Chapter II: Sorting Valiant.
Notes: I've found a BETA… or it found me, actually, LOL *lame joke, cough, cough…* Let's cheer Escaped Ninja for her wonderful (and really quick!) job.
10
Merlin was woolgathering, looking at nothing in particular. Camelot was hosting the annoying annual sword tournament where the knights of the entire realm came to beat each other with swords, obviously. Merlin could vaguely recalled something with snakes but it was extremely fuzzy in his mind, especially with Gaius drugging him so much; he didn't know what Gaius was expecting him to do. He opened his eyes and almost tripped as he hadn't done in years, with the sight of Arthur Pendragon in front of him, looking at him intently. He fell in his butt and frowned.
"What?" Arthur fidgeted and Merlin deepened the frown full his voice full of distrust.
"I…" Arthur started hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to say thank you…" Well, what do you know? That was a first, Arthur saying thank you for the weekly saving of his life. "For, you know… saving my life… my Father tried to reward you, but you disappeared so quickly and then Gaius said that you are not so well right now, so the King it's bidding his time." Despite his mind still being fuzzy Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I didn't do what I did for a reward. I don't want anything that your King can offer." The Warlock looked at Arthur whom had a very hurt expression on his face and was about to pout. Oh boy… Merlin sighed, great…"Look, call it even, seriously; just be a great King or whatever." The younger Pendragon held him for his arm when he tried to escape. "Let me go, Arthur." Merlin warned.
"Whoever gave you permission to call me by my first name?" Said the prince, Arthur was shocked; it was like if somebody said: hey, did you see? The sky turned green!
"Ah, there you are, welcome back, prat…" though the only thing that Merlin said out loud was: "Prat", which was Merlin default response when Arthur was being a prat.
"Excuse me? Did you just call me a Prat? Don't you know who I am?"The next thing that Arthur was going to say was: Do you know how to walk on your knees?
"Me? I would never, ever dareto call the Great Prince of Camelot a prat, sire." By the time Merlin finished with his angelic face, Arthur was twitching; that nobody was mocking him and wasn't even trying to disguise it. The sarcasm was clearly noticeable in his voice, dropping like caustic arrows to his person.
"Are you being sarcastic?" Merlin arched one eyebrow.
"Are you the prince of Camelot? Now, if you excuse me, I'm busy. No, wait; I'm not, but I don't like your attitude…" And with that Merlin turned and walked away muttering about Prat kings that didn't know how to keep themselves alive; leaving one Prince of Camelot, gawking in his wake.
11
Merlin was returning from his morning deliveries and at some point of the walk something made the hair of his nape stand up. He looked at his left, the armory, and the first thing that got his attention was a yellow shield he shifted his sight, ghostly serpents danced around the shield… He grinded his teeth, Oh for fuck's sake! Merlin sighed, annoyed, tossing his hair with both hands frustrated and decided to ignore the fact that a lot people was going to die, again.
"Um, he-hello Merlin…" Merlin stopped his frustrated breakdown to pay attention to Gwen.
"Gwen."
"Everything ok? You looked quite troubled from here. Can I… um, help you?"
"Ergh, nope; everything it's all right. Sorry you had to see that…"
"It's ok. It's not trouble. Do you want to talk?"
"Lancelot, where the bloody hell are you when one needs you?" Merlin thought irritated. "Nope, everything is all right, in fact…" He cackled a little bit evil. "Why don't you forget that you spoke to me today, um?" Gwen looked entranced at Merlin's eyes which were swirling gold. How he had done to so many people in his life, he took Gwen's memories of those five minutes away, destroying them in the process.
"Yes, why don't I forget that I spoke to you today?" She agreed with him, forgetting it. In the haze of the oblivion spell, he bid his farewell.
"Ok, this is where I um, run." The Warlock mumbled and walked away with quick steps.
12
Merlin looked at the poor knight dying from snake poison, breathing shallowly in the narrow bed.
"Merlin, are you ok?" Gaius asked his young ward, the Warlock looked at Gaius with his hands clasped together close to his lips.
"What would you do if you knew who did this?" Merlin asked and the Court Physician assessed his protégé.
"Are you saying that you know how this knight ended being poisoned by a snake?"
