I know it's been like a year (if not longer) and I'm sooo sorry! My muse decided to go on a protracted vacation and only stopped back home long enough to tease me with ideas before setting out again. This is part two of three on this chapter and I'm really hoping it doesn't take me another year to get the next part out. I'm not gonna lie, yesterday's finale of OUaT kick started the muse so I'm just going to have it on repeat for awhile in the hopes it keeps the muse around.
The next morning Merlin braved the cook's ire to retrieve Arthur's breakfast, on time for once. He'd managed to get up early this morning and drop off Emma at Morgana's chambers before Gwen could come for her. He opened the door to Arthur's chambers with a careful nudge trying not to drop the plate as he juggled it the cup of wine he was carrying around to reach for the handle. He could hear that Arthur was already awake and talking to someone inside. Finally he settled for balancing the cup on the plate and quickly entered.
"Is that lunch?" Arthur's voice rang out as Merlin turned to close the door behind him. Confused Merlin looked down at the plate in his hand as he turned back around.
"No it's breakfas-" Merlin stopped as he looked up to see a veritable feast laid out on Arthur's table, the prince digging into the food in front of him.
"This is amazing Cedric." Arthur said between bites.
Cedric winked cheekily at Merlin who fought down a growl. So this was how it was going to be? Trying to one up each other all the time? He could already see how quickly this was going to get old. Arthur however seemed to be having the time of his life! Merlin bit down on a scathing observation about egotistic princes and schooled his face into polite lines.
"Is there anything else you need doing, Sire?" He said in an unctuous tone imitative of the one Cedric used.
Arthur didn't seem to notice. 'Of course not, It's exactly how he expects to be treated, the prat.' Merlin thought rolling his eyes.
"No I think Cedric's got it all covered." Arthur replied, still focused on his plate.
Cedric leaned in to tap Arthur's shoulder. He looked up inquiringly, his mouth bulging around a sizeable bite of ham. Annoyed as he was Merlin felt a bubble of laughter that he quickly tamped down before Arthur realized what how ridiculous he looked.
"Oh! I regret, Sire, there is one thing I've failed to do - muck out your horses." He said fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.
Arthur turned back to Merlin, giving him a meaningful look. The urge to laugh died abruptly as he shot Arthur an incredulous look. Cedric smirked at him from behind Arthur's chair and Merlin had to hold back the urge to send him flying the through the window.
"Off you go." Arthur said, waving a hand in dismissal.
Merlin sketched a bow, careful not to drop the plate in his hands. As he turned to reach for the door, Cedric appeared at his elbow.
"Here let me get that for you." He winked at Merlin, his back to Arthur so that the prince couldn't see the exchange. Merlin narrowed his eyes at him but said nothing before stalking out of the room. Touché, He thought. Cedric: 1 Merlin: 0. Well, we'll just see how long that lasts.
Merlin hadn't been in the stables for more than an hour before he felt his eyes growing heavy. He'd been mucking out the stalls when an odd smell had wafted into the stable. 'Probably from the tannery down the way,' he thought just as his eyes drooped closed. He didn't even have time to put down his shovel before he felt his legs crumple and darkness wash over him.
The next thing he knew he was lying on the floor, hay prickling his cheek as something warm and wet cooled on one side of his face. He raised his head, trying to figure out what had happened when he looked up and saw Arthur kneeling down in front of him.
"Sire!" Merlin jumped to his feet and immediately regretted it. His head pounded like a drum and for a moment he thought he might lose his breakfast. He didn't know what was going on. The last thing he remembered was that odd smell and then feeling heavy like he'd drunk too much wine and then nothing.
"What are you doing?" Arthur asked in a deceptively mild voice still crouching on the floor of the stable.
"I wasn't sleeping! I was just bending down." Merlin declared putting a hand to his head to hold it still. He felt like he'd been on a three day tour of the tavern and didn't understand why he'd been laying on the ground. He knew what it looked like but couldn't put together the truth of what had happened. He would never purposely sleep on the job but as he looked at Arthur he knew the prince thought otherwise.
Arthur nodded at him, clicking his tongue as he stared up at Merlin.
