"Gaius lied to your father."

"About what?" Arthur asked, looking up from his dinner.

"The miracle cures. They weren't herbs, they were magic," Merlin said.

"Maybe he just didn't realize?" Mordred offered.

"It sparkled and glowed. Anyone could tell it was magic just on sight."

"So long as they are just healing people, I don't see the problem," Arthur said. "Unless you think there's more to it?"

"No, I just thought it was odd. Gaius is close to your father and is always the first to warn everyone about the dangers of magic. Why would he lie?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he just realized there's no danger in this."

"Maybe."

Merlin watched Gaius work as he considered how to bring up the woman he'd seen his uncle meeting the night before. Finally, he asked, "Did you go out last night?"

"Yes. I had to get some herbs."

"Herbs?"

"A… new supplier just arrived."

"Right." Merlin gave it a moment, then added, "Do your suppliers normally kiss you?"

Gaius set down his things and turned to Merlin. "You followed me. How dare you?"

"Gaius, it was the middle of the night, I was worried," Merlin quickly explained. "I thought you might be in some sort of trouble."

"There's nothing wrong," Gaius said shortly and turned back to his work.

Clearly, Merlin thought with a smile. He sidled up to his uncle and teasingly asked, "What's her name?"

"Alice. She's an old friend. Well, more than a friend, if truth be told."

Merlin gave a knowing smile. "What do you mean?"

"We were once engaged to be married," Gaius said and Merlin's smile fell away.

"When was this?"

"More years ago than I care to remember," Gaius sighed. He set down his work and they both took a seat. "I had just been made physician to the King when I met her. It was like finding a kindred spirit, we had so much in common. Our love of science, of healing."

"Healing, like healing magic?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"She was the one who cured the innkeeper," Merlin said gently.

"Yes, but there wasn't magic involved," Gaius said, starting to stand.

Merlin caught his arm. "It's okay. He was a sick man. It was a matter of life and death. Magic was his only hope."

"But he didn't use magic." Gaius stood up and went back to his work.

"The potion was enchanted, I saw it with my own eyes. We both did."

Gaius turned to stare at him with narrowed eyes. "What you saw, Merlin, was a release of gaseous pressure. Entirely normal in a preparation of that kind."

"But what about the totem?"

"What totem?"

"The totem in the innkeeper's doorway bore the marks of the Old Religion.

"Nonsense. What would you know about such markings?"

"I-I've seen them in some of the bestiaries." It wasn't a lie. Quite a few of Gaius's books on magical creatures had a few notes in the language.

"You're mistaken."

Merlin wanted to argue, but he could see the firmness in Gaius's eyes. He couldn't blame him, truly. He was protecting someone he loved. "Okay… What happened? Why did she leave?"

"When the great purge happened, many feared getting caught up in the hunts. Those who were always accused first were those with knowledge of herbs: midwives, physicians, apothecaries, and the like. Many of those who were not captured fled. I was protected as the Court Physician, but Alice… She left."

"You… You stayed behind?"

"I was scared. I felt I had no choice. I thought I'd never see her again. But now here she is, after all these years. I feel we've been given a second chance."

Merlin smiled and hugged him. "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, my boy."

"So Gaius has a girlfriend," Arthur hummed, as he handed Mordred his lance. "That certainly explains why he'd cover up the magic."

"Ex-fiancée, and yeah. He won't admit it, but I'm sure she's the one who gave the innkeeper the potion and totem."

Hopefully she's not a pixie, this time, Mordred said.

"Let's move on to shield practice," Arthur said, not noticing Merlin shoving Mordred.

"Can Mordred do it? I'm a bit tired."

Mordred shot him a glare.

"That's what you get for following old men around in the middle of the night."

He brightened up and patted Merlin on the shoulder. "Speaking of girlfriends, when is Gwen supposed to be back? I thought Morgana only wanted to take a short visit to her estate for her secret meeting with Morgause."

"They'll be back by the end of the week, hopefully," Arthur said. "Leon sent word that a storm hit Everwick and they can't leave the le Fay estate until it's passed."

Merlin's arms ached as he stumbled into the Physician's Chambers.

"Ah, Merlin," Gaius said and Merlin looked up to see him standing with the elderly woman he'd met the night before. "I'd like you to meet Alice."

He smiled and walked up to shake her hand. "Merlin, it's a pleasure to meet you. Gaius speaks very highly of you."

"You too."

"Alice will be staying with us for a while," Gaius said.

"Great."

"That's alright with you?" Alice asked, worried.

"Of course. I'll make up the spare bed."

"So you won't mind if she uses your room?"

Merlin turned to Gaius, shocked, but quickly shook his head. "Be my guest. I can stay with a friend."

