Author's Note: Hey, I can't talk for long right now cause I'm getting shouted at to get off the laptop and go to bed ;P But I'm gonna update anyway :D You guys are way better than going to bed! Well, hope you like. A few POVs here and we find out a lot more about what's happening to Gwaine. Aww, poor Gwaine! I feel so mean but all this does have a purpose! Trust me, I don't take pleasure in hurting him like this! Well, please read + review! Thanks! x
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of the BBC's TV programme Merlin (wish I did!) but any added characters and plotlines were completely my genius! All mistakes are also my own!
Chapter Twenty One
Tragic
It had been four days since Arthur's meeting with the Thief and he had certainly taken action. He had stopped providing food for him. He had increased the amount of guards down in the dungeons, although none of them were actually in view of the cell in case he tried to do one of his hypnotism acts. He was sure the Thief would still be able to do it even without magic. He had also made sure that every person who went into the dungeons was checked. His father didn't object to him doing these things. In fact, he was a bit taken aback at Arthur's newfound strictness. Although he still supported Arthur in each of the changes he made. Those things the Thief had said to Arthur had hurt. But he was, in a way, glad that the Thief had said those things to him. It had given him a wake up call, opened his eyes to what was really happening.
"Gwaine? Gwaine?" Gaius shook the sleeping Gwaine gently by the shoulder. He needed to do his daily check up and Gwaine was refusing to wake up. Over the last four days it had been increasingly difficult to wake Gwaine up. His condition was plummeting now. His skin had become ghostly, almost transparent. His breathing had become much heavier and more strained. When he slept he would sometimes toss and turn, muttering things that Gaius couldn't make out. When he did finally wake up, he would be dripping with sweat and would be very shaken. Gaius had given him all sorts of potions and remedies to try and calm him in his sleep but none had prevailed. This was one of those times that Gwaine was being especially stubborn with waking up. Gaius shook him again, a little more forcefully this time. "Gwaine? Wake up Gwaine, I need to do your check again. Gwaine?" Gaius' voice was becoming a little more troubled. Gaius shook even more vigorously. Gwaine still didn't stir. Gaius rushed back to his workbench and grabbed a cup of water. He trickled it over Gwaine's pale face, hoping he would show a sign of life. Nothing. Gaius pressed two shaky fingers up to Gwaine's neck. Gaius froze and his heart faltered.
But then there was a pulse under his fingers. Relief washed over Gaius like a cool breeze on a hot day. Gwaine wasn't dead. The beats continued under his fingers until he took them off. But he couldn't hesitate for long. He dashed back over to his workbench. It was a relief that Gwaine wasn't dead but why was he not waking up? Gaius hurriedly flicked through the pages of the still open book he had been reading through the previous night. He had found a page that had contained some details about the spell that the Thief had cast on Gwaine (though it hadn't said anything about an antidote). He quickly found the page and ran his finger along the lines of the description. It read:
The spell of No Return, or the Dreadaus spell as it is sometimes known, is a greatly powerful spell. It is a slow and extremely painful death. The spell works over a period of about a week and breaks down the body. It slows and strains the breathing and heart beats. It extracts all the strength of the victim until there is nothing left or the caster withdraws the spell. There is one stage in the process that is known as 'The Everlasting Sleep' . This is where the victim sinks into a sleep so deep that it is much harder to bring them back than it would be earlier on in the process. This 'Everlasting Sleep' usually occurs on around the fourth to fifth day of the process.
Gaius pressed his finger down on the last couple of sentences. 'The Everlasting Sleep'. It sounded so dreadful. Gaius looked back round at Gwaine. He had started writhing and twisting round and round on the sheets. His body was already starting to damp with sweat. The door suddenly opened and Gwen came through. She looked down at Gwaine's convulsions but instantly looked away again. She looked like she couldn't bare to watch him like this.
"Shouldn't you be doing his daily check?" Gwen asked gently.
"Yes, I was, but then he wouldn't wake up and I remembered something I read last night." Gaius brought her over to the bench and pointed at the passage he had just read. He waited a moment for her to read the paragraph. She finished and looked up, worry spread all over her face.
"He's not is he? The Everlasting Sleep?" Gwen said, her voice audibly shaking. Gaius nodded sombrely.
"I fear so," he said softly, looking down at Gwaine. He was still tossing and turning, his face stuck in a permanent look of pain.
"I'll go and get another damp cloth," Gwen said. She obviously wanted to get out of there quickly. Gaius didn't entirely blame her. Gwaine's writhing was slightly disturbing. She rushed out of the room, not looking back.
Something had occurred to Emrys just after Ceira had left. He didn't know when he'd next be seeing her. He had never asked her. He hadn't seen her since. He longed to fell her icy skin beneath his fingers one last time. There was something comforting yet mysterious about her touch. Emrys had missed that feeling. Four days. Four days he had languished in this unbearable cell. Gwaine was probably in the Everlasting Sleep now. Good. That might remind Arthur that he was still stuck down here.
Ceira. He couldn't get her off his mind. Her pale face, her blood red lips, her dark cascading hair and her ebony eyes were burnt into his head. Those eyes. They had sent a message. Emrys knew it. He had been trying to figure out exactly what had passed between them when they had last met. But every time he got close to what it might be, it slipped yet further out of his grasp. Emrys just hoped that he would be able to decipher it soon. And he wished he would be able to somehow see Ceira soon as well.
Four whole days. Four days of non stop chores and jobs. And not a single sighting of Emrys. Ceira was starting to wonder if she would ever see Emrys again. She had heard what had happened to Gwaine, through the network of maid rumours. It hurt to know that Emrys was purposely killing him but she understood why. He was desperate and that's when he lashed out. That's when he started hurting people. When he was vulnerable. She had done that with her own magic sometimes without thinking. Although she had never actually killed anyone, she had still wounded people almost mortally. She tried not to think about those times. She had had less control over her magic back then. It got out of hand sometimes, but she could usually stop it before anything serious happened. No one had ever known about her magic. Not until now. She trusted Emrys.
She would have to think of a way to see him again. She couldn't bare it. She couldn't concentrate in the day. She couldn't just leave him to languish in that cell. She felt as if he was like her. She couldn't exactly find out why but it just felt like she should be there for him. But how could she see him? She couldn't go down to give him food anymore. So how? She knew how much the security had been increased in the dungeons and she knew that everyone who went down there was to be checked. She couldn't just waltz down there and expect to be allowed to see Emrys with no questions asked. She needed an excuse. But there was one. Unless… No, it was too risky. She couldn't go round just using her magic like that. Now was the time to choose. Would she risk her greatest secret to see Emrys?
Author's Note: Phwoah! That little blue button down there is sure looking mighty-fine! You know if you just slide your mouse over it and give it a little click it'll make someone very happy! ;P …Again :D