There was a tiger by his head. It was a strange tiger; it had a cucumber for a tail. And it kept using the cucumber to prod him.

It was a really annoying tiger.

"Merlin!" the tiger kept saying. "Merlin, wake up!

Slowly, Merlin's eyes opened. He blinked, hard. Well, at least he wasn't actually being prodded with a tiger's cucumber tail. That must have been a dream.

No, the thing that was actually prodding him was a blonde, handsome prat of a prince. "Merlin," he said for about the hundredth time. "Are you awake?"

"I think so," Merlin mumbled blearily.

"Get up."

"Why?"

"You're in my bed."

"So?"

"You're sleeping in my bed. Get out."

Merlin pushed himself up, still too half-asleep to do anything else. No wonder no girl ever slept with Arthur twice, if this was how he treated them the morning after.

"What were you doing in my bed?" Arthur asked, sounding annoyed. He nudged Merlin with his feet; Merlin wasn't expecting it, and almost fell off the bed.

"Fell asleep," Merlin said, standing up and stretching. His limbs were stiff and his head ached terribly; he'd probably only had about three hours sleep. Couldn't Arthur just be quiet?

"I wouldn't have guessed," Arthur said drily. "Why'd you have to do it in my bed?"

"Because I was up all night trying to break your fever," Merlin snapped. His head was throbbing now. "Next time I think I'll leave you to it." He grabbed the bowl of stagnant water from beside the bed and swept out of the room.