She bowed her head and walked towards her things.

He and Gaius shared smiles and he knew he'd done the right thing.

Mordred yawned as he made his way up to the Physician's Chambers with a basket full of leaves, roots, and flowers. He quietly opened the door and set the basket down just inside so he could hang them up to dry in the morning.

"That is his name, isn't it?"

Mordred frowned at the female voice coming from Merlin's room and crept up to the door.

"So he does not suspect?" another unfamiliar voice, male, said as he grew closer.

"No, no," the woman responded.

Peering through the door's slats, he saw an unknown woman sitting at Merlin's table with a vial.

"Then you must work hard to keep it that way," the man said and the woman nodded.

"Yes. Yes."

Suddenly a creature jumped out of a box on the desk. It was scaley with a feline body, a leathery frill around its neck, a scorpion's tail, and a face that was half animal and half human.

"You are doing well," it hissed and the woman reared back when his tail came towards her. "Take some of my venom. Do not fail me. Be careful not to hurt yourself."

Shaking, she picked up the bottle and brought it to the creature's stinger.

"That's it," the creature said as she milked the venom from the stinger. It seemed to relax for a moment before jerking its head to the door and giving a screech, its frill flaring up.

Mordred stumbled back from the door before quietly running out of the chambers and down the stairs. He kept going until he burst through the doors of Arthur's chambers. "Wake up, Arthur!"

"What's going on?" Arthur groaned, rubbing his face.

"What the hell, Mordred?" Merlin huffed, sitting up.

"Ooooh," Mordred choked out, backing out of the room.

"Get back in here and explain why you woke us up, you brat," Arthur chided.

"Are you wearing clothes?"

"Mordred!" Merlin squeaked and Mordred peeked back inside to see the older warlock's face was bright red.

"It's a serious question."

"You're too young to be thinking about… about that! "

"I'm fourteen."

"Exactly!"

"I told you he'd get the wrong idea," Arthur groaned, pulling his pillow over his head.

"I didn't think he'd think that! "

Arthur mumbled something and Merlin hit him with a pillow.

Cavall hissed and jumped off the bed to hide underneath it.

"I'm just bunking with Arthur because Gaius's lady friend is staying over for a short time," Merlin explained, still flushed.

"Oh, is she the woman consorting with dark creatures in your room?"

"What?" they both said, Arthur sitting up

"I saw her when I went to drop off the stuff Gaius wanted. She was talking to this… thing. I've never seen anything like it. It looked like a cat, but it had a frill and a scorpion's tail!"

Arthur groaned and laid back down. "You're tired. She probably just had a cat and you were seeing things."

"I wasn't. I could feel the dark magic. It was horrible."

"Go to bed. I'm too tired for this nonsense," Arthur growled.

"But -"

"Bed."

Merlin shook his head with a sigh. "We'll talk about it more in the morning. Goodnight, Mordred."

The younger boy glared at them and stomped into his room. He knew what he'd seen.

"What are we doing, Mordred?" Merlin asked as the younger boy started digging through his room. "Alice has her things in here too, you know."

"I know, that's exactly what I'm looking for," he responded, dropping to the ground to look under the bed.

"What?"

"Found it!" he said, pulling a box out.

"What are you doing? Put that back."

"The creature's in here," Mordred said. He set it on the bed and pressed his ear against it.

"The one you said you saw last night?"

"Yes."

Merlin reached out with his magic as Mordred had taught him, but couldn't feel any creature. Dark or otherwise. "I don't feel anything."

"I know it's in here!"

"Gaius or Alice could be back any second."

"I think I can -"

Merlin pushed Mordred behind him and opened the box with his magic, ready to put up a shield.

There was nothing in the box.

"What?" Mordred breathed, looking around inside.

"You were tired, Mordred, seeing things," Merlin sighed, closing the box and putting it back under the bed. "It's only natural. Gaius had you up late getting those ingredients."

"I saw it, I know I did," Mordred snapped before storming out.

Merlin bit his lip and stared at the box before heading out to work on his chores.

"Bur-" Gaius cut off as he turned to see Alice holding out the ingredient he was just about to ask her to hand him. He smiled and took it while she gave a small laugh.

"Oh, Gaius. It's just like old times."

"We always made a good team, did we not?"

"Yeah."

"I wish Merlin had your skills," he said, thinking of how often his nephew was rushing off. He knew Arthur gave his boy chore after chore, but there were also times when it seemed he'd have something else on his mind entirely. And as quick-witted as the boy could be when his head was in the right place, he could also be rather oblivious and distractable. "I fear he finds the physician's craft boring."

