Healing The Wounds [Guinevère | Merlin]

[em]

He still felt pretty weak. The results of the morteus flower’s poison had completely drained him. it was only now, just two days after he’d come around from his comatose state (and had received a massive kiss from Gwen) that he found he was slowly returning to normal, and returning to normal meant that he’d have to do chores for Gauis until he was well enough to return to serving Arthur, which would most likely be tomorrow.

By the time Merlin had woken, Gauis had already left – presumably to make some deliveries around town and to tend to patients. The place was a state, books piled high everywhere, vials of liquid (that Merlin didn’t dare want to smell) lined up on the table. It looked like a healers dream.
He knew that he had to mop the floors, put away the scattered books, make Gauis’ bed, tidy his own room, and do the laundry the list in his mind went on! Then he spied the leech tank and knew that it was going to be a looooooooooooooong day. Even the breakfast things hadn’t been cleared yet – not that he would have time to eat anyway. Better to get it all done and then have some food as a reward later.

Merlin looked around, a little unsure as to where to start. Books first, then leech tank, then floors? That sounded like a plan, and as Gauis wasn’t here then perhaps a little magic would help him along the way. It was risky when anyone could just walk in, but at least he had something to fall back on if he happened to become tired. Making his way over to the table, he began to move the books and put them back in their rightful place. Who needed a library when they had Gauis?

Tagged: Guinevère
Timeline: Just a couple of days after The Poisoned Chalice
Setting: Early Morning - Physician’s quarters[/color]

[Guinevère]

Allot had happened in the few months that she had known Merlin. The first was him saving the prince's life and getting the job as his manservant. Then he had tried to break so many rules by telling the prince about the magic being used in the tournament, and lost his job in return. Only to gain it back, and be in the position to save her life when she was arrested for witchcraft. She never forgot the times he had came to see her, and talk to her while there, nor how Morgana had told her that Merlin had been the one to figure out how to save her.

She thought she had been in love with him; or falling in love with him. Merlin had been such a likeness to her own happy emotions that she had visions of the day Morgana married the prince and her and Merlin being the servants to the king and queen one day! She even wondered if by then, things would have grown between them in a larger more special way.

But then he almost died, and she'd kissed him.

It told her everything she needed to know about her relationship with Merlin. He was not the man that she would marry one day, for the kiss told her everything. He would be the nearest and dearest of friends one day, she could tell they were going there. But the emotions she had felt were too close to the ones of her own brother, Elyan. While her brother was missing, not having been home in over a year; she knew enough to know that Merlin was more closer to that side, then the romantic side. A pity really, for he was such a great guy.

She did not knock as she pushed open the door to Gaius' chambers and looked in to see Merlin working. "Merlin!" She chided softly, "You should not be working! You need your rest!"

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[em]

"Merlin!"

Waaaaaah??!!! Immediately Merlin jumped and the books flew through the air and across the floor. Gwen? Was she trying to kill him by scaring the living daylights out of him! Didn’t people even knock these days. How long had she been stood there anyway?

“Gwen?!” he looked a little shocked that she was actually here and not off tending to Morgana, then again, Gauis had told him that she hadn’t really left his side when he’d been dying slowly for the poison he’d drunk. Never again was he doing something like that unless it was entirely necessary.

"You should not be working! You need your rest!"

Merlin picked up the books he’d literally thrown across the room and shook his head. “Rest shmest – I’m fine Gwen, you shouldn’t be worrying about me anyway, im not exactly important to anyone, well other than Arthur when he wants me to be, but that’s beside the point” he rambled on as he began to clear the table more.

He was right. She shouldn’t worry. Why should she? It wasn’t her destiny to keep him from death. Yes Merlin was flattered at her concern but still didn’t know why she bothered with him. “This place needs a tidy anyway and Gauis will go mad if he comes back as finds ive done nothing but lay around all day”

[Guinevère]

Did he just though one of Gaius' beloved books? Guinevère stared at it for a moment before looking back at Merlin. "You are important! Don't talk like that!" She told him while walking into the room and taking him by the arm. "You need to sit down and rest! You just almost died!" She tried to pull him over to a place he could sit down, not thinking he should be up. She knew if Merlin was not ill she could not have pulled him at all, for even if he looked thin, men seemed to always be stronger.

