Title: Never Say I Didn't Tell You
Disclaimer: Not mine, are these really needed? If I owned the show would I really be making fan-fiction?
Arthur wasn't cranky. Kings don't get cranky, they are always the perfect picture of calm, wisdom and well other kingly qualities but never cranky. So if he snapped at the serving maids during negotiations a little too harshly than it was for a perfectly legitimate reason. It wasn't his fault that they were moving too slow, though the table surrounded by Druid representatives may have been the cause of their trepidation.
It had been nearly a week since the negotiations to allow the Druids to live peacefully within Camelot's boarders had started. Days of negotiating land settlements, arranging reparations and convincing the court nobles that "Yes, I am aware that they are magic" and "No, I am not under some enchantment". He had been spending sleepless nights working on revising Camelot's laws to allow the Druids the freedom he had promised them. So even if Arthur was a bit cranky, though he isn't, he would be perfectly just in his behavior… At least until Gwen found out and made him apologize.
Sighing at the thought of the inevitable talking to he was going to receive later from his Queen, Arthur walked down the halls of the castle to his quarters. Thankfully, after a full day of tedious negotiating he had some time to catch up on some much needed sleep. With this in mind he strode up to his door and entered his room to be greeted by the odd, though somehow unsurprising, sight of his manservant/friend on the floor of his chambers with his body halfway under the King's bed.
Seeing as the idiot hadn't heard him enter, and really, who could pass up an opportunity like that, the king slowly approached his servant before yelling "Merlin," at the top of his lungs. He was then rewarded with a rather satisfying whack as Merlin's head impacted the bottom of the bed.
He watched as Merlin scrambled up into a standing position while rubbing the back of his head with his left hand. "What was that for?" he asked while giving the King an evil glare.
"For being an idiot and sneaking around under my bed," Arthur answered with a smirk before taking in his servant's appearance. He looked nervous, like he does whenever he tries to hide something. Plus he was keeping his right hand behind his back. He was up to something, narrowing his eyes Arthur asked, "Just what were you doing under there and what is behind your back?"
"Um, what?" Merlin supplied intelligently while tilting his head to the side and trying to play things down with a smile. Now Arthur knew that his manservant was up to no good.
"Simple enough question Mer-lin," Arthur stretched out his name for emphasis, "I know you're up to no good, so you can tell me what it is now or after a day in the stocks".
Deflating with a sigh Merlin responded. "Alright, you've caught me. I'm an all-powerful Warlock who's also your secret protector. I've battled countless magical foes to save you and Camelot from destruction so that you can become the Once and Future King to unite the land of Albion and restore magic to the realm," he pauses to catch his breath before continuing, "I recently discovered that a Noble had placed a magical poultice under your bed to induce madness so that he could claim you were being manipulated by the Druids and keep the laws from being changed," Merlin finished with a goofy smile on his face as he waited for his King's reply.
"Merlin," Arthur stared at him with a blank expression. "Don't be an idiot," he didn't have time to deal with his manservant's silly excuses at the moment. Hearing that longwinded tale just reminded the King of how tired he was. "Whatever it is you're up to just try and not to make a mess of things, now leave so I can get some rest."
"Yes Sire," Merlin bowed and backed out the room while keeping his hand behind his back. "Just remember Arthur, never say I didn't tell you," and with that he was gone.
AN: Just a quick thought I had about what might be a funny scene, let me know what you think.