Tensions had been running high for days, and Morgana was at a loss for the reason why. She could understand why Gwen had been more distant than usual, after everything that she had been through that was to be expected. But Arthur had been moody, and Merlin had been quiet, and the only time she'd been able to ask about the reason, they'd both brushed her question aside like it was nothing.
Clutching the reins tighter, Morgana looked beside her at where Gwen was riding silently, her cloak drawn tight around her shoulders and her hands hidden beneath the fabric. Pursing her lips, the woman's head turned a fraction to look behind them at where two knights rode and kept watch, more vigilant than ever after the last ambush that had led to their kidnapping.
Facing around front again, Morgana stared ahead at Merlin's back, the prince and his servant leading the way along the road. Forcing her hands to ease around the leather, the young woman looked back to her maid in contemplation.
"Are you alright, Gwen?" She finally asked, her soft voice breaking through the silence as dark eyes met her own.
"Of course, My Lady. Why do you ask?" She was so formal with her lately. What had she done to warrant that?
"You're just quieter than usual." She explained, watching as her friend glanced away with a guilty expression. "You didn't need to come with me today, Gwen. After everything that's happened, I'd never ask that of you."
Shaking her head, dark strands of hair fell against the maid's cheeks and a weak smile that had recently become rare brightened the girl's face. "I don't mind," Gwen murmured, her stare set on the road they traveled. "I cannot stay hidden away within the town forever."
All too soon her smile vanished, replaced once more with an expression wrought with grief. Suppressing a sigh, Morgana righted herself and found Merlin looking back, his eyes on Gwen before he caught the woman's stare and quickly turned back around. Something had definitely happened between the three of them while they were gone, and she wished that just one of them would tell her what that was.
Uther hadn't been pleased to find Arthur missing, but when he and Merlin had returned safely with Gwen, he'd barely said a word about it. Perhaps a piece of him had known that his son would go off in search for her, no doubt at Morgana's plea, but did he know that the prince was already packing when she had gone to beg for his help?
Arthur had been ready to risk everything to get her back, yet since they'd returned the two had barely even spoken. There was no doubt that Gwen had been scared for her life—what little she'd managed to pry from the girl was horrifying—but there was more going on that they were not saying.
"If you wish to talk, you know I am here, don't you?" Morgana spoke again, riding closer and extending a hand to the girl.
Looking up, Gwen smiled—a true, full smile—as her fingers wrapped around the woman's and squeezed. "Thank you, Morgana. But truly, there's nothing to speak of." Letting go of her hand a moment later, the king's ward could only nod, a new bout of worry beginning to rise.
The girl had been so secretive lately, even before she'd been taken. What could have happened that she felt she could not confide in her friend like she once had?
Staring at Merlin's back once again, determination settled over her. She knew asking Arthur would lead nowhere, and if Gwen was bent on keeping the events of their time away to herself, then she would just have to ask the one person who she hoped would no longer lie to her. Merlin was terrible at lying anyway, and if she asked without the prince around, perhaps he would help her to understand what exactly had happened.
Their party began to slow, and in the distance Morgana could see the stone that marked her father's grave. Arthur glanced back at the woman and met her eye, though neither said a word as their horses came to a stop.
"Would you like me to come with you?" Gwen offered, her voice soft and sweet as one of the knight's dismounted and offered a hand to the king's ward.
"No," She shook her head, taking the man's hand and landing firmly on the ground. "I think I wish to visit him alone."
Gwen nodded once in understanding, her eyes following the woman as Morgana turned away and clasped her hands together. Making her way closer to the monument, she looked over her shoulder and saw the same knight offer a hand to her maid while Arthur and Merlin stood off to the side.
A noticeable gap separated the three of them, though the largest was between Arthur and Gwen, each standing on opposite sides of their horses and keeping their eyes on anything but each other. Frowning in thought, Morgana turned back to the grave and stopped in front of it, sorrow falling over her hard and fast as everything else drifted away.
Unclasping her cloak and pulling it free, she laid it beside her as she knelt, her fingers brushing over the rough stone. She missed her father greatly, and it had been too long since her last visit. Yet even as she sat with him and felt the sunlight warm her shoulders, a weight settled in her stomach. What would he say if he knew what she was? What would he say if he knew of her magic?
Her fingers paused over the grave and her head fell, eyes staring hard at the grass beneath her. She'd lost her father, she could not trust Uther, and Arthur could never know. All she had was Merlin and Gwen, and she needed the girl to be able to trust her. If she couldn't, then how could she ever tell her the truth about what she was? About what she could do?
Closing her eyes and digging her fingers into the ground, Morgana drew in a shallow breath. Merlin hadn't shunned her for her magic, and she wanted to believe that Gwen wouldn't either. But until she learned what it was that she was hiding, she could not put her trust into her as much as she wished.
