"Exposure" (Rose)
"There must be some explanation," Merlin mutters with vague logic. I say nothing, fuming at what I've seen. Morgana smiled. She smiled. I am no advocate of Uther's, but how despicable can you get? The worst part is, no one was even paying attention- no one but me. What good is my word against hers?
"During the Great Purge, Uther drowned many he suspected of sorcery," Gaius spares no grueling detail as shivers climb up my spine. "And some, God help them, were children, killed for the magic they were born with." Merlin's face contorts, showing his hurt at this knowledge, and my throat closing up with the thought that, that could have been either one of us ...
"That's not fair," I whisper, looking out the nearby window.
"Maybe his conscience is playing tricks with him," suggests the older gentleman. "Whatever it is, we can no longer hide this." We nod at this conclusion. "A king's hold on his people's a very fragile thing, Merlin," he takes care to elucidate more in depth for Merlin's sake. He knows I understand such pressures to a point, anyways. "If they start to lose faith in him, I fear for Camelot."
"As do I," I respond as the warning bells clang, sending us on our way to find out that which has transpired. I walk on, merely following the men, my thoughts bent on the risk Morgana is taking. Her blackness is obvious to me. How can others not see it? It's as dark as her locks, as vibrant as her green eyes, as striking as her pale skin, and runs as deep as the very blood in her veins. I almost slam right into Merlin, which I haven't been close to doing in a very long time. I peek around him, seeing what is wrong.
One of the guards lays sprawled on the grass near the castle wall, a dagger stuck in his gut near his hand, splattered with drops of blood from his wound. My assumption is that the attacker stabbed him from within the castle and he plunged to this spot. My heart aches for this soldier, as I know he was unknowing of this treachery that was to befall him. After a quick, but thorough examination, Gaius instructs, "Take this man to my chambers." He turns to Sir Leon specifically, both of them hovering over the body, "I need to speak to Arthur as a matter of urgency."
Two of the guards with us help Leon carry out Gaius's request, and once we are secure indoors once more, we are promptly granted audience with the Prince. "The sentry must've been attacked at some point during the night," he speculates with learned reason.
"Who could've done this?" Arthur asks curtly, blind to his friend's devilry.
Gaius produces the dagger for Arthur to look over. "That is a sigil of the bloodguard," he tells him.
"The bloodguard?" Arthur echoes.
"Warrior priests sworn to protect the high priestesses of the Old Religion," he further informs. I mentally back up his word. The pieces of this dastardly puzzle are certainly coming together.
"Surely, they were wiped out during the Great Purge," Arthur remarks skeptically, yet unsurely.
"Not all of them," Gaius swiftly refutes.
Arthur tilts his head just so, "So you believe there's a traitor in Camelot," he derives.
"It is possible, Sire," Gaius affirms. "The sentry will be able to tell us soon enough." I sigh inwardly from relief that he thinks the man will indeed recover. Perhaps with his help, I will be able to get through to somewhere on the matter. I don't want to upset Merlin, but this is an unavoidable side effect. I just have to remember this isn't my fault. It is Morgana's choice, Morgana's doing, Morgana's wretchedness that is single handedly tearing this land apart. I've lost my home once to such an evil. I will not let it happen again.
"He's still alive?" Arthur asks in shock. I glance at the stunned witch whom is failing miserably in maintaining her composure from the risk of such exposure. I want to revel in the moment, but I know that she will not let this man survive if she can help it.
"Indeed," the physician confirms.
When released from the council, I grab hold of Gaius's forearm, "I don't know that we should leave the wounded alone for much longer."
"I agree," he says with a hint of gloom. We immediately take our leave to his quarters. We reach them without a sign of trouble, but an unsettled feeling keeps pushing itself to the forefront of my emotions. I push past the doorway, making my way to check on the injured man, Merlin doing the same, just a few steps behind.
The man, disturbingly drained of color, makes no movement whatsoever. I kneel down and touch his stone cold hand. My mouth drops in horror as I conclude we were already too late. "Gaius," Merlin calls for his attention, taking in my reaction.
"He's not breathing," I choke out in defeat as Gaius comes to my side, leaning over and checking his pulse.
"You said he was recovering," Merlin reiterates.
"I thought he was," he admits.
"Then what happened?" Merlin asks as Gaius concentrates within himself. "You don't think it's strange?"
"Very," he nods in confirmation.
