"merlin, i respect that you are her best friend, but if you ever make lia cry again, i will make sure you regret it."

[1.6 — A Remedy to Cure All Ills]

It seemed as if the whole of Camelot was dying as Lady Morgana slowly did. There was no cheer to be found, nor did many people have hope. She had fallen ill so suddenly, and neither Gaius nor Lia knew how to help her. The King's Ward seemed as good as dead, and word of it had quickly spread throughout Camelot through gossip.

King Uther had hardly left her bedside, just sitting and watching the unresponsive girl who was as close to him as a daughter. When Gaius told him that he was unable to heal her, his heart broke, for she was one of the only things he cared about along with his son. As the second day of her illness approached, everyone worried more and more. If she stayed unresponsive for much longer, she would die.

Like Gaius, Lia had no idea how to heal Morgana. Uther had even asked her for her professional opinion, though it wasn't what he so desperately wanted to hear. Her body had closed down and the infliction was to her brain, something that they did not have the tools to treat. It made Lia feel awful and she knew that Morgana's time was growing near.

The only thing that Gaius and Lia could do for the girl was to make her comfortable. They had been prescribing rosemary and yarrow to Morgana to try and keep her brain stimulated despite the fact that she wasn't conscious. That was what Lia was doing now — searching for more herbs in the woods just outside the walls of Camelot.

She could've just sent Merlin — Arthur had barely requested anything of him in the last few days, too upset to bother. Perhaps Lia was using it as an excuse to get away from the dark cloud that was hovering over everyone at the castle. She'd rather not be surrounded by everyone waiting around for Morgana to either recover or die.

It seemed she wasn't the only one with the idea to get out of the castle. Arthur was the one to find her, sitting in a field and collecting different colored herbs in a basket. He hadn't been expecting to find anyone in the woods — his whole point had been that he would be alone. Though that did not stop him from joining her.

When she heard someone approaching, Lia looked up from the yarrow she had been cutting off the stem and saw Arthur slowly approaching her. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he kept his eyes on the grass with a despondent look on his face. Then, without saying a word, he sank down to the ground, sitting across from her.

Lia didn't say anything, figuring that he would talk if he wanted to. He appreciated the gesture as she just continued cutting the herbs that were meant to help Morgana the best they could.

"She's going to die, isn't she?" When he finally spoke, Arthur's voice cracked. He had spoken very little in the past few days. There were unshed tears in his eyes, but Lia knew him enough to know that they would not fall. He wouldn't have even allowed himself to get so emotional inside the walls of Camelot.

"Do not give up hope, My Prince," Lia said gently. "For the moment that you give up hope is the same moment that Morgana is lost to your heart."

Arthur fiddled with a sprig of rosemary in his hands, taking her words to heart. "Tell me, Lia," he said, finally looking at her. Lia could see the sadness swimming in his blue eyes. "Wh - when you thought that Merlin was... dy—" He struggled to say the word as if it would bring the same fate to Morgana. "—dying. What were you feeling?"

"It felt like the very world was crashing down around me," she admitted. "Losing him had always been my worst nightmare, and suddenly it was coming true. And I know that had he died, I wouldn't have been able to go on."

Arthur nodded and went back to staring at the grass. He appreciated that she had been honest with him. Lia had an idea of what was running through his head: Morgana didn't have a Prince rushing back with a magical cure to save her.

Arthur and Morgana, despite not being blood-related, had grown up as if they were siblings. Sure, they bickered and argued, but that did not mean she meant any less to the Prince. And seeing his sister laying in bed, as good as dead, made Arthur feel exactly as Lia had described. He could not picture a world without Morgana.

Arthur swallowed thickly and looked towards the walls of Camelot. His home was the last place he wanted to be, but he had a duty to his people — he could not abandon them just because he was grieving.

"I don't want to go back," he said quietly, so quietly that Lia almost didn't hear.

"You don't have to. Not yet, at least," Lia told him. "I've got enough herbs gathered, and this is a nice place to be alone."

Lia gathered her skirt in one hand and held the basket with another before she moved to stand, but Arthur quickly reached out, grabbing the handle of the basket to stop her. Lia didn't think she had ever seen the Prince look so vulnerable.

"Would you stay?"

The pair stayed in the field for quite a while. They didn't speak much, and not at all about Morgana's condition. Though Lia did start telling Arthur about all the different herbs surrounding them and their different uses. The Prince even took her small knife and began harvesting some, just as a distraction. Lia didn't particularly have a need for tarragon and chamomile, but she didn't stop him from putting them in her basket.

Eventually, the little herbology lesson had to come to an end. Arthur knew he had been away from the castle for too long, but he also knew that his father would have barely noticed, too preoccupied with Morgana. After helping Lia stand and offering to carry her basket for her, the pair made their way back to Camelot.

The walk back was nice and spent in comfortable silence. Arthur appreciated Lia spending her time with him and distracting him from Morgana's condition. And even though he hadn't voiced his gratitude, Lia understood.

