Merlin woke early the next morning knowing they would need every minute to prepare for Morgana's attack. Dawn or dusk would be expected but she might just attack during the day because of that. Of course, she might think they would expect the other times and do it anyway. Merlin sighed. It was too early for such complicated thoughts.
He looked over at Alan's bed and saw it empty. "Of course." He got out of bed, grabbed his jacket and went out to the main room. He wished he hadn't. He coughed at the fumes that filled the room. "What is that stench?"
"Good morning, Merlin," Gaius sounded chipper as he spoke through the cloth over the lower part of his face. "Alan is sharing a recipe for smoke bombs we can drop on the attackers."
"Smell, smoke and maybe a bit of a bang. Best used in open spaces, preferably while they're still outside the walls. Keeps the wrong people from being affected," Alan added. "I've a few other ideas we can try."
"Really? What are they?"
"Well, you take a bottle - or anything that can break when thrown – and fill it with a flammable liquid…"
Merlin left the room before they dragged him in to help. He took gulps of air once outside the tower. He then noticed the bustle of the courtyard, servants and knights going in every direction. He joined the throng and made his way to the kitchens to get Arthur's breakfast. He was cranky first thing in the morning at the best of times. Anticipation of Morgana's attack would make him at least three times as bad.
The kitchens were in a state of normal chaos. People still needed to eat. They wouldn't feel the effects of the attack unless there was a siege and supplies had to be rationed.
Merlin hurried Arthur's tray, still hot from the oven, up to his room. He entered at the other man's grunt. Arthur was still in bed but wide awake. Looking closely at his face, Merlin could see the tiredness, He wondered how much sleep his friend had received the night before.
"If you're done staring?"
"Sorry." Merlin put the food on the table before moving to open the curtains.
"What? No bright, cheery, inane phrases this morning?"
"I didn't think under the circumstances it would be welcome."
"Look at you, using your brain." Arthur walked over to the table and wrinkled his nose.
"What's wrong?" Merlin looked up from straightening the sheets.
"What is that stench? It smells like something died."
Merlin sniffed his tunic. "Alan and Gaius were working on bombs to throw at the attackers. I guess it got into my clothes before I left."
"Well, just stay downwind while I eat."
After breakfast Merlin helped Arthur dress before going with him to check on how everything was progressing and to run any messages needed.
"Do you think the air is breathable in Gaius' chambers?" Arthur asked. "I'd like to see what they're doing."
"I can go ahead and check." Merlin ran towards the tower. [Are you done? Arthur wants to see you, not smell you.]
[Ha! We were just going to test it. Meet you in the courtyard?]
Merlin stopped right at the door to the tower and sighed. Of course, they're coming down now. He decided to wait there for them to come out.
After a few moments, the door opened and Alan stepped out, conversing with Gaius behind him. "It's the best place. No one goes there." He stopped when he saw Merlin. "I thought you were with Arthur."
"I was already here when you said you were coming down."
"Why didn't you just contact me?"
"Arthur asked me in front of others. I had to run over."
"Where is Arthur?" asked Gaius.
"Probably back in the dining hall looking at maps and plans," he replied as they crossed the cobbles. "Where do you want to test it?"
"Somewhere away from prying eyes so word doesn't get back to Morgana," Gaius smiled knowingly.
"there are a few of those in Camelot. I have a few places I go when I want to be alone."
"If you can't figure it out, you'll know when we tell Arthur." Alan and Gaius kept walking.
Merlin stood, dumbfounded, for a moment. No, they couldn't mean that. Not the cavern! He ran after, finally catching them up in a hall. "You can't mean to take him there!" he hissed. "No one's supposed to know about it."
"I'll say I found it exploring. He doesn't need to know that you knew about it."
"Arthur didn't enjoy swordplay and hunting until he was older," Gaius told them. "He was always running off to play or to explore."
"Uther must have directed his energies into other pursuits to keep him from finding Kilgharrah."
It was hard to imagine Arthur wanting to do something other than hunt, joust or train. It was a hard day for Merlin when anything prevented the king from going out!
Just as they reached the door, it opened and Arthur stepped out. "Great, you're here. Merlin said you were making bombs to throw at the Saxons."
"Yes. The smoke will make their eyes water as well as provide a screen for our soldiers."
"And the smell?"
"Oh, that's just for fun." Alan grinned.
"Alan found a wonderful place to rest it; a cavern underneath the castle." Merlin waited nervously for an outburst.
"A cavern?"
"Yes, sire. There are many levels to drop and witness the bomb."
"You know the cavern Alan found?" Arthur asked as they descended the stairs to the dungeon.
"I believe it was the one where your father imprisoned the Great Dragon."
"Before it escaped," Arthur growled.
"But you killed it," Merlin reminded him. "Saved Camelot."
Alan took a torch from the wall as they prepared to go down the final steps to the cavern. Merlin hadn't needed to come down here for years and it felt strange. He half expected to see Kilgharrah when they reached the cavern; to hear his familiar voice teasing, advising, warning him about what could happen if Merlin didn't pay attention.
Arthur whistled in amazement when he saw the cavern. "This is incredible! I had heard the stories, of course, but to see it…" He saw the length of thick chain on an outcropping of rock. "Is that from…"
"I think so," said Alan. "Don't know why else it would be here."
Arthur peered over the edge. "So how are you going to test it? If you drop it from here, you won't see the result."
"There's a ledge up higher. I can toss one to the outcrop and you can get a look of it without the harsh effects."
"I would like to know how to use those."
"I'll let you try later. You have to watch it first." Alan smiled and disappeared.
I have to learn how to do that. It would make sneaking out so much easier.
[OK, throwing the first one. You should be far enough away that it won't bother you, but keep a scarf close.]
Merlin saw Arthur and Gaius pull scarves from pockets and realized Alan had spoken to all of them.
In the dim light, he noticed something fall and hit the rock. There was a bit of a bang and then a yellowish smoke spread across. The cloud was so thick, he could barely see through it. The smell was as he remembered but much more pungent. His eyes began to tear and he could hear the others cough and could feel it trying to wheedle its way into his throat. He called up a soft wind that slowly dispersed the cloud. Arthur would believe it was Alan.
The man appeared with a whoosh of displaced air. "Well?"
Arthur removed his scarf. "that was amazing. Very disorienting." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "You'll hear sounds of fighting but won't know from which direction. There is one thing."
"Yes?" Alan asked slowly.
"Is there a way to keep Morgana from getting rid of it like you did?"
Alan looked over to Merlin who shrugged. [I have no idea.]
"Um, I'll need to look into that. Maybe talk with Mordred…"
"Great." He headed to the cavern stairs. "Gaius, do you think there might be books in the library that might help?"
Merlin gaped at Arthur. Did he actually just ask them to look for forbidden books? Uther had decreed that they all be destroyed but Geoffrey, book lover that he was, merely locked them away in his archives. But what made Arthur think that they even existed?
"I don't know if there's anything in the library having to do with spells, my lord," Gaius responded. "Your father banned such tomes."
"Like Geoffrey would ever destroy a book. Just see if there's anything helpful." Arthur continued up the stairs.
"Of course, sire." Gaius bowed his head to Arthur's retreating back.
"What do I do to help?" Merlin asked.
"You can assist me in the archives."
"But Geoffrey doesn't like me."
"Perhaps if you didn't get food on the manuscripts or forget to put them back in the proper place, he would." Gaius started climbing the stairs.
"Ooh," Alan winced. "That is the quickest way to get on the bad side of a librarian." He followed Gaius.
"I was researching under extreme circumstances how to save Arthur's life!" he called as he followed the others. "That should give me a bit of leeway!"