The Witchfinder arrived with a cage on the back of his wagon, and Arthur found that to be rather gross. Arthur understood these people were sorcerers and supposed to be evil, but they did not deserve to be treated like this. The man himself was dark and his own from of gross, mysterious and all around gave Arthur the impression of someone who thought they held the balance of life or death in their hands. Needless to say, Arthur didn't like him at all, and neither did Merlin, who had already been questioned by him once. But not just Merlin, Morgana also didn't like him, she seemed nervous, as if she were scared of him. Arthur thought she really had no reason tbe. Uther wouldn't let anything happen to her, even if the man tried. Uther loved her, probably more than he loved Arthur, sometimes. It felt that way anyway, even though she and Uther fought much worse than he and Arthur ever had. Arthur was clearly a disappointment to him. So, of course he had liked Morgana more.
"You haven't anything to worry about," Arthur told her, when he had found her, staring off out of the window, just randomly. Arthur looked out the window next to her, and saw she wasn't just staring, she was watching the man. He placed a gentle hand on her back, and it was an odd feeling, because they never touched, not really. She took in a sharp breath, as if she were surprised by it too, and Arthur wanted to pull away, but did not. "You probably won't even be questioned, why would he need to question you?"
"I don't know," she spoke, and her voice sounded strained. Arthur only saw her like this after one of her dreams. "He's terrifying though."
"I thought you weren't scared of any man?" said Arthur, in a joke, but as Morgana turned to look at him, with her green eyes thick with worry and her brow forwarded, Arthur wished he hadn't joked. He put his other hand on her now, and touched her shoulders. "He's not going to do anything to you, I won't allow him to."
"I am not scared for just myself," she told him, and swallowed hard. "What if he finds a sorcerer among us?"
"There isn't any sorcerer," said Arthur. "The woman was crazy, Merlin says he didn't see anything, and I believe him."
"I do too," agreed Morgana. "He wouldn't lie, not about that. But Uther won't care...he won't believe him."
Arthur frowned, "I know."
"If only there was a way to get Uther to see reason..."
"I've given up on trying to get my Father to see reason, and Catrina doesn't help," said Arthur, Morgana nodded, troubled. "There is nothing we can do now."
Arthur took Morgana back to her chambers after this, and gave her over to Gwen and told her to take care of her, which Gwen did all the time anyway. But Arthur had to continue his rounds. The next day, however, the Witchfinder had called a council, which Arthur didn't know he could do, as he wasn't the King, but apparently Uther allowed this, and now they all sat, while the Witchfinder, Aredian, brought three girls in front of them, all with strange tails that didn't feel very true to Arthur, but as he was already in a very low standing with Uther, he didn't say anything. That was, of course, until...
"The boy, Merlin!" Aredian pointed toward him. "He is the Sorcerer, the one who created shapes in the smoke, the boy with toads in his mouth, that has tormented your great city, Uther...!"
Arthur was first alarmed, and second, rather confused. "Merlin?" he questioned, with lips turned up, in disbelieving. Aredian nodded, and grinned up at Uther, but Uher didn't look very convinced either.
"Are you sure?" he asked, as he stood up, and really stare at Merlin. "He has been in my household for some time now, he's never given any sign..."
"A great cover..."
"I am not a sorcerer!" retorted Merlin, not looking worried, only annoyed. Aredian only rolled his eyes.
"If you do not believe me, Sire, let us search his chambers, see what sort of secrets the Sorcerer is hiding."
"Merlin?" asked Uther, and for what, Arthur didn't really know. Merlin's eyes traveled to Arthur, for a second, before he looked straight back at Uther nodded.
"I have nothing to hide."
Merlin was taken, after this, to the dungeons to be held until the search was over. Arthur was not in charge of it, but he went anyway. He was not worried, he knew Merlin better than anyone, he was not a sorcerer. Aredian just wanted paid and a name and Merlin was the easiest target. He was sure, once they had searched Gaius' chambers and found nothing, Uther would feel like a fool and hopefully fire Aredian. But of course, it can never be that simple.