Their short time together came to an end as they walked through the main square. Just outside the doors of the citadel stood a man in a ratty grey cloak. As Lia and Arthur approached, he turned to them, revealing his face. The entire right side of the man's face was horribly scarred. Lia could only imagine how terrifying the circumstances to get such a burn would have been for him to go through.

"What's your business here?" Arthur asked him. It was odd for him to be hovering near the guards.

"My name is Edwin Muirden, and I have a remedy to cure all ills," Edwin told them.

"There's no such thing," Lia couldn't help but softly tell him. Deep down, she wanted to scoff and roll her eyes at the man, but she was far too polite for that.

Arthur rolled his eyes and shared a doubtful look with Lia. "Is that so?" he asked him.

"I beg an audience with the King," Edwin said.

"Our court has a physician," Arthur informed him. Then he looked to Lia, nodding his head towards the citadel. The pair turned to leave, not giving Edwin any more of their time.

However, a surprisingly strong grip around Lia's arm stopped her. She held in a gasp as she turned back to face Edwin. "I hear the Lady Morgana is gravely ill."

Arthur looked at Edwin with a new fury in his eyes and his hand fell to his sword. "If you wish to keep that arm, then you will unhand her this instant," he ordered. Edwin's touch was gone in a second, and Arthur pulled Lia closer to his side as he glared at the man. "And that is no concern of yours."

"I might be able to help her," Edwin said.

"Our physician has the matter in hand," Arthur said. Then he lightly pulled Lia along with him as they left Edwin standing in the square.

"I will be at the inn, in case you change your mind," Edwin called after them.

Lia did her best to ignore the curious glance that Arthur shot at Edwin over his shoulder.

| | |

Uther hovered closely over Gaius' shoulder as he examined Morgana the next morning. Lia stood to the side, knowing that she should remain silent unless Uther addressed her. He was extra and understandably meaner than usual. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of that anger.

"I cannot preserve her life for much longer. She has hours, maybe less," Gaius finally concluded. Lia shut her eyes so that she wouldn't have to see the heartbroken looks on Uther and Arthur's faces.

"We cannot let her die!" Arthur shouted.

Uther put up a hand to silence him. "Arthur, please." Then he sat at the end of Morgana's bed. He seemingly came to terms with Gaius' diagnosis, but Arthur hadn't. He cast a reluctant glance at Lia before stepping forward.

"There's a man, he came to the castle yesterday. He claims he can cure her," Arthur told them. Lia frowned but stayed silent. If it would comfort Arthur to try some last-ditch effort to save Morgana before realizing that he would have to lose her, then Lia wouldn't argue with him about Edwin.

"That's ridiculous. He doesn't know what's wrong with her," Uther said, not believing a word Edwin had told them.

"He says he has a remedy that can cure all ills," Arthur insisted.

"Impossible," Gaius muttered.

"Well, for Morgana's sake, surely we should at least hear him out. I mean, what've we got to lose? Please, Father," Arthur begged.

"Probably some charlatan hoping for a quick shilling," Gaius told him.

"I don't care!" Arthur yelled. "If she's about to die, what harm can it do? Give him his shilling! If there's one chance in a million he can save her, then why not?"

Uther looked to Gaius for guidance, who simply shrugged, figuring it couldn't harm Morgana anymore. Perhaps she was biased because she had already met Edwin, but Lia didn't like the thought of letting him into the castle — whether he saved Morgana or not.

"Send for him," Uther finally agreed.

Arthur was quick to run off and inform the guards to find Edwin. Reluctantly, Gaius and Lia followed Uther and Arther to the council chamber once they were notified of Edwin's arrival. As the doors opened, the man that claimed to be able to save Morgana kneeled, holding out his seal of validation.

"Edwin Muirden, Sire. Physician and loyal servant," he introduced while Uther looked over his seal.

"Welcome to Camelot."

"Have we met before?" Gaius suddenly asked, studying Edwin's face. This time, his hood was pulled down and Lia could see the full extent of his scar, which traveled down his neck.

"I doubt you would forget a face like mine, sir," Edwin said while getting up from his kneeling position.

"Do you really believe you have a remedy?" Uther asked him, not wanting to waste any more time.

As Edwin spoke, Lia noticed Merlin creep in through the servants' entrance. "There are not many ills that I have not seen and successfully treated, Sire. So when I heard of the Lady Morgana's sickness, I felt honor-bound to offer my services."

"You say you have a cure for all? An antidote for everything?" Gaius asked him, the doubt clear in his tone.

"Yes," he said. "Although it is not quite as simple as that."

"Gaius is the court physician," Uther informed him, not wanting Edwin to talk down to the healer. "And the girl, Lia, is his apprentice."

"You are indeed a legend, sir," Edwin said, smiling at Gaius — though it looked more like a grimace to Lia. "I am delighted to meet you. I am curious to know what it is that has affected her."

"An infection of the brain," Gaius informed him.

"And your treatment?" Edwin asked.

"Yarrow."

Edwin nodded. "Yes, yes."

"And rosemary to—"

"To stimulate cerebral circulation." Edwin had interrupted Lia suddenly as if she hadn't known why they had prescribed rosemary in the first place. She didn't appreciate the intrusion but kept her face neutral. "Interesting."

