When Anna returned to the Great Hall, she found Merlin talking with Gwen. Sifa was a short distance away, changing a patient's bandage.

"Merlin!" Anna gave him a hug. "How is Gaius?"

"Better." Merlin looked more confident about his assertions this morning. "He's resting, so I thought I'd come down and see if I could help."

"I told him it's been pretty quiet this morning," Gwen added. "Sifa and I have been handling things." Anna noticed that Gwen was wearing her blue dress. It was one of the things she had left behind her when she went to Ealdor—Merlin and she had tidied up Gwen's house after she left, and Anna remembered folding all of Gwen's dresses, wondering if she would ever return to reclaim them. It seemed she had.

"I was about to head upstairs and help the maids tidy the main bedchambers—if you don't need me here?"

"No, I think we're fine," Anna said. "I'll see you later."

Gwen gave Merlin a smile and touched his arm, and then was gone.

"Sifa has been a great help," Anna said as she and Merlin turned back to do the rounds in the Hall. "She's very gentle, and she handles responsibility well."

Merlin nodded. "She said you were checking on Elyan and Gwaine? How are they?"

"Elyan seems alright. But I'm a little worried about Gwaine—he seems pretty lethargic. It might just be exhaustion from being made to fight on so little food, but it might also be that he tried to eat too much too soon." She began gathering up some soiled bandages. "Glynis told me she once treated some people who had gone without food for a week. She said some of them tried to eat too much, and they had heart problems."

"What—really?"

"Yes. And she said a couple of them didn't make it. But that may not be what he has," she added quickly. "I'll check on him in a couple of hours."

000

Gwaine had fallen asleep almost immediately after Anna laid him back down, and when he awoke some time later, she was gone. He felt a little stronger—the stew must have done him good. Gwaine pushed himself up into a sitting position.

The room spun around him. Gwaine shut his eyes. When he had regained some equilibrium, he realized he could hear sounds outside his door—shouting, clanging. Morgana's troops! They were in the castle!

Gwaine threw back the covers. He had to warn everyone—get them out. He stood up unsteadily, and the room spun again. Gwaine hung onto the bedside table. No matter what it cost him, he had to warn them, had to raise the alarm. He took a few unsteady steps toward the door, his heart racing.

The room began rocking like a ship at sea. First one side of the floor came up toward him, then the other. Finally the floor rushed up toward his face, and the room went black, the sounds of battle turning into a roar.

000

Anna met Percival in the corridor when she returned to Gwaine's chambers.

"I was just going to see him," Percival said, gesturing toward Gwaine's door. "This is the first time I've been able to get away all day."

"He might be asleep," Anna cautioned him quietly, opening the door. "He—"

"Gwaine!"

They rushed over to where he lay crumpled on the floor. Anna checked his pulse and frowned. "Can you sit him up?" she said, pulling her smelling salts from her pocket. She held the bottle under his nose.

Gwaine came to slowly, blinking dazedly. "Anna?" he said, his voice rough. "Are we winning?"

Percival looked at her worriedly over Gwaine's head.

"What do you mean?"

"I could hear fighting," he answered, struggling to push himself up in Percival's arms. "I had to warn everyone—" He fell back, panting.

"There's no fighting, Gwaine," Anna said soothingly. "Everyone is safe. Let's get him to bed," she added to Percival.

"Perce—you there?" Gwaine asked as his friend pulled him up, practically carrying him back to bed.

"Yep. Right here," Percival agreed in a calm tone, though his eyes were worried.

"Sir Percival, could you pour Sir Gwaine some water?" Anna said, checking Gwaine's pulse again. It was rapid and weak.

Percival held the cup to Gwaine's lips, and waited as his friend drank deeply. "You're sure everyone's safe?" Gwaine asked again worriedly as Percival put it down.

"Absolutely," Percival assured him. "You just rest." He put his hand on Gwaine's head.

Gwaine smiled up at him, his eyes half-lidded. "Thanks, Perce."

Anna helped Gwaine to lie down again. "Try to sleep," she said gently. "Well get you something to eat when you're a little recovered."

She and Percival went out into the corridor. "What's wrong with him?" Percival asked.

"He tried to refeed too quickly," she explained. "It's affecting his heart. A little delirium is not unexpected."

Percival didn't look at all reassured. "I'll fetch you both something to eat," he offered, and headed off toward the kitchen.

TBC


AN: What are you guys thinking so far? I didn't get any reviews on the last two chapters, so I can't tell how it's going. Please review!