#A remedy to cure all ills

[kissme-withyour-cherrylipstick]

I caught the Lady Morgana staring at her maidservant 😳

1x06 A Remedy to Cure All Ills

[dandelionjack]

continuing with merlin. just watched a remedy to cure all ills. the politics of this show are nigh indecipherable at the moment… is it or is it not reactionary? “the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun magic spell is a good guy with a gun magic spell”

are we supposed to sympathise with uther, a fascistic despot who in this case brutally executed this kid’s parents for living openly, leaving him scarred and traumatised?? are we supposed not to cheer on edwin as he prepares to end the king’s reign of terror once and for all?

^this man did nothing wrong. his motives were completely logical, his desire to finally overthrow uther, ushering in an age of liberation for sorcerers, was 100% justified, not only given his past, but simply based on the concept of “human rights”, “freedom of expression” and the like — ideas foreign to a medieval mind, yes, but surely not to the script writers… surely the narrative should be condemning gaius for being the epitome of a complicit so-called liberal, a man who betrayed his former friends and colleagues in exchange for a cushy position at court, hypocritical and self-serving…

but no. we’re meant to be glad that the menace of edwin was defeated, and that the status quo (hurrah) oppressive to our protagonist has been preserved. i don’t know, it probably gets better later, i’m probably complaining too early on, i’ve only seen 5 episodes. but jesus fuck, people, get it together!

[witchmd13]

society if edwin was allowed to kill uther in a remedy to cure all ills

[arcanespillo]

A Remedy To Cure All Ills /Merlin, s1e06

[xviruserrorx]

MerlinRewatch2023 -> "A Remedy To Cure All Ills" Paradise Lost ~ Masterlist [Prev <- • -> Next]

[badly-explained-merlin-plots]

A Remedy to Cure All Ills - What if telemarketers had magic

[thesorcerersshadow]

presented without comment

[weepingpeachdragon]

Honestly, I see it as the turning point where it all went wrong. Many think the turning point has to do with Morgana or Arthur, but it is this moment the future of the series is set.

Edwin was the first sorcerer who wasn’t a straight up villain. He did purposely make Morgana sick and cured her, but he didn’t kill anyone in his quest for revenge, not even Gaius who he justifiably also had a grudge against. He merely got him fired and out of the way.

In the end, his motives were simple. All he wanted was to kill the man, the monster, who sentenced his parents and so many more to a slow painful death. To stop him for hurting anyone else. For there to never be another child who runs into the fire to save his parents.

And it was all set up beautifully. The way Merlin and him connected, him telling Merlin that a gift like his should be used and nurtured. Merlin saying Gaius doesn’t like him using it. The backstory. The reveal of Gaius dubious past. Underlined by the way Gaius was immediately ready to turn him in when he realized his parents had been sorcerers. It slowly unfolds and you start to question previous events, all the times Gaius stopped Merlin. Even the way he, the court physician, left a sick person to die on the road during the afnac. I mean, is this really the right person to guide Merlin’s morals?

For the first time, the sorcerer of the week doesn’t seem like the villain anymore. It is no longer as simple as “kill the villain and get rid of the threat”. You even start to wonder if he should, or if the right thing to do is to let him do it. For the tyrant to die. Then the conflict of his duty to his kin and his duty to Arthur begins. Can he live with letting his friend’s father die? Can he live with saving a tyrant who will continue to kill his kind?

Then… the writers backed out of it. And what happened next not only set the tone but the future of the series in stone. Because, suddenly Edwin goes Muahaha evil and becomes a power hungry sorcerer who wants the throne, as if his parents were just an excuse (this happens to Morgana later as well). And Gaius is no longer dubious as Edwin’s parents were apparently DARK magic users, so he was not at all at fault for watching his friends burn. And, also, now Edwin knows Merlin is Emrys, though it hasn’t changed his non existent ruler plan in the least. As if that wasn’t enough to force Merlin’s hands, Edwin suddenly goes lethal attack without even trying to reason or even mention his motivations. Nope, no talking, just a villainous line, then ax. You would expect the Edwin from before to, at most, apologetically knock Merlin out if he got in his way. But the narrative needs a justification for his death and Merlin can’t exactly kill him with a stun spell, so ax flung back into the face it is. Talk about gory.

