The day after such a large tournament was one often reserved for cleaning and repairing. Be it people, armor, or the taverns and inns that the competitors had stayed at. The last time the tournament had taken place, Arthur had been just a boy. He'd found it all exciting and loud, and he'd loved every moment of it. Now, he merely found it tiring.
He could not walk through the citadel without people congratulating him on his father's victory or having to dodge around questions as to why he didn't win. Then of course there was all the work going on, with servants and workers hurrying about their tasks, more often than not carrying large loads of laundry or armor or food. Even Merlin, who the prince would have enjoyed picking on that day, was off repairing and mending the man's things.
Heaving a sigh as he rounded a corner, Arthur sidestepped out of the way of a young squire rushing past, barely holding on to the chest plate and both gauntlets that someone had shoved into his arms. It wasn't that Arthur was looking for Merlin as he wandered, but that the prince was already on his way to the armory.
However, if he happened upon the boy, and he happened to be nearly done with his work, Arthur saw no reason not to discuss the rest of his chores for the day while he finished. That was the man's reasoning at least as he stepped into the corridor and was immediately met with the sound of loud, drunken arguing.
Well, he assumed it was arguing, given all he could hear was one noisy, gruff voice. Someone inside was demanding answers, wanting to know where someone else had disappeared to. None of that surprised Arthur. It wasn't rare for fights to break out in the few days after the tournament as men confronted others for why they lost their bets or where someone they held a grudge against had vanished to.
Pausing near the door, Arthur peered inside and spotted a man standing off to the side of the room, his bulky frame blocking the view of whomever he was yelling at. A sword waved erratically in one hand, while an empty tankard swung about in the other.
Arthur frowned immediately, recognizing the bald man as a friend of one of the contestants. The one who had used an ax and had been killed by the boy who fought the king. Instead of turning to leave, curiosity got the better of Arthur, and the prince leaned against the doorframe to watch.
Merlin was nowhere to be seen, and the prince's armor was hung up, so he could only assume he had gone off to enjoy a few minutes to himself before he was given more chores. Lucky for him, the prince was more caught up in the scene in front of him to be angry yet.
Had the man found the boy who killed his friend? Had he decided to get revenge himself? The idea of the bald man killing the almost victor had Arthur drawing his own sword, only to stop. This wasn't his fight to get involved with.
Everyone who had joined in the tournament was well aware of what could happen to them, and just because the tournament was over did not mean that the rules had changed. Men from all over and of all kinds came to participate, including the ruthless and vengeful. Besides, Arthur was certain that a boy who had made it all the way through to the finals would be fine against a common drunk thug.
Turning away, the prince made it all of five steps before he heard someone cry out. His entire body froze, blood running cold, as he realized he recognized the sound.
"Merlin." Arthur uttered, turning immediately and storming back towards the armory.
He had just stepped inside when another cry sounded, the scream full of pain as Arthur watched Merlin appear in his view as he fell to the ground, knocking his shoulder into the wall behind him. The thug drew his sword up high, and Arthur leapt into action. Diving forward, the prince's sword met the man's with a loud clash, the surprise on the drunkard's face clear as day.
"Stand down!" Arthur ordered, pushing the man and his sword a step away while positioning himself in front of Merlin.
"He knows what happened! He was talking to him!" The bald man shouted, twisting his sword around and trying to move past the blond.
"Guards!" Arthur yelled, batting away the next feeble attempt at an attack and shoving the man away again. A few moments later two of the citadel's guards appeared, and Arthur gestured to the thug in disgust. "Take him to a cell, for attacking the Prince of Camelot."
The two guards nodded simultaneously before each took an arm of the stuttering man and drug him away, leaving the thug to shout curses at the prince. Scowling, Arthur sheathed his sword and turned, looking down at where Merlin lay slumped against the wall.
The boy had managed to prop himself up a bit, weak though he looked, and the prince felt another twinge of rage course through him. Perhaps he should have taught the man a thing or two before just sending him away. A hiss of pain left Merlin then, bringing Arthur back to himself as he knelt down beside his friend.
"What did you do to make him angry?" The prince asked, surveying the damage.
"Nothing, he came out of nowhere and just started screaming." Merlin complained, clutching his arm with one hand.
Along his left temple was a red, swollen mark as if he'd been knocked in the head by the man's sword. His tunic was torn along the collar, and blood stained the edges of the boy's fingers where he held the inside of his upper arm tightly.
