AN: I just got ahead of schedule. Must be because of all the lovely reviews you left me.
The plan
Merlin laid on his back waiting for good news. He still had worries about his execution and the Knights' investigation into the missing servant. If only he didn't have a guard, usually one of the Knights, all to himself then maybe he could take on the guise of dragoon and do some inquiries on his own. It had been him that saved Arthur countless times, not the Knights. Using a sleeping spell had come to mind but there wasn't any opportunity. Either the guard was being relieved or someone came to visit him.
There was a surge of anger flowing through his veins when he heard Alined had departed and Trickler was now out of reach. Of course the cowardly bastard would retreat to his castle, he had what he wanted. Queen Elena, formerly Princess Elena, would be far easier to persuade than her father and if she declared war on Camelot then he'd have all he wanted. All of Merlin's hope was on the servant's dead body and that it was stuffed away somewhere in Camelot.
Gaius visited him most and they usually talked about the little things like his current patients. The old physician's worried frowns did not go unnoticed by his ward. Times like these it was Merlin that didn't know his guardian's mind rather than the other way around. The warlock could get quite frustrated with him as he had learned Gaius kept troublesome secrets in the past such as Morgause and Balinor's survival. He never told him the stories of their escape.
"Gaius," Merlin interrupted him in the middle of a sentence, "what if Arthur can't prove my innocence?"
He took a moment to find an answer. Old age didn't slow his mind but contemplation. Only fools rush in.
"Even if he can't prove your innocence, he won't let you be executed. He is a good man, you've said so yourself." Gaius reminded him.
It was true that Arthur would never give in without a fight but their friendship wasn't as strong as it used to be. Given time the cracks would heal but time was running out. Arthur was a just King but traces of Uther's manipulative parentage were still there.
"He's also still his father's son." Merlin replied.
"Only Uther is no longer around to influence him." Gaius countered and that was true as well.
It had been a hell of a lot easier for Merlin to persuade Arthur than when Uther was still around.
Merlin nodded at his guardian. It wouldn't be easy, putting all his faith and even his life in Arthur's hand, but they would come out stronger than ever.
Late in the afternoon, long after Gaius had left, Arthur finally came down the steps that led to the dungeon. The black bags beneath his eyes betrayed the long nights he had spent trying to find a way out.
"I see you still manage to dress in the morning." Merlin joked in an attempt to lighten his mood.
Arthur returned a smile. Their usual banter worked wonders for stress relief.
"Glad to see you haven't lost your wit." He replied whilst taking something out his pocket. "One of the maids found this not far from Godwyn's chambers."
Dangling from Arthur's hand was the Blood Crystal necklace as worn by Trickler. Merlin couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse. On one hand it revealed that the servant might have been someone else, and on the other hand it would obscure the assassin's identity forever, especially knowing Trickler wasn't in Camelot anymore.
"Does it still work?" Merlin asked.
"Yes. That's how we found out she cut herself with it." Arthur replied.
It meant that, as evidence, its value had become null. Merlin let his head hang for a moment before it popped up again with the most incredulous thought.
"Did you wear it?" He asked with mirth in his eyes.
If Arthur had worn it, Merlin could finally get back at him for his "you're such a girl" comments. The King grinned widely which told plenty already. Someone had worn it but not the he himself.
"Gwaine did." Arthur could barely contain himself and they burst into fits of laughter.
Wiping tears of laughter from his eyes Merlin asked "Please tell me he asked if he could keep it."
"No such luck." Arthur said with a sigh.
Their conversation fell silent. A deafening silence. He was still on death row and it felt like no progress had been made. Merlin couldn't help but despair at the knowledge that a maid found the magical tool rather than the Knights who were investigating it.
"Arthur, Elena will demand my execution the day she arrives - the day after tomorrow. If you can't prove my innocence, what then?"
It was a sobering thought. She would arrive soon and although the crystal had been found, they hadn't really gotten closer to proof of his innocence.
"You shouldn't think like that." He didn't want to talk about it.
Merlin wasn't going to drop it. Arthur could be a bit of a snob from time to time. If he didn't want an emotional conversation with his manservant then he could stuff it. This was far too important, this was his life!
"But if it does come to that... The Crystal could help. Magic can be used for good." This wasn't one of the ways of getting Arthur to accept magic. Maybe a little bit but there was a far greater good in it, a bright shade of grey. It was a backup plan in case things turned out to be the worst they could be.
