Merlin discovers that there are far worse Masters than his friend and master King Arthur and befriendfell mistreated servant...

This is my first fanfic so please play nicely =] If you like it I will continue with the story, but if not, I have other ideas, let me know... Constructively =P


Merlin sighed as he heard the king yelling his name, he was picking up the pile of things he'd dropped when Gwaine and Percival had decided to trick the the next person coming around the corner by holding a piece of string across the hallway at ankle height and hiding behind a suit of armour. Once he'd fallen they'd run of laughing, leaving Merlin to pick up the stuff. Cursing, he saw that the sword he'd been carrying along with a pile of fresh laundry had sliced through Arthur's dress shirt he needed. Hearing another shout, Merlin quickly smiled and murmured a spell under his breath, his eyes flashing Gold as the shirt was magically mended.

After gathering all the stuff back into arms, he rushed off, reaching Arthur's room as the king was storming towards the door angrily, "Where the hell have you been Merlin, I need to be dressed before the visiting knights and dignitaries arrive. Did you sleep in again? Oh I get it, you were up all night at the tavern with Gwaine weren't you?" Placing the sword on the table and putting the freshly laundered clothes away, Merlin rolled his eyes and muttered darkly, "Like I'd get a chance to sleep in or go to the tavern with you being so lazy you big prat..." As he turned, Arthur raised an eyebrow and glared, "What was that Merlin?" Stepping over to the bed, Merlin made it up, straightening the sheets, "Nothing." Arthur crossed his arms now, "Nothing what Merlin?"

"Nothing your royal pratness..." Merlin instantly regretted opening his mouth and ducked twice as an empty goblet and plate were thrown at his head. "Ah, Sorry sire..." Arthur stopped throwing things at his servant and waited for Merlin to give him his clothes. Ten minutes later he was attaching his sword to his belt while Merlin retrieved the bedclothes the king had thrown in his vague direction, "Now Merlin, you are to pay attention and not answer back today, understood? You are to treat our guests well and to make sure they are comfortable."

Rolling his eyes again, Merlin answered sarcastically, "Yes Sire." Ignoring him, Arthur headed out of the door with Merlin a few steps behind and they headed to the courtyard where Arthur was to welcome the visiting knights and dignitaries. As they watched the visitors riding into the courtyard, Arthur leant back, "And Merlin?" Merlin sighed, "Yes Sire?" "Call me lazy again and I'll have you thrown in the stocks." As he said this, Gwaine, Elyan and Percival who were stood close by started smirking, and Merlin had to resist the urge to join in, "Yes Sire." Arthur moved his hand back and playfully smacked Merlin in the stomach for his sarcastic tone before heading down to speak with the knights and dignitaries.

Five minutes later and Merlin found himself being told to help the other servants carry the visitor's luggage inside. Merlin sighed and started forwards, only the be tripped up by Gwaine, whose back he cursed at as the knights retreated inside the castle. Getting up, Merlin saw only a few servants and bags lying around. One knight along with a beautiful woman who was clearly his wife was yelling at a few scared looking servants who had obviously travelled with them. Starting over, Merlin gasped as the knight struck a young girl, who only looked about seventeen, across the face for not being able to lift a trunk. Stepping closer, Merlin put his hands behind his back and glanced at the knight, "Would you like me to carry your trunk Sir?"

The Knight turned from the still fearful girl to Merlin, "Who are you boy?" Reisting the urge to curse the knight for putting so much fear into the young girl and being so arrogant, Merlin replied smartly, "The King's manservant Sir, he ordered me to help with camalot's visitors, I would be happy to help with the trunk." The heavily built knight smirked at the still shaking girl, "You're lucky the boy was here to help you. Now both of you, GET TO WORK!" As he marched off with his wife, he reached back and shoved Merlin forwards into the girl, the pair of them landing in a heap beside the trunk.

After helping the young girl to her feet, Merlin smiled, "Hi, I'm Merlin, what's your name?" The girl smiled at him, "Hello Merlin, my name is Ava, thank you for helping me." Merlin shook his head, "It was nothing, Arthur ordered me to help with the luggage..." Ava's eyes grew wide at Merlin's casual reference to the King of Camalot. "Do you mean King Arthur? You address him by his first name..." Merlin nodded, "Uhm yeah... I have been his servant for a few years now... Anyway, let me help you take this up to his chambers, what is your master's name?" The girl nodded and helped Merlin lift it, "Sir Caldwell... Do you know where his chambers aree?" Merlin nodded, and they began the slow and tiring walk, carrying the offending trunk between them, up to the chambers.

Once they had placed it in the room, Merlin grinned and tried to catch his breath, "Do you have any jobs you need to do now?" Ava shook her head, "I won't be needed until lady Emelia and Sir Caldwell need their dinner and change for bed. I don't know anyone here apart from the other servants of Sir Caldwell and I don't get along well with them, I come from one of the out lying villages, they all grew up in the town we live in." Merlin nodded, "I know the feeling... I'll take you to see Giaus... He's the court physician, he'll have something to make your cheek better. And then if you want you can come with me to see the knights training, I have to go the their to sort Arthur's weapon and stuff out..."

Ava nodded gratefully and followed Merlin through the cattle to Giaus' chambers, the old man glanced up, "There you are Merlin, have you seen the state of your bedroom?" Merlin rolled his eyes at his mentor, "Giaus, this Ava, one of Sir Caldwell's servants. She hit her cheek on something, have you anything for her?" Giaus smiled sympathetically at Ava before nodding to Merlin, "Yes Merlin, you can tidy your room while I sort it." Grumbling to himself, Merlin walked up to his room and shut the door carefully as he murmured a spell under his breath and everything magically tidied itself into its rightful place. Once done he realised he couldn't go straight out as Giaus would guess what he'd done and would be livid that he'd done it while someone had been present so he stepped over to his window, opening it to stare out across the lower town to the right, and training ground to the left.

Down in the training ground he saw Camalot's knights laughing, joking and mess around as Arthur wasn't there. As he watched, what looked like Percival and Elyan each grabbed Gwaine, (he could tell by the hair length) and threw him into a cart of straw where he promptly clambered out and chased after them. Looking back to the lower town, Merlin saw Gwen walking along the main street with her maid and close friend Ysabel. As they walked they regularly stopped to talk with people on the street and many of the children were handing her flowers. Merlin turned back to his room with a grin on his face, feeling proud of his friend, "I always knew she'd make a great queen..."


Please read and review but try to make it constructive... It's my fist ever fanfic and I don't want to be put off =p If you like it I will continue, as I said, but if not I have other projects I can work on =]