chapter fifty-three
053. the witchfinder

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    WINTER ALWAYS hit with a cold and harsh breeze. Even when it did not snow, the skies were grey and the grass was always wet. Mud underneath their boots was always common, but when the cold's chill settled in, the land was always a swamp of mud whenever it was not raining or storming. Fires were lit within the chambers, and food was rationed. When the snow from the mountains did travel down to the woods and valleys surrounding Camelot, it was almost unbearable to step outside. Roads were blocked for travellers, the days became dark and every soul less fortunate than those with furs spent most of their days focused on surviving. An ongoing chill in one's body during winter was always a dangerous thing. A fever could lead to death. 

    Despite this, work always seemed to continue as usual for servants. No matter the rain, or the cold or even the heat. It was their priority to make sure those they served did not feel the harsh climate like the rest of them▬even if it meant prioritising their own health and survival less than anyone else. 

    However, when Odette was not running around the castle, which in a way, kept her warm enough in itself, she often found herself in the winter months huddled in the kitchen near the cooking fires. She always enjoyed playing games with the younger servants to keep their spirits high. They'd play with nuts and stones, rolling them across the ground to knock others for points. (Until, of course, the cook grew tired of them knocking the nuts always in her direction and told them to play somewhere else). 

   Winter also became a busy month for servants of the castle, in general, to prepare for the twelve days of celebration from the winter solstice through to the early days of the new year. There would be grand banquets, excessive decoration and certain traditions▬even a certain feast where nobles would dress up in outlandish costumes to drink, eat and rebel against customs. Odette's favourite, however, was the days in which peasant labour ceased and they all could celebrate, whether they be of noble blood or not. Extra food was always prepared in the kitchens and some of it was provided by wealthy merchants and charitable nobles, where it would then be distributed to the people of Camelot so they, too, could feast as the Lord required. And gifts▬Odette truly did love the gifts! (Of course, it is not about receiving gifts, but instead the act of giving to others ... but who does not love receiving gifts? No one). 

    Odette's mother always gave her a gift. Even though she was struggling and she had no money▬even though she froze so her daughter could be warm, Ivette Mason gave Odette gifts to make her smile even on the darkest of nights. 

    Even when she went through hard times, and hid her pain and her frustration from the little girl who sometimes became the cause of it, Ivette Mason sacrificed to make sure Odette never had to face a winter where she was cold and hurting. 

     And the last gift she ever gave her, Odette cherished. She remembered the way her mother had kissed her forehead and rubbed her shoulders, wrapping her up in a thin blanket in the kitchens when she was thirteen. Instead of letting herself stay warm, she gave her daughter her gloves and her coat because she had been complaining. 

    Ivette Mason had taken her little gloved hands that were without the chapped nails and callouses Odette had now, rubbed them in her own and kissed them to try and keep them warm for her. 

    "You brave girl," she had told her, soothing Odette who was battling a fever during that night. "You brave, sweet girl. Keep your chin up."

    Young Odette sniffled and shivered, even under layers of warm clothes and even though her skin was burning. She whimpered when her mother gently placed damp rags on her neck and her forehead. "Mama▬" she had hiccuped back tears. "Mama, I hate this."

    "Oh, I know, sweetheart," her mother pulled her close and hugged her to her chest as Odette shivered, crying as they huddled together near the kitchen fire. "I know sweetheart. No one wishes for sickness. Even the bravest of knights and the greatest of kings shiver and feel miserable when they are like this, even more than you."

    Odette's throat had hurt, and she remembered finding it hard even to speak. "Really?"

    "Yes," Ivette had gently rocked her daughter back and forth, holding her tight so she could hear her beating heart, and could hide how even she held a breath of fear over dear Odette making it through the night. "Because you are strong, and you are brave, and you are special. You are my bright, fearless and most dearest girl," her mother squeezed her, determined and Odette felt a little braver. "Did I ever tell you how the world gifted me with you?"

    When she shook her head, Ivette ran her fingers through Odette's hair as she sniffled. "It was night, here at the castle. I was in this very room, braving the most dangerous storm Camelot had seen. And in that dangerous storm, amongst the howling wind and the pelting rain, I heard the calling cry of a sweet newborn girl. I stepped out into the storm, and there you were▬" she kissed her head again. "There you were, my sweet, darling Odette. My brave and strong Odette. The heavens gifted you to me, healthy and strong, despite the horrors of this world. I feared you would not make it through the night, but no matter the odds, you did. The sunrise dawned a new day, and there you still were, without a chill, and without a fever. You were perfectly healthy, and I remembered the moment the sunrise touched your face ... I remembered how you smiled. And I knew that I loved you, deeply and more than any words can ever describe. I will always love you, with all my heart. I knew you would grow to be beautiful, wise, and courageous▬the truest wealth I could ever possess. That is why I named you Odette. You are my gift."

