"Merlin!" Kagome had to cover her mouth to try to hold back her laugh. However, the sight before her proved too difficult and she was unable to keep back her giggles. "What on Earth happened to you?"
"It's not funny, Kagome!" Merlin was completely covered in mud, with different plant leaves and twigs sticking out of the muck. Arthur had decided to do something incredible stupid again and in the process of saving the clueless prince, Merlin fell into a mud pit. "Stupid Arthur." Merlin mumbled underneath his breath.
Kagome smiled at the young man. It had been several months since she arrived and between Merlin, Gwen, and Arthur her days were anything but boring. "Well, why don't you get cleaned up?" Kagome watched as Merlin made his way up to his bedroom. Arthur ran the poor boy ragged. She was grateful she had alleviated some of his burdens by becoming Gaius's assistant, running all the errands Merlin used to do for the old man.
Kagome had just finished mixing some tonics and storing them in the cabinet, when Merlin emerged from his room with a new set of clothes on and cleaned of all the mud.
"Ouch." Merlin mumbled walking down the stairs. Apparently, he must have cut himself on a branch when he fell into the mud pit. He had a huge bloody gash up his forearm, making him wonder why he did not feel it in the first place.
Hearing Merlin's pain and seeing him wince in discomfort, Kagome made her way over to him. "You're injured."
"Yeah, must have happened when I fell." Merlin said watching her examine his arm. She held her hand over the wound and it started to glow a light pink. His wound started to stitch itself back together, until it was completely gone. It never ceased to amaze him, her gifts and her power. He was starting to feel like she had more power than even he possessed.
"All better!" Kagome smile up at him after inspecting the now healed wound. Ever since she arrived, his days seemed to be even brighter than before. He loved seeing her smiles, watching her laugh with Gwen, and seeing the intense concentration on her face when she helped Gaius. She really was an amazing woman.
Kagome noticed he had not stopped staring at her. It made her blush, being the center of attention to the man in front of her. The last few weeks she had grown close to him, watching as he sacrificed everything for the people he loved. Not only did he risk his life to protect Arthur, but Gwen as well. It seemed he knew, just as she did, that those two were destined to be together.
"Am I intruding?" Gaius said from his position by the door. He had been watching the two powerful magic users and could not help but notice the strong attraction they had towards one another. If only they would see it themselves.
"Ahh…no…." Merlin stuttered, snapping out of his daze and breaking eye contact with Kagome to focus on the floor. "I should go…..find Arthur!" He quickly scurried out of the room, trying desperately to hide the blush covering his face.
"Gaius." Kagome finally said, addressing the older man. She too had a slight blush on her cheek, but was able to hide most of her embarrassment at being caught staring into Merlin's face.
Gaius just chuckled. Life had definitely become more interesting since Kagome's arrival. Kagome often fought with Arthur, the two very much resembling arguing siblings and now Merlin's face was usually covered in a blush. The only one who seemed to be not making fools out of themselves is Gwen, whose behavior was relatively normal, except for the fact that she appeared to be happier in the presence of the priestess.
Walking over to his workbench, Gaius noticed several new herbs and tonics, accompanied by sheets of parchments in a foreign language. Kagome was the only one other than himself who knew how to create tonics and the writing was similar to what language the young woman often wrote in.
"Is something wrong, my dear?" Gaius asked her motioning his head towards her creations on the workbench. A concerned and grim look crossed Kagome's face as she glanced at something she had been working on earlier that day.
"I fear that something bad is about to happen." Kagome explained. "The castle has been darker, as of late." She could feel the dark energy surrounding the castle and knew it was originating from the dark witch. Her aura recently change to uncontrolled excitement, which made Kagome fear that she was up to something and whatever it was, it was coming soon.
"You girls could help me out, you know?" Merlin called out from within the stables to the two giggling women. Arthur had left the castle a little over an hour ago and had yet to return. Before he left he ordered Merlin to be useful while he was gone and told him to muck out the stables.
"And get our dresses dirty! Surely you jest, Merlin." Kagome said teasing the young warlock. Gaius had insisted she rest for the day, no doubt feeling her anxiety on a certain level. She could not help it, the castle too quiet lately. Experience taught her that when things are to quiet it means danger lurks ahead. 'The calm before the storm.' Kagome thought.
