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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 11, 2012 8:03:24 GMT -5
As Merlin looked up, he recognised the face of Sir Iwan, one of the knights of Camelot. Sir Iwan had been seen in the physician's quarters frequently for the past two weeks, having been needing regular checkups for the broken arm he had received during the efforts to overthrow Morgana. Merlin hadn't had cause to speak to the knight for longer than brief conversations in the past, so didn't know much about him aside from the things he had heard in passing from Arthur and around the castle. The middle of four siblings, Sir Iwan prides himself on his status, not deviating from the knight's code for anyone. Arthur has said in the past how the knight is sometimes reckless, and puts his desire to not be seen as a coward over his life. It was this recklessness that caused the injury to Sir Iwan's arm, one he wouldn't be forgetting in a hurry.
Merlin sympathised with the knight, as although not one himself, he knew how badly his friends would take the news were they hurt enough to be forbidden from taking part in knight activities. Especially being forced to miss out on the first tournament that Arthur as king was hosting. Gwaine would be driving everyone mad were he in that position, and although a lot more reserved than the ale-loving knight, Iwan must be finding it hard to find things to do around the castle to keep himself occupied.
Looking up at the tall knight, he shifted, grabbing the pieces of armour scattered around him before struggling to his feet. "Yes, I am. Arthur is having me polish his armour collection before the tournament tomorrow. As well as a multitude of other chores." He darted a glance at the arm in the sling, before returning his gaze to Iwan's face, "Were you in need of anything from Gaius?" He asked, trying to make up for causing the knight unintentional pain, "I'm sure he is in in his chambers, but if you'd like me to check I can do so after I've dropped Arthur's armour off in the armoury." |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 11, 2012 6:46:26 GMT -5
There were very few times that, when leaving Camelot, Arthur was not accompanied by Merlin. It was a common sight to see the raven haired man following Arthur on his own horse when the prince wanted to go on a hunt, or was sent on patrol. After many years of working for Arthur, the people of Camelot were used to seeing Merlin trail behind the prince like a shadow; so when Arthur rode out on a hunt that morning, a few chosen knights in tow, some citizens wondered where the servant had got to.
Earlier that morning Merlin had gone to open the curtains in Arthur's chambers to wake the sleeping Prince, when a loud sneeze had reverberated around the room. Arthur had shot up in bed, alarm at the noise making him reach for his sword, until another sneeze from his servant prompted the confusion as to the source of the noise to change to annoyance. "Sorry sire," Merlin had said, stifling another sneeze, "Gaius says it's nothing to worry about. Just a cold." The glare from the prince had been enough to make Merlin pause in his step, and he had arched an eyebrow at Arthur's incredulous look, "Is there something the matter?" he managed to get out, before sneezing once more. This was enough to set Arthur off on a rant about how silence when hunting was imperative, and ended with the prince refusing to allow Merlin on the hunt, despite his protests.
Now Merlin was walking back from the courtyard, having seen Arthur and the knights accompanying off. At first he had been annoyed that the prince wasn't allowing him on the hunt, but now he had time to think, he realised he could try and catch up on chores that he'd been putting off due to lack of time. As he was walking through the corridor leading towards the physician's quarters, he noticed someone walking the other way. Not thinking anything of it, he was about to walk straight past when the man asked him a question. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face the stranger, wondering what he could require from a knight. "I believe he is currently out on a hunt with Prince Arthur. They left a few minutes ago, and probably won't be back until late this evening. Was there something you needed him for?" |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 18:13:05 GMT -5
It was not even a month after Gwen's coronation, and Merlin found himself still adjusting to having to call one of his best friends 'Queen', as well as seeing her in a position that was elevated much higher than her prior title as maid to the previous King's ward. Not that he wasn't happy for her, he was thrilled that Arthur had found it within himself to go against the general expectations of him as King, and instead of marrying one of noble birth, had chosen Gwen who to Merlin was more than noble, despite being born to a blacksmith. This was just one of the recent changes that Merlin had noticed about Arthur, and he couldn't help but think that the time of Albion was drawing nearer. For once, there were no attacks, magical or otherwise for Camelot to deal with, and the lands were in a period of calm.
But even within this time of peace, there was still the opportunity for tragedy to strike. Sir Anthony, a treasured knight of Camelot, had recently passed away, and having been a principal trainer of Arthur as he was growing up, was going to be sorely missed. To commemorate the passing of a personal friend of the King's, Arthur had organised a memorial service for the loyal knight, inviting Sir Anthony's daughter Lady Elenora to Camelot for the service. Their family had visited the castle often, and Merlin had met Lady Elenora a few times previous having been in attendance when Arthur greeted them. When Merlin had found out about Sir Anthony's passing, he had felt sympathy for the Lady, knowing from previous discussions with Arthur that her father had been unwell for a while and she had been left to run the estate by herself. Although not as daunting as running a Kingdom, Merlin knew how stressful being in a position of power could be having worked for Arthur for many years, so sympathised with her position.
Lady Elenora had arrived earlier that day, and Merlin had watched as she managed to keep her composure as the King and Queen greeted her, despite the devestation she must be feeling. He knew himself what it was like to lose a father, and although he hadn't had time to build a strong connection with Balinor, he had an idea of the pain she must be feeling. He only wished he could do something to help, as he knew that she must be feeling terribly alone, having lost the last of her direct family members.
As he was debating this subject internally, he didn't realise that the corridor he was walking down wasn't as empty as he thought. Laundry stacked high in his arms, he didn't notice anyone walking the other way until they collided. Sheets flying up in the air, it was instinct to throw out his magic, eyes flashing gold as he slowed down time just long enough to prevent them all from falling to the floor. When the seconds sped up to their normal pace once again, he recognised Lady Elenora just as she spoke, apologising for bumping into him. "It's fine!" he assured, smiling in her direction. "It was my fault. I should have been paying more attention." He looked at her more closely then, trying to gauge whether she had noticed his brazen display of sorcery, but found his attention drawn to her red eyes lined with moisture. "My Lady, is everything alright? Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, concern present in his voice. He didn't like to see anyone upset, and his previous thoughts about wanting to help sprang to the front of his mind. |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 17:15:53 GMT -5
Merlin had only been working for Arthur for a few weeks when the Prince told him the news that King Magna of Graecia would be paying Camelot a visit. Merlin didn't really know what to expect when they arrived, having only recently been introduced to the ways of the court, and was looking forward to their arrival. Well, he was until he found out how much preperation the servants of Camelot had to do beforehand. Everything had to be perfect for the King's visit, and all available staff were working extra hard to make sure that the appearance of the castle met Uther's standards.