    Ivette gently pulled Odette's damp hair off her face, holding it and taking away the clip that kept her own tightly together on the back of her head. Ivette twisted Odette's golden waves, like the dawn, and clasped it gently, but firmly▬and her hair off the back of her neck inside that beautiful hair clip gave the thirteen-year-old girl relief. 

    Slowly, Odette had fallen asleep in her mother's arms in the warmth of the fire. Ivette couldn't sleep. She had stayed up until the embers died down and the room was snuffed into darkness. Even then, she forced herself to stay awake, holding her breath and tending to her daughter through the cold night. When the sunrise at last broke through the grey clouds and the light snow on Camelot's streets into the dark shadows of the castle kitchens, Odette woke up▬alive, healthier, and with a smile on her face. 

    Not even two weeks later, her mother had died from the same sickness with her daughter at her bedside. 

    Odette cleaned up the nuts and rocks she had been using to play with the young servant children near the fire inside the kitchens years later, taking a deep breath. Her eyes found the fire and watched it for a long time, feeling a chill despite its warmth. 

    Her fingers reached up to her hair and found the same clip her mother had given her all those years ago. Pulling it out, she let her golden waves fall down her back and held the clip in front of her, resting in her lap. Odette stared at it, brushing her thumb across the faded details with a longing ache in her chest. 

    "I love you, Mama," she whispered to the hair clip. "And I miss you."

    She heard footsteps at the kitchen entrance and glanced up. Odette frowned when she saw the weary look on Guinevere's face. "All right?" she asked gently. 

    Gwen walked over and held out a hand. Odette took the offer to help her up onto her feet. "The King is calling for a council in the Throne Room, we need to get Morgana ready."

    "Council?" Odette's frown deepened, confused. "Whatever for?"

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    "IT WAS sorcery you saw, you are certain of it?"

    "Yes, Sire."

    Odette had begun to pride herself on how well she kept her expression nonchalant and blank whenever the word magic was mentioned. And in Camelot, it was mentioned quite a lot▬more often than not in front of the King, and no one truly knew whether the person accused was innocent or not, for whenever magic was uttered on the breath of any of them, the King always heard, and the King always called for execution. 

    Her gaze wandered to where Merlin stood at Gaius's side. Odette pursed her lips, always feeling a pain in her chest for him whenever these sorts of council gatherings happened. Prince Arthur's manservant watched the maid speaking before the King, and Odette saw a slight clench to his jaw and a frustration glinting in his eyes. She also prided herself on knowing Merlin well, too. 

    Or, so she hoped. Recently, it seemed Odette was being increasingly surprised by Merlin these days▬, and the surprises weren't often ones she was excited to hear about. 

    The Throne Room housed all members of the council and the court this brisk morning, with a few fires going along the walls to keep them all warm. Lady Morgana Le Fay was very quiet from where she sat on her chair to the left of the King, fiddling with her fingers and watching through her dark raven waves. The Prince, Arthur Pendragon leaned on the back of his▬his elbows crossed over the top and his fingers tapping lightly on the wood. 

    Odette saw his eyes wander▬and they always wandered to where she stood, no matter how hidden she might be. The little smile that tugged at the corner of her lift was unseen by many, but not by him. Arthur's soft gaze lingered for a moment longer, before he forced himself to look away. 

    Across the room, as always, Lord Ronyn Vecentia crossed his arms and stared at his feet, trying very hard not to fall asleep. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, subtly sighing it out and subsequently daydreaming off to another world where he didn't have to listen to another council meeting about magic ever again▬or just any council meeting. 

     "And you swear this before your King?" said Uther Pendragon, one of the very few present who seemed to show any interest. Most of them looked rather bored. 

    The servant nodded frantically. She looked very distressed. "I swear it."

    Arthur arched a brow, eyeing the maid intently. He shrugged. "Perhaps your eyes deceived you," he offered, not particularly believing a story about smoke magically changing form▬if the wind blew a certain way, any trail of smoke shifted shapes. "A trick of the light. The wind, even? It is the time of the year that weather is often unpredictable."

    The maid shook her head. She was familiar to Odette, with her thin brown hair in a long braid down her back, but she couldn't remember her name. There were so many maids and servants in this castle, and while she liked to memorise as many faces as she could, there were always more. "The smoke was alive," said the maid, breathless with terror, "I tell you. I▬I feared for my life."

    Merlin rolled his eyes to himself. Odette noticed. Beside her, Guinevere looked down at her shoes▬for even she found this a bit ridiculous. Maybe it was magic, not that Guinevere would know▬most of the faces in the room were incredulous. The moment smoke and wind became magic, surely they were all doomed. 

    Across the room, Ronyn made a subtle face that both maids caught. They bit back their chuckles▬especially when Lord Vecentia's mother noticed and quietly scolded him. 

    "I thank you for bringing this to my attention," nodded the King. "Your loyalty will not go unrewarded."

    The maid curtsied. "Thank you, Sire."

    The Knight at her side carefully escorted her out of the Throne Room, and there were some murmurs between court members as she left. 

