Gaius spent hours working on what was left of Merlin's feet, the cleaning had taken hours in itself and now he was finally finishing up bandaging the bloody blistered skin. It would take weeks for that skin to heal properly, Arthur doubted he would even be able to walk when he woke up, if he woke up. Gwen sat by the boys side trying her best to cool his down, heat radiated off his skin in the most unnatural way. Merlins only response was to twitch and gasp for breath every few seconds. The twitching soon turned to thrashing and groaning, despite Gwen's kind words, Arthur could see the blood beginning to soak through from his wounds reopening.

"He's going to hurt himself" Arthur exclaimed walking over to help hold Merlin down.

"No don't!" Gaius yelled but it was too late, Arthur placed his hands on Merlins shoulders and he reaction was instant. Merlin screamed like Arthur's hands were white hot pokers and desperately tried to get away. Arthur jumped back like he had been burnt.

Merlins scream caught in his throat but the trashing didn't stop.

"What the-?" Arthur started

"He does that almost any time somebody touches him" Gaius explained, "Luckily we are able to hold the cloth on his forehead without the same reaction"

"How are we going to re bandage him then?" Arthur asked

"We will just have to knock him out further with one of Gaius's sleeping draughts" Gwen sighed.

"What happened to him?" Arthur almost pleaded at Gaius, "What did this to him?"

"It's hard to know without Merlin telling us" Gaius sighed, "Some of the wounds look like they were made by teeth and claws but others look like they were made by some kind of whip"

Gwen gasped and covered her mouth is a mixture of shock and revulsion, who would torture Merlin? He was just a servant...but he was the prince's servant. Arthur felt a cold chill run over him, what if whoever did this to Merlin was trying to get information about him? Merlin went with him everywhere, council meetings, training and battles. Plus he knew the layout of the castle just as well as Arthur did, if an enemy wanted information, an unprotected servant of the prince would be an ideal way.

"No...I won'..." Merlin mumbled, still trapped in his feverish nightmare, Arthur felt his anger boil up again. Who ever did this would pay, they would!

"Stop!" Merlin yelled, it was the first clear word he had said since his return, "P-please, please..."

Arthur sat down next to Gwen, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze before taking the cloth from her hand and reapplying it himself, pride be damned. Merlin's mumblings stopped when the cool cloth touched his forehead, he even seemed to visibly relax at Arthurs touch much to the universal relief of everybody in the room.

"Arthur you should be getting to training" Gwen reminded him quietly, "If your father finds out your spending all your time here he will be furious"

Arthur nodded slowly, eyes not leaving his unconscious friend. Ever since Morgana betrayal his father had been completely ruthless with everybody, including Arthur. His father had never bought his hand against him but Arthur had a feeling he would if he pushed him now. Right now looking at Merlin, helpless, injured and sick, training was the last thing he wanted to do. Unfortunately he had not choice.

"I'll be back later" He promised, half to Gaius and Gwen and half to the slumbering servant.

...

"You've missed so much you know" Gwen prattled on, "Uther is even more of a hard case if you can believe it, we have all been so worried about you too"

Once again, Merlin didn't stir. Sighing in defeat she dropped the rag back into the now lukewarm bucket of water. Gaius had told her talking to him would help but if Merlin could hear him, he gave no heed. She had run out of things to say now, Gaius had left to do his rounds, reluctantly of course. She had never seen the physician so haggard and worried , Merlin was like his own son, she couldn't imagine how the man was feeling.

"Gw..en..." Came a near nonexistent whisper from her side.

The maid looked down to see two bury, half closed blue orbs looking up at her.

"Merlin you're awake!" She cried joyfully resisting the urge to throw her arms around the young mans neck, it would only hurt him. Suddenly she remembered all the things Gaius had been telling her that morning about how he would be needing food and water the minute he woke, she quickly grabbed the broth from the table behind her, luckily it was still warm enough to eat.

"Here" She said offering a spoonful of it to him only to have him turn away feebly, "Merlin you need to eat something to help you get your strength up". Again he shook his head weakly.

"Where...where am I?" He croaked, feverish eyes flicking over the room nervously and with little recognition.

"Gaius's chambers, you're not well" Gwen soothed, managing to get a bit of the brother into Merlin's mouth.

"I got 'way" He mumbled sleepily, Gwen's brain rushed, she had to try and keep him awake!

"Got away from who Merlin? Who did this?" She asked hurriedly indicating to his injuries.

Merlin looked up at her and opened his mouth to answer but instead he froze completely, eyes not focused on Gwen but on the window above her head. To Gwen's shock he began to shake in fear, eyes widened, staring straight ahead, at first Gwen thought he was having some kind of flashback but then he scrambled backwards in the cot, breath hitching up.

"Merlin? What's wrong?" Gwen questioned looking up at the window which held nothing but the blue afternoon sky.

"D-don't you see it?" He gasped nodding at the window. Gwen's heart sunk, at best Merlin was hallucinating from the fever, at worst...no she refused to think that. She had never been around somebody hallucinating before, she didn't know what to do, all she could do was hope Gaius made it back soon. Until then she had to improvise.

"Merlin" She said softly, "There isn't anything there, you're not well you should try and rest"

"No!" Merlin yelled gaze still not leaving the window as it rattled slightly in the wind, "I can't, i-it'l find a way into the c-c-castle"

"No it wont" She soothed, maybe it was best she played along to this, "You're safe here"

"What's going on?" Came Gaius's call as he burst through the door at a speed Gwen didn't think possible for a man of his age, "I heard Merlin yell"

"He's seeing things Gaius!" Gwen half sobbed feeling completely useless. Gaius on the other hand stayed calm and grabbed a small bottle from his desk coming over to sit next to Merlin on the edge of the cot.

"Look at me, my boy" Gaius ordered softly, making Merlin finally tear his gaze from the window.

"Gaius?" Merlin breathed, eyes blinking as if he didn't believe what he was seeing, "Gaius it's really you!". Ignoring his injuries Merlin threw his arms around the old mans neck much to his shock, a sob making its way past his lips. The physician gently returned the gesture while carefully taking the lid off the bottle, holding Merlin back from him and holding it to his lips so the liquid poured down the warlocks throat.

"Merlin what's in the window?" He asked slowly, as if he was talking to a child as he laid him back on the bed.

"The monsters..." Merlin murmured sleepily before his eyes fell closed.

Gwen and Gaius shared a look.

"It's the fever right?" Gwen said hopefully, "It's just because of the fever he's seeing things right?"

"Lets hope so" Gaius whispered running his hand lightly through Merlin's hair, silently praising the sleeping draught for the deep state of unconsciousness.

Thanks for the reviews :) I'm really happy you guys like this story