Kara hauled her stack of firewood up the hill, with Merlin and some other peasants. Her and Merlin break away and sit down on a hilltop overlooking Camelot.
'Hors, beride þá heofonum.' Merlin whispers after a moment his eyes flashing gold and Kara couldn't help the smile that graced her face as a horse appeared in the smoke. After a few second the horse fades back to smoke, but it managed to lift the spirits of the two sorcerers.
Out of nowhere Kara feels a strong grip on her arm and she turns to see a terrified woman 'Did you see it? The smoke, did you see it?' She said and their eyes widened
'No, I saw nothing.' Merlin spoke and the woman turned to Kara.
'It's just smoke' Kara shrugged,
'Are you both blind? You were right there! It was magic, I tell you. There's sorcery here. We must tell the King.' She says and runs away.
'Wait!' Merlin and Kara yell but the woman is already gone, they glance at each other fearful of what had just happened.
Kara stood behind Morgana as the women from the woods talked to uther
'It was sorcery you saw, and you're certain of it?' Uther asks and the woman nods 'Yes, Sire.'
'And you swear this before your King?'
'I swear it.' Merlin and Kara shared a fearful glance.
'Perhaps, your eyes deceived you, a trick of the light.' Arthur suggested.
'The smoke was alive, I tell you. I feared for my life.'
'I thank you for bringing this to my attention. Your loyalty will not go unrewarded.'
'Thank you, Sire.' She says and with a bow she's escorted out by a knight.
'It cannot continue' uther stated as soon as she had left.
'I will hunt down those responsible, Father. I promise they will not escape unpunished.' Arthur says from behind his chair but uther shakes his head.
'No. Stronger methods are called for. Send for the Witchfinder.' The courtiers gasp and kara's eye go wide with fear.
'Sire, is it necessary to resort to such measures?' Gaius asks.
'The Witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius. His help will be invaluable.''of course' gaius nods, stepping back.
Kara immediately exits the throne room, dashing into her own. She immediately hides anything that could bring her to magic before she sighs leaning against her table. Dark flashes of her past haunt her as she closes her eyes, the sight of the witchfinder's face appearing in her mind before a a women was burned on the stake, Her terrified scream rips through kara's ears and she falls to the floor, not hearing the knock on the door.
'Kara?' She beards and Arthur's worried face appears in front of hers. She quickly calms herself down, the memory fading.
'Are you alright?' Arthur asks, his voice gentle but concerned.
'Fine, I'm fine just got a bit dizzy' she lies and Arthur nods helping her to her feet.
'You should have gaius brew you a remedy if your feeling unwell' he states and she nods 'I'll her get right to it. Was there something you need sire?' She asks but Arthur shakes his head.
'No, just you left the throne room quite quickly I wanted to make sure you were alright' he said, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
Kara smiles 'I can assure you I'm fine' she says and Arthur nods.
'I best be going' he says and walks out the door. Kara collapses on a chair curls herself up into a ball, dreading the days to come. That night Kara woke to the sound of a horse and she rose out bed walking over to her window.
She stared out seeing a horse and a carriage/cage. She gasped in horror when she caught sight of Aredian's face immediately moving away and closing her drapes. She moved back to her bed and pulled the covers over her head, wishing only to disappear.
The next morning , Kara was walking towards the laundry room when she heard a voice that send chills down her spin, 'I thought that was you, Kara isn't it?' Aredian spoke and she out on her best brave face turning around.
'Yes' she said quietly avoiding the cruel man's eyes. 'Strange how I always seem to find you in kingdoms with magic corruption.' Aredian spoke and Kara tried not to let his words effect her as memories flashed, the same terrified scream raining through her ears,
'Just a lot of bad luck I guess' she said, not allowing her voice to shake.
'Indeed, well let's hope it doesn't end like last time hmm' he said and Kara nodded. She sighed in relief when he walked away falling back against the wall. The scream echoed through her ears again and again and tears dropped down kara's face as she watched the older women burn.
'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry' Kara whispered over and over, as she sobbed against the wall, the vision running through her head on repeat along with the scream.
Kara stood next to Gwen in the throne room. She had waved off Gwen concerned gaze at her red eyes, claiming she was just tired not wanting to alarm her friend.
