Overcrowded

Full Summary: When Gaius falls ill, Merlin becomes acting physician. With a variety of patients, royal and peasant alike, Merlin is not only overworked, but falling ill as well. Things don't help when he and his patients are cut off from the rest of the castle...and when a non-magical but highly skilled assassin arrives hell-bent on killing Uther.

Disclaimer: If I said I owned it, I'd be lying.

Note: This is my second Merlin story—the first some of you may have already read. (Stone Circle). Although the first is not yet finished, I hope that this story will become as (cough) popular as the other one is already. You know that feeling, when you've got a great idea for a story and you've just got to write, no matter that you've got 50 other stories to update? Yeah, that's me—although thankfully I recently updated my Fantastic Four story, and the Stone Circle I updated last week. Now I've got to update that ever-present National Treasure one...

WHEN: Sometime after the Poisoned Chalice

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Chapter Two

They came at dawn.

They came—six men, two first coming, supporting between them a man bleeding profusely from his head and arm. After they came two more, half-carrying a man who seemed unable to stand on two feet without falling—undoubtedly drunk.

"Lander here was hit by falling debris—it happened because of this idiot Walter here." One of the men said, gesturing to the drunk. "We were hoping Gaius could—what's wrong with Gaius?" The same man stopped when he saw the physician on the bed.

"He's ill." Merlin informed them. "I'm acting physician."

"Oh. Okay." Then man said after a moment. "Anyway, we were hoping you could take care of these two."

"But he—Walter-is drunk—surely you could take him back to his-"

"Already tried." Said another man. "His wife refused to let him in in this state."

Merlin, as they had been talking, had taken out his thin mattress and placed it on the floor near—almost under Beth's table. "Put Lander there." Merlin instructed, while getting out bandages. Three men complied, while the other stood with Walter.

"What about our tavern-frequenter?" The man asked.

"Um..." Merlin looked around, grabbed his chair from next to Gaius, and placed it under the stairs leading to the small book balcony. "Put him there." Merlin said, putting pressure on Lander's wounds.

After both indisposed men were 'resting comfortably' (Merlin still had to bandage Lander's arm), their four friends took their leave.

There came silence. Then came a few groans from the drunk Walter. Then came-

"Merlin!"

Merlin ignored Arthur for a moment, concentrating on wrapping the bandage around Lander's arm.

"What?" He called back.

"What the hell are you doing up this early in the morning? You woke me up with all that racket!" Merlin quickly looked over at his other patients. They were still sleeping, thank goodness. "Merlin!"

Beth, on the table, turned her head in her sleep, subconsciously reacting to Arthur's voice.

Merlin, not yet done with the bandaging, slowly got up and made his way toward Arthur's sickbed. Once there, he clasped his bloodied hands behind his back, stood at the foot of the bed and looked Arthur straight in the eye. "Four men just came in," he said. "Supporting two other. One of whom is drunk," at this, Arthur snorted. "And the other injured." Merlin then held out his hands, which were covered in Lander's blood. "I wasn't done bandaging his wounds when you called. Is there anything else you'd like to say? Or would you rather delay the process of saving the life of one of your subjects?"

Arthur was silent for a moment, and Merlin held his breath.

"Go."

Merlin let out a sigh of relief, and rushed out of the room to finish tending to Lander. Beth had awakened by the time Merlin returned. She sat wrapped in Merlin's blanket, shivering, as he finished wrapping Lander's arm. "Where...am I?" She asked slowly.

Merlin came over, almost reached out to her, remembered his hands, and thought better of it. "Lie down." He gently told the girl. She did as instructed, murmuring "What happened?" Well...there was no use in being indirect.

"You're ill," he replied softly. "And you're in the Court Physician's residence."

"Where's my father? Mother? My brothers and sisters?" Merlin shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Beth's mother, recalling what Mr. Molle said about her being...unfaithful.

"You're father has an obligation to his job, Beth. You're mother...is, um...busy looking after your siblings.

"Oh." Beth then coughed, her face growing even paler then before.

"Get some rest. I won't leave you." If Arthur decided not to be a prat, that is.

Beth nodded and closed her eyes. Merlin pulled over a rickety stool and sat down beside her. It was still early morning, so that the only source of light came from a few candles on nearby tables. It was deathly quiet, and Merlin had to strain to hear the patients' breathing.

The scene was peaceful for about twenty seconds.

And then came a knocking at the door. Feeling very much like he was stuck in a repetitive loop, Merlin got up, and opened the door.

"Gwen?" He asked in surprise. "Morgana?"

"I had a nightmare." The king's ward rushed in, stopping hastily when she almost tripped over Lander. "Wha-?" She looked confused for a moment. "Why-? Oh, never mind. Listen, Merlin. For my nightmares, Gaius gives me-"

"A sleeping draught, yest, I know, Morgana." Merlin said softly, putting a finger to his lips. He gestured to the stool, upon which Morgana sat. Gwen chose to sit on the stairs, biting her lip in worry. "What was your dream about?" Merlin asked casually, preparing the sleeping draught.

At this Morgana hesitated, and looked at Gwen as if to ask Should I tell him? Gwen nodded.

"Oh Merlin, it was horrible!" Morgana cried out. "There was—part of the castle was destroyed—I saw—I saw.." Morgana gazed around at Merlin's patients. "...You all...here...unable to leave...only there were a few more people. Debris filled the corridors...and someone with a knife was bending over Uther."

Merlin paused, holding a closed vial in his hand. "Could you...could you describe some of the people in the room? Just one of them?" He then furiously shook the vial, before pouring it into a little cup.

"One of them—the one that I saw clearest—was a young man—younger than you and I, but in his late teens. He had curly black hair, and a not quite healed cut running diagonal over his right eye. His appearance was that of a peasant, but he had with him the most beautiful dagger I've ever seen..."

Morgana trailed off as Merlin handed her the drink. "Thank yo-"

She was cut off as the door flung open, causing Gwen to gasp.

When all three could make out the newcomer, Gwen gasped again, and this time the others joined her.

Standing in the doorway was the man Morgana had just described.

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I really that was a very obvious cliffhanger, and I apologize. On the other hand, this is probably the fasted I've every updated.