A/N: Well, I'm pretty sure that this chapter totally makes up for all the ones that extremely lacked dialogue. Lots of questions get to be answered with this, hopefully, but I'm sure I also created a ton more as well. I rather love foreshadowing and things like that.
Hmm...don't have much to say today. It's late again though, and I'm probably gonna regret it in the morning (have to be to work in 5 hours...sigh).

Anyway, thank you for all the reviews :) They always brighten my day, and I want to thank everyone reading too. I hope you're enjoying it :)

This chapter was only read through once. I'll read through it again tomorrow. Hopefully there aren't any really big mistakes.

Title: Healing Spells
Author: BeyondTheStorm
Rating: T for violence and bloodshed.
Characters/pairings: Only friendship here :) Lots of Merlin and Arthur, and quite a bit of Gwen too, with some Morgana and some Gaius.
Spoilers: Um...lets just say everything up through 2x07, just to be safe.
Warnings: Self-harm (though just mentions of it from now on), violence, and blood.

Oh, and before anyone asks, no, the knights aren't really important to the story, but they needed names or it just wouldn't have sounded quite right.

CHAPTER 14

The makeshift infirmary for the citizens of Greenswood was packed with people. They were spread out all over the floor, the furniture having been shoved off to the sides, leaving the front room completely open for all those who had fallen ill. Hovering around them were a few people who obviously hadn't gotten sick. Either they had yet to develop the symptoms or their bodies were immune. It was known to happen sometimes, even with magical illnesses.

Merlin was rather grateful that he was one such person.

He and Arthur just stood in the doorway for a moment, taking everything in. It reminded him so much of all the times that disaster had struck Camelot, where the injured and sick would be brought into the castle, into the great hall or an equally large room because Gaius' chambers weren't large enough to treat them all. The incident with Cornelius Segan was one such time.

This, however, was so much worse, because these people couldn't be treated. There were no wounds to patch up, no antidotes to administer. There was nothing that could be done for them right now, not until he and Gaius got a chance to sit down and figure things out. For now they had to be left to suffer, and that's exactly what they were doing. The sounds around him were a mixture of coughing and moaning, whimpering, and a few desperate pleas to keep holding on, to not give up, followed by empty promises and false hopes that they would get better, that it would all pass.

It hurt to stand there and watch, knowing that even with all the magic he possessed, he couldn't save them. So many people had already died. How many more would lose their lives before he could fix this?

He didn't get the chance to dwell on it further, and that was probably for the best. Nothing good would come from going down that road. Instead his attention was drawn to Linneth as she walked up to them, a cloth in each hand as well as two pairs of gloves.

"You should put these on," she said, handing over the items to each of them. "Make sure the cloth covers your mouth and nose, and tie it as tight as you can. You should put the gloves on as well. We don't know exactly how the illness spreads, so we've been taking every precaution we can. We don't need anyone else falling ill, least of all you, sire."

"I'll be careful," he sighed, if not a bit petulantly, earning him a rather amused look from the warlock. Arthur wasn't one for being told what to do, but these were clearly instructions from Gaius, and the physician wasn't to be disobeyed when it came to things like this. In regards to someone's health, not even the king would ignore an order from Gaius.

As soon as the two of them had taken the necessary precautions, they moved further into the infirmary, looking around at the people. Merlin got the feeling that Arthur was scanning the room for the familiar faces of his knights. The warlock was just trying to take in as much as he could. He needed to know more about what they were dealing with, because Gaius hadn't been able to tell him too much. He knew the symptoms, but that was about it. There were so many questions he wanted the answers to.

He moved about the room, catching sight of Gaius as the physician moved towards one of the hallways with Linneth. He was probably going to check on the child she had mentioned earlier. Hopefully the boy just had a cough and wasn't falling ill. There were enough children lying on the floor with only a thin pillow and a single blanket for comfort. Some had their parents with them while some didn't, and he wondered if it was because Gaius had given the order to keep those still healthy out or if the illness had already claimed them.

Either way, it wasn't fair. They didn't deserve to lie there like that, suffering all alone.

"…Sire!"

