Alaia Skyhawk: And here's part three, and admittedly I am probably going to get a bit teary-eyed while writing the first scene. Poor Gaius and Merlin.
Admittedly, as crappy as Edwin is in general as a bad guy, this episode has one of my favourite scenes between Gaius and Merlin in it :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Music: N/A
"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A
~(-)~
Chapter 33: A Remedy to Cure All Ills ~Part 3~
It was a solemn and defeated old man who wandered back into his chambers, gazing around at what had been his life for the past twenty-five years. He'd served here when magic was at its heyday, watched from these rooms as that same magic was torn down and forced into the shadows. He'd presided over the sick and injured of Camelot through all of that and the years since, and now he was going to walk away.
Gaius sighed and started to pack. He did not want to be here when the result of Edwin's manipulations came to conclusion, did not think he deserved to be here to witness Arthur take over with Merlin at his side to protect him. He only hoped Edwin would be stopped at that time, his malice discovered, so that a more trustworthy man might take his place as Court Physician.
But that man would not be him. He had no right to even consider it, not now that he was effectively running away.
Gaius sighed again, hesitating, before shaking his head. His choice was made, and when it came down to a choice between Uther and Merlin it was Merlin who had won out. The boy was a bright hope for the future, while Uther was man shadowed by past hate and current prejudice. Merlin was young, just starting out in his life, and Uther was an ageing king who had a promising son to take his place. Merlin was Emrys, something now irrefutably confirmed to him, and Uther was the one who had to go before his destiny could be fulfilled. And lastly, the most important reason, the one that had made choose the warlock...
...Merlin was like the son he'd never had the chance to have.
Almost as if those thoughts were the signal, the door of the chamber opened and Merlin burst in. His expression was one of shock and denial. He didn't want to believe this.
"Gaius, Uther cannot do this to you. You tried to save Morgana."
Gaius regarded him solemnly, shaking his head as he placed another item into his bags.
"Uther is not to blame."
"I will speak to Edwin. You can work together!"
Gaius sighed. Why must Merlin make this more difficult than it already was, with his naivety and optimism?
"No, you mustn't do anything."
"I can't stand by and do nothing!"
The physician paused in his packing, never in his life having had to do something so hard.
"Uther is right, it's time I stepped down."
He resumed packing, only now Merlin noticing.
"What are you doing?"
"I cannot stay when there is no longer a use for me."
Merlin frowned, disbelieving.
"You're not leaving?"
Gaius lowered his head, resigned.
"I believe it's for the best."
Merlin stared at him, looking lost before shaking his head.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Gaius paused his packing once again, regarding his ward with a painful heart, touched that he would want to follow an old man like him.
"Merlin, you're like a son to me. I never expected such a blessing so late in life."
The warlock was still in denial, still wanting to refuse that this was happening.
"And you are more than a father to me."
Gaius walked over to him, placing his hands on his shoulders.
"Then as a father, I must tell you. You must remain here. Camelot is where you belong."
There were tears in Merlin's eyes now.
"But you belong here too."
"...Not any more." He sighed. "Merlin, you must promise me you will not waste your gifts."
Merlin shook his head.
"My gifts mean nothing without you to guide me."
Gaius smiled sadly, a great deal of pride in his heart as he uttered these words. Yes, he feared for Merlin and the trials he would surely face, but at the same time he believed his ward would conquer them.
"You have a great destiny... If I have had a small part to play in that, then I'm pleased."
He lowered his hands from Merlin's shoulders, the young man still standing there unwilling to move. He'd been pleased at the thought of Edwin teaching him, but now realised there was someone he wanted and needed far more to fill that role.
"I still have so much to learn. I need you to teach me."
Gaius bowed his head, full of regret but resolved of his decision.
"I'm afraid I'm leaving here tonight, Merlin. And there is nothing you can do or say that will persuade me otherwise."
Merlin shook his head.
"I will not let this happen."
He turned and left, a determined frown on his face, while behind him Gaius held back the tears he wanted to shed. It would be easier for them both if he were gone before the warlock returned.
