Edwin wouldn't be able to make a move in Camelot now, without Arthur's say so first. His gaze was locked on the sorcerer ever since he woke and bellowed his protests more directly at merlin for some reason, which startled poor Gwen awake as well. The handmaid matched Arthur's displeasure, actually having more an idea of the past events than the prince did. This meant that she wasn't willing to fight in merlin's corner when he insisted that Edwin was there to help.
the murderous physician with a fondness for bugs.
His scars were a dead give-away no matter the length of time to Arthur and he has been ashamed to have been a part of welcoming Edwin into his house those years ago. The king surely did not let Arthur forget it. He never said it outright but any hint of an idea or if Arthur spoke in council, for months after the event with Edwin, then Uther just dismissed the prince with a cold hard gaze to silence him. It took Arthur a while to build that trust back up again with his father and he had to approach things with the utmost caution now, which was a lesson well learned, with what happened with Morgause as well.
Merlin saw it best to be the one to tell Arthur and Gwen about their plan concerning this magical lake, but when you aren't brought up with this being common knowledge it sounded all rather far-fetched. Like grown adults were trying to make you believe in fairy stories and take them for absolute truth. Only, In this day and age half the time Arthur had come to realise, fairy tales did ring with some notion of historical accuracy even if he didn't want to believe it.
Even so, they kept pushing him to give in to Edwin's good guy act but the only real reason he hadn't thrown him into the dungeons yet, was because of Gaius's insistence only. He asked that the prince listen and since the old man was the one who suffered most at Edwin's hands, Arthur obeyed.
"I'm sorry but still, what makes you think we can trust him?"
Arthur didn't lower is voice and would loudly project his distaste while merlin out of politeness and secrecy tried to keep hushed tones as their discussion went on. They came from two minds, where merlin had with a little apprehension given in to Edwin's plan while Arthur was firm in his stance in not being made to look a fool again.
Everything was going to be analysed with strict critique no matter what merlin or Gaius said and so they appealed in another direction, playing by Arthur's emotions rather than strategy although it was a sound answer to his question.
"because Elaina does. Her trust was hard won by him and when given, she doesn't do so lightly."
Lately Arthur can admit that Elaina had been guarded. She was wary of those who were new and kept those who had already gotten into her heart close. She was more protective than he had ever seen her, which would be why she was willing to take that dagger in his stead. But more than that, he had always been prepared to follow her instinct than the reasoning of any man. She just had this way of reading people, who showed their true colours sooner or later to her. Elaina's trust began with truth, so if this Edwin had given that to her since his last visit, Arthur was prepared to follow her belief in people. Especially if she had given it back after its loss, as that can often take a lifetime for some people. Which made him ask himself, when would she restore it to morgana, because he knew that it had surely been damaged between the two sisters.
"you know we will be going against the law. Affiliating with a known sorcerer, one who tried to kill me my father and Gaius, to seek out this triple goddess. My father will have all our heads on spikes!"
Well not so much Arthur's, He liked to think. But to see his friends up on the castle gates as a warning, wouldn't be the view from his bedroom window he would appreciate. neither would Elaina's grave either.
They have risked life and limb before, was this really any different if he looked at it from all angles. Because Arthur has helped druids, sought out dragon lords, ridden curses to just name a few instances…
What's one more if it brought Elaina back.
Merlin was antsy on his feet, seeing that Arthur was close to breaking and he was waiting with bated breath for that confirmation, since to say anything would spoil the moment. He pressed his teeth together to breaking point just to keep from shouting at him to hurry it up along and that babies could decide on things quicker than him, though they did carry more sense than Arthur pendragon in merlin's opinion.
"…you don't think it's going to look suspicious when my father notices Elaina's gone, including you and me."
He may return at any moment to check on her if any recent news hasn't reached him yet, catching them in the act. However, Gwen bravely volunteered to pass on that there was no change and that Gaius himself would give him the news if the night brought anything. That the thought might keep him at bay and she ushered away, to do so.
Gwen kissed Elaina's grey forehead, savouring it as this could very well be the last time she saw her friend if things didn't go smoothly. Strange, the entire time she had been awake the handmaid hadn't noted any rise and fall of the lady's chest, followed by a crackled breath. she was still warm from fever but not much perspiration like before, which had soaked the bedding. Terror seized her heart and for some reason her immediate blame went to Edwin, but when her widened gaze captured him, he just annoyingly shook his head at her and wiggled his fingers. Gwen took that as his sign for magic and believed he must have done something to slow down the poison.
"just make sure you keep her safe," Gwen muttered, finishing their interaction which had been too much for her liking and went to carry out her part, wishing Arthur and merlin luck when she left.
Arthur appeared nervous, as Gwen exited because to him this meant no turning back as this was their opening she had given them to get Elaina out of Camelot without disturbance.
Gaius patted Arthur's back, "your father will know that you are doing what you can for her sake. He has to accept that."
Arthur began wrapping Elaina tightly up in her blanket stroking her cheek as he did so, as he recalled their conversation when they had enlisted Edwin to help morgana when they thought him their saviour. She said that she would have been willing to do anything to save her, whether Edwin was a fake or not and once again he found that he was ready to follow Elaina's lead.
"your right Gaius. I couldn't live with myself if we didn't at least try."
Swiftly merlin was darting around filling up a few bags and ushering one into Edwin's hands, who started to pick up food and water for the journey as well. Only Edwin had a thought occur.
"Any idea on how we are going to smuggle Elaina out the castle. The people have flocked the courtyard and one glimpse at us with her in tow, then they will be wondering what we're doing. We won't make it pass the gates."