"Why? What would you suggest?" Arthur asked, eying Edwin a bit skeptically.

"No, no, no, that is all fine. All good. If that is... the right diagnosis." Neither Gaius nor Lia liked the way that Edwin looked at the older physician.

"What would your diagnosis be?" Uther asked him.

"Well, without examining the patient—"

"He should examine her," Arthur told his father.

"I would need my equipment," he told them.

"Of course," Uther said, taking a seat. "You'll have use of one of the guest chambers."

"And consider my manservant at your disposal," Arthur added.

"As well as Lia," Gaius told him. "It's good for her to be exposed to new techniques."

Edwin nodded at them, glancing at Lia. "I will start work immediately."

Lia and Merlin trailed after Edwin all the way back to the inn where he was staying. Then they, along with a few guards, lugged all of Edwin's equipment back to the castle. They set it all up in one of the guest rooms near Morgana's chambers. Both Merlin and Lia studied all his odd-looking equipment with wonder. It was nothing like the traditional tools that Gaius used.

"Yes," Edwin said, noticing their curious looks. "It was all originally designed for alchemy."

"Making gold?" Merlin asked.

"You have an interest in science?" Edwin asked him.

"Well, science is knowledge," Merlin muttered. Lia held back a snort, knowing Merlin hated science and having to learn about it — magic was all he cared about, and alchemy was magic.

"It has the answers to everything," Edwin said, not catching Lia's amusement.

"Maybe," Merlin said, smiling. "It can't explain love."

"So, you are in love?" Edwin asked, smirking.

"No," Merlin said, chuckling and shaking his head. Though Lia was a bit doubtful. They never had actually talked about Gwen kissing him. "I mean feelings — emotions."

"You seem too bright to be just a servant," Edwin admitted.

"Oh, don't be fooled," Lia said, grinning at her friend. Even if Edwin made her feel uneasy, she couldn't pass up the chance to tease Merlin. "He's not that bright."

Merlin rolled his eyes and playfully nudged Lia's side. Then he picked up a small box from the table. He could've sworn he heard something inside of it, but before he could open it, Edwin was snatching it from his hands.

"Yes, we will need that. Now, we must hurry to the Lady Morgana, before it is too late."

Edwin put a tall stack of equipment in Merlin's arms before heading off towards Morgana's room. Lia gently took a few of the boxes out of Merlin's arms, making it easier for him to carry. Then the pair followed after Edwin. Everyone else was already anxiously waiting for them in Morgana's chambers.

"Put my equipment over there," Edwin instructed. As Merlin and Lia followed his instructions, he turned to Uther. "Sire, I would be grateful if you could have everyone leave the room. I require peace and privacy."

"Certainly."

Everyone slowly made their way from the room except for Gaius. Merlin and Lia hesitated by the door as Edwin spoke to him.

"That includes you, Gaius," he said.

"But I am eager to learn from your methods."

"Now is not the time for giving instruction," Edwin said in a tense tone. "I will need all my concentration."

"Gaius," Uther called.

Gaius gave in and left the room. Lia kept by his side as they waited at the bottom of the staircase. Every few seconds, Lia couldn't help but glance at Morgana's door, worried about her.

"What is it?" Merlin whispered. He didn't want Uther or Arthur to overhear.

She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't think he should be allowed alone in the room with her. He's a strange man that we know nothing about. I know the King is worried about her, but it's still highly improper. Even if it's just Gwen, someone should be with her while he's in the room."

Merlin knew where she was coming from. However, there wasn't much they could do other than hope that Edwin did not have malicious intentions. So, Merlin simply wrapped a comforting arm around Lia. The rest of the wait was rather silent — everyone was far too nervous to speak. Though eventually, Edwin excited Morgana's room and came down the stairs.

"Great news, Your Majesty. You will be glad to hear it is not an inflammation of the brain," Edwin declared.

"What is it then?" Uther asked him.

"It is a cerebral hemorrhage," he said.

Gaius' jaw almost dropped and he stared at Edwin in disbelief. "Haemorrhage? I don't think so."

"I found this trace of blood in her ear," Edwin said.

He held up a small scrap of cloth that had blood covering it. Lia looked from it to Gaius with a shocked look on her face. There hadn't been any blood in Morgana's ear, and she hadn't been suffering from a hemorrhage. They both were sure of it, but they were the only ones.

"God in heaven," Uther muttered.

"The severity depends upon the site and volume of the bleed. If not treated, it can lead to coma, and eventually death," Edwin continued, still lying.

Uther turned to look at Gaius almost accusingly. "How could you have missed this?"

"I didn't see any blood," Gaius said, not wavering in what he knew.

"Please," Edwin said. "Just thank the fates that you did not administer more rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?"

Uther turned to Gaius for an explanation, which he hesitantly gave. "It may have increased the bleed."

"Is there a cure?" Uther asked Edwin.

"See for yourself," Edwin told them.

They all made their way quickly into Morgana's room. Only this time, the ward wasn't lying half-dead in her bed. Instead, she was awake and sitting up, the color already beginning to return to her cheeks.

