"Remind me again what I'm doing here." Merlin asked a grumble in his voice.
"Because I asked you too, and you always like to make me happy." Gwen laughed, pins in her mouth. "I've almost finished then you are free to continue washing my husband's socks." She said, a smile in her voice. "anyone else would be happy just to take a break from such chores."
"You know what a miserable so and so your husband is if he hasn't got any socks to wear." Merlin said "so I am actually doing you a favour by doing this chore!" he exclaimed.
"Oh Merlin why do you still want to be a servant when you have a position in the court now?" Gwen asked curious.
"It helps me keep grounded." He said, after a pause. "So much has changed for me that it's just nice to have something to do that is familiar."
Gwen looked at him, "Yes I think I understand, I know when I first became Queen I'd of done anything to return to changing the bed sheets!"
"Gwen I do believe you are being sarcastic." Merlin objected a light smile on his lips. "You are starting to behave like Arthur!"
Gwen laughed, "Go on I've finished, you can go back to your chores."
"You are not going to make anything over fussy are you?" Merlin asked as he walked to the door. "I don't want to end up looking like a Christmas turkey again!"
"It will be very elegant, I can promise you, you'll be the envy of the court." She smiled at him.
Merlin looked at her for a second his eyes wondering if that was a good thing or a bad thing. He decided to let it drop, though why she was fussing over his clothing all of a sudden, he didn't have a clue. Not even that but even Arthur was starting to ask him questions of a personal nature, it was enough to put the warlock on edge! What are they planning he wondered to himself.
Next day he visited Gaius, as ever delighted to spend some time with his mentor. Gaius smiled as Merlin plopped himself down at the table.
"How are you?" Gaius enquired, as he measured some ingredient for one of this potions.
"Over worked as ever." Merlin replied a wry smile on his face.
"But would you want it any other way?" Gaius laughed.
"Probably not." Merlin agreed. "What about you?" he looked closely at Gaius.
"Creaking but at my age, it would be unusual if I wasn't." Gaius replied. "oh when Arthur passed before he asked me to find out what you would be doing tomorrow afternoon?"
"This is seriously starting to spook me out now Gaius." Merlin exclaimed, his eyes moving around the room.
"What is?" Gaius asked curiously.
"All of a sudden Gwen is making me new clothes." Merlin began.
"Oh Gwen just wants you to look smart." Gaius argued.
"Arthur is starting to ask questions about my wellbeing. Now you must admit Gaius, that is strange."
Gaius laughed it off, "Arthur has always cared about you deep down, Merlin."
Merlin got up suddenly determined. "They are up to something Gaius, and I am going to find out what."
Gaius shook his head smiling indulgently at Merlin, "I think maybe you had too much sun yesterday, it's affecting your mind."
"Thanks Gaius." Merlin said at the door, not quite sure what to make of the comment.
The Next Day
"Ah it's Merlin the man of the ho- oh er." Gwaine began before Percival poked him in the side. Merlin noticed and looked at Gwaine intently.
"You were saying Gwaine?" he encouraged.
"Was I?" Gwaine replied smiling at the pair of them.
"You were going to say something Gwaine, before Percival stopped you." He looked at the pair of them, determined to make it clear, he was on to them.
"No, no Merlin, your mind is playing tricks on you." Gwaine laughed slapping Merlin on the back as he walked off with Percival.
"Maybe you had too much sun yesterday." Percival called over his shoulder.
Merlin shook his head in disbelief over the fact that a second person had questioned his sanity in one day. It's not me whose mad, he raged to himself.
Merlin continued to mutter to himself down the corridor, on his way to Arthur's chambers. He could hear Gwen's voice as well as Arthur's, that was unusual for Gwen to be with him at this time. He slowed his pace and tried to listen, without making it obvious that that was what he was doing. He suddenly thought to himself in alarm, if I get caught doing this, I'll have some explaining to do! He strained his ears I wonder if there's a spell, he wondered to himself that would allow me to –
"What are you doing Merlin?"
Merlin jumped as he turned and faced an inquisitive Leon and Elyan.
Merlin smiled in panic, "This isn't what it looks like." The warlock stammered his face going red. "I'm not trying to listen."
"I'm sure your not." Elyan said, "I'm sure there is a perfect innocent explanation."
"Absolutely!" Merlin agreed desperately trying to think of one. "I sort of surprised them last time, so I thought if I could gauge what they were saying, I could work out whether it was save to go in the room or not." Merlin explained feeling suddenly out of breath.
"A-ha" Leon and Elyan said in unison.
"Merlin, I find knocking on a door saves a lot of standing around on drafty corridors." Leon smiled.
"Yes." Merlin smiled "I will try that."
"You do that." Leon said over his shoulder as he and Elyan walked off laughing.
