The night was cold, and Merlin struggled to keep from shivering under his thin blanket. He was extremely tired, after washing, drying and sorting all Arthur's clothes, polishing his boots, ceremonial sword and armour, then lugging the huge heavy barrel all the way down to the kitchens and all the way up to the banquet hall, now much heavier as it was full of mead.

He had only collapsed into bed after doing all this, then tidying and cleaning Arthur's quarters.

Merlin's body was numb with tiredness, but him mind was racing; furious with Arthur for treating him like some sort of mule who could just keep on working without any breaks or praise, and angry at the forced continued hiding of his magic. How much easier all those jobs could have been, if he could use his powers while still not particularly wanting his head to part from his shoulders!

Thinking of shoulders, Merlin realised that his own bruised, cut shoulder blade was starting to cause him some irritation. He looked at it from his laying down position, but couldn't see it properly in the light.

With a sigh, Merlin got up from his freezing bed and walked barefoot through his freezing room. He opened the door a crack and saw Gaius, still awake, writing by candlelight.

Gaius looked up from his work and saw Merlin stood anxiously in the doorway.

"Merlin?" He asked. "Are you alright?"

"Cold," the boy replied, coming over to Gaius. "Couldn't sleep."

The physician's keen eye could see the bruise on Merlin's shoulder starting to creep up the side of his neck.

"Now that you have the time, could I have a look at your shoulder?" He asked tentatively.
Merlin nodded sleepily, sitting down next to Gaius, allowing him to pull down his night shirt and get to work.

After his shoulder being cleaned and bandaged, Gaius made them both a mug of hot herbal tea. They sat drinking it in the candlelight, not exchanging many words, but just enjoying each other's company. The silence between them was not awkward, but warm.

When Merlin felt his mind come to ease, his shoulder feeling much better and his worry about the Isleans almost forgotten, he started to head up to his room.

"Merlin," Gaius said softly, "come here a moment."

Merlin obliged, and Gaius placed both his hands on Merlin's shoulders, looking him in the eyes in that way that only Gaius could, making sure Merlin knew what he said was nothing short of the truth.

"I know you are working very hard at the moment. Just never forget to look after yourself once in a while. You are brave, intelligent," Gaius smiled at him. "Not at all useless like Arthur always says. Not at all stupid or annoying. Although I can't deny your clumsyness."

Merlin grinned.
Gaius beamed at him.

"I am so proud of you, Merlin," Gaius told him earnestly. "So, so proud. Oh, come here, my boy," he pulled Merlin into a hug.

Merlin was a little surprised, but very happy all the same, and embraced Gaius like a brother.
"Thank you," he whispered. He didn't need to say anything else. Gaius already knew.

Merlin returned to his bed after that. It didn't seem quite as cold.