Merthur Oneshots (Merlin x Arthur)

Merthur oneshot #2

*Bold text means Kilgarrah is speaking* This story starts at Series 1, episode 4: The Poisoned Chalice.

Merlin raced into the fully-occupied banquet hall, intent on saving Arthur's life once again. A teary-eyed Kara had just confessed to him, saying she saw King Bayard lacing the ceremonial goblet with poison for Arthur. Thoughts of how exactly he could reveal the back-stabbing king's intentions without severe punishments vanished from his mind as he saw Arthur raise the jewel-encrusted cup to his lips.

"STOP! It's poisoned! Don't drink it!" Merlin hollered, taking the cup from a disgruntled Arthur.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur responded, slightly embarrassed at his manservant's rash action.

"Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison."

"This is an outrage!" King Bayard growled, men from both his kingdom and Camelot's unsheathing their swords toward men they had drank comfortably with mere moments ago.

"Tell your men to put down their swords. You're outnumbered," Uther said as Camelot guards surrounded Bayard and his men.

"I will not allow this insult to go unchallenged!"

"On what grounds do you base this accusation?" Uther asked, turning to Merlin.

Arthur took this moment to intercept. Merlin's head was far too pretty to be lost from his body.

"I'll handle this," he said to Uther, stepping over to steer Merlin away from the pointed sword of Bayard and to take the goblet from him. "Merlin, you idiot, have we been at the slow gin again?"

Uther had other Ideas.

"Unless you want to be strung up, you will tell me why you think it's poisoned. Now."

"He was seen lacing it."

"By whom?"

"I- cannot say," Merlin responded, remembering the handmaiden, Kara, who had told him.

"I can't listen to this anymore," King Bayard retorted, appalled at the false accusation.

"Pass me the goblet," King Uther ordered Arthur, who promptly handed it to him as Uther addressed Bayard once again.

"If you are telling the truth-"

"I am."

"Then you have nothing to fear, do you?"

Bayard sheathed his sword and reached for the goblet, intent on proving the ridiculousness of the situation.

"No. If this does prove to be poisoned, I want the pleasure of killing you myself. He'll drink it," Uther hissed at Bayard before handing the cup to Merlin.

"But if it's poisoned, he'll die!" Arthur protested.

"Then we'll know he was telling the truth," Uther said, his eyes glinting angrily.

"And what if he lives?" Bayard asked.

"Then you have my apologies, and you can do with him as you will."

Gaius protested, saying, "Uther, please! He's just a boy! He doesn't know what he's saying!"

"Then you should've schooled him better."

Arthur stepped closer to Merlin.

"Merlin, apologize. This is a mistake. I'll drink it," he said, trying to take the goblet from Merlin, not wanting to loose his dearest friend.

"No, no, no, no, no. It's, it's alright," Merlin soothed, gently taking the goblet from Arthur's warm hands. In his mind, it was better he died than Arthur. Arthur didn't ever deserve to die. He was too precious to die... Merlin raised the goblet in a toast to Bayard, then to Arthur, and promptly drained the cup before Arthur could try to stop him again. The wine tasted normal, and he swallowed it with no problems or discomfort.