Aredian presented three women before the court, 'Speak, do not be afraid.' He said to the first woman
'I...I was drawing water from the well, Sire, when I saw them: faces in the water. Terrible faces, like people who were drowned, screaming. Screaming.' She said her voice slowly becoming more terrified as each word passed her lips.
'Tell them what you saw.' Aredian says to the second.
'A goblin dancing on the coals. it was dancing in the flames, and it spoke, Sire. My heart near stopped for fear of it.'
'As you've heard, My Lord, the incident in the woods was only the beginning, hmm?'
'There was a sorcerer, Sire, in the square. There were creatures jumping right out of his mouth.' The last woman spoke.
'And what manner of creature?' Aredian asks.
'Toads, Sire. Great green, slimy things as big as your fist.' She explains.
'The sorcerer laughs in your face. Even now magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot.' Aredian spoke.
'I can scarcely believe it.' Uther breathes.
'Yet it is the truth, My Lord. Fortunately I've utilised every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a swift resolution.' Kara eyes widen, full of fear at his words.
'The sorcerer? You have a suspect?' Uther asks, surprised.
'Oh, I do, My Lord. I regret to say, they stand among us in this very room.' Kara lets out a shaky breath but seeing Aredian's eyes land on her she looked away.
'My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable! The facts point to one person and one person alone: the boy, Merlin!' Kara gasped shock looking behind her at Merlin who was squally surprised.
'Merlin? You can't be serious.' Arthur states disbelieving after a moment's silence.
'This is outrageous! You have no evidence!' Gaius yells
'The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me. I am certain that a thorough search of the boy's chamber will deliver us all we need.' Aredian says and uther turns to Merlin
'Merlin?' 'I have nothing to hide from him.' Merlin states.
'Very well. Guards, restrain the boy. Let the search begin.' Kara watches helpless as the guards takes Merlin away.
Kara had seething his anger as the guards tore gaius's chambers apart, smashing and ripping everything in apart.
'Careful, please! That's my life's work!' Gaius called
'Comb every inch. The sorcerer is a master of concealment.'
'There's nothing here, Aredian!' Arthur speaks from beside Kara.
'I'll be the judge of that. Over there behind this tapestry. In there, upend that stool. Be sure to check for hollow legs. In there within those powder jars.' He orders and Leon moves towards the powder jars.
One smashes to the floor a bracket with a glowing yellow gem 'Here!' Leon says grabbing the bracelet and giving it to the witch hunter.
'An amulet of enchantment. Were you aware, physician, that your assistant kept instruments of sorcery?' He asked and gaius continued to stare at the amulet before replying 'no'.
'Well, our work is done. I must inform the King.' He says beginning to leave the chambers.
'Aredian!' Gaius calls 'I know for certain that that amulet does not belong to Merlin.' Kara turns wide eyed to look at physician.
'Oh? Well who does it belong to, then?'
'It belongs to me.' Aredian's nods to the guards and they grab gaius, hauling him out of the room.
'No gaius!' Kara yells and tries to run forward only for Arthur to grab her arm stopping her.
'Perhaps the past won't repeat itself after all' Aredian's speaks and she glares at him as he leaves.
Kara rips her her arm out of Arthur's grasp and turns around. 'It's happening all over again' Kara whispered falling to her knees.
'what?' Arthur questions.
'Nothing' she shakes her and began gathering up the papers on the floor.
'I'm sure this all just one big misunderstanding, we,lol sort it out, Arthur says trying to reassure her but she didn't want to hear it.
'Please just go Arthur' she says through a shaky breath.
'Kara..' 'Go!' She yells and Arthur bows his head 'as you wish' she hears him walk away galls cracking under his boots as he did.
Merlin entered not soon after and she turned to look at him. 'Gaius he..' He started and she nods 'I know. Im sorry' she says and he nods. Once Kara sees the tears in the boys eyes, she goes over and gives him a comforting hug.
'We'll sort this out. Aredian's will not kill anyone else that I care about' she stated and Merlin pulled away.
'What do you mean?' He questioned, and Kara sighed.
'A few years ago I was staying in a northern kingdom with a friend. Her name was Iris, she knew about my magic after I used it to her save her life against a group of thugs. I was still young and she pretty much became a mother to me. Kinda like what gaius is to you' she explained.
