They returned to the physician's chambers not long after, and Gaius was waiting for the pair of them.

"How could you be so foolish?" he demanded of Merlin.

"He needed to be taught a lesson," Merlin said shrugging.

"Magic needs to be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" Gaius snapped.

"What is there to master?" Merlin countered, and Krysia sat down on the bench. "I could move objects like that before I could talk!"

"Well, one would think that after so many years that by now you would know how to actually conduct yourself," Krysia said coldly.

"I don't want to!" Merlin cried. "If I can't use magic, what have I got? I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. Without magic, I might as well die."

Merlin then stormed dramatically into his shared bedchamber with Krysia watching, eyebrows raised.

"Well, then," she muttered, and Gaius sighed.

"Is he injured?" Gaius asked.

"I don't know, probably," she responded, looking down at the table as if it were the most interesting thing in the room. "You remember what I looked like after fights with Arthur. Merlin's not even trained, and he fell into a stall."

"I thought so."

Gaius began gathering things for cuts and bruises and Krysia knew she would be asked to help. She hated helping heal. It wasn't a natural thing for her at all. Making the various medicines and such was fine, but actually healing someone made her uncomfortable. Gaius carried the basket in after Merlin and Krysia followed petulantly.

"Merlin?" Gaius asked with a sigh. "Sit up. Take your shirt off."

Merlin complied and Krysia frowned at the bruises that had already formed on his pale skin. She hated injuries. She could almost feel them on her own body just by looking at them, in the way that watching a person get sick could make the viewer retch.

"You don't know why I was born like this, do you?" Merlin asked, still pouting.

"No," Gaius said, tending to Merlin's injuries, expecting Krysia to hand him what he wanted without being asked, which she was thankfully able to do after years of practice.

"I'm not a monster, am I?"

Krysia looked Merlin in his dark eyes and saw the same fears she'd had as a child looking back at her and Gaius even paused in his actions.

"No, Merlin," she whispered. "Never let yourself believe that you're a monster. You were just born different. What becomes of that is in your control."

"Then why am I like this?" he asked, pleading. "Please, I need to know why."

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me," Gaius began, the same as when he told her.

"If you can't tell me, no one can," Merlin said, looking even more upset than before.

Gaius, clearly at a loss to answer, poured a bit of potion into a small cup for Merlin and said, "Take this. It will help with the pain."

/-/

Krysia jolted awake, hearing a voice calling for her, for Merlin, but there was no one there, and it hadn't been Gaius's voice. She could still hear it, and she hugged her knees to her chest, watching Merlin sleep. He turned a bit, clearly troubled.

He was hearing it too.

Merlin jerked awake as well, looking up at her.

"Did you hear it too?" he asked, his voice raspy and afraid.

Krysia nodded, forcing herself to swallow. She felt a bit sick.

They looked at each other in the darkness for a while, but they could both hear it, and it wasn't going away.

Without a word to each other, the pair of them crept out into the outer room. Gaius was not there, probably fast asleep. Still silent, they left the physician's chambers, crossed the square swiftly, and Krysia led the way.

There were a pair of guards blocking their path and Merlin looked at Krysia, unsure what to do. She could easily distract them, she knew them well, but there would be awkward questions and Merlin would have to go forward alone. She carefully thought out the incantation in her head and the dice the guards were playing with rolled away, much to their consternation, and she kept them rolling far enough that the guards followed them around the corner, giving Merlin and Krysia enough time time slip past.

"Nice," Merlin murmured. She just shrugged.

She grabbed a torch, let Merlin light it, and then led the way down the tunnel, feeling far more confident leading than following after seeing Merlin's lack of skill as a fighter.

When the reached the cave she knew held the dragon Uther had imprisoned, she heard Merlin's name being called again, this time with a laugh. Her heart froze in her chest.

"Where are you?" Merlin called out.

The Great Dragon flew over and landed in front of them, folding its wings and considering them.

"I'm right here," it said. "How small you both are for such great destinies."

"Destiny?" Krysia asked, too curious and confused to be held back by fear. "What destiny? What are you talking about?"

"Your gifts were given to you for a reason," The Great Dragon told the pair of them.

"So there is a reason," Merlin said, heartened.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion," the dragon continued.

"Great," Krysia muttered, wondering how utterly insufferable Arthur would be whenever that day came.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike," explained the dragon.

"I don't see what this has to do with us," Merlin prompted.

"Everything," the dragon told them calmly. "Without you, Merlin, Arthur will never succeed. And without Krysia's offspring, there will be no Albion."

"Excuse me?" Krysia snapped, horrified. "Did you just mention offspring and Arthur in the same breath? That's never going to happen!"

The dragon merely chuckled - chuckled! - at her indignation and shook his head.

"The offspring is not Arthur's," The Great Dragon said with a small bow of his head. Krysia relaxed a little, although she still felt very much like she'd like to be sick.

"You've got this wrong," Merlin protested, still very much upset with the idea that he was expected to help Arthur.

