Hi guys, sorry for keeping you waiting so long but here is the next chapter :) And a big thanks to everyone who reviewed!

o}O{o

The streets outside were quiet now, much to Gwen's relief. She stood with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders and peered out the half open shutters. It was a warm night out so her father had left them open which had let the rowdy shouts drift into the house. By the sounds of it, two drunken men had gotten into a tussle around the corner. All the shouting had woken Gwen up, but not her father who slept like a rock. The guards had apprehended them quickly but now she was wide awake.

A short sigh drifted out her lips, wondering how long it was until dawn. She looked for the moon and found the pale crescent only just above the rooftops which told her it was only a few hours past midnight at best. Feeling a slight breeze fall through the window, Gwen pulled the shutters closed and walked over to her father. She tugged the blanket over his shoulders and decided to return to her bed in the back room, making sure to extinguish the candlestick on the table. Just as she bent down to blow it out, a loud bang sounded on the door and kept thumping in a demanding knock.

She froze and wondered if the drunken men had escaped the guards but she passed it off as a silly notion. But she still hesitated, and was so relieved when her father woke up with a jolt. They looked at each other before Tom got up and motioned for her to stay back. The knocking persisted and this time a voice drifted through the door.

"Hello! Guinevere! The physician needs you! Open up!" A man's voice yelled.

Thomas intercepted her as she made to go to the door and blocked the entrance as he opened it. Gwen pulled her shawl tighter around her to cover up her nightdress when her father opened the door wider. A castle guard stepped through and looked through the house until he spotted Gwen. In his hands were three empty pails.

"Gaius needs your help right away," he reported.

Gwen nodded, feeling worried. "I'll be just a second."

She hurried to the back room in order to put on a dress as her father questioned the castle guard. "What happened? Is everything alright?"

"Don't think so," he said, "Gaius said to bring as much water as I could." When Gwen came hurrying back donning a red cloak, the blue eyed guard turned to her. "He said you're to go straight there."

"Alright." Gwen nodded worriedly and strode for the door.

"Do you need help?" Thomas called, already going for their own water pails by the door.

Gwen left them behind, and scurried down the street. It was dark but the moonlight allowed her visibility if only just. The closer she got to the castle the better she was able to see as there were torches lining the castle walls. It seemed like it took ages for her to get there, her mind worrying over what could be happening the whole way there. A horrible thought occurred to Gwen upon nearing the chambers- what if one of the boys were sick? Gaius had never asked for help before. When Gwen entered the physician's chambers, her fears proved to be true.

On the patient's cot, being hovered over by the physician was Merlin, wearing only his small clothes, who looked ill even from her vantage point. And laying on Gaius' bed was Mordred, asleep but with bandages wrapped around his head. "Gaius, what happened?" she demanded, jogging closer.

Gaius wheeled around at her voice and seemed to deflate with relief. "Thank God you're here. He has a fever, nothing I give him will slow it down."

The maidservant could only blink fearfully at him before she looked at Merlin. The poor boy was breathing rapidly, his thin chest falling up and down too quickly. Sweat had soaked his hair and glistened on his skin, prompting Gwen to search for a cloth. There was one beside the pillow so she took it and mopped his brow. "When did this happen? What's wrong with them?" she asked Gaius. Merlin had looked fine when she had seen him earlier today. But now the child's complexion was ashen, his cheeks flushed red from fever.

Gaius did not answer right away. Now free from tending to Merlin, he hurried to a half made potion on the dining table, scrambling for ingredients. "Uther got the same illness as Morgana. Merlin healed him. And Mordred received a concussion- which I've healed already."

Gwen felt the air leave her in an unconscious gasp. "But…"

"There's no time for explaining, Gwen," Gaius snapped, "where is that water?"

Her mouth bobbed open, trying to voice a reply around her panic. She knew what using too much magic could mean for Merlin. And how on earth did Mordred get a concussion? "They- they're coming. They should be here soon." Her dark eyes flitted to the door but back at Merlin when the boy moaned. His face was pinched with pain and Gwen bit her lip.

