A/N: After a longer break than I'd planned, the coda to S1ep03 of the TV show Merlin, Mark of Nimueh, in which there's an epidemic caused by poisoned water, and Merlin recklessly uses his powers to heal only one man, who is immediately accused of witchcraft, leading to tragedy. His mentor Gaius isn't too happy with him...

***

"Merlin, recite to me the extent of your foolishness today." The words startled him, and Merlin looked up sharply from his bread and cheese. Gaius was looking at him steadily and seemed very serious and very tired. The plague had been taken care of, but it'd been a hard few days for everyone involved.

"Sorry?"

"I hope you are." Gaius clasped his hands in front of him on the table. "I would like you to tell me, exactly, in detail, all the foolish things you've done over the past week. You know what, let me rephrase that, or we'll be here all night; focus on the bigger things, not your usual idiocy."

Nettled, Merlin scowled. "Alright, I know I was reckless curing Gwen's father, but —"

"A list, Merlin. I want a list, not excuses." Gaius frowned. "And quickly. You've had plenty of time to think about it."

Maybe he had, but now that everything had come out more or less alright, he'd stopped thinking about it. The young sorcerer sighed. "I cured Gwen's father, and only him rather than everyone who was sick. I almost got her burned for witchcraft."

"Is that all?"

"Isn't it enough?" He asked, defensive and wary.

"More than enough, but you're not done yet. You also almost exposed yourself as a user of magic- what if Uther had believed you, you idiot? You'd have burned right along with Gwen. Sometimes, Merlin, I think your brain isn't working at all!" Gaius rose from the bench and circled around to Merlin's side. "Did you think at all, boy, when you burst in there? Did you think of the effort that has been put into keeping you alive and safe?"

"I- I- I couldn't let her die for something I'd done!" The protest burst out of Merlin, and Gaius silenced him with a steely glare.

"Quieter, boy. We don't want a passing servant to hear you." The door was closed and, as far as Merlin knew locked as well, but that didn't seem to matter. "Do you have idea of the trouble you could've gotten into?"

"Yes." Merlin hunched into himself, sullen and angry at this unexpected verbal attack. He'd never seen Gaius this angry at him. "And I'm sorry, but —"

"Oh, I understand why you did it. I wish you hadn't had to." Gaius held out a hand to calm him and shook his head slowly. "You enjoy magic, don't you Merlin?"

"Of course I do." What an odd question it was. "I enjoy helping people."

"I'm sure you do." Gaius nodded. "But power comes with consequences. Do you really think that Gwen's father would welcome life, knowing his daughter had been executed as a witch so he could live? Would it really be a righteous, reasoned use of your magic? Think about that, Merlin."

He did, and slowly hung his head. "Ok. I guess I didn't think about it all the way through. But I had no way of knowing they'd blame Gwen!"

"With age will come the ability to foresee possible consequences, should you survive your own stupidity. The way things are in Camelot, accusations of witchcraft are all too easily flung about, and far too dangerous to draw to yourself. You're lucky the king was so willing to believe you're an idiot. You haven't given him much reason to think otherwise, of course." Merlin bristled, but Gaius stopped his reply with another motion of his hand. "No, don't try to defend yourself. As usual, you were luckier than you deserve. But I don't intend to let luck take care of you for much longer, not if I can do something to teach you prudence."

"D- do?" Merlin cast a wary look towards the corner of the room, where a switch stood, so far unused but a palpable threat when he considered it, which wasn't often.

"Yes, do." Gaius followed Merlin's eyes and nodded. "Yes, something like that. You enjoy using magic, don't you?"
"Yes. A lot." It was an incredible rush, even if getting the hang of spells was hard work and tiring. "I know it's dangerous, I try not to do it, honestly, but I can't just stand back and watch people suffer!"

"Then you must learn to <i>think</i>." Gaius rumbled, "And be more discreet. You can't save everybody, Merlin. Sometimes you can't save even one. Still, since magic was the cause of your latest troubles, let's see if wecan do something about it."
"Magic seems to be the cause of all my troubles!" Merlin protested. "This isn't fair."

"Well, life isn't." Gaius shrugged, then muttered a few words Merlin couldn't grasp, though he recognized the magic language and the spatk of energy in the way. The key turned on its own in the lock, securing the door, and Merlin felt himself lifted in the air and splayed out, invisible bonds holding his hands and feet spreadeagled. He tried to struggle but found he couldn't move. "You see, I can use magic for my own needs as well. In this case, it'll save me wearing my arm out on you."

"Aw, come on..." Merlin couldn't believe it. This was so unfair..."But everything ended up fine, no lasting harm done, I've learned my lesson, honest."

