Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 12

Miriam had fallen asleep at Arthur's bedside, her head on his mattress before she sat up bolt right as Merlin and Gaius came running inside.

"Merlin," she breathed in relief hugging her brother before slapping his chest. "How could you leave without saying goodbye like that?!"

"I'm sorry Mira and we can talk about this later, but we have to save Arthur now," he said urgently, and Miriam sat on the bed, resting Arthur's head in her lap as Gaius prepared to pout whatever was in that ornate silver vial he held down Arthur's throat.

At least he would've before Uther walked into the room.

"What are you doing physician?" he asked, starling Gaius. "What are you giving him?"

Gaius stumbled for an answer, so Miriam answered for him.

"I read about an ancient remedy for poisonous bites, a tincture made from the lobelia plant," she spouted, both Gaius and Merlin impressed with her lie as she held Arthur's head.

"A cure?" Uther asked in disbelief.

"We hope so," Gaius answered.

"Do you really think it will have some effect?" Uther asked as he walked to the foot of Arthur's bed.

"It's our last resort sire," Gaius answered before he poured the vial into Arthur's mouth, the boy visibly swallowing the contents. "Perhaps you should allow him to rest, sire."

Uther merely sat at Arthur's bedside while Miriam moved to change his bandages.

"Do you really think it will work?" Uther asked sceptically as he watched Miriam carefully undo the bandages around Arthur's chest, checking the wound that was already showing signs of recovery, Gaius and Merlin escaping the room momentarily.

"My faith is not in the cure, my lord. My faith is in Arthur. I have faith that he will live."

Uther only nodded as he continued to stare at his son, eventually nodding off to sleep.

Merlin eventually returned, pacing anxiously as he watched Miriam finish changing Arthur's bandages and then proceed to tidy up his room out of pure boredom.

For several hours they stayed like that, the sun rising to its peak as Miriam took her place neck to Arthur, returning to wiping down his forehead.

She froze, however, as Arthur inhaled a deep breath, almost seeming to be a breath of life and his eyes fluttered open.

Blinking the sleep from them, Arthur's vision returned to see Miriam smiling down at him.

"Miriam?"

"Well look who's awake," she grinned before leaning over him to gently rouse the king.

"Arthur," he breathed in relief as Merlin rushed out of the room to fetch Gaius.

The prince had lived.

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"I thought we'd lost you," Uther said as he patted Arthur on the shoulder, his uninjured one, his son now dressed in a shirt.

"Don't worry father, I'm not going to die," he chuckled. "I think there's someone watching over me, keeping me from harm."

"Maybe you're right," Uther said as he moved to stand at the foot of Arthur's bed. "It's going to be a long journey to become king. You'll need a guardian angel."

Arthur only smiled as his door opened to reveal Miriam.

"Pardon the intrusion, my lords. I've only come to clean Arthur's wound," she explained with a slight curtsey, hands holding extra bandages and another bowl of cold water.

"Of course. I shall inform the court that their prince lives," Uther said as he walked out, Miriam dropping into another small curtsey as he strode past her before she came to sit at Arthur's side.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she felt his forehead for a fever, fingers brushing his forehead.

"You've done that before," Arthur said with a furrowed brow, skin warming at her touch.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, withdrawing her hand.

"I heard you talking to me," he said and though her cheeks were tinted pink, she still smirked.

"Oh really? And what did I say?"

His eyes closed as he tried to recall what happened.

"That I'm kind. And generous," he smirked, and she chuckled before reaching for the damp rag.

"I said that you will be when you become king, at least according to Merlin," she said before moving the collar of his tunic to peer at the bandages on his chest.

"And what about you not losing faith in me?" he asked as the cloth was cold on his skin.

Her brows only furrowed.

"I don't recall ever saying such a thing."

"Yes, you do," Arthur said with a tired smile.

"No, I don't."

Arthur's eyes were closed as he smiled wider.

"I'm glad you're here Miriam."

She only stroked his forehead again, moving the hair aside as she smiled.

"I'll be here when you wake up. Sleep well Arthur."

Miriam stood as she moved away from the sleeping prince, but as she lifted the bowl, a wave of fatigue hit her, a sick feeling pooling in her stomach as thunder raged outside Arthur's window.

The bowl then fell from her hand, water spilling across the stone floor as Miriam fell to her knees, horror on her face as boils began to form on the back of her hands that had begun to shake.

Something was wrong.

Something was really wrong.