Alaia Skyhawk: Hehehe, so what do you guys think of the 'Loyalty, betrayal, atonement' saying now? I actually came up with that specifically to be used as part of this episode's re-write. I think it adds a nice touch to all of Arthur's bits :)

Oh, and a hint. I think it's fairly obvious, but for the first scene the points-of-view are as follows when it gets to the action'y bit. I wasn't about to stick a mass of scene spacers in and spoil the pace of it :)

Oh, and I gave Merlin a new light spell seeing as the line he used in the show is part of the Beowulf quote.

Normal = Arthur

Italics = Merlin

Bold = Nimueh

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music: N/A

"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: "Negotiations"

~(-)~

Chapter 21: The Poisoned Chalice ~Part 3~

Cold eyes looked to where the prince clung to the far ledge, their owner seemingly dissapointed as she spoke.

"I expected so much more..."

Arthur fought to look over his shoulder at her, yet still retain his grip on the ledge.

"Who are you?"

Nimueh smirked, pushing back her hood.

"The last face you shall ever see." They both heard a hissing sound, Nimueh's eyes moving to look at the very large spider that had just come into view. "It seems we have a visitor." Arthur's switched his attention from her to it, managing to get enough of a foothold below to free one hand and draw his sword to kill it when it came into range. She smirked again. "Very good, but he won't be the last."

Arthur, now more secure, was at last able to glare at her.

"Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you?"

She started to turn, pulling her hood up once again.

"I'm not the one who should be asked that, a pity you won't live to find out who should. I'll let the entrengan finish you off, Arthur Pendragon. I was once told it's not your destiny to die at my hand, and I'm not foolish enough to think otherwise."

She walked away back from whence they'd come, the absense of the torch she carried plunging the cave into darkness while he yelled out after her.

"Who are you?"

There was no answer, only silence as he hung there, while far off in Camelot, Merlin continued to murmur as Gaius looked on.

"Arthur... It's dark... Too dark..." He ceased his restless movement, seeming to focus himself. "Min leoma be raeswa ou... Min leoma be raeswa ou... "

Gaius frowned, noting a strange blue glow from beneath one side of Merlin's blanket.

"Merlin?" He pulled the cover back, revealing an orb of light in his ward's right hand and reacting in puzzlement. "What are you doing?"

In the cave, Arthur continued to struggle, but in the darkness he could not see where to put his hands to pull himself onto the ledge. But then, all of a sudden, a blue glow bathed the area near him, a glowing orb of light drifting upwards beside him.

He looked at it, grimacing with the effort to hold on to his precarious position while shouting out at the light.

"Come on then! What are you waiting for? Finish me off!"

But instead of harming him, the light stopped moving once it was just above him, the glow gentle as it remained there as if waiting for him to do something. He realised then he could see his hand holds, taking the chance to pull himself up onto the ledge. He sat there for a moment, panting, before picking up his sword from where he'd placed it and returning it to its sheathe.

The light remained where it was, unmoving until he stood up, but even then it only rose a short way, sinking back then rising again as though to urge him upwards. He ignored it for a moment, his eyes instead moving to look at the cluster of flowers to one side just above.

Merlin shook his head.

"Leave them, Arthur!"

Arthur looked down, hearing movement below before seeing the faint glimmer of glowing red eyes. It was more of the spiders, lots more.

"Go, save yourself! Follow the light!"

Arthur turned and started to climb, heading straight for the flowers, struggling towards them until he found himself just out of arm's reach.

He strained a hand towards them, fingertips tantalisingly brushing against precious leaves as he gritted his teeth. He was not going to leave without what he came for.

"...Atonement earns forgiveness."

Those words passed his lips, as like an oath he swore to himself he would save Merlin. He would make up for that moment of hesitation, when he'd given up and was about to conceed to the king's orders. Merlin had saved his life, and he would repay that debt to the man who treated him as no others ever had.

And then he had one, fingers closing on a stem and plucking it free. Arthur swiftly put it into a pouch on his belt, before noticing the increasing closeness of the spiders and tearing off his gloves to resume the climb upwards. The gloves were only slowing him down.

