Queen of Camelot ~~~ON HIATUS~~~

Chapter Fourteen (IV)

Gwen watched as Arthur laid Merlin on a cot. He made sure Merlin wasn't going to throw himself off on accident before turning towards Gaius. Much to Gwen's surprise Arthur appeared surprisingly calm for the urgency he had shown just a few minutes earlier.

Gwen grabbed a bucket near Merlin's room along with a clean towel.

"Is he going to be alright?" Arthur's voice betraying his face.

"He's burning up." Gaius responded not yet having a true vertic to give.

Gwen sat down next to Merlin dabbing his forehead asking, "You can cure him, can't you Gaius?"

Gaius sighed fixing his glasses. "I won't know until I can identify the poison. Pass me the goblet." Gwen's hands swiftly passed him the goblet feeling extremely anxious about the whole situation.

Gaius brought the goblet over to his work desk pulling out his magnifying glass looking inside the empty goblet. "Ah. There's something stuck on the inside."

Gaius placed the magnifying glass down grabbing his tweezers instead. "What is it?" Arthur asked leaning towards Gaius.

Slowly Gaius pulled a damp, thin, purple object. He placed it down the goblet replacing it with the spyglass inspecting it as he spoke. "It looks like a flower petal of some kind."

"His brow's on fire." Gwen announced her eyes darting around for something to help Merlin more than the wet cloth was.

"Keep him cool; it'll help control his fever." Gaius orders. Gwen gives a nervous nodded before going back to dabbling his face.

Gaius raced over to his bookshelf his finger scanning the titles. His eyes brighten as he pulls out a book with a worn out flower. He flipped through comparing it too picture the pictures.

He lifted it up walking back over to the three. "Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower. It says here that someone poisoned by the Mortaeus can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the Forest of Balor. The flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree."

Arthur's breath hitched, "That's not particularly friendly."

Gaius nodded. "A Cockatrice. It guards the forest. Its venom is potent. A single drop would mean certain death. Few who have crossed the Mountains of Isgaard in search of the Mortaeus flower have made it back alive." Gaius teased glancing up at Arthur.

"Sounds like fun." Arthur said, letting out a nervous laugh.

Gaius gave him a sharp looking shaking his head. "Arthur, it's too dangerous."

Arthur showed a split second of agreement before shaking his own head. "If I don't get the antidote, what happens to Merlin?"

Gaius's eyes fell as he skimmed the words of the page before drawing a conclusion. "The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death. He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die." His voice was grave and broken. He gulped probably forcing down the tears.

Gwen was less successful as a few tears rolled down her caring face.

--

Gaius pulled Artura out of the room to discuss with her privately.

"Artura you are honestly thinking of doing this." Gaius said worried for Merlin and her safety. Artura put on a brave face nodding. "I care for Merlin as my own son, but you are like my daughter I don't want you to risk your life for Merlin."