The Prince wanted to assure the Knight that he was fine but from the look on Leon's face he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Silently Arthur went with him all the way to Gaius's chambers. Once there Gaius had said he'd take it from there and then Leon had spoken up, telling Arthur that he would go look for the sorcerer who had made the mess, and then he was gone.
"Sorcerer? What happened? Where is Merlin," demanded Gaius as he examined Arthur. Seeing nothing wrong with the Prince, he went and filled a bowl with cool water. Grabbing a clean cloth, he began to wipe the dust away. "Did Merlin do this?"
Slowly Arthur sighed once more and then nodded his head. "He saved my life. A beam…came loose from the ceiling. Merlin caused it to disintegrate before it hit me. Gaius…did you know that he had magic?"
It was then that Arthur looked the older man in the eyes, silently demanding the truth from him. Even though Gaius was a close friend of the Pendragon family as well as the town's court physician, Arthur still knew the penalty for keeping something like Merlin having magic a secret from the King.
"Merlin likes to do that – save people's life," remarked Gaius. "He can't help it. You're lucky that it didn't squish you. If Merlin hadn't been there, we wouldn't be having this discussion." The elderly man placed the book down. Lacing his fingers together, he stared back at Arthur.
Gaius sighed as he put the bowl down and went to close the door. "Sire, where is Merlin? He needs to get back here now. He's direly ill. I had thought it odd that he appeared to become well without the aid of the antidote. I found in my reading why this is so," Gaius said.
Arthur remained silent for a few more moments, allowing the physician to check him over.
"Merlin's gone, Gaius." He said. The Prince flinched a little when he felt cool water against his skin as Gaius began to clean the sawdust off.
"Gone. He's not dead is he," snapped the physician. His brow was furrowed and his hand shook a little bit as he holds the book. He can't imagine life without the young man, even though the warlock had been in Camelot for a few minutes. Merlin's death was something that he put under unthinkable. Gaius did not want to hear that his ward had died nor did he want to see the boy pass from this world, at least not until he was gray haired and ancient. The young man was too kind and good natured to surmise to mortality, but the physician knew that very well could happen especially because he hadn't got the antidote.
"No he's not dead Gaius at least as far as I know. Though..." Arthur shook his head, unable to finish the sentence. He had been about to say that he wished Merlin was dead but he couldn't bring himself to utter something like that.
The elderly man's shoulders sagged with relief when he heard the news. "Oh, thank the gods," breathed Gaius as he sighed. "He doesn't deserve death. Merlin's done nothing wrong. All he's tried to do is be of some use and extend a helpful hand to those who need it."
When the crowned Prince said "Though", Gaius frowned. His thick, white eyebrows furrowed down so that they were touching the bridge of his nose. "What do you mean by [i]though[\i]?" he demanded. "Arthur, tell me...sire."
"You are not going to like this and if your father hears word, he'll bound to kill Merlin and myself. Oh, Merlin is not going to be happy about it, he said. The last sentence was to himself. "You see…he's special. He was born with a gift…with magic. I've been helping him control it better, but he never learned a spell until coming to Camelot. "
Gaius handed him the book. Pointing to the passage, the physician said, "Read this. However, it basically states that those with magic have a higher resistance to the poison, but after it wears down the system it affects the person with twice the potency. The victim is said to die on the third day of consumption, instead of six, which is three days sooner than a non-magical person."
With a slight jerk of the head, Gaius nodded. "I did, sire," replied the man. "I knew since he came here. Merlin saved my life in fact. I was up there and the banister broke. I would've fallen to my death if he hadn't moved the bed to cushion my fall." He nodded upwards to where the shabbily fixed handrail was.
After asking if Gaius knew Merlin had magic, the Prince felt his heart break even further when the physician revealed that he did know. Slowly Arthur looked up, noticing the shabby repair work. Funny he had never noticed it before now.
"I advised him not to use his magic. I did not want to see him beheaded for what he is and for what he couldn't help. He was born with magic, Arthur. He didn't learn it," Gaius said. "I had to keep his secret, besides if was not mine to tell. I understand that you have to tell Uther, but please reconsider. Merlin meant no harm. All he has done since he got here was try to protect you."
Uther! If the King found out his own son kept this kind of information from him...the Prince didn't even want to consider what the consequence would be. "Magic is magic, Gaius. Whether one is born with it or not. You say Merlin meant no harm and that all he has done is protect me. That may be true now, but what about in the future? Sorcerers and people of magic are dangerous Gaius. They...they need to be destroyed for all our sakes." Arthur said.
"Merlin had been meaning to repair it better than he had, but he hasn't had much time in the last few months. I also kind of forbade him from using the tools. That clumsy fool nearly cut his fingers off while doing the repair that's there," explained Gaius. "I also hid the tools in case he didn't feel like listening to me." With a certain, fatherly fondness, the elderly physician chuckled and shook his head.
"Merlin has no desire of using his magic for malice, sire. Yes, I know not all magic are of pure heart, but think of Merlin? Could you honestly see him trying to take control of a little village, much less Camelot? There are exceptions to the rule," Gaius said. "Merlin is that exception. The Druids are, as well. I myself am an exception. I used to practice magic, but with the purge I was given a choice... Death or abdicating my magic. I, of course, chose the latter."
Her crossed his arms over his chest. "Merlin is not dangerous Arthur. Think about what he has done to help you and the others. Think of how he risked his neck for you. Merlin is still the same person you knew. He is just attended hearted and clumsy as he appeared. If Merlin was destroyed, it would be a detriment to this world. A light of goodness would be snuffed out, never to return."
