The Runaway Servant
Chapter 1
"I'm happy to be your servant, till the day I die," Merlin says with tears in his eyes. He is standing in the doorway to Arthur's chambers, looking at Arthur who is seated at the table in his favorite chair.
Arthur rubs his shoulder where the Questing Beast's bite still pains him. "What on earth is he going on about?" Arthur thinks. "I'm the one who was dying." He looks up at Merlin and says aloud, "Sometimes, I think I know you, Merlin, but . . . other times." He shakes his head.
"Well, I know you." Merlin smiles. Although Arthur doesn't realize it, Merlin is saying goodbye. He is going back to the Isle of the Blessed to offer his own life in exchange for his mother's. Nimueh had cheated him the first time he made this bargain to save Arthur, and gave his mother a deadly disease. He thought he had bargained his own life for Arthur's. Now he had to return there to make sure the price he was willing to pay was satisfied. He had to face Nimueh again and plead with her to save his mother in exchange for his life. Before he left for good, he wanted to have the last word with Arthur. "Just . . . don't be a prat." Merlin exits Arthur's chambers, leaving the young prince chuckling and puzzling at his words.
Uther enters at that moment, and says to Arthur, "Why is your servant always so emotional?"
"I don't know. Merlin is always going on about something or some poor creature."
"Really, Arthur, you shouldn't let him talk to you the way he does." Uther fixes Arthur with a stern glare, "it's disrespectful. You need to control him better."
Arthur agrees, "Yes, father. I'll make sure."
"If you can't, he can easily be replaced."
"Did you want to speak to me about something?" Arthur asks.
"I've gotten a letter from Sir Bedivere. He's invited you to visit him and his son, Renald. Now that you are getting stronger, I thought a trip away from Camelot would do you good."
"I would enjoy that. Renald is a good friend, and I haven't seen him since we squired together with Cai under Sir Ector." Arthur smiles at the memories. "We can spar to help me build up my strength."
"You can leave tomorrow with a small escort."
The next morning, when Merlin doesn't show up to wake him, Arthur gets dressed and storms over to Gaius's chambers to look for him. Gaius and Merlin aren't there, but he finds Gwen with Merlin's mother upstairs in Merlin's room. The older woman is clearly suffering from a terrible disease. He is shocked at her condition, and is at a loss to understand how both Gaius and Merlin could have left her alone like this. He motions to Gwen to come down the stairs to the main chamber.
"Where's Merlin?" he asks Gwen.
"I don't know, my Lord. He took off very early this morning after Gaius. He said he had to stop him before it was too late," she answers anxiously. Arthur always made her tongue-tied and flustered.
"What on earth does that mean? When will he be back? Did he say where he was going?" Arthur demands.
Gwen stammers, "No, Sire. He just asked me to stay with Hunith till Gaius got back."
"Till Gaius gets back. Is Merlin not coming back, then?"
"He didn't say." Gwen worried her bottom lip, concern for Merlin at Arthur's annoyance rose in her mind.
"We'll see about that."
Before Arthur leaves to visit his friend Renald, he mentions to his father that his servant has taken off. Uther is furious, "I'll see to it that he is punished if he returns."
A few days later, Merlin and Gaius return to Camelot. Merlin is relieved to learn from Gwen that his mother is better. "Nimueh kept her word," he says to Gaius. Gwen looks puzzled, but smiles at Merlin, happy that he is back in Camelot.
"Your mother recovered so quickly," she says. "It was like a miracle."
Merlin tells her, "I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for her." He runs up the steps to his room. "Mother!" he calls out.
"Merlin. Thank the gods you are home safe. I was so worried," Hunith says. She is sitting propped up on Merlin's narrow bed, her face and hands healing from the terrible disease that had possessed her. She had been in such terrible pain when she spoke to Merlin last, and barely remembers what they had said. But when he had said something about the gods looking after him, she had feared that he was about to do something rash. She feels such relief and joy at his safe return that she cannot help but smile broadly at seeing his face once again. "Where did you go?"
