Morning came the next day and Merlin stood in the living area of Gaius's chambers with a knowing look on his face. "Did you go out last night?" He asked randomly. Gaius turned back to look at his nephew. "Yes," he answered, going back to what he was doing. "I had to get some herbs."
Merlin arched his brow. "Herbs." Gaius set the potion down and directed his attention to the young warlock. "A-- A new supplier, just arrived," he lied. "Yeah... Right," came Merlin's reply. The room went silent save for the bubbling of the mixture Gaius was making. Then, ever so snarky Merlin said, "Do your suppliers usually kiss you?"
This made Gaius stop in his tracks. He tried in vain to come up with a reasonable explanation but could think of none. The jig was up; Gaius had been caught red-handed. Once that knowledge sunk in, Gaius was overcome by feelings of hurt and betrayal. "You followed me. How dare you?"
"It was the middle of the night. I was worried about you," Merlin argued. "I thought you might be in some sort of trouble."
Gaius fumed petulantly. "There's nothing wrong." Merlin gave his uncle a look and smirked. "So, what's her name?" he drawled teasingly. The physician shot Merlin a glare, before letting out a sigh of defeat and saying, "Alice. She's an old friend. Well, more than a friend if truth be told." "What do you mean," Merlin smiled.
Gaius gave him a small smile. "We were once engaged to be married." A look of shock and confusion contorted Merlin's features. "When was this?"
"More years ago than I care to remember," the old man exhaled, as he and Merlin sat down at the table. "I had just been made physician to the King when I met her. It was like finding a kindred spirit." For the next time, Gaius regaled Merlin with tales of his and Alice's epic love story. Merlin beamed at his uncle's tale and tried to imagine how different Gaius was back then; how different everything was.
When Gaius told Merlin that Alice knew magic, all the pieces connected, and the realization dawned on him. "Alice healed the innkeeper," he blurted out. Gaius nodded in affirmation. "Indeed," he said. "There was a time when her skills were famous in Camelot." Merlin listened intently and leaned in with curiosity. "So what happened?" He asked.
Gaius grimaced darkly, "Uther declared war on Magic." As soon as those words left his mouth, Merlin felt his heart harden against the king and it took all his strength not to lose control over his emotions and lash out. He clenched his jaw tightly breathing only through his nose and let his uncle finish his tale. "Uther drew up a list," Gaius said. "Everyone suspected of using magic. One by one, they were rounded up and executed."
"The Great Purge," Merlin acknowledged solemnly. "Yes. And as a close friend to the King, I was permitted to see this list," Gaius added. "Alice's name was on it." "What did you do?" The warlock inquired.
"I struck her name off."
Merlin balked at his uncle. "Gaius, if you had been caught," he started. "I know, but it bought her time," Gaius cut in. "Just enough for her to get out of Camelot and escape."
"But you-- you stayed behind."
"I was scared. I felt I had no choice," Gaius answered defensively. "You thought you'd never see her again," Merlin realized. "And now here she is. After all these years, I feel like we've been given a second chance," Gaius concluded.
* * *
"You have a kind heart," Alice said sweetly, as Gaius passed her the meat tray. "It's the least I can do," he brushed off sheepishly. "Will you stay? Please say you will," she begged. "You are my only appointment this morning," he smiled. "I made sure of that." She blushed brightly at his words.
Gaius smiled and moved closer to his beloved, picking up the totem windchimes from off the table and admiring them. "You recognize them?" She asked. "It's the totem of healing. Of course," he replied. She waved her hand in jovial dismissiveness. "Oh, come, Gaius," she smirked. "Is that the best you can do? Have you forgotten all that we learned together?"
Gaius returned her smile and sat down across from, and stared at the totem analytically. "Well, let us see," he declared. "It's a sorcerer's chime, to give it its proper name." He continued to list all the things he knew about the windchimes and all of their magical properties. "When enchanted the magic in the chimes resonate," he explained. "Their music giving succor to the ailing and the sick."
