What If? {Merlin}

Love in the Time of Dragons

Merlin POV

Arthur was in edge today, something would happen to Uther and we didn't know what. We didn't know if the problem would be solved, we didn't know if Arthur would become King soon. Kylynn and Morgana had both seen Uther slumping over on the floor, eyes black. The only thing one of them could tell me was that I knew what it was; it would make sense to me at the time that it happened. It was not something good, based off the fact Kylynn has gotten sick again, but she was hiding it, she wasn't going to take something that Gaius made, apparently she had also seen Gaius and I having an argument over potions.

Gaius had found me and we had to go talk to the innkeeper who had returned to work. The innkeeper had an illness that was close to killing him, but now he's suddenly better.

"Welcome," the innkeeper greeted us.

"What a pleasant surprise," Gaius said to the now cured man.

"What can I get you?" Evoric asked.

"Nothing. I just dropped by to see how you were doing."

"Much improved, as you can see."

"Indeed. Remarkable recovery."

"All thanks to you, Gaius," Evoric said.

Then Gaius' gained a serious tone, "I think not. Evoric, I am, of course, delighted that you're well again, but I must ask you, from whom did you obtain your remedy?"

Evoric looked a little worried, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Now, you mustn't be afraid. I'm not the King, after all," Gaius said.

"My wife, she was desperate. I was slipping away," Evoric revealed.

"Go on," Gaius urged.

"She met a woman, a healer, in the lower town and she gave her a cure," Evoric explained.

"Well, can I see it? Interesting," Gaius said, once he was handed the cure.

"Am I in some kind of trouble?"

"No, not at all. You've been most helpful," Gaius said. I know he knew something, especially after he lied to Uther about magic being used. He knew exactly who it was. He even denied the potion or the fact that magic was used to me. He denied their being a totem, the one that I saw with marks of the Old Religion. If he's protecting somebody, then there must be more to this. So, of course, when I heard him sneak out that night, I followed him.

"Gaius?" I heard a female say.

"Alice," Gaius answered, dare I say fondly.

"Oh," Alice answered, they hugged and guards came by and I wasn't going to risk it and I went back to the castle. I did know I had to watch out for Alice, she did seem actually nice but she had a burden.

"Did you go out last night?" I asked him the next morning.

"Yes, I had to get some herbs," Gaius said.

"Herbs?" I questioned, what supplier would even come out that late?

"A...a new supplier just arrived," Gaius lied. Again, what supplier comes at that time of day?

"Right. Do your suppliers normally kiss you?" I questioned.

"You followed me. How dare you?" Gaius countered.

"Gaius, it was the middle of the night, I was worried. I thought you might be in some sort of trouble," I explained.

"There's nothing wrong."