    Sighing and turning to his son, the King shook his head and muttered. "It cannot continue."

    The Prince nodded and stood up straighter. "I agree," he said, chuckling softly. "What will be magic, next? A blooming flower?"

    "Do not jest, Arthur," his father said very quickly, taking a stern tone. "Threats of magic are growing inside Camelot, we must take action."

    Arthur blinked, taken aback. Odette▬among many others▬frowned, confused at the serious tone the King had taken. The Prince fought back his amusement. "Father," he began, "yes, there is magic in Camelot, but claims of horses in smoke?" he gestured incredulously towards the door as it closed. "I think this is merely the wind and the light tricking minds, not sorcery."

    "You heard the woman," muttered the King, resting his hands on his hips and looking very tired. "The smoke was alive. She had feared for her life. This was not the wind, it was magic."

    At the King's declaration, the dubious mutterings turned into frightful murmurs. Odette met Merlin's gaze once again and saw him swallowing back a glare▬the look on his face let her know he'd tell her later, and now she was starting to believe that perhaps this was magic. 

    "Stronger methods are called for," said the King. He then took a deep breath and announced: "Send for the Witchfinder."

    The murmurs grew. Morgana stiffened in her seat. Guinevere's eyes widened and shared a startled look with Odette. Neither of them knew who this Witchfinder was, but by the shock and horror reaction from the court and servants, they could tell this wasn't good. Lady Morgana's second handmaiden found Merlin's gaze yet again, suddenly very frightful for what this meant for him and Adelynn▬and every other innocent magic user inside the city walls and the kingdom.  

    Gaius stepped forward immediately. "Sire," he said, and his voice sounded urgent and clipped, "is it necessary to resort to such measures?"

   "The Witchfinder is a trusted ally, Gaius," said the King, though even he looked wary of the name. "His help will be invaluable."

    The physician bit his tongue. "Of course," he stepped back, but not without glancing at his nephew with a troubling frown. 

    His troubled frown followed Merlin all the way back to the physician's chambers. As soon as the door closed with a frustrated slam, Gaius exploded. "How many times, Merlin?! 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?!"

    Poor Adelynn was jolted away from the sketching that she had taken to kill time until their return. Her charcoal snapped and she let out a soft gasp, filled with dismay as the flecks of dark powder smudged her delicate depiction of the cluster of jars on the shelving opposite. 

    Merlin stammered as he stumbled after Gaius who rounded his worktable. "I▬I was▬I was not..."

    "Well then think, boy, think!"

    Adelynn frowned, both startled and perplexed. She stood up. "What has happened?" she walked up to Merlin's side, glancing up as he sighed, shaking his head▬filled with regret. 

    "I▬it was just a bit of fun," he tried to explain himself, a little flustered at the commotion this had brought. 

     "It was magic," hissed Gaius, very distressed. "And it was seen."

    Adelynn's eyes widened. "Magic?" she whispered, shocked. She spun to Merlin, not sure what to say. Reckless was a word she would often place next to Merlin's name, yes▬and so perhaps she shouldn't be so surprised. It was his recklessness and his benefit of the doubt that made him decide to show his magic to her and make all of those spur-of-the-moment decisions that saved her life. But had he gone too far this time? "You used magic in public?"

    Merlin clenched his eyes shut and sighed. "Yes, yes, I did▬" he placed his hands on the edge of the work table and rocked back on his heels for a moment to calm himself down. "Gaius, you▬you are right. I am sorry▬"

    "You must hide the book," went on the physician, not stopping his pacing. Merlin frowned. "Both of you▬" he gestured to Adelynn, "▬must hide anything that can connect either of you to sorcery in any way."

    "What? Why▬?", "▬What, now?"

    "Yes, now!" Gaius stared at them, and Adelynn started to feel panic crawl up her throat at the look on his face. "The man that Uther has sent for, I know him."

    "The Witchfinder?" frowned Merlin and the name made that panic inside Adelynn's throat constrict. 

    "The Witchfinder?" she echoed with a soft, horrified gasp.

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

     Merlin tried to hide the nervous chuckle in the back of his throat. "B▬But I am not a witch," he shrugged. "Look▬" he glanced down at his clothes. "No dress, or anything. My name is not even Adelynn▬"

     She shoved him lightly for that comment. Gaius did not look amused. Merlin's smile fell and he cleared his throat. "I'll get the book."

    Adelynn pursed her lips and quickly followed him up the few steps of stairs and into his chambers. She kept the door ajar and turned up her nose at the mess of clothes at her feet. She picked up her dress skirts and stepped over them as Merlin rummaged around for his magic books. 

    "You do realise you have a cupboard?" she murmured, glancing at the open dresser on the left wall of Merlin's chamber▬though it seems its existence had been forgotten just at a single glance at the state of his room. He didn't humour her comment with an answer, instead rummaging through anything that could be linked to sorcery of any kind and gathering them into his arms. "Why did you do it?"

