~ Chapter 15: Awaken ~

- Merlin -

I woke up in a familiar bed. I looked around confused. How did I get here? Then the events of that night came back to me. Arthur must have gotten me back to Gaius's chambers.

I blinked a couple of times, letting my eyes adjust. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair to the side of my bed was Gaius.

"Gaius!" I exclaimed. I couldn't help myself. I realized too late that if it was this dark, I probably should be quiet so I wouldn't wake him up.

Gaius woke up immediately. There were tears in his eyes when he saw me sitting up. "Oh Merlin, you're awake," he said.

"No, I'm asleep," I said sarcastically.

Gaius chuckled. "I've missed you," he told me. "I really thought you weren't going to make it."

I frowned slightly. "You saw me, what? Three days ago? Four?" I asked.

Gaius looked at me surprised. "Merlin, you've been out for four days. If you didn't have a pulse, I would fear you were dead," he told me.

I looked at him shocked. "Four days?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Arthur's been a nervous wreck. He spends more time here than he does with his knights and Guinevere combined. I think there's something he wants to talk to you about," he told me.

I groaned. "If he's going to ask me to polish his armor, the answer is no," I told him.

Gaius chuckled. "I think the matter he wishes to discuss with you is a little more serious than that," he told me.

I looked at him suspiciously. "You know what it is, don't you?" I asked him.

Gaius nodded. "I do. But I'm going to let Arthur tell you. Heaven knows he'll have me hung if I don't tell him immediately that you're awake," Gaius told me.

"Where is he?" I asked. "I'll go to him."

"If I had a guess, I'd say he's probably sleeping," Gaius told me.

I shrugged. "I guess it's time to wake up the king," I said with a smile.

I carefully got out of bed. I was a little sore, but other than that I felt fine. I started to leave.

"Um Merlin?" Gaius asked me. I looked at him curiously. "You might want to put a shirt on. It's rather chilly at night."

I looked down surprised to see that I wasn't wearing a shirt. I was so bandaged, I hadn't noticed. "Oh. Right," I conceded. I pulled on a shirt then walked towards Gaius. I gave him a hug.

"I'm proud of you, m'boy," Gaius whispered to me.

"Thank you," I told him.

When he broke the embrace, he smiled at me. "You best get going. Your destiny is waiting," Gaius told me.

I rolled my eyes, but left his chambers. I followed the familiar passages towards Arthur's chambers. I quietly opened the door, careful not to wake them. The irony. I was being careful not to wake them, so I could wake them up in a more frightening way.

I glanced around the room and located the perfect thing. Two silver chalices were sitting on a tray next to the bed. I made the chalices rise into the air. When they were next to Arthur's ear, I made them clank together. It worked better than I thought. The sound of the two chalices echoed throughout Arthur's chambers.

Arthur immediately sat up and looked around. "What the hell was that?" He asked.

"I don't know," Gwen said in a frightened voice.

"Who's there?" Arthur asked. He got out of bed and grabbed the sword that always sits next to his bed.

"If I didn't know better, I would say it was almost like you didn't want to see me." I tried to sound as insulted as possible.

Arthur froze. "Merlin?" he asked uncertainly.

"The one and only," I said, stepping out from the shadows so he could see me.

Arthur laughed gleefully. "It's really you," he said as he walked over to me. He quickly hugged me then put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad you're okay."

"You say that like you were worried," I teased him.

"Worried about you? Never," he tossed back.

"Right. If you weren't worried then I'm not the queen," Gwen muttered. Despite being woken up, she looked happy and radiant. But there was something odd there. It was undeniable that she was happy, but there was something else there. Something I couldn't place my finger on.

"I wasn't that worried," Arthur protested.

"You've spent more time hanging over Gaius's shoulder than anyone I know. I don't know how the poor man has the patience for you," Gwen teased him lovingly. "I'm glad you're awake. It's been a long four days"

I grinned at them. "I'm sorry to wake you up, but Gaius seemed to fear that he would be hung if Arthur didn't find out I was awake," I told Gwen.

I looked at Arthur expectantly. "Okay I did not threaten Gaius," he insisted. "I may have hinted that the consequences would not be pretty if he did not tell me when you woke up."

"Arthur!" Gwen chastised. Arthur looked at the ground ashamed.

I chuckled. If only his people can see him now. "I am truly happy that you are okay, but perhaps this reunion can wait until morning? I really am quite tired," Gwen said to me apologetically. She didn't look tired.

"Oh course," I quickly said. I started to walk out of their chambers.

"Oh, Merlin?" Arthur called. I looked at him curiously. "I expect you back at work tomorrow morning."

"Arthur," Gwen chastised.

"Oh alright. Tomorrow afternoon, not a moment later," Arthur told me.

Gwen shook her head at him. "Have a good night," she said to me.

I left their chambers and shook my head. Some things never change.