

Again, Morgana shrugged. "The servant didn't say." Appearing somewhat uncomfortable, she added, "She did say that Gaius was looking for you, too, Merlin - apparently, he needs some herbs picked urgently. I told her that if I found you first, I'd tell you."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "What, now?"

"Apparently."

Merlin's crossed his arms, puzzled.

"Looks like Gaius wants you here less than I do, Merlin," Arthur goaded almost gleefully. He seemed greatly amused that the physician was so obviously trying to exclude Merlin from the conversation to come. A part of him, however, was a bit anxious. What had happened to cause Gaius to need to talk with Arthur and Morgana without Merlin there? Merlin was closer to Gaius than either of them.

"You don't know that," Merlin protested. He didn't look convinced, though - the hurt was reflected in his expression.

With a sympathetic smile, Morgana lay a white, slender hand on Merlin's shoulder and the sorcerer's face instantly turned a deep red. Arthur watched the interaction with amusement and some concern. His earlier misgivings that he'd had about whatever Merlin and Morgana's relationship was becoming resurfaced with the casual touch and Merlin's flushed reaction, but now wasn't the time to address this. He was probably overthinking things, he told himself. "I'm sure Gaius has a very good reason for needing you to collect provisions for him," Morgana said kindly.

Merlin shrugged miserably. "Maybe I can hide under the bed and listen in?" he suggested. Morgana grinned; Arthur fumed.

"You're not getting anywhere near under my bed unless you are cleaning it."

"The wardrobe?"

"The wardrobe is for clothes, Merlin. Are you clothes?"

"C'mon, Arthur, I want-"

Another knock sounded at the door, and Gaius entered at Arthur's summons. "Merlin," Gaius said, and there was a strange expression on his face that none of the three younger people were able to accurately place. "What are you doing here? I need-"

"You need to talk to Arthur and Morgana alone," Merlin interrupted. "Why are you hiding things from me, Gaius?"

Gaius stiffened. "This matter has nothing to do with you in the slightest! It is regarding a health issue of the king, and he wishes as few people know about it as possible. Seeing as Arthur is his son and Morgana is his ward, they have every right to be a part of this conversation. You, however, do not."

Merlin glanced between Arthur and Morgana's alarmed faces and had the decency to look marginally cowed. "Right, sorry. I'll just… go."

"Merlin, I really do need you to gather some herbs for me," Gaius called out as Merlin started to leave. "I'm running low on supplies. The usual will work splendidly."

Merlin left, and when Gaius was very sure he was not listening at the door, he turned to an impatient Arthur with Morgana looking on in concern.

"Gaius - what's wrong with my father?" Arthur demanded.

Gaius smiled weakly. "Nothing is wrong with him," he answered. "I just needed a way to get Merlin to leave."

Arthur now appeared torn between relief and fresh concern. Morgana asked, "What could be so sensitive that you don't want Merlin to hear?"

Gaius told them about his confrontation with Edwin, his own worry for his ward growing with each word of the recounting. When he got the part about Edwin finding out about Merlin's magic, Morgana stiffened, her eyes wide in horror, casting her gaze anxiously between Gaius and Arthur. Seeing her reaction, Gaius turned to Arthur. "Has no one told her?" he asked sharply.

Morgana's eyes widened. "Wait - you know about Merlin's magic, too?"

Arthur gave a curt nod. "I've known for a while," he answered.

"Since the Avanc?" Morgana was always quick to work things out in her head.

Arthur's response was a bit smug. "Before, actually."

"And you're okay with it? I mean, you've accepted him?" Morgana appeared to be confused that Merlin wasn't rotting in a cell, tied to a pyre, or at the very least, banished for life.

"Despite what you may think, Morgana," Arthur said tritely, "I don't always do everything my father tells me to."

Morgana had never looked at him quite the way that she did now - with pride and admiration. A warm feeling spread through his chest, and he thought he was like a child who had just been praised by its mother. It was nice, if a bit odd. Then she wondered aloud, "But why didn't Merlin tell me about this?" Arthur couldn't tell if she were hurt or irritated, if either, but before they could discuss the matter further, Gaius interrupted.

"Perhaps this is something that should be discussed at a later date?" he prompted urgently. "I have news of dire importance that must be addressed immediately."

By the time he had finished his tale, Morgana was fuming and Arthur was on his feet, reaching for his sword which lay propped against the wardrobe. Anger flashed in his eyes.

"How dare he?" he hissed. "He won't get away with this."

Just managing to maintain her composure, Morgana asked, "Is that why you sent him to collect, herbs, then, Gaius? To keep him away from Edwin?"

