Sorry for the late update. It's been busier. Anyway, no Arthur yet... but the plot continues... ;)

And since I just didn't feel like checking for grammar and re editing everything... just... please... go along with the spelling mistakes and grammar. Thanks...

Also, wow... almost 80 reviews! Thank you, guys!

If you want something to happen, just tell me and maybe it might come true!

Chapter 7

He didn't sleep until three or four hours later. The stars had entranced him. He had slept with utmost peace in his heart but Merlin woke with pain. The sun, not used to it, was burning him. When the sun had shone on him from the window, Merlin screamed, opened his eyes, and ran to the darkest part of the room.

Morgana, who had heard the scream, ran to Merlin in her nightgown. Slamming the door, she hurried to Merlin.

Merlin was trembling and clutching his skin, "I... iitt buuurrnsss!"

"Shh... please be quiet!" she begged. It wouldn't do anything if they were caught. Merlin would die. She never would be allowed to leave her room ever again. Quickly, Morgana shut the window and the sunlight was no where to be seen.

Morgana ran back to Merlin. Gwen had came too, a second ago. She had seen that Morgana was not in her bed, "What happened, my Lady?"

"The sun! It burnt him!" Morgana told her. Gwen sat down next to Merlin and looked at Merlin's skin. It was red. Sunburnt.

Gwen bit her lips, "I'll be back with cold water." Morgana nodded, her face full of worry.

Merlin's face was squeezed tightly in pain, his mouth twisted strangely, and his breath coming out in short sharp wheezes. Merlin clenched his skin.

"Don't touch it," Morgana said. She had only received her sun burnt when she was child. Morgana didn't remember what to do.

Gwen came back with a bucket of cold water. She took a cloth out, soaked it, and started to dab it gently on Merlin's burnt skin. Merlin calmed down with an occasional flinch.

"What happened?" Merlin asked.

"You were sleeping right underneath the sunlight. Even if it isn't very strong right now, you aren't used to the sun. You are likely to burnt more easily than us," explained Gwen.

Merlin nodded and looked at his burnt skin. It was mostly on his left arm, where the sun had hit the most. His sleeve had rolled up during his sleep. He touched his left side of his face. It was burnt a little there too but not as much as his arm.

Gwen stood up and said to Merlin, "Your skin should be fine once we get some balm on it." To Morgana, "I'll go ask Gaius."

Hearing Gaius's name, Merlin perked, "Gaius?"

The girls frowned, "Yes. Do you know him?"

Merlin nodded, "He had been taking care of me since as far as I remember."

The girls exchanged a glance. Gwen asked Merlin, "Do you think Gaius would mind that you are out here?"

He frowned, "I don't think he would like it, but if he asks who the balm is for, you should tell him that it's for me. I trust him, and since I'm outside already, he wouldn't make me go back down to the caves."

"Are you sure, Merlin?"

"I'm sure."

Gwen nodded and left Merlin and Morgana. She arrived to Gaius's room. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door. After a moment, the door opened showing the face of an elderly man.

"Ah, Gwen. Come in," Gaius gave room for Gwen. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes. A friend of mine received a bad sun burn," Gwen said, nervously. "I need an ointment."

Gaius raised an eyebrow, sensing her anxiety. "Hmm... sun burn. Let's see," he looked around his counter. "There it is." Gaius took out a small jar, "Apply it gently over the skin." The physician observed Gwen. She was fidgeting, biting her lips, and playing with her fingers. "Is something wrong?"

"What?"

He raised his eyebrow, "I've known you for a long time, Gwen. I can sense that you are nervous."

"Nothing is wrong, Gaius."

"If it isn't a bother, may I ask who this person is?"

"It's nobody. He's just a friend."

"Are you sure he's just a friend?"

"Yes, Gaius. Merlin is a friend," Gwen assured him. After a second, she gasped and put her hand on her mouth, "Oh, dear, I didn't mean to say that."

Gaius stood up straighter. With an incredulous look, he exclaimed, "How do you know Merlin?"