"And you did nothing at all to instigate it?" Arthur asked in disbelief, grabbing the boy's wrist and carefully pulling it away from the wound.
"No," Merlin shook his head, his face paling as he looked up at the ceiling. "I was just doing my work, that's it."
"He got you deep." Arthur sighed, pulling the edges of the tunic sleeve apart and watching the bright red blood spurt out onto the rest of his arm and the floor.
"He was asking about Gilli." Merlin mumbled, grimacing as Arthur gave him a confused look.
"Who?"
"The boy, the one that fought the king. His name is Gilli. He helped me the other day, stopped that man and his friend from whipping me."
"What?" Arthur demanded, letting go of the torn fabric and staring at the boy with an open mouth. "They attacked you?"
"Briefly." Merlin stated, cutting his eyes away from the prince's stern gaze. "They had it out for him since then, and I guess after the one was killed the other wanted to find Gilli to make him pay. Only he found me instead."
"And you never thought to mention this before now?" Arthur asked, wiping blood from his fingertips off on Merlin's trousers.
"You were busy."
"And you're an idiot." The prince scowled. "Come on. You need to have Gaius look at that."
Grabbing hold of Merlin's good arm, the prince helped the boy to stand, watching as his face paled even more. Where he'd been sitting was a small pool of blood, and Arthur stared at it in shock as Merlin swayed on his feet.
"I finished though." Merlin mumbled, drawing Arthur's attention back to him as the boy's eyelids fluttered. "I didn't.."
Arthur barely had time to react as the boy suddenly collapsed into him, his eyes falling shut and body going limp as the prince caught him with a curse. "Merlin? Merlin!"
When the boy didn't respond, Arthur pulled his right arm over his shoulders and wrapped an arm around his waist to support him, feeling his warm blood soak through his sleeve as he did. He was losing too much blood too fast. Just how bad was the cut to be bleeding like this?
Half dragging and half carrying the boy who was heavier than he looked, Arthur hurried through the corridor and towards the physician's tower. He was nearly to the first set of stairs when he spotted Leon walking towards them and was quick to get his attention.
"Sire?" Leon questioned, hurrying towards the two as Arthur readjusted his hold on the boy. "Merlin? Is that blood?" The knight asked as Arthur nodded.
"He was attacked in the armory. Help me get him to Gaius."
Leon glanced back behind them where Arthur was certain there was a trail of the servant's blood before the knight carefully grabbed the boy's other arm and helped the prince to get him up the stairs. Several minutes later, with blood on both their hands and tunics, Arthur finally kicked open the door to the physician's chambers.
As the two men drug Merlin inside, Gaius leapt up from the table where he sat working, his expression startled before morphing into concern. "What happened?" He stared, his eyes looking over each of the men in turn before settling his worry on his pale ward.
"Merlin was attacked in the armory. He's lost a lot of blood already." Arthur stated, the two carrying the servant over to a table that Gaius quickly cleared for them.
Laying the boy down, Merlin's head fell limply to one side, and Arthur stared in abject horror as blood spurted from the wound the second Leon let go.
"He was cut by a sword?" Gaius asked, hurrying to cut away his tunic as Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
"They must have nicked an artery. Arthur, hold this down and apply pressure. Do not let up until I tell you." Gaius instructed, placing a thick cloth over the wound.
Stepping forward and placing his hands over his friend's arm, the prince took one short breath before clamping his hands down on it. A low groan escaped Merlin, his body twitching and his face contorting in pain.
"Do not let up, even if he wakes." Gaius called as he hurried from cabinet to cabinet in search of things. "Leon, fetch fresh water will you?" The physician asked over his shoulder.
"Yes, of course." Grabbing a bucket from by the door the knight hurried off, leaving the two men to care over the servant.
"Do you know why he was attacked?" Gaius questioned, returning to the table with a spool of thread, a sewing needle and knife, a bottle of salve and even more cloth.
"He said something about the man wanting answers over his dead friend from the tournament." Arthur shook his head, his fingers beginning to cramp as the cloth turned red beneath his hands.
Lighting a small fire at another table, Gaius carefully began heating the needle and edge of the knife, the metal tips growing orange from the heat.
"He'll be alright, won't he?" Arthur asked quietly, unable to look back at his friend's arm as the warmth of his blood began pooling under his fingers.
"So long as we stop the bleeding soon, yes." Gaius spoke, hurrying back over.
