Chapter 10-Gwen's Guilt
Hey guys, hope you're all doing okay. I have been having a manic life recently, a lot of Maths stuff going on, but I took some time to work on this tonight. I was inspired after watching the epic Doctor Who episode earlier. If you haven't watched it make sure you do! It was so amazing . Anyway this is the last part of the poll that is currently on so if you want to votes do it within the next week. Remember it's for who Gwen ends up with Lancelot, Merlin or no one. Now review and enjoy people.
I stood watching as Gaius and Laudine examined another corpse. It was around the 3rd one so far and more and more people were coming down with the illness. People were getting desperate, "What's different about this victim?" Gaius questioned Merlin, obviously trying to get him to help more.
"Er...she's a woman," Merlin said stupidly.
Laudine and I looked at each other before I spoke, "Wow you're deduction skills are amazing Merlin."
"Anything else?" Gaius questioned before Merlin could reply to me.
"Erm…she's a courtier," Merlin stated once again. Laudine just stared at Merlin, not even able to speak, "How does that help us?"
"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?" Gaius asked, giving Merlin a giant hint.
Merlin looked blankly for a second, "Erm...that, that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople."
I could see Laudine expression getting more and more pained so I decided to step in, "Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact."
"Oh, and they probably ate different food," Merlin began finally getting it.
"Good. Anything else?" Gaius said looking more pleased.
"Erm...I doubt they breathe the same air," Merlin pointed out more sarcastically than anything else.
"So what's the only thing they do share?" I said finally getting to the point we were aiming for.
"Water," Merlin stated almost immediately, "Water? You think the disease is spread through water?"
"Merlin, you're a prodigy," I replied back sarcastically before handing Merlin a bucket and pointing towards the door, "You need to go and collect some."
I waited until Merlin was out of the room before turning to Gaius, "If we know it's in the water that doesn't really narrow it down."
"We have to try," Gaius said softly.
"I know, I just wish sometimes that it would be easier," I said sitting down on one of the seats, "Why do so many people try to destroy Camelot?" I asked rhetorically.
"I don't know why but Merlin and Arthur are lucky to have you," Gaius said.
"Can you remind them of that every once in a while?" I laughed.
Merlin came running into the room carrying the bucket of water, "Perfect," I said taking the bucket out of his hand, "Okay let's start then."
We were staring at the water I had just placed in the jar when Gwen came bursting into the room, "Gwen!"
"Gaius!" Gwen yelled back her eyes filled up with tears.
"You have the sickness?" I questioned walking over to look at her.
Gwen shakes her head, "My father! Please, Gaius, he's all I have."
"Gwen, I have no cure," Gaius said quietly.
"I am begging you!" Gwen said getting even more emotional.
"I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve," Gaius said softly.
I walked forward taking Gwen's hands, "I'm so sorry," Gwen pulled her hands away and ran out of the room.
"There must be something we can do," Merlin complained once the door shut.
"My best. Let's hope that this can provide some answers," Gaius said holding up the water.
"But that'll be too late for Gwen's father," Merlin pointed out.
"I fear you may be right," I muttered before placing a flower in the water in a jar. Merlin walked out of the room.
Arthur reached for the glass jar with the now rotting flower in it, "Don't touch it. I had this in the water for no more than a few hours," Gaius ordered.
"Where's the water from?" Uther asked.
Gaius looked unhappy, "The pump from where the people take their daily supply."
"We have to stop the people from using it," Arthur argued immediately.
"The city cannot survive without water," I pointed out.
"We have to find this sorcerer!" Uther said certainly, his voice cold.
Arthur stepped forward, "I don't believe that they're inside Camelot."
"Then extend the search to the villages!" Uther argued back.
"We've started, but I can't search the entire kingdom," Arthur pointed out.
Uther didn't seem in the mood for logic, "And I can't stand by and watch our people dying," He stated. Arthur just nodded before exiting.
Morgana met up with me outside the council chambers, "How is everything?"
"Not good at the moment," I said softly.
"Can you help Gwen's father?" Morgana questioned.
I shook my head slowly, "I don't think we'll find the cure in time. I'm sorry, but we'll try."
