"No, no," Merlin groaned, his forehead soaked with sweat as he writhed. "Will, no...Arthur...it's a trap. Will, it's a trap."

Gwen dabbed a cool cloth over Merlin's forehead, biting her lip with worry. Across the room, at his desk, Gaius was mixing some more herbs together to try and slow the poison down. So far, nothing had worked. They had figured out that the poison had been made stronger by magic, the enchantment weaving it together. Anything Gaius made had no effect.

On the other side of Merlin's bed was the Prince James, asleep in the chair. He hadn't left Merlin's side and Gwen had a suspicion that it was something to do with Will. Although there was never any proof, the relationship between Will and Jem was much to close to be simply prince and servant. Morgana had often talked about them, wondering if there was a secret held there. Perhaps there was. Not many princes would watch over their servant's brother like Jem had.

"His fever is getting worse," Gwen said, calling Gaius over. The physician frowned, placing his hand on Merlin's forehead.

"The poison is setting in," he muttered. "Gwen, I need you to fetch Sophie and tell her to find me more Wolfbane in the woods. She knows where it grows."

"Yes, of course," Gwen said, hurrying off. She didn't say, but she could read the look on Gaius's face. He was getting worried. She knew that Merlin didn't have long.

Please, Will, Arthur, Gwen prayed. Please, hurry.

***

"The flowers are up there," Cara said, pointing to the narrow ledge across a deep cavern. "You'll need to climb to get them." Will hung back by the entrance, looking over his shoulder and trying to think up with a plan. He had to distract Cara, if that was even her real name, and get her away from Arthur as fast as he could. It was clear to him now that this girl was evil, and possibly even behind Merlin getting poisoned. But what could he do?

In front of him, Arthur looked over the cavern, his eyes widening at the long drop. If Will was going to say anything about Cara it had to be now.

But the decision was made for him. Cara had started chanting, her voice low at first but then got louder and louder. Will could feel the magic bubbling around him.

"Eorthe, lyft, fyr, waeter, hiersumie me," she said, her voice resonating around the walls of the cave. "Eorthe ac stanas hiersumie me. Ic can stanas tobrytan, hiersumie me!"

The cave started shaking, rocks and boulders falling from the ceiling. "Arthur!" Will yelled, trying to get to the prince. "Arthur, it's a trap! Run!" But Cara was powerful. She shot a spell Will's way, knocking him to the side and pushing him away from the entrance as the cave collapsed into a pile of rocks. Will scrambled to his feet, grabbing hold of rocks and shoving them aside in a desperate effort to get to Arthur. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be. Arthur was the only chance Albion had of becoming a reality, the only chance Will had to keep his brother safe, the only chance he had to be with Jem freely.

A rumbling sound made Will stumble back from the rocks as they moved apart and Cara stepped out, the rocks falling back over the entrance again. She looked at Will, her cold eyes regarding him curiously.

"William Herondale," she said. "A famed Seer in our world. The protector and brother of a warlock. I have to say you are much...less than I expected."

"Who are you?" Will demanded. "How do you know who I am?!"

"I am Nimueh," she said, her lips curling into a twisted smile. "High Priestess of the Triple Goddess and sorceress of the Temple." She slowly began to walk towards him, and Will moved backwards rapidly.

"What you done with Arthur? Why are you doing this!?" he shouted.

"Arthur is no longer your concern," she said, backing Will into a tree. She placed a palm on his chest, stilling him from any movement. "I am more worried for you. You have talent, William. I have seen the Visions you see, I have witnessed the gifts you gain from the Triple Goddess Herself. I want to make you an offer. I want you to join me as a Priest of the Temple, to help me destroy the enemies of Magic and rule by my side as my partner. I can teach you to control your Visions so they no longer control you, to harness the power you hold. Together, we can control the future."

"I-"

"Do not tell me now," Nimueh told him. "For now is not the right time. You must return to Camelot at once and await my instructions, should you wish to join me." Will wanted to scream, wanted to yell at her that he'd never join the woman who was killing his brother. But he couldn't move. His jaw was locked up and unable to form any words.

Giving him one last smirk, Nimueh turned and disappeared into the forest.

