The next morning, Merlin woke up still on the forest floor and looking extremely pale and sickly. He had dried blood on the side of his head where he had hit it the previous night and there were traces of the poison Morgana gave him on his lips.
Merlin tried to get up but couldn't as he felt an excruciating pain in his leg. He looked down and noticed a nasty gash on his leg that was bleeding heavily.
Merlin suddenly coughs and chokes. He couldn't breathe. He tried to use his magic but it didn't help as he didn't have enough strength to do a spell.
He tried again, his eyes glowing gold but quickly fading back to Merlin's original deep blue eyes. He tried once more with his last bit of strength but it was all in vain and Merlin fell back into unconsciousness.
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Back in Camelot, Mordred and Violet were extremely worried. They hadn't seen Aria since the feast last night and they couldn't find her anywhere. The two had decided to split up so they could search the castle quicker.
Mordred walked into the library, slightly startling Lord Geoffrey who was sat behind his desk reading a large book.
"Sir Mordred" Geoffrey greeted smiling at the young knight and standing from his chair " What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if Aria was in here? Or has been in here anytime today? I can't find her anywhere" Mordred told the old man.
Geoffrey shook his head looking concerned. " No, I haven't seen her at all today, which I must say is slightly odd. Is her horse in the stables?"
"Yes, Sir. "
"I would go and alert the king if that is the case. I do hope nothing's happened to her."
Mordred nodded and rushed out of the library only to run head first into Violet.
" was she in there?" Violet quickly asked
"No, Lord Geoffrey hasn't seen her all day."
" Then we must tell Arthur"
Violet and Mordred rushed off to tell the king of his missing sister.
In Arthur's chambers, Gwen was helping Arthur get dressed as Merlin was still nowhere to be found and Arthur was beginning to worry.
"You're much better at this then Gaius" Arthur complimented as Gwen tightened the straps of his armour.
"I was a servant, remember?"
"You were always much more than that"
Arthur than grunts as Gwen pulled the strap tighter.
"Stop moving than. " Gwen smiled
Gwen tightened the straps again.
"Ow. I want Merlin back. Where is he?" Arthur asked
"You mustn't be hard on him. " Gwen warned
" I am a bit worried," Arthur said, " you don't think something's happened to him, do you?"
"He probably overworked. " Gwen says as she finished with Arthur's armour. " Maybe you just once let him enjoy himself?"
"You're right"
"Besides you've got more important things to worry about"
Suddenly Mordred and Violet came rushing through the doors out of breath.
"Mordred?! Violet?! Don't you two know how to knock?" Arthur exclaimed in confusion
"Sorry Sir, but it's urgent." Mordred apologized
" We haven't seen Aria since the feast last night and we can't find her anywhere" Violet explained
" Aria's missing?" Arthur asked with worry and concern.
Mordred and Violet both nodded.
"Have you checked the library? The armoury? The training fields?"
" We've checked everywhere sire and all the horses are in the stables," Mordred answered.
"Sound the warning bell. I want every knight and guard out looking for her" Arthur began to make his way to the door with Mordred and Violet following.
Gwen immediately tried to stop them as she knew exactly where both Aria and Merlin were " But Arthur, what about the Sarrum?"
"Aria is more important." Arthur simply said opening the door.
" Well, she may have gone to the glade and not told anyone. She could have just decided to walk instead of taking her horse." Gwen suggested
" Let's deal with the Sarrum first and if Arianna is not back by nightfall then we can go out and start looking for her"
Arthur paused by the open door. This treaty with Amata was important. But was it more important than his sister? Although Arthur was worried he realised that Gwen was right. Aria would go off on her own to the glade without telling anyone, she did it all the time as a child.
Arthur sighed and turned to face his wife. "You're right, as usual. I have to get down to the training fields, mustn't be late "
Arthur walked out the door with Mordred following. Violet was also about to follow but she turned and gave Gwen a suspicious look before walking out the door. If Aria was indeed in the glade then why did Aria's bed look like it hadn't been slept in? Something wasn't right and Violet intended to find out what.
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In the training fields, Arthur was duelling with one of the Sarrum's men. Gwen watched the fight from her and Arthur's chamber window and the Sarrum watched from his seat in a tent that had been set up for him.
Eventually, the Sarrum's soldier defeated Arthur and held his sword to the back of Arthur's neck. All the knights of Camelot watching and The Sarrum's men all drew their weapons.
The Sarrum gave his soldier a gesture to stand down and the soldier moved away. As Arthur and the Sarrum spoke Gwen remembered what Morgana had told her about how they were going to use the Sarrum to kill Arthur and she smirked evilly.
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The Sarrum was walking down the hallway with some of his men behind him. Gwen was leaning against the wall waiting for him. She turned the corner and smiled politely at the Sarrum.