    "I was not thinking," huffed Merlin▬frustrated as he sat down on the edge of his bed. He slumped, angry with himself. "I suppose I saw an opportunity where I thought no one would notice and wished to experience what it would be like to be able to practice freely▬is that such a horrible thing?"

    "No," said Adelynn softly. She fiddled with her fingers and decided to sit down beside him. He shuffled over to give her room. She relaxed her posture and clasped her fingers together. 

    Merlin shook his head. "It is just ... it is hard to know a better world is coming and yet have to live every day without it. Makes you wonder if it will ever come to pass."

    "No, it will," she said, and Merlin glanced at her, surprised by how sure she sounded. Adelynn pursed her lips, a little surprised herself. She took a gentle breath and added: "Besides, you have already come too far to start to lose hope, now. You have to keep fighting. Change does not happen overnight."

    The young warlock tilted his head, and he felt grateful to have Adelynn sitting with him right now. He smiled. She replied with a small one of her own. In the back of her mind, she thought of the omens and advice the ghost in her mirror whispered▬To listen to the world around her, to feel the change in the air and look past the surface to the root of magic beneath the earthen ground. Adelynn had trouble▬but right now, finding them seemed easier. Hope showed itself through Merlin▬she could feel his connection to the magic running through her veins and the earth around them; resonating in the minerals the stone walls and floor were made from, in the air and the sunlight beaming through the window. Maybe that was why they were so connected because they were also both so connected to nature. 

    "And until then," she continued, "if you ever feel lonely you can ... practice magic with me," Adelynn offered. "You seemed to have already figured out how to sneak up to my chambers anyway," she chided and Merlin scoffed a breath of amusement. 

    He nodded. "Thanks," he said softly, and she smiled once again. 

    "Friends spend time together if they are lonely," she said.

    The weight that always seemed to hold Merlin down lifted, and his features softened. "That they do."

    As the day passed onto evening and then very late into the night, the candles in the Lady Morgana's chambers were still lit. Odette had to replace a new candle as the wick had burnt down, frowning across the room to where her mistress stood as still as a statue by her window. Since this morning, she had been under the weather▬it would seem. There was a slight tremor to her and she seemed as cold as ice. Odette and Guinevere had been worried and asked Gaius to see her, and the physician merely suggested bed rest for the King's Ward, but other than that, there seemed to be nothing out of the sort with her. That didn't change the concern her handmaidens held. They knew Morgana very well▬they had pushed through her evenings of night terrors and hysterical mornings; this was different. 

    However, it did not help when all Morgana did was try to reassure them and say that she was perfectly well▬even though they knew she wasn't. It was strange because the three of them were very close despite their different social hierarchies. Morgana used to tell them all of her troubles and was not afraid to seek comfort from them. But now, it felt as though Morgana told them nothing. 

    Odette didn't like it. Perhaps she was still sour over the secrets Merlin had been keeping from her, but at the thought of Morgana also keeping secrets, it made her wonder why they didn't trust her anymore▬Had she done something wrong? 

    Guinevere returned from taking Morgana's dirty plates from dinner back to the kitchens. Softly closing the door, she noticed the King's Ward had barely moved from where she had been when she left. Lips pursed in her worry, she walked up to Odette who was cleaning the surface of Morgana's dresser and whispered: "No change?"

    Odette subtly glanced at their mistress over her shoulder before shaking her head. "No," she whispered to Guinevere. "I am worried▬she seems spooked like she has had a night terror but still will not say anything to me about it."

    Gwen's worry only grew, her brows knitting together as she glanced at Morgana again. "My Lady?" she spoke up gently, walking over to her. Morgana didn't look away from the courtyard outside. "It is late, do you not wish to retire to bed?"

    Instead of responding to her question, Morgana suddenly hitched back a small gasp. "He is here," she whispered, horrified. 

    Gwen's frown deepened. "Who is here?" she moved to glance out the window and her chest twisted. "Who is that?"

    Not wishing to be left out, Odette shuffled towards the window as well and stepped in beside Morgana. She could feel how stiff she was. Glancing down into the dark courtyard, Odette saw it empty aside from a single wagon making its way over the bridge. Except, it was not a wagon. A chill went down her spine to see the glint in the moonlight▬a glint belonging to the metal bars of a cage; a horrific cage with spikes and chains. It looked like it was for some horrific, monstrous beast. It was carted by a strong gelding, tethered and guided by a mysterious man in a long, dark leather cloak and wide-brim hat. It shadowed his eyes, and he seemed to blend in with the shadows; lurking where they could not see, until he tilted his head and there he existed, more ghost than human. 

    Odette had a feeling she knew who this man was. "Is that him?" she whispered. "The Witchfinder?"

    Morgana took a shaky breath. Her voice was so small they could barely hear it. "Yes."

    "What is that cage for?"

    "It hardly bares thinking about," managed Morgana, a shiver running through her at the very sight of it. 

