A/N- Hey guys, thank you for all the lovely reviews and birthday wishes, they were great to see! I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

Thank you to Paralelsky for her awesome beta-ing skills!

o}O{o

When he arrived back at the physician's chambers, Gaius was waiting. "Where did you go?" the old man barked.

Mordred shut the door and took a glance around the chambers. "To see the dragon. I know, Gaius!" He said quickly when it looked like the scowling physician was about to reprimand him. Then, before Gaius could say more on the subject Mordred asked, "What are elements? It sounds familiar."

"It should," Gaius said dryly, "the study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process. The very heart of magic as well."

"Right," an embarrassed Mordred mumbled. Gaius had told him as such before. "But how will that help kill the afanc?"

Gaius blinked at once. "Well, the afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements."

"And we need... fire and wind!" Mordred declared.

The physician nodded his head. "What else did the dragon say?" he asked unhappily.

"That I'd need the prince," Mordred reported.

Gaius started pacing in thought. "You are not ready to take on a creature of such strength."

"But I can conjure flame," Mordred argued at once.

"What of wind?"

"... I know a spell. It shouldn't be too hard." Mordred's voice took on a childish note.

Gaius' eyebrow rose upward in a way that always made Mordred feel chastised. "And you plan to use magic in front of the prince?"

Mordred looked away from Gaius. "I- the dragon thinks I can do it."

"And since when do you trust him?" Gaius asked harshly.

"Since I have to. What choice do we have?"

The physician had an answer on the tip of his tongue, but snapped his mouth shut when the door abruptly opened. Morgana walked in with Gwen on heels and the maidservant looked sheepish.

"Why did no one tell me that Merlin was sick?" she demanded angrily. Her blue eyes centered on Mordred and her painted lips were frowning.

Mordred was momentarily stunned and Gaius came to the boy's rescue. "It is not the plague, Morgana. There is no need to worry."

"I don't care!" she burst out.

"I'm sorry, Morgana," Mordred said in a small voice, "there hasn't been time."

The lady looked to Mordred and then calmed. "I was worried. Have you found anything about the plague, then?" She craned her neck to try and see into the boys' room, but returned her attention to the physician.

"Yes, we found the source of the contamination..."

"What's the problem?" Morgana wondered.

"We need Prince Arthur to help kill it. There's a monster in the water supply," Mordred told her.

"Well, we must tell Uther," Morgana said.

"There's no time," Mordred rushed out. He found the keys that Gaius had used before and hurried to grab them. "We need to go now."

For a moment it looked like Morgana was about to argue, but one good look at the frantic boy made her change her mind. "Alright," she said and gestured to Mordred to move on.

The boy led the way out of the chambers and was gone before Gaius could yell any more than a, "Be careful!" Morgana turned back and nodded to Gaius, leaving him and Gwen behind in the chambers.

o}O{o

The dead were being cleared away from the courtyard below. Arthur watched from his window as the covered bodies were piled onto three carts and led away. His people were dying and more would die unless Arthur could find the sorcerer. The prince clenched his jaw tight, angry because the searches he was conducting were not proving fruitful in the slightest. The sorcerer was still at large and probably laughing at them all.

"Arthur!" Morgana called from beyond his door. The prince turned to see her enter the chambers in an extravagant flurry, coming to a halt only when she was right in front of him.

"How are you, Morgana?" Arthur politely asked. He surveyed her for the blue pallor of those with the plague, but the only thing blue about her was her dress and cloak.

She gave him a small smile. "As well as can be expected."

Arthur tilted his head to the side. "Well I'm assuming you came here for a reason."

"Too right," Morgana smirked but then fell serious. "Gaius found the source of the plague."

Arthur's eyebrows rose. "What? Then why hasn't father heard about this?"

Morgana was resolute. "Because we need to kill it now. There is a monster in the water supply and going to Uther will only waste time. That the people don't have."

"A monster? And what do you mean, we?" Arthur asked, just as he went to fetch his sword. By the time he was fastening the scabbard on his belt, Morgana was already talking.

"Mordred is waiting for us in the courtyard and I'm coming with you, of course." She spun on her heel before Arthur could ask more questions and left him to follow.

His footsteps trailed after her immediately, as well as his voice. "What of this monster then?"

Morgana slowed so he could catch up and answered. "I don't know, Mordred knows more about it."

