A/N: Thank you all so very much for your wonderful reviews. Keep them coming. And enjoy...

Chapter 3

Gaius had been mute for over an hour now, and Arthur hated it. The physician's eye was simply trained on his ward constantly, the only noise he had made was to bark orders about fetching a cart from the city.

The King paced backward and forward, thoughtlessly rubbing his head sending the odd glance towards his servant. How was this possible to happen, Merlin had been through so many battles and scrapes and always survived with little injury, bar a few occasions which the King refused to recall. But this? This was a simple riding accident. Arthur kicked a nearby tree stump in his anger, how could he have let this happen.

It wasn't long later that Elyan and Percival arrived with a cart and the supplies that Gaius had ordered them to get. To Gaius and Arthur's dismay Gwen had followed them and she quickly dismounted her own horse and raced to both Arthur's and Merlin's side.

"Gwen why are you here?" Arthur pulled her back from a hug, "it's not safe for you to be out here"

"When I discovered Merlin had been injured how could i sit around and do nothing" Arthur shot the two sheepish knights a disconcerting glare, but in truth, he knew Gwen wasn't easy to lie to. She bent down to Gaius's form and placed a comforting hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Is there anything i can do to help Gaius?" she asked gently, looking to her friend's prone form on the ground.

"You can help me get him home" the physician sighed. "can you bring me the stretcher from the cart and lots of blankets and pillows"

Before Gwen had barely turned around half the knights were there, all supplies in hand, ready to help. Gaius smiled sadly and it wasn't long before he and Merlin were in the back of the cart ready for the journey back. The warlock was tied securely to the stretcher surrounded by rolled up blankets to restrict his movement. His head was secured between two large pillows and a soft but sturdy cloth was gently wrapped around the warlock's neck, Gaius would have to make some sort of collar to restrict his movement when they returned. The journey would be a slow one, the road was rough and Gaius feared the jostling cart would only make his wards injury worse. Arthur chose to ride in front, to afraid his own emotions would take over if he rode behind where Gwen was determined to stay. It was only when the castle had finally come into view of the group that Merlin made an attempt to wake.

"Arthur" Merlin's dry throat croaked out and his eye cracked open letting the late afternoon light in, the sky had cleared now and the sun shined brightly into his eye. "where's Arthur?" he continued.

"He's fine Merlin" Gaius bent over his ward checking him over.

"Why are you here?" the warlock frowned and his eye rolled and he blinked several times trying to gain his bearings. "Gaius?" His voice hitched up a tone as he suddenly felt the padding of pillows around his head. The physician smiled weakly but couldn't find the words.

"Gaius whats happening?" panic edged into his tone this time. "Where am I? Where is Arthur? Why am I on my back? Gaius?" his breath quickened in alarm as his friend still didn't say anything.

"Calm down Merlin" Gaius was trying to remain professional, but the edges of his voice were breaking, "you were kicked by the horse in the face, do you remember"

A single tear rolled down the warlock's cheek, "No" he cracked, contorting his face in pain as he suddenly felt the throb of agony from the wound and damaged bones. "Please Gaius?" he squeaked. The servant attempted to pull a hand to his face and the panic really set in, nothing but a small twitch of his left hand happened. His breaths quickened and he began to hyperventilate.

"Why can't i feel my arms?" Merlin's hysterical tone began to get louder, "and my legs" he hastily added as he tried and failed to move his lower limbs. "What have i done, whats happened. Where's Arthur?" he repeated again.

"Arthur is riding ahead, he is perfectly well Merlin" Gaius took his wards hand in his own, grimacing at the coolness of his skin. "you on the other hand have had a nasty bang to the head my boy, you need to calm down and breath for me ok?"

Merlin took a shaky breath, feeling his heart pounding wildly in his chest he exhaled slowly in an attempt to calm but it did very little. "What happened to me?"

"I told you my boy, you've had a blow to the head, and i can see your more than a little confused, which i am not surprised by" Gaius rummaged in his medicine bag then.

"But whats happened to my legs and arms?" Merlin attempted to move his head to see what his career was doing but Gaius hastily pushed his head gently down.

"Try not to move" he avoided Merlin's glare pulling out a vial he tutted, finding it only half full. "It would be better if you stayed still" he added, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

"Why?" Merlin's head was spinning now and the nausea was rising up in his stomach. "Wheres Arthur?" he asked yet again.

"He's riding ahead Merlin, I told you, do you remember" Gaius huffed but refused to become annoyed.

"Why can't i see him?" The warlock was edging on hysteria again, "what's happened to him?" This time he managed to clench his left fist, but his arm refused to move.

"Nothings happened to him" the physician sighed, this was going in circles so he did all he could and hollered the Kings name. Arthur heard him and the group came to a stop as the King circled round to the back of the cart.

"He wont stop asking for you Sire"

"Idiot" Arthur whispered before dismounting Meinhard and coming to the edge of the wagon. "Merlin would you just quit complaining and just do as Gaius says" he bit back his tone for a moment after seeing the panic in his friends eye and added "we'll be home soon, don't worry"

"But I don't understand" Merlin flicked his gaze from Gaius to Arthur and then back again. "whats wrong with me?"

"You banged your head again you clot pole" Arthur patted him on the shoulder and shot a worried look towards the physician. "Your a little confused right now"

"Thats all everyone keeps saying" Merlin swallowed down the rising bile and closed his eye against the throb beginning to resound in his head. "Will someone tell me whats going on?" he cried, voice breaking in both panic and angst.

"Here" Gaius saw his pain and gently pulled the stretcher up a little and placed the vial close to his ward lips. "this will help with the headache"

Merlin squeezed his lips tightly shut for a moment and frowned under closed lids. "Why?" he inhaled quickly as another wave of pain hit him.

"Please my boy, for me" he pushed the medicine closer to the servants lips and finally the warlock obliged, swallowing the foul liquid down in one gulp.

Merlin's face contorted against the foul taste and for a moment he fought the urge to vomit the liquid back up. But within a minute or so Gaius watched carefully as his wards face slowly relaxed, his breathing slowed he fell into a deep sleep.

The physician bit back the guilt and turned to Arthur. "He should be out with enough time to get him back to my chambers"