"Broken Mind" (Rose)

Not one of us mutters a single word in the corridors. We waltz straight into the King's room, untested by any guards. This almost saddens me, but the condition of the room itself is enough to send my thoughts spiraling into a totally different direction. Various items scattered across the floor, King Uther is nowhere to be seen, and his bedclothes pushed nearly onto the floor. "What happened here?" I ask in horror as Gaius and Merlin take in the surroundings.

I do not hesitate to tread further in, eyes darting this way and that until landing where the King of Camelot hides with and from his broken mind. "He's over here," I quicken my pace to his side, kneeling down next to him. "My lord, can you hear me?" He stares into my eyes, showing all but the backs of the whites of his own.

"Uther?" Gaius comes up and rests at his other side. "Uther!"

The crazed man takes quivering breaths, grasping onto Gaius's coat, "Please!" he cries in desperation, peering over the physician's shoulder.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" I question with haste.

Gaius tries to read what he sees in his face to no avail. Uther utters another cry. I turn to see a woman, pale as the moonlight, drenched in water that does not cease to drip but seems to stream from her being. Her blonde hair falls in what would be curls, and her blue eyes are cold and deader than dead. My eyes respond by widening five sizes- one size for every child that surrounds her in the same state as she. The woman's expression turns to deep sorrow. "Please!" she wails as Uther whimpers.

I cannot tear my gaze away from them. My mind is boggled and horrified. Merlin's eyes jump from Uther to me. He spins around and disappears, reappearing a split second later. He runs and skitters to a halt, tossing something into the fireplace. Shrill, piercing screaming stabs my ears as Uther slowly relaxes, the dreadful sight having vanished. "It was an enchantment, sire," Gaius attempts to calm him. "You need to rest."

I shakily exhale while Uther's breathing remains rapid. I stand and step back, the shooting pain becoming apparent once more. Merlin rushes over. He and Gaius lift the King onto his feet and help him into bed. The frightened expression never leaving his face, Uther looks warily around the room. His gaze lands on me. "It'll be alright," I tell him, although I'm not sure it does any good. I try to smile, but I don't even know if my lips moved at all.

"Please, drink this, sire," Gaius pours a draught into a chalice. "It will help you to sleep." Uther makes no argument, gulping the liquid as Gaius tilts the cup for him. Without another word, we leave him for the night. At this rate, I may need to ask Gaius for some sleeping potion, myself.

"The Fact Is" (Merlin)

Once safely back inside our quarters, I turn to Gaius. "We must tell Uther what Morgana has done."

"Are you mad?" Gaius questions. "He'd have both our heads if we made such accusations. He'd look on it as treason."

I shake my head as he finishes. "We can't just let her get away with it."

"He dotes on her every word, Merlin," he reminds me.

"But if he knew," I argue.

"You've seen how blind he is to her faults."

"Like a bird flying into the sun," Rose comments.

"Besides," Gaius continues, "The root is gone now. It can do no more harm."

"No, you don't understand," I shake my head again. "I heard Morgana and Morgause. There's more to their plan, I'm sure of it."

Rose suddenly drops to the ground, doubled over in pain.

"Rose, what's happened?" Gaius questions, seeing the blood flowing from the gash, fear sounding in his tone. In all the hustle, I hadn't noticed she was bleeding again.

"She fell off her horse," I fill Gaius in, sweeping her off the floor.

"The army," she murmurs weakly as I set her in her bed, pulling the covers over her small frame.

"The what?" I ask in a more frantic tone than I wanted to take.

Her eyes are glassy. "I saw them," she gives great effort to answer further, but her head lolls to the side, eyes shutting.

"Gaius!" I call in alarm.

"It's alright, Merlin," he comes over and presses a cloth to her cut and has me administer a remedy for her pain. "She's just been jostled. She should wake in the morning."

I eventually force myself from her side. I have to wake before Arthur does. I have a feeling that she won't be rousing any time soon. I sigh and retreat to my own bed for the night.