A/N: I've now seen the first episode of season 4! And while it was brilliant, I am also somewhat amazed that it also had Percival being protective of small children and a young girl begging for help from a village and creycrey!Uther and aslksshufdojdk so much Merthur. I totes have a mind connection with the Merlin writers. Of course, I haven't seen the next part because my relatives were here, and I was forced to do other things than sit in front of a laptop and obsess over fictional characters. I'm also a bit terrified of what's going to happen...

Ohmygosh, so many reviews! You people make me very, very, very, happy! I need to do cliffhangers more often…

Disclaimer: Ah, the things I would do to Colin Morgan if I owned Merlin…sadly, I do not.

For a second, Arthur was frozen in shock. Merlin was just sprawled there, with snow melting into his jacket and his boots making puddles on the floor. Then came the panic.

"Merlin!" Arthur bounded to his side and knelt. He frantically felt for a pulse on Merlin's wrist-a wrist which felt like a block of ice-and after what seemed like eternity felt one. Arthur breathed out in relief and propped Merlin's head up.

He was light. Rather disturbingly light, when Arthur thought about it. He actually wasn't, at the time. He was focused on the fact that Merlin was cold, horribly cold, and his clothing was soaked. Arthur took a deep breath.

"Guard!" At the shout, which must have echoed through half the palace, there was a man at his door in an instant. Arthur glared at him. "Fetch Gaius! Now!"

The guard, who knew that when anyone royal said anything in that tone of voice you obeyed unless you wanted to be beheaded, ran for the physician's chamber. Arthur waited helplessly, sure that carrying anyone who was this deathly cold through colder corridors was a bad idea. His room was probably the best heated place in Camelot.

It took Gaius a shockingly short time to get to Arthur's chambers. He too knelt next to Merlin, checking pulse and doing other medical things beyond Arthur's understanding. Gaius frowned darkly.

"Well?" Arthur asked. He didn't even bother trying to conceal his impatience.

"Exposure." Gaius said sharply. "And exhaustion." He stared down at Merlin. There were a few other things at play here, but he felt it imprudent to mention them in front of Arthur. Arthur, who looked ready to faint himself.

"Huh?" Gaius frowned.

"He clearly was outside in freezing conditions with a pitiful excuse for a jacket, and he's obviously overworked." Gaius shook his head. He was grateful that Prince Arthur really knew nothing about medical science.

After all, those who did would be well aware that shutting down as Merlin's body had was very much not normal. But Arthur didn't need to know that.

"He just needs warmth. And a break." Gaius said the latter sentence in a severe voice. Arthur looked guilty.

"He can have my bed." It was out of Arthur's mouth before he'd thought it over. Gaius declined to comment on the quickness of the statement. He focused on removing the manservant's jacket instead. Arthur batted his hands away and carefully slid the soaking jacket-it was so thin-off Merlin's shoulders, and extricated Merlin's arms. Gaius went to work on Merlin's feet, yanking off the boots, which were long since ruined, and briskly rubbing the pale skin.

Funny, how Merlin didn't have even a touch of frostbite. Gaius filed that away for his mental medical journal.

"Sire, go and fetch a jug of mulled wine." Arthur hesitated. "I promise, Merlin will not die in the time it takes you to walk to the tavern." Arthur jumped to his feet and set off at a brisk trot, which some less politically astute peoples might call a run.

Gaius was right. In the time it took Arthur to get to the tavern, order the jug, observe that Gwaine was dead drunk, and briskly trot up the stairs, Merlin had not died. He had been tucked into bed by Gaius, and his wet clothing tossed on Arthur's chair, but he had not died. Arthur held out the wine.

"Here." Gaius took it and sprinkled some herbs over the surface. He put it on the mantelpiece. "What now?"

"When Merlin wakes, have him drink in small sips. If he doesn't fall back to sleep, send for me." Arthur nodded. Gaius bowed and left, a slight smile playing around his lips. He was sure Merlin would be fine.

There was a reason Balinor survived so many harsh winters in a cave.

Sitting on a chair watching Merlin sleep wasn't fun. Arthur paced instead, ranting inside his head.

The snow. That stupid, useless, bloody, ugly stuff that had gotten his manservant so wet and cold. Arthur grimly wondered if there were ways to banish all snow from the land. Maybe when he was King. There could be a perpetual summer wherein Merlin could wear his stupid jacket and it would keep him at perfect temperatures.