"Ah Mother, you needn't worry. I can take care of myself," Merlin assures her. "And see, Gaius and I are both home again, safe and well." He smiles.
A short while later, he comes back down to the main chamber. Gwen has gone back to tend to Morgana. Gaius is gathering some potions in the cupboard as Merlin strides to the door. "Merlin, wait. Let me tend to the burn on your chest. Sit down."
"Later, Gaius. I have to go see Arthur," Merlin says. "He might be a bit put out by my absence."
He reaches Arthur's chambers, but they are empty and dark. He heads off to the training area to see if Arthur is there. He stops one of the knights to ask where Arthur is. The knight turns around, and seeing him says, "Guards, seize him."
The guards grab Merlin's arms. "Wait! No! What's going on? Where's Arthur?" Merlin yells as he struggles with the two restraining him. The guards ignore him and pull him along into the castle to the council room.
Uther is standing next to the long table, drinking from a goblet, as Merlin in brought in the room in the firm grip of the guards. "Sire!?" Merlin says.
"Who gave you permission to leave Camelot?" Uther asks.
"Who says I needed permission?" counters Merlin. "You don't own me." Uther puts down his goblet, reaches out and slaps Merlin across the face, hard. Merlin staggers back a step into one of the guards holding him.
"How dare you leave Arthur, when he was barely recovered from that beast's bite. He nearly died! He needed you, and you just took off. Where did you go?"
"That's not any of your business," which earns him another slap from Uther. Merlin is angry, "you have no right!"
"I have every right. I am your king! Guards, put the runaway in the stocks for his insolence."
"No, wait, that's not fair," Merlin protests.
Teeth clenched, Uther says to Merlin, "Until Arthur returns, if you ever want to leave Camelot again, ask me personally for permission to go." To the guards, he orders, "Take him out now." Merlin is led out of the room. Uther goes to look out the window, finishing his drink. "Send Sir Bors to me," he says to the remaining guard.
Gaius says to Merlin, seeing him enter his chambers that evening covered in damp stains from the rotten fruit and vegetables thrown at him, "What happened?"
"Uther had me put into the stocks for leaving Camelot without permission," Merlin answers. "I save Arthur's life, again, and look what I get. It's not fair."
"How long were you in the stocks this time?"
"All afternoon. Did you find out where Arthur is? Is he okay? Where is he? What's happened?" Merlin is frantic to know.
"Yes, he's fine. Arthur has gone to visit his old friend Sir Renald; they squired together, you know." Gaius adds, "He's expected back in a few weeks."
"Weeks?" Merlin echoes.
"Yes," Gaius says. "Merlin, sit down and take your shirt off. I need to tend to that burn before it becomes infected."
Merlin sits reluctantly and removes his tunic; he's edgy about the news that Arthur is gone from Camelot for so long. "I must go to him. What if something happens to him, and I'm not there?"
"No, Merlin, you can't. Uther will never give you permission to leave Camelot, not after this."
Gaius gently applies ointment to the burn that Nimueh had inflicted when Merlin challenged her on the Isle of the Blessed. Merlin had told him of their confrontation that took place before he was restored to life. "How did the boy withstand it?" he wonders to himself. Then he remembers the raw power that Merlin had unleashed when he ultimately killed Nimueh. He is awed still.
Uther's chamberlain, Sir Bors, appears in the doorway of Gaius's chambers. Although he has been head steward at the castle for many years, responsible for household matters and overseeing the servants in their tasks, he's never dealt with Merlin. Uther himself had given Merlin his position as Arthur's manservant the previous year as a reward for saving Arthur's life. But today, Uther had asked him to find something else for the boy to do while Arthur was away. "I'm looking for Merlin," he says.
Merlin turns around to face him. "That's me."