The prince nodded and they continued their walk in silence. Ravens greeted their arrival in the courtyard and Mordred stood in the center. Arthur met his tired eyes and walked past him without a word, then he drew his sword and led the way to the water supply.

It was just outside the castle, in the caves with an underground entrance. The wind was picking up, causing Arthur's hair to bluster around his head. Mordred made to walk past him, readying the key but Arthur grabbed his shoulder. The boy turned to him and Arthur did not like the paleness of his skin nor the light shadows under his eyes.

"Are you getting sick?" Arthur frowned.

"No, Sire. I stayed up with Merlin. He isn't feeling well."

"Not with the plague?" Arthur asked alarmed. Morgana looked to him curiously with a glimmer in her light eyes.

Mordred shook his head. "He just gets sickly sometimes, Sire."

Arthur nodded but did not seem happy. He then motioned for Mordred to open the doors. The boy quickly did as asked, and they swung open when he had them unlocked. Darkness loomed down the steps and a damp chill was curling out from below.

There was a lit torch at a small landing and Morgana picked two empty ones out of the rack across from it. She lit them, the flames immediately catching on, and then passed one to Arthur. The prince walked onward and led the way down the rest of the stairs.

The sun would be setting in a few hours and the sky outside was still light. But inside the caves where the water supply lay, the torches proved useful in giving them a bubble of welcome light. The prince led Mordred and Morgana into the tunnels with his sword ready.

"You'd better be right about this, Mordred," Arthur warned.

"I am," Mordred replied right away, stepping a little closer to Arthur. "Gaius is the one who saw it anyway."

Arthur just kept walking but when a low growl echoed through the caves he halted. The three of them looked around warily and Arthur looked back. Morgana looked scared and Mordred tried not to look the same. "You should stay here," he told them.

"I'm coming with you," Morgana affirmed.

"No," Arthur snapped.

His authority seemed to give Morgana courage though not the way Arthur wanted. "Scared I'll show you up?" she asked with a bit of an edge.

"Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I'd endangered you," he said angrily.

Mordred eyed the flickering shadows on the cave and listened to the last echoes of the afanc's growl.

"Well good thing he doesn't know about it then," Morgana spoke without amusement.

"I'm telling you, Morgana, turn back," the prince ordered, "you could get hurt. Go back with Mordred."

Arthur's servant then pushed past them, hesitating only a little when he left the safety of the torchlight. "Mordred!" both of them hissed and hurried after him. Arthur hurried past him and sent the boy a glare.

"You shouldn't be here," Arthur told him quietly. The boy looked paler than normal, Arthur would have said pasty, but he didn't want Morgana to stab him with the torch in her hands. And he looked tired on top of it. Mordred pouted but did not respond.

"How are we going to find it?" Morgana asked upon catching up to them. She picked up her pace so she was in the lead.

Arthur whirled around when he heard a hiss in the back tunnels, brandishing his torch in front of him. "Stop," he barked.

Morgana and Mordred fell quiet and listened with Arthur but no kind of monster revealed itself.

"It's just a shadow," Arthur muttered. He turned around again and led the two forward until they arrived at the water source. The prince flicked his sky blue eyes around, scowling when the tunnels remained empty. "We'll spread out. You two, stick close to each other."

Arthur pointed with his torch in the direction he wanted Morgana to go in and she grabbed Mordred's shoulder before obeying. The boy looked back at Arthur but soon led the way for Morgana. Arthur kept a tight grip on his sword and he advanced guardedly through the tunnels. A few paces forward yielded nothing and he decided to double back, not wanting to get too far from Morgana and Mordred. As he was walking, a hiss echoed in the tunnel behind him. The prince turned and readied his sword, caught by surprise when the afanc loomed above him. The fire from his torch illuminated the creature- tall and ugly, the colour of a muddy river and its rough scales helped it blend in to the cave wall. It roared and swiped at him but Arthur dodged in a spin to avoid the claws. When he faced back around, the thing was retreating away speedily. The prince waved his torch trying to keep it back as well as see where it went.

"What is it? Are you alright?" Morgana rushed back and looked scared for him.

"Yeah," Arthur replied quickly.

"Did you see it?" Mordred asked.

"Yes," Arthur answered, still looking around frantically.

"What did it look like?" Morgana questioned.

"It, it's quick."