Horses. You would think that a horse could provide some form of heat, at least because Merlin was riding one and it was a living creature, but no the animals had to gallop fast enough to increase wind chill so Merlin was even colder.

Saxons. As far as Arthur was concerned, it was their fault for attacking innocent people so he had to rescue said people and Merlin insisted on coming along in raggedy clothing and being out in the cold for several days rather than staying in Camelot, where there were indoors.

Paper. Arthur was supposed to be doing paperwork, but couldn't focus at all, and besides the papers were distracting him from the obviously more important Merlin who probably wouldn't even be in such condition if he hadn't been busy working on papers!

Arthur groaned and sat down on the edge of the bed. Unfortunately, none of his objects of hatred could be properly defeated. He sighed and felt Merlin's cheek again. Gaius had tucked most of his body under covers, so the only way of seeing if he was still so cold was by his face.

But that wasn't so bad. Merlin had very smooth skin, and it was sort of nice touching it.

It would've been nicer if Merlin warmed up at all. Merlin looked strange lying there in Arthur's bed, stark white and jet black against the richly colored blankets. Arthur half wanted to wrap his arms around Merlin and cuddle him to make sure he could feel that Merlin still breathed.

But Merlin was scantily clothed under the sheets, for fear that his soaking wet clothing would ruin Arthur's sheets and keep Merlin cold. Arthur flushed slightly at the thought of Merlin naked in his bed.

He quickly went back to interior rants against things that didn't help Merlin.

Gwaine. Decided to go get drunk, extremely drunk, instead of going with them into Orkney, instead of going with Merlin and noticing that Merlin didn't own proper winter clothing and lending him a jacket or something.

Gwen. No, not as a ranting object. She'd been driven from his mind completely. Until she appeared in the doorway to his rooms. Looking furious.

"I can't believe you Arthur!" She whirled around. Arthur suddenly realized he had an obligation to go after her.

"Wait, Gwen! What?" He got up from the bed. She turned back around, her hands clenched into fists.

"You would think that you'd have the decency to at least wait until nightfall!" Arthur stared at her. What in the world was Gwen going on about? When this thought was voiced, Gwen's reaction was not pleasant.

"Do you actually think I'm that stupid!" She gestured at Merlin. "Merlin? In your bed?"

Arthur's mind snapped onto what she was talking about. His mouth opened and closed.

"I…he collapsed!" Gwen shot him a deeply disgusted look. "No! From exposure! And it's warmer in my rooms-"

"Oh, I bet it was hot in here." Her voice dripped scorn. "I had thought you were at least somewhat discreet!"

"There's nothing to be discreet about!" Arthur's tone matched her's in heat. "Furthermore, you're being a hypocrite! You think I don't see you prancing about with Lancelot on your arm? You two are obvious!"

"At least I'm not flaunting him as a lover!" Gwen retorted, her color high. "And I would never have even considered Lancelot, if not for the knowledge that the man who professed to love me was besotted with someone else!"

"I'm not besotted!" Arthur was beyond angry. "And when did I ever claim to love you?"

Gwen slammed the door hard enough to shake the stone walls as she stormed away. Arthur glared at where she had been and glanced at Merlin. Luckily, he hadn't woken up. That would be an extremely awkward conversation.

And where did Gwen get the idea that he was besotted with Merlin, of all people? Just because he spent most of his time with Merlin, and Merlin was probably the most amazing person he'd ever met, (not that he would admit that to anyone in a million years) didn't mean he was besotted! Arthur switched his glare to Merlin, found that he couldn't glare at Merlin while he looked so vulnerable, and went back to glaring at the door.

Arthur was brooding over how Gwen had gotten the idea he was sleeping with Merlin when Merlin woke up.

"What's going on?" Merlin pushed himself onto his elbows. The blankets fell back, revealing pale shoulders that Arthur did his best to avoid looking at. Instead, he hopped up to grab the mulled wine.

"You collapsed, idiot. Don't you think you should tell people when you're exhausted?" Arthur practically flung the goblet of wine at him. "Drink this."

"I've been telling you I was overworked for years. You never listen!" Merlin sipped the wine. Arthur fought back guilt.

