Defying Destiny - A Merlin Fanfic

Chapter 36

" Merlin, there's blood on your shirt" Gwaine pointed out

Merlin looked down at his blue shirt to see a big patch of dried, crimson blood staining his shirt. " I was trying to stop the blood flow! You saw that for yourself!"

" We saw you in the room yes, but why didn't you come and warn anyone?" Percival questioned

" Because I was trying to keep Aria alive!" Merlin was close to full on yelling " By the time I would have found you, Aria could have been dead!"

Mordred flinches slightly at the thought of Aria dying.

"Now that I think about it, how did Morgana even know how to find our patrol when we went to go visit my fathers grave? Before Arianna and I were taken to the Dark Tower?" Gwen fakely wondered " You couldn't risk your own life by coming on the journey with us. It was you, Merlin. You told Morgana our route!" Gwen accused again

"I never did such a thing!" Merlin exclaimed again.

"  This is utterly ridiculous!" Gaius cried "You all know Merlin. How many times has Merlin saved not only Arthur's life but Aria's as well?!"

" You were the one who found Arthur after he had been poisoned" Leon murmured sceptically.

Violet stared at Merlin with watery, betrayed, hurt eyes. She shook her head slightly at him as if she couldn't believe that he would do such a thing.

"And you were the one who offered to go check on Aria. You were still there when we got there" Percival followed Leon's train of thought.

Leon stepped away from Violet and towards Merlin. "Merlin, by the Laws of Camelot. I am placing you under arrest for the attempted murders of King Arthur and Princess Arianna of Camelot" Leon couldn't even meet his friend's eyes.

"What!" Merlin thundered as Gwaine and Percival came to his side and hesitantly restrained him. Their grip wasn't even tight on his arms.

"I'm sorry Merlin. It saddens me greatly, but I cannot ignore the evidence." Leon replied calmly

Gwaine and Percival began leading Merlin away but stopped when they heard Ruby growling.
Everyone turned to see Ruby growling ferociously at Gwen who was backing away from the dog, slightly scared. Ruby then began barking and attempted to run at Gwen but thankfully Mordred caught her before she could get near the Queen. Ruby started wiggling and thrashing around trying to get out his grip still barking madly at Gwen.

Gwaine and Percival began to lead Merlin out of the room again and before Merlin left he shot a disgusted look at Gwen. It was quick but Merlin could have sworn he saw Gwen smirking.
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Merlin stood in his cell pacing. He was worried about Arthur and Aria.

Merlin looked up when he heard footsteps coming towards his cell. Gaius quickly approached the cell looking anxious. Merlin walked up to the cell door to talk to him.

"You were right, Merlin. Whatever Morgana did in the dark tower, she's taken control over Gwen and used her to get to Arthur and Aria." Gaius informed

"Can you save them?" Merlin asked quickly

" Aria will live, yes. But the poison that was given to Arthur is too strong.  Too Virulent" Gaius shakes his head. "Your magic is his only hope."

"You need to get me out of here, somehow."

Gaius nodded and walked away. Leaving Merlin alone in his cell worried about Arthur and Aria.

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Later that night, a piece of thin rope lowered a vial of light blue, cloudy liquid into Merlin's cell. Merlin looked at it and chuckled slightly before taking the bottle.