Hello! I was surprised the prologue got so many follows and favs, and I'd like to thank everyone who took their time to write a review. I love you guys and I dearly hope I won't disappoint you with this chapter :)
Enjoy!
"Stop it."
Merlin frowned, putting down the chain mail he'd just picked up.
"Not that."
Confused, he picked it up again and turned to put it on his King, only to see him pacing around the tent.
"Merlin."
"What? I'm not even talking."
"Exactly." Arthur huffed and stopped abruptly. "I can see why you would be nervous, but at least try to compose yourself, will you?"
Merlin sighed. No one would ever believe him how awkward Arthur could be sometimes.
Taking advantage of the King finally being still, he shoved the chain mail over his head before he could start pacing again.
"There's nothing you need to feel nervous about, Sire." He teased, knowing full well what was really on his friend's mind. "It may be your first tournament since you're King, but you've seen how your father handled them. You'll do great."
"Who cares about the tournament!" Arthur exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. "It's the Druids I'm worried about!" He then locked his eyes with his servant's amused ones and immediately scowled. "I mean, it's you who is worried over nothing. Man up, Merlin."
Merlin only smiled and went to grab the remaining pieces of the King's armour.
"The Druids will be fine" he said after adjusting the last piece. Taking a step back, he admired his work. The chest plate was a bit crooked but surely no one would notice. "The tournament is what you need to focus on right now. I'm sure Gwaine will try to best you."
Arthur laughed.
"A man can dream."
"Indeed" Merlin smiled under his nose, watching his King exit the tent.
And with Arthur being worried for the Druids, he believed dreams really can come true.
If Arthur came unscathed out of the tournament, that is. Merlin gave up on trying to understand why those tournaments were so important. He always hated them since they forced him to be on high alert a few days in a row and it never failed to make him exhausted. Why was he the only one to see how easy an opening that was? Hey, want to kill the King? Why hire an assassin, there's a tournament coming soon, let's just wait and kill him ourselves! What a great fun. Not.
"Merlin!"
He rolled his eyes and hurried after Arthur who shot him an inpatient look.
"Relax" Merlin cut off whatever the other man was about to say. "The Druids can take care of themselves."
"As I have already said-"
"You're not worried about them. Right." He grinned again, not even bothering to hide it this time.
Arthur only scoffed and walked towards the arena.
"Good luck!" Merlin shouted after him and was ignored completely. Smiling to himself he joined Gaius among the audience. The physician greeted him with a nod and turned to watch the contestants. Arthur welcomed everyone and soon the first round has started.
"I think he's finally getting there" Merlin whispered. The other man raised his eyebrows at no one in particular, still facing ahead. "Maybe not today and not tomorrow, but soon. He was actually worried for them, you know?"
"That is wonderful, my boy."
Merlin felt his mentor's hand gently squeeze his shoulder and smiled, watching Arthur sit on his throne while the first round commenced. Son of Uther Pendragon, worried for the safety of the Druid camp near Camelot's eastern border. Who would have thought? Many people will be travelling those routes, all because of the tournament, Arthur has said a few days back, tapping a place on a map with his finger. Maybe we should warn- ...wear warm clothes and go for a short hunting trip? To the East this time. Pack up.
Dreams really do come true.
After the first rounds were over, almost four hours later, Merlin found himself exhausted. Not only he had to keep an eye on all contestants to make sure they weren't secretly trying to kill anyone, he also had to tend to Arthur during breaks, and now he was back to being a servant – the floor in royal chambers wouldn't clean itself. At least it seemed there was no magical threats this time and he was very grateful for that.
"Merlin"
He snapped out of his thoughts.
"What?"
The look on Arthur's face told him it wasn't the first time he was called so he just grinned sheepishly and got back to scrubbing the floor.
"Merlin!"
"What?" He put the brush down and looked at his King with exasperation. "I'm a little busy here."
Arthur scowled at him.
"Well then stop being busy." Just as Merlin was about to start ranting about God-knows-what-again, he added, "I saw someone using magic. I think."
When his servant paled visibly and failed to sprout some nonsense as he usually did, Arthur cleared his throat loudly, hoping to snap him out of this weird trance, but it didn't work. Merlin was as good as paralyzed.
"Oh don't be such a girl, Merlin." He scolded. "I mean, I think... I-" Shutting his mouth before he could say something very wrong and illegal, Arthur sighed and went to sit by his desk. "You know what, never mind. I probably imagined this."
Merlin blinked finally.
"What are you going to do about this?"
"I've just said I probably imagined this" Arthur growled, separating himself from his servant with some papers. "Forget it."
"Arthur." The paper he pretended to be reading was suddenly snatched away from his fingers and Merlin's face appeared right before his own. "Who was it? Should we be worried? I didn't see anyone."
"Calm down, will you?" Arthur rolled his eyes and this sight alone made Merlin gape at him.