Both Arthur and Merlin reacted, turning towards the voice. Making his way across the room was none other than Sir Leon. Arthur had sent five knights with Gaius, and although the physician was in charge of this matter, Leon was the one who was meant to oversee the others, make sure they were doing as they were told. Honestly, there was no better man for the job. Sir Leon was very loyal to Arthur, and Merlin could easily respect that. It was about the only thing the warlock had in common with any of the knights, and it had kindled mutual respect between them. Some of the knights were actually quite kind to him, Sir Leon being one of them.

"Leon," Arthur greeted, and Merlin could hear just the slightest hint of relief in the prince's voice, despite the actual amount he had to be feeling. Trust Arthur to keep it hidden like that (although the prince had certainly been letting a lot of things slip while in Merlin's presence as of late, even if a lot of it was accompanied by anger).

The warlock watched for a moment longer as Arthur walked over to Leon, probably wanting to know about the four other knights, and decided to leave them to their discussion. Instead he carefully picked his way through the crowded room until he caught sight of someone who was kneeling by one of the patients, a bucket of water and a wet rag in her hand. Like many of the others who were helping, she had a cloth covering her mouth and nose, and her hands were encased in a pair of gloves. She didn't look to be horribly busy or frantic, so Merlin made his way over and slowly got down next to her (he was finding that walls were rather wonderful things to have around when one was injured, very easy to slide down against). She spared him only a glance before going back to her task, carefully dabbing at the forehead of a very ill young man.

"How bad is it?" he asked softly, not wanting to startle her. She didn't stop what she was doing, but he heard the quiet sigh and saw her eyes soften.

"It hasn't gotten too bad yet," she said. "He only fell ill a few days ago. The fever just set in yesterday. He's exhausted though. I fear it won't be long before he starts to lose all feeling. That's what comes next."

"Is it the same every time, the symptoms?"

"Yes. It always starts with a cough, like a catch in the back of the throat that won't go away. Eventually they end up exhausted, and after that the fever will set in. That's the worst part. If you listen, you can hear the ones suffering from it."

And indeed he could. The moaning and whimpering was soft, but it was everywhere in the room. He could see some of them thrashing as well, delirious with the heat from the fever.

"They say it feels like burning," she continued, dipping her rag into the pale of cool water next to her. "It's worse for some and not as bad for others, but they all agree that it feels like fire, like standing too close to the flames. Some of them become aware enough to talk to us, tell us what's wrong, and others just remain asleep or delirious until the numbness sets in and the illness claims them."

"What do you mean by numbness, exactly?"

"They just…start going numb. It starts in the chest and spreads outward until they can't even move. Sometimes it's a slow process and takes days, and other times they can no longer stand within a few hours of it starting. However, despite being numb, they can still feel the burning in their lungs and throat, feel the fever searing through their heads. It just continues like that until the throat starts to swell, and eventually they suffocate. Sometimes it takes a person days to finally die, gasping all the while."

She wasn't crying, but he could see that her eyes were wet, her voice soft with the effort it took to suppress the urge to sob. It was very slight, but her hands were trembling as she kept tending to her patient. He almost didn't want to keep asking her about the illness, but he needed to find out what he could. Their time was limited and Gaius was currently busy, so he had to gather information on his own, regardless of how hard it was to listen to.

"When exactly did all of this start?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. A little less than two months ago, maybe? It might've been longer than that though, since the illness starts out as something so common. Lots of people cough, whether they're sick or not. It wasn't until people started collapsing one after another that we finally realized something was wrong. It's only gotten worse since then."

"How long does it usually take for the illness to claim someone?"

"It depends on the person, I think. Some people have died within days while others last for nearly two weeks. It's never the same. The symptoms are the only things that follow any sort of pattern. Everything else about the illness is inconsistent. It infects the young, the old, and all of us in between. Very few have proven to be unaffected, and many of them are now working here in order to help, myself included."

"You're all very brave."

"It's the least we can do. I believe we all feel a bit guilty, being spared when so many others are suffering."

"Still, it's very kind that you're helping like this. These people need someone to look after them. I'm sure it's a comfort for them, knowing that there's someone there."

The girl lowered her head a bit, once more running the cool cloth over her patient's forehead, doing all she could to ease the fever. She didn't say anything at first, and it didn't seem like she would at all. He began to get back to his feet since most of his questions had been answered when two words stopped him for a moment.

