Disclaimer: I'm sad to say that I do not own BBC Merlin.

A/N- A bit of info- This puppy will be ongoing and won't have a fixed updating schedule. So there will be no foreseeable cliffhangers in this story or plotlines stretching more than 1 chapter (but who can say really...). Just individual chapters featuring our dear Merlin's talents in each one, more on that at the bottom, for now I hope you like the first chapter :)

1: Singing- When Arthur is sick with fever, in his delirium he asks Merlin to sing for him. Merlin grudgingly accepts thinking that Arthur would never remember. But unfortunately he does.

|o|

Arthur's chambers were bathed in darkness despite the bright day outside. The heavy curtains were tightly shut against the closed windows, serving as a barrier to the brilliant sun. Merlin was silent as he tended to the fevered prince, not wanting to risk waking him though Arthur's breathing was deep.

What had began as annoyance when Arthur became ill turned into considerable worry as his fever worsened. Gaius assured Merlin that the worst was over now but there were still small tremors in Arthur's limbs occasionally and his skin seemed to be only a degree below burning up. The warlock was sitting at Arthur's bedside and keeping a vigil over him, still more scared than he would like to admit that Arthur would go into convulsions again.

In order to not think about it, Merlin took the now warm cloth off Arthur's forehead and plunged it into the bucket beside him. He did not even wring out the cool water before he gently wiped the prince's face. Some water streamed onto the pillow but Arthur needed to cool down so the warlock didn't mind it. Arthur stirred, his lashes batted open and he squinted at Merlin who wasn't sure if the prince actually saw him. He only hoped that Arthur wouldn't take him for a murderous troll like he did Gaius. The prince groaned pathetically and his bright eyes fell closed, earning a sympathetic smile from his caretaker. Merlin held the cloth to Arthur's forehead and willed the prince's temperature to go down.

"Merlin," Arthur's lips barely moved and his voice was no louder than a whisper.

"Arthur?" Merlin called out hopefully in a muted voice. "How are you feeling?"

The prince's brow tensed and his eyes opened a fraction. "Water," he croaked, his throat swallowing compulsively.

Merlin quickly reached for Arthur's end table where a half filled mug of water sat. He had been coaxing the unconscious prince to drink throughout the morning. The warlock grabbed the mug and shifted so he could raise Arthur's head. The prince's hair was sweaty and his head heavy but Merlin smiled when Arthur took a sloppy gulp of water and then another.

"Not so fast," Merlin chided and was not surprised when Arthur listened. A fevered prince turned out to be an obedient one apparently. And for that reason he wasn't sure why Gaius looked greatly relieved whenever Merlin would take over Arthur's care.

Arthur relaxed into Merlin's hold after he was done and mumbled incoherently. The warlock carefully laid Arthur's head back onto the soft pillow and put the almost empty mug back on the end table. "I need you to tell me how you're feeling, Arthur."

The cloth on Arthur's brow slid over his eye so Merlin took it and wet it again. "Hot," Arthur mumbled thickly. He was squinting his eyes again but closed them when Merlin placed the cloth over his brow.

"You have a fever," Merlin informed him.

"I do?" Arthur's voice was weak but Merlin was immensely happy to see him following the conversation.

"Yes, now go back to sleep," Merlin said quietly.

Arthur muttered something but fell quiet afterward and his breathing evened out. Merlin thought he was sleeping until the prince turned his head to him and started speaking. The dark haired young man fixed the cloth again and tried to decipher Arthur's words. Some were too quiet and all were complete gibberish.

"Trees, the trees," Arthur mumbled suddenly and tried to get up but Merlin's fingers pushing gently against his shoulders kept him down.

"Hush, Arthur," Merlin said with a frown. "Just go to sleep, alright?" He dunked the cloth in the iron bucket again and brought it dripping to Arthur's head.

The prince calmed when Merlin dragged the cloth over his face and throat and then he fell quiet with a sighed, "Too hot."

Merlin had a few moments silence to brood before Arthur called out his name.

"Yes?" the warlock asked patiently. Arthur answered with some more words Merlin could not understand. "Arthur, you need to sleep," Merlin told him forcibly but quietly. The prince's face pinched in discomfort and he exhaled shakily, causing his friend to worry some more.

The prince shifted and opened his mouth again. "Merlin, I love you, Merlin, but where's Gwen?" Arthur babbled deliriously.

Merlin sighed. "You've scared me enough this week, cut it out now."

Arthur didn't hear him and proceeded to mumble more words at him; and though they were clear this time, they made no sense. Merlin frowned when he started talking about drunken clouds with swords.

