"you know, you've gotten really lazy since moving here. there are too many men around every corner offering to do things for you."

[2.7 — The Witchfinder]

Everyone was a bit surprised when Uther had requested for Lia to ride along with a group of knights to an outlying village. It had reportedly been attacked by bandits, so the Knights of Camelot were sent to check on them. After seeing how Lia handled herself against the Troll, the King was comfortable enough with sending her along to treat the wounded.

Arthur had thrown an absolute fit about not being allowed to accompany them.

Of course, Lia had been perfectly safe the entire trip. The Prince had no need to threaten to throw Leon in the dungeon if she came back with so much as a scratch. After two days, the group was headed back to Camelot. The bandits had been taken care of, and Lia healed all the wounded.

Lia had enjoyed the opportunity to see other parts of the kingdom and to help those in need, but she had missed Camelot. As they rode towards it and she caught a glimpse of the walls of the city, Lia grinned. She was glad to be almost home.

"You did well, Lia," Leon complimented, keeping his horse in pace with hers. "All those children fell in love with you. They were sad to see you go."

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "It was nice to help. Do you think Uther will let me do something like this again?"

"The King often wishes to send medical help to our smaller villages. It's just that Gaius is a bit too..."

"Old?" Lia offered, laughing softly. Leon nodded sheepishly. "I know. He complains after only having to be on a horse for an hour. A journey like this would tire him out."

"Exactly," he said, nodding. "Arthur may not like it, but the King may start sending you out more and more. Who knows? You're handy with a sword. Perhaps you'll come on a quest one day. You'd certainly protect yourself better than Merlin."

"And yet he's never actually gotten hurt," she pointed out.

"Which is shocking," Leon said, grinning. "He's more durable than he looks, I suppose."

"I should hope so with all the junk Arthur lobs at his head."

| | |

There was not much time to relax as Lia and the knights returned to Camelot. Not even a half-hour had passed before the council and court were called to the Throne Room. A woman named Cathryn had come forward, claiming to see someone doing magic. Everyone was gathered and listened to her detailed account.

"It was sorcery you saw, and you're certain of it?" Uther asked Cathryn.

"Yes, Sire."

"And you swear this before your King?" he asked.

"I swear it."

"Perhaps your eyes deceived you," Arthur said. He was standing and leaning on the back of his chair, having a hard time believing Cathryn. "A trick of the light?"

"The smoke was alive, I tell you," she told him, her voice trembling. "I feared for my life."

Merlin subtly rolled his eyes, which did not go unnoticed by Lia. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he must have done something he shouldn't have and gotten caught.

"I thank you for bringing this to my attention. Your loyalty will not go unrewarded," Uther told her.

"Thank you, Sire," Cathryn said, bowing. Then a knight led her from the room.

"It cannot continue," Uther muttered.

"I will hunt down those responsible, Father. I promise they will not escape unpunished," Arthur assured him.

"No," Uther said, shaking his head. "Stronger methods are called for. Send for the Witchfinder."

All the courtiers in the room gasped as he mentioned the Witchfinder. It seemed that Merlin and Lia were the only ones that were at a loss. Though, they could guess by the horror on everyone's faces and by his title that the Witchfinder was not someone they wanted in Camelot.

Gaius stepped forward to voice his concerns. "Sire, is it necessary to resort to such measures?"

"The Witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius. His help will be invaluable," Uther told him.

"Of course."

Once the meeting was adjourned, Gaius rushed back to the physician chambers with Lia and a suspiciously quiet Merlin in tow. He knew what was coming and he knew he deserved it. As soon as Gaius threw open the door to the chambers, he launched into the lecture.

"How many times, Merlin?" he asked, already shouting. "How many times must I drive it into that thick skull of yours that your magic is a secret to be guarded with your life? What were you thinking?"

"I - I wasn't thinking," he admitted.

"Well think, boy, think!" Gaius yelled.

"It was just a bit of fun," Merlin mumbled.

"It was magic and it was seen," he said.

"You're right," Merlin said, sighing. "I'm sorry."

"You must hide the book," Gaius instructed. "Anything that can connect you to sorcery in any way."

Merlin leaned against the workbench, which earned a glare from Gaius. "What? Now?"

"Yes, now, Merlin!" Gaius snapped. "The man that Uther has sent for, I know him."

"The Witchfinder?" Lia asked, frowning. "We've never heard of him."

"Some know him by that name. I know him as Aredian. He is a force to be reckoned with," Gaius warned.

"But I'm not a witch. Look. No dress or anything," Merlin joked. Lia stifled a giggle, knowing that Gaius wasn't amused. Merlin's smile fell. "I'll get the book."

| | |

The Witchfinder arrived with the night, riding into Camelot on a black horse that pulled along a large metal cage. As he entered the square, Morgana, Gwen, and Lia watched from a window. Lia was in Morgana's chambers delivering her sleeping draught when curiosity got the best of all of them.

"Is that him?" Gwen asked.

"Yes," Morgana whispered.

"What's that cage for?" Gwen asked.

"It hardly bears thinking about," Lia told her.

She could feel Morgana trembling from beside her and grabbed her hand. As they continued to look down at Aredian, he suddenly turned his head and looked right back up at them. Morgana gasped and quickly turned away. Gwen gave her a sympathetic look but went on with her duties.

Once Gwen was out of hearing range, Morgana turned to Lia with fear in her eyes. "What am I going to do? He's going to tell Uther about me! Lia, he'll burn me at—"

"Gana," Lia interrupted gently. She placed a comforting hand on Morgana's cheek, and she relaxed at her touch. "You've given no one any reason to suspect you of sorcery. You weren't the one to conjure the horse in the smoke. While he's here, you must do your best to remain calm, and I will do anything I can to help you feel safe."