"My lady" The Sarrum greeted
"Your man showed great skill to beat my husband." Gwen complimented
"The men of Amata are born with swords in their hands" The Sarrum boasted. The Sarrum was about to walk away when Gwen stopped him.
" I can't help but believe that Camelot would benefit from a leader like you."
"Mmm" The Sarrum agreed
"You should've let him die" Gwen whispered
The Sarrum looked slightly shocked and gestured for his men to leave.
"I must have misheard you," he says.
"I don't think so" Gwen shook her head.
"You aren't happy with your husband?" The Sarrum wondered
" I'd be happy if he died tomorrow," Gwen answered. The Sarrum raised his eyebrows in shock at what he was hearing coming out of the Queen's mouth.
"Someone who can make that happen I would ensure that they were richly rewarded."
The Sarrum looks unsure about Gwen's offer.
"I'm not sure I believe you"
The two suddenly heard footsteps coming their way.
"Meet me outside the king's solar tonight. We can speak openly there" And with that, Gwen walked off with a smirk on her face.
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In the forest, Merlin was still struggling to breathe and layers of sweat had formed on his forehead.
Footsteps approached Merlin and someone began to shake him in an attempt to wake him up. Eventually, Merlin weakly opened his eyes and the person who was trying to help he gave him some water from there canteen. Merlin looked up and glared when he saw Daegal kneeling by his side.
"You-- you came back, why? " Merlin wheezed
"I couldn't leave you to die," Daegal answered
"You came too late" Merlin struggled to say.
" No, I can help" Daegal offered
" You're a physician. You tell me what to do"
"There's nothing!"
" There must be a cure." Daegal insisted " You tell me which herbs and I'll find them for you."
Merlin didn't answer and didn't even look at Daegal.
"Come on, what do we need?"
"Rue. It's got yellow flowers" Merlin muttered
" and feathery leaves" Daegal nods.
" Milfoil"
"Yarrow?"
" ground into a tincture" Merlin weakly instructs.
Daegal nodded and ran off to search for the herbs.
"Hurry" Merlin breathed "Hurry..."
Merlin fell back into unconsciousness once more.
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Finally, Daegal came back with the herbs he needed to cure Merlin. He had already made them into a tincture and used leaves to create a makeshift bowl.
Daegal lifted up Merlin's head and offered him the tincture. "Here"
Merlin drank all of it and began coughing. Daegal tried to offer Merlin some water but Merlin refused it.
Merlin grabbed Daegal's arm and had him hold him down as Merlin began to shake violently. Merlin eventually relaxed and exhaled.
Daegal started shaking his head as he feared that he was too late and that Merlin was now dead.
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That night, The Sarrum was stood waiting for the Queen who had been delayed by Gaius wondering where Merlin was.
Gwen quickly approached the Sarrum. " Forgive me, I was waylaid"
"Speak" The Sarrum demands
"I have a simple proposition. One that would be mutually beneficial."
The Sarrum looked at Gwen strangely
"You kill Arthur, I assume the throne, and in gratitude give over one-third of Camelot's lands to Amata" Gwen offered
" You think the people will accept this?" The Sarrum wonders
"Without a king, I will insist that it's a necessary price for our protection" Gwen replied
"And the knights?"
" They will remain loyal to me." They'll do whatever I say"
" And what of the Princess? Won't she be a threat to your claim of the throne?"
Gwen scoffed " The princess is nothing but a child, besides I've already taken care of her"
The Sarrum raised his eyebrows in slight shock. " How do we kill him? The king is surrounded by armed guards at all times. "
"Guards who answer to me." Gwen resorted " You appoint the assassin, I will deliver the means."
The Sarrum thought for a second and then smirked " I have just the man"
"Then make him ready" Gwen smirks " Arthur has proposed a treaty. The signing tomorrow will provide us with the perfect opportunity."
Gwen then walked off with a victorious smirk on her face. Everything was falling into place.
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Gwen had gotten back to her and Arthur's chambers to find Arthur and numerous knights including Mordred, all standing around the table which was covered in maps. Violet was also present and she had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What's going on?" Gwen asked
Arthur looked up from studying one of the maps to look at Gwen. " Aria is still missing, turns out she wasn't in the glade after all and something's happened to her."
Arthur then turned back to his knights " We'll search the surrounding forests first and if we find nothing then we'll spread out to the outlining villages."
The knights nodded.
" Get some rest, we leave at first light."
The knights and Violet left leaving Gwen and an extremely worried Arthur alone. Arthur still stood looking over the maps wondering where his sister had disappeared to.
"Are you going with them? On the patrol to search for Arianna?" Gwen asked hoping that he wasn't as it would ruin her plan.
" Aria's life could be at stake, I have to" Arthur replied
"But what about the treaty with Amata?"
