Possessed Chapter 12

Arthur groaned, rubbing his head clumsily. Once his eyes had focused he pulled himself onto his feet. Gaius was already up at his study table flicking through a tall pile of books. He glanced up from the worn pages to Arthur.

"How are you feeling Sire?"

Arthur ran his fingers through his hair, and replied,

"Still in one piece... I think..." He then realised something,

"How did he get over here? His leg was still too brittle to use, not to say the amount of pain that came with it..."

Gaius sighed,

"Caddoc was a very powerful sorcerer. With the amount of time he's been within Merlin, his magic must have regained some of its power; just enough to cast a healing spell it seems."

Arthur nodded as it became clear to him.

"What are we going to do? How can we stop him?" Questioned Arthur urgently, it had just occurred to him the Merlin was currently walking around the castle.

"Well the only way I've found so far is to kill the host. I'm trying to find another way though." Murmured Gaius.

It was obvious Arthur was getting distressed, so Gaius moved away from his study table and began mixing herbs. Arthur watched he didn't dare break the older man's concentration. Finally Gaius picked up a thin piece of wood, he put the sharp tip of the wood into the potion he'd just brewed. It was not very pleasant looking to say the least. It was the colour of sick, with bits of green herb mixed into it, also it was extremely watery. Arthur looked at it in the same way he regarded rat stew; this made the old man chuckle. After a short time Gaius removed the wood from its grim bath and handed it carefully to Arthur.

He began explaining what to do with it,

" Find yourself a small crossbow, make sure it's a weak one and shoot into Merlin's body as long as it's not the boy's head or neck. The potion will weaken him, to the point were only essential actions are possible, such as breathing. This will slow Caddoc down and make him easier to contain."

Arthur nodded, taking the thin wood and carefully sliding it into his belt, and left in search of his poor manservant.

Caddoc breathed in the cold night's air, it was good to be home. The havoc he would create once he had taken care of the Pendragons, it sent shivers of excitement down his spine.

How could you be so cruel and twisted? Came Merlin's weak voice from his subconscious.

"How could you not? Stop playing hero, soon you will be a part of my glorious return and the havoc I will wreak on these people." He cackled in answer. Caddoc then proceeded to take a black cloak he had acquired on his way out of Gaius' chambers and clipped it on, pulling off Merlin's neckerchief.

"Much better." He sighed and continued on his way to the King's quarters. There was an increasing amount of guards as he got closer, but this fooled Caddoc into thinking he was going the right way; he was not. He quietly slipped into the room that had been heavily guarded and approached the bed, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Morgana; the King's ward. Caddoc stood there deciding what to do, she could be his toy for when takes the throne. But then again, it was more fun to just kill her. Then he noticed something as he hung the dagger of Morgana's sleeping form. Merlin wasn't trying to stop him, he wasn't pleading him to spare her or doing any of his irritating antics.

So he decided to check if he's faded or not before killing her, he wanted Merlin to witness her death,

"Merrrlin? You still there? Are you mad with me? Please talk to me, I'm ever so lonely here just waiting to kill the Lady Morgana!" He cackled to himself quietly anticipating Merlin's reply.

I don't care anymore... Came a faint and weak response.

Awww.. Poor ickle Merwin had enough? Does he want his body wody back? Caddoc thought back trying to taunt Merlin further. But there was no response, Caddoc shrugged and returned to his current murder. Morgana's eyes flashed open, then gold as she threw Merlin into the wall.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed.

Arthur had heard Morgana and raced towards her chambers, Merlin stumbled out the door his eyes filled with rage from being humiliated. He aimed at Merlin, but, his finger trembled around the trigger as he aimed his manservant. Caddoc grinned, which came out as one of Merlin's bright goofy grins.

"Why can't you just go away?" Protested Arthur angrily.

Caddoc still grinning replied

"Who me? Your poor little weak Merlin?"

"YOUR NOT MERLIN!" Shouted Arthur in rage, aiming the crossbow once more.

"So shoot." Came the confident, cocky reply. But Arthur couldn't, he lowered his weapon.

"Your so weak." Sneered Caddoc, and strutted off down the corridor.

Arthur groaned he was so full of emotions, but he swallowed them down and followed Merlin.