Gaius held onto Merlin's left hand, the warlock calling out to someone far away.

"Faster... Go faster! Follow the light!"

Arthur followed it, his expression fixed in determination. He refused to die here!

Elsewhere in the caves, Nimueh sensed the magic and frowned. Wondering what sorcerer would dare intrude into her domain, she strode to her font and called up the image of the prince. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the light he followed, her voice angry as she cast the spell to find who had created it.

"Acyoan me leohtfruma!" The image changed, became one of a gravely ill Merlin holding a smaller version of the same light in his hand, urging someone onwards. She stared in disbelief. "How?"

"Arthur! Hurry!"

Merlin continued to call out, his expression set in a frown of effort.

Hands grasped at the rocks, the prince striving upwards after the light.

Nimueh took a step back from the font, realising her greivous mistake. To send even such a small spell, so far and while deathly poisoned, there was only one person Merlin could be.

"Emrys? ...No!" She stepped forward again, calling up the image of the prince and that which pursued him. "Entrangan, hiersumie me! Wieortrod!"

She cast the spell through gritted teeth, unhappy at this turn of events. Emrys was needed for magic to return... He had to live! Which meant that Arthur had to live. He carried Merlin's one chance of salvation, and for Merlin to be aware of the prince's danger that meant there was only one person that Arthur could be... The Once and Future King. That was why the Druids had warned her it was not his destiny to be killed by her, they had known who he was... Both of them had to live. She could not seek her revenge on either of them.

"Move! Climb!"

Arthur continued upwards, glancing back now and then at the spiders until he saw and opening and the forest canopy above him. He ceased to give attention to his pursuers from that point on, unaware of when they suddenly stopped and retreated back into the darkness.

He emerged from the ground, stumbling away from the hole ready to attack anything that came out after him. When nothing did, he looked again to the light, watching as it drifted close one last time before floating away to his left and fading from existence. He went that way, soon spotting his horse, grabbing it and heading out of the forest.

~(-)~

The light faded from Merlin's grasp, his breathing settling from agitated panting to a calmer rhythm. Letting go of his ward's hand, Gaius returned the blanket to its former position and bathed Merlin's brow with the wet cloth, but his mind was churning over what he'd just witnessed.

Arthur had been in danger, from Merlin's words that much was clear, and not only that but he'd acted as if able to see Arthur and control a light he'd sent to him... But the Forest of Balor was a full day's hard ride away, for Merlin to cast magic over that distance was scarcely believable. He might suppose Merlin was having a nightmare, acting it out, but those thoughts were cast aside as soon as the physician remembered what Merlin had called out previously.

'Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf.

Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean.

Hine on ylde eft gewunigen wilgesiþas, ponne wig cume.

Fromum feohgiftum on foeder bearme.

Dryht aciegan hine be seo mann.

Bewerigend ond raeswa innan sweorcan gesceaphwil.

Baed be unasecgendlic de ear ond upheofon,

andweardian leoma to achaini dol hopa ond liss.'

He sat back in his chair, musing aloud.

"The Lord of wonder endowed him with world's renown. So becomes it a youth to quit him well. That to aid him, aged, in after days come warriors willing, should war draw nigh. With his father's friends by fee and gift... Fate doth call him to that man. Protector and guide in darkened hour. Beseeched by gifts of earth and sky, bring light to pleas for hope and mercy." Gaius looked at his ward, deeply concerned yet also, deep inside, awed. "Merlin, is it even possible... Could you really be him?"

Merlin could not answer that, nor could the physician himself. All he could do was wait and pray for Arthur to return in time.

~(-)~

He paced in the cell, gritting his teeth. This was unbelievable, how could his father do this?

Arthur looked out of the tiny window, trying to figure out how long he'd been in here. To arrive back at Camelot, full of the elation of success and knowledge he could keep that promise to himself to save Merlin, to be arrested upon return and thrown in the dungeon was almost crushing.

The cell door opened, the king in question standing there and frowning angrily at his son.

"You disobeyed me."

