A heat wave had struck the kingdom of Camelot with sweltering afternoons followed by mornings and evenings that fared no better. Each day proved worse than the last, and by the end of the week Merlin had had his fill of the heat.

By midmorning the warlock was sweaty from his chore filled day but was grateful as he found himself in armory and away from the blistering sun. The sound of his hammer fixing a dent in a section of Arthur's armor filled the room and was much more pleasant than the knight's swords clashing on the field just half an hour before that had left his ears ringing.

Once he was finished with his task, the boy would be free to aid Gaius for a couple of hours while the prince was out on patrol. Of course, that meant he actually had to finish the job, but with the royal sitting perched on top of the table beside him, he found it was taking twice as long.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Merlin asked finally as he kept his eyes on his work and away from the blond's scrutinizing stare.

"Are you implying that I'm being lazy?" Arthur demanded while leaning forward, twisting a piece of hay between his fingers as he did.

"Of course not, Sire." Barely restraining the urge to roll his eyes, Merlin sat up and cleared his throat. "I was just saying that this will take time, and if you had other things to do, I would not mind."

"You think I'm here to keep you company?" The scoff in the man's voice was unmistakable, and this time, Merlin's eyes did roll as he tapped against the armor once again. "If I leave the job will take you all day because you'll be off lollygagging somewhere rather than getting your work done. I'm here to ensure you actually finish."

Locking his jaw at the flippant excuse, the boy turned the backplate he held over and inspected the dent from the other side. "Perhaps if you took more care with your armor it wouldn't need fixed so often."

Merlin knew full well that such a comment was poking at a sleeping giant, but he couldn't resist. This was the third time in as many days that the boy had been forced to fix some sort of damage, and all three times it had occurred from something other than training.

"What do you know of taking care of armor?" Arthur asked, his hand stretching out as he tapped a finger against the metal the servant held. "You don't even wear any."

"That's because I've no need to." Merlin replied smoothly, hammering again as the dent began to disappear.

"That's because you cower behind a tree anytime anything remotely dangerous happens." The prince scoffed again.

"That's something I've always wondered," A new voice caught the duo's attention from where they sat as both of their heads lifted and turned to see Leon and Elacard walking inside the armory. "Why don't you ever wear any armor, Merlin?"

Both of the knights' faces were sheened with sweat, and as Elacard set his shield on the ground, he rolled his shoulder and met the warlock's curious stare. "You go with the prince everywhere, no matter how dangerous, yet you never protect yourself with a weapon or armor."

Fidgeting under their stares, Merlin's gaze flickered to Arthur's only to find the royal's eyes looking at him just as intently. "I've no need of it." The boy finally shrugged, attempting to make his voice as nonchalant as possible. "I'm just a servant, so its not necessary to be that well protected. Besides, most people tend to look over me anyway."

What he said was only partly true. While he was often overlooked for those with actual weapons, he still managed to get himself into enough scrapes where his magic wasn't even involved. Just the week prior one of Odin's men had nearly skewered him when they'd attacked he and Arthur on their way to find Morgause.

"And anyway," He mumbled, averting his gaze and shifting the armor around again. "I've worn it on occasion."

"Chainmail is not the same as a full set of armor, Merlin." Arthur snorted, spreading his legs apart and bracing his arms against his knees. "Not that it matters, you wouldn't be able to wear the armor even if you had to."

Quiet laughter from the two knights resonated over to the warlock, and Merlin's fingers tightened over the backplate resting in his lap. "I could wear it if the need arose." He said indignantly, still refusing to look up.

"Really?" Arthur mocked, eyeing the boy up and down as Merlin shot a glare his way. "I've seen the way you handle a sword, or rather the way you don't. Watching you wear armor would just be pitiful. Besides, you're too scrawny to even bear the weight."

"I seem to bear the weight of your ego just fine." Merlin countered without thinking, only realizing the implication of what he said as another round of smothered laughter came from the knights while Arthur stared with an open mouth.

"Well. If you're so sure, why don't you wear it on patrol?"

"Patrol?" The boy repeated dumbly, setting the hammer he'd been using on the edge of the table. "I don't normally accompany you on patrol."

