A/N: Suddenly and inexplicably my apartment smells like blue cheese.
I don't like it.
Merlin was draped across the limbs of the tree almost tenderly, as if being carried by the rough branches; head thrown back with his other arm resting on his stomach.
Arthur watched with rapt attention as Gwaine climbed the tree (claiming he was the lightest and therefor least likely to overburden the branches) and passed the servant down into Percival's waiting arms.
If it weren't for the sickening lump sprouting out the side of his head and the great bleeding gash on his broken arm the king would think him simply asleep, his expression was so serene. His breath caught once more.
"He isn't-"
He couldn't even bring himself to finish the question.
Shifting his grip on the thin man, Percival placed a hand on his chest and then his neck.
"No, just unconscious. I think it's safe to move him- we should hurry back to Gaius."
Gwaine chose that moment to drop out of the tree right next to Arthur, who jumped slightly.
The blond glared at the long-haired knight before replying.
"Agreed, let us make haste."
A small crowd of concerned onlookers swarmed the group as they re-entered the city- all of them waved aside by Gwaine and Arthur as they escorted Percival and his passenger to the temporary infirmary in the courtyard, skirting around upturned flagstones to do so.
"Merlin!" Gaius called, just as Guinevere shouted "Arthur!"
There was a flurry of activity as a bed was cleared for the servant while Gwen and Gaius descended on the young man with wet cloths and bandages in-hand.
"We found him in a tree- his arm is broken and cut up, the bump on his head is the only other thing we noticed."
"Thank you Sire, if you could help me get his shirt off-"
Luckily the jacket had been removed prior to lying down for his nap.
Arthur pulled the dagger from his belt and carefully cut the sleeve away from his friend's mangled limb, silently promising to get him a new tunic as he worked the rest of the garment off the prone body.
All present sucked in a breath at the sight of the nasty bruise spreading across the otherwise pale chest- presumably from the impact of whatever had broken his arm.
Gaius pressed gently on his ward's ribs, glad to find none had been damaged.
"If you two could brace him? I need to set the bone."
Gwaine and Percival took careful hold of their friend, looking away as the appendage was maneuvered back into place.
Merlin let out a short scream then, eyes popping open and looking around wildly for a moment before settling on his guardian.
"What-?"
"Merlin, can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"
"Fingers?" All he could make out was a flesh-colored blob.
"Hm." He turned to the knights and monarchs.
"I'll need you to make sure he stays awake while I prepare some potions for him. Ensure he doesn't try to move- he's likely quite confused because of that head wound."
"What?"
"Precisely."
Shaking his head, the elder shuffled off toward the makeshift workbench that had been cobbled together from the loose barrels and planks strewn about by the winds.
For a moment Arthur felt guilty that he hadn't even thought about bringing any of the physician's supplies back with them- but then realized it was likely all broken anyway.
"Wha-tappened?" Merlin slurred, turning his bleary gaze on the other figures surrounding him.
"There was some kind of windstorm... it tore up the city and left- taking you with it."
"Oh" the servant replied calmly, clearly not understanding what he had just been told but still satisfied with the answer.
After Gaius had set the arm Gwen had taken over cleaning it and finished treating the sluggishly-bleeding cut just in time to see Merlin's eyelids drooping.
"You have to stay awake Merlin."
The servant twitched in surprise.
"Oh, hi Gwen, when'dju getere?"
"Lived here all my life."
The queen smiled at him softly.
"Outside?"
Clearly this was not the time to be joking with the man.
Arthur sighed.
"Do you remember anything about what happened to you Merlin?"
The peasant frowned, pursing his lips in a way that would have been humorous were it not for the bruise spreading from the dark bump currently disrupting his silhouette.
"I thin' there was a flying... goat?"
The royal didn't know if this was a product of the man's damaged brain or if it had actually happened- that's what kind of day it had been.
"Anything else?"
"My head... a-splode."
The injured man crossed his eyes and rolled them upward as if he were looking for evidence of the occurrence.
"Yes, it seems you've had a bit of a knock upside your face."
Brow furrowed in confusion, Merlin asked:
"Why wo' somun knock on my face? Doesn' even have a- door."
"..."
Arthur looked around, imploring anyone else to come up with some kind of response.
They seemed too busy trying not to laugh at his expression.
Fortunately for the king, Gaius returned at that moment with a few vials clutched in his weathered hand.
Percival helped prop the patient up, apologizing as the younger man's battered side twinged.
"Drink this, Merlin. It will help you stay awake."
The invalid grabbed the glass with his good hand, downing the liquid before grimacing and asking "why wo-die wanna do- tha'?"
"That's something you should ask before drinking the potion, mate."
Gwaine chuckled at Merlin's look of disgust as another concoction was pressed into his hand.
"Wha-ziss?"
"Now you're learning."
"Hush Gwaine."
Gwen swatted the grinning knight though she too wore a small smile at her friend's antics.
"This will help with the pain" Gaius explained patiently.
Merlin shook his head.
"Dun' hurt."
"It will."
The affirmation effectively sobered up the gathered companions, who now looked on with pity.
"Don' wannit" the servant said firmly, unaware that he resembled nothing so much as a small child refusing to eat his vegetables.
"Just drink it, idiot, before we have to force you" Arthur commanded.
The servant huffed but gave in, swallowing the whole thing at once and nearly gagging at the taste.
"Tryin' kill me?!" He gasped.
"No, but we could if you like."
"Arthur!"
The sovereign looked sheepish when his wife's admonition caused him to notice Merlin's look of moderate horror.
"I was joking, Merlin. You're safe- no one's trying to kill you."
The slim man only looked slightly comforted by that assurance.
Arthur found himself feeling a new appreciation for his manservant's usual wit.
"Alright Merlin, I have to splint your arm now- it's probably going to hurt."
"Bu' I took the po-shun!" He protested petulantly.
"Yes, but you may still feel this. It'll be better once it's done."
"S'fine now" the pale man insisted, nonetheless staying still as his surrogate father braced the limb; brief flashes of pain on his face being the only indication of his suffering.
"There, now if someone could watch over him- I'll need to check the progress of his head injury every now and then but he should be fine while I see to the other victims."
"Of course, Gaius- thank you."
The physician smiled warmly at his king.
"It is my duty and my joy Sire."
As he shuffled off the remaining watchers set up a rotation, Gwen and Arthur sitting up with Merlin first while the rest caught some sleep nearby.
And if Arthur clutched his wife's hand so tightly both of their knuckles were white, Merlin certainly didn't notice- he was much too distracted by his new discovery.
"Where's my shirt?"