"Goodbye, Merlin."
He quickly packed the remainder of his bags, taking only the necessities and the most valuable of his books. A call to a servant passing close to the chambers gained him some assistance to carry them to the stables, whereupon they were loaded onto the white mule he had been given a long time ago for those occasions he had to visit some of the outlying villages.
He was just passing through the castle gate, to where the more prestigious vendors set their stalls close to the castle and the upper town, when a puzzled voice calling out to him made him pause, Gwen hurrying over with a frown on her face.
"Gaius? You're leaving?"
He nodded.
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't come and say goodbye."
She started to shake her head.
"I don't want you to go. I don't trust Edwin." She glanced furtively around to make sure none were listening, her tone wary. "There was no blood in Morgana's ear. He put it there. He did something to her, I know he did."
Gaius felt a touch of surprise, but remained solemn.
"You need to be careful who you say that to."
"I'm saying it to you because you can do something about it."
Gaius sighed.
"I can't, it's no longer in my power."
Gwen regarded him thoughtfully.
"But you feel the same, don't you. He's evil."
Gaius shook his head.
"It's not that simple."
"So you're going to turn your back on us."
Her disappointment was clear, and seeing it Gaius felt his burden of regret deepen.
"I have no choice in the matter. I'm sorry, Gwen."
"In life you always have a choice. Sometimes it's just easier to think that you don't."
He lowered his head.
"Well then, my choice is to leave."
Gwen regarded him sadly.
"Then I'll miss you." She leaned forward, placing a kiss on his cheek in farewell. "Goodbye, Gaius."
She walked away from him, solemn, while he set off in the opposite direction and down the road to the city gates. It was time to leave Camelot behind, and he could not help but feel Gwen's words haunting him... 'In life you always have a choice.'
~(-)~
"I can't imagine why Uther would sack him over one mistake."
Merlin stood there at the training field, Arthur taking practice swings with a sword at the training dummy in front of him. He'd come straight down here, straight to the one person he thought might be able to help change this. To the one man he felt he could convince... Except that Arthur didn't seem to be of an opinion to be convinced.
The prince lowered his sword, turning to face his servant.
"A mistake that almost killed Morgana. Besides, it wasn't the only one."
Merlin frowned. Not the only one?
"What do you mean?"
Again Arthur faced him, although there was a hint of sympathy in his tone this time. He knew how much Gaius meant to Merlin.
"Edwin said his work was riddled with errors."
"That's nonsense."
Arthur sighed.
"No one wants Gaius to go, Morgana practically begged my father to reconsider, but the king has made his decision. There's nothing anyone can do."
Arthur thrust his sword into the ground and walked away, Merlin biting his lip to suppress the urge to scream out in frustration. This wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair.
He hurried back to Gaius' chambers, determined to speak to him again, to get him to stay long enough for him to try sort this out. But when he got there he found a chamber devoid of any other person, the physician's bags already gone... He'd left without saying goodbye. Left early instead of waiting until later like he'd said.
Merlin slumped down into one of the chairs and put his head in his hands. Camelot would never be the same without Gaius... Without Gaius, he was completely lost.
~(-)~
"I think you'll be very happy here."
"I'm sure I will."
The king walked down the hallway, his new physician at his side. He had wasted no time in beginning to arrange things with the man. Prompt organisation would be needed to help Edwin settle in to his new duties.
"I'll have my son's manservant show you around. He is familiar with Gaius' old rounds, and regularly collected supplies for him. I'm sure my son will not mind if he fulfils a similar role helping you."
Edwin nodded. Indeed, keeping the talented young Merlin close by would be a bonus. The boy had so much potential.
"That will be of great help, Sire... Now, as I was reviewing Gaius' work, I noticed that he has been prescribing you arnica."
Uther nodded, gesturing to his right shoulder.
"It's for my shoulder, an old battle wound. It gives me a lot of pain."
"Then may I take the liberty of providing a new prescription. It should prove far more effective."
