Mark of Nimueh
In her dark cave, Nimueh stood, holding an enchanted egg in both hands. She was a beautiful beta with long dark hair and ocean blue eyes. But years of anger and resentment had made the light in her once kind and soft eyes hard.
“Berbay odothay arisan yeldo.” she chanted, placing the egg into the water before her. The egg floated away through underground waterways to a man made cavern. It stopped in this cavern and began bubbling in the water.
Nimueh watched over Camelot from her water basin. “Diegol cnytte, gewitte me yst, aliese hine, to Camelot he cymp.” All she had to do was sit back and watch Uther suffer. Watch his innocent peoples die as she had watched her innocent loved ones die.
----
In the lower town, Merlin and Gaius were examining a corpse that was found in the street. Well, Gaius was examining the body. Merlin’s dog stood back a little, carefully watching her master.
“Stay back a little, Merlin.”
“Scared you might catch whatever this is?” Merlin asked, peering around the physician.
“I’m the court physician, Merlin. This is part of the job. Most of the time there’s nothing to be scared of. But, he smells strong to me, which means he’ll smell that much more overpowering to you.” He proceeded to turn the corpse over, revealing bleached skin with a few dark veins popped out across his skin and milky-white eyes.
“People can’t see him. They’ll just panic,” Merlin said, moving closer to help move the body when the pungent scent permeated his nose. He gagged at the strong smell of rotten eggs and sewer, but there was a strong trace of magic as well that made his magic shimmer through his body. His pet ran to his side, trying to soothe him. To help, he pulled his red neckerchief up to cover his nose and keep most of the scent out.
“Merlin! Get back, boy. Get a wheelbarrow, please. And please, control your animal.” Gaius snapped, worried about his nephew.
“She is controlled, and she has a name. It’s Freya.”
“I don’t care. Keep her and yourself back.”
“Come, girl,” he whistled, but he didn’t need to. Freya followed him closely, watching all around him for danger. She was a wonderful companion, especially whenever Merlin had to go into the forest for supplies. She’d already proven herself as an intelligent and observant asset, being able to pick up on changes in Merlin’s magic or emotions. And Freya had killed one of those snakes from Valiant’s shield. “You wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on, would you?”
The dog tilted her head, blinking up at him blankly.
----
“Here’s your sandwich, dad.” Gwen said, handing her father his lunch.
“Ooh, what’s in it?”
She smiled at her father. “It’s smoked pigeon, but I fear there’s more smoke than pigeon.”
Tom laughed. “You’re so good to me. And I spied some watercress soup. Let me guess, more water than cress?”
They both laughed and hugged before Gwen bid him goodbye. Gwen picked up some flowers on her way to the castle, intending to give them to Morgana. As she was entering the courtyard, she spotted Merlin and Gaius hauling a wheelbarrow through the drawbridge. She recognised the black dog at Merlin’s heels, smiling at the adoration the animal had for its master. Gwen secretly had the same, if not more, adoration for him, though she’d never tell him.
“What are you two up to?” she asked, walking besides her friend.
“Hey Gwen! Just moving something.” Merlin explained with a tense smile.
“Looks heavy.”
“Yeah… Hey, who got you flowers?” Merlin smiled slyly at her.
“Oh, no,” she giggled, “they’re for Morgana. Would you like one? A purple one, this suits you!… Not that red doesn’t suit you.” She handed him a small violet bloom with a kind smile.
Merlin just grinned. “Thank you,” he said, sticking the flower in his scarf. “Give Morgana my love.”
“Of course!” She walked on, headed up to help her Lady. She hurried up to her chambers, a love-struck expression on her face. An expression she forgot to school upon entering.
“You look happy,” Morgana observed with a smile. She wondered what inspired such joy in Gwen’s every step.
“I picked these for you.” Gwen explained, presenting the blooms.
“That is so sweet!”
“Something to cheer you up. I know you’ve not been sleeping well.”
Morgana looked touched. “You cheer me up.”
Gwen cooed at that, grabbing a vase. “Shall I put them in water for you? Also, I ran into Merlin on the way here. I gave him one of the flowers. He’s so sweet, he put it in his scarf.”
“Really?” Morgana mused, taking one in hand. She tucked one behind her ear. “Could you still see the flower?”
“A little… why? What are you planning?” the servant asked suspiciously.
“For Arthur to see our matching blooms and get jealous.”
“Not this again,” Gwen groaned. “I don’t think he likes Merlin the way you insinuate.”
Morgana waved dismissively. “Oh, he does. Have you not seen how he reacts whenever I suggest that I want to talk to him? He gets so very possessive and starts acting like a knothead. If Merlin were an omega, I know Arthur would have already claimed him as his mate.”
“You mean if Merlin was a girl. Male omegas don’t exist. And why wouldn’t he go for Merlin now? He could be with a beta.”
“Not a male one. He’s going to be expected to produce an heir. And, in theory, male omegas do exist, they’re just very rare, but you know alphas already look down on us. They think even worse of male omegas, and I think Uther even has some laws against them or wanted to make some.” Morgana wasn’t actually sure what those were, though, since she’d yet to even meet a male omega. Perhaps they didn't actually exist.
Gwen snorted, “He probably thinks they’re the results of magic.”
“He does,” Morgana said, deadpan. “He’s horribly prejudiced against omegas in general. They all are.”
“But, you’re an omega, and he treats you well.”
“I’m his ward. He has to treat me well. I think he likes to pretend that I’m incapable of anything. But, I digress. Now, let’s go rile up Arthur! At least that will give us a story to tell Merlin.”
----
“I’ve never seen anything like this before.” Gaius murmured. He looked over the body with a magnifying glass. Merlin was sitting in the window, far away from the foul, magic-smelling corpse. It had gotten worse once in closed quarters so Gaius had ordered him to stay away until the scent dissipated a little.