"Looking for something?" he asked getting to his feet.
"Yes!" He said, grasping at an excuse.
"Perhaps we're looking for the same thing." Arthur suggested in a soft voice, getting to his feet.
"What?" Merlin asked jumpily. He didn't like it when Arthur used that tone of voice. It usually meant that he was in trouble.
Arthur spread his arms out to indicate the empty stable. Wait, empty?
"Oh I don't know…the horses maybe." Arthur said.
"The horses? Oh!" Merlin jumped as he realized that somehow the horses had gotten free. He stared at the empty stalls in disbelief. This wasn't possible. They were all tied up! There was no way they could have gotten loose on their own.
"But that's not, I don't see how." He mumbled trying to puzzle out how things had gone wrong. The pounding in his head wasn't helping his thought process any though and he hadn't gotten far before Arthur started yelling again, setting off a new wave of searing pain in his skull.
"You didn't notice they ran out of the stable? Too busy looking for them in the hay? Merlin you idiot!"
"I-I don't know what happened?" Merlin said putting both hands on the top of his head. The last thing he remembered was mucking out the stalls, the horses all present and accounted for. How in the world had he ended up on the floor and how had the horses gotten free? Something wasn't right here, he was still trying to put his finger on it when a voice from the stable door made him turn.
"Don't be too hard on him Sire. He's a good servant. He's just tired, overworked." Cedric interjected, poking his head into the stable.
Merlin immediately felt the pieces come together, Cedric. He narrowed his eyes at the other man. He had to have been a part of this. There was no other explanation! The man was out for his job but he'd be damned if he let him take it.
"I am not!" Merlin shouted glaring darkly at the other man.
"Maybe if he had the evening off," Cedric went on as if Merlin hadn't spoken.
"I don't want the evening off!" Merlin protested.
"A good night's rest," Cedric said.
"I did not fall asleep!" Merlin yelled, hands clenched at his sides.
Arthur watched the two of them with a frown.
"I'm more than willing to take over his duties for the night." Cedric offered.
"Perhaps you're right." Arthur agreed.
"No!" Merlin barked.
"Shut up Merlin." Arthur said.
"Can't you see what he's trying to do? He's trying to get rid of me and if you weren't such a clotpole you would see that!" Merlin shouted without thinking. He had to restrain himself from clapping a hand over his mouth as Arthur's face hardened at the insult.
"A what?" Arthur asked in a dangerously quiet voice.
Merlin gaped at him, unable to believe he'd let that slip. He'd just been so angry it had slipped out. Couldn't Arthur see what was going on in front of him? Arthur just stood there fingers tapping out a rhythm on his arm as he waited for Merlin to reply. He had to fix this, apologize. He opened his mouth to do just that but then Cedric piped up.
"A clot pole sire, he said clot pole." Cedric put in helpfully. The look Merlin shot him could have frozen a volcano.
Arthur looked at Merlin with his eyebrows raised. Merlin tried to give him an apologetic look but Arthur just shook his head.
"Cedric's right. He can look after me tonight." Arthur said waving an arm at Cedric. "You can go home and think about whether you want to be my servant or not."
Merlin felt as he'd just been slapped. The coldness in Arthur's voice was something Merlin hadn't heard since the earliest days of his service with the man.
"But-" Merlin tried to speak but Arthur held up a hand, cutting him off as he turned to address Cedric.
"Cedric go back to the castle. I need to talk to Merlin alone for a moment." Arthur said gesturing toward the door. Cedric nodded and left. Merlin glared after him wanting nothing more than to throw the other man down a well.
"You can't be serious." Merlin said, turning back to face Arthur.
"Look, I'll admit that at first I took him on largely to annoy you." Arthur said crossing his arms with a small sigh.
"No, I never would have guessed." Merlin interjected rudely.
Arthur gave him a look that clearly said to shut it. Merlin glared back frowning but kept quiet. Sometimes the best thing to do was to let Arthur talk. He was more likely to listen if you let him say his piece first.
"But," Arthur said, going on as if he hadn't been interrupted, "you've been all over the place the last few days, and I think you know why."
