"Gaius, there has to be something, anything that will work," Morgana said, flipping through one of Gaius's books.
"I'm running out of ideas, my dear. What ails the King isn't physical, it's mental. I haven't a medicine for that, I'm afraid," he said, carefully measuring a white powder into his cauldron, and adding it slowly into the mixture.
"Wait, I think I have it," she said, stopping on a page in the spell book. "At least temporarily. A spell to forget. Maybe, just maybe, if we can make him forget about magic, it will let his mind heal."
"Or, it damages his already-fragile mind further," Gaius said, continuing to stir the elixir.
"Is there a choice? We must do something," Morgana said, distressed. "His paranoia is getting worse, and taking a toll upon his physical health. I'm worried about him, but also, worried about the larger implications. If this kills him, Arthur will blame magic-users, and blame himself. We will have another generation of fear and violence, and a division in Camelot that can never be healed."
Gaius sighed, as he lowered the heat and let the pot simmer. He finally sat down at the table across from her, and gently closed the book she was reading. "Morgana, I know you're worried, and I am too, but consider exactly what it is you want to take from him."
"I don't understand," she frowned.
"Remember your ethics lessons. About medicine. Uther would not wish for magic to save his life, and certainly not for it to overtake his mind."
"The Hippocratic Corpus gives us no obligation for veracity," she said, heatedly.
"And yet it says, 'First, do no harm,'" Gaius said, gently. "It is magic itself that is hurting his mind."
"It isn't magic, but his torment by the mere existence of magic," she replied bitterly.
"Nonetheless, Uther has long made his wishes known about the use of magic to heal him. He knows I possess the knowledge to accomplish such things outside of traditional medicine, but he has forbidden me to do so, even to save his life."
"But he hasn't forbidden me," Morgana said petulantly.
Gaius looked at her with pity. "There is little else a man has that is more important than his own right of self-determination."
She sighed. "A woman too."
"We'll find another way," he said, squeezing her hands.
She nodded and went back to work, searching through the books all evening until she was too tired to read any more.
It was in the middle of the night that the answer finally came to her. She sat up in her bed, excited. It was something she had read months ago, when reading about Eastern medicine. She commanded the candles to illuminate then searched the stack of books that were beside her desk until she found the one. There was an elixir called Soma, made from a native plant that worked to calm the mind. She knew of a trader to the south who could secure her the ingredients, but they needed to leave immediately.
She quickly dressed in riding clothes, and called to Merlin. Groggily, he responded, and they met at Gwen's, rousing her from slumber as well. Gwen agreed to cover for both of them and attend Arthur while they met with the traders, as well as lend Morgana a less-formal dress and cape so she could better blend in and not raise suspicions.
"I haven't even had a full night in my own bed," Merlin complained, as they rode south to Howden.
"There's a feather bed waiting for us at an inn in Howden. We can sleep until the traders arrive."
"It's not the same as my own bed though, is it?" Merlin yawned. "Uther's had us chasing shadows for so long, I can't remember the last time I slept in my own bed."
"If we're successful, I hope that will come to an end soon," Morgana said, bringing her horse to a trot. It will either end with Uther's mind healed, or with his death, she thought grimly.
The ride was long and exhausting, but they managed to make it to Howden in record time, arriving at the inn just as breakfast was served. They dismounted their horses, leaving them with the stable boy to feed and water. Morgana handed Merlin a coin purse, and linked her arm into his.
"You'd better do the talking, lest we draw attention to ourselves, Husband," she emphasized, with a grin. Merlin paled as he held the door open for her. They were greeted by the innkeeper, a stern, middle-aged woman, tending to the fire.
"Yes, madam, my wife and I would like two rooms, please," he said, handing over the coins, as she walked them to the counter.
"Two rooms?" the woman looked at him strangely.
Merlin stammered, "Uh, I mean…"
"He means one room," Morgana smiled demurely. "We're newly wed, madam, he's not used to the idea yet."
The woman laughed. "Well, you two enjoy gettin ta know each other better then. I'll give ye the best room in the house."
"Thank you," Morgana blushed. "Could we also be told when the trading caravan arrives? My husband has business with one of the traders."
"Of course. Breakfast is just being served now, and your room is the third one on the right upstairs," the woman said, pointing out the staircase.
Famished, they quickly ate in the nearly-empty dining hall, and made their way upstairs. The room was nice enough, better than some of the hovels Merlin had been to before, but he knew it was hardly up to the standards of a princess.
"If you don't need anything further, Milady, I'll just take a quick kip on the floor," Merlin said, unpacking his knapsack.
"Nonsense, Merlin, I promised you a featherbed," she said, washing her face in the bowl left on the vanity.
"Don't you want to rest as well?" he asked, puzzled.
"Of course, but there's no reason we can't share the bed," she said, patting her face dry.
Merlin paled.
"Arthur will never know," she whispered conspiratorially, as she undressed down to her shift. "We're adults, Merlin. Now, do remove your trousers, you'll soil the sheets."
He groaned, and did as she asked, climbing into the bed beside her, keeping his back to her and keeping to as close to the edge as possible. She smiled at his discomfort as she settled in for a nap.
