'Lo again! So as you know, this is my first fic and I was getting a little panicky cause I can't find this story if I look under Merlin fics, recently updated…so if you could when you read this, can you just tell me that you did find it there? Cause I can see the views and all but that don't convince me. Yeah I feel pretty stupid about this but oh well, I'm new.
Anyway! Hope you enjoy Chapter 2, where *drumroll please* the plot thickens! Bwahahahaha! (Oh and Merlin's going to be grumpy for a bit here. You see, he's really tired and his head hurts and….yeah, I enjoy writing grumpy!Merlin. But hey – if you want some happy Merlin, just say so.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters from Merlin. I write this only for recreation, not for any financial gain, so don't go suing me. K?
How many bottles were in this bloody bag? Merlin wondered as he trudged up to another door, which was owned by another noble, who was in apparently desperate need of this bloody remedy. The tiny bottle, filled with an aqua-colored liquid, had a tag that said…'moisturizing skin'.
Merlin grumpily knocked on the door and waited patiently (or decidedly impatiently) for someone to open it. When, finally, a blonde maid opened it, Merlin shoved the bottle at here, mumbling, "Lady Ellen's skin tonic…"
So, I'm wasting all my time and energy just because some high and mighty nobles have skin problems? Merlin fumed as he stomped down yet another staircase, to yet another door…
Seemingly hours later, Merlin had just one bottle left: King Uther's pain reliever, for his old shoulder wound. This was the delivery that Merlin was the most anxious about. He tried to stay out of Uther's way as much as possible – the king was still pretty broken after Morgana's betrayal, and he and Merlin did have a pretty bumpy track record. But this was inevitable; however much Merlin disliked it, he wasn't about to make Gaius do it. He'd never be so selfish after all Gaius had done for him. Plus, Gaius had been hinting about the leech tank recently and that was the last thing Merlin needed today…
Merlin reached Uther's chambers and knocked, slightly apprehensive. Here goes nothing…
When Uther's manservant opened the door, Merlin was relieved to see that his face was relatively calm, not the harried and hassled face of a servant dealing with Uther on a bad day.
"I'm here to deliver the King's pain reliever – Gaius is in the lower town…" Merlin said formally, not willing to trust that maybe, just maybe, this day wouldn't end with Uther screaming for Merlin's head.
The servant took the bottle and thanked Merlin, then shut the door. Merlin stood there for a moment, almost not daring to move. Finally – he was free. Well, relatively free. He still had to collect Arthur's laundry, muck out his stables, and who knew what else…
What was on Arthur's mind as he walked down an empty corridor to his chambers? Unsurprisingly, it was the whereabouts of his useless servant. The whereabouts that he didn't know, as Merlin had magically disappeared again – or, to be more specific, as usual. Arthur had suspicions about the tavern, but first he would check around the castle.
As Arthur rounded the corner, he caught a brief sight of a dark face with a halo of fly-away, black hair surrounding it before collision. He stumbled and caught Gwen before she could trip over his feet.
"Guinevere!" Arthur tried, and failed, to disguise his overly obvious pleasure at seeing Gwen. With Uther so easily angered after Morgana's betrayal, and that incident when Gwen was almost banished and then executed, they had to be extra careful to hide their…affections.
"Oh, Arthur – I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Gwen exclaimed, standing up unsteadily. Arthur saw that the corridor floor was now strewn with linens that Gwen had been carrying along. She insisted to continue on as a servant, even though her position had officially been lifted to 'Lady', with her brother becoming a knight and all. "Oh, I am sorry, I just seem to have my head in the clouds today –"
Arthur decided that it would be best for everyone if he stopped Gwen's rambling before she could get started. "Gwen, it's fine. Really." He smiled warmly at her, and she returned it, her face lighting up.
"Actually, Guinevere," Arthur commented as he helped her gather up the fallen laundry, "I could use your help. Have you any idea where Merlin is? He's gone and done a disappearing act on me again."
Gwen opened her mouth to answer when they both heard footsteps approaching from around the corner. Arthur jumped up, not wanting to be seen with Gwen, just as Merlin came around the corner.
"Ah – yes, actually," Gwen said wryly as Arthur whirled to face Merlin. He looked very annoyed about something, with his hair ruffled as if he had been running his hands through it a lot. His normally cheerful face wrinkled into an even deeper frown.
"Let me guess," Merlin said, in a 'hundred percent done with tourists' voice. He didn't stop, instead continuing on down the corridor past Arthur and Gwen. "You have a whole new pile of chores for me to do, right? Just so that I won't be burdened with a single minute of spare time, yes?"
Arthur stared, bewildered, after Merlin, while Gwen gaped at his uncharacteristic outburst. "What is wrong with you today?"
Merlin spun around, presumably to tell him just what, when his jaw dropped. He seemed to be listening to something; he stood frozen, eyes wandering unfocused over Arthur and Gwen's faces.