"And you wear that stupid coat, and nothing else!" The anger he wanted wouldn't come. His voice insisted on sounding pitiful.

"I don't own another coat." Merlin said. He swallowed the rest of the wine. "And it's not my fault we went north." He blinked, and looked around the room. "Am I in your bed?"

"Yes, well there was nowhere else to put you. You're quite a bother." Arthur said. He waited for the wine to take affect. Merlin wiggled and blushed. Arthur realized what he must have noticed, and blushed. "Your clothing is um, on the chair. It's wet…"

"Okay." Merlin pulled the covers up. He looked embarrassed. "Are you just hanging around?"

"No." Arthur tried to think what he was doing. He most certainly wasn't just hanging around waiting for Merlin. "Did you know that Gwen was with Lancelot?"

"Really?" Merlin's eyes widened. Arthur nodded.

"She just stormed in here and yelled at me, and when I accused her she didn't deny him." Merlin yawned. Arthur smiled slightly.

"Wha was she so upset over? She sa one in the wrong." Arthur blushed a darker red. Merlin did look quite attractive in his bed. But for Gwen to think that he'd just jump on anyone he sort of thought was attractive in an inexplicable way…

"Um." Luckily, Merlin had fallen asleep. Arthur really didn't want to be the one to tell him about Gwen's accusations. Arthur never ever wanted to tell anyone about Gwen's accusations.

He got up and went to write the letter to King Lot. And to find Merlin some clothing.

The second time Merlin woke up, he did it with a start, his dream lingering on the edge of his senses. Morgana had been there, running. Running from another woman, this one terrible and majestic. Merlin could remember that she had been beautiful, but her features he could not recall. Morgana had been running because this woman would enslave her will and use her gifts.

Merlin thought he might have done something. Yes, he'd helped Morgana. Whoever that other woman was, she was malevolent. A greater danger by far than Morgana could ever be, and Morgana had been afraid of her. Where had Morgana gone?

He couldn't recall. Merlin shook his head and looked around.

Arthur was asleep in a chair, his upper body over the bed and his head pillowed in his arms. Merlin smiled and touched his shoulder gently.

"Wha?" Arthur jerked his head up. "Merlin!"

"Yup. And I feel fine, so can I have my clothes now?" Not that the prospect of being naked in Arthur's bed wasn't one Merlin had thought appealing. But then Arthur had been there, also not clothed, and Merlin was pulling right away from that train of thought. Idle fantasies.

"Er, sure." Arthur got up. After a moment of fumbling he flung Merlin's dried clothing at him, sans jacket. "When you're dressed, I want you in my study."

"Yes, Arthur." Arthur hurried from the room, and Merlin put on his clothing. It was colder in them that it had been in Arthur's bed. Pinned to the inside of his shirt was a note from Gaius.

Come see me when you wake up. Important. Merlin frowned. He felt fine. Nonetheless, he trotted down the corridors towards Gaius's rooms.

"Merlin!" Gaius immediately pushed him onto the bench and began examining him. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Merlin grimaced as Gaius listened to his heartbeat. "Really, Gaius. I feel better than I did before I collapsed."

"Of course you do. You've had decent sleep." Gaius shot Merlin a severe look. Merlin looked sheepish. "I thought you would be interested in what actually happened."

"All I remember is being tired, and getting colder and colder." Merlin shrugged. He was still cold.

"You went into hibernation."

"…sorry?" Merlin stared at Gaius. Gaius nodded, his eyes glinting.

"You've got dragon blood." Gaius looked deeply satisfied. "A long time ago, Balinor told me it was hard to kill a dragon lord. When I asked him why, he said that a dragon lord body would shut down when exposed to certain circumstances, like starvation or freezing. You drop into a deep sleep, where all your energy is focused within. The dragon lord only awakens when they have healed, or the atmosphere around them has changed enough for them to survive in it."

"I…but I was fine!" Gaius sniffed.

"By all rights your feet and hands should have fallen off days ago." Gaius put away his instruments. "But I've long desired to see this in action, so I'll refrain from lecturing."

Merlin nodded rapidly. Anything to keep him from a lecture about warm clothing.

"My father told you?" Gaius nodded, a faraway look in his eyes.