Caddoc headed for the forest, he'd had enough of the Prince's little games he would hide out until he was back to his full strength then wipe these so called Monarchs off his land. Arthur lost Merlin and groaned in frustration. After walking around the citadel and the lower town for a couple of hours he gave up and returned to Gaius' chambers feeling completely useless.

Gaius raised an eyebrow as Arthur entered his chambers once and immediately walked over to the young Prince.

"Sire? What happened?" Gaius asked gently.

Arthur gazed at the floor and replied simply,

"I couldn't do it."

He then hit his leg in frustration. Gaius sighed putting his hand on Arthur's shoulder.

"It's completely natural. You can't shoot Merlin because he's one of us, he's done nothing negative towards you. He's your friend."

Arthur dragged his head up to look at Gaius,

"He's my Manservant. And it made me look weak." He stated.

Gaius rolled his eyes and replied trying his luck,

"Of course Sire ."

Arthur caught on that Gaius didn't believe it for a second, and to be honest he didn't believe it either.

Morgana stood in her chambers, breathing deeply. What was wrong with Merlin? That she couldn't answer, but she knew the answer on how to put an end to things. She smirked, walking over to her bed she pulled off the top blanket she wrapped it around herself and headed to the King's chambers. She knocked on the door allowing tears to run freely down her cheeks, and entered the room. Uther pulled himself up in a sitting position, blinking wearily.

"Morgana my dear child. What's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she approached the bed.

"I...I was attacked...In m... my chambers." She sniffled.

"Did you see the attacker's face?" Growled Uther embracing Morgana tightly.

"Yes, it... It was... Arthur's servant...Mer... Merlin." Morgana then began to cry again once more, knowing now that Merlin's head would be on the chopping block for sure.

Uther got up and called a meeting in the Throne room.

Gwen knocked on Gaius' door, and pushed it open.

"Gaius?" She called.

Arthur and Gaius came into view, she curtsied. Arthur walked over to her and rested a hand on Gwen's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He questioned her with deep concern. She nodded and replied,

"What's wrong with Merlin? Why did he attack Morgana?"

Arthur's eyes widened, his heart lurched and turned, he'd forgotten about that.

Gaius sighed and replied seeing the Prince wasn't going to answer her,

"He's being possessed by a spirit named Caddoc."

"The King's holding a meeting in the Throne room." She added hastily.

Gaius and Arthur looked at each other in horror, the three then rushed to the Throne room.

Uther was glad that his son and Gaius had turned up. He then ordered his knights and Arthur to kill Merlin on sight and that they weren't to rest until they had done so. Arthur tried to reason with his father but the pleas fell on deaf ears. The court was then dismissed, Gwen, Arthur and Gaius went back to the Physician's chambers.

"We have to find Merlin before they do." Cried Gwen.

"I agree, but how do we stop Caddoc without hurting Merlin?" replied Arthur.

Gaius remained silent for a few moments making the atmosphere around them uncomfortable, finally after the long pause he spoke,

"Perhaps, if we remove the pendant, the link between Caddoc and Merlin will be broken."

Arthur nodded, this made sense. He turned and headed for the door.

"Arthur! We don't know if it'll work!" Protested Gaius.

Arthur turned and replied softly,

"We're running out of time. I trained those men who are out after Merlin, it won't be long until they find him. And only one side is going to come back alive, I don't want to lose Merlin and I don't want to lose my men. This was my fault. I left the pendant with Merlin." With that Arthur left the room.

Caddoc sighed pacing the ground impatiently, he needed some test subjects. Merlin had become to weak to stop Caddoc tapping into his magic. Caddoc had never felt so powerful.

"I feel like a God! No... I AM A GOD!" He shouted ecstatically.

"So much power, so sweet." He cackled.

Please... Came Merlin's weak protest, he was fading, soon he would be nothing but a memory.

"I'm sorry, what?" Chuckled Caddoc to the voice in his head.

"Your sounding a little... Feeble." He added cheerfully.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE IN THE NAME OF THE KING!" Shouted one of the Knights.

Aha, test subjects thought Caddoc with a twisted smile.

"Lets have some fun!" He murmured.