“Could it be a plague?” Merlin suggested, but his nose tingled with the familiar feeling of magic.
“No. I fear that this could never come from nature. But, who could have this strength of power?”
“You think it’s magic?” Merlin sighed in relief, knowing Gaius would believe him. Freya let out a quick bark, alerting them that they had company.
“Merlin,” Gaius hissed as there was a knock on the door. Merlin shrugged and walked to the door, opening it without letting the visitor see the body.
“Arthur! Sorry I’m late, I’ll be on my way as soon as I’m done with Gaius.” Merlin hurried to explain. But he noticed that that wasn’t why Arthur was so tense. The alpha’s scent was repressed, but Merlin could feel the worry radiating off of him.
“Don’t worry. I’m getting used to it. But I’m not here for that. Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now.” The Prince ordered, turning away and leaving as quickly as he came.
Merlin nodded, turning back towards Gaius, missing the scowl Arthur made when he saw the flower. He closed the door and raised a brow at the physician. “Shall we?”
Gaius picked up his bag, nodding. Merlin let him leave first, covering the body in case anyone came in. Freya looked up at him, expectantly, panting quietly.
“Stay, girl. I’ll be right back.”
The dog nodded and laid herself down by the door. Merlin gave her a little pat on the head which she used as an excuse to nuzzle into his palm.
“Merlin!” Gaius called from down the hall.
Merlin shut the door and hurried after him. He caught up quickly, walking a half-pace behind the beta. He never liked going into the council chambers whenever there wasn’t a party going on. It meant that there were fewer people, and it was more likely that Uther would look at him. They entered the chambers to find another body just laying on the ground. Gaius gently squeezed Merlin’s arm, signalling for him to hang back a little.
“What happened to him?” rumbled the king’s voice. No matter how used to the alpha’s aggressive voice he got, Merlin’s omega always got upset, curling up in fear.
“I don’t know, Sire. It’s the second case I’ve seen today.” Gaius said, noting the little shiver from his assistant. He’d noticed that Merlin seemed to shrink back whenever Uther opened his mouth, much less when he talked. It was confusing since Merlin never seemed afraid of any other alphas. Gaius wondered if his reactions had a reason behind them, if Uther had done something, or if it was simply because of who Uther was and what he had done to people like Merlin.
“Why didn’t you report it to me?” the King rumbled, glaring at the pair. Arthur frowned from his place, annoyed that his father was blaming Gaius.
“I was attempting to find the cause, but it takes time to find the right conclusion.”
Uther narrowed his eyes. “What are you hiding? What is the cause?”
“Nothing, Sire. I’m not sure what’s causing this yet. People are dying and it seems to be spreading quickly. But, I fear that the cause may be sorcery.” Gaius hated saying it, since it only served to make Uther crazier.
Uther’s nostrils flared and he pulled Arthur aside. “We must find who did this.”
“I will, father.”
“Go door to door, search everywhere, increase the guards in the castle and town. Oh, and lend Gaius your servant.”
“But, Merlin’s–”
“Gaius must find a cure. He needs all the help he can get. If he’s right, believe me, this city will burn. This kind of magic undermines our authority. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We must find this sorcerer quickly.”
“Yes, Father.” Arthur hid his disappointment, daring to glance at his manservant as he walked away.
----
Freya lay at Merlin’s feet while the boy was reading through a book of magical curses. He looked away from the pages to smile and pet his fluffy dog. He knew he shouldn’t have kept her, but he couldn’t just turn her back to stone. When he sat back in his seat, he saw Gaius heating a vial of liquid.
“What are you doing?” He stood and walked to the other man’s side. Freya snorted, pulling herself to her feet with a yawn.
“I’m examining the contents of that man’s stomach.”
“You think that’ll show you how it’s spread?” Merlin was in awe. It was amazing what Gaius could find using science.
“Hopefully. But, I do know that this is the darkest kind of magic.”
“I don’t understand why someone would use magic like that.”
“Like any sort of power, Magic corrupts. People use it for their own gain. But magic is neither good nor evil. It simply depends on how you use it.”
Freya let out a sharp bark and ran into Merlin’s room just as Arthur burst in with a few guards. Merlin looked at the prince in question for a moment before turning to study the stomach contents.
“Over there,” Arthur commanded his guards. “Sorry Gaius, we’re searching every room in town.”
“What for?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. He didn’t like having people rifle through his items. He cringed as one guard picked up one of his beakers, knocking a book to the floor.
“The sorcerer. I’m just doing my job.”
“Well, we have nothing to hide. Go on, then. Do your search.”
“What’s all these books and papers?” Arthur sniffed curiously at the piles of books and papers. All he smelled was old parchment and dust.
“My life’s work. Decades dedicated to the understanding of science. Feel free to read them if you so desire.”
Arthur wrinkled his nose. He looked at Merlin, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the interaction, but the boy was busy mixing something in a vial. His brows were furrowed in concentration in a way that made him look adorably scholarly.
“Hey, what’s that room up there?” he asked, seeing the ajar wooden door up the tiny staircase, if you could call it that.
That got Merlin’s attention. “That’s, er, that’s mine.”
Arthur turned to go into the room as Gaius leaned over to Merlin and whispered, “Where’s the magic book I gave you?”
Merlin’s face went pale with worry as he watched Arthur go to enter his room. There was a growl beyond the door, though, that scared Arthur.
“Merlin! Get your dog!” he snapped, backing away from the room.
Merlin jumped and ran to calm the growling animal. “Freya, it’s okay, come on, to your bed!” He herded her to the pile of blankets and pillows in the corner of his room. He smiled when he saw that she had the book in his nest and laid on it to conceal it. "What a good girl!" She wagged her tail, happy to receive attention from Merlin as he scratched her head.
