When we arrive at Gaius's workplace, we hadn't expected on finding anyone else there beside him. But as Gwaine stumbles inside, still carrying me, we find Marcus the librerian sitting on the floor with a hand to his head and Gaius administering him something. When Gaius turns around to face us, I notice a large bruise on Marcus's head.
'What happened to you?', I ask him.
'Someone attacked him in the library', Gaius replies looking at me with a face that says something isn't right.
Gwaine and I simultaneously look at each other and we both think the same thing.
'The old lady!'
Gaius looks at us dumbfounded. I stare right back at him as if to ask what he's looking at. And then I realise the position Gwaine and I are currently standing in, him still holding me up tight against his chest and my arms wrapped casually around his shoulders and neck, like it's the most normal thing in the world.
But it isn't, not for me at least. Apart from Freya, who died a few months ago, no person, man or woman, has ever cared enough for me to try to kiss me or hold me close just for comfort. At the age of 21 I still know nothing of love.
And here I am, in Gwaine's arms, hearing and feeling his heart beat under his chest, the warmth radiating from his body to mine, his breath soothing against my right ear. The realisation of our proximity suddenly makes me nervous. Gwaine must have sensed the change in my state of mind, because next thing I know he walks up to the table and sits me down. When he releases his hold on me, I feel my world turn cold again. I have to look away from Gwaine, or someone will notice me staring. I have never been more grateful for Gaius who chooses to interrupt the momentary silence with a deep sound from his throat.
'Hmmm ... What old lady are you talking about?'
'Yeah, what old lady would that be?', a voice asked coming from someone standing in the doorway. Arthur Pendragon, you royal pratt with the most horrible timing ever!
I avoid his eyes for a moment, looking at the floor instead, not sure I'm ready to meet his eyes in the current circumstances. I wonder ... How long has he been standing there? But Arthur being Arthur can't leave me in peace of course. I hear his footsteps coming my way and when his boots come into my eyesight I can no longer ignore him. Slowly I lift my eyes to meet his.
'So Merlin... Would you care to explain me what you're doing here, seated on a dining table chatting with your friends and not in the stables cleaning like I asked you to?'
I'm about to answer, when Gwaine does for me, half laughing.
'Cleaning? Now that would be difficult concidering the state of Merlin's ankle!'
For a moment I had forgotten about my ankle! As we all look down at my perfectly formed ankle, with not a scratch or bruise on it, Gwaine and I gasp and turn to look at each other, not understanding.
'What happened? Five minutes ago it was swelling to the size of a melon and now ... there's nothing. How is that possible?', Gwaine exclaims.
I turn my eyes to look in Gaius's.
'One word, Gwaine: MAGIC. That's what happened. That old lady, she whispered something right before she ran.'
'I have to admit to you Merlin, you have a lot of imagination today.'
'I know what I saw Arthur.'
'And I saw it too. There's no way that ankle could have gone from what it was five minutes ago to this without some kind of magic. I had to carry Merlin here.'
'Have you ever concidered that maybe Merlin wanted to be carried?'
Realising what he said and upon seeing Merlin's and Gwaine's faces, Arthur felt a sting of jealousy going through him, quickly adding something to his previous statement.
'... so he wouldn't have to walk the long corridor. You lazy- ass Merlin. I've always known you were lazy, but this ...'
I choose not to react to his absurd remark.
'Arthur. this woman didn't want me to follow her. By temporarily breaking my ankle, she prevented me from going after her. And we have more proof, besides what my own eyes already stated. Marcus here was hit on his head by an intruder. When I arrived at the library Marcus had just gone to Gaius, which means that person may have still been there inside.'
'Okay, suppose you're right Merlin. What do you want me to do? Tell my father? You know how he acts when it comes to magic. This woman may right as well have left Camelot by now. If we can't find her, my father will not take lightly that you made us waste time.'
'Than don't tell him. Please Arthur.' I look at him pleading and after some concideration he seems to be giving in.
'And there's something else. You remember what I told you earlier, about yesterday? I think she may have something to do with it. There's just something about her. I feel like I've met her before, I just can't remember where.'
