𝔒𝔲𝔯 𝔏𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔩𝔢 𝔖𝔢𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔱 | ♛ A. Pendragon [ON HOLD]

Tᴏ Kɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ Kɪɴɢ

 The witch looked at her curiously. "What kind of experiment?" She inquired, and the dark-skinned girl shrugged with a perplexed look, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Tauren didn't say. But he used some kind of stone, some kind of magic."

Gaius looked at her with a frown, but before he could say anything, the young witch already began to lead her friend away, knowing she was too stressed and needed to calm down.

"Come on, you need some rest," Estelle told her softly, leading her to the court physician's chambers with Merlin right on their tail.

Guinevere gave her an appreciative look, glad that she had them for friends.

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"She's sleeping now," Gaius informed them once he exited their room where Guinevere slept in the witch's bed. 

"I don't understand it. What would a sorcerer want with Tom?" Merlin muttered, his forehead creasing with worry at the fact that they probably won't be able to prove the blacksmith's innocence.

"His forge, Merlin. It's the finest in the kingdom," Gaius told him while the witch folded her arms.

"I believe Tom was telling the truth," she stated, and the court physician nodded in agreement.

"Me too," he murmured, making both siblings look his way.

"Then what?" Merlin asked, getting confused.

"When Tom was arrested, they found gold on him, and from what Gwen was saying, Tauren's experiment bears all the hallmarks of alchemy." 

Estelle frowned at that. "Alchemy's impossible, isn't it?" She asked, eager to hear him confirm her knowledge.

"To change the very nature of one thing to another has defeated all who have tried. But if you used magic..."

The siblings' eyes widened in realisation.

"Do you think that's what woke us?" Merlin queried, as he couldn't think of any other explanation.

"It is possible, I suppose."

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Estelle was lying beside the Prince on his bed, his hand resting on her hip. She still found it hard to believe how close they got in such a short time.

But she found in him something that she never did in anyone else, and she was willing to give it a chance, no matter how irrational it seemed.

"Have you spoken to your father?" Arthur nodded hesitantly, supporting his head with a hand; his gaze locked on her the entire time.

"And?" She asked him, and he laid down on his back, heaving a sigh.

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. He's already decided." She closed her eyes, trying not to show how disappointed she was to hear that. She expected as much, but had a hope that perhaps Arthur would persuade the King to rethink his judgment.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled quietly, but she shook her head, turning her head towards him with a sad smile.

"Don't apologise. You're not the one to blame." He reached out and took a strand of her hair between his fingers, twirling it mildly.