"Today you do. You can take Sir Elacard's place."

Before the warlock could object, Leon cleared his throat and took a couple of steps forward. "Are you sure that's wise, Sire? With the heat, the armor could—"

"If Merlin is so sure that he can do it, then I see no reason for him not to prove it." Arthur cut the knight off, turning his head back around to meet Merlin's stare. "Unless you'd like to admit that you can't, and that you spoke out of term." The challenge in the man's voice was evident, as was the look that said he knew the boy wouldn't turn him down.

"I can do it." Merlin spoke firmly, feeling his stubbornness kicking in. "It's just putting on some armor, it's not hard." Even as he said it though, a surge of unease flitted through his mind, but Arthur was smirking, and it was too late to turn back now.

"Fine." The prince nodded, pushing himself off the table and brushing his hands together. "Leon, help him find some armor and then we'll go." Without another word the royal turned his back on his servant and strode from the room, briefly clapping a hand on his knight's shoulder as he passed.

Looking back at the piece of Arthur's armor still in his lap, Merlin let out a soft breath and glanced up to find a grim look set on Leon's face while Elacard fought a smile behind him. The boy was well aware of how poorly this could go for him, but the opportunity to prove the arrogant prat wrong was just too good to turn down.

It had been less than five minutes and Merlin was already regretting his decision. With every step he took the armor clanged together, and the bright scarlet cape that hung down from his shoulders kept getting tangled around his arms. A heavy sword hung from his side, and he was already sweating.

He'd received more than one confused glance on his way to the courtyard, but Merlin had held his head high while carrying the helmet beneath his arm. A piece of him couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to be a knight, to fight for the protection of the kingdom. He'd basically be doing the same thing he was now, only he might actually get a bit of respect and recognition for his work.

The warlock was feeling good about himself up until he heard the laughter rolling over to him from the two men that stood waiting by their horses. Leon stood beside his steed in a protective chainmail tunic and his own cape slung over his shoulders. He carried his sword by his side and a small pack was tied to the saddle of his horse.

To his credit, the knight was at least attempting to keep his laughter at bay, whereas the prince had allowed his to fall out loudly and without hesitation. Arthur himself wore only a red tunic and a simple leather belt. His own sword was strapped to his side like his knight's, but compared to what the warlock wore, the other two looked light as a feather.

Coming to a loud, clanging halt in front of the two of them, Merlin's head swung back and forth in disbelief. "Why am I the only one wearing armor?" As if to further express his question, the boy lifted his arm to show off the bulky armor that hung from his slight frame.

"Because of the bet, obviously." Arthur spoke slowly, as if he were speaking to a child. "It's a simple patrol, to go in such heavy armor would be pointless and tiring, especially in this heat."

Fuming, Merlin looked to Leon for support but only received a small shrug before the two were mounting their horses. Huffing a sigh at his own stupidity at being made a fool of, the warlock reached for the saddle of his own mare before he paused and looked back to the prince.

"Bet?"

"What?"

"You said this was a bet, but if that's the case, we didn't set any terms."

Sitting up straighter, the reins fell slack in the man's hands as Arthur's head tilted a fraction to the side in thought. "What do you want?"

"If I win?" The prince nodded curtly in reply and Merlin thought for a moment. "I want a day off."

"That's all?" The royal quirked a brow before nodding. "Alright. If you make it through the patrol without complaining about the heat, or the weight, or your discomfort, I'll grant you a day off. I'll even speak with Gaius so you're not put to work by him." Lifting his brows in surprise, Merlin watched as Arthur urged his horse to step closer to him. "But, if you break those terms, you'll be the knight's newest training dummy for the upcoming tournament."

Squinting his eyes and pressing his lips together, Merlin finally nodded his head before awkwardly stretching his arm up and out to the prince. "Shake on it."

Smirking, the blond reached down and gripped the boy's hand tight before shaking it firmly. "We have a deal."

Letting go, and now fully aware of what he'd signed himself up for, Merlin drew in a deep breath. Mounting a horse had never been difficult in the past for him, but the added weight and size made things infinitely more difficult. The whole affair took several tries, quite a bit of muttering, and more laughter from the two men behind him before Merlin finally managed to wriggle his way up and position himself without falling.

