Holo. Yep- it's a slow Mergana fic, but it will probably be different than what most of you expect... There's a Terminator 2 refernece for my movie buddies!
For my guest reviewer: I've got your red wine; just so you know!
I didn't get to proof read as much as I usually do, so please forgive my grammar/spelling mistakes!
Nimueh stod over the basin, harsh words rolling off her tounge. Her revenge on the traitor would be swift and painful. None can stand against the wrath of a high priestess!
I hope you enjoyed your stay in Tarra, for soon you body will rest there forever. You were wrong to cross me, little Merlin. And now I'll have to clip your wings for good...
"Merlin!"
He was definately weirded-out. Not only does Uther decide he wants peace out of the blue with Mercia, but this one maid keeps staring at him like a crazy person. Yeah, the second thing was definately worse. What is this lady's problem?!
Merlin tuned out Uther's whole shpeal about the honor of hosting such esteemed guest, et ectera. It was really boring and a total load of crap too. The entire ten minites he had to stand still like a good little soldier, the creepy lady's eyes didn't leave him. At all.
Can you say 'Stalker'? There was something about her, something that made Merlin's skin crawl like ants in honey. He hadn't felt this way since stepping into the caatle in Tarra. This woman ment ill and Merlin was duty-bound to stop her.
The two continued to have a glare-contest until the two kings shook hands and the room erupted into applause. Merlin clapped along half-heartedly, still glancing at the crazy woman every once and awhile.
"I'm telling you Gaius, this endeavor isn't going to end well for Camelot." Merlin and Gaius were walking through the halls a few hours after receiving Bayard.
"My boy, what ever gives you that idea?"
Merlin mumbled, "Don't know, it's just one of my funny- OOF!" One of Bayard's maids had run into him. The crazy one, to be precise.
"S-sorry!" she stammered while hastily grabbing the sheets she had dropped. Now, Merlin may not have liked this woman, but he was still a gentleman. He bwnt down to give the servant a hand.
"Here, let me help you with that lot."
"Thank you, sir." Merlin looked at her; she had the brightest blue eyes that you could just get lost in.
"I'm Sir Merlin, 'Lord of Tarra', but most people just call me Merlin," he stated with an easy and care-free attitude, "And what would your name be?"
"I'm Carra, sir. It must be such an honor to be a knight of Camelot," she said with a warm smile.
"Yes, well, between you and me, the prince wouldn't last a day without me." She let loose a light laugh, happy and free.
"Well, Merlin, thank you."
"Hmm? Oh, right." Merlin handed her the pillow before turning a violent shade of red. She have the raven a smile and a nod before hustling off to her duties.
Gaius spoke up, "Shouldn't you be busy protecting the prince?" Merlin broke into a grin and Gaius broke into a laugh; totally forgetting their earlier concerns.
Nimueh tip-toed into Bayard's room. The stupid noble had no idea that he was being played; being bad feels so good. She crept over to the box housing the goblets and ripped Arthur's out. The priestess replaced the cup with the poisoned one. A sneered played at her mouth as she hustled out of the chambers.
Okay, it was official. Uther needed to stop hosting so many feasts, or they were all going to get fat. Especially Arthur. The king was making his own son fat; stupid cabbage-headed king...
Or at least, that was Merlin's oppinion on the matter. Yet there he was, getting ready for yet another celebration. Hopefully this one didn't end up with a food-fight like last time. According to George, wine was a nightmare to get out of clothes. Thank the stars he didn't have that job!
Merlin walked down the corridor and then bursted into Arthur's room without knocking.
"MERLIN! What kind of person enters a room without knocking first?!" Arthur roared.
"Sorry sire." He didn't sound like it.
"What do you want?"
"I just wanted to come make sure you're ready; your father would like you to show up on time- for once."
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Fine idiot. Let's go."
Merlin bowed mockingly. "Of course, my Lord Prat." Arthur punched the raven in the arm, getting an indignant "Ow!" in return.
The two men walked down the stone halls in the direction of the Banquet Hall. Lights and colors and sounds assalted Merlin's hightened senses, but through it all, he could feel something dark amd cold. He couldn't figure out what it was.
Bayard made a speech.
Something evil...
Arthur and Uther taosted with their new goblets.
Something deadly...
Arthur started to tip the wine back.
"POISON! Stop! Arthur, it's laced with poison," Merlin screamed.
Uther, pompus as ever, demanded, "Do you have any evidence to back your claim?!"
Merlin's other half took over. He charged, snatched the poisoned chalice, and tipped the liquid down his throat. The wine burned like a thousand raging fires. The world tilted sideways and he fell to the ground. "How's that for proof?" he choked out before the world disintigrated into darkness.
Nimueh was filled with vicious glee. Her plan had run its course and now that blasted Old Knight lay on his death bed; slow paassing as his insides tore themselves apart.
The whole room stood in silence, looking at the young knight who had just risked his life to save the prince. The only sound in the hall was the hero's labored breathing. Arthur was rooted to the spot, disbelieving horror written across his square-jawed face.
"Merlin, you idiot, get up! Y-you can't have been telling the truth. Stop this act and get up!" Arthur yelled at the unconsous teen.
A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. "Sire... Gwen, grab the cup and bring it to my chambers; I must identify the poison." Arthur grabbed the raven and hoisted him over his shouler as he, Gaius, and Gwen hurried to the physician's chambers. He didn't even care that he was alive and the would-be assasin was caught.
Down the dim halls they went, running on as if nothing else in the world mattered. And for the three, nothing really did. They burst through the door and Quintus began shoving books and papers and herbs off of one of the tables to clear room for Merlin.
