100 FREAKIN REVIEWS!: Sorry about the language guys but I'm so damn happy! Thanks to all the people who have supported me and gave me all these fabulous reviews that I'm pretty sure I don't deserve! I mean 50 was OK but 100? Whhaaa?

I'd just like to say a special thanks to 'serial blogger', 'Niyin', 'magic cabbage', 'Mai Ascot' and 'rawr52' for reviewing so often! Really helped me get to the MASSIVE number of 100 reviews. Thank you! And thanks to everyone else who did the odd review and all those anonymous readers out there! Love you all! x

Author's Note: Honestly, I spoil you guys with all these POVs. We get a bit of Emrys, a bit of Uther, a bit of Lancelot and even a bit of Leon… Woah! So, you guys had better like it! We just get to see what sort of things are going round in people's heads with Gwaine's death looming ever closer. (Again, I am still receiving a mountain of hate mail concerning Gwaine's condition. Please guys, we don't even know if he will die yet! Give me a chance!)

So hope you enjoy and please read and review! X

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of the BBC's TV programme Merlin (wish I did!) but any added characters and plotlines were completely my genius! All mistakes are also my own.

Chapter Twenty Three

Frustrated

The sixth day. Emrys rested his head back against the uncomfortable stone wall. Tomorrow would be decision day for Uther and, depending on his decision, it could be death day for Gwaine. But even if Uther didn't let him go he would just keep enchanting people with the spell until he gave up. He wasn't going to let himself be defeated. He didn't feel any regret or guilt about Gwaine. It just seemed like what needed to be done.

Then there was Ceira. Half of him longed for her back and wished he could see her face one more time but then the other half knew that it would be safer for her to stay away from him, as much as it hurt. It was too dangerous. Whoever had got too close to him in the past had been killed. His Mother, Sir Delroy, Red and now Gwaine. Emrys couldn't let that happen to Ceira. She was too… special. But now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. He had to make a plan.

Uther was not happy. Tomorrow Sir Gwaine was going to die. But there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. His mind was set. He would let Gwaine die in order to keep the Thief in the dungeons. Surely it isn't right to let an innocent man die? What sort of a King does that? Think of Arthur, it can't be right to make him watch one of his best Knights die. This voice inside his head had been annoying him since the day that the spell had been put on Gwaine. Every time he had set his mind on keeping the Thief behind bars and sacrificing Gwaine, it had come up with a counter argument which would start up the whole dispute again. It was true that Gwaine was a good Knight and Arthur was very fond of him but he couldn't let this Thief free just because of one man. The danger that the Thief posed to the kingdom, admittedly, terrified Uther, though he would never let anyone know. And anyway, he was the King, he had to do what was best for the kingdom and letting a sorcerer free into the city was suicide. He might as well let a whole army of sorcerers into the kingdom. Besides, from what Uther had heard, Gwaine had already fell into what was called the 'Everlasting Sleep'. Gaius had said it was some sort of deep sleep that nobody had ever woken up from. The only way they could was if the caster withdrew the spell. He would die. But Uther would have to let it happen. He wasn't going to surrender to this Thief. Not now, not ever.

Arthur sat at Gwaine's bedside and looked down at the sleeping Knight. He looked so calm and peaceful, oblivious that he was going to die tomorrow. Suddenly, Gwaine made a sudden movement in his sleep. Then again. Before long he was writhing round on the sheets and yelling out cries of pain. This was the third time he had done this since he had came to visit him. He had been there for about an hour. Every time he went to leave, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Just the sight of Gwaine's dying figure was enough to make him stay at his bedside and watch over him in case, by some miracle, Gwaine would wake up. Gaius had been out for a while now but Arthur was quite glad of it. As much as he cared for Gwaine, he didn't think Gaius watching him sit by him would be so great. Finally Gwaine stopped writhing round and settled back down on the covers, sweat shining on his face. Arthur couldn't believe that Gwaine was going to die. He had done everything in his power to try and get his father to change his mind but Uther's concern for his son's feelings were drowned by his fear of magic.

"I'm so sorry Gwaine. This is all my father's doing and I hate him for it. I just wish there was something I could do to make him change his mind," Arthur uttered under his breath. Gwaine didn't move. And why would he? Arthur was stupid to think that his words would somehow get through to Gwaine and make him wake up.

This was all the Thief's fault. If it weren't for him one of his best Knights wouldn't be on the brink of death right now. Anger flared up inside Arthur like a beast that was finally having its chains taken away. Arthur didn't blame his father for wanting to keep that malicious sorcerer down there. He wanted that sorcerer to burn in Hell down there. He just wished that it came at an easier price.

Lancelot hit the ground like a rock. His head hit the soil and his sword went flying out of his grip. He felt the cold, unwelcoming, sharp metal of a blade being pushed up to his throat. He stayed still even though he knew no harm would come to him.

"What is wrong with you today Lancelot? That's the fourth time you've lost in a row!" Leon's concerned voice came from above him. A hand appeared above him and he took it, hauling himself off the ground. He brushed himself off momentarily and then looked down at the ground. "What's wrong Lancelot?" Leon's under toned voice was more private this time as he stepped a little closer to Lancelot.

"It's…it's just that I've got a lot of stuff on my mind," Lancelot said briefly.

"It's Gwaine isn't it?" Leon murmured, sensing Lancelot's vibe of dejection. Lancelot nodded at the ground. Leon put an arm around his shoulders and walked across the field with him. "We're all thinking of him. But he wouldn't have wanted us to be moping round and grieving over him. You know what he's like," Leon tried to brighten the mood but failed. Lancelot wished he could help Leon in lightening the burden that they carried by saying that 'at least he is peaceful' or 'at least he's not in pain' but they weren't true. He had seen first hand how restless he could get in his sleep. He would twist and turn round on his bed and scream out in agony until he would suddenly stop and become still. He was certainly not peaceful or painless. Instead, Leon just clapped him on the back and nodded, indicating that they should keep practicing. Lancelot swallowed down the grief and swung his sword out at Leon as he readied himself. Leon better watch out. Lancelot was full of anger, and he was going to have to take it out on something…

Author's Note: Now then. I think we give that little blue guy down there a good, hard click so he doesn't feel neglected after we've all given him such a good usage! So please, make both a little blue button and a girl sitting at home posting all these chapters very happy! x