"Morgana, this is truly a miracle," Uther said. He rushed to Morgana's side and kissed her forehead. "I thought — I really thought—"

"Oh, you won't get rid of me that easily," Morgana said, smiling weakly.

"What exactly did he give you?" Gaius asked her.

"I have no idea," Morgana admitted. "But thank heaven he did."

Lia couldn't believe it — she didn't believe it. It wasn't possible for Morgana to have gone from her previous condition to getting out of bed so quickly. And if she truly had suffered from a hemorrhage, then she wouldn't have recovered so quickly, no matter what Edwin had administered her. Nothing about Edwin was adding up.

| | |

After Morgana's miraculous recovery, Gaius split from Lia and Merlin. The apprentice would have liked to discuss Morgana's condition with him, but he had run off to the Hall of Records. Merlin decided to go and speak with Edwin again, and Lia accompanied him, not trusting Edwin to be alone with him. Of course, she had voiced her concerns about Edwin to Merlin, but he seemed to brush off her worries.

"Edwin?" Merlin asked, knocking on the door to his chambers. Lia kept to his side, watching as Merlin toyed with the various things on Edwin's table. It probably wasn't smart to mess with medical equipment he didn't know how to use, but Lia didn't warn him against it — if he lost a finger, so be it.

Merlin picked up the small wooden box that Edwin had used when healing Morgana. When he opened the lid, Lia looked over his shoulder and saw that it was full of what seemed to be dead bugs. He closed the box, confused by the contents. She didn't understand the inscription writing on the top of the lid, but Merlin did. He quietly muttered the words aloud.

Then a rattling noise sounded from the previously still box. Merlin glanced at Lia before opening it once more. Only this time, the bugs inside the box were moving.

"Very good."

Merlin quickly shut the box and turned around, knocking over a jar with some kind of powder in it. Lia jumped, not having noticed Edwin enter the room. She could only hope he hadn't seen Merlin using his magic. Edwin eyed Merlin, who awkwardly handed the box back.

Edwin opened it and looked down at the crawling bugs before muttering some kind of spell. The bugs then ceased all their movements. Lia and Merlin both watched with wide eyes as he so openly used magic.

"You have magic," Edwin stated, turning back to Merlin.

"It wasn't me. I didn't do anything," Merlin quickly denied.

"Then how else did you bring them to life? Only magic can do such a thing," Edwin told them. "These little angels are how I cured Lady Morgana. They repaired the damage to her brain. They saved her life. Magic can be a force for good."

It made sense, Lia realized. It wasn't some miracle cure to all ills that saved Morgana — it was a magical cure. But Edwin was very bold to use it right under the nose of King Uther. She also didn't appreciate him making Gaius look incompetent because of it either. However, Merlin wasn't thinking quite as critically about Edwin.

"I know," Merlin told him.

"Then why do you fear it?" Edwin asked. Lia noted that he was circling Merlin like a predator stalks its prey — she just couldn't figure out why yet.

"Uther has banned it. It's not permitted," Merlin explained.

"Should I have let Morgana die?"

"No." It was Lia who spoke. Even though Edwin rubbed her the wrong way, Lia was glad he saved the ward when she and Gaius could not.

Edwin nodded at her, but that was all before he looked back at Merlin. "People like us, we have a gift. Do you not think it should be used to make this a better world?"

"Perhaps," Merlin muttered while trying to clean up the powder he had spilled.

"Don't waste your time picking that up." Then, Edwin said another spell. The powder floated into the air and back into the jar. Merlin grinned at the display. "Why waste a talent like that? And I can teach you."

In response, Merlin began his own spell. He didn't sound quite as confident in his own magic as Edwin had, but the jar lifted into the air and the powder poured into a bowl on the table. Edwin observed with a certain glint in his eye.

"What do you use this for?"

"Gaius doesn't like me to," Merlin quickly muttered.

"A gift like yours should be nurtured, practiced, enjoyed. You need someone to help you, to encourage you," Edwin said, stepping closer to Merlin.

"Perhaps," Merlin agreed. He ignored Lia, who had gripped the back of his coat. He wasn't picking up on how uneasy she was feeling.

"Imagine what we could achieve if we shared our knowledge."

"We should be getting back," Lia finally said. Merlin looked back at her and nodded in agreement.

"Of course," Edwin said, nodding. "But you must promise to keep our secret safe."

"Of course," Merlin agreed.

"People like you and I—" Edwin's eyes cut to Lia with an almost accusing look. "—we must look after each other."

Once the door shut behind him, Lia grabbed Merlin's hand. "That guy creeps me out."

Merlin chuckled and shook his head. "He's harmless, Lia. And he's like me! I finally have someone that I can talk to about my magic."

"Merlin, you've always been able to come to me about that," she said, frowning.

"It's different," he said, sighing. "You wouldn't understand. Especially what he said about looking out for each other—"

"We do look out for each other," Lia interrupted. Merlin read the hurt on her face and realized he had overstepped. "It has always been you and I, Merlin. And I am looking out for you when I say that you should not trust Edwin. He's dangerous."

"Why? Because he has magic?" Merlin asked, scoffing.

