I got my littlest brother hooked on Merlin and during my re-watch of the first season with him I thought of this. If its been done before, I apologize, but I haven't actually read any fics like this, so I thought I'd write it myself.
Keep in mind that I haven't watched the second season yet. And this is my first Merlin fic.
I'm a Merlin/Morgana shipper, I readily admit, and I wrote this because I thought it would be fun, not because I wanted to start a debate on which ship is best. I don't mind you voicing your opinion, but if all you're going to do is bash my ship, please keep your comments to yourself - I mean this in the most respectful way possible.
Set immediately after the events of 1x08: The Beginning of the End.
Gaius poked his head around Merlin's door. "Merlin, you have a visitor."
Merlin mumbled something incoherent and stuffed his head under his pillow.
"Merlin," Gaius said in his warning voice.
"Tell them to come back tomorrow," Merlin grumbled.
"What if I told you it was a pretty girl?" Gaius asked, sounding as mischievous as his disapproving old voice would allow.
Merlin considered this, lifting the pillow just enough to peek out at the physician. "How do I know you're not just saying that to get me out of bed?"
"You never will know unless you actually do get out of bed," Gaius replied unhelpfully.
He walked away and Merlin tumbled out of bed. "She'd better be unbelievably pretty," he muttered with a yawn. "It's my day off, you know!" he called after Gaius. He'd had a dreadful night. After he helped the druid boy escape with Arthur, he'd tossed and turned and wondered if he'd done the right thing. By the time sleep finally overcame him, the first pink tinges of dawn were already gleaming on Camelot's towers.
Now, as he stumbled barefoot down the stairs, blinking hard and rubbing the side of his head, he could see bright noonday sunshine streaming in through the windows. Gaius might have let him sleep all day if not for his visitor. "Unbelievably pretty," he reminded himself, though he didn't believe Gaius for a second. More likely Arthur was already back from the druids and wanted him to muck out the stables.
He was surprised to find the Lady Morgana waiting for him. "Gaius, why didn't you just tell me it was Morgana?" he asked balefully. If he'd known it was her, he would have at least combed his hair before setting foot outside his room.
"Must've slipped my mind," Gaius said distractedly. He was working doggedly on whatever concoction he was brewing, trying to pretend he was not at all suspicious.
"Sorry to wake you, Merlin. I know you must've had a late night, but I wanted to know how everything went," Morgana explained. "I would've asked Arthur, but he's not back yet."
"Oh, no, it's fine." Merlin insisted sleepily. As if he would tell her otherwise. "I was a little late, but everything went fine. The king didn't suspect anything?"
"He suspects plenty," Morgana replied. "But he has no proof. I was with him the whole time. You're sure nobody saw you?"
"Well I haven't been arrested yet," Merlin said. "So I guess not."
"Merlin!" Gaius interrupted, his voice a mixture of surprise and disapproval. He turned his imperious eyebrows on Morgana. "Morgana!" For a moment, this seemed to be all he was capable of saying. "You two helped the druid boy, didn't you?" he finally exploded.
No answer was needed. Merlin's guilty face and Morgana's defiant one told the physician everything. Merlin sighed inwardly. He was going to catch it now, for sure. Gaius would have him doing all the worst chores for a month, at least. "And you involved Arthur in this?" Gaius persisted.
"Gaius," Morgana said, in a pleading voice. "We couldn't - I couldn't - let Uther kill him. He's just a little boy!"
This did not placate him. His eyebrows rose even higher, making him look more disapproving than Merlin would have thought possible. "If Uther finds out about this - " he began.
"How would he?" Merlin interrupted. "Arthur's not going to tell him, Morgana's not going to tell him, I'm certainly not going to tell him… unless you plan to - "
Gaius scowled at him. "Of course not, Merlin! But don't assume that because I helped the boy I approve of what you've done." He didn't spare Morgana his glare. "Don't make a habit of this," he said sternly.
"Yes sir," Merlin said meekly.
The physician caught sight of Morgana's slightly amused face and addressed her. "I'm serious, Morgana. I know Uther made a vow to your father, but he'll only forgive you so many times before that promise stops holding weight. You must be careful."
"Please, Gaius," Morgana said, sounding as though she was annoyed but trying not to show it. "I've already heard as much from Uther himself."
Gaius regarded her severely, but her expression did not change. Merlin wished he could be as steady as she was under the old man's gaze, but then Gaius couldn't send her out to fetch him any eye of newt. "All the more reason to be cautious," he said, and turned back to his work.
"You'd better tell Arthur the same thing," he continued, picking up a phial of opaque yellow liquid. Merlin wasn't sure if he was talking to him, Morgana, or both of them.
"Not likely," Merlin snorted, thinking of what Arthur might say if he started bossing him around. Gaius glared and Merlin shuffled uneasily. "Uh, I mean, of course I will," he stammered.
Gaius stared him down a moment longer before turning back to his workbench. Merlin assumed this meant he was allowed to breathe easily again and crossed to the cupboard, rummaging about for something to eat.
"I'm actually rather impressed with Arthur," Morgana remarked. "I didn't think he'd help us. He can be such a pushover when it comes to his father."
"Not always," Merlin said. "He got me that antidote when I got poisoned, remember. Uther didn't approve of that either."
Morgana snorted. "I had to convince him to do that too," she said dismissively.
Merlin peered over his shoulder at her, blinking in surprise. "You did?"
"I sort of told him he'd make a poor king if he didn't," she explained, not looking at all remorseful.
"Oh. Well," Merlin said, still a little surprised. "I'm sure he took that well. And I'm sure he'd love to know how much faith you have in him." He pulled out an apple and cleaned it on his shirt.
"Don't worry, I won't tell him," Morgana laughed. "I'm going to have to let him be smug for days. 'Lady Morgana had to ask Prince Arthur for help'," she mocked. "Ugh. If I don't he'll probably tell Uther it was all my idea to begin with."
Gaius grunted something that sounded like "hmph!" But when they looked at him, he had his back to them and was mixing herbs industriously.
"Anyway," Morgana continued. "I was much more impressed with you, Merlin."
Merlin froze with the apple halfway to his mouth. "You were?" he blurted without really thinking.
Morgana flashed him a smile. "Of course. Uther wouldn't execute his own son - even over magic. You took a much bigger risk. Which is why I also came to say thank you."
Merlin flushed, smiling embarrassedly. He shrugged. "It was nothing."
"It was not nothing," Morgana insisted.
Merlin attempted a smirk, "I did mention that I was late, right?" he joked.
Morgana ignored him. "We couldn't have done it without you," she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, Merlin. Really."
"Um," said Merlin.
Morgana didn't seem to notice that she had just turned his brain to mush. "Don't lecture him too much, please, Gaius," she said sweetly and sailed regally out of the room.
Merlin was still leaning against the cupboard and trying to remember his name when Gaius turned on him. "If you can manage it without getting into too much trouble," the physician said acidly, his eyebrows working harder than ever, "I need some yarrow, and thyme. Oh, and also eye of newt."
"Uh huh."
"Merlin, are you listening?"
"Uh yeah," Merlin said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "You said you needed rosemary?"
Gaius sighed exasperatedly. "Oh, never mind. Just go fetch me some fresh water. You can remember that, can't you?"
Merlin nodded, grabbing a bucket and heading to the door. "Oh, and Gaius?" he said, just before he left.
"Yes, Merlin?"
"I'm glad you dragged me out of bed."
"Indeed." Gaius's expression didn't change but for - was that a hint of a smile Merlin saw? "Try not to do anything illegal today, Merlin," he said.
Merlin grinned. "I'll do my best."