"Shh, shh," she cooed to Merlin, "it's alright. Why is he shivering, Gaius? He's on fire!"

"Lift his head," Gaius ordered, his voice coming from right behind her. Gwen hurried to do as asked and helped Gaius feed Merlin a potion. At first the child coughed it up but the physician knew what he was doing and they managed to give him a few sips. As Gwen was setting Merlin's head back down, the door opened and her father came through with the guard behind him. Each of them had three pails of water and brought it to the bed. "Pour it in the tub," he told them and motioned to the foot of the bed.

"Why?" Gwen asked warily even though she thought she knew the answer. Her father and the guard emptied the buckets, the rushing water hitting the empty tub loudly.

Gaius did not even spare her a glance as he took all of the cloths in his hands and dumped them a bucket which he pulled aside. "If his temperature rises he will go into convulsions," Gaius explained evenly.

The maidservant gritted her jaw and shook her head, denying that the boy was getting worse. She stood up and looked for a cup. One step ahead of her, Thomas came from one of the cabinets and offered a ceramic mug. Grabbing it with a firm smile, she dunked the cup into one of the buckets and brought it to Merlin's lips while Gaius held his head.

"It- it's not contagious, is it?" the guard asked. He was standing behind them and Gwen was surprised that he hadn't left yet.

"No, the both of you are free to go," the physician replied.

The guard nodded slowly, looking troubled at Merlin. "If you need an extra pair of hands I'll be outside," he informed them before heading to the door.

"Thank you," Gaius said gratefully and then looked between Merlin and the tub.

"Here let me," Thomas volunteered, "you look tired, Gaius."

The physician did not deny it. "Are you certain? It will not be pleasant."

But Tom was already collecting Merlin into his thick arms. Gwen started to bite her nails when her father knelt before the wooden tub, balancing Merlin on his forearms. It was a small structure but more than big enough for Merlin. "Alright," Gaius said and knelt across from the blacksmith.

Gwen held her breath as her father lowered Merlin into the water and forgot to let it go when the child did not so much as twitch. Tom had not let Merlin go and looked at Gaius in alarm. "Shouldn't he be… I don't know, kicking and screaming?"

He was handed a grave look by Gaius. They waited for a few more excruciating moments before Gaius signalled for Tom to bring Merlin out. Once he was placed back on the cot, Gaius felt his forehead.

"Well?" Gwen asked impatiently, leaning forward to dry Merlin's forehead when Gaius pulled away.

"I think it worked," the physician said. Obviously wary, Gaius reached into the bucket of water he had saved and grabbed four cloths. He placed the soaked pieces of fabric and placed them under Merlin's armpits and under his knees, and one on his forehead with an added one on his throat for good measure. With nothing left to do but wait, Gaius stepped back and heaved a weary sigh. "Gwen, would you please get me a head ache remedy. It's the orange one on that bookcase."

"Of course," Gwen said and went to where Gaius had indicated. The bookcase was in the corner of the chambers, cast into shadow by a pillar. An army of bottles- tall, short, thin, and wide- stood on the shelves, the glass tinkling in the candle light. Gwen scanned them and was barely able to make out an orange liquid in three of the bottles. Not knowing which one was the remedy, she grabbed all of them and brought it to Gaius who set one of them on a short stool next to his bed.

The physician looked at Mordred, the boy was sleeping deeply and completely oblivious to the world around him. "He'll need this later," Gaius explained and wandered back to Merlin.

Gwen looked at the older boy sympathetically. "Is it safe for him to sleep?" she wondered.

"Quite, the injury wasn't serious," the physician said as he checked over Merlin again. A frown settled on Gwen's brow, she was sure Gaius had said Mordred had a concussion. "Oh come on, Merlin," he bemoaned and re soaked the cloths again.

Gwen shared a worried look with her father before she stepped forward. "What should I do?"

o}O{o

It wasn't until the birds started to sing when Merlin's fever stabilized. Thomas had left after holding Merlin in the tub for the third time but Gwen had stayed with Gaius. The old man had only sat down when he felt it was safe. Finally resting, Gaius felt exhausted.

