They didn't find Merlin until he had been missing for 3 days. It was a new moon that night, the darkness nearly cloaking him completely. Fortunately, the guards had heard a rustling in the bushes nearby and almost stumbled over him in the process. They recognized him and brought him back to the castle.
It was after ten at night when someone knocked on Arthur's door, waking the slumbering prince.
"What?" He asked, opening the door.
"Sire, it's Merlin. They found Merlin." Arthur was suddenly more alert.
"Where is he?" He turned and found some more suitable clothes. The prince, after all, couldn't go romping around in his sleep clothes.
"The guards are on their way back now with him. They sent someone ahead to let you know." Arthur nodded.
"Good, good. I will meet them in front of the courtyard." He left, breaking into a near run when he was out of sight. Merlin wasn't just his servant and he wasn't just his friend. Arthur didn't know what, quite yet, but whatever he was, he was his.
He entered the courtyard, heart dropping when he saw the guards carrying Merlin's limp body.
"Sire," They addressed him. "We found him just outside of Camelot." Arthur nodded, walking closer, unable to tear his eyes away from his…whatever-he-was.
"Give him to me." He didn't even realize he said it until the guards stared at him.
"Sire, we-"
"Give him to me. He's mine. Give him to me. I'll take him." He was unable to suppress the wave of protectiveness that fell over him. He took Merlin out of the guard's arms and began the long walk back to his chambers. Along the way he passed a servant.
"Fetch Gaius. Send him to my chambers. Tell him they found Merlin." The servant scurried away obediently.
When he got to his room, Arthur laid Merlin down on his unmade bed, lighting some candles so he could see him better. He swallowed back emotion as he studied him, taking in the pale skin, the hollow cheeks.
"C'mon, Merlin. C'mon, open your eyes." He tapped Merlin's cheeks lightly. Finally, the young man roused slightly. "There you go! Merlin, what happened?" He shuddered.
"Don't remember. Arthur, so cold…" Arthur nodded, pulling a blanket over him. He rubbed his arms, trying to generate some heat.
"What's the last thing you do remember?" Merlin groaned.
"We fought…" Arthur frowned. That had been days ago.
"And then?"
"I left. I don't…remember…" Merlin coughed.
"Merlin, that happened over three days ago."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really. Now, what do you remember?" Merlin coughed again, turning his head away from Arthur.
"I don't…I'm sorry. Don't be mad…" He murmured as he began to fall asleep again.
"I'm not mad. Merlin, please stay awake. Gaius is coming to make you better; you just need to stay awake." Merlin smiled.
"Are you ok?" Arthur's jaw dropped.
"Am I ok? Am I ok? You've been gone for days and you're asking about me?"
"It's just…you said…'please'." Arthur rolled his eyes, cheeks blushing slightly at his outburst. Not that princes blushed, mind you.
"Very funny, Merlin." A moment of silence passed as the two young men waited. "You know, I was almost worried." He teased.
"Hmm."
"It's true. What would I do for comedic relief if you weren't around?" Merlin smiled.
"I suppose… you could look in… a mirror. Your face always… does it for me." Arthur laughed, wishing he could say what he really wanted to say, about how he'd missed Merlin and he'd been worried. But he didn't know how. He wished he did; sometimes he felt like he hurt Merlin when he teased him incessantly. Arthur rubbed his arms more.
"How do you feel?"
"Sore. And cold and…Where am I?" He tried to sit up suddenly but Arthur's arm and a small coughing fit stopped him.
"It's not important. Just rest, Gaius will be here soon."
"I'm in your bed. You brought me to your room." Merlin grinned. "I knew you loved me." Arthur shook his head and smiled.
"I must." He wanted to just lie in bed and hold Merlin but Gaius could arrive at any time. So, for the time being, he squeezed Merlin's hands, warming them between his own.
"You called me 'yours'." Arthur flushed.
"I did no such thing." Merlin grinned sleepily.
"You did. I heard you."
"You must have a fever. You're delusional." He pressed his hand to Merlin's forehead and frowned. "You do have a fever." He murmured. Merlin nodded.
"I know." He closed his eyes again, nuzzling into Arthur's hand as it brushed against his face. Arthur smiled before quickly pulling his hand away as Gaius entered the room.
"Merlin!" He rushed over to the bed to take a closer look at the boy who'd grown so close to his heart. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm just tired, Gaius, it's nothi-"
"He has a fever. And he's been coughing." Gaius nodded and began searching through his bag as Merlin mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'tattle-tale'. Gaius pulled something out of his bag as he spoke.
"Merlin, sit up for a minute and take this."
