¹ 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 ━━ 𝘣𝘣𝘤 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯

━━ 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘭

Milky eyes gazed lifelessly upon the cloudless expanse above, flesh like opalescent glass and lined with protuberant sapphire veins. Gaius had seen countless diseases throughout the decades spent as a healer, but never one quite like this; the novelty of it rivaled that of the Hundred Lives Plague of Camelot's past. Such a revelation was more than enough to strike fear into his heart.

Glancing his caretaker's way, a hint of smugness laced his tone. "You were saying?"

Tearing her gaze from the deceased, Aurora met the elder's eyes. "Gaius, people mustn't see this. Last time is still fresh in the people's minds—something like this will rouse another panic and that's something we cannot afford."

"Indeed." Gaius eyed the few people scattered behind them, knowing they would only remain oblivious for so long before asking questions.

Covering the body in a dark shroud, Aurora struggled to lift it into the wheelbarrow they'd brought along for transportation purposes, which Merlin and Gaius and taken upon themselves to wheel back to the citadel. Taking care to avoid the eyes of all those they passed, those whose questions did not yet have answers, they were successful entirely. No one stopped them, that is until Guinevere Smith approached with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers in her hands. As happy as Aurora always was to see her, her timing couldn't possibly have been worse.

"What are you doing?" Her curious voice asked, her gaze flickering between the wheelbarrow and the group of three.

"Nothing," Aurora answered a little too quickly. "Just moving something."

"From one place to another," Merlin added needlessly. "As moving things entails. Quite the adventure, it is."

Oh, dear God.

Luckily for them, Guinevere didn't seem to question it. Instead, her attention was drawn to what was hidden beneath the shroud. "Looks heavy."

Merlin was quick to block her attempt of further inspection with an insistent smile. "It's nothing really." In an attempt to distract her from her own curiosities, he led the conversation elsewhere. "Did Francis get you flowers?"

"Every week, but these are not from him. I picked them for Morgana. Would you like you?" A small giggle sounded as she separated one of each hue. "A purple one for you, Merlin. Purple suits you. And a blue one for you, Aurora."

"Ah, my best color. Nice choice." Aurora grinned, tucking them behind her left ear. "Thank you, friend."

"Yeah, thanks," Merlin replied with a smile, moving to tuck his inside the neckerchief he had seldom been seen without. Seeing that she'd been distracted enough, he used the opportunity to get them on their way. "See you."

"Bye." The curly-haired woman waved, watching as they continued on their way to the citadel and her curiosities were forgotten.

Once the trio returned to the seclusion of the physician's chambers, the body was set atop a table for a proper and thorough examination. As Aurora had been trained mostly for the medicinal preparation and record-keeping side of the physician's work, such things were left solely to the one with the title. In silence, they waited for his eyes to flash with a recognition that might grant some answers, but it never came.

When Gaius retracted from his magnifying glass and met their gazes of anticipation, Aurora wanted to deflate on the spot. "Please tell me I'm misconstruing and that's an I know exactly what's happening and how to stop it look."

"I've never seen anything like this before." Gaius's words not only shattered her hopes, but struck a cold fear deep in her heart; she believed this man had seen just about everything the world had to offer. "Not since the illness that stole your uncle from us."