The Golden Age Universe
At Deaths Door – Chapter 3
~Fran Gipani

Disclaimer- So I obviously don't own Merlin no matter how much I'd love to :'( but I do own my OC Brooke

Note from the Author- Thanks to all the people who have followed and favourited this story, you are really helpful and encouraging for my writing! :) Enjoy! Oh and remember to review! :)
~Fran

It was mere days since Arthur and Gwen's wedding anniversary dinner and there was still no progress on how to help Merlin's situation. Gaius sat at his desk, the thick book on 'Death and what's in Between' in front of him. He had been reading all morning and his eyes were beginning to get sore, and he knew that soon enough the words would start blurring together. If there was a way that he could take Merlin's place then he would but there was no way that it could be done like that. It seemed that there was nothing they could do but there was no way that he or any of them would give up on Merlin.

Brooke was spending every waking hour she wasn't attending to Gwen looking after Merlin; and even Arthur who had a slight aversion to research was using any time he had spare from his kingly duties, or time he wasn't spending with Gwen clearing out the archives of all the books on Magic that Uther had locked away during the purge, looking for anything that could help. They had found very little but there had to be something somewhere.

Didn't there?

Arthur had put aside his original thoughts on Magic and was even thinking of abolishing the law in Merlin's honour. He had voiced none of these plans to Gwen, who he always talked to first but then again, this wasn't a normal situation. He would need the help of a Magic user to do it all properly, but the one who would be perfect wasn't there. For Gaius though, this was perfect, just the thought of having the law banning Magic was enough to keep his hopes up that Arthur would let them use Magic to maybe be able to bring the Warlock back to them.

The sound of Brooke entering the room pulled him from his thoughts as the young maid came and sat opposite him. Her dark brown eyes looked thoughtful and there was something about the way that she tentatively took the seat opposite him that made him feel like she had done a lot of thinking and needed answers. "Hello Brooke," he greeted her with a smile. "What seems to be troubling you?"

Brooke took a deep breath, "Well, it's Merlin...to start with...but I was thinking with how I have Magic...and what if I was to tell Arthur of it. Then ask for permission to use it to help Merlin?" She began to fiddle with her plait, something that Gaius had noticed to be common with her, the young woman looked hopeful but seemed to know it was a long shot.

"Well I don't think there is any harm in trying. Arthur is beginning to accept Magic more now, and if it could save Merlin..." Gaius started but then paused as if in thought, "...but what if he turned on you? We need to think of that as a possibility as well." Gaius looked worried but in his eyes there was still a small hint of hope.

"Then I would have to do everything I can to try a get him to let me save Merlin. Then he can do whatever he likes." She replied without hesitation.

"Alright then." Gaius said, "If you're sure...let's organize a meeting with the king."

~O~O~O~

Merlin stood at the back of the room, listening to Brooke's conversation with Gaius. He really wanted to stop listening to these conversations but if there was ever a time to listen to other people's conversations it was now. He did not like what he was hearing one little bit.

"Well, it's Merlin...to start with...but I was thinking with how I have Magic...and what if I was to tell Arthur of it. Then ask for permission to use it to help Merlin?"

Merlin stood up straight at this, "No Brooke you can't!" He yelled though he knew that there was no way she could hear him. Who knows how Arthur will react and if something happens to you because of me I will never forgive myself. He thought, there is nothing that you can do. I am stuck here. "Gaius don't you dare say it's a good idea!" He growled angrily, hoping with all his heart that his mentor would put Brooke off the idea all together but...

"Well I don't think there is any harm in trying. Arthur is beginning to accept Magic more now, and if it could save Merlin... but what if he turned on you? We need to think of that as a possibility as well."

"Then I would have to do everything I can to try a get him to let me save Merlin. Then he can do whatever he likes."

"No! No, no, no…" Merlin muttered, stricken with worry as he heard Brooke's words.

"Alright then, if you're sure...let's organize a meeting with the king."

"Gaius no!" Merlin cried out before quickly following the two from the room. He followed them down to the throne room where Gaius had a few words with the Guard who was stationed at the door. Moments after the Guard had told the King that Brooke wanted to talk to him, Brooke was ushered into the room. Merlin was about to follow her in but the Guard had closed the door quickly behind his friend and Merlin was stuck on the other side. "Arrgg!" He let out a frustrated yell and began to pace outside the door, waiting for Brooke to leave the room.

