CHAPTER FIVE

Merlin couldn't sleep the night they had found the symbols of the old religion on that bracelet. To think that Guinevere had been wearing it was worrying. Why would Guinevere need something magical from Morgana? Unless it was for evil...

Merlin shot out of bed and rested against his bedroom wall. Surely Guinevere wasn't evil! He massaged his temples to help himself think. Then he soon remembered that Lancelot had given the bracelet to Guinevere as a gift. Merlin and Gaius both knew that it was a fake Lancelot who was serving Morgana. Merlin yawned and paced up and down his room. He knew he needed to sort this out but he couldn't think while he was so tired.

There was only one thing he could do. Merlin left his bedroom in search of the bracelet. He carefully crept past the snoring Gaius laid across the bench with a blue blanket briefly covering him. He made no sound as he lifted up various objects to find the bracelet. Through the corner of his eye he saw something shining and glistening. Slowly he spun around and became face to face with the bracelet which was in Gaius' grasp.

Merlin let out a quiet moan and he knelt down next to Gaius, his eyes fixed on his target. He felt like a predator after his prey when he reached forward to snatch the bracelet. At that very moment Gaius snored loudly and shuffled over on the bench. His arm was now hanging down with his fingers briefly clutching the bracelet.

The young warlock smiled as he dived in to gently take the bracelet. He succeeded and as soon as he did, he jumped to his feet and slipped away back to his bedroom. In his bed he lit a candle and studied the bracelet with his sharp eyes. His fingers traced the symbols printed on the side. This bracelet could not be destroyed so easily, Merlin had already tried that without knowing he was dealing with serious magic. This bracelet had been enchanted and he intended to find out why.

Guinevere had always had feelings for Lancelot, even Arthur knew. But the whole of Camelot was shocked when she did what she did. It was not like Gwen to do that, she loved Arthur more than Lancelot and she was soon to be his wife. She would only do it if she was encha-

Merlin's eyes widened and he sat up almost immediately. That was it! Morgana had enchanted the bracelet to make Guinevere become attracted to Lancelot. Merlin felt quite proud of himself, but he also felt very distraught. Guinevere had been executed for something she had no control over. If Merlin told Arthur, there was no doubt that he would feel ashamed. But maybe this was stopping Guinevere from crossing over. She needed to find peace in this world in order to move to the next.

Merlin let out a helpless sigh. It would be heard to say it to Arthur and it would be even harder to get him to believe it. If anyone could convince Arthur, it was Gaius. Gaius had been a trusted ally of Camelot for as long as Arthur could remember. He was like an uncle to Arthur and the young King listens and considers his ideas.

The following morning, Merlin was much wiser and waited until Gaius woke up instead of jumping on him like before.

'Gaius,' Merlin addressed him and Gaius looked up from cauldron, 'I think I've solved the mystery of the bracelet.'

Gaius went back to stirring whatever was in his cauldron.

'The mystery had already been solved, Merlin. We knew that Morgana had it placed on Guinevere for something evil but the only question is 'why?'' He explained with his gaze lowered.

'Well I know why,' replied Merlin in an almost mocking way.

Gaius looked up from his cauldron and waited to hear the young warlock's answer.

'We know that Lancelot gave the bracelet to Guinevere as a present,' began Merlin as he began to pace up and down. 'And we also know that Lancelot was a fake and was working for Morgana. I think that Morgana enchanted the bracelet with a spell to make Gwen become attracted to Lancelot. Lancelot gave the bracelet to Gwen and she wore it until she arrived in the prison cell. I don't know why she took it off, she probably was angry with him.'

There was a moment of silence before one of them opened their mouth to speak.

'That is probably correct,' commented Gaius with a slight nod of his head. 'But how will Arthur believe the truth?'

'Now that is when you come in!' Merlin exclaimed with a smile printed on his face. Gaius raised one eye brow. 'Arthur will believe you when you show him the bracelet with the old religion symbols. Then you can make up something like this bracelet was forged in the love enchantment fire...!'

'I am not lying to the king, Merlin.'

'We lie every day, Gaius! I do magic and you protect me, what we are doing is against the law.'

'But still, I shall not. I will tell the absolute truth which is what we know. He probably has seen Guinevere wearing the bracelet and we can prove it was Morgana's work when we show him the symbols of the old religion.'

'Fine ok, I suppose that can work.'

'It will work, and I'm quite shocked that you would lie to Arthur for no reason.'

'Sorry, I was just thinking of ways for him to believe us.'

Gaius nodded to show that he understood, then he walked over to Merlin and took the bracelet from him.

'We'll go to the King in the evening,' he said before going back to stirring the cauldron.