"Allow me to reinforce it in a way you'll remember for a few days- and show you the many wonderful uses of magic as well. Note carefully." Gaius waved a hand and the switch in the corner shuddered, but didn't move. Still, Merlin heard something swish in the air behind him, and something slammed into his rear end, leaving behind it what felt like the sting of a dozen hornets. He howled, both in pain and in anger, and bit his tongue on a second scream as another stroke was laid over the first one. It <i>felt</i> as if he was being switched, but the switch itself wasn't moving beyond a faint rustle of twigs. His breeches provided no protection against the force of magic that laid into him again and again.

"You see, Merlin, magic has many and varied uses." Gaius spoke over his grunts and yelps of pain. "In this case, I'm transferring the potential of the switch's punishment directly to your skin, without the physical exertion of it and without risking damage to your breeches."

Merlin wondered, in a vague sort of way, if damage to his behind was any consideration. It certainly felt as if he was being cut to ribbons, cut and welted beyond repair. He flailed, or tried to, but couldn't break the magical hold on him. His breath came in ragged, gasping sobs as the pain increased. "S-stop, please —" It felt like a sort of betrayal; he'd never really thought that Gaius would punish him physically, not like this, not through the twisting of his beloved magic. Everything seemed blurred, his eyes filling and overflowing since he couldn't even reach up to wipe them. The old healer didn't look like he was <i>ever</i> planning to stop, and Merlin had long since lost count of how many strokes he'd been given. He knew that anyone who passed Gaius's door would hear his cries, and in a way that made it even worse.

Without him really noticing it, he found his feet on the floor again, though the magic was still holding him up- which was good, because Merlin had no doubt that he'd collapse if asked to stand under his own power. "I think it'd be best to end this traditionally." Gaius said, mostly to himself, as he picked up the unused switch from the corner and approached Merlin, waving one hand and directing the invisible bonds to stretch the boy over the hard back of a chair. They held him there, tendrils of energy snaking forward to unlace his breeches and tug them down over buttocks that already felt swollen and half numb with pain. "P-please, I get it, really I do." He said, sounding feeble even to his own ears. "No more."

"More, but only some." Gaius had been counting, even if Merlin hadn't, and knew he'd laid on the equivalent of a dozen strokes. Two more would do no lasting harm, and- he hoped- would drive home the point. The healer hefted the switch and studied the expanse of skin revealed to him by the lowered breeches. Already marked- long, dark pink welts fanned out across the uniform pink left by the magical whipping, marks that would last a few days at the very least. The skin hadn't broken, as that hadn't been the intent, and it still wasn't. "You must learn to control yourself, think before you act, and avoid stupid risks." Gaius stressed, laying the switch across the tender crease joining Merlin's behind to his thighs. The boy wailed and struggled, but endured two further strokes to the same spot simply because he had no choice in the matter. Finally, when he'd almost stopped believing it would ever end, the magical restraints disappeared and he slowly toppled down to the floor, barely noticing the thump and the bruises he was sure to have the next day. They became rather insignificant, compared to the blazing inferno of agony in his rear.

It took Merlin several long moments to regain enough control over himself to even consider talking, and when he did, he opened his mouth to tell Gaius exactly what he thought about him- and stopped. He didn't hate his mentor, despite the pain. He was angry, and hurt, but entirely sgainst his will he understood why Gaius had punished him. He'd hated the <i>fact</i> of the punishment, the act of it, but not the man who'd delivered it. The young warlock heaved a deep sigh, sniffed and wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Gaius, who'd stood by in silence and let him calm down, nodded. "I know. You're also remarkably lucky. Let's try not to test your luck again, alright? It might run out."

"Y-yeah." Merlin carefully pulled himself upright, holding on to the chair, nearly falling when it wobbled under his weight. "Think it just did. God. That was vicious, Gaius."

"It was what you deserved. Do you understand why?"

He sighed again and nodded. "I guess. I- I could've gotten into a lot of trouble, even more than I did."

"Certainly." Gaius helped him across the room, steering him not to his bed but to an empty corner. "Stand there and think about the recklessness of your actions for a while, will you? I'll go let Arthur know you won't be available to serve him until tomorrow at least."

"Ok." Merlin let his shoulders slump and leaned most of his weight on the wall, feeling like a wrung rag. "Just...Don't tell him why? Please?" He didn't think he'd be able to stand the humiliation of being reminded of this over and over again. Bad enough that Arthur had spanked him once, and occasionally threatened to repeat the practice.

"I won't." Gaius promised, "But there's a fair chance that half the castle heard you howling, and rumors move quite quickly..." Merlin groaned in misery and bumped his head against the wall. "None of that. Stand there and think, boy, think for a change. The walls are thick and the door was locked. Unless Arthur happened to stand right outside and listen, I imagine he knows nothing. I'll be back soon and I'd better find you exactly where I left you."

"You will." Merlin promised. As if he could move, really. He leaned against the cool stone, mindless of the breeches still puddled around his knees, and swore he would never find himself in this kind of situation again. Swore- and even as he did knew it'd probably happen again anyway. But he promised himself to at least try to avoid it in the future.