I sigh sadly, brushing the backs of my fingers on the man's now icy cheek, "I could've saved you ... I'm sorry."
"You knew this would happen?" Merlin is finally adapting to my trail of suspicion.
"I had a feeling," I recall darkly. "You should have seen her face, Merlin. I am telling you, she is responsible for this."
"I have a feeling you're right," he murmurs.
"I feel that you two feel far too many things for my liking," Gaius remarks, earning a smile on both my and Merlin's end. They fade within seconds, however. Nothing can ease the mulling of our minds over what has happened and what is to come.
"Discovery" (Merlin)
Gaius sends me off to bring a potion to the King's room, so I do as he asks. I place it on the furniture piece next to his bed, readying to leave straightaway. I stop and observe him for a few seconds, he stirs, his blanket only covering half his body. I begin to pull his covers over him when I hear the dulled splashing of droplets. I feel my eyebrows knit in question. It seems to be coming from under the bed. I lean back slightly and look down suspiciously to see a thick, black liquid hit the floor in the start of a small puddle of darkness.
I kneel to the floor, brushing my fingertips in the stuff and rubbing it between them with my thumb. The consistency is strange to say the least, like a thin tar. Footsteps invade the room as I shoot a glance to my left to see a skirted figure heading for the bed. I do the only thing I can and scoot under the bed frame, a hunk of wet something slapping me in the face. I reel back just so to see a root of some kind slathering in the black goo. I gasp and slide under completely and away from the thing, watching as a hand grabs it and pulls it from its spot. I shift over to the opening between the post and the blanket as the person walks out of the room only to see the Lady Morgana stalking away from the scene.
Given the nature of this discovery, I stare hard after her. When she is a safe distance away, I creep out of my hiding spot and do the thing I always revert to and follow her.
I tread swiftly as Morgana waltzes on her way with purpose in her steps. I keep on her trail out of the castle and into the streets of the lower town. Once past the gate, I do my best to remain hidden by slipping in the spaces between the houses. I peek around the corner of the house I have my body pressed against, shaking my head. I feel a pang of hurt having to accept Morgana's treachery once again. I shove aside my emotions, slinking around the front of this house and to the next, almost repeating my steps to the fullest extent possible.
As I peer at her in the same position as the previous, an unexplainable fear grips me. I slam my back to the side of the building and just in time as Morgana stops, turning her gaze over her shoulder. I let out a sigh of relief and travel at a comfortable distance all the way to the woods. I stick to the nearby trees, almost wishing myself to be one with their bark so I can get a closer look as she halts in a clearing full of fallen leaves and scattered bramble.
Three horses appear across on the farther slope of the clearing, one white and two black. The rider on the white steed is easily recognizable as Morgause. I look on as she tromps down the slight incline, "Sorry you had to wait. There was much to discuss." I sneer to myself as she speaks.
"But your visit was successful?" Morgana inquires with apparent eagerness.
"Cenred's army ride for Camelot on my command," she confirms with confidence as the alarms set off in my brain.
"There's nothing you cannot do." Morgana's voice sounds fraught with admiration, making my stomach churn with fury.
"It is you that gives me strength, sister," Morgause replies. "How goes the battle for Uther's mind?" Figures she'd be in on this. I could kick myself for ever listening to a word Morgana's said, let alone believing it all. Rose was right.
"When Cenred marches on Camelot, he will find a kingdom without a leader," she informs snidely. She sounds far too gleeful for my taste. But I can't hear as well as I'd like. I stay low to the ground and crawl closer, securing myself on the forest floor against a fallen tree trunk.
"Finally, we are ready," Morgause says with authoritative relief.
"Not quite," Morgana turns and paces a little, "Merlin suspects me." My heart jumps at the sound of my name, and not in the good way. I duck down with my back to them, trying to listen over my pounding heartbeat.
"Has he told Arthur?" asks Morgause with slight concern.
"Not yet, but he will," Morgana answers with sharp quickness.
"Well, then we must stop him," Morgause affirms as I hear her step forward.
"That will not be difficult," Morgana observes with haughtiness.
"Why?" Morgause's voice lowers.
"Because he's already here," Morgana's words stun me for a second. I shoot up onto my feet, spinning around to face them. She tilts her head in mock, "Did you really think I was that stupid, Merlin?" Why, oh, why did I come alone? I take off in a run, Morgause's men trailing me. I turn around to see if I've lost them, only to face forward finding one of them directly in front of me just before everything goes black.