"It is not our fault you fell behind in your chores, Merlin." Gwen said teasing her friend as well. Morgana had dismissed her for the day, which was unusual. Then again, Morgana had been acting strange so she really was not surprised. She only hoped that whatever issues her lady was facing would be resolved and the Morgana she knew and loved would return.
"It's not my fault!" Merlin cried out. He walked out of the stables, covered in manure, with a huge pout on his face. His forearm resting on the pitchfork, he looked at the two women sitting on the castle steps. "Arthur has had me doing far more than he usually does."
"Oh, poor baby." Kagome teasingly cooed, noticing the adorable pout on the man's face. "Are you having a hard time keeping up with Arthur?"
"No! It is just that all he does is having me run all these errands for him. I hardly have time to sleep!" Merlin complained as he rested the pitchfork against the stable wall.
"Merlin's right. Arthur has been rather busy. He has not even come out to practice like he usually does." Gwen replied softly. She had been worrying herself in regards to the prince. Arthur's normally playful demure had become serious and focused in the last few days. She was glad that she was not the only one who noticed it.
"I am sure he is just worried about Camelot, as we all are, I am sure he will be back to his normal self in no time." Kagome said trying to cheer up her two friends. She did not want to worry either of them even further with her own worries. "Speak of the devil, here he comes." Kagome smiled noticing Arthur riding up.
However, her smile soon vanished taking in the concerned and defeated look on Arthur's face. She was not the only one who noticed it too. "Is everything ok?" Gwen asked in concern. Arthur hardly ever looked defeated and with his recently odd behavior, she knew something had happened.
"Merlin, get cleaned up and meet me in the throne room." Arthur said while dismounting his horse. "And Kagome would you please tell Gaius he is needed there as well."
Kagome merely nodded watching the solemn Arthur put his horse away. Something terrible has happened. She could feel Arthur's sadness and anger. "Gwen will you accompany me?" Kagome asked her friend.
She knew that Arthur would not want Gwen to overhear whatever it was he had to say, probably seeing it as a man's business. Normally that would irk her, the idea that something was strictly a "man's business", but she had grown to know the castle like the back of her hand and knew of a spot she could eavesdrop from. Whatever had happened she wanted to know about it. She had a feeling that whatever peace they managed to hold in their lives was about to be destroyed.
"Kagome are you sure we should be doing this?" Gwen said as Kagome led her to the small balcony that overlooked the throne room. While she was curious as to what the men were discussing she did not think it wise to eavesdrop.
"Look, if we want to know what is going on, then we have to listen." Kagome whispered. She was starting to think that Gwen was trying to get her caught. The girl, while normally a soft speaker, did nothing to speak even softer. They had entered a room full of knights and would need to be completely silent.
Glancing down below she noticed several knights and male servant were also attending. The only person she did not expect to be there was Morgana. She probably used the king's adoration of her to convince him to allow her to sit in and listen.
Arthur stood before his father and handed him a torn and bloody knight cape. The entire room was tense and only became tenser when seeing what Arthur had been carrying.
"It was Cenred who did this, you're certain of it?" Uther's voice echoed throughout the room as he reached out and grabbed the cape bearing the seal of Camelot.
"Yes, My Lord." Arthur replied calmly. "His messenger has only this minute departed Camelot. Cenred said that the patrol trespassed on his land and an example had to be made."
'Cenred again?' Kagome was getting tired of this man. Surely, he realized that Morgause was only using his infatuation with her to her own advantage. The moment he loses his useful, was the moment his life was forfeit.
"How many dead?" Uther asked.
"All of them, Sire. Every last man." Arthur told him, the idea that a man butchered an entire patrol, simply because he believed that they had to be taught a lesson was excessive and saddening that so many lives were lost. However, at the moment he could not do anything about it.
"The knights?" Uther was trying to figure out what to do. Knights were noble born and to lose them would be a great lose to the ruling of Camelot.
"All lost. Edric, Oldof, Osric," Arthur paused, not really wanting to believe the person whose name he was about to list was truly dead. "And Sir Leon."