When Morgana awoke it was well into the afternoon, and the room was quite cool as the sun was on the other side of the building. Morgana found herself curled up against Merlin, her raven locks having come loose and sprayed across his chest. He had one arm draped across her, and she sighed happily at their closeness.
He'd needed the rest, they both had. He had been off for weeks with Arthur, and she had been doing nothing but research to find a cure for Uther. She looked up at him. He was in such a deep sleep, or else he would be mortified to be in such a position, one that she desperately desired. She pressed herself into him further, nuzzling his bare chest, taking in his earthy scent. Heavenly, his mind spoke to her, unintentionally, she expects, as his left hand stroked her back and finally landed on her bottom. She stifled a laugh and traced the lines of his chest and abdomen with her right hand. Merlin groaned softly, sending heat coursing through her body. From the feel of his growing erection pressed into her thigh, she wasn't the only one affected by their closeness. This was a dangerous game she was playing, she knew. What would he do if she licked a trail down his chest, down to his manhood, and took him into her mouth? The very thought of it was making her breath heavy and her heart race. She had waited so long for him…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. "The caravan has been spotted atop the hill, it will arrive on the hour," the innkeeper said through the door.
Merlin's eyes shot open and he fell backwards out of the bed, taking the covers with him. Morgana sat up in the bed, and shouted, "Thank you!" to the innkeeper.
"Everything okay, Merlin?" she asked, innocently.
Merlin was bright red, and trying to untangle himself from the covers. "Fine, perfectly fine."
She smiled demurely, swallowing down her frustration.
They quickly dressed and headed out to meet the caravan. She had warned Merlin that the trader was a little jumpy, so they needed to play it cool. Merlin decided to leave the negotiating to Morgana, and instead walked through the pop-up market.
"A piece of jewelry for your lady love, Milord?" a peasant woman asked him, gesturing at the rings.
He stared a moment at the gold bands, and remembered the weight of Morgana in his arms when he awoke, the feeling of her soft hands on him. He shook the thoughts from his head. Hadn't Arthur already made it clear Morgana was out of his league? Arthur might be in love with Gwen, but he certainly wouldn't tolerate Merlin's feelings for his sister.
"No, thank you," he said, moving on with a sigh. As he had many times before, he pushed his feelings away, and concentrated on the task at hand, his duty to Camelot.
Morgana found him in the marketplace, admiring some dragon carvings.
"That one looks like Kilgharrah," she grinned. She gestured toward the carving, and told the vendor. "We'll take it."
"Did you get what you need?" he asked, as she slipped her arm into his.
"I did," she smiled. "Now, let's head home. Husband."
If only, they both thought.
When they returned home, Merlin was informed that Arthur was being sent away again and would leave at first light. He groaned, dreading another several weeks of sleeping on the ground.
Meanwhile, Morgana and Gaius got to work on the elixir. She was able to purchase all of the ingredients, as well as some very specific instructions from the vendor on its use that her book had not explained. She felt confident that this was exactly what Uther needed.
Three weeks went by and the King was much calmer, sleeping and eating again, and nary a word about sorcerers, Druids, or magic. Morgana breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Arthur had been away for most of his father's illness and wasn't there to see the extent of it. She feared what would happen if Arthur found out how truly ill he had become.
Arthur returned just in time for his birthday banquet, a splendid affair, and it was good to see Uther back to his normal self.
"He seems to have forgotten all about the Druids and the sorcerer," Arthur frowned, trying to puzzle it out.
"Gaius and I made him a sleeping draught, made from some very rare herbs from the East that help soothe the mind. I think he's finally feeling well-rested and that's helping cure his mind of his paranoia about magic," Morgana explained.
"Well, you've done wonders. The king is in good health, we can leave the Druids alone, and I'm home in time to celebrate another birthday with my family," he smiled, raising his cup to hers.
She smiled at him brightly. She couldn't argue with the result.
"Morgana, my dear, would you do your father the honor of a dance?" Uther said, rising from his chair.
"Of course, My Lord," she said, putting down her cup and squeezing Arthur's shoulder before taking Uther's hand.
"I wanted to thank you, my dear," Uther said, as they moved on the dance floor to the music. "I have not been myself lately, and you nursed me back to health. I believe you've saved my life twice now, once from an assassin and once from illness. I am grateful for your skill with a blade and your skill with healing."
She swallowed down her guilt that she had caused both threats to his life in the first place, and smiled broadly. "It was only thanks to the education you afforded me. You were wise to allow me to train, despite being a girl. It was you who taught me I could be more than just a Lord's wife. That I could have skill and power in my own right."
"And so you do. It brings my heart gladness to know that when I leave this world, I leave my kingdom in the best possible hands, with my son as King and my daughter as his princess and advisor."
Morgana beamed with pride. She would also be Arthur's champion, his sorceress, but neither Uther nor Arthur knew this. Uther probably never would know her true nature, but she hoped she could reveal herself to Arthur someday.
As the dancing died down, the feast began, as well as an elaborate performance, led by a circus performer.