Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 104

Gaius had snuck Merlin some of his anti-aging potion, the warlock easily escaping from the cells and eventually making his way back to Arthur's chambers, the queen having been escorted to another room as the warning bells were sounding after Merlin's elderly form had been spotted by the guards.

Merlin was fortunately able to save Arthur, the king returning to his normal self by the next morning when Gwaine came to fetch Merlin from the cell he'd returned to.

"Merlin, hold on a moment," Gwaine said, as he pulled the brother to the queen aside in an empty hallway.

"What is it?"

Gwaine crossed his arms over his chest as he said, "You know that habit Mira has right? When someone she cares about is in danger and rather than -"

"Rather than offering them words of luck or support, she insults them because she's scared to lose them. Yes, I believe I'm familiar with that particular habit my younger sister has. Why?" Merlin asked after he finished off Gwaine's question.

"Because I was with Mira the entire night, and when I wasn't Gauis was with her, and never, not once, did she insult Arthur or call him a prat like she usually does. Is she alright?" Gwaine asked and Merlin swallowed.

"She will be. Look, for now, just be very careful around her. And no one can know about this. The last thing we need with Morgana still being a threat is people not trusting their queen."

"What exactly is wrong with her?" Gwaine whispered.

"I'll explain later, I promise, but right now I have to tell Arthur."

"Alright. Good luck. I'll see you at the council meeting," Gwaine said as he held out his hand for Merlin to shake.

"Wait. What council meeting?"

Gwaine chuckled.

"Guess we'll find out."

And with that, the knight walked off.

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Merlin didn't get a chance to tell Arthur about Miriam's condition after the king explained why Merlin was released. When Arthur woke, he insisted that it couldn't have been Merlin who poisoned him and that coupled with the Cook confirming the story was more than enough to have Merlin freed from the cells.

Merlin now stood with Gaius, to the right of where the king and queen stood in front of their thrones, knights filling the hall as an old man stood before him.

"The queen found these vials in our chambers," Arthur announced as he held them up. "They bear, as you can see, a distinctive mark. Thanks to her tireless efforts, she's been able to trace them. Is this your mark?" Arthur asked the man who had a small residence in Camelot where he sold various herbs and tinctures.

"It is my mark, yes," he answered.

"What does this vial contain?" Arthur questioned as he held up the one filled with green liquid.

"Valerian, sire."

"What does it do?"

"It renders the subject unconscious."

"In this case, you mean it rendered your king unconscious," Miriam spoke up, voice strong and powerful, as if she was a force to be reckoned with, which she was, but she wasn't supposed to be in this kind of a setting.

"Yes, my lady," he said regrettably.

"This one?" Arthur pressed as he held up the clear liquid.

"Henbane. It's poison, my lord."

"A lethal poison. And it is only thanks to the great skill of my physician, that I am still alive."

"I am sorry, my lord," the man said. "I supplied it, I confess, but I did not know that it was intended for you. In truth I was - I was too afraid to ask."

"Too afraid to ask whom?" Arthur questioned.

"She who procured it."

"And did you recognise this woman?" Miriam asked as she took a step closer to her husband.

"Well, I cannot say for certain, she wore a hood, you see, but I believed it to be Morgana Pendragon."

The guards needed to hear no more as they took the man away, Arthur handing the vials over to Gaius before he addressed his knights.

"Because of Queen Miriam's diligence, the truth has been uncovered," Arthur proclaimed as he took Miriam's hand, the woman giving him a loving smile. "We all, and I especially, owe her a great debt. Long live the queen."

Miriam beamed at her knights as she was presented forward and they echoed their king's chant as she dropped into a low curtsey before standing.

As she turned back to Arthur, she met her brother's eyes for all of a second.

And in that second, her loving and appreciative smile became something wicked, a type of wicked his kind and compassionate sister was incapable of.