Mary and Merlin, like many others of the people, are helping to do some logging in the forest around Camelot, repairing the paths and cleaning up. Merlin arrives with a lot of wood in his arms when he sees Mary sitting on a log. She looks out over the land and to the castle towering over its kingdom.
Merlin sits down next to her. She does not look at him. She still keeps quite a distance from him. They talk to each other, but not as deep conversations as before. Merlin misses them very much and often wishes she didn't know about his powers.
He breaks the silence, "You look tired."
"I didn't sleep that well. But I'll just go to bed a little earlier tonight." Merlin follows her gaze. He sees a puff of smoke rising from the forest. Probably one of the numerous fires. An idea occurs to him.
He reaches out to the smoke, says some words Mary doesn't understand, and out of the cloud forms a trotting horse. Beautiful and magical. Merlin smiles and lets the smoke return to its usual shape.
"Merlin, this is dangerous. What if someone saw it?" Mary looks at him seriously.
Merlin's smile disappears. She's right, after all. He stands up again and picks up the wood in his arms. Mary also rises and is about to go into the woods when a woman runs up to them both, "Did you see it? The smoke! Did you see it too?"
Mary looks horrified, and Merlin is also startled. He tries to reassure the woman, "No, we didn't see anything."
"Are you blind? You were right next to me! That was magic! We have to tell the king!" The woman runs to the castle in a panic. Merlin and Mary can no longer hold her back. Merlin looks at Mary, but she has already turned away and is now also walking back to the castle with quick steps.
Some time later, the woman is standing in front of the king. Merlin and Mary stand next to Gaius, listening to the audience.
Uther says, "You're sure it was magic?"
"Yes your highness!"
"And you swear this before your king?"
"I swear it!"
Gaius looks to Merlin, who looks guiltily to the ground.
Arthur intervenes, "Perhaps your eyes have deceived you. A reflection of light?"
"The smoke was alive, believe me. I feared for my life!"
Mary has heard enough and retreats to Gaius' chamber. Merlin watches her go.
The king says, "I thank you for teaching me about this. Your loyalty will be rewarded." The woman is escorted from the hall. Uther says, "It can't go on like this!"
"I will track down those responsible, Father. I promise they will not go unpunished."
"No! This calls for harsher methods. Get the Witchfinder!"
Gaius now says, "My Lord, is it necessary to resort to such measures?"
"The Witchfinder is a loyal ally, Gaius. His help will be invaluable."
"Of course."
A little later Gaius and Merlin enter the physicians room. Gaius just exclaims, "How many times do I have to say it, Merlin? How many times do I have to hammer it into that thick skull of yours that your magic power is secret, that you must protect it at all costs. What were you thinking?"
Mary looks up from her book. Gaius catches sight of her and says, "Did you see it too? I would have expected you to talk some sense into him."
Mary already opens her mouth to reply, but Merlin is quicker: "I wasn't thinking at all. And Mary is not to blame. I was trying to cheer her up a little...that's all. It was just meant as a joke."
"It was magic and she was seen."
"You're right, Gaius. Sorry!"
"You have to hide the book! Anything that connects you to magic in any way. And do it now, Merlin. The man Uther sent for, I know him."
"The Witchfinder?" asks Merlin. Mary startles.
Gaius says, "Some know him by that name. I know him as Aredian. He should not be underestimated." Merlin goes to his room to get the book.
Mary stands up and apologizes to Gaius: "I would have stopped him if I had known what he was up to. I'm sorry, Gaius. Do you mind if I go home? I'm not feeling so well and I slept badly last night."
"Of course my child! Take care!"
The Witchfinder comes to Camelot that same night. He rides a wagon with a huge cage. The eerie vehicle is pulled by a sharp horse.
Morgana looks nervously out the window.
Gwen asks, "Is that the man? What's the cage for?"
"It must be for the witches," Morgana replies anxiously.
