It did n't even matter that Arthur had just let his guard down completely , or that Merlin was probably too ill to even notice that he was there . Arthur had discovered that he cared for Merlin just as much as he cared for himself - and perhaps even more than that . And he knew that in this moment , Merlin was vulnerable and sick and miserable , and he needed someone to be there for him , and Arthur knew that he could find it within himself to be that person , no matter how hard it was for him to do .
So Arthur held Merlin close to him until the boy 's trembling lessened , and until the fire had burned low and the sky grew light with the dawn , and he found that - despite the knot of worry that was eating away at his chest - this was the most content that he had ever been .
Emotion: Fear