With aged hands and practiced fingers, the physician deftly threaded the needle before stepping over to Arthur and motioning for him to pull his hands away. The prince did as instructed, standing close by as Gaius removed the cloth and surveyed the wound before pinching the edges together.
Easing the point of the needle into the boy's skin, Merlin grimaced again, his head turning to the other side at the pain as Gaius worked. The physician managed two stitches before the servant woke and was trying to sit up, a groan sounding as Gaius grit his teeth.
"Easy, Merlin." He spoke calmly, inserting the needle again as the boy cried out, his eyes flying open and his arm trying to pull away. "Hush now, boy. Stay still and let me work."
"W-what—" Merlin's words were cut off with another groan as Gaius looked up at Arthur desperately.
The prince understood immediately and walked to the boy's other side. Placing one hand on his shoulder to keep him lying down, Arthur took Merlin's hand and pressed it into the table.
"You're losing too much blood, Merlin. Quit moving around."
"Arthur? Why—" Another cry sounded as the needle pierced his skin, and his blood dripped to the floor as the boy closed his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth.
His fingers dug into Arthur's hand, gripping him tightly as the blond pressed his lips together into a thin line. "Can anything be given to him for the pain?" Arthur asked quietly only for Gaius to barely shake his head, sweat gathering along his brow.
"Nothing that would help him immediately. I'm nearly finished though."
As the needle continued to stick him, Merlin's back arched, and Arthur fought to keep him down as tears slid down the boy's face, falling to the floor where the blood had gathered.
"You're almost done." Arthur said softly, his fingers pressing into the boy's shoulder in a comforting manner as the servant's unfocused blue eyes stared up at him.
"There, done." Gaius said, leaning back and dropping the needle into a small dish.
"I have the water you asked for." Leon spoke from the doorway, standing tall and quiet as he watched on.
"Thank you. Once I clean this up I'll get a better idea of how long it should take to heal." Gaius spoke, dipping a cloth in the water the knight carried over while Arthur maneuvered his hand out of Merlin's grip, suddenly too aware of Leon's eyes on him. "Try not to strain yourself, Merlin, or we'll have to do this again." The physician warned, cleaning the wound carefully as the boy stared up at the ceiling with glassy eyes.
"Wouldn't want that." He mumbled, fingers twitching where Arthur had let go.
The prince watched another moment longer before suddenly clearing his throat. "Well, I will leave you to your work, Gaius. Merlin, I doubt I'll be seeing you work the next couple of days." He stated, turning to glare at the servant whose eyes took a few seconds to focus on him.
"Thank you." The servant murmured, blinking a couple of times before offering him a weak smile. "At least I finished your armor."
"Not that it will be any good, your work is mediocre at best." He stated dryly as the boy's smile widened.
"You're the one who keeps me around."
"Only because everyone else is too scared when I throw things. Unlike you, who is just too stupid to run." Arthur muttered, turning and walking to a small basin of water that he quickly washed his hands off in.
"Thanks all the same, Sire." Merlin called out, his voice catching as Gaius moved his arm to begin wrapping it.
With his hands still damp, Arthur strode out the door, barely giving the boy another glance before he was making his way down the winding stairwell. It wasn't long before he heard footsteps behind him, and he didn't need to look back to know that Leon was right on his heels.
"Sire, that man—"
"Will remain in a cell for the foreseeable future for the attack. On me, of course." Arthur stated, daring the knight to argue.
Instead, Leon nodded, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword. "I saw no reason to inform the others he was there. Perhaps a length of time alone will clear his head and make him rethink his actions." Pausing midstride, Arthur turned to face his knight, meeting the hard look the other man wore.
"Merlin was innocent," Leon stated, the disgust clear in his tone. "He did nothing to deserve such an attack."
The prince continued to stare before finally giving him a sharp nod. "Good man."
A slight lift of the knight's brows was the only indication of his surprise before he dipped his head in a bow. "As are you, Sire."
Arthur didn't speak another word, instead taking off back down the corridor with his knight two steps behind, both men wearing the smallest of smiles.
A/N
The amount of research I had to do regarding venous and arterial bleeding was INSANE and I'm pretty sure my computer was flagged, and I'm not even totally sure I got it completely accurate. Ah well, the things we do in the spirit of writing.
I can't believe we're so close to the end of season three! My next story will likely be a three parter to end the season, as well as ending/starting the next arc of the story! I hope you all will enjoy!
I welcome all comments, questions, and story ideas! Every comment I get brightens my day just a little bit more!