Gwaine fought hard to stay strong, but even so his jaw trembled slightly as he and several other Knights rode up to the citadel of Camelot; stable boys taking the reins of the horses as soon as the Knights drew them to a halt. Calmly Gwaine dismounted and then reverently removed the wrapped body that had been on the back of his mount.
The body that was wrapped up in the blanket was Merlin; he knew it was. The body was burned beyond recognition, but even so the red scarf around the neck was unmistakable; that plus the raven head of hair which was almost completely burned off told Gwaine that without a doubt this was the body of his friend.
Slowly the Knight took the body inside. Gaius would want to see it, as would Arthur. He didn't want them to know but each of them needed to know.
Gaius saw a lone man riding into Camelot. It must be Gwaine, although he secretly hoped it had been Merlin. Gwaine and Merlin were the only missing people. He didn't know what had happened out there. Neither Arthur, nor any of the knights were willing nor did he want to talk. The physician didn't press them. They were all injured and weak from their time away.
He hurried out of his chambers and to the man. Noticing Gwaine's pallor, the physician frowned. "Gwaine, what happened," he asked; his tone was that of worry. "Where's Merlin?" He saw the bundle in the knight's arms, but he chose to ignore it.
Gwaine swallowed, not wanting to tell Gaius anything. How could he tell the physician that Merlin was gone? Gaius had asked where Merlin was. Surely he had seen the bundle but maybe it didn't enter the older man's mind that it could be his young pupil.
"I'm sorry Gaius, there was nothing I could do," Gwaine said, shifting the bundle in his arms half to get the cramps out and half to gesture to the physician that the thing in his arms was Merlin.
The older man frowned. A lump formed in his throat as his stomach clenched. He looked at the body in Gwaine's arms and merely nodded. "You need naught apologize, Gwaine," said the man in a quiet voice. "Morgana was involved, wasn't she? Little can be done when she is involved, as you have found out many times."
"He was already gone when I found him." It pained the knight to admit that he failed the warlock. Maybe if he had found the lad sooner he would still be alive. Maybe...maybe...I failed him."
Gaius placed a hand on the knight's shoulder and squeezed. "You did not fail him," the man said firmly. "The King is safe. He is alive. That would be all Merlin cared for. He would give up his life for Arthur, you know it and I know it. Arthur's living would be a success to Merlin."
"Come, let's take Merlin to my chambers so I may examine him and yourself," said Gaius. He could not bring himself to call Merlin a corpse or body. "Arthur is there. I just finished tending his wounds."
Gwaine didn't answer at first. Physically he felt fine, a little sore and tired perhaps, but it Gwaine didn't answer at first. Physically he felt fine, a little sore and tired perhaps, but it was nothing that a little sleep couldn't fix. He heaved a sigh, not wanting to face Arthur. It was hard enough having to tell Gaius. The next question would be how would Arthur react to the news? The King and his manservant had always been so very close. The knowledge that Merlin was gone - it would tear the King apart.
"Lead the way," Gwaine muttered, wanting Gaius to lead the way to his chambers.
Gaius nodded. He strode through the hall with deliberate steps. As he walked, the physician listened to Gwaine's slow and labored steps. They probably should've gotten a stretcher for Merlin, but they hadn't. It was too late now.
Soon enough, Gwaine and Gaius were at the physician's quarters. Opening the door, the old man entered. He left it open so Gwaine could carry the body in.
Wordlessly, he went over to Arthur's bed and knelt. The old man looked the King in the eyes. "Sire," Gaius began slowly. "Gwaine has returned. I afraid he comes bearing grievous news. Merlin…is dead."
The King had been lying down, his bare chest covered in bandages that were half way soaked through with his blood. He had been developing a small fever so Gwen had been by his side applying a cool, wet compress to his head. When Gaius had come in and knelt down, Gwen had removed the compress, but had to force Arthur to not try and sit up.
After the news came Gwen felt her husband inwardly sigh; his muscles seemingly giving out even as he lay there. "Are you certain?" Arthur asked, keeping his gaze focused on Gaius. It was Gwaine who spoke. He had placed the wrapped body on the nearby bed and was standing between it and Arthur.
"Yes Sire," he replied, "We're certain."
Arthur pursed his lips and nodded his head before looking away. It was clear he was having a hard time processing what he had just been told. He had just lost his one true friend. How the hell was he supposed to handle this?