Arthur entered cautiously, relaxing when he saw Merlin petting the now calm watchdog. He watched his servant coo and lave it with attention, briefly wishing that he could be doing that to Merlin instead. The dog met his gaze with a smirk in its eyes as if it was trying to say he loves me more! Arthur narrowed his eyes, baring his canines to the canine, but it just went back to absorbing Merlin’s affection. Why was he fighting a dog?
Arthur took his time looking around Merlin’s room, taking note of the well-made bed, clean floors, and organised items that took up the little space. It looked like he had sacrificed most of his blankets to make the bed for the dog, leaving only a thin sheet and blanket on the mattress. And it was a large bed he made for the dog; he was spoiling the animal. Arthur’s alpha wanted to howl at Merlin for not putting himself first, but he appeased the beast inside by vowing to get Merlin a new thick blanket somehow.
“Found anything?” Merlin asked, looking up from his place in his nest, grateful that the prince would assume it was for Freya. Arthur shook his head, looking like he was about to move closer when Freya let out a low growl. “Hey, don’t do that! Arthur may be a prat, but he’s also the Prince. So you have to be nice,” Merlin joked, happy when Arthur smiled.
“That’s never stopped you before,” he said fondly. “Now, I remember you. You saved me the other week from the snakes. I never thanked you.” He faced the dog.
The dog cocked its head as if to say you still haven’t, but I’m listening.
“What’s his name?”
“Her name is Freya.” Merlin said with a smile.
“Her? So Morgana was right. I was saved by a girl,” Arthur cooed in order to placate the canine.
Merlin chuckled, amused. “D’ya want to pet her?”
“No, no, I’m not ready to get my hand bitten off. Thank you.” He stood, heading back out. To Gaius, he asked, “How long until you find a cure?”
The physician looked annoyed. “Depends on how many interruptions I get,” the beta groused.
“Right, I apologise. We’re finished,” he said, leading his men out.
Gaius turned to Merlin who was just coming out of his room. “We need to hide that book.”
“I think we should use it.”
“Don’t be stupid, Merlin. The king and Arthur are hunting for sorcerers. There will be a time for you to be a great warlock, but it is not now. Now is the time for patience.”
“I wasn’t thinking about shouting it from the rooftops, Gaius. Give me some credit, please. I was thinking about using it to find out what’s wrong. If it’s magic, maybe I can track it to its source.”
“Whoever was powerful enough to do this is not going to be in Camelot.”
“I know. Arthur won’t find who’s responsible by going door to door. But he will find a scapegoat. However, I think there has to be something here. Like an effigy or hex bag of some sort.”
Gaius took this into consideration, finding that Merlin was right. “Okay, but you have to be careful about it. No one can find out about this. That book and you using magic do not leave these chambers, got it?”
“You have my word.”
----
“Father, we searched everywhere, the entire city. I don’t know where else to look.”
Uther looked down, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Impose a curfew. No one is to be on the streets after the great bell. And cordon off the lower town.”
“But what about the people who live there?”
“What else can I do? I have to protect the rest of the city. Now go.”
Arthur bowed and left.
----
“All right, what’s different about our newest victim?” Gaius asked, both looking over the new corpse.
“Well, she’s a woman, a courtier. So she’s not from the lower town like the others. The disease isn’t being spread by contact, and it can’t be airborne.”
“So what does that leave?” Gaius asked, hiding how impressed he was. Merlin had solved it faster than he had.
“Water! It’s infected the water, perhaps it’s in the cistern!”
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves. Merlin, I simply want you to get me some water from the well.” Gaius gave Merlin a bucket. The omega took the bucket and headed out, Freya at his heels.
“Is it the water, girl?”
The dog let out a huff and licked his hand. He scratched her ears as they made it out to the courtyard. They were almost at the drawbridge when Merlin’s name was called.
“Merlin!”
Freya growled, facing the prince. Arthur was walking down the steps, his cape swirling behind him. Merlin turned back to the alpha, a curious light in his eyes.
“Hi, Freya,” he addressed the dog before turning to Merlin. “Where are you off to? You shouldn’t be going out with this plague, and the sorcerer, running rampant.”
“I’m getting something for Gaius.”
“From the lower town? Merlin, you can’t go. What do you need? I’ll get it for you.”
Merlin let out a snort. “You? Get something for me? Look, I’m just getting some water from the well. We think the water may be what’s infecting the people.”
Arthur’s eyes widened. “All the more reason to let me get it. I have to go down anyways. No need to risk yourself.”
“I’m fine, Arthur. I’m not going to drink it. Besides, Freya and I need the walk. I’m not used to eating so much.”
“You need to eat more,” Arthur muttered.
“What?”
He cleared his throat and spoke louder. “Let me at least accompany you. Then maybe some of the water will make it back to Gaius before you spill it all.”
Seeing that he was getting nowhere with the prince, he shrugged with an eye roll, letting him join. He would just blame Arthur’s alpha instincts to protect on this behaviour. It made sense that the prince felt protective of those under his charge when such a deadly threat lingered in Camelot. Freya trotted between them, making sure Arthur kept enough space between them. She didn’t want the alpha getting too close and taking liberties he didn’t deserve.
They were halfway to the well when a frantic Gwen ran into Merlin, knocking them both to the ground. Arthur growled, moving to help Merlin up, only to be butted back by the dog. Arthur glared at the animal which just stared him down.
“I’m so sorry, Merlin,” Gwen said through sobs. Merlin held her in a hug on the ground, squeezing her tightly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Merlin,” she cried, sniffling against his shoulder, tears wetting his shirt. He gently helped her stand, rubbing her arms up and down to sooth her. His inner omega was fighting him to undo the blockers and release his scent to calm her. Her own scent had turned to that of dying blooms and sour, rotting fruit.