Arthur took a step towards him.

"Of course I did! A man's life was at stake. Do not let Merlin die because of something I did."

"Why do you care so much? The boy is just a servant."

Uther was not happy, but Arthur didn't care. He'd done what he thought was right.

"He knew the danger he was putting himself in. He knew what would happen if he drank from that goblet but he did it anyway. He savedmy life." He paused as his father turned away, the king regaining interest with the words that followed. "There's more. There was a woman, at the cave. She knew I was there for the flowers... I don't think it was Bayard who tried to poison me."

"Of course it was."

Uther was remaining dismissive, Arthur plucking the precious flower he'd retrieved from the pouch on his belt and holding it out to him.

"Gaius knows what to do with it. Put me in the stocks for a week. A month even, I don't care. Just make sure it gets to him. I'm begging you."

Uther accepted the flower, stepping outside the cell and seeing it closed before he tightened his grip to crushing force upon it. When Arthur exclaimed in horror at that, the king glared at him.

"You have to learn there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things. I'll see you let out in a week." He dropped the flower on the floor, turning and leaving. "Then you can find yourself another servant."

Arthur lay himself down on the floor of his cell, straining an arm through the bars to reach the flower. Much like in the cave, his fingers brushed tantalisingly against it before after a minute or so he managed to get hold of it.

He retreated to the back of the cell, slumping against the wall and sitting down. Cradling that flower in his hands, he cursed under his breath. This wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair! Merlin was going to die, and all because the king wanted to punish his son for disobedience.

He remained there, head bowed, for how long he didn't know. He was stuck here, unable to help the one who'd saved his life, and unless some miracle happened then Merlin was going to die.

That was when he heard them, footsteps, but not the heavy ones of an armoured guard. They were light, those of a servant, and it took all his self-control to remain looking sullen when Gwen came into view holding a plate of food.

The guard opened the cell for her, and she paused just inside the door waiting for the prince to speak. He indicated the table to his left with a tilt of his head, voice low and displeased.

"Put it over there." Gwen eyed him questioningly, but did as told and set down the plate. Arthur went to it and picked it up, but before she could leave he put it down again and walked back to the rear of the cell. "I couldn't possibly eat that. It's disgusting." He turned to her, giving her a long and meaningful look. "The state it's in, I'm not sure it's fit for anyone."

Gwen frowned and went back to it, forced to hold back a smile of joy when she saw the flower now placed among the bread and cheese on the plate she picked up. She carried it out of the dungeons, enduring a tense moment when a guard stopped her to wryly pilfer some of the food rather than see it wasted. It was with great relief that she made it out of their sight, dropping the plate at the first opportuniting and breaking into a run to Gaius' chambers.

She burst in through the door, Gaius turning to face her.

"Do you have it?"

She handed it over to him.

"Here."

"His breathing is much worse. We have to hurry."

Gauis went to one of his work-tables, pulling the leaves from the flower and dropping them into metal bowl. Arthur's return had changed from hope to anxious waiting, when word came of his arrest and subsequent imprisonment in the dungeon. When Merlin had started to grown steadily worse, it had been Gwen's idea to trick her way into seeing him when otherwise all guests were forbidden.

He began to crush the leaves using a pestle, but after just a few moments he paused in concern.

Gwen heard him stop, frowning.

"Why have you stopped?"

He glanced at Merlin.

"The poison was created using magic... We may need magic to make an antidote."

She stood up, shaking her head.

"But we can't. It's forbidden, even if we could."

"I'll try and make it work without." He hesitated, before suddenly turning and grabbing a bottle. "Here, get me some fresh water. The water in my barrel is too stale for this."

She took it, nodding and hurrying out.

"I'll be back as quick as I can."

He watched her go, before clasping his hands around the bowl, closing his eyes and holding it before him.

"Seopan..." He hesitated, putting the bowl down and indecisively looking between the open door and his ward, precious seconds ticking by until he steadied himself and held it ready again. "Seopan aerest weard feasceaft funden. Denum aefter dom. Drealeas gebad he gewann langsum..."