"Good," Sir Bors says. "I have found work for you. You'll be assisting Master Seward in the stables until I say otherwise. The king may not want you to resume your duties as Arthur's manservant when Arthur returns to Camelot."
"What? No, that can't be right."
"He's waiting to see what Arthur wants to do with you, given your insolent manner and unexplained absences. Go to Master Seward to see what he has need of you to do." The chamberlain waits in the doorway.
"What, now?" Merlin asks.
"Yes. Go now." Sir Bors says with annoyance.
Merlin puts on a clean tunic, and heads to the stables. Master Seward is a short, broad shouldered man, with shaggy brown hair and a short beard. He's seen Merlin around trailing after the prince, and knows him to be a fair horseman. But he also knows that Merlin has little experience in working in the stables, apart from the dirty tasks that Arthur has him do as punishment from time to time. He was reluctant to accept Merlin as a stable hand, but Sir Bors told him that the king had insisted. Sighing, he tells the boy to feed and water the horses, and to muck out the stable before he can go to bed. Merlin compiles, and some time later when he's done he starts to head back to Gaius's chambers. Master Seward stops him as he's leaving the barn. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To get something to eat, and then back to my room," Merlin answers.
"No you're not. I need you to stay here in the stables."
"But I haven't eaten supper," Merlin protests.
"You should have thought of that before."
The next day, Merlin is set to mending tack. Master Seward quickly shows him what to do, but since Merlin hasn't done this before, he is slow and does a poor job of it. Seward's young son, Tyr, tries to show Merlin how to do it. "You're really good at this, Tyr." Merlin says. "Thanks for your help."
"My dad taught me how," Tyr says with pride. Tyr is the only son of the stable master and is learning the trade from his father. His mother is a baker in the town; Tyr especially appreciates her skills – and it shows.
When Master Seward looks at the work Merlin had completed, he appears angry and grabs the straps, hitting Merlin with them. "This will teach you how to do it!" he shouts as Merlin cringes under the unexpected onslaught.
Tyr is shocked, "Father!" He cries, "what are you doing?"
"Please, Master Seward," Merlin says, "if you show me how and give me a chance to learn, I can do it. Ask Arthur, I'm a fast learner."
Seward is apologetic. "Sir Bors said that you needed beating to make sure you do as you're told. He said you were lazy and insolent."
"Well, only when I can get away with it," Merlin grins mischievously. "But I'll give you a fair days work, I promise."
Merlin continues to work at the stables, becoming more familiar with what is needed to be done. He particularly enjoys working with the horses, grooming and exercising them.
Several days later, Hunith is well enough to go home to Ealdor. Merlin goes to the council chamber to ask Uther for permission to leave Camelot to take her. "Please, Sire." Merlin begs, "my mother was very ill and really isn't fully recovered. It will take me only two days out and two back to see her safely home."
Uther is sitting at the table in the council chambers and had been discussing a court matter with Sir Bors. He turns to Sir Bors, and asks, "Can he be spared?"
Bors shakes his head no, "Master Seward tells me that the boy is very slow and not keeping up with his work. He's needed at the stables."
"But, please Sir Bors, I can make it up later when I get back."
"You heard Sir Bors, the answer is no. You may not leave Camelot." Uther orders.
Merlin is furious as he leaves the council chambers and storms back to Gaius's rooms. He tells his mother, "we'll leave tomorrow at first light, so let's get ready."
"Did Uther grant you permission to leave, Merlin?" Gaius asks.
"Yeah, sure. What, do you think this place can't do without me for a few days?" Merlin snorts with a laugh. Gaius looks at him with concern, knowing full well what Uther's response probably was and what Merlin plans to do.
Early the next morning, Merlin saddles a gentle mare named Cora for the two of them to ride together. He ties down two bedrolls and his pack with supplies for the journey. He mounts Cora, helping his mother to seat herself in front of him on the saddle. As the sun comes up, they ride out of the Citadel through the town, taking the road north toward Ealdor.