“Hey, it’s okay. Tell me what’s wrong?”
“I had this horrible feeling so I went home for lunch, and… It’s my father. Merlin, he’s… he– he’s sick. There has to be some way to fix him, to bring him back. He was fine this morning, an-and now hhh-he’s gone. Merlin, he’s all I have!” Gwen sobbed. Freya whined, rubbing her snout against Gwen, also trying to comfort her.
Merlin rubbed her back soothingly, letting her cry. In a soft voice, he said, “Look, I have to get something for Gaius, but how about after I get it, I will take you to him and he’ll help you feel better.”
Gwen nodded against his neck, having turned her head into it when they stood.
“You don’t,” said Arthur. “Here’s what you need.” He held out the now full bucket after returning from the well. The look of shock and gratitude that crossed Merlin’s face made Arthur’s heart flutter.
“Thank you so much,” he said, reaching out to take it back from Arthur. But the prince shook his head.
“You’ve got your hands full. I’ll carry it.”
Merlin sighed, “Thank you.”
Arthur nodded his head, jumping when something bumped his leg. He looked down to see the fluffy dog nuzzling his leg lovingly. His jaw dropped, and he looked up to see if Merlin had seen it too only to find him leading Gwen towards the castle. He dared to reach down, petting the dog’s head and was positively giddy when she allowed it. But the dog then took off to catch up to her master and Arthur followed, smiling like an idiot.
They all entered Gaius's chambers while the older beta had his back turned. “Did you bring the water back, Merlin? I need to start testing on it now.”
“Here,” Arthur replied, placing the pail on the table. Gaius turned around abruptly, confused by the prince’s voice.
“Oh, your highness! Merlin, what– Gwen? What is happening?”
Gwen pulled away from Merlin to look at him with bloodshot eyes. “It’s my father. He’s sick and he’s–” she cut herself off as a sob was ripped from her throat.
“He’s gone, Gaius,” Merlin said quietly, bringing Gwen back to his neck. Gaius kept his reaction neutral as he was mentally scolding Merlin for the action. The only people who comforted people other than their mates with their scent were omegas. He prayed that Merlin’s suppressants were working so the alpha in the room wouldn’t figure it out.
“I see. Come here, child,” he said, beckoning her to him. Hesitantly, she left the calming embrace of her friend to get closer to Gaius. “I’m afraid I can do nothing to help your father, but if you wish, I could give you a draft to rest. It might help you calm down and take a moment for yourself. Merlin, would you let Lady Morgana know that Gwen will be unable to attend to her for the rest of the day, at least?”
Merlin nodded, leaving the room. He felt shaky, and he groaned inwardly as he felt his omega whining to go comfort their friend. But he couldn’t show his distress because Arthur followed him with a curt nod to the physician. The alpha placed a warm, heavy hand on Merlin’s shoulder.
“Are you alright? You seemed rather upset yourself at Gwen’s despair.”
Merlin shrugged him off, feeling a desire to wrap around the other man. Oh no. If his wants and omega were getting harder to ignore, his heat had to be coming in the next week or so. Which meant he had to keep his distance from the alpha.
“Yeah, it’s just hard to see her in so much pain. I can only imagine what it must feel like to lose a parent. I know I’d be just as distraught if my mother died.”
Arthur nodded, agreeing with the servant. “Let’s go visit Morgana and let her know.”
“Actually, I had a favour to ask of you.”
“Really? You? Want me to do you a favour? Merlin, I don’t do favours for servants.”
“I got it. Servant. Prince,” he said, pointing to himself then Arthur with an eye roll. “But, just listen, please. I was simply going to ask if you’d send some men to get Gwen’s father’s body out of the house and to Gaius’. Because she’s going to want to be in her nest, and I don’t want her going back with him still there.” Merlin’s stomach turned at the thought of having to nest next to a dead relative or in an unfamiliar place. Internally, he felt anxious just thinking about it.
“Oh.” Arthur’s eyes softened. “Of course. I’ll see to it personally.”
“You don’t have to do that. Just… I want her to be comfortable.”
Arthur rolled his eyes and slapped Merlin’s shoulder. Perhaps his servant had a little crush. “I got it. Go let the she-wolf know about Gwen.”
Merlin gave him a tight smile and made his way to Morgana’s rooms. He could smell Arthur’s scent get fainter so he knew the prince would make good on his not-favour. He knocked on the door lightly, waiting for the answering call.
“Come in.”
Merlin pushed the door open, ready to announce himself when Morgana beat him to it.
“Gwen, is that you? I had a thought for– oh, Merlin. Have you seen Gwen anywhere? I needed her help with something. And I thought she’d be back soon.”
“She’s not going to be in for a while yet, Morgana. Her father caught the sickness. He’s died.”
“Oh god,” Morgana exclaimed, sitting on her bed. “Is she alright? Is there anything I can do? This is horrible.”
“She’s as well as you would expect for someone who’s lost their father. Gaius is going to give her a draught, I think. I’ll see if she wants to go back to her nest when she’s feeling a little better.”
“Should she go back? Is her father’s body there?”
“I asked Arthur to have someone bring the body here for the time being. But it’s her choice whether she goes back or not.”
“Take me to her,” Morgana said, standing up. Merlin just nodded, surprised when Morgana linked arms with him. He led her to Gaius’s with little conversation passing between them. When they arrived, Morgana rushed to Gwen’s side, wrapping her in a hug. “If you need anything, you know I’m here for you.”
Gwen nodded, squeezing the Lady tighter. “Thank you.”
“Will you be going home to recover?”