In front of them, Morgana screamed and Arthur rushed forward to stab at the attacking afanc that sprang from the shadows. His sword met air and the monster blended back into the caves.

Morgana retreated and clutched Mordred's shoulder, placing herself in front of him. "Where is it?" Arthur growled.

The torches only allowed them to see a limited distance and they were squinting at the shadows. "There!" Mordred turned away from Morgana's grip and faced another tunnel.

Arthur strode forward and led them to a crossroads, slowing down when he was standing in the center. Shadows flickered ominously and moans from the monster echoed through the tunnels with the faint wind whistling from the outside. Arthur spotted the shadows sway and then swell not far from them before the afanc lumbered into their view. It was on all fours and Arthur got a view of its massive teeth, gleaming against its dark scales. It had no eyes to speak of. The prince advanced forward to meet it and swung his sword and brandished the torch.

It screeched and shrank backwards before swinging its hulking arm in an arc. Arthur blocked with his sword but was thrown off balance and stumbled backwards. Morgana moved forward at once, clutching the torch in both hands. Arthur started to make his way forwards again just as Mordred sprang past Morgana.

He bellowed at the monster and successfully diverted its attention. The afanc forgot about the lady and slowly crept forward toward the weaker target. Mordred's back hit the rock wall behind him and he gazed fearfully at the prince.

"What do I do?" he shouted desperately.

The afanc drew itself up and raised his claws- Mordred's sharp gasp seemed louder than Arthur's own roar it seemed to the prince. The blonde man swung at the monster as hard as he could with the torch the same time as Morgana screamed. Wind suddenly blustered at the prince's back and made the fire from his torch flare blindingly. The afanc screamed as it caught on fire and it blazed brightest right before it crumpled to the ground dead, revealing behind it a gasping Mordred. Arthur hurried forward and lifted the boy off the ground, leading him away from the burning monster.

"Are you hurt?" Arthur demanded.

Mordred just shook his head while looking shaken at the dead afanc.

"Mordred!" Morgana hurried forward and dropped her torch, hugging the boy tightly. Arthur did not comment.

"That was brave of you," Arthur told the boy.

"Never do that again!" Morgana chastised.

Mordred smiled and looked to Arthur. "I'd knew you save me."

The prince laughed and cuffed the boy over the head.

o}O{o

"I am very impressed you defeated it, Mordred." Candle light danced lazily in the physician's chambers and Gaius and Mordred sat across from each other at the table. The flickering shadows deepened the ones under his eyes and he frowned at Gaius.

"It wasn't me," Mordred finally told him after deciding it to be the truth. They were eating their dinner just the two of them as Merlin was not hungry after downing a piece of cheese bread. The child was seated beside Mordred, leaning on him and staring tiredly at the flame of the candle sitting on the table.

"What do you mean?" Gaius asked curiously.

Mordred sighed and licked his lips, and his ice coloured eyes shone brightly. "I didn't conjure the wind. It wasn't me."

Gaius did not respond for a time. "Who then?"

Mordred shrugged his small shoulders, suddenly deciding that he had enough fish. "I don't know, it was just me, Prince Arthur, and Morgana."

"Morgana..." Gaius muttered under his breath. He spoke on when Mordred looked confused. "It's Morgana, Prince Arthur, and I," Gaius corrected.

Mordred just blinked at the physician before sending a glance to Merlin but the child did not avert his gaze from the candle.

"That's most odd. Are you certain?" Gaius pressed.

Mordred's usually keen eyes did not see the wariness Gaius was keeping from him. "Yes," Mordred yawned.

The physician smiled. "I think it is bed time."

Mordred returned his smile. "Yes I think-"

Gaius and Mordred turned to the door as hesitant knocking came from the other side. "Come in," the physician called and it was Gwen who poked her head through.

"I hope this isn't a bad time?"

"No, it is quite alright," said Gaius.

When the maidservant shut the door and walked closer to them, Merlin finally looked around. Mordred felt the boy freeze and then cling to his arm. Merlin's fingers dug in painfully causing the older boy to cry out. "Merlin, Merlin it's okay!" Mordred tried to appease.

The boy was looking at Gwen with wide eyes and his breathing had picked up. The maidservant immediately stepped back looking scared herself.

"You don't have to be scared of Gwen, Merlin," Gaius informed him calmly.

Merlin just stared fearfully at Guinevere but calmed after a few more seconds. But he shifted to hide behind Mordred to watch Gwen.

