No one and nothing - part 4B
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: No one and Nothing part 4b
Rating: R
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Gaius, Leon, Iseldir
Summary: Merlin saves Arthur’s life in front of the whole court and has to run for his life. But when Arthur shows up, asking for help, what was Merlin to do, say no?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 1141
Camelot Drabble Prompt: 548 Performance
Author's notes: again breaking it up into parts because it's far too long.
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Gaius was not pleased to see Merlin. “What were you thinking? Is there even a single thought inside that empty head of yours? Of all the idiotic notions you’ve had, this is the worst. You could have been seen.”
Ignoring the old man’s tirade, recognising it for the love of a father for a wayward son, Merlin shrugged. “Has Arthur talked to you about… umm… things?”
Stumbling over to his favourite chair, looking around to check to make sure the windows and door were firmly closed, as he sat down, Gaius said, his voice low and decided, “Things, yes. And by the way, Arthur is better. He told me that you were able to stave off the infection. That boy can be as stubborn as his father at times.”
Merlin was glad of it. Arthur could be an immovable rock and just as thick most of the time. He figured Leon was the one who made sure Arthur went to Gaius about his injuries. Arthur would just ignore the whole thing until he collapsed. Stupid git.
Sliding onto the bench next to Gaius, Merlin’s fingers following the burns on the table, remembering how often he’d sat there listening to Gaius’s wisdom, he put the longing for days past behind him. Those times were gone.
“I’ve talked with the Druids. They are not happy but are willing to help at least at the outset. But until we can firm up the escape routes and know that we won’t be betrayed by Arthur or Uther’s spies, they’re very reticent to help,” Merlin explained.
Gaius nodded, looking as if he expected exactly that. “And the final location?”
Leaning in close, Merlin murmured, “They believe that Nemeth will turn a blind eye to any escaping Uther’s wrath. The hardest part will be getting them out of Camelot, especially if they are in the dungeons under guard.”
“I thought as much. It is dangerous to try and break them out. The warning bells will sound, and they might be recaptured or worse,” Gaius said. He looked worried, like it would be an impossible task, that innocent lives would be lost in all this.
Merlin raised one eyebrow, then gave Gaius a quick grin. “And for that, I’ve got an idea. Do you still have those blood crystals that Dagr and Ebor used to disguise themselves?”
Gaius looked puzzled. “Yes. I’ve hidden them within a book on pustules.”
“Ugh, Gaius,” Merlin remembered going through that book, looking at really disgusting drawings of all kinds of erupting skin conditions, part of his training. But it was the perfect location. In the binding, there was a large cavity, just right for hiding magical objects. “You have access to dead bodies, right?” When Gaius nodded, Merlin explained, “We could substitute those in the dungeons with a corpse, using the crystals, and have Uther think they committed suicide. Then after we bury the bodies or burn them, we can reuse the crystals on the next person.”
“That’s… surprisingly adept. It might even work.” Gaius looked surprised but pleased. It was sort of insulting, as if he hadn’t expected such brilliance from Merlin. But then Gaius said, “But that doesn’t help you. And I think Uther would become increasingly suspicious if they all committed suicide.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Merlin knew it would be an issue, once the pattern was established. They’d have to vary their efforts to help the magic users escape, one where Uther couldn’t interfere.
“So Gaius,” Merlin said, a bit hesitant. “Well, I… I’m not fond of Dragoon. My bones ache for days after. Do you have any other way of disguising me? Or we could use the stones?”
Shaking his head, frowning at Merlin, Gaius said, “The crystals need to be cleansed after each use. Better to use a spell but that requires an antidote, but my supply has dwindled of late. Or best of all, just use face paint and distraction.” Then he sat back, his face lighting in a grin, and waggled a finger at him. “So Merlin, I have just the thing.”
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The thing was a dress.
Merlin hated it, the skirts, the way he had to stuff the top full of wool to give him a bit of a figure, had to shave his chest which was itching enough to drive him mad. At least, he could wear a head covering so he didn’t have to worry about hair length, but the face paint, ugh. Why women covered themselves in chalk and red powder and oily gunk on their lips was beyond him.
Still, no one paid him any mind. Which was a bit of an insult, if truth be told. He had heard the maids complaining about pinches and stolen kisses and here he was, left alone to work without wandering hands or being cornered by drunk knights or nobles with nothing better to do than bothering the maids.
It did make things easier, though, not having to dodge the wankers. But he did grumble about it, under his breath.
There was a feast that night. A victory over someone or other or maybe a joust. Merlin didn’t pay attention. All he did was serve food, pour drinks to the boisterous nobility, avoid the other servants who would have known him on sight, and watch Arthur.
He didn’t like what he saw.
Arthur was laughing with his father about something or other, nodding as Uther’s tirade about magic continued, morphing into how badly the other knights had done in the melee, then back again to magical beings and how corrupt and profane they were. With every pronouncement, Arthur smiled, fawning over his father’s words, then nodding about Uther’s latest victory against the Druids or bandits or anyone who had crossed the Pendragons over the centuries.
Arthur didn’t object at all when Uther said that they all deserved to die. Instead, Arthur talked about how the stock of wood was depleted and how they might have to switch to beheadings which were cheaper than pyres and easier to clean up after. When Uther just glowered at him, objecting to sorcerers not suffering enough, Arthur talked of gold coins and budgets and how they might need to keep those guilty of magic in the cells longer, then, as they gathered more wood.
Uther shrugged him off. He wanted to hear them scream, living torches for all to see, and if they needed to wait a day or two, then so be it.
Merlin was horrified. Had it all been an act with Arthur? Had he truly lied to Merlin about all of it? Or had he learned to perform for the court, pretending to be one thing while plotting another?
It looked like Merlin had come for nothing but to have his heart broken all over again.