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Merlin seemed like he was hiding something. What exactly - Arthur wasn’t sure, but it all started the moment the raven-head had disappeared during one of their typical hunts. The blond was distracted, completely focused on landing the perfect shot on a deer that when he turned back around - his servant was gone. “Where’s Merlin?” the prince thought he asked that question way too often.
They begun looking for him, searching the area around them and calling out his name. How could he suddenly just vanish into thin air like that? A worried pit was growing inside Arthur’s stomach, each yell of his name progressively getting more an more uncertain, worried and almost like a beg for him to show himself. The knights were too spread out to hear him so the only one who could catch him being so vulnerable was Merlin.
“Merlin!” he grinned upon seeing the raven-head standing in front of a tree with his back turned, but his relief was short lived when the younger collapsed to the ground. Arthur rushed to his side with a cry of his name, voice breaking in the middle of it. He shook his shoulders a lot more vigorously than probably necessary, but it did its job. His servant blinked to life, seemingly confused. “Wh- Arthur...?”
Merlin’s voice was incredibly soft when he spoke his name so delicately in a way the man had never heard before. “Are you injured?” the prince quickly slid his hands, feeling his body for any possible injuries. “I-I’m fine, just a bit of a headache.” the sorcerer grimaces as he cups his own head. “You must’ve hit your head when you fell.” Arthur hugs him, surprising the sorcerer. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
“I’ve found him!” the blond announces to his fellow knights. “What were you doing here anyway? Didn’t you hear us calling you?” Merlin opens his mouth to reply, but no words come out. “I... don’t remember.” the man looks away. “I think I hit my head reaaally hard.” the prince raises a brow at that, but doesn’t get a chance to question him for more when the knights all appear with their horses.
All of it became painfully clear when the servant later entered Arthur’s chambers to bring him his lunch, late.
“Merlin! There you are... I-”
“Your lunch, sire. Sorry... Sorry for the wait.”
Arthur hastily stands up and is by his side in a second.
“Are you alright?” he gently grabs his arm, steadying the other who was rocking slightly on his heels.
“Of course, sire.” the sorcerer replies near instantly.
“Merlin.” the prince urges with a hint of asking for honesty, a pleading expression. Once their eyes meet, the servant raven-head softens. “I-I don’t feel so great...” he confessed, eyes darting away. “You should’ve told me then. Guinevere could’ve brought me my food, or anyone else for that matter.” the other looks back at him almost urgently. “But I’m your manservant!”
“Merlin, you’re more than just that.”
There’s a thick silence and Arthur can see Merlin’s pupils dilate in that moment. He forgets to note how unbearably close they are to each other. The blond can see almost every detail on the other’s face which makes him frown. Cheeks a bit flushed, light sheen of sweat coated over it... The sorcerer opens his mouth and instead of saying something, his eyes slowly close and he faints into the prince’s arms.
“MERLIN!?” the man feels like he’s only been shouting that all day. Suddenly, Gwen bursts into his chambers, probably having heard his scream from passing by outside. “What happened!?” she rushes to his side, shocked. “Help me carry him to Gaius.” he orders and together they pull him to the man’s chamber. The elder looks up, surprised, but swiftly recovers once he sees the situation.
“Bring him here!” he quickly makes room for him on the nearest bed, beginning his examination.
After an excruciatingly long ten minutes, the physician’s gaze turns to Arthur with more sadness than hope.
“He needs a caudraneispicus...” Gaius looks up, troubled.
“A what?”
“Caudraneispicus, commonly known as ‘The Dragon’s Tail’ because of its spiky brown appearance and origin. It is said that it only grows deep underground in the solitude of the sacred caves which were inhabited by dragons long ago. They are the result of their remains, infused with the magic of healing whoever consumes it.”
Arthur scoffs. “Of course he needs a magic herb...”
“Sire.” the physician says seriously. “I’m afraid Merlin will only have ‘til sundown... after that...”
The blond sighs, rubbing his face with his hands. He takes one last look at his servant, hand dropping down to firmly clasp his own before he turns away. “Gwen, help me with my armor.” the woman chases after him upon his request. He’s ready in no more than a couple of minutes, his trusty sword by his side and horse ready. However, what he doesn’t expect is the furious roar of his father.
