Merlyn's Fate

The Witch's Quickening P2

Finding Uther alone in the council chambers wasn't ideal for Arthur. He knew he should've dragged Merlyn along: his father was less likely to stab him with a witness in the room.

"You're sorry?" Uther hissed, glaring at the Prince. "That's not good enough. Did they force their way in?"

"No sire." Arthur answered, watching as the King strode away from him, his loud footsteps slapping the stone floor, giving away his anger.

"Then how did they get access to the vaults?" Uther asked, badly maintaining a slightly calmer tone.

The Prince paused for a moment, standing up straighter, as if good posture would make Uther any more lenient. "They stole the keys." he admitted, refusing to look his father in the eye.

"How is that possible?" The King shouted, forgoing his marginally more relaxed facade.

"Someone broke into my chambers." Arthur answered, cursing himself for being so stupid. As much as he'd blamed Merlyn, he'd been the last one to leave the chambers, he'd been the one to leave the door unlocked. He'd been so deliriously happy over the past few weeks, having his servant back in his arms, that he'd completely forgotten about the intruders. He'd blinded himself from his duty; that wouldn't happen again.

"This is a grievous loss, Arthur. The Crystal of Neahtid was locked away for good reason." The King stated, moving to look out of a nearby window and out onto the city below.

"Why is it so important?" The Prince questioned before he could stop himself, curious to see what could have disturbed his father so much. There were many artifacts in the vaults he knew they could never lose, the chaos they would reign down on Camelot could bring it to its knees, but he'd never thought of the crystal as particularly dangerous.

"It's an instrument of magic. In the days of The Purge, a great many sorcerers died trying to protect it." Arthur was about to say that this didn't answer his question, when Uther interrupted him. "Whatever it is, it's important to them."

The Prince wasn't sure what to make of this, wondering if it was really a weapon at all. "I'll search the lower town, find out what I can." he suggested, dismissing himself.

"Arthur," Uther stopped him before he got to the door. "This crystal cannot fall into enemy hands."

The Prince just stared at his father, promising himself that he would never become so paranoid, so threatened by everything and everyone. "Yes, sire." he said eventually, leaving his father to his brooding.

∆

"Morgana stole the crystal?" Gaius  exclaimed. Merlyn had come straight back to the chambers after she'd visited the vault, trying to make sense of what had happened. She wasn't entirely sure why she'd let the ward take the key, but she'd had a gut feeling that it wouldn't do any good to withhold them from her. There was no doubt in the servant's mind that Morgana had the power to blow the locks off the vaults if she really wanted to, and besides, she was sure that she'd heard of the crystal before. Perhaps her father had told her a story when she was very young, but she didn't associate its name with any malice.

"I'm certain of it, I caught her in Arthur's chambers. She must've taken the keys." Merlyn murmured, refraining from telling the physician that she'd let the ward go. She was in no mood to be told how stupid she was, she'd already had that lecture from the Prince.

"You can't accuse the King's ward without proof. Uther would have your head." Gaius said matter-of-factly, willing the servant not to do anything stupid.

"I know, you're right. But I'm sure it is an instrument of magic. Maybe it's better off with those who can wield its power." she suggested hopefully, knowing how naïve she sounded. She should've just taken the keys off Morgana and ushered her out of Arthur's chambers, she didn't know what dangers the crystal might hold.