A shaky breath left Morgana's lips, but she did feel a bit better at Lia's words. She only needed to remind herself that she wasn't alone — she had Lia. With Lia at her side, she could face the Witchfinder. At least, that's what she told herself.

| | |

Aredian had wasted no time in questioning the citizens of Camelot. Lia had yet to meet him face to face, but evidently, he was quite intimidating. She could only hope that Merlin and Morgana if questioned, would adequately throw him off their trails. In the meantime, everyone had to go about their day, terrified that they'd be accused of sorcery.

"Merlin, be a dear and help me carry this," Lia said, batting her eyelashes. She held out her basket full of freshly bought supplies as they walked back from the market.

"I'm not one of your bloody besotted knights, Lia," he said, rolling his eyes.

"But it's heavy," she said, pouting for effect. "Please, Merlin. You're so much stronger than me."

Gaius scoffed and shook his head. "No, he's not."

"Not helping, Gaius," Lia muttered.

"Oh, just give it here," Merlin finally said. Lia grinned brightly as he took the basket from her. "You know, you've gotten really lazy since moving here. There are too many men around every corner offering to do things for you."

"Well, maybe if you tried being pretty and nice, they'd carry things for you too," she said, smirking.

Before Merlin could reply with a sarcastic comment, they were interrupted. "Gaius, isn't it?" All three of them stopped and spotted Aredian approaching him. He looked rather intimidating dressed in all black with a wide-brimmed hat that cast a shadow on his face. "I never forget a face."

"Nor I, Aredian," Gaius told him with a rather unimpressed look.

"A physician now, I hear. You always did have a thirst for knowledge," he said.

"Scientific knowledge," Gaius specified.

"Of course," Aredian said, nodding. Then his eyes fell on Lia and Merlin.

"My apprentice, Lia, and our assistant, Merlin," Gaius introduced.

"Merlin," he noted. There was recognition in his eyes at the mention of his name. No doubt he had already questioned Cathryn, who informed him that Merlin was around to see the smoke as well.

"May your investigation prove fruitful, Aredian. However, you'll have to excuse us, we have work to do," Gaius told him.

"Naturally," he said. Before they could walk off, Aredian stopped him. "Merlin? I have a few questions I would like you to answer. Please be at my chambers in an hour."

Merlin nodded nervously. Not wanting to be around Aredian anymore, Lia took Merlin's hand and pulled him along. They all did their best to ignore the calculating gaze that Aredian kept on them until they walked out of his sight.

| | |

Merlin's interrogation hadn't gone well. He knew as much. It was clear that Aredian was suspicious of him, but Lia did her best to comfort him. It did not matter what Aredian thought of him without proof. They had gotten rid of the magic book and the Sidhe staff. There was nothing magical to be found in Lia and Merlin's chambers or the physician chambers. And Uther could not just go on Aredian's word alone if he were to accuse Merlin of being a sorcerer.

By the end of his first day in Camelot, Aredian had called for the council to meet. Apparently, he had found the sorcerer. He brought with him three women that lived in the lower town — Beatrice, Annie, and Rowena — and claimed that they were new witnesses of magic. They all looked terrified, making Lia wonder what they had supposedly seen.

"Speak, do not be afraid," Aredian said, circling the three girls.

"I - I was drawing water from the well, Sire, when I saw them — faces in the water," Beatrice said, her voice trembling. "Terrible faces, like people who were drowned, screaming. Screaming."

Merlin leaned over to whisper to Gaius. "I haven't done anything. I promise."

Aredian placed a hand on Beatrice's shoulder as she began to cry. Then, he slowly moved on to Annie. "Tell them what you saw."

"A goblin dancing on the coals. It was dancing in the flames, and it spoke, Sire. My heart near stopped for fear of it." Uther sat back in his chair, a look of worry crossing his face.

"As you've heard, My Lord, the incident in the woods was only the beginning," Aredian told him. Finally, he moved to Rowena's side, who stood straighter and addressed the King.

"There was a sorcerer, Sire, in the square. There were creatures jumping right out of his mouth," she explained.

"And what manner of creature?" Aredian prodded.

"Toads, Sire. Great, green, slimy things as big as your fist," she said.

"The sorcerer laughs in your face," Aredian declared, giving Uther a pointed look. "Even now, magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot."

"I can scarcely believe it," Uther muttered.

"Yet it is the truth, My Lord. Fortunately, I've utilized every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a swift resolution," he said.

"The sorcerer? You have a suspect?" Uther asked, standing from his throne.

"Oh, I do, My Lord. I regret to say, they stand among us in this very room." Lia felt as if her heart was going to beat out of her chest as everyone in the room stirred. "My methods are infallible, my findings incontestable! The facts point to one person and one person alone — the boy, Merlin!"

There were no shocked gasps or screams. Only awkward silence as the courtiers glanced over their shoulders at the servant with dumbfounded looks.

"Merlin?" Arthur questioned, disbelief clear in his tone. "You can't be serious."

"This is outrageous! You have no evidence," Gaius declared.

"The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me. I am certain that a thorough search of the boy's chamber will deliver us all we need," he said.

Uther looked at Merlin expectantly. "Merlin?"

It was hardly a question. If Merlin were to deny him access to search his chambers then that would be an admission of guilt. "I have nothing to hide from him," Merlin said.

"Very well. Guards, restrain the boy," Uther ordered. "Let the search begin."

