I have just not been motivated to do anything lately. Sorry about that, guys. I promise to do better. Hopefully this slump will be reversed and I can update twice a month at least. Have a great week.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
Lancelot was in a deep sleep. The kind that didn't plague the mind with dreams or nightmares. The kind that allowed the sleeper to fully rest his busy mind so that the following day he could think with a clear head. One would think that the discovery of a dying Merlin would have been enough to throw Lancelot into a state of nightmares. Nightmares that centered on his failure as a protector. But, Lancelot didn't dream. He didn't stir. He just leaned back in the old, wooden chair and allowed his mind to clear. Sadly, his restful sleep was disturbed quite violently by the door being thrown open. The force was enough to make it smack the wall with a loud "bang". The sound of wood hitting stone resonated throughout the chamber, jerking the knight awake. His hand reached for his sword, ready to defend Merlin against any attackers that might have invaded the small room. Such an action, was not needed though.
"Lancelot," Leon called out. Percival and Elyan were trailing behind him. Lancelot relaxed as his eyes fell on his friends. "What happened?" It was strange that Leon was lacking the finesse he normally had. Usually, when the senior knight entered a room it was quietly and without disturbance. Now, he seemed to lose all inhibitions and came charging in the room with such power, one would think he was Gwaine.
"I went to the cave. I then discovered Merlin was unconscious with an infected cut. I immediately brought the boy back here. There was no way I could care for him in the forest," Lancelot explained. It was a bit succinct, but Lancelot didn't want to go over how panicked he felt upon seeing Merlin in the dark and cold cave. He turned to the boy and pulled the blankets up to his neck. It appeared that the youngster had not stirred during Leon's rough entry. Lancelot didn't know if he should be worried or relieved. He knew Gaius had done everything in his power to help. But it still wasn't enough. Leon went over the bed and placed a hand on Merlin's forehead.
"Gods, he's burning up," he murmured. Merlin muttered something incoherent and leaned into Leon's hand. Leon gave a sad smile and began to run his hand through Merlin's hair. A flash of red caught Leon's eye and he turned to see his crimson cloak folded neatly at the foot of Merlin's bed. He removed his hand and went to pick up the red cloth. There was no mistake, this was the very cape Leon had give Merlin that day in the forest.
"He kept it?" Leon asked to no one in particular. The way Merlin reacted to the knights, Leon suspected he had thrown away the cloth. Merlin whined once he realized Leon's hand was gone. Percival took action to quiet the boy. He placed a damp cloth on his forehead that had been sitting in a bucket of water and began to gently wipe away the sweat.
"He was wrapped up tight in it when I got there," Lancelot chuckled. Even when Merlin was in Gaius' workshop, it was difficult to make the boy let go. He seemed to want to stay wrapped up in it forever. Leon didn't react to the news. He just placed the cloak back at Merlin's feet and sat down on the workbench. He couldn't help but feel sad and happy at the thought that Merlin had held the cape so tightly in his hands.
"What did you tell Gaius?" Elyan asked, joining Leon at the table.
"He didn't ask. I don't think he would really care," Lancelot replied. Gaius knew about Morgana's magic and Arthur's destiny. He wouldn't care that the knights had brought in a magical child within the walls of Camelot. But, the less Gaius knew, the less they would have to worry about something slipping. Gaius wouldn't give up information easily. Even so, it was dangerous to have too many people know about Merlin.
And, something else had been troubling Lancelot. When Gaius first laid eyes on Merlin, he gasped. His face drained of all color. And he sat there for several seconds staring at the small child. It looked as though he had seen a ghost. Immediately after treating Merlin, Gaius left the chambers quickly. It was rather strange behavior from the old man that made Lancelot wonder if he had seen Merlin somewhere before.
"But still," Leon's voice dragged Lancelot out of his thoughts. "There will be questions. People saw you carry Merlin to the physician's chambers. Uther will want to know what happened," Leon stated. Lancelot sighed and took Merlin's hand in his own. He was afraid that Leon would say something like this.
