A/N I'm glad you enjoyed the squirming Steward in the last chapter, but now back to caring for our poor warlock.
Also, I can't believe it, but this is the penultimate chapter!
Thanks to my beta LyricalSinger, and it looks like we've got polishing work left to do, since it seems that many people want that missing Steward scene after all!
Leon was not sure what he expected to see on entering Gaius' chambers. He knew it would have been too much to expect that Merlin would be so improved as to be up and sitting happily at the table taking his breakfast. But he had hoped that maybe a good night's sleep would have seen the young servant recovered enough to be awake and complaining about being confined to his bed.
He had not really expected to see a weary physician tending a boy who was clearly still very ill.
"How is Merlin?" Arthur asked the physician, who was standing at his workbench pouring some sort of yellowish liquid into a small bottle.
"Well, he is sleeping, as you can see, Sire," Gaius snapped at the Prince, with a look of disapproval that could leave not just kitchen scullions, but knights, princes and, Leon thought, most likely even the King himself, stammering in shame. It certainly seemed as though Gaius' anger at Arthur for his part in letting Merlin reach this state had returned full force.
Arthur scowled, not knowing exactly how to react. But Gaius relented somewhat and said more kindly, "As far as his injuries, well, there is nothing that a few days of bed rest would not usually heal. As I told Sir Leon last night, neither his arm nor his knee appear to be broken, though to be safe I've immobilized them as if they were. I will check again later today or tomorrow once the swelling has gone down more."
Then, having finished preparing the medication, Gaius took it over and set it down on the table beside the patient bed, next to some bits of cloth that Leon assumed were for cooling the boy in order to control his fever.
The knight watched as Gaius placed his palm first on one side of Merlin's face, then on the other. Then the physician raised his ward's sleeve and placed his fingers under the loose bandages covering the boy's wrist, in order to check his pulse. The physician obviously did not like what he found, for he scowled slightly as he put the boy's hand back down on the bed, giving it a gentle rub as he let go.
With a sigh, the Gaius reached over to pick the bottle back up and said, "I was hoping I would not have to give him another dose quite so soon. But his fever is still too high." Then, gently prying open Merlin's mouth, Gaius poured a few drops of the liquid onto the boy's tongue and urged him to swallow by stroking his neck.
After putting the bottle back on the table, Gaius turned back around to face Arthur and Leon. "Forgive me for snapping at you both," he said. "It's just that I'm afraid Merlin has not had a very good night. As you can see, he is very fitful."
In fact, Leon had noticed this as soon as he had come into the room. Merlin was tossing and turning on the patient bed, murmuring gibberish, and his face was flushed with fever. His constant movement had had nearly dislodged the cooling cloth from his brow, and even as Leon watched, another restless, though weak, kick of his uninjured leg caused his blanket to slip down and almost fall to the floor.
"Has he been like this all night?" asked Leon.
"Most of it," answered Gaius as he sat down in the chair beside the bed. "Now if you will give me a few moments, I want to try and get him cooled down."
Gaius hushed his ward and after removing the cooling cloth, he caressed the boy's forehead for a few moments to calm him. Merlin turned into the touch with a soft sigh, and Leon saw that his whole body seemed to relax and still. The knight guessed that the medication along with Gaius' comforting presence had sent the boy into a deeper sleep.
Satisfied, the physician picked up one of the fresh cloths from the table and dipped it into the bucket of cool water. He used the cloth first to sponge Merlin's sweat-soaked face and neck, and then raised the boy's tunic and did the same to his upper chest. Merlin winced very slightly and shifted a little bit, no doubt objecting to the chill on his skin, but he did not waken.
Finally Gaius dipped the cloth back into the cool water and squeezed it out again before laying it across the boy's forehead. Holding it in place to ensure that Merlin would not dislodge it again, and keeping his eyes on his ward, the physician explained, "The problem is that with so many injuries, added to his extreme level of exhaustion and hunger, he is having some difficulty in fighting off the infection that has taken hold in a few of the wounds in his back. Unfortunately it has caused his fever to rise during the night."