Merlin's brow furrowed. So he'd been a bit preoccupied the last few days. It was understandable, he thought, what with all this Cornelius Sigan business and then with Emma – wait. Was Arthur implying that Emma was the reason for his sudden difficulties? He felt a flare of anger at the thought. How dare Arthur accuse of Emma of distracting him from his work. If it wasn't for Cedric he'd never have dared to – then it hit him. Of course the clotpole didn't see what was really going on, Cedric had Arthur wrapped around his finger and Arthur couldn't even see it. Before he could say as much Arthur went on.
"I understand that everyone has a bad day now and then but it is one thing after another Merlin! Think of it like this, with Cedric here you have less to do. You can spend more time with Emma, concentrate on her instead of worrying about me all the time." Arthur said kindly.
Merlin felt the anger drain out of him slowly as he looked into Arthur's face and saw the earnestness there. It was a rare expression to see on the other man's face. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Arthur would think Emma was his problem, and Arthur's solution was to be misguidedly kind while still managing to be a total prat. Having more time off to spend with Emma would be nice, if he had any trust at all in Cedric. There was just something about the other man that rubbed him the wrong way and it had nothing to do with being ousted from his position. He didn't trust the other man to look after Arthur, never mind the fact that Arthur managed to get in more trouble than anyone Merlin had ever met, and often the only way out of it was magic. Cedric couldn't do that; he couldn't look after Arthur properly, not like Merlin could. That was his job and his destiny. Emma's arrival had thrown a wrench into things but he'd figure it out, he always did. Arthur seemed to take his silence as agreement and went on.
"You've been off ever since she arrived here, and I understand Merlin, I do. You've been dealt a harsh blow but this can't go on. I can't have a servant who loses horses, who falls asleep on the job." Arthur said, oblivious to Merlin's inner musings.
Merlin opened his mouth to protest but Arthur held up a hand to stop him.
"Look, just take the night off. Go home, get some rest. If being my servant is too much for you to take on with Emma then we can find something else for you here."
"But Arthur –"
"Go home, Merlin. I'll have the guards find the horses." Arthur said walking off back toward the castle without a backward glance.
Merlin, covered in mud and the gods only knew what else, followed as far as the stable door before stopping to watch as Arthur walked away from him, reeling from the events of the last few minutes. His head still pounded fiercely but Merlin brushed aside the pain. The emotional blow he'd been dealt felt worse. After all he'd done for Arthur he was still just the idiot servant to him, only now he was an idiot servant with a tragic story. He bit back a snarl as he closed up the stable, pointless now that the horses were gone but he did it anyway, and made his way back to the castle.
Anger and betrayal warred within him. Anger at Arthur for being the prat he was and falling for Cedric's game. Betrayal at the realization that Arthur still couldn't see him for who he was - that he'd rather have a fawning toady working for him than Merlin, who'd risked life and limb countless times without even a thank you to show for it; anger at Cedric for being so good at deception. Followed by a sense of righteous indignation that Arthur would deserve what he got when this all went to hell. That thought immediately made him feel guilty though and he paused on his way back up to the castle. The mud and muck sticking to his skin had begun to itch and he rubbed idly at the mess on his skin. He couldn't let Arthur be a victim of own pride, no matter how satisfying it would be. Besides that, if he lost his job what would become of Emma? He knew that even as angry as Arthur was at him he wouldn't endanger a child. Merlin wouldn't end up entirely jobless but his duty to Emma and to Arthur demanded more of him. He'd be letting not only them down but himself, if he let Cedric win. He'd just have to prove that Arthur was wrong and that he was right, as usual. He heaved a sigh and headed for his room still rubbing ineffectually at the drying muck covering the side of his face and neck.
When he finally trudged into the castle he didn't even stop to pick up Emma, bypassing the corridor to Morgana's rooms without a thought. As he turned the corner he thought he heard someone call out to him but he ignored it, wanting nothing more than to be alone. It was bad enough that he should be seen by the guards, but the thought of presenting himself at Morgana's door like this made him shudder. He told himself that it was a desire to get cleaned up before collecting Emma but it was an unconvincing excuse even to him. Gwen and Morgana would both be there and Gwen's eyes would soften in both pity and kindness while Morgana's would bloom with righteous anger when she saw the state of him and rightly presumed that Arthur was at the root.
