While Merlin was often late, stupid and embarrassing it was rare for him to be completely absent. Today, however, he was. Or rather wasn't, as in wasn't there. The first shock came on Saturday morning when an unknown servant brought Arthur his breakfast and helped him dress. Strange. After the man had asked what 'milord' would like to do today and how may he serve 'his highness', Arthur began to become suspicious and ever so slightly nauseated by the man's oozing obedience. The only way the manservant failed his prince that morning was that he had no idea where Merlin was. It seemed it was Arthur's luck to get the only servant that wasn't tapped into the palace gossip that ran wild through the halls like an unruly child.
Through out the week this continued. Prearranged servants slipped calmly into the prince's life, none knowing the whereabouts of Arthur's errant manservant. There was the unknown hostler who brought Arthur his horse, the silent pageboy who cleaned his armour. Then there was the blushing maid he caught cleaning his room followed by yet another servant who appeared silently to help the prince into suitable clothes for a lunch with the king the following Friday. It is safe to say that when the prince entered the room, where Morgana and Uther sat, he was in a rather aggravated mood. When Arthur slammed his body into his seat and snatched his goblet up to savagely down the contents, Uther raised an eyebrow. When he started to hack at the chicken on his plate Morgana thought it best to enquire as to the cause of this peculiar disposition. "Arthur, what on earth has got you in such a snit?"
Both men turned to stare at Morgana, one with annoyance and the other… with an emotion fairly similar. The tension was broken when a soldier came to the door with an important message for the king. Uther sighed and excused himself. Once the door closed behind him, Morgana turned to Arthur. "Well? What's the matter?" Huffing, Arthur told her.
"Merlin didn't turn up to work. He's been gone all week and no one knows where he is. He didn't say a word to me that he was going and I'm…"
"Worried?" Morgana supplied.
"No. Annoyed."
"God, Arthur! Just admit that you and Merlin are friends."
"Friends? Don't be ridiculous Morgana. He's a servant-"
"Fine, you're not friends but still…Have you tried Gaius?"
"I went by…must have been twenty times this week but I never seem to catch him. And before you ask I did check Merlin's room- no luck." Morgana considered the problem. If it had been anyone else then she would have said that they simply got board of Arthur but Merlin was a different matter. Also the sneaking suspicion that Gaius was purposely avoiding the crown prince presented a rather intriguing aspect to Arthur's mystery. Grinning, she leant forward. "I have an idea."
"About what?" Arthur asked warily.
"About how we can catch ourselves a physician."
It is safe to say that in all his long years of loyal service Gaius never suspected that it would be the Lady Morgana that betrayed him. But when the prince stepped from behind a screen to block the door behind him, Gaius admitted that the pleasant smile on the young woman's face should have warned him. "I take it that this means that you are not sick, Milady." He grated out between clenched teeth.
"Why Gaius," Morgana asked; as innocent as the sky is blue. "The sleeping draught you provide me is essential for a good night's sleep."
"Indeed." Gaius said, his voice still full of suspicion as he reached into his satchel for the potion he had been asked to bring. As it hit the dark wooden surface of the tabletop, the charming mask fell from Morgana's face and Arthur's voice rumbled from behind him. "Where is Merlin?"
Sighing the old man lowered himself into a chair. "I don't know." The prince stormed to stand beside him as Morgana rose to come and sit opposite the two men. "Gaius, please we just want to know if he's safe." She asked patiently. Glaring at the two people in front of him Gaius crossed his arms. "And I'm telling you, I don't know." Arthur's fist landed with a resounding bang, the small glass bottle shook with the force of the blow. "Don't lie to me, old man. Now I'll ask you one last time: where is Merlin?" Indignation made itself at home on Gaius' face but luckily anger robbed him of speech before he could shout at the crown prince like he would a clumsy scullery maid.
The tense moment was broken by Gwen popping through the door carrying a large vase filled with fresh flowers. When she saw her mistress had company she curtsied and greeted both men. With a grace that Arthur couldn't help but notice, Gwen swept through the room to start arranging the pale blossoms on the large ornate mantle place. The hem of her plain cotton dress twirled around her ankles, entrancing him. Gaius coughed. "My prince, I speak the truth. He came to me a week ago and asked that I arrange someone to cover his duties until he returned. I asked where he was going and for how long, I even asked why he needed to leave but all he would say was he would be back in a month's time and he wouldn't be very far away. I don't know where Merlin is, I…"
"Merlin? Oh I saw him in the market today. He seemed very happy, said he was living in a little house on Slaters Lane; just outside of the town limits. He was telling me how he'd just finished painting the gate that afternoon; a lovely yellow colour. I love yellow, such a sunny; happy colour. I kept laughing at him though, he had splatters all in his hair!" Gwen's cheerful voice spoke into utter silence, oblivious to how the others in the room now sat stunned as the answer they sort just dropped readily into their laps. The smirk, that had plastered itself onto Morgana's face when she saw Arthur blush at being caught looking at Gwen, slipped as her mouth fell open. Gaius' eyes widened and he stammered as this bizarre information tried to make sense in his head. Arthur however was already gone, striding down to the stables and riding hard towards Slaters Lane before Gwen had even turned around.
The newly painted gate was to be Merlin's downfall. The bright colour just made it that much easier for Arthur to locate his errant servant. By the time the Prince had arrived twilight had started to lay her soft, comfortable embrace over the quiet houses. Loosely tying his horse to a near by tree, Arthur made his way down the twisting path that lead from gate to door. The house was old but well kept, the small garden neat in its sweet way; the flowers already closing their petals for a night's rest. The welcoming glow of a dieing fire was a settling warmth that shone through two small windows. The only thing that was amiss was the open door. Worried Arthur moved on silent feet the step over the threshold and into the kitchen. He stood confused to find no one there but for two plates of food that sat half eaten on the table and a discarded red neck scarf that lay forgotten on the floor. At the creek of old floor boards and a murmur of urgent voices above him however Arthur's mood quickly turned to fear as adrenaline started to pump its way through his system. A thousand situations spun through his mind, fraught full of danger and portraying all the likely scenarios of what he would find upstairs. Well, all scenarios… except one.
In a flash he was up the crooked staircase, failing to notice the other scattered clothes before he burst into the small bedroom. Merlin's naked back, a slim female shoulder and flashes of pale flesh and rumpled hair were quickly hidden by a hastily tugged sheet. Arthur, his face completely aglow with embarrassment, whirled to face the still open door. "Arthur! What are you doing?" Merlin demanded to the prince's turned back that stiffened at his words. "Funny I was going to ask you the same thing, except its fairly obvious." He spun around. "Are you telling me that you went missing with out a word, worried m-Morgana sick and neglected your duties just to… play … house with some pretty face? No offence intended." He added to the young woman who was smiling, obviously trying to prevent herself from laughing. The man next to her however took a less favourable view to their sudden guest. Merlin simply glared at Arthur as he quickly tied the blanket, that the prince had thrown him, around his narrow hips.
Standing Merlin was about to speak when soft but hurried footfalls announced another intruder. Morgana's flushed face burned a bright crimson when she saw the scene before her. Shock gave way to disbelief as she rounded on the two men. "Arthur you didn't! Please say you at least knocked!!! And Merlin, what on earth? Have you no sense…the scandal!" She trailed off as the woman rapped the sheet around herself and still smiling, walked to Merlin. As she turned into Merlin's side a strange symbol could be seen on her right shoulder blade. The significance of the curving lines was lost however when Merlin drew her closer to him with love in his eyes and spoke. "I didn't get a chance before, Milord; Milady, but let me introduce you to Illyn. My wife."