Merlin's Mother Tongue
Set during series three. Italics are what Merlin is saying in Chinese and also for spells.
Disclaimers: I've only had a year of Chinese, I haven't had any classes in Old English, and I do not own BBC Merlin or receive any monetary reward off this story.
The plot is mine, a few things have been improved by my beta reading sister.
Thanks goes to Cahaya Sidur for correcting my Chinese translations. Revision June 28th, 2015.
Merlin knew secrets. He knew that the cook would hunt down anyone who touched her favorite spoon. He knew that the stable boy Henry loved sneaking into the other servant's rooms with itching powder. And most importantly, he knew that Morgana had magic and was evil. He didn't care what Gaius said, today at last he could take it no longer; he was bruised, itchy, and wanted Morgana to be discovered, and he was determined that the last option would happen today. He turned the corner carrying a laundry basket, so entranced by playing out potential "Morgana is an evil sorceress" conversations that he never even heard it coming.
"Specan ond ðencan ðe wordʃ of ðe east."
Merlin was unaware that anything had changed; he woke up Prince Arthur by saying good morning. "早上好，王子！"
It seemed to work; Arthur squinted and mumbled, "Wha-?"
He was getting out of bed. Merlin thought. Get up, Arthur, it's half past eight. "快点起床呀！现在已经八点半！"
Arthur just stared at him.
Your bread and eggs are still warm but will turn cold soon. "你的面包和鸡蛋还很烫，但是不解会变得很凉。"
"Merlin," began Arthur. "What are you babbling about?" Unfortunately, Merlin was the only word in English Merlin could now understand.
Merlin asked, what? "什么？"
"What?" Replied Arthur.
What does that mean? "那是什么意思？" Merlin questioned.
"I don't have time for this." The prince grumbled, throwing a boot, a belt, and a goblet at Merlin. Merlin quickly gathered the laundry and performed his regular servant duties. Neither of them said anything more. Arthur thought Merlin might just be trying to convince him to give him the day off. Merlin assumed that Arthur was angry and speaking in gibberish to infuriate him.
Later, Merlin took the clothes and linens down to the washing room. He accidentally bumped Gwen with his basket and apologized… "对不起。"
"Excuse me?" She replied.
Oh no! Not you too! "哎呀！你也这样了！"
"Knee-yeah-jay-yawn-la?" Gwen repeated, Merlin was irritated at her repetition of what he said because she had pronounced it so wrong. Was she making fun of him?
"我有工作要做。"Merlin said firmly, explaining he had work to do. He threw the laundry into the wash tub.
"Is something wrong?" Gwen asked, dumping hot water onto the clothes.
Could you please speak English? Merlin replied, exasperated. "请您可以说英文吗？"
Thumping was heard along the corridor just before four knights burst into the washroom, ordering, "HALT!" They marched up to Merlin and grabbed him by the shoulders.
Surely this was a joke. "你们一定在开玩笑吧。"
Yet Sir Leon and Gwaine were not laughing. The knights dragged him steadily onwards to the Great Hall, passing the smirking Morgana. Yes, thought Merlin, she must be responsible for all of or Morgause must have enchanted everyone to speak another language during the night. Undoubtedly it was a plot to prevent Camelot from contacting her allies when Morgana's sister attacked the kingdom. Merlin must have been the only one able to resist her spell because of his magic.
Merlin looked at everyone once they entered the Great Hall. King Uther sat on his throne, appearing annoyed. Merlin couldn't tell if Prince Arthur looked more worried or amused. Gaius stood to the side, and Merlin, out of the corner of his eye, saw Gwen rush into the room. Morgana primly sat in her chair.
"I have heard reports that this serving boy is muttering unintelligible words." Uther began. "Doubtless this means he is a sorcerer."
Merlin couldn't stand Morgana's deceit. Gaius, think of something! He blurted out. "医生快想想东西！"
Unfortunately the word for something, "dong-xi," sounded like donkey to King Uther.
"He is sentenced to death tomorrow morning. Chain him in the dungeons!" Uther commanded.
The dungeon was not a happy place for Merlin; this time the guards had chained his wrists and ankles to a chain that led to the door. Maybe everyone would eventually come to their senses, but it would be too late for him. He had to escape.
He spoke magic words, inches from the locks, to avoid the guards hearing, and waited at the door. He then put out the torch near the guards, again using magic. One of the guards attempted to relight the fire, and the other stumbled in the dark. Merlin made his way through the complete darkness by keeping his hand to the wall, scurrying around the guards and up the stairs. Soon the bells clanged in the towers. Tense words rung through the air. He rushed down the hall and smacked into Gaius who pulled him into an alcove. Gaius said something and pointed. He was saying the same word over and over. Finally Merlin caught it, Gaius was saying "Ealdor." Merlin ran off, skirting around the corners, and into the lower town. Of course, the soldiers had already closed the gate. Merlin hid and waited.
Right before dawn, Merlin began creeping around the town. He heard someone coming and jumped under the only thing available…a large garbage cart. The cart had a stabilizing beam between the front and back wheels that Merlin could squish himself on with the full load of the cart balancing above him. It was difficult to keep his arms from throwing him out from under the cart because of the stench. How long would he have to stay underneath? Then Merlin heard the clop of hooves and the cart moved forward.
It took an hour to move through the city. Merlin thought the smell would never wash away. At one point a toddler saw Merlin under the cart and nearly told her mother, but Merlin grinned and the toddler laughed.
After a while, the cart drivers left the cart hooked to a tree and went for a break of fresh air. As long as Merlin was quiet he could sneak off, and this he did.
Merlin had been walking about an hour before he reached a stream where he had a long cold swim to wash out his clothes. He then called Kilgharra. When the dragon began speaking to Merlin in the same tongue, all full of hard sounds at the ends of words, Merlin wondered if it was he himself that was enchanted, but he managed to show Kilgharra where he wanted to go.
It was a relief to see his mother's house in Ealdor, and it was so strange to find how the world looked and felt the same, even though he couldn't understand what people were saying to him. He rapped on the door, waiting a minute for his surprised mother to answer it, after all, it had been a while since he visited, and he hadn't written a letter.
She opened the door, a slight breeze mussing her hair as she hugged him.
"妈妈。" Merlin called his mother.
"Yes, I am your mama, or rather your 'mother.'" Hunith said.
And Merlin began to remember English, after all, "mama" sounds and means the same thing in both languages. Whenever he repeated his mother's words, he remembered what they meant. Soon he went back to Camelot, and even King Uther admitted that Merlin had not been speaking magic words. He enjoyed telling the majority of his story to an amazed Gwen and Gaius, how he hadn't even realized he was speaking another language and how he could still remember the words, adding yet another language to his repertoire. It seemed the enemy's curse had turned into a blessing.
All seemed well until Arthur had Merlin take down a note to post in the armory telling the knights to take down the practice catapult before someone got hurt. However, the next day after seeing a cat fly past his window, Arthur went down to the armory to make sure Merlin had posted the note on the door. He had. It was written in Chinese.
为看看了，我谢谢您。
Thank you for reading.
Reviews are always appreciated.