"Thank you," she said, soft but earnest. He just smiled in response, even though she wouldn't be able to see it past the cloth.

"You don't need to thank me. I only spoke the truth."

"Still…thank you."

"You're welcome."

As she went back to tending the young man on the floor, Merlin slowly got up and started looking for either Gaius or Arthur. It turned out that Gaius was still away, but the prince was standing off to the side, leaning against a wall and observing the infirmary. The warlock quickly made his way over, wanting to know what Arthur had found out from Leon.

Even though the only part of the prince's face he could actually see were his eyes, Merlin could tell that all of this was weighing him down heavily. His expression was pained as he kept looking over all the people, some who were gasping for breath and others who were moaning, thrashing, even whimpering. It was all so much to take in, and it hurt having to watch, to stand by and do nothing. He could only imagine how hard this had to be for the prince. Arthur hated seeing his people suffer and being unable to do anything but watch.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

He knew it was a lie, but he'd let it slide for now. There were times when it wasn't necessary nor a good idea to push for the truth. This was one of them.

"What did Sir Leon tell you?" he asked instead, and if anything, Arthur's expression just got more somber.

"He said that Gareth and Edric have fallen ill. It happened a week ago, but the fever only set in yesterday. Sir Owen passed two days ago."

"I'm sorry." He had rather liked Sir Owen. The older man had been kind, even to the servants and peasants.

"Only Leon and Kay remain unaffected. They've been doing all they can to help Gaius, but so far nothing has worked. Apparently they can't even delay it. Everyone who falls ill suffers from the same symptoms until they eventually die. It's the only thing that's consistent about it."

"That's basically the same thing I was told."

He took another look around the room, and it once more felt like everything was crashing down on him. This illness was magic in nature. Gaius had basically said as much. That meant that in the end, it would come down to him to fix it. That was usually how things worked, but this…there was just something that felt so much heavier about this. All around him people were suffering, and if the illness wasn't stopped, it would spread into other villages. Eventually it would cover the whole kingdom, and that couldn't be allowed to happen.

No matter what the cost, it had to end with Greenswood.

Before he could dwell on the situation further, he caught sight of Gaius and Linneth, followed by a woman with a child in her arms. Both villagers were wearing the protective cloths as they followed the physician through the room. Merlin just watched as they walked to the door, exchanging only a few soft words before the mother and child left. The physician then said something to Linneth, still too softly for him to overhear, before the girl nodded and walked off. Gaius only spared her another glance before heading towards Merlin and Arthur.

"Well?" asked the warlock. "Was the boy sick?"

"He doesn't appear to be. His cough is rather bad though. I told the mother to treat it like a normal cough but to return if the boy develops a fever. Honestly, it's hard to tell with this illness."

"Are all the people who are helping immune to it?"

"It appears so, though I've still asked them to take the necessary precautions. There's no way to tell if they're actually safe from it or if it's just taking longer for the symptoms to develop."

"And what about her?" asked Arthur, pointing towards Linneth, who unlike the rest of the volunteers wasn't wearing any protective equipment whatsoever. Gaius turned to look before giving his attention back to the two of them.

"Ah, yes," he began, "Linneth is a bit…peculiar."

The two of them waited for the physician to elaborate, but apparently Gaius had decided that that one word summed the girl up just fine. Either he didn't actually know her that well, despite her assistance, or he just didn't understand her. Both were possible.

"What do you mean by peculiar?" asked Arthur, obviously not satisfied with that explanation. Gaius sighed in response before glancing at the girl in question. She was busy talking to one of the patients, helping them sit up enough to take a sip of water, smiling all the while.

"She's just very…unconcerned isn't truly the right word for it. I would almost say she's presumptuous, but that doesn't quite fit either. It's as if she doesn't believe she'll fall ill. I tried to insist that she at least cover her mouth, but she refused even that."

"Maybe she's immune to it," said Merlin.

"But it's impossible to know that for certain. She's taking a great risk, especially since she never leaves the infirmary. She spends all her time with the patients, making sure they're comfortable and keeping them company when no one else can. Truly, she's been a godsend."