"No—"

"You know, I think you're just jealous because Edwin's magic saved Morgana when your and Gaius' precious science could not," Merlin told her. "You may have been prepared to let Morgana die, but he wasn't."

He didn't mean it. Lia knew he couldn't have. They both knew that she hated losing patients. In fact, Merlin was often the one to console her when she cried over seeing people in pain when she could not help them. Which made it all the worse. It was just plain mean to throw the fact that Lia couldn't save Morgana back in her face.

"I'm gonna go," Lia said, trying to keep her voice from wavering. "Sir Leon requested some burn cream."

Merlin sighed as she turned and briskly walked away from him. He couldn't see the tears that had pooled in her eyes, but he knew her well enough to know they were there, and it was all his fault. For a moment, he thought about chasing after her but decided against it. Perhaps they just needed some space from each other for a few days.

| | |

The council, apart from Gaius and Lia, stood in the council chambers. Uther was seated with Arthur and Morgana at his side. Before him stood Edwin who was reporting his so-called findings on Gaius.

"I have been through the court medical records with a fine-tooth comb, Sire," Edwin stated.

"And were your findings satisfactory?" Uther asked him.

"With regret, I would have to say they were not."

Arthur looked at Edwin skeptically while Uther leaned forward with interest. "How so?"

"Gaius is a great man — thorough, and dedicated."

"But?" Uther questioned, wondering what Edwin was hesitant to report.

Edwin sighed heavily as if the next thing he was about to say was going to be difficult for him. "His methods are outdated. He has failed to keep up with the latest developments. This has led to a number of errors."

"Gaius has served me well for twenty-five years," Uther said. Despite his inability to help Morgana, he still felt the need to defend Gaius' skill.

"And one cannot blame him for the infirmity those years have brought. Age can be a terrible curse," Edwin said.

Uther thought to himself for a moment before coming up with a conclusion. "Perhaps it is time to lighten his burdens. Have you given any more thought to my offer?"

Edwin smiled, or rather, smirked. "Yes. I have considered it very carefully."

"Allow me some time to do the same," Uther told him. Then he dismissed Edwin, who bowed before exiting the room. Then, Uther stood and walked over to the serving table to get a drink.

"Uther, you can't do this," Morgana said as the council slowly began to exit. She and Arthur stayed behind.

"She's right, Father," Arthur added. Gaius was the only court physician he had ever known, and he didn't want that to change.

"You heard what he said. Gaius is old, he makes mistakes," Uther stated.

"Gaius has treated me since before I can remember," Morgana defended. "You can't cast him out."

Uther turned to her sharply. "You would have died if your care had been left to him. That's something I could not bear."

"I know that, but—"

"I cannot risk something like this happening again," Uther declared.

Morgana sighed, knowing there was no convincing him. She shared an upset look with Arthur, who wasn't pleased with the decision either. And then he froze, a thought striking him.

"What about Gaius' apprentice, Sire?" Arthur asked. "What will happen to Lia?"

"Well, I suppose her services may not be required any longer. Lia was hired to train as Gaius' replacement. Edwin is much younger and would likely not need an apprentice."

Arthur's breath caught at the idea of not being able to see Lia every day, though thankfully his father didn't catch it. But Uther kept speaking, stopping Arthur from protesting.

"Though Edwin might consider keeping her on. If she has been learning dated methods from Gaius, Edwin may decide to educate her on better ones. After all, I have only heard good things about her from all the knights she has healed. I shall speak with Edwin about it," Uther decided.

Arthur sighed in relief. Sure, he was still upset about Gaius, but he could not imagine Lia being fired as well. For a short moment, he was struck with the realization that perhaps he cared more for the apprentice than he originally thought, but he couldn't allow himself to linger on that thought — it was much too dangerous.

| | |

Lia and Merlin hadn't spoken at all since their argument about Edwin. In Merlin's defense, he had the intent to apologize to Lia, however, when he retired to their room for bed, he discovered that she wasn't there. She had slept over at Gwen's house, which made Merlin realize just how truly upset with him she was.

But eventually, she had to return to the physician chamber to work. Thankfully, Merlin was out and about, meaning she could work quietly alongside Gaius. Something was on his mind, but he would not tell Lia. She was still worried about him though — really, she hadn't stopped worrying about him since Edwin cured Morgana.

Their quiet working was soon interrupted. Arthur entered the room with an almost regretful look on his face.

"Gaius, my father needs to speak to you. You as well, Lia."

"When?"

"Immediately," he told them.

That wasn't a good sign, and both of them knew it. Arthur led the pair to the council chambers where Uther was waiting. He didn't speak to them as they walked, which only worried Lia more. She knew that they were about to walk into something horrible.

"Sire. Is there a problem? Are you unwell?" Gaius asked Uther.

"This is not an ailment you can treat me for," Uther said. He looked almost sad as he spoke. "You've been a loyal servant for many years. I look on you as a friend."

"I regard you in the same way, Sire," Gaius said.

"You've been here since Arthur's birth... and all that entailed." As he spoke, Uther got up and walked around the room, further from Gaius. "What I'm trying to do I think is best for you."

