Chapter 37 [Kay's Chamber—Quarter of an Hourglass Turn Later]

[Reader Advisory: Suicide aftermath covered here.]

Despair and Resentment hung heavily in the air. Possessions scattered on the floor and across walls' length. Papers and Quills scattered across the desk. Wine-stained carpet underfoot.

Kay's lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling. White froth ran down the sides of his mouth. Skin cooled. Disagreement with Father's policies coupled with Failed Coup drove him to Despair. Mithian, not him, held Rodor's ear. Pending Trial and Public Shame burned at him. Impending Exile in a far-flung Gallic province could not be borne. Oak board held more personality than Fiancée. Forced marriage's prospect drowned his spirit. No future. No hope….

…No point….

Ywain ground his teeth. His mind attempted to wrap itself around the situation at hand. "How could this happen? HOW? They were supposed to watch him! Did they not search the chamber? How do I tell the King and Princess Mithian?" A heavy sigh escaped his lips. Potential explanations formed but then fell apart in his mind.

"Tell us what, Sir Ywain?"

Ywain stiffened. He was going to find out. I cannot believe this! On top of everything else! He composed himself with a single breath. "Sire! Princess Mithian! I…I am sorry." He turned to face Rodor and Mithian. He bowed. "I do not understand!" He stepped aside. "Prince Kay."

"WHAT? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?" Rodor rushed to his son's corpse. White foam residue and spilled goblet caught his attention. "Poison? Poison here?" He ground his teeth. Tension and Pain throbbed in his head. "NAY!

Mithian clapped her hands over her mouth. Shock and Horror numbed her thinking. Her eyes bulged. She trembled. Kay! I….

Princess? Merlin called to her. Her emotions unsteadied him.

Merlin? It….It's Prince Kay! He's…he's lying on the floor! He poisoned his wine! Tears streaked her face. Master Wyngate's still in the dungeon. Master Gaius is secured in the Physicians' Chambers with Britomart and Elena. We have nobody to look at him.

I know some. Ask the King if I come. I am just down the passage. Merlin slipped out of his chamber. Residual headache pounded at his brain. Mithian's pain tore at him. He leaned against the passage's granite wall. Legs felt akin to Butter or Jelly. He ground his teeth. Gaius would have to be stuck! Wish that Wyngate was not in…the dungeon! He steeled himself step by step down the passage. Door after door passed on either side. Surroundings seemed to blur and then come back into focus. He saw the knights and Ywain by Kay's door. "I…I'm Gaius' apprentice. I want to help if I can."

"Aye, Merlin! King Rodor wishes that as well. Is there no end to your skills?" Ywain ushered Merlin into the chamber. "Are you well?"

"I am all right." Merlin steadied himself. "Sire? Princess?" He made his way to their side. He remained two strides in back of Rodor and Mithian. I wish we can get Gaius out here!

"Merlin?" Mithian's spirit eased ever so slightly. She turned to face him. "You help Master Gaius with his cures and elixirs. Do you know about this?"

Merlin nodded. "I want to help. I do not want to intrude on King Rodor's or your time. I…."

"That is all right, Merlin." Rodor raised an eyebrow. Questions once more arose as to Merlin's being in a particular spot. Still, given Wyngate's and Gaius' respective situations, Necessity demanded that Merlin get an attempt at the situation. "Has Master Gaius told you about poisons?"

"Gaius has told me about some poisons. I wish we had his books." Merlin regarded Kay's fallen form. Clammy skin and white residue off of the mouth limited potential poisons. "Gaius will want to look at that goblet, the bottle and that residue on Prince Kay's mouth." His fingers gently closed Kay's eyes. Phantom pain stabbed through his left shoulder. He rubbed that spot. He flexed the arm. "Gaius will want to look at Prince Kay as well." He collected the goblet and bottle. Suspicion narrowed his eyes. Would someone try to poison him? Or did he kill himself? A grimace contorted his face.

Her eyes met Rodor's. Once again, Merlin had exceeded her expectations. "Aye. Father?"

"I concur." Rodor turned to Ywain. "I want this chamber locked and secured until Master Gaius can come." He noted Merlin's face and posture. "Merlin? What is it?"

