No Days Off (Merlin)

[groundcontrol]

Ahh, who am I if not at least 10 years late to every show/movie I write about? In this installment of being late to the party, I present to you Merlin! This show really is wonderful. I've only seen the first season, but I intend to remedy that as soon as possible. In the meantime, I hope someone enjoys this! :)

---

“Sire, here is the headache potion you requested from Gaius.” Merlin closed the door, more softly than usual on account of the prince’s pounding head, only to find that the intended patient was slumped at his desk, head pillowed on his arms. “Sire?”

Arthur didn't move, and as Merlin tiptoed closer, he heard the faint sounds of snoring drifting his way. He placed the bottle of potion beside the prince’s elbow and laid a hand gently on his shoulder. “Arthur?”

Arthur shot up as if he'd been burned, then looked around blearily. His hair was mussed from his nap, and he squinted at his servant as though he couldn't see him clearly. “Merlin?” he grumbled, still sounding groggy. “What are you doing here?”

Merlin pointed to the bottle. “Delivering this. For your headache, remember?”

Arthur touched a hand to his temple, closing his eyes and blowing out a breath. “As if I could forget.”

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Just a headache, Merlin,” Arthur grunted tiredly as he uncorked the bottle and sniffed it experimentally. 

Merlin narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure? It's unlike you to fall asleep so early in the evening.”

“If you keep prattling on, you'll negate whatever effects this will have on the pounding in my head.” Arthur raised the bottle as though it were a cup of meade to toast, then downed it all in one go. He shuddered and made a face. “Are you sure you haven't just poisoned me?”

“If I did that, whose stables would I muck out?”

Arthur smiled at this, but it was a more strained and tired gesture than Merlin was used to. He sipped water from his cup, then got up from his desk. 
“Clean up all these papers. I'll finish them tomorrow.”

Merlin watched in slight awe as Arthur swapped his tunic for a nightshirt and climbed into bed. He lay there for a moment, eyes shut, then opened them again to find Merlin still gaping at him. 

“Well, go on.”

“But-but you haven't even eaten dinner yet?”

Arthur’s eyes drifted shut again. “Eat it for me, then.”

“Are you sure you're feeling--”

“Merlin!”

Merlin tidied up the papers and stowed them away under the desk, wishing he could stow away his worry at his prince’s wellbeing just as easily. Granted, he would likely fall asleep too if he spent hours reading grain ledgers, but it wasn't unlike Arthur to stay up well past midnight if it meant finishing a task his father had assigned him.

By the time Merlin was finished, he eased the door shut on a dozing Arthur. He thought briefly about using his magic to ease Arthur’s headache, but he chided himself. Gaius’s potion would work just fine. 

******
Merlin returned to Arthur's chambers the next morning to wake him. On account of last night’s headache, Merlin granted him a longer lie-in than usual, but there was only so late he could rouse the king without incurring his wrath for letting him sleep the day away. 

Merlin pulled open the blinds, bathing the room in rich autumn sunlight. “Wake up, my lord!” he chirped. “You've nearly slept half the day away!”

Arthur, at the moment just a peep of blond hair atop a bundle of blankets, groaned. “Go away, Merlin,” he said thickly. 

“I'm not letting you off that easy, you lazy sot.”

Arthur groaned again and flipped to face away from Merlin. “Can't you go be annoying somewhere else?”

“There's no place I'd rather be.”

At this, Arthur heaved a sigh and pushed the blankets back to his chest. The sigh caught in his throat, and sent him into a fit of deep coughs. 

Not caring for the sound of them, Merlin tested the prince’s forehead with his palm. The skin that met his was far too warm. “Arthur,” he said. “You're sick.”

“Congratulations, you're more perceptive than usual.” Arthur sat up in bed, leaning back against the headboard. He shut his eyes, seemingly at peace for a moment, before his face scrunched up in distress. “Hehh’esshh!”