Gaius glanced at Lia, who wasn't sure what was happening either. "I'm confused, Sire."

"I'll give you a generous allowance — make sure you're looked after."

Lia put her hand to her mouth in shock, realizing what the King meant.

"You're retiring me?" It was more of a statement rather than a question, though Gaius still asked for clarification.

"I don't want you to worry. I'll allow you to continue living in your chambers until more suitable accommodation can be found," Uther continued.

"Because I made one mistake? Although in truth, Sire, it was not a mistake," Gaius stated. "It was—"

"Yes, Gaius?"

Lia startled, not having realized that Edwin was even in the room. She looked between him and Gaius, who were in some kind of staring match. It looked as if Edwin was daring Gaius to accuse him of something.

"It was unfortunate," Uther said, not sensing the tension in the room. "I accept that."

"May I ask who is to be the next court physician?" Gaius asked. He was a fool to hope it would go to Lia — she hadn't been studying medicine long enough.

"None of this was Edwin's idea," Uther explained. "Initially, he turned down the offer."

"I'm sure," Gaius muttered.

"It's not been an easy decision, but .... a younger man; new ideas," Uther stated, joining Edwin's side.

"Yes," Gaius said.

"You're hesitant," Uther noted. "Is there a reason you oppose his appointment?"

"Sire—"

"If you have anything to say, then say it now, Gaius," Edwin interrupted.

Lia clenched her fist, doing her best not to glare at Edwin. She didn't think she'd ever hated someone so much. She was even tempted to shout out that he was a sorcerer but held her tongue. Not only did she have no proof — though she was fairly certain he was the reason Morgana had fallen ill in the first place — she hadn't seen him use his magic in a nefarious way. In addition, he now knew about Merlin's magic. Lia would not risk Merlin's life, sadly, not ever to save Gaius' job.

"This is difficult for both of us," Uther said when Gaius remained silent.

Eventually, Gaius bowed to the King, accepting his fate. "I thank you for your patronage. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve your family for all these years."

He turned to exit the room, and Lia quickly followed. However, Uther called her name, stopping her.

"Lia, would you remain?"

Gaius shot her a worried look before he left the chamber. Lia walked back towards Uther and Edwin. She felt her skin prickle under their gazes but took comfort in the fact that Arthur was only a few feet away. He shot her a small, hardly noticeable smile that consoled her slightly as well.

"My Lord," Lia said, bowing to Uther. "Am I correct in assuming that my position as Gaius' apprentice has been revoked given his retiring?"

"Initially, yes," Uther said, nodding. "But I have spoken with Edwin. He has graciously agreed to keep you as an apprentice. That way you can continue your education without any errors."

Lia frowned at the word "errors." Gaius had never made a mistake before Morgana's incident. But she could not outwardly argue with the King, so she kept her mouth shut on the matter.

"Yes," Edwin spoke up. As he talked, he wandered closer to Lia, who tensed up under his gaze. "We will be working closely to ensure you have the proper training. After all, you weren't to know that Gaius was leading you astray. You poor thing."

Lia could do nothing as Edwin put his arm over her shoulder. She wanted nothing more than to rip herself out of his hold and shout at him. She wanted to find Gaius and convince him to fight back. She wanted to yell at Merlin for ever trusting such a horrible man. But instead, she stayed still by his side.

"Tell me, Lia, do you accept or deny the position?" Uther asked her.

Arthur was the only one to notice the discomfort on Lia's face. She eyed Edwin's hand on her shoulder for a moment. Her instinct was to turn it down — there was no way she would ever trust Edwin. But that was the reason why she couldn't say no.

Someone had to watch him. Someone had to protect Uther, Arthur, and Morgana. Someone had to protect Merlin. Lia had to stay, no matter how much she wanted to run away.

She forced a soft smile and bowed to Uther once more. "I accept, Sire."

| | |

When Lia made it back to the physician chambers, she could hear Merlin arguing with Gaius before she even got in the room.

"Uther cannot do this to you. You tried to save Morgana."

"Uther's not to blame," Gaius told him. Lia quietly crept into the room and kept to the back wall. She noticed that Gaius was already packing a bag despite the fact that Uther said he could stay for however long he'd like.

"I will speak to Edwin. You can work together."

"No, you mustn't do anything," Gaius instructed.

"I can't stand by and do nothing," Merlin told him.

"Uther's right. It's time I stepped down," Gaius said sadly.

Finally, Merlin noticed that Gaius was packing up all his belongings. "What are you doing?"

"I cannot stay when there's no longer a use for me."

Merlin shook his head. "You're not leaving?"

"Uther said you could still live here for a short time," Lia spoke up. She didn't want him to disappear right away. He was meant to help her keep an eye on Edwin.

"I believe it's for the best," Gaius stated.

"Then I will come with you," he told him. "So will Lia."

Gaius sighed and shook his head. "Merlin, you're like a son to me, and you Lia, like a daughter. I never expected such blessings so late in life."

"And you are more than a father to us," Merlin told him. Lia wiped under her eyes, not wanting to cry, but it was becoming difficult.