~O~O~O~

King Arthur was in the throne room when he received the message that his wife's maid, Brooke, wanted to see him. That she needed to talk to him about something. He had talked to her a lot since she had lived in Camelot because of Merlin and Gwen. She was probably one of the only servants that he did have as a friend, including Merlin that was. She would talk to him every day so what was so special about this conversation she wanted to have? Moments after he had sent the message to Brooke to come join him Arthur heard a knock at the door, "Enter." Arthur called out regally.

Arthur let his eyes follow Brooke as she entered the room at a slow walk. She looked a little nervous but there was something in the way she walked that gave her a sort of confidence. "You're Majesty." She said before giving a respectful bow.

"Brooke, what is it that you have come to speak to me about? You know you can talk to me at any time as a friend, but coming to me like this, it must be important." He replied warmly.

"I know sire, but today I talk to you as my friend and my king." She began, willing her stutter to not come back, she had done so well to cut it out of the way she spoke, but for it to come back now...well... "I have come to you about a matter of great importance. The matter of Merlin."

Arthur's face fell, anything, anything but that, he thought but kept on anyway, "Carry on..." He said slowly.

Brooke took a deep breath, "I know that Magic is a banned practice in Camelot right now and that the reason that Merlin is not with us today is because of a misunderstanding to do with Magic..."

Here Arthur stiffened slightly but indicated for her to keep going, curious to know what she was going to tell him.

"...but I hope that you will understand that these are desperate times we live in. Merlin has four weeks at most before he will be pulled to the other side and we lose him altogether. I implore you to understand that Magic can be used for good, that Merlin might have now proved that to you."

Arthur nodded solemnly, a sadness winding its way into his stomach and twisting his throat. "I understand." He said quietly.

"I am here today to declare to you the truth, that like Merlin, I have Magic, that I have had it since I was born, it is part of me."

Arthur was about to say something but Brooke held up a hand saying, "Please hear me out, Sire." And for once in his life Arthur closed his mouth.

"I know that magic is banned but I hope that you will give me permission to use my Magic to pull Merlin out of his hell. Then after that you can do what you like. As long as Merlin is back with us I know that Camelot will be a much better place for it." Brooke then bent her knees to kneel in front of her King and wait for the verdict. Her heart was thudding so loudly in her chest Brooke was surprised Arthur couldn't hear it.

Arthur had listened to Brooke's speech in shock, for one it was the confidence in which the usually quiet woman had spoken and second it was what she had actually said. She can't have Magic, he thought, but I can tell that what she says is the truth. The law does state that a Magic user should be executed...but maybe the law is wrong. If she can help Merlin then I should grant her permission shouldn't I? What if she was lying? It's Brooke though but it was Merlin last time. Look how that turned out. If she manages to pull him back out though, we would have two sorcerers who have done good in Camelot, the law would have to be abolished. He swallowed, he would have to make a decision. If Merlin trusts her then so should I, because I trust Merlin, I trust him with my life.

"Please rise Brooke, my friend you need not bow to me in private." Arthur smiled warmly at her, "I do grant you permission to use Magic to help Merlin. I have conditions though, and I would like them to be followed through." He then said more seriously.

"I understand Arthur, thank you." She smiled back.

"First I wish for you to only use your power in aid of Merlin's recovery and second that I am there at all times when you do use it. Also Brooke I would like your help with the matter of the law of Magic. I want to abolish the law that sentences all Magic users in Camelot to execution; I will need the help of the knights, Guinevere and Gaius to do this but I think that to do this properly I will need the help of a Magic user. Namely yourself, as my first choice is currently in-prisoned inside his own head. I am sure that your guidance will be greatly appreciated." Arthur watched as Brooke raised her head with her eyes widening as they met his sincere and truthful ones.

"I understand Sire, but your request...I am a maid...I have no place on the Kings council, but if you really want me to help though I will." She bowed her head again in respect. Moments later she felt a hand on her chin raising her head up, her dark brown eyes met with Arthur's bright blue ones.

"Brooke Myers, Merlin trusted you and if he trusted you then so should I. I am sure that you will be a great help to bring Merlin back to us but I think that you can also help to change the laws regarding Magic. I would like to have those laws changed by the time Merlin has returned to us so I need to know now, do you have any leads on what we could do to help him?"

"No, not of yet sire, but I do know someone who might be able to help." Brooke replied thoughtfully.

Note from the Author- Dun. Dun. Dun! Hehe, I kinda left you with a small cliffy! :) Until next time fokes :) Review at will and thanks for reading :)
~Fran