"What were they doing out that far?" Uther asked. Normally the patrols stuck to the borders. They knew better than to enter Cenred's territory, especially Sir Leon.
"I do not know, my lord"
"Find out, at once." Uther said before leaving the room. The doors echoed when he shut them with a bit more force than required.
"Can we leave now, Kagome?" Gwen asked. She did not want to be up here any longer and now that the king has left, it would only be a matter of time before the guards returned to their patrols.
Kagome nodded. Cenred made a bold move by killing everyone in the patrol, a move that could possibly lead to a war. He had to have something up his sleeve if he thought he could get away with the murder of Camelot's knights.
Gwen and Kagome sat in Gaius's workroom. Kagome knew the news that Sir Leon was dead had affected the older girl. She did not know him as well as the other, but she could tell he had a kind and compassionate soul. He was one of the few knights that did not condemn magic. His death would be a severe blow to Camelot.
"I cannot believe he is gone." Gwen said solemnly. "It seems like more and more of our friends are either dying or being injured." She was scared something was going to happen to her friends, specifically Arthur. It appeared as though there was a power out to destroy their lives.
"I know how hard this must be." Kagome said wrapping her arms around the other girl's shoulders. "He was a great man."
The door opened to the medical room and in stepped Gaius, looking worried, far more worried than he did when she had seen him in the throne room. He started rummaging through tonics, completely ignoring the two females in the room.
"What is going on? Is everything alright?" Kagome asked the older man. Leaving the side of the young woman has to approach the elderly man.
Turning around, Gaius finally noticed the two women in the room. His mind was too busy thinking about the conversation he just had with the king. "Oh, yes." He replied just as Merlin walked into the room.
"Gwen, dear, it appears Sir Leon had survived his encounter with Cenred, but is in need of some tonics. Would you be a dear and bring these to him?" Gaius asked the young woman. He needed to talk to Merlin, and with Kagome for that matter, about what had occurred.
Gwen's eyes lit up at the news that the knight had returned safely. Quickly nodding, she stood up and retrieved the tonics, making note of Gaius's instructions, before scurrying out the door.
"How can it be the Cup of life?" Merlin asked with a tense jaw. The three magic users were sitting at the table. Night had already set and most everyone has fallen asleep for the knight. Nevertheless, just to be sure they all spoke in hushed voices.
"What do you mean, Merlin?" Gaius asked. "You of all people know the power of the Cup."
"I thought the Cup was destroyed with Nimueh when I defeated her on the Isle of the Blessed." Merlin could not understand. The cup vanished after he used its power on Nimueh. How in the world did it end up in the hands of the druids?
"Ahh… hello… still in the room here." Kagome spoke up clearly confused as to what they were talking about. "What is the cup of life?" She wondered if it was something similar to the fountain of youth, or if it had to do with the cup that Christ drank from during the last supper.
Merlin and Gaius looked over to the confused girl. Merlin could not help but chuckle at her cute confused look, which earned him a glare from the beautiful woman.
"The Cup of Life is an ancient and magical cup that can restore life to the drinker. However, another life must be given in return." Gaius explained to her. "In essence, the Cup contains the power of life and death."
"The same power you accused me of using?" Kagome asked thoughtfully. That would explain why Gaius was so worried.
"Yes, however, only powerful sorcerers can use this magic without the use of the Cup of Life." Gaius told her. The only two people he knew that could perform the spell without the Cup was Merlin and Kagome.
"But the Cup was destroyed. Wasn't it?" Merlin asked.
"The Cup cannot be destroyed. It's magic is eternal, unbound by time or place." Gaius explained. Many had tried to destroy the cup, but unfortunately none had every succeeded. Several different weapons and spells have been tried. None left as much as a scratch.
Kagome stood there thinking. Indestructible might not be the best choice of words. The power resided inside cup that made it indestructible. If they could transfer the power into another vessel, the cup could be destroyed. They just needed a suitable vessel.
"But why does Uther fear it so much?" Merlin asked. Surely, the king knew that the cup could only restore life at the cost of another. It was not a very useful weapon.
