I could feel the warmth of new daylight sewp through my room and cover my arms and I can hear my father discussing with Gaius on how today I was sweating a lot and my bandages needing to be changed.

My vision, hearing, and feeling blackens until it all opens up again to Merlin on a horse. I'm following behind Merlin as if I'm on a horse too. He's riding so fast he is practically pushing the horse to its limit. 'Merlin if you're not careful you'll hurt yourself and the horse! Slow down!' I follow him until it's nearly nightfall and we've come to a boat without an oar.

Suddenly I feel someone touch my face. I assume it's my father because he used to do this when I would get sick as a young boy. "Shh...sleep, Arthur."

'Father I can't sleep. I'm having dreams of Merlin being a sorcerer, talking with dragons, and riding out to find me a cure from the old religion.'

"You'll be alright. You have to be. You're my son. You mean more to me than anything this world has to offer."

"Sire?"

"Gaius...have you brought the uh..."

"No, not yet, sire. I sent Merlin to gather a few final herbs. Has he said anything?"

"No, but he was shaking before I brushed his hair back and told him to sleep."

"That would be sound advice for you as well sire. Perhaps not sleep, but certainly rest."

"You're right...as always. You will tell me if anything changes, right?"

"Of course."

My father leaves and Gaius sits in his place. After what I assume has been two hours I hear Gwen come in to send the snoring physician back to his chambers. Once he leaves I can feel her tending to my fever and I hear her say so many wonderful things, but they all kind of mush together. What I do get out of it, is that she believes that I will be better than my father, that I will live, and that she will never give up on me.

Once Gwen leaves with the sound of her graceful footsteps my vision returns to Merlin. 'I'm starting to see a pattern here...but why?' I follow Merlin up some stairs and eventually to an opening. "Hello?"

"Hello, Merlin." 'Why do you look so confused? You shouldn't be confused, you should be on your guard.'

"You."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Nimueh. You can't be who the dragon meant."

"Why's that?"

"You tried to kill me." 'If this really is all real and not some...crazed dream close to my death, than that means someone really and truly tried to kill Merlin...that means he really is a sorcerer like I thought when I heard him in Gaius' chambers, and that means...what am I supposed to do?'"Before I understood your importance."

"And Arthur?"

"Arthur was never destined to die by my hand, and now it seems I will be his salvation." 'This is the same woman who sent spiders after me before that strange light showed up...was that light Merlin? No, it couldn't have been...he was dying.'"So you know what I've come to ask?"

"Yes."

"Will you do it?"

"I do not have the power to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return."

"I know that a price will be asked."

"To save a life there must be a death. the balance of the world must be restored." 'Merlin...why?'"I willingly give my life for Arthur's." I can almost physically feel my heart shatter into pieces.

"How brave you are, Merlin. If only it were that simple."

"What do you mean?"

"Once you enter this bargain it cannot be undone."

"Whatever I have to do I will do. His life is worth a hundred of mine." 'You stupid idiot. You confusing, bumbling, impossible, brave idiot!'

I see her reach for a cup that I'm almost certain wasn't there before and she looks at Merlin with a wicked grin. "The cup of life, blessed by centuries of powerful sorcery so that it contains the very secret of life itself. If Arthur drinks water from the cup, he will live."Merlin walked up to her and I couldn't believe my eyes Merlin's face held such conviction and determination. That's not something I'm used to seeing on him. I'm also not used to sorcerers calling me their friend, and are willing to die for me rather than kill me...He is certainly a puzzle, and he still lied to me and studied magic in Camelot.

My vision fades once more and I feel nothing but the the blankets I'm under.