Hello my dear readers!

First thing first, I want to thank all of you for the favorites and followings! That is totally awesome! And you should review too because it's weird to have people favourite this story when I don't even know what they like in it... But, well, it's obviously not an obligation, it would just be nice for me ;).

I also want to adress a special thanks to the Guest reviewer who reviewed last chapter saying he/she marathon A Universe and fell asleep reading it and saying I'm amazing let me tell you that I love you. You brightened my day. So thanks and next time leave your name so I can hug you virtually.

And I will also thank my super awesome Beta that I love!

Thanks for reading and supporting me. Really!

Enjoy next chapter and don't hesitate to contact me, I love interacting with my readers!

Chapter 2:

Arthur could only watch with unmasked frustration as his friend left the council room. He hadn't lied, he didn't believe for one second that Merlin was completely alright. No one could be alright while looking so tired.

And that was with not considering Merlin's vacant expression during almost the whole Council session, despite the fact that it was well masked to an oblivious observer.

He sighed. He should have known that giving the warlock a place as court advisor wouldn't change the fact that in the almost all the others councilmen's eyes he still was just a servant.

If only they knew just how much the young man had sacrificed for them and Camelot, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to dismiss and ignore him.

Or maybe they would. Maybe they would even try to do things far worse than just ignore his opinions and act as if he wasn't even there in the first place.

Arthur shook his head. Despite having lifted the ban of magic, he knew many people were still wary of magic users and if Merlin were to reveal his powers even now, things were not assured to turn out well.

He could almost already hear the accusations of manipulations and evilness.

He wished so much things wouldn't be like that.

Merlin and all the other good sorcerers shouldn't have to live like that, constantly fearing for their lives just because there were some people abusing their gifts for personal gain.

Sometimes his regrets went so far that he almost hated his father for being responsible for the mistrust against magic with his ruthless purge of it. Almost.

He had finally learned what had triggered this whole mess and knew that no one could really judge Uther.

He knew only too well that grief and pain could make people do terrible things. He had seen it often enough and with many people, including Merlin and he could only imagine how he would have reacted if something like that had happened to Guinevere.

The king was shaken out of his thoughts by said queen who had come to lean against the back of his chair, her arms against his neck.

"You look thoughtful." She observed quietly.

"I'm worried about Merlin."

"We're always worried about Merlin." She commented, coming to stand in front of him. "What has he done this time?"

"Nothing per say. It's just a feeling…" Arthur hesitated and Gwen waited for him to continue. "It's just…. He keeps saying he's alright and everything but…"

"You don't believe him." The Queen completed.

"He keeps working so hard between his court duties and replacing Gaius… It can't be healthy."

Gwen smiled softly and went to sit on her husband's thighs, leaning against him as he put his arms around her. She too had noticed that Merlin always seemed extremely busy these days but he also seemed happy enough, if not a bit tired.

"Maybe…. Maybe we should begin looking for a new court physician…" She finally proposed after a time of contemplative silence.

Arthur grimaced.

"I don't know… I'm not sure how Merlin will react to someone replacing Gaius…"

Gwen sighed. She knew Arthur had a point there. She may not have be the one to spend the most time with Merlin after his mentor died but she had still seen how destroyed the young man had been. Everyone had seen it. And she never wanted to see Merlin like that again.

"No one could replace him…. But you said it yourself, Merlin can't keep on doing both his job as court adviser and as physician, without mentioning the whole protecting you thing."

"I don't need protecting." Arthur protested with a groan.

"Of course you do." Gwen kept on, ignoring his indignant glare. "How would you protect yourself against the evil magic users that still want your head?"

Arthur pulled a face but didn't argue further. He knew his wife was right but wasn't about to tell her when she already looked so smug.

"All jokes aside though, we can't have him caring for the wounded and being on the battlefield should conflict arise. We need his magical protection far more than his physician's skills."

"You're right… Of course, you're right… But this doesn't mean I won't worry."

