Chapter Three

It was a week later when Merlin finally went back to work for Arthur.

They'd both been returned to Camelot in great haste once the knights had found them- the alarm had been raised early on when both Arthur and Merlin had failed to return from a simple riding trip.

Gauis had patched them both up easily enough, but they'd both needed rest and recuperation after their respective wounds. Arthur's head wound had been particularly nasty, but Gauis was a skilled physician and had cleaned and sewed it up well. The stab to his leg as it turned out, while it was deep and bloody, was relatively harmless- it hadn't done too much damage, so Arthur was allowed to rest and then to gently use it so long as he didn't put too much strain on it. That was Gauis' decree, but Arthur found it hard to stay too still. So another couple of weeks later and Arthur had decided that he would start training in earnest again.

Merlin went back to work that morning and woke Arthur up with a particularly good breakfast to celebrate.

He gently pushed the curtains back- for once, just to be nice- but he still couldn't resist a hearty "Good morning!" He looked back to see Arthur's reaction.

He was unusually quiet, but he still stirred enough to reassure Merlin that he was awake.

Merlin frowned when nothing was thrown his way, but he took that to mean that Arthur was just happy to be back in Camelot and back to tending to his royal duties again.

Arthur sat up and swivelled to be on the edge of his bed and blearily rubbed his eyes, then ran his hands over his head. Even Merlin from where he was by the table could see that Arthur winced when his hand ran over his sewn-up wound.

Arthur got up and put his robe on around him then came to the table and sat down to eat.

Merlin poured out a drink for him and glanced at Arthur who had started to eat some of the fresh bread.

"Are you alright Sire?" Merlin asked.

"Mmhmm," was all the reply he got.

Arthur went silent again and stayed that way throughout breakfast.

While Merlin was helping him change, he asked again. "Are you sure you're alright Arthur?"

Arthur turned to him and smiled. "Of course I am Merlin, don't ask stupid questions."

Merlin scrutinised him closely which got him a playful hit around the head in response.

"Ow!"

"Get on with your chores then Merlin!" Arthur said happily, his demeanour completely changed and apparently back to normal.

"Yes Sire," Merlin groused.

oOo

Merlin kept an eye on Arthur throughout the day, ever his shadow.

He went to weapons training with the knights, all of whom were happy to see their prince back to normal and happy again. The mood was as high as the sun was that day and the banter was plentiful.

Still Merlin watched him. He was sure that there was a tight look in Arthur's eyes whenever he smiled, but no one else had noticed it, so maybe he was imagining things.

He had tended to Arthur in the weeks since they'd returned to Camelot, but Gauis had been spending more time with the Prince to look after his medical needs, so Merlin was needed to take care of Gauis' regular patients and keep the herb stocks in order.

And Gauis had made sure that Merlin also had a lot of rest, as the beating he'd been subjected to had been severe. As it was, this was the first time that Merlin had really had a chance to study Arthur.

Merlin stood at Arthur's side during the council meeting, ready to fill the cup of anyone who might need a drink.

He watched Arthur, and was it his imagination again, or was Arthur ever so slightly distracted at times? It wasn't like him at all, but no one called the prince out on it, so maybe they hadn't noticed. Or maybe the recent events with the bandits made Arthur think that much more deeply about protecting the land, and it was in fact deep thought, not distraction that Merlin was seeing.

He kept glancing towards Arthur's face as he helped him change for bed that night.

"Merlin- you've been staring at me like a lovesick girl all day. Will you please stop it before someone gets the wrong idea?"

"Arthur," Merlin began, but he stopped straightaway as he tried to compose his thoughts. He wasn't quite sure how to phrase what it was he wanted to know.

Arthur, meanwhile, was waiting, his expression expectant and slightly exasperated. "What!?"

Merlin sighed. "You haven't seemed quite like yourself today, that's all," he finally said.

Arthur smiled his winning smile and then smacked Merlin around the head. "I'm fine, obviously! And no one else has thought anything different, so you're the only one who thinks so."

Arthur walked around to his desk to straighten away his papers he'd used that day. Merlin took a few steps towards him. "Arthur, I know you- I can see it, even if no one else has noticed! You just seem... tense. Is it about the attack last week?"

Merlin almost regretted his words when Arthur's expression tightened. Just a little, but it was obvious to Merlin that time.

Arthur looked directly into Merlin's eyes, and although he smiled, it didn't reach his eyes, and Merlin realised he'd been right. Even as Arthur said "I'm fine Merlin," quietly, they both knew that it was a lie.

For once, Merlin just stood there and stared at Arthur and crossed his arms, saying nothing.

They stood like that, just staring at each other eye to eye, neither looking away for what felt like a few minutes but was probably actually barely one.

"I... have never felt... so... useless..." Arthur finally said, sighing, and letting his voice drift off. "I mean, all I did was hit my head and get a scratch to the lef, and I let us both get captured and I couldn't do a thing about it. Even when we were in the cell, I couldn't think straight to be of any use. I've been in battles before, but I've never become so helpless before. I've never let a wound... do so much to me." Arthur hit the back of his chair with his fist in frustration.

Merlin reached forwards and put both his hands, palms down, on the writing desk in a determined stance.

"Arthur," he said, "there was nothing- nothing- that you could have done. We were taken by surprise." He looked at Arthur who was staring at his hand grasping the back of his chair. "You may be the prince and future king, but that doesn't mean that you don't need some help every now and then. That's why you have the knights and you also have friends who are always there for you. You aren't alone, even when you don't realise it." He paused and looked at his friend.

"Arthur. Did you hear me? You're only human and you aren't infallible."

Arthur snorted. "That's a long word for you," he teased, although it was a little half-hearted.

Merlin rolled his eyes but was glad to hear a little of the Arthur that he knew back again.

They were both quiet for a moment, but Merlin refused to look away or even move from where he was. Eventually, Arthur looked up and looked Merlin in the eye and while the tightness hadn't left, Merlin could see that it had eased.

Arthur stood up and straightened up his tunic before undressing and getting into bed.

"Go to bed Merlin. I want you up bright and early with breakfast- we've a busy day tomorrow."

Merlin tidied up Arthur's clothes and went to leave.

"Sleep well Arthur," he said as he opened the door.

"Merlin?" he heard, stopping him in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Merlin smiled. "Good night," he replied. He'd be keeping an eye on the Prince for a while yet- stuff destiny, that's just what friends did for each other. He shut the door and walked back to his room.

-Fin-