Title: It's Like Magic

Author: Kiki1770

Rating: T for Language

Setting: Any time in Season 5

Summary: Merlin's been poisoned. Can Freya save him in time?

A/N: Woah! I was blown away by the response to the last drabble! While I would love to read/write a story with a similar scenario, I'm a bit swamped at the moment. Anywho, I promised an Angst drabble which turned out to be TOO long, so I made it a short story!

Freylin 14: The Physician and his Mistress 3

"That'll do, we shall reconvene tomorrow for the final decisions." Arthur concluded another tedious council meeting. With Guinevere and his Knights in tow, Arthur nodded to Merlin as he left. If he noticed that Merlin looked a little pale or that he was leaning rather heavily on the door, he didn't say anything about it. The King and Queen were discussing the diminishing fabric supply when they caught sight of Freya frantically running towards them. She skidded to halt, flushed red and breathless.

"Are you alright Freya?" Guinevere murmured in concern, her tone soft and mother-like to the lady that had become like a sister to her.

"I-umm...yes. Your Highness, could I borrow Merlin?" Freya turned to Arthur expectantly, a silent plea in her soft brown eyes.

"O-of course," Arthur stuttered, taken aback by her sudden intensity. Freya curtsied hastily and gracefully danced through the knights to where the manservant lagged behind. "That was weird," Arthur whispered to his wife. Guinevere giggled and tried to enlighten her confused husband, but was drowned out by a sharp scream.

"MERLIN!" Freya's scream pierced their hearts. Arthur whirled around at the mention of his manservant in time to see Merlin sway and collapse against Freya. Freya gasped and gently let him down, cushioning his head in her lap. Arthur, Gwaine, Percival, and Leon were at her side in moments. Merlin was as pale as sheet and his lips blue like ice, his brow breaking in sweat. He shivered and twitched in Freya's lap.

"What happened?" Arthur questioned Freya.

"H-he found p-poison in your meal this morning S-sire...I've been working on the antidote since." She cried. Freya stroked Merlin's chest, willing him to breathe easier. "Oh Merlin...please, please tell me what to do...I-I can't do this without you." Tears rolled down Freya's face as she watched Merlin painstakingly open his eyes and clutch her hands.

"F-four drops o-of the C-caraway...and c-crushed Feverfew ground into p-paste." Merlin gasped out, fighting for the air to breathe. Freya let out a shaky laugh.

"You knew the cure and yet you made me figure it out on my own." She whispered breathlessly.

"G-good practice..." Merlin tried to smirk. Freya sobbed and fumbled with the vial in her pocket.

"W-will it hurt?"

"Y-yes...just t-trust me." Merlin choked, and his eyes rolled back in his head. Freya cried out loud and fumbled with the vials, but her hands were shaking badly. Guinevere knelt beside Freya and quickly pried the antidote away from the sobbing girl's fingers. Gwen followed Merlin's instructions and watched in anticipation as Freya stroked Merlin's throat, the manservant painfully swallowed his medicine.

Merlin groaned and curled into Freya, his body shook and spasmed with fervor. Freya clutched Merlin tightly, sobbing into his hair and shushing his muffled screams. Arthur watched his manservant scream in pain and convulse violently with beads of sweat rolling down his temples. Merlin was late this morning because he had taken poison for Arthur...again, and yet Arthur had done nothing but pile his manservant with excessive chores. For once Merlin had taken his punishment in silence, and Arthur knew he should have been suspicious almost immediately.

Even Guinevere had questioned why Merlin was so quiet during their meal, but the boy had shrugged her off with a halfhearted smile and a lame excuse about taking care of patients. Merlin hadn't been in the mood for talking and Guinevere took the hint. She stayed silent about his condition. Arthur should have noticed that the boy had progressively gone paler throughout the day. When Merlin started making faces during the council meeting, Arthur just assumed it was Merlin being Merlin; if only he realized his manservant had been fighting the effects of the poison all day.

Merlin's screams finally ceased and his body no longer convulsed. Freya gently rolled him out from this lap. The Camelot party held their breath as Freya pressed her ear against his chest.

"Is he alright?" Gwaine broke the tension; the knight had been stricken with grief and tormented by their friend's cry of pain. Freya sprung from Merlin chest as though she'd been shocked.

"His heart's stopped." the dreaded words spilled from her quivering lips. Guinevere cried out in anguish and collapsed against Arthur's side.

"No..." Gwaine muttered. But Freya wasn't done. She'd quickly torn Merlin's neckerchief away and tilted his head up. Pinching the bridge of his nose, one hand over his heart, she brought her lips down on Merlin's, heavily forcing air through his lungs. She pulled herself away and began pounding on his chest, and then she recovered his lips. Arthur felt his heartbreak for the lady's desperation, the death of his manservant had not fully sunk in yet.

But then Merlin gasped and his cobalt blue eyes flashed open. He blinked at Freya, and his tired face twitched into a half smile.

"You did it," he breathed and sank into her lap.

"Oh Merlin," Freya whispered, happy tears spilled over her cheeks; she leaned over to kiss his brow as the man sank into unconsciousness. The Knights erupted into cheers and physician-in-training suddenly found herself enveloped in large armory embraces.

Teehee! This was inspired by 5x08 when I saw Merlin struggling to breathe and his heart stop for a moment.

Review, review, review!

Kiki1770