"Gaius, it's really not-"
"Merlin, take it." Arthur interrupted. Merlin sighed and relented, too tired to argue against both of them. He scrunched up his face as he downed the potion.
"That tastes horrid!" He whined, letting himself fall back against the pillows.
"Well, it's not supposed to taste good." Gaius teased. "Come on, Merlin, let's get you back to your room. I'm sure Prince Arthur wants his bed back."
"No!" Arthur looked startled by himself. "I mean, he's fine here. Where I-someone can keep an eye on him. You know how Merlin is." Gaius shook his head.
"If you think someone needs to watch him, sire, I am more than capable." Arthur shook his head again, feeling a surge of near panic at the thought of Merlin being taken away from him again.
"No, no. He's fine." He insisted. Gaius gave him a skeptical look and stood slowly.
"Alright. But if you change your mind, sire, you can always send for me." The young prince nodded, watching as Gaius left. When the door closed, he went and put his sleeping clothes back on.
"What is wrong with you today?" Merlin asked, sounding slightly amused. Arthur flushed slightly, turning away from Merlin.
"Nothing's wrong with me. I decided I want you to stay here tonight, that's all." Merlin sat up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.
"You were worried about me. It's nice to know you're almost human." He teased. He started to get up but Arthur grabbed his arms.
"Where are you going?"
"To sleep on the lounge..." Merlin began. Arthur shook his head.
"No. No, you're sleeping with me. Get back in bed, you're sick." Merlin grinned.
"You know, you're almost sweet when you're like this. In an obsessive, controlling kind of way." Arthur chuckled and lay down beside Merlin, pulling him close to his chest.
"Shut up and sleep." He couldn't bring himself to admit just how worried he had been. Merlin would never let him live it down. The brunette snuggled close, gently finding Arthur's hand and holding it.
"G'night, Arthur." Arthur couldn't help but smile at the sleepy voice.
"Goodnight, Merlin." He pressed a kiss to his lover's head. However, he didn't fall asleep. He couldn't. All he could think about was trying to imagine what had happened to Merlin, why he'd been gone for so long and returned relatively unharmed. These thoughts occupied him for hours until Merlin awoke again, coughing violently. He rolled away from Arthur, curling into a ball.
"Merlin, Merlin, calm down. Just breathe, it's ok." He rubbed Merlin's back gently, pulling him to his chest when the fit died down.
"Breathe? That's your advice?" Merlin wheezed, still catching his breath. Arthur rolled his eyes.
"It's sound advice. Never steered anyone wrong." Merlin laughed softly, trying not to tempt another coughing spell. Arthur kissed his head again, so happy to have him back in his arms. "Do you want some water?" Merlin started to say no, but another round of coughs cut him off and Arthur left to get a glass without asking again. When he returned, he sat Merlin up gently, coaxing him to drink the liquid.
"Thanks." Merlin whispered after he'd finished it. He smiled when Arthur sat next to him again, wrapping his arms around him. "I love you."
"I love you too." Arthur smiled as he said the words. They'd figure the rest out at some point, but at least they had that.
"I didn't know I'd have to go missing for days to share a bed with you." Merlin teased as Arthur laid them down.
"Shush, you." A moment of silence passed before the prince spoke again. "In all seriousness, Merlin…I was…worried."
"I can tell." Merlin had never seen Arthur acted so possessive over him before. Arthur smiled a little.
"So, I'm ordering you to never put me through that again or you'll be in the stocks for a week. Or more." Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Of course."
Days passed it appeared, to Arthur at least, that Merlin had recovered. This illusion was shattered when Merlin collapsed in his chambers, falling to the ground limply. The prince stared in shock for a moment before he could move.
"Merlin! Merlin, wake up!" He knelt over the younger man, shaking him gently. "C'mon, please, wake up!" Merlin groaned slightly as his eyes opened, closing them again when he saw Arthur over him.
"Go 'way." He murmured.
"In case you forgot, Merlin, this is my room." Merlin sighed and sat up, becoming alarmingly pale as he did. Arthur steadied him. "C'mon, let's get you to bed." He stood, pulling Merlin to his feet.
"I can make it to my room on my own, thanks." Merlin grumbled, pulling away from Arthur. The young prince furrowed his brow and grabbed Merlin again.
"Stay here." He drew a deep breath as Merlin met his eyes. "Please." Merlin's expression, somewhat grumpy at the moment, softened considerably.
"Fine. Only because you said 'please', though." The brown haired man took a step towards the bed and felt his knees begin to shake. He grabbed Arthur's arms, nearly sinking to the floor again. Arthur picked him up, carrying him to the bed and dropping him on to it.
"Should I send for Gaius?" Arthur asked, sitting on the edge of his bed. Merlin shook his head.
"No, I'm fine."
