To know your place

...before it gets better.

MERLIN IS MINE!! -_- Who am I kidding?
Little surprise, this isn't the last chapter after all! Enjoy!

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Arthur was pacing around in his room. He had woken up on himself and had waited a bit for his clumsy servant to come in but after a while he got out of bed anyway and dressed himself. It could be that Merlin had overslept again but there was a nagging feeling, deep in his stomach that told him something was terribly wrong. He couldn't take this anymore. He stormed out of his room, straight for the physicians chambers. He was going to drag that 'lazy idiot' out of his bed and make him do the most terrible chores, just for worrying him like that.
On his way to Gaius' chambers he almost ran into Gwaine and Lancelot.
"Sire, what's going on?" Lancelot asked while studying his king's face.
"Merlin, that's what's on. He didn't show up for work this morning." the King replied.
He was about to get on with his little journey when a thought occurred to him.
"Aren't you two supposed to watch the new recruits this morning?"
"Yes, well, we can't find them, sire" Gwaine said. For once he used the King's formal title.
Without another word, Arthur ran all the way to Merlin's room. He had to know that his friend was still safe in his bed. His two knights were following close behind.
Without hesitation he threw the door open, only to see a startled Gaius.
"Sire, what can I do for you?" he asked politely.
"Where's Merlin?"
"I thought he was with you." the old physician answered. "He left a while ago to get your breakfast."
Realization dawned upon the three men and they all became pale.
"You don't think..." Lancelot said.
"Dear God, I hope not." Arthur mumbled. "Get the others! We must find him!" he ordered and they all rushed out of the room, leaving a confused Gaius alone.
Arthur and Gwaine immediately started to search for their young friend while Lancelot hurried towards the knight's chambers. He informed Percival, Leon and Elyan about what was happening and they all ran off into different directions, hoping to get a better chance at finding him sooner.
Arthur and Gwaine quickly learned that Merlin had come through the kitchens to collect the King's breakfast. After that no one had seen him. They took the hallways the servant should have used in order to get to the royal chambers and found the plate with food and the pitcher with spilled water still laying on the ground. They gave each other a worried look, reading the same question in each other's eyes. 'Merlin?'
"Help! Please! Some...!" The sudden cry confirmed their suspicion.
"Merlin!" Arthur shouted in response to the plea for help. Both men started running to the door where they had heard their friend's voice come from. They rushed inside just to see their friends hands fall lifelessly to the ground. The King's heart stopped and he saw red. Without a moment's pause he attacked sir Thomas and pushed him of his friend. Both men were now fighting on the floor. Gwaine had drawn his sword and stood protectively in front of his best friend, glaring at the two other knights, daring them to come closer so he could pierce their hearts.
Lancelot and Percival had been able to hear the shouts and came as quickly as they could. Upon seeing the young boy, all color drained out of their faces. It was a terrible sight indeed.
Merlin's body lay broken and still on the floor. He was battered and bruised and blood was seeping from various wounds. His breathing was shallow and almost unnoticeable. Lancelot rushed to Merlin's side and tried to wake him by shaking him. The boy didn't respond though.
"Is he...?" Percival asked.
"He's alive." the noble knight answered before he could finish his question.
Just on that moment, Leon and Elyan came rushing in. They had seen the plate and pitcher and could hear the voices of their friends coming from the room that normally would have been empty. One look on the scene in front of them was all they needed to figure out what had happened. Leon immediately took charge and motioned Elyan to help him. They pulled the two fighters apart. The King had a black eye but seemed to be fine. Sir Thomas on the other hand was carrying a lot of cuts and bruises. A soft, pained noise coming from Merlin made the King turn.
"Take him to Gaius." Arthur ordered when he saw how terrible his servant looked. Percival carefully took the young man in his arms and left the room, followed by Lancelot who would run to the physicians chambers to warn Gaius beforehand.
"How dare you touch him?!" the royal shouted infuriated. "You are knights! You are supposed to protect people like him! What got in to you three?"
"Sire, he..." sir Ethan tried to think of the right thing to say in order to save their skins.
"Think carefully about your next words." Gwaine growled, his sword still at the ready.
"We wanted to help you, sire. He's just an insolent servant. He had to be thought his place."
"HIS PLACE!" Arthur was seething. "His place is beside me! Doing his job and being the idiot he is."
"Take them away!" the King shouted. "I'll decide on their punishment later." he growled.
The three faithful men nodded, Gwaine with a promising smirk on his face, and forcefully grabbed the aggressors. They forced their arms on their backs and dragged them out of the room, towards the dungeons. The King immediately made his way to Gaius' room. He had to know if his friend would be alright.
