Arthur rubbed his face tiredly as he sat next to the hospital bed Merlin was asleep in. The last twenty four hours had been unfathomable, it had been had enough to find Merlin doped up out of his mind, yet his brain kept replaying what he'd seen when he went down the basement stairs over and over.

It infuriated him that any of it had happened, but having seen Giles performing intimate acts with a drugged Merlin who had no say in the matter; that had made his blood boil. It made him want to hunt the maniac down and beat him all over again, to hurt him worse than he already had.

"Arthur."

Looking up he can see his father standing in the door way, he'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't heard him enter. He watched his father walk closer, and he could feel his whole body tensing with the need to protect Merlin who was so vulnerable right now.

"Father please, that's close enough."

Uther stopped upon hearing the sharpness in his son's voice, he took a long look at Arthur, at how tense his body was, coiled as if ready to strike. "He means something to you, doesn't he Arthur."

"Yes!" Arthur whispered fiercely. Uther gave him a small tight smile.

"The thing about Pendragon men is that we love only once: when it happens our heart and souls are completely over taken by the ones we love. You don't have to say it, I can see for myself how deeply you feel for him. He must be very special indeed."

Taking hold of Merlin's hand, Arthur looked into his father's pain filled eyes. "He is, we are two sides of the same coin."

Uther walked calmly around to his son and placed his hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Am I to assume that he will be the one you keep on as your PA then?"

Arthur chuckled softly as he placed a kiss into Merlin's palm. "Actually father I have a completely different position in mind for him."

Shaking his head Uther asks, "What about George, what do we need to do for him."

Taking a deep breath and releasing it Arthur stood up to stand at the head of the bed so he could card his fingers thoughtfully through the silky dark mop that was Merlin's hair before answering his father.

"We will of course cover all medical expenses as well as offering him full pay for the days that he was forced to miss. I've spoken to Gwaine, he is willing to take George on as his personal assistant; if he's interested that is."

Uther snorted in amusement at the idea of Gwaine Castles having a PA. "Whatever will he use as an excuse for being late to appointments if George is even somewhat proficient at the job?"

Arthur couldn't help the smirk he felt creep across his lips, "Well you can be sure that it will be creative anyways."

Arthur knew he wasn't going to like what his father said next, not by the smug smile that swept across his face.

"It will be your problem for a change. Well I'll take my leave now, also I'll expect to see you at some point tomorrow." Uther said as he turned to stride out of the room.

"Goodbye father and thank you." Arthur called after him.