"Because the Cup can be used for evil as well as good." Gaius whispered as if it was obvious.
Gaius knew more than her was letting on. What power could the cup have that those with evil intentions could exploit? "I don't understand."
"Many centuries ago, it fell into the possession of a great warlord. One night, he gathered his army before him. He took a drop of blood from each and every man and collected it in the Cup." Gaius told them pausing at the end of every sentence. "Such was the vessel's power that the soldiers were made immortal where they stood."
Understanding crossed Merlin's face. "So they could not be killed." He whispered.
Gaius nodded slightly. "The carnage they wrought was beyond all imagining. The King is no fool. He knows that the forces of the Old Religion are rising against him once more. Heaven forbid that the Cup should fall into the hands of Morgause."
"Morgana." Merlin whispered in worry. If either of those two got their hands on the Cup, who knows what destruction they could cause.
Gaius nodded again. "With Such a weapon at their disposal, Camelot would be all but lost."
"But how can we prevent them from obtaining the Cup. If we bring it back here, Morgana will have access to it. If we leave it with the druids, Morgause and Cenred could obtain it."
"Why not transfer the power into another vessel?" Kagome spoke up for the first time. She did not have any knowledge about the magical items in this land, but she did know about power in items.
"What do you mean?" Gaius asked. The young witch was wise beyond her years and would not have spoken up if she did not have a valid suggestion.
"Magical items are items that were infused with power. I once guarded such a weapon, the power could not be destroyed but its power could be transferred into another vessel." Kagome explained. "If we could transfer the power of the Cup into another vessel without anyone else knowing, then it wouldn't matter if they obtained the Cup for it won't have the power they seek."
Merlin looked over to Gaius with a bit of a stunned look. "Would that work?"
Gaius looked deep in thought. He had never heard of such a thing occurring. The magic was probably bonded with the cup or was infused within it. Even if there was a way to remove it, they had no idea how to go about it. "I am not sure. I would think the magic would be bound to the item that it is infused with."
Merlin was walking around his room packing for the "surprise trip" Arthur told him they were going on.
"You know he is going after the cup." Kagome said watching him from the doorway. They were about to embark on a dangerous journey into enemy lands. She knew that she would be unable to attend without causing a stir, but she had a bad feeling about being left behind.
"Yeah, I already figure that part." Merlin said glancing up at her briefly before continuing to pack. He wanted to bring his magic book, but if Arthur found it, his secret would be out.
Pulling his bag on his back, he turned to fact the small woman. She was leaning up against the doorframe with her arm hugging her frame like a comforting embrace, but it was the look on her face that caused his heart to stop. She had a very worried look on her face. "It will be alright. I will bring back both the cup and Arthur." He had hoped his smile would cheer her up, like it had in the past, but it did not appear to help her worries.
Standing up she walked over, only stopping a few feet away from him. Hesitantly, she pulled her arm from its position against her body and held out a piece of paper to him. It was a long, narrow piece of paper with strange writing on it.
"It's a talisman." Kagome explained as his took it from her hands. "It will give you some protection."
A wonderful feeling filled his body. She wrote this just for him, not for Arthur, but for him. "Thanks, Kagome." Even though he had the talisman, she still felt like something was going to go wrong and like always, she wore her heart on her sleeve.
"I think Arthur will need it more." Merlin joked. "He is the prince, I am just a nobody." He had hoped that if his smile did not help her fears, then maybe some humor might.
Kagome frowned. He was not just a nobody. He was the only one who understood her. Why could he not see how much me meant to her? "You are not a nobody." Merlin could not help the smile that crossed his face at her words.
"Merlin, are you done yet!?" Arthur's voice called out from somewhere in the castle.
Merlin glanced over Kagome's shoulder. "I will be there shortly!" Turing back to look at the woman he gave her another smile. "Well I better be going." Merlin moved to head out the door only to have Kagome grab his sleeve.
Kagome walked back to her position in front of Merlin. She pulled him down slightly before placing a kiss on his cheek. "Come back safely."
"Merlin!" Arthur shouts breaking Merlin out of his stupor. A blush made its way to his cheeks as he quickly bid her a quiet good bye before running out of the room towards the impatient prince.