Arthur comes into the throne room with his father to welcome the arrival. "Do you smell that?" Aredian asks, coming out from behind a pillar. "Do you smell it, Uther?"
"Aredian!"
"It surrounds us and is everywhere. The foul stench of sorcery. It has infected your city, like a plague."
"I welcome you to Camelot, Aredian! I thank you for coming so quickly."
"Let us only hope that I am not too late. For in the fight against sorcery, every hour counts. If it is not stopped, it spreads like a disease, over young and old, the weak and the strong, whether good or abysmally evil. You have grown lazy, Uther. You have been idle. Your once noble Camelot has been corrupted to the core. You stand before a dark abyss."
Arthur has been listening, and now says, "I am at your service, Aredian! My knights will help them wherever it should be necessary."
"You must be Arthur!"
"I am."
"You are a great warrior. The finest the kingdom has ever seen. So you will not be offended when I tell you that I will not need you and your knights. The delicate craft of sorcery can only be fought by even more delicate means. Methods that have been refined over decades of learning. Means that only I know about!"
Uther says, "We are grateful for your help."
"Gratitude alone will not keep a man alive."
"I will pay your price, Aredian. Whatever it may be."
"I bid you good night."
Arthur asks, "When will you begin?"
"I have already begun." says the witchfinder somberly.
Merlin and Gaius are out the next morning to collect pots. On their way through the lower village, they pick up Mary at home, who helps them. Suddenly, Aredian comes out from behind a hut and stands in front of them. "Gaius, if I remember correctly? I never forget a face."
"Neither do I, Aredian!" the old man replies. Mary moves to stand behind Merlin.
"You're court physician now, I hear? You've always had this thirst for knowledge." Aredian's gaze catches Merlin's.
Gaius introduces him, "My assistant, Merlin!"
"Merlin...and the pretty girl hiding behind you, Merlin?"
Gaius looks at Mary. She is all pale in the face. "This is Mary, a clever healer. She helps me where she can." Aredian nods with interest.
Gaius says, "I hope your investigation will bear fruit, Aredian. However, you will have to excuse us, we have work to do!"
"Of course."
As the three turn to leave, Aredian says, "Merlin? I have a few questions I'd like to ask you. Please be in my room in an hour." Merlin nods. Aredian notices that the girl is getting even paler and he wonders if he has run into her anywhere before.
Quietly, Merlin, Mary, and Gaius do their work in the lower city and then return to the castle. Gaius sees Mary sitting down at a table, staring into a book without reading.
He sits down next to her. "Mary? What's wrong?"
"Merlin should not go to see Aredian!"
Merlin looks at her, "Believe me, I'm not going there by choice. I find him more than uncomfortable, that witchfinder."
"You don't understand, Merlin. Aredian was there, when Thomas was burned...I can still see his evil face grinning in the firelight!"
Silence falls in the room and Gaius puts his arm around Mary's shoulder.
Merlin has no choice, however, and makes his way to Aredian.
He sits at a large desk and allows Merlin to take a seat across from him. " You know that sorcery was practiced near Camelot?"
"Yes, I mean, I've heard it!"
"No, it can't be denied. There is a witness."
"Yes, I know."
"Do you also know that this woman named you and Mary as witnesses? I've talked to her. She left no doubt about it."
"But we weren't witnesses."
"Maybe I misheard? Does that mean you weren't present at the time of the incident?"
"Yes...we were there!"
"So you saw it? The horse conjured up from the smoke?"
"I saw the smoke. But it was just smoke."
"Are you saying she's lying?"
"I didn't say that. I just said that I didn't see what she saw."
"Hmm..how can that be? How can one person see something and the other not?"
"I have no explanation"
"Unless it was you or Mary who did the magic." Aredian looks at Merlin with cold eyes.
"It wasn't me or Mary!"
"Can you prove that it wasn't either of you?"
Merlin notices his heart beating faster. "No..." he gives as an honest answer.
Aredian makes a mental note: "That'll be all. I'll probably need to talk to the girl...so I can hear all the witnesses. Send her to me. You may go."
