It was a bright, beautiful day in Camelot. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and as always Merlin was scrubbing floors. And not just any floors, but Prince Arthur's floors, which were admittedly dirtier than most.
A foul mood had crept over the warlock the moment he'd woken that morning, and he wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe it was from a series of unpleasant dreams the night before, or perhaps because Arthur had been surlier than usual after the whole donkey debacle.
Whatever the case, with each push of the rag and dunk of water that landed with a wet plop on the floor, Merlin was ready to be done with his work. And he was, almost done with his work that is.
Once he was finished scrubbing he needed to deliver a remedy to an aged blacksmith and fetch a batch of rosemary from the market for Gaius, and then he'd be free to spend his evening however he liked. He could already taste the lack of responsibility, and perhaps an evening spent in the forest with Archimedes.
Scooting the bucket of water back with him as he neared the door, Merlin was just scrubbing a particularly tough stain from the floor when the door slammed open. Before he could react, the boy looked over to see Arthur bursting into the room like a storm in summer.
It had rained the night before, and when Arthur had left that morning for patrol he'd chosen to wear a high rising pair of riding boots to protect his trousers from the mud. On the one hand it had worked. On the other, his boots were caked in dirt and mud, and as he strode across the floor without even a glance in his servant's direction, he left a heavy trail behind him.
Merlin couldn't stop his jaw from falling as the prince threw his gloves across the room to the table, one just falling shy and instead dropping to the floor and sliding beneath a chair. The warlock could feel his anger rising, and as he sat up off his hands and knees, he let the rag fall back into the bucket with an infuriated splash.
"Really?" He demanded, causing the prince to turn and eye the boy with confusion, as if he had no idea he was there, or what he could have done to attract his ire.
"Really what, Merlin?"
"You couldn't have taken off your boots outside the door? I was almost finished."
Glancing down at his dirt caked boots and then at the trail of mud he'd tracked in from the door, Arthur rested his hands on his hips and returned his gaze to his friend. "Well, it seems you'll just have to go over it once more." There it was again, the warlock's jaw nearly resting on the floor. "Don't look so put out, Merlin. It's your job, and let's be honest, this floor could probably use a better scrub than you just gave it."
Pressing his lips together tightly to keep from saying something he'd regret; Merlin fished the rag out of the bucket of water again and threw it back onto the floor. As Arthur turned around, the boy glanced up, eyeing him as the anger boiled inside.
"Ástríce, min bebod."
The whisper was in time with a rush of magic that welled up in the warlock's chest, and as Arthur went to take a step, the toe of his boot caught the heel of his other shoe and sent him sprawling forward. Biting back a laugh, Merlin continued to scrub while the prince let out an irritated string of curses.
"Are you alright, Sire?" He asked innocently, wiping up a streak of muddy water while Arthur pushed himself up and glared at his servant.
"Hurry up already, Merlin!" He shouted, kicking off his boots and storming to the other side of the room while the boy grinned.
It didn't take him long to finish scrubbing up the new mess, and as Merlin placed the bucket off to the side to dump later, Arthur was freshly changed and waiting impatiently by the door.
"I need your assistance today on the field."
"Every day you need assistance." Merlin grumbled quietly as he wiped his hands against his trousers and walked past Arthur.
As he did, the blond's hand slapped across the back of his head and sent the boy stumbling before he whipped around in irritation. "What was that for?"
"Being an idiot." Arthur scowled, stalking past him.
Clenching his fists, Merlin hurried to catch up, cursing the man over and over in his head. He hated the mood the prince had been in, but a small piece of him that wasn't fuming knew that any arguing or bickering would just end up poorly for him in the long run. Like always.
While Merlin forced back a sigh, the two walked through the corridors and out towards the training field, descending down the steps and past knights. "What exactly am I going to be doing?"
"We need a target."
"Funny."
"I'm not kidding, Merlin." Arthur spoke with a sidelong glance. "We're training doubles today, and I want them to practice with a fallen brother. Of course, you're weak enough to count as one."
"Arthur, just have one of the knights on their knees, same thing." Merlin stopped mid step, staring at the back of the blond's head until Arthur turned.
"You don't have a say in the matter, Merlin. It will take an hour of your precious time, and you'll be fine."
"Arthur—"
"I don't want to hear it!" Grabbing the boy's arm above his elbow, Arthur jerked him forward, making the warlock lose his footing as Merlin's boot slipped on the stairs and he tumbled down the last few steps.
As he hit the ground and rolled onto his side, a sharp pain shot through his ankle, causing the warlock to cry out as he rolled to a stop. "Oh, quit complaining." Arthur scowled as he stormed past him, glancing over his shoulder briefly as Merlin hissed through the pain while sitting up.
"I think I twisted my ankle." He groaned, carefully turning his left leg over and beginning to pull up his trousers to inspect the damage.