As if on cue, a timid nock hit Gaius's door three times.
"mister Gaius…it's me…the stable boy Sam."
The voice didn't sound too sure, which was verification in itself as he was rather timid.
The physician jerked his head to the back where merlin's bedroom was for Edwin to hide and waited until he had gone to let the boy in, as it would look more suspicious to send Sam away and he would also be a witness that Elaina was present, when he had visited.
However, merlin and Arthur saw another opportunity in the boy's appearance.
"come in," the physician permitted.
He plodded in like his feet struggled to keep his weight moving, being a rather plump boy, whose mother kept him in that shape by providing a constant supply of sweet treats he stored in his pockets. Sam often gorged on them between tending to the horses, with crumbs forever on his chest and in the corners of his mouth. Ashamedly, Arthur knew his knights had a fondness for picking on him due to his size and cowardly demeanour. They would knock him to the ground and time how long it took for him to get back up or mimicked his stutter. Still, he has never shown a single flare of anger or upset and took everything within his stride, continuing to call them by their noble titles despite their treatment of him, thinking his job and who he served to be an honour. Really, Arthur knew he should have stuck up for him but whatever he could do or say, it would not match that of Elaina's defence over him and the knights soon scattered to leave him be. He wasn't surprised in the least that the stable boy showed his face here for Elaina's sake, which is why he knew that what Arthur was about to propose would be accepted.
"I'm sorry to disturb you mister Gaius. Oh, your majesty!"
He was about to attempt a bow when Arthur stopped him in his tracks. From the knights timing, it would take him a good few minutes to get down and up again.
"stand Sam, you don't need to worry yourself."
His cheeks blazed red, thinking it a test of loyalty but the prince had a kind smile so he was reassured by the statement being genuine, which would do his knees all the better as they weren't very limbal.
"thank you, my lord."
Soon as Sam could he ignored Arthur, not from rudeness but it was just that he was an intimidating figure, being the prince of every girl's dream, while Sam was the opposite. He didn't like the reminder the prince represented, though he had never done anything to him like others have to subject him to the cold-hearted truth that he was a lesser being.
Even merlin made Sam uneasy, because at least merlin was likeable and funny.
"I don't mean to be a nuisance," Sam addressed Gaius, "But the news concerning the lady Elaina has me and my mother worried sick, so I picked these for her. I tied them with a green ribbon like the one she uses for Greer's hair. Lilacs, from my mother's window box."
He threw his arm out but had to retract it when the physician went to take them from him. Sam explained he wanted to give them to Elaina himself as a noble act and that way he would be sure she had them.
"careful Sam, it might be upsetting seeing her in this state."
Gaius often visited Sam at his home, per his mother's request since the boy was a mere child. Physically, apart from his weight, there had been nothing Gaius could see that needed treatment, but she had asked him to observe Sam as he went about his day. That's when Gaius picked up on some quirks, like his interpretation of both verbal and non-verbal language, like gestures or tone of voice. It took Sam a little longer to understand intentions and he had a hard time processing jokes, sarcasm or threats, as well as responding to it himself. The word simpleton was a harsh label his bullies used, but mentally Gaius diagnosed him as just having a different view of the world, that was overwhelming at times for him.
He had been glad when Elaina had given Sam a sense of routine and a job to make a living from, focusing on his interests so he could be happy and calm his worried mother. It was just like her to see purpose in someone who not many would have carried hope for and the boy said as much.
"She has been so kind to me, lady Elaina. If it weren't for her, well mother says I'd still be chasing butterflies…"
Gaius didn't see the harm of letting him closer in. He might not be able to perceive how sick Elaina was, so he led him to where she was laying. Sam stiffened under Gaius's arm, but he assured the old man that he was ok but that he thought she might be awake to talk to him, that she was always on the move and never still like this. This change in normality was a little startling for Sam but he swallowed his fear and greeted her fondly like he would when she came to get her horse.
His knuckles were white around the flower stems and before he could spoil them, which might cause even more upset, merlin opened Elaina's hands.
"here Sam, we can lay them here like she's holding them."
He gladly accepted and gently laid them down cautiously debating on whether to touch her. Gaius knew it wasn't for fear of the poison but that Sam was debating the appropriateness, as it is what he would have seen other people do to each other as a sort of comfort. He gave him that little push to let him know it was ok and that she might know that it was him who had paid her a visit.
He stared at her intently, then asked from Elaina herself, "who could have done a thing like this my lady. No one good I reckon."
They agreed with him and it was a question Arthur couldn't let go of regarding who had done it indeed.
The marking on the men's arms, like poorly drawn wolf heads…
"will she be ok? Please if there's anything I can do."
He asked out of protocol, as Sam wouldn't imagine there was anything in the slightest that he could do apart from being another set of eyes to stare at Elaina with. However, merlin and Arthur had been wondering how to breach the subject without overwhelming him and thought that this would be the best place to start.
Merlin knelt down so he didn't lurk over him and actually put Sam higher, so he felt like he had more of control though technically they were trying to manipulate him.
"actually…Sam, we need you in the stables to prepare us a cart."
"A cart?" he repeated.
Arthur joined, following Merlin to kneel down beside Sam.
"We are taking Elaina to someone Gaius recommends. Only people like yourself are so worried about her, they won't make it easy for us to pass. Where we're taking her, she could make a recovery. but time is of the essence."
They waited for the information to sink in slowly which surprisingly was as long as they anticipated with a helping hand from Gaius.
"it's Wednesday Sam. Don't you usually take a cart to retrieve some wheat for the castle kitchens?"
He beamed at the trio, "…I can sneak you out!"