Merlin searched the prince’s drawers for handkerchiefs, and having found one, handed it to Arthur. He moved his fist from the underside of his nose and snuffled instead into the cloth. 

“I'll have Gaius deliver some willow tea for your fever,” Merlin said, already making a mental list of the supplies he'd bring back for Arthur: more handkerchiefs, a cool cloth for his forehead, a balm for his chest to ease the cough. 

Arthur nodded, then pressed the handkerchief to his face again. “Hihhh’isshhh!”

A knock came on the door, and Arthur reluctantly set down the handkerchief, sniffling and clearing his throat. “Enter.”

One of the guards stepped in, inclining his head politely. “It's the king, my lord. There is unexpected company from the house of LeBlanc and he requests your presence on a hunt for the feast that will take place this evening.”

Arthur nodded. “I will be there presently,” he said, and the guard withdrew. Immediately, Merlin started toward the door, causing Arthur to growl, “And where do you think you're going?”

Merlin stared back incredulously. “To find the guard and tell him you're not going on the hunt!”

“You'll do no such thing!”

“You're in no condition for a hunt. Look at yourself!”

But Arthur had already peeled back the covers and swung his legs to the side of the bed. “In case you haven't noticed, Merlin, the affairs of Camelot do not come to a halt just because the prince has a runny nose.”

“Come on, you're worse than that!”

Arthur coughed behind a fist, but shook his head. “Ready my bag. Pack as many handkerchiefs as you can, and that's all that will be said for it.”

“But the willow tea--”

“It will have to wait until we get back.” Arthur changed quickly into his tunic, though Merlin did not fail to notice the shivers that assaulted him when his chest was bare. “If my father wants a feast, a feast he shall have, and damn anything that gets in his way.” The sardonic undertone to Arthur's voice filled Merlin with pity, but he knew better than to comment on it. A well Arthur would never have spoken bitterly about his father, subtle or not, and an ill Arthur was likely temperamental enough to have Merlin in the stocks for accusing him of doing so. 

Merlin bowed his head slightly, defeated. “If you're sure, sire.”

Arthur cleared his throat again, a painful sound to listen to. “Once you're done, fetch my armor, and quickly. The sooner we head out the sooner we return.”

TBC

[KD02]

I absolutely LOVE merlin and have just finished rewatching them all. Please continue this wonderful story! 

[caramelfuzz]

Oh my word this is amazing! I've never seen the show but I love the way you write Arthur!

[TheMaster]

Ohh this is nice to see, I loved Merlin when it was on.

[castiel_angel]

You have perfect timing with this, because I have recently started Merlin and I LOVE it!!! Thank you so much☺️💗

[ellwren]

Love this!

[snowshie]

Quote

I've only seen the first season, but I intend to remedy that as soon as possible.

Ooooh, be prepared to laugh and cry. You'll only love these two more as you make it through the rest of the series. 😍 

I love this so far!

[groundcontrol]

Thank you so much for reading, all of you!! I hope this next part will be to your liking as well. 

They had barely been riding for an hour, and Merlin had already lost count of all the concerned looks the knights had exchanged with each other and with him. The exchanges went on like a black market trade behind Arthur’s back, and it was just as well; Merlin was convinced that sensibility was outlawed by some article of the Knight’s Code. 

Arthur had demanded that Merlin reserve extra space in his pack for handkerchiefs, but had not resorted to using them. He apparently preferred to sniffle, ceaselessly, to the chagrin of both Merlin and the knights of Camelot. And while the latter were too chivalrous to voice this to their leader, Merlin most certainly was not.

“Arthur,” Merlin said in a loud whisper, “I didn’t pack those handkerchiefs because I liked the way they look.”

Arthur sniffed again, rubbing a gloved hand beneath his nose. “If you’re suggesting something, Merlin, why not come out and--and s-say it. Heh’schh! Hi’iishhh!”

