Hi everybody! This is my first fan fiction to ever post here! I was planning on making this a one-shot, but it got too long, and then I had a spontaneous brainstorm session and…well, it grew. I just had to post it, despite the dangers. So let me warn you now: I can't promise that I'll update steadily. For the next couple of days, whatever I write, I'll post, but over the weekend I doubt I'll get to post anything and then in two weeks my school starts so…let's just hope I finish this whole thing before then, savvy?
By the way, this is not a romance fic; strictly friendship for my first go lol.
Please let me know what you think! The first chapter isn't very revealing but then again, it is the first chapter. I'll have the second up soon, later today!
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters from Merlin. I write this only for recreation, not for any financial gain and whatnot.
[This takes place between S3E13 and S4E1]
Merlin was really tired.
Yesterday was possibly the most exhausting day of his life. Arthur had dragged him out of bed (literally) long before dawn. Why? To go hunting. Merlin had lost hours of precious sleep just so that Arthur could drag Merlin off to go trekking through the woods, the cold, wet, rainy woods, and make futile attempts at shooting innocent animals that they didn't even need for food. Hunting.
It would be the death of him.
Yesterday had been the most exhausting day of his life, possibly, because today he was even more exhausted. Why? Because yesterday, on that infernal hunting trip, Merlin and Arthur had more or less stumbled right into the middle of a bandit camp. (It may have been slightly Merlin's fault, as he had been deliberately making a lot of noise in hopes of scaring away the animals. Well? You couldn't blame him. He hadn't wanted to go on that bloody hunting trip.)
Thankfully, Arthur had caught on fast enough to save them both from the merciless bandit. However, just as they arrived at the camp, the bandit leader sent out sentries to keep watch. So Merlin and Arthur had had to hide in the bushes. For hours. The bandits seemed quite comfy at their camp, and they took their sweet time packing up and leaving. By the time they finally did, it was late afternoon (Why the heck were the bandits traveling in the dark instead of sleeping at night, and moving in the day? It was just Merlin's luck to have them run into a nocturnal group of bandits.) and Merlin's back was killing him.
Then, Arthur decided that they needed to hurry back to Camelot (which was a good hour's walk away) so they could inform the patrol of the bandits. So as they rushed back, they ran into one of the bandit's patrols. Could Merlin's day get any better? Thankfully, it was a small patrol; only six men who were poor fighters at that. Arthur had bested them (with Merlin's discreet help), but not before one of the bandits had clobbered Merlin on the head with a huge branch. When all the bandits had been dispatched, Arthur simply glanced at Merlin to make sure he was still standing and continued on his merry way.
Merlin was so done with hunting. Not that Arthur would care.
Now, Merlin had to drag himself out of bed at dawn to do his duties as Prince Prat's manservant. His head was throbbing from that log, and he ached all over from lying in a thorny bush for so long. Grumbling, he stumbled out of his room and through Gaius' workroom. Gaius was still asleep, snoring slightly. Merlin glanced his way in envy before continuing on his way to the kitchens.
He was really, really tired.
Arthur woke to Merlin's voice grumbling at him. "Get up already, Arthur! You don't get to sleep."
Arthur opened his eyes blearily. "I can do whatever I want, Merlin. I am the prince of Camelot," He said sleepily, climbing out of bed despite his dismissing words. Sure, he was the prince, but that didn't mean he didn't have a job to do. He couldn't just lie around all day, like a certain servant he knew.
Arthur waited for the snarky comment on his position to come from Merlin, but he was met with silence. Really? Merlin was actually going to try and act like a proper servant for once?
He watched as Merlin stumbled about Arthur's chambers, taking clothes from the wardrobe for him, setting up his breakfast, and doing other chores, all in silence. Then Arthur noticed that Merlin had leaves of lettuce stuck in his hair, and the back of his tunic seemed to have a squashed egg dripped down from it. He raised an eyebrow.
"Merlin….why are you covered in food?"
Merlin turned around slowly, an exasperated look on his face. "Because I'm having a really bad day." He pulled his hand through his hair wearily before yanking it away with a look of disgust on his face. His hand was now covered in raw eggs and his hair had yellow streaks in it.
Arthur was trying, he really was. But he couldn't help bursting out in badly suppressed laughter. "Merlin," he gasped with a grin on his face. "I'm sorry, but you look utterly ridiculous."
Merlin's rolled his eyes and turned away, stalking out of Arthur's chambers with the dirty laundry.
"Merlin -!" Arthur called. What was wrong with him?
By midday, Merlin knew. He was doomed to have the worst day, ever. He couldn't go three steps without dropping something, bumping into something, or knocking someone down. He had already tripped three knights, two servants, and Gwen, who had seemed to think it was her fault. And after the incident with the Cook, he smelled like rotten eggs. At least he didn't look like them anymore, but that wasn't enough to lift his spirits.
He had finally finished polishing Arthur's armor and cleaning his chambers, and now he was finally arriving back at the physician's chambers. He hadn't gotten to eat any breakfast that morning due to his many mishaps and their consequences; he was starving. As he entered Gaius' workrooms, he thought he heard a rustling sound inside.
"Gaius?" Merlin called, but no reply came. The young warlock found the room empty. Brow furrowed, he wandered over to the table and saw a note lying on it.
Merlin – I am needed in the lower town due to a bad bout of flu. I would greatly appreciate it if you could do my rounds today. -Gaius
Merlin groaned. More work? He should have expected it. In fact, he should be preparing for an all-out attack on Camelot, a couple of sorcerous princesses intent on putting Arthur under enchantment, and how about a few psychotic goblins released in the castle to boot? This day, Merlin could see, was not planning on getting any better.
Beneath Gaius' words was a list of who needed what and why. Merlin sighed in resignation as he glared at the hoard of little corked potions. After sparing a quick glance at the door behind him, shut tight, his eyes burned gold as the bottles lifted from the table as one, gently settling into the bag Gaius used to carry his remedies around. The bag flipped closed and clasped itself at Merlin's whispered words.
"Ryse at ei gilydd, yn agos, gloi."
As he turned for the door, he failed to notice that the door to his room was slowly drifting closed.
*drumroll* Aaaand Merlin's in for a much worse day than this, I assure you. Sorry this was so short, but I felt it was a good place to end it. Second chapter should be up later today. xD Please review!