"There is no right or wrong," the dragon replied calmly. "Only what is and what isn't."

There was something about that statement that made Krysia very uncomfortable, but she didn't have any time to process what it might be, because Merlin was still furiously arguing against his declared destiny.

"But I'm serious!" Merlin cried. "If anyone wants to kill him, they can go ahead! In fact, I'll give them a hand!"

Krysia wanted to smack him, but it didn't feel appropriate with a dragon watching.

The dragon laughed and replied, "None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it."

"No," Merlin said urgently. "No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur, because this one's an idiot."

"Perhaps," the dragon said wisely, "it is your destiny to change that."

The dragon flew off into the cave, but Merlin wasn't finished.

"Wait!" Merlin cried. "Wait! Stop! I, I need to know more!"

But the dragon did not return.

"Come on, Merlin," Krysia sighed. "We're not getting our answers tonight. Best if we actually get some sleep."

"But there are things we need to know," Merlin said, angrily.

"Yes," Krysia admitted. "But if we needed to know them right now, I suspect he would have told us right now. Let's just go to bed."

Merlin followed her back to their chambers, but said not a word the whole way.

/-/

Krysia was just rubbing the sleep from her eyes when Gaius came in to wake them, and she realized that their room was a mess.

"Hoy!" Gaius said, picking up some of Merlin's clothes from the floor and tossing them at a sleeping Merlin.

Merlin woke, frowning.

"Have you seen the state of this room?" Gaius cried, and Krysia moaned, turning over and hugging her pillow.

"It just happens," Merlin said with a shrug.

"By magic," Krysia said dryly," but Gaius didn't seem impressed.

"Yeah," Merlin said with a bit of a grin, clinging to whatever seemed best.

"Yes," Gaius said sternly. "Well, you can clear it up without magic. Then I want you two to get me some herbs. henbane, wormwood, and sorrel. And deliver this to Morgana. Poor girl's still having nightmares."

Krysia nodded, stretching, as Gaius picked up more clothes and threw them at Merlin. She giggled.

"I know the feeling," Merlin muttered.

"Morgana has serious nightmares, Merlin," Krysia said with a frown. "It's nothing to joke about."

He shook his head, cleaning up the room, but Krysia went out to get breakfast, as none of it was her problem.

/-/

Merlin and Krysia entered Morgana's open chamber door to find her stepping behind her changing screen. Krysia raised her eyebrows and looked at Merlin, who was staring.

"You know, I've been thinking about Arthur," Morgana said as though continuing a conversation. "I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you, Gwen?"

Ah, so Gwen had left the room and Morgana thought they were Gwen. They glanced at each other, but as Merlin made to grab the gown indicated, Krysia swatted his hand and scooped it up instead. Morgana had begun undressing, and Krysia glared at Merlin until he moved out of the room and turned his back.

"I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the king's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it?"

Krysia put the dress on the screen, wondering whether she should tell Morgana who she actually was or pretend to be Gwen still.

"Well, does it?" Morgana prompted.

"No," Krysia replied shortly, giving her best impression of her friend's voice. Morgana didn't seem to notice, but Krysia exchanged a nervous look with Merlin, who seemed to find the whole thing very entertaining.

"If he wants me to go," Morgana continued, "then he should invite me, and he hasn't. So do you know what that means?"

"No," Krysia replied, growing more nervous by the second.

"Where are you?" Morgana asked, confused, looking over the screen for Gwen.

Merlin quickly moved around the corner and Krysia was standing there, by herself, and Morgana frowned at her for a moment.

"Krysia?"

"Gwen stepped out and I stepped in," Krysia explained. "And you just kept talking, and it seemed rude to stop you."

"Oh," Morgana said, shrugging. "Well, it means I'm going by myself."

Merlin peeked around the corner again.

"I need some help with this fastening," Morgana said, and Merlin's eyes popped out. Krysia motioned for him to put down the potion and leave, which he did eagerly. "Krysia?"

Gwen walked in, confused.

"Gwen's back," Krysia said quickly.

"Why are you here?" Gwen asked, frowning slightly.

"Gaius," Krysia said with a shrug.

"Ah," Gwen said, moving to the other side of the screen to help with the fastening. The two of them came out from behind the screen and Morgana was carrying a maroon gown, grinning.

"So it's whether I wear this little tease," Morgana said, considering her reflection in the mirror. "Or give them a night they'll really remember," she continued, holding up the maroon gown, thinking.

Krysia grinned at Gwen, then said, "The maroon, Morgana. Wear the maroon and nobody will notice another woman in the room, I guarantee it."

Morgana grinned at the mirror, then turned and grinned at the two servants.

/-/

Krysia was already working at the banquet hall when Gaius and Merlin walked in. She frowned slightly, nodding over to where Arthur and his friends were discussing, quite inaccurately, his tussle with Merlin, which had become fast news and somehow still managed to make Arthur out like a hero. Merlin nodded, frowning.

