It was one of those boring days in the castle again. Morgana was off doing who knows what in another part of the kingdom, the knights were at each others' throats to ease their boredom, and Arthur-Arthur was quiet. Unusually so.
Outside the world was ripening; reds and golds replaced the lush yellow and green, and the crisp air was slowly but surely sneaking into the walls of Camelot.
Arthur sat alone in his bedchamber, staring at a pile of reports and scrolls and maps of far off kingdoms, so when Merlin entered the room the servant barely glanced over. A king had to be left to his own devices, and if Merlin interrupted now Arthur would never get back to work.
A streak of lightning illuminated the room just as the pounding of rain slammed the windows of the king's chamber.
"Merlin! I need a fire!" The king barked out. Merlin sighed and started to trudge out the door. "The wood from the courtyard will do."
"You do know, sire, that it's raining outside? That wood is wet-"
"I know, I know. Just do it, Merlin."
The manservant sighed again. Today was not a day to argue...it was cold, and wet, and worrying because the gods know what Morgana is doing, but Merlin plastered a grin on his face and left to fulfill his king's request.
When he returned, his dark hair was soaked and laden with equally soaked firewood. Merlin stomped over to the fire and unceremoniously dumped the pile next to the fireplace. Muttering angrily to himself, he bent down and tried to arrange the wood for a fire.
"Not that it will light anyway." Merlin muttered. "The stupid, fat dollop-head!"
From his seat at the table, Arthur glanced surreptitiously at his manservant and chuckled to himself. Returning to his work, he rearranged himself to appear nonchalant and uninterested in anything besides his scrolls.
"I bet there's a spell for that."
Merlin froze in the act of fruitlessly scraping his piece of flint. Did he just...
"Considering there's a spell for pretty much all of the work I give you, it's a wonder you still bother doing them all on your own."
Arthur did not just...casually...mention...MAGIC! Merlin slowly turned around to face his sovereign. Arthur was turned away to not show his face, because a wicked grin was threatening to split his face in half. Oh, what the heck. He thought and looked at Merlin.
Merlin was frozen in a state of shock. Fear was sadly the most prevalent emotion in his eyes, but Arthur could see a glimmer of hope.
"H-h-how?" Merlin spluttered.
Arthur let his smile show, which led to Merlin thinking the king must be insane.
"I'm not that dumb, you know. Or as thick as you believe. You, however, are just as useless as ever, Merlin. You can spot all sorts of magical plots and traps, but you don't pay attention to your own friends."
Now Merlin's mouth had dropped open, but Arthur wasn't finished.
"I mean honestly, we've all known since season 3. Except Morgana...maybe it's the magic that makes you both so blind."
Merlin got up now, shaking, whether with anger or happiness Arthur couldn't tell. Suddenly he turned an stalked out of the room, only stopping once to call out "Forbearnan!"
Arthur smiled as his fire crackled to life, but he jumped up on shock as he recalled something.
"Merlin! Merlin!" He raced after the young warlock. "You have to help me with this law I'm working on! Do you want to be Court Sorcerer or Minister of Magic!"
The rest of Camelot released a breath in relief. The Once and Future King would be okay, as would Emrys once he cooled down. Albion would rise, peace would reign, and the time of Dragons would come again!
"Kilgarrah! Stop it!"
Well, once that foolish Warlock comes to his senses...
"and pays back the Royal Prat!"
"MER LIN!"
Will return.
In season 6 (hint hint wink wink).