Merlin gets up and walks out of the room on shaky legs.
Next, Aredian questions Mary, who was also called as a witness. Mary takes a seat in the chair, pale.
Aredian asks, "You were identified as a witness. Did you see the spell in the smoke too?"
"No, I was turning away from the smoke at the time and gathering wood."
"Hmm, the woman said you and Merlin were sitting on a log together. So you must have been looking directly at the scene."
"No, that's not what happened!"
"Well, is this a love affair between you and the boy? Then I suppose you'd say anything to protect him, or he'd say anything to protect you?!" Aredian smiles wickedly.
"Merlin and I only work together. Nothing more!"
"But of course!" Aredian lets Mary go.
The next morning, the court is rounded up. Aredian wants to present new evidence to the king. Mary stands next to Gaius. Merlin sees that she has slept almost nothing. He stands protectively, slightly in front of her.
There are three women standing before the king. Aredian says to them, "Speak and do not be afraid."
The first says, "I fetched water from the well, Your Highness. when I saw them. Faces, in the water, Sire. Terrible faces. Like people who had drowned. They were crying for help."
The young woman begins to sob. Gaius notices Mary clutching at his sleeve. With her other hand, she nervously fiddles with her necklace.
Aredian walks over to the second woman, "You tell them what you saw."
"A goblin dancing on coals. He danced on the flames. And he spoke, sire. My heart almost stopped for fear."
"As you have heard, my lord, the incident in the forest, was only the beginning."
Aredian goes to the third girl.
Mary whispered, "Gaius, I can hardly breathe. These are all lies he's telling."
Gaius turns anxiously to Mary and escorts her to a nearby bench where he sits her down.
The third tells, "There was a sorcerer, Sire, in the square. Creatures were jumping right out of his mouth. Toads, Sire. Big, green, slimy things, as big as your fist!"
"The wizard is laughing in your face. Even now, magic flourishes on Camelot's streets. It is the truth, your Highness! Fortunately, I have used all my resources to resolve this matter quickly."
Uther stands up, "You have a suspect?"
"I have, Your Highness. And I regret to say that the one is here among us. In this room." Mary notices how she starts to feel sick. Everything spins and she tries to breathe calmly. "My methods are infallible. My results unimpeachable. The facts incriminate only one person. The boy, Merlin!"
Aredian turns and points his finger at Merlin. The latter gasps, Gaius, who has been watching Mary, jumps up and Mary loses consciousness and is caught by one of the knights before she falls to the ground.
Arthur looks incredulously at Aredian, "Merlin? You can't be serious."
"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me. A thorough search of the boy's chamber will give us all we need."
Uther looks at Merlin. The young warlock says with a dry mouth, "I have nothing to hide."
"Very well, guards, lock up the boy. Let the search begin."
But Aredian wasn't done yet, " Best you imprison the girl as well. I can't quite rule out the possibility that she wasn't an accomplice!"
Horrified, Gaius watches as the unconscious Mary is also taken away.
Meanwhile, in Gaius' chambers, a hopeless mess is made. Jars are smashed, books are thrown from their racks, and chairs, tables, and shelfs are taken apart. The old man watches helplessly as his life's work is destroyed.
When Sir Leon smashes a powder pot, an amulet emerges from it.
Leon immediately takes it to Aredian. "A magic amulet, how interesting. Did you know, Gaius, that your assistant or healer, kept magical instruments?"
"No."
"Our work is done. I must inform the king."
"Aredian!" Gaius calls him back. "I know with certainty that the amulet does not belong to Merlin or Mary!"
"Oh! Then whose is it?"
"It's mine!" Aredian smiles a victorious smile.
Merlin sits nervously in the dungeon. Next to him lies Mary, who is still not conscious. She finally moves and opens her eyes. "What, how? Where am I?"
"We are in the dungeon. Me exposed as a sorcerer and you as my accomplice. I'm so sorry, Mary. How could it have gotten so out of hand."