“ARTHUR!” Uther booms in a fit of rage, stomping towards him. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?” he demands. The prince simply gets up on his horse, ignoring him. As he’s about to take off, knowing that there is no use in explaining it to the king, the other stands in his way. “AS THE KING AND YOUR FATHER, I FORBID YOU FROM MEANINGLESSLY RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR A MERE SERVANT.”
Arthur doesn’t even blink, adjusting the reins of his horse. “And I, as the prince and your son, will do as I please for the man who would do the same for me. HIYAH!” the horse takes off with a characteristic neigh, leaving Uther in its stead. The blond can only hear his senseless angry shouting for a moment, then the sound of the wind takes over. He rides north, where the map Gaius gave him points to.
‘This is the only location where The Dragon’s tail hasn’t gone completely extinct. I hope that you will find it there, if only one stem left.’ the physicians words echo in his mind.
“I hope so too, Gaius...” he says to himself.
For the rest of the ride, Arthur avoids imagining the possibility of Merlin’s death.
***
The prince had barged into Gaius’ chamber again, just a couple minutes before the sun sets.
In the wake of finding the caves, he searched high and low through them until the man found what he was looking for - the last of its kind. Arthur had slayed through giant magic spiders and had to run through the collapsing cave to get back to his horse, which was no easy task. The blond had almost fallen into one of its cracks, but managed to pull himself up at the thought of Merlin dying because of him.
He had never rode a horse so fast in his life, promising the animal a great meal for its service. Thankfully, his father wasn’t there upon his return, though he knew he’d have to deal with him eventually. The chamber looked pretty much the same as when he’d left it, save for a damp cloth over Merlin’s forehead which looked like it did little help. The blond handed the herb over to Gaius who quickly did what he had to.
The prince carefully leaned Merlin’s head over his thigh to help straighten it for him to be able to drink the medicinal tea made from The Dragon’s Tail. Gwen securely held his jaw open and Gaius poured the liquid in his mouth, making sure the sorcerer would swallow as he remained motionless. The sun had set just as they had finished so that meant the only thing left to do now was wait.
Arthur hated this.
“Come on, Merlin...” He held the raven-head’s hand in his own, gently caressing it with his thumb. “Wake up...”
The three stared, willing the other to wake up with their gazes, as the servant carried on being dormant.
Arthur was starting to lose it.
Then, Merlin’s eyes slowly came to life, cracking open slowly.
All of them breathed a sigh of relief.
“Welcome back.” the prince said softly, squeezing his hand lightly.
Merlin’s gaze shifted from seeing Arthur first to turning towards the physician. “How... How am I...?”
“You should thank Arthur for that.” Gaius interrupts and the sorcerer’s eyes flicker back to the said man.
“You...”
“I did what any other man would do.” Arthur simply stated.
Gwen, being the caring friend she was, had left after making sure that Merlin was indeed alright. “If I could task you in my stead with assuring he rests, sire-” Gaius had started, but was quickly interrupted by the blond’s hand raised in front of him. “He will be safely tucked in my chambers, you have my word.” and the physician didn’t need any more convincing than that.
***
“I never thanked you for what you did for me.” Merlin brok the silence, filling the prince’s chambers.
Arthur, as promised, had practically forced the servant to rest in his bed, much to the other’s disagreements. ‘For a servant cannot sleep in the royal bed’ was a foolish argument that the blond knew that even the sorcerer himself did not believe in.
“I never asked you to.” the man doesn’t so much as glance away from the papers on his desk.
“But I should.” Merlin continues to Arthur’s dismay. “You’ve risked your life for me.”
“You would’ve done the same if the roles were reversed.”
“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a noble and brave act.”
The prince looks up to find his servant already staring back at him, sitting in the bed.
The man sighs, walking over to sit next to him on the bed.
“Alright.” he smiles playfully. “Let’s hear it then.”
Merlin leans in, closing the distance between them and kisses Arthur shortly on the lips.
For a moment, the blond is too stunned to react.
“I never said I would express it in words.” the raven-head grins cheekily and Arthur leans forward to steal another one.