A/N: thank you for the favourite and reviews.
Rose was sat in the council chambers sat in her seat next Morgana. A woman had demanded an audience with the king. Something to do with magic and horses. Was there ever a day that things don't go wrong in Camelot or there wasn't a need for her to be summoned to the council chambers.
"I was working on the hill just outside the citadel, I saw a horse in the smoke it was magic, sire," said the woman. Rose let her eyes fall on Merlin he looked shifty and that was Merlin's thing he liked making shapes with smoke.
"Are you sure it was magic," said Uther.
"I swear it sire, I feared for my life," said the woman.
"Could it have been a trick of the light," said Arthur. Rose stared at Merlin even more.
"Was this you?" asked Rose into Merlin's head.
"Yes, but it was just a horse" said Merlin into Rose's head. Rose rolled her eyes before coming back into the conversation. Concentrating on the conversation, there was more at stake now. The woman was escorted out leaving just the members of the court and the servants.
"This is getting ridiculous" said Uther in an angry tone.
"I'll make sure they are caught," said Arthur. Uther looked angry, it had been a few months since the troll incident, and it was making Uther even angrier at magic. Rose would have pointed out that a horse in smoke was different to a troll.
"No, Stronger methods are called for. Send for the Witchfinder," said Uther.
Rose gasped her heart jumping into her throat she searched in the seat next to her and grabbed Morgana's hand. She had met the witchfinder before and he was scary. He only came to stay for the night in Ealdor while she was ill just after Merlin left for Camelot. He had ended up staying a few more days accusing people of witchcraft and sorcery including Rose. Hunnith, Will and Mathew chased him out of Rose's house denying the magic and town reminding him magic was legal in Cenred's kingdom.
"Are you sure that necessary for a potential misunderstanding," said Rose.
"Yeah she has a point" said Gaius.
"He is a trusted alley, Rose, Gaius, his help will be helpful," said Uther. Gaius bowed and gave up. The council was dismissed, and Rose made an excuse to go after Merlin and Gaius.
Rose stormed straight to Gaius's and Merlin's chambers. She opened the door and stormed straight over to Merlin and started hitting him on the arm.
"You idiot! What were you thinking?" shouted Rose. She stopped hitting him and gave him a worried look.
"I wasn't thinking" said Merlin honestly.
"You need to be careful; he is a force to be reckoned with," said Gaius.
"To be fair he was scared off by Hunnith," said Rose. Laughing at the memory and then the amusement was replaced with fear. Hunnith had embarrassed him defending Rose's honour that meant she had a target on her back.
"Look at me, I am not a witch," said Merlin. Gaius did his evil eyebrow look and Rose just gave him a glare "where should I hide the book".
"Kilghara's cave, Uther will avoid taking him there," said Rose. She hugged Merlin in a tight hug before walking towards the door realising how scared Morgana must have felt. At the door she turned to face Merlin and Gaius they both looked at her "we just need to keep our heads and remain normal, Merlin next time please remember you aren't the only magic user in the castle". She then walked out the room and went to her chambers.
Morgana was staring out the window looking worried. She went up behind her and wrapped her arm around her waist. They both watched over the courtyard until night fell. Rose could feel the tension in Morgana.
"What if he finds out," said Morgana.
"I won't let that happen," said Rose. Gwen came into the room and started to make their beds. The witchfinder arrived at the square with a cage on wheels Rose shuddered when she saw it. Gwen came to join them at the window.
"Is that him?" asked Gwen. Morgana's tension in her body got worse with this Rose attempted to pull Morgana away from the window.
"Yeah, that's him alright," said Rose. He hadn't changed at all. He was speaking to the guards at the doors he was probably doing his dramatic speech about the evils of witchcrafts and sorcery.
"What's the cage for" asked Gwen.
"He uses it to transport people to execution, he parades them around," said Rose. He looked up at them and they jumped backwards, Rose pulled Morgana away from the window.
The next morning Rose woke up in Morgana's bed. She had been so distressed the night before that she had insisted, she slept in her bed. She got up and got dressed in trousers and a tunic before heading to see Merlin and Gaius. She ate some porridge in their chambers before they set out into the marketplace. Rose had decided before going to bed the night before she wasn't going to hide and act suspiciously because otherwise, they were going to be found. Act normal be perceived as normal.
