Arthur and Leon stood in the audience chamber, the two guards, Robert and Peter, in front of them, both nervous. Leon had been true to his word and within a few minuets of stating he would get them, he had. Now they stood before the king and his first knight, while over in the corner, at a small desk, Geoffrey sat with quill and parchment at the ready. Arthur stood, walking around the two guards.
"Just so you are aware, this session is being taken down so we can better understand what happened the other night" Arthur explained.
"Yes sire" they both replied. Arthur nodded, indicating they should sit down in the provided chairs. Arthur moved to his seat, and nodded at Leon, who stepped forwards.
"As you may or may not be aware, Merlin was not the only person to be attacked, unfortunately the second victim did not survive" he began. The guards glanced at each other.
"Who else?" asked Peter, looking at Leon.
"That doesn't matter for the moment. Now I need you to both go back over what happened that night, take your time, make sure your as concise as possible" Leon said. The guards nodded, clearing their thoughts.
"It was around, nine fifteen I think" said Robert. "I had just finished my patrol of the lower corridors" he began.
Two nights earlier….
Robert was humming softly to himself, nodding in greeting at the guards on the door to the castle. He'd been on duty for a straight seven hours, and god was he tired. Still, not long until he could sign off for the night and he and Robert could go home. But until then, he had a job to do. He checked into the throne room, situated as it was along his route, checking nothing was out of place. The room was large, empty and silent, and he hated entering it after dark, especially when not even the torches were lit. Of all the rooms in the castle, this one always gave him the creeps. So, as per usual, he made a quick tour of it, before heading back out into the corridor. On the level above him he heard trumpets start up. The beginning of the feast.
"Alright for some" he muttered to himself, as he made his way up the stairs, checking into the kitchen, which was busy, thanks to the feast being held.
"Ello Rob" said the chief cook with a smile, she was a big woman, with a supposed nasty temper, but that was just a façade she put on. She was actually one of the nicest people he'd met.
"Brenda" he greeted with a nod, moving out of the way as a servant moved past.
"see they got you working till all hours as well then" she replied, tossing him an apple, which he caught gratefully. Robert smiled as he bit into it.
"some things never change" he agreed with a laugh. "Anyways, best get going before someone sees me" he said. Brenda smiled at him and he waved as he left the room.
Up on the second floor, it was a lot busier, guards stationed at every opening. Robert nodded to them as he walked past them, then past the banquet hall, where he could hear people talking from within. He paid it no mind however, carrying on with his patrol, somewhere off in the distance he thought he heard pots and dishes clattering to the floor, but that was it, he put it out of his mind, too tired, he reckoned.
He got to the end of the hall, to the little corridor where the spiral staircase was situated that led to up to the next level, passing the Pharmacy as it did so, he paused briefly, there was light coming from around the bend, the Pharmacy door must have been open. Slowly he moved up the steps, just about to go around the corner, when he heard someone call him.
"Rob?" he turned seeing Peter at the bottom of the stairs. He turned and went back down them, looking around, seeing they were alone, he kissed him gently.
"I thought you were meant to be doing the northern part of the castle" Robert whispered.
"I did, not as many room or corridors back there" Peter teased. "What you got left?" he asked.
"Just upstairs now" Robert replied. Peter nodded at him.
"Well be quick and we can get out of here then" Peter said. Robert smiled and turned away, both men freezing at the scream of pain from above them. The two men looked at each other, then bolted up the stairs. The pharmacy door was still open, that much was certain.
"Hello?" called Robert as they approached the door. There was no reply. Slowly they opened the door, looking in.
"Oh my god" said Robert, as the door hit on something. Peter followed his gaze, seeing the kings serving boy, Merlin laying on the floor, a ragged wound in his stomach. Far too much blood on show. Robert dropped to his knees, quickly checking the boy. He looked up at Peter.
"Get the Physician and the king" he said, his voice wavering. Robert paused, his eyes wide.