"I don't know what to tell the King. Telling him the truth will be too suspicious. We can't risk the child. Uther sees nothing but evil when it comes to magic." Elyan nodded in agreement and pursed his lips.
"Arthur knows, he'll be down later with Morgana to check on Merlin," he said. Leon ran a hand through his hair. He stared at Merlin, trying to figure out a lie that would best protect Merlin.
"I think I know what to tell the king," he said. Lancelot sat forward, intent on grasping every word Leon spoke. Before the senior knight could relay his lie, the chamber doors once again opened. The occupants of the room, save Merlin, jumped at the sound of a wooden door once again hitting a stone wall.
"I hope you have a good explanation, Sir Lancelot," Uther spat. An angry looking Morgana and a slightly fearful Arthur followed him in. Lancelot wanted to know what had gotten the king so worked up. It wasn't as if Lancelot had brought in an army of druids, or impregnated a noblewoman. Uther was always so temperamental when it came to certain things. It was never clear how he would react to certain pieces of information.
"I need to go," Elyan muttered upon seeing the room was going to be very crowded. Percival followed behind him without a word. Uther took no note of the knights as they left. Morgana saw Merlin's form on the bed and gasped.
"Oh isn't he just adorable," she cooed, rushing to the boy's side and promptly kicking Lancelot off the chair. Well, she more shoved him off in a very unladylike way.
"Morgana!" Uther gasped in horror. Morgana glared at the man and began fussing over Merlin's small form.
"Sire, if I may," Leon stated, standing to draw Uther's attention off of Lancelot. "Sir Lancelot was out for a ride in the woods-"
"In this weather?" Uther asked, raising an eyebrow. Leon paused for a second and threw a fearful look towards Lancelot.
"Um, yes?" Leon said. "He-um. Well, you see-" Lancelot decided to try and throw Leon a bone. After all, he was about to lie to the King. The least Lancelot could do was give an explanation as to why he was out in the rain.
"It was always a favorite pastime of mine to ride in the rain. It always feels… refreshing. I just haven't had the time to do it now that I have become a knight," Lancelot stated in a shaky voice. Uther seemed to buy this explanation and turned back to Leon.
"Anyways, he was riding through the forest when some slave traders attacked. Lancelot would have been taken had this boy not distracted them long enough for Lancelot to get away. Lancelot, being indebted to the boy, helped him escape as well and during the ride he collapsed due to an infection on his leg," Leon finished hurriedly. He took a deep breath and attempted to calm his beating heart. Uther could see right through it. Leon was sure of that. There were too many holes. The was the knights were acting was too awkward. They would be found out. Merlin would be killed. They-
"Morgana, don't coddle the boy too much," Uther said while exiting the room. Leon's train of panicked thoughts stopped and for several seconds, he stood there. Leon just stood there blinking, his brain trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. It was only after the door shut that his body began to recover from the shock. Looking around, everyone except for Morgana was having a similar experience.
"He bought that?" Arthur asked, dumbfounded.
"That was probably the worst lie we've ever told the man," Lancelot said. Morgana wasn't even paying attention.
"So this is the precious little thing you found," Morgana said. She dipped the cloth back in the water and then continued to wipe the sweat from Merlin's brow. Arthur rolled his eyes and went to sit by the bed.
"He's not precious," he muttered. Morgana let out a laugh.
"Don't be daft, he's adorable. A little thin. But, a few meals and a bath will go a long way in helping the poor thing," Morgana said.
"How is he?" Arthur asked, completely ignoring Morgana. Morgana kicked Arthur in the shin, causing Arthur to fall back.
"I will get Gwen if you two don't behave," Leon threatened. Morgana and Arthur glared at each other but didn't attempt to harm each other any more.
"Gaius said he'll be fine in a few days. Though he won't be able to walk on that leg for a little," Lancelot explained. He was trying not to laugh at Morgana and Arthur's antics. He only hoped Merlin was better behaved than these two. Leon was already balding due to the stress of trying to keep Morgana and Arthur in line.
