Having ones blood drained is a strange feeling, Merlin decided. After the initial short cry of pain when the fangs slipped through his skin his body seemed to crumble. Like a puppet with it's strings cut, his vision wavered sickeningly. He wasn't sure how long he stayed that way but suddenly the fangs were being ripped out of his body and he was being flung across the room. Blearily he looked to see the Naga grinning at the small army in front of him and disarming them with a swipe of his long armored tail, the prince couldn't help but wince when Gwaine slammed into one of the boulders, that arm would be fractured at least.

"After it!" Arthur cried as the Naga slipped back out into the main tunnels.

While the other knights save Gwaine ran after the creature Arthur came to his brothers side.

"Merlin can you hear me?" He asked.

Of course I can hear you, Merlin thought, I just can't seem to get my tongue to work. Why is it so cold all of a sudden?

...

Within seconds of the bite Merlin had paled, now the blackness of his veins where the poison was spreading began to show. Arthur wasn't sure if he could hear him, Merlin's eyes were open but they were glassy and unresponsive.

"It got away sire." Percival sighed, "Slipped down into the tunnels."

"Well go after it!" Arthur ordered, "Gwaine come with me, we need to find a safe place for Merlin, we'll use one of the houses from the village."

"Good idea." Gwaine nodded, rubbing his arm.

"You go ahead and make sure we're safe, I'll cary my brother," Arthur continued, "The rest of you search for the Naga, stay together no matter what. Come find us in the village in a few hours time if you are unsuccessful."

The knights hurried off while Gwaine and Arthur made their way slowly back down to the village, the later doing his best not to jostle his ailing brother.

"You can never stay out of trouble can you?" Arthur sighed trying to act as if it was only a flesh wound, "Do you enjoy throwing yourself at monsters?"

"There's a bed in here." Gwaine called, indicating to a medium sized hut.

Inside sat a man in his forties with a thick beard, when Arthur walked in he simply nodded to the corner. The bed was small but better than the ground Merlin had grown up sleeping on in Ealdor, the two men tried to make him as comfortable as possible.

"Gwaine..." Merlin coughed, "You're arm's hurt..."

"Yeah but I think you're in a worse state mate." Gwaine joked darkly, "I'll splint it in a bit."

"But I could-"

"No, Merlin not now." Arthur quickly hushed, "Just...go to sleep."

"What was he going to say?" Gwaine asked.

"Nothing." Arthur replied a little too quickly, "The poison is confusing him."

Gwaine gave the king a strange look but didn't push the matter, Arthur let out an internal sigh of relief. He had to keep an eye on his brother, Merlin had a habit of doing magic in his sleep, especially when he was ill.

"Merlin you have to focus, you can go healing people. Not yet." Arthur whispered as Gwaine went outside to splint his arm.

"Right..." Merlin sighed, groaning as the pain began.

"I'm Tom." The bearded man cut in, Arthur had almost forgotten he was there. Luckily he'd been stacking wood into the hearth and had not heard the brothers whispering.

"I'm the village leader, I stayed behind to keep our farms running." He explained.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Arthur replied, "With the Naga around, it said you had all run off."

"I've been keeping out of sight. If nobody was here to tend our crops we'd come home to a very starving village." Tom said simply, "I am the head of the village so naturally I am the best choice."

"You're very brave." Arthur praised.

...

"Sorry Sire, we couldn't catch the Naga." Leon reported, "It's getting dark sire, we will have to wait until dawn to safely search for it again."

"Fair enough." Arthur nodded, "It's too dangerous out there at night."

The knights were gathered around the hearth eating the food they had packed to bring with them, Tom made himself welcome with them, telling them all about the Naga's previous attacks. Merlin groaned in his sleep, he'd been unconscious for hours now but that didn't stop him feeling pain. The prince rolled over, hand flopping onto the ground.

"Arthur..."

"I should sit with him." Arthur excused himself, though he'd barely eaten anyway.

"A-Arthur..."

"Shhh, go back to sleep." Arthur hushed.

The king stayed with Merlin, pushing his hair back from his face and trying to sooth him back to sleep when the pain became too much.

"Who is he?" Tom asked, "He can't just be any old knight."

"He's Prince Merlin." Elyan replied, "Arthur's younger brother."

"Ah," Tom nodded, "Very close then?"

"Arthur loves his brother more than anybody." Gwaine agreed, "And believe me the feeling is mutual."

"I'm sorry he's going to lose him." Tom said sincerely.

"Merlin isn't going to die!" Arthur yelled, revealing he could hear them, "Tomorrow I am going to find that Naga, get the blood and make the cure."

"I hope you do sire." Tom replied, he was sincere again.

"I will."

...

"Leon?" Gwaine whispered as he joined the man outside the hut.

"You don't have to do guard duty tonight Gwaine." Leon smiled, "Rest your arm for the fight tomorrow."

"I know, I'm...worried."

Leon's smile dropped, Gwaine was rarely serious but when he was, he meant bussiness.

"About Merlin?" Leon asked, the other knight nodded.

"And the king." Gwaine admitted, nodding his head in the direction of the far window.

Merlin was pale, speckled with black veins and flushed with fever. He was currently in the midst of a fitful fever fueled sleep. Arthur was asleep, leaning up against the bed holding his brothers arm lightly, he'd refused to move.

"Arthur barely recovered when Merlin was thought dead the first time. What happens if we can't save him?" Gwaine asked, "Not only will I lose a mate but I think we will lose a king."

Leon bit his lip, "It was only a week, he was on his feet again-"

"Because he knew he was needed, now with his father dead I don't think we'll be able to keep him above water again."

They never mentioned 'The Week' to Merlin, he'd of hated himself forever had they done so. The first week after Merlin had been thought dead the prince had been in the same state as Uther, just a shadow floating around the castle. It was only after Gwen begged him that he 'woke up' and started living again and searching for Merlin.

"Merlin will be alright." Leon decided, "We'll get the blood and take it back to Gaius and all will be well."

"You really think so?"

"I hope so."

Sorry for the slow update! After this story I will probably go onto the Sword int he Stone or do one more of those stories you guys voted on. We shall see.