Merlin fixed Arthur in a smug stare. The prince rolled his eyes and rode a further few paces ahead. Sensing his mood, none of the knights drew close to fill the space.

They rode for a while like this, in as close to silence as they could get what with Arthur’s sniffles, sneezes, and increasingly persistent coughs. A couple of knights rode close to each other, conferring in low voices amongst themselves and pointing occasional fingers in Arthur’s direction. Merlin left them to their whispering. Arthur was old enough to take care of himself; if he kept riding, so would Merlin.

Though Merlin didn’t know much of the finer points of hunting, he was fairly certain they should have gotten hold of something by now. If not having actually killed an animal, even just a trail or a scent to follow. So far, it seemed they had neither. And perhaps Merlin was just imagining it, but hadn’t he seen that fallen tree already?

“Sire,” one of the knights called. “We’ll be riding back to Camelot soon.”

At this, the party stopped, Arthur included. Merlin had been correct in recognizing the tree, because there ahead in the distance rose the towers of Camelot on the horizon. Arthur had lead them in a circle.

Merlin had never seen Arthur look so befuddled. The prince looked from the kingdom to the tracks left by the horses and back again, blinking all the while as if it were all very unclear to him. 

“You’re right, Owain,” Arthur said in a subdued voice. “Heh’tschoo! Hihh’tschh!” He wiped his nose and pointed away from Camelot. “We’ll ride in that direction, then.”

They rode on, deeper into the forest, and did manage to spear a few quail, though Merlin knew it was boar or deer that Uther had sent them out for. In moments of lull, which were far more numerous than moments of action, Arthur sagged on his horse, almost as if he were falling asleep. But he wouldn’t interfere, Merlin reminded himself. His destiny did not include looking after the prince’s minor aches and ailments.

It was when Arthur fell off his horse that Merlin broke this oath to himself. All of the knights called out in concern, but only Merlin dismounted and ran to where Arthur lay amongst the rocks in a riverbed. He had cut open the skin above his eyebrow in the fall and was in the midst of a coughing fit.

“Arthur, are you alright?” Merlin tried to reach for the cut, but naturally Arthur turned his head away.

“Fine,” he gasped between coughs. “Just landed wro--ahh-wrong--Ahh’kshh! Heh’tschh! Hihh’tschoo!”

Merlin reached in his pack. “Handkerchief,” he offered, and Arthur snatched it with a scowl.

“Sire, if I may?” It was Owain again, clutching tightly to the reigns of his horse.

Arthur sighed, dragging himself to his feet. “What is it?”

“The hunt is nearly done, sire. If you ride well ahead of us back to Camelot, you may still have adequate time to get ready for the feast.”

Arthur’s jaw tightened as he recognized the knight’s implication, but relaxed when it became clear he could escape without pleading weakness. He looked to Merlin, who did his best to nod encouragingly.

“Very well,” Arthur said gruffly, eyes fixed on the horse’s saddle. He swung himself back upon it, coughing lightly. “Merlin, you will come with me.”

“Yes, sire.”

Merlin knew that the fact that Arthur had accepted this proposition meant he was feeling worse than he'd ever let on. Which, of course, meant Merlin had been right that morning in asserting that Arthur was in no condition to ride, and Merlin would milk that success for all it was worth. After making sure they were safely out of earshot, Merlin turned to Arthur. “I told you to use the handkerchiefs earlier. Maybe then they wouldn’t have heard you sniffling.”

Arthur rolled his eyes and nudged his horse on faster. Merlin matched his pace again.

“Then again,  the whole mess could have been avoided if you had listened to me in the first place and not gotten out of bed this morning.”

“Hehh’kssh!”

“See?”

“Merlin?”

“Mhmm?”

Arthur spoke from behind his handkerchief. “Keep gloating, and I’ll s--sneeze all over you. Ehh’tschh!” He snuffled into the cloth, and did his best death glare through watery eyes. Merlin, for his part, steered his horse to put a bit more distance between them on the path, should Arthur try to make good on his threat. 

