Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Twenty-Five

25. Worse News

Guards were going through Gaius's things, the threw them onto the floor. Magdelena was being held back from the knights by Arthur, who watched them carefully, "Stop breaking everything you bastards! Do you know how long those potions take to make!" she screams at them still pulling at the hold that Arthur had on her, "Just be careful you have no reason to be breaking everything you find!"

"Silence girl or I will have you removed!" Agravaine snapped at the girl making her lunge at him but Arthur holds her steadfast refusing to release her. 

"You do not have the authority to throw me out of my own chambers!" she snaps at him, "I could have been here if you hadn't called me to your stupid chambers!" 

"Wait what happened?" Arthur asks very curiously looking between the girl in his arms and his Uncle neither of who seemed keen on answering the question. 

"My lord, he was seen riding away from the city," Agravaine says making her stare at him with a harsh glare, she turns as Leon enters, a sorrowful look on his face. 

"That can't be true," Merlin whispers, though the small group that stood watching the knights breaking everything heard him clearly.

"Sire," Leon says to Arthur before turning his attention to Agravaine, "You were right. A white stallion has been taken from the royal stables."

"Well, where would he be going?" Arthur spared a glance at the girl and boy who lived and were taken care of by the man, "Why leave at this time of night?"

"Well, I could hazard a guess, sire, but I think a thorough search of his belongings may well provide us with the truth," Agravaine says, this time Magdelena is able to pull away from Arthur and stand in front of the group. 

"You are all mad if you truly think that Gaius would ever betray Camelot," she snaps at them harshly more so glaring at Arthur not caring if Agravaine believed anything about Gaius, "He has given his life to this kingdom and for anyone to dare question it is no better then someone who dare threaten the life of the King!" 

"You dare compare the life of a simple peasent to the life of a royal?" Agravaine asks sounding outraged by her words. 

"What good is a royal with no one to rule? Peasent got on just fine without a ruler, many towns live without nobles," Magdelena says, "Take a royal from the peasent they will be just fine, take the peasent from the royal they have no uses." 

"That is slander!" Agravaine says thought Arthur was wearing a rather interested in her passionate speach, "Sire, are you going to allow her to speak out of turn?" 

"She may speak as she pleases," Arthur says, the two smile at each other, "What proof is there of his betryal?" 

"There are magical books all over the place," Agravaine says, "I would like to see her come up with an explanation for this."

"Uther often asked Gaius for help with the magical creatures that often attacked Camelot," she says, "He is an old man Agravaine, he is forgetful he can't remember knowledge from more then twenty years ago."

Knights gathered all the books and evidence that was put against Gaius and moved to the council chambers. Spreading the books and papers that spoke of plans and maps. Magdelena stared at them in shock, knowing that none of these were actually Gaius. Arthur flips through the books of sorcery, "And this was found in Gaius's chambers?"

"I am as disappointed as you, sire," Agravaine says sounding rather sad, "Someone so close, so trusted. And it's not merely the discovery that he was a sorcerer, is it? It's... it's the lies. The lies and years of betrayal."

Arthur allows the book he had been flipping through to drop loudly on the table, sending a resounding thud through the momentarily silent room, "I know it's hard to believe, isn't it, sire? But we both saw him refuse to condemn magic. We both knew he was hiding something. And neither of us want to believe it, but...now, with this...hasty departure in the middle of the night? These are not the actions of an innocent man, sire. There can be no doubt. Gaius is the traitor."

Arthur leans back in the chair feeling rather betrayed but also unsure, "I'll send a search party as soon as possible."

"No," Arthur says honsetly confusing all of the people in teh room, "What purpose will that serve? Let him run."

Agravaine bows to Arthur, "As you wish, sire." He takes their leave from the chambers, Merlin was glaring at him the entire time while Magdelena was staring at Arthur rather concerned.

"How can you believe this?"

"I know how you must feel," Arthur says sounding rather deflated, "We questioned him. He's been consorting with sorcerers. He more or less admitted to it."

"And that makes him a traitor," Merlin stated sternly his anger growing the more into the conversation they got.

"Why run if you have nothing to hide?"

"He's given his life to this kingdom," Merlin says annoyed with the king, "He would never betray you."

"Then explain his actions."

"All right," Merlin says pausing a moment, "They're lies. Gaius would never run off in the night."

"Look, I know it's hard," Arthur says staring between his manservant and the currently silent girl, "But no break ins were reported. His possessions are missing. A horse has been stolen."

"He would not leave without saying goodbye to us," Magdelena placed a hand on her brother's shoulder, his hand went over hers knowing she was feeling the same as he was, "Agravaine has made this story up."

"What have you two got against him?" Arthur says staring at her while she looked away unable to look at him at the moment. 

"He is your uncle, you will not see who he really is," Merlin tells him trying to get him to see the truth of the man who turned Arthur every wrong way.

"Merlin! I've had my heart broken enough already today. I don't want to lose another friend," Arthur stands quickly, "Gaius," Arthur trail for a moment holding up the magical book, "Condemned himself."

Merlin stormed for the chambers Magdelena watching him her hand falling to her side as he left her, "You are very quiet at the moment Mags."

"I fear my words would fall on deaf ears," she says softly. 

"You are angry at me." 

"Would you not be angry for your father to be accused of false wrong doings?" She asks still not staring at him, "Besides, I thought I told you Gaius was not the traitor." 

"Yes but all the evidence Mags, you can not ask me to turn the other way," Arthur says surprised as she whirled around with a harsh glare on her face, one he had seen her give his father many times before. 

"I never asked you too. I ask you to use your head," she snaps at him, "I was just there with Gaius and I have never seen those books or papers before. I am his apprentince! I go through his papers and books all the time Arthur! I would have come across them!" 

"Mags, I am sorry but Gaius is a traitor to Camelot," Arthur watched her face fall into emotionless, he stepped forward his hands out to wrap her in her arms, "Mags please, I am the King of Camelot." 

"Don't call me Mags right now!" she snaps harshly, "I shall take my leave now, Sire. I would hate to take more precious time from the King of Camelot."