On the day that the King and his daughter had arrived, the halls of Camelot couldn't have looked any grander. Every inch of the castle had been scrubbed and cleaned, windows were glistening, and Pendragon crests proudly hung at various points within, as well as a large banner hung outside the main entrance to the majestic building. Merlin had been present when King Magna's convoy arrived, standing slightly to the side from Uther, Arthur and Morgana with the rest of the servants of Camelot. He'd watched as the two Kings greeted each other warmly like old friends, and Arthur had stepped down to welcome King Magna's daughter, Princess Polyxena. Arthur had told Merlin earlier in the day that it was only until late in the preperations that the Princess had been confirmed as joining her father on this visit, but they were both welcome faces in the walls of Camelot due to their continued peace treaty with one another. As Arthur went to show the Princess to her rooms, Merlin was sent to ready Arthur's formal outfit for the feast later that evening to celebrate the occasion.
Arthur had returned to his chambers around an hour later, and after approving of the clothes Merlin had chosen, sent him back to his own chambers to prepare himself for the feast. Merlin had quickly accepted the orders, having been working non-stop all day, so appreciated this brief respite from his chores. As he was nearing the physician's chambers he reminded himself to ask Gauis how the patients he had been treating in the lower town were doing. The physician was certain that it was nothing serious, but had spent all day checking that the virus hadn't spread to other parts of the city. As he was about to enter Gauis' chambers, he heard movement inside, and thinking it was the elderly physician, walked straight into the room. However, he was surprised to see that it wasn't in fact Gauis, but the Princess that had arrived earlier that day. Clearing his throat quietly to get her attention, he spoke, "My Lady, is there anything I can help you with?" |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 10:04:56 GMT -5
It was a few weeks after Kilgharrah sought his revenge against Camelot, and things were slowly returning to some semblance of normality. The west section of the castle was on its way to being rebuilt, with numerous servants tasked to help quicken the process. The majority of buildings in the lower town, which weren't as sturdy of those in the upper, also had to be rebuilt. Even now, there was evidence that the Great Dragon had wrecked havoc upon Camelot; with rubble still in piles along the sides of the street, and scorch marks adorning various surfaces around the city. Despite this, the people were rejoicing, for word that the beast was slain by Prince Arthur was spread like wildfire around Camelot City and the surrounding area; Arthur being heralded as a hero. Merlin was happy for Arthur to take the credit, after all, if people knew the truth then he wouldn't be walking freely around Camelot. He just wished that it was his father, not himself who had stopped Kilgharrah. He had hardly gotten to know his father before he was taken away from him, and although he knew what Hunith did was only to protect him, Merlin found himself wondering what it would have been like had she told him sooner.
But these thoughts were at the back of his mind at that moment; thoughts of which herbs to collect were at the forefront. Gaius had been sent out to the outlying villages to check on the state of the populace, as the dragon had a far bigger reach than just Camelot City. Although many of the towns and villages had their own physicians, there were those whose healers were killed in the fires or too badly injured to be of any use. And as Gaius had already treated those in Camelot to the best of his ability, his services were being sent to those in need. Arthur was also being put to good use; the Prince was constantly on patrol, the search for Morgana ever expanding. This meant that Merlin was left with a lot more free time as Arthur was away; and before he left, Gauis had noticed this fact, prompting him to pass over his duties to Merlin while he was away.
Which was why the young warlock was now making his way back into the castle, arms laden down with numerous bunches of herbs to replenish the stocks with. He had gone out earlier that morning to fetch them, having no need to wake Arthur up today as the Prince was on a night patrol. Rounding the corner to the physician's quarters, he noticed the door slightly ajar and frowned. Walking up to it slowly, he peered around the corner and saw a young woman in a blue dress standing in the middle of the room. Not wanting to startle her, he knocked on the door lightly with one hand, the other full of herbs. As he did so he called out, "Hello? Can I help you with anything?" |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 6:41:43 GMT -5
"An impact is one way of putting it," Merlin laughed, "I'm not sure Sir Caridoc will be forgetting you in a hurry." At Gwaine's question he peered around his friend, looking for the familiar blonde head anywhere nearby. When he finally spotted Arthur talking to another knight, he returned his attention back to Gwaine, saying, "He did. Not that I minded, this is much more preferable to mucking out the royal stables." Shooting his friend a grin, he glanced back in Arthur's direction. "Besides, I've finished all my set chores for the day. Arthur agreed to cut down my workload so I could be here while you were training. He didn't mention anything about cleaning up afterwards..."
Letting the sentence trail off, he gave Gwaine a look that he knew his friend would be able to decipher. That part was true, Arthur hadn't said anything about what he wanted Merlin to do after the training session was complete. Probably too busy planning what is is he was going to be teaching his knights over what his servant was assigned to do once the training was over. Sidestepping slightly, he made sure Arthur's view of him was blocked by Gwaine's tall frame, before peering around his friend to check the Regent King was still too preoccupied to worry about his whereabouts. He knew that if Arthur did eventually spot him, he'd be told to do a multitude of chores like clean Arthur's armour, run him a bath, fetch his dinner... And Merlin would be collapsing onto his bed later on that night exhausted. He was always looking for ways to get out of doing his work, and this time he had a somewhat valid excuse. Of course, Arthur wouldn't be pleased, but then again Merlin would prefer an angry Arthur to polishing chain mail.
Looking at Gwaine again, he gave him an innocent look, fighting to keep the smile off his face, "Was there anything you needed help with, Sir Gwaine? As I have no orders from Arthur, I thought I'd come over and give you a hand." |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 6:15:47 GMT -5
Merlin opened his eyes, startled at Gwen's appearance. Sitting up he looked over at her, strongly hoping that that fact he had been crying previously wasn't clear on his face. At her question he replied softly, "Of course." Afterwards, he tried to accompany the speech with a smile like the ones that come so naturally to him every day, but he knew that it probably wouldn't fool her. She was one of his closest friends, and had been around him enough to tell when things were wrong.
Pushing himself off the step he stood up, extending his hand to Gwen to help her up from where she had sat down beside him. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he started walking in step with his friend, heading towards the direction of her house. Merlin knew that it probably wasn't the best idea, as Gwen was bound to start asking questions, but he didn't want to say no and risk offending her. He'd just have to try and think of a plausible lie to tell her so she wouldn't worry as much. After all, he was becoming pretty adept at lying to keep secrets safe...