Uther was very interested.
"Really."
Edwin smiled, nodding.
"Oh yes... It is a remedy to cure all ills."
Certainly... It would cure Camelot of a great many ills indeed...
~(-)~
The Great Bell was ringing, marking the end of the day and time for Camelot's residents to go to their sleep. Inside the castle, that was just what the king was doing, seated in his bed with the covers pulled up to his lap, reaching to the stand beside it for the vial of liquid left for him there by Edwin. He downed that liquid and set the vial back on the stand, before suddenly going limp and sagging back against his pillows.
He lay there, numb, unable to move, until a quiet voice roused him enough to open his eyes.
"My Lord... My Lord..." It was Edwin, leaning over him, with a hint of a smile on his face. "It seems the drugs I gave you have taken hold. Your body is now paralysed." He shook the king slightly when the man's eyes drifted shut again. "No, open your eyes... I want my face, to be the last face you ever see. You took my childhood from me, and now finally I will take my parents' revenge."
Uther's eyes were open fully now, watching as the physician placed a small black beetle on the covers.
Edwin smiled.
"Within a few hours the beetle will eat into your brain. And you will suffer, as they suffered." He then walked to the foot of the bed, where the king would be able to see him clearly. "And I long to hear you scream, as they screamed, the night you gave the order for the fires to be lit. And with your death, magic will return to Camelot." He gestured towards the beetle, ignoring the king's panicked breaths. "Bebiede thay arisan ealdu... Goodbye, Uther Pendragon."
He watched as the insect crawled its way to Uther's face and into his ear, before smiling to himself and walking out. Unaware that the king had asked his son to stop by.
~(-)~
Merlin walked towards Arthur's chambers, stranded in a pit of depression. Gaius was gone, left, and he was now all alone without his guidance. How was he supposed to protect Arthur now? How could he possibly do it without his mentor's help to recognise and find ways to deal with magical threats.
"Merlin!" He turned, to see Arthur running down the hall towards him. His tone filled with urgency. "My father has Morgana's illness! We must find Edwin!"
He ran off, Merlin going in the opposite direction... Heading straight for Edwin's guest room.
~(-)~
The sorcerer strode into his darkened chambers, closing the door behind him and heading for the table by the window. He set down the box containing the beetles, unaware of the other man in the room until that man spoke.
"I won't allow you to kill Uther."
Edwin turned, to see Gaius standing there in the archway leading to the sleeping area of the guest room. His tone almost mocking.
"You never had a problem letting people die before."
Gaius walked towards him, stopping near the main table.
"Your parents were practicing dark magic, just like you."
Edwin smiled.
"And how do you propose to stop me?"
Gaius frowned in concentration, pointing at him.
"Wace waerlic!"
Nothing happened, Edwin smirking before making the same gesture towards the old man.
"Hmm, I think you meant. Wace ierlic!" Gaius was flung backwards into the column of the archway, Edwin advancing a step towards him. "You've forgotten everything, Gaius. You're getting too old." The man's smile darkened. "I have a cure, though... Forbearnan yfel!"
Gaius pushed himself to his feet, forced to cower against the column when a ring of fire formed around him. The flames rose higher, the heat starting to make his clothing smoulder. At any moment that cloth could catch light, and once that happened death would be a certainty.
This was it, it was over. He'd returned to Camelot, driven by conscience and Gwen's words, only to fail at the final moment.
The door of the chamber burst open, Merlin going wide-eyed in shock at the sight within. Gaius stood, surrounded by magical flames, and Edwin standing there as the clear source of them.
He stared at him.
"What are you doing?"
Gaius called out to him.
"He's trying to kill the king! I couldn't let him!"
Edwin faced Merlin, holding out a hand on offer.
"I can rule the kingdom now, with you at my side. We can be all powerful."
Merlin's expression hardened. Power meant nothing to him, nothing at all. All he valued were the people he cared about.
"Release him!"
Edwin lowered the hand, shaking his head.