    The Witchfinder fiddled with the saddle on his horse for a moment in the dark, and the three of them watched with anxious breaths. Until he slowly looked over his shoulder and raised his head▬even this far away, Odette could tell his eyes landed on them in the candlelight of the window; as if he knew they had been there the entire time. 

    All three of them let out a hitched gasp of terror this time. There was something about the Witchfinder that made them uncomfortable▬made their stomachs churn. 

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    THE PRESENCE of the Witchfinder hung over Camelot the next day. Even if he were not around, it still felt as though he lurked behind every corner and in every single shadow▬watching, analysing, picking apart their secrets. Adelynn was advised by Gaius to stay away from the physician's chambers during the Witchfinder's visit for her own safety. They had to make sure Aredian received no idea that neither she nor Merlin practiced magic, or even had a slither of a connection to it. And so, she was stuck back in her chambers, and maybe it was a good thing. If she was locked away and hidden, then the Witchfinder would not know of her to even question her lies. When placed in front of him, Adelynn was scared that she would not be able to hide her nerves. 

    She spent most of the morning painting to try and keep her nerves at bay. It didn't help, however, and Adelynn continued to feel frustration with every stroke she made▬picking apart the colours she chose to try and depict the vase of flowers in her room. She huffed an angry sound, trying to blend out the shadows at the base of the vase with a dry brush▬and for some reason, the talent she was praised on by her family and friends suddenly did not exist. 

    The door opened and she gasped, dropping her brush into her water. Adelynn scowled and looked over her shoulder, not surprised to see that it was her brother who interrupted her peace and quiet.

    "You have no manners," she told him as Ronyn dropped down into the chair at her dining table, slumping and throwing his head back with a dramatic groan. "Why are you here?"

    "Why must you speak in such an annoying manner?" he simply replied in a very similar tone. 

    "I do not know," she quipped, standing up and walking over to him to shove his shoulder lightly▬just enough to make him go off balance and scramble to grab the end of the table to keep the chair from tipping. "But if it bothers you so much, then do not barge into my chambers."

    Ronyn swatted her hand away which tried to shove him again. "Stop," he told her and reached for her jug of water to pour himself a cup. "I need to speak with you."

    She could have said something else that would surely annoy him, but considering she was close to throwing all of her paints out, Adelynn let out a dramatic sigh that was very similar to Ronyn's own and sat down. "What do you want?"

    He sipped his water and rolled his eyes at her tone. "That's not a very lady-like tone."

    Adelynn gave him a blank look. Ronyn bit back an amused smirk at the reaction he got. But in then fell and he leaned forward, taking a serious tone. She frowned. "What?"

    "It has just been an interesting morning," said her older brother. "That Witchfinder thinks he can put his nose into our family's business. He wished to speak to you."

    Her heart skipped a fearful beat. She stiffened. She hoped her brother wouldn't notice, but she knew better. Ronyn was frustrating and obnoxious but he was also surprisingly observant and intelligent. "Why?"

    "I do not know," he watched her carefully. "Perhaps it is because you have been learning under Gaius," Ronyn watched his fingers on the table, tapping a pattern absent-mindedly. "He spoke with Merlin▬he is a witness to the incident."

    "Is Merlin all right?" 

    "Assume so," Ronyn shrugged. "It is not like Merlin was the one to conjure magic," he chuckled and shook his head. "Can you believe that? Clumsy Merlin a sorcerer? I say this Witchfinder is here just for the money. That smoke would have been a trick of the wind and the sunlight."

    Adelynn forced a nervous chuckle, not ready to tell Ronyn he was wrong. "Yes ... Imagine that."

    He noticed her anxious tone and pursed his lips. Reaching forward, Ronyn took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Fret not, dear sister," he said to her, thinking she was merely anxious about Witchfinder. She was, but not in the way he would think. "I did not give him permission to speak with you."

    She nodded, bottling down a frustration. However, it was not worth the effort of starting a spat with her brother over how she was perfectly able to speak for herself. She was simply grateful the Witchfinder would not pull her aside, and she would have to figure out just how great she truly was at lying under pressure. 

    "One thing I do love about being a Lord," chuckled Ronyn as he leaned back in his chair, moving past the apprehension Adelynn held. He smirked. "Telling people like the Witchfinder 'no'▬You should have seen the look on his face. I suppose he had never heard the word before."

    "Why did you say no?" she couldn't help but ask.

    Ronyn made a face, perplexed as to why she would ask such a question. "Why wouldn't I?" He crossed his arms as he rocked her chair back and forth against the table. "You do not have magic, he would be wasting his time. Besides, I will not have a man like that speak to you ever, Adelynn. Or any man alone. Not unless I am there with you to protect you. I will always protect you, as is my responsibility."

    Adelynn felt her throat close up as a horrible thought struck her▬Would Ronyn think differently if he knew the truth? If he knew she had magic, would he still want to protect her then? Would all of those days and nights where he held her close, trembling and yet not moving as he took the brut of their father's beatings to keep her safe matter anymore? Would all of that mean nothing?