Glancing towards her, he attempted to make conversation, trying to turn the focus on her so he could try and ignore the tense feeling settling in the bottom of his stomach. "How has your day been? Busy?" |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 6:02:09 GMT -5
Merlin didn't need any more prompting. The man that was currently glaring daggers at the both of them looked angry enough to do some serious damage should he catch up with them. Not bothering to ask how his friend had got into this mess, Merlin followed Gwaine's unspoken lead, and leapt for the door, wrenching in open and running out to the town beyond. Turning right outside the tavern's entrance, he dashed towards the town square where he knew a market was currently set up, having seen it on his way in. Maybe they could lose their pursuers in there.
Leaping through the archway leading into the square, he narrowly missed crashing into a villager coming the other way laden with cups. Too busy looking to see whether the men were following them, he didn't notice the wagon filled with bags from the harvest until it was nearly too late. Putting a hand out to stop himself running into it, he changed course, heading directly for the market stalls. Dodging around a candlewick maker's stall, he bolted past surprised onlookers and finally came to a stop behind a trader's cart stacked high with loaves of bread and cheese. Seconds later, Gwaine joined him, both of them gasping for breath.
Merlin peered over the top of a large wheel of cheese, judging from the smell, waiting to see whether the burly men knew in which direction they'd taken. Seconds after he looked up, he saw the ringleader step through the archway they had run through minutes before, viciously pushing the same villager he had nearly bumped into out of the way. "Gwaine..." he warned, preparing to move again at a moment's notice. As his friend looked to see what was drawing his attention, the men spotted their hiding place and started speeding towards them. "...run!"
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Post by consultingwarlock on Jun 8, 2012 5:36:01 GMT -5
When Cara came to Merlin and told him about the poisoned chalice, there was only one thought running through his mind. Protect Arthur. He knew he didn't have a lot of time, as Bayard sounded as if he was drawing his speech to a close which meant the Prince would soon be drinking the fatal liquid. He had burst into the hall, not caring about potential consequences, and grabbed the cup out of Arthur's hands, warning him of the danger. The eyes of the whole court had turned to him then, the incredulous voice of Arthur ringing out in the silence. But he wouldn't back down in the face of scrutiny, so turned next to Bayard and, proclaimed to all the people in attendance; "Bayard laced Arthur's goblet with poison."
That was when things turned hostile. Lord Bayard, furious at the accusation, drew his sword, prompting the knights from both Camelot and Mercia to do the same. Guards had rushed in, drawn by the sounds of ringing metal as the blades were unsheathed. Merlin stood his ground as Bayard demanded his evidence, and although Arthur stepped in to try and blame the accusation on consumption of alcohol, the King saw through his lie. He prompted Merlin again to reveal where he had heard this information, and, not wanting to land Cara in trouble, Merlin had simply said that he could not say.
Taking the goblet from Arthur, Uther had walked towards Bayard, hand outstretched. He had pointed out that if the Lord was indeed telling the truth, then he would have nothing to fear from drinking the goblet. Merlin watched as Bayard sheathed his sword, beckoning for the cup to be handed to him. He held his breath as it looked as if the goblet was about to be handed over, but then... Uther's negative response echoed around the hall. The King had then turned slowly in Merlin's direction, and the cup was instead held out to him. Taking it with only the slightest hesitation, he gazed into the liquid as if he could discern whether it was indeed poison or not, as a heated argument began over his welfare.
But Merlin heard none of that. Taking a few steps forward in Bayard's direction, he made eye contact, gaze not wavering from the face of a Lord who thought he could get away with poisoning the Prince of Camelot. Moving the cup out of Arthur's reach as he went to take it off him, he kept up his stare, lifting the goblet up in a mock toast. Steeling himself, he turned towards the royal table, where he saw Gauis' anxious face looking back at him. Thinking to himself 'For Arthur', he raised the cup to his lips and drained the contents, expecting something to happen... when nothing did. A sinking feeling settling in his stomach, he said quietly, "It's fine..."
Just as Uther motioned to Bayard proclaiming that he was free to do as he wished with Merlin, something happened. Suddenly, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, and Merlin choked, trying to clear whatever was preventing him from breathing. His face scrunched up in pain as he tried in vain to draw in a breath, pushing at his throat in desperation. All the strength left his body then and he collapsed to the floor, goblet rolling out of his limp hand. Eyes closed, he was vaguely aware of the commotion surrounding him but soon gave up trying to decipher what the words meant, the pain overtaking his senses and forcing him down into the dark's comforting embrace.
As he regained consciousness, he was aware of a sobbing sound from nearby, which greatly confused him. Who would be crying? Why were they crying? What day was it? Why did he feel like he'd just been put through a weeks worth of Arthur's training sessions in one go? All these questions pierced through his foggy mind, and with great effort, he opened his eyes. What he saw confused him still, and although he knew it had to have something to do with the poison, he didn't know how far he'd come to death. Trying to cover up his discomfort at the thought, he looked at the two figures hugging and said in jest, "That's disgusting! You should be ashamed of yourself, you're old enough to be her grandfather!"
At Gaius' exclamation of 'Merlin! You're alive!', he grinned up at the physician and retorted, "No, I'm the ghost come back to haunt you." Before Gaius could reply, Merlin was startled to find Gwen pressing her lips to his, and before his mind could process the fact, she'd pulled away. Had Gwen just... kissed him? Maybe he should drink poison more often... Smiling somewhat bashfully at her, he replied to her excuse for the contact and went silent, still slightly dased from recent events. Shaking his head in an effort to clear it, he looked up at Gaius and asked what had happened. The last thing he remembered was drinking the wine, and from their expressions a lot of things had occured in the time he had been unconscious. They both looked at each other then, and Gaius sent Gwen off to break the news of Merlin's recovery, while he told him about recent events.
Later that day, Merlin was sat huddled under a blanket at the table, still incredibly weak from the after effects of the poison. He was feeling slightly better, having washed and changed into a new set of clothes with the help of Gauis. He was now drinking slowly from a goblet, having been told that the best way to flush out the poison was to drink lots of fluids. Awareness still foggy from his exertion, he didn't realise Arthur had approached until he heard the Prince's voice ring out, 'Still alive then?' Turning to face Arthur, he smiled sheepishly, looking down at his body as if to check it was still there. "Erm, yeah, just about," he answered, none of his normal quips springing to mind in the face of the situation. He was well aware from what Gauis had told him earlier what Arthur had risked, disobeying the King's orders for a servant. And he was still trying to make sense of that. He risked his life for Arthur's instantly, but for Arthur to do the same was another thing entirely. Looking up at Arthur from where his gaze had dropped, he said sincerely, no trace of mockery in his voice, "And I understand I have you to thank for that." |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 30, 2012 15:50:11 GMT -5
It was two weeks after the coronation of Queen Guinevère, and things had returned to some semblance of normalcy. Well, as normal as it could get when you were still having to correct yourself for saying 'Gwen' instead of 'My Lady'. Although Gwen herself kept slipping up and calling Arthur 'Sire', which when Merlin had witnessed it the first time, had resulted in him stifling a laugh at Arthur's reaction and having a goblet thrown at his head for the trouble. Not that Gwen wasn't settling into her new found role well enough; she had had her first council session with the public a few days ago, and according to Arthur had resolved their issues and problems as a Queen should.