However she was hoping that as he was ill, she could pull him over to a chair. "Gaius will not go mad, as he is a doctor and knows that ill people need rest! If it brothers you this much let me clean it for you, Merlin! really, I was so worried about you!" She stopped pulling to look into his face, "I thought you would die! I thought the prince would die trying to save you, and you would die while trying to save him and instead of losing one of you, we would have just lost both of you." she didn't like thinking of losing Merlin in her life, while their friendship was new, it was strong.

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[em]

"You need to sit down and rest! You just almost died!"

“It wouldn’t be the first time” he mumbled to himself, hopefully not too loud so Gwen could hear. He picked up the books and placed them on the table, “Im just a servant” he shrugged, “im sure Arthur could replace me anytime he wanted to”. Merlin wouldn’t be surprised if Arthur did after what happened. Yes the prince had saved his life this time, but was it enough to actually carry on in his service?

"Gaius will not go mad, as he is a doctor and knows that ill people need rest! If it brothers you this much let me clean it for you, Merlin! really, I was so worried about you!"

Merlin shrugged once again, “Well he must know im well enough to do all this” he gestured to the room with his arm, “You have enough to do and im sure Morgana needs you more than me right now”.
She was worried about him; he looked up at her from where he was leant over the table reaching for a vial of something that he had no idea what it was. He gave a small chuckle at this, “worrying about me isn’t important – im alive and well aren’t I?”. Yeah, only just.

On the mention of him dying he just carried on pottering about with whatever he needed to clean. “But I didn’t…and neither did Arthur – I guess it’s just luck”. It wasn’t. it was destiny apparently, but he wasn’t about to launch into all of that in front of Gwen.

[Guinevère]

“It wouldn’t be the first time; I'm just a servant. I'm sure Arthur could replace me anytime he wanted to.” Guinevère did not like the sound of that. She was all too aware how many man servants the prince went though, and while Morgana would never let Guinevère leave her employ the king still had the final say; she knew they could be replaced job wise, but NEVER friend wise. "Don't say that, Merlin!" She told him, shiding him for his off hand remark; "The prince might be able to replace an employee but I could never replace a friend! Gaius could never replace your role in his life!"

"You might feel replaceable, Merlin; but please know you are far from it." Merlin was a friend, and a dear one. She did not want to loose him either by the spoiled prince replacing him or by him drinking poison! “You have enough to do and I'm sure Morgana needs you more than me right now." Not too much to do, "Actually, Morgana has given me a few hours leave. She knows I wanted to come here to check on you. I think she could come her self if she could get away from the king's supper parties, so I am quite free to help you clean and you are quite free to r-e-s-t! You will need your strength."

“Worrying about me isn’t important – I'm alive and well aren’t I? But I didn’t…and neither did Arthur – I guess it’s just luck." Luck? No, it wasn't luck. Not just luck, anyway. "Luck and a prince willing to break rules." She told him, "The king forbid his son from going to help you. He did it anyway. Don't be so sure he is willing to replace you Merlin, it seemed he was willing to do allot to help you."

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[em]

"The prince might be able to replace an employee but I could never replace a friend! Gaius could never replace your role in his life!"

Merlin sat down and fiddled with one of the vials that Gauis had left on his bench. “You’re sweet Gwen…really – thank you for your concern” he started, “but I still go by what I said, even if I died tomorrow then I’ll admit it would be a blessing”. He had a lot on his shoulders; Gauis knew that even if Gwen didn’t. Merlin felt for once that he was weak – he didn’t know whether it was still the last of the poison working it’s way out of his system or if he was just feeling like giving up on the whole ‘Save Arthur’ scenario. "You might feel replaceable, Merlin; but please know you are far from it."

Merlin bit his lip and got up, “I’d better get to work, there’s a lot to be done, and this place doesn’t clean itself” he now knew the definition of hard work, even if it hit him in the face. There was a lot to be done; he needed to regain his strength. What use was a destiny with a weak protector?