Then looking grimly over at Arthur and Leon, Gaius said, "I wanted to ask you, did he get threatened with a flogging?"
Arthur answered regretfully, "Yes, my father thought to punish him for an accident that happened during the feast."
Leon almost smiled when he noticed how the Prince then bent to straighten Merlin's blanket and then rubbed his servant's shoulder in a gesture of comfort before stepping back. The knight doubted that Arthur had even realized what he'd done.
"Ah, so I suspected," said Gaius. "And what about unfinished chores? He keeps mumbling something about a sword and a cloak…and not being able to eat?"
Arthur looked a bit guilty at this and answered, "Yes, those were among the chores I set him yesterday Gaius, but he had so much else to do that he never got around to them. And I think my father threatened not to let him eat or rest until all of his chores were finished."
At Gaius' look of disapproval, the Prince added, "But Gaius, I swear I would not have let that happen. In fact I even told my father that Merlin had finished everything he needed to do."
Gaius' glare softened and then he said, "I believe you, Sire. But I suspect that Merlin has forgotten, and the high fever and all of these worries have caused him severe nightmares all night. He has awakened several times in panic with them, and unfortunately, it has been preventing him from getting the rest he so badly needs."
After changing the cooling cloth once more, the physician stood and walked back toward his workbench. As Arthur and Leon followed, Gaius said, "I admit I had hoped one of you would stop by this morning. Might I ask you to request something from the kitchens for him? A thick gruel, ideally. It's just that I have not been able to get any supplies this week, and I am reluctant to leave Merlin like this in order to go to the market."
"Yes, of course, Gaius. I'll see to it right away," said Arthur enthusiastically, while Gaius placed some herbs in his mortar and began to crush them, filling the room with a pungent odour.
Leon watched as the Prince walked quickly to the door and spoke to someone in the corridor. The knight presumed that Arthur was very glad for an opportunity to do something concrete to help his young servant.
The Prince soon made his way back to the workbench and said, "Someone will bring up a meal of gruel shortly, and I've also ordered the guards at the end of the hall to make sure you get anything else you need for him over the next few days."
"Thank you, Sire," said Gaius. Then looking back over to where his ward was still sleeping peacefully he added, "Now, let us hope that Merlin will stay asleep until his food arrives. And after I get some food into him I plan to dose him with a very strong sleeping draught."
Arthur and Leon also watched Merlin sleep for a few moments but said nothing.
Finally Gaius must have wondered why the two nobles seemed to have no intention of leaving his chambers, for he put down his bowl and said, "And what can I do for you now? I take it that you did not come here just to check on your servant, Sire? Was there something else you needed?"
Arthur answered, "No, we don't need anything, Gaius. We are just waiting for my father to arrive. He should be here any time now."
Gaius raised his eyebrows in surprise at this news, and asked, "Your father! Is he ill? Surely he is not coming to check on the health of a servant?"
Leon continued, "Yes it is about Merlin, Gaius. Actually, we've just come from our meeting with the Steward, and the King wanted to tell you the outcome himself."
Then looking over at the sleeping Merlin again, Leon added, "Though it looks like Merlin will have to wait to hear the news."
"Well, I take it that something good must have come out of the meeting for Uther to want to deliver the news himself," said Gaius. "I hope so, because I have to admit that I was most upset to have Merlin end up like this," he added with a nod towards the boy.
Then fixing his gaze on the Prince he said, "He has become very dear to me even in the short time he has been in Camelot….. Can I trust you with him in future, Arthur?"
Arthur hung his head at the question, and did not dare to answer, but Gaius took some pity and admitted, "Well, I need to shoulder my part of the blame too. I knew you had him doing hours of chores in a day, and I still managed to give him a full set of my own."
"But Gaius, I didn't even notice how much he was working or about the punishments either. And I just kept calling him lazy….," said Arthur in shame.
Gaius nodded and said, "Arthur, I am a physician! I should have noticed his condition, but evidently he tried to hide it. Last night he admitted that he did not tell me about his difficulties because he was afraid I would be disappointed in him; that it was all his fault because he was a poor manservant, and he knew I had been so proud when he earned the position."