In celebration of his new wife and Queen, Arthur had decided to host a Knight's tournament open to warriors of all Kingdoms still on good terms with Camelot. It was Arthur's way of trying to extend an olive branch to the Kingdoms that may not be in favour of the Pendragon name, like Essetir, although Merlin failed to see how beating their best knights in a tournament consituted as anything less than showing off. Because he had no doubts Arthur would be the victor, having seen him in training days previous. And if anyone tried anything untoward against the King, as in, cheated using magic, then Merlin would be on hand to stop them.
It was the day before the knights and their parties were due to arrive, which meant Merlin was being rushed off his feet with preperations. Arthur had given him a list of chores twice as long as his usual amount to complete, and was expecting them all to be done before his dinner that evening. Merlin had complained to Arthur about this, pointing out that it would take a group of servants to complete all of this work. Arthur had simply replied 'You'll find a way, Merlin.' meaning 'This is not up for negotiation.'
So, grumbling about how things never changed, Merlin found himself walking along the bustling corridors of Camelot, filled with servants rushing about to complete the preperations before tomorrow. He was finding it incredibly difficut to manoeuvre around people due to the large amount of armour in his hands, and kept having to stop to avoid head on collisions. The armoury door seemed incredibly far away, and Merlin found himself wishing that he had left the polish in his chambers as at least then it would be nearer. And, if Gauis wasn't around, he could have used magic to make the process that little bit quicker...
Too caught up in his musings, he failed to see the other person coming his way until it was too late. With a rather loud crash, Merlin tripped and fell to the floor, the armour clattering around him. Looking up at the person he'd bumped into, he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, wincing slightly at the stinging of his palms. "Sorry," he uttered from his position on the floor, "I should have been looking where I was going..." Setting: Camelot Castle
Time of Day: Morning
Timeline: Two weeks after the end of Series 4
Tag: Sir Iwan[/blockquote] |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 30, 2012 12:39:40 GMT -5
'It's all my fault', were the words repeating themselves over and over in Merlin's head. It was the third night since he had set the dragon loose from deep beneath Camelot, and the city looked close to collapse. Flames licked at every surface they could find, rubble was strewn over the once-majestic courtyard, and the screams of the victims seemed never ending. He hadn't seen anything like the death and destruction surrounding them at this point in time, and had never felt so helpless. Kilgharrah was taking out his rage, bottled up through centuries of imprisonment, out on the people who lived under the rule of his jailer. Merlin had been foolish to trust that the dragon would do anything less than take revenge. He only wished that there had been another way to avoid this conflict, but the dragon's help was the only thing that had stopped the Knights of Medhir and he had seen no other way out. Now the people of Camelot were paying the price.
Throughout the night the battle between men and dragon waged, with Arthur dealt a savage blow across the shoulder in his efforts to protect Gwen. Merlin had desperately tried to stop Kilgharrah with an enchanted spear, but it bounced harmlessly off the dragon's scales, his magic having no effect. 'Why are you doing this?!' he had screamed at the retreating form of the dragon, 'You're killing innocent people!' Despair had washed over him at that moment when he received no reply. Kilgharrah was too full of hate to feel remorse over his actions, and would continue until everything Uther ruled over was crushed. No matter the trail of dead left in his wake.
'The dead number 49 men, 27 women, a further 18 women and children are unaccounted for...' was the sombre report from Arthur the next day. Their situation looked even worse than the previous day, with the west section of the castle near to collapse. No one had any ideas of how to defeat the beast. That was, until Gaius spoke of the last Dragonlord named Balinor. Merlin had stood to the side of the room as Uther debated the existance of such a man with Gaius, and then when he was told of the rumours surrounding the Dragonlord, watched as Uther began arguing with Arthur over his willingness to search for the man. In the end, Arthur's conviction over the safety of his people won out, and he had left the room to equip for the journey ahead, giving orders for Merlin to prepare the horses.
A short while later, when Merlin was packing food for the journey, he had enquired about who the Dragonlords were to Gauis. However, he noticed that something was wrong from the beginning of the conversation, as his mentor took longer in replying than he usually would. Interest peaked more by this observation, Merlin had pressed for answers. Gauis finally spoke of men who were once able to converse with the dragons, tame them, and how because of Uther's hatred of anything related to magic, he believed that the Dragonlord's powers were too closely related to sorcery and had them slaughtered. After a moment, a thought struck him. 'How did you know?' he had asked, curious as to how Gauis was so knowledgeable in the whereabouts of the last remaning Dragonlord. The physician's answer made Merlin see him in a new light, although he should have expected it as Gauis was harbouring a warlock under Uther's nose at the present time. 'I helped him escape.'
After a moment's pause, Gauis had asked tentively, 'Merlin, you've never heard the name Balinor before?' At Merlin's negative reply, he asked a different question that left Merlin confused. 'Your mother never mentioned him?' Gaius obviously heard the confusion in his voice, because he carried on to tell Merlin that his mother had taken Balinor in when he was on the run. Now he had become more confused; the idea that his mother had kept something as important as this from him seemed unthinkable. But then Gauis had told him something that changed everything. 'The man you are going to look for... is your father.' From the seriousness of his tone, Merlin could tell it was the truth. It seemed as if all the air went out of the room at that moment; he had struggled to breathe, to comprehend what he had just heard. Anger, betrayal, sadness, all those emotions fought for precidence in his mind. He had raised his voice at Gaius, letting all his emotions bleed out into his words. 'Why did no one ever tell me?!' At Gauis' insistance that his mother only hid the truth to protect him, Merlin had stepped forward, tears threatening to fall, and replied, betrayal laced in his tone, 'No. I had a right to know.'
Now he was waiting to leave Camelot, picking at one of the straps on the saddle and listening to the sounds of people trying to repair some of the damage before nightfall. He looked up at the approaching footsteps, only to avoid eye contact when he saw who it was. "Have you got everything you need?" Gauis asked gently. Merlin only nodded in response. Guilt over how he had spoken to the physician earlier that day overwhelmed him, and he turned to face the old man, speaking quietly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Gauis looked at him, gaze softening, and replied, "I know that." Nodding to show he'd understood, he returned the gaze gratefully. Just then, Arthur appeared from behind, and after a brief exchange of words (Merlin had forgotten to help the Prince get ready, too caught up in thoughts of his father), Arthur mounted his horse and moved off. Merlin had commented on Arthur's brief wince of pain, knowing that to outwardly show any sign of injury was weakness in Arthur's eyes. But at the Prince's assurance that it was just a scratch, Merlin returned his thoughts to dwelling on who they were looking for. After promising Gauis he would not tell Arthur of Balinor's relation to him, Merlin rode out through the gates, catching up with the Prince.
