Merlin you've got poo on your face

Chapter 10

After all of the excitement Merlin was left lying on the sick cot with all eyes on him, his body was sweating profusely and it was all Gaius could do to keep his fever under control with herbs and cold water.

"So you don't know what's wrong with him?" Asked the king his brow furled arms crossed at the chest.

Gaius who was sitting on a low wooden Stoll beside Merlin with a similar expression; "No sire, he seems to be, well, I can't be sure-"

"What?" Gwen asked a bit louder than she meant to, the suspense and worry was too much.

"I think his body is refusing the antidote, he has all the symptoms of an infection! It's like it's purging itself, do you smell that, that sort of sour scent?"

And they did, it wasn't a strong smell but it subtly filled the air around Merlin.

"So what needs to be done?" Arthur asked, he was beginning to notice a slight feeling of panic rise I him, but he wasn't going to acknowledge it; that would be the same as admitting defeat.

"There's nothing I can do now." The old man said mopping Merlin's brow once more with a damp cloth.

"But is he cured? I mean did it stay in him long enough?" Gwen had voiced what Arthur was going to ask next.

Gaius sighed and was quiet for a long moment, then he turned to face them, he looked about to give them bad news. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for him if he is not himself when he wakes. Whoever did this was extremely skilled and must have wanted to do him harm for reasons I know not."

"So that's it! He's lost to us forever doomed to be in love with everybody!" Arthur didn't realize he had raised his voice until Merlin stirred and groaned on the cot his face displaying his obvious discomfort.

"I would not suggest this if Merlin weren't so dear to me, to us all. There is only one other thing I can think to try, I never expected the spell to be so potent but there is such a plant called the Defaeco and it can cleanse the body of all impurities it's very rare; I do believe it will cure him."

"You're talking about a dangerous quest aren't you?" Gwen groaned.

It was early the next morning when Merlin awoke, so early that is was dark out and not a bird was singing. Gaius was lying in his bed fast asleep having finally gone when he had gotten Merlin's fever down a few hours earlier.

Merlin opened his eyes slowly his lids feeling very heavy and his body felt out of place, stiff and achy and a stale taste was in his mouth. After realizing where he was he slowly sat up feeling disoriented, Gaius' light snoring the only sound in the room.

"Gaius?" He tried calling his voice week and scratchy, he called again feeling as though he may pass out.

"Merlin? You are awake." The old man said crossing the dim room to put his hand upon Merlin's head.

"Please water."

"Yes, yes of course." It was after the young man had drunken all he could drink when Gaius explained what he thought had happened. Merlin was currently himself and that was a good sign.

"Do you remember drinking or eating anything unusual?"

"No! I don't remember anything like that but sadly I can recall kissing Arthur, I thought he was jealous of Gwen! I wanted to stop myself honestly I just couldn't! It's like when your drunk and you keep babbling on and on and in the morning you wake to a splitting head ach and wish you could forget what you said or did and that's kind of how I feel right now, it's like I could see and hear myself say and do the most outrageous things but had no power to stop it. Like when you're in a dream and you know your dreaming but you-

"Merlin will you calm down!" Gaius didn't mean to yell but he was going a mile a minute.

"Tell me how you feel right now."

Merlin breathed a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment then opened them and rolled his achy shoulders and wiggled his toes. He then closed his eyes again but for a longer period of time, then slowly opened them and looked at Gaius.

"It isn't going to last. Even now I can feel it taking over me again; I don't know how long I have. What else can we do?

"There is nothing else." Gaius answered flatly

"What! Gaius how can there be no way of curing me?"

Gaius was quiet, he couldn't trust Merlin with the knowledge of the Defaeco plant. It was going to be a dangerous quest and since he was falling back under the power of the spell he couldn't function to save his life! This was a terrible mess, they all needed Merlin and he was more than likely the only one capable of handling whatever manner of beast was guarding the Defaeco.

"I'm sorry my boy, there is nothing."

"No! I'm not giving up! I won't live the rest of my life in love with everyone I lay eyes on!" with that said he proceeded to get up and out of the sick cot onto his shaky legs.

"And just what do you think you are doing?"

"I have to see Arthur; I have to talk to him."

"About what exactly?"

"I need to apologize to both him and Gwen, I know she'll forgive me easily enough she's not unreasonable like Arthur but Arthur…" His voice trailed off

"Not until you get some food into that belly of yours." Gaius smiled, somehow hearing Merlin so determined gave him hope that in the end however things turned out they were going to be fine, because Merlin would overcome this. Merlin had to.

After a light breakfast he ran to Arthurs chambers. The sun just beginning to shine and the birds had been singing. He knew it was yet still very early and Arthur wasn't going hunting so he more than likely would be asleep and wouldn't take kindly to being woken up but this was important, he could feel himself losing the battle to the spell.

He stopped abruptly outside the kings chambers took in a deep breath and knocked lightly. When there was no answer he knocked a bit louder only to be startled by the door being yanked open.

"What is it!" his brow furled and hair disheveled. But all changed upon realizing it was Merlin.

"Mer, Merlin?"

"A, Arthur" Merlin stammered.

"Are you? I mean are you alright?"

"For now, that's why I'm here I couldn't wait to apologize for my behavior as of late. I couldn't control what I was doing I really didn't mean to ki-

"DON'T! worry about it Merlin all is forgiven. So you're cured?

"No, I can feel myself slowly becoming influenced by the spell again." He felt his throat clench up and his eyes get misty. What was wrong with him? Was he about to cry? Granted not being in control of ones actions was probably one of the most frightening and frustrating things that could happen to you but to cry in front of Arthur like this was unacceptable.

"I'm not going to last much longer. Sorry in advance for what I may do or say." He gave a lop sided smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I see, well don't worry we are going to fix this. Gaius is on to something."

"What? He told me there was no cure, that there was nothing left to do.

"He told you that?"

Merlin nodded and looked thoughtful. Why would Gaius lie to him?

"Did he say what it was?" He had to know, this was important.

Arthur put on his stony face. "Sorry Merlin I can't say, just know that I won't let you down."

"But Arthur I have to know!" he could feel his heart beating faster in his chest and he felt the need to take more air than usual into his lungs.

"I'm sorry Merlin this is for your own safety. Now that's the end of it, I need you to fetch George, he will take over your duties for today you need rest."

This couldn't be happening, Gaius was lying to him about a cure he clearly knew of and Arthur was all serious and telling him to go what? Lie down?!

"But, but Arthur!"

"I said that's enough!" Arthur shouted. He hated to do it but Merlin wasn't one to let things go, especially things like this. And he had the bad habit of putting himself into harm's way when it came to protecting him, not to mention showing up when he was not invited. Merlin would not be joining him on this quest.

The man was still very unwell, his skin was chalky, his eyes were dark underneath; his lips pale dry and shrunken with dehydration and he looked a bit unsteady on his feet. No matter how painful it was to see Merlin's angry expression, his tightly drawn lips and sharp eyes, he wasn't going.