I'M BACK! It's been over a year, and I am so, so, so sorry. But I'm back! And I bring an update! Please don't hurt me!
The night was long, too long, for both of them. While Merlin tossed and turned, nearly sick with an emotion he couldn't identify, Arthur lay completely still, body aching and every breath slowly becoming more painful than the last.
As soon as the morning sun peeked over the horizon, Merlin leaped out of bed, hastily throwing on his clothes and leaving before having his own breakfast. He stopped by the kitchens to pick up Arthur's breakfast, then went straight to the prince's chambers, with a slight knock for the sake of minor courtesy.
"Time to get up, Your Royal Pratness," Merlin said, attempting to feign lightheartedness as he set the tray on the table, pouring the pain draught into his cup. There was no immediate reply, but that was normal. "There's quite a spread here for you today, seems like whoever is working in the kitchens is completely disregarding the need for you to keep your noble figure."
There was still no reply, and despite this being standard Arthur behavior, Merlin was becoming more and more uneasy. It was then that he heard it, the wheezing sound that Arthur made every time he drew in a far-too-shallow breath. He rushed to his master's bedside, frantic now. The young Pendragon's eyes were open, just a crack, pleading with the manservant to help him.
Merlin sent for Gaius, but wasted no time in assessing the situation. The court physician had been training him, after all. By the sound of Arthur's lungs, he had already identified the problem, but didn't quite want to believe it. He ripped Arthur's shirt carefully down the middle and spread it away from his abdomen, gasping at what he saw. His fears were confirmed as he laid eyes on the dark purple bruises that liddled his stomach, chest, and sides, and the rib bones that were very obviously broken.
Gaius rushed into the prince's chambers in record time, and Merlin was slightly relieved, because he no longer had to face this alone.
"He's got a punctured lung," he told the physician, who after looking to the prince, took immediate action.
"We need to get the ribs set and binded before they cause more damage. Can you do that while I start prepare an incense to burn for his lungs?" Merlin was hesitant to answer, but realized there wasn't enough time to waste any of it with uncertainties. He nodded and began the difficult task.
"Arthur, I'm so sorry. This is going to hurt." He had to be firm, but not too firm. And it all had to be very precise.
If Arthur had enough breath in him to scream, he definitely would have. The snap of the bones popping back into place made Merlin queasy. However, his hands remained steady and his focus never drifted from his work. With even the smallest touch, Arthur's muscles contracted in pain. His face was a ghostly shade of white, contorted in agony. He wished he could use magic, but with Arthur awake, it was too big of a risk. It wasn't long before the pain dragged the prince into unconsiousness.
Gaius burned the mix of herbs and held them near the prince's face for that he could breathe them in, and speed up the renewing of the cells making up his lung tissue. Merlin was wrapping Arthur's abdomen tightly in bandages, and it was a relief to hear his breaths become slightly deeper and clearer. Once the job was complete, the young warlock found himself breathing a shaky sigh. He stepped back and nearly collapsed, his entire body trembling and knees weak. Gaius noticed immediately and led his ward to a chair before he could no longer stand.
"You did well, my boy. He's going to be okay."
But all Merlin could think about what the marks on Arthur's body. The bruises, the cuts, the burns. And then all of those broken ribs, that pain would have been excruciating. His mind pulled him back to the sound of the ribs snapping back, and his stomach churned. Gaius knew, and handed him the bucket that Merlin used for cleaning, but the boy could only dry heave.
Tears rolled down Merlin's cheeks now, as it was finally safe to react. He sobbed into Gaius's shoulder as the man offered his comfort.
It was then that Uther burst in, demanding to know what had happened. It took all Merlin had to not lash out at him, to let his magic loose and just let him have it, exactly what he deserved. Gaius could see the boy's struggle, and suggested that Uther come to the hallway with him.
Once in the hall, certain that there was no one around, Gaius's face darkened, turning to look at the king coldly. In the voice he hadn't used since the Great Purge, he spoke.
"No more."