A/N: Okay, so I was wrong (as per usual). Answers will start coming next chapter. I apologize.
(But at least Arthur arrived- that's good, right?)


Arthur charged through the infirmary door, shoving Lord Faltare aside in his haste. The sight before him stopped the king cold.

Merlin, naked as the day he was born and unnaturally white, was slumped bonelessly in a metal tub while three suspicious men loomed over him. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air and an ominous dripping sound came from inside the bath.

"Hey there, Arthur," the warlock's voice was light and airy as he smiled like a drunk. "How'du ge-dover there?" His eyes turned to the side, "Oh look, there's two of you. Hav'you got magic now, dollophead?" He giggled a bit hysterically as the blond crossed the room in a blink.

"What've you done to him?" The monarch snarled, then saw the red rivers flowing down his friend's calves. "Gaius!"

He was so glad he'd brought the old man with him. As it turned out the muck necessitated a slow enough pace that the elder hadn't hindered them in the least. He was, however, a bit behind in navigating the castle's steps.

"Here, Sire," Gaius panted, grasping the door frame briefly before stumbling over to his ward.

"Gaius!" Merlin crowed, "I feel sooooooo great righ' now." As soon as he had said this his eyes rolled up into his head, which fell back against the tub with a metallic clang.

The attending physician and his two assistants looked sour about being interrupted but had been cowed into silence by the fierce protectiveness radiating from the intruders. Now, however, they attempted to resume their ministrations.

"Move aside while we continue treatment..." Arthur glared and the man's tone quickly turned from supercilious to simpering, "please, My Lords?"

The blond stood, fists clenched as he got dangerously close to the other man. "You call this... this.. torture treatment? I-"

"Sire, we haven't the time for this now. Merlin needs aid."

Looking as if it physically pained him to do so, Arthur turned from the three now huddled against the wall and back to his best friend.

"What can I do, Gaius?"

"Get him out of the tub. I need to see if these charlatans have anything of use in their supplies. I hadn't anticipated such a lack of preparation or would have brought more of my own herbs," he finished worriedly, rheumy eyes combing over the limited stock of plants drying by the hearth. "Do you not even have yarrow?" He inquired angrily, causing the trio to press themselves even further back.

Realizing he was being belittled in his own domain the physician-in-residence straightened his robes and stood a bit taller, looking down his nose at the man pawing through his workroom.

"We practice only the height of scientific medicine here. No senile hedge-doctor is going to preach to me! We need only consult the stars and balance the humours to treat any ill- not your superstitious plants and rituals!"

Giving up the herb-stores as a loss and grabbing a roll of bandages, Gaius rounded on the man, "You call this science? Humorism is absurd enough as it is, but you don't even follow it properly! You-" he pointed to one of the wide-eyed aides, "go down to the kitchen and get as much honey as you can- see if they have any cinnamon while you're at it! You-" the other apprentice actually flinched as the bony hand stabbed the air in his direction, "help King Arthur get my ward onto the bed."

While he didn't want any of these brutes near his servant, Arthur found himself grateful for another pair of hands. The back of Merlin's knees had been slit and he could not safely maneuver the slight body up and over the vessel walls. Once his former servant's back came into view- covered in cuts and reddish circular bruises- he had to grind his teeth to contain further raging. It mostly worked.

"What is your name?" The cold fury in his tone had the 'physician' cowering once more.

Lord Faltare deemed this an appropriate time to step forward- perhaps because the king's hands were occupied.

"My Lord, I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding! Holbert has always kept my household in excellent health- he has been nothing but attentive to Lord Merlin!"

Blue eyes glinted dangerously. "I'll thank you to stay in your rooms until this has all been sorted- my knights will escort you."

Faltare wilted, nodding meekly as he exited the chambers.

"Holbert," Arthur paused to settle Merlin on the cot, holding up one leg at a time so Gaius could treat the wounds there. "You will explain exactly what you have done and what happened to warrant such treatment of my Court Warlock."