    She did not want to think about that. It made her feel sick. Adelynn just smiled, even if it did not reach her eyes. "You do not always have to protect me. I am not a little girl anymore."

    "You are my sister," Ronyn said, taking a sterner tone to push his point across▬stubborn and determined. "It does not matter how old we are, I will always be there to keep you safe."

    Adelynn smiled softly. She tilted her head at her brother and wondered when he grew up so much and so quickly. It seemed like yesterday he stumbled in through her window, almost black-out drunk. And yet, even then, despite all of his problems and his faults, Ronyn took the responsibility of protecting her and their mother seriously even before he became Lord Vecentia. He had been protecting them since Adelynn could remember. 

    She just wished he'd let her protect him sometimes, too. 

    Ronyn rocked the chair back again and glanced over at her painting. She saw him smile and a look of pride washed over his face, gleaming bright in his eyes. "I will have that hung in the hallways when you have finished. It is a masterpiece worthy of the greats."

    "It is terrible," Adelynn told him. "I have mixed the wrong colours and the blending is▬"

    "Your voice is so annoying," he cut her off and she scoffed, shaking her head. But Adelynn chuckled despite it, knowing it was his way of telling her to stop and take the compliment. "It grates at my ears, you whiner."

     "Get out of here," she told him instead, kicking his shin lightly under her table. "You are stinking up my chambers, you pest. Go follow the Prince around and annoy him."

    Ronyn sent her a sarcastic smile as he went to leave, and Adelynn replied with one of her own before he closed the door. Once he was gone, though, the smile slipped away and she felt a painful ache in her chest▬one that weighed her down for the rest of the day. 

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    "SPEAK. Do not be afraid."

    The Witchfinder's search was not proving as fruitless as a lot of them believed. Finding herself standing near Guinevere once again inside the Throne Room on the very first afternoon since Aredian's arrival, Odette was very perplexed to find three peasant girls from the Lower Town adverting their gazes from the King▬anxious and trembling ever so slightly. They all looked very pale. Odette did not blame them▬not when they had the haunted look in the Witchfinder's eyes that followed them as he paced back and forth behind them. 

    At a close glance, he was even more mysterious. His face seemed void of any emotion, and his eyes were cold▬an icy, winter blue. His long, black cloak dragged the floor at his heavy boots, but he barely made a sound with each step. 

    Odette's glance gradually wandered from the Witchfinder onto Morgana, who had not changed since last night. She gripped the edges of her seat, her knuckles pale and rigid. The dark circles under her eyes showed her lack of sleep. 

    At last, the first girl on the left took a shaky breath. She fiddled with her winter shawl▬one that would barely be warm enough, but it was probably the only one she had. "I ..." she swallowed hard and the King shifted to the edge of his throne, listening with a bated breath. "I was drawing water from the well, Sire," she began. "W▬When I saw them ... faces in the water, Sire." Her voice trembled. Her eyes were rimmed red from her tears. "T▬Terrible faces ... like people who were drowned ... screaming!"

    She choked up and the Witchfinder placed a hand on her shoulder. She whimpered, but fell silent, hitching back her terrified sobs. Odette frowned and looked over her shoulder at Merlin, confused. He subtly shrugged, having no clue about any of this. 

    The Witchfinder swept to the next witness. "Tell them what you saw."

    Her eyes were also rimmed with red. She sniffled and rubbed them with her knuckles gently. "A▬A goblin dancing on the coals. It was dancing in the flames, and▬and it spoke, Sire. My heart near stopped for fear of it!"

    "As you have heard, My Lord," continued the Witchfinder, his voice as slender as his build, "the incident in the woods was only the beginning." He stopped at the final girl▬she was young, barely even sixteen it seemed. Her eyes were red-rimmed and irritated from crying so much. Odette recognised her from the kitchens. 

    She didn't speak until the Witchfinder nudged her and she gasped, flinching out of her terrified daze. "I▬" she swallowed back her tears. "There was a sorcerer, Sire," she told the King, her voice small and vulnerable, "in the square. There were▬there were creatures jumping right out of his mouth!"

    Aredian kept a hand on her shoulder as if coaxing the poor young girl. Odette narrowed her eyes▬there was something about him that made her feel very uncomfortable. "And what matter of creature, my dear?"

    The girl gasped as if she only just remembered. "Oh, toads, Sire!" she exclaimed in a fearful whisper. "Great green, slimy things, as big as your fist!"

    There were a few horrified exchanges and murmurs among members of the Court. Odette's confusion doubled and she found Merlin's gaze▬he looked even more perplexed at all of this. 

    "The sorcerer laughs in your face!" announced the Witchfinder to the room of nobles and royalty. "Even now," he turned to Uther who seemed just as terrified as the three girls standing before him, "magic flourishes on the streets of Camelot."

    The King shook his head. "I can scarcely believe it," he murmured, stunned. 

