To You I Pledge (BBC Merlin)

Chapter 9 - Bonds

Lying in a bed waiting to get better when it seemed to be taking so long was very frustrating, but Merlin could at least sit up on his own now, just. He still had little strength, but enough magic did get into the room to keep him going and help him heal, so he wasn't about to complain too loudly. The fact he wasn't dead yet was more than enough of a miracle for him not to push it and he did have Arthur to talk to when Arthur could be spared from his duties.

"I brought you some food," Arthur said, kicking the door shut behind him as he walked in with a tray.

The servants that were allowed anywhere near him were very nervous and so Merlin really appreciated the fact that Arthur seemed to have interceded on his behalf. Dealing with one more serving maid who almost dropped things because she was scared he was going to curse her, might have driven him mad.

"Thank you," he said and gave Arthur his best smile.

The stronger he became the less the door opening overwhelmed him, so he pushed his reactions aside easily.

"And Morgana asked me to give you this," Arthur balanced the tray on one hand and produced a small, embroidered handkerchief, "and Gwen gave me these for you," Arthur finished and pointed to the flowers on the tray.

That brightened Merlin's mood almost as much as seeing Arthur had. The handkerchief had a Merlin on it in Morgana's skilful handiwork.

"Will you tell them thank you from me please?" he said, feeling quite choked up at the little gifts.

That people cared about him kept him going more than anything else. What would happen the next day or the next hour even, was so unsure that he could not let himself dwell on it. To know that he had friends waiting for him gave him something to hope for.

"You're not going to cry are you?" Arthur said in such a normal manner that it made Merlin laugh.

"I'm not you," he replied, swallowing any reaction he might have been having to the gifts and entering into the spirit of the jibe.

"For that," Arthur said, "I'm stealing some of your dinner."

Even as he said it, though, Arthur was putting the tray down for him over his knees. It had little legs that sat on the mattress and made sure he didn't throw the contents across the room when moving, for which he was very glad. He could be clumsy at the best of times since he always seemed to be thinking about more than one thing, and being so weak he had even less control of his limbs. The fact that he only had one working arm unless he wanted to be in pain didn't help either.

"Well if you think I can eat all of this on my own you're dreaming," he said, looking at the over flowing plates of food.

It had become clear very quickly that someone in the kitchen still liked him, because the food that showed up was always very good and in ample portion. Since Arthur swore he had had nothing to do with it and neither had Gaius or Morgana or Gwen for that matter, that led him to believe at least one other person didn't think he was an evil sorcerer.

"I think," Arthur said, stealing a piece of fruit off the tray, "you may be eating better than me at the moment. I may have to have the cook put in the stocks."

"Makes a change from me," Merlin replied and reached for the mug of ale on the tray.

Given the concoctions Gaius kept forcing down his throat along with funny tasting boiled water, he was glad of something normal to drink. It wasn't strong, but in his current condition it also made him feel warm and fuzzy, which was a bit of a blessing.

As he ate, making appropriate noises of agreement or derision, Arthur chatted away about what was going on outside the room. Merlin enjoyed hearing Arthur grouching about the hopelessness of his knights or the idiocy of some of Uther's councillors. He did not know how Arthur had persuaded Uther to let him start coming to see Merlin again, but he relished every moment they spent together. No doubt Uther would be back for one of their evening chats, which still bemused Merlin since they seemed to debate the same things over and over again and never see it the same way, but it was Arthur he could really talk to.