"As far away as possible, just in case," Gaius confirmed.

"I'm going to talk to my father immediately," Arthur said. "He will listen to me. Edwin's plan might have worked if Morgana and I didn't already know of Merlin's magic."

"You must be careful in how you speak to the king about this, Arthur," Gaius warned. "I fear that he already has little tolerance for Merlin as it is, so we must tread carefully."

"Don't worry," Morgana said pensively, "I am sure that everything will go smoothly."

It did not go smoothly.

Much of this was because of the fact that Edwin been lurking in a nearby corridor and had watched first Morgana then Gaius go into the prince's chambers. Shortly after, Merlin had left, looking down, and had been followed about fifteen minutes later by the other three, all with grimly set faces and purpose in their steps.

It could have been nothing. But Edwin had always been an extremely cautious individual, and though he couldn't imagine that Gaius would tell the prince or the lady about his threats against Merlin, especially regarding the boy's magic - or that either one of them would care, for that matter - something was off.

And so, listening to his instincts, he'd quickly turned tail and headed straight for the throne room. He, however, used the servant's passageways that he'd come to know while doing his rounds, and he arrived at his destination several precious minutes before Gaius, Morgana, and Arthur.

Those extra minutes at the king's ear were all he needed to secure success.

Gaius decided not to accompany Arthur and Morgana into the throne room, because if Edwin were somewhere nearby, he didn't want the man to get suspicious that Gaius was disobeying his orders.

The two nobles fairly burst into the hall, striding with great urgency toward the king.

"Father."

"Arthur! Thank goodness you're okay."

Arthur and Morgana exchanged confused glances. Unsure of how to respond to his father's strange exclamation, Arthur simply did what he had come here to do. He leaned forward conspiratorially and warned in hushed tones, "You cannot trust Edwin, Father."

Uther raised his eyebrows imperiously. "And why not?" He glanced at Morgana. "Surely, you do not feel the same, Morgana, seeing as he saved your life?"

"We have reason to believe that he was only able to heal me because he was the one who made me ill in the first place."

Uther shot them a withering look. "Why would he do that? And what proof do you have of this?" Arthur thought with a bit of concern that he king seemed to be taking this a little too well. He seemed relatively at ease despite the accusation that had just been made.

Arthur took a deep breath. What he was about to do felt like a betrayal to Merlin, even though the prince still wasn't sure where he stood on magic as a whole. But attributing all of Edwin's evil to having magic as his main argument against the man left a bitter taste in his mouth even as he revealed, "He has magic."

Arthur expected the king to leap up from his throne, immediately demand Edwin for questioning. Instead, he just looked at Morgana and Arthur with impatience and asked, "You saw him perform this magic?"

"Well, not personally," Arthur answered, quickly tagging on, "But my servant-"

"Your servant." Arthur was alarmed at the animosity that laced his father's words.

Nonplussed, Arthur looked at Morgana for help. She stepped in graciously, "While it is true that Merlin is a mere servant, he has always been truthful in the past, and he wasn't being deceptive when he told you about the snakes in Valiant's shield. Or when he was saving your son's life, for that matter." Arthur appreciated the way she so seamlessly managed to weave in some of the good deeds that Merlin had done to win over the good graces - or at least tolerant graces - of the king.

But Uther fairly snarled, "All a ruse to get close to you, to get close to me."

Arthur's heart seemed to stutter to an abrupt halt at his father's words. What exactly was he insinuating? He sensed Morgana shift beside him and realized that even she was out of her depth. "Why would he want to do that?" Arthur asked at last, trying to keep his voice steady.

Wearily, most of the rage melted from Uther's face and he slumped back in his seat, still managing, somehow, to appear regal even while slouching. "I'm sorry, Arthur - I know you have some affinity for the boy, but the truth is that he has never been who he said he was. I was a fool not to have seen it before."

Arthur forced himself not to look at Morgana in panic, knowing that might give them away. He didn't say anything, afraid that anything that came out of his mouth would only make things worse.

Uther continued, "He's a sorcerer."

Arthur's mouth fell open in fury, but Uther must have thought it was shock. "I understand, this is difficult to take in."

Flustered, Arthur scrabbled for the right words. "Father, I - did you not hear me? Edwin is a sorcerer! Merlin told me himself that he witnessed the man doing dark magic!"

