Not much to say really. New story that is probably going to be a one-shot, possibly two-shot if that's what people want.
Disclaimer: _ . . _ _ _ _ . _ / _ _ _ . _ _ _ . / _ _ . . _ . . _ . . . . _ . / (Translated from Morse code that means: Don't Own Merlin)
For Merlin, it had been a peaceful day in Camelot. Arthur had gone off on a hunting trip with Leon, Percival, Elyan and Gwaine and left him behind to complete last weeks chores. Gaius had gone to treat an illness a couple days ride away and left Merlin to clean the leech tank. With no one around to catch him or tell him off Merlin had used a couple of quick spells to complete the work and give himself some time off. That had been a couple of hours ago.
Merlin had found a new spell book in the room hidden by a revolving bookshelf in the library. The last time that he had been in here, he had been looking for a box lined with lead to capture a goblin. He had been successful. Now after smuggling in a chair and tidying up a bit, Merlin had made himself a quiet reading nook.
He was just trying out a new spell that made you walk upside down with interesting effects when he heard the fatal cry.
"MERlin!" Merlin winced. Trust Arthur to come looking for him just when he had found a new and exciting spell. Tucking the book out of sight, Merlin made his way back to the revolving bookshelf and, checking that the coast was clear, slipped out of the room. He was just in time. Arthur turned the corner, his face slightly redder then it should be from the shouting. The king looked at him slightly suspiciously.
"Why didn't you come when I asked?" The king asked, his voice deadly quiet.
"Ummm… Well, you were just coming around the corner and I didn't see the point in walking the distance when you were perfectly capable of doing it yourself." Arthur gave the babbling servant his best death glare but didn't answer.
"We have a patient waiting for you in Gaius's chambers. Gwen is with her now and the others are all looking for you. Come on." Arthur turned away and began walking back the way he had come. Merlin didn't know what to say. They had a patient for him? Gwen was far better at the healing process, why didn't she help whoever it was? Merlin mentally slapped himself. Gwen was the Queen. Of coarse Arthur wouldn't let her take care of some random person that they had found.
Merlin dragged his feet down the well known corridors to Gaius's chambers. He hated being responsible for peoples well being when it came to medicine. After that episode with the Lamia and the mysterious sickness that he couldn't cure, Merlin had been extra careful about treating people without Gaius around to help.
Merlin bumped into Gwaine halfway to Gaius's chambers. The drunk knight had obviously been sent by Arthur to get Merlin to hurry up. Gwaine eventually gave Merlin the message but the servant didn't quicken his pace. He finally pushed the door open with a very talkative Gwaine and was greeted by the other knights, Arthur and Gwen. Silently everyone but Gwen moved away to let Merlin see his patient.
She was a pretty thing, with long black hair that was slightly matted and tangled. Her feet and hands were bruised and cut and her skin was slightly paler then a normal persons. She wore a long deep purple dress that would have once been that of royalty. But the thing that Merlin noticed the most was her face. How could he forget that face. It was Freya.
Three years ago he had put her in a boat and set fire to it. Two years ago he had thought that he had seen a shadow of her in the woods during a hunt. One year ago she had appeared to him in the water and helped them recover Camelot from the grip of Morgana. That had been the closest that he had been to seeing her again alive.
Merlin was unaware of the stares and strange looks that he was getting. She was back. Back from the dead. He let the ghost of a smile touch his lips before he was pulled back into reality by a smack to the head and a loud drawn out Merlin from Arthur.
"Where was she found?" He asked. The knights looked at each other. It was a strange question. Finally Elyan answered.
"Near a lake." Merlin hadn't needed the piece of information but it helped him realise that this was real. Merlin stood up and walked up the short flight of stairs to his bedchamber. He exited the room a moment later carrying a basket which he tossed to Percival.
"I need strawberries. As many as you can find." Everyone was slightly taken aback by his request. There was an injured and unconscious girl laying on the table with a cloak for a pillow and Merlin wanted strawberries.
