Hello my dears. I would like to thank YosefColeman (Guest), Dinozzo1, AndreKl, Meri Ley (Guest), ProcrastinationIsMyCrime and mersan123 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. I have also adapted the law a bit, hope that's okay.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Gaius was still trying to find something he could use to help Merlin, when said man came running through the door. He couldn't hide his surprise at seeing him, nor the raise of his eyebrow which happened when he took note of the fact that Merlin was just leaning back against the door with a look of confusion on his face.
"Merlin, is everything all right?" He asked gently, not sure what had happened but hoping that no one else had found out about his enchanted love for Morgana. That would not go down well.
"I think Morgana may be enchanted." Merlin replied pushing himself away from the door as he made his way to the bench Gaius was working at, and sat down frowning down at the wood. Though when Gaius said nothing more he looked up, only for his attention to be caught by the book Gaius was reading, or more the page he was on. His eyebrows rose when he saw it was all about enchantments. Was it possible that Gaius already knew and was trying to work on a solution? But if that was the case, why didn't he remember? There was something more going on here. something he was missing.
"Oh? Why do you think that, Merlin? Did she not like your flowers?" Gaius guessed, not sure what else would make an enchanted Merlin think that Morgana was the one under a spell. Surely he expected her to love him, so the only reason he could think of was that she had shown no affection for the boy.
"What? Gaius, are you mad? Why would I give Morgana flowers?" Merlin asked disgust in his voice at this idea of a joke from his mentor. What was wrong with him? But even as he said the words he found a vague memory of searching for flowers through mud force its way into his mind. What was going on?
"Merlin, tell me, what are your feelings for Morgana?" Gaius asked going instantly alert at his words. It seemed the enchantment had broken, though how Gaius had no idea. But he would not look a gift horse in the mouth as they say. Of course he also wanted to make sure he was correct in thinking Merlin was back in his right mind.
"My feelings for… Morgana? She is betraying Camelot to Morgause, so I'd say, not exactly friendly." Merlin answered confusion written across his face at Gaius words. Was everyone in the castle crazy today? First Morgana and now Gaius?
"Ah." Gaius replied sitting himself heavily down opposite his ward. It seemed the enchantment was broken, but how? How had Merlin done it?
"Gaius, what is going on?" Merlin asked. He had had a sudden idea that maybe it wasn't everyone else that was off, but maybe it was him. After all he didn't actually remembered anything he had done that day. And that was never a good sign. What had happened now?
"It is not Morgana who is under an enchantment Merlin, it is you. Or was you. How did you break it?" Gaius asked tilting his head as he studied the man opposite him, trying to work it out from his behaviour as much as his words.
"Break it? I wasn't enchanted Gaius." Merlin denied, though that niggling in the back of his mind was telling him that he did indeed have the symptoms of someone who was enchanted. But if he was, why had it broken when he had was with Morgana? What had she done to free him? Or more probably what he done to free himself? He really wished he knew.
"You told Arthur that you loved Morgana and therefore had to go pick her flowers, as well as telling him she was his sister." Gaius responded dryly enjoying watching Merlin's eyes widen at his words. He ward had caused him a lot of stress that morning, it was only fair he get some in return in his mind.
"I… no." Merlin stuttered in response. No he couldn't have told Arthur he loved Morgana. But again vague memories pushed their way into his mind. A conversation with the prat, and him saying… Oh good lord, he was never going to hear the end of that one. Arthur would never let him live down the fact he had told him he loved Morgana. Oh just kill him now. It would be favourable to the torture Arthur was going to put him through. With that thought he ran his hand through his hair, his sleeve falling back so that the bracelet on his wrist was on show. Gaius reached across the table and grabbed it.
"Hey Gaius. My arm is attached to my body you know." He screaked at the sudden pull of his wrist across the work bench causing him to almost fall forwards.