"Be careful!" yelled Gaius, clearly annoyed, as the Knights and Aredian destroyed his chambers. Arthur didn't think that was quite right, but it was Aredian in charge, not him. "That is my life's work!"
"And what is this?" Aredian's voice was cold, as he picked something up off the ground, and pointed it at Gaius' face. Arthur couldn't really see what it was, it only really looked like some sort of jewelry, the likes of which Morgana would wear. "This is a magical artifact, is it not?"
"I have no idea," said Gaius, but his face had hardened, and he was not meeting Aredian's eye.
"Did you have any idea your apprentice was a sorcerer?"
"No," said Gaius, but it then suddenly felt like someone had punched Arthur in the ribs, and all the air had left his body. Because it suddenly struck him, what that thing was, what this meant. Merlin was in danger.
"Aredian, we have no idea who that might belong to, you cannot say it's Merlin's, you have no proof," said Arthur, suddenly, and Gaius looked over at him and frowned.
"He is right, Aredian," said Gaius, pointedly. "It is not Merlin's, it is mine. A...relic to remember the old times."
"Hmm..." said Aredian then, and smirked at Gaius. "I see."
"I...regret keeping it now," said Gaius.
"I'm sure you do," the man retorted, but did look quite pleased now. "Guards, arrest this man!"
Merlin was allowed to go free, after this, and it was Arthur who would go and get him. He chose this, for one certain reason. He knew what would happen, when he saw Gaius being arrested. And Arthur didn't like it either, it was entirely stupid, Gaius had all sort of odd things, he studied these things, this didn't make him a sorcerer, but Aredian didn't care, and neither would Uther, Arthur knew this. When Arthur reached the cell Merlin was in, he unlocked it quickly, and Merlin look up at him, not with worry, but with a smugness, Arthur knew would wash away, in just seconds.
"You're free to go," he said, and he saw the smile, as Merlin stood, and he wished it could have been that simple, this easy. Merlin walked toward him, ready to exit, but Arthur stopped him. "Merlin, wait..."
Merlin went to open his mouth, to ask why, but just then the Guards dragged Gaius passed them, to his own cell, and Merlin's eyes widened. "GAIUS?!" he shouted, and Gaius looked over his shoulder, as he was dragged.
"Merlin," he said, in a frantic sort of calm voice, and Arthur felt his stomach turn at it. He hated this, he hated how he was powerless against it. "Do nothing, Merlin, say nothing..."
And then he was gone, and Merlin looked hurt and sickened, much like Arthur felt, and he turned back to Arthur, shaking his head. "What are they doing?"
"They found a magic relic Gaius had kept from before the Purge," explained Arthur, and he had to look just over Merlin's head, he couldn't meet his eyes as he explained this, because he didn't want to see the look in them, the hurt. "Now Aredian says he's the Sorcerer."
"But he isn't!" retorted Merlin. "Gaius doesn't do magic!"
"I know this..." said Arthur, and let out a shaky breath. "But Aredian doesn't care."
"Your Father won't let this happen, he knows Gaius, they're friends," said Merlin, and Arthur shook his head, because he knew Uther had no friends when even the word magic was uttered.
"I hope you are right, Merlin...I really do."
But he was not right, at the feast that night, that Arthur was forced to attend even though he was not hungry, too sick from this days events, he had learned that Giaus had indeed once used magic, and Aredian had plans of extracting a confession, in ways Arthur couldn't think about without something cold and thick creeping up his throat. He knew what was to happen, and he couldn't tell Merlin, he knew it was wrong, that he shouldn't be letting an old man be tutored. Not Gaius, who Arthur had known since he was a child, hell...a baby. The only other person Arthur had known as long was his Father. And he knew Gaius was like a father to Merlin, when Merlin did not have one. The outlook for Gaius' life seemed very grim, and Arthur had to fight himself not to cry, on his walk back to his chambers, once this feast had ended. Morgana had already left in a fit of tears, and he was supposed t be Prince, crying was not allowed, even if his Father saw him as a layabout anymore, he was still Prince.