He heard a hissing sound, peeking one eye open and looking down into the bowl he held, opening both eyes and setting it on the table when he saw it now held a foaming liquid that quickly ceased to boil and cleared to a deep green. When Gwen dashed into the chamber bare moments later, he almost flinched in fright at the close call.

It was the first time he'd used magic in twenty years.

He took the bottle of water from her, tipping some of it into the green liquid to cool it enough for Merlin to drink. He then put part of the antidote into a vial, taking it to him and bidding Gwen to help.

"Hold his nose." She did as she was told, Gaius gently pouring the antidote into Merlin's mouth, the hold on his nose forcing him to swallow it or choke. "Swallow it, Merlin. Swallow."

They persisted until the vial was empty, both of them sitting back and watching anxiously. There seemed no response from Merlin as the minutes passed, until suddenly he became very still.

Gwen stared, reaching a hand towards him.

"He's stopped breathing... What's happening? Gaius?"

Gaius quickly leaned forward, putting his ear to Merlin's chest before sitting straight again with an expression of denial.

"His heart's stopped."

"He's dead?"

Gaius started to shake his head and stood up... This couldn't be possible. If Merlin was who he now believed him to be, then...

"It can't be... It can't be. It was his destiny..."

"It's all my fault. If only I'd gotten here sooner."

She stood up, sobbing into his chest when he pulled her into a hug to comfort her, his words tinged with regret.

"No, it was me... I should have looked after him better. It's my fault."

He continued to hold her, neither aware as Merlin resumed breathing and with a frown of discomfort opened his eyes... only to mutter weakly in fake disgust at the sight of his guardian holding Gwen in hug.

"That's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself; you're old enough to be her grandfather."

They sprang apart from each other, both breaking into a smile to see Merlin awake and gazing up at them.

"Merlin! You're alive!"

He smiled.

"No, I'm a ghost come back to haunt you."

Gwen was a bit more demonstrative with her joy, impulsively kissing Merlin who then blinked owlishly at her in shock.

She started to stammer, realising what she'd done and embarrassed by it.

"Sorry, I um. I thought you were dead."

Merlin let out a weak laugh.

"It's fine, it's more than fine." He frowned a little, looking to the both of them. "Um, what happened? The last thing I remember clearly was drinking the wine."

Gaius got a blanket and draped it over his ward, setting Gwen onto the stood beside the bed.

"Gwen will tell you. But right now I need to go speak to the king."

The physician left them talking, hurrying through the castle. He had a war to prevent.

~(-)~

Arthur stood on the battlements near the northern tower, watching the Mercian entorage riding out to return home. He'd been released from the dungeon barely two hours after Gwen had taken the flower, to find King Bayard had been freed and Uther had issued an apology. One that had been accepted, once he'd been told that a sorcerer had attempted to frame him and start a war between their two countries. There would be wounded pride, but not so much that the treaty would be annulled... It was also pride that meant they would not let the sorcerer win.

"Ok, let the bragging begin. How'd you manage it?"

Morgana smiled at his shoulder, Uther standing a short way away, all three with eyes on the retreat of the Bayard and his people.

Arthur glanced at her, frowning and shaking his head as he remembered what had happened.

"I'm not sure... All I do know is I had help."

She frowned.

"Help?"

He remained distant, yet lowered his voice so his father would not hear.

"Someone knew I was in trouble and... sent a light to guide the way."

"Who?"

He looked to her, shaking his head.

"I don't know." He paused, letting out a deep breath. "But whoever it was, I'm only here because of them."

Silence fell between them, Morgana nodding and placing a hand on his arm.

"I'm glad you're back."

She walked away, her movement drawing Uther's attention and causing him to call out to his son. He had a number of things troubling his thoughts.

"Arthur... The woman you met in the forest. What did she tell you?"

The prince shook his head, not having much he could say.

"Not much, she was too busy trying to get me killed." He frowned. "It was strange though."

Uther frowned as well.

"In what way?"

The prince looked to him.

"I was at her mercy. She could have finished me off, but she chose not to... Said it wasn't my 'destiny' to die at her hand."