"I'm sorry, Gaius. My lady heard the king say something about a sorcerer in the caves. We went to investigate it and we found Merlin," Gwen said. She was staring at the ground, feeling like the time when she was little girl and had been caught stealing her mother's jewelry. "He did say to tell you if he asked..." she mumbled.

"So you brought him up here?" Gaius frowned, surprised.

"Y... yes," Gwen answered. "Gaius, we couldn't leave him in the caves! He hadn't even set foot outside. We had to save him."

"Save? My dear girl, you have just signed his death." Gwen sobbed slightly and Gaius's face softened. He sighed, "I'm sure that we can work this out." He put a hand on Gwen's shoulder, "You did what you thought was right. There were many times I wanted to bring Merlin and show him the world." Gwen nodded and stopped her crying. "Now, where is he?" Gaius asked softly.

"He is with Lady Morgana." She lead the way. When they arrived, Morgana was patting Merlin's arm with the soaked cloth. Hearing the door open, Morgana and Merlin looked at the door. Their reaction was different to seeing Gaius. Morgana only looked slightly worried. Merlin stood straight up and stared at Gaius with wide eyes.

"I can explain!" Merlin said.

Gaius sighed, "I'm getting too old for this. Sit down, Merlin. Kilgarrah and I both knew that you were going to leave the caves one day. It just happened to be last night."

Merlin asked sadly, "Am I in trouble?"

"Not yet. As long as the king doesn't know that you are the sorcerer, you still have your head." Gaius started applying the balm on Merlin face and arm once Merlin sat down.

"Oh," Gwen exclaimed. Happily, she walked out the door. The others looked confused. Morgana, having a slight idea, hid a smile. Gwen walked back in holding new pair of clothes. "Look!"

Merlin gasped, "Did you make them last night?"

"Well, the pants are my brother's. The shirt and shoes are my father's. I made the jacket. Here's a belt to go with the shirt," Gwen answered with a smile. Merlin smiled back and took the clothes.

"Can I wear them?"

Morgana nodded, "It's yours." Gaius motioned for him to go behind a screen. Merlin did and came out with his new clothes on. With blue shirt, a reddish brown jacket, dark pants, and with the red scarf still on, Merlin looked half way normal if not like a part way rainbow. Although the pants and the shirt was too big for Merlin, he looked decent.

The girls giggled making Merlin grimace, "Do I look horrible?"

Gwen reassured him, "You look fine." Taking another scarf, Gwen tied it around his head, "There. It should help with the sunlight." It was a thin scarf. While he could still see through it, it helped protect his eyes from the sun.

"Thank you, Gwen." He looked hopefully Gaius, "May I go out, Gaius?"

Gaius sighed, "Yes, if my Lady and Gwen would accompany you. I'm afraid I have too much work."

Morgana reassured Gaius, "We'll look after him."

Merlin smiled at Gaius but was annoyed inside. He didn't appreciate being treated like a child. Morgana and Gwen headed out the door. They gestured Merlin to follow. He glanced at Gaius.

"Have fun, Merlin. Be careful."

"I will."

oo00oo00oo0oo00oo00oo

Knowing that Merlin wouldn't be used to so many people, they went out where it was quiet. It was an exit out in the back and not many knew of it. Morgana, being the Lady of the castle, knew as did most of Camelot's loyalty.

They headed towards the meadow. Merlin looked like a child on his birthday. He was grinning joyfully and looking at everything. When they reached to the meadow, Merlin lay down on the grass. It was prickly but it felt great. He breathed in the fresh air and took in the sight of the sky. It was blue with few clouds hanging around. He could see some birds, although Morgana and Gwen identified what it was for him.

He stood up and touched the trees. The bark was rough under its hands. There were ants crawling around and Merlin had to take away his hand, fear of being bitten.

All in all, it was a sight he always dreamed of. "Just like in my book." The grass. The trees. The chirping of the birds. Everything.

"Merlin?" Morgana said.

"Yes?"

"I have to return to the castle soon."