Gaius put his arms on Merlin's shoulders. "Then, as a father, I must tell you, you must remain here. Camelot is where you belong."

"But you belong here too," Lia muttered softly.

"Not anymore," he said, smiling sadly. "Merlin, you must promise me you will not waste your gifts."

"My gifts mean nothing without you to guide me," Merlin insisted.

"You have a great destiny. If I have had a small part to play in that, then I'm pleased."

"There is so much I have yet to learn. I need you to teach me," Merlin said.

"I'm afraid I am leaving here tonight, Merlin. And there's nothing you can do or say that can persuade me otherwise," Gaius stated.

Merlin shook his head once more. "I will not let this happen," he declared. Then Merlin quickly left the room, likely to go speak with Arthur to see if he could do anything.

"Goodbye, Merlin," Gaius said softly, thinking they would never meet again. Then he looked at Lia, who had a few silent tears streaming down her face. "Oh, do not cry for me, Lia."

"I can't help it," she said, sniffing. Then she walked over to him and hugged him tightly, which he gladly returned. "This isn't fair."

"I know," he said, rubbing her back. "You mustn't trust Edwin."

"I don't," she assured him. "I will do my best to keep everyone safe from him."

"You must also keep yourself safe," he said, looking down at her. Then he smiled sadly and looked over her. "I know I am not him, but I know your father would be very proud of the young woman you have become."

"You've helped with that a great deal," she murmured. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Perhaps one day," he said, though she saw doubt in his eyes. "You have a great destiny, Illyria Lytar. And one day, Camelot will know you for what you truly are — much more than a physician's apprentice."

| | |

"I can't understand why Uther would sack him over one mistake," Merlin complained to Arthur. They were currently at the knight training grounds, and Arthur was practicing sword maneuvers on a training dummy instead of poor Merlin for once.

"A mistake that nearly killed Morgana," Arthur reminded him. "Besides, it wasn't the only one."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked. He had never heard of Gaius making any other mistakes.

"Edwin said his work was riddled with errors," Arthur said.

Merlin scoffed. "That's nonsense."

"No one wants Gaius to go, but my father's made his decision," Arthur said, sighing. "There's nothing anyone can do."

That was the end of it, Merlin knew. There would be no convincing the Prince to stand up to Uther. So, Merlin quieted back down and stood to the side as Arthur trained. They were interrupted a few minutes later by Leon entering the training grounds. He did not speak to them, but as he passed, his shoulder harshly collided with Merlin's, almost knocking the poor boy over.

"Merlin," the knight muttered in a surprisingly harsh tone.

Arthur was shocked. Leon was probably one of the nicest men he had ever known, and they grew up together. For him to be so rude to Merlin was quite out of character.

"Oh, c'mon, Leon," Arthur said, chuckling. "You know I'm the only one that can treat Merlin like that."

"Sorry, Sire," Leon said stiffly. Then he turned to face Merlin, but he did not apologize as they expected. "Merlin, I respect that you are her best friend, but if you ever make Lia cry again, I will make sure you regret it."

"What did you do to Lia?" Arthur asked in an accusing one as Merlin's face crumpled.

"She cried?" Merlin asked, sounding crushed. Of course, he had suspected it, but he had never seen her afterward as proof. In fact, he had barely seen her at all since their argument about Edwin. Merlin hadn't even gotten to speak with her about Gaius' departure.

"Yes, she cried," Leon said, crossing his arms. "I went to pick up my burn cream and she was a mess. She wouldn't tell me much, but I know you were the cause."

"Merlin, you made her cry?" Arthur asked, glaring at his servant. "You idiot. I should have you thrown in the stocks."

Merlin didn't point out that "making Lia sad" wasn't actually a crime, and Arthur had no grounds to punish him for it. "Look, I - I haven't spoken to her in two days."

"Well, you had better apologize," Arthur told him.

"Yeah," Leon agreed. "And don't even try saying it wasn't your fault. Lia has never done anything wrong in her life ever."

Merlin shouldn't have been surprised at how easily Lia had wrapped the Prince and knight around her finger. But even he knew they were right. He had hurt Lia's feelings and he had to make it up to her.

| | |

Merlin had been thinking all day of ways to make it up to Lia. He knew where to get some of her favorite flowers — pink buttercups — which he would give to her after apologizing. He also wanted to make sure Lia knew how important she was to him. The last few days without his best friend had been miserable.

His planning was interrupted by Arthur running up to him in the hallway. "Merlin! My father has Morgana's illness. We must find Edwin!"

Merlin immediately dropped the pile of laundry he had been holding and ran off in search of the new physician. On the way to Edwin's chambers, he saw Lia walking in the opposite direction. She didn't even have time to protest before he grabbed her hand and yanked her along with him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, though didn't stop running with him.

"Uther's sick," Merlin told her.

Then they reached Edwin's guest chambers and burst in. They were shocked to see Gaius inside, surrounded by a circular wall of flames, which Edwin had trapped him in. Lia moved to try and help him, but the fire was too hot.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked Edwin, who had an evil smirk on his face.

"He was trying to kill the King. I couldn't let him," Gaius told them.