Leon scowled and said, "Well at least now hopefully things will get better."
"I hope so," answered Gaius, "though I am of half a mind to send him back to his mother. At least the only things he needs to worry about in Ealdor are starvation and the odd bandit attack!"
Arthur spoke hesitantly, "Well he may have a choice to make. Lord Aelrod has said that he would be happy to take Merlin back to Cambria with him. He told us that Merlin has impressed him with his sense of responsibility and his quick wits; two things I've certainly never given him credit for, though I suspect it was I who lacked them."
Gaius raised his eyebrows in surprise and said, "Indeed? Lord Aelrod asked for him?"
Arthur nodded and then said, "I hope Merlin decides to give us another chance, but I guess he at least deserves to know he has an option if he wants to leave."
"But Gaius," added the Prince, "if he does decide to stay, I give you my word that I won't let things get this bad for him again."
Gaius nodded but did not get a chance to respond because just then the King swept into the room.
"Gaius," said Uther, walking towards where the others were standing by the workbench, "I trust that Arthur and Sir Leon have told you why I have come?"
"Yes, Sire," answered Gaius. Then the physician added, a touch bitterly, "I believe you were meeting the Steward to find out how Merlin came to be so mistreated that he reached the point of collapse while carrying out his duties at your feast."
Uther paused for a moment, taken unexpectedly by the anger. "Ye…yes," he finally stammered, but then regained his usual confidence. "I wanted to let you know that we have discussed the household rules that govern your ward's position here, and I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that there were some problems found."
"No, I'm not surprised, Sire," interjected Gaius before the King could go on. "But will there be any steps taken to make sure this does not happen again?"
"Yes, of course, Gaius…. Please hear me out," said the King, sounding a little bit vexed at the interruption.
"Yes Sire," said Gaius, folding his arms across his chest and waiting impatiently for the King to continue.
Once the King was sure that Gaius would let him proceed, he told the physician about the decisions to revise Merlin's wages, to provide training for him and also about Merlin's exemption from the mealtime rules. Then he explained that Merlin would also receive compensation for the abuse he had suffered.
This seemed to please Gaius, for he said, "Thank you, Sire. Those measures will indeed help the situation, and Merlin will certainly be happy to be able to send more coin back to his home."
The King did not seem to Leon like he particularly cared what the young servant did with his earnings, but instead said, "And, Gaius, I am also aware that you rely on the boy as your assistant."
When Gaius nodded in confirmation, Uther glanced over at his son and said, "Well, as part of the punishment for their roles in this, Prince Arthur, and the squires Ewan and Alfred will be required to assist you for one afternoon each.
"Indeed, Sire!" responded Gaius with surprise. "Well, I certainly could use the help, especially since I intend to keep Merlin in his bed for at least two days, with permission of the Prince as his master of course."
"Certainly, Gaius. I was expecting no less. I do not expect him to return to his duties until you say he is fit again," answered Arthur.
Uther nodded and then said with finality, "I consider this matter settled then. And today you can expect Alfred to be here just after lunch. Arthur will attend you tomorrow and Ewan the next day. If you require any more information about either the meeting we held or about the measures that I have explained, then you may ask Sir Leon."
Merlin had stayed asleep and unaware throughout most of Uther's visit. But just as the King was turning to take his leave, the talking so close to his bedside, or maybe the unconscious recognition of the King's voice must have roused him. Leon saw the boy shift in his sleep and slowly begin to open his eyes.
Unfortunately, as soon as Merlin set eyes on Uther, his breathing quickened and his eyes shot completely open, wide-eyed in alarm and fear. The boy tried to sit and scramble back away from the King, but due to his restrained arm and knee he merely ended up half-sitting with his thin blanket bunched up at the end of his legs.
"Sire... Have you come to take me away to be flogged?" he cried out in panic, though his weary voice was barely a whisper. "I swear it was an accident... I would never want to dishonour you or Arthur, honestly!"
Everyone turned to the boy in surprise at seeing him awake, and Gaius and Uther began to walk toward his bed. This just increased Merlin's panic though, and tears began to flow down his cheeks as he choked out again, "Please, Sire... Please don't have me flogged. I will … leave Camelot if you want…."
