The Royal Scandal *Book One*

Starting our Research S1 E3

💚 Edited-14.6.20 💚

Merlin, Gaius and I were heading back to theirs to begin the search for a cure. As we walked through the streets, I saw Arthur and two guards bursting into someone's house to begin their search.

Gaius then grabbed Merlin and my arm and continued us on our walk. Merlin then pulled away and ran up to a man who I noticed was turning blue like those unfortunate others.

"Look, Gaius he's still alive," Merlin said excitedly.

We moved closer to him and he reached out to us. I felt immense pity for him as he looked in extreme pain. We automatically took a step back, making sure that we didn't catch the illness ourselves.

"There's nothing we can do for him," Gaius told us, looking down at him sympathetically.

"But we haven't tried," Merlin tried again. "Chelsea?"

"If we don't know what the disease is then how can we cure him?" I asked him.

"With magic," Merlin replied simply.

"Have a look," Gaius said, pulling Merlin up and nodding towards my brother who was now standing in the town centre looking around. "They're suspicious of everyone."

"More like paranoid," I muttered. "But Merlin he's right, now is not the time to be using magic."

"Thank you, Chelsea. Science will lead us to the source of our disease," Gaius said determined.

"Chelsea, don't you want to help your people. If we leave him, he will die. I thought that was your duty, to protect your people," Merlin said coldly.

"Why do you think I'm helping find the cure? Like Gaius said, this man can't be saved. We need to start our research now or the whole town will be infected," I snapped back.

"Come on you two," Gaius said, pulling us along.

God, Merlin could be such an arse sometimes.

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Back at Gaius', he was brewing up some sort of chemical formula as he shook it gently over a flame.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked.

"I'm examining the contents of that mans stomach," Gaius said.

"Oh, that's disgusting," I muttered, causing Merlin to smile a tiny bit.

"Will that tell you who did it?" He asked.

"No, but it might tell us how it's spread," Gaius began pouring something red into the stomach juice. "One thing I do know, this is magic of the darkest kind."

"Why would someone use magic like that?" Merlin pondered aloud.

"Because some people are selfish, sadistic humans who have pleasure in others suffering," I replied.

"Also, magic corrupts. People use it for their own ends," Gaius added.

"Not all magic is bad. I know it isn't," Merlin answered back quickly. I knew he was talking about his own magic.

"Of course it's not. It just depends on who's using it," I told him, offering a small smile.

"It's neither good nor bad. It's how you use it," Gaius told him firmly.

"Speaking of magic, you know how my eyes are all golden now?" I asked them to which they both nodded back. "Well, I was thinking. What if it's given me the power to tell when someone is lying? I knew when Valiant was lying, I knew when my Father was lying and I knew when you were lying about being peachy this morning," I explained, directing this last bit towards Merlin. "I know it's a crazy theory but it could be possible, couldn't it?"