Just as Kay and Merlin were hurrying back to Camelot day and night, Arthur's condition had already taken a severe turn for the worse. This time, King Uther refused to enter Arthur's room. This wasn't because King Uther didn't love his son—quite the opposite. He was more heartbroken now than he had ever been. He simply couldn't stand watching Arthur wrestle with death while he stood by, completely helpless.
He couldn't bring himself to face the sight of his son ravaged by sickness, so he chose to flee. He stayed right outside Arthur's chamber but couldn't muster the courage to take a single step inside.
King Uther leaned against the window, looking out at the crowds gathered outside the palace. They had come voluntarily to the palace gates to bid farewell to their Prince. Holding candles and with their heads bowed, they silently prayed for Arthur, hoping their Prince would have a peaceful passing.
Meanwhile, after making his final efforts, Gaius also left Arthur's room. Only Morgana and a few servants remained inside to perform the final washings for their Prince. It was clear that by now, no one held any hope left.
Gaius looked at his old friend standing alone and vacant by the window, and his heart ached. But, ever the responsible one, Gaius quietly stepped up behind King Uther, offered a slight bow, and gently asked, "My liege, is there anything further I can do for you?"
"The people... they are already starting to say goodbye to him," King Uther's voice was heavy with exhaustion and grief.
Gaius opened his mouth, but in the end, could only offer a weak, "He has not left us yet, Your Majesty."
"But he will never recover!" King Uther had utterly abandoned hope.
"Perhaps a miracle is still possible. Sir Kay took Merlin to find the antidote for Arthur. Maybe they will return with a solution very soon."
The reason for Kay's absence couldn't be kept secret—after all, he had been missing for almost a month, and at such a critical time. The soldiers had returned from the front, but Kay was still nowhere to be found, so even a less observant King Uther would realize something was wrong. Thus, a while ago, Uther had learned part of the truth from Gaius: that Kay had gone to seek a cure. It was this faint glimmer of hope that had kept Uther from despairing even after Arthur's illness worsened again.
But now... King Uther had lost his nerve. Kay had been gone for too long.
"I don't believe in miracles..." After saying this, Uther prepared to turn and leave. He needed to find a resting place for Arthur in the ancestral tombs. But just as he was about to depart, a sudden commotion erupted outside the palace gates.
King Uther quickly moved to the window to look out. The crowd outside the gates, holding candles to send off Arthur, parted like a wave. Kay, riding his warhorse, galloped down the cleared path, heading straight for the palace entrance.
Seeing his foster son, the King, who had been completely resigned to tragedy, felt a surge of hope. He had absolutely no options left; he could only pray that Kay would bring a miracle.
Kay rushed into the palace, covered in road dust. He didn't stop for anything, heading straight for Arthur's room. The scene at the palace gates had terrified him, and he could only pray that Arthur was alright.
When he burst into Arthur's chamber, he was shocked by the sight: Morgana and the servants were tearfully giving Arthur his final preparations. They had cleaned Arthur's body, dressed him in the most magnificent clothes, and were applying spices to his body. (Applying spices wasn't about roasting Arthur, but an ancient custom—I recall it in Egypt, and I think in parts of Europe too—used for preservation.)
This was a funeral procession in the making!
If Kay hadn't been able to see the faint rise and fall of Arthur's chest, he truly would have collapsed onto the floor.
"Kay!" Morgana cried out in surprise and joy at his appearance. Just moments ago, Morgana had felt the same despair as King Uther, but Kay's arrival gave them a final thread of hope.
Kay had no time to speak with Morgana. He strode to Arthur's bedside and roughly pushed aside the servants making the final preparations. He pinched Arthur's cheeks to open his mouth, pulled the silver flask of Holy Water from his cloak, and poured its entire contents down Arthur's throat.
Initially, Arthur couldn't manage to swallow the Holy Water, but as the liquid flowed in, his natural swallowing reflex grew stronger, and he began gulping down the water greedily.
Once the Holy Water was finished, Arthur's symptoms began to rapidly improve. The deathly pale face started to show a touch of color. Though he still looked terrible, he was no longer on the verge of death as he had been just moments before.
Feeling the poison in Arthur's body rapidly weaken and his life force stabilize, Kay knew Arthur was out of immediate danger.
As Arthur's life was saved, the high tension Kay had been operating under finally snapped. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and he couldn't stand it anymore, collapsing directly onto Arthur's bed.
This scene was witnessed by King Uther and Gaius, who had just rushed in. Both old men were alarmed. King Uther's worry was that one son was already almost gone, and if his other son were also to collapse, he wouldn't want to live.
Gaius's concern was more serious. He knew where Kay had gone and the nature of ancient magic. He was afraid Kay had exchanged his own life for Arthur's cure.
The two old men rushed to Kay's side. King Uther didn't even check on Arthur first; he grabbed hold of Kay and urgently demanded of Gaius, "Quickly! What is wrong with Kay?!"
Gaius was just as quick. He began a full physical examination of Kay the moment King Uther embraced him.
The results quickly came in, much to Gaius's relief. Though Kay had a slight fever and cold, there was nothing seriously wrong. He was simply too exhausted and unwell to stay conscious and had fallen asleep.
"He's fine, Your Majesty. His body is perfectly sound. He is just utterly exhausted. A period of rest and he will recover," Gaius said, his eyes darting around. He was looking for someone—his foolish apprentice. He realized Kay had returned alone, and his goofy student was nowhere to be seen.
He desperately wanted to ask Kay why Merlin wasn't with him, but the current situation offered no opportunity to ask.
Hearing Gaius's diagnosis, King Uther let out a massive sigh of relief. He immediately ordered Morgana and her attendants to take Kay away to rest. Morgana, who had been on edge, quickly followed the King's instruction and had Kay carried back to his room.
Once Kay and the others had departed, King Uther finally pulled Gaius over to examine Arthur.
Gaius realized he still had a patient here, and now was truly not the time to worry about Merlin's whereabouts. Although Gaius was mostly sure Arthur would be fine—Kay wouldn't have rushed back like that without the cure—he still had his duty to perform.
After a thorough examination of Arthur, Gaius joyfully announced to King Uther, "This is excellent, Your Majesty! The poison in Arthur's system has been completely neutralized. I believe it won't be long before Arthur is fully recovered."
King Uther had no mind to worry about where Kay had found the antidote; he simply kept repeating, "Thank goodness. Thank goodness. Thank goodness."
Now that the tension was released, King Uther felt utterly weak, but this wasn't sickness—it was overwhelming joy that left him momentarily disoriented. After a while, King Uther collected himself. He sent Gaius to perform a more detailed check-up on Kay and to prescribe medicine for his cold, while he himself remained by Arthur's side.