It started before they reached the river.

"Arthur, I have to stop." Merlin said his voice unnaturally weak.

"Again? I never imagine you being so out of shape." Arthur said and watched carefully at Merlin who was slumped on his knees.

"Nor do I." Merlin huffed. His eyes caught the sigh of the wound. It was still bleeding. Arthur's handkerchief was all red with blood. It wasn't normal.

"Hurry up, we still have hour or so left before the dark." Arthur demanded. Merlin nodded, but didn't do anything to climb up. He was dizzy. Arthur frowned. This wasn't anything like Merlin. Merlin was always going forward even when he shouldn't. Arthur still remembered the time of the Dorocha when Merlin almost died, and still demanded to go with him.

"Feel, odd." Merlin muttered and almost fell over when he moved to rise. Arthur was quickly on his side. When he touched his friend he felt it. "Gods you are hot. Why you didn't said anything if you got a fever?"

Merlin looked with surprise at Arthur "Fever? I don't feel like that. Dizzy but nothing else. Thirsty, but…"

"Then drink this and then I help you up. You just have to cope until we get to the river. Come on now. Drink. That's it. Only a little bit. Right, com on then. Lean on me. And up." Arthur helped Merlin who faltered a little.

"Thank you." Merlin whispered.

"The question is why I always end up carrying you?" Arthur muttered when he hold Merlin's weight what wasn't much.

"Destiny?" Merlin grinned, but the grin changed suddenly to painful grimace and a Merlin bent over.

"Merlin?" Arthur was horrified when Merlin pulled them back on the ground. Merlin's face was snow-white. He had closed his eyes and his every muscles were tensed extremely.

"Merlin. Easy. Breathe." Arthur waited anxiously until Merlin relaxed and Arthur took deep breath. "What the hell was that?"

"I wish I would know." Merlin's breathing was heavy. "Like some would have pierced me. As if the arrow had hit through of my body."

"We need to get you to the boat. Up now." Arthur commanded and Merlin nodded. They eventually were able to continue their journey. It took almost whole hour before they were there.

"Finally. Now we can get you to Camelot and Gaius can…" Arthur stopped and looked around. The place was right, he knew it. The small dock was same where they had left yesterday. "Where is the boat?" Arthur stared the river.

"Look." Merlin pointed weakly to the downriver.

"Oh no." Arthur left Merlin to sit on the ground and went to look the boat or what was left on it. There wasn't much to see. It was almost completely burnt. But just a loss of the boat didn't made Arthur sick, but what he saw in the boat. Someone was lying snuggled on the bottom of the boat, burned beyond recognition. Arthur was able to guess whose body it was.

"Erick?" Merlin asked tiredly when Arthur came back and saw his face.

"He was a good man. Who could have done this? There wasn't anything to steal." Arthur sat beside of Merlin who was now lying. Merlin raised his hand and covered his eyes. "He had two children. His other relatives are dead."

Arthur wasn't surprised when Merlin actually knew something about Eric. To the king, he had always been just a loyal servant; jus a kind boatman.

"I look that the children find the new home." Arthur promised and Merlin nodded. "They are young. They go over this easier and I'm sure that someone is willing to take them over. Maybe Jill and Mark, they have no children. Not anymore."

"You really know every citizen of Camelot?"

"No, but I know lot of them. When you work with Gaius, you learn to know." Merlin sighed. They fall in silence. Arthur decided to do the fire, it was getting dark and cold although it was almost midsummer and the days were hot.

"So, any idea what is wrong with you?" Arthur asked finally.

"I think… That flower… Maybe some kind of poison." Merlin answered. Arthur was shocked, "You are not serious Merlin."

Merlin turned to watch Arthur, "I think I'm. Look the wound."

Arthur grabbed his hand. "Still bleeding? Do you have anything what can help you?"

Merlin shook his head. "No… Maybe. Nothing special though and I don't know what that flower is so I don't know the antidote."

"You really should reach your study to the poisons."

"I have already."

"You have? Really?"

"Of course I have. You have to know that kind of things. There are actually some poisons what can help if they are used right." Merlin said. He sounded more and more tired.

"I have never though about that. So, what next?" Arthur tried to focus to what he should do next.

"The herbs. Just turn the bag around, you have to watch out that flower." Merlin warned and Arthur who was just up to put his hand on the bag pulled it back quickly.

"You took it with you?"

"Yes, luckily."

"Luckily?"

"Now Gaius can found out what it is. Although first we have go to the Camelot."

"Of course. So, what now?" Arthur looked the herbs, and the red flower.

"That one. That with the little blue flowers. And that with long leafs. On my backs is a mortar. You have to shatter them together. And water. Boil them carefully."

With Merlin's guiding Arthur did everything. When they watched how the water started to boil Merlin asked the question what Arthur was afraid to hear and think.

"How do we get to the Camelot? We have no boat, and it's already dark and I…"

"We walk, and if we don't follow the river we can be home by dawn." Arthur said, not looking Merlin.

"You sure? You have to carry me. And if I…"

"I do it. We go, now. I only hope that you know what you are doing with this." Arthur looked the beverage what was almost ready. Merlin didn't answer. He got up to sit and started to make some dressing to cover the wound. He used the herb what he had wound same time with the poisonous flower. Arthur watched him. Merlin's every movements were careful. Although he was obviously tired, he worked steadily and fast. He knew what he was doing and Arthur felt himself outsider.

"You really know what you are doing." He stated and Merlin actually laughed a bit.

"If you ask from Gaius, he can say that I know almost every time what I'm doing. Don't worry; maybe this isn't so bad after all."

But when Arthur watched his friend he knew that it was bad. Arthur had watched many people dying and what he saw now was same. He couldn't say that to Merlin, instead he just nodded and agreed. "Yeah, maybe you are right."

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