Mary sits up and leans against the wall. She wraps her arms around her legs and stares into the darkness.
Suddenly Arthur comes to the dungeon door and unlocks it. "You can go!"
Mary and Merlin stand up at the same time. Two guards lead them through the corridors to the exit, when Gaius, caught between two guards, comes towards them.
Mary breaks free and runs toward him. "Gaius!"
"Say nothing and do nothing! Promise me!" Mary is pulled away rudely and Gaius is taken to the dungeon.
Shortly after Mary and Merlin stand before the chambers, which have been left in an endless mess. Mary slowly steps over shards, leaves of parchment, and overturned objects. She pulls up a chair, sits on it, and begins to weep bitterly. Merlin begins to clean up a table. Again and again he has to pause to wipe tears from his face. What has he done. His sense of guilt threatens to crush him.
The king cannot believe that Gaius is the supposed sorcerer. "Gaius has served me with the greatest devotion. Without his knowledge, his wisdom, I would not be sitting here today!"
"You show great faith in him, Your Highness! Considering that he once practiced sorcery."
Arthur looks up in surprise, "You must be mistaken."
"No, Arthur, he speaks the truth. I am well aware of his past, but I have reason to believe that he has turned his back on sorcery."
"Until now!"
The king becomes forceful, "We don't know that. This amulet you found could just be a silly coincidence."
"Or he could have fallen back into his old habits."
Arthur says, "We must give him the benefit of the doubt, surely!"
Aredian looks coldly at the prince, "Why?...Either way, there is a sure way to determine his guilt."
Uther says, "I know your methods are effective, but Gaius is an old man. He would not stand up to such treatment."
"It is the only way to remove all your doubts."
And so Aredian begins to torture Gaius. He doesn't let him sleep, he doesn't let him drink, he doesn't let him eat. Again and again he is dragged out of his cell, doused with cold water and confronted.
Merlin is worried. Mary stops sleeping, eating and drinking because she is so worried about Gaius. Merlin has watched Aredian torture him and he can hardly stand it anymore. He decides to seek out the dragon.
"What has happened, young warlock? You look pale and distraught!"
"I did something stupid. Something very very stupid! And now Gaius is going to die because of it, and Mary probably will too."
"Gaius and Mary mean nothing to me."
"But they mean a lot to me!"
"Very well, tell me what happened."
"A witchfinder came. He has arrested Gaius for sorcery. But I'm the sorcerer!"
"Yes, I guess you are!"
"To save him, I think I'll make a confession."
"Then your stupidity continues."
"I won't sacrifice friends to save myself."
"Brave words, but Gaius is already lost. And the girl would only stand in your way in the future. If you confess, the witchfinder will burn all three of you."
"But it's my fault. Don't you understand that?"
"All too well, young warlock. But understand this: should you die, you would endanger the lives of all those who have relied on you."
"But surely there must be something I can do? There must be something." Merlin has tears in his eyes.
"Merlin, I can see you are distressed by this! But I can't help you, because I wouldn't know how."
"I can't just sit idly by and watch Gaius and Mary die! I can't!"
"I'm so sorry!" The dragon rises and disappears!
Aredian has found out that Gaius, has been treating Morgana for bad dreams. He also offers her to him for questioning. "There is no need to worry, my lady. I will not detain you long. I just want to know one little thing. Is it true that you have been treated for your nightmares?" Morgana nods. "And it was Gaius, the court physician, who administered this treatment? Gave you these potions?"
"Yes!"
"Thank you you may go now." Relieved, Morgana rises from the chair. Just before she gets to the door, Aredian says, "You wouldn't happen to know what's in those potions, would you?"
"No!"
"No, of course you don't. So these potions might as well have been magical in nature. And their dreams products of the magical elixirs?"
"I've had those dreams before."
"But have they gotten better or worse since Gaius started the treatment?"
