A brand new one! Thanks to Lady Elrayen for the prompt.

In Sickness and In Health

"Arthur, what is it?" Gwen asked as the Prince stormed past her, his face pale and his jaw set.

"Merlin's sick and Gaius won't let me see him."

"I know, he won't let anyone in, but he said it's just a normal fever – nothing to worry about."

"So, why won't he let me see him?" Arthur asked. Gwen's lips twitched, as she struggled not to smile. "What?"

"You better not let the knights or your father see you like this - they might start to believe that you actually care about Merlin."

"What? Don't be ridiculous, Guinevere. It's just … well, I need to know that it's not a magical curse or … something."

"Which you'd only know if Gaius told you and he's already said it's not." This time her smile was far more obvious. "Don't worry, Arthur, your secret's safe with me."

"What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously.

"Oh, this thing you have about servants," she said with a shy smile and he almost smiled back.

"Now you are being ridiculous. Anyway, you're not longer a servant."

"Does that mean you like Merlin more than me?" she asked with a false pout and, after initially feeling shocked at her comment, the prince started to laugh. "Better," she said firmly. Then her eyes widened and she urgently signaled him to move back around the corner.

"What is it?"

"Gaius … off on his rounds. Now's your chance."

"Thanks, Guinevere," Arthur said and he leant down to place a brief kiss on her lips before striding off towards the physician's chambers.

When he got there, he saw that Merlin was in the main chamber rather than in his own small room. His servant was lying topless on the small cot, tossing and turning in his fevered sleep, whilst a blanket, which had obviously recently covered him, was lying half way across the room.

"Cold..." Merlin muttered as Arthur came close.

"Idiot," Arthur said affectionately, as he fetched the blanket and moved back to the bed with it. "Remind me to talk to Gaius about your diet," he said conversationally as he covered the young man up. "You're nothing but skin and bones."

"At least I'm not fat." It was no more than a whisper but Arthur laughed when he heard what his friend had said.

"I am … not ... fat," he replied automatically, but Merlin just frowned and tossed about some more and Arthur realised that he wasn't awake as he'd hoped. "Even when you're ill you insult me." The prince shivered and looked at the small fireplace which had not been lit. "You're right, Merlin, it is cold in here. Aren't you supposed to be keeping warm or something? I can have you moved to my chambers if you like?" Merlin's eyes flickered open.

"You cold?" he muttered, apparently concerned.

"Yes, but … never mind about me. Are you awake this time?" Merlin closed his eyes with a small groan but said nothing more. Suddenly Arthur felt something wrap around his shoulders and he jumped up, instinctively knocking the object to the floor as he spun around. He saw that it was another blanket, now lying on the floor behind him and his eyes quickly scanned the room before he knelt down and nervously prodding the offending item. Realising what an idiot he must look like, Arthur laughed rather self consciously, and picked it up, wrapping it back around his shoulders. He sat back down on the stool with a frown and stared at the young man in front of him who continued to mutter and murmur in his sleep.

The strangest thought suddenly fluttered into Arthur's mind as he remembered Merlin asking if he was cold and, the next moment, had found a blanket around his shoulders. He shook his head and moved closer to hear what Merlin was saying.

"Thirsty."

"Of course," Arthur picked up the cup that was lying on the small table next to them but found it was empty. "Where's the jug?" he asked out loud, standing up and moving to the clutter on the main table. A small sound made him turn back towards Merlin and, to his total confusion, he saw a large pitcher sitting right next to the empty cup on the small table. "What the …?" That definitely hadn't been there a moment ago.

"Water … Arthur ..." Merlin called and Arthur moved back to find the jug full of cool, clear water. With a shake of his head, the prince poured some into the cup for his servant.

"This must be a dream," he said as he moved the cup to Merlin's lips and lifted his head to help him drink. "One of those weird dreams where everything seems fine at first but then more and more strange things happen until you know it's not real."