Merlin shook his head. "Just thinking about what this could do to Nemeth, Sire." A troubled breath stirred up Implications' troubling potential. "This is my fault. If I just listened to Prince Arthur and stayed back…." He bowed his head.

"If you had…?" Rodor narrowed his eyes. "Merlin, if you had done that, Prince Kay, you, and I would all be dead right now. I shudder at what Meleagant would want with Princess Mithian. The feud between Camelot and Nemeth…between Uther, my father, and me has gone on for generations. Your father and Lady Reyna were victims. As such, it is responsible for your standing as a servant. Nay. This is not your fault! If anything, it is quite the opposite! Daughter, I suppose you want to add something?"

"Aye!" Mithian grabbed onto Merlin's shoulders. Her eyes bore deep into his and moreover his heart and soul. "You. Are. A. HERO! I know Prince Arthur does not respect your true capabilities. Even without your magic, you are so dedicated and loyal. Will you not see that? Well, I promise you this! I will never stop reminding you of that! Oh, you have rough edges requiring some work. And we will work on them. Together." Amor pressed her onward. Her mouth hungered for his. Regality, however, held her back. "Besides, Prince Kay and those like him see things as Camelot and King Uther do. We do not! Most of our subjects do not! We just want to CO-EXIST!" She grabbed onto Merlin's hands. "Nemeth needs your service! I need your experience to learn more about magic!" She cleared her throat. "I will wait until later for the rest." She backed away. Mask of State again descended over her face. "Sire?"

Rodor shook her last point off. "Nay. It is appropriate. It is why I wanted you here, Merlin. Continuity is a key thing. Most count only two deeds at Shalott. I count many on your part. Then, there is your father's role in preserving our house." He gazed down upon Kay's lifeless body. "What a needless tragedy. Prince Kay was an intelligent young man and gallant knight. Pity, he listened to the wrong people. Pity that his ambition overrode his common sense." He swiped his hand across his eyes. "There is more but I will not say it out here."

"We need a Prince, Sire." She ran her fingers over Kay's cheek. "I cannot inherit alone."

"Aye. Those laws." Rodor set his jaw. "But we have a way to meet them." He stood up. "I wish for Prince Kay to be taken care of, Merlin. After that, we should talk about your new role. Think about that."

Merlin raised his hand. "Eirich!" Canary flashed through his eyes.

Kay's body rose from the floor. Akin to Feather's alighting on the ground, it settled onto the bed.

Merlin! Please be careful! We do not need you to strain that wound. Not yet! She ground her teeth. Her eyes rolled.

"At least he can lie respectfully, King Rodor, while we await Gaius and the others. He is still a Prince." Merlin bowed to Rodor. Prince Kay deserves respect, Princess. I may not be officially part of Nemeth yet. I still want to do the right thing. Thank you for caring.

I cannot argue since it's for the Prince and Nemeth. I…just do not want to see you hurt AGAIN. Her eyes met his. In that heartbeat, she only knew Merlin and his situation. Everything else seemed to fall away. Her hand drifted toward his. You are special, Merlin. I am not Arthur.

Special? Merlin wrapped his head around that particular thought. I know that.

Her eyebrow arched. Spunk flashed in her eyes. Snort pushed from her mouth and nostrils. I would hope so! Not all of us are Prats, Merlin. Just remember that. She backed away. Her eyes turned back to Rodor. "Pardon me, Sire."

Rodor assessed her. Despite his lack of access, Instinct picked up *clearly* on Developing Vibe. Her hand on Merlin's. Merlin's staying in place and allowing it to happen told him a great deal as well. Common interest registered on his mind. Situation's demands and Merlin's greater role figured into his calculus….

…and like that, Decision was made…. He knew….

"Thank you for that, Merlin. I agree with Princess Mithian. I wish you would not overly tax yourself in such ways. I know now. Please follow me. We can eat and then determine our next course of action." Rodor led them both out of the chamber. "Nobody goes in there. Am I clear?"

"Aye, Sire." Ywain bowed to Rodor and Mithian.

Rodor nodded to the knights. Then, he pressed on down the passage.

Merlin mulled over Rodor's points. Mithian's feelings stuck out in his mind.

Rubicon lay ahead yet again….