He did not know what to expect in the coming days. He only hoped that Balinor would agree to help. And that Camelot didn't fall in their absence. Setting: Camelot Courtyard, later in Cenred's Kingdom
Time of Day: Early Afternoon
Timeline: During The Last Dragonlord
Tag: Arthur[/blockquote] |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 30, 2012 10:32:47 GMT -5
Merlin rode out of yet another town, having failed to find that which he was looking for. He'd so far been in every tavern he'd passed since leaving Camelot, hoping that he'd have a stroke of good fortune and his friend would be waiting in one of them. After Gaius' warning that he would need help, Merlin's thoughts instantly turned to the one friend he knew would help no matter the circumstances - Gwaine. However, finding the man was harder than it seemed, with Merlin's only option being to visit every town and village that housed a drinking establishment - knowing his friend's love of ale - in search of him.
A day had already passed, with Merlin admitting defeat the first day when the sky grew so dark it made travelling through the forest impossible. He'd made a small fire that night, watching the light from the flames flicker and dance on the trees surrounding him, thinking about where to head to in the morning. He had heard rumours that a traveller renowned for his ability to get into trouble in every village he passed, was currently in one of the Mercian towns of Angard. With that sounding suspiciously like Gwaine, Merlin had decided to follow that rumour, for lack of a better option.
He just hoped if and when he did find Gwaine, they would not be too late to find Arthur. From what he and Gauis had found out about the phoenix eye, it was an extremely powerful magical artifact; Merlin had been able to sense the thrumming of its magic in the air when coming into close quarters with it before Arthur departed. The description had sounded ominous, that paired with the fact that the bracelet containing the eye came from Morgana, meant that things were not looking good for the Prince.
Merlin wasn't sure how Arthur would react when he turned up with Gwaine, he had been explicitly told by the Prince himself that the quest was to be undertaken by Arthur and Arthur alone, but in a choice between facing Arthur's anger and leaving him to die in the Perilous Lands, Merlin knew absolutely which option he would choose.
As he rode over the brow of a hill, he spotted the cluster of buildings of another town in the well of a deep valley, smoke rising from the houses to the mountains beyond. He lead his horse carefully down the steep incline of the hill, dodging roots and branches of trees that seemed to want to prevent him from reaching his destination. It took him a while, but he finally emerged at the bottom of the valley, pushing his horse into a canter in order to reach the town quickly. Leaving the animal tied to a post next to another horse, he made his way over to the tavern, having heard a disturbance coming from inside. Opening the door, Merlin had to duck out the way as a stray goblet was thrown his way, smashing on the wooden door. Moving further inside, he viewed the chaos in astonishment, wondering what in all of Albion had started a bar fight this large; that was, until he caught sight of a man being thrown down one of the long tables that lined the tavern floor. Grinning, he looked to the man and spoke in amusement, "Hello Gwaine." Setting: In the Kingdom of Mercia, on the way to the Perilous Lands
Time of Day: Early Afternoon
Timeline: During The Eye of the Phoenix
Tag: Gwaine and Arthur |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 24, 2012 18:11:58 GMT -5
The sound of horse hooves punctuated the silence of the forest, five horses and their riders galloping past in a blur of red, silver and brown. Three knights had accompanied King Arthur and Merlin when they departed Camelot two hours ago on their journey to the outskirts of Camelot's borders; Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine and Sir Percival. As a newly crowned king, Arthur had decided to visit the outlying villages in person, to herald a new era in Camelot's royal line. Not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves, Arthur had insisted on only a small group accompanying him, as well as a secret route which only a few in Camelot were privy to to avoid unwanted ambushes.
Merlin had stayed silent about his concerns, willing to trust Arthur's judgement on this occasion. That is, until it became apparent that the trail they were currently riding down lead straight towards a place many feared to tread: The Valley of the Fallen Kings. Eyeing the broken statues and crumbling archways that lined the sides of the path warily, Merlin tugged on his horse's reins and drew up beside the King. He could taste the magic here, the air thrummed with the potency of it. All that was running through his head at that moment in time was 'We should not be here.'
He decided to voice his thoughts, consequences be damned. "Arthur, you are not serious," Merlin said incredulously, disbelief tinting his words. Arthur's reply sounded slightly exasperated, like he didn't believe there was anything wrong with the route he had chosen. Merlin tried again, aware they were drawing nearer to the mouth of the Valley with every step. "Anything. Nothing good ever happens in the Valley of the Fallen Kings; no one in their right minds would go in there." 'Exactly!' a voice piped up from behind. Percival. Were they not taking him seriously?! 'The route's a secret, Merlin. That's why we chose it.' came Arthur's reply. Just as he was about to come up with a retort, Merlin's head snapped around at the sudden yells echoing around the valley they were riding through. An ambush! "It's not so secret after all!" he shouted, preparing his magic. He would protect Arthur at all costs. And by the amount of men already surrounding them, a little magic might be needed. Setting: The Valley of the Fallen Kings
Time of Day: Afternoon
Timeline: Beginning of 'A Servant of Two Masters'
Tag: Arthur |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 24, 2012 11:45:43 GMT -5
It was a week after the catastrophic events of Morgana and Morgause's abrupt seizing of the throne, and things were slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy. The throne room was slowly being rebuilt, with around a dozen servants being drafted in to help move the numerous stones that had fallen in the wake of Morgana's furious outburst in order for the structure to be repaired. When it was finally completed, however, the chances that Uther would be regaining his thone were looking slim. He had been struck by the betrayal of Morgana harder than most, and as such had fallen into such a depressive state that even Arthur could not get him to move out of his chambers. Arthur himself was now acting as Regent King, which meant he had taken on the responsibility of the Kingdom whilst his father was too ill to run it himself.
This meant that he had taken on a lot more duties, and that, in turn, meant a lot more work for Merlin. However, out of a rare display of leniency, Arthur had agreed to cut down on Merlin's chores for this day, as today was to be the first collective training session of the newly knighted Knights of Camelot, and he wanted Merlin in attendance. Merlin had readily agreed, eager to see his friends in action against one another - not to mention eager to avoid the cleaning of Arthur's chambers - and had made sure he completed all the assigned chores set for that day as quickly as possible. (He even managed to wake Arthur up on time, which was accompanied by a 'I'm sorry, what have you done with the real Merlin?', and a pillow thrown at his head when Merlin had joked that he'd been enchanted.)