"It's your loss, Merlin." He gestured to the pair of axes mounted in display on the wall above the hearth, magic causing one to float free before he pointed at the young warlock. "Swilte, Merlin!"
The axe flew towards him, Merlin not saying a word and yet his eyes burned a savage gold. He leaned back away from the axe when it reached him, his will and magic straining against Edwin's, before sheer raw power won out.
The axe rebounded, sent flying towards Edwin with far more force and speed than it had moved before, slamming into him and sending him crashing into the wall to crumple against it in a silent and bloody heap.
The flames around Gaius vanished, Merlin immediately turning to him.
"Are you all right?"
Gaius nodded, shaken.
"Yes... Thank you, Merlin."
Merlin stood there for a moment, before thoughts returned and he remembered why he'd come here. The king was ill, with the same thing Morgana had suffered from. He rushed to the table where Edwin had placed the box, picking it up and opening it as Gaius came to his side.
"Uther's ill, the same thing Morgana had. Edwin said he used these to cure her. Maybe we can use them too."
Gaius stared at the box's contents, aghast.
"Elanthir Beetles."
"They're magical?"
Gaius nodded.
"Yes. They can be enchanted to enter the brain. Feed on it until they devour the person's very soul." He looked at his ward. "We must go to him."
They rushed from the chamber, Gaius in the lead all the way to the king's chambers. They arrived to find him unconscious, as pale and unmoving as Morgana had been, and standing there regarding him, Merlin glanced to his mentor.
"How do we get the beetle out before it kills him?"
Gaius turned to him, grave.
"It can only be magic."
"We can't use magic on Uther. He'll kill us."
"We don't have a choice."
Merlin ran a hand though his hair, agitated.
"Gaius..."
The physician spoke firmly.
"There are times when it is necessary. It is your right to decide if you want to do this."
Merlin glanced at the king.
"I don't know how."
"If you don't... He's going to die."
Merlin took a deep breath, walking to the side of the bed and kneeling on it, reaching out to clasp a hand over each of Uther's ears. He'd woken the beetles before, so he should be able to command one to stop. The incantation must be similar to do both, so hopefully if he varied the one to wake them it would work.
He closed his eyes, aware of Gaius watching him anxiously, concentrating on his desire for the beetle to leave the king. He then began to murmur, glad that Uther was unable to hear anything right now.
"Bebiede thay arisan ealdu... Ablinnen..."
There was silent, Merlin not moving, Gaius leaning close.
"What's happening?" Merlin didn't answer, remaining still until he lifted his head and got off the bed, stepping back before looking down at the small black insect curled up on his palm. Gaius let out a sigh of relief. "Has anyone told you, you're a genius."
Merlin shook his head, starting to smile as the urge to laugh in relief welled up inside him.
"You certainly haven't."
He turned, putting the beetle into the box they'd brought with them, while Gaius sat on the edge of the bed when the king started to stir.
Uther opened his eyes, still unable to move, but by now the drugs Edwin had given him had worn off enough for him to speak.
"Gaius?"
The physician placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.
"It's all right, Sire. You're safe. The beetle has been removed."
The sound of running footsteps came from outside, Arthur bursting in and coming to a startled halt when he saw it was Gaius at his father's side and not Edwin.
"What's going on? I thought you'd left."
Gaius looked to him.
"Edwin blackmailed me into leaving, by threatening my ward... But threat to Merlin or not, I could not stand by and allow my king to be killed. So I came back to stop him."
Uther's voice rose from the bed, weak.
"He's telling the truth. Edwin was here, he did this... Find him."
Arthur turned, racing from the room, a glance from Gaius sending Merlin after him before he could get too far.
He grabbed the prince by the shoulder, stopping him before he could call for any guards, causing Arthur to glare at him.
"What are you doing?"
Merlin hesitated, before awkwardly explaining... sort of.
"Um, Edwin isn't a problem you need to worry about any more."
"And what do you mean by that."
"Uh, follow me."
