Love, Faith and Family

Chapter 80

Miriam was avoiding Arthur like the plague.

He'd gotten so used to seeing her every day that his days didn't feel right when he didn't. Now, whenever he called for a healer, Gaius would respond rather than his apprentice who was back on her feet but with the assistance of a cane, mostly to keep up pretences as Merlin's magic took away the majority, if not all, of her physical pain, as well as healing her back at an accelerated rate. She smiled a lot less though. Even Gwaine was only able to get a few out of her, but he got them out which was an accomplishment in itself. She put on a brave face, but you could clearly tell she was broken inside.

And as for Arthur, he was in no better shape as he went about his duties, deciding it would be best to give her a little bit of space as she was always with her brother or one of the knights that glared at him whenever they saw him coming.

It was understandable that their loyalty to her was stronger.

However, it was a welcome distraction when Guinevere brought a woman to see him. An old friend of hers from a small village in Camelot's mountains, who told him how they were ravaged by a plague that took three men already.

Gaius was unable to go as there had been a small outbreak of sweating sickness within the lower town already, him having seen four patients while Miriam saw another two.

The physician had volunteered Miriam in his place though, believing that his apprentice was more than skilled enough to offer treatment.

Gladly agreeing to go, Arthur gave her an escort of all the knights of the round table, along with her brother whom he asked to take care of her.

Merlin had only shrugged him off.

Gone was his snarky servant that somewhat enjoyed his banter with the king, and in his place was a quiet, frowning man that simply did as he was told.

He'd also accompanied his sister on the journey, as did Guinevere.

It was about a day's travel, the group barely making it before nightfall as Gwen jumped off her horse to greet her old friend.

"Where's Gaius?" the man, John asked.

"I'm sorry, he was needed in Camelot, but I will help in any way that I can. I'm his apprentice," Miriam said as she approached him, Gaius' medicine bag strapped around her body.

"We're living in fear for our lives. We need a skilled physician, not an apprentice," John said to Gwen.

"Her name is Miriam," Elyan spoke up, a hand on her shoulder.

"And the number of people she's healed is greater than the population of this village," Leon added.

"And she's healed everything from arrow wounds to enchantments to poisonous bites from a Questing Beast," Percival piped up.

"And should you refuse her help, I should love to see how you plan to fight a plague without the faintest knowledge of healing," Gwaine challenged, and Miriam slapped his shoulder.

"They mean well. And Miriam was appointed acting physician by King Arthur himself," Gwen informed him, Miriam's eyebrows rising in surprise slightly. She hadn't known that.

"I only want to help. Can you please show me where they are?" she asked and John pointed at a small storage house, Miriam nodding in thanks before walking into it with Merlin, Gwen and John on her heels.

The three men were as grey as corpses as they lay on the cots, Miriam setting down Gaius' medicine bag as she burrowed through it in search of a mirror.

"They're alive but only just," she stated as she observed the light fog of breath that was stained on it. "How long have they been like this?"

"Two or three days," John answered. "We've tried to feed them, keep them warm, but nothing seems to make any difference."