"Hypothetically?" Merlin probed cautiously.
"Hypothetically, of course." Gaius decided to humor the young Warlock.
"Hypothetically, I may or may not have seen an enchanted shield that may or may not belong to a knight that for the sake of the hypothetically speaking shall remain unnamed…" Gaius rubbed his face with his hands.
"Do you know how this shield works? Hypothetically…"
"Parlor trick… nothing too fancy. Although in Camelot it may well be the Cup of Life, hypothetically speaking; of course." Gaius opened his mouth to say something when he heard Merlin cursed.
"Merlin?"
"Fuck, someone is eavesdropping at the door." He left unsaid that he knew it was Arthur that was doing it. "Heard something interesting Arthur?"
"How the hell did you know it was me?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" The Warlock let him in, rolling his eyes.
"It is true what you said? This is the hand of sorcery?"
"Nice try, your highness." Arthur cringed; hearing Merlin say 'Your Highness' was inversely proportional to his brain hearing: 'you dirty vermin'. "The moment I drop the 'Hypothetically speaking' I might very well be sentencing myself to a good flog; because you Pendragon's are so intelligent." The farther he was from Arthur, the less his future will be likely to doom.
"Merlin!" Gaius chastised the young one, bemused.
"Oh, I'm so very much sorry… sire." There he was doing it again, that was the most insincere apology he had heard in his life and he lived and breathed in the Court of Camelot.
"Merlin. What about we compromise, you tell me everything you think you know and I shall never mention your name in front of my father; but knights are dying unfairly Merlin!"
"Life is not fair, Arthur. Deal with it. But you may or may not, hypothetically speaking; be searching for a knight named Valiant, will you go away now? Don't you have princely duties to complete? I'm pretty sure you are a busy person. Good night, sire."
It went unsaid that Gaius was VERY concerned.
13
"Arthur, are you out of your mind? You want me to accuse a knight of sorcery because a servant some told you about some fictitious magic shield?" Arthur bit his lips.
"You are right father. It was stupid of me to bring such a delicate subject like this."
"And don't you ever forget it, Arthur."
"Of course father" The Prince of Camelot bowed to his father and then spun on his heels, his eyes crossed with the azure orbs of Merlin whom had a knowing look in his face and was leaning on a wall inconspicuous, if somebody was not paying enough attention, Merlin would pass unseen.
"I told you so…" Merlin reproached him when he was close enough to be whispered in his ear. The Court Physician's Apprentice left him like some peasant not worthy of his time now that everything was said and done. Arthur had to admit to himself, feeling a bit lost and disgruntled.
14
Emrys was enjoying the sun while eating some confectionaries he had stolen from the kitchen early this morning when Arthur's Manservant of this week (Morgana was betting this was to be gone at the end of the tournament, as there would be no servants free due to the tournament and Uther made his point very clear).
Merlin flinched when the lad, walking with a pile of things, fell; stumbling with a very big rock that went unseen due to the great number effects on his arms. The Warlock could see the bone twisted in a very painful way.
"Don't move, chap." He didn't know the name of Arthur's servant of the week. "You ankle is very likely broken. Try not to move."
"I need to go!"
"And how are you planning on walking with a broken ankle? Don't you see the bone sticking like a ball on the skin? You are lucky it didn't penetrate the skin!"
"You don't understand! I need to prepare Prince Arthur for his match! Please! I need to go!"
"What happened?" A guard, passing by the scene asked, frowning.
"Can you take him to the Court Physician? He broke his ankle pretty badly. Do not concern yourself, I shall attend the Prince, go!"
Merlin sighed mutinously and began to gather everything that went flying because of the fall and when everything was ready, he hurried himself to Arthur's tent.
"Merlin! What the hell are you doing here? Where is Everest?"
"Everest? You sacked Everest like, a month ago…"
"What?
"Everest? I remember because Morgana told me that you were bitching about how he left hair everywhere." That left Arthur a bit dumbfounded. Since when was Morgana and Merlin so chummy? And why Merlin pay attention to Morgana, but left Arthur aside like chopped liver?
"Whatever, what are you doing here?"
"Your manservant had a rather ugly accident that involved a rock and a very twisted ankle, so I butted in; but then again you are a grown up and can dress yourself. Here, good luck."