Not liking the soiled clothes or the fever brewing in Arthur's weary body Gaius stood. He grabbed some clean gauze after making a tea of yarrow and willow. "Gwen, would you mind changing Arthur's bandages and could you get him to drink this, please," he asked the Queen as he sat them on a small table beside her. "I need to examine Gwaine and then Merlin's…body."
He went over to Gwaine and removed the man's borrowed tunic. He noted the bruising around the ribs and scratches. "Does anything hurt," the Physician asked. With tender fingers, he felt each rib.
Gwaine didn't even look at Gaius as the older man had begun his prodding. Instead, the knight had been watching his King and Queen. Gwen was busy trying to console Arthur, who was unresponsive and who was just staring at the wall to his left.
"No," Gwaine finally answered, "That thing I saw in the tunnels; whatever it was. It healed me. I don't know how." He wasn't sure he should have told the physician about the creature in the tunnels. It wasn't evil or mean whatever it was.
Gaius raised an eyebrow. "I see," said the physician. "Whatever it was did a decent job. I am going to put some balm on the bruising, though." Going to his cupboards, he chose a mustard paste and got more gauze. Back at the knight's side, he rubbed a thin layer of the medicine around Gwaine's torso and covered it with the strips of gauze.
"Now, no heavy lifting or training for a week," he explained. "There's some stew on the fire if you're hungry and a cot to sleep on for the night."
Gwaine only nodded his head in response. He didn't particularly want to stay the night in the physician's chambers, but he knew if he tried to leave, Gaius would jump all over him and protest that his bruises needed time to heal, so with only a small sigh the brave knight ambled over to a cot that was on the other side of the room. He sat down on the edge of it with shoulders hunched and his gaze on the floor. How could he have failed Merlin so badly?
Gaius paid no attention to the knight, instead he went over to the wrapped body. Uncovering the form, he grimaced. The being was unrecognizable, except for the neckerchief. Untying it, the physician examined the cloth. The fabric wasn't quite as charred as the rest of the body. Shaking it off, he brought the neckerchief to Arthur. "Sire, would you…would you like Merlin's scarf," he asked.
Slowly, Arthur turned his head to look at Gaius. It was easy to tell from the way the King had his shoulders hunched and jaw set that he was trying his best not to be seen as weak, but the sheen in his eyes said otherwise. Gently, Arthur reached out his hand and took the slightly damaged neckerchief from the physician. Blue eyes studied the burn marks that seemed to be etched into the fabric as a weak and weary mind played back Merlin's last moments.
Merlin had yelled his name; had run towards him, but Morgana had used her magic to toss the younger man against the stone rocks. Why? Why had she further proceeded to torture the boy after he was dead?
Arthur closed his eyes, trying to get the sound of his best friend hitting the wall out of his mind but he couldn't stop the sounds nor the vision of Merlin splatting against the wall out of his head. His manservant hadn't hit the wall that hard. Surely it shouldn't have killed him, but maybe it wasn't the wall, but the impact with the ground that had snapped his neck or maybe he had hit his head harder than Arthur had thought.
Gaius sighed. The man felt very old right then. He also felt quite unsure of himself. His life felt empty without Merlin. He wanted to mourn his ward, but right then, Gaius couldn't. He had patients to tend to.
Feeling Arthur's forehead, the man felt the fever simmering beneath his skin. Picking up the cup filled with the fever reliever, Gaius pressed it against Arthur's lips. "Drink this, sire," he instructed. "And then, you must rest. I can give you a sleeping draught if you wish."
The King began to move his head away but stopped when he felt Gwen's soft, reassuring hands on his arm. He didn't want the medicine; didn't feel like he really deserved it. He had been so hell bent on rescuing his men that he didn't stop to think of the consequences of his actions.
"Arthur, you must drink it." Gwen murmured in a pleading voice. She was trying to be brave but there was no dismissing the hint of worry that was clear in her words.
"I should have...should have..." Arthur began to whisper but he was cut short by a soft shushing sound. "What has happened cannot be undone. Do not let Merlin's sacrifice be for nothing. Please, drink it." Gwen replied, taking the cup from Gaius and once again holding it to her husband's lips. Slowly blue eyes found hers and a moment of trust passed between husband and wife before Arthur slowly sipped on the liquid in the cup.
"There was nothing you could have done, sire. You know how Morgana can be. Now, rest. Every one of you, rest," declared Gaius. "I sleep with one ear open at all times, so I don't want to hear anyone up and about. You hear me?" He looked at the group and raised with a frown and raised eyebrows. It was a look of pure business.