Early afternoon light filtered through a cloud filled sky as Gwen sat quietly against a tree, her hands folded primly in her lap and her eyes cast dutifully downward. She wished that Morgana had wanted her to come with her. Sitting at the grave and paying her respects to the woman's father would have been far better than sitting and waiting while trying to avoid Arthur.
The prince and his knights stood waiting not far from where the king's ward sat, giving her enough space for privacy but staying close enough that they were prepared for any threat that might appear.
Lifting her head and staring across the road at where the blond stood beside his servant, Gwen watched as Arthur teased the boy about something, their words indecipherable. Whatever it was though, Merlin was obviously not amused as the prince poked a finger at the dark haired boy, leading him to frown and mutter something that drew a laugh out of the other.
When Morgana had announced that she wanted to make another trip to her father's grave, Arthur had immediately stepped in to go with her. He would not risk another ambush without being there himself, which in turn meant that Merlin had tagged along as well.
And true to Morgana's word, she had not asked her maid to come along. Gwen had been the one to offer. She knew how difficult the visits could be, how often they left her upset, and she did not want her to be alone. However, a piece of the girl had come to regret her decision as she pulled her cloak tighter to fight off a sharp gust of wind that had the horses moving about nearby.
She wasn't sure which was worse; how on edge she was at every noise or how uncomfortable she had become around Arthur. He'd said he rescued her only because of Morgana's begging, but she knew that wasn't true.
She had seen the way he looked at her, at the realization that struck when he saw Lancelot's hand wrapped around hers. But why did he care? They could not be together, not at any time, now or in the future. His father would not allow it, and why would a prince want to court a maid?
But with Lancelot all that was different. She could still feel his fingers around hers, could still hear his promises through the bars of her cell. But then he'd gone. He'd left her. She couldn't believe that what he said was a lie, that he hadn't meant any of it. But it still hurt. It hurt that he hadn't even said goodbye. The first time he'd left she hadn't known if she'd ever see him again. And now, now she didn't know if she could bear to.
Morgana kept pushing, kept asking for answers that she didn't have and couldn't give, and that just made everything so much harder. She didn't dare tell her about Arthur, she didn't dare tell anyone, but she couldn't bear to speak of Lancelot either. It all just hurt too much. Of course, that only left the time she'd been captured, and she was trying her best not to think about that at all.
Blinking away the overwhelming thoughts, Gwen caught blue eyes looking back at her and she quickly looked away, unaware she'd still been staring at the prince while her mind had wandered. Ever since they'd gotten back, they had barely spoken a word to each other.
She'd been heartbroken when Lancelot left, and though a piece of her believed Arthur hadn't meant the words he'd so callously said, they had still been cruel, and she could hardly face him after. Even Merlin had seemed different, quieter than usual. That at least wasn't much of a surprise, not with knowing how close the two had been. Lancelot leaving had been hard on the both of them.
Dragging her fingers over the edges of her cloak, Gwen's eyes lifted to the sky, watching as the clouds began to darken. It was only the movement in front of her that made her look away, spotting Morgana as she made her way back to them.
Her face was drawn, her eyes were downcast, and Gwen was standing to meet her. The horses moved about restlessly, and the maid kept far away as she made her way towards the clearing. Morgana didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her the moment she was close enough, and Gwen hugged her back just as much, hearing the smallest sniffle that had her tightening her squeeze.
"Are you alright?" She asked softly, pulling away as the king's ward nodded and mustered a weak smile.
"Yes."
Taking her hand in hers, she held it tight while Merlin led their horses closer. Giving Morgana a hand and helping her climb atop the animal, Gwen glanced back to see Arthur and the knights mounting their own.
"Gwen?" Turning back, she found Merlin beside her, the reins to her horse held out as her face warmed at having been caught staring.
"Thank you." She murmured, letting him help her as well as she settled back and drew her cloak around. Another gust of strong wind pushed against the girl, and her eyes shifted to Morgana just as she shuddered. "Didn't you have a cloak, My Lady?" She asked, urging her horse to step closer as the woman brushed her fingers against her shoulders in surprise.
"Oh. I must have left it back there." She frowned, turning to look back at the stone marker as Merlin stepped into view.
"I'll run back for it." He offered, sprinting away as Arthur brought his own horse up behind the two of them.
"Hurry up! I want to make it back before nightfall!" He called out, heaving a sigh as the servant stumbled in the grass. Gwen's horse pawed at the ground as the girl's eyes lifted to the sky again, the color fading fast and giving way to heavier clouds. "It's going to storm soon." Arthur observed, bringing the maid's gaze back to him for a tense moment.
"Got it!' Merlin shouted, carrying a bundle of fabric in his arms as he returned, stopping beside Morgana's mare and handing the cloak up to her.