The three of them watched for a moment longer as Linneth chatted away to a young boy, allowing him to lean against her since his body didn't seem to be cooperating. The smile on her face was a kind one, if not just the slightest bit sad.

"Well," began Gaius, "I should probably show you where you'll be staying. It would be best to collect your belongings and get settled before we get to work. I'm sure you're both hungry as well. It is a rather long trip, after all."

The physician made his way to the door with the two of them in tow, which was a bit odd, because Merlin had assumed that they'd be staying at the makeshift infirmary. It had been an inn at one point, so surely there were plenty of open rooms. However, it seemed that Gaius had found somewhere else for them to stay. First he led them back to the stables where they quickly collected their bags (and if Gaius noticed that Arthur took most of them, he didn't say anything about it, thankfully). After that he led them through the village until they reached a rather nice sized house, one where the windows were wide open instead of blocked off. Gaius just walked right up to the door and pushed it open, and the two of them followed without a word.

It really was a nice house. It was only one level (like many village dwellings) but there were three rather large rooms, albeit very empty. One had a table and chairs and a small area to prepare food while the others contained nothing but beds and a few cabinets. There was also a desk in one corner. Despite the size of the house, there really wasn't much to it overall.

"This is where I've been staying when I'm not at the infirmary," said Gaius. "The original owners were some of the first to fall ill. They allowed me to stay here while I was treating them and said I could continue living here for as long as I needed. I've been very careful in keeping the ill away from this place, so it should be safe for the two of you to remove those. Just make sure to put them back on when you go to the infirmary."

Merlin wasted no time taking off the gloves and the cloth. They were a bit stifling. It was a lot easier to breath without having his nose and mouth covered like that. Arthur was rather hasty with removing his as well, tucking them away in one of the bags.

"The two of you can have that room for now," said Gaius, pointing to the farthest room. It had two beds and a few cabinets. Obviously a decent sized family must have been living in the house, as it was rather spacious for being in a small village. Merlin's home had only had one bed. He had spent most of his life sleeping on the floor. Of course, Ealdor was an extremely small village, very self-contained and quiet. Greenswood was quite different.

"I'm going to go out for a bit," said Gaius. "I'm afraid I don't have much for food at the moment, so I'll bring back something. I shouldn't be long."

"Alright," said Merlin, walking into the room and dropping his bags rather unceremoniously onto the floor. The sound of the door closing heralded his mentor's departure, and as soon as he was certain the physician was gone, he slumped down on one of the beds, heaving a sigh of relief. If he had had to keep standing like that, he probably wouldn't have been able to hide his injuries for much longer. His shoulder was killing him after having carried those bags, but there hadn't been a choice in the matter. He couldn't use magic to do it, and if Arthur had carried everything, it would've been a dead giveaway that something was wrong. Not only was it improper for the prince to have to carry his own supplies as well as his servant's, but it also would have aroused suspicious as to why he was doing it.

For as long as Merlin could, he wanted to keep everything from Gaius, even though it was inevitable that he would eventually find out.

"Are you alright?" asked Arthur, setting down his own bags next to the other bed.

"Just a bit sore," he said, because apparently the prince didn't like hearing the word "fine" in response to that question, probably because it was obviously a lie. At least this was closer to the truth.

"How much longer do you think it'll take for my wound to heal?" the prince asked, and it was truly a testament to how much time they spent together that Merlin knew why Arthur was asking. After all, the warlock couldn't heal himself until he finished with Arthur.

"One more time might be enough, so tonight, possibly."

"Alright."

Merlin watched the prince throw himself on the bed, stretching out as far as he could. It was considerably smaller than the one he was used to, but he didn't seem to be complaining, at least not yet. Actually, Arthur had been gradually getting better about that. Sure, he was still a rather spoiled prat of a prince, but at the same time he kept other people in mind and would take what he could get instead of making demands. He was learning how to be more humble, even if the process was an extremely slow one. It was indeed an improvement though.

The warlock carefully pulled his legs up onto the bed and leant back against the wall. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax and reflect on what they were dealing with. He now knew what the symptoms were, what order they came in, and what it felt like for the people who were ill. Currently there was no cure. There wasn't even a way to slow it down. Basically all anyone could do was make them all more comfortable while they died.