Will could hardly breathe. Everything she had said to him resonated deep into his bones, hitting his heart hard. It was true, his Visions did control him. He didn't want that. He wished that he could control his powers like Merlin did but that just wasn't possible. The realm of the present was much more solid than the world of the future and that always came at a price.

"Will."

The whisper made Will snap his head up to see the white ball of light hovering in front of him. "Will," it said softly again, drawing closer and warming him with its light.

"Merlin," Will said, just knowing that his brother had something to do with this. It felt like his magic, the purity and gentleness that came with it.

The ball of light started moving away and Will followed it as it rose to the top of the collapsed cave entrance. Will scrambled up the rocks, eager to see what Merlin wanted to show him. After tripping and almost falling multiple times, Will finally made it to the top of the cave where it opened up to show the cavern down below.

There was Arthur! The prince was rapidly trying to climb up the side of the cavern, a yellow flower clutched in his right hand as he climbed. Right below him were hundreds of huge spiders, crawling up the walls and snapping with their pincers at the prince.

"Arthur!" Will cried, reaching down with his hand and stretching to grab his arm. Arthur reached up too and, by some miracle, Will managed to grab hold of him and yank him up. They both ran, sliding down the rocks and back to the clearing, collapsing onto the grass to catch their breath.

"Thanks," Arthur muttered, looking over at Will who was practically wheezing.

"Don't mention it," Will gasped.

"How did you escape that girl?" Arthur asked, straightening up.

"She-she just ran off and let me go," Will told him. It wasn't the full truth but it wasn't a lie either. "I don't know why. She just...went."

"Well, I'm just glad she didn't kill you," Arthur replied. "I wouldn't have gotten out of that cave otherwise."

"I'm sure you would have managed," Will said, rising to his feet and running a hand through his hair. Above the treeline, he could see the sun beginning to rise just over the horizon.

"We should go," he said. "Merlin doesn't have long." He turned to leave, Arthur following him to where they left the horses before they mounted and rode away from the caves for good.

***

Arthur and Will made it back to Camelot about mid-afternoon that day. For the first time in a while, Will was hopeful. Maybe they had made it back on time. Maybe they would get to Merlin and cure him. But that hope was shattered when they guards stopped them from entering the gates.

"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded. "Let us through!"

"I'm sorry, sire," the guard said. "But by orders of the King, you are under arrest."

Neither Arthur nor Will had much time to protest as they were pulled from their horses and marched inside the castle, taken straight down to the dungeons.

It wasn't long after they were thrown into their cells that the King himself stalked into the dungeons, marching straight into Arthur's cell.

"You disobeyed me," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "You went against my direct orders and left the castle on a suicide mission. Was it this servant who told you to go?" He pointed at Will across the corridor, glaring at him with such a force that even Will shrank back.

"No, it was nothing to do with Will," Arthur told him. "I made my own decision. A man's life was at stake. Do not let Merlin die because of something I did, please father. You'll be punishing both Merlin and Will if you do."

"Why do you care so much?" Uther spat.

"He knew the danger he was putting himself in and yet he did it anyway," Arthur said. "He saved my life." Uther huffed, turning away from his son in disappointment. "There's more, father. There was a woman at the mountain. She knew I was there for the flower. I don't think it was Bayard who tried to poison me."

"Don't be ridiculous," Uther hissed.

"It's true, sire," Will spoke up, suddenly feeling brave. "This woman knew everything about us. She posed as a serving girl here for the banquet but wasn't seen before or after." Uther remained silent. Clearly there was something he wasn't telling them.

Arthur pulled out the flower from his pocket. "Please, just make sure Gaius gets it," he said. "Put me in the stocks for as long as you want but just make sure it gets to him." Will watched with wide eyes, hoping for once that the King would do the right thing. But the hope in him was crushed the moment Uther tightened his fist around the flower and dropped it to the floor.

"NO!" Will cried, falling to his knees and trying to reach for the flower between the bars. "No, please, no! I'll do anything, sire. Please, I'll do anything you want. Don't do this!" But Uther ignored him, leaving the dungeons without another word.

***

"Does Arthur have the flower?" Gaius demanded as soon as Jem entered the room after talking with his father.