'What happened to her?' 'Aredian' she spat out the name.
'There had been talk of sorcery so much to the point where the King called for him. I don't know how but he somehow narrowed his search down to me. I was questioned and I guess I failed because the next day he came back. Iris was there, I was fetching water for her from the well. He found my spell book but Iris claimed it was hers. I came back to the house and Iris was being taken away' she said muffling the sob that passed her lips.
'I tried everything, I confessed but no one would listen, I tried to help her escape but she wouldn't have it. she kept telling me she rather die than watch any harm befall me. The next morning I watched her burn on the stake' Kara choked and Merlin put his arms around her in comfort as she began to cry.
'That wasn't your fault' 'it was, Merlin it is!' She yelled, 'Iris is dead because of me!' She said sobbing harder as she admitted it.
Merlin didn't know what to say so he merely tightened on the girl, that had practically become his sister, rocking her back and forth.
She calmed down eventually and left Merlin, retreating to her own quarters. There she stayed, afraid to run into Aredian. Gwen and Morgana were the only who visited, though their attempts at conversation also failed.
A few days passed when she came out of her room and entered the council chambers. She stood by Merlin and Gwen. Tears forming in her eyes when gaius was dragged forth. Images of Iris, filled her vision before was Brough back to the present.
Aredian pulled gaius hair back 'Confess! Confess!' Gaius glanced back at Merlin and Kara who looked back fearfully.
'I...I am a sorcerer, Sire. I am responsible for conjuring the smoke. I'm guilty of practicing magic in Camelot, the goblin, the faces in the well, I...I am the sorcerer who conjured the toad from his mouth.' Gaius said and tears welled in kara's eyes, gripping into Merlin's hand.
'Put her stood up and looked down at gaius 'You've betrayed me, Gaius. Betrayed your friends. And above all, you've betrayed yourself. By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you' uther paused mid sentence and looked away 'to death.'
Aredian threw gaius to the ground 'The sorcerer will be purged of his magic by means of fire! He shall be burnt at the stake tomorrow at dawn! Bear witness and heed this lesson!' Guards dragged gaius away.
Merlin charged at aredian 'You're a liar.' Arthur gets up and restrains the yelling Merlin out of the room 'YOUR A LIAR!'.
Kara glares at the man, who smiles triumphantly. She would hit him with a curse right now if she could i stead she emery walks out of the council room. As soon as she closed the door to her room, her eyes flashed gold as the table was flown over. She glanced at the mirror and watched her shine before the mirror smashed into million of pieces.
Merlin barged in on her later on that night. She had been watching the knight build the pyre from her window. Seeing an image of Iris burning on a stake, she looked away. She couldn't let gaius die the way Iris did.
'We have to get proof. Aredian planted the amulet in gaius's room because it not his and it's not mine' Merlin stated and Kara, nodded it made perfect sense.
'As long as he gets him money he doesn't care whether they are innocent or not' she realises and Merlin nods.
'That's why we have to get proof' and that's how Kara found herself snooping through Aredian's quarters. Merlin looked throguh his desk while Kara was immediately drawn to a cupboard near a lamp of candles. When she tugged on the handle it was locked.
'Tospringe.' She muttered, eyes flashing as the spell unlocked the cupboard. She looked inside and was confused when she a glass jar of flower petals.
'Merlin' she whispered and he hurried over from where he was looking through the bed. 'Why would a man like Aredian have flower petals in his room?' She wondered.
Before Merlin could reply they heard the sounds of footsteps, 'Dæfte þæt bedd.' Merlin cats, the bed remaking itself and the two sorcerers quickly hid underneath the bed, sliding under just Aredian entered.
He goes over to the cupboard which they had left open but he merely places something inside closing and locking it. He paused, almost like he sensed something was wrong but he pulled back the drapes instead. It took a few more moments before Aredian left and both sorcerers let out a sigh of relief.
Working in the physician chamber, Merlin, Kara and Gwen searched through book after book for something about the flower.
'This is hopeless!' Gwen cries.
'Keep looking.' Merlin insists
'We don't even know if this flower means anything.' Gwen points out.
'No we don't, but it's all we've got.' Kara said grabbing another book from the pile, opening it.
