Chapter 4

He wrenched open the door to the pharmacy before shutting it securely behind him. Closing his eyes he leaned against it breathing heavily. Gaius looked up from his parchment with a look of befuddlement.

"Merlin, what-"

Merlin held up a hand. "I just saw Sir Valiant's snakes on his shield come alive. He's using magic."

Gaius frowned. "Are you sure?"

"The snake ate a mouse...in one swallow...straight down." Merlin said between breaths. At Gaius' suspicion he pointed at the comatose knight. "He was fighting Sir Valiant when he collapsed, he was right underneath the bastard's shield, no one could have saw! It must have been one of the snakes from the shield."

Merlin looked at the bedridden knight and stiffened. "I have to tell Arthur."

Gaius stood up, frowning. "Is there any chance you might have been mistaken?"

"I know magic when I see it." Merlin said already heading towards the door.

"Perhaps. But have you any proof?"

That stopped him in his tracks. He turned around.

"Don't you believe me?" Asked Merlin, his voice strained with irritation.

"I fear you'll land yourself in trouble." Gaius said. Merlin narrowed his eyes.

"You don't believe me?"

"Whether I do or not is irrelevant." Gaius said waving him off. "How will you explain why you were in Valiant's chamber?"

"Does it matter? He's using magic to cheat in the tournament!"

"But you can't go around accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The king would never take the words of a servant over the word of a knight!"

"Oh so my words don't count for anything?" Merlin said, anger coloring his words.

"I'm afraid they don't." Gaius said. "It counts for very little as far as the King is concerned and that's the way it is."

Merlin stared at the hardened eyes of his uncle and sighed.

"So what am I supposed to do then? Mind my own business, and wait for Arthur to be killed?"

Gaius pinched the bridge of his nose. "I do not know what to say Merlin."

The sorcerer looked scathingly at his uncle. At his silence, Merlin turned and stormed into his room.

Merlin watched with Arthur as Sir Valiant felled yet another knight moving him into the finals. He observed the prince in the corner of his eye, and saw Arthur clenching his jaw. Merlin ignored the roar of the crowds and focused on the cheating knight that was going to fight Arthur tomorrow. The proof was staring him in the face, and he wished that the king could just simply see what he saw. His eyes wandered to the chest full of gold and he clenched his fists.

He would get that gold, and he would get that shield.

Merlin went home straightway depositing Arthur's armor in his room and immediately grabbed his spell book. Gaius was off making deliveries to some of the other knights for headaches and bleeding and the like, so the house was quiet. Just what Merlin needed. The sorcerer opened up the book, flipping through page after page, hoping something would jump out at him. His eyes widened as his wish was granted.

Transfiguration

The concept wasn't too difficult to grasp. According to the book, magic couldn't transform items too drastically, as though that would be breaking the rules of nature. However, although magic couldn't strictly break the rules, it could bend them. In order to change something into a metal-likeness, the object had to be a metal itself. However, with this spell book, there were only low-level transfiguration spells- which he suspected Gaius was responsible for- and thus the items transfigured could only retain their shape for a few days before it reverting to its original form. Merlin nodded; he could work with that.

After practicing the incantation a few times, Merlin set the book down, frowning in contemplation. If he got caught, then the consequences would be none other but death. But how could he not do anything? The dragon had insisted that his destiny was intertwined with Arthur's. And even if he didn't like the prat, letting him die would mess up his own 'destiny.' Merlin sighed.

"Destiny blows."

The castle really needs better security

Merlin thought to himself as he sneaked in the castle once more. It was market-talk that the knights, or the able ones anyway, were gathered down at the king's table. The rumor mill was wild, but Merlin surmised that they were just simply celebrating and being all around wealthy pricks.

The castle halls were empty save for the occasional servant, who Merlin shooed off claiming to be on official business, or a guard on his rounds, who Merlin would then distract with a well-placed bang. He kept to the shadows, feeling a bit giddy. The royal table was just around the corner, so Merlin crept along the wall silently.

Sure enough sounds of merriment reached his ears. There were the clinking of no doubt expensive goblets and the rancorous laughter of the knights. Peering around the corner, Merlin saw quite a few knights dressed in casual apparel. He fought the urge to laugh aloud, this would go easier than he planned! As he was turning around to go find the shield, the King voice stopped him in his tracks.

"So Valiant, do you think you stand a chance at defeating my son?"

Merlin fought with himself for a bit, before gritting his teeth and turned around, damning his curiosity. The King was looking over his goblet at the addressed knight who smiled back mysteriously. Merlin wanted to punch him. Chancing a glance at Arthur, Merlin saw Arthur wasn't to far from the notion.

"Well, he is a great warrior, milord." Valiant said. He grabbed his wine goblet and smirked. "I do hope to be a worthy opponent."

