Gaius was astonished, astonished and that doesn't happen very often, he has been shocked plenty of times, but very few times has the elderly man ever been truly astonished. Today was one of those days when he was. He had been sitting at his workbench at the time, trying to remember the ingredients to a sleeping draft, all while worrying for that fool Merlin, who was off telling the newly appointed king he was a sorcerer. Gaius had been so wrapped up in his worries for the young man that he almost dropped his vile when that very boy burst through his chamber door.
But it was what Merlin had to say that truly astonished Gaius, not Merlin's lack of respect for the door and Gaius' work place. No, Merlin told him of how King Arthur had already known of Merlin's magic, had for some time now, and that there had been no bloodshed, no fighting and most importantly, no conviction on Merlin's life.
When the sorcerer all but skipped from the room, muttering a goodbye, humming happily as he went, it was then Gaius shook his head. He hadn't expected this, for Arthur not to be angry, not only that…but to already know.
Merlin was always too clumsy when it came to keeping his magic a secret, with a shudder the man remembered when the Witchfinder had come to Camelot. Gaius shook his mind of those thoughts, finishing off the sleeping draft. He left his chambers then, heading to the council, he had important matters to discuss with the new King.
There was a nasty flue breaking out in the lower town and Gaius needed vital supplies that were at least two days away from Camelot. The elderly man walked into the council chambers and took his seat at the table, waiting for the King to enter.
When Arthur did walk in he looked happy, in high spirits even with the newfound pressure of now truly being King. He looked a bit too pleased for someone who had such a mess on his hands, a whole kingdom to run, a half-sister on the loose wanting his head, and now to top it off, a sorcerer to keep secret.
"Gaius," Arthur smiled, bowing his head in the man's direction. "As I understand you need time off of your physician's duty to go and collect supplies?"
"Yes, Sire," Gaius said, nodding. "There is a flu-"
But just as Gaius was explaining, an outburst made him jump. The chamber doors burst open and in walked Agrvaine, wearing the same clothes he had been the night before, his hair was stuck up in odd places and he had dried spit running up his cheek.
"Sire, I need a word!" he said, baring his teeth and looking around madly, probably for any sign of Merlin.
"It looks like you've had a hard night," Arthur said, trying to hide the amusement in his voice, Arthur was still very young, something like this would amuse him. It even amused Gaius a little bit. "Perhaps you would like to freshen up first?"
"No, Sire," Agraivne shook his head. "I must speak to you at once, it is urgent."
"Very well," Arthur nodded, looking at Agravaine with the upmost attention. Agravain took in a breath, before standing tall, ignoring that bit of hair that stuck up on the top of his head.
"It is about your servant, Merlin."
"Merlin?" Arthur asked, looking a tad more concerned now. "What about him?"
"I caught the boy….in a very compromising position last night," Agravaine explained and then Arthur's face turned to from worry to plain. "Sire, your servant is.."
"I know what he is, Uncle," Arthur stopped him, looking a bit amused again.
"And you are not angry about this, Arthur?" Agravaine asked, forgoing the property. "You have not thrown him in the cells for being so…being a…"
"There is no reason for such actions," Arthur said, shaking his head. "Perhaps my father would have seen someone like Merlin as inhuman or even a threat, but I don't," Arthur told him, holding his head high. "I am not my father, Agavaine, and I mean to prove that."
Agravaine looked utterly bewildered and a tad disappointed, if Gaius did say so himself.
"So, you just simply do not care that Merlin is-"
"It does not change who Merlin is, not to me anyway," Arthur said then, leaning up in his chair. "He is just as human as the rest of us."
Agravaine huffed, turning around and heading back for the door, as he walked out though, he seemed to remember his head and turned back to the court.
"I am sorry to have disturbed, if you do not mind, Sire, I will freshen up now."
Arthur nodded and Agravaine stomped away. Arthur shook his head then, and looked down at the papers in front of him. Gaius was truly proud of Arthur, not that he hadn't been before, just a tad bit more now.
"Sire, I must say, you are taking this better than I had expected," Gaius told him, unable to contain his feelings at the moment, it just proved all of Uther's hatred had not washed on to Arthur.
"I don't understand why everyone thinks I would take it so badly," Arthur explained, looking over at Gaius, puzzled. "Why should I care if Merlin likes men or woman? It makes no difference to me."
Gaius nodded along until the words Arthur had spoken sunk in on him.
"What?" Gaius asked, confused. "What exactly did Merlin tell you this morning, Sire?"
"That he was gay, what else?" Arthur asked, looking confused now too. "He told me you knew?"
"Oh yes," Gaius nodded then, standing up, as quickly as any old man could. "I did know, indeed" he nodded again and headed toward the door."Well, I must be off…"
"We're in the middle of a council!" Arthur called after him.
"The flu does not wait for council metting's, Sire!" Gaius told him, hiking up his robes and bolting toward the door. He simply had to find Merlin before he saw Arthur again.
He left the room at his quickest pace, rushing down the halls in search for Merlin; Gaius sometimes wondered how such a powerful sorcerer could be put into such an idiot of a boy.
(A/N: I'm still loving this, I wish this happened in the show, at least this bit anyway. It just amuses me so much. I know this chapter is in Gaius' pov, put it will go back to Merlin's in the next chapter.)