    The Witchfinder hummed. "Yet it is the truth, My Lord. Fortunately," he clasped his hands behind his back and continued to pace the foreground of the throne room, "I have utilised every facet of my craft to bring this matter to a swift resolution."

    The King was on his feet. On his right, Arthur stood up straighter, his arms falling from the back of his chair. "The sorcerer?" gasped Uther, filled with anxious anticipation. "You have a suspect?"

    Odette noticed Morgana hunch up▬she grew tense, and her eyes became frantic; suddenly looking more like a caged animal than a beautiful young lady. Her youngest handmaiden frowned, very curious.

    "Oh, I do, My Lord," said the Witchfinder. "I regret to say they stand among us in this very room."

    The growing murmurs within the crowd of nobles grew into something more frantic. Ronyn who stood across the Throne Room glanced around, looking very tense. Beside Odette, Guinevere hitched her breath. 

    "My methods," went on Aredian, "are infallible, my findings incontestable. The facts point to one person and one person alone▬" the Witchfinder spun on his feet and brandished a finger through the crowd, landing on the Prince's manservant standing at Gaius's side. "The boy, Merlin!"

    Odette's eyes widened and her gasp was lost in her throat. She stood rigid, staring in shock and horror as she watched Merlin's lies unravel at his feet just like that▬and none of them were able to do anything. His gaze met hers, and he looked terrified. 

    Until Arthur scoffed a laugh. 

    The tension dropped and shattered like a mason had struck it with a hammer. Everyone spun to the Prince who looked like he had just watched a hilarious satirical performance. The King frowned at him, annoyed and surprised by his behaviour. But Arthur couldn't help it. He snorted and looked down, biting back his want to burst into hysterical laughter. 

    "Sorry," he cleared his throat and placed a hand in front of his mouth to hide his smile. The Witchfinder was not amused. "I do apologise... It is just ..." he scoffed another laugh. "Merlin?" His incredulity echoed out into the Throne Room.  

    All those who knew Merlin, and did not know his secret looked very similar. Guinevere wore a dubious frown, glancing back at the manservant as if she, too, found it hard to laugh. Ronyn made a face at the Witchfinder, finding him even more ridiculous than before. 

    Arthur arched an incredulous brow at Aredian. "You cannot be serious?"

    But his amusement did nothing to waver the Witchfinder's determination▬and neither was the King prepared to wave off an accusation such as this. Gaius stepped forward in front of Merlin, glowering at Aredian who for once, was not emotionless. Instead, he looked very smug. "This is outrageous!" exclaimed the Court Physician. "You have no evidence!"

    "The tools of magic cannot be hidden from me."

    The Prince shook his head. "This has to be some kind of mistake," he said, turning to the King. "Father, please. You must see that this is ridiculous. Merlin is in no way a sorcerer. He can barely walk in a straight line without stumbling over."

    Even in his terror, Merlin's expression went blank at that comment. 

    "I would advise you not to dismiss the boy so easily, Prince Arthur," said the Witchfinder quickly. "I am certain that a thorough search of the boy's chamber will deliver us all we need."

    Odette was stiff, her heart racing as she watched the scene unfold in front of her with no power to do anything. All she could do was watch and feel her heart twist when the King set his gaze on the young sorcerer. "Merlin?"

    Merlin swallowed the anxious lump in his throat. "I have nothing to hide from him."

    "Very well," the King returned to his seat. "Guards, restrain the boy. Let the search begin."

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    THEY WOULD not allow her into the dungeons to see Merlin. They would not allow her near the physician's chambers as they searched. Odette paced the corridors at the foot of the stairwell at one of the smaller west towers. She fiddled with her fingers, her heart racing as she waited for them to descend and she would have her answer. 

    "I am sure they will find nothing," the reassuring words of Bedivere passed Odette's ears, not offering her much comfort. She paced back and forth in front of him in the small alcove. She should be with Morgana, but in her current state, the King's Ward did not notice the absence of Odette at all▬and she will try not to be hurt by the fact later. Bedivere saw her while accompanying Sir Leon, and was pleased when he could be dismissed to keep the handmaiden company (out of trouble) while the Knight aided in searching the physician's chambers. "If Merlin is innocent, it will show itself."

    She merely scoffed at the thought, shaking her head and continuing her fretful pace. "I am sure the Witchfinder will name anything as magic and the King will believe it▬" she murmured under her breath so no guards in the corridor would hear. "And Merlin cannot argue his innocence against the King. A servant's word means nothing."

    "Arthur is with them," offered Bedivere, growing a little dizzy at her pacing. "He is on Merlin's side, surely." He sighed at her fretfulness. "Odette▬" he tried to calm her. When she didn't listen, the squire reached out a hand and took her elbow. "Odette, will you stop and take a breath for a moment?"