"Thank you, Merlin." She smiled, beginning to take it from his hands just as her horse shied away from the servant, causing the king's ward to grab for the reins and drop the cloak. "Why are the horses so skittish today?" She complained, one hand falling to her mare's neck in a soothing manner as Merlin knelt for the cloak.
Gwen's eyes followed his movements, shuddering against another brisk wind that pulled at her hair. Merlin's fingers grabbed the mound of fallen fabric, and as he did there was movement in the grass, catching the maid's attention as a snake slithered away and darted between the horse's legs.
Morgana's mare let out a snort and lowered its head, stepping backwards abruptly while large eyes followed the movement. "Careful, Morgana!" Arthur warned, pulling his own horse back to keep it from colliding with hers.
"I don't know what's wrong with her." The woman shook her head, gripping the reins tighter while Merlin stood.
The cloak was draped over his arm and he took a small step closer, lifting a hand to the side of the mare's neck. "It might be the storm. The sooner we get back the better." He spoke softly, his voice purposely low in an effort to keep the horse calm as he slowly passed Morgana her cloak once again.
He'd only just taken a step back when the woman's horse let out a heavy grunt and the king's ward tightened her hold as the animal began to stomp at the ground. A sound of surprise escaped the woman as she held on, her knuckles white around the reins as Merlin reached for the bridle.
"Morgana!" Arthur voiced another warning, reaching out to her as a clap of thunder shook the ground.
Letting out a shrill noise, the woman's horse lifted up, rearing back as Morgana screamed. Gwen's mare stumbled to the side, and the maid's eyes widened in fear at the events that unfolded in front of her.
Arthur had surged forward, his arm shooting out and grabbing Morgana's as she slid back, losing her hold and falling as the prince pulled her onto his own steed. The woman's horse pulled away and reared again as he caught her, it's front legs kicking out and knocking against Merlin's chest as the boy tried to back away, sending the servant sprawling to the ground.
"Merlin! Move!" Gwen cried out, her breath caught in her throat as she leaned forward, watching as he fell hard and tried to scoot out of the way.
Time seemed to slow, and Merlin wasn't moving fast enough. The heels of his boots dug into the ground and the palms of his hands shoved himself back, but as the horse came back down its hoof connected with the boy's leg.
An outcry of pain left Merlin in an agonized scream, and Gwen's head jerked away, tears gathering in her eyes. When she looked back, the boy's hands were around his leg, and she felt sick at the sight of the blood smeared across his palms.
Another crackle of thunder boomed, and a streak of lightening lit up the sky. The sound was the last straw, and the mare was bolting. Merlin held up his arms in an attempt to shield himself, but as the horse fled, its leg struck the fallen servant, kicking into his side and shoving the boy across the ground.
The force sent Merlin rolling, landing near Gwen's own horse as the animal shied away, letting out a snort of surprise. It all happened in seconds, and one more passed in horrified silence as the maid stared down at her now motionless friend, as if the world were waiting for him to speak. Only his voice was not the one to break the spell.
"Merlin!" Arthur was running towards him, and everything began sharpening into focus.
The wind had picked up, carrying the scent of dirt and rain and something metallic. Gwen's hands shook as she climbed off her horse and dropped to the ground, falling only inches away from where the boy lay.
"Merlin?" She whispered, sinking to her knees and feeling the hard earth beneath her as a streak of crimson caught her eye. Merlin was on his side, with one arm against his ribs and his head turned towards the ground. He had yet to move, but his chest rose and fell with breath, and Gwen took solace in that.
"Merlin, can you hear me?" Arthur was on his other side, and as his hand fell to Merlin's shoulder, a short breath shuddered out.
Pressing his lips together into a thin, tight line, Arthur gently rolled the boy over, drawing a groan out of the servant. Merlin's eyes were shut as he lay on his back, and Gwen gasped, covering her mouth as she stared down at her friend.
A large cut had opened up right above the boy's left eye, blood and dirt smeared across his forehead and down his cheek, with fresh drops rising to the surface. His tunic had pulled up when he rolled, and a small amount of blood had gathered at his hip as well, seeping into his clothes and sticking to his skin. But the worst, by far, was his leg. The limb was obviously damaged where the horse had first struck him, the trousers torn and revealing a mess of dark blood and already bruising skin.
"Merlin?" She called again, the name a plea as she reached out a hand that carefully cupped the boy's cheek. Merlin's eyes fluttered open briefly at her voice, only to fall shut right after, a tremor running through him. "There's a lot of blood." She murmured, fearful eyes looking to prince who had yet to move again, instead kneeling beside his servant as he looked him over.
"It's not as bad as it looks." He finally spoke, meeting her eye with a tense frown. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but his leg is the worst of it." His voice was calm, his words attempting to soothe the girl next to him, but his eyes betrayed him. Worry was alight in them, in the way they kept looking him over.
A quiet groan sounded before Gwen could answer, and Merlin's eyes flickered open again. "Merlin?" Arthur questioned, leaning closer and waving a hand over him. "Can you hear me?"