Morgana hesitates nervously. Aredian looks at her, waiting. Morgana replies, "Worse!"
Aredian nods, as if expecting this answer. "Thank you, Mylady. You have been exceedingly helpful!"
Aredian wakes Gaius, who sleeps exhausted in his cell. "Gaius, are you ready to make a confession?"
"I'd rather die."
"That's almost certain! But you will have company. Merlin, Lady Morgana, and Mary will accompany you into the flames."
"No, it's a trick!"
"You have spoiled them, Gaius. Now they must explain themselves to the king. Unless..."
Merlin sits next to Mary, who finally sips some water. Gwen comes in and is startled at how pale and tired they both look. "Merlin, Aredian is going before the king with Gaius. I thought you might want to be there. I'm going to stay with Mary."
"She needs to eat something!"
"I will try. Go now!"
Gwen takes Merlin's place. Mary looks up at him and says, "Tell me everything later. I'll eat something. I promise you. I don't think it's any good what Aredian is up to!" Merlin nods and leaves.
Gaius kneels before the king. Aredian grabs him roughly and says, "Come on! Confess!"
Gaius turns to Merlin and looks at him apologetically. Then he says, "I am a sorcerer, your Highness! I conjured up the smoke. I am guilty of practicing magic in Camelot! The goblin, the faces in the well. I...I am the sorcerer who conjured the toads from his mouth."
The king stands up angrily. Arthur looks to his servant and watches him. Merlin is agitated and upset. The prince can see that and frowns.
Uther says, "You have betrayed me, Gaius! Betrayed your friends. But most of all, you have betrayed yourself. By the laws of Camelot, I must...condemn you. Death awaits you."
Aredian says aloud, "The sorcerer will be purged of his magic by the fire. He will be burned at the stake tomorrow at sunrise. Be witnesses, and learn from his example." Gaius is carried out of the hall, barely able to walk by himself.
Merlin notices the anger swelling within him and he charges at Aredian, "You are a liar!"
But he doesn't get far. Arthur, who was expecting something like this, intercepts his servant and pulls him out of the hall. He does not let go of Merlin and takes him to the prison cells.
"I know you're angry and upset. That's all right. I'm not going to throw you in jail."
"Then what are you going to do? What are we doing here?"
"I'm breaking the law. You'll get very little time."
Arthur unlocks Gaius' cell door. Merlin rushes into his protector's arms and says, "They wouldn't let me see you. I couldn't do anything."
Gaius takes the boy tightly in his arms, "I understand. It's all good."
"I can't believe Uther would do this to you".
"He had no choice. After Aredian found the amulet..."
"I didn't even know you had one of those!"
"It's not mine!"
"Then why did you say it was yours?"
"I was trying to protect you."
Merlin looks at Gaius in disbelief, "I don't know what to say! Mary is in a very bad way. She'll break if she loses you."
"It's all right, Merlin. You don't have to say anything. Just be the friend to Mary that she needs right now!"
"Gaius...I do have to say something. The amulet isn't mine either!"
"Then how did it get there?"
"Aredian! There is no other explanation. If I can prove that he planted it there, you are saved."
"No, you must not do anything!"
"You are innocent. I have a chance to prove it. I have to take it. Mary will help me. She's smart, and we'll find a solution."
"No, Merlin! You can't do this!"
Merlin looks at Gaius with tears in his eyes, "I don't understand. You want to die?"
"No, but I don't want you and Mary to die either! And you surely will if you get too close to Aredian. He will trap you, Merlin, manipulate you. And quite unwittingly, you will incriminate yourselves. You must let it go."
"I have to give you up?"
"Anything else would be suicide." Distraught, Merlin leaves the cell and returns to the physician's chamber, where Mary is sitting at the table, slowly eating a bowl of soup. Gwen is also still with her.
The three of them sit together, and Merlin tells what happened. When it is already dark, Gwen gets up, hugs her friends in smpathy and goes home.
