Alaia Skyhawk: Here's the next bit :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Music: The Burdens of Duty (Merlin OST)
"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A
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Chapter 17: A Hard Lesson Learnt ~Part 2~
Merlin hesitated when he entered Arthur's chambers the next morning, crossing the room to set the breakfast tray on the table. Coming up with the idea was one thing, but getting Arthur to do what he was going to ask might be a different matter entirely.
Arthur watched him, frowning ever so slightly. He was starting to catch on about certain little things about his new servant, including the fact that Merlin never hesitated in that way to enter the room unless he was nervous about something.
He got out of his bed, walking over to the table while giving the servant a long look.
"What it is? Go on, tell me."
Merlin looked up from where he was stirring up the fire, glancing away nervously for a moment before starting to mumble. It was going to be hard to say all this when he knew what was coming was a complete lie, but it would be for the best.
"It's Gwen and her father. I went to see how they were doing, and well... Their neighbours are all edgy, because they think Gwen sought out magic to cure him."
Arthur sat down, his expression unconcerned.
"And if she did, she should be thankful my father seems to have forgotten that fact."
Merlin stood up straight, starting to frown.
"That's not what I meant. Gwen is adamant she has no idea where the poultice came from, and that made me think."
"You can think?"
Merlin's frown deepened at that interruption, starting to get exasperated.
"What I'm trying to say it, look at what happened after it was found. Everyone was blaming her, and the attention was drawn away from the water supply. If Gaius and I hadn't gone to check it despite Gwen being accused, the afanc wouldn't have been found." He spread his arms, still looking at the prince. "What better way to draw attention away from where it was."
Arthur paused mid-mouthful, swallowing the food he'd been chewing.
"Wait, you think that the poultice..."
Merlin nodded.
"Was planted. Gwen's served in the castle for years, and is the Lady Morgana's maid. She's well known in the castle and the city, respected among the staff. By painting her as a witch it got everyone's attention. For the people of the city it's a massive scandal. The Lady Morgana's maid a witch? Using magic? Breaking the law?"
Arthur had to fight not to frown, Merlin having no idea what those words did to him. The feeling of responsibility for Gwen's situation rose up once again, gnawing at his conscience.
"And what are you suggesting I do?"
Merlin walked over, stopping beside the table.
"Issue a formal statement that Gwen was framed by the sorcerer who created the plague, to distract the search and prevent the true source being found and destroyed."
Arthur sighed.
"You do realise I'd have get my father's permission to do that."
Merlin gestured towards the door, adamant.
"So go ask him." He then added wryly. "Before Morgana catches on about how people are talking about Gwen, and comes asks you herself. At least this way she won't get mad at you, and you'll actually put her in a good mood instead of her coming down here to rant at you."
So Merlin was trying to play the Morgana trick to make him do as was asked. Well, he'd decided he would do it as soon as that feeling of guilt had come back, but he couldn't let the servant think he'd won so easily.
Arthur waited a long moment, before starting to look irritated and nodding.
"Fine, I'll do it."
"Thank you!"
Merlin broke out into a grin, until Arthur began to rattle off a list of chores.
"Don't get too pleased. There's a lot of work in here after the time you were helping Gaius. I want the entire room cleaned, the bedding changed, and the floor scrubbed... And you can start off by sorting out something for me to wear."
Merlin, who for a moment looked as though he was going to complain, instead nodded in thoughtful acceptance. He'd asked a big favour, and in return for it being granted not a single smart comment passed his lips during the time before Arthur left to see the king.
It was as he was heading there that something then occurred to the prince... By doing this, by listening to the request and agreeing to try, had he just managed to earn a bit of Merlin's respect? He'd thought it might be hard to do it, too annoying to be bothered with trying, but if all it would take would be to listen and do something when it was the right thing... Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
He arrived at his father's chambers, knowing that it was still early enough that the king likely wouldn't have left them just yet. Sure enough he was there, one of his servants helping him with his jacket in prelude to going out the door.
He seemed surprised to see his son, turning to face him.