Gwen would know without asking, and she'd give Morgana that look that seemed capable of letting women communicate telepathically and then Morgana would go off and rail at Arthur which was the last he wanted. It wasn't the dirt alone that would tip Gwen off but she knew him well enough that she would read the lie on his face without having to hear it. Thankfully Arthur was the only subject where she was this perceptive or she would have discovered his secret months ago. She, like everyone else, seemed to be fully under the impression that someone like him could never be magical. It was a façade that had occurred by happenstance and though he had to admit it was a useful one, it chafed like wet leather. He hated pretending to be someone he wasn't - having to hide away that part of himself from everyone he cared about hurt more here than it had back home.
He sighed and pushed open the door to Gaius's chambers. The older man was already there when he walked through the door, still poring over the book on Sigan at the table. The old man looked up as he entered, starting at Merlin's appearance.
"What's that on your face? Where's Emma?" He asked, squinting at Merlin.
"Nothing. She's still with Gwen and Morgana." Merlin said hitching up his shoulder to hide the worst of the muck from Gaius' view.
"What's wrong?" Gaius probed again.
"Nothing."
Merlin walked quickly to the steps that lead to his bedroom, clearing them in a leap. He shut the door with a wave of his hand before falling across his bed. He lay there, thinking about what had happened in the stable, until the sound of the door opening behind him caught his attention. A hand laid itself across his head and tilted him to the side as a warm cloth wiped away the mud. He didn't need look to know that it was Gaius. He winced as the dried muck pulled at his skin and hair as it came off under the wet cloth. Gaius didn't say anything, waiting for Merlin to speak.
"I'm not an idiot." He said finally, giving in to Gaius' comforting presence.
"What happened?" Gaius asked gently still cleaning Merlin's face.
Merlin heaved a sigh, not sure where to start. Arthur, Cedric, the incident yesterday, this morning, the stables. They were just symptoms of the problem that ate at him every day.
"I just want Arthur to trust me and to see me for who I really am." He whispered.
"One day he will." Gaius promised, running his fingers through Merlin's hair to loosen more of the dirt that clung to the dark strands.
"When?" Merlin asked turning to look at Gaius. The other man let go of Merlin's hair to take a step back so that he wouldn't have to crane his neck.
"Everything I do is for him and he just thinks I'm an idiot."
"Not everyone thinks you're an idiot," Gaius said giving his face another swipe with the cloth.
Merlin nodded, thinking of Morgana and Gwen. Even though they didn't know about his magic at least they didn't think he was stupid. Then there was Gaius, the one person who knew him totally and still loved him, he didn't know what he would do without the other man.
"Although looking at you now…" Gaius went on and Merlin turned to glare at him before letting out a hiss of laughter.
It felt good to laugh, even at his own expense and he knew Gaius was trying to make him smile. Chuckling a bit himself, Gaius smiled and handed Merlin the cloth before sitting down next to him.
"Now is not the time to question these things Merlin. I believe you and Arthur are destined for greatness and your calling is to serve and protect him." Gaius said, putting a hand on Merlin's shoulder.
Merlin nodded, he knew this. It was just so difficult sometimes, especially with everything he had on his shoulders. His own destiny was hard enough, and now he had Emma to look out for in addition to everything else. He didn't say this though he knew that Gaius wouldn't think less of him if he did.
"It's just hard."
"I know it's hard, but Camelot is in grave peril. I completed the inscription on the tomb. 'He who breaks my heart, completes my work.'" Gaius recited. The words hung in the air between them with razor sharpness. They pricked at Merlin, setting his teeth on edge. He forgot his worries about Arthur and his destiny and looked up at Gaius. The disquiet etched across the older man's face made him uneasier still.
"What does that mean?" he asked, almost afraid to know.
"You remember the stone in the tomb, how it glowed?"
"I've never seen any jewel like it." Merlin said. The odd bluish light that had emanated from the stone on the tomb had sent shivers down his spine. Despite its beauty the thought of touching it had made his skin crawl.