"I am aware. It would require much more force to remove it." Gaius replied in an absent tone while studying the bracelet on Merlin's wrist which he knew he had never seen before. Looking up at his boy he asked. "Where did you get this bracelet Merlin, and when?"
"Huh? Oh. I don't know… wait. Morgana was in my room last night, she had hold of my wrist and said something, then… nothing." Merlin replied frowning off into space as he tried to remember what had happened. He hadn't even thought about that before now, he probably should have, considering he was sure the words she had spoken were those of the old religion. That was never good. Just what had she done to him this time?
"I see." With that Gaius forced the tile up slightly so he could look at the underside. He couldn't see what spell it was that was engraved there, but he could see enough to know it was a spell. And considering the effects he and Arthur had both witnessed he would say that it was the enchantment that Merlin had been under. So if it was still on his person, how did he break it?
"She enchanted you with a strong love spell. It is on the underside of the tile." He explained releasing Merlin's wrist so the boy himself could try and see the enchantment written underneath it.
"Then we need to get it off. I don't want to be enchanted." Merlin replied alarmed at the idea. It was bad enough that he had been that morning and he could barely remember what happened. He didn't want to go back to being like that if this was just a temporary relief. No way. He needed it off him now.
"But it seems you no longer are. How did that happen?" Gaius asked frowning at Merlin as he tried to find out what he had done to save himself when it seemed this morning as if he most certainly didn't want to be saved. Or maybe Arthur and Gwen had found his loved? Maybe that had worked?
"Maybe my magic broke it?" Merlin suggested ruling out the idea of Arthur and Gwen finding Merlin's true love from Gaius' mind. If they had, the boy would know about it he was sure. After all he would have come out of the enchantment just after kissing her.
"It is possible. What were you doing when you came back to yourself?" He asked deciding they needed to get to the bottom of this. He needed to know if there was a chance that Merlin would revert to how he had been earlier that day. Because if he did he needed to make sure he had a good store of drugging potions in stock to stop him getting himself killed.
"Well I was with Morgana, we had just… no." Merlin shouted. There was no way. No. That wasn't possible. Because he remembered what they had discovered when Arthur had been enchanted, and he knew how love spells were broken. Just as he knew he had come to right after he and Morgana had kissed, but no. No way. There had to be another explanation, because that one wasn't possible. Merlin did not love Morgana.
"Merlin?" Gaius asked, his eyebrow raising at him as he stared at the younger man, making him tell him what he had been doing when the enchantment was broken. He was surprised that Merlin managed to hold out for a full ten breaths before he cracked and told him what he wanted to know.
"I… I think we kissed." Merlin mumbled knowing exactly what Gaius was going to try and make out of that. But it wasn't true, so…
"You kissed, and the enchantment was broken?" Gaius asked hoping for further clarification. Because if that was true, then it meant Merlin's feelings for Morgana were deeper than even he had ever believed. It seemed that she was his wards true love. Well that certainly did complicate things somewhat. What with the way they kept trying to kill each other. But then, there was a very fine line being love and hate in his experience.
"There is no way it's what you're thinking Gaius. Because I do not have feelings for Morgana." Merlin stated standing up and placing his hands on the worktop in the hopes of accenting his point. Because it wasn't true. He would know if he had those kind of feelings for Morgana. And he didn't. It was as simple as that.
"And yet it does seem that the kiss broke you from her control." Gaius replied amiably not at all concerned by Merlin's dramatics, he had gotten used to them over the years after all.
"Why would Morgana enchant me anyway?" Merlin asked crossing his arms as he changed the subject away from his supposed feelings, which he didn't have.
"Maybe to stop you getting in her way?" Gaius suggested, thinking that was the only real explanation he could think of. If Morgana had Merlin under her control, then she would be able to do as she wished within the castle with no one any wiser of it. It was a rather ingenious plan he had to confess, or it would have been, if it wasn't for the fact that Merlin was obviously harbouring a secret affection for the lady.