"Here." Gwen approached him and offered him a glass of water. "At least drink this if you won't rest."

"Thank you, Guinevere," he sighed and offered her a tired smile.

"You don't need to thank me, Gaius," she said, her dark eyes sincere. Through the course of the night, he had enlightened her of yesterday's events. Everything that Edwin had done and how it was Arthur to kill him. She wished she could have done something but she hadn't even known what was happening.

But what she could do now was tend to Merlin. The child's cheeks were still flushed and his fever still lingered but it was no longer raging like it had been. Gwen took away the cloth on his forehead and found that it had grown warm against Merlin's skin. She ran her fingers through his damp hair, hoping to give him some comfort. "Oh, Merlin," she sighed, wondering what had possessed him to approach the king in the first place.

"How is he?" Gaius called.

"The same," Gwen said without looking away from Merlin's face. Sleeping, his face held no fear. While he had been growing increasingly happy since arriving in Camelot, there were only a select group of people allowed to see. Merlin was no longer afraid of the people of Camelot, but remained nervous with almost everyone. With a sad smile, Gwen remembered that he was getting better. Expecting another question but not receiving one, Gwen turned curiously to Gaius.

The physician was fast asleep and the upper half of his body was resting on his bed with his head near Mordred's shoulder. Knowing it couldn't be comfortable but not having the heart to wake him, Gwen grabbed a blanket from the pile she had assorted earlier. When she placed it around Gaius he did not stir but he did give a light snore. Silence seemed to grow inside the chambers, bothering Gwen just a bit. Shaking off the lonely feeling, the blacksmith's daughter sat beside Merlin again, ready to watch over her charge until dawn.

o}O{o

Mordred was late. And Mordred was never late which clued Arthur into the fact that something was wrong. The prince frowned at the door, sitting on his bed with his arms holding him up and blankets still over his legs. He wondered if Mordred had hit his head harder than Arthur had thought. Worry hatched inside his gut and Arthur made the decision to see what was taking him. As he headed to the dressing screen and then his wardrobe because no clothes were waiting Arthur thought that his servant was just sleeping in. Yes, it had been a long day yesterday- Arthur himself was tired even though it was past breakfast.

Once properly changed he sauntered out the door but when he closed it behind him he heard an exclamation of surprise. He looked to see Guinevere stopping suddenly from a brisk walk. "Sire," she said more out of surprise than a greeting he suspected.

"Good morning, Guinevere," he said somewhat suspiciously. The maidservant's pretty eyes were wide and noticeably tired, and she had not continued on her way. "Is there something the matter?"

"Um, well. It's just that I'm here to tell you that Mordred won't be tending to you today," Gwen answered nervously. "Oh and good morning. To you as well."

Arthur frowned. "Is he hurt?"

Gwen avoided his gaze. "No… not hurt exactly. He- er- well. No, no he's-"

"Guinevere," Arthur interrupted, giving her a stare that demanded answers.

The maidservant took a breath and looked Arthur in the eyes, casting her nerves away. "It's Merlin," Gwen said quietly, "he's not well."

Arthur was stunned. From the severe expression on Gwen's face, it appeared worse than she was saying. "Merlin?" he repeated, "but he was fine last night."

"I know, but he has a fever and," Gwen said and wrung her hands, "and he won't wake up. Mordred is beside himself and nothing Gaius does seems to help." She bit her lip and tried to calm herself again. "I thought you'd like to hear it from someone you know- not that you know me, no of course not. I'm just a servant, but someone you're… um familiar with…." Gwen stopped herself and looked away, giving her head a minute shake. Arthur might have smiled another time.

"What… what do you mean won't wake up?" Arthur asked, grasping onto the most alarming point of her explanation.

Gwen looked down, snapped out of her embarrassment. "Just that. He looks as if he's sleeping."

"But why won't he wake up?"

"I don't know. Neither does Gaius."

"Walk with me," Arthur ordered, "and tell me everything."

It did not take long for Arthur to grow scared though he instantly tried to deny it. Why would a prince fear for a servant? That's preposterous. A pint sized one at that. When Guinevere stopped talking they continued on their way in silence, Arthur too busy with his thoughts to mind anything else. He had half convinced himself that he didn't care when they entered Gaius' chambers, but seeing Merlin made him forget all that.