“We should come up upon the castle soon, for--what is it--” Merlin tapped his chin, “--the third time today?”

“Merlin! I mean it!”

TBC

 

[caramelfuzz]

Awww poor Arthur!!! I love it though lol. Great job! Can't wait to see him suffer through the feast.

[castiel_angel]

This is great so far😍 can’t wait to see what comes next!

[groundcontrol]

@caramelfuzz @castiel_angel Hope you like this next part (and likely conclusion)!

As Owain had predicted, Merlin and Arthur reached Camelot by midday, giving Arthur more than a few hours to himself before the feast. Merlin’s plan was to sneak Arthur into his chambers, let him rest, and be on the lookout for the return of the hunting party. Then, Arthur would join them for the ride in, and no one would be any the wiser. 

That plan was thwarted when Uther met them on the palace steps. Merlin’s stomach dropped to his knees, and he turned to look at Arthur. Bright red spots of fever had appeared on his cheeks, and he was more winded than usual after a ride. 

“Arthur, you're back so soon!” Uther rushed down the steps, a flurry of black cloak. “What's happened? Where are the rest of the party?”

“He, uh, twisted his ankle, your majesty,” Merlin said, stepping forward. “During the hunt. Didn't you, Arthur?”

Arthur blinked, looking like Merlin had spoken in Gaulish instead of English. After a moment, he realized enough to nod. “Yes, Father,” he rasped. “I-hhmm--was chasing after a boar and I, er, stepped in a foxhole.” He began to cough, half-stifled in a fist, and Merlin took over for him, nodding vehemently.

“It's nothing too bad, sire,” Merlin said quickly. “But it's bad enough to cause him pain. The knights and I thought it might be best for him to rest, what with the feast and all. Any other day…”

Uther nodded, waved a hand, his thoughts clearly already straying elsewhere. “Yes, yes. But see to it that he's fit for the feast.” He glared first at Merlin, then at his son. “The Lord LeBlanc expects your presence, Arthur.”

“And my presence he will have, sire.”

“Very well. Off with you. See what Gaius can do about it.”

Merlin nodded, then slipped his shoulder under Arthur's arm. He elbowed Arthur in his chainmail, and the two of them hobbled up to his chambers, Arthur being sure to move with a very pronounced limp until they got there. 

But as soon as they got there and Merlin had shut the door, Arthur was all fury. 

“Lying to the king!” he roared, and Merlin slid out from under his arm as quickly as he could. Arthur coughed, his voice protesting his yelling, but he carried on. “I should have your head for that!”

“I'd like to see you try in this state.”

Arthur growled, sinking into his chair like a sack of grain. “I can't believe you sometimes, Merlin!”

“You know what I can't believe? That the king didn't notice you were ill. I mean, have you heard yourself? You sound like a toad that's been run over by a horse cart.”

Arthur’s head sunk in his hands. His voice was soft, muffled. Pitiful, even. “For once in your life, do shut up. Huhhh’tshhoo!” He groaned. “My head feels terrible and your voice is the last thing to help it.”

The words struck a chord in Merlin’s heart, and he softened his next words. “Look on the bright side. Now you have a few hours to rest away from prying eyes. Come on, let's get you to bed.”

Merlin helped him out of his chainmail, his clothes, into a nightshirt, and into bed. Arthur sniffled all the while. As Merlin tucked the warmest down to his chin, the sniffling became more urgent. 

“Huhh’tschooo! Hehhh’kshhh!” Arthur barely turned his head away from Merlin in time. “Ugh, Berlin.” He sniffed thickly. “I feel awful.” 
He sniffled again and wiped his nose on his sleeve, which Merlin took as a hint to get him a handkerchief. He handed it to Arthur, who blew his nose, then sneezed again. “Huhh’tschoo!”

