Over the months, Merlyn had fallen into a routine. She got up ate breakfast before started doing all her duties for Arthur, stealing Arthur's food throughout the day before serving him it and helping Gaius amongst it all. Merlyn still wished she could wear her trousers but it wasn't considered proper so she was stuck in her dresses, something she regularly complained to Arthur about. That morning Gaius had been called down to the lower town as a man had been found in the middle of the street, faced-down on the ground dead. Since Merlyn didn't have to go to Arthur's until later, Merlyn had decided to go help Gaius.
Once they actually got down to the body, Merlyn knew something was wrong. It was clear that people thought the man had been drunk but Merlyn had seen plenty of drunks in her life and he did not look like one of them. The way he was splayed on the floor as well was unusual. He didn't look as if he had stumbled and fell, or suddenly collapsed; it looked more like he had been crawling, dragging himself as if he was hurt. Merlyn kept away from the body as Gaius dropped down beside the man and began to study the corpse.
"Aren't you scared?" Merlyn questioned.
"Of what?" Gaius asked as he stared back at the servant.
"That you might catch whatever it is the poor man died of" Merlyn replied.
"I'm the court physician, Merlyn. This is part of my job" Gaius explained, Merlyn was just thankful she wasn't the court physician ... however she had been working with Gaius ever since she had gotten to Camelot, which meant she was technically training to be a physician. Merlyn didn't like that thought. She really didn't want to have to deal with flesh eating diseases, plagues, contagious illnesses.... "Most of the time there's nothing really to be scared of" Gaius continued pulling Merlyn out of her thoughts. Merlyn nodded as she moved to the other side of the body and helped Gaius to turn it over. She was there to help Gaius whether she liked it or not. The body moved easily, falling onto its back showing the world its nasty secret. The pair gasped. Merlyn shot backwards falling onto her backside as she stared at the corpse's face.
The man had milky blue skin, his veins were raised and a deep blue almost black in colour whilst his completely white lifeless eyes stared up at the two of them. Merlyn gulped as she torn her eyes from the man and stared at Gaius. He looked back at the young witch with a look of horror himself – he had obviously never seen this illness before
"Nothing? Don't think that's nothing" Merlyn commented quietly. Gaius' eyes trailed over the area. There were still people walking the streets.
"People mustn't see this. They'll panic" Gaius said. Merlyn nodded before she spotted a large sheet that someone had hung up to dry. Merlyn swiftly grabbed the sheet and covered the dead man with it, blocking the horrid sight from view – Merlyn was just going to have to remember to get Arthur to buy the poor household another blanket, they wouldn't want this one back that was for sure.
Between the two of them Gaius and Merlyn lifted the body onto a large cart and began to cart it back towards the castle. As they made their way over the drawbridge o the castle, Merlyn heard their names being called. Merlyn turned around to find Gwen standing behind their cart with a bunch of flowers in her hand
"Merlyn? Gaius? What are you doing?" Gwen asked. Swiftly, Merlyn let go of one of the handles to the cart leaving Gaius to hold it up alone as she made her way around to the end of the cart blocking Gwen's view.
"Just moving something" Merlyn replied, knowing Gwen would continue to pry Merlyn quickly changed the subject, "Did someone get you flowers? Have you got a man I don't know about?" Gwen blushed furiously.
"Oh! No. no. I just ... I picked them for Lady Morgana" Gwen explained as she moved her spare hand around as a nervous habit. "Would you like one? A purple one." Quite suddenly, Merlyn found herself with a purple floor tucked behind her ear. Merlyn laughed as she trailed her fingers lightly over the small flower.
"Thank you very much Gwen" Merlyn replied, "I must be going, Gaius can't handle the cart on his own."
"Oh of course, see you later" Gwen departed cheerfully. Merlyn and Gaius smiled and waved as she walked off ahead of them. Merlyn sighed in relief as she took her handle back and lugged the heavy cart into the castle's grounds. They had to figure out what had happened. Hopefully, this man would be the only case.
~8~
Arthur sighed as he realised that Merlyn was once again late. Issue with women: they were always fashionably late. Arthur would freely admit that Merlyn was by far not the best servant in the world, in fact, she was probably one of the worst but she was certainly the most entertaining. If Merlyn wasn't a servant and he wasn't a prince he would have happily said they were friends. If a day didn't involve their usual verbal banter Arthur would consider the day ... almost incomplete. He loved to rile her up as she did him.
Arthur stood leaning against one of the walls beside his window looking out at the city below. As he studied the drawbridge he noticed a familiar head of dark hair crossing. So that's where Merlyn was. He could tell that she was helping Gaius with something but she was still his servant and hadn't even told him that she was going to be helping Gaius for the morning. He smirked as he began thinking up a list of extra chores for her.
~8~
Merlyn watched as Gaius thoroughly examined the dead man. Merlyn was fascinated and also horrified by the man, she had never seen anything like it before but she couldn't help but think if it was contagious would she end up looking like that.
"I've never seen anything like this before" Gaius uttered as he used his magnifying glass to study the man's veins closer.
