Author's Note:

I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who left a review for this story; they're more appreciated than you know!

There will be one more chapter to this story that I'll post next week.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to be BBC. No copyright infringement intended; I just wanted to play. Set between episodes one and two of Season Two

Of Things Unspoken

Chapter Two

There was no sense of time for Gwen. The darkness surrounding her swirled, thickening and retreating, as if toying with her.

Her body burned. Her heart felt as though it would burst as it played out an irregular rhythm. Her skin ached at the touch of the rough blankets, and her limbs shook and convulsed of their own accord.

The fire in her mind was dulled as cool cloth was pressed to her forehead. Before long, the cloth was warmed by her skin. It was suffocating; pressing her further into the darkness. Her only respite when the cloth was refreshed in new, cooler water.

She drifted in and out of consciousness. Never strong enough to open her eyes, but words, fragments of life came to her, though where dream ended and reality began she could not tell.

'I'm not going anywhere.'

'But Sire, his Majesty - '

'Tell the King I carry the virus. I cannot be permitted outside of this room lest we risk infecting the whole of Camelot. Go, Leon. Now.'

The darkness always reclaimed her before long.

oOo

The day was tortuous, the night even more so as Arthur watched over Gwen.

She lay still now, the initial spasms of the fever having passed in as the sun set. He wasn't sure which was worse; hearing her cry out and wrestle with the battle warring inside, or listening to the deafening silence, broken only by her irregular breathing.

Gaius and Merlin had retreated to corner, pouring over books to find a remedy for the fever that raged through her small fame. Arthur continued to watch, hoping for any sign of improvement. When her breathing slowed, his heart seemed to slow with it, pausing in its rhythm. It seemed like minutes would pass before she would gasp, her lungs pulling in more life-giving air, though reason told him it could only be seconds.

He'd re-lived the moment she'd fallen into his arms a thousand times in the hours that had followed. Reaching for her was instinctual, and in the fleeting moment she'd lain, limp and lifeless in his arms, he'd known a level of desperation that penetrated him to his core.

His companions' efforts were soon halted as they fell, exhausted, into sleep, each resting their head upon the volume before them in uncanny likeness. It was only as the rumblings of their sleep could be heard that Arthur drew his chair nearer to Guinevere's bedside.

The fire beside her warmed him. Her hand felt so small in his. So soft and small. He gently stroked the back of her hand, noting how her fingertips had hardened slightly from years of servitude. With his other hand, he felt her face, flinching at the heat emanating from it.

Her sunken eyes bore such dark rings it was as though she'd been attacked. Her hair was mostly strewn across the pillow; some curls pasted to her fevered brow with sweat.

'Guinevere.' His voice was hoarse as he spoke softly to her. 'Guinevere, you can beat this. You're the strongest person I know.'

She remained still, the only movement her chest rising and falling slightly.

'Think of Morgana; what's she supposed to do without you looking out for her? Poor girl can barely get herself dressed in the morning – I'll bet she'll look a state tomorrow.'

She gasped as she drew a new breath. He paused, waiting for her breathing to become steady.

'And what about Merlin? He's completely hopeless on his own. And me, what about - '

His voice broke and he hung his head. He took a deep breath.

'But you have to wake up. You have to wake up and tell me what an idiot I am. Who else is going to tell me I'm being selfish or tell me off for snoring like a pig? I'm not saying I like having my faults pointed out to me but I need - '

He stopped, closing his eyes. The flicker of the fire danced beneath his eyelids. He looked to her again, so pale and fragile.

'Please, Guinevere. I don't think I can do this without you.'

Drawing closer, he continued his quiet plea. No one but the unconscious young woman heard the tender, whispered endearments he used as he called her to awaken.

oOo

The light of the new day came quickly; stealing into the dark corners until the young prince could see with terrifying clarity how pale she was. She gasped as he replaced the almost dry cloth on her forehead with a cooler one. Carefully he brushed a stray curl out of her face. He paused, allowing his thumb to carefully caress her cheek. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow of the smallest smile cross her features.

The deep voice and heavy hand of Gaius upon Arthur's shoulder made him jump, but Arthur did not leave his post.

'She has made it through the night well; in some ways better than I had expected.' The old man sat heavily beside Arthur. 'We can at least be thankful for that.'

The two men sat in silence for a spell; the only sounds in the room the remnants of the fire crackling, and Merlin's gentle snores.

'Ah, Gwen,' sighed Gaius, 'you are so dear to us all.'

Arthur bowed his head, his eyes threatening to reveal what his heart had kept so carefully guarded.

oOo

Every fibre of Guinevere's being felt heavy. Her mind felt freer, as though the terrible darkness had relinquished its hold on her thoughts, though it maintained its firm grip on her body. She concentrated on her breathing.

Gradually she grew stronger. She no longer needed to focus on each breath but could listen. She heard familiar voices; voices dear to her heart. One, old with wisdom and knowledge, would speak low and often, immediately replied by a younger voice, so full of life and energy. Nothing was impossible for that voice. But there was one other. That one small voice, speaking words she'd longed in her most secret of hearts to hear, rough and low in her ear.

The quiet voice that only spoke into silence, but whispered in tones so wrought with pain and fear her heart ached to be able to soothe and quiet them. It was when this voice spoke she decided she could bear it no longer and, summoning all her new-found strength, she forced her heavy eyelids to open.

oOo

Arthur felt the weariness of battle upon him as night began to draw near once more. A day of watching Guinevere's breathing become steadier had encouraged him, but he felt a great weight settling upon his shoulders as night came ever closer.

Gaius and Merlin were once again discussing possible treatments and cures. Arthur had not troubled himself to draw away to a more suitable distance. He had spent the day gently changing the cooling strip across her forehead. Merlin had suggested he take over, but a single look from Arthur meant he did not offer again.

The pair was now, once again, seated at their table, their heads bowing lower and lower as their strained eyes became heavy.

oOo

It was strange, as she finally opened her eyes, that all the strength she thought she'd managed to build, shattered entirely as she became aware of her surroundings.

The fire next to her was hot, its flames sending wave after wave of heat to cascade over her form. The air was stuffy, as if the window had not been open in some time. Her lips were cracked and dry and tasted salty on her dry tongue; she could not swallow.

Her eyes, however, instantly locked with a pair of brilliant blue sat at her bedside. He made no sound, but the grip on the hand she'd not realised he'd been holding tightened. As he leant forward, a look of relieved disbelief across his features, his stool scraped along the flagstone floor. The sudden sound alerted his companions, and in a moment he was pushed aside as Gaius rushed forward. His hand was torn from hers as Gaius began to examine her, asking her all kinds of questions as to how she was feeling. She nodded and shook her head to answer his questions as best he could; she was not strong enough for words. His eyes never strayed from her face as he stepped back to allow the old physician room, nor hers from his. She could read in his everything she ever needed to know.

oOo

Comments are very gratefully received! I'd love to hear your thoughts. The final chapter will be up next week.