"Wait, Abby got in an accident, is he ok?" Merlin arched an eyebrow and Arthur cleared his throat. "What?"
"You sacked Abby like, two weeks ago because you didn't like him having a girl's name." He remembered because that was so far the most stupid reason Arthur had come with to sack somebody. Morgana laughed for days when she found out (after being outraged with Arthur, of course).
"Liar!"
"Should I ask Morgana?"
"No! Fine! Whatever!"
"Well, here are your clothes, sire. I will show myself the exit, because I can see I'm not welcome here."
"No! Wait!" Merlin spun again and looked at him in the eye, making him uncomfortable.
"Yes?"
"You have to help me! How do you pretend I fasten the brooches on my back!" Arthur asked for help. Merlin rolled his eyes… Pendragons…
"But you said…"
"Merlin!"
"Ok, there is no need to yell." Merlin murmured somewhat mutinous. Arthur wanted to say something but he restrained himself.
With every new servant Arthur gained, at first, the undressing and, consequently, dressing, was terrible and awkward and not just for the servant, but Arthur too felt awfully vulnerable and he hated it. Some people trembled, others leered and there was one who even tried to undress him with his eyes closed, needlessly to say he didn't last pass that night. Merlin did neither… which he should have been expecting. Merlin tended to send his expectation flying out the window. He knew the bloke wasn't a servant; he lived free in some town bordering Camelot and Cendred's kingdom, but the way and the easiness which he was performing the task told him he had done this for many years, which was contradictory.
It was unnerving that Merlin seemed to understand how to fit everything perfect in his body. Everything was in his right place and nothing was grazing or prickling or wrong. No servant had gotten it right the first try, in fact, he always ended doing the last arrangement himself, but this was perfect, which was unnerving, as he had said before. Merlin seemed to know his body from memory and his hands were ridiculously soft for a poor farmer boy, but then again, sometimes Merlin seemed to move like a noble: graciously and restrained and the way he spoke always brought him flash backs of the courts held by his father.
Merlin went to fetch the sword and murmuring a few words; he had made some last minutes modification to avoid the prat being killed by magic even if this wasn't his fight with Valiant.
"Arthur." The Warlock called the Prince to attention as he was just lost looking at him.
"Yes?"
"Your sword…" He gave him the sword and Arthur felt the metal tingling in his fingers. "Good luck, in your silly game of beating yourselves with swords, sire." And for a moment, all the tension in Arthur's shoulder seemed to vanish. Merlin smirked knowingly and Arthur laughed a little before getting on his way, leaving the brunet standing there lost in his memories.
Arthur won the match, easily. He looked for Merlin only to find out that he wasn't there; princes didn't feel disappointment, but if he wasn't a Prince, then maybe, just maybe, that would be what he would be feeling.
15
Merlin's recollection of his former time line may not be as clear as he would like but he did know that when the news that the poisoned knight may be living, Valiant would send one of those blasted snakes to finish the job and the Warlock would be waiting and he would do something very cruel to the fucking thing. That was why he found the servant whom attended Valiant and alas, that finishing the job was going to be tonight.
"Merlin, shouldn't you be sleeping?" Merlin winced inside. How to tell Gaius that he hadn't done much sleeping in uncountable years? The Physician observed that Merlin was reading one of his many books of history; mostly boring to the youth, but very enjoyable for scholars and old men like himself. Merlin was one surprise after another, because he actually looked like he was really enjoying the book. "How do you find that book?"
"Interesting, I'm pretty sure you have read the uncensored version. It's amazing how much the history changes from one King to another, don't you think, dear Gaius?"
"Are you planning on sleeping anytime today?" He didn't say anything about how easily Merlin spoke traitorous things about the King.
"I'm going to finish this chapter and then I will sleep. I promise." Merlin replied, easily lying.
"Then, until the next day, Merlin."
"Of course, Gaius. Sweet dreams…"
"I should be one wishing you sweet dreams, my dear boy. You always seem to be in need of them." Merlin gave Gaius a sad smile.
Emrys smirked quite diabolic when he saw the snake slithering, using the poles on the ceiling. When the thing prepared to attacked, Merlin just froze it.