He tried to imagine what it would feel like to be ill like that, so hot with fever that it feels like you're on fire while at the same time your body is going numb. All those people had looked to be in so much pain, as if even the simple act of breathing was a huge struggle. It was a terrible way to die, helpless and suffering, unable to even move. The girl he had spoken to said that it felt like being burned, like standing too close to the flames. Why would someone create an illness like that? Why would someone ever cause such agony? What was the point?

Merlin knew pain. He had been in many situations where he had suffered. He knew what it felt like to burn with fever. He also knew what it felt like to be unable to breathe, to struggle for each breath. Actually, he'd been in that sort of situation more than once. He also knew what it felt like to have his body slowly going numb, though he imagined Arthur could relate to that feeling better than he could, thanks to what had happened nearly six weeks ago.

Six weeks…by the end of their trip it would be two months.

Two months…

Why did that sound familiar?

"When exactly did all of this start?"

"I'm not sure. A little less than two months ago, maybe?"

He froze, his eyes snapping open. It couldn't be. There was no way. That had to be a coincidence. It had to be, because there was just no way, no possible connection…

But the patients were all going numb. It was a numbness that started in the chest and spread outward until they couldn't feel anything aside from the fever and each labored breath. Eventually they would just stop breathing, like being slowly suffocated…like having their whole body paralyzed.

It couldn't be…

On the other side of the room, Arthur was doing what he could to make himself comfortable on the somewhat small bed. It was nowhere near what he was used to, but it certainly wasn't the worst thing he'd ever slept on. He wasn't about to complain. These people were in desperate need of help, and it would be petty and selfish to complain about a bed when there were so many lying in the infirmary with only a blanket and a pillow for comfort.

As he lay there, mulling over what he had learned from Leon, he kept his eyes on Merlin. The warlock was just leaning back against the wall, eyes closed. He had to be exhausted and probably more than just "a little sore." However, he wasn't going to push the issue. It wouldn't do any good. Besides, eventually Gaius would find out about the warlock's injuries, and he could imagine there would be a rather spectacular lecture to follow the discovery. He was sort of looking forward to it, because if there was one person who could really lay into Merlin, it was Gaius.

Just as his thoughts started to entertain the idea of the physician yelling at his ward for being a complete and utter idiot, he saw Merlin's whole body tense, the boy's eyes snapping open. Arthur didn't say anything. Instead he just watched, waiting for the warlock to calm down a bit and recover from whatever had shocked him like that. It almost looked like he was working something out, as if something huge had just dawned on him.

As soon as the boy relaxed, no longer looking panicked, Arthur decided that it was probably safe to question him. Hopefully he'd get a real answer.

"What is it?" he asked, breaking the silence. His question earned him a rather startled glance, but eventually Merlin looked away, staring at the wall as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. He was also playing with the hem of his tunic. That didn't bode well. A nervous Merlin was never a good sign. He almost seemed reluctant to answer, and Arthur was about to ask again when the warlock finally began to speak, his words soft and tentative. Immediately he understood the boy's hesitation.

"Do you remember what that sorcerer said back in the forest…before I killed him?"

He tensed, his mind flashing back yet again, because he knew exactly what Merlin was talking about, and he could recall the words as clearly as if they had been spoken to him only yesterday.

"Even if you kill me, this won't end. I'll have my revenge on this wretched kingdom. Where I fall, others will rise in my name and continue my work. I won't let this be the end of me, but it will be the end of you!"

He swallowed hard, finding himself grateful once more that the sorcerer had been wrong and that Merlin was still very much alive.

"…Yes."

"What if…what if it wasn't just an empty threat? What if it was true?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what if all of it is connected? That man said that even if I killed him, he'd still get his revenge, that it wouldn't be the end of him. Then, around the same time that he died, this illness started spreading, an illness forged by magic that causes its victims to go numb."

The prince's eyes widened. He really didn't like where this was going.

"What if killing him…is what caused the illness?"

"But he's dead!" said Arthur as he sat up so he could face Merlin. "You killed him. That's why the paralysis ended. When he died, his magic died with him. You're the one who told me that!"

