Part 9 When Courage Angers Strength
(Authors Note: Ok here's what you've all begged for ~I LOVE YOU ALL BY THE WAY~ a really long chapter! I still own nothing.)
I woke up to real warmth wrapping around me. I blinked up at two faces. I knew those faces.
"Bedavier? Lancelot?" I groaned groggily. A relieved smile spread over both faces.
"You really are harder to find than you should be. I thought Gwaine was joking." Bedavier joked. He tried to help me up by my left hand, but I couldn't help screaming and falling back. Lancelot caught my right arm, steadying me.
"What's wrong Merlin?" He asked quietly. I breathed out hard.
"Fell. Broke my wrist." I hissed between my teeth, cradling my wrist to my chest. Bedavier looked like he wanted to kick himself.
"Alright, come on." Lancelot took my right arm and slung it around his shoulder. I shivered violently. Lancelot wrapped his arm around my waste and helped me stagger forward.
"Why were you headed north?" Bedavier asked as we stumbled along. I knew he was trying to keep me awake and I appreciated that.
"I was heading north?" I asked genuinely surprised. "I thought I was heading back to Camelot." I grinned.
Bedavier's hand twitched to his sword hilt when the bushes to our left moved. Then I saw Percival followed by Gwaine, Kay and Arthur. Each looked relieved and I shivered again.
"You idiot." Arthur groused, inspecting my wrist. I winced when he brushed his fingertips against it.
"You're the one who sent me out here, your pratness." I breathed back, hiding my pain and relief behind our banter.
"I didn't expect you to fall and break your wrist, though I really should have, if only because it's you." Lancelot cut in before I could snap back.
"Sire, he's half frozen and I believe it would be best to return him to Giaus before he freezes completely." Concern flittered across Arthurs face.
"Giaus would give us all a very long lecture if we let Merlin freeze." Gwaine said smiling while he gently retied my neckerchief around my wrist.
We made our way back to Camelot as quickly as possible. Still mostly frozen I stumbled every so often but someone was always there to catch me. Percival offered to carry me but I refused, determined to salvage what little dignity I had left.
When we finally got back I was shivering worse than ever. Giaus and Gwen fussed and Giaus kept giving him what I like to call his how-could-you-be-such-an-idiot eyebrow.
"This will take some time to heal my boy, and next time, wear a better cloak." I hung my head and twiddled my thumbs. I mumbled a response. I had already returned the cloak Bedavier had borrowed from one of the guards and Giaus wrapped a cloak around my shoulders. Arthur, Gwaine and Lancelot who had stayed to make sure I was alright, gave me a collectively curious look.
"What was that mate?" Gwaine asked. I flushed slightly.
"I don't have a better one." I muttered barely louder than before but they heard me that time.
"Merlin mate," Gwaine started but Arthur cut him off.
"What do you mean?" I glared up at him.
"Exactly what I said, prat, I don't have one." I rolled my eyes at his shocked expression, pulling the blanket closer.
"Why not?" He asked incredulously. I suddenly became very interested in the edge of the blanket. I looked up when I heard Arthur yelp indignantly. Gwaine had cuffed him around the back of the head. I stifled a laugh.
"You… You..." Gwaine seemed to be floundering for a word.
"Clot-pole?" I supplied helpfully.
"You clot-pole!" Gwaine finished triumphantly. "You overwork Merlin, send him out to do dangerous and slightly stupid things and you barley pay him!" I blushed a little. Arthur looked damn near ashamed of himself. I sneezed.
Giaus and Gwen were there in an instant, both looking worried. Giaus laid a hand on my forehead.
"A bit warm but not yet dangerous. You're lucky Bedavier and Lancelot found you when they did. If you'd been out there any longer…" He let the end of the sentence hang there like a blacksmiths anvil. Giaus poured some liquid into a small vial and handed it to me.
"Drink that down, then off to bed." I did as I was told and went up to my room closing the door behind me. I lay down and curled up under my blanket. I was asleep in minutes.