"Unfortunately.." The boy mumbled, his eyes sliding shut again as his hand weakly reached for his leg. "It's broken.. my leg.." He wheezed out, the words woven with pain as he grimaced.
"I noticed." Arthur commented evenly, a hint of teasing to his words that left Gwen staring. "Anything else? You were kicked fairly hard."
"Not sure.." The boy shook his head before thinking better of it, groaning again as the girl took his hand and held onto it. "It's hard to breathe.. lot of pain.." Tilting his head towards the blond, Merlin opened his eyes again and tried to focus on him. "I'm sorry, Arthur.. I didn't see it rearing.. not until it was too late.. I was trying to help.."
"Stop." The man interrupted, the boy's words straining with effort as another shudder ran through him. "You can apologize later once we're back. Once I figure out how to get you back.." Trailing off, Arthur sighed, blue hues glancing to Gwen before looking away just as quickly. "Come on. Let's see if we can get you up." The prince decided as another roll of thunder rumbled overhead.
Arthur grabbed ahold of one of Merlin's arms while Gwen took the other and felt the boy tense. They'd only just started to move him when the servant cried out, his arm slipping free from the prince's grasp as he sucked in a hard breath and squeezed his eyes shut tight.
"No, no. I'm gonna.. I'm gonna stay here.." Merlin groaned through clenched teeth as Arthur frowned above him.
"You can't stay here, Merlin. You're bleeding and it's going to storm soon." As if on cue, lightning shot through the sky in a brilliant flash of light while a gust of wind blew through the trees above them and sent leaves scattering to the ground.
"Just leave me.."
"Not an option. Gaius will blame me if I don't bring you back." Arthur shook his head even though the boy's eyes were still firmly shut.
"No he won't.. you're the prince. Just tell him.. tell him I made you angry and I'll find my way later. It's not.. it's not like it will be the first time." At his words, Gwen looked up and found a near guilty expression on the man's face before he sighed.
"You might want to cover your ears." He said softly, meeting the girl's stare for the briefest moment before he was standing. Stepping over the boy, Arthur placed a foot on either side of his legs and bent over, grabbing hold of his servant's wrists.
"What are you—Ah!" As the prince pulled him into a sitting position, Merlin's shout was loud enough to make the girl wince as she slipped around and steadied him from behind. One of his arms curled tight around his chest and Merlin leaned over another inch, a drop of blood rolling down the side of his face and lingering on his chin. "Why?" He wheezed, short, sharp breaths leaving him with such force that his whole body trembled.
"You needed to get up. You're welcome." Arthur muttered, turning and beckoning to one of the knights who had drawn closer. "Help me get him on his horse." He commanded, kneeling once more beside the boy and slipping his arm around his back, easing his weight against him as Gwen pulled away.
Standing to her feet and moving back to give the knight room, the maid looked up at where Morgana still sat on the prince's horse. Her cloak was still clutched tightly in hand, while wide, fearful eyes watched over the three of them. She hadn't spoken a word the whole time, and as Gwen stepped closer to her, she reached up and grabbed hold of her hand.
"Is he going to be alright?" Morgana asked softly, her hand shaking as the girl gave it a comforting squeeze.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." She answered, daring a glance over at where the knight and Arthur had pulled their friend up the rest of the way. The prince's arm was looped around the boy's waist, and Merlin's arm was hanging around the man's shoulders as the blond said something to him that she couldn't hear.
"They're bickering the same as always, and Arthur said that it looks worse than it is." She said that, but even so, Merlin had grown paler once he was standing, and the men on either side of him was the only reason he was not crumpled on the ground.
As the knights helped the injured servant to get on his horse, Gwen turned away. She couldn't watch the struggle, could barely bear to hear the noises he made out of pain from the necessary movements. But as her eyes drifted she could not look away from the blood on the ground, or the trails in the dirt from his dragging leg, nor could she forget the sound of the horse trampling on him with its heavy hooves.
It was several minutes later before Arthur came over to them, time that had allowed the sky to grow impossibly darker. He dragged his hands along his trousers as he neared, but streaks of crimson remained, only spreading to the fabric and staining it as it did his palms.
Finally looking back, Gwen spotted Merlin sitting completely frozen on his horse, his hands so tight around the bridle that his knuckles were white. His leg hung limp and awkward against the animal's side, and she could see the strain he felt from trying to remain upright.
"We need to go. It's going to start raining any minute." Arthur urged, but Gwen could hear the words of worry underneath. "We need to go. He won't be able to ride for long." He never voiced his worries, he never spoke of his concerns, but Gwen had seen a side of him most others hadn't, and his eyes gave away more than his words ever did.