    She huffed but did as he said. Odette met his gaze, unable to find any hope amongst her sheer worry. Not when it was Merlin in danger▬not when she knew, deep down, both the King and the Witchfinder had made a decision. She could try and ask Morgana to speak with the King, she could beg Arthur to argue Merlin's case against his father▬and she probably will, but recent lessons in life have taught her that her hopeful nature was more often than not dangerous naivety that only put her in more pain. 

    "Have faith," Bedivere said to her, offering her a small smile▬as if he believed a simple reminder of Odette's nature would bring her relief. And why wouldn't he? He had known her not that long; her unconditional faith and hope were all he saw. Though, in this circumstance with her heart racing, all Odette felt was a breath of patronisation. 

    "I am not silly," she chided Bedivere, going back to pacing. The squire sighed to himself and rubbed his eyes which were sure to cross at her frantic pace. "I know how the King's mind works when it comes to magic. He does not see reason."

    "Shh," he quickly said, glancing out into the corridor where there were a pair of guards a few doors down. "Quiet yourself, Odette. Do you wish to face the King's wrath, too?"

    She pursed her lips but knew better not to heed Bedivere's warning. Odette finally stopped pacing and leaned her back against the wall of the alcove, fiddling with her fingers anxiously.

    The footsteps echoing down the stairwell leading up to the physician's chambers made Odette stiffen. She stepped out into the centre of the alcove to see what the result was▬to see the looks on Gaius's face, and she would know. 

    The first one down into the corridor was Arthur. He took a few steps down the hallway, and like he knew she would be standing there waiting, his gaze found hers. Odette frowned, confused at the look on his face▬a look of pure regret and anguish she wasn't used to seeing on him; a painful guilt that made her heart twist. 

    Arthur couldn't say anything to her. He couldn't go to her when the guards marched down the stairwell with someone grasped between them. The Prince had to watch the way Odette's face dropped and her breath hitch in shocked horror▬filled with both confusion and terror to see Gaius be pulled down the corridor, arrested at the order of the King. 

    "Gaius?" Odette let out, and her voice sounded distant to her ears. She didn't think. She stepped forward and she felt Bedivere hold her back. "Gaius?"

    Hearing her voice, Gaius glanced over his shoulder as he was being dragged away. The young handmaiden struggled, feeling like her heart was being ripped right out of her chest and dragged with him. "Do not say anything!" he warned her as he was pulled away. "Do not say anything, do not do anything, Odette!" 

   "Gaius▬" she struggled and tried to pull her way towards him, but Bedivere was stronger than she thought. "No▬!" Odette could do nothing, she had to just stand there and watch Gaius be taken away; arrested with the smug smirk of the Witchfinder following him. 

    She couldn't think. Odette didn't need to be told what had happened to know that Gaius had been taken in Merlin's place. Her breath hitched▬and she did all she could to not start crying. Her knees were shaky, and voices around her were muddled. 

    Odette slipped out of Bedivere's grip at last and took off running up the staircase towards the physician's chambers, her heart pounding painfully. 

    She picked up her skirts to run faster, pulling herself up with a hand on the stone wall to keep her balance. When Odette reached the open doorway, she skidded inside, and her heart dropped at what she found. 

    The physician's chambers were ransacked. Odette's breath was shaky as she took a few steps inside, and her slippers crunched on broken glass. Gaius's manuscripts were thrown across the room▬decades of work strewn and turned into nothing but ripped pages on the ground. Chairs were thrown; legs were broken in half. The clay vase Odette always put flowers in was shattered beneath the window, and vials of his potions and medicines were spilt in puddles and shattered▬the entire room looked as though a windstorm had tunnelled through. 

    Odette forced herself to walk further inside, a painful lump clawing at her throat. 

    But soon, her legs seemed to stop working and her knees buckled. Odette hit the ground and stayed there, breaking down into tears as she knelt there in the mess and destruction of Gaius's chambers▬realising that this last part of her life that felt like a safe haven had been taken away from her, too; destroyed and ruined, and she was going to have to watch another person who has always looked after her▬since she could remember▬be taken away from her, too, in a horrible way. 

     Odette didn't know how long she had been sitting there, crying in the ransacked mess of Gaius's chambers when someone else entered. 

    She looked over her shoulder, tear-stricken and saw Merlin. 

    No words were spoken between them▬she knew he understood, and he understood she knew. 

    Merlin walked up towards her and slowly knelt at her side. He glanced around the room, guilt rising his chest and tearing him apart. He met her gaze and watched the way Odette fought back more tears▬Until Merlin wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. She broke down once again and Merlin held her tight. 

    He wanted to apologise, but the words couldn't form on his tongue. All of this▬everything ... it was his fault, and to say that would have to admit that if Gaius died, it would be all Merlin's fault. And that thought alone made him find it hard to breathe, and so he just closed his eyes and rested his head on top of Odette's, hiding his tears amongst her golden hair. 

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     a/n: heyyyyyyyyyy

     i dunno how i feel about this chapter i'm sorry. 

    but i missed odette and the gang so much and i'm glad to finally post a chapter <333

    (minimal editing)