"That's because it's not a jewel, it's the soul of Cornelius Sigan."
Merlin felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut. That wasn't possible.
"You think he's alive?" he asked, voice tight with concern.
"His soul is. But in order to truly live a soul needs a body." Gauis pointed out.
"So if the stone is removed from the setting, then the heart is broken and the soul released?"
"That's right."
The shared a worried look. With the tomb breached and people wandering in and out to work on cataloguing the riches inside it didn't seem impossible that Sigan's plan might yet bear fruit.
"Have you gone to Uther about this?" Merlin asked. Surely the king wouldn't run the risk of letting something like Sigan loose on Camelot, not with his hatred of all things magical.
"Of course I did, but he refuses to close up the vault. He posted extra guards; we must hope that none of them are treasure seekers." Gaius said getting to his feet.
"And if they are?" Merlin asked.
Gaius shook his head.
"I don't know. We'll figure something out. For now though dinner, I made stew. It's on the fire."
Merlin nodded before getting to his feet.
"Emma –" he said quickly.
Gaius put hand on his shoulder giving it a pat.
"I'll fetch Emma. I need to deliver a new sleeping draft to Morgana in any case. Her nightmares are growing worse. You eat and clean yourself up." He said before striding out of the room.
Merlin watched him go with a heavy gaze. There was something in the air that lingered after their talk of Sigan that he couldn't place that had settled over him like a dark cloud. He knew in his bones that this wasn't the end of the matter. It was only a matter of time before something happened. Feeling like he was standing on the edge of a precipice he shuddered at the thought of Sigan walking among the living again.
He mulled over what he had learned as he filled a basin with water, wincing when the chill liquid splashed him. Dipping a cloth into the water he wiped at the muck still covering him getting the worst of it out of his hair and off his face before grabbing a fresh set of clothes. The rest would have to wait for morning; he didn't feel like going to the effort of filling the bath in the corner at the moment.
He went back out into the workroom and sat at the table, picking at his food while he waited for Gaius and Emma but he couldn't bring himself to eat. He felt as though he's swallowed a lead weight and there was no room for anything but that in his stomach. He stood up and cleared away his half eaten meal wondering what to do. He glanced over at Emma's bottle sitting on the table and nodded to himself. She would be hungry when Gaius brought her back, he thought putting an empty pan on the fire so he could warm up some milk. Gaius had shown him how to make a concoction of milk and a few other ingredients that would serve to keep the babe strong and healthy until a wet nurse could be found.
He'd just finished when Gaius returned, a giggling Emma cradled in his arms. The sound made Merlin smile and he happily took Emma while Gaius sat down to his own meal. He cooed at Emma as he fed her, watching her little fingers curl as she suckled greedily on the bottle. It still amazed him that she was here, somehow magic had brought her to him and if for nothing else in his life that was one thing he would always be grateful for. Between her and Gaius he didn't feel so alone any more.
Merlin spent the rest of the evening playing with Emma, taking great delight in her smiles and giggles; Letting her simple joy wash over him like a healing draft as he made faces at her and tickled her under the arms. When she began to yawn he took it as his cue, carrying her into their room and putting her to bed after bidding Gaius good night. She settled easily as he tucked the soft woolen blanket she'd arrived with around her, her tiny hand curling around his finger as she drifted off to sleep. He stood there for what felt like hours just watching her breathe, wondering at how such a tiny thing held so much light. Eventually his own eyes began to droop and he retired but lay down so that he could face Emma's crib, watching her as his eyes grew heavier and heavier. He didn't remember falling asleep.
The next thing he knew he was jolting out bed, the echoing call of a raven singing in his mind even as Emma's cries rang through the room. He forgot his own fear the moment he heard her, rushing to pick her up. He cradled her against his chest as he tried to comfort her.
"Shh, Emma it's alright. Everything's alright." He whispered rocking her gently, unable to shake the feeling that something terrible had happened as he tried to quiet the screaming child. He heard Gaius snoring out in the workroom and marveled at the older man's ability to sleep through such noise. After several minutes she quieted but each time he tried to put her back into her crib she began fussing again so finally he plumped his pillows and resigned himself to a sleepless night as she snuggled up against his chest. She burbled softly, little fingers reaching up to grab at the collar of his nightshirt as he gently rocked her in his arms. He bent his face to hers nuzzling her cheek with his nose as her eyes dropped closed.