Merlin led him to the guest room where Edwin had been staying, opening the door and letting him go in first. Arthur immediately halted upon doing so, stopping to stare at the messy sight of a very dead Edwin with an axe embedded in his chest.
"Who did that?"
Merlin lowered his head, looking at the floor.
"Uh... I did."
Arthur turned and stared at him.
"You killed him?"
Merlin stared back.
"What? He was about to burn Gaius alive with magic when I walked in. What was I supposed to do? Stand there and let him?"
The was silence for a moment, before Arthur glanced once more to the dead sorcerer and with a hand on Merlin's shoulder guided him from the room.
"I'll get someone else to clean that up... And you, you can have the day off tomorrow."
"Wow, you're actually giving me a day off?"
"Shut up, Merlin."
~(-)~
The day dawned clear and calm, albeit for the inevitable rush of gossip spreading through the city about the truth of Edwin. But that was of no concern to the two men in the king's chambers, one measuring out a remedy and the other seated in a nearby chair.
Gaius walked over to Uther with the cup he held, holding it out to him.
"Drink this. It will help regain your strength."
"There's nothing wrong with my strength."
Gaius didn't move, the cup still held out until the king accepted it. Uther could only wonder at what was going through the man's mind, after the way he'd treated him. He felt no anger that Gaius had put his ward first and walked away, it was understandable and in the same situation had it been Morgana threatened, he would probably have done the same himself. What mattered thought was that Gaius had come back. He had come back and saved the man who had betrayed him.
He sighed, thoughts turning to other things, to what Edwin had said last night.
"Do you remember them? His parents."
Gaius returned the king's gaze, before turning away to begin packing his medicines away, oblivious to the king's wince at the bitter-tasting potion that had been in the cup.
"I remember them all, Sire."
Uther regarded that now empty cup, thoughtful.
"Gaius... Once again you saved my life. You've always served me well... And I know there are things I've asked you to do that you've found... difficult."
Gaius faced him.
"You've always done what you believed to be right."
"I was not right to betray you. I'm sorry." Gaius bowed in acceptance of the apology, Uther grateful for that fact. "From now on I will remember, that in the fight against magic you are the one person I can trust."
The king's smile as he said that sent a pang of regret through the physician, but only a small one. He did not regret protecting and guiding Merlin. Some things were more important than one man's hatred and blindness.
"It has always been a privilege to serve you, Sire."
Uther nodded.
"And I would ask that, if you are willing, you serve me again."
"It would be an honour."
~(-)~
"Congratulations, Gaius. Court Physician again, and a Freeman of Camelot too."
Merlin grinned at his mentor, the two of them walking towards the market. He had the day off, but Gaius still needed to do his rounds, and so the warlock had elected to follow him and enjoy seeing everyone's reactions to his return. Gaius was a bit less impressed by all the attention though, given he knew who really deserved the praise.
"Of course it's all ridiculous. I didn't save Uther, you did."
Merlin chuckled.
"No, for once I'm happy for someone else to take the credit. You were prepared to sacrifice your life to save me."
Gaius stopped, turning to face him.
"Where'd you get that from?"
Merlin looked confused.
"I thought..."
Gaius shook his head.
"No, I didn't do anything. You saved me, and you saved Uther." He paused, before adding in amusement. "Maybe you are a genius."
Merlin started to smile.
"You think so?"
Gaius returned it.
"Well... almost. One day."
He set off again, Merlin smiling as he followed. It was great to have Gaius back where he belonged.
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: Now this chapter I actually enjoyed writing. Gaius angst, Merlin angst, father/son type fluffiness. Gaius trying to be badass, Merlin actually being badass, and some classic Merlin and Arthur banter. Good fun :)
The next sub-ep is the special one I mentioned a while back, "A Matter of State". I'll be updating both this and Whom History Won't Remember in sync, every other day for three updates. The Destiny Version will follow the PoV's of Arthur, Merlin, and Lord Hargren, while the Whom History Version will follow same main events (And a different set of side events) but from Liam, Fyren, and Nellan's PoVs.