He looked a little surprised when Gwen told him that Morgana had let her come to him. He gave a small snort, “I pretty much doubt that Morgana would appreciate cleaning Gauis’ leech tank for me” she seemed to prim to get her hands dirty. “And no…Gwen…I need to do this – it’s not as easy as you think it is”. He had no idea why he was becoming so defensive; usually he would have appreciated help. “But I know you’re not going to let this lie – so…you’re more than free to help me, if you want. But really I don’t need to rest”.

Merlin was a little surprised to have confirmation that Arthur had gone against Uther’s orders to help him. Yes, he’d helped Arthur out of that cave. He’d sent that light to keep him from falling to his death, but he didn’t think it was real. He thought he had been dreaming. “Arthur?” he frowned, “Prince Arthur?” He knew he’d heard right, “the prat that calls me an idiot and uses me as an attack dummy in training?” he paused and gave her a crazy look, "we are talking about the same Arthur here aren't we?"

[Guinevère]

Guinevère did not reply to Merlin's comments of his dieing tomorrow or even on Morgana. She wished he could see himself from her eyes. While it was not romantic anymore it was still very much in love with him. As a friend--or even a brother like friend in some small ways. She still saw her future twined with his but not as husband and wife. She did not like him talking about him self as if he was just the nameless servant who could be spared as a pawn the the grand view of things.

He was special, and honest and kind; these were rare and wonderful things in their time! He was right that Morgana would not like or do the leach tank but she would still be here to support him! She would make him rest and make sure he would want for nothing! “Arthur?” Merlin's voice came surprised. “Prince Arthur?”

“The prat that calls me an idiot and uses me as an attack dummy in training?” Guinevère found her self smiling at his words, for she had thought he knew. "Yes, the same one." she told him as she started picking up some books to return the to cases along the wall. She wasn't sure what the order they belonged into because her reading was not as well as some others but she knew she could figure it out. "We are talking about the same Arthur here aren't we?"

"Tall? Golden blond locks that fall perfecting to place every time?" She said with a slightly teasing tone and attempted to make her face like some of the other servant girls who often watched the prince from afar; or like some of the ladies of the court such as Lady Emma or Lady Lisa who seemed to have nothing better to do then talk about their prince. She hoped he married Morgana and not one of them!! "Yes, that one. The only Prince the kingdom has. He was very knightly! Fought some monsters and a sorceress to get the flower to save you! . . . We did not know it was a trap until it was too late."

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[em]

"Tall? Golden blond locks that fall perfecting to place every time?"

Merlin snorted at this. “Well I wouldn’t put Arthur and perfection together” he told her, “prat? Yes, but perfection? No – no way” He grinned, “once again it’s the rough, tough, save the world type of men that has got you singing his praises”

For all the right reasons too so it seemed, it had been a trap and he’d seen it. He remembered Arthur struggling as he was about to fall, he remembered the light he’d sent to guide him. So it had all been real then? Merlin was surprised at just how far Arthur had gone to save him, and for what? It’s not as though they were best friends forever. He’d made him dress up and wear something that resembled a dead colourful bird on his head. He was always ordering him about? Yet he’d saved him?

Merlin got up, “Perhaps I should go and see him” he told Gwen, “and thank him myself” he headed towards the door, “while im there I’ll be able to have a clean up as well – im pretty sure he’d left his room in a state for when I get back to work”.
He knew that Gwen wouldn’t approve, but he needed to do something! He couldn’t lie around all day when there was things to get done! It would make him go crazy

OOC: meh! Sorry its crummy!

[Guinevère]

“Once again it’s the rough, tough, save the world type of men that has got you singing his praises,” Merlin told her and she made a playful face. "No!" She teased, "I was simply quoting that half the maids, and every lady of the court says about him as he prances by them." The prince seemed to know women loved him and not only embrace it but expect it.

“Perhaps I should go and see him, while I'm there I’ll be able to have a clean up as well – I'm pretty sure he’d left his room in a state for when I get back to work.” Oh dear! "Merlin! No! You are going to sit there and do nothing for at least another hour!" She demand, trying to be stern! "Don't make me get Gaius to make it a Doctor's Order; or Morgana to make it a Royal Command!"

