THE ROYAL CHAMBERS
Arthur had stood from his chair yet remained at the side of the bed opposite Merlin and Gaius, who stood side by side across his wife from him.
He had his hands on his hips, and his jaw was locked in terrified worry.
"You are advising me to put her hands in the life of a sorcerer…" His voice was low and rough.
"You did the same thing once before for your father." Gaius reminded him as gently as he could.
"Yes," Arthur stated, "And my father died because of it…"
"Your father was dying… magic cannot cure everything…" Gaius tried to explain.
"And yet it can raise me from the dead?" Arthur laughed bitterly and without any humour.
Merlin straightened at the tears in his master and friends eyes.
"My lord…" Gaius stared at him as firmly as he could, "Gwen raised you form the dead because of the love she bears you, and you do her in return… it is from this love that you must see that magic is not something to be feared…"
Arthur's eyes were distant and on the still form of his wife.
He remembered Eveline's words from months before.
"I hope though, that you are able to learn from this, that all sorcery is not evil. It is a person who makes magic evil, not the other way around."
He had nodded and heeded her warnings, yet there was no part of him that would offer Morgana redemption for hurting Guinevere.
He drew in a breath and straightened.
"Any mishap, any unexpected circumstance…"
"There is no reason to suspect that all will not go well." Gaius tried to assure the king.
Merlin felt a greater weight be placed on his shoulders, as the stakes of Camelot continued to grow.
Gwen would be the last to admit, that her death would shatter the kingdom completely.
But it was clear, for Arthur could not be the king he was without her at his side.
"My lord…" Gaius breathed, "If we do nothing, Gwen is already taken from you…"
"And if she cannot be saved?" Arthur's voice cracked.
Gaius straightened and folded his hands in front of him.
"Then we must conquer our grief in the knowledge that we did all we could."
Arthur swallowed and shut his eyes against the pain the thought alone caused him.
He turned his head down, and opened his stinging eyes to stare at his wife.
There was nothing he would not do for her.
His eyes flitted up, his arms still around himself, to look at the distant face of his manservant and friend.
"Merlin?"
The young warlock snapped his eyes to stare back at his king.
In him he saw the question as to what he thought of the whole idea.
How could Merlin deny it?
He nodded, and Arthur did as much back.
"This is the only way, it is our best chance to save her, withmagic." Gaius said gravely.
Arthur swallowed, "I will be breaking the law…
"To save your queen, to save your wife," Gaius pressed quietly, "And your child that she carries…"
His words made Arthur let his eyes close and caused him to swallow again.
The old physician and the young warlock watched as Arthur looked down at his fading wife and drew in a breath for strength to see what he was going to do through.
His heart knew that he would allow the use of magic before he spoke the words.
"Very well. It is decided."
Gaius glanced at Merlin and the young warlock straightened.
Arthur moved his eyes to stare at them both.
"This sorcerer, he was the one who tried to heal my father… do you still trust him, even after all that happened… my father dying…"
Gaius sighed, "my lord it was not his fau'"
"I am asking you if you trust him." Arthur stated.
The old physician glanced at Merlin and inclined his head.
"With my life sire."
Merlin sighed slightly, feeling so small under the weight of his destiny.
The king nodded.
The old physician spoke again.
"The sorcerer will be in the glade near the falling oak in the darkling woods at midnight..."
Arthur nodded in confirmation that he had heard and that he understood, "In one hour then."
His voice was low, rough and firm.
It was decided.
There was a knock on the door.
The king turned his head, "Come."
It opened and Elyan stepped in.
"How is she?"
"She is frail." Gaius explained, "There is nothing more that I can do."
The knight glanced from him to Arthur and then back to his sister as he approached the bed.
Gaius and Merlin inclined their heads, stepping back around the knight to walk to the door.
Arthur watched them go and looked to Elyan.
"There is something we need to do."
He explained it all to him, as Gaius and Merlin left the room.
Elyan stared at him.
"Are you mad?"
"No." Arthur was firm, and his eyes were locked on his wife as he sunk to sit back in his chair at her side and reached to take one of her hands in both of his.
Elyan's eyes were wide.
"Arthur this sorcerer could kill her..."
"Do you think I do not know that?" Arthur demanded, "She is going anyway why should we not try it?"
Elyan straightened.
Arthur choked out his bitter words, "I can't just sit here and do nothing… watch her fade when I can try…"
Elyan stared at him, "Arthur… there are limits to what we should do for the ones we love…"
Arthur stared at him, "No there are not."
His words hung in the air and Arthur's eyes were firmly locked on his brother in law, his hands tight around one of his wife's.
"Get the horses prepared." He stated.
"We leave within the hour."
CAMELOT CORRIDORS
As he left the room with Gaius the young warlock felt his heart ache.
More than ever he wanted to tell Arthur the truth…
He wanted to show Arthur that he was a sorcerer, one who was good…
He wanted to be the person at Arthur's side who could show him that magic was completely good, without fear or anger, which the king spoke of.
Until he did it Merlin was sure that the ban on magic would never change, no matter how much Arthur was different to Uther.
Arthur did not punish those with magic for having it, yet he still was blind to what was before him.
Could Merlin reveal himself as the sorcerer who would help Gwen?
What would Arthur do if he did?