"I know. If you want I can take care of sending letters to the neighbouring kingdoms and druids, asking if they would know of anyone with the skills required."

"That would be great, yes."

"That's sorted then." Gwen said with a smile.

She kissed his lips and pushed herself up.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some work to do, and you better go and do yours instead of daydreaming." She teased.

"I wasn't…" He began protested before letting out a small laugh. "I swear you spend far too much time with Merlin."

Gwen only smiled and left the room in a flurry of dress.

Arthur spent the rest of the morning and lunch with his knights, keeping in touch with their training especially that of the newer ones, before getting back to his chambers to read the various reports that has accumulated on his desk in only one morning.

He sighed as he sat down, back facing the window to make sure he wouldn't be distracted by just staring aimlessly out of it and brooding over his worry for Merlin.

An hour hadn't passed before he was interrupted by a knock at his door.

"Enter." He bid and watched as Guinevere's maid entered. Her eyes observed the room quickly before stopping on the king. She bowed respectfully.

"I'm sorry to disturb you your highness. The queen is sending me. She was wondering if you knew were Merlin is. He still hasn't arrived in the council room…"

Arthur groaned inwardly, both annoyed and a little bit anxious. If there was one thing that Merlin had never missed or arrived one minute late too, it was the afternoon meetings for magical issues. The King knew that they were Merlin's favourite part of his new job as royal adviser because it gave him the occasion to interact with people who actually respected him and people with whom he could relate.

And the king was only too happy to let him handle that alone with the queen. He knew that this was better than him interfering. It was showing that he trusted Merlin.

"I'll go search for him. Can you tell the queen to make everyone wait?"

"Of course my lord." She bowed again to him and left.

Arthur got up and followed her. Knowing Merlin, the only reason he wouldn't go to perform his duties was an emergency and he knew that the current one was the disease spreading through the lower town. That's why he began by walking towards by the physician chambers.

He didn't bother knocking before entering the room and was surprised to find not Merlin but Luke. The young man jumped at the sound of the door opening and turned sharply towards it, almost knocking down the bowl in front of him. Almost immediately his cheeks turned bright red and he bowed.

"Your highness!" He said, slightly nervous. "Is there something the matter? Do you need a physician? I'm afraid you should better ask Merlin… I could go fetch him in the council chamber if you like."

"No it's alright Luke. In fact I was looking for Merlin. He hadn't come to the meeting and I thought I would find him here."

"Oh… I'm sorry… I haven't seen him since this morning…"

"It's okay Luke. He probably has just forgotten… I'll leave you to your work then."

Luke nodded and bowed as Arthur left the room again.

He decided to follow his second idea and made his way towards Merlin's chambers. Arrived there, he hesitated for a moment before deciding that, for once, he could give Merlin a taste of his own treatment and opened the door without knocking.

The sight that greeted him made him almost laugh out loud.

Merlin was sprawled on his table in what must be a very uncomfortable position: his head in his empty plate of food, an open book next to it on which his arm was lying.

Arthur shook his head fondly as he approached the deeply asleep warlock. He shook his shoulder slightly.

"Merliiiin… Merlin, wake up." He said.

Said warlock groaned and tried to dislodge the king's hand.

"Go 'way." He mumbled.

"At least let me get you to your bed or you'll keep on complaining you have a sore back." Arthur said and hauled his friend up.

It was proof of how exhausted Merlin was that he let himself be manhandled as the king deposited him on the bed.

"You idiot." Arthur said as Merlin buried himself into his bed, instantly beginning to snore lightly.

The king took the time to close the curtains in the room before leaving. He would have to go and inform the queen that her favourite court advisor was fast asleep in his chambers instead of performing his duties because he has spent the last night helping in the lower town.

He smiled however when he imagined how panicked Merlin would be upon waking and noticing that he had slept the whole afternoon away. He just couldn't wait for the younger man to come to them and apologize. Teasing him would be the sweetest revenge.

So... What do you think? Any good?

See you in two weeks approximatively.