To tie all this mess up, Gaius makes Merlin risk his life and perform magic on the king himself to save him. He doesn’t even give him a chance to object and just says “We don’t have a choice” right to his face when Merlin hesitates and brings up the risks. There is no time for Merlin to even think about if it’s the right thing to do or to process Edwin’s gory gory death. Just “You have to” because I say so.

*

*

*

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Gaius character needs to go, but that this was the perfect opportunity to explore it. Both for us and for Merlin. Especially Merlin. He needed to see Gaius’s mistakes and past and be able to take that into account when receiving advice from him. It would stop him from blindly following his words and maybe have some more fate in his own morals and decisions. It would have made him able to reach out to Morgana and help her, I also think the magic reveal would have happened way sooner. Even if he did end up healing Uther this time for Arthur.

Merlin killing a fellow magic user in defense of Gaius (and the monarchy) and Merlin using his first healing magic incantation on Uther Pendragon in s1 ep6 really set the tone on how he was gonna handle his destiny tbh.

[cynthia39100]

Merlin rewatch -- S1E6: A Remedy to Cure All Ills

Uther and Gaius

So, Uther and Gaius’ friendship was a big theme in this episode. A lot of questionable actions Gaius took were “for Uther’s sake” (he said the exact line himself to Geoffrey), so his devotion was apparent, even though the episode still didn’t tell us why. Apart from that, Uther also showed A LOT of his trust and friendship with Gaius it’s unreal.

When Arthur proposed to let Edwin treat Morgana, Uther glanced at Gaius for approval before allowing Arthur to fetch Edwin. I quite like that subtle exchange.

He wasn’t acting hostile after Edwin healed Morgana. He asked Edwin to stay, but he didn’t want to replace Gaius. Edwin was smart. He didn’t outright accuse Gaius’ incapability but used a very convincing argument: age. If Edwin was honest, Gaius truly didn’t recognize Morgana’s illness, it was very dangerous. (Although I think the prominent issue was they only had one physician so there was no good judgement base…)

Uther looked genuinely torn by the decision to retire Gaius. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t ask Gaius to leave. He gave Gaius as much dignity and support as he could. When Gaius tried to defend himself, he was willing to listen. The look when he looked up at Gaius from the chair… it was like he lost his soul. And he kept showing that face in the later scenes too! They worked so hard to make us feel the dilemma in Gaius.

Finally, Uther apologized and appreciated Gaius’ contribution to defeating magic, and Gaius comforted him that he always did what he thought was right. An uncomfortably familiar exchange between King and his trusted advisor… I just hope Arthur and Merlin won’t become like them.

<- Prev Next -> [other episodes]

[soulprompts]

CARING FOR THE SICK PROMPTS.

i found this list and kinda fed into it each time i got the flu or a migraine, and u know what, it's just me revealing just how much i love the caring threads and the soft threads and the fondly exasperated "let me help you" threads! use at your pleasure, DO NOT ADD TO THE LIST NOR EDIT IT! i will be changing it accordingly!

" i found you passed out in the kitchen. you wanna stop working yourself so hard? or do i need to keep hitting the gym to carry you to bed every day? "

" you're burning up. "

" your neighbour called me and said you could use a nurse. looks like they were right, too. "

" you were told to take it easy, so... yeah. this is kinda on you. "

" you took a sick day. you NEVER take a sick day. so yeah, i got worried, and i figured i'd come over and keep an eye on you. "

" you texted me a long and incoherent text that held about 90% of the emoji list and about four different languages. figured it wouldn't hurt to drop by and see how you were doing. "

" how long have you been sick for? and don't lie. "

" you look like hell. "

" i brought you some soup; let me heat some up for you? "

" okay. it's time you went to the hospital. "