"Is something the matter, Arthur?"
Faced with that question, the prince re-evaluated his previous thoughts... Listening and doing the right thing wouldn't be so bad if it didn't involve facing his father. But, he'd said he would do it, and he wanted to. Maybe then the feeling he was responsible for Gwen's problems would go away.
"It's about Gwen, Morgana's maid. I've been thinking, and after slaying the afanc I believe that poultice we found may have been planted in her house."
The king frowned, now reminded of why he'd had her arrested in the first place.
"Planted, for what reason?"
Arthur remained composed, solemn as he explained.
"Like I said, she's Morgana's maid... A high profile servant... What better way to distract us from finding the real source, than to provide us with a fake one. One that would raise the maximum amount of fuss among the people in the city and the castle." He sighed, pretending he'd considered this angle himself instead of being told it by Merlin. "I've already started hearing that she and her father are being avoided, because of the rumours she sought magic to cure him. Her name needs to be cleared of that... before Morgana finds out and starts breathing down our necks about it."
He'd raised his eyebrows at that last part, looking bemused at the thought. Uther stared at him for a moment in response to that, before starting to shake his head and letting out a single chuckle.
"That she would... You theory makes complete sense, and is just the sort of underhanded tactics I would expect from a sorcerer capable creating that plague. You may issue a statement to clear that woman's name. I leave it in your hands."
Arthur bowed, before turning to leave the room.
"Yes, Sire."
He returned to his chambers, allowing himself a deep sight of relief once he was out of sight of any guards or servants. That had been nerve-racking, but now that he knew he could go ahead and clear Gwen's name the nerves were being replaced by almost elation. It felt good to be doing this... A pity he could never admit that to Merlin. The servant would never let him hear the end of it.
He arrived back at his rooms to find Merlin absent, but also noted the breakfast tray was gone, heading to the smaller table by the window where his pens and other things were laid out. He sat there and started writing the official notice, ignoring his servant when Merlin returned with fresh linens and proceeding to change the bedding. When it was done, Arthur unlocked a small box he kept on his desk, lifting out the seal that rested within... Come to think of it, this was the first time his father had directed him to do something that required him to use it...
Arthur felt a tiny smile tug at his lips, before using a candle to melt a small pool of red wax onto the bottom-right corner of the document, where he'd placed a short length of red ribbon. He then pressed the seal into that pool, holding it for a few seconds before carefully lifting it away. This was it, the first officially sealed document he'd ever done completely by himself.
He returned the seal to its box and locked it, letting the wax completely cool before rolling up the document and then rising to his feet. Merlin had finished changing the bedding, and was now piling the dirty sheets into a basket until Arthur stopped him.
"Come on, you asked for this, so you get to be there when I hand it over. Leave that there until we get back."
Merlin looked at the roll of paper in the prince's hand.
"So that's?"
Arthur nodded.
"An official pardon clearing Gwen of any and all charges and accusations. My father agreed with me that my theory the poultice was planted to turn her into a distraction was almost certainly true."
Merlin frowned.
"Your theory?"
"Well I couldn't exactly say to him that my servant came up with it, could I?"
He headed for the door, Merlin forced to hastily follow or be left behind. Arthur wanted to do this now, wanted to know that the consequences of his actions had been made up for. He kept to his brisk pace all the way out of the castle, and all the way to where Gwen's house lay. The sight of him striding through the streets holding a scroll drew a lot of attention, several clusters of people gathering to watch and murmur to each other when he stopped outside Gwen's house.
Arthur glanced at Merlin, using a tilt of his chin to indicate he should be the one to knock on the door. The servant hurried to do so, giving a startled and anxious Gwen a tiny smile when she opened it.
She swallowed nervously, lowering her head when she saw the prince standing there.
"How may I help you, My Lord?"
Arthur didn't answer, at least not directly, instead unrolling the document he carried and declaring its contents for all those present to hear.