At that Merlin groaned before slumping back down onto the bench and looking beseechingly at his mentor. "So what do we do now?" He asked hoping he had the answer, because Merlin himself could come up with nothing.
"Well the best course of action would be to remove the bracelet and then you can pretend that is what broke the spell, and not the kiss." Gaius replied pragmatically. It seemed an obvious solution to him.
"It wasn't the kiss. I do not love Morgana." Merlin growled glaring at his mentor. He really wished he would give up on this idea that it was true loves kiss that had broken the enchantment, because it just wasn't true. But before Gaius could respond to that another voice joined them from the doorway.
Arthur had returned to Gaius' chambers intent on telling him that Gwen had no more idea of who Merlin loved than they did. As such he hoped the old physician had found a way to break the spell, because he had nothing. But as he got to the door and was about to knock he heard two voices inside, and one of them was obviously Merlin's. Therefore he opened the door without preamble just in time to here Merlin declare he didn't love Morgana. Thank god. It seemed the spell had been broken. Arthur had never been happier to hear his friend sounding so disgruntled as he did right then. Therefore he spoke.
"Glad to hear it Merlin. I was being to think that I would have to lock you up. Then what would I do for a servant?" He asked crossing his arms and smirking at how Merlin's eyes widened when he turned his head to him. Oh this was priceless, and well deserved in his mind. Merlin had put him to far too much trouble today as it was.
"Arthur I, I can explain…" Merlin stuttered wondering just how much of his and Gaius' conversation he had heard. This would not be good. Of course he knew he had told Arthur that he loved Morgana that morning, or at least that was what Gaius had said. But what did Arthur know about what was going on?
"This I would like to hear. Please do tell, Merlin." Arthur replied smiling predatorily as he moved to sit at the bench, stretching out his legs and thus trapping Merlin in the room with him.
"I well umm…" Merlin tried to think of something to say. But he had no idea what they had talked about that morning, or what Arthur knew. And he didn't want him going off on some hunt for a sorcerer, or worse, thinking too hard about why it was him who had been enchanted. But still he had no idea what to say, as such instead of saying anything else he found himself standing there mouthing like a fish.
Gaius on the other hand just rolled his eyes at the pair in front of him. Therefore moving to put away the book he had been reading he spoke. They did not have time for Arthur to have his entertainment right now, however much fun the prince was no doubt getting from seeing Merlin lost for words.
"Arthur is aware you were under an enchantment, Merlin."
"You... dollophead." Merlin ground out as he sat down next to Arthur on the bench, glaring at him as he did so. Though that just gained him a chuckle as Arthur bumped his shoulder with his own.
"Don't be an idiot Merlin. It was rather obvious. But now you are back to yourself, I have a list of chores that need doing. And thinking about it, how are you back to yourself?" Arthur asked frowning as he realised he had been trying to find Merlin's true love to break the spell, so it can't have been that. How had Merlin managed it?
"Gaius. He found an antidote." Merlin replied instantly with an innocent look on his face, not looking at his mentor who was now glaring at him in exasperation. Because really? Did he think Arthur would believe that considering they talked about how he didn't know if there was one not so long ago? But surprisingly, or maybe not so surpisingly considering this was the prince who seemed to swallow every unbelievable lie Merlin fed him, Arthur just accepted it.
"Right. Well, my clothes need laundering, my armour needs polishing, my sword needs sharpening, oh and my horses need mucking out. I think that should stop you from having any inappropriate thoughts of Morgana, don't you?" Arthur responded standing up with glee at in his eyes at his words. He was so glad to have his friend back, he was showing it the only way he knew how. And if his mind was still unsettled about some of things he had told him that morning, now was not the time to address them. Merlin was back, everything was fine. They could all go back to how they had been before this incident had occurred. Yes, that was definitely the best plan in his mind.
"Yes, Sire." Merlin agreed, though he didn't stand when Arthur did, just looked up at him with a smile on his face. Everything was going to be okay. Arthur had believed him about Gaius finding a solution, everything was going back to normal. Just the way he liked it.