The guards were at least gentle with Merlin — they didn't really believe he was a sorcerer either. Before they dragged him to the dungeons for holding, they allowed Lia to hug him tightly. She whispered that everything would be alright before they took him away.

The guards were not, however, gentle when they tore through the chambers. Lia and Gaius helplessly stood in the middle of the room as they smashed pots, tore books off the shelves, and overturned tables. It was chaos and a mess that they certainly wouldn't have to clean up once they were done trashing everything.

"Careful, please! That's my life's work!" Gaius shouted.

"Comb every inch," Aredian ordered. "The sorcerer is a master of concealment."

"My daisies!" Lia exclaimed as a guard purposefully broke the vase by the window. "Lady Morgana picked those for me!"

"There's nothing here, Aredian!" Arthur shouted, knowing that the guards were taking it too far. There was no reason to break a clear glass vase of wildflowers.

"I'll be the judge of that," Aredian told him.

Arthur moved to stand by Lia. "I'm sorry," he said softly. She shook her head, knowing the destruction was not his fault.

"Over there behind this tapestry. In there, upend that stool," Aredian instructed, wanting them to be thorough. "Be sure to check for hollow legs. In there within those powder jars."

While checking a shelf, Leon knocked a glass jar full of blue powder onto the ground. Lia saw him pause and stare down at the ground with wide eyes before kneeling down.

"Here!" he called. Lia felt her throat go dry. In his hand, he had some kind of bracelet with a glowing stone in the middle — Lia had never seen it in her life, and certainly not in Merlin's hands.

"An amulet of enchantment," Aredian said, taking the bracelet from Leon. Then he looked at Gaius. "Were you aware, physician, that your assistant kept instruments of sorcery?"

"No," Gaius said, frowning deeply.

"Well, our work is done. I must inform the King," he said. Aredian turned to leave and the guards began to follow.

"B - but Merlin's not a—"

"Aredian!" Gaius cut Lia off. "I know for certain that that amulet does not belong to Merlin."

"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, who does it belong to, then?"

"It belongs to me."

"What?" Lia asked, beginning to shake her head.

"Very well. Guards, seize him," Aredian ordered.

The guards stepped forwards and roughly grabbed Gaius' arms. Lia moved towards them, but Leon held her back.

"Gaius, no! He - he's not a sorcerer!" Lia said helplessly as they dragged Gaius from the room. "Leon, they can't just take him!"

Leon turned her to face him as tears welled in her eyes. "Lia, he's admitted that the amulet is his. You know as well as I what's to be done."

"B - but he's not — Leon, he'll be killed," she said, her voice trembling.

"I... yes," he said, knowing he could not lie to her. He didn't like the thought of Gaius being executed either, but there was nothing to be done. "I must report back to the King, but Arthur's gone to release Merlin. Will you be alright?"

Lia wiped under her eyes and nodded, keeping her head down. Leon gave her hand a comforting squeeze before leaving her. Now that she was alone, Lia took in the condition of her ransacked home. Everything was ruined, and she wasn't just talking about the broken objects surrounding her.

Arthur had only offered Merlin a short explanation of what happened before they parted. Slowly, a confused and distraught Merlin made his way back to the physician chambers. He had never imagined he'd be seeing Gaius dragged off to the dungeons, accused of being a sorcerer. And it was all his fault.

When he arrived at the physician chambers, it looked as if a tornado had ripped through it. Jars were broken, herbs were discarded all over the floor, the workbench had been turned over, and all the books had been thrown from the shelves. In the center of the room sat Lia on her knees. The tear stains were still fresh on her cheeks as she swept up the remains of a broken flower vase.

"This is all my fault," Merlin said, his voice cracking. He had already felt horrible about bringing the Witchfinder to Camelot, but when Lia looked at him over her shoulder and he saw how red her eyes were, the guilt overwhelmed him. "I'll find a way to save him. I will."

"You can't," Lia said, sniffing. "With Aredian here, it's too dangerous. I'm afraid it will only end with both of you burned at the stake."

| | |

That night, Aredian dined with Uther and Arthur — Morgana had claimed to be tired, though really she was just terrified of Aredian. The three men discussed the development of Aredian's case, as well as Gaius' seeming betrayal.

"Gaius served me with unfailing dedication. Without his knowledge, his wisdom, I would not be sitting here today," Uther said, feeling a need to defend the physician.

"You show great faith in him, Sire. Great faith, indeed, considering he was known to practice sorcery," Aredian said, scoffing.

Arthur sharply looked at him. "Gaius? You are mistaken."

"No, Arthur. He speaks the truth," Uther admitted. Arthur turned to his father with wide eyes. "I'm well aware of his past, but I have every reason to believe he's turned his back on sorcery."

"Until now," Aredian noted a bit smugly.

"We don't know that," Uther argued. "And this amulet you found, it could just be a stupid mistake."

"Or maybe he's fallen back into old habits," he said.

"We must give him the benefit of the doubt, surely?" Arthur asked.

"Why?" Aredian asked, raising an eyebrow. Arthur remained silent. "Anyway, there's a sure way to establish his guilt."

Uther frowned at what he was suggesting. "I know your methods are effective, Aredian, but Gaius is an old man. He could not withstand such treatment."

"It's the only way to rid your mind of doubt," Aredian told him. "Once I am finished with him, I shall interrogate that little apprentice of his."

"Lia?" Arthur asked, sitting straighter.

"Of course," he said, nodding. "She's been working in close contact with Gaius without supervision. We must make sure he hasn't corrupted her."