"I know, but…sometimes that's not always the case."

"What?"

"I told you earlier, back in that cave, that if I had healed you with a normal healing spell, you would still heal even if I died. I'm sure there are other spells like that. Maybe this illness is one of them, where the magic continues even after the sorcerer is dead."

"So you're suggesting that he's responsible for this and that his death triggered it?"

"…I don't know. I'm just saying that it's possible. His death and the illness just seem like too much of a coincidence for them not to be related."

The warlock hung his head even further, slumping against the wall, and Arthur knew without even needing to ask that Merlin was blaming himself. After all, if the illness had started because of that man's death, then if he hadn't been killed, it never would have spread. All those people in the infirmary wouldn't be suffering, and no one would have died in unbearable pain…and that was too much for one person to carry, especially someone like Merlin.

"None of it is your fault," he said, making sure he had the boy's attention. A pair of rather dejected blue eyes met his, and he found himself growing angry but not at the warlock. All his anger was directed at a man who was long dead and unable to feel even an ounce of his anger. After everything that man had put them through…after everything he had said and done to Merlin—the threats, the insults, all the pain he had caused—he was still managing to hurt him. Even if it was all just a coincidence, the thought alone that it could all be connected was enough to put that look on his friend's face, and there was no way he was going to tolerate that.

"I was the one who killed him," said Merlin softly, his tone just as sad as his eyes.

"If you hadn't, we'd both be dead. You had no choice."

"I know. I'm not saying I regret it. It's just…if this is my fault, then no matter what, I have to fix it."

No matter what. Those were three more words that Arthur rather hated. More often than not, "no matter what" was code for "even if it costs me my life." After all, Merlin wasn't the only one who said things like that. He was pretty sure he had said something very similar and with the exact same intent on more than one occasion. That didn't mean he was going to accept it though.

"Just don't do anything stupid," he told the warlock, which earned him a very small smile in return.

"I'll be careful."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Merlin probably would've come up with some sort of retort, but it was at that moment that Gaius returned. They heard him enter and then head off into one of the other rooms before he eventually walked into theirs with two small bags in his hands. He handed each of them one, and although they were indeed small, the bags were full of nuts, berries, and a chunk of bread.

"Here," he said. "It's not much, but it should be enough until dinner. Linneth offered to keep an eye on the infirmary for me tonight, so I should have the time to cook something for a change."

"Do you usually stay at the infirmary?" asked Merlin before shoving a handful of berries in his mouth.

"Yes, more often than not. The volunteers tend to take turns so that everyone has a chance to rest, but out of all of them, Linneth is the only one with any sort of training, so she's the only one I feel comfortable leaving in charge. Her mother was an herbalist, and she apparently learned quite a bit from her."

"Gaius," began Arthur, making sure he had the physician's attention. "Who exactly is Linneth?" He was starting to get annoyed by the fact that Gaius kept mentioning things about her without actually giving any real details. The girl was a bit of an oddity, and if they were going to be spending a great deal of time around her, it was only fair that they knew a few things about her.

"She is the closest thing to a physician that the villages in this area have," he said. "She actually lives in a small village just a few hours away, but ever since this illness struck, she's been staying here. She's also the one who initially requested that I come to Greenswood, and she's been assisting me ever since I arrived."

"She seems rather nice," said Merlin.

"The villagers certainly seem to think so."

There was something about the way Gaius said that that didn't sit quite right with the prince. It was almost as if he didn't quite believe it himself.

"Are you saying you don't?" he asked, earning him a slight scowl from the older man.

"I'm not saying anything of the sort. She's quite passionate about her work and cares a great deal about these people. It's just that…sometimes it seems like she knows more than she's letting on, and other times I've seen an expression on her that I've also seen on the two of you more than once."

The physician gave them both a look, and for some reason Arthur felt like they were both being scolded.

"Oh? And that would be…?"

"The weight of responsibility. I'm going to tell you exactly what I told her. This is not something you can shoulder on your own. It also isn't your responsibility to fix it. This is a problem for all of us."