She followed the prince quietly back to her horse, barely even looking at him as she mounted, and only watched as he walked away to climb on with Morgana. Another gust of wind pushed through the trees, making the limbs and the leaves rustle from the force as the horses moved restlessly again, falling into line as they finally made their way home. A drop of water hit Gwen's hand as they rode, and as the maid's eyes lifted to the sky, she murmured a silent prayer towards the safety of her friend.
They hadn't gone far when Arthur's voice from behind brought them to a stop, and as the girl began to turn, she found the man climbing off his steed yet again. Jogging to the front where the two knights rode, the prince stopped and spoke quietly to them as Gwen and Morgana exchanged a glance.
Looking past the king's ward at where Merlin had been riding, she winced at the way the boy had collapsed entirely against the mane of his horse. His body was limp, the reins had slipped from his hand, and dread washed over the girl. Her attention was drawn away only when Arthur passed by, walking straight by his own horse and stopping beside Merlin's.
"The knights will take you both the rest of the way." Arthur declared, answering the unasked question as the wind picked up and a light rain began to mist over them.
"What about you?" Morgana asked, her voice loud against the noise of the growing storm.
"Getting Merlin back is going to take time. Moving him was necessary, but it made him worse. Riding is doing the same."
"We'll stay with you then." The woman spoke firmly while Gwen's head nodded in agreement.
"No, Morgana." Arthur frowned, a sense of authority held within his words as he looked between the two of them. "With the storm and night coming, it's better that you and Guinevere return. We won't be far behind, but it will take too long to stay together and there's no point in either of you being out in this as it grows worse."
Lightening flashed through the sky again, lighting up the boy and making him seem smaller, his slouched form covered in dirt and blood. "But—"
"This isn't up for discussion." Arthur snapped, his voice loud, though the crack of lightning that struck seconds later was louder. With a wave of his hand the knights urged them on, and Gwen could feel Morgana's anger beside her.
"I hate when he does that." The woman muttered, reluctantly guiding the horse forward.
"He's right though," Gwen murmured, biting down hard on her lip. "Merlin didn't look well." The admittance only made her heart beat fast with worry while Morgana nodded.
"I know. But Gaius will help him. I know he will." There was no reassurance in her words despite how adamantly she said them, and it was Gwen's turn to nod.
Looking over her shoulder as they rounded a turn, Gwen watched as the prince swung onto the horse behind his servant and caught the boy before he could fall, the two disappearing from view and leaving the girl with another prayer dancing on her lips.
Arthur was soaking wet. It was dark, he was tired, and his stomach had been protesting for the better part of an hour due to missing his evening meal. But still he trudged on, because if he didn't then Merlin wouldn't make it back.
Squinting through the heavy rain, the courtyard finally came into view and Arthur uselessly wiped at the water that streamed down his face. It hadn't taken long for the others to get ahead of them, and in the beginning Arthur hadn't cared.
The rain wasn't heavy, and if they went slow they'd be fine. But Merlin had gone downhill quickly, and the rain had turned into a downpour, and the prince had begun to wonder if they'd make it back at all. Between the darkness and the rain, they'd been forced to go slow—the mud and extra weight on the horse from the both of them making the trek back a dangerous one.
Looking down again at the boy hunched over in front of him, Arthur pulled his hand from his back and dropped it to his side. He hadn't moved once since he'd collapsed against the horse, but he'd fallen silent some time ago, and for Merlin that was as bad a sign as any.
It never seemed to fail; the boy was an accident waiting to happen. Even if they were doing the safest thing in the world, he was clumsy enough to find a way to get hurt. Although this time around, he supposed the fault didn't lie on any of them. It was simply the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course, only Merlin would manage to be nearly trampled to death by a horse.
Slowing as they neared the stables; a shout rang out to one of the guards and the man was disappearing inside as the prince came to a stop. Letting one of the stable hands take the reins, he waited until the guard from before returned, along with his two knights who had arrived earlier.
"We need to get him to Gaius. Now." He instructed, lowering himself down as they neared.
"We came prepared." One of his knights stated, stepping to the side and revealing a stretcher that the two men carried.
Nodding once, the prince's hair was plastered against his face as he reached for his servant, grabbing hold of his arm and starting to pull him down. Setting the stretcher on the ground, the knights moved to help him, easing the boy off the horse and onto the material that was pulled across the two poles. A noise of discomfort sounded from his servant as he was set down, and Arthur stayed behind him as the knights took either end.
It didn't take long for them to make their way to the physician's chambers, but trails of water followed behind each man, every one of them now soaked to the bone. Gaius didn't seem surprised to see them when they stepped inside, instead merely gesturing towards the patient's cot as the elder caught Arthur's eye.
"Morgana told me what happened." The physician explained, stepping closer as the knights lowered the stretcher to the ground and eased Merlin onto the cot.
"Can't take him anywhere." Arthur complained, though he lacked any true irritation that his words claimed as he scraped his hair back and felt water dripping down his neck.
