The Sorcerer's Secret (a Merlin story)

21

     The kingdom lights candles and begins to grieve the king in his possible final moments. It looked to beautiful, all the candles flickering the in the fading light at the entrance of the castle. But Merlin couldn't let their grief turn down his spirit. He had the power to save Uther, so he began going through his spell books in hopes to find something to save Uther.
"Use magic on the king?" Gawaine questioned, flabbergasted. "Are you insane?"
"What's he going to do? Kill me for saving him?" Merlin asked as he read through a spell. "Is he going to kill me for saving him? I think that's a messed up scenario if I ever heard one."
"The king needs medicine, not magic." But after the fourth failed remedy Gawaine put down his vial and turned to Merlin. "But I'm afraid Uther doesn't have the time for me to keep guessing at what poisoned him."

"You yourself said this was magic, dark magic. Anything you try will ultimately fail!" Merlin declared. "You had Arthur release me because I'm the only one that can save him." Merlin rose a brow, waiting for permission.

"I'm afraid..." Gawaine began. "If you don't use magic, the king will surely die." Gawaine gave a nod of approval and Merlin tossed Gawaine a spell book.
"Help me look. I will mention you in my speech at my ball the king is surely going to throw me for saving his life." Merlin joked, flipping through pages at high seeps, his eyes hoping that whatever he needed would stick out to him.

When Merlin returned to Uther's bedside Celeste had fallen asleep leaning against the side of the bed. Dried tears on her cheek. Arthur had stopped yelling at everyone and paced Uther's room. Gawaine made an excuse for Arthur to leave, Arthur jumped at the chance to be helpful and was gone within a moment.

"I bought you some time." Gawaine informed Merlin. "Don't let the kingdom down."

"Nice pep talk Gawaine." Merlin joked as he dropped next to Celeste, moving her hands off of the bed and onto her lap. A small pained moan escaped her lips as Merlin and Gawaine moved her to a chair and off of the floor.

"Lystra!" Merlin muttered his hands over Uther's pale and shaking body. Nothing happened. Celeste stirred in the chair her eyes fluttering open for a moment before curling up in a ball.

"Try again." Gawaine encouraged.

"Methair!"

"I think you said that wrong." Gawaine interrupted. "It's an N not an M." Gawaine informed him and Merlin tried again.

"Nethair!" He hissed and Celeste opened her eyes, confused for a moment before realizing what they were trying to do. Five funny words later, Celeste's faith in their magic dwindled.

"It's not working." Gawaine said, flipping through a spell book, pouring another concoction down Uther's throat.

"Failure, failure, failure." Merlin muttered. "I can't do anything right!"

"What's that?" Gawaine said pointing out another spell, Merlin tried it but again the king didn't show any sign of improvement.

"I'm a failure. A million things I've tried and a million times I've failed." Merlin slapped down his hands. "Heal damnit!" He screamed and Celeste curled back into herself.

"Remember failure is simply finding a million ways it doesn't work." Gawaine said optimistically, but Merlin looked past him to Celeste.

"I need a way that does work, Gawaine."

"And you will find one. I believe in you." Celeste encouraged.

"Did I know she knew?" Gawaine questioned stunned.

"No, I thought you would yell at me if you found out Celeste knew." Merlin informed him, Gawaine gave a slow, cautious nod.

"I won't tell." She informed Gawaine. "Besides if you are right and magic is the only way to save Uther than Merlin really is the only one that can save him."

"He is lucky to have a friend like you, Lady Celeste." Gawaine told her, but her eyes wavered on Uther, his body getting weaker my the moment. The poison overtaking him, inch by inch.

"I will keep Arthur busy, while you keep trying. Please Merlin, you must keep trying." She insisted and hurried out the door, closing it tightly behind her.

"Well, you can't let the Lady Celeste down," Gawaine said mockingly.

"Shut up." Merlin muttered raising his hands again to try and save the king.

"Because if she says Merlin fly, you will most certainly jump."

"And one day when we are married you will wish you hadn't treated me like a fool because our wedding with be grand and you won't be invited." Merlin said, again failing at another spell.

"The lady Celeste loves me," Gawaine retorted, "she wouldn't let you not invite me." Gawaine said taking some fresh herbs and crushing them in a medicine bowl. "Too bad there will be no wedding if you don't prove it was Leon and save the king." Gawaine warned.