"I can assure you the girl is harmless," Uther told him. Arthur relaxed a bit at his father's words. "She's far too... gentle to ever knowingly consort with a sorcerer. Lia has proved to be a skilled and trustworthy apprentice."

"Father is right," Arthur added. "I could see it on her face when the amulet was found. She had no idea Gaius had such things."

"So she may seem," Aredian said, glancing between the two of them. "But as we've learned, appearances can be deceiving."

"You may question her, Aredian," Uther said, waving his hand. "It'll ease any leftover concerns I have about making her Court Physician."

"Really?" Arthur asked, shocked.

"Of course. She's progressed greatly as an apprentice. The knights have only good things to say about her, and I have been pleased with the treatments I have received," Uther praised. "Why, Arthur? Do you oppose the promotion?"

"Oh, no. She'll do well as Court Physician, I'm sure," he said, shaking his head.

Arthur had always thought that Lia was a wonderful healer but he also knew that she would be devastated by the circumstances of the promotion. Gaius was the closest thing Lia had to a father, and to replace him because he had been accused and tried for sorcery would be upsetting for her.

| | |

As night fell, Merlin and Lia snuck down to the Dragon's Cave. They had to talk to someone about what was happening to Gaius, and Kilgharrah was the only safe answer. As they crept through the corridor, they passed the dungeons, where Gaius was being dragged out of his cell. They didn't want to think about where he was being taken and what was being done to him. The both of them continued down to the cave, where Kilgharrah was lounging on his rock.

"What is wrong, young warlock? You look so pale," the dragon stated. "And the Princess has been crying."

"I did a stupid thing. A stupid, stupid thing! And now Gaius is going to pay for it," Merlin said, shaking his head.

"Gaius means nothing to me," Kilgharrah said.

"But he means a great deal to us," Lia said softly.

"Very well," he said, sighing. "Tell me what has happened."

"A witchfinder has come. He's arrested Gaius for sorcery, but I am the sorcerer," Merlin explained.

"Yes, I suppose you are."

"Well, I'm going to confess," he revealed. "It's the only way to save him."

"Merlin, you can't!" Lia said, turning to face him. He hadn't said anything before about his plan.

"Illyria is right," Kilgharrah told him. "Your stupidity continues."

"I won't sacrifice a friend to save myself!" Merlin told them.

"Bravely spoken, but Gaius is already doomed. If you confess, the Witchfinder will just burn you both," he explained. Lia nodded in agreement.

"But it's my fault," Merlin said. "Don't you understand?"

"All too well, young warlock. But understand this: if you were to die, you would endanger the lives of all those that rely upon you," Kilgharrah warned.

"Well, there must be something I can do. There must be. Please, help us," Merlin begged.

"Merlin, Illyria, I see you are distressed by this, but I cannot help you because I do not know how to," he said regretfully.

"I can't just stand by and watch Gaius die! I can't!" Merlin insisted.

"I am sorry," the dragon said before flying off, leaving them alone in the cave no better off than when they arrived.

| | |

It was very early in the morning when Aredian sent for Lia to be questioned. Leon was the one to escort her to his chambers, which brought her a little bit of comfort. She had to wait outside for a few moments, but eventually, the door opened. Aredian was leading Morgana out, who was trembling with wide eyes. She cut her eyes to Lia for half a moment before moving from Aredian's side and rushing away.

"Is everything alright with Lady Morgana?" Lia asked, frowning.

"Of course, my dear," Aredian said. He placed a hand on Lia's shoulder and led her into the room. She looked around at all the chains hanging on the wall and the other ominous decorations. "She was simply upset at the thought that Gaius may have been making her nightmares worse with his wicked sorcery."

"I suppose that would be upsetting," Lia muttered. She knew that she had to be careful with what she said. Gaius was already doomed — she couldn't throw suspicion onto Merlin or Morgana as well.

"Tell me, Lia," he began as she sat down. "How would you describe the Lady Morgana's nightmares?"

"Well, they're horrible. I hate that she must suffer through them," Lia said, frowning.

"And the sleeping draughts?" As he spoke, Aredian dipped a quill in some ink, which was held in a skull. A chill ran down Lia's spine as she thought the red ink resembled blood.

"Well, they help her to fall asleep, which she struggles with. But... they do not help the actual nightmares, I'm afraid," Lia explained. Aredian nodded and continued to write his notes. "They take quite a toll on her."

"And is it always Gaius who prepares the sleeping draught? Do you know what's in them?" he questioned.

"I do, My Lord," she said. "It was one of the first things Gaius taught me to make when I arrived to be his apprentice. It's a mixture mostly of valerian sprigs and lavender, as well as a few other common herbs."

He scribbled down the ingredients that she listed off before continuing. "And tell me, were you aware that Gaius is a sorcerer?"

"Of course, not," Lia told him.

"And you had never come across the amulet before the guards found it?"

"No. It was kept in a jar of what I believe was dried Ocimum tenuiflorum roots. It's not a common ingredient, so I had never stumbled upon the amulet on accident," Lia said, keeping her tone even.

"Have you ever seen Gaius use magic? Did you ever suspect him of it?"

"No. I was quite shocked when you discovered the amulet. I suppose he was... careful."

"Well, that was how he managed to evade Uther's suspicion all these years," Aredian said. "And how long have you been working under Gaius?"

"I believe it's been a little over a year since I arrived in Camelot. As I said, he's never used any kind of sorcery or magic in front of me," she said.

"Yes, Prince Arthur noted that you did look rather surprised when the amulet was found," Aredian muttered. "But given that you worked so closely with a sorcerer for so long, we must be cautious."