"You're safe now Emma. You'll always be safe while I'm here." He promised as she drifted back to sleep in the security of his arms. While she slept his thoughts turned to the dream that had woken him from sleep. There was little he could recall beyond the caw of a raven and the impression of great danger. He worried over the implication, Gaius's words from the previous night running through his mind. If Sigan's plan had any chance of coming to fruition they were all in great danger. It frightened him to think of what someone with Sigan's power could do to Camelot. He puzzled over what to do if their fears came to pass until the sky outside his window began to lighten.
Not long after the door to his room swung open to reveal Gaius, already dressed for the day and looking grimmer than an early morning could account for.
"What is it?" He asked, a dull ache of fear beginning to form in his stomach.
"Arthur has summoned us both to Sigan's burial chamber. He wants us there immediately." He said gravely.
Merlin felt as if his stomach had dropped to floor. He'd been right and something had happened last night. He shot a worried look toward Gaius but the older man was already heading out the door. With a sigh Merlin gently set Emma in her crib. The moment she was out of his arms she began to burble unhappily and he tried to soothe her but she wouldn't quiet. Quickly gathering Emma's things he scooped her back up and rushed to Morgana's chamber, blushing when she opened the door clad in her nothing but her night dress. She blinked at him owlishly for a moment before smiling brightly when she spotted Emma.
"Good morning Emma." She cooed at the little girl.
Emma giggled as Morgana smiled and tickled her under the chin. The smile dropped from her face when she looked up into Merlin's worried eyes.
"Merlin what's going on?" she asked taking Emma into her arms as Merlin stepped into the room to set down Emma's things.
"I'm sorry to come so early. I don't know what's going on; just that Arthur wants me and Gaius in the vault. Something's happened. She hasn't even eaten yet, I just-" he stopped when Morgana put a hand on his arm.
"It's okay. I'll take care of it. You do what you need to. She'll be safe with me." She said giving his wrist a gentle squeeze before letting go.
She smiled up at him and he felt his chest tighten. How did she always know what he needed to hear?
"You'd better go. I've got her and Gwen will be here soon. You don't need to worry." She said giving him a knowing look.
"Thank you. I'm sorry to do this." He gave her a grateful smile.
"Don't worry about it. We'll be fine." She said.
He nodded, leaning down to kiss Emma goodbye before rushing out. He looked back just before the door closed and for a moment he couldn't breathe. The sight of Morgana holding Emma close, rocking her gently as she smiled down at her made a warm feeling bubble though him. They looked like a family. Feeling slightly better he hurried down to the burial chamber where Gaius and Arthur were waiting.
When he reached the vault, he saw that only two guards remained outside the door. Looking through the arch he saw why. Arthur was already gone and Gaius was staring intently at the heart shaped stone that had lain atop the sarcophagus. Its bright surface was nothing more than dull rock now, the shimmer of Sigan's soul now gone. Merlin felt his heart drop to his feet. Someone must have succeeded in reaching the vault last night and now Sigan was loose.
"Merlin," Gauis said holding up the now clear stone to the light of the torches, "whoever did this got more than they bargained for."
"I don't understand how they got in," Merlin said gesturing toward the gate, "the gate's not damaged, the lock is perfect."
He walked over to the gate crouching down to the get a better look. For a moment he wondered if the thief had used magic to undo the lock but he couldn't sense anything, not even the vague trace of a spell that always lingered after the use of magic. Of course it could be gone by now, a small spell wouldn't leave much of a trace to begin with and would fade after a few hours.
"They must have used a key." Gaius said, interrupting merlin's thoughts.
Merlin shook his head from where he knelt, still examining the gate. He'd moved to the bars thinking perhaps there might a trace on them but so far everything was clean.
"Arthur's got the only key, he carries it with him." Merlin said.
"What about when he's asleep?"
