A/U: Hello, everyone! Thank you - all you shnazzarifical (favorite made-up-word of the month) humans - for reading. It was great fun writing this, mostly because the idea has been stuck with me forever and it was simply fantastic to finally get it out! I would love and appreciate all reviews, they are what keep me going ~ a free ride on my dragon to anyone who does!
Sorry for any/all mistakes as I do edit my stories myself and it is easy to miss things.
I have some other stuff I'm writing at the moment and working on getting finished so be prepared for some more Merlin fics!
Oh, and for anyone who wants to know, Edolie (An OC) is an Old English name meaning "noble, good".
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
See you all again soon, farewell!
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An old and weary physician watches as a specific, bumbling servant and chivalrous king walk across the courtyard from where he stands by the window of a long corridor. The servant, tall, lanky, and with a head of raven hair and eyes such a deep blue it is striking, walks alongside the king as if that were actually the proper thing to do. The lord, muscular and fit from years of training, with golden hair that seems to shine in the sunlight, and a sword resting at his hip that - unbeknownst to him - was burnished in dragons breath, laughs at something the servant said.
The physician smiles fondly at the interaction between the two young men. How far they've come, he thinks. For they once despised each other, and now look at them, expressing their friendship through banter and other such nonsense. Out in the open no less, for everyone to see! So very different, these two men, and yet practically brothers their bond is so strong. Other people noticed how they acted around one-another as well. It was so noticeable, in fact, that the visiting lady had mistaken them to be kin!
One day ago...
Lady Edolie, who was visiting Camelot to join in on the festivities, had walked to the physician's chambers slowly. She wanted to take in the sight of the magnificent castle walls. It had been so long since she had last been there. In fact, the last time she walked down those very hallways was when Uther was still king and Arthur but a young prince. She had missed this place. Alas, so much had changed since last being there. There also appeared to be a new member of the royal family - one that she had never heard of - who, she thought, must be Arthur's brother or cousin at least. She dropped those thoughts, however, as she entered the home of the physician to ask for a sleeping draught as it was always difficult for her to rest peacefuLly while away from home.
"Ah, Gaius, it's a pleasure to see you again!" She said as she spotted him at one of his many tables.
"It is a pleasure to see you as well, my lady. It's been far too long," the physician said while standing up to kiss her on the cheek. "In fact, if I can remember correctly, the last time you came to Camelot you were but eleven years of age and Arthur, I believe, was merely seven."
"You are right in that, it has been too long indeed. And please, Gaius, just call me Edolie! There is no need for such formalities here."
Gaius smiled and gave a soft nod.
"Alright, Edolie... Now, I know what you're here for, just give me a moment to prepare that draught for you."
Edolie gave her thanks and then looked around the chambers trying to determine what was different since the last time she had been to this place. It still smelt of herbs and the shelves remained filled to the brim with books of every kind. Each table seemed to have various different potions and plants covering them. It was definitely how she remembered it. She then noticed the old room out back had it's door ajar and that a bed sat inside, clothes and books scattered messily across its surface.
"Excuse me Gaius, but who sleeps up in the back room? I don't take you as someone who is keen of such... disorganization," Edolie asked politely.
The physician actually let out a small laugh which resulted in more confusion for the visiting lady. Then, when he did speak, it only aroused more questions.
"That, Edolie, is my wards bedroom."
"You - you have a ward? That is most certainly new."
"Yes. However, he is not - as you can see - very tidy," Gaius told her with a smirk, but there was something his voice that surprised Edolie. Something she could only describe as fondness.
"He means a great deal to you, doesn't he?" She asked curiously.
"He has become very dear to me, yes. The boy is the closest thing I have ever had to a son, to be honest. However, that doesn't mean he listens to me when I tell him to pick up that room of his," The physician told her with a chuckle while pouring the draught into a vile. "It's amusing really that he spends all day picking up after the king, and yet cannot seem to pick up his own mess for the life of him."
"Picking up after the king?"
