Merlin sighed loudly.

Gaius looked up from his work with a raised eyebrow to see his ward on his hands and knees, sleeves rolled up and vigourously scrubbing a large basin on the floor.

"What's that for, Merlin?" Gaius asked.

"Guess," Merlin replied crossly.

Gaius chuckled.

"Arthur keeping your nose close to the grindstone, eh?"

Merlin sighed again and went back to scrubbing. Gaius watched for a moment, mesmerized by the rhythm of his movements, then the physician went back to his own work.

After a few minutes filled only with Merlin's grunts and sighs, there was a sharp gasp of pain from the working boy.

Gaius looked up again and frowned.

"Are you alright, Merlin?"

"F...fine," Merlin hissed. "Just a little sore from training practice."

"Let me see," Gaius insisted, getting up.

Merlin sighed yet again and clambered to his feet, pulling down his shirt at the collarbone.
Gaius was shocked to see an ugly bruise, large, on Merlin's shoulder. The skin was even a little split and half healed.
Gaius tutted, saying,
"They go too hard on you, my boy..."

Merlin just brushed him off and went to kneel down again.

"Merlin, come here, let me treat that," Gaius said reproachfully. Merlin shook his head.

"I've got to get this finished, or Arthur'll have my head," he said, getting down on the floor again. It was Gaius' turn to sigh this time, deciding to leave him to it.