Merlin's blue eyes flickered open again.

"Where am I?"

"In Gaius' chambers – you're sick."

"My bed ..."

"No, you'd better stay here – I'm not even supposed to be visiting and Gaius obviously wanted you in here for a reason. In fact I really should ..."

"My bed ..." the boy insisted.

"God, Merlin, you're even more annoying when you're ill, you really shouldn't …" Arthur stopped in mid sentence with his mouth open and one finger held up in the air in a pose that Merlin would have found hilarious had he been there.

But he wasn't there. The bed in front of Arthur was now completely empty.

"Alright, now I know this has to be a dream." Only it really didn't feel like a dream it felt very real. Arthur's mind started to replay the weird occurrences back in his mind. He'd said he was cold and a blanket had wrapped around his shoulders. Merlin had said he was thirsty and a jug of water had suddenly appeared on the table. Merlin had said he wanted to go back to his bed and …

Arthur jumped up and ran toward the small flight of stairs that lead to Merlin's room. He opened the door and wasn't at all surprised to see his servant lying in his own bed with a contented smile on his face.

"Merlin, you idiot, what are you doing?"

"My bed ..." he muttered happily.

"Are you using magic or … perhaps this is part of your illness? Is this why Gaius didn't want me to know?" He groaned. "Now what do I do?" He paced up and down the room for a little while before, suddenly determined, moving next to Merlin and leaning close to him. "Merlin, do you have magic?"

"Can't say … " The young man frowned – still pale and fevered and so Arthur decided to try a different approach.

"Come on, you can tell me, we're friends, aren't we?" A broad smile appeared on his servant's flushed face.

"Friends?"

"Unless you're a sorcerer, of course, then we wouldn't be." The smile quickly disappeared.

"Sorry."

"For what?" Merlin shook his head. "Look, I need to be going now, before Gaius gets back."

"No … stay ... please."

"I can't." Arthur moved towards the open door way, only to have the door slam in his face. He turned back to Merlin with a snarl.

"Stop that. Let me out."

"Stay … Arthur ..." Merlin pleaded. The prince tried to open the door but found that he couldn't, despite the fact that there was no obvious lock or latch on it.

"Merlin, let me out, or … or you'll be mucking out my stables for a whole week." Merlin grumbled and the door flew back open. "Better. Now can you mag … move back to the other bed?" This time he was in the perfect position to see it happen. It wasn't a wild whirlwind that he'd seen when other sorcerers transported. This was just a slight shimmer in the air and Merlin quickly disappeared from his bed and promptly reappeared in the one next door. Arthur shuddered at the sight and swallowed hard, his mind reeling with the implications. He was still desperately clinging onto the hope that Merlin had developed some strange magical disease which was making him able to do these things.

He continued his way back down the stairs and briefly adjusted the blanket around the young man, his jaw tightening and loosening as he did so.

"You and I are going to have a very long talk when you're better, Merlin," he whispered in a voice that was almost a snarl. "Don't think for a moment you're going to wriggle your way out of this one."

Merlin looked at him then, apparently, suddenly very aware. His blue eyes widened and his face arranged itself into such an expressive look of hurt and fear that Arthur's anger quickly dissolved and a lump came to his throat. The thin, pale young man continued to hold the Prince's gaze for a long time whilst, despite his better judgement, Arthur's annoyance, confusion and hurt slowly dissolved into nothing.

"Pathetic, Merlin," Arthur said eventually with a small growl, getting to his feet and storming towards to door. "Totally pathetic," he continued to mutter as he walked out of the main room and down the corridor. "As if I'd ever fall for that!"

A/N I have a particular image of Merlin in my mind for this one. It's when he's summoned to Morgana's room in 3.01 and is listening to her conversation with Arthur – fearful that she's going to tell on him. He really does look totally pathetic and totally adorable and I can't see how anyone - not even Arthur at his most prattish - could resist him.