So now he was leaning against the fence that bordered the training ground, watching as Gwaine, Percival, Elyan and Lancelot were put through their paces by Arthur, Leon and a few knights he knew only by name. He'd already witnessed Gwaine's epic fight against Sir Caridoc, where, in front of all in attendance, he had risked a potentially mortal blow to gain the leaverage needed to flip the sword right out of Sir Caridoc's hands. Merlin had laughed aloud at this, shaking his head in amusement. Only his friend would be both foolish and brave enough to try that move. Now the group was breaking up, Arthur giving them a moment of respite. Spotting Gwaine, he ducked under the fence and walked towards him, grinning, "How was your first official training session as a Knight of Camelot?" Setting: The Knight's Training Ground
Time of Day: Afternoon
Timeline: A week after the events of The Coming of Arthur (Part 2)
Tag: Gwaine |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 24, 2012 10:15:46 GMT -5
Merlin wasn't sure how long he'd been standing in the shallows of the lake, water lapping at his ankles. He didn't notice the sky growing darker, or the persistant rain that was falling softly all around him; he only had eyes for the boat that was slowly making its way towards the horizon, the magical fire inside a glowing beacon on the black water surrounding it. This fire he knew encompassed the body of the girl he had grown to love, a girl who he had promised to run away with. The most beautiful girl he had ever met, in both body and soul. Freya.
From the first moment he saw her in that loathesome steel cage, he knew he would help her, consequenses be damned. As soon as Gauis had uttered the words 'Uther offers a hansome reward for anyone with magic', he had pictured himself in her place, fear and desperation in his eyes. Which was why he had ignored Gaius' warning, and had broken the girl out of the cage, hiding her deep beneath Camelot's walls. He didn't realise as he was holding his hands over her chains and whispering 'Tospringe' that he would fall for her in a way he had never felt before. But now he would never be able to find a house by a lake, surrounded by mountains and rolling fields filled with wild flowers, with a few cows. And he couldn't help thinking that it was all his fault.
He couldn't blame Arthur. Arthur was only doing his duty and protecting Camelot from the threat he had perceived. He wasn't to know that the creature he had mortally wounded was a girl, or that the very same girl was one that his servant was in love with. He only saw the danger to his people, to Camelot. And Merlin would not, could not lay the blame on the Prince. If only he'd been there for her, if only he'd got there fast enough to stop Arthur's attack. He'd made a promise to look after her. And he had failed.
Forcing himself out of his thoughts, Merlin swiped at his eyes with his sleeve, mixing tears and rain together on the fabric. The boat was now no more than a dot on the horizon, the blood orange of the fire a contrast to the bruised purple of the darkening sky. A fleeting thought that he should make his way back to the city before the gates closed, or Gauis started to worry crossed his mind, and he moved for the first time in what felt like hours. Casting one last look at boat that held his love, Merlin waded from the water and onto the shore, making his way back to Camelot.
He barely registered anything on the way back, too numb to focus on his surroundings, trying too hard to keep his thoughts away from Freya so as to stop from breaking down in the middle of the forest. He probably wouldn't have noticed if bandits were to jump from the shadows, nor put up much of a fight if they did. His heart was broken, and for the time being, nothing else mattered. But luckily for Merlin, he reached the towering walls of Camelot without incident, and passed through the portcullis just as it was about to close. Not wanting to return to Gauis' chambers just yet, he slowly climbed the stairs that lead towards the castle, before stopping halfway and lowering himself to the stone below. Leaning back on his elbows he willed his mind to empty, looking towards the stars to distract himself. He had to try and regain some semblance of composure before he faced Gauis, faced anyone. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, listening to the sounds of Camelot preparing for the night. If he could just put on a facade long enough to get past anyone he might encounter, then when he got into the privacy of his own room, that was when he could let it fracture and break. But not just yet. Setting: The Lake; later Camelot Courtyard
Time of Day: Evening
Timeline: During the end of The Lady of the Lake
Tag: Guinevère [/blockquote] |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 22, 2012 17:04:26 GMT -5
 Merlin's smile grew wider at Cara's laughter; he couldn't help it, the sound was like a melody to his ears. He had always thought that laughter was one of the most pleasing sounds, especially in Ealdor, where the sound was a welcome one after a hard day working on the fields. In his youth he was constantly trying to find ways to make his mother laugh, because despite how hard she tried, he saw the sadness in her eyes when she thought he wasn't looking. So when Cara laughed it reminded him of those times he had succeeded, and how that had felt like the best achievement in the whole of Albion. "Don't let Arthur catch you saying that," Merlin grinned, pretending to check that the Prince wasn't within ear shot. "His head's big enough as it is. Besides, it's the King who is probably the most important piece in these peace talks, aside from Lord Bayard of course. Without him, I doubt you would be here now."
At her question, he ceased his absent-minded scrubbing of Arthur's jacket where the dirt was non-existant, and looked at her with slight surprise. "Oh, erm, not at all!" he stammered out, gesturing to the stone step he'd previously been seated on, "Take a seat. Although I warn you, they're not as comfy as they look." Watching her sit down, he quickly followed suit; slightly more nervous at their proximity. He began fiddling with the Prince's jacket again, watching the fading light glint off the buttons. "What is it you do in the court of Mercia, exactly?" he asked after a moment's silence, curiousity getting the better of him. "If you don't mind me asking, of course." Merlin had never had the opportunity to meet servants from the households of other kingdoms before, and was curious as to how their routine differed from the one in Camelot. Of course, Melin knew he was of a higher rank than most of the servants he met, but he was familiar enough with the day-to-day routine of the other servants of Camelot to believe he would recognise the similarities and differences between Mercian and Camelot habits. [/blockquote] |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 17, 2012 12:39:47 GMT -5
Merlin stood slightly to one side, a soft smile on his face as he watched Will and Gwen talking animatedly to each other. He was especially glad to see Will; after their argument the previous day, he wasn't sure that his friend would still be in Ealdor. 'I'm not abandoning these people, Merlin. You are.' Will's words echoed in Merlin's ears, and he found his thoughts turning to the conversation he had with Hunith the previous night. 'And if he doesn't accept me for who I really am, then... he's not the friend I hoped he was.' Ever since Arthur had begun to put together a strategy, the subject of whether or not to use his magic had been at the forefront of Merlin's mind. But Will's words had made him realise that it didn't, no, shouldn't matter if Arthur found out or not. Because what good were his gifts if he couldn't use them to save the people he loved from harm? He'd made up his mind. If the fight looked like it was turning in Kanen's favour, then he wouldn't hesitate to use his magic. Regardless of the consequences.
