Disclaimer- i own naught.

Red Sky

Gaius spun around in surprise as his door burst open. Gwaine was being flanked by Leon and Elyan, and you could make out Percival's tall figure behind them, all looking very serious and down to business. He sighed waving them in, knowing they would badger him until he had to treat them for lack of sleep. The four knight's faces changed so fast Gaius was starting to doubt that he saw them looking so seriously. Gwaine raced past Gaius, grinning goofily, up into Merlin's room while the other knights took their time smiling at Gaius. Leon even stopped to see if Gaius needed help, as Merlin now did most of Gaius chores and delivered medicines to patients in the lower town to save Gaius the walk. Gaius smiled patting Leon on the back shoving him gently in the general direction of Merlin's room, claiming that he could clean out his leech tank if he was that desperate to help. Leon smiled climbing up the steps to Merlin's room.

Merlin had somehow managed to get himself into a half sitting position leaning against the wall, and was listening to Gwaine and Elyan, Percival positioned to the left of the door protecting his friends, should any threat occur. Leon winced once he worked out what Gwaine was talking about. Gwaine had his fists balled up and was swinging them around fighting off an imaginary person. Leon presence was made clear by one of the floor boards in Merlin's room. The three knights turned around and Merlin looked up all of them grinning at him. Leon felt his face redden a bit and shook his head. Merlin waved his arm towards the only empty space an old chest next to Gwaine. Leon walked over and slumped onto the chest, letting Gwaine continue his story, it would cheer Merlin up anyway.

"Oh mate, you should have seen it, his hair was flying and his cape …"

"It's a cloak!" Leon interrupted face now as red as his cloak

"Yes but you're a hero now mate, it's a cape, any way his cape was flapping getting caught up in his arms. I don't know how many times I've told princess these things get in the way of fighting." Gwaine continued, gesturing to his red cloak. "Well anyway he eventually gets pulled off of this guy by Percy here…"

Percival visibly winced at his nickname.

"… and then Leon manages to get free and punches the guy again only this time he yells something about the guy said you deserved it, and of course Elyan being the honourable man he is, couldn't let someone insult your honour and leaps to your defence. Then once he's knocked out we dragged him up to the castle. Arthurs dealing with him right now." Gwaine finished grinning proudly that he remembered all the small details.

"So …" Merlin began, Gwaine nodded ready for any question, sure there was nothing missing from his story as he was sober enough to remember it.

"While Leon and Elyan were 'defending my honour' what where you doing?"

Gwaine looked a bit flustered, okay he hadn't expected that. Leon, Elyan and Percival all laughed, Merlin grinned at his best friend letting him know he was joking.

"Everyone hates me" Gwaine mumbled while pouting, causing everyone to laugh at him, before joining in himself. Gaius stuck his head around the door causing Percival to jump to his feet, Merlin gulped and quickly slid down the wall into a more horizontal position, hoping Gaius hadn't seen him sitting up. Gaius raised his eyebrows at him before turning to address the room.

"Merlin needs to rest now." Gaius hinted, looking pointedly at Merlin, who was starting to fall asleep due to the lack of talk in the last minute or so. Leon moved closer sliding Merlin so he was lying flat on his back instead of his head leaning up against the wall.

"Ahh that's okay Gaius we'll sit here nice and quietly." Gwaine said giving him a cheeky grin. Gaius raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, was worth a try. We'll be back later to check on him." Gwaine said smiling, his fellow knights nodding along in the background.

"No, I don't want to see any of you before lunch tomorrow. Merlin's tired and I've given him something for the pain. He'll be out until tomorrow. I want you all to get something to eat and get some sleep." Gaius said, ushering the knights out of Merlins room and down to the main chamber, glaring at each knight in turn making sure they got his message.

"Yes Gaius." All of the knights chorused.

Gaius gave them a glance before shooing them out the room. He sighed heavily before going to check on his ward. He was pretty sure he was going to be seeing at least one of them in the next two to three hours. Most likely Gwaine claiming to have a sore stomach, or maybe he would have walked into a pillar, what had he called that last time? Oh yes that was it. Doing a Merlin. He pulled open the door to Merlin's room. Merlin seemed to be awake and rather confused.

"Where'd everyone go?" he asked blinking a couple of times, trying to make sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. Gaius shook his head.

"You fell asleep so I sent them packing." Gaius said handing Merlin a bottle of something from the desk in the corner of his room. "Drink this, might be best if you didn't smell it." The physician advised, watching Merlin drink it and the promptly pull a face. He smiled as Merlin glared at him.

"What was that for?" Merlin asked realising he had no idea what he had drank.

"To help the pain," Gaius replied making to leave the room. "You may feel a bit sleepy."

Merlin groaned, trust Gaius to drug him. One minute he's telling him off for sleeping, when he should be saving Arthur the next minute he's drugging him into a dreamless sleep. The old man just couldn't make up his mind he thought half-heartedly as he drifted off to sleep. He could moan at him in the morning.

Arthur smiled as he walked down the hall. The drunk had admitted to hitting Merlin claiming, he was a coward and a disgrace to the kingdom and deserved it. It also turned out the man was an ex-servant; removed from a lord's house hold for outdated punishments, so Arthur gave him three nights in the dungeons, plus a further day in the stocks. With Merlin, lord knows how, being so popular amongst the peasants and nobles alike, Arthur was pretty sure people would be queuing up to take turns to throw fruit and veg at the man who had hurt Merlin.

He got to Gaius door not really surprised to see four of his most trusted knights sitting outside.

"Why aren't you inside?" He asked as he approached them only to be shushed by Gwaine.

"Shhh he'll hear you."

"Who will?" Arthur asked heading for the door only for it to spring open in his face.

"Off you go, go on I told you. Tomorrow lunch time!" Gaius cried flapping his arms shooing the knights as you would chickens. Arthur looked at the backs of his retreating knights, shaking his head. God help the kingdom if his best men were scared of an old man. Arthur moved to step into the room only for Gaius to repeat his movement.

"He'll be awake tomorrow by lunch time sire; he needs to rest right now." Gaius said shutting the door in his face. Apparently being King doesn't get you everything you want.

Vola, Enjoy and Review people. :D