Forbidden Love | Arthur Pendragon [1]

Chapter 8

THE POISONED CHALICE

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The same melodic and angelic voice was singing the soothing lullaby. Again, the same woman was sat on what seemed like a canopy bed. Her face was still hidden by her brown hair. In her arms, she was holding the same little baby girl. The woman was rocking her while singing the lullaby. Then, a man appeared. A put his hand on the woman's shoulder before taking a seat next to her, he, too, singing the lullaby. His face was hidden too, away from the sight of anyone but the baby and the woman. The two adults stopped singing and seemed to be talking. But their voice suddenly got muffled, making no one able to understand what they were saying.

Eowyn suddenly awakened when she felt herself falling off the chair. She steadied herself as she passed one of her hands on her face to wake her up. She was surprised to know that she succeeded to fall asleep. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw Merlin drinking the poisoned goblet and falling over and over again. But she supposed that she was so tired that she didn't even notice that she fell asleep. After a few seconds, she realised that Gwen was there. She left a few hours after Eowyn returned from Arthur's chambers. Morgana's maidservant must have come back as soon as she woke up. She was tending Merlin.

"He's getting hotter," Gwen said. Eowyn straightened up, ready to treat Merlin but she froze when she heard her brother muttering in another language. The same language when they cast spells. She looked at Gaius who made his way to them. He kneeled next to Gwen.

"Him. Liffrea, wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf," Merlin muttered. Gaius and Eowyn shared a look as Gwen furrowed her eyebrows, wondering in what language Merlin was talking.

"What language is that?" Gwen asked

"None. The fever's taken hold. None of those words are his own," Gaius lied, giving what seemed like a scientific explanation to Gwen so she wouldn't suppose it would be magic. "His pulse is weaker," Gaius said, taking the other forearm of Merlin and find a large circular rash.

"What is it?" Eowyn asked, worried. She knew this rash meant nothing good.

"That can't be right. The rash is not supposed to appear until the final stage," Gaius muttered, looking at both Eowyn and Gwen. The physician stood up and walked to the table. He took the same book where they found everything about the Mortaeus flower.

"What does that mean?" Gwen asked as she and Eowyn stood up, to join Gaius. He opened the book and checked what was written with his magnifier.

"It says here that "once a rash appears, death will follow within two days", "Gaius read. Gwen's and Eowyn's face crumpled. Merlin had much less time than they thought.

"You said he had four days!" Eowyn stressed, even more, worried than before. Arthur had to come back with the flower fast.

"Something's increased the flower's potency," Gaius explained. He then turned back on the book, turning a few pages before finding what he was looking for. "It warns that "the effect of the Mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation."

"An enchantment? But Bayard's no sorcerer," Gwen said, confused. Eowyn frowned, she was confused too. Bayard was one of the kingdoms that banned magic from their lands. He would never use magic, even against his enemy. So who used magic? A look of realisation passed across Eowyn's face. The serving girl.

"The girl..." she muttered, catching the attention of both Gaius and Gwen. The physician seemed to understand what Eowyn was talking about.

"It can't have been. She wouldn't dare come here. Unless..." Gaius muttered to himself, making Gwen frowned. She didn't understand who they were talking about.