Ancient Help (A Harry Potter and Merlin Crossover)

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Hermione's Revelation

Author's Note: 

Finally. 

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He greatly resisted, but the two, burly Southrons were too strong for him to handle. Despite Sir Gwaine's constant pleas to keep fighting, damning the exhaustion he felt, Morgana still ordered for him to be thrown back to his prison cell.

"Let me fight!" he cried, his hands tightly clenching the bars of their prison cell. "Let me fight, please!"

Oh, how he hated to grovel in front of the High Priestess of the Old Religion. But then, he knew he had no choice. He had to sooner or later swallow his pride if he wanted Gaius to survive.

The said Court Physician was now weakly lying down on a makeshift bed made of hay. His breathing was shallow, his face was pale, and his lips were almost blue. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead, drenching a part of his gray hair and furry eyebrows. Coughs sometimes racked his whole body and Gwaine and Elyan couldn't help but flinch at the horrible sound emitted by Gaius.

It was obvious he was weakened form starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion. He had pointed it out to Morgana one time and she, with an evil smirk on her face, told him that the only way he could win some food was for him to fight. And fight he did and for a while, he bested almost all of the Southrons that was shoved into his path. But then again, he had already reached his limit; his fighting grew rusty and the size of the bread that was given to them was decreasing.

Now, Morgana sneered at his beseeching eyes and threw a small piece of burnt bread. Gwaine was enraged by the sight for he growled and almost lunged at Morgana, regardless of her being a woman or not. 'She is a heartless being,' he constantly told himself at times when he had this urge to bash her pretty face against the wall.

Morgana, furious by his sudden attack, shot a spell towards his direction. Elyan immediately stood up and pushed Gwaine aside. It was fortunate his reflexes were fast; else, Gwaine would probably be a pile of burnt rumble on the floor.

"Be contented with what you have, Sir Gwaine," Morgana said, once again wearing her mask of indifference. She shot a brief look at the wheezing Gaius before turning around, followed by her minions.

Once she was gone, Gwaine fell down on his knees, grabbed the small piece of bread, and forced some into Gaius' mouth. He had long been reduced to a shaking mess and he refused to take in the food.

"Come on now, Gaius," Gwaine soothed while Elyan ran his fingers through Gaius' clammy head.

The Court Physician then fell into a fitful sleep. Gwaine and Elyan sat beside each other, their eyes constantly running all over Gaius' form.

They never voiced it aloud to each other, but both had a fear that Gaius was already at the brink of his death.

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Hermione softly hissed, flinching in pain as Merlin not-so-tightly tied the small cloth around her wound. Merlin deeply frowned and quickly apologized, his fingers now trying to sooth the blood-stained cloth.

They had finally arrived in Ealdor and Hunith greeted all of them warmly. Although her face was clouded with extreme worry upon seeing their dishevelled and injured forms, she was kind enough to immediately provide shelter and food.

Isolde was already treated in their neighbouring house. Matthew, the owner of the said house, had slight knowledge about medicine. Thus, he volunteered to try to treat Isolde's wound. Although she still had not fully recovered, she was already stable. Of course, Tristan was constantly beside her.