"No, it seems you cannot." The elder agreed, worry lining his face as the knights moved away.
"He's resilient at least." One of the men nearly laughed, dark eyes meeting Arthur's for a moment before the knight tipped his head in a small bow.
"He's an idiot." The blond muttered in response, listening to the two men leave the room as he stepped closer to Gaius.
Merlin had yet to open his eyes, but he had shifted since being brought in, and his face was pinched in pain. "How did you manage this, my boy?" Gaius murmured, sitting beside his ward as water trailed from his hair and down the side of his face, seeping into the blanket below. Despite the hinderances the rain had caused, it helped in cleaning the blood from his face, making Merlin look less gruesome than he had.
Small, wheezing breaths shuddered out of the boy, each followed by a face twisting in pain. "Guess I.. I looked like the snake.. it was trying to stomp.." Merlin's weak mumble was barely audible, but the attempt at a joke remained, and the side of Arthur's mouth quirked up.
"You managed to escape Hengist's Castle without a scratch," He scoffed, standing to the side while Gaius brushed back the boy's hair to inspect the cut above his eye. "Yet a horse is what does you in."
Merlin's eyes fluttered open then, blinking and squinting at the ceiling before his head turned and tired eyes met the prince's. "Rather a horse.. than a Wilddeoren.." He muttered back, his lip curving into the smallest smirk as Arthur snorted and glanced away.
"Don't move, Merlin." Gaius tutted, the soft scolding a familiar sound. "It's a good thing that cut wasn't any deeper." He commented evenly, turning away from the wound as Arthur stepped closer.
"Well, your thick head has a use after all." The retort brought a grimace to Merlin's face, and the boy's eyes fell shut again as the physician leaned over his leg.
"Quite the mess over here, I'm afraid. Though I suppose we should be lucky it wasn't any worse."
"No.." The boy mumbled, his fingers curling into the blanket beneath him as Gaius pulled at his torn trousers. "..got my side.. too.."
Turning his head, the physician's brows pulled together while he moved over, grasping the edge of the boy's soaked tunic and lifting it. A grimace overtook the prince's face at the array of discolored skin painted over the boy's side and chest.
A few scratches that had been opened and bled cut across his ribcage and darkened the injury more, and as Gaius lifted the tunic higher, Merlin let out a quiet hiss. Probing gently at his chest, the hiss turned into another groan as the elder finally let go of the tunic and pulled away.
"I don't believe they are broken, but you most certainly have a cracked rib, if not two. You're lucky the injury wasn't worsened while riding back."
"I wanted to stay.." The boy grumbled, glancing at the blond with a grimace. "Arthur wouldn't let me."
"Had I known you would complain this much I would have." The man shot back.
"Do I even want to ask?" Gaius questioned, looking between the two like a weary parent as both boys glanced away.
"Probably not." The servant wheezed.
Turning back around as the physician moved to the boy's leg, morbid curiosity had Arthur watching while the elder began again to tear away the wet fabric. Both men simultaneously made a face at the mess of blood and dirt and swollen skin that stood out against the boy's pale leg. Gaius had only just touched the limb when Merlin's back arched, and his fingers dug into the cot beneath him.
"Experiencing some pain, I see." The physician murmured, eyeing his ward while Merlin looked at him through squinted eyes.
"Just a little." He ground out through clenched teeth, sinking back and staring up at the ceiling.
"Did you hear it break?" Gaius inquired, pulling his hands away as the boy closed his eyes again and nodded.
"Felt it through my whole body." He whispered, and Arthur looked away.
"With all the movement it only made it worse. I'm going to have to set it."
"Is that supposed to be as bad as it sounds?" Merlin asked, the smallest whimper folding into the words as his head turned and he looked up at Arthur.
Following his ward's gaze, Gaius looked back at the prince as well and rose. "I'm grateful for you bringing him back, Sire. But I'm afraid the next few minutes will be quite unpleasant."
Taking the hint, Arthur looked back at the boy's wide, fearful eyes that were darting between the two of them. Reaching out and patting Merlin's shoulder carefully, he spoke a quiet "Good luck." before leaving the room, pulling the door shut on the two of them talking.
The prince had only made it down four of the steps before Merlin's scream echoed out of the room behind him. Flinching at the noise—and the sudden silence that followed—Arthur hurried the rest of the way to his chambers, desperate for dry clothes and to try and rid the long day from his mind.
It was several hours later when Arthur woke feeling disoriented and heavy. Sitting up, the prince looked around his darkened room in confusion before shifting his gaze to the window. He'd woken sprawled across his bed, fully clothed, and with his fire dying out.
His curtains were still open, but he could not gauge the time with the way the rain beat against the glass. It could be the middle of the night, or early morning, and Arthur was surprised that no one had come to find him.