This time when Merlin wet the cloth again, he placed it over Arthur's eyes. It did the trick in silencing him for a few seconds. "M' tired," he mentioned.

"So go to sleep," Merlin suggested.

"Come with me," Arthur said fearfully.

"I will," Merlin almost laughed, "I'll meet you there."

The prince shook his head. "Too dark," he complained.

Merlin laid a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I'll be there, Arthur," Merlin assured, "just go to sleep and I'll find you."

The warlock took Arthur's silence for acceptance and it was quiet for all of ten minutes. "Merlin?" Arthur whispered. His voice was hoarse so Merlin brought the mug of water to Arthur's lips and made him drink the rest.

Merlin did not answer in the hope that Arthur would go back to sleep but the prince's next call was alarmed. "I'm here, Arthur," he sighed.

"Sing for me," the prince said.

Merlin blinked and decided he did not hear right. "Arthur, go to sleep."

The prince grimaced in pain but his eyes remained closed. "Please?" The word was barely understandable but Merlin almost did a double take. He seriously debated the wisdom of leaving Arthur and going to get Gaius. The warlock could not remember if Arthur had ever said please to him in the history of them knowing each other. "Merlin?"

There were many things that Merlin would do for Arthur, but singing was not one of them. "I only sing for my mother," he said reasonably.

"Please?" There it was again.

"No"

"Pleeease," Arthur moaned.

It took a second for Merlin to get over his surprise. That was now three 'pleases.' But his answer was the same. "No"

"Lucy did," Arthur pouted.

Merlin held in a laugh and dunked the cloth again. "I'm not your nurse maid," Merlin replied as he stroked Arthur's forehead with the cloth. Gaius had mentioned this fabled Lucy a few times before, she had been Arthur's nurse maid when he was a child had the respect of the entire household, even Uther. Perhaps especially Uther since Gaius had said that Arthur had been a rather difficult child.

It did not seem Merlin's efforts were doing anything and Arthur's temperature remained the same causing Merlin to frown.

"...Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaseee," Arthur tried again. His voice was strained with fever and Merlin felt his resolve crumbling. Arthur's temperature wasn't going down and he needed sleep, a respite from the fever. And if Merlin had to sing in order to get the prince to rest then he supposed he had no choice.

Merlin sighed. "Only if you say please," he said.

Arthur obliged him. "Puh-leeaaasssseeee."

Merlin laughed quietly. "Fine." He took a few moments to gather his nerves, and took solace in the fact that Arthur would never remember this anyway. Merlin thought and decided on a song his mother had liked. She had always loved Merlin's singing voice and it appeared that Arthur had no objections as his voice softly carried throughout the chambers, a little nervously at first.

Merlin rested his feet on the bed as he sang and settled in to enjoy it. Only when Arthur's breathing deepened and slowed did Merlin stop. He checked to see if Arthur was comfortable and found that though he was still sweating, his brow was no longer pinched so it was a small relief to Merlin.

"You dollop head," Merlin muttered under his breath.

"MERLIN!" Arthur's bellow thundered through the chambers and into the hall and a few halls over too, startling several servants going about their business. The guards stationed outside his door jumped and looked at the room sympathetically.

"What?" Merlin shouted back, stomping back into Arthur's view.

The prince's blew out through his nose and scowled. "I'm bored," he reported petulantly.

Merlin's face became expressionless though Arthur could see his temple throbbing from grinding his teeth. The sight amused the prince and he smiled gleefully.

"Yes, I know. You have been reminding me every two seconds," Merlin snapped.

"Well entertain me," Arthur ordered.

Merlin only rolled his light eyes and spun away. "I have to clean up your mess, Sire."

Arthur rolled his eyes as well. Merlin was making such a big deal out of it. Sure he had thrown all of his dishes when he was done with his light meals so they shattered everywhere. And he had laboured out of his bed and destroyed everything he could get his hands on, true, but what else was he was supposed to do when he was confined to his quarters?

He shouted the question after Merlin and the servant replied tetchily. "Rest! You're still not recovered and going on a rampage won't make you better."

Arthur groaned and flopped loudly back onto his bed. "Are you ever going to let it go?"

The prince only managed to destroy half his chambers when he became dizzy and passed out onto the floor. When Merlin found him like that, it was the only sympathy he received from the servant before the he turned angry and gave him a long winded lecture that Arthur ignored. Gaius had said that his 'escapade' was quite an 'accomplishment in his state, actually'.

"No," Merlin called back.

Arthur made an immature face at the ceiling and looked around for something to do. "Mer-lin!"

"Shut up and go to sleep, Arthur," was Merlin's impatient reply.