"I understand," Lia said, forcing a polite smile. "I'll admit that it's been a hard adjustment — coming to terms with Gaius' actions — but I am thankful. You've made Camelot safer for us all."

No one could ever say that Lia wasn't a good liar. Aredian seemed to eat her flattering words up. He saw her as everyone else did — a sweet, innocent, young girl who was a bit too naive to see the evil in the world around her until someone else pointed it out to her. Perhaps she was most of that, but Lia certainly wasn't naive. She couldn't afford to be when Gaius, Merlin, and Morgana's lives were on the line.

| | |

"Confess!" Aredian shouted. He had forced Gaius onto his knees before Uther in the council chambers. Gaius looked exhausted and as if the life had been sucked right out of him. "Confess!"

Gaius looked back at Merlin, trembling, before facing the King and speaking in a raspy voice. "I - I am a sorcerer, Sire. I am responsible for conjuring the smoke. I'm guilty of practicing magic in Camelot, the goblin, the faces in the well, I - I am the sorcerer who conjured the toad from his mouth."

Uther stood suddenly from his throne, and Lia gasped, worried that he would attack Gaius right then. "You've betrayed me, Gaius. Betrayed your friends. And above all, you've betrayed yourself. By the laws of Camelot, I must sentence you to death."

Aredian threw Gaius to the ground, and he was too weak to get back up on his own. "The sorcerer will be purged of his magic by means of fire! He shall be burnt at the stake tomorrow at dawn! Bear witness and heed this lesson!"

The guards picked up Gaius and dragged him out of the room and back towards the chambers. Gwen reached for Lia's hands as a quiet whimper left her lips. Merlin angrily charged at Aredian.

"You're a liar!" Before Merlin could reach Aredian, Arthur ran forward and held him back.

"Guards!" Uther shouted.

"You're a liar!" Merlin yelled as Arthur began dragging him from the room.

"I'll deal with this," Arthur told the guards.

Lia hesitantly stepped towards the door to go after them, but Gwen tightened her hold on her hand. She would have to wait until the council dismissed to check on Merlin. Besides, it seemed that the King had business with her.

"Lia," he called.

She turned to face him and quickly bowed respectfully. "Sire?"

"You shall forthwith be appointed as Court Physician," Uther said. "Do you accept?"

"I - Of course, Sire," Lia said, a bit stunned. With Merlin and Gaius in trouble, her job was the last thing on her mind. "It is an honor, My Lord."

| | |

"What do you mean the amulet doesn't belong to you or Gaius?"

"I mean that Aredian planted the amulet for the guards to find," Merlin said. "He only confessed to those things because he was tortured into it."

"So he's not even a real Witchfinder. There's no telling how many innocent people have been killed because of him," Lia said, frowning.

"We must do something," Merlin muttered. He leaned against the wall and gazed out the window. The guards were constructing the pyre which Gaius would be killed on the next morning.

"What can be done without making yourself a target?" she asked. "Aredian has already accused you once. He could do it again."

"I will not let him die," he said, not taking his eyes off the pyre. "If I must, then—"

Merlin was cut off by Gwen rushing into the physician chambers with a worried expression on her face. "Merlin, Lia! He won't let go. He won't stop!"

"What happened?" he asked as she rushed over to them.

"The Witchfinder's questioning Morgana again. I'm worried, Merlin. She's close to breaking point," she told them.

"Yeah, that's what he does. He breaks you down and in the end, you confess whether you're guilty or not," Merlin said, growing angry.

"What do you mean?"

"Gaius was set up. Aredian planted that amulet," Lia explained to her.

"But why would he do such a thing?"

"Aredian is paid to catch sorcerers. Maybe he doesn't care whether someone is guilty or not. Maybe he gets confessions by lying, by planting evidence. Just as long as he gets a confession, he gets his money," Merlin said, pacing the room.

"But even if this is true, what can we do without proof?" Gwen asked.

"Get some," Merlin muttered. Then, before Lia or Gwen could question him, he was leaving the room.

"Where on earth is he going?" Gwen asked.

"Well, wherever he is, he better not get caught," Lia said, sighing. "I just hope he finds something. If Aredian has set his sights on Morgana, nothing will deter him until he tortures a confession out of her."

"I can't believe he thinks he can convince Uther that his own ward is a sorcerer," Gwen said, frowning. "It's ridiculous. Out of everyone in Camelot that he could falsely accuse, he chose her. It doesn't make any sense."

Lia kept her face neutral, not giving anything away. If Morgana had wanted Gwen to know about her magic, she would've told her. "Perhaps it is a strike towards the King. It would crush Uther if he thought Morgana had magic. He would have to kill her, and I don't think he'd ever forgive himself for it."

It seemed that Gwen believed Lia and did not question it anymore. With Uther's fear of magic, Aredian could have anyone he wanted, short of Uther and Arthur, killed simply by accusing them of being a sorcerer. As the two girls contemplated Aredian's plan, Merlin was off searching his room. When he returned to the physician chambers, he had some kind of flower with him, but he had no idea what it was.

"That's Belladonna," Lia identified, taking the flower petals from him. "It helps with things like ulcers, allergies, and muscular inflammations."

"So, he has allergies. This is hopeless, Merlin," Gwen said, sighing.

"Not entirely," Lia told them, standing straighter. "There's a tincture that can be prepared with Belladonna and it would produce hallucinations. It's fairly easy to make."

"So?" Gwen asked, confused.

Merlin scoffed as he realized what Lia was hinting at. "Aredian's witnesses. It wasn't magic they were seeing, it was visions."

"Exactly," she said, nodding.

