Queen of Camelot ~~~ON HIATUS~~~

Chapter Nine (III)

Merlin and Gaius walked along the lower part of town. It was a calm warm morning. It was what people might call the calm before the storm.

They walked over to a small crowd of people. Gaius pushed through and all moved for him leaving Merlin to really squeeze past them all.

Once through he sort of wished he hasn't a body lies face down on the ground. Gaius coached down inspecting it. "Aren't you scared?"

He looked up to Merlin confused. "Of what?"

"That you might catch whatever it is." Merlin said gesturing to the man. Merlin could felt extremely anxious standing by a dead body. Especially one that's death was unclear beside some sort of disease.

Gaius smiled at the young man. "I'm the court physician, Merlin. This is part of my job. Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of." Gaius explained rolling the corpse over.

They both gasped Merlin jumping back. The crowd around them had dispersed when they got there so they were alone beside those walking on the street. The man was whiter than snow and his eyes were rolled back displaying a sickly white eyed face.

Merlin gulped taking a step closer wishing he wasn't curious. He also wished he wasn't working with a physician so he would have to deal with that. "You were saying?" Merlin asked noticing Gaius's similar discomfort.

Gaining his composer Gaius looked around slightly frantic. "People mustn't see this. They will panic." Merlin nodded grabbing a clothes from someone's hung up laundry. He cover the man head hiding the sickness from all eyes. To say the least Merlin was glad it was not a pretty sight.
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Guinevere believed she was a happy lucky young woman for she lived with the most loving and kind father anyone could ask for.

Tom was a blacksmith. Not just any old blacksmith he was the best in the land and he was Gwen's father.

They both saw the world in the best of ways. They saw it in its lights not its dark. Today was definitely a day of light for them both.

Gwen had woken up early making an extra special sandwich for her father that morning. He woke up and they enjoyed a lighthearted breakfast before he had to be off to work.

"Dad, here's your sandwich." Gwen said handing it over.

Tom's eyes sparkled, Gwen's favorite sight to see. He grabbed it eagerly. "Ooh. Mmm, what's in it?"

"It's smoked pigeon. But I'd say there's more smoke than pigeon." Gwen teased returning his smile but with a billion times more beauty.

Tom laughed patting her shoulder proudly. "You're such a good girl to me."

If possible Gwen smiled brighter. She wanted nothing more than for her dad the be happy and proud of her and he was. "And I've done you some watercress soup tonight."

"Don't tell me, with more water in it than cress?" Tom grinned checking his materials. Gwen laughed pulling him into a tight hug.

She loved him with all of her heart and she would do anything to save him. All those who knew her knew it to be true. "I'll see you later."

Kissing her head and giving her one last tight hug he left with a smile and a 'goodbye'.
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Gaius and Merlin pulled a wagon holding the corpse they had found. Merlin checked over his shoulder making sure he was covered completely.

They had reached the drawbridge and had only a couple meters to go.

A cheerful voice came from behind them. "What are you doing?" Merlin knew this voice smiling. He left Gaius to pull the wagon on his own waking to the back of the wagon smiling.