Together they were waiting for news, at the foot of the staircase, with Elaina pacing the floor.
"come on, you'll make a hole in the ground."
Gaius opened his arms and Elaina went into them for comfort. They always had a close bond since her arrival at the castle, because he knew the true her and had always been available for when she wanted to vent out her frustrations. She would joke that he was the closest thing to a grandfather she had, earning a sharp look from him that made her laugh.
"how much longer," Elaina asked of no one, for they wouldn't have the answer, but she was getting fed up with waiting to hear if her sister would live or not.
"take deep breaths, child" Gaius encouraged, though he himself was thinking just the same and if the Boy didn't hurry up, he would charge into that room to see for himself, what Muirden was doing to Morgana.
"your majesty!"
Before anyone could come asking questions, he had time it just right in presenting himself to a anxious crowd.
Muirden looked joyous when he claimed that in fact, morgana did not have an inflammation on the brain, as Gaius had diagnosed. Muirden had been suspicious from the start when Gaius had said what he thought she suffered from.
"what is it then?" Uther asked, as this was what everyone now wanted to know.
"It is a cerebral haemorrhage."
Gaius was aghast, his arm dropping accusingly like he had been slapped, "haemorrhage, I don't think so."
Muirden showed a handkerchief, marred by a scarlet spot, "I found this trace of blood in her ear."
Gaius wasn't convinced. He had been staring at morgana for days. The pillows, a pure white, would have surely picked up any dribbles of blood and not go unnoticed by either Gwen, Elaina or himself. It didn't make sense and he was the only one who saw it that way, though he had hoped Elaina would.
She just stared at the handkerchief, claimed to be spoiled by her sister's blood. She took it from Muirden, worried about what it could all mean. did this make her sisters condition more severe?
Muirden had read Elaina's mind and addressed her fears.
"the severity depends upon the site and volume of the bleed. If not treated it can lead to coma and eventually death. "
"…how could you have missed this?" Uther asked Gaius, with the first inkling of doubt in the old man's abilities beginning to sprout.
"I didn't see any blood."
Gaius stuck by that. His eyes were weary, but he never felt more at his best, than when he was working, as there was no room for slacking or any excuse for it, not even old age. He had racked his mind night after night with books, so convinced in his diagnosis, that he wouldn't even let merlin interfere in vain with magic, as some things had to take their natural course.
"please, just thank the fates you didn't administer more rosemary, to circulate the stimulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?"
Except for him and Gaius, no one could imagine and looked to the physician to explain.
"it may have increased the bleed."
Elaina was bracing herself now for the damning announcement, which would create a time frame to say her farewells to morgana, as nothing for the past three days had worked to her benefit, but may have worsened it by what Muirden was saying.
"is there a cure?"
He had promised them a cure to all ills. A talent for being a physician would mean little if morgana was dying either way and maybe Gaius's mistakes were a mercy to speed the process, if she was suffering.
"here, see for yourself."
Muirden offered Elaina his hand, the one that was mottled from a poor blood supply, due to the thickness of the scars. It was like a test in way to see if she would accept it, as it would to many be seen as a hand not for holding and people would avoid it, as they would the sight if his face. But it was a test Elaina would pass without a second thought. She gladly accepted it and the two were a contrast, as her flesh was smooth and soft.
When she did take his hand, it was like when stone smacked against stone to make a spark. He should feel cold, but Elaina was warmed by his touch. it felt comfortable there, like it was natural for it to be held by this particular person when others who have taken it before, she instantly wanted to let go of.
He guided her up the steps in the lead and she was conscious the whole way up, of these feelings. Taking sneaky glances at the hands belonging to Muirden and herself.
He opened the door for her, knowing that as soon as she saw morgana, she would release his hand as quickly as she had taken it.
"Morgana!" Elaina cried, running and flinging herself at her sister, when maybe she should have been more cautious, giving she had been lifeless a moment ago.
"whoa, easy Elaina, I've just started to get some strength back."
Her voice was a little hoarse, but it was good to hear it again and Elaina did not listen to morgana, as her arms constricted around her neck for a much-needed hug from a live, moving body.
"I was so scared," she wailed.
Morgana relaxed and did not fight against her sister. When she woke, she couldn't remember anything apart from when she had fallen asleep next Elaina. Then when she looked, her sister was gone, and a man was looming over her expectantly instead. He explained she had been at deaths door and Elaina had brought him to the castle, purely just to save her, as their last hope. Her muscles ached from not being able to move them for three days, as Muirden had told her. So, she accepted Elaina holding up her weight for her, since she insisted.
"I'm sorry, Elaina," morgana whispered, not being able to imagine what she had put Elaina through, but going by the bags under her eyes and her crying, it had been a lot. She couldn't blame her. if it had been her instead, morgana would have been a disaster as the concept of her sister in pain or to be taken away from her, was unbearable. What she didn't know she would have been able to do, is pull out all the stops to get her sister back to health as Muirden said Elaina had done on her behalf.
"this is truly a miracle!"
Morgana chuckled when she heard Elaina growl through her tears upon hearing Uther.
"does he think I'm sharing you?" she mumbled, making her sister snort and it validated to Elaina that she was going to be ok.
Reluctantly she drew back so Uther could get his hug in and while he embraced her, she recalled that vision and the revelation that morgana was the child of Uther. Morgana was not aware of this at all. Elaina didn't think anyone knew, besides morgana's two paternal parents. She had become a half-sister in the blink of an eye, but the bond was no different and never would be.
However, she did wonder if she should confront Uther about this, but how could she without mentioning how it was she managed to find out. He would have her killed in an instant before she could utter another word. As for morgana, Elaina believed everyone should have the right to know who they are. Only would it be worth it? nothing could amount from the truth being revealed and to think of the man who raised her not being her father, would be cruel.
No, Elaina's mind was settled. Gorlois was the only father morgana ever knew. What difference did the matter of blood make, when he made her into who she was now. Uther did not matter and if he didn't claim her at birth, why would he want to do so now, nor had he attempted to in the past. Things were better left unsaid.
With everyone sharing in the happiness and relief of morgana's recovery, Elaina noticed Muirden slipping out of the room, so while Arthur and merlin also saw to morgana, she followed.
"Mr Muirden!"
His long cloak was billowing behind as he walked and clung to his legs at the abrupt stop. He waited for her to catch up down the hallway and she looked at him with pure marvel.
"I asked you to save her, and you did…I can never thank you enough for what you have done."
Reversing the roles, she bowed to him as it was no more than what he deserved, for she couldn't amount to the skill in healing people like himself had and she would forever be in his debt. He saved morgana's life, but he also saved hers because she would not have gone living without her. surely, she would have died of a broken heart, if such things was possible, or let the next villain to curse Camelot strike her down, so she could be reunited with her family. He could never understand the extent of what his actions had done.
where she had knelt into a curtsy, he lowered down so they were face to face or equals if you like.
"to serve a great lady like you, is thanks enough."
Elaina smiled. She was hardly a great lady, but she would accept the compliment and not throw it back in his face as she would with others. She was different around him, more tolerant of the opposite sex than she had ever been since Edwin.
"sorry to interrupt."
Gaius had enough of the spectacle and of the reputation it would give Elaina if she wasn't careful with Uther around. He had always threatened the girl with being shipped off to Madame Holden's academy for young ladies and to be in close proximity, unchaperoned with commoner would seal the deal, even if he had just 'saved' morgana's life.
"morgana is asking for you."