His heels clipped hard against the cold stone floors of the corridors below him, behind him the tap of Morgana's heels and the hurried thuds of the Physician and the Prince's Manservant. In his arms Arthur's blond head bobbled up and down as he raced toward his quarters. No one knew exactly what had happened but the minuet Arthur had stood up from dinner, his face blotchy and beads of sweat sticking to his forehead, he had collapsed to the floor, unmoving and his breathing shallow. Had he been awake or in the least bit aware of what was going on, Uther was sure he'd be humiliated, being carried in the public eye in such a way.

"Door." He barked and the Manservant bounced forward and pushed it open before stepping in to hold it open for Uther. He wasted no time in laying Arthur down on the bed, the man servant immediately made way on taking off his books and undoing the heavy red jacket Arthur had been wearing.

Uther however was not paying attention to the boy, his eyes were now focused on Gaius who was murmuring instructions to Morgana and her maid, whom he had not known had followed them, the maid girl hurried out the door he knew her name but couldn't be troubled to remember it at the moment. Morgana too was ignored as she hurried past him and perched herself at the edge of Arthur's bed and soothed his hair from his face.

"Well?"

"I'll have to look him over before I can diagnose him…" Gaius trailed off and looked toward Merlin who was now leaning over Arthur, then turning to whisper something to Morgana.

"Then look at him damn it!"

Gaius walked past, head bowed in respect as he passed the seething king, not that Uther really noticed him, he'd spun on his heel and was now watching as the old man sat on the opposite side of the mattress to Morgana, they all knew there was nothing he could do without his equipment but that didn't stop Uther's frustration.

The girl finally returned, she carried a large case and a text book, it's peeling lettering unreadable and disguised under her arm and she scurried to Gaius and passed him the stuff before stepping back toward the window and watching on with interest.

"Out, all of you." Uther growled stepping to the bed, the maid looked to Morgana and the manservant before nodding and running out. The boy went to follow when Gaius looked up.

"I shall need Merlin here, Your Highness." His old voice wavered but not out of fear or defiance, just the old voice back packing in as it always did late at night.

"And I shan't leave him." Morgana chanted. Uther's dark eyes narrowed at her but she stared back, equally annoyed.

"Morgana…" His voice was levelled and he noticed only barely as Gaius gave his own ward a look, one which was returned with a small smile that disappeared as quickly as it was passed.

"Uther, I can't just leave."

"You'll do as I say, now out!"

"My lady, if whatever he has is contagious you may be at risk of catching it…"

She looked around the room, eyes resting on each male for a split second before she finally sighed in defeat and stood, Uther noticed Arthur's pale hand falling from her own grasp as she stood.

Once Morgana had left Uther didn't seem to know what to do with himself next then finally regained the air of superiority he usually held so firmly in his grasp.

"I shall leave you to it. I want to know what's wrong immediately." And with that he left, he couldn't stand in the same room as a sick Arthur for long, the pair would soon see the weakness he was feeling.

Xx

Two hours later Gaius appeared in his chambers, head bowed, awaiting command to speak. Uther granted it within seconds of his appearance and even stood from his high backed chair and moved toward the elderly Physician.

"Well?"

"Your Highness, I was unsuccessful in diagnosing Arthur's sickness." The old man shook his head sadly. "I have left young Merlin with the Prince and I shall go back to my study to research but I am afraid I have not come across this before."

"I- He's?"

"I'm afraid I can not determine the severity of it until I know what it is that ails him."

Uther did not answer for a long while before nodding, "And is he not showing any… Physical signs?"

"Not as of yet, My Lord, but I have instructed Merlin on what to look out for…"

"You trust this boy to know upon sight a malady? He doesn't appear too bright." It would have been humorous if the situation were dangerous but his boys life lay in the balance, he didn't want anyone but the very best looking after him.

"I assure you sir; he could not be in better hands." With that Gaius bowed out and Uther followed. They parted ways at the corner and Uther trod towards Arthur's room.

As Gaius had said, the simple servant boy was bowed over Arthur whispering words of encouragement and almost pleading him to just get well. It made him seethe despite the innocence of it, willing Arthur to wake would not make it happen, any other time and the boy would have been sent out just for his pure ignorance and naivety. However for the time being all that mattered was his son, whom at this moment in time looked like a small child laid out on the bed that looked for once, too large for him. His blond hair stuck to his forehead and beads of sweat covered his face, his cheeks were a deep red and his lips shook as he groaned out in agony.

"What did he say?" Uther barked at the boy and making him jump. He clearly had not noticed the arrival of the king and was now stood straight, he paused a moment before replying a shaky tone.

"Oh, nothing, my lord, he is just moaning."

And so he was, as Uther neared him, he realised he was still out cold and that he was mumbling, just as he did when he was sleeping peacefully. It nearly made him smile but he choked it back and reached out to sweep the hair from Arthur's face. Only to pull it back instantly and stare bemused at his hand. It had felt like he had just thrust his hand into a fire or picked up a white hot poker.

"He is hot."

The boy looked up again and nodded, "Yes. I've been trying to cool him down," He indicated the bowl of water. "But Gaius said his fever is too far gone to be cooled by water."

