Arthur smirked as he glanced over his shoulder.
It didn't completely make up for Bayard's speech, but seeing Merlin in that stupid outfit sure made things a little better.
He turned back to the speech, only for Morgana to catch his eye.
She glanced over at Merlin then sent Arthur a scolding look.
He rolled his eyes and nodded at Guinevere, who was giving his servant doe eyes.
She smiled and when his father left the table, she whispered, "I think they're quite adorable together."
"Too bad Merlin's too much of a moron to notice," he whispered back before following.
He stood at his father's side as the two kings came together to sign the treaty. As his father bent down, Arthur risked another glance at Merlin.
He traded an amused look for Merlin's pout then focused back on the treaty.
Once it was signed, he clapped with everyone else then he and his father returned to the table. He'd hoped that would be the end of it, but then Bayard set into another speech. He paid enough attention to know he was giving them some goblets, but tuned the rest out.
He glanced back at Merlin for a pick-me-up as the foreign king droned on and on, but the boy was gone.
"To your health, Uther, Arthur…"
Arthur stood alongside the others and tried to drink, but Bayard just kept going.
"… The Lady Morgana… The people of Camelot."
Arthur lifted his cup.
"And to fallen warriors on both sides."
And dropped it.
Finally, the others started to drink and Arthur brought the cup to his lips for the third time.
"Stop! It's poisoned! Don't drink it!"
I'm going to kill that warlock! he thought as Merlin stole the cup from his hand.
"He's getting hotter," Gwen called out.
"Hmmm, liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf."
Gwen frowned at the mumblings that quieted as Gaius grew closer. "What language is that?"
Gaius leaned closer to try to hear, but Merlin had stopped.
"I couldn't hear. Likely none. The fever may have taken hold. I'll brew him something to soothe his mind," he said, his hand on Merlin's wrist. His frown grew. "His pulse is weaker."
"Oh Merlin," Gwen said, wiping his brow.
"Ar'ur. I's d'rk. T' d'rk," he slurred and she began to worry anew. The potion Gaius had given him earlier had quieted his words to nearly inaudible hums earlier, but it seemed to be wearing off as he was slowly growing agitated and she could just catch his words. "F'om'm f'gif'um 'n f'der b'rme. Fr'mum feoh'ft'm."
She opened her mouth to call to Gaius, but stopped as she spotted something glittering near the edge of Merlin's bed. She pulled back the covers and barely held back a gasp at the swirling orb of light floating above his hand. She quickly threw the blankets back over him, tucking them around him so no light escaped. She glanced over her shoulder and relaxed when she saw Gaius's back to them.
"Merlin," she whispered, staring at the boy's face.
Magic! Merlin had magic! But Merlin was… Merlin. He was sweet and kind and… How could he have something as evil as magic?
Suddenly she remembered something Morgana had told her.
"You know, I approve."
"Approve, My Lady?" Gwen asked as she filled the lady's goblet.
"Of your crush on Merlin. He's such a sweet boy."
Gwen blushed. "I don't have a crush on Merlin."
"Of course," Morgana said with a wink. "He is a sweetheart, though. I hope someday I can find a man who would do for me what he tried to do for you."
"What do you mean?"
"You haven't heard?" Morgana asked, bringing her goblet up to her lips as if to hide the smirk she was obviously wearing. "Merlin burst into a council meeting and announced - in front of the king, no less - that he was a sorcerer and had been the one to save your father."
"He did what!?"
"Apparently he couldn't stand to let you die and was willing to lie on your behalf."
Gwen blushed at the memory even as the realization sunk in. Gwen, like Morgana, had assumed Merlin had been lying on her behalf, but Merlin was a sorcerer so maybe none of it had been a lie.
"Lea'm, Afur," Merlin mumbled, shaking his head.
Gwen grabbed the cloth and dunked it in the bucket of water.
Merlin had known her father was well before she'd told anyone. She'd known he had, but she'd never considered why. She'd just let him run off with his silly joke about being psychic.
"Go. S'you's'f. F'll' the li't."
And if Merlin had done this, saved her father and then tried to save her when she took the blame, could she really think magic was evil? Could she think Merlin was evil?