"Do you know anything about it?" Morgana said as we began to walk along the corridor.
"It's in the water, but we can't stop people drinking it. That will just kill them quicker," I spoke my fears, before realising we were walking towards Morgana's room.
As we entered the room Gwen was being cuffed by two guards while Arthur stood off to the side, "Gwen?" Morgana questioned trying to go over to her but being blocked by Arthur.
"But what have I done? I haven't done anything! Help me, please!" Gwen began to yell.
"What are you doing?" I questioned Arthur angrily.
"I found a magic poultice in her house," Arthur argued back.
Morgana just shook her head, "Oh, that's ridiculous."
"Then how else do you explain her father's recovery?" Arthur questioned, not seeming to be able to see the truth.
"Well, she's innocent! I know she's innocent," I yelled at him, "There is no way she is a witch."
"What can I do? I can't turn a blind eye!" Arthur said more quietly before pulling Gwen down the corridor with him. I sprinted after them leaving Morgana alone in her room.
In front of me Gwen's voice echoed, "No, please. You've got to listen to me! Please, I haven't done anything wrong! You have to listen to me, please! I am innocent, I swear! Let me go! I swear to you! Merlin! Merlin, please help me! Why won't you listen to me?!"
I continued to run after Gwen coming to a skidding halt when I saw Gaius standing with Merlin, "What exactly did you do?"
"I may have cast a spell to save her father," Merlin said softly, the guards disappearing down the corridor.
"Well now we have a serious problem. Come with me," I said grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the council chambers just as Gwen was dropped onto the floor.
"Well done," Uther said, sounding pleased with Arthur.
"Why will no one believe me?! He got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!" Gwen argued back pleading for her life.
Morgana entered the room behind me, "I believe you. Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally."
"And what of this poultice that was found?" Uther argued back.
Gwen looked confused, "What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!"
"It was found in your house. Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion," Uther just wasn't ready to visit.
"I can't!" Gwen cried.
"I will show you no mercy," Uther said refusing to listen to her.
I felt my stomach turn as I saw exactly what happened to the innocents that were accused of being witches, "I am not a witch. I don't know how to stop the illness!" Gwen argued back.
"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty..." Uther began.
"But I told you, I..." Gwen interrupted.
"It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment. And under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death," Uther said not even sounding a bit like he was sad about it.
"No," Gwen wept.
Uther didn't respond to her, "I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you."
"No! No!" Gwen continued to break down.
"Take her away," Uther ordered.
The guards began to drag Gwen backward out of the room, "Please, no! I'm innocent! Please, please, no! Please help me! Please, I beg you! No!"
The Courtiers left the room, so that Morgana, Arthur and I were left behind with Uther. Morgana was the first to speak, "I know Gwen, she's my maidservant, not an enchantress."
"Have you ever seen an enchantress? Believe me, they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye," Uther argued back.
"I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a sorceress, why would she do this? Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!" Morgana began to yell.
"You have no right!" Uther began.
"You have no right to cast a judgement on that girl!" Morgana interrupted.
Uther stared down at Morgana, "I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! I take no pleasure in this!"
"But you're sentencing the wrong person!" I suddenly spoke up feeling like I needed to side with Morgana.
"She's right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen," Arthur agreed with us.
"You saw it for yourself. She used enchantments," Uther fought back obviously not liking the fact it was three against one.
I stepped forward, "How do you know it's hers?"
"It has to be," Uther said dismissing me.
"But to save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of, of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart," Arthur stepped up next to me and helped.
"I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand. I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish," Uther challenged.
Arthur bowed his head in submission, "I understand that."
"One day you may become King. Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces that threaten this kingdom," Uther said.
"I know. Witchcraft is an evil, father. So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime," Arthur declared passionately.
"I fear you're right. She's played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire," Uther said simply. I knew I couldn't fight against him any longer so I walked out of the room before I said something I regretted.
Not a great chapter and I'm sorry for that but the next chapter is better I promise. Just had to get this part done, it's kind of the boring part of this episode. Anyway I hope it was okay for you guys. Please review and let me know what you think.
Until next time
Artistic-Blue-Eyes
xxx