Goblin's Gold (Merlin 2)

Chapter 4

The Arrest

“Arthur!” Merlin called as he saw him and two guards approaching. He smiled reassuringly at Kiara, but she was unconvinced that telling him about Gaius was going to help.

“I still think you’ll end up getting killed,” Kiara mumbled as they headed towards him down the corridor. Her eyebrow twitched upwards at how serious the prince looked. Usually he would have made some kind of comment about how useless Merlin was or how he’d been looking constantly for him all day, but he didn’t even greet him.

“Shh, have a little faith! Arthur is a good man, really.” Merlin tried to assure her, “Arthur, I have to talk to you.” He called out, as they both hurriedly along to reach him.

The prince didn’t reply, but merely looked at him somewhat sadly – not meeting his eyes. “Arrest him.” He told the guards, and Kiara’s mouth dropped open, wondering whether she heard correctly.

“What?” Kiara and Merlin gasped at the same time, her voice worried and his amused. It was clear he thought this was some kind of joke. Kiara glanced between the two men, noticing how very serious Arthur looked, not a hint of a smile crossed his face.

Merlin’s amusement quickly disappeared as the two guards grabbed his arms, and he stumbled backwards slightly. “Arthur, what are you doing?”

“Sire, I’m sure there must be some kind of mistake,” Kiara tried to plead with him – for once, using the word ‘sire’ without sarcasm. Arthur looked between them but didn’t say anything, and she realised just how serious this must be. The guards roughly led Merlin towards the throne room, with Kiara hurrying alone behind. Despite the fact she hadn’t been invited into the council, she glared at the guards on the door and they let her pass.

“Is it true?” the king asked, looking at Merlin with disgust. “You were responsible for the afflictions that I and other members of the court have suffered?”

“What?” Merlin repeated, looking completely confused, before he caught sight of Gaius looking smug, “No!”

“Gaius,” the king murmured, and Kiara watched as he pulled out a book of magic and spells. She suddenly knew it was going to get a lot worse, and her eyes widened in horror.

“I found this in your room; it’s a book of spells and enchantments.” Gaius held up the heavy book in his hands, and stared at Merlin in the disapproving gaze that was so very him, but Kiara knew that it was the goblin who was controlling him. The Gaius they knew would keep their secrets until death, and never willingly tell anyone, let alone the king.

“He’s lying,” he replied, “That’s not Gaius,” he admitted and Kiara closed her eyes in dread. If Merlin was actually going to tell the truth to the king, he would not be believed. It would also mean that she would have to agree with him, and viewing opinions about magical creatures in front of nearly all the members of the court was not the safest decision to make at all.

“What are you talking about?” Arthur asked, looking between Gaius and Merlin.

“Merlin’s right,” Kiara spoke up gently, from the back of the room, causing everyone to spin around to face her. Merlin met her eyes and shook his head slightly, telling her not to get involved. Of course, he had everything ‘under control’, if it had been any other situation Kiara would have laughed out loud.

“He’s been possessed by a goblin,” Merlin told the room, starting off confidently and trailing off as he realised what he was saying in front of the king.

“The boy’s been reduced to making the most desperate and ridiculous accusations!” Gaius easily lied, and Kiara bit her lip down, glancing around the room in hope that some fantastic idea or escape plan would hit her. The attention in the room had yet again been focused back onto Merlin, Gaius and Uther so she would be able to carefully use magic if she stayed alert. Unfortunately, the only spell she knew to change someone’s mind was very closely linked to dark magic, and she wasn’t prepared to attempt that – especially not on the king.