Heavy breaths puffed out of him from the exertion and sweat was already pouring down the back of his neck. The cape around his shoulders was wrinkled and caught up against his arms, but he was sitting atop his horse, and he was glad for that small feat.

"Let's get moving. And Merlin, don't forget to put on that helmet." Arthur instructed, urging his steed through the courtyard as Leon followed, leaving the warlock to bring up the rear.

Despite no longer walking, the boy found his armor still knocking together as he rode, and the irritating noise did not take long in causing an ache to sprout at the back of his head. Blinking against the growing pressure, Merlin followed the two through the Lower Town where he was greeted once more with pointed stares and gaping mouths.

He doubted anyone knew it was him beneath the bulky metal, but the amount of attention drawn to him would have been far less had the other two worn armor as well. As the trio passed through the town and along the edge of the fields, Merlin's breath began to come out harder as sweat dripped from his temple and rolled down his neck.

The sun was high in the sky and was scorching the ground, and the boy was baking in the armor. He could only imagine Gaius's face at the idiotic bet he'd made, but a day off was too good to pass up, not to mention what awaited him if he lost. However the ache in his head steadily crept towards his eyes, and the moisture that had his hair clinging to his face was making his afternoon more than a little uncomfortable.

Pressing his lips together and forcing his mare to keep pace with the other two, Merlin remained silent against the aches and the heat. Their small group made their way through the fields and back behind the castle, until they came to one edge of the forest.

Merlin's lips were cracked and dry and his throat burned, but the prospect of soon being finished nearly made him giddy. Letting go of the reins with one hand, the boy tried to reach back to where his waterskin was tied, but each time he did his armor clanged together and stopped him just a few inches shy of his goal.

Cursing quietly, the boy was about to untie it with magic when Arthur barked at him to catch up before he fell further behind. Heaving a sigh, the warlock dropped his arm and righted himself in the saddle, carefully pressing his heels into his horse to spur them forward to where Arthur and Leon had already entered the forest.

Sweat rolled down from his temple as he rode, and as he squinted away from a patch of sunlight that broke through the branches, the boy caught Arthur looking back at him with a smug grin. "You're awfully quiet, Merlin. Is the heat getting to you?"

"Not at all, Sire." Merlin lied, though his tongue felt heavy in his mouth and his raw throat protested against his words. "I've just got nothing to say."

"Well, that's a first." The prince snorted, turning back around in his saddle as the warlock rolled his eyes.

Letting his head drop, Merlin caught sight of Leon looking back as well, and he did his best to straighten his shoulders and sit upright despite the weight. The more he fidgeted though, the more uncomfortable he became as the hot armor pressed against his skin.

The day continued to drag on, and more than once he was certain they'd circled around and covered ground where they'd already been, but anytime he'd start to bring it up, Arthur conveniently was too distracted to hear him.

Twice more Merlin had slowed to reach for his waterskin, but both times proved as useless as the first. His body was too heavy and his limbs too tired, and finally he decided the strain just wasn't worth it. By the time Arthur finally stopped, it was obvious that all three of them were tired and exhausted from the heat.

"Everything appears fine, we might as well return." Turning his steed around, the royal's own tunic was drenched in sweat as he paused next to where Merlin sat. "As soon as we return you can draw me a bath." Arthur smirked, eyeing his servant while Merlin barely bobbed his head. "What, no retort? No smart comment? Don't tell me you're getting too hot, Merlin."

"Of course not." The boy mumbled, blinking the sweat out of his eyes.

"Because if you're ready to admit that wearing the armor isn't as easy as you think—"

"I'm fine." Merlin snapped, watching while Arthur lifted his brows as the warlock swallowed and forced his voice to calm. "I just need water."

"Water?" The prince repeated, narrowing his eyes as they flickered from the boy to the waterskin tied to his saddle.

As the blond reached out and untied it easily, Merlin began to stretch his arm out for it only to have Arthur pull it closer. In one swift movement the prince pried off the top and lifted it up, gulping down the water as the boy stared in disbelief while small rivulets of water trickled from the edges of the man's mouth and down his neck.

