Just a quick one-shot that I wrote. I twas thinking that some pretty harsh words were said to Merlin during the Lamia incident and he seemed so brush them off much too easily. Obviously I don't own Merlin.
Merlin pulled back as the body of the beast came crashing down almost on top of where he had been laying. Gwen stood protectively over him, looking as fierce as any warrior possible could- that is until she saw Arthur and ran to his arms.
Though he ached all over, Merlin was relatively unharmed and he picked himself off the floor carefully. He wasn't embarrassed that Gwen had basically just saved him, though he could tell by the look of Arthur and the knights behind him that he should be. No, Merlin was just glad that the ordeal was over and, for once, he was unhurt. At least physically.
The young warlock was relatively silent on the return trip home. He did everything that he was told without question. He didn't partake in the usual banter with Arthur or join in with his friend's conversations when they would stop for dinner. Some might think that he was just being a good servant, but his friends seemed to know better because on their last night of the journey Gwaine, Percival, Leon and Elyan approached the all-too-quiet man tentatively.
Merlin had followed his pattern of not saying much that day and had cooked dinner silently, not eating any of the stew when it was done. He couldn't help it but he could still feel the sting of this "friend's" words, the ones spoken to him when they were under the Lamia's spell.
Just a servant.
Know your place.
Servant.
He hated the title. If anyone knew who he was they'd think twice before calling him a mere servant. He was Emrys! The all-powerful warlock who was destined to help unite the land into Albion! Yet, here he was, scrubbing floors and following orders, nothing more than a slave in the eyes of those around him.
"Merlin, mate?" Gwaine's soft voice brought Merlin out of his bitter thoughts and he looked up to see the familiar group of knights surrounding him.
"Something wrong sires?" He asked politely. If they thought of him as only a servant, then that's how he would act.
The group shifted uncomfortably, looking at one another with shame on their faces.
"Listen, Merlin. What we said when… back there…" Leon started but was waved away by an undeterred Merlin.
"I understand sire. I'm a servant. You were right when you told me to learn my place." The raven-haired man tried hard not to sound as bitter as he felt.
Gwaine looked down at Merlin with a look of deep sadness. "Merlin, mate, you're not just a servant your our friend! We didn't mean- I mean I didn't mean… Look I'm sorry."
Merlin stared down at his hands, he knew that he should just accept the apology if only to make the knight feel better but he just couldn't bring himself to.
Percival cleared his throat uncomfortably. He had been by-far the worst of the group, even resorting to threatening Merlin physically when he refused to back down.
"I um…" The large knight coughed, "I just want to say that I'm sorry too. I honestly don't think of you that way. I don't know why I said those things, Merlin. I wish that I could take them back but I know that that's not possible so I just… Sorry."
Despite himself, Merlin couldn't help but feel bad for the knight and his ridiculously bad apology.
"Listen Merlin, what you did- what you do- is far braver than any knight I have ever known and I want you to know that I have never thought of you as just a mere servant. In my eyes you're more loyal and more deserving than all the knights of the garrison. Including myself." Leon spoke eloquently.
Merlin couldn't help but let a small smile play upon his lips.
"Yeah, what they said." Elyan cut in gruffly, obvious the least in-touch with his feelings in the group.
The young warlock could hold out no longer. Despite still feeling slightly betrayed and hurt, the knights' sincere apologies did wonders to cheer him up.
"You were all being prats, you know that don't you?" He laughed, finally picking up his gaze to meet his friend's faces.
Gwaine was the first one to laugh, falling easily back into the swing of the playful banter. He sat down heavily next to Merlin and looped a strong arm over the lesser man's narrow shoulders. The other's followed suit, sitting in a half-circle around the young warlock, laughing loudly.
Arthur watched the exchange between the knights and Merlin from a distance. He noticed the uncomfortable looks on the men's faces and the way that Merlin wouldn't look up to meet their gazes, like he was a lesser being.
"What exactly happened between them?" The king turned to Gwen, who was watching with interest as well.
She pursed her pretty lips and her chocolate eyes went sad for a moment. "They were so cruel to Merlin. He was only trying to help. He and I were the only ones not to fall under the Lamia's spell and the knights- Even Elyan- they spoke so harshly."
Arthur made a mental note to chastise his knights when they got back to Camelot. It seemed that their conversation had taken a lighter turn as he could see Merlin laughing and finally look up at the group.
"You know…" Gwen said suddenly, still watching the exchange. "Merlin… He's so much more than just a servant. He's far more noble and braver than any of the knights. I just hope that he can see that too."
The king said nothing at his queen's sudden statement. He simply pulled her in close to him and let his head rest on top of hers.
Because he knew that Merlin was more than a servant. He was his oldest and most trusted friend and nothing would ever change that- though he'd never actually admit it to the man.