Forbidden Love | Arthur Pendragon [1]

Chapter 6

THE MARK OF NIMUEH

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Eowyn and Merlin had examined a new corpse under the supervision of Gaius. It was a woman, a courtier. People from the lower town were mostly touched but since a courtier was now dead too, it meant that the diseased spread by something both shared. Water. Now Eowyn and Gaius had to test the theory. Eowyn had suggested to put a flower in the water and wait to see what happen. Gaius agreed and send Merlin to get some water. Eowyn was now looking for a vial and a flower for the test. Gaius was observing a vial of liquid when the Gwen burst in the chambers, looking disturbed and agitated. Eowyn immediately stopped what she was doing and went to her friends. She never saw her like that. If she was in such a state, something serious must have happened.

"Gwen? What happened?" Eowyn asked, worried, taking her friend's hands into hers.

"My father! Please, he's all I have!" Gwen pleaded. Her eyes were filled with tears and worried. Eowyn didn't have to guess twice to understand that Gwen's father had the sickness.

"Gwen, we have no cure," Gaius said, saddened for the girl.

"I am begging you!" Gwen pleaded again, looking back and forth at Eowyn and Gaius.

"I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what we can achieve," Gaius explained, as gentle as he could.

"I'm sorry, Gwen," Eowyn said, truly sad and pained for her friend. She hoped she could do something but they didn't have a cure.  They weren't even sure how the disease spread. Desperate, Gwen ran away, passing by Merlin that was, too, pain for her.

"There must be something we can do," Merlin said, wanting more than anything else to help Gwen. He couldn't bear to see her like that.

"Our best. Let's hope that this can provide some answers," Gaius said.

"But that'll be too late for Gwen's father!" Merlin pointed out. He really didn't want that to happen. He knew how much Gwen loved her father. He was her only family.

"I fear you may be right," Gaius then but a vial, putting the water and a flower inside. Merlin left to his room.

~~

"How is your father?" Eowyn asked, helping Gwen gathering Morgana's clothes. Sometimes, Eowyn helped Gwen with her maid duties. Gwen seemed better than the day before. Eowyn deducted that something might have happened. She wanted to know in what stade of the sickness her friend's father was so she would have an idea of the time they have to find the cure. Gaius and Eowyn had to speed up, the more they take times, the more people die.

"Better!" Gwen said, joyfully, making Eowyn frowned and stopping what she was doing.

"What do you mean better?" Eowyn asked, confused.

"He's not sick anymore," Gwen smiled widely, recalling the moment her dad wakened up, healed. Eowyn was more than surprised by the news. Gwen's father was the first case to heal. Everyone else died. And according to how worried Gwen was the day before, her father seemed to be in a bad state. So how was it possible? She was shocked but mostly happy for her friend. Gwen will not lose her father.

"I'm so happy for you!" Eowyn widely smiled, sincerely happy for her friend as she opened her arms wide to hug Gwen who gladly accepted it. At the same time, the door opened, revealing a smiling Merlin. The two friends broke away, looking at Arthur's manservant.

"How's your father? Is he feeling better?" Merlin asked, making his sister frowned. How did he know Gwen's father was feeling better? Eowyn carefully looked at her brother, knowing he had done something.