"Gaius, I never forget a face" said Aredian coming out of the shadows he was still tall as ever and still wore the same clothes.
"Neither do I Aredian," said Gaius. Aredian gave Rose a look of a recognition.
"The sickly girl from Ealdor, Rose" said Aredian he had a flash of rage go over his face before his face became normal.
"Yeah, that's me" said Rose giving him a polite smile. Aredian then looked at Merlin with a questioning look.
"My assistant and ward Merlin," said Gaius.
"A physician now you always had a thirst for knowledge" said Aredian.
"Scientific knowledge," said Gaius.
"Of course" said Aredian. Rose and Aredian glared at each other which Gaius seemed to notice he gave her nudge before turning her around.
"Anyway, we have got work to do, please excuse us," said Gaius.
"Of course, Merlin and Rose, I wish to speak with you both please be at my chambers in an hour" said Aredian. They walked away and went to Gaius's chambers. Merlin paced the chambers while Gaius and Rose sat down.
"We just need to stay calm, he will try to scare you, do not let him know he is making you sweat," said Rose.
"She's right Merlin, just keep calm and you'll be fine" said Gaius calmly.
They then went to the Aredian's chambers. He let them in, and they sat down next to each other opposite Aredian. Rose wondered why he had decided to interview them together. She wasn't a witness to the magic.
"It has been a while since I saw you Rose, how old are you now?" asked Aredian.
"I am eleven, but I am twelve next month," said Rose. He cleared his throat and looked at Merlin.
"So, both of you are aware that magic has taken place in Camelot" said Aredian.
"Yeah, apparently" said Rose and Merlin at the same time. He raised his eyebrows at them.
"It cannot be denied, she has named Merlin as a witness" said Aredian.
"Yeah, but I didn't see what she saw," said Merlin.
"I think it was a trick of the light it has happened before," said Rose.
"That's weird, a person see's one thing and a person see's another" said Aredian He leant forward attempting to intimidate them. Rose stayed straight faced and Merlin stiffened but also stayed straight face. "Unless it was you that did the magic".
"No" said Merlin calmly. Rose squeezed his hand comfortingly under the table.
"Can you prove it wasn't" said Aredian.
"Can you prove it was," said Rose. They glared at each other across the table.
"Moving on to you, in Ealdor you were ill and sickly and failing fast, yet I see you now, you are 100% percent healthy, explain that? Did you heal yourself? After that woman chased me off" said Aredian He looked completely angry when mentioning being chase off. Obviously Hunnith chasing him off still was an open wound. Rose wanted to laugh at him but thought better of it.
"That was a year ago, I healed naturally, with the help of Hunnith" said Rose in an icy voice.
"You are both free to go" said Aredian. They both got up and went to leave the room "for now". They left the room and went to Gaius's chambers hand in hand.
Later, that day they were all called to the throne room. Rose sat in the throne next to Morgana as usual. Aredian had got some women that were claiming to have seen magic, but Rose didn't believe it all the stories of magic was too farfetched even for sorcery. Unfortunately, due to the fact troll situation nothing was ever going phase Uther anymore and he'll believe whatever he is told.
"I can hardly believe it" said Uther in a shocked voice.
"I have used my skills to bring this to a resolution" said Aredian.
"You have a suspect" asked Uther.
"Oh, I do my lord, two of them they sit and stand in this room, my are methods are infallible, my finding incontestable the fact points to two people and two people alone, the boy Merlin, the lady Rose" said Aredian he pointed at them in turn. Rose rolled her eyes he was so predictable. Everyone in the room looked confused.
"Merlin, Rose, you can't be serious" said Arthur in a confused voice. Morgana looked frightened Rose took her hand and squeezed it tightly.
"Don't worry, I am okay" said Rose into Morgana's head. No one in the room seemed to be taking him seriously. A few of the servants started to giggle quietly.
"This is outrageous you have no evidence" shouted Gaius he stood protectively next to Merlin.