" hey… hello there, sleeping beauty. you gave me a bit of a scare yesterday. how are you feeling? "

" i swear, if you even think of getting out of that bed… "

" you know when i said to call if it's an emergency? a fever is most DEFINITELY considered an emergency! "

" if you think you're going to work like this, you better think again. "

" don't worry. my family swears by this remedy; just let it work its magic and you'll feel good as new in no time. "

" I don't care about getting sick. i'm not leaving you until you're back to full health. "

" you didn't stop to think that this might happen when you're burning the candle at both ends? "

" yeah, I can play the role of nurse AND say "I told you so" at the same time, actually. "

" you better drink every last drop of this tea, no matter how disgusting it is. "

" i told my boss it was an emergency so they've given me a full week to look after you. "

" quit being so stubborn and get into BED! "

" what part of doctor's orders hasn't sunk in yet? bed rest! for the WEEK! "

" right, where do you keep your saucepans? i'm going to make you my famous noodle soup. it's a cure-all, i'm telling you! "

" hey, unless you're going to the bathroom or the sofa, I don't want to see you out of that bed. got it? "

" when are you gonna start letting people look after you, huh? "

" i know, i know, i turned off all the lights once i figured you had the migraine. you want some tea? water? "

" don't be mad, but i saw your fridge, and... it frightened me. so i've taken you back to my place, and i'm gonna get deliveroo to bring some groceries to your place tomorrow. okay? "

" i know your appetite is a little off, so i ordered in a whole tonne of options. just try a little bit of something, please? for me? "

" i've brought half a pharmacy, enough movies and boardgames to last us a decade, and every single snack i could fit into the basket at the grocery store. so sit your butt down, eat your soup, and try and make the most of your bed rest for the next week, will you? "

ACTION PROMPTS ( SEND THE FULL LINE! and feel free to reverse if u wish! ):

[ TOUCH ]: sender gently rests a hand against the receiver's forehead to check their temperature.

[ DAMP ]: sender presses a cool cloth against the receiver's face, neck and forehead to try and lower their fever.

[ BLANKET ]: sender wraps another blanket around the receiver to try and stop them from shivering.

[ SPOON ]: sender gently coaxes spoons of soup into the receiver's mouth to build up their strength after an illness.

[ CARRY ]: sender, finding the receiver weakened/unconscious on the floor, immediately lifts them up and carries them back to bed.

[ AROUND ]: sender keeps a protective arm around the receiver to help them walk without the risk of stumbling or collapsing.

[ STAY ]: sender decides to stay by the receiver's bedside after learning that they're sick.

[ HAIR ]: sender smooths back the receiver's hair in a soothing gesture to try and help them go back to sleep.

[ TILT ]: sender tips a bottle of water up for the receiver to sip from.

[ HUM ]: sender hums/sings to soothe a sick receiver back to sleep.

[ BACK ]: sender gently rubs the receiver's back, either to soothe them or warm them while they're unwell.

[ SHARE ]: sender climbs into the receiver's sickbed with them, wrapping their arms around them to offer warmth and comfort.

[ SHOWER ]: sender, learning the receiver has a high fever, takes a cold shower with them in order to lower their temperature.

[ WAKEN ]: the receiver wakes up in bed, having been found unconscious by the sender and carried into the bed from the floor.

[ QUARANTINE ]: the sender and receiver, both being sick, decide to quarantine together and spend the recovery period with each other.

[godmerlin]

Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon

1x06 A Remedy to Cure All Ills

[adore-laur]

Can you make a blurb focusing on the second baby? I don't know something like her needing a moment with Harry or her getting sick

IN SICKNESS & IN HEALTH

——

"Open your mouth, honey."

