"Here we are all, by day; by night we are hurledBy dreams, each one into a several world."-Robert Herrick

Merlin heard Arthur's running footsteps behind him.

"What the hell do you think you're-"He fell silent when he saw the nymph. Then after a pause, "Is she alive?"

Merlin shook his head, not taking his eyes off her. "Only just, but she won't be soon if we don't do something quickly."

"Like what? We don't have anything that could help her here."

"No, but Gaius does."

Arthur looked at him in shock. "Take her back to Camelot? Are you stupid? Father would have her neck as soon as we crossed the border."

"If we leave her here she's going to die anyway. Think about it Arthur, do you want her blood on

your hands?" Merlin clung to this with all hope, because there was something about this nymph that made Merlin want to protect her. He could quite put his finger on it, but Merlin wasn't going to let her die. Not here, at least.

Arthur sighed. "If we go back so soon, Father's going to be suspicious. How long do we have?"

"Not long. Feel her pulse, it's almost undetectable. She NEEDS to see Gaius."

"How could Gaius cure her anyway? She's a nymph, not a human. They're completely different."

Merlin chose his words carefully. A slip up here and both he and Gaius could be exposed. "It's our only chance."

"I could go back first," said Merlin, a plan forming in his head. "I know a passageway into the castle. I give her to Gaius and leave as soon as I can. Then we stay away for a while before coming back."

"It's not as simple as that. There are guards to get past, all over the city and castle. How can you cover for that? You'd be carrying a nymph for goodness sake."

"Well, do you have any better ideas?" Merlin snapped. He could sense it was a bad idea as soon as the word had left his lips. Arthur's anger was tangible behind him.

"Actually yes I do Merlin. And unless you remember your place, I'll have a better idea about what to do with your head!

"We send a letter to Gaius and get him to come out of the castle into the forest. He can help there. That way, we avoid guards and we avoid suspicion. When she's ready to move, I'll go in with you first, attracting attention..."

Of course because you always get all the attention, don't you silver spoon? Merlin thought to himself.

"...and Gaius will use your secret passageway to get her inside. Where did you find that anyway?"

Merlin froze. He had hidden Freya in that passageway. He had let Mordrid out of that passageway. How could he explain?

"I was just wondering about." He said, trying to remain ominous. Arthur seemed suspicious, but he let it drop, to Merlin's relief.

"We should bring her back to the camp before it gets too dark. We'll start travelling in the morning." Arthur said, hooking his arms around the nymph and scooping her up towards his chest.

Merlin kept his head down. After almost letting his secret out, he had no desire to say anymore. He ran his fingers through the reeds as he walked, feeling them slip past his skin. There were two things on his mind now: how to protect the nymph was the biggest one. But there was a small niggling question at the back of his mind there seemed to be no answer to- why was a water nymph out of water?

Long after Arthur fell asleep, Merlin still tossed and turned under the blankets. For the hundredth time, he walked over to the nymph and checked he pulse. It hadn't changed. It was still there, he could feel it. Thump...thump...thump...thump... She was still breathing too, but it came raggedly. He could try and use magic, but Arthur was a light sleeper in environments like this. He felt helpless as her life was slowly, but surely, flowing out of her.

The tattoos along her collarbone and arms fascinated him. It looked like a shimmering flower vine that had grown from the bottom of the lake and twisted around her whilst she slept. He touched it with his finger, then immediately withdrew it. Her skin was like ice. Merlin took his own blanket and wrapped it around her. He looked out towards the lake, whose waters were dancing with the moonbeams. Why aren't you back there? He thought. Why are you out here? Why are you dying? Are you dying? Are you enchanted? So many questions raced around in his head, almost making him dizzy trying to keep up.

Then it hit him. She was a water nymph. She needed water.

It was so simple he wondered why he and Arthur hadn't thought of it before. He took his water skin from his bag and ran down to the lake. He filled it with the dancing liquid and ran back towards the camp. He poured a small amount on a square of cloth and placed it on her forehead. Then he sat back and waited...

Merlin was beginning to think his brilliant idea had failed. Then her hand twitched. It was a small movement, but he was sure he saw it. He sat up straighter and took her hand in his. "Can you hear me?" Twitch. "Do you know where you are?" Twitch. "Do you need more water?" ...Twitch. Merlin took his water skin and poured more against the cloth. She began to stir more. Her eyes moved underneath their lids and her pulse grew stronger.

"Arthur!"

Arthur's eyes flew open and his hand was immediately on his sword. After a glance, all he saw was Merlin and the nymph.

"What?" he moaned.

"Arthur, she's waking up."

"She's what?" He immediately kicked off his blankets and ran towards them. "What did you do?"

"I gave her water!" Merlin laughed at the simplicity.

Arthur looked pleased, but Merlin saw in his eyes he was cursing himself for not thinking of it first. It had him smile even wider.

"So we don't have to take her to Camelot?" Arthur said, studying the nymph's face carefully.

"Perhaps." Merlin hadn't thought of that. His heart sank.

"Well then, problem solved."

"Hang on; do you think you can just leave her? She's not a fish; you can't just throw her back. She was there for a reason. And I'm not leaving until I find out why." Merlin said defiantly.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You're my servant and you'll go where I go. But I think you're right."

"Then what do you want to know?" said a weak, musical voice. Merlin snapped his head towards the nymph. She was awake now with her hazel eyes wide open.

"Just promise me one thing-you have to let me into Camelot. Your lives, and your destiny depends on it."

...