The Aftermath (Merlin)

Chapter Nineteen: Constrictive Poison

The Royals and two Knights of the Round Table stood in the couple's chamber.

"Any news on the search for the poison?" The King asked his most trusted Knights

"No, they have checked the entire castle, there is no poisons that fit the description that Gaius gave us" Leon responded.

"And what of Merlin, has his condition improved?" Gwen looked to Arthur, holding his hand, as she was awaited the answer.

"He has still not awoken since he was given the sleeping draft this morning." Percival responded this time, he had made it his responsibility to keep checking in on the boy.

"Magic is to be made legal tomorrow, trust Merlin to be unconscious when something so important happens." The king tried to smile through his feelings of worry, it was returned by the same look from the people around him.

Everyone turned to the door as a rapid knock sounded "Come in" Arthur spoke sternly.

"Sire, Milady, Milords" the guard bowed.

"What is it Julian?" Leon asked hastily.

"Gaius, he needs you. It's about Merlin."

The guard didn't get another breath in before the four figures rushed past him, all running to the physicians chambers.

Bursting through the doors, they saw Gaius crouched over the patient's bed trying to hold him "Breathe Merlin Breathe"

"Gaius what's going on?" Arthur charged over to the physician.

"He woke up, but he can't breathe. I think his throat has swollen more, it's constricting his airways."

"What do you need us to do?" The King was panicked in his words.

"Gwen fetch me the bandages and that straw from my desk. Leon, Percival I need you to hold Merlin down and Arthur hold his head still" The four jumped into action. The boy was thumping around in his quest for air, making it all the more harder for the Knights to keep him in place. Gwen returned with the straw and bandage, Gaius took the straw off the Queen and chanted an incantation which caused his eyes to turn gold.

"What are you going to do?" Percival asked worriedly.

But the physician didn't reply with words and instead just gave the Knight a look which told the Giant that he doesn't want to know what was about to happen.

Gaius took the surgical straw and placed it near the warlocks neck "Hold him still." The old man raised his hand slightly and pierced the straw into the boys oesophagus. Arthur grimaced as the Knights and Gwen either looked away or closed their eyes, not wanting to see what was happening. Finally, Merlin inhaled a huge breath as the air flowed into his lungs through the tube protruding from his neck. After a few large intakes the Raven's breath started to return to a steady pace, to which the entire group let out a sigh of relief. "Get some rest Merlin, I'll go make you a remedy to reduce the swelling, so we can remove the straw."

The boy weakly smiled and nodded, "Tha.." His voice was broken and hoarse, it pained him to talk.

"Don't talk, your throats still constricted." The Physician continued before getting up and heading towards his bench once again.

"You scared us there Merls." Percival looked fondly down at the boy, his hand placed on the warlocks forehead. Merlin smiled in return whilst Gwen held his hand, squeezing it in comfort.

~~~

By sunset, Merlin had the straw removed and his throat was almost back to normal, he could breathe with ease, a bandage now covered where the straw had impaled him. The King, Queen and Knights had all decided to eat their evening meal in the court Physician's chambers. Percival and Arthur helped to guide Merlin to table, even though he protested, they would not listen. As the friends ate, the warlock watched each of them, he hadn't touched his food: how could he? Not even an hour ago he had seen himself kill them all and then be killed by his friend. Was that dream not actually a dream but a vision of the future? His eyes had glowed red just as his did when he was in pain or got angry.

Arthur saw his friend staring into the distance, having not eaten anything, he was concerned and got the attention of the rest of the table as he motioned to Merlin. Leon, who was sat next to the boy, gently nudged him bringing the Warlock out of his reverie. Seeing everyone staring at him the boy gave a goofy smile "why you all looking at me?" His voice was still a little hoarse, but his throat was numb from pain after the remedy from his mentor.

"You haven't touched your food" Gwen insisted.

"Oh.. err... I'm not that hungry"

"That's what you said last night" The King stated.

The truth was, that another side effect of the Warlock's remedy is a loss of appetite, he hadn't noticed that he hadn't eaten much since he started taking it, until Arthur had just reminded him. Gaius now raised his eyebrow and looked at his ward in concern.

"Aha right.. yes... well then I suppose, I'll eat some food now then..." The boy looked down at his plate and reluctantly picked up the fork and began eating. After a few moments of silence Leon spoke up

"So Gaius, we have searched everywhere but we found no sign of the poison that poisoned Merlin" At that Merlin spat out the water that he had just sipped. 

Poison? They think he was poisoned? Wait is that a good thing? He wouldn't have to come up with an excuse. Everyone was staring at the boy again: Percival and Gwen with small smiles on their faces, Leon looking horrified and Arthur not knowing how to react.

"Sorry" the Raven said skittishly whilst wiping his mouth "I umm, I thought you said poison"

"Has no one told him?" Arthur asked astounded. Everyone subtly shook their heads, the King's face turned stern as he faced Merlin "We believe that someone may have poisoned you."

"Oh" is all the boy could think of to respond. 

"Actually, we think that someone tried to poison you, over and over again"

"Right" the Servant said slowly.

Arthur leant in closer, placing his elbows on the table, scrunching his hands into a ball and placing his chin on top of it "Can you think of anything you ate or drank that tasted odd?"

"You mean other than Gaius' remedies" the Raven chuckled trying to lighten the mood, but the only response was stern looks indicating no one was in the mood for jokes. "No, I can't think of anything" The boy finished.

~~~

Once his friends finally decided to retire for the night, Merlin was left alone with his mentor, who looked exhausted. "You should get some rest" The Warlock guided the old man to sit on his bed.

"Sit with me" the Physician responded, the boy obliged and took a seat. "There was a time when you used to tell me everything.... I know you've been hiding things from me since your return... but if there's anything you need or anything you want to talk about."

"Thankyou Gaius" the boy replied "But I'm fine, really." Merlin gave the biggest smile he could as he hugged the physician and returned to his room. Leaving his mentor still worried about the boy that he knew was lying but had no idea about what or why.

Merlin paced around his chambers, forcing himself to stay awake. With the potion Gaius had given him the remedy that he had been using had lost it affects. He needed to get to his own remedy, but it was still in his brown jacket, which was in the old man's chambers, he would have to wait until the physician fell asleep so he could retrieve it.

The boy knew, it was a bad idea to keep taking the remedy, but he couldn't go to sleep, he just couldn't, he was afraid of what would happen when he slipped into unconsciousness: he would either be forced to watch himself kill his friends or be trapped in a fiery room being burnt alive with cloaked figures. He needed the remedy, it was the only way to stop the nightmares.

Merlin waited for the old man to fall asleep and then snuck into his room, taking his jacket, returning to his own chambers and drinking the potion once more.