His stomach suddenly growled and he sheepishly looked at Morgana and Gwen. "Perhaps... food?"

"Of course," Morgana answered. "Gwen, see if you can receive food from the kitchen."

"Yes, my Lady," Gwen answered polietly.

Morgana and Gwen started to walk towards the castle. Merlin stood still and took in the view. He smiled brighter and followed the girls.

oo00oo00oo0oo00oo00oo

"This is the best food I have ever tasted in my entire life!" Merlin exclaimed as he stuffed food inside his mouth.

"Slow down, Merlin," Gaius scowled.

"I'm sorry, Gaius, but this is a lot better than the food you always brought me!" Merlin laughed. "This is chicken?"

Gwen nodded, "Yes. Please drink some water." Merlin obliged.

After eating, Merlin sighed happily. Best day ever. He looked around, "So, this is where you live, Gaius?"

Gaius nodded, "Yes."

"Wow, it's really messy."

"Don't be rude, Merlin."

"Sorry." Merlin stood up and looked around. Surprisingly, he knew most of the jars, potions, and other things. Most of them were in the books Gaius had given to him. "That potion looks like it's for fighting infection."

Gaius asked, "What's in it?" Morgana and Gwen looked surprised.

"Um, Yarrow? Cayenne and..."

"Two more, Merlin."

"Oh! Uh... Echinacea and Goldenjell?"

"Close, the root of a Goldenseal. What do you do with them?"

"Well, you powder them and mix them. Garlic is good too."

The physician smiled proudly, "Good job, Merlin." He pointed at another vial, "What's that?"

"Is it for headaches?"

"And aching joints."

"It has rose, lavender, sage, and bay," Merlin answered, happy with his answer.

"How would you treat a wound?"

"Gaius, that's such an easy question!" Merlin exclaimed. When he saw Gaius's eyebrows raise, he answered, "Wounds are cleaned with vinegar. Myrrh is used as an antiseptic on wounds. Yarrow, or uh... Achillea? is used to treat headaches and wounds like... battle wounds."

"You forgot mint."

"Oh, Mint can be used to treat venom and wounds," Merlin quickly added.

"How do you know all this, Merlin?" asked Morgana.

"Gaius brought me books and asked me all sorts of questions about them. I had nothing to do so most of my time was spent reading those books."

"Goodness," said Gwen. She knew the basics but not as much as Merlin.

"One more question, Merlin."

Merlin sighed but looked at Gaius, "Yes?"

"Stomach pains."

"Stomach pains and sickness are treated with wormwood, mint, and balm, right?"

"Correct. Good job, Merlin," Gaius told him and Merlin grinned with satisfaction.

Morgana looked outside and gasped, "I have to leave. I apologize for my abrupt exit but King Uther is expecting me. It's important." The lady frowned and sneered, "He is such an irritating King!"

"My Lady, it is unwise to criticize the King," Gaius reprimanded.

"I know. I can't help it. Oh, the poor family!" Morgana cried.

Merlin blinked curiously and asked, "Why?"

Morgana bit her lips, "Well, I'm not sure I should tell you."

"Why not?" Merlin asked childishly.

"Merlin," Gaius said. "Look outside."

The warlock stood up and looked outside to the courtyard. Soldiers were bringing in wood and making a pile. What were they doing? A queasy feeling entered his chest, "What... what are they doing?"

"Execution," replied Gaius.

"W... why?" His voice cracked. Of course he knew. Why else wouldn't Morgana tell him?

"Sorcery."

"Oh." Oh, indeed. He stared intently and sadly. Would he be standing in the pile if he was caught? No, that would never happen. He did nothing wrong but... he doubted the sorcerer awaiting execution did anything wrong too. He won't get burned... right?

I don't think that was THAT short. Oh, btw, many of you said the last chapter was cheesy... yeah... it totally was. However, if you were trapped in a cave for how many years... you would be crying too.

Ah... since Merlin didn't get enough sun, he would be missing Vitamin D (or something)... oh well. Didn't think about that. Science class made me remember. Eh... not like I'm going to be going for an award.