"You're fine, Merlin. Now hurry up before you waste more time!" The prince rarely snapped so forcefully at him, and Merlin blinked once in surprise before pushing himself up.
For a moment he thought he'd be fine. His ankle stung, but it wasn't terrible. At least it wasn't until he tried to take a step. As soon as he did, pain like fire ripped through his leg and up his thigh, making him stumble and nearly crash back to the ground with a groan.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled, already walking out onto the field as Merlin ground his teeth. One hour. He could get through one hour of training and then he'd go see Gaius. Of course, with his luck, he really should've known it wouldn't work out that way.
Arthur was on a bad mood kick, and everyone was forced to feel it. The training was harder, rougher, and his shouting crueler. After they were finished and the knights went off with less than happy glances in the prince's direction, Arthur demanded that Merlin polish every sword used and mend all their armor for ruining their practice. The only reason being because he hadn't been able to properly move with a steadily worsening ankle, but that hadn't been a valid excuse in the blond's eyes.
By the time evening arrived and Merlin had begged a kitchen boy to deliver the prince's meal to him, the warlock was exhausted and nearly in tears from the pain. He hadn't bothered to take a look at the damage when he'd finally found the time, too afraid to see how bad it had gotten.
By late evening when he'd finally finished and started for home, Merlin took one look at the stairwell leading to the physician's tower and collapsed on the floor instead. Pushing his back against the stone wall, he stretched out his injured leg and leaned his head back, feeling sweat trickle down his neck.
Closing his eyes, Merlin wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there when a familiar voice spoke from above him. "Merlin?"
Cracking one eye open and staring at Guinevere, the warlock nodded once. "Hi, Gwen."
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"I don't mean this the wrong way, but.." Glancing around them briefly, the maid knelt down and looked at him on eye level. "You don't look like you're fine."
Merlin could barely muster up a smile as Gwen leaned forward, concern lining her face. Reaching out her hand, she hesitated only a moment before placing it gently against his forehead. "Merlin, you feel warm."
"I've been working all day." He shrugged, causing Gwen to frown.
"I heard that you injured yourself." Gesturing towards his awkwardly splayed leg, Merlin finally sighed.
"I tripped on the stairs earlier. It just aches is all." Okay, it more than ached, but he didn't want to worry her further and he didn't dare tell her who had caused it.
"Have you had Gaius look at it yet?"
At the mention of his guardian, the boy grimaced. He had to admit that not going home yet was only due to the pain in part. The other was because he knew he'd be yelled at for not going to the physician sooner.
"Merlin, you've got to let Gaius take a look at that." The girl urged when he didn't respond, pushing herself up and brushing off her skirts before extending her hands to him.
"Gwen, I'm—"
"Merlin, please. I can't just leave you like this." Looking between her and her outstretched hands, Merlin relented with another sigh and took hold, letting the maid help him to his feet.
After having rested, the moment weight was put on his ankle the boy's leg buckled and he fell forward, crashing into Gwen who barely had time to wrap her arms around him before they both stumbled back. Groaning in pain at the few steps they were forced to take to keep their balance, Merlin dropped his forehead against her shoulder and drew in a shaking breath.
"It more than aches." He admitted weakly, and he felt Gwen's chest heave with a breath as she maneuvered one of his arms around her shoulders.
"Come on, let's get you some help."
It took effort on both their parts, but after a fair amount of grunting and groaning, the two arrived heaving at the physician's doorstep, just in time for Gaius to open the door to see what all the noise was about.
"You never stay out of trouble, do you?" The elder sighed, stepping aside as the two hobbled through his door. Pulling out a stool and taking one of the boy's arms, Gaius helped the warlock to sit before glancing briefly at Gwen while Merlin let out a hiss of pain.
"It wasn't my fault." The boy grumbled, daring to lift his eyes and see the physician's weary stare.
"Do I want to know?"
"Probably not." Merlin mumbled, shifting his gaze to Gwen and murmuring a quiet thank you.
"Is there anything I can do?" The maid asked, clasping her hands together in front of her while Gaius knelt and began to roll up the left leg of Merlin's trousers.
"No, my dear, but thank you for getting him here."
"It was no trouble. I hope you feel better soon, Merlin." She smiled, and after a moment more of hesitation turned to leave.
Once the door had closed and Gaius began removing the boy's boot, he finally asked. "Alright, what did he do now?"
Curling his fingers against the stool seat, Merlin groaned softly and watched as his stocking was pulled off and revealed the dark purple bruises and swollen skin covering his ankle and foot. "We were arguing, and he was in a mood. He has been since the whole donkey thing. Anyway, he was telling me to hurry up and grabbed my arm while we were on the stairs. He yanked and I tripped and well, this happened."
"Just now?" Gaius asked, probing the injured skin carefully and drawing a yelp from the boy.