"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me" said Aredian. Rose got up and went and stood next to Merlin to make it easier for their arrest which was coming.
"Neither of us are sorcerers, we have no tools of magic to hide in the first place" said Rose in a deadpan voice.
"A thorough search of both their chambers will give us all we need" said Aredian completely ignoring her.
"Merlin, Rose" said Uther softly but sternly.
"We have nothing to hide from him" said Rose and Merlin at the exact same time.
"Very well, guards restrain them both," said Uther. Rose and Merlin let themselves be restrained and taken to the dungeon. Going quietly seemed to be the best thing to do.
They got shoved into one of the cells together. Merlin looked scared as he sat down on the floor the other end of the cell door. Rose sat down next to him putting her head on his arm and putting her legs underneath her. She felt strangely calm even though she had been accused of sorcery which would sentence her to death.
"That man is a liar, I bet he paid them ladies to say they saw that magic, in Ealdor he blamed everyone including poor old Thiggy," said Rose.
"Thiggy is no sorcerer," said Merlin.
"I knew he was going to accuse me, he did it before and now he doesn't have your mother to chase him out of town, I think it bruised his ego," said Rose.
"I won't let anything happen to you," said Merlin. He wrapped his arm around Rose's shoulders, and they sat in silence thoughts going around Rose's head. She hadn't done magic this time at all and she was in trouble. She feared for Morgana she had only had her magic a few months she hadn't had the years of getting used to it the constant fear of being caught. There were footsteps towards their cell she looked up to see Arthur open the cell. They both got up and stood at the cell door.
"Merlin you are free to go," said Arthur. He looked relieved and sad at the same time.
"What about Rose," said Merlin.
"Unfortunately, she has to stay and be interviewed by Aredian," said Arthur.
"No, I won't leave her in the hands of a witchfinder" said Merlin in an angry voice. Rose put both hands either side of his face.
"I am going to be okay, I promise," said Rose. She hugged him so she was facing Arthur he made a gesture which she listened to. She pushed Merlin into Arthur and he dragged him out of the cell. Locking the door behind him. Gaius got escorted to the cell a few doors down to Rose's.
"Do nothing, say nothing" said Gaius as he walked past Merlin. "Promise me". Rose could hear the determination in his voice he was protecting Merlin.
"Aren't you going to put him with Rose" asked Arthur.
"Aredian said put him furthest away will make them crack quicker" said one of the guards. Arthur rolled his eyes and soon it was just Rose and Gaius and a few guards.
Rose didn't remember falling asleep her brain was so active that she was surprised that she had managed to fall asleep. She woke up to freezing cold water being chucked on her. She gasped and spluttered as Aredian stood in front of her.
"Oi" said Rose. Forgetting the fact, she was being accused of sorcery for a minute and maybe shouting at the accuser won't help. He didn't need to wake her up with a bucket of water.
"Ready to confess" said Aredian the guards took her into a room. She was sat opposite Aredian he was looking determined.
"No" said Rose. She gave him an angry look feeling annoyed it was going to take a lot more to crack her.
"No what?" asked Aredian.
"I am not going to confess to sorcery," said Rose. Aredian gave her smile, and she shook her head at him.
"I was hoping you would say that this will be fun" said Aredian.
"No, it won't, can I have a blanket please" asked Rose politely as she shivered slightly with the cold water that been chucked at her. It was such rude awakening to have water chucked at people.
"Yes, once you confess for being a witch" said Aredian.
"Then I will die of cold" said Rose stubbornly. She angry but she wasn't going to give into his demands she wasn't going to quit. He would have to kill her before she would admit being a sorcerer.
"In your chambers we found this amulet" said Aredian. He put an amulet on the table Rose had never seen it before in her life.
"Never seen it before in my life," said Rose. He was setting her up he must have planted it in her room, Rose was getting a headache as the candle in the room was the only light.
"Strange, you share a chamber, with your guardian Morgana, are you saying it's hers" said Aredian.