You obeyed, and Harry gently slid an oral thermometer under your tongue. When you closed your lips around it, the metal tip provided a coolness that briefly offset the fever blazing through your immune system. Frankly, you didn't need an official temperature check to recognize you were fighting a viral infection, but Harry had insisted every aspect of you be monitored closely. He was currently whisking around the bedroom, ensuring you were being doted on like a princess. In your febrile state, where surreal thoughts flowed freely, you wondered if he'd been a doctor in one of his past lives. Those large, veined hands in skin-tight exam gloves. Manspreading on a swivel stool while listening intently to a patient's concerns. Diligent, respectful touches during routine checkups. Was it deranged to be jealous of the faceless people in your fever-induced fantasy? Maybe. All you knew was that it heated your body even more.

A bout of rigors had roused you in the middle of the night, which left you violently shivering in Harry's embrace. While semi-conscious, you had thought nothing of it. Hours later, after miraculously falling asleep in a cocoon of two thick blankets plus a heated one, you had awoken in a pool of sweat with a fever on the horizon. Now, in the early morning darkness, there was no choice but to try to break it. You had plenty of fluids nearby, comfy pillows for your heavy limbs, and a husband who was at your beck and call. And best of all, the sleep-aid medication you had taken earlier was working wonderfully.

After a silent minute of Harry staring at you sympathetically with his knuckles pressed against your unusually warm forehead, the thermometer beeped. He took it out, and when he read the result, a frown appeared on his lips.

"Am I dying?" you asked hoarsely, your eyelids drooping shut. Every part of you felt weak with exhaustion. The sinus pressure was a sucker punch whenever you moved your head.

"One hundred point seven degrees. Not good." Harry sighed and quickly left the bedroom on a mission to cure your symptoms. You laughed a little, which turned into a wheezy cough. The only real cure was rest and hydration, so you were curious what his magical remedy could consist of.

Distantly, you heard sounds in the kitchen. Cupboards shutting and utensils clinking. Was he making something? Your illness diminished any appetite for breakfast. Granted, it was five in the morning, not the typical time you ate.

The girls were still sleeping, and in the intimate shadows before dawn, when only you and Harry were awake, it felt like the old days. Back when you'd kiss him goodbye in his one-room apartment before he left for work earlier than any man had a right to do. Young, scraping by, and smitten with each other. He'd shown you what infatuation felt like. In those otherwise minor moments, you'd seen glimpses of the promising years ahead. A man who'd be devoted to healing your wounds during every tribulation life presented. A gentle presence, full of pure intentions, tender love, and perceptiveness. And all of it had translated beautifully into marriage and fatherhood.

You drifted off with sweet thoughts prancing around your mind. An hour later, Harry returned. The subtle scent of ginger and garlic lured you back into consciousness. By the foot of the bed, he held a bowl of soup, and you sniffled while sitting up. A dizzying rush of blood pulsed against your skull.

"I want you to eat this and drink an entire glass of water before sleeping," Harry ordered, rounding the bed to your side. He set the bowl on the nightstand, steam wispily wafting up toward the amber lamplight. You decided not to tell him you already indulged in a snooze.

"Copy that, Dr. Styles," you said. Soup for breakfast? Sure, why not?

He met your gaze, unhumored. "I'm serious. The ginger will hopefully soothe your throat. There's lemon juice in it for some vitamin C. Red lentils for a protein boost. Let me know if it isn't savory enough."

You smiled to yourself, knowing he thrived off refining his culinary creations until they were nothing short of excellence. "I'm sure it's perfect. Thank you."

"It might be too hot to eat yet," he said, fluffing the pillow beside you and pulling the comforter further up your legs. "Can I get you anything else? Where's your cold compress?"

"Why are you so worried?" you asked. "You've seen me sick dozens of times."

He placed his hands on his hips, maybe as a way to stop himself from fidgeting. "Doesn't mean I like it. In fact, I hate it."

"It could be worse." You shrugged, thinking of all the times you had held a puke bucket. If you had one thing to feel good about right now, it was that you didn't have food poisoning. Hallelujah.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, the curly ends sticking up among his natural bedhead. "I'm wondering if one of the girls passed it on to you."

"Probably," you murmured. "All kids are germ magnets." Your eldest was currently getting over a cold. No fever, thankfully, just the sniffles and a wet cough that made you wince every time you heard it.