After hearing that, Arthur shot Merlin a look that clearly said something along the lines of "I told you so," one that the boy must have accurately interpreted, because he quickly looked away. They had just been talking about this, after all. Hopefully the warlock would take Gaius' words to heart. It was the truth, after all. Even if everything the warlock had said earlier turned out to be true, it still wasn't his fault. The only one to blame was the one who created the illness. Everything else was nothing more than an unfortunate tragedy, one far too heavy to carry alone.

He was going to make sure Merlin understood that even if he had to beat it into him.

Gaius said nothing more as the two of them finished off their food. He was obviously waiting, because as soon as they were both finished, he began heading for the doorway.

"If you aren't too tired from your trip, I could use your help at the infirmary," he said before looking towards Arthur. "You are of course free to remain here, sire. It's not my place to ask for your assistance."

"No, I'll go." There was no way he could just sit around and do nothing, not while there were people around him suffering. "Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it."

"Very well. Come on then, both of you, and don't forget the cloth and gloves."

Arthur quickly retrieved his and walked back to the door, but he noticed that Merlin had yet to move, and it didn't take him long to realize why. The idiot had put himself in a position where any sort of movement would probably hurt, and for some stupid reason the warlock was still trying to keep all his injuries hidden. The only one that was visible was the wound to his hand, wrapped in bandages, but Gaius had yet to say anything about it. The physician probably didn't think it was anything serious. Merlin was rather good at getting hurt, after all.

He really, really couldn't wait for all of this to blow up in his friend's face (he was still pretty mad about Merlin's practicing, after all). It would serve him right for always trying to hide everything.

"Is something wrong, Merlin?" asked Gaius.

"No, I'm fine," he said as he slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed and then very cautiously got up. Afterwards he just stood there, staring at his bag. He didn't reach for it. He didn't even pick it up with magic. Instead he just kept staring with an almost thoughtful look on his face.

"Gaius," he began, his attention still focused downward. "Would it be alright if I stayed here?"

Arthur was pretty sure neither of them had been expecting that. Merlin wasn't usually the type to opt out of helping. Gaius obviously thought the same if the expression on his face was anything to go by.

"I suppose it would," began the physician, "but may I ask why?"

This time Merlin did look up, with an expression that was both sad and determined.

"You told me to bring the book, and even though I've been looking through it for the past few days, I still haven't found anything. I'd like to keep trying, if that's alright."

"Merlin…it's true that I asked you to bring the book because I figured it was our best chance at finding a solution to this, but there's no guarantee that the answer is in there."

"Even if it isn't…I'd still like to try."

If the prince didn't know Merlin, he would say that the boy was just trying to get out of having to do anything too stressful due to his wounds, but his voice and the expression on his face were both so earnest and resolute that it was impossible to doubt his sincerity. Sure, maybe part of it was to keep himself hidden away where no one could notice how injured he was, but there was no denying that he really did want to help the village and that he felt that he'd be more help researching than tending to the ill.

In the end there was no way they could deny him this.

"Very well," said Gaius. "You know where to find us if anything happens. Later tonight, we'll sit down and really look through the book. We may not find a cure for the illness, but we might be able to find a way to slow it down until we can find the source."

"Alright. I'll let you know if I find anything important."

They watched as Merlin sat back down on the bed and then used his magic to draw the bag to him so he could get his book.

"Merlin!"

"What?"

It was rather hard not to laugh at the look on both their faces, one scowling and the other confused, if not a bit defensive.

"How many times have I told you not to use your magic like that?"

"It's not like anyone saw."

"That's not the point. You shouldn't use it for such menial tasks. I don't want you becoming lazy and complacent."

"I'm afraid it's far too late for that, Gaius," said Arthur, unable to resist the opportunity for a good jibe, especially at Merlin's expense. The warlock just glared at him, though it was a rather half-hearted attempt, coming out more amused than irritated. Once more they were back on familiar territory. Gaius only sighed, glancing between the two of them with something close to exasperation, but it wasn't long before it melted into a reluctant smile as he shook his head at their antics.

There really wasn't any rational reason for it, and Arthur was well aware of that, but standing there with the two of them, all smiling because of something so simple…he couldn't help but feel that everything would turn out alright. Come hell or high water, they would make it through this.

No matter what, they would get through this.