Merlyn's Last Dream

Love in the Time of Dragons P3

Merlyn was used to finding solace in the arms of a darkened night. Sitting on the steps to the castle, she looked up at the stars, searching for constellations between the pinpricks of light. It reminded her of a simpler time, of Ealdor, where she would sit with her mother, and Will if he could be persuaded, telling stories by the firelight as the sun sunk into the earth. Her father would sometimes join them, blowing embers from the fire into shapes, golden flowers and fiery dragons, vanquishing shadows with his seemingly infinite magic. It was only on those cold, winter nights where he entertained such frivolities, but that just made those moments more special. As Merlyn stared up at the hollow moon which illuminated the cloudless sky, part of her wished that she could return to those times of peace. But it was not to be. She wouldn't get to Gaius' chambers tonight, but she couldn't sit on these steps forever. Still, as she listened to the beautiful silence of the courtyard, she supposed she could stay out a while longer before heading to Gwen's. Or Arthur's. She hadn't decided yet.

Unfortunately, her peace couldn't last. Closing her eyes at the sound of tolling bells, Merlyn let a feeling of absoloute dread rise within her. It seemed that Alice had acted faster than the witch had expected.

~

"Father!" Arthur cried, shaking the still corpse of his king, desperate to find some kind of life. He looked around the room helplessly, as if to find something to help, but other than tucking a pillow under his father's head, there was little he could do. There was no physical enemy, no sword he could parry or blow he could take. Not for the first time in his life, the prince had no idea what to do.

It was at that moment that Gaius hurried into the room. Arthur ushered him in, running his hand through his hair in sheer panic. "I found him this way. I can't rouse him."

Gaius took the king's pulse, his face paling considerably as he watched his old friend fade before him. "The king's alive but his pulse is weak."

"What's wrong with him?" Arthur asked, stepping forward. He knew it was too soon for the physician to have anything particularly useful, but he needed reassurance. He needed someone to tell him everything was going to be okay.

He needed Merlyn.

"Please, let me examine him." Gaius pushed him back towards the door. "Seal off the king's quarters."

With one last glance at his dying father, the prince almost sprinted towards the hallway. This was something he could do.

~

Merlyn ran into Uther's chambers, almost stumbling over a chair in her rush. She glimpsed Arthur running in the other direction and, as much as she wanted to comfort him, that wouldn't help his father's recovery. Gaius was already kneeling beside the king, an emotion Merlyn couldn't quite place making him frown.

Knowing this was no time for arguments, Merlyn knelt down beside the physician in time to see Uther open his eyes. She gasped, unable to look away from their black colour, the darkness almost overwhelming against his white skin. He look soulless. Like a demon, a beast.

"What is that?" she asked in horror, but Gaius didn't reply. Something about Uther's face reminded her of Alice, of something she'd glimpsed that strange night with the manticore. She'd thought it had been a trick of the light, but now, she wasn't so sure.

The physician lifted Uther's gloved hand, revealing a small, empty bottle. He picked it up, smelling whatever residue remained, causing his frown to deepen. Merlyn didn't quite know what it was, but she could hazard a guess. If she had to make a bet, she would put all her money on that being the murder weapon.

~

Arthur had just finished informing the guards of their new orders when Gaius and Merlyn finally appeared from his father's chambers. They both wore serious expressions, extinguishing any hope the prince had foolishly harboured that the king could have simply fainted.