"I should check on them," he said, seeming hesitant to leave you. He gestured to the nightstand. "By the time I get back, I want half that water gone and three spoonfuls of soup in your belly. Okay?"

"Wow, you're a no-nonsense doctor." You picked up the bowl of soup, its warmth spreading across your palms. It smelled deliciously herby. "Mmm, and a very talented chef. Have you ever thought about becoming one?"

Fondly, Harry shook his head with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're strangely vivacious for a woman bedridden with a fever."

"Maybe I just like it when you dote on me," you said candidly. It was often outwardly shown through his actions, like today when he cooked soup from scratch for you and kept track of your symptoms, but his subtle attentiveness was your favorite. As a husband, it was how he would lead you through a crowded room, his hand tightly grasping yours to ensure you never strayed far. How he would carve out time for conversations together, whether they were ones of reminiscence, ones revolving around the future, or ones of harmless banter. How he would touch you with purpose, making you feel safe, adored, and most of all, like the most important person in the world. In public and at home with no one watching. He had chosen you in this life, and you reaped the benefits of his devotion every day.

"Just fulfilling my marriage vows," Harry replied, grabbing the baby monitor and turning to leave. You smiled, set the soup back in its place, and sunk into the mattress, feeling the strong urge to sleep the day away. It would take too much energy to lift a spoon or glass to your mouth, so you disregarded Harry's sensible advice and closed your eyes against the rising sun.

——

Harry took slow steps down the hallway while typing a note on his phone that reminded him what time he had checked your temperature and the unfortunate result of 100.7 degrees. You'd been right about him witnessing you under the weather on many occasions before—from the flu to hangovers to stomach bugs to pregnancy nausea—but it still pained him to see you weak and lethargic. He was doing everything he could to nurse you back to health as soon as possible.

A sound coming from the baby monitor wedged under his armpit stopped him dead in his tracks. He heard a couple of coos, followed by the buildup to a piercing cry that made his heart drop. They weren't the usual cries that his six-month-old baby girl woke him up with. And considering it was still before six a.m., the time she commonly needed a feeding, something was amiss.

Rushing to her nursery, Harry's mind went to the worst-case scenario. Had she escaped her crib? Was there a chance she had hurt herself? It had been nerve-wracking enough transitioning her from sleeping in a bedside bassinet to her own room. Harry feared not being right next to her during the night, but the positive was that it allowed for a smoother bedtime routine—both girls in their separate rooms, away from noise and other distractions. His mantra to help him sleep at night was, They're safe, they're safe, they're safe.

When Harry reached her crib after turning on the ceiling light, he was relieved to see her still there, looking mostly the same as the last instance he checked on her a few hours ago. This time, though, her face was screwed up as she wailed at full volume. She was communicating a need he wasn't sure of yet, and while he prided himself immensely on being able to translate her cries and swoop in with a remedy within seconds, this one was foreign. It alarmed him.

"What's the matter, my love?" He picked her up, and instantly, the answer became clear. The damp spot on her sheets. Her skin warm and clammy to the touch. Her refusal to breastfeed at her usual schedule yesterday. "Oh, no."

He had hoped the infection wouldn't be contagious and spread to everyone in the family. But, like you'd said, kids attracted germs from just about anywhere and anything.

"Please don't tell me you have a fever," Harry whispered, cupping her head and pacing around the room helplessly. "I can't handle all of my girls being sick."

She continued crying, and Harry pinched his eyes shut as he mentally went through a list of how to reliably bring her fever down. The first step was to take her pajamas off—the precious fleece onesie with snowflakes that he'd bought for the winter season. He set her on the changing table and undid the snap fasteners until she was left in only her diaper. The fever was apparent in the way she was flushed from head to toe.

"Let's ask Mommy what to do," Harry murmured to himself. He didn't want to proceed with any remedies without your consent, so he placed his daughter back in his arms and walked out to the hallway. "We'll make it better, I promise."

