Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Flower of Eidheann [4]

During their journey back to Camelot, Arthur had made sure to spread out the ivy he'd collected amongst all four of them. He remembered the last time he'd defied his father and gone on a journey to find a cure to help a commoner. Uther had thrown him in the cells without a single care for the flower which could have saved Merlin's life. Having learned from experience, Arthur didn't dare risk the ivy not reaching Arwen in time.

And as he expected, he wasn't surprised to find knights approaching him as soon as he, Leon, Edmund, and Merlin descended from their horses in the castle courtyard. "Sire, the King wishes to speak with you at once." One of the men announced in a hesitant voice, clearly aware that this was going to be yet another argument between father and son which he wasn't too pleased to deliver a summons for.

Nonetheless, Arthur simply nodded his head, passing the reigns of his horse to one of the stable boys who'd come up to him. However, before he followed after the guards, he turned to the three men behind him. "Get the ivy to Gaius. I'll deal with my father." He said confidently, knowing he wouldn't let any one of them get dragged into Uther's wrath over the matter.

And none of them had to be told twice, Leon not sparing a moment before passing his own piece of ivy into Merlin's hands before he and Edmund rushed off into the castle. Their mad dash through the halls resulted in them reaching the physician's chambers in record time, Merlin bursting through the door with such force that Gaius hand went up to his chest in a stunned panic before he realized that it was just the whirlwind of an Ambrosius.

"We have it!" Merlin called out, rushing to the table and dumping the strains of ivy on its wooden surface, Gaius not even sparing a moment before he took it in his own hands. "How is she? We're not too late, are we?" The boy asked, weary eyes looking up to the bedroom door and finding himself fearful of passing through it for a few moments before Gaius' answer came.

"You're not too late, Merlin." He announced. "I've prepared everything I need, only the ivy is left." He added on as Merlin began to move again, this time not hesitating in the slightest as he pushed past the door of the room and moved over to his sister's bedside.

"We're here. We made it." He told her in a quiet voice, hand reaching for hers as soon as he was close enough. He did his best to ignore the more than noticeable changes since he'd last seen her. That first day, she still looked as if she were sleeping, slightly sickly, but sleeping. By now, her skin had gotten even paler if possible, and her face was contorted in an obvious expression of pain as the symptoms of the poison had grown stronger in their absence. "Just a little longer and everything will be okay."

"The antidote is ready." Edmund announced as he too moved through the door of the bedroom, Gaius not far behind him and quick to push past him to get to the other side of Arwen's bed.

"Tilt her head back." The physician instructed, Merlin acting instantly and doing as he was told. "We must be sure she swallows it." Once he was sure Merlin had done it, Gaius removed the cap from the small bottle in his hands, pouring its contents down Arwen's throat and stepping back only once the last drop was gone and swallowed.

"How long will it take?" Merlin questioned impatiently as all three found their eyes glued to the sleeping redhead.

"I'm not sure." Gaius said honestly and because of his answer, each second that passed seemed as if it lasted for eternity. Merlin couldn't be sure how much time really passed, he was too focused, the only sound being that of his own racing heart echoing in his ears as he waited.

It could have been seconds or it could have been hours, he suspected he'd never truly be sure about it, but ultimately it didn't matter either. Not when he heard it. The sharp intake of breath, proper and full, coming from his sister in the moments before her eyes fluttered open and began to look around.