“I don’t think I can go home,” Gwen lamented. “Gaius, could I stay here? It doesn’t have to be a room just–”
“Nonsense! Gwen, you can stay with me. We can get your things from your home and you can nest in my room. And before you object, I won’t let you go anywhere else. You’re my best friend. Let me take care of you.”
“I couldn’t ask that of you, milady.”
“You’re not. I have no need of it for another couple months anyways. Please, Gwen,” Morgana insisted.
Gwen gave in, already feeling the effects of Gaius’s potion. She let Merlin and Morgana walk her up to Morgana’s chambers. The Lady led her maidservant to her nesting space and let her arrange it as she saw fit.
“This is awful,” Morgana said, looking at Merlin.
He nodded, “It’ll be better when we figure out who or what is doing this and how to stop it. Hopefully, at least.”He looked around the room, eyes widening at the dead flowers in her window. “I thought Gwen had brought you new flowers this morning?”
Morgana frowned, looking at the vase and withered blooms. “She did. Maybe they were already close to death.”
Merlin moved closer to inspect them, watching a petal fall to the floor. He touched the vase and felt a shock of magic swirling with the water.
“Have you and Gaius found anything?” Morgana asked, walking to his side.
There was banging on Morgana’s door and armed guards entered, grabbing a sleepy Gwen roughly. Morgana shoved at one, enraged by this behaviour.
“What are you doing?!” she demanded. “Let my servant go.”
“King Uther has commanded this, my Lady. As well as your presence,” said the lead guard. Merlin didn’t know his name, but he didn’t like him. He was one of the nastier guards that always sneered at him and the other servants. But the guards took the now wide awake and sobbing omega while Merlin and Morgana ran after them.
“Well done,” Uther said when they threw Gwen down in front of him. Arthur stood next to him, eyes downcast as if he felt guilty for something.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Morgana demanded again.
“This was found in her house,” Uther said, holding out an odd looking orb. Merlin scrunched his nose. That wasn’t a magical item, it looked like a toy of some sort.
“I’ve never seen that before in my life. Please, believe me!” Gwen begged. Merlin could feel the sheer terror rolling off of her in waves, and it made him feel uneasy.
“I do,” Morgana soothed, trying to get closer to her friend. “Her father died. What do you think this did? If it is even magical.”
“Enough,” Uther barked. He pointed accusingly at Gwen. “Undo this enchantment!”
“I can’t,” Gwen sobbed. “I’m not a witch. I don’t know how to stop this!”
“Then I find you guilty and I sentence you to death.”
“Father,” Arthur tried to step in, but Uther just glared at him until he stood down.
“We can only hope that this plague dies with you.”
“No!” Merlin and Morgana pleaded. But Uther just waved his hand and the guards dragged a hysterical Gwen away. Morgana approached Uther as the other courtiers left.
“She’s my maidservant, not an enchantress. I know her.”
“You have no way of knowing that.”
“I’ve seen her work. Her fingers worn, nails torn and broken. Why would she do this? If she was a sorceress, why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make things happen with the snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!” Morgana snarled.
Uther rounded on her, fury in his eyes. “You have no right!”
“You have no right to cast judgement on her! You’re sentencing the wrong person!”
“She’s right, father. You hear the word magic and stop listening.” Arthur defended, moving between Morgana and Uther.
“She used enchantments!”
“Maybe. We don’t know if this is magical to begin with, much less that it was used to create this plague,” Arthur argued.
“I have suffered at magic’s hand. I will not take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about her, she must die for the good of the whole kingdom.” Uther growled. “One day you may become King. These decisions are hard, but necessary. Dark forces threaten this kingdom.”
“You’re right, witchcraft is an evil, but so is injustice, father. I may not be king yet and I do not know what kind of king I shall be, but that doesn’t mean I do not have ideas. And I think the punishment should fit the crime.”
“Precisely why she must die as she lived. By fire.”
Morgana scoffed and left in a huff, grabbing Merlin’s wrist as she went. Arthur bowed respectfully to his father and went after them with the orb.
“Morgana!” Arthur called after her. He handed the orb to Merlin which the servant took and left. Whatever they were to talk about was not for him to hear.
He took the orb back to Gaius's, studying the odd item. “This isn’t magical.”
“How do you know?” Gaius inquired, having already heard about Gwen’s arrest.
“For one, Gwen’s not a witch. And two, I can usually feel it. It’s hard to describe, but it’s like a… I get this shiver or rush of energy from it. This thing has never had any sort of magic on or around it. I don’t even know what this is.”
Gaius took the orb and looked it over. “It looks like a dirty, circular vase, if anything. How odd. And you didn’t do anything?”
“I didn’t know he was sick until after he died, and I’ve not left the castle since I learned that he died. So no, Gaius, I have done nothing.” Merlin grumbled.
“Just making sure.”
“Gaius, you’ve been summoned for a council meeting by order of King Uther,” said a guard that knocked on his door. Gaius nodded and patted Merlin’s head, getting up. Merlin sighed, hitting his head on the table before him.
Freya nosed at his leg and he sat up. “I’ve got to see her.” He stood and ordered Freya to stay put for the time being. The dog just scratched her ear and trotted back to his room to take a nap. He made his way to the dungeons and passed a crying Morgana on the staircase.
“Merlin!” Gwen exclaimed, getting as close to him as she could with her chains. “Thank you,” she sniffled. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were dried tears streaking her cheeks.
“What for?” Merlin asked. “I haven’t helped you in the least.
“For visiting me. For helping me earlier. Seems stupid now that everyone thinks I’m a witch.”
“I’m sorry, Guinevere. I’m going to get you out of this.”
