Merlin you've got poo on your face
Chapter 8
At this point it was a stare down. The room was silent for what seemed minuets but was only seconds. The quivering book under Gaius' hand, Elyan watching, waiting for one of them to break.
It was Merlin who broke first; he broke down into tears, falling to his knees Arthur holding his wrist. He was crying hard and so Arthur slowly let go and turned to Gaius and Elyan who in turn looked at him, all lost for words.
The book that Gaius was hiding stopped its moving and he silently breathed a sigh of relief, this was good, Merlin would stop fighting and take the vial.
"What would happen if he took it and nothing was wrong with him?" Arthur asked Gaius.
"Well, nothing, he would remain himself, unchanged."
"There you have it Merlin see don't cry. All you have to do is take it and either way you'll be fine." Arthur said in a soft voice. Clearly Merlin was not himself crying so openly, he was genuinely upset, this was all ridiculous!
Merlin did end up taking the antidote sniffles and all and wiped his eyes and nose on his tunic sleeve.
"There all done."Arthur gave him an awkward pat on his shoulder.
"You remember that project I was putting you in charge of?
"The library?"
"That's the one. I want you, after you finally finish with the laundry, to start on that. Today is as good as any to start, besides its going to take months to get that place back together."
Arthur forced a smile, because this was what he thought Merlin needed, a distraction, something to occupy his time until the stuff took affect.
The rest of the day was proving to be a good one, Merlin had taken the Vial and the council thought it was interrupted was productive; also the renovations of the library were under way. This was all good in Arthur's book. Gwen however was not satisfied. She had heard how Merlin was chased by several guards thru the castle and held captive in his chambers. Well… this was how her lady in waiting told the story. She only heard the tale when it was closer to dinner time and she was on her way to meet Arthur.
"When was anyone going to tell me about Merlin?" She asked annoyance in her voice.
"I'm sorry I was busy with other affairs today." Was her husband's excuse.
"I suppose you where…"
There was a knock on the door and in came Merlin with dinner.
"I thought I had another servant assigned to serve as you are going to be busy with the Library for a while?" Asked Arthur confused.
"You have Merlin cleaning the Library?! This isn't another of your cruel and unusual punishments for interrupting Council is it?" Gwen asked staring Arthur down arms crossed.
"Absolutely not, Arthur has made me overseer of the whole cleaning project." Merlin sounded distressed; he didn't want to cause trouble between the two of them."
"Yes and as overseer why are you here serving us dinner?" Arthur getting right back to his question.
"We'll to be honest I am very grateful for my new temporary position, but It means I really won't see either of you at all… I-I was wondering if it was because you don't want to see me for a while.
"Of course not Merlin, we love you and would never wish you from our presence!" Gwen exclaimed; crossing the room to embrace her longtime friend who clearly wasn't himself.
He had already set the tray on the table and stood wringing his hands, and there was a slight sweat on his brow; he was getting worse, they could the both of them see it in is insecurities'.
"Alright Merlin, just don't overdo it, Gaius will poison me if anything happens to you." Arthur said with a lopsided smile, yes Gaius the man who had found a son in Merlin. Now if only that stuff would work and "fix" him.
"Well I'll just go and get the fire going it is a bit chilly tonight?'
"Alright." Gwen said releasing him from her embrace. It was funny; there were only three men in all of Camelot he didn't mind his wife giving hugs to. Elyan her brother, Merlin and Him of course, but it was only a few days ago that he would have forbade it, a few days and it seemed so long ago.
Gwen and Arthur sat down to dinner while Merlin worked on the fire, he felt more than a little weak and shaky, it had been progressively getting worse since late afternoon. He dropped a log and it made a loud clatter.
He heard Arthur mumble something about "At least he's still as clumsy as ever." to Gwen.
Now if he could just focus enough to get the fire built and maybe get some rest that would do him some good he must have just been exposed to too much dust and cobwebs in the library.
He bent over to pick up the smallish log from the floor and suddenly wished he hadn't. Within seconds his mouth began to water and his stomach felt extremely sour.
Arthur and Gwen heard several logs hit the stone floor loudly and rushed foot stops and only looked in Merlin's direction soon enough to see him on all fours vomiting into Arthur's chamber pot.
His body seemed to be getting colder with every heave and he couldn't stop shaking, this was bad, not only disgusting but bad! He had ruined their dinner for sure.
Gwen was the first by his side rubbing his back.
"It's all right Merlin Arthur is sending for Gaius."
He nodded his head weakly, not trusting himself to speak, his body wanted to vomit but all he had where dry heaves left.
"Gwen I- I think I may pass out… I- I –I can't see-"and that's when he tried to stand but stumbled backwards thankfully not knocking over the chamber pot and passing out.