"He keeps it on the table next to his bed." Merlin said absently, still running his fingers over the metal looking for a nick or a weak spot that might indicate a tool was used since it didn't appear to have been magic but there was nothing. The bars were flawless.
Gaius made a thoughtful noise and Merlin suddenly realized what his next question would be. Only two other people had access to Arthur's rooms besides himself.
"Cedric." Merlin breathed. "Oh I knew something was up with him! Why else cozy up to Arthur like he did?"
Without another word Merlin took off at a run, scaling the stairs two at a time. He heard Gaius call after him but didn't stop. He had to find Arthur. If Cedric had indeed broken into the vault that meant he had Cornelius Sigan's soul and his magic. Arthur and all of Camelot were in danger. He had to get there before something happened.
When he got to Arthur's chamber he found it empty but for Arthur who sat at his desk, going over papers. He looked up when Merlin entered a look of mild curiosity on his face. Merlin leaned down, placing both hands on the table as he lowered his voice in case Cedric happened to walk in.
"Cedric is possessed by an evil spirit."
"What?" Athur asked looking nonplussed at the news.
Merlin felt a twinge of annoyance, how much clearer could he be?
"He tried to steal the jewel in the vault but it wasn't jewel. It was the soul of an ancient sorcerer, Cornelius Sigan."
Arthur clasped his hands together on top of the table, leaning toward Merlin with an expression of concern.
"Merlin, have you been on the cider?" He asked quietly.
Merlin rolled his eyes in frustration. Why did Arthur have to be such a bloody prat? He tamped down the annoyance building in him and schooled his face into calmer lines. Arthur would never take him seriously if he blew up at him.
"Just listen, please. Camelot is in danger. Sigan is using Cedric's body to take his revenge." Merlin tried again but Arthur held up a hand.
"This nonsense isn't helping you keep your job." Arthur remarked, giving Merlin a stern look.
Merlin felt anger well up within him. How could Arthur still not believe him? Did he really see him as nothing more than joke, even after everything they'd been through in the last year? This was the last straw. He wouldn't let Arthur dismiss him this time. Not when so much was depending on him, not when there was a chance Sigan could succeed.
"You are not listening to me!" he yelled.
Arthur got to his feet, face suffused with annoyance as he came around the table. Crossing his arms he looked over Merlin dismissively.
"If you're going to shout anyway. Cedric!" he called.
Cedric came into the room, eyes glittering with a cold light that set Merlin's teeth on edge.
"Will you escort Merlin from the palace?" Arthur said unaware of the danger.
Merlin didn't understand why Sigan was playing the servant, didn't know how much control the sorcerer's soul had over Cedric's but he knew he didn't want to find out. As the other man bowed his head toward Arthur Merlin leapt at him, hands gripping the other man's shoulders harshly. He'd do this the hard way if he had to. He wasn't going to let Sigan take his revenge, not when there was so much to lose. They grappled on the floor, Sigan putting a hand up to push Merlin away but only succeeding in keeping him at arm's length. Merlin refused to let go of the other man, grunting when a booted foot caught him in the thigh. Footsteps behind him told him that Arthur had come up to them, but he didn't let go.
"Merlin!" Arthur shouted but Merlin didn't stop. He wouldn't let Sigan gain control over Camelot.
Sigan had managed to struggle out Merlin's hold long enough to get a leg free and Merlin doubled over when the other man landed a kick in the center of his stomach. He doubled over in pain feeling winded but dove for Sigan again, only to find himself flying head over heels as Sigan caught his hands and used his own momentum to toss him off. Merlin caught a glimpse of Arthur's shocked face before he barreled into him, sending them both to the floor. Sigan was scrambling under the bed as Merlin found his feet and chased after him only to find himself pinned by Arthur as he came out the other side. Breathing heavily, Arthur hauled them both to their feet, shouting for a guard.
"You've gone too far this time Merlin! You can spend a few days cooling off in the cells." He said, marching him out of the room.
He tried to talk to Arthur on the way to the dungeon but he wouldn't listen. Finally Arthur threatened to leave him in there for a week if he spoke another word and Merlin had clamped him lips shut against the torrent of abuse he'd wanted to throw at Arthur. The cell door shut with a clang and Merlin slammed a fist against the wall in anger. He had to find a way out of here, Sigan was free and everyone was in danger. If Arthur wouldn't do anything about then he'd have to do it himself.
