Of Cures and Consequences Part Two
Title: Of Cures and Consequences
Author: Sasusc
Fandom: Merlin
Characters: Arthur, Merlin
Words: 1158
Summary: Merlin uses his magic to cure the sick. Set before Season 4 (Part 2/3)
Series: 365 Days of Drabbles, Day Five
Part One
Magic and consequences, Arthur soon discovered, could do many a great things both big and small and that he had no control over either. Frustrating as it was, he understood that there was some things that were out of his hands. As the prince and future king he was made aware of this fact early on. He couldn't control magic users from attacking his kingdom nor could he control the results of those attacks. All he could do was serve and protect all those that needed it.
So when Gaius had informed him that Merlin had succumbed to the sickness that had held Camelot for the last three months or so it had come as a shock for it seemed quite recently that Merlin had told him in a voice too full of smugness that he was immune to the sickness. He had inquired if he should be worry about finding a new manservant, and Merlin in all his smugness had the indecency to say that he thought it was sweet that his prince was worried about his health...as if that was the case. No, he had been more concerned about whether he needed to put in the effort to train a new servant when he knew there was more important things he had to do…like ensure the health of his cooking staff and finding out if the cook had recovered enough to return to work. Merlin had laughed at him when he mentioned that and, of course, had to make another comment about his perfectly healthy weight-which was not fat!
And he had not panicked when Merlin had swoon quite dramatically at his feet and shouted for the guards to bring Gaius to his chambers no matter what Guinevere might have said later to Merlin. Gaius had checked over Merlin, clucking like an old hen when he merely told Arthur that Merlin must have exhausted himself taking care of the sick.
Arthur was forced to believe the old physician the first day. Towards the end of the second day when Merlin refused to wake up, Arthur discovered a few red spots dotting Merlin's too pale skin. He had set Merlin in the servant's room connecting to his own bedroom-the room that Merlin should have moved into long ago except somehow Merlin had wrangled him into agreeing that staying with Gaius was the best for all of them-and so it was as he was undressing himself (and doing a great job all on his own) that he thought he might have heard a noise coming from Merlin's room. Really, that was his only reason for entering Merlin's room and nothing more. Gaius confirmed the spots were similar to the others and shoved a few potions down his apprentice's throat. The third day, Merlin was spot-free but he was burning with a fever. That, he knew, was not part of the usual symptoms of the sickness. Gaius and Guinevere spent the next two days trying to keep his manservant cool. On the fifth day Guinevere came to him with a smile filled with relief and happiness. Merlin's fever broke. He had smiled at her and went to double check that Merlin's fever had, in fact, actually broken.
The sixth day changed his view of the world-or more importantly, his view on his most trusted servant (and his best friend to which he would only admit to on his deathbed…or Merlin's). He had found himself wondering into Merlin's room that night once again. If asked, he would once again claim that he heard some kind of noise within the room and felt duty-bound to check. After all, he wasn't about to let any harm come to Merlin while he was helpless.
He did not let out a girly scream when he found Merlin sitting straight up in bed. Princes never let out girly screams at anything.
"Merlin!" he exclaimed.
Merlin slowly turned his head and stared blindly at him. His eyes were burning gold. Arthur's first thought was that Merlin was under an enchantment. The soft words slipping between his friend's lips were in the language he had only heard sorcerers speak. His second thought was wondering why a sorcerer would even attempt to enchant Merlin. His third and fourth thoughts were spent trying to figure out how a sorcerer was able to breach the castle. And his fifth thought briefly pondered if Merlin would be well enough in a couple days to take a much needed hunting trip. Thought six reminded him that for Merlin to become un-enchanted and able to go on a hunting trip, Arthur needed to defeat the sorcerer first.
He ran back to his room, grabbed up his sword, and came back to Merlin ready to slay the sorcerer enchanting Merlin. This time Merlin was standing beside the window.
"Merlin," he whispered harshly.
"Arthur," Merlin commanded in a voice that was both familiar and strange. Merlin turned smartly on his heel in a move that Arthur couldn't help but admire. He locked his arms neatly behind his back and took a step closer. "Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King. How fare ye?"
"Merlin?"
"My lord," he said bowing. A flash of golden eyes and the candles in the room lit themselves. "As young as you ever looked, sire, but you still have some growing up to do."
Arthur frowned and tightened his hands around his sword. "What have you done with my manservant?"
The Merlin impostor laughed. "It's been ages since I've heard you call me that. And I do mean ages." He smirked. "I haven't much time here, and as it is, I have too much time to spare."
That didn't make much sense to him and he admitted much to him.
"Ah, yes. Well, you always hated when I talk in riddles but I'm so fond of them. I so enjoy your looks of confusion." He erupted into a coughing fit and ruined the whole wise image he was portraying. "Times ending. I only came as I felt myself in distress, but I feel like I should impart some kind of wisdom down to you Young Pendragon." He cleared his throat, stood up straighter, and puffed out his chest. "Beware of the pebble in your path for even the smallest stone can bring a prince to his knees."
"What does that mean?"
"That you should trend carefully where you walk, sire. We shall meet again and again and nevermore."
Merlin's body let out a gasped as he dropped to the floor. Arthur ran to him, finding him once again unconscious in his arms. It was becoming a bad habit of Merlin's. He shouted for the guards and had them search the castle for the intruder. There were consequences to using magic, and Arthur intended to be the one dealing them out to this sorcerer. Whoever this sorcerer was, they had targeted the Prince's manservant and they would pay.
