Luminescence ✺ Arthur Pendragon

The Mark of Nimueh [2]

Arwen, Gaius and Merlin found themselves looking at yet another body of a woman that had been brought to their chambers. Another victim of the disease which had spread through Camelot at such a quick pace. It replaced the man who had previously been there, while he was placed in the courtyard along with the many bodies of the deceased, all killed by the sickness they still had no answers for.

"What's different about this victim?" Gaius asked, hoping to give Merlin another lesson in his area of expertise. He knew Arwen would be quick to conclude what the death of the woman could tell them, and unlike Merlin she didn't instantly answer, instead she silently observed, her expression making it clear that the wheels of her mind were turning.

"Er... she's a woman." Merlin pointed out the most obvious thing, and was Arwen listening to him she would have most likely rolled her eyes at him.

"Sometimes I do wonder whether you're a magical talents were given to the right person. Anything else?" Gaius asked, understanding that he would most likely have to draw a map for Merlin for him to be able to reach the right answer.

"Erm... she's a courtier." Merlin said after taking a better look and noticing the woman's attire. Gaius gave out a noise, giving Merlin a sign that he was on the right track. "But how does that help us?" He asked, and as he did, Arwen quickly realized the differences of lifestyle that separated the people from the lower town and those within the court. Only one thing connected them.

"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?" Gaius edged him on with a pointed expression, hoping Merlin would soon get the point of what he was trying to see. He could notice it on Arwen's face that she had already figured it out, but was finding amusement as Merlin stumbled around the facts that were right in front of him.

"Erm... that, that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople." Gaius looked as if he were in pain because of Merlin's daft reply, but Arwen gave a small nod of her head. In a way he was pointing out a good thing. With the lack of interaction she must've had with others who had been infected it solidified the claim that the disease didn't spread through contact. Although, with how much they had been around the ill, it was already safe to assume that was the case, or all three of them would have caught it by now.

"Oh, and they probably ate different food." Merlin quickly added on. Even the three of them were exposed to different dietary options than the people occupying the streets of Camelot. A woman of nobility would most likely not be exposed to any of the same food as the other victims they had come across.

"Good. Anything else?" Gaius asked, seeing that Merlin was starting to go in the right direction towards the answers.

"I doubt they breathe the same air." Merlin said after a moment passed of him thinking through the other possibilities and differences.

"So what's the only thing they do share?" Arwen asked him with a raised eyebrow, truly hoping he would get to the right answer by now.

"Water." He said, for a moment not even realizing it before it dawned on him what he had said. "Water? You think the disease is spread through water?" He asked Gaius in surprise. But it did make sense, after all it was the easiest medium which would allow the most people to be affected.

"Merlin you're a prodigy." Gaius said with sarcasm laced through his voice and Arwen laughed. Ignoring the insincere compliment, Merlin quickly moved around the table, grabbing a bucket.

"I'll go get some right now!" He exclaimed before rushing out the door without another word being said. Arwen looked to Gaius to find him shaking his head at the boy.

"What is it Gaius?" She asked with a smile.

"I was hoping you could do that while Merlin went to tell Arthur of our findings, after all it would be wise to protect our King and Prince from the possibility of getting infected themselves." Gaius said with a sigh making Arwen give out a laugh.