A/N : Hi everyone! This is my very first Merlin fic. It's just a small one shot, and I'm hoping to make more stories soon. Please review, you'd make me very happy!
Merlin entered King Arthur's quarters, after mucking out the palace stables, his clothes then terribly muddy. "Anything else sire?" he asked. Merlin had been Arthur's manservant ever since he'd arrived in Camelot over three years ago, and was by then used to having duties every day.
"Ah yes, I need you to give this note to Gaius, tell him its for the royal guests from the far kingdom." Arthur looked at him seriously, whilst handing over the piece of rolled up parchment, then grimaced at the servant. "Merlin you stink! You better clean yourself up before our guests arrive tomorrow, and dont you own any better clothes? Those trousers are tiny and you can see through those shoes, they're so worn. What impression will that give to King Gedlof?"
Arthur shook his head. "I'll have the court tailor fit you something decent enough to wear." he said. Merlin grinned.
"Thank you sire." he answered and started walking up the corridoor to give Gaius the note. He heard Arthur calling his name just before he turned the corner. "Merlin! You have horse dung stuck in your hair!" he heard the young king laugh.
After running a few errands in the lower town, Merlin made his way back to Gaius' chambers. He passed the note from Athur to the old man. "Here you go. Arthur said its for the guests from the-"
"Royal kingdom." Gaius finished and nodded. " I know what it is. How has your day been?" he asled.
"You know same as usual. Cleaning out the stables, I don't know how but I managed to get poo stuck in my hair. Awfully hard it was to rinse off too." he answered. Gaius chuckled at the boy he'd taken in.
There was a knock at the door.
"You are Merlin, yes?" The tall, thin man asked. Merlin nodded, trying to hold in a laugh from seeing the man's rediculous curly moustache. "Okay, I'm going to need to take your measurments, the King has told me to fit you shoes, a shirt and some trousers, he also asked me to explain to you he would take it out of your wages over time. Okay?"
"Okay... how much is all of this going to cost exactly?" Merlin asked.
"I won't know til they are made and I add the prices up." the man replied. As he took Merlins measurements he began making conversation. "Do you know of the trends in Cenred's kingdom?"
"No. Sorry what are trends?" Merlin asked, confused.
"Oh I forgot, you are merely a servant, you will not know of things from kingdoms afar." the tailor laughed.
Merlin ground his teeth in frustration, who was this posh twit to judge him.
"Trends are what clothes are worn a lot and are favoured by important people in fashion, such as myself. For instance in Cenred's kingdom feathered hats are trendy. Trendy is a word to describe something in fashion incase you didn't know."
"Well you learn something new everyday." Merlin said under his breath.
"Indeed."
Merlin walked confidently into the main hall where Arthur was sitting at a long table, drinking some water, whilst looking at some papers. He walked up to the king and tapped him on the shoulder. "What do you think?" he struck some humorous poses.
Arthur laughed. "Decent enough I should think, for the guests. Did Reginald explain to you about the pricing and how you're paying it?"
"Who?"
"The tailor." Arthur explained to his seemingly simple-minded servant.
"Oh yes, through my wages." Merlin remembered.
"Okay. Take those off and put your normal clothes back on so that you don't wreck them before the feast tomorrow." Arthur instructed.
Music filled the hall as Arthur and King Gedlof ate from their golden plates, large sections of pork. Merlin walked up to his master. "Sire you really shouldn't eat so much, you don't want another hole in that belt do you?" he said quietly. Arthur spluttered, almost choking on his food. He grabbed Merlin by the collar and pulled him in and warned him to keep his mouth shut in front of guests. "You idiot." he finished, letting go of Merlin.
Merlin brought in Arthur's desert, a large apple tart. He was finding his shoes were very hard to walk in, considering they fit him well, it was just the small heel at the back that was annoying him. He continued walking up the hall to where the king was sitting. Suddenly he tripped on the rug and fell over, apple tart covering his new clothes. He looked up at Arthur laughing heartily.
"Sorry sire!"