The Culprit

When Arthur first awoke from the poison and learned Merlin had been arrested, he was less than happy. Coda to 5x07.

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I was going through my documents and found several finished but unposted works. This is one of them. I wrote it back when 5x07 first aired but, for some odd reason unknown to me, never posted it. So, here it is. Hope you enjoy!

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The first thing Arthur was aware of was his pounding head. Then it was Gaius's voice calling to him. Everything was hazy, but he thought he was in his chambers, it was nighttime, there was a breeze coming in through the open window. Gaius kept feeding him terrible tonics, or maybe it was just one and the rest were nightmares. He couldn't be sure.

Then it was morning and Guinevere was there.

"You're okay," she said, voice thick with emotion and eyes full of unshed tears. She clutched at his hand. "You're going to be okay."

"Gui-guinevere," he mumbled, still feeling like he was one step from death's door.

"Perhaps we should let the king rest," Gaius's voice said from his left. "The poison has left him very weak."

Poison. Arthur felt himself wake up more at that realization. He'd been poisoned.

Guinevere held tighter to his hand. "At least the one responsible has been caught."

Arthur tried to sit up but Gaius and Guinevere kept him down. "W-who did it? Who?" he asked, voice shaking.

Gaius glanced at Guinevere, but she kept her gaze resolutely on Arthur. There was a bare hint of regret as she said, "Merlin."

Arthur laughed, the sound forced from his body. "Merlin?" he asked, managing to get up a little. "Our Merlin?" A nod from his wife. "That's...that's...Wait." He frowned. "Caught? What's happened to Merlin?"

He felt feverish, and his vision was filled with images of Merlin at the guillotine, Merlin on the pyre, Merlin struck down by a sword. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. He lost his stable-hand just a day ago - or perhaps more, he couldn't recall. He could not lose Merlin as well. Not when both men were innocent.

"He's in the dungeons, sire," Gwaine said, and Arthur became aware of his presence for the first time.

"Gwaine?" Arthur asked.

A nod. Gwaine wore a deep frown, his hands clasped tightly in front of him. "The evidence points to Merlin being behind everything that has happened the past few days. We had no choice but to arrest him."

Arthur narrowed his eyes on his knight, barely aware of the hands on his arms from his wife and physician. "Are you all mad? You know Merlin personally, every one of you."

"The evidence-" Guinevere started, but Arthur shook his head, dislodging the hands from his arms at the same time. "Arth-"

"Merlin did not do this," Arthur stated firmly.

He felt weak but he could not go back to sleep. If he slept, Merlin might be dead when he woke up. Arthur knew how seriously Guinevere took treason, even from a friend. Especially from a friend. Arthur kept his gaze on Gwaine, afraid that if he looked elsewhere he would get dizzy.

"You must release him at once."

Gwaine looked like he would like nothing more than to do that, but could not. "The assassination-"

Arthur shut his eyes against the pounding in his head and growled. "Do you really think Merlin capable of an assassination attempt? Where would he get the men to act on it? The explosive that startled my horse? The poison? When would he have had the time?" Arthur winced. "Would he even have the brains to engineer it?"

"But he had access to your stable, your dungeons, your food," Guinevere tried.

Arthur was baffled. Guinevere was not standing up for Merlin? He understood treason was bad, but this was ludicrous. Merlin wouldn't do this!

"Merlin didn't bring the food that night," Arthur sighed. He couldn't stay awake much longer. He had to make them see. "Ask the cook. I had him...doing laundry."

Gaius took him by the shoulders again. "You really need to rest, sire. Please lie back down."

Arthur let himself be maneuvered back into his pillows while Guinevere reset his blankets. "Merlin-"

"I'll ask the cook," Gwaine volunteered readily. "If Merlin has an alibi then he could not have done this."

Arthur heard his cape shift and his armor clad steps as he left the room in a rush. At least Merlin had one friend in the room. Speaking of which-

"The king needs his rest," Gaius said quietly.

Guinevere nodded. She gave Arthur's right hand one last squeeze before standing. "I need to attend to some business," she said in agreement, then looked into Arthur's eyes. It must be the fever, but Arthur thought her kind look was...off. Not right. Somehow. "Rest. Get well, my dear husband."

Arthur gave her a simple smile and a nod, and then she was leaving as well. When the door had clicked shut behind her, Arthur turned his attention to Gaius. Gaius wet a cloth and pat Arthur's head, cleaning away the sweat and cooling his skin. Arthur closed his eyes for a moment and then stared resolutely at his physician.

"You don't think he did this."

It was a statement. Gaius paused in his work and met Arthur's gaze.

"I never could. Merlin is too kind and too loyal to you to ever do such a thing," the old man said wisely.

Arthur nodded. His eyelids felt heavy and he knew he would be asleep soon. "He didn't do it," he affirmed. Then the world swam out of focus and he slipped into unconsciousness.

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fin.