"How is he, Gaius?" the King asked the moment he walked into the room.
"I don't know yet, sire." the physician answered while he hovered over his ward, checking the damage that had been done.
"He has one broken leg, two broken ribs, the others are severely bruised. A bleeding nose, black eye and a terrible head wound. His shoulder is probably cracked, if not broken and I don't know yet what damage they did to his throat." the old man said, the emotion clear in his voice.
Arthur looked at his friend, who seemed so small and breakable upon the cot. Anger was bubbling inside of him when he noticed how some of the bruises on Merlin's torso and throat were already beginning to change color.
"They've hurt him before!" he exclaimed. Percival and Lancelot came closer to look at what their King meant.
"He's been hurting for days and he didn't tell us! Why would he do that?"
"I don't get why anyone would want to hurt him. What has he ever done to deserve this?"
Gaius shook his head while he worked on his surrogate son. He had already reset the boy's ribs so he could breath more easily and was now working on his arm.
"Can you help me hold him up while I bandage his torso?" the old man asked. The King immediately came forward and helped Merlin sit up as gently as he could. When the physician was done bandaging his ward's ribs and arm they laid him down again so the white haired man could start on his leg. Meanwhile, Gwaine, Leon and Elyan had come into the room. The first one with a face like thunder and bloodied knuckles. No one said anything about it though.
"Are they put away securely?" the royal asked. Leon nodded.
"We've put them in different cells and informed the guards they have to keep an extra eye on them."
"Thank you." Arthur said and turned his gaze back to his young friend.
"How is he?" Gwaine asked worried.
"A few broken bones, cuts and bruises. A head wound and a damaged throat." Lancelot replied, causing the sturdy knight to growl in anger.
"I swear Arthur, if you don't punish them severely for this, I will make sure they will get what they deserve." The King nodded. He was perfectly fine with this.
"I'm going to ask Merlin what he wants their punishment to be." the royal said. After that, they all waited in silence.
An hour had quickly flown by and it seemed like forever until Gaius finally said he had done everything he could. The only thing they could do now was wait and hope that the young servant would wake up soon.
The first time when he woke up, all Merlin could see were blurred shapes. His eyes were unfocused and the light seeping through the window made his head hurt. He quickly closed his eyes again and listened to hear if anyone was with him, wherever he may be. He figured he was in the physicians chambers and had somehow survived the attack. How, he did not know. He didn't have long to think about it though for the darkness claimed his body and mind again.
The second time he woke, there wasn't much light in the room. Only from the hearth and a few candles. It didn't hurt his head as much anymore and he could see more clearly. The young man carefully turned his head and was surprised to see who was sitting next to him. It was Arthur, soundly asleep in a chair. Merlin smiled fondly at the sight of his master and a warm, fuzzy feeling filled his heart. 'He does care!' he thought happily while tears prickled behind his eyes. Just then he became aware of the pain radiating from his leg, ribs, arm and throat, like they all suddenly needed his attention. The raven haired boy moaned which caused him to cough. Of course this wasn't doing any good for his broken ribs. The pain that jolted through his body made him cry out, which immediately woke Arthur and Gaius.
"Calm down, Merlin" his mentor said soothingly. "Take slow breaths." he instructed.
As the young warlock had calmed down again, the King gave him a bit of water, which soothed his sore throat.
"Thanks" the young man croaked. "What..."
"You should not speak yet, Merlin. Get some rest." the old physician said, gently pushing his ward back down on his bed.
"We'll explain everything to you when you're better." Arthur said, smiling encouragingly at his friend.
With this, Merlin closed his eyes and dozed off again.
When he woke again it was to the sounds of his friends, talking to each other in hushed voices.
"You know he will not see them punished, Arthur! He's too kind for his own good!"
The royal sighed audibly. "I know that, Gwaine. But he's the one who's been attacked. He must get a say in this."
"Fine!" the sturdy knight growled. "But I won't go for anything less than a piece of their own medicine!"
Before the young warlock could hear his king's response, his sore body started to act up again which made him stir and groan. The conversation between both men abruptly stopped and they turned their attention towards him.
"Merlin mate!" Gwaine exclaimed. The sound made Merlin wince slightly. "Sorry" the sturdy knight apologized.
"How are you feeling?" the royal asked cautiously.
"Like I've been run over by a few horses." the young man said hoarsely and he managed a small grin.
When he noticed the stern look in the King's eyes he became serious again.
"I've been better." he sighed. "My head still hurts and my body is sore. It's fine if I don't move though."
The two men looked at him for a while, making him a bit uncomfortable.
"How long have I been out?" he asked to break the silence.
"We found you three days ago." Arthur answered.
"Ooh..." was all Merlin could bring out and he averted his eyes.