"As I said before: Parlor Trick…" The brunet went searching for a jar of pure glass to milk the reptile and when he found it and was in front of the snake. "Open your mouth. Don't make me beg or do something really, really bad. You wouldn't believe my sadistic streak. Fine, have it your way…" The not-quite-so-last of the Dragon Lords commanded the magical creature whispering to it in the dragon dialect and the snake hopelessly gave in. "Whatever made you think you could go against me?" Merlin snorted very un-Merlin-like. "If I didn't know better I would let your fucking master end the Pendragon line once and for all, so they could search for another king and be done with it. But alas, that isn't going to happen. So yeah, that is why I hope for the best and plan for the worst. My personal motto when dealing with the Pendragon's, I must be really desperate to be talking so chummy to a frozen serpent. I'm pretty sure that Gwaine would have lots to say about that. Shut up, Merlin." He talked to himself, not knowing that Gaius was very awake, with a concerned look on his face while Merlin kept blabbing with himself while making some sort of potion, if it was magical, however, he didn't quite know. "Now I promised you hell, but I'm actually tired, so I would try to sleep and you are going to vanish into oblivion, and tomorrow we will do our best to keep Arthur alive for that stupid tournament."
16
"Merlin? Do you want something?" The prince asked when the Warlock appeared in his tent. Merlin was staring with an arched eyebrow, watching the poor servant of the week (or for the tournament) jump and stumble and trip, trying to move with dignity with only one good leg.
"Go away and rest the feet lad or do you want to lose it?" Merlin told the young servant. Arthur, at some point of his life was going to stop being surprised by Merlin… but not today, especially when the little bugger commanded his manservant to go away like he was the King of Camelot and the stupid manservant, whose name he still didn't remember, had the audacity of listening to him and even bow to him.
"What the fuck it's wrong with you?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. You were going to an unmitigated disaster with that poor kid trying to dress you with only one leg working."
"So you butted in…?" He drawled irritated, but in the end leaving Merlin to do whatever the hell he wanted. Merlin ignored him, as usual and when everything was in place, the Warlock spoke again.
"One piece of advice Arthur, your match is against Valiant, in the moment you see the ghostly serpents: you are going to cut them with your sword." Arthur opened his mouth. "Believe me your sword is made of awesomeness, it will cut them through. Oh! Right, I forgot; if by any chance you do get bitten, you have about five seconds to kill the bastard and, because I too am awesome, I have the antidote just right here." He said auto sufficient showing him a phial. "Go and try not to get killed, you prat… if everything gets screwed I've got a plan B. Pray that we don't have to get to it. Arthur, I know it's one of your worst faults, but don't underestimate Valiant." Before Arthur could defend himself against the accusations, Merlin had left him and he suddenly felt like if all the weight of the world was dumped on his shoulders. If only Arthur had half of the confidence that Merlin seemed to have in him. He took a deep breath and took the plunge.
17
Merlin winced and hit his forehead with the palm, after Arthur managed to get poisoned by the stupid snake. He had told the Prat that there were two snakes left in the shield. Underestimating the enemy was going to be Arthur's doom, he cut one and then Valiant commanded the other one, the worst of all? Uther was, as usual; oblivious to anything magical happening in the arena. He looked momentarily at Morgana, he sighed relieved. Morgana had that "OMG! I'm super worried about it and if you continue, I might have to beat you with my sword" look on her face. He was never going to let her live this one down.
"So much for trusting Arthur with something like this…" Gaius looked at Merlin, whom opened his eyes wide and instead of the golden flash the pupils dilated; a few seconds later Valiant began to choke and Arthur, by mistake with a misdirected stab, mortally wounded the knight, the prince was not fairing much better either. He was pale and shaken and was clearly having trouble breathing.
People went on a rampage when the Prince of Camelot won the tournament; blind to the fact that if the antidote was not administered quickly their beloved prince would die. Arthur remembered that Merlin had told him to come quickly and find him in case of being poisoned. He could see the tents but he couldn't walk anymore, everything was multiplying by four. Merlin caught Arthur before he end up in the floor, giving himself a concussion to add to the poison. The Warlock uncorked the phial and tried feed Arthur the antidote. Arthur was not being very helpful.
