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The next morning, Quinn sat on a bench in the main chambers staring outside at nothing as Gaius continues to read. "Have you been up all night?" Merlin asked as he walked into the main room, "Yes, but it was worth it. Where are you going?" Merlin stopped for a moment to look towards his sister. "Er, I told Edwin I'd be up at dawn to collect some supplies." Quinn slowly turned to Merlin before glancing back out the window.
"Well, you better get a move on then."
——
"I'd better get on with my errands." Merlin mumbled as he watched Quinn walk by with sheets in her hand, "Yes, of course, you must." Quinn paused watching Edwin pass by them. "Do you want me to get you anything?" Gaius shook his head as Quinn turned to them "No, I'm fine. Just do what Edwin asks." Quinn shoots Merlin a look before she slightly smiled at Gaius.
———
Edwin stands before Uther, Morgana, and Arthur. "I have been through the court medical records with a fine-tooth comb, Sire." Quinn entered the room quietly before she stood by Arthur, her hand still wet from the soapy water. "And were your findings satisfactory?" Uther asked as Arthur glanced down to Quinn but she didn't look at him. "With regret, I would have to say they were not." Quinn glared at the man who smirked and glanced at her, "How so?" Uther turned to Edwin as he faced the King again, "Gaius is a great man, thorough, and dedicated."
"But?"
Edwin sighs, "His methods are outdated. He has failed to keep up with the latest developments. This has led to a number of errors." Quinn was going to jump in but Arthur grabbed her arm. "Gaius has served me well for 25 years." Uther told the man who watched him, "And one cannot blame him for the infirmity those years have brought. Age can be a terrible curse."
"Perhaps it is time to lighten his burdens. Have you given any more thought to my offer?" Quinn knew what this man was trying to do, "Yes. I have considered it very carefully." Quinn wanted to cry as she tore her arm out of Arthur's grip. "Allow me some time to do the same." Edwin bows and exits. Uther gets up and goes to the table for a drink. Morgana follows him, she had seen what Quinn had done. "Uther, you can't do this." Morgana tried as Arthur watched them, "You heard what he said. Gaius is old, he makes mistakes."
"Gaius has treated me since before I can remember. You can't cast him out." Arthur walked over to Morgana and Uther as the King frowned. "You would have died if your care had been left to him. That's something I could not bear." Arthur frowned about to say something but Morgana had beaten him to it. "I know that, but ..." Uther held up his hand, "I cannot risk something like this happening again."
——
Gaius watches Merlin in his sleep, before he goes down the Tunnel Corridor to the Dragon's Cave with a torch, to see Quinn sitting there talking to the Great Dragon. "How old a man can become and yet change so little." Quinn turned to Gaius and was brought into a hug with the man as The Dragon watched them. "You have not changed either." Gaius nodded to the Dragon, "Twenty years, almost a lifetime to make the short journey back to where you began."
