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CHAPTER SEVEN, episode four, the poisoned chalice.
"HOW IS he?" the princess asked as she walked into gaius' chambers the next morning with estella following. gaius and gwen looked over at them, gwen curtsying whilst gaius bowed his head and showed isabella the book.
"we've discovered a rash on merlin's wrist...but that is the final stage. it says here that once a rash appears, death will follow within two days." he stood up as gwen's eyes widened.
"you said he had four days." isabella looked at the book, shaking her head in disbelief. "something has increased the flower's potency." gaius realised.
"it warns that the effect on the mortaeus will be more rapid if an enchantment is used during the flower's preparation." gaius spoke and isabella immediately looked up. "enchantment? but bayard is no sorcerer." gwen spoke up. "who would've done this?"
gaius's eyes filled with worry as he mumbled, "it can't have been...she wouldn't dare come here. unless."
"unless what?" estella asked from next to merlin.
"the girl." isabella suddenly realised. "yes, her." gaius nodded as gwen frowned. "which girl?"
"one of bayard's handmaidens. kara. just before merlin burst into the hall, she took him outside." isabella explained briefly as gwen's eyes filled with realisation. "she had dark hair; very beautiful."
"find her, and quickly." gaius told her as gwen nodded and rushed out. "i'll come too." estella spoke up, following gwen.
"gaius, surely she would've fled by now." isabella spoke quietly and gaius was about to reply before merlin began to mumble.
gaius looked nervously at the princess who could tell merlin was muttering incantations. "i understand you found out about merlin's secret?" he asked and isabella smiled lightly with a nod.
"he wasn't very secretive about it." she admitted and gaius chuckled, shaking his head. "no, he wasn't...i want to thank you, merlin told me you intend to make things different when you become queen."
"i do. i don't think people should be harmed for practicing small enchantments, or like merlin when he only uses it for me and arthur...it's like it's his destiny to protect us or something." she joked and gaius didn't reply causing the girl to sit up. "oh."
"merlin is known as 'emrys' to the druids. he doesn't know it yet but he is one of the most powerful sorcerers known to man." gaius told her as isabella raised her brows. "i didn't want you or arthur to know...but merlin's destiny is to protect the one and future king and queen. that is you and arthur." gaius explained carefully.
