"Gaius? Gaius?" Merlin called out weakly. "It's so cold, Gaius. I'm so cold."
"Hush now, Merlin. It's all right," Gaius said as he finished applying the poultice to the large wound along Merlin's side. "Everything is all right."
"Cold?" Gwen asked, looking worriedly up at Gaius as she carefully wiped Merlin's brow with a damp cloth. "Why would he say that? He's burning up."
"It's the fever and blood loss. Once the bleeding is under control and he wakes I'll give him a draught that will help him fight off the infection. This looks like damage from a dagger, do you know what happened?"
"He saved my life. Again," Arthur said from the doorway, surprising both Gwen and Gaius with his sudden appearance.
Gaius acknowledged Arthur's presence with a quick "Sire" and a slight nod in his direction, but kept his attention on his patient.
"Will he be all right?"
"I believe so. He's young and strong."
"You mean headstrong," Arthur said, a slight smile on his face.
"That too." Gaius tied off the bandage then straightened, stepping away from the pallet. "There, that should stop the bleeding. Now we must wait until he regains consciousness so we can give him the medicine he'll need to help him recover."
Arthur walked inside and looked down at Merlin. "There are other wounded to tend to, I'll stay with him."
"But Arthur," Gwen began, but Arthur cut her off with a quick raise of his hand.
"I am staying Guinevere. I'm sure you have duties of your own to attend to."
"As you wish, Sire." Gwen tarried long enough to give Merlin one last, long glance, before leaving.
Gaius began collecting supplies - herbs, bandages, vials, mortar and pestle. "His wound is not deep. He will need time to heal but as long as we can keep his fever down ply him with the necessary medicines he should be fine." Arthur nodded, but looked unconvinced. "I'll be back as soon as I can," Gaius said, patting Arthur on the shoulder gently as he walked past and headed out the door.
Arthur looked down at Merlin. "You are a completely useless manservant," he muttered, picking the cloth out of the shallow bowl and wringing it out. "Utterly useless." Sitting down in the chair Gwen had vacated earlier, he leaned over and wiped the sweat off Merlin's face and then draped the cloth over Merlin's forehead.
"Gaius?" Merlin shifted restlessly, turning his head towards Arthur, but not opening his eyes.
"Unfortunately not."
"Arthur. You all right?"
"I'm fine. Or I would be if you'd stop your prattling," Arthur said as he rescued the cloth before it could fall off. "Sometimes, I don't know why I put up with you."
"You... like me...admit..." Merlin trailed off, seeming to have fallen back asleep before he could finish speaking.
Arthur re-wet the cloth and ran it over Merlin's arms before carefully repositioned it on Merlin's brow. "You are annoying and useless. But maybe, just maybe mind you, I have grown accustomed to your presence."
Merlin sighed in his sleep and Arthur smiled, settling into the chair to await the dawn.