"No" said Rose. She stopped speaking from that moment she stayed silent and stopped answering his questions he got fed up and moved on to Gaius chucking her back in her cell. Gaius was in the room longer than Rose. He was finished with Gaius and moved back on to Rose. It was like that for the whole day and night. No food, no water, no warmth and many awakenings with a bucket of water but she wasn't backing down.
Rose refused to speak to him and would stay silent. He questioned her and questioned her about magic and the amulet. He was getting angry the more she refused to speak. She had finally dried out from her last douse of water, but she was still cold.
"Staying silent won't change your guilt, you are enemy to Camelot you are an enemy to the king" said Aredian angrily.
"I will not confess," said Rose. She was taken to the cell again and Gaius was taken back to Aredian's office. She had to get out and escape Camelot she couldn't stay and wait for him to make her confess that she guilty of Sorcery. She looked at the bars in the windows.
"Kilghara, I need your help" said Rose in her head.
"Yes, I was about to get in touch, get yourself out the cell naturally then use this spell to disappear, it will take you somewhere safe I promise" said Kilghara's calm voice filling her head helping her stay calm.
"What's the spell?" asked Rose in her head.
"Aswindan" said Kilghara into her head. Rose looked at the window and pulled at the bars she was surprised that came the bars came loose she pulled a bit more and the bars snapped in her hands. She climbed out the window ha that serves him right not letting her eat for a few days. She hated leaving Gaius, but it'll be easier for Merlin to get him out without the stress of her being there. Rose stood in the courtyard it was dark, so she did the spell. Straight away she disappeared she flew at fast pace she shut her eyes to stop the blurs of her surroundings until bang she landed in the grounds of a broken-down castle on her hands and knees.
"Rose" questioned a voice near her. Rose looked up and smiled when she saw that Morgause was running towards her. Rose got up and they walked into the castle. Morgause made sure she ate and drank before pushing her for answers. Rose told her what had been happening missing out Merlin's magic all together, it wasn't her magic to reveal, and Rose respected his privacy.
"Sounds like you have been in a situation" said Morgause.
"I feel bad because I abandoned Morgana, but I didn't want to be confess," said Rose.
"Morgana is safe, try not to worry" said Morgause.
Morgause showed Rose to a spare room in the broken-down castle, Rose smiled and fell asleep. The next day went by peacefully Morgause would teach her magical spells and teach her stuff about her magic. They sat at a table opposite each other.
"What spell did you use to get here?" asked Morgause.
"It was a spell called Aswindan," said Rose. Morgause laughed and nodded her face lightening with recognition.
"You did the spell wrong" said Morgause.
"How, I disappeared and arrived at you," said Rose.
"The actual spell is Aswindan æt hælo, you could have ended up anywhere good thing we have high priestess connections" said Morgause. "With that spell it makes you disappear but if you say it alone Aswindan alone you can end up anywhere, I have known people to land in bodies of water"
"Oh okay, in that case if you said Aswindan ae with a person's name, I would end up with that person" said Rose.
"Yes, however most magic users don't use the spell because they don't have the power to use it, you are powerful indeed" said Morgause. They spent the rest of the day playing with magic. Morgause had taught her a few weather spells and a few body morphing spells. Soon it became dark and Rose and Morgause sat by a fire staring at it. They both drank a cup of tea and ate some fruit.
"Watch this," said Rose. She made a shape in the fire, and it kept floating in the flames which went into the smoke showing a horse.
"Is that caused all the drama in Camelot" said Morgause. Rose nodded
"Camelot is crazy sometimes; I am worried about Morgana though," said Rose.
"Tomorrow I am going to travel to see if it is safe for you to go back Camelot" said Morgause.
"Thank you," said Rose. They sat together relaxing staring at the fire and the stars above them.
"What are your thoughts on Uther" asked Morgause.
"He is the worst; he was going to leave me to the mercy of a witchfinder, the witchfinder wasn't going to stop with his mind games until I confessed, he is so blinded by his hatred of magic that he doesn't care who gets hurt," said Rose.
"Yeah, he has hunted down the magic users like deer on a hunt" said Morgause. Rose had always wondered why Uther hated magic so much, all she had read about it was that Uther had started the great purge after Arthur was born and queen Ygraine died.
The end
