This story is a subset of an existing story I wrote up.
Takes place before season 4. The annual tournament is about to commence and everyone is excited. However, the kingdom is not aware of Morgana's plans to attack Camelot.
In this story, we will get to meet most of Arthur's future round table (according to legend).
"Merlin, I made a mistake yesterday," Arthur began, as Merlin was about to open his mouth for a shot. Arthur immediately lifted his hand as a warning."No jokes Merlin," Merlin withdrew and smirked, trying to contain himself. "Yesterday, after telling you about my fathers' wish to have you stand on guard during the tournament... because Morgana has that keen desire to uhm,"
"Kill me?" Merlin said blinking.
"Well yes, and that putting you on guard duty with the other knights during the tournament is a great way to catch her..."
"You mean act as a bait?" Merlin corrected numbly.
"Right.." Arthur repled scratching his neck, "Anyway, what I realized was, that I've been treating you as if you were a knight."
Merlin listened on.
"Merlin, when I work with my knights, I expect courage, eagerness, and a willingness to face the world of danger." Arthur said passionately. "I sometimes forget, Merlin, that you are not a knight, and that you are just like every other villager in Camelot - Defenseless, unable to protect themselves, and unable to fight."
"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" Merlin offered, giving Arthur a quizzical look.
"It's meant to keep you alive." Arthur said rolling his eyes. "Look Merlin. Placing you out there as bait for Morgana is like sending an innocent villager out there vulnerable for attack. I've decided I can't let you go out there." Arthur said pointing to no where.
"Well that's all fine and spectacular Arthur, but the whole reason I'm sent there is because the King orders it. How would you be able to disobey him?"
Arthur looked at Merlin carefully, dropped his arm, and looked behind him with the rag clenched in his hands.
"Well… I thought about that…"
"And..?" Merlin asked, waiting. Arthur turned to Merlin slowly and considered him for a second.
"I think you should leave… leave Camelot."
"Leave….? But …can I come back?"
Arthur looked away.
"Listen Merlin," Arthur began painfully, and then looked up at Merlin. "I don't want you to risk you're life here. Not for this. If it means that you have to go back to Ealdor, then –"
Merlin listened but he mentally shook his head. He couldn't shake his bad feeling about Morgana and what she could potentially do to Camelot. If Morgana was going to be caught, this would be a good way to do it.
"Arthur, I'm going to do it." Merlin interrupted.
"MERLIN? I just said you aren't!" Arthur argued.
"Come on Arthur, I've been through much worse! How many battles have I've been a apart of. There's been billions of beasts I've faced and I've been alright. If you are really worried about subjecting me to deathly hazards, I'd suggest you stop having me muck out your horses."
"Merlin, look… those other times you were fine because you had me to save you and defend you… I'm not going to be there to do that this time!"
Merlin tried to contain his urge to scoff. He shook his head instead and spoke.
"Well, maybe I'll be fine this time. Look Arthur, you need to catch Morgana and I can handle it. You said yourself you'll send the best knights out to protect me if something happens. I survived Morgana before."
Arthur glared at Merlin thoughtfully and looked down.
"You do have a way of surviving things…" Arthur relented. "You sure you want to do this?"
"Yeah... I have to, Arthur. I can't let Morgana do this." Merlin said.
Arthur sighed and looked at the grass.
Merlin smiled, but found himself feeling a little strange. Did he just have to argue with Arthur to allow him to risk his life?
"So… do I get a reward for this or something?" Merlin dared, with a smile.
Arthur turned to Merlin confused.
"For what?"
"Arthur… I just agreed to risk my life for this plan of yours. I think I did a pretty honorable thing and it deserves something special…"
Arthur lifted his eyebrow showing a little more interest in the conversation.
"Well, Merlin, I'm not sure you noticed but if I hadn't offered you to not do it, it wouldn't have depended on you to agree to do it." Arthur smiled mockingly, wounding up his rag and walking over to the practice field.
"Are you kidding?" Merlin said, following Arthur. Arthur stopped and turned around acting with chaff. "Arthur, if I wanted to escape, I wouldn't have to wait for you to offer it."
"I would have never let you escape."
"Well that's the point of it being an escape - you escape the people in secret," Merlin said, awaiting Arthur's comeback. He couldn't believe Arthur was acting so swollen-headed, just after Arthur began to show some sensitivity.
Arthur turned around and looked at Merlin for some time and finally laughed softly.
"You know what…" Arthur began in what seem to be genuineness. "Alright Merlin… fine. I got just the thing. Tell me - what is one thing that you've been asking from me since you first became my servant?"
"More pocket money?"
"Uh… no."
"A better horse?"
"No..."
"A jacket like yours? The red one?"
"That's not going to happen."
"A room in the castle, the one in the corner near your-"
"Never."
"A –"
"Merlin, think of something not so tangible!"
"A hug?"
"Wai-What?"
"Oh just tell me!"
"Merlin, you've told me you've wanted me to take you to the tavern."
Merlin wished he didn't expect a week off serving Arthur, because it made this reward sound terrible.
"Arthur… we've been to a tavern together before..."
"Aahh but you're wrong..." Arthur said excitedly, raising his finger.
"I think I'm right... we went to a tavern in another town some months ago and -"
"Merlin, I'm talking about going where people will recognize me. Not some place outside of Camelot. This time we will go to the Old Archer."
The Old Archer was the tavern in Camelot that all the knights went to and the prince during rare occasions.
"So you're calling this a reward? For me to show up with you at a tavern?" Merlin asked, trying to see if he missed something.
"It's not just about going with me Merlin… it's much more than that." Arthur began looking far off to the distance. "A prince showing up with his servant at a tavern is a big deal for you Merlin. A huge honor! It tells people about how honorable the servant is, and how he is seen by the royalties of Camelot." Arthur said, then turning to Merlin. "You Merlin will be a changed man after going. People will give you free food, clothes, anything because they will respect you so much. Women may even go after you." Arthur winked, before heading off.
Merlin followed Arthur and imagined walking down the streets of Camelot amidst people cheering him on and applauding, cooks running up to him with plates of sizzling roast lamb and bowing down, vivacious tailors presenting him with a bright red scarf sitting on a golden tray, and a short man bringing him a beautiful black horse jumping in the air with a coat glistening in the sun.
"I want to call him Abastor!" Merlin blurted out to a very puzzled Arthur. A few moments past.
"Are you sure you're okay, Merlin?" Arthur asked coming closer as he lifted a eyebrow.
"Yeah, sorry," Merlin replied. In all honesty, the whole idea did sound convincing. When Merlin mentioned he was Arthurs servant to the baker he met earlier, he got a free basket of bread. Of course it was meant to go to the prince. "Alright, so when do we get to go?"
"We'll head out after sunset. See you then… " Arthur said leaving to continue practice fighting with his practice opponent.
It had been years since Arthur used Merlin as a practice opponent. After Merlin proved to be slightly pathetic in withstanding Arthurs strikes, those practice opponent roles were given to the knights.
Merlin nodded and grinned at Arthur, but to his dismay, a glint of nerves and worry flashed in Arthur's eyes before he reluctantly smiled back.