"A long time ago. He was in Camelot." Gaius chuckled. "It was the same year he met your mother, and he got a bad wound on his leg. He had tripped" Gaius eyed Merlin "and a piece of armor slashed open one calf. It hit an artery, and while he should have bled out he passed out and stopped bleeding. It nearly gave your mother a panic attack."

Merlin remembered his mother's panics when he'd used magic growing up. He smiled slightly at the memory of her spending a full ten minutes yelling at him for changing the weather in his sleep.

"They met in Camelot?" Gaius nodded.

"Oh, yes. She was visiting me and Balinor faked a wound to meet her." Gaius remembered that Merlin hadn't heard any of this. "They were in love after spending a few minutes in each others company. It made me feel old."

"Yes, well…" Merlin muttered. Gaius tsked. "Thanks. For telling me, I mean. My mother hasn't told me anything about my father."

"Don't overexert yourself!" Gaius called after Merlin, as his ward bounded away for Arthur's study. Gaius shook his head. Ah, the energy of youth.

Merlin made an "oomph" noise. The moment he walked through the door, something large had been thrust into his arms. Merlin crossed his eyes as he tried to see what he was holding.

"There. If I see you outside and not wearing that I'll throw you in the dungeons." Arthur stomped back to his desk.

"Aren't the dungeons colder than the outside anyway?" Arthur glared at him. Merlin grinned. "You were worried!"

"No I was not. And I'm ordering the seamstresses to find you new clothes." Merlin unfolded the bundle. It was a dark blue jacket, with silver thread on the hem and made of rich fabric. Merlin's mouth dropped open.

"Where did you get this?" Arthur shrugged.

"Treasury."

"I can't accept this…" Merlin shook his head. It was the most expensive thing he'd owned in his life. Arthur looked up and glared at him.

"You will, or I'll throw you to the dogs." Merlin hesitated. This was probably as fine as the jackets Uther wore in the winter. "It's a gift Merlin. Take it."

"Oh. Thanks." Merlin peered at Arthur's table. "What are you working on?"

"Close the door." Merlin obediently kicked the door shut behind him. Arthur motioned him closer, and Merlin sat down across from him. "This was found on the ship. Leon checked the fireplace in the captain's cabin."

He pushed a scrap of paper across the table. Most of it had been burned away.

We are pleased to…Camelot…land…M…Uther's debilitating health…Merlin squinted. Most of it was barely legible. But the little he saw didn't bode well.

"Uther's health?" Arthur nodded. "You think he wants to attack while Uther can't be there?"

"While Camelot is leaderless, yes." Arthur sighed.

"He's a moron." Arthur raised his eyebrows. Merlin grinned at Arthur. "Camelot's got you, and the people have faith in you. If he thinks he can attack while Camelot has no one, he'll get a nasty surprise." The people, Merlin added in his head, had more love for Arthur then they ever did Uther.

"We have to hope Orkney doesn't plan on attacking at all." Arthur couldn't help but smile. "King Lot himself isn't formidable, but my father used to claim that he worked with a sorceress."

"Oh, really?" Merlin's heart sank. Arthur scowled.

"Yes. So we may have magic to fear from Lot as well." Merlin relaxed slightly. Arthur didn't sound angry enough to go into a rant against magic-only weary. Merlin was sure he could at least soften the blow of any magic Lot sent at them.

Then again, since he couldn't tell Arthur that and relieve his mind, it wasn't much use.

"Do you know what I think?"

"You're capable of proper thought?" Merlin ignored Arthur.

"I think that you need to hand over training the knights completely to Leon." Arthur frowned at Merlin. Merlin plunged on, hoping that he wasn't about to provoke any sort of violence. "You haven't slept properly for days, and you spend hours on it even with Gwaine and Leon covering half of it."

"You just collapsed, and you're lecturing me about my workload?"

"Stop avoiding the subject."

"You may be right." Arthur stared at the desk, thinking. His eyes flitted to Merlin only once. "Leon won't mind, though I should probably give him a pay raise."

Merlin coughed. "You know, I've been requesting one of those for a long time."

"True." Arthur smirked. "But unfortunately, it really isn't in our budget."

"Prat."

"Idiot. Go fetch Leon." Merlin slung his new jacket over his shoulders. It was heavy, but Merlin could feel the warmth in it. Arthur must have had it warming by the fire before he'd come in. When he left the castle Merlin truly realized what a fine coat it was-the cold winds hit his face and sliced into his cheekbones but never truly chilled him.