For a moment they just stood there: Arthur and Gwen gaping at Merlin, and Merlin gaping at the wall. Finally Merlin snapped out of it. "Oh! Right! Yes!" He exclaimed, glancing at Arthur and Gwen, obviously trying to disguise the growing panic and confusion etched onto his face. "Right! Arthur!…I gotta go!"
And with that Merlin turned on heel and dashed down the hallway and out of sight.
Arthur and Gwen turned to look at each other, identical expressions on their faces. "What is wrong with him today?"
Merlin jogged down a few more corridors before slowing to a swift walk, just barely avoiding a collision half a dozen times. The last thing he needed now was Arthur pestering him. He tried to swallow down his panic, tried to figure out what just happened.
Emrys… I await your presence, in your chambers. I mean you no harm…but do hurry. While standing in the middle of a corridor, Arthur and Gwen staring at him, he had suddenly heard a voice murmuring through his voice had faded from his mind slowly, seeming to echo about his head. Emrys…it had to be a druid.
What was a druid doing in Gaius' chambers? What was a druid doing in Camelot?
You're about to find that out, if you're actually going to just go barging in. Merlin thought to himself, but immediately dismissed the option of not going. Merlin thought of what the druid said: …but do hurry. What that mean? Merlin did not feel very warm towards cryptic messages.
Merlin shook his head slightly, quickening his pace. He concentrated on Gaius' chambers and projected his thought in that direction, hoping that the druid would hear: I am coming.
When Merlin strode up to the worn door that was the physician's chambers, he had to hesitate. This whole thing spelled trap…no turning back now, Merlin thought, hardening his resolve.
He opened the door slowly to see a cloaked figure standing by the stairs that led to Merlin's own chambers. It lifted its head slowly to look at him. Merlin slowly pushed the door closed behind him, and murmured, "Selio." He heard the door click as it magically locked.
For a moment, they just stared at each other. Merlin broke the silence, his voice low but clear.
"Why are you here?"
The druid slowly lifted his hands to lower the cloak's hood; below, his face was weathered and worn, but Merlin could see the kindness in his eyes. Merlin didn't let his guard down, though; whatever this man wanted here, it couldn't be just
"I am here…to talk to you, to see you." The man said slowly. "To warn you."
Merlin stiffened. "You're a druid." Merlin didn't pose it as a question, but the man took it as one.
"Me? No. I," he laughed, without humor, "I am far from a druid."
"Then how do you know me?"
The man looked him over. "I have kept the company of druids. Heard their stories…"
Merlin frowned. "So what is it you wish to warn me about?"
The man smiled sadly. "Today, someone else came to Camelot. Someone," he sighed, "who also kept the company of druids, and heard their stories. She was…very disappointed."
Merlin felt like rolling his eyes. Another sorcerer disappointed in him? Figures. "Disappointed in me?"
"…Yes. She…well, I can't deny that she is foolish at times, quick-tempered and impulsive. My daughter," The man looked down at his hands. "She is also very powerful – her magic is stronger than most. No match for yours, but enough to cause a good amount of trouble. She thinks…oh, I don't know what she thinks. She is young and foolish, but well taught and knows how to cause trouble. I'm afraid that she has placed many enchantments upon this place. I don't know what or where," he quickly said at Merlin's growing anger. "But I felt obliged to warn you. She knows what she is doing. So...be wary. I fear that you may have a few trying days ahead, in your mission of protecting Camelot and the…Pendragons."
Merlin could see the slight disapproval in his eyes at the name. But it didn't seem like the man was very set against him. "And what about you?"
He shifted, almost guiltily. "I would never bring you any harm. I…you were almost right. I was once a druid. No longer, but I believed the prophecies. I still do. It just saddens me that I could not raise my daughter to do the same. Now…I must go. This is a dangerous place for me, druid or not."
Merlin smiled. "Will you be alright leaving?" Merlin asked, deciding that he could trust this man.
He nodded. "I got in fine; I can leave as well. Goodbye, Emrys," he murmured, "and good luck."
"Goodbye…" Merlin said, deciding not to ask the former druid's name. He obviously did not want to tie himself to Camelot too much. "And – could you do me a favor? Keep your daughter away from Camelot."
With one last rueful smile, the man walked hurriedly from the room, allowing the door to swing closed slowly behind him.
Sighing, Merlin collapsed into a chair. More trouble. Well, he couldn't say he hadn't expected it.
What kind of 'enchantments' had this sorceress placed around Camelot? Were they harmful? When would they begin to take effect?
And to ask the more important question, When would this day be over?
There you go – Chapter 2! Yeah so, the villain here is really just an excuse to write about…well, what's coming. Really just a silly ole' plot that's more about what happens then why.
Next Chapter (I should update later tonight): All of Camelot goes slightly crazy, and Merlin is the only one who seems to notice.
So! Please review, tell me if you like it! :D