Gaius was busy tending to Uther who was sitting in his bed, staring at the window's direction but not really focusing on anything.
He tried to make him drink a potion that would help him sleep but most of it ended up on Uther's shirt instead. Gaius sighed and Merlin walked over to aid him as they brushed as much of it as they could from the king's clothes.
Without a word they gathered all of the things Gaius had brought with him and exited the room.

"How is he?" Merlin asked, more to open a conversation than to look for an answer. He'd seen it; he knew Uther was doing far from well.

"He's broken" Gaius said, swiftly walking towards their chambers as if he couldn't wait to be as far away as possible from his old friend.

"Morgana was his daughter, his light so he's fumbling in the darkness, trying to understand how it all could come to this."
A part of Merlin felt that Uther, being so blind and ignorant that he had been, had gotten what was coming to him. Then another part of him was feeling pity.

"What about Arthur?" Gaius now asked Merlin.

"He's, you know, Arthur. Still a clot pole." he smirked and Gaius snorted. "But he's worried. Sad."

"You know Merlin, Arthur's time to take the throne may be closer than we'd expected."

"He's ready" Merlin answered before letting Gaius even have the chance to elaborate "and I'm ready to stand by his said, as always."
Gaius smiled and managed to get his left hand free so he could give Merlin a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"I'm very proud of you Merlin did I ever tell you that?"

"Probably" he said looking at Gaius, a little blushed and still uncomfortable by praise.

"Well I am" Gaius continued "and I have no doubt you will do a fine job as the King's protector. And more importantly, close friend".

"I don't know if Arthur would agree with you on that last part".

"Oh he would. He most likely wouldn't say it out loud, but he would".

Merlin smiled, more than he probably should, and stared at his feet to hide it as they reached their chambers.