"You fainted right in front of me." Arthur deadpanned. The younger man shrugged.
"I'm just tired."
"How can you possibly be tired? You've been sleeping even more than usual." Arthur lay down next to Merlin, shoulder to shoulder with the brown-haired man.
"You snore." Merlin teased, closing his eyes. Arthur really did snore, but it never kept Merlin awake. He thought it was kind of cute, actually. He was secretly glad Arthur had asked him to stay with him these last few nights; he slept even better when the prince's arms were wrapped around him.
But Arthur was right; he had been sleeping more than normal lately. He couldn't help it, everything left him exhausted. And Arthur hadn't even let him go back to work yet. He was tired from just walking around the castle.
"I don't snore." Arthur protested out of habit. He was trying to think of excuses for the younger man to stay there every night. He might actually have to tell Merlin he wanted him to stay because he just wanted to be close to him. Merlin pulled the covers over himself and grabbed Arthur's hand before he could get up.
"Stay?" He really didn't feel good. A definite chill had settled in his bones and his muscles ached as though he'd been stressing them for days on end.
"I have things to attend to, Merlin, papers to read."
"Just until I fall asleep?" Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Let me grab my papers. Father wants me to finish reading these reports by dinner tonight." Merlin hummed in acknowledgement, smiling when he felt Arthur's weight on the bed. He snuggled closer, falling asleep as Arthur sat on top of the blankets next to him.
"Merlin, Merlin, wake up. It's time for dinner." Arthur shook Merlin's shoulder gently, unable to hide a smile when he tried to pull away, burying his face in the pillow.
"Leave me 'lone." Came the muffled reply.
"Merlin." Arthur sighed. "You need to eat. It's good for you. You might even stop being sick."
"'m not sick." Arthur chuckled.
"Of course not. You routinely faint in the prince's chambers. How could I forget?"
"Shu'up." Arthur frowned and rolled Merlin over forcibly, struck by how flushed his face was. Touching a hand to his head, his frown deepened.
"You've got a fever again." Merlin opened his eyes and looked up.
"It never really left." He admitted.
"I'm going to send for Gaius. Obviously whatever he gave you didn't work." Merlin shook his head.
"No, it did. I haven't been coughing at all."
"But you still have a fever. And have had a one for days, apparently." Arthur mentally berated himself for not noticing that sooner. He'd just assumed Merlin was warm because he was under blankets. It hadn't occurred to him that he was still sick.
"Just let me sleep." Merlin sighed, closing his eyes. He was just so tired.
"You need to eat. You need to have dinner."
"I'll eat when you come back from dinner with Uther." Arthur frowned again.
"Then eat now. It's nearly 8, Merlin. You've been asleep for hours." Merlin sat up, turning to see that it was indeed dark outside.
"I'm not really hungry…" He protested mildly as he let himself be led to Arthur's table, where a tray of food awaited him.
"Nonsense. You haven't eaten all day. Besides, I had Gwen bring this up special, just for you." Merlin looked up at Arthur.
"Gwen knows I'm here? In your room?"
"Well, she knows that I've been a horrible person lately, what with making 'poor Merlin work when he's just gotten back from gods-know-what'." He mimicked. "She was only too eager to make sure you got food." Arthur shook his head, sitting down across from Merlin.
"So she doesn't know…"
"That you've been sleeping in here? No." Arthur watched his friend eat for a few minutes before he spoke, straightening his posture as he did. "Merlin, I've been thinking-"
"A dangerous pastime." Merlin commented. Arthur sent him a glare before continuing.
"I was thinking maybe you staying here…maybe it should be a more permanent thing." Merlin put down his food for a moment.
"What do you mean?" Arthur was blushing, which was preposterous because, as you well know, princes don't blush.
"I mean, even when this is done and you're better…I like you sleeping here." Arthur looked down at the table, missing Merlin's broad smile.
"I have my own bed in my own room." He pointed out.
"I know. Maybe just a couple times a week." Merlin smiled.
"Can we go to bed now?"
"You've barely eaten anything!" Arthur protested. Merlin shrugged.
"I'm not hungry…" Merlin closed his eyes. "I'm exhausted." He whispered, standing to go back to bed. The world seemed to spin and he went tumbling to the cold flagstone floors. When he opened his eyes again only seconds later, Arthur was kneeling next to him.
"We need to stop meeting like this." Merlin joked weakly, closing his eyes as Arthur carried him to bed.
"I'm sending for Gaius. Another potion might be able to help." This time Merlin didn't have the energy to protest. Arthur scooped him up in his arms, depositing him on the bed before sending a servant to get the court physician.
Gaius was there in only minutes, frowning as he pressed the back of his hand against Merlin's forehead, gauging his temperature.
