Chapter 13

                                    

                                          


                          
"N-no it's-" Arthur started but Gaius cut him off with a shake of his head and a frienly smile.
                          
"You look just like your mother. I'm surprised yougot this far but King Uther hid every picture of her away after she died" Gaius explained as he gathered together his medicinal hebrs and spices with a knowing face. 
                          
All of a sudden; Merlin's eyes flickered gold an another large tremor ran through Merlin's body like a sword welieded by a viscous knight running through a sad and hungry peasant who have the audacity to beg for additional food in the height of a winter famine. He collapsed to his knees again, saved only from falling to the stone ground by Arthur's strong arms.
                          
"Merlin!" he cried in fear, the magic man was pale and sweaty. He looked ill.
                          
"Arthiur...." Croked Merlin, voice horse like a frog.
                          
"I'm okay. I thought I heard something out of the door. I tried to use my magic to extend my heraing." he explained, Arthur quirked an eyebrow in amusement before his expression gave way to a concerned one as Merlin cried out in pain again.
                          
"You have to stop this Merlin, you know it's not just you any more. You can' t be reckless , like you were when you were just some outlaw living in a treehouse" he expressed passionatenly, one hand holding Merlin's other hand gripping the bench on which he perched on. 
                          
"I'm sorry, honey" gasped Merlin, gasping for the air.
                          
"It'll be okay, baby. Just remember you're not alone. You'll never be alone again." Said Arthur, stroking Merlin's sweating brow and kissing it gently. It pained him to see his mate in such agonies, but he had to be strong, he knew, for the wizzard.
                          
Gaisu had made himself busy while the two men spake, pittering around and making coffee for them all. He calmly handed the streaming hot mug to Arthur, whose left had curled about it, other hand still in Merlin's hand.
                          
"Drink things," said Gaius. Arthur looked at the liquid with a suspisous gaze , but MErlin was thrilled to see it.
                          
"Coffee!" He gasped overjoyed, and took the mug from Gaius joyfully. "I've only had it once before and it was amazing" h reassured Arthur. As he's spent his life in small villiages he had never seen or drank coffee before, and he was suscpicious of it's colour. Dark brown watewr was not supposed to be drunk. Gaius made go ahead motion with his hands. Arthur glared at him but went ahead and drank.
                          
The taste was bitter and suprisongly delicious, Arthur took another gulp while Gaius helped Merlin drink his.  Feeling stronger because of the coffee, the young faced warlock sat up and snugled himself in his boyfriend's arms, snug in an embrace as Gaius cleared his throat to explain what was happening
                          
"You mus stop to using your magic, my boy, every time you do you become weaker. Uther got mand about magic after his son was taken, and he and his trusted servant, Ralph, have found away to stop all magic. That is why you are sick. The spell is killing people with magic eventually. You are Emnyrs a creature of magic, and so you suffer more than most from this cruel spel, it is worse than it would be if you were safe in Ealdor because you're so much gloser. The spell is increasing in size and soon it will get rid of all magic in the country, and then the world" Gaius was very grave about this and Merlin and Arthur were gripped by the horroror of the implications.
                          
"It is also causing disruptions in magic; the world is in balance and as the magic is drained away things are becomingn unbalanced and changing. Magical things keep happening without anyone doing them, the weather is effected, holes in the magic fabric of the worlds keep appearing and taking people to random places." Gaius shook his head sadly.