The Royal Scandal *Book Two*

Merlin's Fight S2 E1

I stayed with Merlin and walked with him back to Gaius', neither one of us really saying much. When we entered, Gaius was sitting at his desk, probably researching about the Cornelius Sigan guy. He looked up at us when Merlin practically slammed the door shut behind me.

"What's that on your face?" Gaius asked Merlin, who carried on walking through to his room.

"Nothing," Merlin muttered.

"What's wrong?" Gaius asked.

"Nothing," Merlin repeated.

He walked straight through to his room so I picked up a wet towel and took it through to his room with Gaius following behind me.

When we walked in, Merlin was sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. I sat beside him and started to clean with face with the towel.

"I am not an idiot," He told us.

"What happened?" Gaius asked.

"I just want Arthur to trust me and to see me for who I really am," Merlin sighed.

"One day he will," Gaius replied.

"When?" Merlin asked. "Everything I do is for him and he just thinks I'm an idiot."

"Not everyone thinks you're an idiot," I assured him.

"Although, looking at you now..." Gaius trailed off, making us laugh. "Now is not the time to be questioning those things, Merlin... I believe that you, Arthur and Chelsea are destined for greatness. And that your calling is to serve and protect them."

"It's hard," Merlin admitted.

"I know it's hard, but Camelot is in grave peril," Gaius told us, causing me to stop what I was doing and looking at Gaius in confusion. "I've translated the inscription. 'He who breaks my heart, completes my work."

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"You remember the stone in the tomb and how it glowed?"

"Yeah. I've never seen a jewel like it," Merlin said, and I nodded in agreement.

"That's because it's not a jewel. It's the soul of Cornelius Sigan," Gaius told us.

"You think he's alive?" I asked, perching on the edge of Merlin's bed.

"His soul is. But in order to truly live, a soul needs a body."

"So if the stone is removed from its setting, then the heart is broken and the soul is released," Merlin figured.

"That's what I fear," Gaius said.

"We'll just have to get my Father to double the guards down there," I suggested. "Or even better, seal the whole tomb up all together."

"I tried talking to him about it, but he wouldn't listen," Gaius said.

"Cause he didn't," I muttered. "Luckily, there is only one person who has a key to the tomb; Arthur. I'll talk to him tomorrow and tell him to protect it with all costs."

"That sounds like a good idea," Gaius agreed.

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Later that night, while I was laying in bed, I got the strangest feeling in my stomach. The same feeling I got when magic was being forged in Camelot.

But this time it felt different. It felt... sinister. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

And by the next day, I knew why it wasn't good.

Someone had broken into the tomb and stole the soul of Cornelius Sigan.

I stood down in the tomb with Arthur, Gaius and Merlin. Arthur placed his hand where the jewel had once been and it was most definitely not there.