Fourteen Days

Framed

"However if you ever scare me like that again, you will not." He finishes in a dark voice. Merlin coughs with nervousness before readily agreeing. The rest of the room watches them with hidden smiles. Merlin looks around the room before remembering the servant girl who is hiding in a corner. He tilts his head in confusion and asks "Who is that?" They look over to the girl who squeaks in fright.

Leon is the one to answer him. "She is the one who reported your magic." He's very awkward as he says it. But Merlin is just confused as he doesn't recognize her and he's very careful about using magic. "When did she see me? I'm usually very careful with my magic." The girl starts sobbing and falls to her knees. "I'm sorry!!" She sobs harder. "I never saw you!! He made me say I did!!" Arthur is angry again. "WHAT?!" His loud voice make her sob harder. "He told me I would get gold for it!!" She continues sobbing and Arthur feels his patience running out.

Merlin however feels bad for her and starts making his way over. He crouches in front of her and lifts her face up till she's looking at him but she sobs harder in fear. The rest of the room watches. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." He speaks softly so as not to startle her and takes a few steps back with his hands in the air.

Her cries become softer as she looks at him observing his behavior, how his head is still slightly tilted reminding her of a dog, how his hands are now tightly tucked beneath his stomach, how his legs are shaking but he stays crouches so as not to tower over her, how his eyes are soft and his smile inviting, how he is doing everything he can not to frighten her.

"I'm sorry..." Her voice barely above a whisper but still loud enough in the quiet room that everyone can hear it. "My daughter is sick at home, we don't live in this city but a small one on the border and the physician in our village has a hefty fee one I can't afford. Agravaine promised me that I'd be justly compensated, he had me lie and put magical objects in your room to frame you. I'm so sorry..." She trails off at the end looking down at her feet.

Merlin is mad now. He was framed he didn't even have to admit to using magic at all because he had been framed and of course the reasoning behind the groups anger was obvious now. They believed that he was innocent and were hoping that he would deny it so they could investigate but no he couldn't just tell Arthur one more lie.

He looks back at Arthur whos frowning in frustration and thinks to himself well I'm sure it was for the best anyways. Arthur has given me a chance one I will not waste. I will show him exactly how much magic has helped him over the years. And considering that his life is threatened almost weekly at this point, it shouldn't be too hard to convince him, right?