"You can't talk to me like that!" Arthur yawned.

He perked up when he heard a thud and Merlin's muffled, "Ow!" Arthur laughed sleepily but scowled at Merlin's response. "Sorry, shut up and go to sleep, your highness." Well, he walked right into that one he supposed.

Arthur conceded a loss gracefully and closed his eyes- all that talking had tired him out. He was almost asleep when Merlin called out to him somewhere from the antechamber. "Arthur, where did you put your riding boots?"

The prince felt a smile grow on his face and he kept silent to vex Merlin. He had thrown them out the window. He heard Merlin walking back to check on him so he closed his eyes and relaxed his features.

"Thank God," he heard Merlin breathe.

Arthur took offence and almost vaulted up to throw something at his servant, but he was too comfortable. As Merlin drifted away to finish cleaning up, Arthur surrendered himself to sleep. Only Merlin tripped again, and he couldn't help but smile. The prince waited to see if Merlin would fall once more but he was disappointed. Arthur was drifting off when he heard Merlin start to hum. His eyes immediately flew open in alarm. He knew that tune!

Arthur didn't remember much from when he had his fever and the only things he did recall was a troll, oddly enough, and a famous bard singing. Well he had thought it was a bard. But how would Merlin know the tune and why would his humming voice sound eerily similar?

"Merlin!" Arthur tried to shout. He sat up and had a look of intense concentration on his face.

Merlin hurried around the corner and regarded him curiously. "Are you alright?"

Arthur frowned. "That song you were humming, where did you hear it?"

To the prince's confusion, Merlin's ears became red. "Em, around," Merlin answered and scratched the back of his head. Arthur shook his head and disregarded the answer. He tried to remember what he could about the familiar song and suddenly came up with the image of Merlin singing.

"You were singing!" he declared and was proven right by the sudden tick in Merlin's left eyebrow. "And you were good," Arthur carried on in tremendous disbelief. "Why were you singing?"

Merlin sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You asked me to," Merlin grumbled.

Arthur tilted his head at his servant. "You were good."

Merlin then smirked at him. "I can't believe it; you said please and complimented me in the same week. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"What do you mean?" Arthur demanded.

"You begged me to sing you a song," Merlin said smugly.

Arthur scoffed. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did. And you told me that you loved me," Merlin laughed.

"That's ridiculous!" Arthur spat though he couldn't be sure if he did or not. "You're lying."

Merlin smiled impishly. "Nope, you were quite talkative when you were sick."

"Well, I was delirious. Of course I said things that I didn't mean!" Arthur said emphatically with a flush blooming around his neck.

"No I think you meant it," Merlin mused. "Don't worry, Sire, I won't tell anyone."

Arthur's face became red with anger. "You'd better not," he warned dangerously.

Merlin bobbed his head in a way that made Arthur narrow his eyes. "Let's make a deal," he proposed.

Arthur's lips began to pout before he stopped them. "What kind of deal?"

Merlin grinned. "I won't tell anyone of any such declarations of love, fear of trolls, or a fondness for trees, if you don't tell anyone I can sing and you go to sleep right now."

"Done," Arthur said at once. If it sounded a bit in Arthur's favour, he attributed it to Merlin feeling sorry for him. But how was he to know that mostly everyone knew the servant could sing? Even though it was just on the word of Gwaine whom had gotten Merlin drunk once. Arthur was going to ask about what else he had said but he figured that he did not want to know.

"Alright then," Merlin said pleasantly, "go to sleep."

"Merlin, this ordering me around has got to stop," Arthur said but sighed and closed his eyes.

"Now you know how I feel," Merlin commented unnecessarily.

Arthur did not deign that with a reply and before he knew it he was falling to sleep. His last thought before sinking into darkness, was that he needed to get Merlin to somehow sing again, preferably at a feast.

Maybe with a bribe...

|o|

Thoughts? Feelings? Accusations? Lol hopefully that was enjoyable for you guys. As I said before, this story will just feature on Merlin's talents and someone (mainly Arthur) or someones finding out. So far I've thought of singing, cooking, playing an instrument, shooting a crossbow and of course magic. I want to keep this lighthearted so there will be no Merlin whump as far as I'm aware. I know! No Merlin whump from me? The world must be ending... but alas there it is. And yes I know I'm being vague but I never know where my muse will take me. Anything can happen!

Also if anyone has suggestions about any of Merlin's talents I'd love to take them as prompts! That said, I probably will stay away from things like having a talent for tripping, or a talent for opening his big mouth and so on and so forth.

Anyways, enough of my rambling. Please review, and I hope to see you next update :D