A/N: I promise this was 5 pages on my screen -_-. Whatever. 'Nother chapter tonight, probably.

Morning found the king and queen back in the physician's chambers.

"Ah, Your Majesties, I was just about to check on him," Gaius greets them, turning to knock softly on the back door. "Merlin? Are you awake?"

Receiving no answer, he pushed open the door and stopped abruptly.

"What is it, Gaius?" Guinevere asked, worry tinging her tone.

"He's not here," came the faint reply, Gaius quickly making his way toward the corridor.

"What?" Arthur peered into the storeroom and, confirming it was lacking its inhabitant, followed the physician. There had been no sign of a struggle, only the usual mess of his friend moving about. His nightclothes had also been left on the bed, leading Arthur to believe the idiot had left of his own volition.

"Guards!" Two soldiers appeared from below, bowing to their sovereign. "Have you seen my servant this morning?" The pair responded in the negative. "Be on the lookout. If you see him, he is to be returned to his bed, understood? Pass the word."

Without a backward glance the king walked away, trying to figure out where the younger man would have gone.

"I'll check our chambers," Guinevere stated, rushing off in a flurry of skirts. Gaius had long since disappeared.

Not having any better ideas, Arthur began moving toward the center of the castle, occasionally looking out the windows in hopes of catching him in the courtyard. And that is how he found Merlin.

The servant leaned slightly against one wall, staring at the refugee camp on the flagstones below.

Arthur tamped down his annoyance upon noticing how weak the man still looked, and that he was once again favoring one leg. Taking advantage of the servant's distraction, the king swiftly stepped forward and yanked up one trouser leg, revealing the injury beneath and inspiring a surprised squawk.

"What is this?" He gestured to the bandage Merlin was hastily re-covering. The younger man stared back, open-mouthed in astonishment.

"Sire- what? Do you need something? I thought I had the day off!"

"You have the day off to rest- which you are not doing. Now, answer my question."

"It, ah... happened when I fell off the cliff?"

"Ignoring everything else wrong with that excuse- that occurred after I commented on your limp."

Merlin was starting to have the look of a cornered animal, eyes darting about for some avenue of escape. Arthur decided to have mercy.

"Guinevere remembered, Merlin. She told me about Morgana and the... the poison."

The other man blinked, clearly not knowing how to respond, and Arthur sighed.

"You should have told me, Merlin- or at least Gaius. Clearly you haven't fully recovered even now."

"I'm fine," the servant responded, bristling.

"Oh yes, I can see that by the way you can't stand without leaning on the wall."

"Can so!" He pushed away from the support, wincing as he put a bit too much pressure on his injured leg.

"Idiot," Arthur murmured, stepping forward and looping one arm around his friend's shoulders. "Back to bed with you."

"Arthur..." the servant groaned, but allowed himself to be steered down the corridor. "Those people in the courtyard- what happened?"

The king debated not sharing the information, but Merlin might actually have some insight to provide.

"There was an attack on Helva. We believe Morgana to be involved."

"Why would Morgana attack Helva? It's one of the few places magic is practiced freely!"

"Which was my reaction exactly."

Both are silent for several steps, contemplating the possibilities.

"Perhaps she's looking for someone?" Merlin suggests, immediately wishing he could take it back. She's probably looking for me- well, 'Emrys'...

Arthur nodded. "There is the possibility she was looking for allies, or information."

Merlin stumbled and would have fallen if it hadn't been for Arthur's supporting arm.

"And here I thought you'd outgrown your clumsiness," he teased, shouldering open the infirmary door and depositing Merlin at the table where breakfast was waiting.

The servant muttered a response too low to be understood and began helping himself to the porridge. The monarch rolled his eyes and called the guards up once more.

"Let Gaius and the queen know that Merlin has returned."

"Yes, Sire," the pair nodded and bowed out.

"Once you're done eating I expect you to stay here. You look half dead. I don't know why you even went out."

"Says the clotpole who goes on quests with mortal wounds."

"That was one time- and they were hardly 'mortal'."

"They would have been without Balinor's help."

The name had come out strangely, but Arthur thought little of it. Just another sign of his friend's fatigue.

"That hardly matters now. You-"

"Merlin!"

Gaius bustled over to the table, giving his ward a quick examination.

"Where have you been?" He demanded; annoyed now that all was well.

"I just had to get out a bit- I would have been back soon on my own."

"You shouldn't have been out at all," the elder reprimanded, eyebrows bunching up in disapproval.

Merlin rolled his eyes and stood, "Fine, I'll just get back to my little lie-in then, shall I?" He only wavered slightly on the way back to his bed, shutting the door firmly behind him.

The two in the main chamber sighed in exasperation.

"He's such a-"

"Merlin!"

This time Arthur was interrupted by his wife bursting through the door.

"Is he alright?"

"He's fine, Guinevere," he soothed, "just stubborn."

"May I see him?" She looked to Gaius, eyes pleading.

The elder was about to refuse, but took pity on his queen.

"Go ahead; just make sure he stays in bed."

"Of course, Gaius," she swallowed, suddenly reluctant to face her friend. Arthur gave her shoulder a squeeze and smiled encouragingly. Her answering smile was a bit wan, but her stride was confident as she approached the back door and knocked.