Morgana then walked in, in the maroon gown Krysia had assured her was the right choice, and Arthur froze in his antics as Morgana passed his line of sight. Merlin also starred as Morgana passed, as did every other warm-blooded male in the room. Krysia held in a smirk.

Arthur was trying to talk up a clearly uninterested Morgana when Krysia approached them.

"Anything to drink m'lady?" she asked Morgana.

"No, thank you," Morgana said gently. "Arthur, would you care for something to drink?"

"Strong wine," Arthur said, not tearing his eyes from Morgana. Krysia actually did smirk as she moved away.

Krysia was pouring some wine when she noticed that Leon was the only man in the room not looking at Morgana. Instead, he was looking over at the servants, but before Krysia could figure out who he was looking at, he blushed and turned away, hiding in his drink. Krysia frowned. Browen was the prettiest, but she'd not turned up for service since the king asked her to deliver something. Who was it Leon was looking at?

It wasn't too much longer when the horn sounded to announce Uther's arrival, and everyone took their places, guests at tables, serving girls at positions near the high table to serve the most honored attendees most quickly. Krysia was at the position closest to the royal family.

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity," Uther said, prepping the audience. "It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

There was much applause and the Lady Helen began to sing as all others took their seats.

The strange thing was that as the Lady continued to sing, Krysia found herself more and more drowsy, and hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until she awoke to find the woman whose son had been executed on the ground under a chandelier where Lady Helen had been standing, and Merlin was pushing Arthur out of his chair.

A dagger flew through the air, slicing Arthur's chair in stead of his skin. The woman died and Krysia stared at Merlin, stunned.

"You saved my boys life," Uther told him, clearly stunned. "A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well..." Merlin said, struggling to be humble.

"Don't be so modest," Uther pressed. "You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness," Merlin pressed, and Krysia could sense his discomfort. She was feeling a bit uncomfortable herself.

"No, absolutely," Uther insisted. "This merits something quite special."

Oh, no, no, no.

"Well..." Merlin began, clearly not seeing as Krysia did the disaster this would lead to.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household," Uther proclaimed. "You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

Krysia's groan was covered by the applause of the audience, and she shared a horrified glance with Arthur.

"Father!" Arthur said, clearly perturbed.

/-/

Later that night, when Krysia and the king had gone over all of the necessary arrangements for Merlin's new post, she returned to find Gaius entering the room she shared with Merlin.

"Seems you're a hero," Gaius said as Krysia squeezed her way into the room.

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Krysia sighed.

"No," Gaius said with a smile. "I knew it from the moment I met him. When he saved my life, remember?"

"But... that was magic," Merlin pointed out, still upset about his job.

"And now, it seems, we've finally found a use for it," Gaius said with a nod.

"What?" Krysia asked. Surely he wasn't giving some sort of go-ahead for Merlin to use magic! What about her?

"You saw how he saved Arthur's life!" Gaius pointed out.

"Oh, no," Merlin groaned.

"Perhaps that's its purpose," Gaius said with finality.

Krysia smiled bitterly.

"Destiny," she muttered.

"Indeed," Gaius said with a wry smile, holding out a book Krysia recognized, but hadn't seen in years. "This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you than it was to me. Krysia has studied it fully, and can give you more guidance than I can."

"But this is a book of magic," Merlin pointed out dumbly.

"Of course it is," Krysia sighed. "Which is why you absolutely can't let anyone else know you've got it, all right? Especially while you share a room with me!"

"I will study every word," Merlin said solemnly.

There was a knock at the door to the physician's chambers.

"Merlin, Prince Arthur wants to see you right away," called a guard.

"Your destiny's calling," Gaius said wryly. "You'd better go see what he wants."

When Merlin went away, Gaius turned to Krysia and said, "You're going to be nice, now, aren't you?"

"I'm always nice," Krysia said indignantly.

"No," Gaius said sternly. "You're nice when it suits you. That's your father in you. Merlin is going to need your help, you know."

"I know," Krysia said with a shrug. "That doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun."

Gaius's eyes narrowed.

"You arranged for him to be called out tonight, didn't you?" he asked suspiciously.

Krysia just shrugged again, but she smiled a bit. Gaius looked at her disapprovingly.

"What?" she sighed. "I'm just having some fun. It won't hurt him, and it might make him take his job seriously. It's better than mucking the stables every day!"

Gaius shook his head.

"We've been over this, Krysia," he reminded her. "I know you and Arthur have known each other a long time, but you can't be friends. You understand that? Picking on Merlin with Arthur makes you as vulnerable as it makes Merlin, and possibly more. Your parents didn't send you to me to raise you a dozen years for the slaughter!"

"I know," Krysia muttered. "Besides, it seems I've got a destiny of my own."

"Oh?" Gaius asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's nothing," Krysia said with a shrug. "I'll be nice. It seems I don't really have much of a choice."

By the time Merlin returned, Krysia was faking sleep, still unable to face the nightmares Gaius's reminder caused.