Merlin followed behind his two siblings as he watched the blonde prince ramble on about the castle. By the time they reached the end, none of the four had noticed it was almost dinnertime.
"Oh dear, my sister will be awfully mad at us." Arthur said grabbing a hold of Emilia's hand and running toward the dining hall.
"Gwen as well." Merlin said. Casper and Merlin did their best to keep up, but they didn't have to try all that hard because Emilia was quite slow compared to them.
"Yes Gwen as well." Arthur said out of breath by the time they reached the set of doors.
Arthur gave them a minute, and then he opened the doors. Indeed sitting in their usual spots, Morgana at the end of the table with Gwen next to her. Arthur whispered something to one of the servants and they added two extra chairs.
Arthur sat down at the other head while Merlin sat right beside Gwen. Casper and Emilia took the empty chairs on the other side of the table. Once they got seated the servants served them dinner, normally Merlin would obtain Arthur's dinner but the king didn't feel like embarrassing him in front of his siblings so he had the others do it. Once the food arrived, Arthur was amused at how Casper and Emilia ate. It was like they hadn't been fed in years.
Merlin coughed staring at his siblings in silence. But at that moment Emilia looked up at him with sauce covering the side of her face. "What?"
Arthur chuckled, reaching over and wiping the sauce onto his napkin. Merlin stomped on his foot under the table but Arthur only stomped back, resulting in Merlin being in more pain than Arthur. Morgana giggled, but then took the time to ask the question on hers and Gwen's mind.
"So Arthur care to introduce your guests?" Morgana asked and Gwen coughed hoping to cover the bluntness.
"Well actually-" Arthur began.
"Emilia and Casper are my younger siblings." Merlin said, placing a piece of food in his mouth.
"So." Gwen said breaking the silence that had settled in.
"Are you staying for a couple of days?" Morgana asked.
"Actually I was hoping they could stay here. With work of course, but I just was thinking maybe as a favor." Merlin said waiting for Arthur to start yelling about how what a lousy servant he was asking him for things.
"Merlin, please. The amount of times you've saved my life, the least we can do is keep your little brother and sister around here for ya." Arthur said and Morgana nearly choked on her drink at how polite he was being.
"Well Morgana could always use another maid." Gwen said but this time it was Casper who choked on his drink and Emilia snorted. In fact, Merlin start laughing really loudly but the wizard's laughter had always been contagious to the king so soon he was laughing,
"What is so funny?" Morgana asked, thinking they truly had lost their minds.
"I'm sorry. Morgana. But the idea of my. Sister. Being your maid?" Merlin said through laughs.
"Priceless." Casper said wiping tears from his eyes.
"I'd like to think she'd do very well." Arthur said stopping himself from laughing.
"Trust me, I've never even put a dress on myself let alone someone else." Emilia said sweetly.
After dinner, Gwen was walking towards Arthur's room carrying a dress for the young Emilia when she stopped at the door listening to the conversation between the King and his manservant. Merlin walked over to the bed and picked up the King's chainmail.
"Merlin, why don't you let one of the other servants take care of that. You should go see how your siblings are settling in." Arthur said not looking up from his book.
"Okay, what is with you today?" Merlin asked slightly agitated.
"I beg your pardon?" Arthur asked standing up.
"You've been nice all day." Merlin said as if it were some sort of crime.
"Do you want me to stop?" Arthur asked stepping closer to him.
"Well yes, it's been rather distracting." Merlin said.
"I just didn't-" Arthur began.
"What?" Merlin asked.
"I didn't want to embarrass you." Arthur said shrugging his shoulders.
"Embarrass me? Since when have you worried about that?" Merlin asked, dumbfounded. Not once has his king ever thought such a thing when he sent him to the stocks, or made him throw around a sword to make a point.
"Your siblings seem to look up to you, I didn't want to break their metaphorical pedestal or something like that." Arthur said turning around so that Merlin couldn't see his face.
"Oh." Merlin said, making the shape with his mouth.
"Yeah." Arthur said tracing his hand on the desk.
"Thank you." Merlin said, bowing his head.
"You're welcome." Arthur said.
"I'll just go check on them, then. Goodnight Arthur." Merlin said starting to leave the room.
"And Merlin." Arthur said stopping him.
"Yeah?" Merlin asked.
"My chainmail." Arthur said with a smirk pointing to the bed.
"There's the King I know I love." Merlin said as he picked up the chainmail and carried it out of the room with him.
"Goodnight Merlin." Arthur called on the way out.
Merlin was humming happily when he ran into something soft. The chainmail and something else fell to the floor, causing Merlin to look up at Gwen. "Hello Gwen."
"Oh Merlin." Gwen blushed leaning down to help him pick up the stuff. But somehow Merlin got what looked a dress while she got the chainmail.
"Switch." Merlin said and they did so.
"Well actually, I was bringing this to Arthur so that he could give it to you." Gwen said, and Merlin raised his eyebrow at her.
"That's awful sweet of you Gwen, but that's not really my style." Merlin said nervously.
"No, I mean, it's for your sister." Gwen said and Merlin nodded.
"Why thank you Gwen." Merlin said.
"So switch. I'll take that to the armory for you." Gwen said.
"You really are the best." Merlin said kissing her cheek as she passed him.
Casper looked out the door of his bedroom, he was supposedly in the guest wing with his sister down the hall but he couldn't quite remember which side. Casper was walking down there when he bumped into something hard. He looked up at it was his brother, scowling at him. Merlin was not a very intimidating boy, Casper was however, but Merlin still managed to send a shiver down his little brother's spine.
"Where do you think you're going?" Merlin asked.
"To meet you." Casper said with a smile.
"Nice try." Merlin replied.
"Fine, I just was trying to find Emilia's room." Casper said in defense.
"Why?" Merlin asked.
"Because I haven't spent a night more than ten feet away from her in all my life. You know what happens, how the hell am I supposed to keep her safe when I can't find her." Casper said nervously pacing but Merlin took one of his hands from whatever he was holding and placed it onto his shoulder.
"Casper, she's literally right next door." Merlin said guiding him into his room and opening the joint door. Casper nodded but Merlin set what he was holding down on the dresser and brought his brother into a hug.
"Whatcha got there?" Casper asked pointing to the dress.
"Oh that, Gwen gave it to me." Merlin said shaking his head.
"Doesn't really suit you, does it?" Casper asked and Merlin shoved him.
"It's for Emilia." Merlin said, grabbing it and walking into his sister's room, she was sitting on the bed.
She was turned away, her green eyes lost in thought as she bit down on her finger nails. Merlin took the opportunity to set the dress on the dresser. He came up to her and took her hand in his own.
"What exactly do finger nails taste like? I've always been curious." Merlin said but Emilia retracted her hand, smacking his head playfully.
"What'd you bring me?" Emilia asked.
"A dress. From Gwen. So you'll wear it." Merlin said very quickly so she had no time to refuse. Emilia gave him a puppy look but he just lowered his brow and she dropped it.
"Merlin." She whispered almost not wanting him to hear.
Merlin crossed the room and brought her in for the same hug he had given to Casper. She sighed, relaxing against him. After bidding her goodnight, Merlin sat outside the door. He was waiting for the familiar sound of Emilia sleeping, he knew that once Casper heard it he would move from his space on the joint door and then Merlin could go to sleep.