CHAPTER SIX,
episode four, the poisoned chalice.
BECAUSE ISABELLA was engaged to the prince, she had to be there when lord bayard of mercia arrived at camelot to greet uther.
the knights in blue, with lord bayard in front, walked into the throne room and straight towards king uther, prince arthur, princess isabella, the lady morgana and the rest of the knights in red.
"camelot welcomes you, lord bayard of mercia." king uther spoke sternly as lord bayard stood with an emotionless expression, his knights's hands on their swords. "the treaty we sign today marks an end to war and a beginning to a new friendship between our people."
the king held his hand out for lord bayard to shake, and the man in blue glanced at it thoughtfully before shaking uther's hand as a smile made it's way onto their faces causing the camelot and mercia knights to clap.
"let me introduce you to my son, prince arthur," uther began, motioning to arthur who sent the lord a polite smile, and bayard and his knights bowed. "princess isabella of devlin," uther moved to the side so isabella was in view as the people in blue repeated the bow, as isabella smiled kindly.
"and finally, the lady morgana, my ward." morgana smiled, bowing her head as the knights did the same.
"there shall be a feast to celebrate!" uther announced as everybody in the room began to clap again, smiling as the two kingdoms were finally going to get along.
the princess soon left the room, as well as everybody else apart from lord bayard, and was on her way to visit the people of camelot when a young girl dressed in blue and red, ironic, bumped into her, the sheets in her hands falling to the floor.
"oh—" isabella blinked as she looked down at the girl who was already apologising and getting down to pick her items up. "sorry!" the unknown girl spoke hurriedly.
isabella lifted her rather large dress slightly to crouch down and hell the girl pick up the white and red sheets in her hands. "oh, it's no problem. i assume you are from mercia?" she asked as the unknown girl nodded.
"i am...you're princess isabella. you're engaged to prince arthur." the girl realised as isabella paused. "well...yes, i am. but we won't be married for a while now, not until arthur becomes king."
"so why are you here now?" the girl tilted her head curiously, as if she was trying to find out all of isabella's secrets. isabella looked slightly taken aback at her question.
"well, my father and king uther decided it would be best if i lived here in camelot now. so that me and the prince have time to get to know each other. so we don't go into the marriage blind, i suppose." isabella explained briefly as the girl nodded slowly.
"i see...well, i'm so sorry again, your majesty." the girl curtsied, with a expression on her face isabella couldn't read. "it's quite alright..." she frowned when she realised she didn't know her name.
"kara." the girl with deep blue eyes introduced as isabella nodded. "it's a pleasure to meet you, kara." she smiled warmly as kara returned it. "you as well, your majesty."
kara curtsied once more before scurrying off as isabella looked at her retreating figure with a slight frown. camelot is a strange place.
LORD BAYARD was signing the treaty as morgana and isabella sat at the head of the table, waiting for prince arthur and king uther who were stood by lord bayard.
isabella found it amusing that the knights were placed on opposite sides of the tables, having no contact at all. so much for new friendships.
morgana suddenly let out a quiet laugh as isabella turned to her, "what is it?" she asked, amused as morgana giggled again as pointed behind isabella.
the princess frowned as she turned around and almost immediately her jaw dropped as she saw what merlin was wearing. he was wearing a strange dress like red t shirt with a belt over it and a red cloak, but to top it off, a large feather hat with green, black and red colours in it.
unfortunately, isabella couldn't contain it as she began to laugh along with morgana. lord bayard, uther and arthur stood up straighter and turned to see what was going on, and were confused to see the two women whispering to each other and trying to hold in their laughter.
"oh, my." isabella said between laughs, tears forming in her eyes. "that poor boy. arthur is a real wanker." isabella admitted as morgana's eyes widened at her choice of words, making her laugh even more.
"is there something you two would like to share with the rest of us?" king uther suddenly asked as morgana and isabella's faces dropped as they looked ahead of them and at the king, prince and lord of mercia.
"no, sire." morgana spoke, knowing that if isabella tried to speak she would only end up laughing even more.
when uther finished signing the treaty, he and lord bayard shook hands as everybody stood up and began to applaud them as uther and arthur took their seats at the head of the table. arthur, of course sitting next to isabella as she sent him a smile, which he returned.
"get ready for an extremely boring speech." arthur leant down to whisper in isabella's ear as she let out a quiet giggle as lord bayard stood up. "quiet, you two." uther snapped in a hushed tone.
"people of camelot. for a great many years we have been mortal enemies. the blood of our men stains the ground from the walls of camelot to the gates of mercia. and though we remember those who have died, we must not allow any more to join them." lord bayard began as arthur pretended to snore quietly as isabella had to hide her smile with her glass. ( which was empty, so she looked rather silly. )
a woman approached lord bayard with a box as he continued to speak, "as a symbol of our goodwill and of our newfound friendship, i present these ceremonial goblets to you, uther, to your son arthur, and to the princess isabella. in the hope that our friendship may last."
uther sent him a grateful nod, however isabella couldn't help but notice kara rush over to merlin, mumble a few words and then leave the hall with him as she frowned.