"Well, never mind, you've got me to help you now, haven't you?"

"Indeed, I have." He watched her for a moment, letting himself feel the deep joy of having her back in his life. Then he returned to his work. "Now where's the valerian?"

She turned to look around. "Valerian? For an injury, I presume?"

"Perfectly correct. I prescribe it to Uther for an old battle wound."

"He takes it daily?"

"Of course." She brought him the ingredient and he gave her another smile before adding it to his mixture. He stirred it up, then poured the mixture into a bottle. Capping it and giving it a good shake, he said, "Now it's ready to go to the King."

"Fascinating. Gaius, you said you had a rare form of mountain balm. I should like to compare it with my own, if I may."

"Certainly." He handed the bottle to her and went to check his shelves. "Now, where did I put it?"

"Perhaps with the second order palliatives?"

"Of course."

He leaned down to check the lower shelves. Just as he thought he'd caught sight of it, he heard the door open and a bottle smash.

He turned to see Merlin closing the door as Alice knelt with a rag.

"I'm so sorry, Gaius."

"Don't worry. Merlin will clear it up, won't you, Merlin?" he said, coming over.

"Sure," Merlin agreed.

"No, no! I can do it," she waved him off.

"Are you certain?" Merlin asked, frowning and she nodded.

"It's fine. I'm the one who dropped it. I'm sure you have plenty of other things to do."

Merlin glanced at Gaius then shrugged. "Alright. Arthur's in a meeting right now and Mordred's disappeared so I came to see if you guys needed help."

"Arthur? Mordred?" Alice asked, turning back to the mess.

"Prince Arthur. Merlin is his servant alongside my apprentice. Mordred works as Merlin's assistant to lighten his load."

"I see." She stood up, brushing off her skirt with the hand not holding the soiled rag. "I don't think we need any help right now though, do we, Gaius?"

Gaius smiled, welcoming the idea of a little more alone time. "I don't believe so. Why don't you go find Freya? It's nearly lunch. You two could spend it together."

Merlin looked conflicted, clearly liking the idea. "I thought… maybe we could talk. I barely know anything about Alice."

She smiled. "We can talk later. At dinner?"

"Alright," he said, backing away. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Of course, Merlin." They watched him leave then Alice hummed, "Freya?"

"A sweet girl. She works as a chambermaid. They got together shortly after she moved here, love at first sight practically. That was about two years ago now and they're still just as taken with each other."

"Young love that lasts," she giggled, coming to his side. "That's the best kind."

"Quite."

Merlin! Merlin! Merlin!

Merlin sent a glance at the floor as he bit into his chicken. What?

"That must have been quite exciting," Freya said, her own dinner half-forgotten as she listened to Alice's story.

I figured it out! The creature is a manticore! It wasn't in the box because boxes like that are gateways for the manticore to pass through.

"Thankfully not too exciting," Alice joked. "Though it does remind me of the time Gaius and I went hiking in the white mountains an-"

"Oh don't tell that story!" Gaius said.

Not now, Mordred.

But she's up to something!

"Are you alright, Merlin?" Alice asked and he smiled at her.

Later. "Fine. Just got distracted for a moment. So, what happened in the white mountains? Please tell me it's embarrassing."

"Why's Mordred pouting?" Arthur yawned as Merlin put out the last candle and slipped into bed.

"He's still hung up on the idea Alice is plotting something."

"And you're sure she isn't?" He slipped his arm around the other and tucked him close to his side.

"I don't know. She's so sweet and compassionate. And Gaius is so in love. I just can't believe it," he said, laying his head on Arthur's shoulder.

"Are you sure you're not letting your feelings for Gaius get to your head?"

Merlin gave a questioning hum.

"You want him to be happy. Maybe you're overlooking something."

"I-Maybe," he sighed. "I'll talk to Mordred in the morning."

"Good. When Mordred's upset, he tries to sneak things into my food."

"Only when he's upset with you. And you usually deserve it."

Arthur growled and rolled on top of him.

"If you two are going to start snogging, or worse, I'm going to go stay with Elyan."

Merlin (with a blush) and Arthur (with a glare) looked over to see an annoyed Mordred poking his head through the doorway to his room.

"I'm going to have you on dog duty for the next year!" Arthur growled and Mordred stuck his tongue out at them before ducking back into his room. "Lock the doors, would you?"

Merlin's eyes flickered gold and he heard the locks on both doors click. "We probably should have been doing that from the start."

Arthur hummed in agreement and stared down at Merlin. "You know, we could -"

Something - magic - shoved Arthur off the boy. "Goodnight, Arthur."

"I was just going to suggest snogging."

"Goodnight, Arthur."