"Now damn it!" he yelled. Peter nodded as he ran from the room. Robert turned back to Merlin.
"Merlin, can you hear me?" he asked gently. There was no reply, and Robert looked over at the pallet, he considered moving Merlin to it, then thought better of it. He was no physician, let Gaius deal with it.
"And there was nothing out of place?" asked Leon, watching the man as he spoke. Robert shook his head.
"Apart from the broken dishes and the.. blood no" Robert stammered.
"You said you heard crashing, while you were doing your rounds?" asked Arthur. Robert nodded.
"I did, but I thought it was some dishes being dropped, and it was so faint, I didn't think anything of it" he said. Arthur looked at Leon, then nodded for the man to continue.
"Merlin, come on mate" Robert said as he knelt next to the young man. Merlin did not reply, but he did, thankfully, give a hitching breath.
"Good man, stay with me here" he said, aware he was shaking. A moment later the door opened and Gaius ran in, nearly tripping on him.
"What happened?" demanded the physician, his eyes growing angry as he took in his ward's prone form.
"I don't know, I was downstairs with Peter, then we heard a scream. We got here as quick as we could" Peter said. Gaius looked at him, nodding as he knelt down.
"Merlin?" the old man's voice was soft as he probed the wound.
"I didn't know if we should have moved him, I'm sorry" Robert said, Gaius looked at him, even as behind them, Arthur and Gwen ran into the room.
"And that's when you came in sire" said Robert. Arthur and Leon looked at each other.
"And there was no one else there when you found Merlin? You're certain of that?" Leon said. Robert nodded.
"I am" he replied. Arthur stood up and looked over at Peter.
"how long were you waiting for Robert?" he asked. Peter thought for a moment.
"I arrived just after Robert did, that's when I saw him going up the stairs" Peter said.
"and you heard nothing?" asked Leon. Peter shook his head.
"I didn't even hear the crash to be honest, so the first time I was aware something was wrong was the same time as Robert" he admitted. Arthur and Leon looked again at each other.
"Very well, we will have to collaborate your stories, however, so I would request you both remain in the castle for the time being" Arthur said. The two men nodded and stood, then with a bow, left the room. As the doors closed Arthur slumped into his seat.
"Well?" he asked. Leon sighed.
"If the cook and the other guards agree then we have nothing. And I personally assigned Peter to patrol the northen part of the castle" Leon said. "And to be honest, I can't see either of them wishing Merlin any ill will, he's the one who introduced them to each other after all" Leon admitted. Arthur nodded.
"I know" he replied, running a hand through his hair. "And neither had anything to do with Percival as far as I can recall" he added. "Geoffrey?" he asked. The bearded man shook his head.
"Unfortunately sire its not a lot to go on, until we can interview the guards on duty and the cook at any rate" he said. Arthur sighed and nodded.
"Get Brenda up here" he said. Leon bowed and left the room.
He made his way through the castle corridors, down to the kitchens as fast as he could, which were empty.
"Brenda!" he called out. There was a clatter of pots from the side of the room, and she looked out from a large alcove.
"Leon me lad, not often you visit here" she said in greeting. He smiled and nodded at her.
"I'm afraid I need you to come with me, the kings wants to speak to you" he said.
"Is it about poor Merlin?" she asked. "terrible thing that, such a lovely lad he was, even if he did nick a cookie for himself once in a while" she replied, stepping out.
"not just Merlin now" Leon admitted. Brenda's eye went wide.
"Gracious, not another attack?" she asked.
"Yes, unfortunately they didn't survive" he said. Brenda shook her head sadly.
"Who?" she asked.
"one of the knights, come on the king is waiting" he told her. Brenda stopped what she was doing and followed Leon out. In another small alcove the helmeted man stepped out, watching the departing figures. He looked around, then silently picked up a long piece of rope that Brenda used to tie the grain bags closed, before he left the room.
