A/N; So I watched this episode again and couldn't get this idea out of my head so just a two-shot based on AU events of "The Hollow Queen."
Some things to note; Sarrum and Gwen aren't plotting together to kill Arthur in this story, say it's because Sarrum thought it was a trick to test him so didn't take up Gwen's offer. And the order of events that happen here will be slightly different to the episode's order.
Disclaimer; I don't own Merlin or the characters.
Summary; What if Arthur sent out a search party to find Merlin before Gwen told him he was with a girl. What if Morgana made Daegal give Merlin the poison. And what if the Knights of Camelot caught him in the act. What will Arthur do to the man who tried to kill his friend?
Rated; T.
"Leon, I want you to send out a search party. I would come with you but I can't leave Camelot with the Sarrum here. Ask Gaius, he knows the last place he went." Arthur told one of his most trusted Knights.
"Who is the search party for Sire?"
"Merlin." Leon heard the badly hidden concern in the King's voice.
Leon looked shocked for a few seconds before speaking.
"Of course. I'll gather some men immediately," he nodded before walking out.
Arthur hated the fact he couldn't go with them, but he couldn't leave Camelot without a King when someone like the Sarrum was here.
But anyway, it wasn't like actual harm had come to Merlin. He had probably just gotten lost. The search was for Gaius's benefit, definitely not Arthur's.
Why would he be worried, the idea was ludicrous.
He wasn't worried at all.
Arthur sighed before taking a seat and realising he wasn't convincing himself.
He was worried.
He wanted Merlin back and was scared something had happened to him.
At first he thought he just at the tavern but slowly he started to see the genuine and concerned look in Gaius's eyes and realised he really wasn't just spending time getting drunk.
Maybe he had actually gotten lost but ventured too deep and ended in a dangerous part, full of wild animals and bandits..
The more he thought about it, the more worried he grew.
He didn't know what he would do if any harm had came to his friend.
"My Lord, the Sarrum is asking for your presence," a guard stated as he walked in.
Arthur followed him out of the door, trying to push his thoughts of a certain injured manservant to the back of his mind.
He just hoped the search party would come back soon, with Merlin in tow.
Leon and a group of Knights had left within an hour of his conversation with Arthur.
Everyone in Camelot knew there was at least three things that their king cared about more than himself.
His wife, Guinevere.
His people.
And lastly but most definitely not least, his manservant, Merlin.
So as soon as Arthur had told him that Merlin was missing, Leon felt it was his personal duty to bring back the King's friend as part of his duty to his King.
He had taken Percival and a few other Knights but he couldn't find Gwaine or Mordred anywhere, maybe it was for the best, Leon knew Gwaine cared about Merlin as much as Arthur did too, and if Merlin was injured, Gwaine wouldn't be able to think straight.
Leon was also fond of Merlin, he had seen him many times by Arthur's side in the years following Merlin's arrival in Camelot but never really got to know him until the Round Table business.
Since then they had became friends and Leon finally understood why Arthur liked having him around so much.
He just hoped Merlin hadn't got himself hurt.
Morgana was slowly leaning down about to put the deadly poison in her enemy's mouth until she suddenly stopped and turned to Daegal with a smile.
"You do it. I want him to know how it feels to be poisoned by someone you trusted" she said bitterly.
"But-" Daegal started.
"Unless you would like to have the same fate as him, I suggest you do as I say."
Daegal didn't want to do this.
He hadn't even wanted to trick the man into coming here but he desperately needed the money.
He hadn't anticipated in Merlin being so kind to him on the journey there, it made him feel even worse that he already did by doing this.
And now Morgana wanted him to kill a man who had shown him such kindness?
But he didn't want to die, especially not alone and in agony.
Please forgive me mother, he thought before whispering in such a quiet voice, it was barely audible, a "I'm sorry" to the man currently at his mercy.
And then he did it, he put the foul poison into his mouth.
"Finally, I'm rid of him. Make sure you give him the whole thing. Must go, some more business to attend to" the witch smiled before walking away.
Daegal kept emptying it into Merlin's mouth and felt tears prick at his eye.
He was a murderer.
His mother would be ashamed of him.
He just hoped someone would find him before Merlin actually died.
The search party had went on the whole day and there was still no sign of Merlin.
They had ventured as far as the Valley of the Fallen Kings before Leon finally decided to turn back.
Until he heard a scream of pain coming from within the valley.
He was sure it was Merlin.
The Knights all ran deeper and deeper into the valley until Leon saw something that made him see red.
A young boy was giving Merlin something that was obviously causing him a lot of pain as he was lying on the ground barely conscious but making small movements before gasping in pain.
Leon saw Merlin's face and recognized the symptoms immediately.
The boy was poisoning him.
Leon had never quite seen fear on someone's face before as much as the boy who had now seen the Knights and had a look of complete terror.
He stumbled to his feet and ran.
"After him!" Leon shouted.
Percival and the other Knights rode after him on their horses while Leon ran straight to Merlin.
"Merlin, wake up!" he commanded, shaking the man gently.
He heard whimpers of "no, please", "I didn't want to" and knew the Knights had caught up with the boy.
Leon lifted Merlin onto his horse carefully and saw the Knights dragging the boy back.
If he was scared now, he would be absolutely terrified when he had to face the wrath of a furious King Arthur.
What would he do to the boy who had tried to kill his best friend?
The boy's fate was up to Arthur now, and with everyone knowing how much Arthur cared for Merlin, it wasn't looking good.
Arthur was immediately alerted of the Search Party's return.
He ran down the stairs to see if Merlin had returned with them.
He had.
But instead of happiness and relief, Arthur was horrified when he saw Percival carrying his best friend's unconscious, and obviously very ill, body up the stairs.
"What happened?!"
"He was poisoned my lord. We have to get him to Gaius."
"Poisoned?! By what?!"
Leon paused for a minute before looking up with anger in his face.
"Not by what, by who. He's been taken to the dungeons as we speak."
"By who."
Arthur's blood ran cold.
Someone had poisoned Merlin, and tried to kill him.
Arthur followed Percival up to Gaius's chambers to find out just how bad Merlin was.
Arthur would make sure the person who did this died anyway, but if Merlin died..Well, then Arthur would make the death as painful and slow as he could.
He was practically shaking with anger.
As soon as Merlin was being treated, he would go see the person who had done this.
And he definitely would not be held responsible for his actions.
A/N; So next chapter will be last, I'll have that up probably tomorrow or the day after, will involve a talk between Arthur and Daegal and our Arthur really isn't too happy with him..So see you next time for lots of protective!Arthur,please remember to leave a review:)