Friend Or Foe?

Part Three

Merlin's eyes snapped open as his whole body jerked awake. He found himself to be looking up at a familiar ceiling and lying in a familiar bed.

He was back in his room at Camelot.

He sat bolt upright and looked around at his room to make sure all was as it should be. He half-expected an angered knight to jump out from his cupboard at any moment and charge towards him with a sword.

But all was quite peaceful. Did this mean that the spell had indeed sent him back through time?

"Gwen!" he suddenly thought out loud. If the spell had worked correctly, that would surely mean that she was alive, after all, technically, she hadn't yet been killed.

Quickly, he sprang off the bed and onto his feet, noticing that he was somehow now wearing his bed clothes. Without further ado, he stooped to pick up his trousers and shirt which were, as usual, strewn messily across the floor, and dressed quickly.

He then rushed to the door and went down the few steps to the main room where he saw Gaius attending to a man who was showing the physician a red and blotchy arm.

"Merlin!" Gaius suddenly exclaimed looking up from his patient and peering over the top of his glasses, "You're going to be late for work, again!" he said disapprovingly with a frown.

"Erm...work...yes." Merlin muttered preoccupied. So it was the morning that he'd been sent back to. The morning before the basilisk had attacked. He now vaguely remembered that he'd not been this late the first time that morning had happened. But he realised that this would mean that he would still have plenty of time to carry out his usual routines before the basilisk arrived later on. He'd check on Gwen as soon as he had the opportunity, just to make sure that she was definitely alright.

"You'd better hurry, Arthur will not be pleased with you." Gaius continued when he had noticed Merlin had gone off into his own thoughts.

Merlin hurried past Gaius and the other man, heading for the door.

"I'll have to look into this further, Mr McCormack. Let me study my books..." Gaius was saying as he focused his attention back on the man.

Suddenly Merlin stopped, backed up, and looked over Mr McCormack's shoulder, "Well if you ask me, that looks like an allergy to a hyacinth plant." he said without thinking. He realised afterwards that it had been a mistake to open his mouth, but it was too late now. Surely just a little information brought back from the future couldn't do any harm?

But before the stunned and open-mouthed Gaius had a chance to query the rapid and unexpected diagnosis, Merlin rushed out of the door.

Across the courtyard he went, and headed into the palaces's main entrance. His first stop would have to be the kitchens to fetch Arthur's breakfast.

Quickly he collected a tray of food from the cooks before heading up to Arthur's chambers.

Upon entering the room, he was greeted by the sight of a very annoyed looking prince who was already sat waiting at his table, his impatient fingers drumming on the wooden surface.

"You know, Merlin," Arthur started, "most people prefer to eat their breakfast in the morning. As late as you are, it might as well be my dinner that you are bringing to me." he said irritably.

"I'm sorry," Merlin apologised as he set the tray down on the table quickly, then poured water from the jug into Arthur's tankard.

So that was that. Arthur, at least, was back to how he was before. This saddened Merlin as he stood back and watched the prince eat the first few forkfuls of his food.