"How was he able to survive for so long without dealing with the cut?" Arthur asked.
"I believe that is because of his magic," Gaius' voice called out from behind the group.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked. He assumed Gaius already knew about the circumstances in which the child was discovered.
"Merlin's magic keeps him healthy and heals his injuries. My guess though is that he has been doing too much magic these past few days for it to work properly. Between defeating a wyvern and saving you, the child hasn't had time to properly heal himself," the old man said.
"But he healed me," Leon said.
"I imagine that he is the type to help others before helping himself. He should be awake today or tomorrow," Gaius replied.
"How did you know about the wyvern?" Lancelot asked.
"I went to see Kilgarrah. He filled me in on the circumstances surrounding Merlin," Gaius replied.
"We really should stop relying on that scaly fiend," Morgana scoffed. "One of these days he will demand a payment for his advice."
"I'm sorry, my lady," Gaius said. "We have no other expert to turn to. We have to rely on him."
"How are we planning on keeping him here?" Lancelot asked, turning the conversation away from the dragon and back towards more important things. After all that had happened, Lancelot could not, in good faith, allow the child back into the woods alone. He needed someone to protect him. Arthur sighed and stared at Merlin for several moments before responding.
"It will be difficult, but we should at least try," he said. "There has to be some way we can keep him here."
"Maybe this time you don't pester the boy. He might be more willing to listen to your argument if he's not being pressured," Morgana snapped.
"Now my lady," Gaius said, "the knights were just looking out for the child's best interest. They just aren't used to dealing with such a difficult child," Gaius finished. Morgana pursed her lips but said nothing.
"He's not difficult so much as stubborn and afraid," Leon said.
"Is he still in here?" Gwen called from the door.
"Yes, he hasn't gone anywhere, my lady," Leon said with a slight bow. Gwen blushed but walked through the door nonetheless. She still wasn't used to being treated as a noblewoman of the court. She squealed upon seeing Merlin in the bed.
"He is so tiny. He needs a bath," Gwen said. She walked over to Morgana and adjusted the boy's covers. "He's skinny too," she muttered to herself.
"Can you guys stop being mother hens towards Merlin," Arthur spat.
"Oh, sire," Gwen said upon realizing that Arthur was in the room. "I didn't know that you were here. Not that you wouldn't be here. I'm not saying you wouldn't be worried about Merlin. But I figured that you would being doing something more important…" Gwen rambled. Morgana smirked.
"You could do so much better," she said quietly. Gwen stopped talking and blushed even harder than before. "Personally, I think Lancelot is a much better man," Morgana continued. Gwen took to staring at her shoes, as did Arthur and Lancelot. Leon chuckled.
"You know Gwaine's going to be just as bad when he finds out," the senior knight said. Arthur groaned and thought of how difficult it was going to be to control Gwaine after he discovered what had happened to Merlin. The knight wasn't going to get anything done until Merlin got better, that was certain. The group spent a few more minutes around the unconscious boy before Leon brought up that they all had something to do.
"We can't just leave him here by himself," Gwen gasped when Leon suggested that they return to their duties.
"We can't stay here much longer either," Leon said gently.
"But if he wakes up he may freak out about being in an unfamiliar place," Lancelot defended. "I don't think he knows he's even left the cave." Leon looked around and sighed.
"Alright, I don't have anything to do for the next hour. By that time Gwaine should be getting back and should be able to watch the boy until someone else can relieve him," Leon said.
"I could give Gwen the rest of the day off," Morgana suggested. She didn't know how well Leon would be able to help a frightened child. Surely a woman would be a better source of comfort. Something about giving off a motherly atmosphere and making the patient feel comfortable. Morgana didn't really remember Gaius' explanation.
"No, Merlin doesn't know who Gwen is. He might go into an even bigger panic if she were to be by his bedside and not one of the knights he's already met," Leon explained. Morgana reluctantly nodded.