Merlin patted Arthur’s shoulder. “I'll see what Gaius can make to help you feel better.”

“Some poison--hisshh!--would be nice.” Arthur coughed throatily into the handkerchief. “Put me out of my misery.”

“Arthur, it's not that bad.”

“Not now, but it'll only get worse at the feast. Best end it now. Gods, I am not in the mood for a banquet tonight.”

“Perhaps your father will let you miss it if he sees you're ill.”

“Ha, you don't know my father. And anyway, that would just expose your earlier lie.” Arthur flipped on his side, snuffling and shoving his face in the pillow. “Well, don’t just stand there.”

“Yes, sire,” Merlin said, walking a few more paces to the door before pausing again. He looked back at Arthur, pale and shivering beneath the sheets, and a surge of protectiveness swelled in him. He may not be able to get the prince out of the banquet, but he would do everything in his power to eliminate his misery. He couldn’t let the other side to his coin suffer in good conscience, after all.

“I can feel you’re still here,” Arthur croaked. “Let me sleep.”

Merlin nodded and ducked out of Arthur’s chambers, hearing a muffled sneeze as he pulled the door shut.

************
It took longer than usual to get Arthur ready for the feast on account of his needing to pull away from Merlin every few seconds to cough or sneeze. Not only did the dressing require more time, it also felt longer because there was no conversation to keep Merlin’s mind off the monotony of royal clothing. Arthur kept completely silent, rubbing at his throat with every harsh swallow.

“How do you feel?” Merlin asked once he had finished.

“Best not to ask,” Arthur said, voice gravelly. 

The prince looked so close to collapsing in a snoring heap on the floor that Merlin couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him. He placed Arthur’s crown upon his head, his finger’s lingering at the prince’s forehead, feeling the heat.

Arthur slapped his hand away. “Become a nursemaid in your next life. It’ll suit you.”

Once at the feast, Arthur squared his shoulders and plastered a smile on his face. In the low light of the grand hall, he looked tired but none the worse for wear, Merlin hovered near him with his jug of wine, knowing how untrue this was.

Arthur coughed with his mouth tightly clamped shut to allow as little sound as possible to escape, and did so fairly well. Merlin’s own throat winced in sympathy when he saw Arthur’s jaw strain against his coughs, but Merlin could not hear them. The sneezes were another matter entirely.

“Huh’KMPF!” Arthur turned away from the table and clamped his handkerchief tightly to his face, but even so the sound was scarcely muffled. Uther glared at his son, but said nothing.

It took three more sneezes before anyone commented, and it was the Lord LeBlanc who spoke. “Are you quite well, Arthur?”

“Of course,” Arthur said, sniffling and taking a sip of wine, which he promptly choked on.

“My wife, the Lady Helena is with child.” LeBlanc leaned to the side, and Merlin glimpsed the Lady’s round stomach as she spoke with Lady Morgana. “And as such, illness is especially dangerous.”

Taking LeBlancs implication, Uther turned to his son. “Arthur?”

“It’s only a few sneezes, Father,” Arthur protested even as he sniffed again. “I’m fine, truly.”

Uther glanced from Arthur to the Lord LeBlanc, and then back again. LeBlanc watched him with pursed lips. Uther sighed.

“Be that as it may, we must err on the side of caution for the sake of the unborn child,” Uther said. “Merlin, escort my son to his chambers. He will have whatever food is left over after the feast.”

Merlin stepped forward hurriedly. “Yes, my lord.”

Arthur, knowing better than to argue, simply bowed to the people seated at the table and wished them a good feast in his absence. No one wished him good health. LeBlanc watched him leave with smug satisfaction.

As soon as they reached his chambers, Arthur slumped face first into the bed, and sighed. His speech, waned by exhaustion, was muffled by his pillow. “It's nice to be sick but not… you know…”

Merlin waited a moment, very curious as to how Arthur intended on finishing that sentence, but spoke up when an answer was not forthcoming. “What?”

