Chapter 3 [A Few Hours Later]
[Physician's Quarters]
After another hour of deliberations, Gaius returned with Merlin to their chambers. Both needed to prepare for their respect journeys and the entailed duties therein. Potions and medicines should be mixed up and stored. The paths had to be laid out. Provisions still had to be arranged as well.
Still the elderly doctor suspected that something was eating away at his young charge. He knew that Merlin hadn't risen to Arthur's bait as he might have in the council meeting. In fact the warlock had been too quiet and reserved for his liking….
…a state of affairs which had been in place since their return from Nemeth…
Did he recover from that concussion? If he hadn't used his magic, Rodor, Arthur and the knights would be dead right now. Odin and Morgana would be ruling here and in Nemeth. Mithian would be forced to be his queen if not dead herself. I wish I didn't need to be on the borderlands. I should be going to Nemeth and Merlin should be resting here. I could have Gwen make sure of that. Still Merlin would only sneak away and join the expedition. Gaius mused over that realization even as he lined vials of ginger and wolfsbane into rows on the work table.
At that point, Merlin slipped into the room absently; his mind still musing over the upcoming mission as well as the last. Despite walking about the castle gardens and his meditation, he had come no closer to discerning the source of his sudden feelings for Mithian or what was unfolding. He stifled a small yawn and stretched almost numbly toward the ceiling. It's lucky that Gaius volunteered me for the expedition. At least I'll get to see what's going on in Nemeth. He already had several potential remedies in mind to assist his new friends with.
That is if the magical energy around himself weren't already building into a frenzy…
When everything was going smoothly, Merlin synchronized with the elemental energies about himself. He could draw from the vibrations of the earth, air, water and fire, shaping and controlling them for his needs. It was the way he'd regained his abilities at the Crystal Cave. It had sustained him against Segan and several times against Morgana.
Now it was like burning static. Something was definitely up but he didn't have time to find out what that was.
Bugger! He grimaced and shook his head. His footsteps wobbled slightly as he eased the heavy oaken door shut.
"Merlin? That's it. Sit down. I need to take a look at you," Gaius directed.
"Gaius, can't stop. You need to pack these things up. I need to get the supplies for Nemeth. And…."
Gaius arched his right eyebrow commandingly stopping his protests in their tracks. With only a curt motion of his head toward the bench, he affirmed his earlier command. When the younger man had done so, he noted gently, "You're in front of me, Merlin. The others can wait a bit." He examined the younger man painstakingly looking for signs of any mundane or spiritual malady. Other than the bit of spaciness he'd seen earlier, nothing seemed amiss. "Have you been feeling odd for long?"
Merlin shrugged. He really wanted to lie and deny it. Still he knew better. "Since before we left for Nemeth."
That remark seized Gaius' attention. "You mean since Morgana attacked you?"
"No. I mean since she and Princess Mithian were here in Camelot. Gaius, it was something to do with that bracelet she put on the Princess' wrist. It's doing something to her. I don't know what but something strange is going on. Can I have some water please?" Merlin explained.
In a heartbeat, Gaius had poured the water and just about shoved it in front of his charge. "Something strange, you say? How so?" He noted how pale and jittery Merlin seemed to be.
"It's the magic around us. According to Kilgarrah, he and I are creatures of magic. We are one with it. We…." Merlin rubbed his temples as they began to pound again.
Merlin…Merlin, we must speak… the Great Dragon urged telepathically.
"You really should lay down, Merlin. I'll speak to Arthur and Gwen. We can delay…" Gaius started to offer.
"No, Gaius." Merlin slowly rose from his seat. "It's Kilgarrah. He's contacting me telepathically."
"Well he can wait. Merlin, it won't do any good if you kill yourself!" Gaius protested.
Merlin shook him off demonstratively. He was about to respond when his legs gave out on him. He collapsed to the hard stone underneath.
"Merlin? MERLIN!" Gaius panicked at the sight of the fallen warlock. Instinctively he felt the other's neck and wrist for a pulse. A check of the eyes saw they were entranced. "What the Devil is going on now?" His mind swam for explanations. "It can't be Morgana because she's trapped. Could the Dragon be doing this? Is there another sorcerer? And what was he getting at with the Princess? She is most certainly not a sorcerer!" He pulled Merlin onto the patient bed and pulled the covers over the latter.
Of all the times for a crisis like this to happen…..
