The plan had been elegant in its simplicity.
Are you all right, Merlin?
Fine, Guinevere.
Get Emrys alone, unaware, in a place where he would be reluctant to use magic.
Clean the leech tank, would you, Merlin?
Of course, Gaius.
Are you feeling all right, my boy?
What? Of course.
Take him away.
Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're not still upset about the feast, are you?
Of course not, your highness. Will there be anything else?
You did it again!
Did what?
Since when do you call me 'your highness'?
Sorry, sire.
Replace him with a doppelganger.
Hey, mate.
Sir Gwaine.
Ha, that's a laugh. Hey, listen, we were gonna pull a prank on the princess. Want in?
She's a countess, not a princess, and the king will be angry if you upset the Mercians.
Wait, what?
Gather information.
Merlin, where's my speech?
I don't know, sire.
What do you mean, you don't know? Didn't you write one?
You're giving it to your innermost council, sire. I'm sure I wouldn't know what to say.
If I apologize for the feast incident, will you write it?
Sire?
Then turn in his resignation before the act fell apart and the doppelganger was revealed.
Guinevere.
Why do you keep calling me that? Usually it's just Gwen.
Sorry. Had a lot on my mind.
Oh?
I'm resigning.
What?
WHAT?
Merlin, mate -
My boy -
Young warlock -
Where's Merlin?
Sire?
Where's Merlin? You're not Merlin. Where is he?
Even if it did fall apart, who would bother to look besides an old, arthritic man?
Sire, surely there are better uses for our resources.
Aggy's right, princess. The search grid will be much more efficient if we do it like this.
Actually -
Leon, take the lower town. Gwaine, the citadel. I'll lead a group to the forest. If the doppelganger talks, let me know at once.
And who could rescue him if they did?
How'd you find me?
It's a long story, I'll tell you lat-
There was a dragon!
Gwaine.
You used magic?
. . . No. I just refrained from stabbing the dragon until a more opportune moment.
Right. How'd you know it wasn't me?
You're joking, right?
And even if all that came to pass, they'd have plenty of time to get away.
So you are the sorcerers that took my young warlock.
The story's as good as over before it even begins.