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gaius wants to ask about last night, but I sign him later. Taking a deep breath, I remember there's something else I've been meaning to tell them. I hesitate whether or not to tell them about previously in the library where certain memories of last night suddenly came back to me. But perhaps it's better not to bring that up now as there are still many voids in my memory ...
'Okay, Merlin. I'll help you. I believe you're convinced she used some kind of spell on you ... to make you behave like a morron yesterday. But don't be dissapointed if it turns out to be just the alcohol', Arthur says.
Gaius is getting very curious, waving at me to get my attention.
'I'll make my knights keep an eye open for this ... old hag.'
'Thank you Arthur.'
Arthur nods at me and for a moment, we keep our eyes locked sharing a moment of total understanding. Sometimes we do that, Arthur and I. We often have different opinions and we argue quite a lot, but when it matters we are on the same page and we don't have to say anything to know the other completely gets you and has your back.
'So Merlin, you think you can walk on that ankle now?', Gwaine asks demanding my attention back to him. Carefully I put my feet down and feel the pain is gone.
'It's perfect.' I smile.
'Wonderful! Well than I hate to spoil this littly reunion, but Merlin; my stables are waiting.'
'Yes my Lord!'
'God, please don't call me that.'
He punches my shoulder. I say goodbye to Gaius and as I leave the room, I notice Arthur and Gwaine whispering something to each other.
In the meantime ...
An old woman is hiding behind a heap of straw a little further down Camelot, a few houses away from where Gwen lives. When she thinks no- one sees her, she drinks a potion and turns into a fairly ordinary young lady with half long light brown hair and blue eyes.
She removes her long grey cloak and another layer of clothing she has underneath and puts on a fresh dress she just stole from the laundry that was hanging to dry in the backyard of a nearby farm. When she's finished dressing, she leaves her old clothes laying on the ground and hurries down the outskirts of Camelot, further and further away into the forest.
Little does the woman know she's being watched by a certain young maid who has seen everything throughout the window of her house.
Upon seeing magic used to change her appearance, Gwen immediately understands this woman is up to no good. Without giving it a second thought, Gwen grabs an old cloak of her own and runs out of her house, following the young woman into the forest, but always staying at a reasonable distance.
After about twenty minutes of running, Gwen stops at an old oak tree to catch her breath.
Finally standing still, she looks around her and realises she is long passed known territory now and the woman has led her deep into one of the forbidden parts of the forest. But that's not all Gwen sees. A few hundred metres before her, the young girl has come to a halt as well.
She' standing at what at first sight appears to be a giant tree with bushes and plants growing around it. But as she steps a little closer to it, she sees the young girl move around a few plants and before her an old cabin appears. The cabin doesn't look very big, but it's not small either. It's built out of old grey stones and wood, but the gable is covered with moss and ivy. When Gwen is sure the woman has entered and is the house is hidden once again, she contemplates whether or not to get closer and have a look. She didn't follow this woman just so she could know where she lived. She followed her because she wanted to find out what she was up to. And now she wasn't going to back down.
Gathering all her courage, Gwen looks around her and decides the best way to go unnoticed, is to stay low to the ground where many plants hide her from view. Crawling wasn't the best idea she's ever head - that Gwen had to admit to herself looking at her reddened sore knees - but at least she was alive. When she reached the cabin, she found a tiny window at the back through which she could see and hear, as it was not fully closed.
Inside, Gwen can distinguish two voices; the one from the old lady - who still has the appearance of a young girl (so the potion has no effect on her voice?) - and another voice which gives Gwen goosebumps.
The women are standing too far away so she can't get a good look on them, but she's already seen more than enough of the first woman to be able to recognize her. Leaning her ear against the window for better hearing, Gwen can make out the second person is also a woman and she sounds at least equally old, if not older. When she hears her friend's name inside, her breath stalls for a second and she realises hearing this conversation might be essential for his life.
'That Merlin- boy seems harder to separate from his friends than we thought', the old woman says.
'Maybe you didn't give him enough at the market yesterday? Did you actually stay to witness his outburst?'
So Merlin was right ...
