"Just wait until I get my hands on that man!" Gwaine fingered his sword's handle. He turned to look as the door opened.

"Gwaine, calm down. Please. Everyone can hear you," Gwen admonished as she entered the room. The newly crowned Queen was dressed in a simple, light yellow dress; and she looked more like a maid she used to be than the Queen she had become. When she had heard what had happened, nothing had been able to prevent her from going to help Gaius. After all, it was Merlin who was in trouble.

"Guinevere." Arthur rose from his chair and walked over to his wife.

Guinevere leant against him. Arthur was afraid to ask. "How is he?"

"Not so good, Arthur. Gaius couldn't say anything for sure. He hasn't yet woken up."

Arthur frowned and looked his wife. She looked exhausted. "Go to sleep. You're tired. You've been awake all night."

Guinevere shook her head. "So have you. We have guests to meet, so I'm going to change my clothes."

"Guinevere…"

Guinevere pressed a finger to Arthur's lips.

"I'm a Queen now, Arthur, and I'm your wife, so don't say anything stupid."

Arthur nodded and kissed her. When she left, Arthur thumped his fist on the table and cursed long and hard.

"Only Merlin can run into trouble in the middle of nowhere. And you, Gwaine…" Arthur pointed to the knight.

"I want to hunt that man down," Gwaine said for the umpteenth time.

"There is going to be search party, but no, you're not going. I don't want that any of my knights doing anything stupid." Arthur scowled. He tried to calm down. "Damn Merlin. Not now. Not when I…" He pressed his palms against the table and looked through the window. Gwaine stepped beside him and patted his shoulder.

"He's going to be fine soon. You know him. Whatever happens, he will survive. Before we even realize, he'll be here annoying us like nothing has happened."

"Right, he is like that. He always comes back," Arthur hesitated, "but, what if his luck ends someday? What if-"

"Stop that, stop right there." It was Gwaine's turn to scowl. "We all die someday. Everyone's luck runs out eventually. We're only human."

Arthur took a deep breath. Gwaine looked at him carefully.

"What's the matter, Arthur?" Although he guessed what was going on. When it came to Arthur and Merlin, it wasn't hard to guess.

Arthur shook his head. "I have known him, what, about five years? Two weeks ago I finally realized something. Do you know what?"

"What?"

"That all this time he has been right. Always. He really tried to warn me. Again."

Gwaine grinned. "That's why you made him your counsellor, Arthur. We all know that he's smarter than you; than any of us." Gwaine sat down on the edge of the table.

Arthur's laugh was weak. "Right. That damn clumsy idiot is smarter than the King. A servant who became the advisor."

"A Queen who was a maid, knights who were commoners; all of them were your choices. Do you doubt yourself?" Gwaine asked curiously.

Arthur lifted his head and looked down at the knight. Was he really having this conversation with Gwaine?

"Sometimes. That's why I need him, Gwaine. He can keep me in the line and he is the only person who I can fully trust. Not you, not even Guinevere have gained anything like that. He's more like brother to me when all my real relatives are…" Arthur's voice trailed off.

"Your family really suck, Princess. You are too used to the fact that Merlin is always nearby," Gwaine noted. "You trust him. I trust him. But you have to remember, that all of us have some secrets to keep. And I'm sure that Merlin is more complex than any of us would ever believe. " Gwaine felt the weight of Merlin's ring in his pocket.

"Lately, I have noticed." Arthur smiled. "Are you going there now, to see him?"

"Yep, if Gaius lets me. I'll see you later. Good luck with that Lord Fryon, or what ever his name was. And Arthur," Gwaine turned to face the King one more time, "remember that Merlin trusts you more than any of us. I can see something about you, but he, he sees something more. His loyalty to you is greater than anything that I have ever seen. And I don't think his luck is running down right now, so keep your head up. For God's sake, you are a king, Princess."

"Then stop calling me that!" Arthur frowned.

"Never!" Gwaine shut the door and left Arthur standing alone middle of his study.

Arthur stared at the door and sighed; he just couldn't believe that he had made Gwaine a knight. And he couldn't believe that Gwaine had actually said something wise. The world was changing into something that he wasn't quite ready for yet.

"Arthur?" Guinevere opened the door and peeked inside. "We have to go now. Are you alright?"

"No, but I have you." Arthur smiled.

#

Gwaine looked the ring on his palm. It was a dragon seal. It reminded Pendragon's insignia, but was slightly different.

"Library, I should go library. Where the hell here is library?" he murmured.

#

Gaius lowered the mortar from his hands and stared at Merlin, who was lying motionless in bed. Fortunately, the dagger hadn't damaged any of his internal organs, but the blade must have been dirty and Merlin had lost much blood. By the early morning, his temperature had risen far above what was natural.

"Oh, dear boy. I though you could rest for a while after everything you're been through, but it seems that you have no such luxury," Gaius whispered. He just wished that Merlin would wake up, even for a moment.

It was early evening when Merlin finally showed signs of awakening.

"Merlin! Drink this. No, don't try to get up. You have to lay down."

"How bad it is?" Merlin asked, his voice husky.

"Bad enough. Deep and inflamed. How on earth you get yourself into these situations is beyond my comprehension," Gaius said sadly.

"Gwaine was there," Merlin suddenly looked worried.

Gaius shook his head. He just couldn't believe that Merlin still was worried about someone else in his condition.

"Don't worry about him; Gwaine dragged you in here last night. He has been hovering around here every hour asking about you. Gwen and Arthur have been taking turns. Leon is out looking for that thief. Now, listen to me: the inflammation is bad, I think that this time you have to help yourself a little bit."

"You mean…"

"Concentrate. Repeat after me. Please, just try." Gaius noted how Merlin was drifting off to sleep again.

"Alright. I'l try," Merlin finally said.

Gaius went to take the book in which he had found the spell.

"Ready Merlin? Merlin!"

"Ye-s," Merlin answered weakly.

Gaius held the book open and began reading aloud:

"Hǣlan fȳr. Hǣlan wund. Lǣtan fȳr āfaran. Īs, wæter, eard, gehīeran mīn ābannan. Hīeran mīn ācīgan. Hǣlan fȳr." Gaius said each word carefully and listened as Merlin repeated them.

Even Gaius, with his weak magic, sensed Merlin's power gathering around them.

"Good boy, you did it. Now, let hope it works."