Merlin walked toward the tavern, where Leon slept. They really needed to house the knights in the palace, it would save a hell of a walk. Merlin trotted with his head bowed against the wind and his arms locked against his sides.

He collided with someone.

"Oh, sorry-ah. Merlin." It was Lancelot then. The knight shifted uncomfortably. "Hello."

"Hello, Lancelot." Merlin sifted through the muddle of emotions that made up the Lancelot-Arthur-Gwen debacle, and settled on biting anger. "Going to Gwen's house?"

"Returning from, actually." Merlin glared at him.

"How can you say that without shame?"

"How can I-how can you look Gwen in the face?" Lancelot returned. Merlin opened his mouth furiously.

"I have done nothing to Gwen! You and her are the ones who have lied and betrayed, and hurt!"

"How in the world have we betrayed anyone?" Lancelot asked angrily. Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Oh you know, that whole Arthur loving Gwen and she returning the feelings thing, the heart Arthur had given to Gwen which you trampled!" Lancelot flushed with anger.

"The heart Arthur had given to Gwen? Gwen wasn't the one hanging about in Arthur's bed you know!"

"What, did you think Arthur was just going to bed her the moment they started having feelings for each other?" Lancelot shot him a disgusted look.

"That's what he did with you wasn't it?" Merlin's mouth fell open.

"I…what?"

"Arthur courting Gwen while bedding you." Lancelot's brow furrowed as he saw Merlin's look of bewilderment. "That's why they separated."

"I'm not sleeping with Arthur." Merlin said slowly.

"You're wearing a jacket you certainly didn't pay for yourself, and you've been seen about his rooms at all hours of the night, Gwen even said she'd caught you in bed." Lancelot said. He sounded confused.

"The jacket was a gift because I almost froze to death, and I've never been in Arthur's bed!" Merlin corrected himself. "At least, not while he was in it."

"Gwen thought you were." Lancelot said weakly. "She implied that she and Arthur had split over it." Merlin shook his head violently.

"No! Arthur is very much still in love with Gwen." Merlin sighed. "He knows about you two now, I think because Gwen came into his chambers and was yelling at him but…"

"Oh." Lancelot looked horrified. "Merlin, I thought they were done. I never believed…I never would have…I'm a loyal knight! Courting my own Prince's beloved…" Lancelot shuddered. "I thought Gwen was right. Arthur and you really aren't…" he gestured with his hands.

"No! I-" Merlin cut himself off. Saying that he would very much have liked to be in that position with Arthur but would never come between Gwen and he seemed unnecessary. It was also none of Lancelot's business. "No. We never were."

"Tell Arthur I'm sorry." Lancelot sighed. "I don't think he'd let me near him right now, and you he still trusts. I need to speak with Gwen."

That was a conversation Merlin was grateful to have nothing to do with. He nodded and watched Lancelot hurry away through the darkened streets.

"Lancelot says he's sorry." Merlin remarked to Arthur the next day, as he poured him water. Arthur almost knocked over his glass.

"Sorry?" Merlin nodded.

"He had no idea you and Gwen were still dancing around each other." Merlin shrugged. "I think he's afraid you'll strip him of his knighthood."

"Of course I won't, Camelot needs all the defenders we can find for her." Arthur said. His mind flashed toward what Gwen had yelled at him. "Did he say anything else?"

"No." Merlin brushed crumbs off Arthur's shirt. "Just that he hadn't known and he would never have presumed to woo Gwen if he had."

Arthur had his doubts about that. If Gwen was willing to believe such absurd notions in order to excuse herself, and Lancelot went along, he thought they might very well have begun an affair no matter what the circumstances.

"Fine. Tell him that I won't hold this against him." Merlin left, carrying Arthur's dirty dishes. Arthur's eyes lingered on him until the door shut.

A/N: To clarify: Gwen began an affair/flirtation with Lancelot because she believed Arthur betrayed her first with Merlin, Lancelot assumed the same, and Gwen didn't bother to wait to officially break ties with Arthur or confirm that he was in fact, sleeping with Merlin.

Don't we wish. But he wants to be, though Merlin and he are both too obtuse to realize it, and too intent on making sure that the other doesn't get any hint of their feelings to make a move.

Reviews? Pretty please?