"I'm not going to use magic, Merlin." Arthur refused.
It visibly shook the manservant. Although he didn't know the full extent of it, Merlin was Arthur's magical good luck charm. All that magic in his defence and he wouldn't return any of it.
"You'd rather-" Merlin started when Arthur interrupted him.
"Because I don't need to." He said with his 'know-it-all' smile, "I have a plan, don't worry."
The prisoner let out a sigh of relief. For a moment there he thought his time was up
"What is it? What's the plan?" Merlin asked.
Arthur shook his head. He wasn't going to tell.
"I can't tell you. When you're out there, you need to look the part."
Apparently he thought his friend would smile and skip if he knew the plan. They could bicker about it for hours and, in the current situation, Arthur would just walk away. Gaius told him to have faith in his friend and, looking at the world a bit more positive, they did find the Blood Crystal.
"I... Okay. I trust you." Merlin gave him the benefit of the doubt.
The next day seemed to pass in silence. He tried to figure out what Arthur's plan was by talking to the Knights, whenever they guarded him, but they kept their lips shut tight. It didn't make him exceptionally nervous but he was extremely curious. Eventually he gave up on trying to find out what it was and instead kept his mind on the spells he recently came across. At dusk he could hear the sound of rushed footsteps. Something was going on upstairs but Merlin did not find out until about an hour later when Gwen came to visit.
He saw her approach in the white and blue dress one would often find her in.
"Elyan, would you unlock the door for me?" Gwen asked her brother.
She had a lot of leverage on him but refusing her wasn't an option anyhow. Doing so would mean he did not believe in Merlin's innocence and she, or Arthur, would give him hell. Elyan opened the cell door and his sister made yet another request.
"Could you leave us for a moment?" She asked sweetly.
The reluctance in his eyes was unmistakably there but the same reasons to listen applied and he did as she asked. Once Elyan was no longer in sight and earshot, Gwen stepped into the cell.
"I hate talking through prison bars. You don't belong in here." She said as if needing to explain herself.
Merlin saw how thoroughly upset she was and put an hand on her shoulder. He was about to speak when she moved closer to him and brought her arms around his lanky figure, hugging him like a teddy bear. The crush she had on him had ended years ago but he still held a special place in her heart. She saw him as a brother who believed in her innocence and to whom she could voice her worries. Hwis hand gently rubbed her back and he smiled silently.
She moved back again and cleared her throat. "Elena arrived about an hour ago."
Merlin nodded, acknowledging the fact. He had, after all, heard the noise.
"Arthur still hasn't found anything." Merlin spoke sadly.
"I... Arthur..." She wanted to say something but couldn't find the words and pouted instead.
It didn't take a bright mind to see what was going on.
"You know about his plan?" Merlin asked.
"He said not to tell you." She said with a shy smile.
"He showed his hand when I asked him to use the Blood Crystal. So what's he up to?" He thought he would finally be getting some answers.
"I don't know, I didn't ask for details."
"None of the Knights will tell me. I can only guess it's risky and they will tell me at the last moment so I can't object." He said with a smirk.
Their conversation moved on to more trivial things after that and ended well into the evening.
Elyan had been relieved by Gwaine. Merlin and Gwaine had more in common than he had with Elyan. The roguish Knight had a lot to say and Merlin welcomed the distraction. Gwaine didn't speak of the Knights' investigation into the death of Godwyn for the simple reason that Merlin did not ask. Instead the room was filled with talk of tavern wenches until it was time to go to sleep and Merlin tried asking one more time.
"I'm supposed to be beheaded tomorrow. Shouldn't you tell me how you planned to help me escape?"
"Tomorrow." Gwaine tried postponing it and the Merlin laid back on the bed.
The Knight took a look at Merlin who was staring at the ceiling. All the Knights knew Merlin wasn't capable of treason. The boy was fiercely loyal to Arthur and the manservant knew him longer than any Knight save for Sir Leon. This was the man he had polished boots with to pay for his drinking debt and didn't get upset when they pulled a prank on him. Gwaine loved to 'lure' him away from his chores and go to the tavern. A drunk Merlin was comically clumsy.
"Merlin?"
The prisoner turned his head to look at him but remained on his back. His face was so full of hope and trust that Gwaine couldn't keep it to himself anymore.
The Knight swallowed loudly and spoke softly, "There is no plan."
AN:
If you think this is sad, the next chapter will destroy you.
