We All Make Our Mistakes (merthur)

Part 2

Merlin slowly opened his eyes and saw the familiar ceiling of Gaius's tower. His throat was sore and it hurt to breathe. He coughed and rolled on his side, finding Gaius at his work bench.

"Merlin, you're awake," he acknowledged. "Here, drink this."

The physician walked to him with a cup of something foul smelling. Merlin accepted the concoction and gulped it down quickly. He grimaced at the taste before setting it down on the table beside him.

"Thanks, Gaius," he said, rubbing at his throat subconsciously.

The old physician pulled up a stool and sat beside him. "Would you like to tell me why you were carried here, not breathing, by a very concerned prince?"

Merlin's heart seemed to flutter at Arthur's apparent worry for him before he bit his lip as he recalled what had happened. "I was choked by Eris. She was using magic and she threatened to kill Arthur and I if I tried to stop her from destroying Camelot!" he said urgently. "Gaius, we have to do something."

The physician frowned. "I believe you're mistaken. It was Lady Eris who found you and went to get Arthur. Maybe that was all a dream," he said gently, placing a concerned hand on the boy's shoulder.

Merlin felt anger and frustration boil within him. He knew that it hadn't been a dream, how could Gaius be so blind? He pulled away and stormed out of the tower. He needed to find someone who would believe him. And he knew exactly who that'd be.

~

Merlin knocked on Morgana's door hastily, hearing footsteps and a lock opening before she entrance was unlocked. She revealed herself with a worried expression. Quickly, she beckoned him inside. 

"Are you alright?" she asked after shutting the door. "I heard about what happened from Gwen."

"Actually, I'm not," the manservant admitted. "I know what Eris is planning. She used magic to choke me and is intending to do worse to Camelot. But no one would believe me, so I thought you would."

Morgana didn't seem surprised. "I knew she was up to something," she whispered. "We have to do something to stop her, right?"

Merlin shook his head. "She threatened to kill Arthur if I tried anything."

Morgana frowned. "Then what do we do?"

"We have to try to convince someone that she's evil."

"But who? Surely if she has even Gaius's trust, Uther will never believe us," she sighed.

"We have to try," he said, thinking hard. "Maybe if we somehow got some iron on her, her powers will be weakened. Then if we fail, she'll be too debilitated to attack Arthur or Camelot. It will also buy us enough time to come up with a backup plan."

Morgana nodded. "That sounds good. Now, we just have to find something with iron that definitely won't come off of her," she added, a little unsure.

"Leave that to me," Merlin said and rushed out of the door.

He headed down to the dungeons, easily slipping past the guards and to one of the cells. He focused on the iron shackles on the wall and uttered a spell.

"Separata et remota," he whispered, eyes flashing gold and the shackle was cut from the wall and floated to him. 

Merlin grabbed it before looking around and casting another spell.

"Venustatem infinitam," he muttered, the ugly iron shackle transforming into a beautiful silver band.

He grinned and hurried back to Morgana to show her the accessory. At first, she seemed doubtful that the silver band was iron until Merlin explained that he forged some of the metal into it before hand. Because you never know when an evil sorceress is going to try to destroy Camelot.