She shook her head. “It’s okay. No point in crying over me. Not that you were going to. I didn’t mean to suggest that,” she said, cheeks flushing. Merlin sighed sorrowfully.
“Gwen, I can’t let you die. I won’t let you.”
“Just, remember me. That’s all I ask.” she said sadly.
“You’re not going to die. Oh, I’m an idiot. You might be the one who needs to remember me.” He smiled and ran out.
“What? What are you going to do?! Merlin!” she called after him.
----
“What if burning this witch doesn’t solve this? How do I protect our people?” Uther asked.
“The emergency supply won’t last for much longer. We need to find a way to cleanse the water,” Gaius answered. The other council members nodded their heads in agreement.
“But how?” Uther inquired.
“Well…” Gaius began.
The doors to the chamber burst open and Merlin came whirling in.
“It was me! It was me who used magic! Gwen’s not a sorcerer, I am!”
The council members stared in shock. Gaius looked at him incredulously, standing up to yell at his nephew.
“Merlin! Are you mad?!” he hissed.
“I cannot let her die for me.” He turned to Uther. “I place myself at your mercy.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Gaius hurried to say, glaring at Merlin.
“I do,” Merlin stood his ground.
“Then arrest him,” Uther commanded.
“Father, please!” Arthur said, stepping in. He may not have stood up enough for Gwen, but he’d be damned before he let his father harm Merlin. “This is madness! There is absolutely no way Merlin is a sorcerer!”
“He admitted it,” Uther frowned, tired of this. “Why would he fabricate this story?”
“As Gaius said… he’s got a… grave mental illness,” Arthur said, moving to his servant’s side.
“Really?” Uther asked, disbelieving. Arthur nodded and wrapped an arm around Merlin’s shoulders, pulling him in close. He gritted his teeth at the words he was about to spew.
“He’s in love.”
“What?!” Merlin asked, trying to pull away. But Arthur held him tighter, looking into his eyes.
“With Gwen.”
Uther bit his lip to contain his grin as the servant shook his head frantically.
“I am not!”
“Oh, yes, you are!” Arthur sang, grinning to sell it.
“No way.” Merlin growled.
“I saw you earlier with that flower she’d given you.”
“I. Am. Not. In love with her!”
Arthur cooed and wrapped him into a hug. “It’s alright, you can admit it!” he said, loud enough for everyone in the room before dropping his voice to a growl, “Admit it, now, Merlin.”
“I don’t even think of her like that!” Merlin objected, pushing at the stupid alpha surrounding him. His scent was starting to get into Merlin’s nose, relaxing him.
“Perhaps she cast a spell on you,” Uther said. Arthur and Merlin both froze and looked at Uther nervously until the King laughed. The other council members laughed with him and Arthur relaxed his hold on Merlin and smiled.
“Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he’s such an idiot. There-”
“Don’t waste my time again,” Uther interrupted, annoyed with Merlin and his son, though he was far more annoyed with the servant. “Let him go.”
Gaius bowed his head to the King and snatched his assistant away from the prince, who nearly growled aloud. He dragged the omega back to their chambers, slamming the door behind them.
“Arthur’s the idiot,” Merlin grumbled. Gaius smacked his head.
“No, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity. You weren’t going to save her by jumping in the flames. You can only save her by finding out what’s caused the disease.”
“Well, Arthur’s not going to find it. He thinks he’s so sharp, but even when I told him I was a sorcerer, he couldn’t see it.”
“Sometimes they’re hard to spot. Now, how are we going to find what’s causing this sickness?”
Merlin sighed, refocusing on the issue at hand. “Gaius, I really think we need to go to the source. It’s spreading to all the wells. It had to start there.”
Gaius furrowed his brows. “You may be right. Let’s go down and get a sample.”
Merlin picked up a bottle, ready to head to the cavern. Freya barked, blocking him from leaving. She growled at him, shocking both Gaius and Merlin.
“Is there something down there? Freya, we have to test the water. You can come too. Would that make you happy?”
The dog stood down, rubbing against her master, protectively. Merlin and Gaius shared a look, apprehensive of what was down there if the magical dog was worried. Merlin petted her head and headed out with Freya at his heels and Gaius bringing up the rear.
Gaius opened the gate to the underground entrance, letting Merlin lead the way down. They walked through the caves until they came to the large pool of water.
“Well, here’s the water that supplies the whole town. Let’s grab a sample.”
Merlin moved towards the water’s edge when Freya again stopped him. She growled at the water and barked at it twice. After the second bark, a large muddy creature reared out of the water with a ferocious growl.
“What the hell is that?!” Merlin asked, eyes wide. The dog pulled on his sleeve, urging him to leave. She growled at the creature in return, baring her teeth. Gaius took the hint and also grabbed Merlin’s arm, hurrying away from the cavern.
Merlin gasped for air once they stopped running, placing his hands on his knees. He petted Freya, thanking her for her help. They walked the rest of the way back to not rouse any questions or worries.
Gaius pulled a thick book off of a shelf as soon as they got back to his rooms. He flipped through the pages before slamming it on the table. “Here. It was an Afanc. A beast made of clay, conjured by only the most powerful sorcerer. Now how can we defeat it?”
“You look through the books, I’ve got an idea!” Merlin said as a thought ran through his head. He departed from the room, his dog right behind him. He stopped before the entrance to the cave, checking for guards. None were posted, probably due to the other crisis going on, so Merlin was free to enter the mouth of the dragon’s cave.
“Hello?” he called out.
The great beast flew down, settling on a rock. “The great warlock returns, as I knew he would. And with a friend. Who is this?”
“Huh? Oh, this is Freya. Now, I need to know how to defeat an Afanc, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“I suppose you do. Where did that dog come from? She feels… odd, not natural.”
