Chapter 11-Magic revealed…Almost

I know, I know, it's been so long and I'm so sorry. Work is catching up with me at the moment and I just about found time to do this chapter. If you are also reading it's a Charmed Life then I should probably let you know it's on hold until I can get a handle on my university work. Anyway I hope to give you another chapter for this story before Christmas so that doesn't give me long but I will find some time, somehow. I don't own Merlin, but Elizabeth, Laudine and Kay are my inventions. Read and enjoy.

There was another council meeting called around an hour after Gwen was sentences. I didn't really want to go, but it seemed like if I didn't turn up Uther would have probably hunted me down anyway. I sat next to Arthur in silence as Uther just talked and talked at us.

"What if burning this witch doesn't stop the poison? How do I protect my people? My men have closed down the water pumps," Uther said to Gaius.

"But the emergency supply won't last for much longer. We have to find a way of cleansing the water of the disease," Gaius suggested.

"But how?" Uther questioned hopelessly.

"Well..." Gaius began.

Before he could get any further in his speak the door burst open and Merlin came running in followed by one of the guards from the entrance, "It was me! It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!" Merlin yelled at the top of his voice, the council just stared at him in shock, "Gwen is not the sorcerer. I am!"

Gaius stood up from next to me, "Merlin, are you mad?"

"I cannot let her die for me," Merlin said more calmly before turning to face Uther once more, "I place myself at your mercy."

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," I argued standing up as well.

"I do," Merlin countered back.

Uther looked between Merlin and me before he spoke, "Then arrest him."

The guards grabbed hold of Merlin as Arthur got involved in the argument, "Father, please! I can't allow this! This is madness! There's no way Merlin is a sorcerer."

"Did you not hear him?" Uther questioned.

"Yes," Arthur admitted reluctantly.

"He admitted it," Uther said, sadly I had come to realise that once Uther got something in his head it was impossible to get it out.

"He saved my life, remember," Arthur pointed out.

"Why should he fabricate such a story?" Uther questioned.

I jumped in knowing this was my only chance at getting Merlin off, "As Gaius said, he's got a...grave mental disease."

Arthur looked at me in gratitude, "Really?" Uther said leaning forward in his seat.

"He's in love," I added quickly while I had Uther attention.

"What?" Merlin exclaimed.

"With Gwen," I finished, Uther grinned at me.

"I am not," Merlin argued.

"Yes, you are," Arthur said quickly catching on with where I was going.

"No way!" Merlin yelled once again.

"I saw yesterday with that flower she'd given you," Arthur shot back. I smiled at him as Uther got up, we were winning this argument now.

"I'm not in love with her," Merlin said hopelessly.

Arthur put his arm around Merlin shoulder, "It's alright. You can admit it."

"I don't even think of her like that!" Merlin argued back knowing it was useless.

"Perhaps she cast a spell on you," Uther suggested. I froze up a bit at the mention of Merlin being under a spell. Before Uther began to laugh, the council members and Arthur joined in after a moment while I just sighed in relief.

"Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he's such an idiot. There's no way he's a sorcerer," Arthur finished our argument off and staring angry at Merlin.

Uther nodded his head agreeing, "Don't waste my time again. Let him go," he ordered before turning back to the council. Merlin stood there for a moment completely still before he turned and walked out of the hall followed closely by Gaius.

"My Lord, if you don't mind I wish to go and see Merlin, I wouldn't want him trying to stop the execution now would we?" I suggested as Laudine walked to my side.

"Of course Elizabeth," Uther said not bothering to look up from the papers in front of him. I bowed quickly before making my way out of the hall.

Once we were outside Laudine turned to me, "That was close."

"Far too close, why would Merlin do something so stupid?" I questioned angry as I walked quickly to Gaius's chambers.

"Probably to save Gwen," Laudine suggested, obviously a lot more calm than I was in that second.

"Most likely but that isn't the way to go about it. How can Arthur become the king he is supposed to without Merlin there saving him every moment?" I snapped feeling bad for having a go at Laudine when it wasn't her fault, "I'm sorry," I apologized immediately.

"Don't worry my Lady, I know you're just worried," Laudine said softly smiling at me as we reached Gaius's chamber usually I would knock by at that moment I was a bit too annoyed to bother with common manners.

I walked in as Merlin was talking, "Arthur's the idiot."

Gaius spoke before I could have a go at him, "No. He was right to do what he did. And, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity."

"What else could I do? It's my fault Gwen's going to die," his voice going desperate.

"Yes, but you don't prove her innocence by offering to jump into the flames. You do it by finding out what's causing the disease!" I argued making my presents known.

Merlin jumped out of his skin when he heard me, "Well, whatever it is, one thing's for sure: Arthur isn't going to find it. He thinks he is so sharp! But even when I told him I was a wizard, he still couldn't see it!"

"Sometimes we're pretty hard to spot," I said with a shrug.

"Well, maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat," Merlin suggested cheering up a bit.

"I don't think you'll find one big enough," I smirked back at him, Merlin gave me a look of mock outrage, "Anyway, forget that. If we're going to save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water."

"How can we do that?" Merlin questioned.

"We go down to the water supply," Gaius said holding up a bucket.

"Laudine can you stay here and make sure that everything is running okay?" I questioned her as Merlin took the bucket off of Gaius and prepared to leave.

"Of course my lady," Laudine smiled back at me.

We made our way quickly down to the underground entrance of the water supply. It was dark and dirty, I pulled up the bottom of my skirt to avoid getting it messed up. Gaius was talking to Merlin, "The water from here supplies the whole town. Take a sample," Merlin put the bucket into the water, "Let's take it back and examine it," Gaius suggested walking backwards out.

I followed behind before I felt a shot of powerful magic go through me I turned back in time to see a creature rear up out of the water, it seemed scaly and brown in colour. I suddenly felt very cold.

"What the hell was that?" Merlin yelled. I simply grabbed his arm and dragged him out, not caring anymore about my dress or the water in the bucket which was swishing about, as we ran back up out of the underground cave into the sunlight.

"What happened?" Gaius asked taking a look at us as we struggled for breath next to him.

"Creature in water supply is big and scary," I explained, "Think our list of problems just got bigger!"

Okay, not my greatest chapter, but I have the most amazing idea for the chapter after next which will be lots and lots of Arthur and Elizabeth in it and will make their relationship start to work out. Anyway please review. I love knowing what you think.

Until Next time

Artistic-Blue-Eyes

xxx