Author: Sasusc
Fandom: Merlin
Characters: Arthur, Merlin
Words: 1158
Summary: Merlin uses his magic to cure the sick. Set before Season 4 (Part 2/3)
Series: 365 Days of Drabbles, Day Five
Part One
Magic and consequences, Arthur soon discovered, could do many a great things both big and small and that he had no control over either. Frustrating as it was, he understood that there was some things that were out of his hands. As the prince and future king he was made aware of this fact early on. He couldn't control magic users from attacking his kingdom nor could he control the results of those attacks. All he could do was serve and protect all those that needed it.
So when Gaius had informed him that Merlin had succumbed to the sickness that had held Camelot for the last three months or so it had come as a shock for it seemed quite recently that Merlin had told him in a voice too full of smugness that he was immune to the sickness. He had inquired if he should be worry about finding a new manservant, and Merlin in all his smugness had the indecency to say that he thought it was sweet that his prince was worried about his health...as if that was the case. No, he had been more concerned about whether he needed to put in the effort to train a new servant when he knew there was more important things he had to do…like ensure the health of his cooking staff and finding out if the cook had recovered enough to return to work. Merlin had laughed at him when he mentioned that and, of course, had to make another comment about his perfectly healthy weight-which was not fat!
And he had not panicked when Merlin had swoon quite dramatically at his feet and shouted for the guards to bring Gaius to his chambers no matter what Guinevere might have said later to Merlin. Gaius had checked over Merlin, clucking like an old hen when he merely told Arthur that Merlin must have exhausted himself taking care of the sick.
Arthur was forced to believe the old physician the first day. Towards the end of the second day when Merlin refused to wake up, Arthur discovered a few red spots dotting Merlin's too pale skin. He had set Merlin in the servant's room connecting to his own bedroom-the room that Merlin should have moved into long ago except somehow Merlin had wrangled him into agreeing that staying with Gaius was the best for all of them-and so it was as he was undressing himself (and doing a great job all on his own) that he thought he might have heard a noise coming from Merlin's room. Really, that was his only reason for entering Merlin's room and nothing more. Gaius confirmed the spots were similar to the others and shoved a few potions down his apprentice's throat. The third day, Merlin was spot-free but he was burning with a fever. That, he knew, was not part of the usual symptoms of the sickness. Gaius and Guinevere spent the next two days trying to keep his manservant cool. On the fifth day Guinevere came to him with a smile filled with relief and happiness. Merlin's fever broke. He had smiled at her and went to double check that Merlin's fever had, in fact, actually broken.
The sixth day changed his view of the world-or more importantly, his view on his most trusted servant (and his best friend to which he would only admit to on his deathbed…or Merlin's). He had found himself wondering into Merlin's room that night once again. If asked, he would once again claim that he heard some kind of noise within the room and felt duty-bound to check. After all, he wasn't about to let any harm come to Merlin while he was helpless.
He did not let out a girly scream when he found Merlin sitting straight up in bed. Princes never let out girly screams at anything.
"Merlin!" he exclaimed.
Merlin slowly turned his head and stared blindly at him. His eyes were burning gold. Arthur's first thought was that Merlin was under an enchantment. The soft words slipping between his friend's lips were in the language he had only heard sorcerers speak. His second thought was wondering why a sorcerer would even attempt to enchant Merlin. His third and fourth thoughts were spent trying to figure out how a sorcerer was able to breach the castle. And his fifth thought briefly pondered if Merlin would be well enough in a couple days to take a much needed hunting trip. Thought six reminded him that for Merlin to become un-enchanted and able to go on a hunting trip, Arthur needed to defeat the sorcerer first.
He ran back to his room, grabbed up his sword, and came back to Merlin ready to slay the sorcerer enchanting Merlin. This time Merlin was standing beside the window.
"Merlin," he whispered harshly.
"Arthur," Merlin commanded in a voice that was both familiar and strange. Merlin turned smartly on his heel in a move that Arthur couldn't help but admire. He locked his arms neatly behind his back and took a step closer. "Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King. How fare ye?"
"Merlin?"
"My lord," he said bowing. A flash of golden eyes and the candles in the room lit themselves. "As young as you ever looked, sire, but you still have some growing up to do."
Arthur frowned and tightened his hands around his sword. "What have you done with my manservant?"
The Merlin impostor laughed. "It's been ages since I've heard you call me that. And I do mean ages." He smirked. "I haven't much time here, and as it is, I have too much time to spare."
That didn't make much sense to him and he admitted much to him.
"Ah, yes. Well, you always hated when I talk in riddles but I'm so fond of them. I so enjoy your looks of confusion." He erupted into a coughing fit and ruined the whole wise image he was portraying. "Times ending. I only came as I felt myself in distress, but I feel like I should impart some kind of wisdom down to you Young Pendragon." He cleared his throat, stood up straighter, and puffed out his chest. "Beware of the pebble in your path for even the smallest stone can bring a prince to his knees."
"What does that mean?"
"That you should trend carefully where you walk, sire. We shall meet again and again and nevermore."
Merlin's body let out a gasped as he dropped to the floor. Arthur ran to him, finding him once again unconscious in his arms. It was becoming a bad habit of Merlin's. He shouted for the guards and had them search the castle for the intruder. There were consequences to using magic, and Arthur intended to be the one dealing them out to this sorcerer. Whoever this sorcerer was, they had targeted the Prince's manservant and they would pay.