Warnings and Promises
'I can't quite believe you're back,' Gwen's friend Elena commented. 'It's been two years and you've simply come back to help me?'
Gwen paused, looking from her bag to her friend, who sat in a rocking chair with her baby cradled carefully in her arms. 'Yes,' she replied. 'Of course I'd come back for you. You're the only friend who believed me.'
'Well thank you. But what will Arthur say? He declared if you returned he'd have you killed!'
'I've already seen Arthur. He was surprised to see me. I asked him outright if he was going to have me killed but he has given me leave to stay.'
'Did you seek him out?'
'No, he was the first person I saw when I rode into Camelot. Everybody was watching and now they'll have another chance to talk about my immoral character.'
Elena shook her head in annoyance, 'Even though two years have gone by heaven forbid that people find something else to talk about.'
'At least I've made my mark on Camelot,' Gwen remarked mockingly.
'Even though you did nothing wrong?' Elena questioned.
'But I did,' Gwen replied.
'Not through choice!'
'Let the people believe what they want to believe in.'
'Right. Because you're so tough.'
'Yes.' Looking up, she caught Elena's grimace at who was thinking of all the names people called Gwen. 'Don't give me that look—I am a lot stronger now. You on the other hand-' her voice soft with concern as she looked at Elena cradling Marian-'Look like you need a week of solid sleep.'
'I'm better than what I was.' Elena looked down at Marian. 'It's just hard losing Ewan and Marian falling ill at the same time. Arthur and the knights have helped me as much as possible, but-'
'It's not the same.' Gwen finished the sentence for her. 'Why didn't you say something sooner?' Gwen put her bag down on the floor and sat down on a chair.
'I wasn't sure you'd come.'
'Of course I would. Where else would I be—you're like my family. I loved this town before all the problems began. I had my friends and family here.' Gwen could feel sentimental tears rise and she swallowed them back.
'Thank you for coming,' Elena said reaching out to hold one of Gwen's hands in hers. 'Do you want to hold Marian?'
'Oh yes hand her over,' Gwen held her arms out eagerly. Gwen cradled Marian to her and bright blue eyes stared back at her. Her rosebud mouth was puckered and a flush across her cheeks betrayed her illness. 'What have you tried to relieve the illness?' she questioned.
'Everything anybody could think of,' Elena replied in a frustrated voice, 'nothing has worked and I can't lose her. I just can't.' Elena broke off crying.
'Have you tried Camphor?'
'Yes. It didn't help. Nothing has helped. Please help her. I know you've worked as a healer for the past two years.'
'I'm not up to Gaius' or Merlin's standard but I've worked with a lot of children and medicines.' Gwen looked down at Marian again. She was only a few months old, with curly black hair and as she slept, she whimpered.
'How long has she had the fever?' she asked stroking a finger down Marian's cheek.
'Five days and she grows weaker by the day. She won't take any milk. She cried at first but she no longer has enough strength to even do that. There must be something you can do,' Elena begged.
Gwen was remembering something—one of the boys in Mercia where she'd been working had been sick with fever. The physician she was working with had prescribed a brew of myrrh and ginseng. Gwen had returned the next day and the fever was broken, the boy able to take food.
'We must make a brew of myrrh and ginseng,' she told Elena quickly. 'Do you have these things?' Elena shook her head. 'No, but Merlin will have them. I'll go get them.'
'No you stay with Marian. I'll get them. Also all these blankets aren't healthy for her,' Gwen replied unwrapping the heavy blanket. Gwen handed Marian back to Elena and headed for the castle hastily.