'Oh I WAS there and he insulted and harassed quite a few! A few girls on the street - one of them being Morgana -, the barmaid, that servant- girl, several of the knights, ... You should have seen their faces! And just like you had predicted, that prince charming of his, that handsome fellow- knight, sent someone to get Arthur. But apparently people have forgiven him, because he saw him walking freely in the castle this morning. He almost saw me at the library, I had to use magic to stop him from following me.'
'Almost? What do you mean ALMOST? Are you sure he didn't see you? MOIRA, I hope for your sake he didn't because that would change everything!'
'No, of course Aislin. I would immediately take my own life if that was true. You know me, I would never lie to you.'
'Than I'll disregard this mistake, but I won't be so forgiving next time.'
'There won't be a next time, Aislin.'
'Good. Now than, there's still the matter of Merlin ... or should I say Emrys?'
Emrys? What is she talking about?
'The boy is a sorcerer, and not one to take lightly, we must kill him before he becomes to powerfull ... even for us.'
What is she talking about? Merlin? Could he be ...?
'Aislin, if I may make a suggestion.'
'Aye.'
'It seems none of his friends are aware of his magic. Perhaps the best way to kill him is by letting others do it for us.'
'What are you suggesting Moira?'
'We'll expose him. I'll make some adjustments to the spell and we'll send him out to the tavern once more, but this time we'll make him use magic ... in front of everyone.'
Very unexpectedly, Aislin starts laughing loud, which makes Gwen even more nauseous than she already felt.
I need to get out of here.
'Let's not wait too long than. It's too late to do it today. TOMORROW you'll meet Emrys at the market or any other public place again and this time the boy won't live to see another day. And than, soon enough, Uther and his son will follow and Camelot will be a place for dark magic again, as it will be MINE.'
Gwen doesn't want to waste any more time. She now knows what she came here to find out. Carefully she withdraws herself from the window where she had been listening. But than, the most unexpected thing happens; Gwen cracks a branch with her knee and the sound it makes is loud enough to alert the witches. As fast as she can, Gwen crawls to the back of the house. From there she sees the two women, witches Gwen realises, looking around for any sign of life. And than they find a rabbit close to where Gwen had been sitting a few moments ago.
'It's just a rabbit, you old fool. See what happens when you're not sure someone may or may not have seen you? We panic at the first sound we hear! Inside, now! You're cooking tonight.'
'Yes, Aislin.'
'Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name', Gwen prays to the wind.
'And now move, you coward. You must warn Merlin', Gwen whispers to herself. Even more carefully than before, Gwen crawls back to where she came from taking the rabbit that saved her life with her, giving it a quick kiss.
Two hours later, Gwen is still wandering around in the forest searching for her way back to the village.
'I should have left traces, peaces of clothes or something. It would have made this so much easier.'
When she's almost given up hope, exhausted of all the running and crawling, she spots a person a little further down the road she's on.
'Gwen? Is that you?'
She adjusts her eyes to the suddenly bright daylight that has come down over the forest, leaving the darkness of the forbidden forest behind her, and she cannot believe who she sees.
'Lancelot?'
'My God, it's you! Where have you been? I've been searching for you all over town. I thought you were in some kind of trouble.'
Gwen falls onto her knees and she cries, still holding her new pet close to her. And bewildered, she looks up when she finds Lancelot's arms around her.
'I'm so relieved to see you! I thought I'd never see you again', Gwen says.
And that magic moment, with the sky suddenly clear after a long grey day and the birds singing in the trees, is all Lancelot needs before pulling her even tighter to him, putting all of his heart and soul into a gentle kiss. Her lips feel warm and welcoming and for a secret moment, they forget about everything else. When they break apart, Lancelot smiles at her like she's never seen him smile before and he can't help but laugh.
'My God, that Merlin! He was right. I can't believe he had to get himself pissed and yell at me, before I would finally see the truth and do something with it.'
'Oh no, Merlin! Lancelot, we have to find him. I have to warn him!'
'What are you talking about?'
'He's in grave danger.'
Tada! And there you go, chapter 4. It's a bit different from the previous chapters, but I hope you like the direction this story is going to. I certainly am! Please keep reading and posting reviews. Much appreciate your kind feedback!
