A/N: Everyone give a round of applause to photo 100, master of excellent timing, for once again providing the 100th review :) *claps enthusiastically*

(But really, thanks to ALL of you- particularly my beloved reviewers ^_^)

Sounds gradually began to intrude on the peace he had been enjoying, buried deep in oblivion.
He wished they would just go away and leave him to die in relative comfort, but instead the cacophony grew in volume and intensity.

"Merlin! Merlin, calm down!"

'Calm down'?

He wasn't the one intent on smashing every nearby glass object whilst screaming like a madman.

It was then that he noticed his mouth was open.
Shortly after that he realized he was the one screaming.

Why was he screaming?

His brain informed him, in no uncertain terms, that his insides were apparently burning and someone was stabbing him in the head.
He also felt a bit of a twinge somewhere on his leg, but that was negligible compared to everything else.

Also, his throat was beginning to swell closed so it really would be best if he ceased wailing like a little girl.
(That last bit sounding disturbingly like Arthur's voice.)

Snapping his lips shut and clenching his teeth, Merlin tried to figure out what was happening.

Morgana...

His heart jolted.
Yes, it was definitely related to Morgana...
Something shifted in his stomach and the queasy sensation brought back a relevant bit of memory.
Morgana had poisoned him.

How am I still alive?

It felt like a chunk of ice was floating in the burning pit of his abdomen and suddenly he felt the cold lump rising up into his throat.
Hands appeared on his torso, turning him so his head was hanging over the edge of the cot- he was on a cot, right?

The ice reached his mouth and he felt his body expel it along with some warm substance, hearing the impact of solid and liquid in what was probably a bucket below him.

"Don't touch it."

He heard a familiar voice caution.

He could only assume the warning was for someone else since there was no way he was moving any time soon.

"Merlin? Are you awake? Can you open your eyes for me?"

Gaius...

Of course Gaius had saved him.
The rush of warm feeling was enough to wash out the curious trepidation that had risen at the suggestion that he open his eyes.

Not knowing how bright the world outside his eyelids would be, the warlock cracked them open hesitantly.

It was dark- unnaturally so.

He tried to ask his mentor to light a candle, but all that came out was an embarrassing squeak.
Apparently he had wasted what little voice he had on screaming.

"Oh, my boy..."

The tone in the physician's voice was truly worrisome.

"What-?"

Whomever was poking the dagger into his forehead objected to his attempt at mind speech and he quickly broke off the effort.
Besides, Gaius had never shown any talent with that ability before, there was little use in persisting now.

Contrary to expectation, however, someone did answer.

"You're blind, Emrys."

The mental voice was soft and strained, pulling back when the owner noticed the invalid's wince.

"Sorry."

Daegal

The name came to him, more memories trickling back.
His sister, it was a trap... Morgana...

His beleaguered brain began making connections as he remembered more and more.
Why go after him now? She must be up to something, but what?

He could feel his damaged mind laboring to put the pieces together, and once it did he was not happy with the result.
Fighting to move his body, he raged internally.

"Morgana!"

His own mental shout caused a spike of agony that sent him back into blessed unconsciousness.