"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" Merlyn questioned.
"No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature" Gaius replied. Merlyn frowned. If it's not natural then it would have to been caused...
"You think it's caused by magic" Merlyn stated. Gaius sighed as he sadly nodded. That complicated things. Merlyn squealed as someone hammered on the door loudly.
"Merlyn!" Merlyn groaned she knew that voice.
"Coming!" she replied as she ran to the door and opened it before remembering what was in their chambers. Swiftly, Merlyn shifted so that Arthur could just see her and nothing else of the room, the door was wedged tightly against her side. Arthur was stood with his eyes crossed and a scowl on his face.
"I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late" Merlyn said even though the words didn't change anything.
"Don't worry. I'm getting used to it" he quipped before his eyes zeroed in on her ear. Merlyn was highly confused at why he was staring at her ear. She watched as he frowned.
"What?"
"Has someone been giving you flowers?" Arthur questioned. Merlyn couldn't help but smirk at the jealousy that was in his voice – why he would be jealous was beyond her but for some reason the sign of the flower was annoying Arthur and anything that annoyed Arthur was a good thing.
"Yes, someone obviously has" Merlyn replied, she wasn't lying, Gwen had given her the flower, Gwen was a 'someone'. Arthur glared at Merlyn. He was expecting an elaboration on her answer but Merlyn just continued to smile at the Prince, titling her head at him. For a few moments they just stared at one another, neither budging but Arthur was clearly there for something important so he gave in
"Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now." Without another word Arthur stormed off. Clearly, the Prince hated not getting what he wanted, in this case an answer. Merlyn only laughed quietly before shouting after the Prince
"Ok!" Once Arthur was out of sight, Merlyn quickly returned to Gaius shutting the door behind her. "I assume you heard."
"I heard" Gaius replied.
"Why he couldn't tell you himself, I'll never know?" Merlyn complained as she turned her attention back onto the corpse. A mystery that Merlyn was eager to solve.
"You're a servant, that's why" Gaius said, Merlyn only frowned at the answer.
"If he knew who I was, what I've done –"
"You'd be a dead servant" Gaius interrupted. Merlyn stood shocked, her mouth falling slightly open. She laughed lightly after a moment causing Gaius to smile at her. "Right, get this covered up."
"Hey, I'm not your servant" Merlyn said, pointing her finger at him.
"No, you're my dogsbody" Gaius replied as he turned to grab his medical bag. Merlyn couldn't believe Gaius at times, he was hilarious with her.
"First, I'm dead now I'm a dogsbody ... got any more insults?" Merlyn questioned, her hand placed on her hip, fighting to hide her smile. Gaius only laughed at her.
"Come on, hurry up."
~8~
Arthur, his father and other Court members all stood in the Great Hall keeping a distance between themselves and the dead body on the floor. One of the male servants had been carrying wine before collapsing, his skin a milky blue with eyes like white ice. A few moments after Arthur had arrived back at the Great Hall Gaius walked in followed by Merlyn. Arthur couldn't help but glare at the pathetic, stupid flower that still sat neatly behind Merlyn's ear, tangled in her hair. Arthur didn't know why it bothered him so much, it was just a flower.
"What's happened to him?" Uther asked as Gaius examined the body swiftly.
"I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today" Gaius admitted as he stood back up. Arthur sighed as he heard that information. It was never good when an unknown disease hit, it could cause all sorts of problems.
"Why didn't you report it to me?" Uther immediately asked.
"I was attempting to find the cause" Gaius replied.
"What did you conclude?"
"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. The scientific process is a long one." Arthur frowned. It was clear that Gaius had an opinion but was hiding it. Why?
"What are you concealing from me?"
"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours, and it's spreading fast" Gaius began to explain still avoiding the actual cause.
"What is the cause?"
"I think you should say that the cause, the most likely cause, is ... sorcery." The response was instant in the room. The Court members gasped, the King's visibly stiffened and Arthur's eyes shot over to Merlyn. He saw how she was analysing the body herself from where she stood. Arthur couldn't help but wonder if Merlyn recognised the illness, if she knew anything about what had caused it. However, not for one moment did he believe that she had actually caused the disease. Suddenly, he was grasped lightly by his arm. He moved over to the side with his father.
"We must find who did this" Uther whispered harshly. Arthur's eyes were still on the man's body.
"I will, Father."
"Conduct door to door searches. Increase your presence in the town. Double the guards on all the gates" Uther listed quickly, "And lend the physician your servant." Arthur's eyes immediately shot over to Uther. Arthur did not like the idea at all. He didn't want her anywhere near the dead victims, what if she got ill herself?
"Merlyn? But..."
"We need Gaius to find a cure. He needs all the help we can give him" Uther replied, "If Gaius is right, believe me, this city will be wiped out. This is the kind of magic that undermines our authority, challenges all we've done. If we cannot control this plague, people will turn to magic for a cure. We have to find this sorcerer, and quickly." In this case Arthur could tell that his father was right. This was not good magic; this was not something that Merlyn would ever do. Arthur knew he had to start a witch hunt.
"Yes, Father."