Fight For Me

Chapter 7

"I have something, but it won't last long," Gaius had said. "We'll need to be fast."

Now, all she has to do is wait. Merlin and Gaius should be coming.

Night had fallen. There is no light except for systematically placed torches.

Gwen waits with a cart to carry Merlin out of the castle. She wears moveable clothes and a cloak to hide her face.

They had stolen Arthur's keys, her and Morgana, which wasn't too hard. He was still unconscious, after all. Uther had gone to bed, and no one else was there. The chances of waking Arthur up were slim, and even if he did, he'd agree with what they were doing. He'd want to help.

She's just outside of the dungeon, waiting impatiently. Morgana had distracted the guards, and is now waiting out of the cave exit from the castle, with horses.

Everyone is restless. What if something goes wrong? No. That's not an option. They have to save Merlin. Leaving him to die isn't a choice. He means too much to all of them. Sweet. Innocent. It's unjust to execute him, and, more importantly, it would break Arthur, Gaius, Morgana, Gwen and countless others. He may just be a servant, but he is really so much more than that, isn't he? No one knows why, he just is.

***

Gaius sneaks to the cell where Merlin is, asleep. He breathes a sigh of--

Merlin bolts up and turns to Gaius. Gaius jumps. Merlin hurries to the bars, wrapping his hands around them. Tears fall down his cheeks as he smiles with relief.

"How's Arthur?" he asks.

Gaius is uneasy. Is this Merlin, or Sigan pretending to be Merlin?

"Are you Merlin?" Gaius asks, voice breaking a little.

"Yes," he breathes.

"I'm afraid I can't trust your word."

"But, Gaius, you know me. You can trust me."

Merlin wouldn't say that. He'd understand. He wouldn't need Gaius to know it's him. Just Gaius being there is good enough.

"Hello, Sigan," Gaius sighs.

The cruel smirk twists Merlin's features. "How did you know?" he asks.

"Like you said, I know Merlin," Gaius replies, cryptically.

The strange thing (well, one of them) is that the tears still seem to be falling from Merlin's eyes. They never halted when Sigan revealed himself.

"Arthur's okay," Gaius reassures the real Merlin. The Merlin crying those tears of grief. That lessens the tears, but they don't stop.

"Why are you here?" The sound of Merlin's voice being so cold towards him shocks Gaius to his very core.

"Don't concern yourself with that," Gaius mutters, before continuing quietly to whisper a spell.

"What are you doing? What are you saying?" Sigan asks, tearful eyes narrowed.

Gaius repeats the spell, with more force. He searches for the ounce of magic he can wield, and uses it all. Directs it all at Merlin.

"What ar--" Merlin breaks off, as he falls, unconscious to the ground. Not even that halts the tears.

***

Gaius and Gwen carefully place Merlin's body on the cart, covering it with a sort of sack, and Gwen wheels him as Gaius follows. They head to where Morgana should be.

A pair of guards walk ahead, coming towards them.

"What are you two doing?" one asks.

"Seeing as my usual help is trapped in a cell," Gaius answers, "I asked for Guenivere's help."