"It makes sense if he's faking the evidence," Gwen said. "But how can we prove it?"

"No, Aredian's too clever to have given the tincture to them directly," Merlin told them. "The witnesses, they must've got it from someone else."

"They could've been getting it from anyone," Lia said, her shoulders slumping. They couldn't search every market in Camelot in one night.

"Is there anything, anything at all that these people had in common?" Merlin asked.

"They were all women," Gwen noted.

"No, that doesn't tell us anything," he muttered.

"Yes, it does!" Lia said, grinning. "Guinevere, where's the one place you go to buy things to make yourself somehow even more beautiful than you already are?"

Gwen blushed from the compliment but she knew exactly what Lia was hinting at. Merlin, of course, was clueless. He followed quickly behind Lia and Gwen who rushed from the room. They crept out of the castle and made their way to the lower town. Given that it was nighttime, no one was around. They ran down the empty streets until they reached the apothecary's home, where Gwen frantically knocked on the door.

The apothecary, Barnabus, opened the door with a candle in his hand and he peered down at them. "Gwen?"

"Do you sell a tincture of Belladonna?" Gwen asked as they stepped inside the house.

"What's this all about?" he asked, leading them to the back where he kept his supply.

"Please, it's important," Gwen said.

"Well, I - I think I've got some somewhere, but what you'd be wanting with eye drops in the middle of the night, I really don't want to know," he muttered, going over to one of his shelves.

"Eye drops?" Lia asked. She knew that Belladonna was definitely not a substance one should but in their eyes.

"Yes," Barnabus said, handing Gwen the bottle. "Women use them to make their eyes more beautiful."

"Where did you get this?" Merlin asked him.

"Well, my usual suppliers."

"Sure you didn't get it from someone else?" Merlin prodded.

"Of course I'm sure," Barnabus answered a bit too quickly. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to get some sleep."

He tried to step past them, but Gwen stopped him. "It was Aredian who gave you the Belladonna, wasn't it?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," he said, keeping his eyes to the ground and walking around them.

"Did you know that Gaius is going to be executed in the morning?" Lia asked.

"That has nothing to do with me," he denied.

"That has everything to do with you!" Merlin practically shouted. "Aredian's witnesses saw visions. Visions produced by the Belladonna in these eye drops! If we can prove this, we have a chance of saving Gaius."

They watched as Barnabus slowly caved. He sighed heavily before giving in. "He forced me to sell it. H - he said he'd kill me if I said anything to anyone."

"It was him? It was Aredian?" Lia asked, knowing they had to be sure before making accusations in front of the King.

"Yes, it was him."

| | |

Dawn was nearing as they raced back to the physician chambers. Merlin grabbed the Belladonna petals as well as the eyedrops, prepared to go and find Uther. "That's it. We've got everything we need."

"But is it enough?" Gwen asked, nervously. If it wasn't, they'd certainly all be killed.

"We've got a witness as well. Surely that's enough?" Merlin asked.

"It's still just our word against Aredian's," Lia reminded him gently. "We don't exactly have a good track record with people believing you, Merlin."

"Lia, Gwen, we don't have a choice!" he exclaimed. "By dawn tomorrow Gaius will be dead."

"Merlin, we've only got one chance at this. We've got to give Uther something he cannot deny. Something not even Aredian can talk his way out of," Gwen explained, keeping a level head.

Merlin listened to her and thought for a moment. Then he smiled to himself. "I'll be as quick as I can."

Lia anxiously sank into a chair as Merlin rushed from the chambers. They were almost out of time, and all she could picture was Gaius on the pyre, slowly burning to death. She could hardly stomach the thought. Gwen placed a comforting hand on her shoulder but she knew there wasn't much she could say.

As they waited for Merlin, the sun began to rise, its rays peeking through the window. Both girls knew that with the sunrise, Gaius would be removed from the dungeon.

"Come on, Merlin. Come on," Gwen whispered.

They waited for a few more minutes before Merlin ran back in out of breath.

"Merlin! Where have you been?" Lia asked, standing quickly.

"It's done," he said, grabbing the eye drops and Belladonna. "Everything's in place."

"But it's too late. Gaius has already left the dungeons!" Gwen told him.

Merlin stood there helplessly for a moment. "Then... then we'll have to delay the execution."

"How?" Gwen asked.

"Arthur. I'll speak to Arthur," he decided.

"No," Lia said, stepping forward. "Leave Arthur to me."

The crowd had gathered for Gaius' execution in the square. He was escorted from the dungeons in the large metal cage that Aredian had brought with him. All was silent as he was brought out, and before Aredian could even open the cage, Uther left the balcony and returned to the castle — he could not watch what was about to happen. Aredian roughly dragged Gaius out of the cage and towards the pyre.

"Easy there! Show some respect!" Arthur ordered. He wished he had the same luxury as his father, but he would have to see the execution all the way through.

As Gaius was lifted onto the pyre, Lia pushed her way through the crowd, mumbling soft 'excuse me's and 'sorry's as she shoved past everyone.

"Arthur!" she called, running up to him. "Arthur, you've got to stop this."

He couldn't look her in the eyes as he told her no. Arthur couldn't bear to see the disappointment and hurt on her face. "I can't, Lia. You know I can't."

"Merlin has proof that Gaius is innocent," she explained.

"My father's already past sentence," he said. "There's nothing I can do."

"You can do the right thing, Arthur Pendragon!" she said, using that same tone she had used when reprimanding him during their stay at Gwen's home. "You can show some faith in a loyal friend for once, or you can stand by and watch an innocent man die!"

