Harmony (Merlin)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Warning/s: Non-graphic kissing later on.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Merlin.

A/N: Sorry this has been a while – I had most of this written but I was trying to figure out a way to end it. Hope you enjoy!

By the time Percival had reached Gaius's chambers, Merlin's eyes had slipped closed, but she was still (barely) conscious. Breathy moans escaped her scarcely parted lips as she was jolted about in his arms. He was trying to be gentle and careful, honestly he was, but he had to hurry, and the stone slabs on the floor overlapped unevenly, and there were so many stairs.

He pushed open the door with his back, cradling Merlin to him tightly, hands trying to avoid making contact with her wound.

Gaius was snoring contently, lying flat on his bed, partially obscured from view by an ornate wooden screen. Percival remembered the occasion on which the gift was give, last year, on Gaius's seventieth birth anniversary, a lavish present from Arthur.

"Gaius!" Percival called, shaking the old man from his peaceful slumber awkwardly. Grunts and confused murmurs preceded his waking as he sat up and demanded, "Who's there?"

"It's Percival, and I have Merlin with me," Percival answered, absent-mindedly stroking her cheek. She seemed comforted by the gesture, and nestled her face into his large palm.

Gaius groaned as he sat up slowly, and Percival swore he could hear his joints creaking as they shifted and settled.

Once he had struggled to his feet, he hobbled to where Percival was, hovering near a cluttered table, as quickly as his arthritis-ridden joints would permit.

"Well, set her down!" he ordered, after lifting her eyelids temporarily, nodding towards the patient cot. As Percival strode towards the mattress, Gaius muttered to himself and scooped up various bottles and rolls of bandages.

"Move, move, move!" Gaius flapped his hands at the large knight, who was now crouched down next to Merlin's prone form. Percival straightened and hurried round to the other side of the cot.

"Why did you put her down like that?" Gaius demanded, indicating Merlin, whose back was facing up.

"I was going to turn her over, but then you told me to move!" Percival protested. Gaius opened his mouth to argue, but Merlin gave a little groan that diverted the attention back to her. Percival crouched down once more, and reached out to flip her gently.

When she was facing upwards, both men were surprised to see that Merlin's eyes were open and un-blinking, and her teeth gritted in pain.

"Merlin!" the two said in unison, both with similar tones of unexpected joy.

"Hurts," she whimpered in reply. "It hurts."

"Where does it hurt?" Gaius asked, his voice simultaneously urgent and kind.

"Stomach," Merlin panted. "Please, Gaius, make it stop!"

"I will, I will," Gaius soothed. Percival began to run his hands through her hair softly, a gesture that calmed her and didn't go unnoticed by the aged physician.

Gaius hastened to undo the clasp of her cloak, letting the material fall onto the bed, trapped underneath her warm body.

Frowning, Gaius held his hand to her forehead and then pressed his fore and ring finger to the pulse point in her neck.

"Her pulse is too quick," Gaius informed Percival. Percival wasn't sure why; he thought that his job was to comfort Merlin, he had no experience in medicine.