Rubbing at his eyes and yawning, the blond pushed himself up and stretched before stopping in the middle of his floor. Sitting on the table was a covered tray of food with a note beside it. Picking up the parchment and turning it over, he studied the writing that matched perfectly to Morgana's.
Her swooping scrawl spoke of not wanting to disturb him after finding him asleep, and how she had requested one of the servant's leave food for him for once he woke. She thanked him for going with her that day and apologized for the trouble put on him and the pain that had been brought upon Merlin.
Dropping the note on the table and lifting the tray, his stomach ached at the sight of the large variety of food that had been brought to him. Sitting down and digging in, Arthur regarded the message while he ate.
He knew Morgana felt at blame, misguided though it was. He'd heard the quiet gasp that left her the first time Merlin had been knocked down, and he'd seen her fear when he'd been trampled. Wincing at the thought, Arthur's hand paused halfway to his mouth, a half-eaten piece of bread still in hand as he leaned back and looked to the window, listening to rain pelt at the glass.
Had she been to see Merlin since they'd gotten back? Was she sitting with him and pestering Gaius with questions? Closing his eyes with a sigh, another question came to mind, though it had nothing to do with Morgana.
How was he doing?
The echo of Merlin's scream was still in his mind, as was the way he'd clung to his leg. The fear that filled his face and the agony that broke his voice. He'd known men to be injured in battle, to have their legs twisted under them and crushed beneath a weight they could not fight. Many of those men had died, and even more had been left with a sign of their injury. Would Merlin be like them? Would he carry a limp wherever he went?
Thunder rolled in the distance and Arthur was dropping his bread, his appetite suddenly lost. Scooting away from the table and placing the cover back on his tray, the prince stalked towards his door and left his room.
The halls were empty aside from the patrolling guards, and Arthur decided it had to still be late in the evening as he climbed the stairs to the physician's chambers. The door was open a fraction when he arrived, and Arthur poked his head inside.
The fire was dying out just as his had been, and the room was covered in dark, looming shadows. A lone figure sat beside Merlin, and the curls that fell down their shoulders had the man's breath catching. He'd expected Gaius, though he would not have been surprised to see Morgana. But he hadn't anticipated seeing Gwen. The girl had yet to see or hear the prince however, and Arthur shifted quietly in the doorway to try and get a better look at where his servant lay without alerting her to his presence.
The cut above Merlin's eye had been cleaned and treated, though he wasn't sure if it was the shadows or the injury itself that made the skin around his eye appear swollen and bruised. His tunic, having since dried out, was thrown over one of the physician's stools, and the top half of Merlin's chest was wrapped tight in bandages. The boy's right leg was also wrapped, from the base of his knee down to his foot, and a splint the prince rarely saw used had been applied to keep the limb straight and still.
He seemed well enough, though his breathing was shallow, and a cloth lay across his forehead. Either way, the prince was satisfied, and he'd just began to back out the door when he heard the chair beside the cot shift.
Glancing up, Arthur found the maid turned towards him while wide, brown eyes met his own. Neither of them spoke, and the prince briefly considered turning and leaving. Instead, the man straightened, pretending as though he hadn't been caught sneaking out the door.
"Gaius had to tend to an illness and asked for me to stay." Gwen finally spoke, her soft voice drawing him closer as the prince nodded once.
"How is he?" Making a vague gesture towards his servant, he kept his eyes on the girl as Gwen looked to the boy.
"Gaius thinks he'll be alright." She murmured, a hand readjusting the cloth against the boy's skin before they were folded once more in her lap. "He's started to spike a fever, and he won't be able to get around for some time, but he believes he'll recover."
"I'm sure Morgana will be relieved to hear that." He offered, matching his volume to hers as their whispers floated around the room.
"She has been by twice already." The maid barely smiled, and Arthur was struck by the realization that he hadn't seen it in days.
Silence lingered heavily between them after that, but the prince hardly cared. Being around her hadn't been easy, not since he'd rescued her from Hengist's Castle. He wasn't a fool. It had been plain to see how she'd felt for Lancelot. How their fingers had been entwined, how she looked at him with softened eyes.
It was his own fault. He hadn't known what he expected—though Merlin's talk of her waiting for him had certainly raised his hopes. But seeing her now was strange. It was as if they didn't know how to be around one another anymore. And it hurt.
"Gaius should be back soon," Gwen's voice broke through the silence as the man blinked, meeting her gaze when she turned to look at him. "If you wish to stay."
Arthur was nodding before he could stop himself, agreeing too quickly to her offer as he took a step closer. They were not meant to be together. That was the truth, and while it hurt, it was a fact he was working to accept. But that didn't mean they had to keep such tension between them. She had extended a branch, and he would be an even bigger fool not to take it. He had not planned to sit by Merlin's bedside, but if Gwen were there, he would stay for hours.