Mary sits quietly at the table, looking into her soup. Merlin says, "I'm glad you had something to eat. I need you and your clever mind!" Mary looks up. He says, "The amulet they found here is not Gaius's or mine! And it certainly isn't yours either. So Aredian must have planted it here. He manipulates people until they break and say anything he wants to hear. They confess, even if they're innocent." Mary listens intently to him. Merlin looks at her, "We need to get proof that Aredian is a liar." Merlin gets up and leaves the room. Mary looks after him anxiously.
After half an eternity, he returns. In his hand he holds petals, which he found in Aredian's room, locked in a cupboard. Mary recognizes the flowers immediately. "This is belladonna."
"And do you know what it's used for?"
"Well, for different things. For relief of ulcers, allergies, inflammation of muscles. But the plant can also cause hallucinations."
Merlin begins to laugh, "His witnesses! They thought they were seeing magic, but they were illusions."
"Merlin, that could be so! But how do we prove it?"
"Aredian is too smart to have administered the Belladonna drops himself. I suspect the witnesses got them from someone else."
Mary nods, "They were all women...all different ages. So it must be something only women would buy..." Merlin sees Mary's face light up "Merlin, come with me!" She is already running. Merlin quickly follows her.
In the lower town, Mary stops breathing heavily. Merlin looks at her worriedly, "You should take it easy. You're weakened."
"It's about Gaius...I can take it easy later. Come we have to go to the apothecary."
She knocks on a door. An older gentleman opens it for her and the pharmacist recognizes her immediately. "Mary!" he lets them both in.
Mary asks, "Are you selling a tincture of belladonna?"
"What is this about?"
"Please it's important!"
"Well I think I have some here. But what would you want with eye drops in the middle of the night?"
"Eye drops... Women use them to make their eyes more beautiful."
Merlin asks, "Where did you get that stuff?"
Mary says, "It was Aredian who gave you Belladonna, right?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." the older man answers.
"Please, Gaius will be executed tomorrow morning. He's always been a good friend to you. Aredian's witnesses had visions caused by the belladonna in these eye drops. If we can prove this, we have a chance to save Gaius."
The man nods, ashamed, "He forced me to sell them. He said he would kill me if I told anyone. It was Aredian!"
Mary and Merlin breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you!" As quickly as they can, they return to the castle.
Mary says, "Do you think it's enough what we have?"
"Yes, we have a witness besides the drops. I'm sure that will be enough."
"It's still our word against Aredians!"
"Mary, we have no choice! By dawn, Gaius will be dead!"
Mary stops and puts her hand on Merlin's arm. The touch makes them both wince. It has been too long. Quickly Mary lets go again, "Merlin, we only have one chance! We have to give Uther something that can't be denied. Something that even Aredian can't talk his way out of!"
Merlin nods slowly. Suddenly he looks at her and says, "I'll be quick!"
He presses the eye drops and petals into her hand before running through the castle. Mary returns to the physician's chamber alone.
The first rays of sunlight shine into the room. Mary paces restlessly back and forth. Where is Merlin? Finally the door opens and Merlin runs in.
"Merlin, where have you been?"
"It is done. Everything is prepared."
"But it's too late. Gaius has already left the dungeon."
Gwen comes into the room. Merlin is about to say, "We have to delay the execution. I'll talk to Arthur!"
Gwen takes a step toward her friends, "Leave Arthur to me!"
Together they run into the castle courtyard, where Gaius is just being driven up in Aredian's cage. Mary is startled. The old man looks haggard and can barely stand on his feet. Merlin stops with her and they watch in horror as Gaius is abruptly dragged to the stake and tied to it. Gwen pushes her way through the crowd and tries to get to Arthur, who is standing in front of the stake.
Finally she is with him, "Arthur, you have to stop this."
"I can't, Gwen. You know that!"
"Merlin and Mary can prove Gaius is innocent!"
"The verdict has been reached. There's nothing more I can do."
