𖧷𖧷 𝕎ℍ𝔼ℕ 𝔻𝔼𝕊𝕋𝕀ℕ𝕀𝔼𝕊 ℂ𝕆𝕃𝕃𝕀𝔻𝔼 (𝔸 ℕ𝔸ℝℕ𝕀𝔸/𝕄𝔼ℝ𝕃𝕀ℕ ℂℝ𝕆𝕊𝕊𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ) 𖧷𖧷

Chapter 13: The Fate of Kings

Merlin couldn't contain his surprise at the news. "What?" he stuttered, confused as to why no one had bothered to tell him. Did the Knights know?
"It seems she may have brought the cure, but was caught before she could escape," the physician explained. It also told Merlin why she had been so worried earlier. Still was, for that matter.

Several questions ran through Merlin's head. If Ana had been captured this morning, had the Knights not been informed? If not, why would someone keep information like that from their guests? After all, Ana was accused of trying to murder two Kings. One of which was Arthur so they should have been told when the supposed threat was eliminated. But it seemed they hadn't informed the Knights—if Gwaine still standing guard was any indication. So why were they hiding her arrest? What did that mean for Ana?

"I'm sorry... We weren't told. I-I didn't know." Merlin stuttered out an apology. He felt partly responsible since Ana had chosen to distract the Knights for him.
"No..." the physician answered rather hesitantly, "...and I don't expect you will. At least for a while. I'm not even supposed to know. They seem to be keeping her arrest secret."
He frowned. "Why?"
"I don't know..." Her brow furrowed as she tried to come up with an explanation. "What could they gain from not announcing her arrest? Unless..." She cut herself off, seeming to remember Merlin was there.
But he wanted to know what she knew. "Unless what?"
The physician shook her head. "I really should be getting back to my patients."
"Amari..." Merlin pleaded. "Please... whoever targeted your King is also after Arthur. I need to know who to protect him from. The Knights may not believe anyone else, but you and I both know Ana did not do this. Do you who did?"
Again, she shook her head. "Ana suspected a spy in the court... Someone close enough to the King to poison him. If Ana's arrest goes unannounced, everyone will continue to look for her. It will keep the suspicion off the true culprit."
"You mean... there's a traitor in the King's inner court?"
She frowned. "I doubt it's a noble in the inner court or even on the Council. King Caspian carefully selected lords who would have the interest of both Narnian's and Telmarine's at heart for those positions. They would not easily be swayed. And there are very few in his inner court. Ana is the only one I know of... It would have to be someone outside that, but still someone the King would trust."
"Do you suspect anyone?"
"I haven't been privy to information Ana has..." she paused before continuing. "She had her suspicions though. Couldn't prove any of them, but they were there."
"Who?" Merlin thought Ana dropped a name during her explanation, but he couldn't remember who. All he remembered was the mention of Morgana. But he hoped Ana had shared her suspicions with Amari.

She pursed her lips, seeming to debate telling him what she knew. "I don't think it's wise to share that with you. Look what happened to Ana when she started digging into it... I'd hate for something to happen to you as well. You need to stay close to your King. Don't let anyone near him you don't trust. It is unlikely they will try poison again and it will be harder to get closer to him. Ana suspected King Arthur was the main target. Anyone else is likely a diversion to keep our eyes away from the real threat. That is my suspicion at least..."

Merlin nodded still frowning. He agreed with her reasoning but that didn't mean he liked it. Ana was locked up and the traitor was still on the loose. Someone who was a threat to Arthur. If Amari refused to tell him who Ana was suspicious of, then there were only two options. Make sure everyone was gone before the traitor struck again—which didn't seem likely if Morgana was involved. Or, against Amari's advice, he'd have to investigate himself.

Before he could even do that, however, Merlin needed to know who he could trust. Ana was the only one he knew was trustworthy. He thought he could trust Amari given her transparency and how much she had tried to help. But her reluctance to name anyone made him leery of her as well. Unlike Camelot, he didn't know who was behaving abnormally or suspiciously. These were all strangers to him. But if he could speak with Ana then surely she would have someone he could trust. Someone who would help him obtain the information he needed. Or at the very least, she would know who he should avoid. There had to be people she had eliminated as suspects and Merlin could start with those left. All he needed to do was talk to her. The only issue: Ana was in the dungeons.