For Your Entertainment

[ayoungboy]

The circus comes into town in the late afternoon. It's a quiet caravan, but the whispers start immediately. It's not a regular circus. This one - this is the Camelot circus. One of the most esteemed traveling acts in the country, and not for the faint of heart. This one has a flaming sword eater and a terrifying magician.

A few brave people try to peek at the preparations, but once the big tent is up, all that can really be seen are food stands being set up, and a few podiums for acts unknown. Everything else is hidden from view. You want to see? Come buy a ticket.

Comments

:D

[royalpratness]

"Well yes, but you can't possibly stay here. You'll catch pneumonia if you haven't already." Arthur steps in front of Merlin's 'bed' holding out a hand. "Come on."

[ayoungboy]

"I can't get up." Merlin groans, letting his hand drop heavily into Arthur's anyway.

[royalpratness]

"You can't? Should I call a doctor?" Arthur asks, obviously worried, as he sits down on the edge of Merlin's bed, squeezing his hand.

[ayoungboy]

"No." Merlin shakes his head. He can't afford a doctor. Arthur's hand is warm, though, and Merlin can't help but curl around it, cold as he is.

[royalpratness]

Arthur sighs. "You can't stay here, not like this." Letting go of Merlin's hand, Arthur wraps one arm firmly around his shoulders while slipping the other under his knees. Slowly, he lifts Merlin out of his bed.

[ayoungboy]

"What...what are you..." Merlin coughs and groans, shivering as his blankets slip.

[royalpratness]

"Getting you out of here." With one hand, Arthur picks up the blanket and hands it back to Merlin. "We'll get you warmed up and then I'll call my doctor to check on you." He explains, carrying Merlin out of the tent and towards his horse.

[ayoungboy]

"Arthur...you don't have to..." Merlin says hoarsely, a weak bundle in Arthur's arms.

[royalpratness]

"Of course I have to, since you see unable to look after yourself." Arthur glowers down at Merlin. "Hold onto the saddle." He half lifts, half shoves Merlin into the saddle, climbing up behind him. He wraps his arms around Merlin's middle, taking the reins with the other hand.

[ayoungboy]

"M'fine," Merlin groans and slumps back into Arthur, eyes half-lidded.

[royalpratness]

"You're a complete idiot, Merlin. Now hold on and try not to faint, alright?" Arthur is equally annoyed and worried at this point. Due to Merlin's condition, the ride back is slow and it takes them twice as long as usual to arrive back at Arthur's estate.

[ayoungboy]

"You're a prat, anyone ever told you that?" Merlin mutters, dozing, fevered, against Arthur.

[royalpratness]

"You're calling me a prat after I've just saved you from freezing to death in your tent? Lovely." Arthur says sarcastically, bringing his horse to a hold in front of the main entrance.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin's muttering turns incoherent as he falls a little bit past lucidity.

[royalpratness]

Two of Arthur's servants round the corner from the gardens and they immediately cone up to help him. One of them eases Merlin down from the horse and the other one takes Excalibur back to the stable after Arthur too has dismounted. He takes Merlin's limp form from the other man again and instructs him to immediately call his doctor.

Arthur carries Merlin up the stairs and into a guest room where a maid is already lighting up the fireplace.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin curls into Arthur, raggedy blanket draped over him. His eyes are closed, and he groans softly. He's lucky. It's pneumonia, but if they catch it now, he'll live.

[royalpratness]

Arthur sets Merlin down onto the comfortable bed, exchanging the raggedly blanket with a thicker and warmer one. The maid hurries out of the room to prepare some tea for Merlin while they wait for the doctor. Arthur sits in a chair next to the bed, not leaving Merlin's side.

About an hour later, Dr. Gaius shows up. He takes his time to check on Merlin, eventually diagnosing pneumonia. He gives Arthur and his staff instructions what to do (give Merlin a lot of water to drink, try to keep the fever at bay, lots of rest and prayer) and squeezes Merlin's hand comfortingly before leaving again.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin has a coughing fit soon after, and sprays a bit of blood. If left untreated, pneumonia would make the lungs fill up with fluid.

[royalpratness]

Even though his household staff assures Arthur that they will look after Merlin over night, Arthur refuses to retreat to his own room. He only briefly leaves to eat some dinner and when he returns, there are wet pieces of cloth wrapped around Merlin's legs to lower his body temperature. Arthur sits back down in the chair, leaning over Merlin to see if he's awake.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin groans, vaguely lucid. "...'thur?" He shivers under the cloth, still cold despite his raging fever.

[royalpratness]

"Yes, I'm right here." Arthur takes Merlin's hand, rubbing the back with his thumb. "You managed to catch pneumonia, but you'll be okay."

[ayoungboy]

"Oh, great," Merlin's hand twitches against Arthur's. "M'gonna die."

[royalpratness]

"You're not going to die." Arthur says firmly. "Not under my watch."

[ayoungboy]

"Pneumonia's deadly, isn't it?" Merlin coughs and closes his eyes.

[royalpratness]

"Not necessarily. You're young, you're otherwise healthy..." Arthur drops his voice, "and you've got magic. You will pull through."