Of course. It could just be some poison like hemlock or acconite, or any other one that Gaius actually had the ingredients. Of course it had to some flower that only grew in one place in some godforsaken forest guarded by a cokatrice! Why wasn't life ever easy for the prince of Camelot?
But he did it in a heart beat for one of his knights, and dare he say it- friend. So there he was, standing by the cave enterence with a screaming girl in the back ground, facing down that damned monster. Yep, his luck was the worst, second only the the teen-knight who currently lay dying while Gaius, Morgana, and Quintus feriously to keep him alive until Arthur got back.
And then that woman who was wailing like a little girl had to go and turn out to want to kill him. She was definately one of the crazier sorceresses he had the 'pleasure' of meeting. Cryptic too. He was hanging on the slick cliff, pissed off. This was not a good day for Athur.
"Who are you?!" he demaned through clenched teeth.
"I'm the last face you'll ever see," she stated dramatically. With a swish of her baby blue cloak, the woman was gone, taking the light source with her. Oh yeah, she definately had a flare for dramatics.
Now all Arthur had to worry about was getting the flower before he dies in this shit-hole...
Morgana hadn't left Merlin's side since he was first brought to Gaius's chambers. She had done every thing she could do to help, even demand that he be moved to his own room so that he would be more comfortable.
His room was so unlike anyother she had seen in the castle- blue and silver and red and gold hung everwhere, making it feel welcoming. It smelled like the forest and campfires; just like him. Something about this room made her feel safe and cared for. Hopefully it had the same effect on Merlin.
She wrung out the cloth she had been using to tend to the raven, shaking off the excess droplets before dabbing it across his brow again. Even his labored sleep, he was gorgeous. His strong-but-lean form, his toussled hair and etherial face.
A face that contorted in pain. Twisted and pinched, where seconds before it was relaxed. "Arthur... it's a trap... No!" Morgana fled from the room to find Gaius, not noticing how the knight's body seemed translucent and glowing.
Arthur had just climbed back onto the ledge when thing got worse, like WAY worse. The spiders were crawling tup the lumpy cave wall, but that wasn't all. The was a transparent knight standing in front of him. He was tall and lean, decked out in bright, silvery armor. His whole body glowed with a warm golden light.
"Well go on then, kill me!" Arthur screamed at the knight.
"Come with me if you want to live," the glowy knight stated. He turned around and started to climb the rocky face. Arthur gave up. It was either follow the strange man or get eaten by spiders. Oh tank it all! Arthur stared to climb after the knight, leaving the spiders in the dust. He spotted something yellow and green out of the corner of his eye.
The morteous flower.
Arthur strained his arm, bare grasping the flower. He yanked a couple of the spiky stems to be on the safe side. The treacherous climb resumed.
Kilgharrah sat in his cave, feeling the disturbance in the magic. It seems Merlin has the ability to split his soul from him mortal body. So few can do this, it makes the gold dragon wonder, is this boy all he seems? Only the gods and few dragons have mastered this technique. How strong is this boy?
Quintus was sitting in the physician's quarters, just waiting for the lazy prince to get his fat ass back to Camelot. His lord's magic could only keep him breathing for so long...
The wooden door creecked open to reveal a rather frazzled prince.
"Have you got it?"
"Yeah, I do. Now go save Merlin." The prince left without another word. Quintus was thankful for that- he had to use magic to boost the potency of the antidote. Damn Sorceress!
Quintus moved around the tables in a blur of red hair and tan clothing as he created the foul concotion. Ginding, chanting, water, more grinding, more chanting... The cycle continue for a good ten minutes. Gods of Magic, may this please work...
Morgana looked on with pain, not caring to hid the hot tears swelling in her eyes. Merlin was dying, and the antidote was no where to be seen.
The green-eyed apprentice flew through the doors, startling Gaius awake as he did. He promptly yelled "I did it!" before shoving a bottle of what looked like puke and bog water down the raven's throat. Merlin let out a few struggling gasps before falling silent.
"Is he? Oh gods!" Morgana wailed into Quintus's shoulder while he awkwardly tried to comfort her.
"That's disgusting!" a voice- Merlin's voice croaked, "What the hell did you give me?" He smacked his tounge several times to banish the foul taste. Morgana looked at him and kissed him. It was short and sweet, leaving Morgana blushing at a slightly grinning Merlin.
"I'm sorry, I just-" she stammered.
"Hey, it's okay... let's just take it slow," Merlin said with a wink. Morgana wasn't sure if he was serious or just playing. Soon after, Gaius shooed every one out so Merlin could rest. Morgana waltzed back to her chambers and fell asleep in her dress. Which still smelled like Merlin- camp fires and woods.
In the end, Uther saw reason and released Bayard and his men. Gaius had a lot to do with that. Once he heard Nimueh was behind the attack, the king was ferious. That witch will pay...
Arthur got a speech from Uther about going after the flower alone, but as Uther was trying to atone of his sins by the raven, his heart wasn't in it.
Merlin was even more on his toes after the poisoning. Gaius was sure that the attempt was for him amd not Arthur.
Morgana was still unsure of what Merlin felt about her, but she was pretty sure she was falling for him. Along with every other girl in a fifteen mile radius.
And Nimueh? Nimueh was pissed. That knight better be ready- next time she wouldn't fail!
Alternate Title: Wherein the Crazy Maid tries to poison the Glowy Knight
Aaand that's a wrap! Sorry that I was later this week... *dodges rotten friut and what?! A potato?!* Sorry! Yep...
Until next time, stay barcode my Faithful Reads!