Disclaimer: Merlin belongs entirely to the BBC, not to me.

It was getting close to Christmas and everyone in Camelot was preparing for the big day. Carts rolled into the city filled with trees. Men, women, and children ran to and fro getting presents for their loved ones. Everyone was excited, everyone was happy, everyone wished Christmas would hurry up and get here. Everyone that is except for Merlin.

It was his first Christmas away from Ealdor and he was getting more and more homesick as the day drew nearer. He wondered his mother was up to. Would she be decorating the tree? Or maybe making a scarf for one their neighbors. He sighed as he stared out the window of Gaius's chambers.

Snow was falling on the ground and people were running around making snowmen or igloos or having snow ball fights. He had a longing to join them, but he didn't know anyone and he thought he would just get in the way. He was still brooding when Gaius find him.

"Merlin," Gaius began, "what would you like for Christmas?"

"To go home." said Merlin, wistfully, still looking out the window. "To spend the day with my mother and all my friends in Ealdor. To sit around the hearth at home." Merlin sighed again and looked back at Gaius. "But I know that can't happen. I'm Arthur's servant. I can't go. I have duties here."

Without saying another word, he got up and went over to the door and left. Gaius watching him go and felt pity for the boy. Merlin was such a hard worker, he had saved Arthur's life, and he deserved a break every now and then.

Arthur smiled with satisfaction as he looked at the small collection of gifts that lay on his table. There was a new sheath of his father, a necklace for Morgana, a few things for some of the knights, and a book for Gaius. The only people Arthur hadn't gotten anything for yet were Merlin and Guinevere. He wanted to get them something, even if he knew that a prince shouldn't buy gifts for their servants. Yet he knew that Morgana had secretly bought something for Gwen (and Arthur was sure, Merlin too) and he was not going to be out done by her.

Besides, even if he would never admit it, he was actually quite fond of them both. Merlin might be incompetent and rather stupid at times, but there was something about him...maybe it was the surprising wit Merlin had. Who knew? As for Guinevere, he had been surprised to find a friend in Morgana's handmaid. Ever since the four of them had gone to Ealdor only a short while ago, Guinevere had suddenly become a strong and faithful alley and friend, not just the handmaid to the king's ward.

Arthur figured he'd get Guinevere some ribbons or something to put her hair in, but that still left Merlin. What to do for him? Arthur frowned as he tried to think of something Merlin would like. His thinking was interrupted when Merlin himself entered to begin his daily chores.

Merlin didn't look his usually self. He didn't seem in the mood for their usual banter and after a few failed attempts on Arthur's part to draw him into something resembling an actual conversation, Arthur finally got the hint that something was wrong. "Are you alright, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. "Just feeling a bit homesick, sire." Arthur knew it was bad then. Merlin only called him "sire", instead of Arthur, when he really upset or depressed. That sparked an idea and Arthur suddenly knew what he could do for Merlin for Christmas.

Christmas day dawned, bright and cheery, like the snow continued to gently fall on the ground. "He's going to love this." said Gwen. She, Morgana, and Arthur were hiding in Merlin's room with his "present", waiting for him to show up to help Gaius out. Arthur had to let Gwen and Morgana in on the surprise and they had both been as enthusiastic about it as he was. "It really was a good idea, Arthur." Gwen told him. He beamed at her, pleased to have gotten her approval. For some reason that he could not explain, he had lately found himself trying to impress her.

Gaius too was in on the secret and he had been more than happy to play a part. Merlin soon arrive after going on a fool's errand that Arthur had sent him on in order to get him out of the way. He tried to look cheerful, it was Christmas after all.

He handed Gaius something, folded up in cloth, which the physician took and unwrapped, revealing some herbs. "I didn't know what else to get you." Merlin told him.

"That's alright, Merlin." Gaius reassured him. "Now, I think it's time for your present." No sooner were the words out of his mouth then the door to Merlin's room opened. Merlin's jaw dropped in surprise. "Mother!" He ran to here and threw his arms around here. "You're here! You're really here!"

Hunith laughed. "Yes, I am." Merlin turned to Gaius.

"How did you...?"

"Oh, it wasn't me." Gaius told him as Arthur, followed by Morgana and Gwen appeared from behind Hunith. "It was Arthur."

Merlin couldn't think of what to say. He was deeply touched that Arthur would take the time and the trouble to get his mother here to Camelot. No words could describe how he felt. So he just went with the simplest. "Thank you." Arthur nodded in return.

Merlin smiled. This had turned out to be a wonderful Christmas after all.