The Daughter.

-12-

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓸𝓯 𝓝𝓲𝓶𝓾𝓮𝓱

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

"What's different about this victim?" Gaius asked as he and Merlin examined the body that lay on the table.

"Er... She's a woman?" Merlin suggested.

"Sometimes I do wonder whether your magical talents were given to the right person." The older man quipped as he stared over at his nephew. "Anything else?"

Rowan who was sitting in a chair by the window sighed. "She's a courtier." There was a distance to her voice as she stared out the window over the city. She had not been able to bring herself to look back at the young woman, her name had been Irine she was a cousin of one of Arthur's knights and while Rowan and she had not been friends, they had been friendly.

"Right," Gaius muttered, glancing over at the girl by the window with sympathetic eyes.

"But, how does that help us?" Merlin asked.

"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town." Gaius informed the younger man. "So what does that mean?" His questions were leading, he was desperately trying to help Merlin come to the right conclusion on his own.

Merlin frowned glancing down at the woman. "Erm... that, that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople."

Gaius gave a stiff nod as if telling himself 'close enough'. "Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact."

"Oh, and they probably ate different food." Merlin added. His job as the prince's manservant finally paying off.

"Good. Anything else? "

Merlin thought for a second before saying. "Erm... I doubt they breathe the same air."

"So what's the only thing they do share?" Gaius asked.

Water.

"Water. Water? You think the disease is spread through water?" Merlin's voice was excited as he spoke. Finally feeling hopeful in their search for a cure.

Rowan had come to that same conclusion when she had been informed of Irine's passing. It was a well that her eyes had been transfixed upon, watching as people filled their buckets with the potentially lethal liquid.

"Merlin, you're a prodigy." Gaius commended his nephew. He walked over to the table beside him, picked up a bucket, and handed it to Merlin. "Get me some water from the well, and why don't you go with him, Rowan." He suggested he knew that Rowan needed out of the room.

She glanced back at him over her shoulder and nodded.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked as they hurriedly walked towards the well. He was not used to Rowan being so quiet. "I know you knew her..."

"It's not that... Well, it is, but it's also..." Rowan sighed and shook her head. "I don't like this."

Merlin glanced at her his lips tipping up. "I would be worried if you did." He quipped.

The corners of Rowan's mouth tipped up and she shoved her friend's shoulder causing him to almost trip in their hurry.

They reached the fountain and Rowan watched as Merlin began to fill the bucket with water. "I mean, not having an enemy to fight. With Valiant, at least we knew who he was, and where he was. If worse had come to worse I could have stepped in and run him through with my sword. Whoever's doing this could be anyone, anywhere."