" Aria is more important."
"I know that. Of course, she is. But so is the treaty. Let the knights search alone tomorrow while we deal with the Sarrum and then once he's gone if Arianna is still missing then you can join the patrols." Gwen walked over to Arthur and placed her hands on his shoulders comfortingly
"I can't lose her, Gwen. " Arthur sighed shaking his head " I can't."
" And you won't. We will find her and she'll be back home safe and sound with her nose stuck in a book like always. " Gwen gave a fake smiled.
Arthur chuckled slightly.
"Come on, we have a big day tomorrow, we both need rest," Gwen said taking Arthur's hand and leading him to their shared bed.
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Aria woke up to see that it was still dark outside. She sat up and looked around at her surroundings confused. She was still in her red dress and her hair was still styled but was slightly messy.
She remembered being taken by Gwen to see Morgana and Morgana using her magic to make Aria fall asleep but where was she?
She looked up when she heard the door opening and quickly lay back down on the soft animal furs pretending to still be asleep.
Morgana walked into the hut with her arms filled with logs. She placed the logs down by the lit fire pit, picked a bowl of freshly made stew from the little table and walked over to her ''sleeping'' sister with a small amused smile on her face.
" I know you're awake Aria. No point in pretending" Morgana chuckled as she sat on the edge of the bed.
Aria gave a small and quiet "Dammit" before opening her eyes and sitting up to face her sister.
"How long have I been asleep?" Aria wondered rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"You've been unconscious the whole day" Morgana answered
Aria's eyes widened in shock and panic. "The whole day?! I need to get home, Arthur's probably worried out of his mind"
Aria went to get up from the bed but Morgana grabbed her arms not too tightly and held her down. "I'm sorry, Ari. But I can't let you leave. I can't let you interfere with my plans and get yourself hurt or even killed in the process"
Aria stopped trying to get up and had a good look around Morgana's hut.
"Where am I?" Aria wondered
" Somewhere safe," Morgana answered and held out the bowl of stew to Aria. "I thought you might be hungry."
Aria looked confused as to why Morgana didn't have her locked up somewhere, trying to get information out of her. She hesitantly took the bowl of stew from her sister but didn't eat it and just simply held it in her lap.
" It's not poisoned if that's what your thinking," Morgana said seeing the look of hesitation on her sisters face.
"Why are you doing this? Giving me food, being nice to me? " Aria asked as she took a small spoonful of her stew.
"Because you're my sister and I care about you" Morgana replied, like it obvious.
"But's it just that..." Aria and trailed off.
"What?" Morgana wondered
Aria sighed, looking down at her food to avoid her sister's eyes. " It's just I have been waiting and hoping for years, ever since you left, that the old you was still in there somewhere and for you to finally come back home but I just thought that maybe everyone is right, maybe I'm just waiting for something that isn't going to happen. I mean you, did try and have me killed"
Morgana looked at her little sister confused. She held Aria's face in her hands and made her little sister look up at her. Aria had tears in her eyes and she looked sad and lonely.
"Aria, I never once tried to kill you, I swear," Morgana said.
" Then why did Gwen sneak up on me with a dagger and stab me through the stomach?" Aria questioned slightly angry, taking her face away from her sister's hands. She placed the bowl of food down, not feeling hungry anymore.
Morgana's confused look slowly turned into, a bitter one. Gwen had disobeyed her. She had specifically told Gwen to leave Aria alone and that they would "deal" with her in the future, obviously Gwen took matters into her own hands.
" Ari, listen to me, I instructed Gwen to not harm you in any way. It would seem as though she didn't listen. I would never do anything to hurt you Aria, never" Morgana explained
Aria was now crying tears of happiness and relief. Her sister didn't hate her.
"Oh, Ari. I've missed you, I've missed you ever since I left" Morgana muttered gently caressing Aria's hair.
Morgana was surprised when Aria suddenly hugged her tightly and began sobbing into her shoulder. Morgana smiled and hugged her sister back, savouring the moment of having her little sister back in her arms.
"You know, sometimes I wonder if you've missed me as much as I've missed you and now I know that you have all along. " Aria cried happily.
Morgana pulled out of the hug smiling and she was too crying tears of happiness. " Of course I've missed you because we're sisters by chance..."
"Friends by choice" Aria and Morgana finished together both laughing slightly.
" It's late, I know you've slept the whole day but that was due to my magic so you must still be a bit tired"
As if on cue Aria gave a big yawn and smiled sheepishly at her sister who just gave a small chuckle.
"Come on, back to bed," Morgana said
Aria laid back on the animal furs and shut her eyes. She felt her sister lay down beside her and opened her eyes to glance at Morgana. Aria closed her eyes once more and smiled before drifting off to sleep.
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