"The things I do for you, Prat!" Merlin took Arthur to the tent and when they were inside he bespelled the tent to be ignored. Putting Arthur's head on his lap the Warlock opened the Prince's mouth and poured a bit of the liquid trying to get it passed by massaging Arthur's throat to make the reflexes come to life. He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, when the antidote went down the unconscious prat's throat and poured the rest, lucky for him; he would need to put his mouth on Arthur's to make him swallow.
He left Arthur carefully on the floor and now he could only wait. He materialized a book and began to read, waiting for the unconscious Prince to wake up.
18
The first thing that Arthur saw when he woke up was something red. Why would he wake up with a red sky? Was there a sky of that color? Weren't red skies a bad omen? No, he was clearly mixing omens… The Once and Future King frowned while blinking furiously trying to clear the cobwebs in his mind, suddenly a face appeared in that red sky. Dark hair and blue eyes looked at him.
"Are you with us yet, Arthur?" He jumped scared and was about to yell like a woman but then he remember that he was a prince and princes didn't yell like a woman.
"Merlin! What the hell!"
"Good, you're conscious again. Good job getting yourself poisoned in the arena…" The Warlock chastised Arthur, scowling.
"Well I'm sorry that I got poisoned in the arena Merlin! I don't know if you noticed it's not particularly easy to dodge those fucking magical snakes randomly popping out of a magic shield!" Merlin ignored his protests again and instead looked at him closely. "Wha-What are you doing?"
"Stay still Arthur. I'm just looking at your iris."
"Right, because that's not creepy at all. Merlin, get off me."
"I'm looking at your iris, you prat, trying to see if there will be some secondary effects like what happened to the other knights that were poisoned, but fine, have it your way. Prat." He repeated just for the sake of the argument.
"One can do that?" Arthur asked surprised. Merlin nodded somewhat meekly.
"It's called Iridology it was formerly a -mancy. But with the ban of magic…" Merlin decided to shrug and stand up.
"I am going to be ok?" Arthur didn't like the Machiavellian smirk appeared on Merlin's lips.
"You'll be fine, relax. Now, you should go and tell your father that you were tumbling with a maid or something…" The prince scowled. "You have been unconscious for more than an hour Arthur.
"And they have not searched the tent?"
"And the sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them." Merlin answered him quite cryptic.
"Meaning?"
"Are we not lucky?"
"I don't believe in coincidences…" He said suspiciously, he had been lost for more than an hour after the tournament and nobody came asking for him on his tent? Call him paranoid if you want, but he didn't buy it.
"Good, that will get you far. Well, sire, I left you to your post-tournament ablutions, shall I call for Pence?" Arthur was going to criticize Merlin's sarcasm as he normally did, but he didn't know any "Pence's".
"Who the hell is Pence?"
"Your manservant?" Merlin asked confused.
"His name is Pence?" Now, he didn't see that one coming.
"Yes?" He thought Arthur was joking when he said he didn't know the name of his manservants.
"Can't you finish the job?" Arthur really wanted Merlin attending him. In fact he would sack every other poor excuse of a servant until Merlin accepted to work for him.
"Do I look like your servant?" The Warlock questioned, crossing his arms on his chest and arching an eyebrow.
"Please?"
"Did you just say: please?" That surprised him, a lot.
"With sugar on top?" The Prince tried his best puppy face, he knew he was irresistible.
"Oh for the gods' sake! Come, you overgrown child…" Emrys took the Once and Future King's hand and dragged him.
"Wait! Merlin! Wait!"
"Life waits for no man, Arthur!"
"What?"
"Oh look, there's Arthur." Morgana pointed out calmly. The knights were freaking out like ants in the rain, because their prince was MIA.
"And Merlin…" Gwen finished pointing with a finger and followed them both.
"Merlin!" Morgana called in a loud voice. Merlin hearing his name, halted for a moment.
"Morgana! Gwen! Can't talk, I'll see you guys later!" And with that frugal greeting he continued on his way to the castle dragging Arthur with him.
"You gotta love that boy!" Morgana chirped happily and stopped waving her hand.
"Was Merlin dragging Prince Arthur around?" Morgana just giggled before Gwen's traumatized face.
TBC