A/N:

Welcome to part two of 'Frozen' (Chapter 29) I hope you guys enjoy!

I don't own Merlin

CHARACTERS: Merlin, Arthur & Knights

RATED: T

GENRE: Hurt/Comfort, Angst

THE ADVENTURES OF MERLIN

Shiver

Merlin was mumbling incoherently as Arthur followed Gwaine and Leon into the moderately large cave the Knights had managed to find. The damp walls were alight with flickering orange light as Percival added more fuel to the fire. Even though it was snowing, the bare trees provided good firewood and in the short time it had taken to reach the shelter, the burly knight had managed to gather a decent amount of it.

He looked up from his task at the young man, who was thrashing in the King's arms, and his face tightened, no doubt recalled the close call with the Dorocha. Like they all where.

'We must remove his wet clothes,' Leon pointed out, removing his cloak of Camelot red and setting it down as close to the fire as he dared. It was a stroke of pure luck that they somehow managed to retain the most of their belongings, having just unloaded their horses before they were attacked.

Arthur set the youth gently upon the cloak and brushed his damp locks from his brow. Merlin's cobalt gaze was confused as he peered up at the King, and Arthur sighed.

'I don't suppose there is a cure for your supposed mental affliction? Or even one for your innate talent for clumsiness?' The blonde said in a gentle tone that contradicted the teasing words. Merlin just blinked slowly, eyes roving around their surroundings, before fluttering closed.

The King first took note of the injuries he had sustained as a direct result of his tumble down the slope – the most worrying being the gash above his eye.

Lifting the unconscious boy, Arthur divested him of his tunic and neckerchief, wondering briefly where on earth his jacket was, before instructing Gwaine to remove his boots and socks.

Sir Leon crouched by the King, handing him one of his more worn shirts. 'Dry him off as best you can sire, then wrap it around his head. That is where the heat will escape from first,' he instructed before removing Merlin's breeches, leaving the youth in his small clothes.

Arthur winced at the sight of his undernourished frame, and made a mental note to berate his servant when his was feeling better.

'He's still not shivering,' Percival observed, removing every blanket he could find from each pack before sliding his own under the youth's dark head as a pillow. Arthur silently began to dry the young man, beginning at his torso and moving down his body in gentle sweeps. Leon ended up handing the King a new shirt for Merlin's head when the one he held became too wet to be of any help.

'Get some blankets ready – hold them near the fire to warm them up a bit,' Arthur ordered without his usual haughtiness, before removing his own clothes, much to the shock of the Knights.

'What in god's name are you doing, Queenie?' Gwaine asked from the mouth of the cave, clutching a battered old pot full of snow, ready for melting.

'Gaius taught me once that the best way to warm somebody up was through body heat.' The King explained with an exasperated roll of the eyes.

'Yes, well obviously I know that. I'm just surprised you volunteered, is all.' The tawny haired Knight replied with a smirk that held none of its usual charm.

Stripped to the bare essentials, Arthur settled down beside Merlin and pulled his body close, recoiling in shock at the temperature.

'Well, you can just wipe that stupid smile of your face, Gwaine – he is far too cold, so you will be helping me warm him up.

Gwaine shrugged, not looking at all put out by the task as he, too divested himself of his clothes.

'Someone mind covering us up, nice and tight? It's a bit nippy out,' he commented, curling into Merlin's other side. 'Gods, he cold!'

Stepping away from the flames with the old woollen blankets clutched in his meaty hands, Percival draped the first lengthways around the trio's shoulders, before piling the others on top and tucking them in tight.

'You'd make a great Inn keeper's wife, Percy,' Gwaine commented with a wry smile. 'They tuck the bed's so tight, it's like getting smothered by a chorus of Angels.'

'More like a horde of Demons in your case,' Percival muttered in defence.

Leon chuckled lightly as he added more wood to the fire and fanned the flames. It was going to be a long night.

*~*M*~*

Arthur woke with a start, feeling like something was different. Over on Merlin's other side, Gwaine slept peacefully, his hand curled loosely against Merlin's arm in a gesture of protectiveness and the fire was still as bright as ever with one of the remaining Knights tending to it constantly.

It took the King a moment to realise that there was violent movement coming from between him and Gwaine.

Merlin was shivering.

'Gwaine,' Arthur hissed, prodding his face sharply and smirking as he snorted awake.

'Wha's goin on?' He mumbled sleepily.

The King looked at the youth pointedly before curling himself tighter around his trembling body.

'A-A-Art-th-ur?' Came a quiet voice that was like music to their ears. 'G-G-Gwaine?'

The young Knight grinned and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. 'The one and only!'

'Thank god...' Arthur murmured before turning to whoever was on watch. 'Can we get some warm water here?'

The King regarded the boy between them and felt a twinge of guilt, amongst the surge of brotherly affection. Since when had he turned into a girl's petticoat?

'Do you remember what happened?' He asked, laying a warm hand against Merlin's brow. The youth arched up to the touch, seeking the heat Arthur's body produced.

'C-c-cold...t-that's w-wh-what I r-r-remember...' he ground out through chattering teeth.

'Here you go, Sire,' Percival muttered quietly, handing the King a roughly hewn cup full of...tea? Noticing the look of confusion, the beefy knight smiled somewhat sheepishly. 'I bring it with me whenever we go out on patrol. It relaxes me and I find that I am unable to sleep without it.'

Arthur just nodded and shifted into a seated position, pulling Merlin against his bare chest while Gwaine tucked the blankets around him.

'I need you to drink this for me Merlin,' the King said softly, cupping the back of Merlin's head and tilting it back gently as he pressed the cup to Merlin's lips.

He slurped at the warm liquid greedily, savouring the heat that warmed his core. When he had drunk his fill, Arthur set the cup aside and wrapped his arms around Merlin's torso.

'Erm...sire? Y-you d-do r-realise that y-you are c-cuddling me, don't you?' The young man squeaked incredulously.

From across the cave, Gwaine guffawed. 'That's nothing mate. He was spooning you before.'

'I was NOT spooning him!' Arthur sputtered as Percival began to chuckle. The King looked mortified.

Merlin didn't care. He was warmer now, and the tea was doing a wonderful job of lulling him to sleep.

'Arthur...' the youth said with a yawn. 'T-thank you f-for s-s-spooning me back to warmth...'

Gwaine's hysteric's renewed at the scathing look he set upon his manservant, which softened minutely when he noticed the boy's shivering was easing off, allowing him to fall into a natural sleep.

The King turned his cold gaze slowly to set it upon Gwaine, who was trying to catch his breath.

'If word of this...situation...reaches anybody's ears, you will be in the stocks for a week. Got it?'

Gwaine just laughed.

Merlin was getting better, and that was all that really mattered.

There! I hope you guys enjoyed this! It has been a HECTIC week at work, so it was nice to sit back and write to relax! I hope you get as much pleasure out of it as I do!