"I don't know," Jem replied. "The King hasn't allowed anyone to see him or Will since they got back." Merlin let out a strangled cry of pain and Gwen rushed forwards to hold his hand.

"Is there nothing we can do?" she begged.

"We need to get that flower," Gaius told her. "The leaf is the only thing that will save him." Jem pursed his lips together, looking at Merlin's pale form in the bed. He couldn't help but see Will's broken face if he had to tell him that Merlin had died. Jem couldn't have that. He wouldn't.

"I'll be back," he said, spinning around and sweeping towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Gaius asked.

"To get that flower," Jem replied. He marched through the castle, servants scrambling to get out of his way. He had never felt more empowered in his life as he walked down the stairs that led to the dungeons.

The guards looked up at him as he entered, quickly rising to their feet and bowing deeply. "Prince James," one said. "What can we do for you?"

"I'm here to see my idiot brother," he told them. "Open his cell and let me in." The guards were quick to obey and Jem was secretly pleased that he had appeared threatening enough that they had forgotten Uther's orders.

The guards led him through the dungeons to Arthur's cell. Jem almost lost his cool when he saw Will opposite, his eyes red as if he had been crying. Will's face lit up the moment he saw him but Jem shook his head slightly, signalling that they had to keep calm. The guards unlocked Arthur cell and Jem entered, raising an eyebrow at his brother who sat on the floor. "This is what happens when you don't do as you're told," he said. Arthur snorted.

"Like you're one to talk," he told him. "You never listen."

"That's true," Jem said, walking closer to Arthur and crouching down in front of him. "It's just that I'm more subtle than you are." He looked Arthur in the eyes, hoping that he'd understand. Sure enough, Arthur opened his hand and revealed a yellow flower settled in his palm.

"Let's hope that this punishment isn't in vain then," Arthur said, still staring Jem in the eyes. Jem nodded, rising to his feet again and calling the guard over to let him out. Once again, he caught Will's gaze as he left, hurrying back down the corridor and out of the dungeons before one of the guards could question him. He practically ran through the castle, clutching the flower in his hand so tightly that he almost damaged it more than it could take.

Bursting into Gaius's office, Jem held the flower aloft and shoved it into Gaius's hand. "Here, here, I've got it," he said breathlessly. "Make the antidote!" Gaius wasted no time, crushing the leaves of the flower.

"I need more water," he said. "Jem, take Gwen with you to get some. She'll need help." Jem nodded.

"Of course," he said, grabbing hold of Gwen's arm and pulling her away from Merlin's sickbed. They hurried into the courtyard, hastily using the water pump to fill the buckets before rushing back.

By the time they made it, Gaius was already administering the potion. "Swallow, Merlin," he muttered. "Swallow."

"Come on, Merlin," Jem whispered. "Come on. Stay alive. For Will, please stay alive." After a few agonizing moments, Merlin suddenly took a deep breath, his eyes snapping open as he coughed up his lungs.

"Merlin!" Gaius cried, hugging his adopted son around the shoulders. "Thank goodness you're okay!" Gwen cried with joy, also reaching round and hugging Merlin tightly.

"Good to have you back, Merlin," Jem said with a smile.

"Thank you, sire," Merlin said. He then frowned, looking around. "Where's Will and Arthur?"

"In the dungeons," Jem replied. "They went out against the King's orders to get you the cure. Don't worry, I'll get word to them that you're okay, and they should be out in a few days."

True to his word, Jem did managed to convince Uther to free Arthur and Will. Will had ran the length of the castle, breaking into the physicians chambers and wrapping Merlin into a bone crushing hug.

"Don't you EVER scare me like that again!" he said, shaking Merlin by the shoulders before hugging him again. "I do not want to face the wrath of mother if she found out I let you get yourself killed."

"I think I'd rather be dead than face that," Merlin had replied but hugged his brother back. "Thank you, for getting the cure."

"It's really Arthur you should thank," Will told him. "He risked your life for you. I know he gives you a hard time, but at the end of the day I think he really cares."

"I know," Merlin said, smiling. "But thank you, for not giving up."

"Never."

***********************************************************************************************

So yeah, this episode almost killed me as I just couldn't get it right. I might go back and change it at some other point but at the moment this is the best I've got.