Merlin went to the castle with Gaius that evening to work. His eyes were wide as saucers the whole evening. Being from a small village, he had never seen the amount of food and ale that was at the feast. The couturiers that arrived where all dressed in the finest attire. It was all like nothing Merlin had ever seen, but he enjoyed his time at the banquet. At the end of the feast they were going to have entertainment.
Merlin stood beside the table that held the King and Prince and Lady Morgana. A beautiful young woman stood up to sing. She began her aria and everyone was enthralled. As she sang she got louder and louder and the words sounded odd to Merlin, not like words of a song but more like words of the spells that he heard his father use.
Merlin's senses began to become hyperaware of his surroundings. She was using magic to soothe the crowds and soon everyone in the room was asleep but Merlin. The beautiful woman reached into her sleeve and pulled out a dagger. In an instant he recognized that she meant to use that dagger to kill Prince Arthur.
Thinking as fast as he could he noticed a large light fixture directly over the young woman's head and he used his magic to make the fixture fall and crush the woman. As soon as the singing stopped everyone in the room began to awaken. The King was the first to notice the crushed body of the beautiful singer was now the old haggard woman from earlier that promised to kill Arthur.
With the last bit of life the old woman had in her she rose up and threw the dagger straight for Arthur's heart. Merlin used his magic to slow the dagger to give him time to get to the Prince. He pulled the Prince out of the way just in time for the Dagger to imbed itself in the back of the chair that he was standing in front of.
The King made Merlin manservant to Prince Arthur that night. From that night Merlin and Prince Arthur began a friendship that would be like no other.
Merlin was a loyal servant to Arthur but he would always be honest with Arthur. Merlin soon became Arthur's closest friend (all though he could never admit to being friends with a servant) and confidant. Merlin saw the pressures that the young Prince was put under by his father and he would give him advice or just be a listening ear or much to his dislike he would even be a sparring partner for Arthur when he really needed to get his aggression out.
Merlin loved his work at the castle and everyone loved Merlin. Before he could even think about it 6 months had passed. One evening after work Merlin was walking back to Gaius's house and he was pulled into a dark alley. He started to fight to get away but whoever brought him into that alley used magic to throw a barrel into the young mans stomach. Merlin lay there for a minute struggling to breath. Every hair on the back of his neck stood on end when he heard a familiar voice say, "You thought you could get away from me that easily did you boy, well you are mistaken. I found you and soon our dear old Prince is going to be looking for himself a new manservant." He slapped Merlin on the cheek and walked out of the alley leaving Merlin afraid and gasping for breath.
The next morning Arthur woke up to Merlin setting out his breakfast and opening his curtains like he did every morning but Arthur could tell something was wrong. Merlin did not have his usual sparkle.
When Merlin brought his food to him in bed he accidently bumped the tray on the end of the bed and sent the tray into his stomach and he just about doubled over in pain. He managed to keep his composure and place the tray on Arthurs lap and walk back to his station, but Arthur could tell something was wrong.
He asked Merlin about his stomach and Merlin just passed off the pain as being from something he ate. For the rest of the day Arthur could tell Merlin was just not himself. And every time he thought Arthur wasn't looking Merlin would hold his stomach and wince in pain.
After dinner he ordered Merlin to go home and leave him to dress himself for bed. Merlin fought the Prince not wanting to shirk his duties but in the end he left and went home.
On his way home he was hoping and praying not to run into Balinor again. He wasn't sure if he could manage another hit to the stomach like he had last night. Merlin started to breath a little easier when he saw the lights of Gaius's house when out of nowhere a brick came flying at Merlin and struck him in the face. Merlin fell to the ground in pain. Balinor came up and kicked Merlin in the stomach as hard as he could.
Merlin was now bleeding from his face and spitting up blood. Balinor leaned down and told Merlin, "I killed your Mother and I am going to kill you! When I am done I just might go after Gaius and Arthur too. You pathetic piece of rubbish." Balinor walked off and Merlin slipped into unconsciousness.
Gaius was in his house with dinner on the table and was beginning to get worried about Merlin. He went through the castle to Arthur's chambers and knocked on the door. Arthur yelled, "COME". Gaius said, "I am sorry to disturb you, your highness but I wanted to see how much longer Merlin was going to be?"
Prince Arthur looked at Gaius and told him, "I sent Merlin home hours ago, it looked like he had hurt his stomach and needed some rest. He isn't home yet?" Gaius said, "No Sire and I am really starting to get worried about him." Arthur slipped on some britches and grabbed his sword and told Gaius, "lets go find him."
Gaius and Arthur walked the route that Merlin would have likely taken home. Gaius had a torch and Arthur had his sword on ready just in case. Nearly back to Gaius's home they spotted Merlin. Gaius ran to the unconscious man and turned him over and saw the large gash on his face. Arthur came running up and picked Merlin up and they went to Gaius's home and began to treat Merlin.
Gaius cleaned and closed the cut on his face and examined his stomach. When Arthur sat the impression of a boot on Merlin's abdomen he became livid. He looked at Gaius and asked him, "Who would do this to Merlin? Everyone likes Merlin even the grumpy cook who doesn't like anyone likes Merlin." Gaius shook his head, "I don't know sire but let me see if we can wake him up and ask him who did this to him."
Gaius took out a bottle of some smoking foul smelling compound and put it under Merlin's nose. He immediately woke up and began to cough. He started to sit up but the pain in his abdomen wouldn't let him.
Gaius patted him on the shoulder and told him that he was okay and safe at home. He told him that Prince Arthur was here too and he asked him, "Who in the world could have done this to you my boy?"
Merlin put his arm over his face to hide the fact that he was crying but you could tell by his voice that he was crying. He took a deep breath and said, "He killed my mother and he is going to kill me and he threatened to hurt you and Arthur."
Prince Arthur told Merlin to not worry about him he can defend himself against anyone. Merlin looked at him with tears stained eyes, "You don't understand he just isn't anyone he is a powerful sorcerer and he is…" Gaius finished his sentence, "He is your father isn't he? That is who has been attacking you." Merlin just shook his head yes.