After a day of being fully awake, Merlin had grown restless, insisting on getting out of Gaius's sick bed now that the swelling in recently his dislocated leg had gone down. The physician noted that his ward was healing rather quickly, along with his treatments and receiving regular meals was helping his body to mend itself naturally. Although the warlock refused to heal himself, his magic was certainly not hindering his progress. The aging healer conceded, lending the injured man his shoulder to take the weight off his leg and wounded foot and together they slowly made their way over to the table.
His and arms had grown stiff voicing their objection to resting for a week, legs protesting little at the awkward limping. Sitting down on the bench, he stretched, testing his limbs. Dulling bots of pain from his fractured right left reprimanded him for the action, settling as he tensed, ceasing the movement.
"Merlin?" he looked up to find the physician watching him concerned after the servant had realized he had let an involuntary hiss escape him.
The warlock furrowed his brow closing his eyes a moment. He was tired of lazing about and was determined not to have another breakdown, or appear weak, willing his body to strengthen.
His eyes snapped open at a sharp sound, flinching slightly. Finding a familiar contained in a small vile on the table in front of him, Gaius's red sleeved arm still retreating from the offending movement.
The servant felt better, and slightly drained after making his arm move to change out of the white sleep shirt and into his shirt comfortable blue one. He lifted his gaze to his mentor relaxing as the pain passed, releasing a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and nodded his thanks for the numbing potion. He glared at the potion a moment, debating weather he wanted to relive the taste.
Gaius, indisposed to the idea of letting his ward's stomach reject a substantial meal because of pain or stress, gave him a bowl of broth along with some bread. They ate in silence, occasionally making small talk, the physician trying to cheer his companion up by complaining about some of his patients with small pain thresh holds, and others with mind boggling injures he thought impossible to match with their stories.
"What happened out there?" the court physician asked after a small stretch of silence.
"Nothing." Responded the warlock, now finding his soup very interesting.
"Were you attacked? Captured? Did Morgana find you?" he asked unsatisfied with his previous answer.
"No."
"Then what happened?" Why did you not return? Gaius had known his ward to be many things, stubborn being one of them. He had almost expected the boy to return and force the king to listen to him after the first week. A solemn mood had found it's way back to the physician not long after he knew at the least the warlock would not allow himself to be killed, yet he need to be secure in the knowledge the boy wasn't doing anything rash.
"Nothing. No one hurt me, I was only hunted twice, otherwise no one was there. Like I said, nothing too exciting. Nothing."
The way Merlin had said 'nothing' had the physician taken aback. The warlock had grown accustomed to a potentially dangerous life, and was therefore was not use to sitting still. When he said that nothing had happened, meant he had been left with nothing. No friends, threats, no people to speak with. He had been left waiting for something to happen, jumping at any unexpected sounds, left alone to reflect on what he could have done for a different outcome, left with anger, regret, not able to numb the pain, he had let that penetrate his mind, becoming lost in nothing.
The king had helped shape the person Merlin had become after arriving in Camelot; a courageous, powerful, cheerful, loyal servant. One willing and content to die protecting his friend, only to drive him away. The raven haired man he had brought back was not the person Gaius had originally been entrusted with. His appearance remained mostly intact, but he had changed. Becoming mistrustful, tense, agitated, and apprehensive. The king had ran his friend out of his home, and brought back a ghost of their former companion, an ever present memory of a bond that had weakened, leaving one broken.
The warlock began to shift, letting his eyes dart around the room, uncomfortable with his mentor's silence and stunned looks. He then returned to the reminisce of broth he had just finished with, starting to mop up the rest of the liquid with some small pieces of remaining bread, when two knights walked into the room.
Arthur entered the physician's courters to see an old, familiar sight of Merlin up and about, that he couldn't help but smile at. Only this time the servant did not turn to him with his usual smile. In fact he did not turn to face his guests at all. His back tensed, and he slowly lowered his head.
The second knight however, grinned openly at his friend and walked over to him.
"Merlin! It's good to see you up! Can you believe these secretive bastards had kept the news that you had been awake from me?" he said nonchalant, point a gloved thumb over his should towards the king. "Evidently I was supposed to be a good 'soldier' and not a normal fellow who wanted to see his friend." Gwaine rambled, shooting a pointed look at his king.
Arthur had stepped forward after Gwaine had made his way over to the table trying to shrug off the now tense atmosphere his knight was plainly impervious to. When he reached the table Merlin had shifted, straightening himself again, and concentrated on ringing his hands a few times before slowly looking up to the king. Merlin shook and twitched momentarily upon he meeting Arthur's eyes so much that he tried to pass it off as stretching, fighting the urge to move away. Gwaine happen to be gauging his fellow knight's intentions, missing the servant's reaction completely, the king was not so lucky.
"How are your injuries?" asked the blonde, uncertain of where to start and attempting to act as though response did not sting.
Merlin was suddenly annoyed. What do you think? I've been betrayed and hunted by my friends and can't relax while waiting for your sentence. But you're referring to my physical injuries aren't you?
"I've been better." He answered, attempting to smile to ease his frail nerves and failing miserably.
"Suppose we should keep the shooting practice to the training targets, huh?" he said uneasily, trying to smile with him as they use to.
It was a cruel joke and Arthur knew it. Merlin thought for a moment, trying to calm down. He frowned, remembering his anger was current more directed at himself, adopting the senses of an animal being hunted. Finally, part of him recognized the intention behind it, the part that wanted of him that wanted to put this behind him and return to the way things were, looking ahead to the future and the endeavor of healing.
Gwaine glared incredulously at the king. Was he really so tactless? Surely Merlin wouldn't not take that lying down and forget everything so easily.
"Now it would seem I have more boots to fix up."
Gwaine was shocked. Merlin couldn't let him off as if he had only pushed him too hard while the knights were training, if at all, could he? They knew next to nothing about his time away from Camelot, what he had been through or was made to suffer.
Arthur smiled, his eyes brightening; relieved that his probe had worked and he could allow Merlin to heal his injuries, along with their friendship, before it was time to ask his many questions.
Thanks for reviewing and reading! I really like getting into Merlin's head! He is still the sarcastic, if not resentful, and jumpy, warlock we know. Arthur is a little more difficult for me to write, but I'm working on it! Next we'll see how each of them is fairing with both of these situations; the secret out, and Merlin's new, even more shifty personality, along with his injures. Also how we'll see what's going on under their skin. I'm so excited with how this is going! I'm having fun editing/rediscovering this story and adjusting the path of the plot according to it.
Please continue reading and reviewing! You guys are amazing and your reviews make it worth it, and let me know both sides are enjoying the story!