"Strawberries?" Arthur asked weakly. Merlin nodded firmly. The boys looked at each other before setting off to pick strawberries, leaving Gwen and Merlin behind. Merlin began tidying up and grabbing bottles while Gwen waited until after the knights had gone before asking Merlin herself.
"Why do you want strawberries Merlin? It's not in any medicine that I know." Merlin didn't answer.
"Merlin?" She asked again. Merlin lied through his teeth.
"Gaius says that strawberries are good if you wake up from unconsciousness." Gwen didn't seem entirely convinced but she didn't persist.
"I will leave you now Merlin. She's in good hands." She gave the girl a soft smile before leaving through the open door. After Merlin was certain that the Queen was gone, he put down the bottles and got out a damp cloth. Pulling up a chair he sat down by Freya's side and held her hand. With his other he began to lightly dab at her forehead with the cloth.
After a time he stopped and began clean the cuts and scrapes on her legs. He was halfway done when the knights burst in carrying a basket of red fruits. They too were covered in scratches and were grinning from ear to ear. Getting up he walked over and looked in the basket. He was disappointed but only for a moment. They hadn't brought back any strawberries, but the basket was full of ripe raspberries. Merlin picked one up meticulously and held it up.
"These aren't strawberries." The knights suddenly didn't looked so pleased with themselves.
"These are raspberries. I need strawberries. Strawberries are bigger then this, with pips on the outside and a green fluffy thing on the top"
"Won't these work?" Arthur asked in a pleading voice.
"Nope." The knights left with another empty basket after leaving the one with the raspberries on the table beside Merlin. It was a good thing that Merlin loved raspberries.
Once the knights had left, Merlin went back to tending to Freya. Her skin was regaining some of its color but she was still to pale for Merlin's liking. Rushing in to his room again, he pulled off his pillow and thin blanket and brought them back down to the girl. He laid them gently over her and replaced the cloak under her head with the pillow. She stirred at his touch. He brought his hand back down and gently stroked two fingers across her cheeks. Merlin smiled. She was awakening.
Merlin bent his head over hers and gave her a light kiss on her forehead, his lips barely grazing her skin. Freya's eyelids fluttered and opened. She stared up at him for what seemed like eternity, her deep brown eyes meeting his pale blue ones before she recognized him. Her face transformed itself once she smiled. Her already pretty face was made even more beautiful.
"Merlin." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. She lifted her head slightly off the pillow and Merlin leaned forward to close the gap. His lips met hers and he lost himself. He wrapped his arms around her and supported her head while she held him tight by the neck.
It was that moment that the door creaked open quietly and that the knights decided come back with the strawberries. Merlin and Freya didn't notice them. Arthur looked around the door and his eyes widened when he saw them. He backed off, bumping into Gwaine and shoving the rest of the knights into the corridor. They all looked at Arthur in mild surprise and were about to ask why he had done what he had done when Gwen came up to them. She backed Arthur up against the wall and whispered.
"You saw them didn't you? You saw them." Arthur could only nod silently. Gwen turned around and picked up the strawberries which had fallen to the ground in the confusion.
"Stay here." With that she entered the room, closing the door behind her. Merlin broke reluctantly apart from Freya and turned his gaze to Gwen. She was looking at them with a small smile on her face.
"Strawberries?" The Queen said before handing the basket to Merlin.
The girl on the table smiled up at the manservant.
"You remembered."
"Of course."
Very short, I know, but this has been sitting on my laptop doing nothing and I decided to post it. Hope that you liked it.
The little blue button at the bottom is transforming in to blue cheese. Your mouse can not resist the delicious cheese. Your mouse has now clicked on the cheese and is now happily munching away while you type a review. I have gotten an email from telling me about the new comment and I am now dancing.
This is what will happen in just a moment to you, the blue button turned cheese, your mouse and me. I am telling the future. Hint… Hint…