Uther shook his head. "He was trying to throw suspicion off of himself, Arthur. He must have sensed someone was close to discovering his secret. He is apparently not as stupid as he looks. He's using you to try to gain credibility with me. This is not the first time I've seen a ploy like this, and it certainly will not be the last." His voice hardened. "I have guards waiting at the gates, ready to arrest him the moment he steps foot back into the citadel - he was seen leaving Camelot not long ago. I want his sentence carried out quickly so that we-" and by we he obviously meant Arthur, and maybe Morgana as well - "can put this business behind us. He'll hang at dawn."

Howling panic and rage clawed at the inside of Arthur's chest, and he was so busy trying to reign it in at this injustice that he couldn't speak. Thankfully, Morgana cut in. "And I assume it was Edwin who told you of Merlin's supposed sorcery? Have you stopped to consider that Edwin could be doing the very thing you are accusing Merlin of? Maybe he's accusing Merlin of magic to cast suspicion off himself because he knew we were on to him."

Uther snorted in derision, or maybe amusement. "Edwin has done nothing but good since he came to Camelot." His voice softened. "He saved your life, and he has treated so many others. He is the man whom I have chosen to be my new court physician - I will give Gaius a comfortable retirement; I am sure he will understand. He has earned it, especially with that boy he cares about betraying him."

"Merlin has done nothing but good since he came to Camelot!" Morgana spat back, eyes flashing. "He saved Arthur's life almost as soon as he got here! And again, warning us about the snakes - only you wouldn't listen!"

Arthur realized two things as Uther replied angrily in turn to Morgana's words: One, his father had already made up his mind that Merlin was an evil sorcerer, and once he'd decided that someone was guilty, only glaring, obvious evidence of the truth would change his mind. And two, arguing with him was only going to make him more unreasonable on the subject, and make it that much more difficult to help Merlin in the long run, whatever that entailed. And so, before Morgana could continue the pointless exchange, he heaved a great sigh.

"Morgana… just stop," he said with as much defeat as possible. "I don't want to believe it either, but… why would Edwin lie?"

Morgana turned her furious gaze on him instead. "Arthur, how could you-"

"It's over, Morgana," he said pointedly. "Let's just do what the king says and get it over with as quickly as possible. Then we can move on with our lives." He let out a wry chuckle. "Who knows? Maybe next time, I'll get a servant who's halfway decent at his job." He prayed his father would believe his act.

Morgana's eyes widened almost imperceptibly as she realized what Arthur was doing and played along. Thankfully she didn't change her tune completely, as that would have been wholly unrealistic, but she did stop arguing with Uther, shoot Arthur a withering glare, and flounce out of the throne room.

Uther shook his head. "Well, that didn't go as badly as I had thought." He studied Arthur closely. "You do understand what has to happen, Arthur? The boy has to die, and soon."

Arthur nodded. "Yes."

"Good."

Arthur stood for a moment, uncertain of what to do with himself, so he inclined his head to where Morgana had just stood and asked, "With your leave…?"

"Yes, yes. Maybe you can talk some sense into her at least."

Arthur managed a dry laugh. "I don't know that anyone can do that."

It took everything within him not to bolt as fast as he could from the throne room, nausea building inside of him. He had to do something - soon. Merlin only had tonight, and if Arthur couldn't think of a way to save him, he would die at morning's light.

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - oma13, tentsubasa, Straight Gate, Gracie Linae, Guest, general zargon, Taz, Vanvdreamer, Meeeeeeerlin, Cdnacho98, Merille Marc, scylla646, Alshert, CrystalFire, and Minuilin. It's crazy that this story has already reached 140 reviews! :) Thanks so much! Also thank you to everyone who has read, favorited, or followed - you are so appreciated!

Really quickly - if you notice any overt errors, I apologize and will go back to fix them later. I didn't have time to read this chapter to my husband like I normally do (he's become my unofficial beta), but I also wanted to make sure it got out in time. I did read over it myself, but it's pretty easy for typos to slip through the cracks.

I do have an important note about my update schedule: I am, for the time being, going to have to start updating every two weeks instead of every week. I go back to work tomorrow, and that will take up more of my time, but I'm also going to be participating in Febuwhump over on Tumblr - 28 days of whump prompts! I'll be posting my prompts here and Archive as well, and many of them will be Merlin, so you can be on the lookout for those during the month of February. More info on this will be on my profile soon. :)

This is obviously going to have a fourth part. The canon divergence starts near the end of this chapter and will continue on in the next one. Next episode, "The Gates of Avalon," will most likely be significantly different from the original one. I'm excited, but I also really enjoyed writing this chapter too - specifically the cute interaction between Merlin and Morgana and the scene between Edwin and Gaius.

Anyway, that'll be it for this week. I'll see you all in another two weeks! :)

~Emachinescat ^..^