"Robert? Yes, he did come down to me the night of the feast, on his rounds I believe" Brenda said as she sat in front of Arthur. Arthur looked at Leon.
"Did you hear anything out of the ordinary?" Leon asked her. Brenda shook her head.
"No, it was so busy, I didn't have time really to notice anything else" she admitted. "Sorry, I've not been much help" she added. Arthur smiled at her.
"You've been a big help actually" he assured her. Brenda smiled at him, as she was dismissed.
"Well there goes that suspect" said Leon as the door closed. Arthur nodded, breathing into his clenched fist as he thought. Finally he nodded.
"Draw up a list of everyone in the castle that night, I refuse to believe no one saw anything" he said. "Have it ready for morning" he added. Leon nodded and left the room. Arthur turned to Geoffrey.
"Thank you, I'm afraid we'll more than likely need you a lot over the coming days" Arthur said.
"Not at all sire, but If I might suggest, you try to get some sleep, you look tired" he said. Arthur smiled as the man wrapped up his parchments.
"I will" he promised.
Gwen looked up from the desk as Arthur walked in the room, nodding to Elyan, who bowed, clasped his sisters shoulder gently and left the room.
"Anything?" asked Gwen as Arthur walked to the bed, sitting down on it. She sighed as he pulled his boots off, and shook his head.
"something will have to turn up, sooner or later" she said.
"Hopefully sooner" Arthur grumbled. "Any news on Merlin?" he asked. It was Gwen's turn to shake her head.
"I stopped by the pharmacy earlier, he was still resting, but at least had some colour back in his cheeks" she said.
"How were Gaius and Gwaine?" Gwen smiled slightly.
"I was surprised I didn't find them at each other's throat. Gwaine is helping Gaius to see if he can track down the weapon that was used" she said. "I think it was more to keep Gwaine busy than anything else" she admitted. Arthur nodded in understanding.
"Merlin was good to him, to all of us" he admitted. Gwen sat down next to him, taking his hand softly.
"Will find out who's behind this Arthur. I swear" she said softly. He squeezed her hand softly.
"I know" he replied. "and so far, Merlin will be the only one able to tell us" he said.
Leon returned to his room, removing his armour, before pouring himself a goblet of water. He moved to his desk, sitting down behind it, taking up parchment and quill, the sun was setting outside as darkness approached, and he got to work listing various names. He yawned slightly, rubbing his eyes, taking another sip of water. Coughing as he did so, his eyes were becoming more blurred as the seconds past. He gripped the table, hoisting himself up, something was really wrong here. He looked around, then back at the water he'd been drinking. He knew the effects when people had been drugged.
"Guards" he called out, well tried to, but nothing came forth except a small wheeze. Panicked, he moved around the table, gripping it, doubling over as his head swam, making him feel nauseous. The feeling slowly subsided, and slowly he looked up, feeling weaker then he ever had, seeing someone standing there through his blurred vision. He moved to go for the bed, where his sword rest, but the person gripped his arm tightly. He struggled, through his drugged induced weakness, punching out, hitting nothing, as the figure stepped back, letting him fall to his knees as the momentum took him to the floor. The figure moved behind him, Leon looking up, trying to call out again, then he felt something slide around his neck, a rope. He gasped as he clawed at it, feeling it going tighter and tighter, a moment later he was roughly pulled to his feet, still gripping at the rope that held him, his vision dancing as his body demanded and did not receive the oxygen it craved. Still however he struggled, even as the rope became tighter and tighter. He was yanked back, the attacker grabbing him easily.
"Three" it whispered at him, and then, gripping Leon's head gave a savage twist. There was a horrid snap as his neck broke, the figure letting him fall to the floor slowly. The helmeted figure regarded him coldly, then dropped a piece of parchment on the floor next to him, before leaving the room by the small servants door. Leon's wide, unseeing eye's watching as his killer left the scene.