The King looked at him for a moment then inclined his head.

"You should stay in Camelot after the tournament." Arthur stiffened. Merlin stiffled a chuckle. I wonder if he'll feel the same way if Valiant kills his son.

"Camelot could use more knights like you."

"I'd be honored, milord." Merlin rolled his eyes. Unable to stomach anymore, he turned on his heel and headed toward Valiant's chamber.

Checking the halls, Merlin came up to the door. Looking around once more, Merlin whispered.

"Allinan"

A sliver of magic pushed the heavy bolt aside and Merlin smiled. He pushed the door open, looking around carefully for any traps. But the room looked back at him innocently and he hurriedly searched the room for the shield. He needn't look far, for it was staring him in the face. It was propped up on the chair adjacent from a writing desk.

Carefully Merlin approached the now silent shield. Not taking his eyes off the thing, Merlin reached to the right were he had saw some swords in their sheaths. As though sensing his intentions, the shield twitched agitatedly, hisses filling the air. Taking a deep shuddering breath, Merlin turned around trying to look as defenseless as possible trying to bait it.

The hissing reached an almost irritating tone before Merlin saw a rising shadow behind him.

Just a little bit more...

He didn't know when Valiant and the other knights would be dismissing that night, and he knew that he only had one shot at this. The snake rose slowly. Merlin watched as the shadow got taller and taller. A loud hiss, and Merlin sliced off the snakes head, hearing it separate with a sickening squelch. Merlin wasted no time, He dropped the sword cringing as it clanged sharply on the floor, grabbed the throw he had nicked from off a royal divan and threw it over the shield.

Merlin grabbed the severed snake head in one hand and tucked the covered shield under the same arm. He whispered the locating spell and crept out of the room. Hearing nothing but faint laughter down the hall, Merlin smirked and followed the tug on his magic.

Blood pounded loudly in his ears, and he had to smother his laughter. Adrenaline rushed through his blood, making him high on the thrill. The pull on his magic led him steadily, and he followed obediently, like a marionette. At first, he couldn't recognize the many twists and turns the spell led him through. But he was grateful that it wasn't in the direction of the dining knights and King. Many times he had to duck behind a statue, or sweet talk a maidservant, but the trek was largely uninterrupted. His magic buzzed, and Merlin smirked; he was getting closer.

His magic led him to a closed room with two guards stationed sentential about it. One of them moved stiffly, his hands grasping the spear tight and methodical, his steps quick and efficient. The other happened to be rather gangly. Something just appeared awkward about him, and Merlin wondered if he was new. Merlin looked around for a distraction, but the hall was mostly empty, Merlin himself hiding behind an adjacent wall. He shrugged.

Focusing deeply, Merlin concentrated. A heavy force to the neck dropped the two knights. Releasing a breath Merlin bounded from behind the wall and hissed the unlocking spell. The door creaked open on old hinges and Merlin grit his teeth as it creaked noisily.

There it was, the chest, illuminated only by torch light. Merlin exhaled and grinned. He set down the shield carefully and uncovered it. It was deathly silent, and Merlin watched it cautiously. Keeping a safe distance away, Merlin then turned his attention on the chest. It was locked. Merlin felt deliriously glad for his magic as he whispered that ever useful unlocking charm.

The chest sprang open and the gold glimmered in the torch light. It was beautiful. Smiling softly, Merlin took the cover and started to unload the trunk full of gold. There was so much of it, and Merlin felt a curl of greed in his stomach. The firelight glinted off his canines.

It took a few minutes to move the gold onto the cover-he cursed himself half-way through for not just levitating the mass on there. He turned to the shield and smiled.

Two birds with one stone.

Grabbing the shield, face down of course, he placed it into the chest. He whispered the incantation and gasped in the force of magic that came out of him. He watched in awe as it turned into exactly 1000 gold pieces.

Groans coming from the entrance shook him out of his stare. Quickly he closed the lid, hearing it lock back into place. Then he wrapped up the blanket around the gold and tugged.

And tugged...

And tugged.

Oh no...

The gold was too heavy, and he couldn't hope to move it all by himself. He swore to himself as the noises outside grew particularly extensive. Biting his lip, Merlin looked towards the gold on the ground to the commotion outside furtively. What was he going to do?

If only I could make it lighter! Why does gold have to be so-

He nearly whooped in glee. Gold was heavy, but copper weighed half as much. Merlin cast the spell, and watched the shimmering gold turned to the dull of copper. Giggling to himself, Merlin threw the snake head on the pile of metal. Grabbing the lighter load, Merlin hurried out of the door not bothering to lock it back. He saw one of the guards sitting up an he gave him a vicious kick to the side.

The man keeled over with a grunt and Merlin took off like a bat out of hell.

Hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it! Expect the next update on Friday!

And remember to: REEEEEEEEEVIEW!