Taking another step nearer, there was little space separating them now, and Arthur was feeling lighter than before. But then she moved. She stood, she brushed out her skirts, and she spoke. "I ought to check on Morgana."
Arthur stared, turning to follow her with his eyes as she walked to the door. The weight he'd thought he'd lost came crashing back, all of the light turning to wavering shadows as he watched her walk away. "Guinevere." He called, his voice a desperate plea in the night as she stopped, turning only a fraction to meet his gaze.
There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to share, but none of the words would come. How he longed for the days to go back, for the minutes and the hours to reverse until they were back in her home and she was standing before him.
Would he still have kissed her? Would he still have opened that door, still allowed those feelings to surface? Of course he would. Because she was different. She saw him in a way no one else did, and as much as it hurt, he'd cherished that moment alone with her.
All at once every bit of longing slipped away, giving way to reality and breaking the spell of a dream that neither could indulge—that one had no desire to. Gwen's eyes still held his, but Arthur finally looked away, keeping his mouth shut and forcing away every aching thought.
He didn't have to look again to know she'd left, only hearing the door close softly and feeling her absence as strongly as ever. He'd foolishly gotten his hopes up yet again. What was he doing? What had he even been thinking?
One day, perhaps. One day it might change. One day he would be free to court anyone he wished, he would be free to love without the weight of his father's judgement. But with Gwen it was too late. Her heart was no longer his, and he was a fool for thinking it could be.
Falling into the chair that still carried a trace of the woman's warmth, Arthur dropped his head into his hands and released a heaving breath.
"Gaius?" Looking up at the mumbled name, the prince watched as his servant shifted, his head turning towards him and tired blue hues finding the man in confusion. "..Arthur?" Merlin whispered, his words slurred with sleep.
"Go back to sleep, Merlin." Arthur instructed, not in the mood to speak as the boy blinked slowly and looked behind where he sat.
"Where's Gwen?" He asked, wincing while he spoke as if each word hurt.
"She left." The prince muttered, his tone harsher than he intended as his servant's eyes flickered back to him, more alert than before.
"Did you talk?"
"Talk?" Arthur scoffed, leaning back and folding his arms over his chest while he forced his face to turn neutral. "Why would we talk?"
Merlin didn't answer at first, only blinking again before a hand slid out from beneath the blanket that covered him and rubbed at his eyes. His heavy movements and tired speech were indicative to one of Gaius' stronger draughts, and several moments passed before the boy spoke again.
"You still care for her." The words were soft, cautious, and Arthur stared at him with a mild amount of wonder. Even in a half asleep, pain filled haze, the boy was still making a conscious effort to be sure no one heard him. And despite his somber mood, the prince almost smiled at that.
"Yes, well. She doesn't care for me. Not in that way." The boy's mouth opened again, but before he could form any words the blond was waving him off. "Go back to sleep."
"Arthur?"
"What?" He demanded as his servant stared up at him with a far too innocent smile.
"Want to talk about your feelings now?"
The short bout of laughter that left Arthur was unexpected but worked to ease the tension that had built in his chest. Merlin grinned at him with a sleepy smile, and the prince straightened in his seat before forcing a glare.
"You should be quiet," He muttered, his voice more teasing than threatening. "Unless you want your other leg broken as well."
Smiling wider, Merlin's eyes closed as a short laugh of his own tumbled out. "You wouldn't dare." He mumbled, his head sinking back into the pillow.
"Oh, and why wouldn't I?" Smirking, Arthur leaned back and stretched his arms out, intertwining his fingers behind his head as Merlin's smile dipped.
"It would be even longer before I came back." His words had turned softer, barely above a whisper, and the blond was rolling his eyes.
"Yes, well. I always knew you were lazy beyond belief." He uttered, staring down at the boy as his breathing slowed with newfound sleep.
Dropping his arms and leaning forward against his knees, Arthur stared at Merlin for a few moments longer before letting his gaze fall to the ground. Despite the joke, Merlin had to know as well as he of Guinevere's feelings towards the man who had once been one of his knights. And even though Lancelot left, those feelings remained.
Squeezing his eyes shut and dragging his fingers through his hair, Arthur glanced back to Merlin's resting form and found himself wishing for a strong draught of his own. Anything to help ease the pain that he could not escape.
A/N
Listen. I love Arthur and Gwen. I do. And they're absolutely end game. But Gwen and Lancelot were freaking PRECIOUS in S2E4 and I'm STILL crying over them. So obviously I had to bring the feels into the story.
Also, this is gonna be a three parter because why the heck not. I want some Merlin/Morgana fluff, I want Arthur/Gwen angst, I want another sick fic, and I want our ridiculous warlock trying to move around while people fuss at him. I want it all, so three parts it is.
Hope you guys enjoyed, and if you did I would love to hear from you! Any questions, comments, or reviews! Throw it all at me! I love it and I love you, thanks for reading!
