Chapter 1 – An Ominous Sign
Merlin woke in a cold sweat. His head was pounding and he was shaking. Wearily, the young swung his legs over the bed and rested his feet on the dirty stone floor. *I had best clean the floor before going to attend to Arthur's needs,* Merlin thought with a weary sigh. He raked his hands through his hair as he sat there. Merlin knew he needed to get up and get moving. But, he couldn't seem to make himself get up and go. "What woke me," Merlin mumbled.
"Perhaps it was the sun streaming into your bedroom," Gaius said from the doorway. He smiled at Merlin as he entered. "Did you sleep well?"
"I guess," Merlin replied. "I did until I was woken. I think I was dreaming about something. But what it was, I don't remember."
"Ah, well, if it was important, you would've remembered. Come, Merlin, you need to get up and get moving. You wouldn't want to keep Arthur waiting for his breakfast," Gaius said with a wink.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to keep that royal prat waiting," Merlin said with a sheepish grin.
Gaius frowned at the young warlock. "Merlin, you know you shouldn't call him that!"
"Of course I do," Merlin said as he threw on a fresh shirt, tied a red handkerchief around his neck, and shrugged on his usual brown jacket. He rushed passed Gaius and down the steps into the main living quarters of his Camelot home.
"Grab something to eat! You look a bit pallid this morning." he heard his mentor call out. But, he had already left the quarters; thus he couldn't grab anything to eat or to reply.
Arthur was waiting for Merlin with a cross look on his face. "Merlin," the Prince drawled. "You're *late*, as usual."
"Sorry!" Merlin said.
Arthur sighed as he rolled his eyes. "You had best get moving. You need to cook my breakfast, shine my armor, muck the stalls, and prepare my horse. We're going hunting today!"
Merlin found himself groaning. He absolutely HATED the hunting trips, but the young warlock didn't protest. "Got it, my Prince," he said instead.
"My, my, you are learning. No 'Prat' or anything of the sort," Arthur said. "Ah, good morning, Gwen! Merlin has learned."
"What has he learned," Gwen said as she set down a stack of cleaned linins.
"He's learned not to call me a prat," Arthur said as he sat down at the table.
"Is that something he should've learned? You can be a prat sometimes, you know," she said as she blushed slightly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. You're not a prat always."
"But, I can be a prat *sometimes*?"
"Well, yes! Oh, I should just keep my mouth shut."
"Gwenivere! It's fine – really."
Merlin grinned a little as he finished preparing Arthur's meal. It was a simple dish of sausages, cheese, and bread, but that was what he usually wanted on his hunting trips. That was one thing about the hunting trips he liked. Arthur wanted simple food that was filling – nothing complicated that Merlin had no clue how to make. He brought the dish of food to Arthur. "Here you go! Hope you like it."
Arthur stared down at the plate that was set before him. "My, my, Merlin, aren't you the sharp one today? You may go and clean my armor now."
"Got it," Merlin said as he dashed down the hallway. Halfway to the armory, Merlin stopped. It felt as if a jolt had gone through him. He leaned against the stone wall and put his head between his knees.
"Merlin! Merlin, are you all right? You don't look well," Gwen said as she rushed over to Merlin's side. She placed a gentle hand on his forearm as she bent and looked him in the eye.
"I-I'm fine. I just have a headache and a since of déjà vu. It's nothing," Merlin promised her as the pain subdued.
"Do you need me to go and get Gaius? You don't look like you feel well."
Merlin shook his head. "No! No, I don't need Gaius," Merlin promised. "I had best get going. I've got armor to clean. See you later, Gwen." With those words, Merlin dashed off not to the armory, but to the caves.