Gaius soon reached the bedside and took the boy by the shoulders, saying "Hush, Merlin. You are not going to be flogged. You are suffering from exhaustion and you have a high fever. I need you to lie back for me and rest."
But Merlin was beyond understanding and turned imploring eyes to the physician, whispering, "Please, Gaius, don't let him take me. I just want to go home….."
Leon was surprised when it was Uther that replied, saying directly and even kindly, "Peace, boy. I am not here to harm you or take you anywhere, merely to tell Gaius what we have done to make sure this does not happen again."
But Merlin was obviously still afraid for he leaned forward to hide his head on Gaius' shoulder, and tightly grasped the physician's gown with the fist of his unbound arm. Gaius responded by gathering Merlin up towards him and hugging him closely, almost as though he were a small child; hushing him and trying again to calm him down.
Uther watched the boy's reaction with a scowl, and Gaius must have taken it as anger because he said urgently, "Sire, please do not be angry at the boy. He is really quite ill, and means no disrespect to you."
But Leon thought that the King seemed more guilty than angry, and had to admit that he was a little bit surprised. After all, guilt was not an emotion he normally associated with his King.
It turned out that Leon was right, because the King said, "Why would I be angry, Gaius? The punishment I ordered was meant to be severe. It was based on evidence that your ward had been in repeated dereliction of his duties, and had also shown a purposeful disrespect of his betters. I would stand by that order still was that evidence true, but it was not, and I realize that to an ill and hurt boy who had no guilt the prospect of a flogging must have been especially terrifying and traumatic."
Then, shaking his head he said, "No, I am not a monster, Gaius. I cannot be angry with him for this reaction to me."
Gaius said, "I am relieved to hear it, Sire. And I thank you for coming personally to tell me about the outcome of your meeting, but as you can see I had better get back to my patient."
"Yes, I understand," answered the King, before adding "And since my presence seems to be causing him undue distress, I shall take my leave of you."
Then with a final nod to Arthur and Leon, the King turned and left the chambers.
Once the King left, Gaius loosened his grip on Merlin only to find that the boy had fallen back to sleep.
"Well, I suppose this is the best for him," he said, laying Merlin back down and pulling the blanket back up to cover him. Gaius scowled and added, "Although I had been hoping he would wake somewhat more calmly around now so that he could eat something. But I think this fright has drained his strength , so it will be best if I simply wait until he wakens again naturally."
Leon was disappointed that they would not see the boy awake, and glancing over at Arthur he could tell that the Prince felt the same, but there was not much they could do about it. In any case, they had already lingered longer than Leon had expected, and they both had duties to attend to.
"Well, I guess we had better take our leave of you now," said Arthur, obviously having had the same thoughts. "The send-off for Lord Aelrod will begin soon, and my father will not be happy if we keep him waiting."
As the two headed towards the door, Gaius said, "Have a good day, Sire, Sir Leon. And don't worry. I will take good care of Merlin for you, Arthur."
Arthur nodded his thanks, and just before he and Leon went out into the corridor, the Prince turned back and said, "Gaius, don't forget that you can just ask the guards outside if you need anything for him." Then Arthur scowled and said, "And I guess I will see you tomorrow afternoon."
"Yes, thank you Arthur, I haven't forgotten," said Gaius with a smile as the two disappeared into the hallway.
A/N Yeah, a lot of you have called me out for putting Arthur in the stocks!
I suppose could try to justify it by saying a) he's really young and active compared to the Steward, so it's not such stretch to think Uther may still use the punishment, Prince or not, (for example we may be able to visualize using it for a young, rookie sports star but not for a team's general manager) and b) I remembered that in 'Poisoned Chalice' Arthur volunteered for the stocks, and his tone of voice implied he saw it as likely type of punishment for him.
But the real reason is c) I just REALLY, REALLY wanted to put Arthur in the stocks!
A/N But on the same subject - sorry to a lot of you, but I didn't actually describe the punishments to Arthur and the squires, other than as a bit of background. I hope you did and will like the rest of the story anyway :)