"Lia—"

"You've already done it once before when you let Gwen's father die — you told me how much that decision haunts you. Are you really willing to let it happen again? Is that the kind of legacy you want to leave behind?" she asked. Lia didn't have time to decipher the particular look he was giving her. "And you can stop looking at me like that. I know I'm just an apprentice. I thought you were a prince, so start behaving like one!"

As Aredian lit the torch, Arthur kept his eyes glued to Lia. He knew she was right. He hadn't even seen Merlin's so-called proof but he believed it. It did not matter what sentence Uther had passed.

"Wait!" Arthur called, just before Aredian could set Gaius alight.

A relieved sigh left Lia's lips and smiled gratefully at Arthur. For the moment, Gaius was safe.

| | |

Uther hadn't been pleased that Arthur made such a rash that went against his orders but he did not deny Merlin's request to meet with him. Deep down, the King was relieved that the execution had been interrupted and hoped that somehow, Gaius really was innocent. The entire court had gathered in the Throne Room, along with all of Aredian's witnesses as well as Barnabus.

"Sire, the witnesses saw nothing but hallucinations induced by the Belladonna in these eye drops," Merlin explained, handing Uther the bottle.

"And you bought this Belladonna from this man?" Uther asked the three girls. They all glanced at Barnabus and nodded quickly. Then he turned to the apothecary. "Where did you get it from? Don't be afraid, no harm will come to you here."

"The Witchfinder," he hesitantly answered. "He gave them to me."

"Did he tell you what it was for?" he asked.

"No. Only that if I did not sell it, he'd have me burnt at the stake," Barnabus revealed.

Murmurs ran through the court as Uther turned to Aredian. "How do you answer to these accusations?"

"They're absurd," Aredian said, scoffing. "The boy has clearly concocted these lies in the hope of saving his master."

"Then you won't mind if we search your chamber, will you?" Merlin quickly asked before Uther angrily yelled at him.

"Silence! You have no authority here!"

"Father," Arthur interrupted. He glanced at Lia, who smiled softly at him before he joined Merlin's side. "Let's settle this once and for all. If what Merlin says is wrong, he must bear the consequences. But if there is some truth in what he says."

"I have nothing to hide," Aredian told them.

Uther quickly gathered a group of guards, and they, along with Merlin, Arthur, Lia, and Morgana went to Aredian's chambers. He stood in the middle of his room with his arms crossed as the guards turned over all of his belongings. Leon was happy to roughly knock Aredian's things over as payback for the mess they had made in the physician chambers.

"You're wasting your time," Aredian muttered.

"The cupboard over there," Arthur ordered, not listening to him.

Leon walked to the cupboard in question and opened it up. Dozens of amulets identical to the one found in the physician chambers dropped out, clattering loudly to the ground. There was also a large stash of the Belladonna tincture inside as well. Lia bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling, knowing that all that had been Merlin's doing.

"These things don't belong to me! This is a trick," Aredian told them. He coughed before continuing as Arthur slowly drew his sword. "That boy plots against me!"

Aredian suddenly bent over and began choking on something. He continued to try and clear his throat before something slimy fell out of his mouth. They all stared down at the toad on the ground with wide eyes.

"Sorcerer!" Uther accused.

The guards rushed forward to grab him, but Aredian snatched a dagger off the table before taking Morgana, who had been standing closest to him. She gasped in fear and tried to get away, but he held her tighter.

"Aredian, think carefully about what you're doing. You will never escape from Camelot alive," Uther warned.

"I will if you value the life of your ward," Aredian threatened.

The guards and Arthur slowly approached him with their weapons raised. He backed closer and closer to the wall as if that would help him escape. While everyone's attention was on Aredian and Morgana, Merlin took the time to whisper a spell. The hilt of Aredian's dagger heated up until it burned his skin, making him drop it. As he crouched over to cradle his burning hand, Morgana ran away from him. Once she was past the guards, she rushed to Lia's arms, who held her tightly. Too focused on his pain to watch his step, Aredian tripped over a box and fell backward through the window.

"You're safe," Lia whispered, running a hand through Morgana's hair, who was still shaking. "He can't hurt you anymore."

| | |

Gaius had finally been freed. As soon as he was back in the physician chambers, Lia spent every moment making sure that he was well taken care of. After the harsh treatment he had received from Aredian, he was exhausted. Though, that didn't deter him from helping clean up the mess left behind by the guards. Lia had made some progress, but given that Merlin was always off working for Arthur, she had only gotten so much cleaned up on her own.

As they were sorting through torn books, Uther entered. His eyes were set on Gaius, clearly having come all the way down to speak with him. Lia quickly moved to the other side of the room to clean up some herbs, giving them the illusion of privacy.

"Gaius, I'm glad I found you here," Uther said.

"As am I, My Lord. I thought I'd never see these chambers again," he admitted. Lia noted that Gaius remained rather tense in the King's presence.

"If anything was damaged in the search, I'll be only too glad to replace it," he offered.

"You're very kind, My Lord."

"Aredian... I can still scarcely believe that he was a sorcerer," Uther noted.

"Indeed," he muttered. "Is there some reason you wish to see me?"

"Yes. I, er — I wanted to say I'm sorry if you suffered at his hands," he apologized a bit awkwardly.

"But I did not suffer at his hands, Uther. I suffered at yours," Gaius reminded him. Lia was a bit surprised that he was standing up for himself against Uther. "He worked for you, My Lord. He was merely following your orders."

"But I was deceived."