"I'm sorry," Gwen said with tears on her breath, "I didn't mean-"

"Gwen please, sit down." Gaius motioned to the spot beside him, right across from Merlin.

The maidservant swallowed and made tentative steps to the table. She watched Merlin cautiously and when she sat down she remained tense. "I didn't mean to scare you, Merlin," she said to the boy.

Merlin only looked down until Gaius convinced him to meet his eyes. "Now, Merlin. I've told Gwen about you and she can be trusted. She will be helping us protect you."

"So you don't need to be scared, Merlin," Mordred added.

Gwen gave him a smile and reached into the pocket of her worn dress. Merlin's eyes brightened when Guinevere extended the toy Thomas had made him. "You left this. And Merlin, thank you for helping my father."

Merlin reached out to grab it and smiled when he had it in his hands. He looked down at it before glancing furtively at Gwen. Merlin checked the door was closed before holding his finger out to the candle. Gaius and Mordred looked at each other but did not say anything as a spark fluttered out of the flame and grew. Gwen gasped as it took shape as a butterfly and landed on Merlin's finger. The child then blew the fire monarch over to Gwen and it landed on the hand that was clasped over her chest.

"It's beautiful," she uttered.

Gaius chuckled. "This one was born to break some hearts, I think."

The butterfly faded and Gwen and Merlin smiled at each other.

o}O{o

Later when both boys were asleep in their beds, Gaius lay awake in the dark. Pale moonlight trickled in through the window, allowing him to see his wrinkly hand in front of his face but not much more. There was no wind making the windows rattle or guards on patrol outside the door- the room was quiet. Silence and darkness were the only witnesses to the physician's brooding frown. His thoughts were unsettling and not even the familiar scent of spicy herbs or potions gave him comfort.

It had been a hectic few days but what was bothering him the most was not the amount of dead Camelot endured, or even Gwen's knowledge of Merlin's magic. He had had a long talk with the maidservant and Gaius knew he could trust her- she had always been a good girl. But the thoughts that weighed him down were centered around Nimueh and Morgana.

It gave Gaius chills to think that his old friend was back and left him positively cold to know that she had vengeance on her mind. Nimueh had always let her heart rule her and Uther had seen to it that it had lost all goodness, though he wasn't entirely to blame. She was back it seemed, and Gaius knew that it could mean no good for Merlin or the one who protected him. He did not know if Nimueh was corrupt enough to harm a child, but Mordred was almost an adolescent and he certainly was powerful. And dangerous. When the boy had realized that Gwen had found out about Merlin, the light that entered Mordred's eyes had been chilling. And Gaius knew that Mordred was fond of Gwen. He could only imagine what Mordred's view of an enemy would be. And Nimueh always had a talent for spotting threats.

But worrying about Nimueh would not help in the night time hours. Gaius moved his sombre thoughts over to Morgana. A soft cry then echoed down from the boys' room and he sat up. But it fell quiet and Gaius decided to leave Mordred be. The eleven year old may not have been as prone to nightmares as Merlin, but they still haunted his sleep occasionally.

And certainly not as much as Morgana.

Morgana.

Gaius forgot to lay back down as he recalled what Mordred had told him earlier. The only ones in caves had been Arthur, Mordred, and Morgana. And Mordred said that he was not responsible for killing the afanc. Gaius knew that Arthur had no potential for magic but Morgana was a different story entirely. Her dreams had been getting worse again and Gaius had hoped it meant nothing. But now he was forced to examine the fact that her dreams might be exactly as he feared them to be. Mordred had said that he was cornered by the beast and Gaius would have had to be blind to not see the connection he and Morgana shared. The king's ward cared about Mordred and Gaius had to wonder if her concern over his life prompted her to do magic.

He hoped not. Gaius hoped that this was not a disaster in the making. For the first time in years, he wished he had someone he could look to. But Gaius quickly brushed his self pity aside- he was the court physician, he was wise, and there was no one but himself he could count on. Gaius would have to carry on like he had always done.

As he fell asleep, he thought that Mordred wasn't the only one who could be ruthless. Gaius now had people he had come to love, and he had lost too many people to lose more. Whatever came, Gaius would be ready.

He just hoped that his boys would not catch Nimueh's attention.

o}O{o

Thanks so much for reading, and please leave a review. For now nighty night :)