But then, that had been his plan from the start. Before Arthur, before Gwen and Morgana. As soon as he saw the blossoming bruise underneath his mother's eye, he knew that he would get revenge on the savages that caused her harm. From the moment he made up his mind to return to Ealdor, even whilst standing on the parapet overlooking the city of Camelot speaking with Arthur, he knew that he would have to use magic to save his village. Because there was no other alternative. Uther had denied Hunith's request for help, and Arthur was bound by his father's word. Their situation seemed hopeless. When both Gwen and Morgana revealed that they would be joining Merlin, he felt conflicted over their decision. Of course, he was extremely grateful for their help, and felt honoured that they would choose to offer their services out of kindness towards him, but it made the choice to use magic all the more difficult. They both held positions in the castle, and had connections with Arthur - the Lady Morgana especially - so word of his gifts could easily reach the Prince, and through him, the King. But the night they had stopped to rest before reaching Ealdor, Merlin decided that didn't matter. He wouldn't stand and watch his home, his mother's home, slowly waste away due to the miserable conditions they were forced to live in.
Then Arthur had arrived. Well, by arrived, Merlin had nearly taken his head off when he was caught unawares by Arthur's appearance. All thoughts of magic were pushed to the back of his mind when he saw the Prince. Because if anyone could take control of the situation, it was Arthur. When he began questioning Merlin over the state of Kanen's forces over the campfire that night, Merlin felt the most confident he had felt since hearing of the situation from his mother. This confidence in the Prince had only wavered a few times since then; the truth about their lack of numbers and the brutal way in which Matthew was killed being the cases in which he'd thought 'They weren't going to be able to do this.' But then he'd had the argument with Will - who Merlin could always count on to be brutally honest - and the resolve to use his magic was once again alive. If it was a choice between revealing who he really was, and saving the people whom he'd grown up with, save his friends, save his mother... then there really was no choice.
And now the time of the battle was drawing nearer; the villagers taking a break from another last minute bout of training from Arthur. Everyone was just waiting for that pivotal moment in which the fate of Ealdor and those within its walls, would rest on the shoulders of the Prince, and unbeknownst to said Prince, his servant. Merlin's attention was brought back to the moment when he saw Will's jaw visibly tighten at something behind Merlin's shoulder. And as the voice rang out, he realised that it wasn't something, it was someone. Arthur. 'Merlin, Guinevère. Come with me please.' Merlin threw Will an apologetic look as he went to follow Arthur, noticing the flash of anger in his friend's eyes at the interruption by the Prince. But he'd have to talk to him later. Right now, he needed to find out what Arthur wanted. Will's grudge against royalty could wait.
Merlin felt Gwen's comforting hand on his arm as they walked over to where Arthur was standing on the outskirts of Ealdor. He was grateful for that little gesture, as although he would never admit it, nerves about the upcoming events were starting to make themselves known. He clenched and unclenched his fists in an effort to dispell some of the adrenaline that had started to pump through his veins, and stopped in front of the Prince, eyeing up the swords in his hand. He had a feeling he knew where this was headed. "Arthur? What is it?" He voiced the simple question, not wanting to waste any time in letting Arthur get to the point of his summons. Time was precious. Kanen could strike at any moment. [/blockquote] |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 17, 2012 7:49:56 GMT -5
By the time Merlin's mind had scrambled to form some words to reply to her soft 'It was nice meeting you' - aside from the quick nod of the head in agreement which was all he seemed to be able to manage - it was too late; she'd brushed past him with a smile and a lingering look, one which Merlin was entranced by. He found himself turning to watch her go, an awestruck smile playing about his lips, and it wasn't until Gauis uttered from his left "Shouldn't you be busy running the place?" with an amused laugh, that Merlin's focus on Cara's retreating form was broken.
He didn't bother answering his mentor's playful jaunt, choosing not to make the situation worse. He could only hope that that would be the last he'd hear from Gaius about what he'd just witnessed, although somehow Merlin knew he was hoping in vain. But Gauis was right; he did have things to do. Picking up the discarded sack of plates and goblets that he'd abandoned whilst conversing with Cara, he said his goodbyes to Gaius and made his way to the kitchens.
Hovering in the kitchen doorway for the second time that day, it wasn't long before Merlin was spotted by one of the cooks. She came hurrying towards him, wiping her hands on a scrap of cloth, and before Merlin could say anything, had relieved him of the bag he had clutched in his hands. "I was told to tell you that Prince Arthur has some errands for you. Leave this with us, we'll have to polish those. The Prince is waiting." She strode off then, muttering under her breath, "As if we haven't got enough to be getting on with..." Merlin stood there for a second at a loss for what to say or do, but one look from the cook sent him scurrying away from the kitchens towards Arthur's chambers.
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A short time later, Merlin was sitting on the stone steps of the courtyard, trying to avoid drawing attention to himself as he sat and painstakingly polished every button on Arthur's ceremonial jacket. He had tried to carry this work out in his room, but the smell of the jacket kept assulting his senses, so he moved outside where there was a breeze wafting the odour away. It was Arthur's fault that the only cleaning the jacket would be getting was to the buttons. There was no way he'd be able to wash and dry the garment before the feast that evening... Unless he used magic. There must be a drying spell somewhere in the book Gauis had given him. Although he was half tempted to leave it and make Arthur look like a prat. Much like he himself was going to look like if those ceremonial robes Arthur had said he'd be wearing were anything to go by.
Scrubbing harder at one of the buttons, Merlin whispered harshly under his breath, "As if he expects me to wear them. It's ridiculous. The hat has feathers for crying out-" His rant was cut off by a voice from behind, and Merlin turned his head to see who it was. 'Still hard at work I see. You're really keeping this place running indeed.' Scrambling to his feet as he realised who was standing behind him, Merlin spoke, a smile creeping unbidden onto his face; "You have no idea how important this task is to the welfare of Camelot. If even one of these buttons isn't shining, then Arthur will be too embarassed to go to the feast. It's the vain side of him, you see. These buttons-" He went to gesture to the jacket, but realised that in his haste to stand up, he'd dropped it onto the floor by her feet. Flushing slightly at his clumsiness, he bent down and picked up the garment, brushing off the dirt that had materialised. "Sorry," he said, looking slightly bashful. In an effort to redirect the conversation, he spoke again, "Are you all prepared for the feast? I've yet to experience one, and judging from all the preparation it should be quite impressive!" |
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Post by consultingwarlock on May 11, 2012 14:14:46 GMT -5
Cara. Even the name sounded beautiful. He noticed her hands were soft, her touch gentle on his. Merlin found that quite surprising, as normally a handmaiden bore all evidence of her work on her hands and as a result, their skin would be rough. Of course, he was basing these assumptions on Gwen - who had gone to pick up the same tray of food as Merlin earlier that week, and as a result their hands had collided - and his mother, back in Ealdor. But maybe Cara's duties were different than Gwen's, after all, Merlin wasn't to know how the serving staff were treated in the Kingdom of Mercia. And her face certainly didn't bear the lines that Merlin associated with the women back in his home village.