"You don't mind?" he asked incredulously but the uncomfortable look his King was giving him was an answer enough. "You don't mind." He repeated and sat down, distinctly worried he might faint. He quickly thought his whole day over, desperately needing to make sure Arthur wasn't talking about him. The only time he's used magic today was just a little trick for fun and Arthur was nowhere near to see it. He let out a relieved sigh.
A quiet voice in the back of his mind told him he was being ridiculous. After all wasn't it what he wanted? For Arthur to know his secret and accept it? So when the King was finally willing to step onto the right path, Merlin should have rejoiced. Instead, a sudden realization hit him – out of the two of them, he was the one who wasn't ready. He's been thinking about revealing the truth for quite some time now, but still hasn't found the courage to do so. He trusted Arthur not to execute or banish him – the King has really changed for the better over the years, making his own choices and letting go of the blind hatred towards magic his father forced onto him – but he wouldn't expect his friend to forgive him for a ten years worth of lying. He wasn't hiding in fear for his life anymore, he was hiding so he wouldn't lose the person he treasured the most.
Merlin grimaced. The Druids would be so proud their great Emrys was such an egoistic coward.
"It was Gwaine." Arthur suddenly said and Merlin blinked at him, completely forgetting he was still in his presence. Then the words caught up to him.
"Gwaine?" he repeated dully. "Gwaine? The one who practically lives in the tavern Gwaine? Our Gwaine?"
"How many Gwaines do you know, you idiot?" Arthur grumbled.
Gwaine. Gwaine? No, that couldn't be right. He would know.
He would know.
"Are you sure?" Merlin asked after a long silence.
"Yes. No. I don't know! I just- I don't know anymore."
Arthur closed his eyes to calm down after his little outburst. Merlin knew him well enough to tell he was completely lost and it was making him frustrated. He would start pacing any second now.
With an unreadable look on his face, the King shot up from his chair and walked over to where Merlin was still sitting on the floor.
"Merlin."
He didn't have to say anything more. A silent plea in his voice was as clear as the sky and Merlin understood how out of depth Arthur felt. Even though he was shocked at the news, he was nowhere near as conflicted as Arthur. It warmed his heart to be reminded once again that his opinion mattered. And it mattered more than that of the Council.
"Gwaine is a great friend. He risked his life for us more than once, I trust him with all my heart."
Arthur sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming.
"I know that" he grimaced. "I know that." Merlin watched him as he resumed pacing around the chamber. Keeping quiet for once, he resolved to make sure Arthur wouldn't do anything stupid. Gwaine was their dear friend, and he was not evil. "That idiot!" Arthur groaned suddenly, kicking a table leg in frustration.
Merlin chuckled. He was doing his best to keep calm and even if it wasn't working too well, he was still doing a way better job than Arthur.
"You should talk to him" he suggested. "Let him explain, so you could understand his reasons."
Arthur stopped his pacing abruptly and spun around to look at him.
"No." He said without even thinking. "No, no. No. I cannot confront him about... about that." Seeing Merlin's surprised expression, he added, "I have been thinking about things, you know. I'm starting to develop this idea that maybe not all magic users are evil. Probably. Well, it's a possibility." When Merlin's eyes only got wider, Arthur suddenly felt nervous. "Hard to believe, I know. But there are some things I cannot ignore. What would I tell Gwaine, Merlin?"
Merlin only gaped at him further, but Arthur didn't notice, lost in his speech.
"I don't know what's right and wrong anymore. My father's views on magic were clear and I thought mine were too. And I blindly held on to them, even though they were shattered so many times already." The King looked so lost and confused, Merlin felt an impulse to hug him. It didn't went well the last time he's tried so he remained still, though. "So how could I confront Gwaine, when I still don't know what to make of his... his abilities? I need time, I need answers. And I don't know where to get them, where to even start."
Thinking for a few seconds, he glanced up at his servant.
"All I have is a few doubts. I heard a name, and some rumours." He sat down with a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair.
"Find him for me." Arthur took a deep breath and locked his eyes with Merlin's. "Tell him to be more careful. Someone could see."
To say Merlin was surprised would be a huge understatement. He was so shocked by what he's just heard that he went completely still, his mouth slightly open and his eyes fixed on his King. Has he just heard that right? Arthur was actually reconsidering his opinion on magic. He was willing to pursue the truth. He seemed afraid of what he could find out but he still wanted to understand.
Merlin felt himself swell with pride and had to blink a few times to hold back the tears forming in his eyes.
Arthur watched his servant and frowned.
"You're even more annoying when you're not talking."
Things are finally looking up for our young warlock but he shouldn't get too used to it ;)
Next up: the talk with Gwaine goes wrong and a visitor's arriving in Camelot. Hopefully it gets interesting from there, stay with me!