"Then it's agreed. Leon, I will see you later," Arthur said. He gave Merlin one last pat on the head before walking out. Lancelot also stroked the boy's hair once more before following Arthur. Gaius mentioned having to run into town for helping with a birth and also left. Morgana and Gwen both kissed Merlin on the forehead and followed the others through the door, leaving only Leon in the empty room. Leon sat down next to Merlin and began running his fingers through the boy's matted hair. It calmed him down considerably when Lancelot repeated the action. Now he could only hope that it was bringing the small child some comfort.
"The first thing we're going to do when you wake up is get you to eat a nice, hearty meal. I won't be so cruel as to set the cook on you, but some stew would help with the sack of bones you've become," Leon chuckled. "We'll also work on getting you some clothes that fit and a bath." Leon continued talking softly to the boy for the next hour, the only other sound was Merlin's slightly laborious breathing. But even in that hour Leon could tell that the boy had improved greatly. His face was no longer the ashen color it had been and even his temperature had dropped.
Leon was only taken out of his mindless rambling when he heard the door creek open quietly. He looked up to see Gwaine slipping into the room. He was drenched from head to toe.
"If you don't dry off, you'll catch a cold," Leon scolded.
"It's a good excuse to miss practice," Gwaine shrugged and gave a halfhearted smile.
"You never need an excuse to miss practice."
"Well, maybe I should start coming up with them," Gwaine said back, though it was clear his heart wasn't into it today. He was quiet and reserved. His shoulders slumped and his eyes seemed older than normal.
"He'll be fine," Leon assured the knight. "Just in the hour I've been with him he's improved greatly. You don't need to worry about his safety."
"I knew something was wrong," Gwaine sighed. Leon stood up and stretched while Gwaine took a seat. "If he's so ill, why hasn't the rain stopped?"
"I think it's because he is unable to. His body is raging out of control and there is no stop on it. Instead of healing him, it's almost fighting him," Leon hypothesized. Gwaine nodded and took Merlin's hand in his own.
"Maybe it's the fates calling out, forcing him to Camelot," he suggested.
"Then those are some cruel fates indeed," Leon chuckled humorously. "I have to go do an inspection of the barracks. You may be getting some visitors soon. If he wakes up try to keep your voice soft," Leon said. "And try not to look so sad. You might panic him."
"Leon, I'll be fine," Gwaine said.
"If his fever starts spiking pile more blankets on him to sweat it out."
"Leon, Gaius will be back soon. Relax," Gwaine chuckled.
"Oh, and make sure he knows that he is safe-"
"LEON!" Gwaine cried. Leon stopped and turned to Gwaine. "I can watch one child for the night. I will be fine," Gwaine said earnestly. Leon swallowed and nodded.
"Very well, I'll just be going now," Leon said before turning and walking out the door.
"Merlin, mate, do you want to hear a story?" Gwaine asked gently. The boy made no indication that he heard the knight. "I've got a good one about the time I spent in the Misty Mountains," Gwaine started. "I'll leave out the raunchy parts. There's no need to give Leon a heart attack. Maybe when you're older I'll fill you in," Gwaine said. With that, the knight leaned back and started to recount one of his many adventures as a wanderer. He liked to think that Merlin would enjoy those stories, though Lancelot's might be better since he was more chivalrous. At the very least, Lancelot's would be more appropriate. Then again, that would probably lead to more boring tales. It was more fun to hear about how Gwaine managed to get King Odin drunk and ended up stealing his prized hunting hound, only to release it in a brothel and then get banished from Odin's land. Gwaine smiled and thought about how much fun he and Merlin were going to have in Camelot. The list of magical pranks they could do was piling up in Gwaine's mind. Leon was definitely going to go grey and bald by the end of the year. But first, Merlin was going to have to recover. That was all that mattered at the moment. Gwaine would not fail in protecting Merlin. He couldn't fail.
And we are done with another chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you have a great rest of the week.