She beamed adoringly. "You have forgotten nothing." He sat the charms down and took one of her hands in his own. "I remember everything-- all that we saw, all that we did, each and every day we spent together," he responded softly. "I remember the day you left." She sighed and placed her free hand over his saying, "Let's not dwell on that. We've found each other again. Isn't that all that matters?"
He nodded and kissed her cheek.
For once, he admitted, she was right.
* * *
In the jousting field, Arthur was mounted upon his horse while Merlin held up a large ring for him to spear with his lance. Arthur gave Merlin a devilish grin, while his poor manservant was left feeling nervous about the ordeal. Then, Arthur lowered the visor of his helmet and readied his lance, before urging his horse into an onward charge in Merlin's direction. Merlin lifted the ring high up in the air just in time for Arthur's lance to catch it, as he rode past.
When the warlock reopened his eyes Arthur laughed at him, and that's when Merlin knew this would be a long day.
Sure enough, the next round of torture that Arthur put him through was sparring. The only thing was that Arthur was the only one with a weapon, while Merlin was forced to defend himself with a shield. "Come on, Merlin, put your back into it," Arthur taunted once he finally stopped hitting the shield. "Sorry, sire, I--" but Merlin cut himself off once his reprieve ended and Arthur resumed his assault on his friend.
However, when he realized that Merlin was never going to fight back the way he wanted, he completely stopped all together saying, "You are pathetic." Then he turned and walked off. But as he did so, Merlin glared at his back, then looked around to see if anyone was watching. Confident that he would not be caught, Merlin whispered a spell in the tongue of the Old Religion, and his eyes lit up with magic as the prince suddenly fell forward into the mud with a yelp.
Merlin let out a laugh at Arthur's expense and said, "Who's pathetic now, sire?"
"MERLIN!" Arthur screamed.
Merlin squawked loudly and ran away while Arthur wiped the mud off his face and chased after him.
Yes, this indeed was going to be a very, very, long day.
* * *
Later that day when Merlin got home, he was utterly exhausted from work. "Ah, Merlin," Gaius said excitedly. "I'd like you to meet Alice." Merlin smiled brightly, as he approached the couple and shook her hand. "Merlin, it's a pleasure to meet you," she greeted pleasantly. "Gaius speaks very highly of you." Merlin gave his uncle a pointed glance, before turning back to Alice, and saying, "You too."
"Merlin, Alice will be staying with us for a while."
Merlin beamed impossibly brighter. "Great!" Alice looked at the young man tentatively. "That's all right with you?" she questioned. "Of course. I'll make up the spare bed," he answered back. "So you won't mind if she uses your room?" Gaius inquired. Merlin's bright expression dimmed slightly, as he looked at his uncle accusingly. But when he saw the happiness and excitement in Gaius's eyes, he couldn't bear to see them filled with disappointment. So instead of voicing his complaints, he smiled at both of them and said, "Be my guest."
* * *
That night in Camelot when everyone was sleeping, Alice summoned the manticore in her room began to speak to it softly about their plot to kill the king. However, Merlin was stirred from his slumber by their conversation, he crept nearer to the room to hear what they were saying. "So he doesn't suspect?" the beast growled. "No, no," Alice replied. "Then you must work hard to keep it that way," it replied. "Yes, I will," she nodded promptly.
Through the crack in the doorway, Merlin saw a hideous gray beast with horrible yellow eyes and black teeth crawling towards Alice and smile. "You're doing well," it purred. Then, it lunged and extended its scorpion-like tail out to the sorceress. "Take some of my venom," it snarled. "Do not fail me, witch!" She pulled out an empty vial and put it under the tip of the stinger, and then she squeezed the venom into the vial with care. Once she'd gotten enough, the manticore moved its tail away from her and sat back on its hind legs.
Suddenly, as if sensing someone's eyes on them, the manticore whipped his head around in the direction of the door and let out an unearthly screech. The teen warlock stumbled back from the door, trying not to make any noise, while his mind race with all the possible scenarios for what Alice was planning.
Unfortunately, none of them had a happy ending. Not for Alice, not for Merlin, and certainly not for Gaius.