“I brought her to life from stone. I know I should have reversed it, but I didn’t have the heart to. Will you help me?”
“You brought something to life? Without training? Impressive. No, I wouldn’t get rid of her. She seems very devoted to you. Perhaps young Freya will prove to be rather useful to you.”
Merlin glared at him, indignant. “She’s my pet, not a tool to use. Will you help me with the Afanc?” He was trying to be patient, but he really was in a hurry.
“Fine. Trust the elements that are at your command. But you cannot do this alone. You are but one side of a coin. Arthur is the other.”
“I don’t understand. What do I have to do?”
The dragon flew away with a chuckle. “You’ll figure it out.”
“No, please help me!”
“I already have!” the dragon called back.
Merlin looked down at Freya, the dog glaring after the flying lizard. “What do we do now, girl?”
They headed back to Gaius, Merlin’s mind racing. Why did the dragon have to only speak in riddles when giving advice?
Gaius asked, “Merlin, did you find what you needed?” right as Merlin asked, “Gaius, do you have a book on elements?”
The beta blinked before responding. “Elements? Those are in most of these books. The study of base elements is at the heart of science.”
“But how would that help me kill the Afanc?”
Gaius brightened. “Well, it’s made from earth and water, two of the four base elements. Perhaps using fire and wind will destroy it. How did you figure that out?”
“Just one of my powers, I guess.” He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to tell Gaius about his relationship with the dragon. He had a feeling his uncle wouldn’t approve of the friendship.
“What else do they tell you?” Gaius seemed extremely interested.
“That I’m one side of a coin. The brighter side, obviously.” Merlin smirked.
“Who’s the other?”
“I think it may be Arthur.”
Morgana burst into the room, her face pale. “Gwen’s going to die. They’re building a pyre! Please, we have to save her. What can I do?”
Gaius floundered, trying to think while Merlin took control with ease. “We need Arthur.”
“Those are three words I never would have placed together. Why?” she asked.
“There’s a monster, an Afanc, in the water supply. It’s causing the plague. Maybe by killing it, the illnesses will reverse. And Uther will release Gwen.”
“We should tell Uther.”
“No, my Lady, it’s made from magic. Telling him would do nothing but make him crazier to find a witch that isn’t even here. We need to destroy it,” Gaius advised.
“And that’s why we need Arthur. Don’t worry I’ll convince him.” Morgana left, hurrying to Arthur’s rooms. When she entered, he wasn’t there, so she sent a servant to find him. But, now she had time to decide how she was going to convince him to help.
“Are you alright?” he asked when he entered a few minutes later. He grimaced at the mess on his table. “Sorry about the mess. Merlin’s not been in today.”
“Poor Merlin, he’s taking Gwen’s sentencing harder than most. I can’t imagine any man loving me so much.” she said, settling on appealing to his alpha ego.
“No, I certainly can’t imagine that either,” Arthur snarled.
Morgana smirked. She hadn’t missed the flash of jealousy on his face. “That’s because you’re not like Merlin.”
“A beta?”
“A lover.”
Arthur choked, images filling his head. He shook them off, hoping his cheeks weren’t flushing. “Well, perhaps I haven’t found the right person yet.”
But Morgana noticed the blush. However, she ignored it, just focusing on saving her servant. “Sadly, I don’t think you will. Us omegas look around and only see nasty alphas with too big egos and that are overcompensating for everything. So we’d rather choose a beta, like Merlin, someone sweet and considerate. You know, there’s not one of you that’s able to stand up for what’s right.”
Arthur scowled, seeing what she was playing at. “What do you want me to do?”
----
Arthur and Morgana headed to the water cave to meet Merlin, both feeling a little nervous. She’d told him about the creature before they’d left, helping him get into his armour. They found Merlin waiting by the gate, messing around with Freya. The dog stopped and wagged her tail happily when she caught scent of the two royals. Merlin looked up, holding out two torches.
“I’m going with you,” Morgana huffed. “I have just as much of a right as either of you.”
“Morgana, perhaps you should go and help Gwen,” Arthur suggested.
“She’s coming with us. I already promised her. Why’d you think you weren’t coming?”
Morgana blinked at Merlin, confused. “You’re only holding two torches.”
“Yeah, because mine’s right here.” He pointed at one leaning against the wall. Morgana blushed, taking the torch with a small thanks to him. Arthur frowned but said nothing. He still wasn’t totally convinced that this beast was real.
He lit his torch, holding it so the others could use it to light theirs. Leading the descent, he vaguely heard Merlin telling his dog to stay outside the cave. They made it a good deal into the caverns when Arthur stopped.
“You’d better be right about this, Merlin.”
A low growl answered them, frightening both Arthur and Morgana. Merlin shrugged, taking the lead. Arthur reacted instantly, grabbing Merlin, pulling him against his chest.
“Stop,” he growled, eyes scanning the wall.
“What is it?” Morgana whispered.
Arthur relaxed his hold on Merlin, allowing the boy to step away. He was glad Arthur was busy looking around them instead of noticing how he swayed slightly on his feet. His head felt a little fuzzy, but he shook the feeling away, focusing on the task at hand. There was a lot of powerful magic swirling around the caves, and it was messing with his head. He’d barely noticed it earlier, but it seemed much stronger this time around. More active.
“Just a shadow.” He led them further down the way, missing the monster creeping out of the shadows behind them.
The hairs on the back of Merlin’s neck rose, and he turned around in time to see the creature swing an arm into him. He let out an alarmed noise before being slammed into the wall. Morgana let out a shriek as she turned around, and Arthur let out a loud growl, raising his sword. The creature smacked it out of his hand as well as the torch from Morgana’s hand.
