Arwen had never been too tight of a sleeper, and through the years of sharing sleeping quarters since they were children, Merlin had quickly learned methods and ways to avoid waking her whenever he snuck out in the middle of the night. He knew which boards to step on and which one to avoid as they'd creak and groan beneath him. He knew never to light a candle, or he'd be doomed. And he knew to memorize where he'd thrown his things earlier in the day so he wouldn't trip and crash to the ground with a loud bang.
But in that moment, he cared for none of the lessons he'd heard in the past. Not as the voice sounded in his head, one that he recognized with ease. One that had him scrambling around in a panicked manner, not caring for being quiet or subtle. And it was because of that that he didn't even notice as his sister stirred in her own bed, head turning as her confused eyes took him in in the dark.
"Merlin? What are you doing? It's the middle of the night." She questioned, tone still sleepy and annoyed as she pulled her pillow over her head in an attempt to tune out all of his rustling.
"There's intruders in the castle." His explanation had the pillow quickly thrown off to the side as the redhead herself began to rise from her bed.
"How do you know? And why are you the one taking care of it?" She questioned as she began reaching for her things, clearly intending to go with him to handle it since he insisted on doing so himself.
"I just know." Merlin said in a rushed voice, giving her absolutely no answers or time to press him for more. "And I also know you need to stay here." He added the instruction, making Arwen send him an unamused look which clearly indicated she was about to fight him on the matter. "Please, Arwen just stay here. Promise me you'll listen."
It was something about Merlin's voice, something about the worry he seemed to show because of these intruders that had Arwen realizing this wasn't just another one of his stupid attempts of protecting her when she didn't need him to. "Alright, I'll stay. I promise."
Merlin knew his sister well enough to know she wouldn't have actually made the promise if she didn't intend to keep it. So, reassured that she'd stay back and be safe, he didn't waste any more time before running out of their room and the physicians' chambers altogether. It left Arwen sitting in the dark, feet pressed against the cold floor by her bed as she wondered what in the world was going on.
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During some point in the night while she was waiting for her brother to return, once the warning bells stopped ringing through the night and the castle grew silent again, Arwen had managed to fall asleep. Which was why, when she woke up the next morning to find Merlin's bed already empty, she was more than ready to scold him for avoiding her or not waking her to tell her what had happened.
Only, as she got dressed and ready for the day, she made her way to the front of the physicians' chambers, only then hearing the sound of his voice that let her know he was still there and hadn't run off. "Yeah, I heard talking. In my head." Merlin asked whatever question Gaius asked of him just as Arwen opened the door of their bedroom and walked in.