"I hearby bring official notification, that you, Guinevere, are hereby pardoned and deemed innocent on all accused counts pertaining to the use of magic and enchantments. It is the judgement of the king, that you were framed in an attempt to prevent the discovery of the true source of the plague." He rolled it up again, stepping forward and handing it to her. "You are deemed a true and loyal servant of the royal household, so let there be no ill word spoken against your good name."
Gwen was utterly shocked, accepting it before bowing deeply.
"Thank you, Sire. I am honoured to serve in your household."
Arthur nodded once, before turning and briskly walking away, while Merlin ushered the astounded Gwen back into her house.
She remained looking towards the open door, murmuring to Merlin when the other servant tried to get her to sit down.
"What did he mean by I was 'framed'?"
Merlin felt a pang inside him, forcing himself to remain calm as he replied to that.
"You're the Lady Morgana's maid, a high profile servant. The poultice was obviously planted in order to get you arrested, and draw attention away from where the afanc was."
Gwen, who had been starting to sit, stood straight and turned to him, horrified.
"But, that's a lie. I know that's a lie. There are plenty of better ways I could have framed than by curing my father... Merlin, how could you twist it like that?"
Merlin winced. He'd expected her to accept the idea, but instead she was still defending her father's saviour.
"Because it was the one story I knew Arthur, the king, and the people would believe... The one story that would clear your name."
She stared at him.
"But..."
Merlin took her by the shoulders, looking her in the eye.
"Look, if that person really did cure your father out of mercy, then I'm sure they will understand that this is the only way that you'll be able to move on from the consequences of it. 'Magic is evil', don't you know? Uther would never have believed it was done out of kindness." He glanced to the door, knowing Arthur would now be well down the street. "Now, I have to go. I'll see you around."
"Merlin..."
She followed him to the door when he left, staying there and watching him go. When he glanced back, he saw several of hers and Tom's neighbours, who had kept their distance, now happy to approach her again and wish them well. That had been a hard thing to do, but knowing everything would be all right now made it worth it.
He hurried to catch up to Arthur, the prince muttering when he fell into step behind him.
"Happy now?"
Merlin smiled, nodding even thought right now he had a lump in his throat.
"Yep, absolutely... Did you see how they all reacted? The people round there couldn't move quick enough to start pretending they'd never muttered things behind her back."
Arthur glanced over his shoulder at him, still walking.
"Well unfortunately that's how a lot of people are... Those that are too afraid of getting in trouble to stand up and do what's right. Not that I'm saying you're much better, although I'm not surprised that you pestered my into helping her considering your suicidal charge into the council chambers two days ago."
Merlin stopped in his tracks.
"I'm telling you, I am not in love with her."
Arthur stopped as well, turning to face him and frowning.
"Well if you're not, then why did you do it?"
Merlin hesitated. Ok, maybe blurting that wasn't such a good idea.
"...Because she's my friend, and I wasn't going to abandon her when I knew there was no way she was guilty. It was the only thing I could think of right then and it... seemed like a good idea at the time."
Arthur raised his eyebrows.
"You thought it was a good idea to volunteer to jump onto the pyre instead of her?" He grabbed Merlin by the arm, pulling him into motion back towards the castle again and giving him a small push. "You really are an idiot. Go on, get back to your chores. I still have to start sorting things out for King Bayard's visit in two weeks. It's lucky the plague's been dealt with, or we might well have had to cancel it. Which wouldn't be good considering the amount of negotiations it's taken to get things to this point."
Merlin paused, looking back.
"Negotiations?"
Arthur folded his arms across his chest.
"Go... now. If you're so curious, ask Gaius about it in your own time and not mine."
Catching the hint of annoyance in Arthur's tone, Merlin decided to do as he was told and just go. He wasn't going to wind Arthur up after he'd just done that for Gwen.
He hurried away, Arthur watching him go only now admitting something. He'd asked himself before if Merlin were worth earning the respect of, and he now honestly believed he was... How many people would willingly and unflinchingly sacrifice themselves, for no other reason than to help a friend?
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Alaia Skyhawk: Hehee, Merlin has no idea that both he AND Arthur were guilt-tripping. Now they're both feeling better XD