When Merlin woke up, it was late in the evening. The only thing he felt was pain. His entire torso thrummed with it. For short second he wondered why, but then he remembered getting it hit with a bolt.

The warlock opened his eyes and looked around. He was back in his room.

"Mordred got you here," Gaius said, getting Merlin's attention. "Just in time too. If he had been any later, who knows what might have happened."

"Where is he?" Merlin asked.

"Sleeping in his chambers. Everything that had happened finally caught up to him. Arthur told me how he nearly collapsed in his chambers," Gaius explained.

"Why was he in Arthur's chambers?" Merlin wondered.

"Arthur wanted to talk to him, probably about what happened," Gaius answered. "No more questions. You need to rest. You lost a lot of blood and are fighting an infection."

Merlin didn't try to fight the sleep that was so desperate to claim him.


When Mordred woke up, he felt better than he had yesterday, but the guilt still hung in the air. Gaius and Arthur both told him that he had nothing to be sorry for. According to Gaius, he should be more guilty about the horse he almost killed rather than Merlin.

Mordred knew that he'd never be able to let go of the guilt until he knew that Merlin had forgiven him.

Keeping that thought in mind, Mordred got dressed, before making his way to see Merlin.


When Mordred walked into the physician's chambers, he saw that Arthur was already there and talking with Gaius.

"Mordred," Gaius acknowledged when he saw them.

"I'm sorry. You two were discussing something. I'll just leave and come back later," Mordred apologized.

"No, it's alright, Mordred. I was just leaving," the king said, stopping him from leaving. "I'll be back later to check on him."

With that said the king left. Now only Gaius and Mordred were standing in the room.

After a long silence passed between them, Mordred finally spoke up. "How is he?"

"His fever broke late last night, but he should remain sleeping for a while," Gaius reported.

"The infection?" Mordred asked.

"Decreasing. With luck he'll be back on his feet and working in a few weeks," Gaius said.

"That's good news," Mordred stated as a small smile played on his lips.

"What happened during your meeting with the woman?" Gaius asked.

"She gave Merlin a small box that has supposedly been guarded by the Catha for centuries and that it was his turn to be trusted with the box," Mordred explained.

"Where's this box now?" the wizened physician questioned.

"Merlin put it in his jacket pocket," Mordred answered.

Gaius quickly scanned the main room, locating the warlock's jacket, which was on the floor under the table.

Mordred saw where Gaius was looking and went to pick up the jacket. He reached inside one of the pockets and pulled out the box in question.

"I don't think we should open it with without Emrys and Arthur present," Mordred stated. He rarely used Merlin's Druid name. He only used it when he was concerned or scared.

"What's wrong Mordred?" Gaius asked, noticing what the young man called Merlin.

"Nothing," Mordred lied.

"No, it's something. Tell me," Gaius coaxed.

"It's just that Merlin once told me that I was destined to kill Arthur, but how can that be true when the Disir said that I was to protect the Once and Future King and Emrys?" Mordred asked.

Gaius sighed. "When Arthur choose to allow magic back into the kingdom he unwove the fate that should have happened and created a new one. We all know that Arthur will die in a battle, but now we don't know the how, when, or who. It has been believed for many years that he would die at the hand of a Druid. You're not that Druid though and you never will be."

"Merlin's right you know," Mordred stated.

"Right about what?" Gaius wondered.

"You always know what to say," Mordred clarified as he set the small box down on the table. "You'll let me know if there's any change."

"Of course," Gaius said.

Mordred then left, leaving Gaius to tend to Merlin in peace.