"Yes, he's the king's manservant. In fact, I think you've seen him. They were together on the balcony this morning when Arthur announced the beginning of the festival. I've also seen them walking about the streets all day and I know you were out there as well."
Edolie thought back and then looked, wide eyed, at Gaius.
"The skinny, pale boy? With black hair and blue eyes?"
Gaius nodded in confirmation.
"You mean to tell me that is Arthur's servant?!" She gawked.
"Yes... His name is Merlin as I'm sure you've heard. They're always bickering, it'd be a wonder if no one ever over heard them." Gaius said while walking over to her.
"Arthur's servant and your ward..." Edolie muttered.
"Are you alright, my dear?" Gaius asked with concern at seeing her expression.
Then, without warning, Edolie let out a short burst of hysterical laughter.
"I - I'm sorry Gaius! It's just that I thought - I actually thought Merlin was Arthur's brother. I was so surprised that I had never heard of him before but thought that perhaps Uther simply kept it secret or some other nonsense!" Edolie explained. She was laughing at herself more than anything. How she could actually think Arthur had some sort of secret brother was beyond her.
Gaius blinked a few times and then smiled a small smile. He handed the sleeping draught to her and gave her another kiss on the cheek and pulled her in for a quick hug.
"In a way, Edolie, they are brothers," he said before clearing his throat. "Now, I think you should go get some sleep. Goodnight, my dear."
"G-Goodnight, Gaius." Edolie said as she slowly walked out of the physician's chambers. Her mind was spinning. What did Gaius mean by that, she wondered.
Gaius continues to watch the two young men.
"Merlin and Arthur," the physician murmurs to himself. "Emrys and the Once and Future King... Bounded by destiny. Two sides of the same coin. Brothers," Gaius stops for a mere second to ponder the thought. "...Brothers since the beginning.
Because if Gaius were to think back, to a time long ago when Arthur was a mere toddler roaming around his chambers while his father ordered execution after execution, then he would remember something. It seemed so insignificant at the time but now... Now it meant more than anyone may ever understand.
Many years ago...
Gaius watched the young prince, only a few years old, play on the floor in his chambers. The physician was reading a book and every so often he would look over the pages to see Arthur pretending to have his two toy horses talk to each other. Then the giddy laughter of the small child came to an abrupt halt and Gaius gazed at him with concern. Arthur's eyes were wide and his hands, still clenched tightly around the toys, were placed over his heart. The physician quickly got up and went over to the boy.
"Arthur? Can you hear me, Arthur?" Gaius asked, placing his hand on the side of the prince's face.
"Did you fweel that, Gus?" Arthur questioned, his voice soft and high.
"Feel what, my boy?"
The prince's face lit up and and a silly little laugh escaped his lips.
"It fwelt like someone was ticklin' me! It was all warm n' fuzzy, Gus!"
Gaius examined him as to make sure the young prince wasn't falling ill, but nothing seemed to be wrong so the physician went back to his book. Arthur went back to playing with his horses, one of which he named after himself and the other after a falcon - a Merlin to be exact - which the physician thought slightly odd but ignored.
It was a week later that he received a letter from his half-sister. He hadn't had word from her since her last letter, thanking him for the warning he had sent about Uther sending men to Ealdor to find Balinor. He opened it to find out she had just given birth to a healthy baby boy whose father he would never know because he just so happened to be a dragonlord. The child was named Merlin, she had written in her letter, and he was absolutely beautiful.
Gaius, remembering Arthur using the same name for his toy, assumed the whole thing was merely a coincidence.
It was this moment, as Gaius looks out at the king and his servant, does he realize what Arthur's sudden mood swing all those years ago had meant. The prince, now king, had sensed Merlin being born... That was how strong their bond was. Had destiny really been pushing them toward each other for so long?
"You're such a prat!" The physician hears Merlin shout from down below.
"And you're and idiot!" Is the immediate response.
Gaius watches as Merlin elbows Arthur in the side and then as the king begins to chase his servant across the courtyard and into the castle. Yes, Gaius thinks, brothers indeed.
End...