And here we are, the long awaited Friday ~ least it was by me. (Technically Saturday already, but still.) Update slid a bit by few hours, but I spent the afternoon K.O. So yea.. Caught up on sleep. (yay) :/ Sleeping in the car for 30 minutes doesn't do miracles to one's back either. lol.

Update wise: yes, weekend break; next chapter will posted on Monday in the evening, and another fic gets update Saturday/Sunday. (Presumably "Growing Secrets")

Once again, I'd like to thank you all for all the wonderful feedback you give me. I have a clear plot-line sketched out, but I like to hear who is looking forward to what and I tweak the flow here and there as I write along if it fits with the main plot. Thank you again! And tonight we celebrate 34k! ;) (wow.. just wow...) You folks are amazing!

On with the fic~!

.*.

"I'm fine Gaius. Really. I'm feeling a lot better. Only my arm and shoulder are still sore a bit." Arthur said doing his best to look convincing, to prove he means it. And it wasn't far from the truth too. He still felt tired and the odd scratch and cut hurt, and even though he knew the tonic was doing it's no small part in that, it was still nothing he hadn't gotten used to from training; and it was certainly nothing compared to what Merlin had on him. The boy had slipped back into slumber meantime, and the blonde was somehow relieved his face wasn't as screwed up with discomfort.

"I appreciate that, Arthur, however you still should go and rest in your own chambers. Guinevere will come and help me. Everything will be alright." The old raspy voice said, and the price tore his gaze again from his manservant. "It would do no good for you to spend the night here."

Somehow Arthur caught on. –'It would do no good to no-one.' he mused. Of course. His father surely would have gotten the knights to take him back to his on bed. Yet he fell asleep in the court physician's chamber. Then something else came to him that made him feel uncomfortable.

"He was looking for me, wasn't he?"

"And here he found you." Gaius sighed. "However I did tell him your condition needed to be monitored, and I would have all I need at hand here, should a problem occur, so he agreed and left." And the wording again had the prince amazed of the physician's ability to sail between the odd risks and threats.

Arthur mentally lifted his helmet for the old man.

That whole excuse was everything his father needed to know, and hid everything that he didn't. It didn't incriminate the physician, making it look like he forced the prince to stay there, or ignore his duties towards the royal family; nor did it reflect a bad light on the prince for caring about his servant a little too much, for the king's liking.

Uther didn't give much value to a servant's life, but given the circumstances, the king must have realized, that making the physician stay in his son's chamber and leave his own ward in the state he was in, would be a step too far.

Meanwhile Gaius started to gather the discarded bowls and cloths on the table. Only at the sight of the food he realized what a mess there was on the table, should he need to find something, he wouldn't know where to look in the chaos; then picking something up he turned back to the prince, ignoring the fact that the young man was obviously deep in thought about something.

Gaius handed him another small bottle. "For when you wake in the morning." He said, rousing the prince from his pondering. "I am certain you will need it. You may feel fine now because of the potions, but if I may, Sire, your looks really don't resemble 'fine'."

That struck a cord in Arthur of something and he picked his head up to Merlin, that immediately had the old man turning towards his ward as well. But the raven haired boy was sleeping.

"The resemblance is striking." Arthur repeated his father's words and Gaius suddenly had an illegible expression, looking at the blonde.

"What?" the physician saw where it started from and briefly cursed himself for the word slip, but there was something in the prince's eyes, that told him to let the the young man say what he wants.

"I heard him, Gaius. I even saw him while..he.." The prince cut that thought off and swallowed. No need to say that. But Arthur decided he won't have the topic-evading from the old man. Not now. This was too important. "He said Merlin resembled Balinor. I also heard you mentioning his beard, so I think we should.. clean him up. Give him a shave. Merlin's been here for a while now and my father never said anything like that before. Even if he saw him day in and day out. So if Merlin looks like that Balinor, because of his facial hair, then we need to make him un-look like the dragonlord."

Gaius looked on surprised. Arthur really seemed determined about this.

.*.

Irene: Yes, I too felt the creators left out a great deal of GUILT from Gwen's character after she snapped out of it. Not just Elyan, but Hello? She tried to kill Arthur? *sigh*And also gave Merlin a couple bad moment.
I don't think that cot's big enough for recovery position.. :/ and he has the burns on his sides. You know, Uther being a paranoid jerk and all.. But don't worry, they are not leaving him alone!

:( That's really sad about that girl.. her poor family..