Besides, "You wont even be able to get close to the prince! His father has him locked up in the cells below the castle for disobeying him. It's guarded and no one gets in or out." She had only just been able to get in and out while pretending to bring him food. When the guards realized her game she had ran so fast! She had never ran so hard in her life! "The king says he must stay there a week."

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[em]

"I was simply quoting that half the maids, and every lady of the court says about him as he prances by them."

“Hmmmm” Merlin narrowed his eyes playfully at her, “Clearly all of those women are blind then”

Merlin couldn’t help but joke about it. Arthur? A stud? Yes it seemed as though he was in the eyes of every woman who he came across (ok well not every woman – Gwen apparently didn’t count in that, but Merlin knew she secretly did).
“But then again he is a Prince, it seems as though EVERYONE has to love him – even me” he pulled a disgusted face, “and that’s only because he brought me a flower” he chuckled, and then added “that saved my life” to the end.

"Merlin! No! You are going to sit there and do nothing for at least another hour!"

“Gweeeeeeen” he protested moodily, “I can walk, I can talk – I can do this jig” he got up and did some crazy dance around Gauis’ workbench before feeling dizzy. “Woooah” he grabbed the bench and stopped himself from tripping over. “See” he looked at her, “fit as a…well…fit as anything fit?”

She was sooooooooooo not buying this!

"You wont even be able to get close to the prince! His father has him locked up in the cells below the castle for disobeying him. It's guarded and no one gets in or out."

“What!” this made him practically jump about 3 feet in the air, “why! How long is he down there for?”

"The king he must stay there a week."

Merlin headed towards the door, “I need to see him now – I need to get him out”
Yes – he was going to be a man on a mission!

[Guinevère]

“Clearly all of those women are blind then.” Perhaps not blind, the trouble was that they had eyes. Guinevère would never tell anyone--especially not Merlin--but when she first had see Arthur she had thought he looked dashing and knightly and . . . perfect. Then he'd opened his mouth and his pants started jumping (there had been frogs in his pants and the frog had ended up jumping at her).

“--and that’s only because he brought me a flower” That comment distracted her from her thoughts enough that she laughed softly but the laugh turned to a mocking scowl (how did Gaius get his eyebrow that high?) as he started jumping around. Merlin seemed to try to prove that he was well however-- “Woooah” --He only proved that he was not. “See, fit as a…well…fit as anything fit?” She crossed her arms, "Yes, fit lads often get dizzy and need to cling to the table for support." She told him, letting him prove her point for her.

When Merlin heard the news of Arthur he seemed to find life again, “What! Why! How long is he down there for?” A week? “I need to see him now – I need to get him out” No! "Merlin!" She called and rant o block the door! "No, Merlin you are ill and no one is allowed down there to see him! He's under lock and key with knights at the door. Not guards, KNIGHTS!" Knights were more scary then guards. They had training, and honor and determination. "You will do the Prince's sacrifice no justice by getting your self in another cell, getting sick because your week and making this whole thing for nothing!"

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[em]

"Yes, fit lads often get dizzy and need to cling to the table for support." He heard Gwen say after he’d managed to straighten himself up and stopped seeing two of her.

“Touche” he raised his brows. Of course Gwen wasn’t going to let him out of the door as she was now blocking his hasty exit to get out and see Arthur. "No, Merlin you are ill and no one is allowed down there to see him! He's under lock and key with knights at the door. Not guards, KNIGHTS!"

Merlin snorted, “Gwen…ive had a group of them bundle me to the ground so many times in training, I think by now I know how to handle a couple of them”. This was true. He was the current attack dummy until more were made. “Now let me through – im sure I’ll be able to get down there some way and see Arthur,” he told her, but Gwen wasn’t having any of it. "You will do the Prince's sacrifice no justice by getting your self in another cell, getting sick because your week and making this whole thing for nothing!"