He collected himself, before he entered his chambers, were Merlin was, stone faced and worried, as he turned down Arthur's bed. All kinds of new sorts of emotions waved over Arthur, upon seeing Merlin. A hopelessness, nothing but pure sadness, and he knew, when the time came and Gaius was sentenced, Merlin would be devastated, and Arthur wished he could take those pains from him already, and they had yet to begin. Arthur didn't say anything at all, and walked to his desk and sat at it. He had no work to do, but he couldn't sleep now, he wouldn't anyway, so there was no point in going to bed. Arthur watched Merlin, as he continued his work, without speaking to Arthur either, and he wondered how it must hurt and feel so lonely, going back to Gaius' wrecked chambers, all by himself.
"Gaius used to practice magic," he said, without any reason to, he shouldn't be mentioning Gaius to Merlin, but he surely couldn't act like everything was fine either. "...did you know?" Merlin paused, his back went straight up and solid, and it was the way his shoulders tensed, as he turned to look at Arthur, that Arthur got his answer without Merlin speaking. "You did."
"He told me," said Merlin, and the look he gave Arthur, was that of panic. Arthur stopped looking at him then, and at the floor instead. "It was a long time ago, Arthur, before it was illegal. Your Father knows."
"Yes, he does," Arthur nodded. "I was merely surprised. I never would have thought..."
"Don't look at him differently now, because you know," said Merlin, and Arthur couldn't help it, he looked back up and on accident, met Merlin's eyes. They shine, almost like he had been crying before Arthur had entered, and he probably had been, he was not stupid, he knew the odds. "He is still Gaius, he cares about you..."
"I don't see him any differently," admitted Arthur, and it surprised himself, for a second, but he supposed it really didn't matter what Gaius did in the past. Merlin smiled at him then, a sad and tired one, and Arthur stood up then, deciding he needn't talk to Merlin about this anymore. He stood in front of him now, instead. "You don't have to go back to your room tonight, you can stay here..."
Merlin's face scrunched up at this, and he titled his head to look at Arthur. "Why?"
"So you're not alone?" he offered, feeling a bit foolish now. Merlin grinned though, and finally looked a little less sad, for only a second.
"I have to though, I'm afraid, even if I would like to stay."
"Why can't you?" asked Arthur then. Feeling, once again, rather foolish for having said this. He was allowing his feelings to show again, and he really shouldn't. It was unbecoming, and clearly unwelcome.
"Me and Gwen need to figure out a way to clear Gaius' name," explained Merlin, and Arthur frowned. "But I think it was nice that you offered, Clotpole."
Arthur smiled, despite himself, and Merlin returned the smile, tenfold. "I won't be doing it again, you know. It was a one time offer," said Arthur, Merlin's smile turned into a grin then, and he shrugged.
"We'll see about that."
(A/N: This chapter is petty short, probably the most short in a very long time, since I started writing this story, like the first few. I have some kind of like rule, but not really, that I would like to have each chapter be about or above 3500 words, but honestly...I hate the Witchfinder so much I found this so hard to write. Like, I also have like a rule, (but not really,) where each episode or story gets 3 solid chapters of focus, excluding Catrina, because I wanted her arch to be an overarching plot, that lasts awhile, but again...I just hate the Witchfinder so much that it is only two. Catrina's story arch will start ending after the Witchfinder, but even her ending arch will still have three solid chapters dedicated to it. Do what you will with that info, I am just saying if this chapter seems lacking I am very sorry, it was hard to write, because just...uhh, there are a few episodes of Merlin I really hate, this one and The Disir are top of my list. (And the other one where they torture Gaius, like that really pisses me off, leave Gaius alone, he is a treasure!) I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless, and stay tuned, I will be posting again tomorrow...)
(PS: On a soooo much happier note, I have manged to reach my second goal, my first word count goal was to have more words than Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. I have now well passed The Chamber of Secrets, all of the Narnia books, all of the Twilight books, and this goal, which was to pass the Prisoner of Azkaban, which has 107,253 words...I barely did it, but I have done it! And I have a feeling we will reach my next goal which is reaching more than 168,923 words, which is The Half Blood Princes word count. Thank you guys so much for reading and allowing me to be weird like this...)