"Just now what?" Merlin asked innocently, refusing to look at the elder as Gaius rose and glared at the warlock until he turned his head to meet his eye.
"Did the accident happen just a few minutes ago, Merlin?"
"Sort of." He said sheepishly, looking back at the floor.
"How long ago?" Gaius demanded, his voice standing at the edge of anger as Merlin winced.
"Five or six hours?"
"What?" Gaius roared, and Merlin jolted at the sudden rise in the physician's voice. "Merlin, why didn't you come here sooner? Do you have any idea the severity of leaving an injury like this?"
"Arthur kept giving me chores, and when I mentioned my ankle had been hurt he didn't believe me." The warlock muttered quietly, slumping his shoulders as the physician heaved a breath and stalked away.
For several minutes there was nothing but silence until the elder returned with a few supplies in hand and began applying a salve and wrap to the boy's foot. "You're very lucky it's not broken." Gaius stated dryly while he finished securing the bandage.
Rising from where he'd been crouched, the elder placed a hand against his ward's forehead and his frown returned. "You do have a slight fever, which isn't surprising. You're to go to bed early, and I don't want you going anywhere tomorrow. Give your ankle a chance to rest."
"Arthur won't be pleased about that." Merlin sighed, watching while his guardian stepped away and returned a moment later with a small blue vial and some water.
"Drink this." He instructed, and as Merlin obeyed, Gaius folded his arms over his chest. "As for the prince, he will have to tolerate your absence. If he had let you come to see me when it happened, it would not have gotten this bad. You'll be lucky to be moving without a limp by the end of the week at this rate."
"Great." Merlin rolled his eyes, setting the vial and cup on the table behind him as a sudden weariness washed over him. Frowning, the warlock glanced at the physician with disbelief while stifling a yawn. "You added a sleeping draught to my water, didn't you?" He demanded, his eyelids already fighting to stay open while Gaius smiled sadly.
"I know you all too well, Merlin. For the next day and a half, you are to rest, and heaven knows you're incapable of staying in bed of your own accord."
"That's not fair." The boy whined, hearing the childish tone in his own voice as Gaius took hold of one of his arms and gently maneuvered it around his shoulders.
"Come along, Merlin. No need for you to fall asleep at my work bench."
"Will you tell Arthur?" He asked, standing up and feeling a twinge of pain, though it wasn't so bad as before as they walked together to his bedroom.
"Yes, yes. I'll make certain he knows. Now try to relax and rest." The elder insisted, helping the young warlock to lay down before grabbing a spare blanket and propping his injured limb carefully on top.
Merlin had only just closed his eyes when he felt himself drifting off, no longer bothered by the pain or concerned about the prince who was sure to be angry come morning.
Arthur was furious. Merlin hadn't come to check on him before returning home the night before, nor had he shown up to wake the prince on time or give him breakfast. And if things couldn't get any worse, it was raining.
Alright, so perhaps the weather wasn't his idiotic servant's fault, but everything else certainly was. Sometimes the man wondered why he bothered to keep the boy around at all. He was late, useless, and stupid beyond belief.
Clenching his fists while he stormed down a corridor, Arthur scowled as two maids hurried to get out of his way. In Merlin's only defense, he was incredibly loyal, to a fault even. And when he was on time he did usually manage to be halfway competent. And yes, despite the attitude and lip he gave the prince every waking minute, it was nice to have one person who didn't cower in his presence just because of his title.
Rounding a corner and forcing his thoughts to return to his anger, Arthur imagined exactly what he would do to Merlin the moment he finally found the lazy oaf. Perhaps he would make the boy spend the rest of the day and the entire night scrubbing every inch of the armory, from the swords to the shields to every piece of the walls and floor. Maybe he'd even have him scrub the ceiling, just for good measure.
The thought was enjoyable, and his anger cooled as he rounded another corner and nearly ran chest first into Gaius. "Oh, Sire, I'm terribly sorry." The physician quickly apologized, bending into a low bow that made Arthur wince. The way the elder got around surprised him at times, but nevertheless he hurried to assure him that the collision was fine.
"Gaius, wait." The man turned as the elder started to leave, and when Gaius looked at him, Arthur was surprised to detect a hint of irritation on the physician's face.
"Yes?"
"Have you seen Merlin? He did not wake me this morning nor deliver my breakfast. My entire schedule has been thrown off because of him."
For a moment the elder said nothing, his eyes only flashing with the anger Arthur had been feeling until just moments before when surprise overtook it. "Yes."
"Sorry?" The prince asked, the sudden, snapping answer catching him off guard.
"I said yes, Sire. I do know where Merlin is."
When it became clear he wasn't offering a further answer, Arthur cleared his throat and shifted where he stood." And where exactly would that be?"