"No. You were deceived long before Aredian, for you deceived yourself. You see foes where there are friends, you see sorcerers where there are but servants. I am not the first to be wrongly accused in your war against magic, and not all have been as lucky as I," Gaius explained in a calm tone.

Uther was not pleased to be reprimanded in such a way but he also understood why it was needed. It was the reason that Gaius had always been one of his most trusted advisors. "I assure you, Gaius, every measure will be taken to ensure that nothing like this will happen again."

"I hope that is true, for all our sakes," Gaius said before turning back to his workbench and the mess of books stacked on it. Uther likely wanted to say more, but Gaius spoke up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Gaius did his best to ignore Uther who watched him carefully. The King understood that there was nothing else to be discussed. However, before he left, he turned to Lia, who was quickly picking up trampled lavender sprigs.

"Lia," he called. She quickly got to her feet and faced him.

"Sire?"

"It's about your position," he began.

"Oh, I completely understand that the position was only temporary," she said, smiling softly. She would much rather remain working under Gaius because that meant he was alive. "I'm just happy to have Gaius back."

"Of course," he said, nodding. "However, after speaking with Arthur and some of the other council members, we have made a decision."

Lia tensed up, her smile dimming ever so slightly. Had she done something wrong? Was she about to be fired?

"I don't see why there can't be two Court Physicians," Uther said. "Camelot is large and your services are needed. You've certainly surpassed the skills of an apprentice. I'd be pleased if you remained in the position."

Lia hardly knew what to say, though the grin on her face told the King enough. "Thank you so much, My Lord."

He nodded and glanced once more at Gaius' back. "I'll leave you two to your work."

Once Uther was finally gone, Gaius dropped his emotionless mask. He smiled proudly at Lia, who was still processing the news.

"I believe congratulations are in order," he told her. "I had been discussing your progress with the council for some time now. I knew it would not be long."

Lia moved to his side and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much, Gaius, for everything you've taught me. And I am glad you are safe. There have been so many times in my life where I was uncertain of my future, but I am glad at least that you are in it."

"Knowing you has been thanks enough," he told her, patting her back. "You may be a Princess, but you're also a very gifted healer. Teaching you has given my life more meaning than you will ever know."

"Trust me, you've still got plenty to teach me," she assured him.

| | |

Later that afternoon, Lia had gone down to the lower town. After getting a list approved by Uther of all the ingredients that she and Gaius needed replaced, she headed to the market with the money he had provided. She shopped until her basket was full before heading back towards the castle.

"Let me carry that for you." Arthur had spotted Lia and joined her side, immediately offering her his aid. Before she could even thank him, he took the basket from her hand. "And you can carry these."

He had been holding his left hand behind his back, but then revealed it. He was holding a bouquet of pink buttercups that looked freshly picked. The bright smile that lit up Lia's face was just what Arthur was hoping for.

"They're beautiful," Lia said, accepting them from him. She brought them to her nose to smell.

"Well, I hear that congratulations are in order," he said, referring to her official promotion. "And I know how upset you were when the guards trampled the flowers from Morgana the other day."

"Oh, she works much quicker than you," Lia said in a teasing tone. "She's already replaced them with some blue hyacinths this morning."

"Always showing me up," Arthur muttered, making Lia giggle. "Ah, but I'm the one that got you pink buttercups — your favorite."

"Did you bully Merlin into telling you my favorite flower?" she asked, playfully narrowing her eyes.

"Me? Bully Merlin?" he asked, scoffing. "I simply threw pillows in his general direction until he willingly offered up the information."

Lia laughed while shaking her head. "Well, I'll be sure to thank Merlin for my buttercups."

Arthur pouted before huffing. "It wasn't Merlin who went all the way out to the wildflower field and picked them."

Lia smiled sweetly up at him, which warmed Arthur's heart. "Thank you so much. I'll put them right by my bed so that they are the first thing I see when I wake up."

Arthur quite liked that idea. Perhaps it'd lead to him being the first thing on her mind — she certainly was the first thing on his.

"I'm pleased you like them," he said, almost a bit shyly. They came to a stop as they reached the door to the physician chambers. "I suppose you have lots of work to do, being a Court Physician and all."

"That I do," she said, taking her basket back from him. "Thank you for helping me and thank you for the flowers."

"Thank you for calling on me to do the right thing. You always seem to be doing that for me." Slowly, he brushed a strand of hair that had fallen from Lia's ribbon behind her ear. She had to refrain from closing her eyes as his thumb brushed against her cheek.

"You have a good heart all on your own, My Prince. So long as you remember to follow it, you'll make a great King one day."

| | |

Lia had made Gaius his favorite meal for dinner. She was happy that he and Merlin were both alive and safe as she put the food on the table. They hadn't discussed Aredian too much, but Gaius of course had questions.

"What I don't understand is how you knew he'd concealed the evidence in his chamber," Gaius said to Merlin.

"Just a hunch, really," Merlin muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Gaius glanced at Lia, who had suddenly found her food very interesting. "I see. And the toad?"

Merlin looked up quickly and cleared his throat. "That I, um — I, er... can't explain."

"I can hardly explain it myself," Gaius said, nodding. "Unless, of course, you put it there."

He gave Merlin a pointed look. "Okay, Gaius, fair enough. I promise I will never save your life again."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely," he said, nodding.

A moment later, a smile appeared on Gaius' face and he chuckled. It wasn't long before all three of them were laughing. "Honestly, Merlin, the toad was a step too far."

"I know. I know, but you should've seen the look on his face," Merlin said, snickering.

Lia playfully nudged him. "Hey, don't go getting any ideas. If I find a toad in my pillowcase again, I'll have the King throw you in the stocks again."