Merlin's hand fell with another clang as metal met metal, unable to form words as the prince finally lowered the waterskin and let out a content sigh. "You were right, Merlin. Water was just the thing that I needed, thank you."

Tossing the waterskin at him, the warlock fumbled to catch it only to find it now empty as he turned to glare at the royal. "Sorry, did you mean you needed water? That's a shame, you should've spoken up." Giving the boy a wicked grin, Arthur ushered his horse past him with an air of amusement. "Come on! It's a long ride back and it's not getting any cooler!"

Scowling, Merlin dropped the waterskin onto his lap and avoided Leon's pressing gaze as he dropped his head and tried to ignore the feeling of his body roasting inside the suit. His headache had turned into an outright miserable pounding and his limbs felt as though they were made of lead. Even so much as breathing or blinking had become laborious, and he could no longer lift his head even if he wanted to.

Letting his eyes fall shut for a moment, the boy's mare began to slow. Nausea made Merlin's stomach turn and for a moment the feeling of sickness was so strong the warlock was certain he was going to lose his meager lunch right on the road they traveled.

The wave soon passed, though dizziness replaced the nausea almost immediately until the boy was leaning forward on his horse and breathing shallowly. Every beat of his heart sent a stabbing pain through his head, and each breath rasped out past his dry and cracked lips.

"Merlin? Are you alright?"

Turning his head a fraction and staring blearily at the knight that had stopped a few paces ahead of him, the warlock barely managed a nod. "Fine." He forced out. He wasn't sure if he'd suitably convinced the knight or not, but as Merlin's head fell again he found he really didn't care.

"Hurry up! You're lagging behind!" Arthur shouted back to them, but the man's voice sounded distant and hollow.

Merlin was no longer sure if he was moving or not, the reins falling completely from his hands as his head lolled from side to side and his eyes fell shut to block out the world that swayed around him. The heat grew unbearably stronger, and another rasping breath pushed past the warlock's lips before his body began to slide. Everything in his mind faded to a dull presence, with only his discomfort and dizziness at the forefront of his thoughts.

"Merlin!"

His name drifted towards him like a boat moving lazily down a river, and the boy briefly registered something hot and uncomfortable pressing against the side of his face.

"Merlin, can you hear me?"

Cracking his eyes open, the warlock found himself staring at a stick that lay on the ground only inches from his face and what looked like the edge of a scarlet cape.

"Merlin, come on. Answer me."

All at once there were hands on his arms and his shoulders, and his body was turning over onto his back while the helmet was wrenched free from his head.

"I'm fine.." The boy mumbled weakly as his eyes fell shut again and his body was being hoisted up from the dirt trail.

"Leon, what the hell happened?" Arthur's voice reached him next, though the sound was still distorted and distant as Merlin forced his eyes open again. Instead of sitting up like he'd thought he was, the boy was leaning heavily into Leon's chest, his forehead pressed against the man's shoulder as he felt the knight fighting with the straps of his armor.

"He got too hot. The armor is burning my skin to touch." Leon's voice was tense, and Merlin felt the knight's hand jerk away with a sharp hiss before returning to the straps a moment later.

"Well get it off him then." Arthur commanded, kneeling beside the two as the warlock's eyes began to droop.

"Merlin, stay awake now." A calloused hand grabbed hold of the boy's cheek and lifted his head, forcing the warlock's half lidded eyes to settle on the knight's face.

"It's hot." The two words were all the boy could whisper as he heard a sharp breath come from beside him before the prince's hands were on his back fighting with the burning metal as well.

It took several tries between the two men, both pulling back on occasion when the scorching armor became too much, but finally the bulky pieces of metal were pulled away and thrown to the side. Once the final piece was removed, Merlin took a deep breath and relished in the lack of weight crushing him.

His muscles and limbs were sore, but there was an immediate difference as Lean's hand returned to the side of his neck, lifting his chin to look at him. "Here, Merlin. Drink this." Offering out his waterskin to the boy, the warlock took it with a trembling hand and greedily drank.