The fire crackled merrily as Morgana set a pillow on the hearth rug, making sure the baby was well cushioned from the rough stone floor as she settled Emma atop it. Sitting beside her she dangled a jeweled pendant over Emma who was fascinated by the myriad sparkles the firelight produced in the gem. She burbled happily as she reached for the pendant and Morgana let her catch it smiling as the baby immediately began gumming the priceless jewel. Gwen came into the room with a bottle and smiled at the sight.
"I guess it's true what they say. All little girls want to be princesses." She remarked.
Morgana turned to give her smile as she reached out for the bottle.
"Well I don't know about that but this little one here certainly has a fondness for jewels." She said, gently prying the pendant out of Emma's grasp and setting it on the rug. Emma fussed as the pendant was taken away but quieted when Morgana lifted her from the pillow and placed the bottle to her lips.
"Have you noticed that she only does that with things that sparkle?" Gwen asked taking the pendant and wiping the drool from it.
"I hadn't realized." Morgana murmured gazing down at the little girl in her arms. She'd always loved children but there was something different about Emma. She was drawn to her in a way she never had been with any other child. At that moment Emma reached out with one chubby hand to grasp a curl of Morgana's hair and looked up at the woman feeding her. Those eyes were so blue, bright and shining just like her father's. A slight blush crossed Morgana's cheeks as that thought popped in her head. Maybe it was because she was Merlin's daughter that she was drawn to her. When he'd first begun serving Arthur she'd never noticed him until the night he'd nearly killed himself to save Arthur by drinking poison. That night she'd seen how kind and loyal he was, and she'd been intrigued. Over the following months she'd become fascinated with him, not matter what Arthur did he was always kind if a little sarcastic. Not that she blamed him. She often wondered how he put up with Arthur. He didn't deserve Merlin not that he probably understood that.
One of the few times she'd thought Arthur might realize that was when they'd gone to defend Ealdor with Merlin. She remembered the way Merlin had looked when word had come of his village being attacked. She'd jumped at the chance to help, not only because she detested bullies but because she'd wanted to show Merlin that she was there for him. Not that it had been noticed. The evidence of that was cradled in her arms right now she thought with a small twinge of jealousy. Emma suddenly tightened her grip on Morgana's curls and she winced. She pried the baby's fingers from her hair gently suddenly wondered what she'd look like with dark curling hair and those bright blue eyes. She pushed the thought away as a knock sounded on the door. Gwen went to open it as Morgana shifted Emma so that she lay against her shoulder and turned to see who had arrived.
It was Gaius, for the second evening in a row, come to pick up Emma. Morgana immediately became suspicious when she saw the older man in the doorway instead of Merlin. She'd understood yesterday why he hadn't come to get the girl having spotted him in the corridor covered from head to toe in what she'd hoped was mud. When Gaius had shown up and explained the situation she'd been livid. As Gaius explained where Merlin was tonight her temper flared again. The thought of Merlin sitting in the dungeon, cold and alone while his daughter waited for him shot through here like an arrow. Her anger set it aflame.
How dare Arthur do that to him! She listened as Gaius related the story to Gwen and barely concealed her outrage. Perhaps Merlin's outburst was ill-timed and ill-advised but it still wasn't reason to toss him in the dungeons. Arthur knew that Merlin was trying to keep up with all the changes in his life right now and still hadn't even given him an ounce of compassion. It was bad enough that he'd just found out he had a daughter but to be expected to raise her alone while running around after the adult sized child he normally looked after was too much. Then he'd added to the strain by bringing in that new servant, probably making Merlin worry that he'd lose his job and be unable to provide for Emma in the process. If Arthur couldn't see what was in front of him she'd have to point it out. It was high time that someone showed him that other things mattered than his own comfort. She held her feelings in check long enough to bid goodnight to Emma and see Gaius out the door. The moment it had closed behind him she'd grabbed her dressing gown and stormed out into the corridor. She had a few words for one pigheaded prince just down the hall.