"tonight we toast to a new beginning for our people. we look towards a future free from the tools of war." bayard continued as isabella also noticed gaius frowning as he watched merlin and kara leave.
"and nah the differences from our past remain there... to your health, uther." bayard raised his glass as all the knights in the room, including arthur, uther, isabella and morgana stood up with their glasses raised.
"arthur..." bayard began as arthur went to take a sip, but bayard wasn't finished. "princess isabella," he spoke as isabella raised her glass with a small smile, "the lady morgana...and the people of camelot." he finished.
just as arthur went to drink, uther then began, "and to fallen warriors on both sides." he spoke as bayard bowed slightly and everybody went to take a sip of their drinks.
"stop! it's poison, don't drink it!" somebody yelled as gasps filled the room and merlin ran in, snatching the goblet out of arthur's hand as everyone stared at him.
"what?" king uther asked, "merlin, what are you doing?" arthur asked with wide eyes, gaius walked over with a frown.
"bayard laced arthur and isabella's goblet with poison!" merlin announced as isabella's eyes widened in shock, turning to look at a confused arthur, and then a worried morgana.
"this is an outrage!" bayard exclaimed as he raised his sword, all the knights in the room doing the same as they aimed them at the opposite kingdom. "order your men to put down their swords." uther spoke over the clang of metal.
"you're outnumbered." uther teased slightly as the guards of camelot surrounded bayard and merlin. "i will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!" bayard spoke.
"on what grounds do you base this accusation?" uther asked as arthur walked away from the table. "i'll handle this...merlin, you idiot, have you been at the sloe gin again?" he began to push merlin away from the guards.
"unless you want to be strung up, you'll tell me why you think it's poisoned now." uther spoke over arthur, stopping merlin from going any further.
"he was seen lacing it." merlin admitted, "by whom?" the king asked, his hands on the table as merlin gulped. "i...i can't say."
"i will not listen to this anymore!" lord bayard scoffed. "pass me the goblets." uther ordered as merlin did so and uther examined them. "if you're telling the truth—"
"i am." lord bayard interupted, "then you have nothing to fear, do you?" uther spoke as lord bayard put his sword away, and held his hand out to take the goblets.
"no, if this does prove to be poisoned, i want the pleasure of killing you myself." uther spoke, turning to face merlin and holding one of the goblets out. "he'll drink it."
"but if it is poisoned, he will die." princess isabella spoke up with wide eyes as arthur nodded in agreement, morgana looking at merlin with worried eyes. "then we'll know he was telling the truth."
merlin hesitantly took the goblet, "and what if he lives?" lord bayard asked as uther glanced at him. "then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will."
"uther, please! he's just a boy; he doesn't know what he's saying." gaius spoke up from behind morgana as uther glared at the older man. "then you should have schooled him better."
"merlin, apologise! this is a mistake, i'll drink it." arthur shook his head as isabella stood up from her position on the throne. "no!" she exclaimed, "have gaius take a look at it, surely he will be able to tell if it's poisoned or not?"
"no, it's all right." merlin cut her off with a weak smile. lord bayard crossed his arms as merlin faced the royal's and raised the glass slightly before taking a sip of it as gwen and estella took a few steps forward, their eyes widened in horror.
merlin finished the drink and looked around as arthur and isabella moved closer to the boy out of worry, and merlin glanced at the king regretfully. "it's fine."
"he's all yours." uther waved merlin off to lord bayard. but just as bayard stepped back, merlin began to cough as everybody's eyes widened as they stared at merlin as he fell to the floor.
arthur, isabella, gaius and gwen rushed over to check on merlin as king uther stood up quickly. "it's poisoned! guards, seize them!" he yelled as everyone raised their swords once again.
"merlin! can you hear me?" gaius asked as he crouched down, feeling merlin's forehead. "we have to get him back to my chambers. bring the goblets, we need to identify the poison!" he ordered as arthur picked up merlin and put him over his shoulders, and isabella picked up the goblets and followed them to gaius's chambers.
"lay him on the bed, quickly! he is struggling to breathe." gaius told them as arthur put him down onto the makeshift bed. "gwen, fetch me some water and a towel," he said as gwen nodded and hurried out.
"is he going to be alright?" isabella asked as she helped lay merlin down. "he's burning up," gaius muttered as gwen came rushing back with a bucket and a cloth.
"you can cure him, can't you, gaius?" she asked worriedly. "i wouldn't know until i can identify the poison. pass me the goblets." gwen did so as gaius stood up and looked at them.
"ah, there's something stuck on the inside..." he mumbled as arthur stood up, "what is it?" he asked. "it looks like a flower petal of some kind." gaius admitted.