"F'ster. G' fas'r. Fo'w the 'ight!"
"Hush, Merlin. It's okay. Arthur will be back soon."
"M'v'. Cl'mb."
"Everything will be okay, I swear."
Merlin relaxed into the bed and Gwen peeked under the blankets. She sighed with relief when she saw the orb fading to nothing and covered him back up.
"I swear."
"He's back!" Gaius and Gwen looked up as Morgana peaked in the doors for just a second. "Arthur's back," she reiterated before ducking out again.
The two shared a look before Gwen followed after her mistress. They raced into the courtyard, only to see Arthur being led off towards the dungeons by a group of guards.
"Arthur," Morgana called out, rushing towards him.
"Halt, My Lady," a guard said, stepping between them.
"Out of the way, I need to speak to Arthur."
"Apologies, but it's the king's orders. Prince Arthur is not allowed any visitors."
"That man," Morgana growled. "Where is he?"
"Waiting for the prince in the dungeons, My Lady."
"Take me to him!"
The guard hesitated, but bowed under her glare and led her off. Gwen didn't follow, knowing her presence was likely only to anger the king. Instead, she returned to Gaius with the news.
Arthur reached through the bars desperately for the flower he'd risked so much for.
Why, though? My father is right, isn't he? Merlin is just a servant, and a sorcerous one at that. Why should I, the prince, have risked my life for him? a demanding voice said from the back of his mind. One that sounded much like his father.
Because Merlin has saved my life at the risk of his own. And not for the first time, either. So what if he has magic, a second voice countered, this one with Morgana's snippy tone.
But I'm the prince, I have a duty to my people!
My people, including the boy dying up in Gaius's rooms!
"Just shut up," he hissed, stretching out his hand just a little farther. "Yes!" he grabbed the stem with the tips of his fingers and drew it back into the cell with him. The elation lasted for all of a moment before he remembered exactly where he was: Locked in a cell with no means of getting the flower to Merlin.
He'd failed. He'd disappointed his father, angered him into locking him up, and for what?
He let his head fall against the bars.
So much for their great destiny. Take that, you crazy old dragon!
"Merow."
Arthur looked up to see yellow eyes staring at him. "Oh great, you're here. As if things couldn't be worse."
The cat chirped and slipped through the bars to nuzzle Arthur's knee.
Arthur sighed and scratched its ears. "At least you'll keep the rats away while I'm in here. Unless you're as useless as your idiot creator."
It purred and leaned into his hand.
"Though if you really want to be useful, you'd take this up to Guinevere and Gaius," he said, waving the flower in its face. "I'd even give you a name if you can pull that off. Maybe stop kicking you out of my rooms."
The cat tilted its head, eyes following the flower.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," he snorted, moving to get up.
The cat jumped forwards and snatched the flower out of his hand before darting through the bars.
"Hey!" he shouted, but the cat disappeared into the shadows. "Perfect. There goes Merlin's last hope."
Gwen bit her lip as she approached the kitchens. This was a bad idea, a really bad one, but what else could she do. Merlin needed the flower and her best chance at getting it from Arthur was pretending to bring him a meal. She'd worked the dungeons before when the kitchen-maids needed an extra hand. The guards wouldn't think anything of it.
If she was discovered to be lying though…
"Churrrr."
Gwen jumped and looked over to see a cat perched on a console table next to her, licking its paws. She smiled as she recognized it as the one who'd been haunting Arthur's chambers as of late. At least, according to all the other serving girls that worked the area. They swore it was Arthur's, but Gwen couldn't see the prince keeping a cat. If anything, she thought it was likely Merlin's. He seemed the type to take in strays.
"Hello, little one. I don't have anything to give you, sorry. I need to -" Gwen cut off as she spotted the yellow flower resting at the cat's feet.
There was no way…
Gwen picked the flower up and spun it in her fingers.
It looked just like the picture in Gaius's book.
"Where did you get this?"
The cat ignored her, starting to clean its face.
Gwen stared at the cat for a beat before shaking herself and running down the hall back towards the court physician's chambers.
Merlin rolled his eyes as he glanced at the prince to see him still staring at the cat curled up on his desk. "Are you going to do that all night?"