"In bed, I would imagine, unless he's gone and disobeyed me again. I sent word last night he would not be fit to work today." Gaius said shortly, eyeing the prince as the blond frowned.
"I never received any word about that."
"Well. I'll be sure to reprimand the person responsible for failing to inform you." The elder's tone indicated more than what his words were saying, and Arthur clasped his hands behind his back in an effort to stay calm.
"Would you care to inform me as to why Merlin would still be in bed at this hour?" He couldn't stop his voice from rising at the end, but Gaius' expression was far more sour than Arthur had seen in a long time, and seemed undeterred by the man's frustration.
"Lying in bed is the best remedy for a swollen ankle." This time there was no imagining it, Gaius looked downright disgusted with the prince, which was the closest thing the man had ever seen the physician get when it came to disrespect.
As he stood there watching the elder study him, Arthur's thoughts rounded back to what he'd said. "Swollen? Why on earth would his ankle be swollen?"
"As I've heard it, tumbling down a set of stairs and then working for hours on a damaged limb will do that."
Ah. Right. Arthur's mouth opened but no words would come out. After all, what was there to say?
He'd thought Merlin was faking, trying to get out of his work by pretending to be injured.
But he had been pale after training with the knights, and far less irritating with his rambling, and God he'd done this to Merlin, no wonder Gaius was angry with him. His loyalty to Camelot and its royal family were strong, but there was no doubt that the elder's love and care over Merlin were stronger, even if he'd never admit it to the Pendragon's themselves.
"If you'll excuse me, Sire, I must get going. I promised your father I would check on Morgana." With another quick bow, Gaius turned and continued off down the hall, leaving the prince in stunned silence to stare after him.
Confusion and guilt and irritation all whirled around inside Arthur's chest until he finally spun around and began walking with purpose towards the physician's tower. In minutes he was shoving open the door and looking around the empty room with frantic eyes before realizing the patient's cot was empty.
Moving once again, though slower and quieter now, Arthur made his way to the room at the back, and after carefully pushing it open stepped inside. The room was dark aside from one patch of light that filtered in through a partially open window.
Merlin was lying on his stomach in bed, one arm flopped over the side and his bandaged foot propped awkwardly on a mound of blankets. His hair was disheveled, and a half empty vial of medicine that Gaius was known to give for fevers sat on the boy's bedside table.
Taking a step closer, Arthur opened his mouth to speak when a low screech diverted his attention. Across the room and sitting nearly hidden in the darkness on the edge of a chair was that damn owl. What had Merlin called it? Archimedes, or something equally foolish. The bird had grown in the months that had passed, and it was now three times the size it had been when they first rescued it.
"Quiet." Arthur chided softly, taking another step into the room and earning a screech for his effort. "Would you calm down? I'm not going to hurt him." The prince scowled, recalling how protective the creature got over the boy.
Lifting a reassuring hand towards the owl, he watched as far too intelligent eyes studied him before he settled down and tipped his head, almost as if it were consenting to his presence. Shaking off the strange thought, Arthur moved further inside until he was able to kneel beside his servant's bed.
Turning to inspect the boy's injured ankle, the man grimaced at the sight of bruises peeking out past the bandages. A dark purple splotch covered two of Merlin's toes, and a dark blue bruise stretched past the edge of the wrappings and on towards his calf.
Guilt ate away at the blond the longer that he looked, so instead Arthur turned his attention to the head of the bed. Merlin's face was slack from sleep, his mouth barely parted as he breathed slow and deep, his hair a mess that curled around his forehead.
Pressing his lips together tightly, Arthur let out a soft sigh and rose, tugging the blanket over the boy's shoulders in a quick movement. "Keep an eye on him." The prince muttered, glancing at the owl as it hopped forward with a small flutter of its wings.
As it turned its head and stared at him, Arthur scowled. "Stop looking at me like that. I'll put him to work later, he's of no use to me like this. The idiot." And with that, the man stormed back out the door, refusing to acknowledge how quietly he stomped or how softly he closed the door behind him.
A/N
Alright guys, exciting news! I mentioned a few chapters ago that my boyfriend was off traveling for work, and he asked me to go with him! I'm crazy excited and nervous, because traveling and writing in new places is what I've ALWAYS wanted to do, and he's encouraging me to take this opportunity to really focus on my work, which I appreciate him to no end for.
That being said, that's why this chapter took so long. I've been packing and cleaning and moving two separate households into a storage unit as we get ready for leave TOMORROW MORNING!
Thanks for your patience, and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm excited to get into some fun, wacky adventures this upcoming season, and we're getting closer to finally introducing the knights!
Feel free to leave any comments, questions, or ideas for me! I promise I read every one, and in one form or another your ideas will be put to use, it just might take a little time to see it play out! Thanks guys, and I hope you all have had a wonderful month!
