To the ends of the earth.

Chapter six.

     Arthur was deep in his paper work, a pair of small round glasses purged up on his nose to make the small letters look bigger and therefore not needing to push the paper in his face to read them. He had always been blessed with good eyes but a pair of glasses made reading for long hours after another less head-aching.

     Ever few sentences on his documents or letters from other kings and Queens, he would look up at the bed where Merlin hadn't moved an inch all this time. Not seeming to look alive for the three days that he had been in his bed now, his chest barely visible to the eyes to be moving. His eyes sunken deep in their sockets with big blue bags underneath. His cheeks rosy pink with a beard growing long.

If Merlin would have seen himself now, he would have hated how he looked. The bread most of them all. His long hair wasn't much of a problem but still, if it grew too long to cover a part over his eyes it would drive him crazy as it would itch him to oblivion while he hates the look of a bread on himself, he hates how it itches the skin. Mostly if someone else was the one who had one and were to hug him. His skin would turn red and Merlin would complain about it burning a little as it was some type of skin condition.

Arthur had at first laughed about the condition until Merlin went into dept upon it. Arthur had taunted him, calling him things like 'little girl' or 'poor Merls'. It was until Merlin had rolled up his sleeve and used his nail on his skin that Arthur understood that it wasn't as funny of a skin condition as he first assumed. The skin within seconds turned bright red and the letters that Merlin had carved lightly into his skin began to swell. When Arthur not long after asked about his arm, it was still there, itching and swelling.

And whenever someone with a stubble of a beard would hug him and he wouldn't be wearing for his neckerchief, his neck would turn red and swell. It was for that reason why he wore a neckerchief and for other reasons - he's always cold - also for some faint scarring that he had gotten from some 'kids' from his village as Merlin had admitted, which he believes is a lie.

"Sire?" The voice of Gaius startled him from his daydreaming about Merlin and his unfortunate skin condition. He shakes his head and takes off his glasses as his eyes turn from the sleeping figure of Merlin towards the physician that had entered his chambers without him noticing but undoubtedly been knocking for a while if he entered without him noticing.

     "Gaius, i didn't notice you entered." Arthur clears his throat as he gets up from his seat to head to the ill Merlin in his bed, the same direction that the physician is heading to, possibly checking up on the poor boy.

     Gaius pulls back to covers to inspect the wounds which are still as of now, infected and leaking puss. Staining the nightgown and the bedsheets he sleeps on, it would soak through the layers on bandages with blood seeping through too, making it a mess that George would without a complaint or a sound clean up.

Arthur had seen many battle wounds, soldiers on the brink of death but never had he seen anything like this. Merlin did nothing but sleep, his voice box destroyed and therefore he could no longer make a sound. It's hard for Arthur to figure out now if Merlin is having a nightmare as he's so injured and weak that he doesn't toss or turns in his sleep. Just a lifeless heap of human bones kept together with some skin.

He shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the horrifying image of how he had found Merlin. How could he have done this to the one person he loves the most. "Sire?" Gaius snaps him out of his train wreck of thoughts. "It's time we rearrange his back." Gaius announces solemnly to Arthur, not liking to do it as much as the next person. Mostly not his own nephew.

We? Arthur thinks, he expects me to help him fix Merlin's back? Has he forgotten that he couldn't bring an injury or hurt Merlin for real. The hits that he had always done before he learned of the magic were playful and just them bantering. But now he really needs to help his court physician in setting Merlin back right? How in god's name could he help with that? It's more likely that he will throw up then be of help in this.