"Hmm. It seems even higher than last time." He muttered. He looked up at Arthur. "What kinds of symptoms has he been exhibiting, sire?"
"He's been exhausted, sleeps all the time. He hasn't been eating. Oh, and he fainted in my chambers. Twice."
"Anything else, Merlin?" Gaius asked, brushing his hand across the boy's check to wake him.
"Sore."
"Where?" Gaius' frown deepened.
"Ev'rywhere." The physician drew a potion from his bag and gave it to Merlin.
"Here. Just a sip of this and you should be feeling better by morning." The young brunette didn't even complain about the taste, taking the medicine before letting himself fall back against the pillow, asleep within minutes. Gaius left, smiling at his suspicion that there was more to Merlin and Arthur's relationship than just servant and master. They seemed to be close friends after all this time.
Merlin awoke first, feeling worse than the night before. His skin was hot and sweaty; the fever was even stronger than the night before and his head was pounding. His muscles ached, protesting as he rolled over. There was no way he could pretend to feel well today.
"Arthur." He whispered, voice hoarse. "Arthur…" Arthur groaned and rolled over, not waking. Merlin scooted closer, finding the prince's hand. "Arthur, wake up." Arthur's eyes opened slowly.
"What?"
"I'm sick." He admitted miserably. Arthur bit his lip and pulled Merlin close to him.
"You'll be ok." He kissed Merlin's curls and held him tight.
"No…I feel so…"
"So what?" Arthur asked, shaking Merlin a little to get his attention.
"Horrible." He pressed his face to the blonde's chest and Arthur could feel the heat of the fever burning through his shirt.
"Your fever's up." Arthur mumbled.
"I know." Merlin tilted his head to look up at Arthur, blue eyes glassy with sickness. "Please don't leave me." Any other day, Arthur would have protested, insisting he had work to do, but today he couldn't deny Merlin anything.
"Alright. Hold on a minute, alright? I'll be right back, I promise." He slipped out of bed and into the hall, seeing Gwen just as she passed by.
"Guinevere." She turned.
"Prince Arthur. Do you need something?" He nodded.
"Yes, actually. Could you tell someone to let my father know I'm not feeling well today? I think I'll just stay in bed and sleep this off." She nodded.
"Of course, sire. Would you like me to send for Gaius as well?" He thought back to Merlin, lying in bed looking miserable and nodded.
"Yes, thank you." He turned and left, returning to Merlin's side. "I'm back." He announced, running a hand over his head. Merlin slept, twisting in the blankets as though in a nightmare. "Merlin, wake up. Merlin…" He grabbed Merlin's shoulder to shake him awake but the younger man struggled against him violently, eyes flying open as he tried to get away.
"Stop!" He froze as the word left his mouth staring at Arthur for a full second before speaking. "I'm sorry, sorry." He laid back down slowly, limbs trembling.
"It's alright." Arthur soothed, worry bubbling in his stomach. He knew he could only be caring for so long; it really wasn't something he was good at. He just hoped Merlin would get better before his skills expired. "Did you have a nightmare?"
"No. I remembered."
"Remembered?" Merlin nodded.
"I know what happened. When I was gone. I remember all of it." A few moments of silence passed between the two of them.
"Well, are you going to tell me?" Arthur finally asked. Merlin looked up, shaking his head.
"Just hold me?" He asked, biting his lower lip.
"I can't." Hurt flashed in Merlin's eyes before Arthur could explain. "Gaius is coming up." Merlin nodded.
"Tell me what happened?"
"When Gaius gets here." The young man mumbled falling back to sleep as Arthur watched over him. Gaius entered the room after a few minutes.
"You're not really sick then." The old man said as he looked from Arthur to Merlin and back again. Arthur shook his head.
"No, it's still Merlin." Gaius chuckled, sitting next to the bed.
"You know, sire, he could come down and sleep in his room. I'm sure it's an inconvenience having him up here with you." Arthur shook his head.
"No, no. No more of an inconvenience than Merlin usually is." He joked. Gaius smiled, which turned into a laugh as Merlin weakly protested the remark.
"How are you feeling, Merlin?" The old man asked, testing his temperature with an experienced hand.
"I remember. They cursed me."
"Who?" Gaius and Arthur asked in unison.
"The…person who had me. They said…They said they were taking revenge on Arthur by…by attacking me."
"Why would they do that?" Arthur demanded, trying to push down the feeling that this was his fault. Merlin gave him a meaningful look, but didn't answer.
AN: I decided I clearly didn't have enough to do with school, so why not start a multi-chapter fic? I hope you enjoy. :) I'll try to update as quickly as possible.