Merlin returned his attention from her hand in his as he heard her speaking. 'You're Arthur's servant. Must be such an honour.' His face split into a grin at the praise in her voice, but was quickly replaced by a look of mock-seriousness as he responded. He didn't want her thinking he was ungrateful for his position, even if he was serving that arrogant prat of a Prince. Nodding his head, he replied, "Oh, yeah. It is." He wanted to add that he should get an award for surviving this long, or that she should see some of the chores he was made to complete, but decided that it was probably wise not to voice these opinions out loud - especially taking into account the quiet reverance he had heard in her voice at his position in the Camelot household.
Looking down at the cushion in his hands, Merlin avoided Gaius' gaze; he knew he would be stepping over the mark with his next sentence, but he couldn't resist. "Well, someone's got to keep the place running." Still with the look of seriousness on his face, Merlin made eye contact with Cara again, but then felt his mentor's piercing look and turned his head slightly to meet it. He gave Gauis an expression of innocence, noting the crossed arms and disbelief on his face, before turning back to Cara and smiling.
Preoccupied with working out whether or not she'd noticed the exchange, he almost missed the soft 'Thank you Merlin' that she'd uttered. Humming slightly, a confused expression crossed his face as he tried to work out what she was thanking him for. As she pointedly looked at the cushion in his hands, he exclaimed "Oh, right!", and an embarassed grin spread across his face as he fumbled for words to say to cover up his confusion. He tapped the cushion with his hand, emphasising that he realised what she was saying - he could imagine Arthur's incredulous 'Idiot!' if he were here - and placed the offending object back on the pile of laundry she was carrying with an awkard "Er, yeah, no problem." He stepped back, unsure of what to say next. He was really grateful it was Gaius and not Arthur that had witnessed that... at least the teasing would stop after a day. Or so he hoped. |
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Post by consultingwarlock on Apr 12, 2012 16:29:40 GMT -5
It had been non-stop work since first arriving in Arthur's chambers that morning. For today was the day the Mercian entourage would be arriving, and because of that, the servants of Camelot were working extra hard to make sure the castle was fit for their guests. Merlin originally thought he would be getting off lightly, as Arthur had excused him from all his normal morning duties, but when the Prince started smugly reeling off a list of chores to be done around the castle, Merlin realised how foolish he had been. After offering a condescending pat on the shoulder, Arthur left Merlin to his work, having been summoned by the King to a private meeting before their guests arrived.
Mumbling about obnoxious Prince's under his breath, Merlin set about his tasks for the morning. First stop was the stables, where a dozen stablehands were preparing the avaliable box stalls ready for the Mercian horses. They were more than happy for an extra set of hands, and Merlin soon got stuck into the job; sweeping the floors to get rid of the old bedding, piling fresh hay into the corner and making sure each trough was filled with water for the horses after their long journey. Working quickly and efficiently, it didn't take long for the group to finish preparing the guest stalls, and Merlin left the stablehands to see if he could be of more use elsewhere. Moving back into the castle, he found the kitchen in a state of organised chaos; servants dsahing about trying to avoid one another in the cramped conditions, voices bellowing to one another over the clamouring of pots and pans. When one of the serving girls spotted Merlin hovering in the doorway, she beckoned him in and set him to work straight away chopping vegetables ready for the feast later on. Too focused on trying to slice a particularly stubborn potato, Merlin didn't realise how much time had gone by until someone was sent with a message that he was required in the Throne Room. Lord Bayard had arrived.
Hurrying into the Throne Room, he saw Arthur roll his eyes slightly and mouth 'Where have you been?!', before gesturing to the right side where there was a space left for Merlin. Merlin was about to give a retort, but the sound of footsteps fast approaching sent him scurrying quickly into position. As the doors to the throne room opened and the first blue cloak was glimpsed, Merlin stepped forward with the rest of the Camelot group to greet the Mercian entourage. He watched as Uther welcomed Lord Bayard into Camelot Castle; too focused on the exchange of words to notice a pretty young serving girl staring attentively in his direction.
As the two Kings clasped forearms, a round of applause proceeded the action and signalled the closure of their first meeting. After bidding his guests get some rest before the feast later on that evening, Uther released Bayard's forearm and stepped back in line with his party. They then watched as Bayard bowed slightly, before leading his group out the doors where servants were waiting to show them to their assigned rooms. Before Merlin could escape however, Arthur pulled him to one side and gave him a new list of chores to complete, before letting him go with a cheery smile.
A few hours later, and Merlin was walking down the courtyard corridor, struggling with sacks of plates and goblets that needed polishing before the feast later on. Spotting Gaius walking towards him, he remarked to the physician, "Why do I always get landed with the donkey work..." Gauis stopped and looked at Merlin in amusement, exclaiming, "You're a servant Merlin, it's what you do!" Merlin felt like mentioning that if he was allowed to use his magic it would be a whole lot easier, but as there were numerous people around he resorted to, "My arms will be a foot longer by the time I get this lot inside!", placing the sacks on the floor. Gaius just looked at him and, slipping into the voice he used when he was teaching Merlin a lesson about something, said, "It's character building. As the old proverb says, hard work breeds..." he paused, and Merlin looked at him suspiciously. He was making this up on the spot, he had to be. "... a harder soul." Merlin voiced his suspicions, and as Gauis tried to protest his innocence, someone fell to the floor in front of Merlin with a quiet 'Sorry!'.
"It's alright!" Merlin exclaimed, darting a quick look towards Gaius before back at the floor where the handmaiden sat. "Let me give you a hand with that," he said, glancing at Gaius once more with a look that translated as 'See? I'm doing more work now. Don't-you-dare-say-anything.' Crouching down, he reached out to pick up the cushion that was laying in front of him and looked up, making eye contact with the woman. He was immediately struck by how beautiful she was, and found himself smiling softly, slowly standing without breaking eye contact. After a moments inability to form some coherant words, he extended his hand for her to shake, and introduced himself. "I'm Merlin."
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