The carefully stern mask he had constructed fell away at once and Arthur felt something like dread take a hold of him. Merlin looked more or less like he always did except for the grey quality to his skin. As the prince forced himself to step into the chambers, the more he felt that something was wrong. Arthur had grown accustomed to Merlin's constant cheer, and none of that life was to be found in the sleeping boy.

"Sire," Gaius' voice broke Arthur out of his reverie. The prince looked up, insulted that he would sound surprised. He immediately noticed that Morgana was here as well, standing with Mordred by the window.

"Guinevere told me about Merlin," Arthur explained and then took the chance to survey Mordred. Arthur's servant was not hiding his emotions like Arthur was. His eyes were red rimmed and he looked absolutely miserable. There was a bandage wrapped around his head, skewing his hair messily. But since he was standing and his eyes were piercingly clear, Arthur turned back to Gaius.

"What's wrong with him?" Arthur asked and motioned to Merlin. He wanted to go closer but for some reason his body didn't let him so he stayed right where he was.

The physician took a moment to reply. "He's ill. I am not sure with what but it came on suddenly."

Arthur nodded absently and stole a look at Morgana. She was staring at Merlin worriedly, lost in thought and she had a reassuring hand on Mordred's shoulder.

"Was it Edwin?" Arthur said, needing to know.

"No, Sire"

The prince was minutely relieved but not reassured. His eyes drifted to Merlin again and it took him a while before he could ask another question. "Will he be alright?"

"I hope so, Sire," Gaius responded, earning an alarmed stare from the prince.

"You hope?" Arthur repeated. "No, Gaius you will make it so." Deciding that he had to get out of there, Arthur retreated from the chambers. He should have known Morgana would come after him.

"Arthur! Arthur wait," she called.

The prince stopped, strangely relieved instead of annoyed. "How are you, Morgana?"

She had clearly not been expecting the question from the shocked look crossing over her face. But she tried to offer him a smile. "Funny, I wanted to ask you that."

Arthur looked around the marble corridor, only answering when he assured himself that they were alone. "I don't know," he replied.

"Look, children get sick all the time," she said with a false brightness.

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" Arthur asked, unconsciously pulling a face.

Morgana just continued like the prince said nothing. "And Gaius will have Merlin better in no time."

"Yes I suppose he will," Arthur said quietly. He knew that children took ill frequently, peasant children especially. It had always been a distant fact, something he would never concern himself with- something he'd never be bothered by. But Merlin was sick, and Arthur discovered that he was actually worried.

Morgana moved away from the closed door and closer to the prince. The light of morning spread through the halls, reflecting in her jade green eyes. "It's alright to be scared, Arthur," Morgana told him.

"Scared," the prince repeated in alarm. "I'm not scared. You always think you know what I'm feeling, don't you Morgana?"

The King's ward was not surprised over his sudden hostility but was unable to douse her annoyance despite her understanding. "We're all worried, Arthur, not just you. Just come back when you are ready but for now Mordred needs me."

Arthur gritted his teeth as Morgana turned around, readying himself to do the same but quickly stopped himself. Previously he would have gone on his way but not even the familiar frustration Morgana inspired in him could overcome the fear of almost losing her a few days ago. "Wait. You never answered my question," Arthur called. Morgana stopped just as her fingers touched the door handle. She did not remove them but she did turn with a curious look on her features. "When I asked you how you were."

A slight smile lifted Morgana's lips and when she spoke her tone was strangely earnest. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were worried." Arthur frowned, his lips very nearly settling into a pout. He wondered if she would make him say it out right. Seemingly deciding to take pity on him, Morgana laughed. "I am fine now, really," she answered.

"Good," Arthur said with a nod. Silence stretched between them before Arthur turned around without another word. The prince left before any more dignity could be wrested from him.

o}O{o

Thanks so much for reading, and I promise there won't be as big of wait till next chapter. So see you guys then! Oh and please review if you would be so kind :)