Of course as soon as Arthur left the room the smile disappeared as he turned to Gaius and held up his wrist. "We need to get this off."
"Come here." Gaius replied picking up his sharpest knife ready to cut the bracelet from his wards wrist. But as he tried to cut the leather he found he could not. It was as if it was made of steel, not the flexible material it seemed it be. There was only one reason Gaius could think of that could explain that. Sighing he placed the knife down as he said to Merlin. "I think there must be a spell on it, to stop it from falling off and the enchantment breaking."
"Well if its spell, I can break it." Merlin responded standing quickly and dashing away to his room. Once there he pulled up the floorboard that hid his magical items and pulled out his book. Surely there would be a spell in here that could counteract whatever it was that Morgana had done to this thing on his wrist.
Sitting on his bed he quickly flipped through the pages before one caught his eye. Concentrating on the words he turned to the leather on his wrist and spoke them, his eyes glowing gold as he did so. But nothing happened. Frowning he flipped more pages until he found another spell and tried again. But again the result was the same. A third page and third spell, and still the darn bracelet was on his wrist. No. He needed to get it off.
"I do not think that is going to work." Gaius said from where he had been watching from the doorway. He had seen Merlin's eyes glow, so he knew his magic had been released. But it seemed that nothing he had done had the power to break whatever spell Morgana had used. They needed to know the specific spell, if they were going to counter it accurately.
"So what am I going to do Gaius? Morgana placed this enchantment on me, if I'm suddenly not enchanted she is going to ask why. She could find out about my magic." Merlin replied frustrated that he was unable to break himself from this nightmare. He couldn't let her find out he had magic, it was his secret weapon against her and her sister. He couldn't let them discover the truth.
"Then the answer is simple. You must pretend the enchantment is still in effect." Gaius answered in an even tone, knowing how well Merlin would take his words. Namely, not very. A conclusion that was verified by Merlin's shout.
"You have got to be kidding me. No way. I cannot pretend to be in love with Morgana. No Gaius. It's not happening."
"Then you will have to take your chances with her not finding out your secrets, then won't you." Gaius countered with. They couldn't risk that, and it seemed to him that while Morgana was under the belief Merlin was in love with her, they could use it to their advantage.
"This isn't fair. Why me? Why is it always me?" Merlin grumbled. He knew Gaius was right, but he didn't have to like it, and he certainly didn't want to do it. It was bad enough being in the same room as her when he was servicing dinner, but to have to pretend to love her? No. He knew he wouldn't be able to do it. She would see through him instantly.
"Think of it this way. If she believes you enchanted to love her, she may tell you her plans so you can stop them." Gaius said, presenting the idea in a way he knew would appeal to his ward. He had absolute faith in Merlin being able to convince Morgana he loved her, mainly because he was sure that he really did. All he had to do was let that which was in his heart rule, and Morgana would be none the wiser he was sure.
"Fine. But I am not kissing her." Merlin stated. He would smile lovingly at her, and simmer sweet nothings in her ear, but there was a line, and he was not crossing it.
"As you wish Merlin. For now I believe you have some chores to do?" Gaius replied in a gentle tone. He didn't tell Merlin that considering he already had kissed her she would expect him to do it again. Nor did he give him any advice about how to pretend to love Morgana. He would leave that to Merlin to figure out. He would do so, eventually no doubt. And maybe through this charade both Morgana and Merlin would discover something new. Maybe they could discover a way to stop being enemies and work together instead. Because he knew, if anyone could turn Morgana away from the path she was now walking, it would be his ward. It was just that before this he had never had a chance. Now he did, he just hoped Merlin used it. He had read that the true loves kiss solution for breaking the enchantment needed to be a mutual thing after all. Not that he would tell Merlin that either.
At that Merlin groaned again, but he did get up of his bed to place his book back under the floorboard. Once it was securely hidden away he headed out of the door to start on the stupid list the prat had given him. Could this day get any worse?