The water was warm inside, but it felt like a freezing river cascading down his raw throat. Finally lowering the waterskin and feeling the nausea return, Merlin's head dropped as he sucked in a shallow breath. The waterskin was removed from the boy's hands as he sat leaning over, his eyes blinking sluggishly at the dirt trail before he felt a piece of damp cloth press against the back of his neck.

"You should've said something when you began overheating." Leon remarked quietly, his voice low enough that the prince who was standing nearby could not hear. "No foolish bet is worth your health."

Lifting his head, Merlin met Leon's concerned stare before he dropped his gaze in guilt, suddenly feeling as though he were being chastised by Gaius.

"Here, drink more." The knight instructed, passing his waterskin back to the boy. Taking slower drinks, Merlin soon drained it and let Leon take it from his hands.

"There's another tied to my saddle." Arthur spoke as Leon stood, the prince folding his arms across his chest as he stared at his servant. Without a word the knight made his way to the royal's horse as the blond moved to crouch beside the warlock.

"I suppose this means I won." Arthur declared dryly.

"Was my passing out from the heat in the conditions?"

"I suppose not." Arthur shrugged, reaching out and plucking a stick off the ground that he began to twirl between his fingers. "I told you that you couldn't handle it. Perhaps next time you'll listen."

"That's not fair," The boy objected, sitting up straighter and pressing a hand against the fabric on his neck. "Today was just the wrong day to try it. On any normal day I'd have been fine."

"Do you wish to make the wager again, then?" The prince asked with an arched brow, eyeing the warlock intently.

"Yes." Merlin decided firmly, though he could already feel his body screaming in protest.

"Fine. Once summer has passed. Until then, I suppose the knights will make do with their usual training dummies."

"And I suppose I can do without a day off." Merlin mumbled with a sigh. Arthur rolled his eyes at the sound and stood, dropping the stick as he did while Leon carried over the extra waterskin and offered it to the boy.

"You know, wearing some light armor from time to time wouldn't kill you." The prince spoke abruptly, his boot tapping against the dirt as Merlin pried off the waterskin's cap.

"What?"

"When we leave the citadel, wearing light armor wouldn't kill you."

"Why should I?" The boy asked incredulously, taking another drink.

"Because one of these days you're going to get yourself hurt by being your usual idiotic self, and some chainmail might help prevent that." The prince scoffed as though the answer were obvious.

"I'll be fine," Merlin shrugged. "You're always there."

"And if I'm not?" A rare moment of sincerity filled the blond's tone as Arthur stared hard at his friend. "What do I tell Gaius if I return without you one day? Or if I return carrying your lifeless body?"

The question stung the boy, as did the intent stare, and the warlock's eyes fell as he took another drink. "I'm better at taking care of myself than you think." Merlin finally answered.

"I highly doubt that." Arthur muttered dryly as silence fell over the three of them. Leon stood to the side with his eyes on the both of them, but Merlin found himself avoiding the prince's gaze as he finished off the rest of the water.

"Hurry up." Arthur suddenly commanded, the tip of his boot kicking into the toe of the warlock's. "It's time we got back. And now that you've made all this armor dirty its going to need cleaned."

"It never stops with you, does it?" Merlin complained as a snort sounded above him.

"I'm going to pretend that it's the heat that made you say that." Glancing up, the boy caught Arthur's stare and found a smirk on his lips that the warlock returned, followed by the word 'prat' being mouthed. Another kick struck his boot, this time harder, and a laugh left Merlin as he pushed his weary body up from the ground, ready to return home.

A/N

Sticking to a schedule has really helped, and while I was supposed to post LAST week, I ended up being in the emergency room twice, and then quarantined away from my computer this entire past week ;-; but we're here now and I'm okay, so let the angst continue!

I love big brother Leon, and this story was actually an idea I got from you guys! Someone suggested I do a story where Merlin wears armor, so I hope this turned out the way they wanted! If you guys have any suggestions let me know, chances are I've already got it planned but who knows!

Leave me a comment or a review if you enjoyed, they're always my favorite part, and I'll see you guys soon!