Kin Twisted Fate

If Not Here Where?

When Gaius returned to his chambers from retrieving his herbs he found his young patient curled up on her bed and Gwen hauling hot water into the bathing tub. Gaius cleared his throat to aware Gwen of his presence.

Quickly she turned around and blushed as she faced the old physician giving her a confused look.

"It's for Luna." She said in a rushed tone. "Your patient" she clarified.

"Ah" was Gaius' only reply before he shuffled over to the mortar and pestle to grind the herbs he'd brought back for his young patient.

After a few moments of Gaius preparing his tonic and Gwen fixing the bath Gaius turned to the young woman and asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue since he walked in the door.

"Guinevere, since you know the girls name is it safe to assume you two talked a bit?"

Gwen nodded yes before Gaius continued.

"Did she talk about her-" he gestured to show he was looking for an appropriate word "treatment?" He eventually supplied.

"Yes" Gwen said softly before she turned around to face Gaius and in a very protective way she confirmed "It appears life hasn't been very fair to her."

Gaius nodded sadly and with that Gwen strode over to the sleeping girl and gently shook her shoulders.

"I just drew you a bath if you want to get up."

Luna smiled shyly before replying with a simple "Thank you."

She stiffly rose accepting a bit if help from Gwen and shuffled over to the tub.

As Gwen drew the screen around the bath Gaius approached Luna with a small sack of herbs.

"Here" he said handing the little satchel to her. "If you put these in your bath it should help relax you."

"Thank you Mr. Gaius" Luna replied softly before she slipped behind the screen.

As Luna bathed Gaius and Gwen sat down at the wooden table.

"Gaius?" Gwen asked in a hushed tone so Luna couldn't hear. Gaius nodded in recognition. "Do you know where Luna's family is?"

"I'm afraid she hasn't any left, Your Majesty." Gaius said softly keeping his eyes trained on the table.

"Then perhaps she could stay with me?" Gwen asked hesitantly "I mean after she heals."

"I'm afraid it takes quite a while for the heart to heal." Gaius replied but after a look from Gwen he continued "But I suppose it is really up to you and the girl."

Gwen just smiled in response.

Soon Luna came back out wearing her new dress and clutching her old dress that had been discarded earlier to her chest.

"Have a seat child I've got some food for you." Gaius commanded as he bustled about. Silently Luna sat at the table next to Gwen.

Gaius set a small portion of bread and rabbit on the table in front of Luna. Luna's brown eyes widened and an innocent look of awe spread across her face.

"Eat up," Gaius urged. Instead of eating she sat in shock.

"This all for me?" She asked as she looked up at him

Gaius smiled sadly as he nodded.

Before Luna could begin to dig into her meal a loud bang sounded from the door. All three heads snapped up to look at the impish looking young man standing at the door; her knight.

"Merlin!" Gaius cried clutching heart. Merlin grinned guiltily. He opened his mouth to apologize when he noticed Luna.

"Oh, hello!" he said with a smile.

"Hi," Luna answered lamely internally kicking herself. Merlin smiled half awkwardly before limping his way over to the table and dropping himself into the spindly chair across from Gwen.

"Oh Gwen, Arthur was looking for you earlier" Merlin quipped with a mischievous smirk. Gwen blushed before standing up.

"I'd better get going then." She mumbled. She squeezed Luna into a gentle, supportive hug before she slipped out of the room.

Merlin stretched back in his chair wincing. Gaius raised an eyebrow in question at Merlin.

"The knights," he supplied. "They like a good rough tumble."

Gaius shook his head before massaging Merlin's shoulder.

"Eat up child!" Gaius nodded towards the food noticing that Luna hasn't eaten yet. Hesitantly Luna took a small bite of her meal and much to her embarrassment as the salty flavor washed over her mouth a small moan of pleasure escaped her lips.

"Tuck in." Merlin said with a smile. "That food's not going anywhere but your mouth."

Luna blushed as picked up her fork again and Merlin got a whack in the back of the head from Gaius.

The day progressed and Merlin left to help Arthur, Gaius was just about everywhere and Gwen popped in until she was needed elsewhere. Luna just stayed out of the way the best she could.

Gaius had forbidden her from getting out of bed and her aching body was more than happy to comply.

The cook had stopped by as the sun began its decent on Gwen's orders to bring Luna some dinner. Due to her politeness and all to thin stucture Luna instantaneously became one of the cook's few favorites.

The cook stayed with Luna well after what would have been normal, claiming "it was hard to find a decent soul within these walls". A statement which Luna found very hard to believe.

Soon the sun disappeared behind the horizon line and the stars began to dance across the sky. The cook had returned to the kitchen and Luna sat alone in Gaius' small bedchamber.

Slowly she pushed up the thin blanket wrapped around her to her knees and swung her legs over the side of the side of the bed. She sat there; her legs over the bed dangling a few inches above the ground, her arms lying limply by her sides and her glaze fixed on the velvet sky. After a few moments of contemplating whether or not it was worth going against Gaius' command to not leave she unsteadily stood up leaning against the bed frame. Slowly she shuffled over to the rickety stair case that ascended near the small window leaning on anything that would support her; the bed, the chair, a bookshelf, the privacy screen, anything to aid her walk.

Once she reached the stairs she slowly lowered herself down, her more battered leg extended out in front of her. She gazed up at the twinkling stars, Orion and Leo gazed back down at her. The starry blanket always enveloped her in warm memories of small villages and loving smiles, warm embraces and meadows of laughter. Somewhere in the stars were her parents, her brothers and all the friends she'd lost on one terrible night. And as sleep began to ebb away on her consciousness she knew they were always looking out for her.