First Official Visit

By Montez

Disclaimer: see chapter one

Chapter 20

Thirty minutes had passed since his father had left his room, Arthur had gotten up and was working on getting himself dressed knowing someone would be arriving soon with his breakfast and to finish helping him get ready for the day. It felt unreal to him to finally be back in his own room after staying in Hunith and Merlin's small home. Arthur looked around and realized his own room was larger than the home he had healed in the past week. He looked at his bed, its coverings, his own clothing, and felt guilty of what he had verses what his new friend had, an idea of speaking to his father about possibly sending some things back to the two people that helped him and Leon overtook his thoughts as continued getting dressed.

The Prince had just come out from behind the changing screen and was getting ready to sit at the table closer to the door to put his boots on when he heard a knock and someone opening the door. However, it wasn't what they were bringing in that caught his attention, it was the stilted conversation of the servant entering and someone still in the hallway.

"They sent for Gaius?" the young woman asked, a male voice responded.

"Yes, I heard Sir Cador and one of the guards had to help him to his room. Apparently, he had nearly collapsed just a few paces from here, Beverly said the King looked extremely pale and unsteady." The unknown man continued, neither he nor the maid realizing the Arthur could hear them.

"What?" Both startled when the Prince jerked the door the rest of the way open, staring at them both, his young face fearful from what he'd heard.

"Sire" But Arthur heard nothing, his boots forgotten, as he took off from his room, racing toward his fathers on the other side of the castle.

Leon was just making his way to Arthur's room when he rounded the corner, the Prince slamming into him, "Arthur?" The Knight grabbed the boy, keeping him from landing on the floor, the blond quickly pulling loose without a word, panic in his face, as he continued running as fast as he could. Leon having no idea what had happened took off after.

Arthur had not moved this much nor this fast since before the attack and his injured body was not liking the strain, but what he had heard raised a panic in him he hadn't felt since he had seen his Father knocked to his knees that terrible day.

The guards at the Kings door were too shocked by the Prince's approach that he was pushing the doors open before they could react, Sir Leon just a few steps behind the boy.

"FATHER!" Frantic, wild eyes were quickly looking around his Father's room.

"You have neglected yourself this week Sire, you will be weak until you have rested and ate a few good meals, but…" Gaius was cut off as the King's chamber doors were slammed open, Arthur's frantic yell for his Father causing not only the physician to look up in shock, but both Uther and Cador as well.

Leon made it in the door a step behind Arthur still not understanding the reasoning behind the boy's mad dash to the King's room, "Arthur?" he called out just as the King's voice was also heard.

"Arthur, what?" Uther went to stand, letting his shirt drop from where Gaius had been checking the wound on his side.

It took a fraction of a second for Arthur to finally lay eyes on his father before his still healing and exhausted body collapsed, Leon grabbing him before he hit the floor.

"ARTHUR!" Uther yelled moving forward, watching his Son drop to the floor, Leon scooping him up before he hit.

"Get him on the bed." Gaius called out as the young Knight made his way quickly to the King's bed, gently laying the boy down and backing up to stand next to his father. "What happened?" the physician asked as he started his assessment of the unconscious Prince.

"I don't know," Leon started, "I was making my way to his room when he ran full speed into me as I rounded the corner, I grabbed him, but he pulled from me and took off again. He looked…"

The King looked at the young man, "He looked what?" Uther was now sitting beside Arthur as Gaius continued examining him.

"He looked terrified My Lord, panicked, nearly like he did that day when he was trying to reach you during the attack." Leon shuttered remembering that terrible day and his desperation in trying to get the Prince to safety.

Uther and Cador exchanged looks, both men coming to the same realization before Sir Cador spoke, "I will find out who was talking about it, especially near his chamber Sire." The First Knight turned to go, determined to track down the two guards from earlier who had assisted them, but apparently could not follow the order given them to not speak of what they witnessed.

"Father?" Leon looked at his father still not understanding what was going on.

"Stay here with Arthur, I'll return shortly and explain." Cador patted his son's shoulder and headed out the door.

"Gaius?" Uther whispered, fear gripping his heart staring down at his unconscious son.

"I believe in his panic to find you he overtaxed himself, we'll give him a little time, he should waken soon, Sire." The older man gently ran his hand over the young boy's head, pained at all the child and his father had endured this week, they just didn't seem to be catching a break. "I'll go and retrieve the vial of smelling salt from my chamber and be back shortly." Uther nodded at Gaius, not looking up from his son.

The chamber doors closed a second time, leaving Uther, Arthur, and Leon in the silence of the room, Uther's hand resting on his son's chest, feeling the steady, yet fast, heartbeat.

Leon had moved to the other side of the bed looking down at his charge, his own mind playing back the near day and a half the Prince had been unconscious, the same fear rising inside. Unsure if he should break the silence, but he needed to know what was going on, "Sire, what…what happened?"

Uther had nearly forgotten that Cador had told his son to stay with Arthur. Glancing up at the concerned eyes of the young Knight, "I believe Arthur overheard something that should have not been discussed among the castle staff." At the confused look from the older boy the King continued, "Once I left Arthur's chamber this morning, my own injuries and self-neglect seemed to catch up with me, I found myself having some difficulty making my way back here." Uther again found himself running his hand through his son's blond hair, before resting on his pale cheek, "Your father found me and helped me along with one of the two guards who were patrolling the castle halls. It was made clear that it was not to be discussed, especially anywhere near Arthur nor his chamber, but apparently it was just too good for the gossip mill to pass up." Inside, Uther was beyond angry, he would personally put the fear of their King's wrath back into those responsible once Sir Cador was finished with them. Yet all he could focus on now was his Son and the pain the carelessness of a few individuals for the sake of good gossip had inflicted on the recovering Prince.