Gaius mentioned that Merlin had saved his life on several occasions and honestly the Prince could only think of two instances. The day he had pushed him out of the way of that dagger thrown by Lady Helen only she wasn't Lady Helen, and then this very day when Merlin had taken care of the beam.
"If I may be honest with you, sire, Merlin has had his hands full protecting you and Camelot. Do you recall Sir Valiant? It was Merlin who revealed the snakes. When Gwen's father was ill, it truly was Merlin who cured him. He also figured out what was poisoning the water," Gaius explained. "And I think he might've tried to help you when you went for the flower. Oddly enough, he was whispering your name and as he did, a blue orb appeared in his hand. After a few moments, it was gone."
The physician was right of course, Arthur really couldn't see the warlock running a village, but it didn't matter. What mattered was the rules; his father's rules. Uther had to be told. He was the King; his job was to make sure Camelot was safe. "Gaius, I don't want to see Merlin hurt any more than you do; I really don't, but he dug his own grave. He kept his magic a secret and while that saved his neck for a while it eventually became his undoing. I have to tell the King, no matter how much it pains me to do so." Arthur said.
He bit his lip, not really believing his own words. He didn't want the warlock hurt, but Merlin had crossed the line in revealing his magic. Arthur then began to wonder what he would have done if Merlin had come to him and told him he had magic. Would he have turned the boy in or would he have just told the young man to keep it to himself? The Prince wanted to believe that he would have told Merlin to keep it to himself, but honestly he didn't know what he would have done.
"You don't tell your father," Gaius said. "He's gone now and he won't last very long. Merlin never got the antidote."
He old man frowned. "What else was he going to do but hide his magic? He couldn't exactly broadcast his abilities," Gaius grumbled. "Are you just mad that your servant kept a secret or do you honestly believe what you're doing is the right thing? What would you've done if he'd said to you the first day he was here, 'Arthur, I was born with magic'?"
Gaius straightened his robes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Arthur, has always been afraid. He thought he was a monster! He was thrown from his village for what he was," Gaius continued. "He was afraid of what you would do, but he wanted you to see that magic wasn't always bad…that he wasn't bad. But you reacted the way he feared you might! You betrayed your friend."
Did Gaius really just tell the Prince of Camelot that he couldn't go to his father? Really?! Uther had given the doctor a lot of leeway and Arthur had literally known the man since he was a tiny baby, but he had never gone so far as to basically tell him that he couldn't go to his father.
He also didn't appreciate what Gaius had said. He had betrayed Merlin?! Excuse me but how had he betrayed him?! Arthur could have let the guards taken Merlin to the dungeons when the boy had revealed his magic, but instead he had told the boy to run. How was that betraying Merlin?!
Reaching out a hand Arthur did something he thought he would never do; he slapped Gaius across his right cheek. "Watch your tongue physician, you go too far. And what do you mean Merlin never got the antidote? He was getting better!" Arthur shot back. He knew he had withheld the flower even after getting it but after seeing that the warlock was on the mend, the Prince had disposed of the flower.
Gaius stood there, still as a statue. He didn't react to the slap except for the blink. "I am trying to spare you unneeded heartache. You are angry at Merlin. You are hurt by his decision to hide a part of him…a part he could not help but to have for he was born with it and to remove it from him would be a crime against nature and a fate worse than death," Gaius replied.
"No, he never got the antidote. I didn't understand why he appeared to get better without it," Gaius said. "Let me get you one of my books. I was studying it before you came. In fact, I had tried to show it to you earlier, but you were in a bit of a shock."
The Physician went to his dining table and grabbed an open book. Gaius handed Arthur the tome. "Read from here and to the end of the chapter. It's only about two pages," Gaius said as he gestured to the section in question. "It basically says that those with magic have a higher resistance to the poison, but after it wears down the system it affects the person with twice the potency. The victim is said to die on the third day of consumption, instead of six, which is three days sooner than a non-magical person."
Arthur finally took the book from Gaius, reading over the paragraph in question. So it was true. Merlin was still in trouble. That stage where the Prince had thought he had been getting better was just what? The Walking Ghost phase?
"Unneeded heartache? You need to work on your bedside manners Gaius! First Merlin hides the fact that he has magic from me, then you tell me that he's going to die unless he get's this flower. I go and get the flower, but look! He's gotten better! Then he basically get's caught in the act of using his magic and now you tell me he's still going to die?! Unneeded heartache?!"
"I assure you my bedside manner has suited many patrons, sire," replied Gaius. "When I said unneeded heartache, I was referring to what your father would do if he found out the truth. You know he would order you and your men to go hunt Merlin down like a fox as well as force you or your knights to kill him before your very eyes. You are angry right now, and like your father, you often act rashly in the heat of the moment."
He sighed as he nodded. "But, what I told you was true. My books do not lie," Gaius said. "I just did not know all of the effects of the poison. It is rarely used. I had no idea it would do what it did."
Arthur slammed the book shut before slamming it down on the wooden table. He was beyond frustrated at this point. The funny thing was he didn't know why he was so frustrated. Sure he was livid that Merlin didn't feel he could trust him, but so what? The warlock had done what he felt had been right so really did the Prince have a valid reason to be angry with him?
Gaius jumped as the book was slammed closed. He jumped again as Arthur put it down. Then, as the Prince did not say anything, Gaius just stared at him, praying that Arthur had changed his mind about telling his father.
Shaking his head Arthur strode from the room. He knew he should tell his father, but if Merlin was already dying then what was the point of that? Did Uther really need to know?