"I knew it," Lia snapped.

"I can rule the kingdom now," Edwin declared, looking at Merlin. "And with you at my side, we can be all-powerful."

"Release him!" Merlin ordered.

"It's your loss, Merlin," Edwin told them.

Then he began chanting a spell. An ax that had been hanging on the wall flew towards Merlin and Lia. He pushed Lia out of the way before leaning back, stopping the ax with his magic just before it hit his skull. Merlin's magic then overpowered Edwin's and the ax was sent towards Edwin. Lia turned away just before the ax lodged in his head. As soon as Edwin was dead, the fire around Gaius died out. Lia immediately ran to his side to make sure he wasn't injured.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked him.

"Yes," Gaus assured them. "Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin nodded before rushing over to Edwin's worktable. Lia followed as he sorted through the equipment, searching for the box of bugs.

"What are you doing?" Gaius asked him.

"Uther's ill. The same thing Morgana had. Edwin said he used these to cure Morgana. Maybe we can too." Merlin picked up the box and opened it up, peering down at the bugs inside. Surprisingly, Gaius recognized them.

"Elanthia beetles."

"They're magical," Merlin stated.

"Yes. They can be enchanted to enter the brain and feed on it until they devour the person's very soul," Gaius explained. "We must go to him."

The three of them rushed to Uther's chambers. The King was alone and unresponsive in his bed. He looked just like Morgana had a few days earlier. At least this time, they knew what had caused the illness.

"How do we get the beetle out before it kills him?" Lia asked, frowning. It wasn't like they could just shove a pair of tweezers in and drag it out.

"It can only be magic," Gaius said, looking to Merlin.

"We can't use magic on Uther," Merlin said slowly.

"He'll kill Merlin," Lia said, shaking her head. "He can't."

"We don't have a choice," Gaius said.

"Gaius—"

"There are times when it is necessary," Gaius interrupted softly. "It is your right."

"I don't know how," Merlin told him.

"If you don't, he's going to die," Gaius said, looking over at Uther.

After a moment of thinking, Merlin sat on the bed. He looked nervously back at Lia, who nodded encouragingly before he turned back to the King. He placed his hand over Uther's ear before muttering the same spell he had heard Edwin use.

"What's happening?" Gaius asked.

After a moment, Merlin relaxed before standing up. He held out his hand which had the still bug in it.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a genius?" Gaius asked him.

"You certainly haven't," Merlin said, grinning. He glanced at Lia, expecting some teasing comment about his intelligence, but she stayed silent, just watching Uther. He had to apologize, and quickly.

| | |

After Uther woke up, he was non the wiser about Merlin using magic to save him. They had convinced the King that Gaius had managed to cure him. And for it, not only was Gaius reinstated as the court physician, but he was also declared a free man of Camelot. Lia was overjoyed that he was back. She couldn't imagine not seeing him every day.

Once everything had calmed down, Lia was able to return to her normal day-to-day tasks. Merlin found her in the physician chamber, brewing a new batch of sleeping draught for Morgana, which Uther had no complaints about being re-prescribed to his Ward.

Lia looked up from the pot when she heard a soft knock on the door. Merlin was standing in the entryway with pink buttercups in hand and an apologetic look on his face. Lia wanted to smile at the sight of her favorite flowers but bit her lip to stop before looking down at the sleeping draught, which was almost done.

"Lia, I need to apologize," Merlin said, walking over to her.

"For?" she asked, not looking over at him.

"For being a dollop head," he said. Lia playfully rolled her eyes, knowing that wasn't a real apology. "Lia, please look at me."

Finally, she sighed and looked up at Merlin. Hesitantly, he grabbed her hand, and when she didn't pull it away, he continued with his apology.

"Lia, you are my best friend and I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you. I shouldn't have blindly trusted Edwin with my magic. I had no right to say those things to you. You are so special and you have always been there for me, even through all my stupid mistakes. Not only that, but you are an incredibly gifted healer who cares for each patient you have. You save lives every day without magic."

"I know that I'm not like you," Lia muttered, frowning. "I try my hardest to understand the struggles you face every day. And I'd like to think that I've never made you feel like you should be ashamed of your magic—"

"No! You've always treated me as an equal," he assured her. "You were the first person in Ealdor to accept me as I am, no questions asked. You've stood by my side always, and followed me to Camelot when I asked it of you. I failed you when I did not stand by yours. Could you ever forgive me?"

After a moment, Lia took the flowers from Merlin and brought them to her nose to smell. Then she smiled softly at him. "You're lucky I can't stay mad at you. And don't worry. I know that one day, everyone will appreciate you and your magic just as I do."

"Well, until then, I know I'll always have you in my corner," Merlin said, smiling. Then he wrapped Lia in a hug. "I really am sorry."

"I know, and I forgive you. I hate fighting," Lia muttered, squeezing him tighter. "Let's never do it again."

Merlin chuckled. "Sounds good. Besides, Leon and Arthur get to kick my ass if I ever make you sad again."

Lia giggled and pulled away from the hug. "Of course. Don't you know that making me sad is illegal?"

"Trust me, under Arthur's reign, it will be."