A/N: I know these must be boring for those of you who aren't reading the Renovation series but I've finally started making proper progress which the third part so hopefully after Christmas I'll do some uploading. Sorry it's taken longer than usual, hopefully you'll find it worth the wait.

Enjoy :)

Never

Merlin picked another piece of rotten carrot out of his hair and threw it on the ground beside his bed with a sigh. He was sunburnt and covered in stinky vegetables and shaky. Uther had put him in the stocks for hours over the hottest part of the day on the hottest day of the summer so far. Now, his skin was red, his muscles were sore, he felt extremely queasy and he smelled awful.

Arthur stepped into the room and looked at him apologetically.

"Don't come too close," Merlin warned jokingly, but his voice was sad, "I smell so bad you might pass out."

Arthur ignored him and sat down on the bed beside him before handing him a bottle of a pale red liquid, "Gaius said this will make you feel better. And he wants to treat your burns."

Merlin didn't say anything and only continued to pick rotten vegetables out of his hair. Arthur left briefly and returned with a bucket of water and a cloth. Gently, he started washing Merlin's hair, smiling when Merlin closed his eyes contentedly.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said quietly as he allowed some of the cool water to roll down Merlin's neck and practically sizzle on his scarlet, blistered shoulders, "I didn't think he'd do this."

"He always does this. You don't show up for what you were meant to show up for and I get punished."

"But you were with me. I didn't think he'd blame you."

"Maybe that's why he did."

"We were meant to have a nice morning," Arthur said sadly, "I'm sorry it ended like this."

"It was a nice morning," Merlin said, "Just a not so nice mid-day."

"If I'd gone on that patrol, we could have had a picnic at lunch instead and you wouldn't have been in trouble."

Merlin didn't reply.

"Why are you so sad?" Arthur asked, "Normally you just pick yourself up and carry on. What is it about this?"

"Your father did this because you missed patrol. If he found out why he'd have me executed. That'll never change and you're constantly choosing between me and him. Your servant and your king."

"It's no choice," Arthur said, "I'd choose you every time. I hate him for what he does to people like you."

Merlin groaned, "I don't feel well," he leant forward and was sick into the bucket of water.

Arthur cringed and was too scared to rub Merlin's back because of the sunburns so went down to the main room and told Gaius what was happening. The physician promised to be up momentarily and Arthur went back to Merlin who was now curled up on his side on the bed, shivering.

"That lovely picnic we had for breakfast didn't last long then," Arthur said sympathetically as he moved the bucket of watery sick away from the bed to be dealt with later.

"We'll just have to do it again some time then," Merlin muttered, "Maybe it'll stay in my stomach next time."

Arthur sat down on the side of the bed and studied Merlin. If his skin hadn't been so terribly burnt, he would have been ghostly pale. It was blistered and peeling and beaded with sweat. Every inch of him was shaking uncontrollably from pain, exhaustion and strain. Merlin just looked thoroughly miserable, and that wasn't an emotion usually present in him. It broke Arthur's heart.

"Oh, Merlin," Arthur ran his hand through Merlin's hair which was still damp from being washed, "Gaius is coming. He'll sort you out."

"Heat stroke," Gaius announced as he entered the room, "Shirt off, Merlin, let me see your burns."

With great pain and difficulty, Merlin forced his shirt off but kept it over his chest almost self-consciously. Arthur neglected to point out that he'd seen Merlin with fewer clothes on than that multiple times. He was too distracted by the pure ugliness of the sunburn. It had looked bad enough with his shirt on but now that the contrast between that and his normal skin tone was revealed, it looked billions of times worse.

"Drink this," Gaius held out a cup.

"What is it?"

"Just water," Gaius promised, "We can't have you getting dehydrated. Drink it up."

Merlin downed the water in a few gulps and put the cup down. Gaius was gently rubbing a cool, thick paste into his shoulders and back which made him wince and gasp.

"It'll help," Gaius told him, "Stay still."

Arthur poured Merlin another glass of water and handed it to him. "Do you have a headache?"

Merlin nodded a little, "A bit."

"The water will help," Gaius said, "Are you dizzy?"

"Yes."

"Lie down," Gaius instructed, moving away so Merlin could reposition himself on the bed on his stomach.

"Let me, Gaius," Arthur offered, taking the bowl of green paste from the physician, "I'll sit with him."

"Make sure he drinks lots of water."

"Hear that, Merlin?" Arthur teased once Gaius was gone, "You'll be needing to pee even more than usual now. If that's possible."

Merlin smiled half-heartedly.

"I'll talk to my father," Arthur said, "Tell him that if he believes you need punishing, I'll be the one to deal with it. This is too far."

"He had no idea," Merlin said quietly, "Of anything. You have a whole life hidden from him with me. He'd kill me if he ever knew."

"As his son, I'll never forgive him for that. But he won't be king forever and when I am king, I'll give you the best the world, Merlin. You'll never be hurt like this."

"He's not a bad king," Merlin said, "He's just stuck in his ways and scared to change because he's so full of guilt."

"I'm sorry that it's so hard for you. Having to hide all the time. I want more for you than this."

"It's not your fault."

Arthur placed the now empty bowl down on the floor and stroked Merlin's cheek gently, "This is inhumane. What he's done to you."

"Arthur I've been put in the stocks loads of times. The king has more to think about than whether idiots like me are suffering too much outside. He doesn't think twice about putting someone in the stocks and nothing this bad usually happens. It's not his responsibility to be thinking about every individual person all the time. He has an entire kingdom to look after. Besides, it's just a bit of sunburn."

"And a headache and exhaustion and dehydration and sickness."

"Are you worried about me?"

"Never."

Merlin smiled.

"I really am sorry."

"Two apologies in one day," Merlin smirked, "Are you sure you're not ill?"

"Must be the heat," Arthur said, "It's dangerous, you know?"

"Best keep out of it then."

Arthur kissed Merlin on the forehead but pulled away quickly, "You're boiling."

Merlin raised an eyebrow, "Try my lips instead. They're not burnt."

"No, just dry and chapped."

Merlin pouted so Arthur leant forward and kissed him properly. It was a little awkward, given the positions they were in, but neither complained. It was difficult for them to be as affectionate as they wanted to be around Camelot while also keeping their relationship a secret. Hence the reason for their early morning picnic that day which had resulted in Arthur missing his patrol and Merlin being blamed and punished for it.

"Did that make you feel better?" Arthur asked.

"Loads."

"I'll be back later for more," Arthur promised.

"Where are you going?"

"To speak to my father and make sure this doesn't happen again."

"Don't get in trouble."

"Me?" Arthur grinned as he stood up, "Never."