Merlyn's Only Hope

The Poisoned Chalice P2

Merlyn's condition wasn't getting any better. Her fever was worsening; her heart beat seemed to slow as she mumbled unintelligible mutterings in her fitful sleep. It was lucky for her that Gwen wasn't versed in the old religion, otherwise, she may have recognised the comatose language flowing from her lips.

"She's getting hotter." Gwen was becoming concerned. Gaius came to sit beside her, his worry obvious.

"Her pulse is weaker." he lifted her wrist, causing the long sleeve of her dress to drop, revealing more of her arm. A purple rash, shaped in a perfect circle, had appeared on the underside of her upper arm.

"What is it?" Gwen asked, looking curiously at the shape.

"This can't be right..." Gaius spoke to himself, his eyes widening. "The rash is not meant to appear until the final stage." he turned to Gwen, unable to hide his confusion.

"What does that mean?" she questioned, fearing the worst.

"It says here that, once a rash appears, death will follow within two days." Gaius glanced at his ward.

"You said she had four days." Gwen stated, her voice trembling from sorrow.

"Something has increased the flowers potency." whispered the physician. "It warns that the effect of the mortaeus flower will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during its preparation."

"Enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer." Gwen exclaimed, thinking back to the night before.

"No, he isn't." Gaius agreed, "Who could've done this." he pondered, trying to remembered who he had seen at the feast. It was hard to remember the blurred faces; the large number of strangers only added to his bewilderment.

"Cian..." Gwen's tone was hushed, so quiet that he barely heard it.

"The serving boy?" Gwen nodded.

Gaius shook his head, lost in thought. "It can't be... He wouldn't dare come here..."

"He took her outside, told her that he had something important to tell her..." Gwen's mouth dropped open. "Do you think it was him that told Merlyn that the cup was poisoned?"

"Find him quickly." Gaius ordered, walking back to Merlyn's side as she practically sprinted out of the room.

"Arthur..." Merlyn mumbled, repeating an incantation Gaius couldn't quite understand. He prayed that he was wrong: if he had found the truth, Camelot's troubles had barely begun.

∆

Morgana rushed into the physician's chambers, her expression that of concern when she saw Merlyn. Gaius looked up, expecting to see Gwen, surprised to see the king's ward standing in the doorway.

"Uther came to see me." she wandered over to the bench, standing over Merlyn. "He seems to think that Arthur's journeying to his death."

Her concern for the prince was touching, but Gaius didn't believe for one second that it was the real reason for her visit.

"What's on your mind Morgana?" He rarely used her name, usually sticking to titles, so she knew that this was no time for pleasantries.

"When Arthur comes back with the flower, I don't know what state of mind Uther will be in. It's possible that he'll try and prevent Arthur from giving it to Merlyn."

Clearly it was a day for surprises. First Arthur riding into the sunset to save a lowly servant, then the possible return of an evil sorcerer, and now, even Morgana seemed to have turned her back on Uther in the hopes of saving a friend. It wasn't that that Gaius was particularly shocked, however: the ward routinely questioned the King's judgement, especially when it affected people she cared about.