Uther nodded and once again brushed Arthur's face, noticing how said boy leaned into his touch and made a small cry of pain through his parted lips, which now up close were chapped and swollen.

"Pass me a Goblet of Water." He commanded and the boy once again jumped to attention and flew toward the table faster than Uther had ever seen him move. Once the water was received he brought it to the Prince's lips, lifted his head slightly and poured some of the liquid down his throat, making sure to wet his lips as he did so.

He choked on it slightly but Uther just pushed his head forward more, watching as most of it dripped onto the blankets, once again Arthur made a moaning noise, his head lolling sideways into Uther's chest.

Handing the goblet back to the servant, Uther stroked his cheek, once again reminded of a small child rather than a man, or nearly a man. He wasn't completely of age just yet.

"Go back to Gaius; I was a diagnosis tonight so help him look for one!"

The boy looked hesitant before complying and heading out the door, looking back just as Uther rested his cheek on top of Arthur's head. They remained like that for a long while, Arthur sleeping and jutting around trying to find comfort and Uther holding the sick body to him and stroking his back in attempts to soothe him. He'd never been good with the sick; this was probably the third time in his life he'd done this; unless his insistence on a cure for Morgana counted though he doubted it. He hadn't held her like this.

The first time had been his wife, just after she had given birth to Arthur and her pale and sickened body lay in the twisted sheets, covered in her blood, Uther had visited her. They had both known then she would die, it was only a matter of how long her life could be preserved. He had held her, kissed her and stroked her damp hair and shushed her into sleep, the bundled baby asleep beside them in a Wicker-cot.

The second had been when Arthur was but five, Uther had, had nothing to do with the boy up until then, he'd asked about him, noted his education and saw to it he had what he wanted but he had not conversed with him up until that day. He had been playing outside and his nurse had been called away, she had left him in the care of the guards who were all watching with amusement as the small child waddled his way across the gardens, stopping every now and then to pick up something in the grass. Uther had been passing, on his way back to the castle when the idiot boy had managed to trip and land head first on a rock. He had never heard such a sound by the boy sat up instantly and screamed, the Guards looked at each other in horror and made to step forward to pick him up, only causing the child to screech louder in protest; his little hands covered a relatively small cut on his head. It had only been in mere desperation had Uther stepped forth.

When shouting at him had proved unsuccessful, Uther had bent down and removed the boy's hand from his head and proceeded to tell him that it wasn't going to scar and he'd be fine, he hadn't expected the words to mean anything to the screaming beast but he wasn't entirely sure what he was to say. The little blond creature had then stuck his arms up in the air, sniffling pathetically; small whimpers escaping his mouth now that his screams were dying down. He didn't want to pick him up, he didn't know where the thing had been or what sort of germs he could pass on, Uther had watched him playing with the mud only seconds before hand, but never-the-less he'd grabbed him under the arms and lifted him and held him at arms length. The thing's chubby little legs swinging below it wildly and his red face returning to a natural colour. Still it moved his hands in a sort of beckoning motion and Uther was somehow obliged to hold him closer. The blond had then buried his face in Arthur's neck, he cringed as he felt the dampness spreading but at least it had stopped crying now. He looked around at the amazed Guards and snapped for one of them to do something, the tallest of the three had replied they'd find a woman and returned minuets later to the paralysed king with a small, fat Irish woman in an apron. He wouldn't have been able to place a name to the woman if he had wanted to, but she was of the castle staff he knew that much.

"Where is its nurse?" He snapped at her.

"I don't know, Milord. I shall take him and find her for you."

"Does he know you?" Uther looked down at the little boy who was now playing with the tie of his cape, seemingly amused by the bronze clasp.

"I should think so, sir. He's in the kitchen with me an awful lot."

"And why is the prince in the kitchen?"

"Sarah hates to leave him and takes him with her when she dines; she's ever so fond of him." Once again she held out her arms to take him, but Uther clung to him.


"If she does not wish to leave him then I suggest she dine when he sleeps or have someone else take over her duties. Prince Arthur is not to be in that Kitchen anymore, is that understood?"

The woman nodded and Uther handed the child over with great difficulty, Arthur had attached himself to the seam of his tunic, his little fingers were like pincers and he did not seem to want to let go but with one hard yank, the child was pushed off on the Irish woman and he was free to go but not before hearing the baby talk between the woman and his son,

"Aww, let us see that head, you poor little one."

"Ah bumped it." Arthur whined in a thick voice, Uther could almost see those little lips pursed into a pout but he didn't turn around to look.

He blinked out of the memory and realised a whole night had passed; the first signs of dawn were creeping over Camelot and still no signs of Gaius and his ward. He wanted to seek them out, throw books at them till they presented him with a theory but he couldn't bring himself to pry himself out of Arthur's room. It was then at he realised Arthur was murmuring childishly.

"Cold… I'm cold…"

He was the farthest thing from cold that Uther could tell, his skin felt like it was alight and it probably didn't help that he was still being cradled but each time he had tried to lower him to the mattress the prince had cried out and grasped his arm tightly, he knew why, he had thought he was falling but even with that knowledge the king had held him tightly, soothing comfort into his hair, replaying the same message over and over.

"You're ok, sleep now. Shush."

Chapter 3 coming soon.