Arthur took a deep breath and finished. “Dying. ‘S nice.”

“What do you mean?”

Arthur turned onto his back and shivered, and Merlin helped him pull the blankets over himself. “The only time my father let me lie about was when I was thirteen and had lung fever. Not that I could've done differently; I was too sick to get up from my bed for a week. Gaius never left my side. Said he thought I would die.”

“That can't have been…” Shocked that Arthur would willingly share a memory, and of weakness at that, Merlin was at a loss for words. The word he did manage was woefully inadequate. “Pleasant.”

“That's to say the least.” Arthur chuckled and then coughed some more. Merlin felt helpless watching him hack into his handkerchief, his fingers pulsing with magic that ached to soothe but lacked the control to do so. 

“Do yourself a favor,” Arthur said once he had recovered, “and never catch it. It's dreadful.”

Exhausted from the coughing fit, Arthur shut his eyes and his breathing slowed. Merlin would have liked to have stayed at his bedside just to give himself something to do (and because he may have cared a little), but he foresaw Arthur growling at him for fussing.

He stopped short of patting the prince’s shoulder and said, “Well enjoy your rest now, then, Arthur.”

Arthur made a small, grateful sounding noise in the back of his throat.

“Is there anything you need? Water? Blankets?” When Arthur didn’t answer, Merlin began bustling about to get all the aforementioned items anyway, should the prince find himself needing them.

“Merlin.”

“Hmm?”

“How am I supposed to ‘enjoy my rest’ with you running around my room like a chicken with its head cut off?”

“Right. Of course, sire. I'll just be leaving you then.”

Merlin was stopped on his way to the door by a muffled sneeze. “Hehh’CHMPPF!” 

Arthur coughed wetly into the pillow, then groaned. “Why are you still here?”

“Thought you might need a few more handkerchiefs.”

Merlin searched Arthur’s drawers, then deposited them on his nightstand. He was halfway to the door when he was stopped again, this time not by a sneeze but by a mumbled phrase.

“Not completely useless.”

Merlin cocked his head. “What was that?”

But when he looked back at Arthur, the prince’s eyes were shut and he was breathing deeply and evenly. Merlin had his doubts as to whether it was genuine; Arthur fell asleep quickly, but never that quickly. Either way, he had heard what he had heard, and he knew a ‘thank you’ even when it was masquerading in an Arthur-ism. As he pulled the chamber door shut gently behind him, he couldn’t help but smile a little. 

 

[caramelfuzz]

Awww the poor guy!!! He needs Merlin's comfort.

Great job!! I loved it!

[castiel_angel]

I just can’t get enough of this!😍 Poor Arthur, you describe him so well! (and Merlin too, of course)😂💗

[groundcontrol]

@caramelfuzz @castiel_angel Thanks for reading to the end, both of you (and anyone else who did)! I'm so glad you enjoyed. I might be writing some more in the fandom, so stay tuned. 

[castiel_angel]

1 hour ago, groundcontrol said:

@caramelfuzz @castiel_angel Thanks for reading to the end, both of you (and anyone else who did)! I'm so glad you enjoyed. I might be writing some more in the fandom, so stay tuned. 

Trust me I will😉 your amazing!

[lsbn]

That was absolutely adorable. I hope you write more!

 

[RedVelvetHeart]

Oh, I love it! I always loved the dynamic between Merlin & Arthur. Thanks for writing!

[HakunaMatata]

This is absolutely amazing!! You got the characters just right, I could imagine them so well while reading this. Thank you for sharing, I hope to read more from you at some point 😄

[queenie]

Yep, I’ll take it! The weird sweetness of the almost-thanks at the end was perfect. 

[ellwren]

love it!

[groundcontrol]

Thank you, all of you who read and jumped in with replies!! As soon as time allows, I will most definitely be posting another Merlin story. No guarantees on if I'll be able to incorporate them, but any suggestions?