'Here.' Merlin cries and the two women crowd around him 'Belladonna.'
' For the alleviation of ulcers, allergies, and muscular inflammation..." This is hopeless, Merlin.' Gwen says after reading the description.
'No, wait. Listen, "Under certain conditions, a tincture of the flower can produce hallucinations."' Kara reads.
'So?' Gwen questions but Merlin understand completely.
He scoffs before saying 'Aredian's witnesses. It wasn't magic they were seeing, it was visions.'
'It makes sense, if he's faking the evidence. But how can we prove it?' Gwen wonders.
'No, Aredian's too clever to have given the tincture to them directly. The witnesses, they must've got it from someone else.' Merlin states.
'They could've been getting it from anyone though' Kara adds.
'Is there anything, anything at all that these people had in common?' Merlin asks.
'They were all women?' Gwen suggests
'No, that doesn't tell us anything.' Merlin says shrugging it off but Kara and Gwen glanced at each other having the exact same thought in mind.
'Yes, it does. What's the one thing only women would buy? Things to make them look beautiful.' Gwen says grabbing her cloak. Kara and Merlin quickly follow after her.
They run down the quiet streets of the lower two, coming to the apothecary door where Gwen knocks. An older gentleman steps out 'Gwen?' He questions holding up a candle holder. Gwen enters the other two following after her.
'Do you sell a tincture of Belladonna?' Kara asks the man.
'What's this all about?' He wonders
'Please, it's important.' Gwen begs and he shrugs
'Well, I, I think I've got some somewhere, but what you'd be wanting with eye drops in the middle of the night, I really don't want to know.' He said grabbing a small bottle from one of the shelves.
'Eye drops.' Gwen says taking the bottle.
'Yes. Women use them to make their eyes more beautiful.' The man shirts, not seeing the point in it but business was business.
'Where did you get this?' Merlin questions, the shop keeper.
'Well, my usual suppliers.' He says but the other three immediately can tell he's lying.
'Sure you didn't get it from someone else?'
'Of course I'm sure. If it's all the same to you, I'd like to get some sleep.' He says, trying to usher them out.
'It was Aredian who gave you the Belladonna, wasn't it?' Kara asks
'Don't know what you're talking about.' He says and tries to walk away.
'But you know that Gaius is going to be executed tomorrow, don't you?' Merlin says following the man.
'That has nothing to do with me.' The shopkeeper shrugs.
'That has everything to do with you! Aredian's witnesses saw visions . Visions produced by the Belladonna in these eye drops! If we can prove this, we have a chance of saving Gaius.' Merlin spoke, giving the older man a pleading look.
'He forced me to sell it. He, he said he'd kill me if I said anything to anyone.' The shopkeeper said.
'It was him? It was Aredian?' Kara asks and he nods 'yes, it was him.'
'Thank you.' The three of them say to the shopkeeper hurrying out of the apothecary and back up to the castle.
Merlin grabs the tincture, book and Belladonna petals, 'That's it. We've got everything we need.'
'But is it enough?' Gwen questions.
'We've got a witness as well. Surely that's enough?' Merlin says.
'She's right Merlin It's still only our word against Aredian's!' Kara point out.
'Look, we don't have a choice! By dawn tomorrow Gaius will be dead.' Merlin says, the desperation in his voice,
'Merlin, we've only got one chance at this. We've got to give Uther something he cannot deny. Something not even Aredian can talk his way out of.' Gwen says and Kara nods agreeing.
Merlin stood in silence before a smile broke out on his face 'I'll be as quick as I can.' He says putting down the evidence and racing out of the chambers, leaving the girls standing there confused.
The girls at the table, seeing the sun rise through the window, 'Come on, Merlin. Come on.' Gwen says and Kara takes in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing nerves.
Merlin runs in 'Merlin! Where have you been?' Gwen questions
'It's done. Everything's in place.' He sighs happily.
'But it's too late! Gaius has already left the dungeons!' Kara points out.
'Then...then we'll have to delay the execution.' Merlin says
'How?'
'Arthur. I'll speak to Arthur.' Merlin says but Kara shakes her head.