This was true. Gauis would go nuts if he found that Merlin was currently sharing the dungeons with the prince. “Im not weak” he finally said, “and this isn’t just nothing Gwen – Arthur is down there because of me! What else can I do! I need to find some way of putting this all right!”
For a start he’d like to find a time reversal spell and ‘accidentally’ knock the contents of Arthur’s poisoned chalice out of his hands. That wasn’t going to help and he was pretty sure that there was no such spell as that. An age reversal one yes. He’d kept that one in mind as Arthur was always whining like a baby, so perhaps one day if he ever got annoyed with him he could turn the prince into one.

It was no use fighting against Gwen though. In the end he sighed and stomped back to the chair and flopped down. “There, im not going – happy?” he asked.

[Guinevère]

When Merlin stomped away and sat down, she stayed where she was and even went as far and stretching out her arms a little more as she didn't quite believe that he would not wait for her back to be turned and try to bolt. She looked around for a moment and then moved a chair up near the door so it would be harder to get out. Once that was done she turned to the nearest table and began straightening so that Merlin would not have to do it himself.

She didn't like the idea of the knights using Merlin that way, and she would have to make a note to ask Morgana for advice or perhaps offer to sue up a new target.

She tried to distract Merlin with conversation; "You know, I have not thought highly of Prince since I first met him." She admitted, "He was brave, and--" Dashing "--and strong, but I didn't like being around him. He was--is--a bully. But when you fell you after drinking that . . . . " She shivered at the memory.

"Gaius found out it was from a flower and that to get to it someone would have to face all these creatures and danger. . . " She'd been shocked at he Prince's words. "He didn't pause, or second guess. He just told Gaius it sounded like fun and walked out to go face danger and pearl to save you."

"I think he likes you." She admitted. "I've never seen him like that, and as Morgana's handmaiden, I've gotten to be in the room for some major decisions before."

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[em]

If Merlin didn’t know Gwen any better, he would think right now that she was blocking his exit – which she was as her arms were splayed out so as if he did try to make a dash for the door (which was impossible and he couldn’t even run in his current condition) then she’d be able to stop him.

“Im not gonna do anything like run for the door” he eyed her, “you can come away from it y’know”.

Now she was blocking the door with a chair! If only she knew just how easy it would be to magic it awa….wait! he could! When she wasn’t looking he could move it! Oh thank goodness!
He watched as Gwen turned back to the table and began clearing away again. Merlin looked back to the chair. Now…what was that spell? Ah yes…

"lætness" He muttered, making sure that she hadn't heard him. The chair slid out from where it was propped up against the door. Merlin quickly looked to Gwen to distract her. “You’re enjoy this aren’t you?” he said a little irritated – hopefully she wouldn’t notice the chair dancing along and into the corner behind her. “The fact that im stuck here with nothing to do – im bored”.

Gwen seemed to have her mind elsewhere though – answering Merlin’s earlier question about Arthur. His brows rose slightly. “Sure…” he smirked, "He was brave, and--" Dashing "--and strong, but I didn't like being around him. He was--is--a bully. But when you fell you after drinking that . . . . "

At least she wasn’t noticing the chair sliding around. She’d most likely faint with fright. “You think he’s dashing” Merlin grinned – he was going to tease her for the rest of her life about this. “But you said…” he begun but Gwen was already ignoring that.
"Gaius found out it was from a flower and that to get to it someone would have to face all these creatures and danger . . . He didn't pause, or second guess. He just told Gaius it sounded like fun and walked out to go face danger and pearl to save you."

Well…that was a turn up for the books. He choked when Gwen said she thought that Arthur, Arthur of all people liked him. “What! No!” he gave her a crazy look, “he HATES me – everything about me. He uses me as an attack dummy in training; he set his dogs on me! He made me dress up like some idiot wearing a dead bird on his head for the feast!” he ranted. Now that outfit had been absolutely disastrous. He was the only one wearing it and found that most of the attention was turned to him because of what was on his head!
Arthur had found it highly amusing, turning during the signing and giving him a smirk of approval. Merlin had simply shook his head in annoyance at him.

“Because that’s what everyone does when they like someone” he rolled his eyes at Gwen and then eyed the door. Time to make a break for it.

“See ya!” he quickly dashed for the door, yanked it open and made for the stairs.