Those words gave Uther pause for thought, before he nodded and made a response.

"You must have been scared."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, as if a prince would ever admit to such a thing.

"It had it's moments."

The king braced his hands on the battlements, solemn.

"Those who practice magic know only evil. They despise and seek to destroy goodness wherever they find it... Which is why she wanted you dead. She is evil."

Arthur regarded him, puzzled.

"It sounds as if you know her."

Uther bowed his head, grim.

"I do... To know the heart of one sorcerer is to know them all." He stood straight, facing his son. "You did the right thing, even though you were disobeying me. Had you not, then this would have ended in war." He put a hand on his son's shoulder, starting to smile. "I'm proud of you, Arthur. Never forget that."

He walked away, Arthur watching him go before deciding he too had a place to be... Someone he needed to check up on. He walked though the castle, giving only small nods to any nobles that tried to speak to him, letting nothing make him deviate from the path that took him to the Court Physcian's chambers.

Arriving there he opened the door, pausing to note that the bed in which Merlin lay now faced the door so he could see who was there when people came in.

The servant gave him a small smile, still pale but looking much better than he'd been at his worst, and Arthur raised his eyebrows a little as he returned it.

"Still alive then?"

Merlin glanced down to where his lower half was swathed in blankets, done so by a slightly over-attentive Gwen.

"Um, yeah, just about." He looked back up at Arthur. "I understand I have you to thank for that."

The prince nodded, acting nonchalant.

"Yeah, well, it was nothing. A half-decent servant is hard to come by... I only stopped by to make sure you were all right."

A pity for him Merlin's memory of the days he was ill wasn't entirely clouded out. He was starting to remember some of it, if what he recalled had really happened, enough to know it may not have been as simple as Arthur was trying to make it out to be.

"Gaius said I can return to work the day after tomorrow... If he gives me the all clear, that is."

When a glance to Gaius got a nod of confirmation, Arthur sighed and headed for the door.

"I'll expect to see you on time then."

"Arthur." The prince paused, glancing back at Merlin who then continued. "Thank you."

Arthur remained silent for a moment, before nodding.

"You too... Get some rest."

He left the room, closing the door behind him, as meanwhile Gaius carried a bowl of soup over to his ward.

The physician sat down beside the bed, handing over the bowl and spoon.

"Arthur may give you a hard time, but he's a man of honour. There aren't many who'd risk what he did for a servant, although admittedly he surprised me by doing it. Prior to when you became his manservant, he'd never have disobeyed his father like that."

Merlin swallowed a mouthful of the soup, frowning a little

"Maybe I'm a good influence on him. Besides, it all would have been for nothing if didn't know how to make the antidote." His frown deepened. "You know, I still don't understand why she went to all that trouble of framing Bayard. She could have just kept quiet and killed Arthur."

Gaius regarded him seriously.

"But destroying Camelot and Arthur wasn't all she was after... She knew you would be forced to drink that wine. It was you she wanted to kill. It seems someone else knows you're destined for great things, Merlin."

Merlin went quiet, thoughtful as he finished off his food, while far away in her cave, Nimueh watched him with a conflicted mixture of frustration and relief. If she wanted the fated return of magic to occur, the golden age of Albion, then attacking him was now off limits. So was targeting Arthur, the warlock's partner in destiny. If she wished to gain her vengeance on Uther, then she would have to target him another way. It would take time, preparation, careful planning, but when she was ready she would strike.

"You'd better be worth the trouble, Emrys. Do not fail destiny's expectations of you."

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: In case you were wondering, I made up a name for the spiders. 'Ent rengan' literally means 'giant spiders' in Old English :D

I also cut the other servant showing up with food for Arthur... WAY too cliche for me lol XD

And lastly, yes I had Merlin still a bit too weak to get out of bed. Seriously, in the show he was ill with deadly poisoning for three days, almost died, and yet back at work the morning after he was cured. That seems to be a common theme lol, peeps being poisoned then bouncing back like the enegizer bunny with a fresh battery as soon as they take the antidote XD