"I still can't believe it listened to me."
"I told you he's smart."
"And I told you it's magic."
"Right… So what are you going to name him?"
Arthur scowled. "Are you even sure it's a boy?"
"You're free to double-check."
Arthur crossed his arms and shot the warlock a look.
"Perhaps -"
"Palug is still a stupid name, Merlin."
"It's fitting," Merlin muttered under his breath, turning away. A few moments passed in peace before Merlin said, "There's something I still don't understand."
"I'm sure there's a lot you don't understand."
Merlin ignored that and continued, "Gaius and Gwen said the sorceress was the one who poisoned the cup, not Bayard, but then why would she tell me just to trick you into going into the forest. She could've just kept quiet and killed you with the poison."
Arthur frowned and looked away from the cat. "I've been thinking about that too. I'm not sure I was her target at all. She said it wasn't my destiny to die by her hand."
"So who, your father? Bayard?"
Arthur stared at Merlin for a minute. "I think she knew my father would go to war over this, just like he would have had Gaius not stopped him, but her real target… She wasn't in the forest to trap me, she was there to delay me. I think she somehow knew that my father would make you drink the wine."
Merlin felt his still sickly face go a little paler. "You think she was trying to kill me? Why?"
"Maybe the dragon's not the only one who's heard his crazy stories."
The two contemplated that in silence until a knock sounded.
Arthur turned back to the cat with a blank face. "Enter."
The door opened and Gwen stepped in. She curtsied and said, "Apologies, Your Highness, but may I speak to Merlin for a moment? It won't take long."
Arthur waved her off. "Fine, he's getting on my nerves anyway. Just make sure he's back in time for dinner."
"Thank you," she replied, glancing between him and the cat in bemusement.
Merlin led her out with a snicker, shoving the troubling thoughts to the back of his mind.
"Why was he staring at that cat?" she asked as they started down the hall.
"He's trying to figure out a name for him and it's taking all his brainpower."
"You shouldn't talk about the prince that way," she said playfully. "So it is his then?"
He opened the door to Arthur's servant's quarters with a nod. "If you ask Arthur, he's mine, but you don't see him swiping at Arthur every time he goes near it. In fact, he adores the prat. So yeah, he's Arthur's."
Gwen giggled. "It doesn't really swipe at you."
Merlin raised an eyebrow and pulled up his sleeve to show faint scratch marks. "He does. He also climbs all over me while I'm trying to work and yowls at me if he sees me with food. Honestly, it's like having another Arthur around."
Gwen giggled again. "I'm sorry."
Merlin shrugged. "At least he's cute, unlike His Royal Highness. So what did you need?"
Gwen's amusement immediately fled her. "I-I wanted to say thank you."
Merlin's blinked. "Me? I should be thanking you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, Gaius, and Arthur."
Gwen shook her head. "That wasn't what I meant. I wanted to thank you for-for saving my father when he grew ill during that plague."
Merlin felt his heart skip a beat. "Your father? I have no -"
"Merlin, it's alright. I know." She glanced at the doors before stepping closer to him. "When you were ill, you summoned a ball of light to your hand."
Merlin's eyes widened.
"It's okay, I won't tell anyone. I swear. It's the least I could do after you saved my father and then tried to turn yourself in when I was accused."
"I swear, Gwen, I never meant for you to -"
"I know, it's alright," she pulled him into a hug and he quickly returned it.
They parted after a moment when something occurred to Merlin. "You said I summoned a light? Did Gaius see too?"
"No, I hid it under your blankets. No one saw."
"Thank you."
"Thank you. "
Merlin smiled at her, then turned to walk through the door to Arthur's room.
"Merlin," he heard Gwen squeak.
"You were right."
"I usually am, Merlin. You'll need to be more specific."
The warlock rolled his eyes. "I was the one that summoned the light for you."
"Obviously. Who else wou-" Arthur cut off with a choke as he glanced past the boy. "Merlin!"
Gwen stepped up to Merlin's side, looking between him and Arthur with terrified eyes.
"So… Gwen knows. As does Arthur."
"Merlin!" two voices shouted.