“Get back, Morgana!” Arthur swung his torch at the monster, leading it away from her. Squeezing against the wall, she crept to Merlin’s side. He groaned weakly, sitting up. Morgana put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. She sniffed subtly as the scent of chocolate and strawberries permeated the air. She bent closer to Merlin, realising the smell was coming from him with wide eyes. Merlin looked to the side, his vision going in and out of focus.
“Arthur,” Merlin called out. The alpha’s ears perked up, but he didn’t look over even though he wanted to. “Use the torch, clotpole!” Merlin forced out, his head spinning. Arthur nodded, getting the fire closer to the monster.
Morgana shushed him, checking out his head. “Let me get you out of here.” She was worried and didn’t want to leave him after hitting the rock so hard.
“No,” he groaned. “Can you get Freya? Please, she can help.”
Morgana nodded and ran back towards the entrance to get the dog. When she was out of earshot, he turned back to Arthur, raising his hand up.
“Lyfte ic be in balwen ac forhienan.” Merlin murmured. His eyes glowed golden as a strong wind blew through the cave. The wind blew the flames into the Afanc, setting it ablaze.
The monster let out a screech as it burned to death. Watching through her basin, Nimueh growled, “Merlin! Augh!” She splashed the water, fury in her eyes.
Arthur watched with an amazed smile as the monster crumpled to ash. He moved to get his sword, sheathing it, and running to Merlin’s side. There was a loud bark and the dog ran up to Merlin, growling for Arthur to back away. The dog nuzzled her master’s neck, making him wake up fully.
Arthur knelt by Merlin’s side as Morgana also reappeared. “You okay, Merlin?” Arthur asked.
“Merlin!” Morgana wrapped an arm around Merlin’s waist, helping him stand. Arthur frowned, annoyed that she was allowed to do whatever, but the damn dog wouldn’t let him near his own servant. He winced as Merlin swayed on his feet.
“Let me help,” he insisted. Merlin gave an almost imperceptible nod that had the dog standing down. Arthur pulled Merlin’s arm across his shoulders and replaced Morgana’s arm around his waist. Morgana held Merlin’s hand releasing her scent to help keep him from getting overwhelmed by Arthur’s.
“Thank you. Both of you,” he said, smiling at Morgana. She squeezed his hand in solidarity, wanting to get him back to Gaius as soon as possible.
----
“Good news, Sire. there have been no new deaths and those that were ill are now recovering.” Gaius announced. The court cheered, overjoyed at the news.
“Good. It’s strange, I’ve never heard of an Afanc before.”
“It’s conjured from clay by powerful magic. The type that could only have been done by an ancient sorcerer. I found this at the water source.” He showed Uther the cracked egg shell. “It bears the mark of Nimueh. We must be vigilant, Sire.”
Uther’s face fell as his scent turned burnt, strong enough that it bothered Gaius. “Will I never be rid of her? Leave me!” he commanded.
Everyone filed out, soft murmurs between them. Uther sat heavily on his throne, head in his hand.
----
Gwen backed away as a guard came in, but he only unlocked her shackles and left with her door open. Morgana appeared, entering the cell.
“You’re free! The water’s been fixed and Uther knows it wasn’t your fault.”
“Thank you,” Gwen said, hugging the noblewoman.
“Don’t thank me. It was Merlin. He figured it out and how to fix everything.”
“Really?!” she asked, blushing. “Where is he? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“He’s with Gaius. The beast that was poisoning our water threw him into a wall.”
Gwen gasped, “Is he alright?”
Morgana nodded. “He’s alright.”
“That’s good. Well, I don’t want to bother him. I think I need to go home and fix it all up. Will you pass on my thanks if you see him before I do?” Gwen asked.
“I will. I’m headed back to see him, but I wanted to check on you while Gaius checked Merlin over. I’ll walk you down.” They walked to the courtyard before splitting to go their separate ways. Morgana made her way to Gaius'swhen she met Arthur pacing in the hallway outside.
“Tell me how he is,” Arthur said, leaving, his cheeks red from getting caught.
Morgana smiled knowingly as she entered the physician’s quarters. “Gaius, how’s Merlin doing?”
The old beta looked at Morgana, a vial in his hand. “He’ll be fine. Just need to give him this for the pain.”
“I’ll take it to him. I wanted to talk to him.” She took the cup and knocked on his door before entering. He was sitting on his bed like he’d just been somewhere else. She looked over to see a large nest that she would have thought was for Freya if she didn’t know what she did.
“Morgana, hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
Merlin shrugged, “Been better, but I’ll live. Wish I could have been more helpful.”
Morgana passed him the potion from Gaius. “You’ve done more than enough. You know, you’re my hero. More than you know.”
Merlin snorted, “I don’t know why.”
“I know your secret. And I want you to know that I understand why you never said or will say anything about it. Your secret is safe with me, and if there is anything we can do for each other, I will be there for you.”
“What exactly are you talking about?” the servant asked, a nervous smile on his face. What was she getting at?
“I know that you’re an omega, and you were right to conceal it. Everyone would treat you differently, especially Arthur and Uther.” Morgana explained, feeling awful when the colour drained from his face.
“How? And you- you can’t–”
“Merlin,” she started, wrapping him in a hug to quell the rising panic. “It’s okay. Nothing’s going to change for the worst. And I won’t tell anyone, I promise. It just makes so much more sense why you were so upset about Gwen now. But Arthur will never know a thing. I won’t let them hurt you.”
Merlin gave her a small smile. “Thank you. And now we have more to talk about, too, I guess.”
“One day you’ll get to let everyone know, but until then, you’ll have me.”
Merlin smiled widely, gripping Morgana in a hug letting his scent come out a little, his omega happy to be free around someone other than Gaius.
As they hugged, miles away, Nimueh watched them through her water basin. “Merlin, you will pay for this!”