Merlin swore in frustration, he still didn't have a clue what was going on. Merlin knocked on Arthur's door, and walked in not waiting for an answer. Arthur and Gwen were in the middle of the room, in their finery. Both seemed to jump as they saw Merlin walk in.
"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed.
"Well you are observant today!" Merlin muttered through clenched teeth.
Gwen tittered at the comment, though not before swiping at Arthur who had obviously taken offence at the remark and was about to answer.
"Did you hear what he said!" Arthur complained to Gwen.
"Arthur why don't you go on to the meeting." Gwen said encouraging him out of the room.
"What meeting?" Merlin asked, wondering why he didn't know about it.
"Oh it's not an important one, just about some silly tournament." Gwen lied.
"Well I'm glad I'm not going to it then. I'll do some chores." He said.
"Merlin your new clothes have arrived, I wondered if you'd try them on for me." Gwen said.
"Must I?" Merlin said looking pained.
"Please, just for me." Gwen begged, widening her eyes at him.
"Oh if I must." He said following Gwen's finger he found the clothes neatly stacked up on the bed. He looked at them, pleasently surprised by how good they looked. He was pleased she had used his preferred brown in the shirt, though in a finer type of material he stuck his nose up at the fancy embroidery on the collar though. The trousers were black but in a nicer material then his usual ones. He put them on pleased with how comfortable they felt, at least he wasn't dressed like a Christmas turkey.
He walked out, Gwen got up from her seat as he walked over to her.
"They look really nice." She said fussing with the collar.
Merlin squirmed always hating people messing with his clothing.
"They are very nice, thank you." He said, "now I must get on with my chores."
"But I thought that you would escort me down to the meeting." Gwen asked with a smile.
"What do you want to go to a tournament meeting for?" Merlin asked in surprise.
"Merlin for once please do what I ask." Gwen said trying her best to not to get exasperated at his every question.
"Okay." Merlin said, "I'll escort you then, his socks will have to wait."
"Thank you. You look so smart in those clothes." She complimented him as they walked down the corridor.
"I said they are nice, it doesn't mean I will wear them every day though!" he said.
"Merlin you so stubborn." She said raising her eyes to the ceiling. They had reached the meeting room, Merlin turned to go to Arthur's chambers.
"Merlin you can't leave me at the door." Gwen said horrified.
Merlin stared at her, what was the matter with her he wondered, she was starting to sound like Arthur!
"Sorry I'll open the door." He apologised.
"Come in, with me." She encouraged as the door swung open.
"I really don't want to attend a tournament meeting." He said in annoyance.
"Oh Merlin come in, will you" Gwen ended up pulling him by the hand much to the amusement of everyone in the hall.
Merlin stood looking in amazement, the hall was full of all of his friends, everyone with a smile on their face.
"What is this?" he asked aloud, looking at Gwen.
"Come on I will escort you, as this is for your benefit." Gwen smiled.
He moved passing various people, still stunned as to what was going on, eventually they reached the head table, where the Knights, Gaius and Arthur were waiting, the King with a big smile on his face. He looked at his wife.
"I take it , it wasn't easy getting him here" he laughed at her.
"You've no idea." Gwen said.
Every one laughed, but Merlin was looking passed all his friends at someone walking towards him.
"Mother." He smiled, suddenly feeling very emotional.
"Merlin, hello son." She pulled him into a hug.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in wonder.
"I think we have kept you in suspense for long enough." Arthur smiled.
"I'll say you have what is going on?" Merlin said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"It is actually a year to the day, that I allowed magic back into Camelot. A year to the day that you Merlin, became Camelot's Court Sorcerer. We thought it was only appropriate that we should celebrate the first anniversary of such an historic event."
Merlin gave a start "I thought I was going out of my mind, the way everyone was behaving. Keeping a secret like this from me!" he began then stopped as he saw everyone was laughing at him.
"Alright." He said, "but that was a necessary secret." He argued "this was."
"It wouldn't of been a surprise otherwise." Gwen laughed.
Merlin looked at everyone and laughed. "Okay, thank you everyone."
"We have a presentation for you." Gwen said.
One of the maids brought a trolley which had an object that had been very carefully wrapped up.
"For me?" Merlin asked, suddenly feeling like a little boy at Christmas.
He tore the paper open, he stared in wonder, there in front of his eyes, was a beautiful golden clock. As he looked at the design he noticed it had words in a foreign language round the base.
"It is based on the clock in the Isle of the Blessed." Gaius explained, "the writing is an old ancient manuscript. I will read it to you later."
"It's beautiful. Thank you." Merlin said eyeing all his friends.
"Of course it's not just to look at." Arthur said, "I was sort of hoping that having a clock in your room, would encourage your timekeeping somewhat."
Hunith laughed. "That will be the day."
For once Merlin could only laugh, and breath in the love and support of all his friends around him. A year ago he'd been facing Morgana in a desperate battle, but today at long last he could savour just being alive with his family and friends. For now that was enough.