A Hunting Trip

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Merlin is sitting in his room, waiting for Gaius to settle down and go to sleep. Peeking through a small crack, he can see the physician brewing a potion. Suddenly, he whips around to where Merlin is. He holds his breath, hoping to not be seen. Luckily, Gaius' gaze shifts back to the potion. Merlin can't tell what it is, the smell or the ingredients aren't recognisable. It seems the potion is finished, as Gaius pockets it and heads out. Where is he going? After the wooden door closes behind him, Merlin jumps off his bed. He bends down and reaches for Excalibur, grasping the hilt tight before he heads out the door, following Gaius first. The man has been acting suspiciously, and Arthur can wait.

Arthur is in the middle of a council meeting, called upon by the remaining Knights of the Round Table, which is only Leon, Elyan and Gwaine. Leon is talking almost utter nonsense, but in his head, Arthur thinks that he may be right.
"So, he stole my sword?"
"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. Gwaine had led you away, then he snuck over, grabbed the sword and left."
"Why could he have possibly taken it?"
"Looked like he didn't want us to know, he beckoned for us to stay quiet, with a finger on his lips."
"Thank you Leon, Elyan. But I still don't get why. Why would Merlin steal Excalibur?"
"I think you know that already," Gwaine says, thinking about the conversation he had with the King earlier. It all fits perfectly. Merlin runs off and kills Morgana, then states to forget everything. Then he says that stuff in the armoury, and now stealing Excalibur, the sword able to kill anything, alive or dead. Not wanting to go to check on these attacks, involving magic... only the first part doesn't fit! Why would Merlin have killed his partner-in-crime? They must be working together, maybe a hallucination spell?

Gaius is walking down the halls, straight to the council room. He can hear footsteps behind him, but doesn't bother to check who it is. He already has a clear idea. Ever since the note, he'd known something was up, and he's been keeping it, watching it, ever since. It shows Merlin's thoughts, now that he's not using it to communicate with him and Arthur. Seems he forgot how powerful he is, getting rid of his note won't stop it transmitting his thoughts, They've been saying things, like planning on stealing Excalibur, pretending he's ok, and finally, killing Arthur. He's been researching every day he can, fitting time in for his physician duties as well. Only one spell could've done this, the Evoking Spell. Its purpose, to bring out someone's darkest, but truest feelings, and act upon it until it's done. It seems Merlin's was getting rid of Arthur, destroying the Pendragon dynasty, and the people who hated those with magic, like him. He'd killed Morgana, and Gaius assumed it was as she would get in his way, or because she was, technically, a Pendragon, but now he was coming after Arthur, and he had to warn the King, now. Before it's too late...

Guinevere is down in the courtyard, aiding the people who've come from the outlying villages. Many have burns and claw marks over their bodies, illuminated by the torchlight from the guards. The servants are all here, and some Knights are helping, but hardly any, as Arthur's holding a council meeting. Examining each patient, this attack could only have come from one thing, a dragon. But Arthur killed the last one, right? She looks across to the flood of injured men, women, and children, and Gaius is rushing through the group of villagers, who are begging for his help. He doesn't stop to aid a single one. The Queen is confused, this was nothing like the kind physician she knew. She decided to ask him what was up.
"Gaius!" She finishes with the young boy she was tending to, and yells for the man. She runs over,past the people waiting for help. She corners him at the entrance to the castle.
"Oh, mi'lady... Excuse me, but I've got to get to the council chambers!" He tries to push past, but Gwen is ready.
"Why is this so urgent? Not even your patients come first! Tell me, please, what's happening?"
"Just..." He ponders something, but the Queen wouldn't believe anything he told her, "something big, trust me."
"Of course, you know I'd trust you with my life."
"Thank you, may I?" He becomes to doors, and she nods, moving out the way. She's still none the wiser as to what's happening, but she decides to help the infinite amount of people, starting with an elderly woman.

Merlin is creeping through the empty halls. Gaius had left to go outside, so he didn't get the chance to find out what this 'potion' was. It would've been too risky to follow the physician, too many people. At least this left an almost-unguarded path through the halls to the council meeting. Kilgharrah did a good job, hundreds of villagers are still filing in.
After a few minutes of walking through the shadows, only one or two guards around, a few servants nodding to him as they rush to the courtyard, Merlin reaches the last corner. Around it is the entrance to the council hall, where he knows Arthur would be. Now, he waits. Waits for the council meeting to finish, waits for the Knights to file out, waits for the perfect moment to catch Arthur off-guard...

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I'm so sorry for the long wait, I've been sick and haven't had the urge to write over the past weeks. But on another note, 300 reads! Thank you everyone and this story will be getting to an end soon, probably a final chapter, and if you want, an epilogue. I have a cool idea for a new story, which is going to be Merthur. I'll post it only after I finish this, I'm determined to finish it. Remember to vote, comment and I'll have the next chapter, HOPEFULLY, up soon.
xo