The Sickness
Three days later
'There's nothing more we can do for him,' Gabriel said frustrated with the lack of progress. He looked down at the courtier, a strong man in his thirties but the fever had wrought a drastic change in him.
'Every time I give him fluid, he just throws it back up,' Gabriel said, heading over to another patient who had a better chance of recovering.
'Come on Gabriel, you need to go to sleep,' Gwen said. 'You've been up for far too long and you will do no good to Camelot if you become sick yourself.'
Merlin ran in to the hall which had been setup as an isolation room to house the sick. 'Gwen, Gabriel I need you to come quick! Arthur is ill. I went to rouse him as I thought he'd just overslept but he's flushed with fever.'
Gwen and Gabriel took off at a run after Merlin they had to get to Arthur as soon as possible. The earlier the fever was treated the more the chance that he would live. Gwen was the first to arrive in Arthur's chambers.
'Arthur,' she said, quietly. Gwen couldn't discern any sign of life. It was too late. She'd never told him that she loved him and now he was dead. She felt for a pulse and found it; weak and thready but it was there.
He was burning up and his skin was starting to break out in the spots that were the hallmark of scarlet fever. This was Gwen's worst nightmare she'd told him to be careful and to leave to save himself but he'd refused. She had to shake off those thoughts all that was important now was working to save him.
'Out,' said Gwen to the others in the room. 'I'll take care of him. I need water and fresh bedding.' Gabriel and Merlin left to do her bidding. 'Oh Arthur, I told you this would happen but you're so stubborn. You wouldn't listen to me and now I'm going to have to make you better.' Gwen spoke in his ear holding his hand tight but there was no response from him not even a flickering of his eyelids.
Gwen looked down on him with determination in her eyes she was going to cure him. She wouldn't rest until he was back to full strength. Gabriel and Merlin returned with freshly boiled water and clean bed sheets. They helped her to change the bed sheets and put Arthur back to bed. They left leaving Gwen alone with Arthur once more.
'I have to cool you down and clean your rash. It's going to hurt so cry out if you want I won't tell.'
Gwen began to wash him down to keep his fever at bay but there was no reaction from him. She kept checking to see if there was any reaction to the pain he must surely be feeling. She listened carefully to check that he was still breathing. She carried on into the night trying to bring his fever down.
'You're cooler now,' she told him. 'The fever's come down but you must drink the water. You must Arthur. Do it for me.' She pulled his mouth open slightly and put small amounts in his mouth at a time.
'That's enough for now. Cream now,' she said. 'This is the one you use all the time on your wounds so you should be used to it. This is going to burn. Front first. I wonder what you'd say if you knew I was taking sneaky peeks?' Gwen laughed at herself.
'Well that's enough for tonight. I can't do anymore for you right now.'
Gwen climbed into bed beside him and made sure the sheet covered him. She wrapped his arms around her and cried.