'No, leave Arthur to me, she says before racing out of the chambers towards the courtyard,
'Sorry. Excuse me. Excuse me. Sorry. I must get through. Sorry. Excuse me.' Kara whispers as eh pushes to the front to stand by the prince.
'Arthur! Arthur! Arthur, you've got to stop this.' She begs when she comes face to face with him.
'I can't, Kara. You know I can't.' Arthur sighs.
'Merlin and I have proof that Gaius is innocent.' She claims
'My father's already past sentence. Kara there is nothing I can do'
'You can do the right thing, Arthur pendragon! You can show some faith in a loyal friend, or you can stand by and watch an innocent man die!' She screamed at him, not caring that some of the crowd had began staring at her.
'Kara' he tried to stop her grabbing her arm but she ripped it away.
'No, your the crown prince of Camelot Arthur so start acting like it! You said you were going to listen to me more. So LISTEN to me and stop this!' She yelled staring, up at him.
She watches as a thoughtful look crosses his face and just Aredian lowers the torch to light the pyre, he cries out 'wait!' Kara sighs in relief.
Standing in front of Uther, Merlin begins to make his case.
'Sire' Merlin began 'the witnesses saw nothing but hallucinations' he caught Aredian's eyes, the man glaring sternly at him but Merlin continued 'induced by the Belladonna in these eye drops.' He passes the eye drops to uther to examine.
'And you bought this Belladonna from this man?' Uther asks the women pointing at the man from the apothecary, they all nod.
'Where did you get it from?' Uther asks but the man looks around warningly 'Don't be afraid, no harm will come to you here.' Uther promises.
'The Witchfinder. He gave them to me.' He says, avoiding Aredian's eye.
'Did he tell you what it was for?' Uther question and he shook his head 'No. Only that if I did not sell it, he'd have me burnt at the stake.' Kara could hear the murmurs from the court and she sends the shopkeeper a thankful smile.
'How do you answer to these accusations?' Uther asks aredian.
'They're absurd. The boy has clearly concocted these lies in the hope of saving his master.'
'Then you won't mind if we search your chamber, will you?' Merlin says
'Silence! You have no authority here!' Uther cuts Merlin off,
'Father...let's settle this once and for all.' Arthur says steeping in, coming to his servants defence. Kara grins a small smile 'If what Merlin says is wrong, he must bear the consequences. But if there is some truth in what he says...'
'I have nothing to hide.' Aredian speaks and they all find themselves in Aredian's chambers as the Knights tear it apart like they did gaius's.
'You're wasting your time.' Aredian states.
'The cupboard over there.' Arthur points out.
The knight open the cupboard and dozens of amulets drop out, and a stash of Belladonna tincture is inside. Kara looks at Merlin who sends her a quick wink. So that what he was doing.
'These things don't belong to me! This is a trick!' Aredian yells before coughing 'That boy plots against me!' Arthur unsheathed his sword, cautiously. Aredian tries to clear his throat only he ends up spitting out a toad.
'Sorcerer!' Uther yells grabbing his sword along with the Knights. Aredian acts fast pulling out a dagger and Morgana towards him.
'Aredian, think carefully about what you're doing. You will never escape from Camelot alive.' Uther warns.
'I will if you value the life of your ward. Hmm?' Aredian says moving the dagger near Morgana's throat.
'Forbærnan.' Merlin whispers and the spell causes the handle of the dagger to heat up and Aredian drops it, freeing Morgana. Aredian trips backwards over a box and crashing and falling out the window, screaming until it comes to a sharp stop.
Gaius serves dinner to Merlin and Kara, 'What I don't understand is how you two knew he'd concealed the evidence in his chamber.' Gaius questions and both Kara and Merlin glance at each other, swallowing
'Just a hunch, really.' Merlin shrugs,
'I see. And the toad.'
'That I, er...ahem, I, er...can't explain.' Merlin stutters and Kara bits her lip to hide her smile.
'I can hardly explain it myself. Unless, of course, you put it there.'
'OK, Gaius, fair enough. I promise I will never save your life again.' Merlin says.
'Promise?'
'Absolutely' Kara was the one to break into laughter first followed by the two men.
'Honestly, Merlin, the toad was a step too far.'
'You should've seen the look on his face.' Kara said between laughter though and gaius mimics it making the two sorcerers laugh as they dig into their dinner.