"Yes, you can do the right thing, Arthur Pendragon! You can trust a loyal friend, or you can watch an innocent die."
"Guinevere..."
"You did this to my father once. Are you going to let it happen again? Stop looking at me like that. I know I'm only a servant. I thought you were a prince. So act like one."
Mary and Merlin watch in horror as Aredian takes a torch and lights it. Mary breathes in heavily. She can't help herself and takes Merlin's hand.
Aredian walks toward the pyre with the burning torch. Just as he is about to get everything burning, Arthur raises his hand and says, "Wait!"
Merlin breathes a sigh of relief. Mary's strength leaves her and her legs give out. Merlin supports her and slowly lowers her to her knees. Determined, he looks at her, "Now it's our turn!"
The court gathers in the great hall. Merlin stands before the king, "Your Highness, the witnesses have had nothing but hallucinations...triggered by the belladonna in these eye drops." Mary hands the vial to the king.
Uther asks the three women, "You bought the belladonna from this man?" and points to the pharmacist. All three nod.
"And where did you get it?" Uther asks the man. Hesitantly, he points to Aredian.
"Did he tell you what they were for?"
"No. Only that I'd be burned at the stake if I didn't sell them."
Uther looks to Aredian, "What do you answer to these accusations?"
"They are absurd! The boy and the girl made up these lies to save their caretaker!"
"Then surely you won't mind if we search your chambers?" says Merlin quickly!
Uther shouts angrily, "Silence! You have no authority here!"
"Father, let's settle this once and for all. If Merlin does not speak the truth, he will suffer the consequences. But if he doesn't lie..." says Arthur.
Aredian shrugs, "I have nothing to hide."
The King, Arthur, Lady Morgana, Merlin and Mary stand in the doorway of Aredian's chambers as everything inside is searched. "You're wasting your time!" the witchfinder is about to say.
Arthur points to a closet, "Look there."
When the guard opens the cupboard, hundreds of amulets fall out and there are dozens of eye drop vials in the lower part.
Aredian walks up to it in horror, "These things are not mine! This is a trick!" Merlin smiles to himself and Mary gratefully gives his arm a quick squeeze.
Aredian suddenly begins to choke and clear his throat. "The boy and the girl have conspired against me. Look at them smiling!"
He grabs his throat and coughs and gasps. He opens his mouth and a big, ugly toad comes out of it and lands with a splash on the floor. The king, Arthur and the guards draw their swords. Aredian grabs Morgana and threatens her with the knife.
Uther says, "Aredian, think very carefully about what you do now. You will never escape Camelot alive."
"Yes I will, if you value the life of your ward!"
Merlin's eyes light up golden and the handle of the knife Aredian is holding begins to glow. He lets go of Morgana, takes a step backwards, then trips over a crate and falls through a window 3 stories to his death!
Later that afternoon, Gaius and Mary are cleaning up the physician's chambers when the king enters. Mary excuses herself and leaves the two men alone.
"Gaius, I am pleased to find you here."
"So am I, sire. I thought I would never see these rooms again!"
"If anything was damaged in the search, I will gladly replace it."
"You are very kind, your Highness!"
"Aredian...I still can't believe he was a sorcerer."
"Is there a reason you wanted to see me?" Gaius asks coolly.
"Yes, I...I wanted to say that I'm sorry if you suffered at his hands!"
"It was not he who made me suffer, Uther. It was you! He was working for you. He was merely following your orders."
"But I was deceived."
"No! You were deceived long before Aredian, for you deceived yourselves. You see enemies where there are only friends. Sorcerers where there are but simple servants, my Lord! I am not the first innocent victim of your war on magic. And not all have been as fortunate as I."
"I assure you, Gaius, I will take every measure to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."
"I hope that's true, for all of us. Now, if you will excuse me. I have work to do!" the king leaves without another word.
Mary comes back in and looks at Gaius wordlessly. Every word that was said she had heard. Gaius opens his arms. Mary walks towards him and returns the embrace.