Unsurprisingly, you were already halfway to where he was, no doubt having heard her crying lasting longer than normal. You looked dog-tired, but the motherly instinct you possessed always overpowered it. "What's going on?" you rasped.

"I think she might have what you have. She sweat through the sheets and is burning up."

Your expression transformed into guilt as you slumped against the wall. "Great."

Harry came closer, bending to meet your eyes. "Hey," he said softly, "don't blame yourself. It's hard to avoid."

"I know, but... I really tried to be careful." You sighed, stroking his daughter's back. "I washed my hands before I touched her. Bathed her twice a day."

"You did everything right, baby," he assured. "She has a tiny immune system that's still developing, so it doesn't take much to catch a bug."

When you didn't respond, he said, "Let me take care of her. You should be in bed resting. Did you do what I asked?"

"No, I fell asleep," you muttered with a rueful wince.

Harry couldn't bear to be disappointed when you looked so miserable. "It's okay." His baby girl released another cry, and he pivoted to the serious matter at hand. "I was going to take her temperature."

You sniffled and rubbed at your forehead, which was probably aching with pressure. "If her temperature is higher than one hundred, we need to call the doctor. For now, open a window and feed her a bottle. If that doesn't cool her down, let me know and we'll try giving her some Tylenol."

Harry nodded. A part of him knew all of this information by heart, but he always sought your advice in these urgent moments. As the old saying went—mother knows best.

He kissed your cheek while gently squeezing your wrist in gratitude, not caring if he got sick—it was inevitable at this point. "Water and soup, please. Then rest."

"I promise."

Heading to the kitchen with a fussy, feverish baby wriggling in his arms, Harry opened the patio door to let the crisp January breeze in. The first streaks of light were brightening the space little by little. He got to work by taking a bottle of breast milk out of the refrigerator. He took her outside on the porch, positioning her in the crook of his arm to feed. To his relief, she latched onto the nipple and began drinking. She recently learned how to hold the bottle by herself, so Harry used the opportunity to get the ear thermometer from the bathroom.

Back outside, he took her temperature on the wicker patio chair. After a few seconds, it gave him a reading of 99.3, which thankfully meant no doctor visit today. Harry could breathe a little easier as he slowly rocked her in his arms, observing her behavior. The milk seemed to help hydrate her and alleviate her distressed cries. Her skin was still warm, and he felt like natural remedies only worked to a certain degree. He planned to give her a dose of medicine before her next nap. It would cure what he couldn't.

Once the bottle was half empty, Harry stepped back inside and closed the door behind him. He was working up a sweat with all this running around the house, but he enjoyed tending to everyone's needs.

He returned to the bedroom. The sunrise's soft glow shed over your frame curled up under the comforter, and he could see that you were awake. Looking at the nightstand, he smiled when he noticed a good portion of your soup and water gone.

"I think she'll be all right," he said quietly, setting the empty baby bottle on the dresser and sitting beside you on the mattress. His daughter whined, but for now, her shrieks were no more. "Just a low-grade fever. We'll keep an eye on it."

You nodded and whispered, "Thank you for everything."

Harry didn't say anything in response. He didn't have to, because this was what a family did—take care of each other in sickness and in health. And he had vowed to do it for a lifetime.

——

[witchmd13]

i hate how quickly uther writes gaius off in a remedy to cure all ills. this guy was there when he first conqured camelot. he was there when arthur and morgana were born and he kept the secret of both of their births and what happened to their mothers. he even helped during the great purge when uther gives him that list of sorcerers. he gave up on the study of magic to stay at uther's side. and then uther just gets rid of gaius with a flick of his hand once he makes a mistake saying he was too old to be a physician. not that i was expecting more from uther but for all his talk about loyalty he's such a hypocrite.

[gvaine]

MERLIN REWATCH ✦ 1.06 A Remedy to Cure All Ills

[imm0rtal-idi0t]

Merlin | 'A Remedy to Cure All Ills' s1e6 Who raised this little gentleman?

[merlinladies]

MERLIN 1.06 — A Remedy to Cure All Ills