"his brow's on fire." gwen told them as she put the cold cloth onto his forehead. "keep him cool, it'll help control his fever." gaius advised as isabella and arthur looked into the goblet's curiously.
gaius searched through one of his books and flicked through the pages until he found one that looked like the flower. "ah, the petal comes from the mortaeus flower. it says here that someone poisoned by the mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of very same flower...it can only be found in the caves deep beneath the forest of baloch." they looked at pictures of the caves.
"the flower grows on the roots of the mortaeus tree." gaius finished as they saw a dragon-like creature on the same page. "that doesn't look particularly friendly." arthur spoke up.
"a cockatrice-it guards the forest. this venom is potent. a single drop would mean death. 'few who have crossed the mountains of isgard in search of the mortaeus flower have made it back alive'."
everyone shared a look as arthur put his chin in his hands. "sounds like fun." he spoke up as gaius shook his head. "arthur, it's too dangerous. even for you."
"if i don't get the antidote, what happens to merlin?" arthur asked and gaius sighed, looking down. "the mortaeus induces a slow and painful death. he may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. eventually he will die."
arthur glanced at merlin, and then at isabella before rushing out gaius's chambers as isabella widened her eyes, "arthur!" she called out as she ran after him, trying to catch up.
"i couldn't forgive myself if i let him die, bella." arthur told her as she finally caught up. "but arty, you could die."
isabella listened to the boy's rants as he changed into his armour, and then left his chambers to find his father. she had hesitantly agreed to him going to get the antidote, but was still worried for him.
arthur soon found the king as isabella followed closely and arthur asked for permission to go on the mission to get the flower. "what's the point in having people to taste for you if you're going to get yourself killed anyway?"
"i won't fail no matter what you think!" arthur argued as the king snapped, "arthur, you are my only son and heir! you think isabella can rule herself one day?" he asked as isabella blinked, slightly offended.
"i can't risk loosing you for the sake of some serving boy." uther finished. "why? because his life is worthless?" arthur scoffed.
"no, because it's worth less than yours." uther stopped walking to turn around and face his son and the princess. "i can save him...let me take some men." arthur asked.
"no." uther sighed. "then i'll come too!" isabella suddenly exclaimed as both uther as arthur chocked on air, "absolutely not!" they both yelled as she rolled her eyes.
"we'll find the antidote and bring it back!" arthur continued, asking for knights, "no." uther repeated tiredly.
"why not?" arthur huffed childishly as uther sighed. "because one day i will be dead and camelot will need a king! that is the same reason you cannot go too, isabella. camelot is going to need you both as their king and queen. believe me." he whispered the last part.
"i will not let you jeopardise the future of this kingdom over some fool's errand." he finished bitterly. "it's not a fools errand. gaius says that if we can—"
"gaius says? that's exactly what makes it so!" uther exclaimed as he turned to walk away. "please, uther." isabella spoke up quietly as the king stopped.
"he saved mine and bella's life, remember?" arthur finished for her as uther turned to face them with a sigh. "we can't stand by and watch him die after what he has done for us both." isabella added.
uther looked at them both, "then don't look." he spoke before looking away as isabella's eyes widened. "this boy won't be the last to die on your behalf. you're going to be king and queen! it's something you will both have to get used to."
"i can't accept that." arthur argued, "you're not going!" uther snapped as arthur shook his head. "you can't stop me."
"damn it, arthur! that's an end to it! you are not leaving this castle tonight!" uther shouted as isabella jumped slightly and arthur glanced down at her regretfully.
"yes, i bloody am." the prince whispered once the king was out of sight before turning around and leaving as isabella rolled her eyes and followed him.
"well, say what you like about the food, you can't beat our feasts for entertainment." she spoke in amused tone as he shook his head. "i'm sorry, i didn't ask, are you alright?"
"slightly disappointed now, actually. i was looking forward to clumping a couple around the head with a ladle." she shrugged as he raised a brow. "i'm sure the guards could have handled bayard and his men."
"yes...but why let the boys have all the fun?" she grinned as he shook his head. "you shouldn't get involved in that sort of stuff." he spoke in an amused tone.
"as much as i value your safety...i don't think you should listen to uther." she spoke after a few moments silence as he turned to her with a frown.
"what do you mean?" he asked as she shrugged and walked in further. "i believe that sometimes you've got to do what you think is right and damn the consequences."
"you think i should go." arthur realised as she shrugged. "it doesn't matter what i think...i'm not a fan of uther right now and i'm feeling rebellious. so, yes. i do."
"what happens if i don't make it back?" he asked and she shook her head with a small smile. "you will. i know you will, because i have faith in you." she looked up at him.
arthur glanced at her and her mischievous smile as he slowly nodded and took the sword from her hands as she grinned. "be safe....i'll be waiting for you, bored out of my mind since you won't let me come with you."
"you always have been dramatic. i will see you in a few days time, bella." he promised before pressing a kiss against her forehead and leaving his chambers as she smiled to herself, and looked out of the window.
there he was, on his horse as he raced past the guards and left camelot. "please be safe." she mumbled before watching his retreating figure on the horse, and returning to her own chambers where estella was waiting for her.
accidentally published chapter ten before this one lol