The King's Bed

A/N [show-me-your-tardis]

Plot – A hunting trip goes terribly wrong; there's a strange disease spreading through Camelot and rumours are spreading about who, exactly, is in The King's Bed.

Thank you for all the lovely reviews! Sorry I didn't reply to them all personally, I will try to do it this time round.

To those who suggested Lady Noramag was another Sophia, all I can say is, Merlin is thinking the exact same thing.

SoooOOOOoooo heres the deal – I go on holiday this Sunday, so you lucky ducks will get chapter four on Saturday 3rd but that does mean that you will have to wait 10 days for chapter 5 (released on the 13th). So in summary, you get two chapters this week, then no chapters the week after, and then back to schedule. Sorry!

So here we are, Chapter 3!


"And I'm thinking a picnic in the forest. Doesn't that sound romantic? Of course she'll bring that servant of hers, but I'm sure you could keep him busy..." Arthur turned away from the mirror and looked Merlin up and down, "You suit him."

Merlin rolled his eyes and resisted throwing his own boot at the smitten King, who had already turned back to his reflection. He had been like this all morning. Repeating his plans to woo the Lady Noramag non-stop, all the while slipping in the odd insult. It was weird, Merlin had only ever seen Arthur get this attached to someone, this quickly, once – magic had been involved – but the warlock had already done a sweep check of the chambers and found no poultices, no charms, no odd looking candles, nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever.

Maybe Arthur really did love the woman. That was bad, not just for Merlin, but also for the kingdom. Noramag clearly valued royal status over everything else, she would never allow Merlin to bring magic back to Camelot and then the great kingdom of Albion would never be born...

Merlin shook off that thought, he was getting too far ahead. He still had all day today to ruin Arthur's date. It wasn't the first time Arthur had fallen for somebody completely wrong for him.

"Are you even listening to me, Merlin?" Arthur sighed, turning away from the mirror once again.

"I... Yes." Merlin answered, packing a few more apples into the basket.

"Oh? What did I just say?"

Merlin quickly skimmed through everything that would need preparing for the date.

The food – Done.

Arthur's clothes – Done.

Notify the Knights – Done.

The horses – Not done.

"You told me to prepare the horses."

"Lucky guess" Arthur replied, chucking his comb at the boy's head.

Merlin unskillfully dodged the comb; really it was quite a miracle it didn't hit him. He quickly ran to the door before Arthur had time to find something heavier to throw.


They are holding hands.

They are lying side-by-side on a blanket.

They are discussing their future.

It is sickening.


"I don't trust her. She never even said what kingdom she was from!" Merlin ranted, stabbing a carrot with his fork.

Gaius made a non-committal noise, focusing on his own dinner.

"Gaius! This is important, what if she's dangerous to him? Dangerous to Camelot?" Merlin continued, scratching absentmindedly at the dried mud on his face.

"Merlin, I have to admit I don't see anything wrong with her. Yes, she's a bit..."

"Arrogant and pretentious?" Merlin offered.

"Yes, but so was Arthur when you first met him. You have to give her a chance to change." Merlin opened his mouth to protest but Gaius cut him off smoothly, "for Arthur."

Merlin paused.

"Yes, but we both know Arthur's an idiot. What if they get married and then Camelot returns to how it was when Uther reigned? Or even worse than that! What if she's another Sophia? Except this time, we don't manage to save Arthur because you won't help me! Then what, Gaius?" Merlin asked, wide-eyed.

"Stop being so melodramatic, Merlin!" Gaius scolded.

Gaius watched the boy as he sighed and pushed his food around his plate. He couldn't quite place his finger on what was bothering Merlin. It couldn't just be Arthur's fondness of the Lady. Or could it?

Maybe the boy had taken his destiny to heart and was acting a little possesive over Arthur, like a child being forced to share their toys.

He'd grow out of it soon enough, it was about time the young King had a lady friend. Lord knows he's been alone long enough, even more so after Uther's death.

Yes, a Lady of the castle is exactly what Arthur needs; Merlin will just have to deal.

"Did you pick up the thyme?" Gaius asked, changing the subject. He stood up and removed his plate from the table.

"Yes." Merlin replied shortly. Gaius took his plate off the table too, stopping Merlin from playing with his food.

"Good, will you place it with the other herbs? I've never seen this many cases of Yellow Pox so close together." Gaius mused.

Merlin tried to ignore Gaius' obvious attempt at changing the topic, but his curiousity got the better of him, "It's not contagious?"

"Not in the usual way. Usually people can be in contact with diseased people, without contracting the illness, for extended periods of time. Also families may have just one patient within their household. It really is baffling."

"It could be a curse? When did it start? Was it when-"

"No, Merlin. It wasn't when Lady Noramag entered the kingdom. The first case appeared the day before you left for your hunting trip."

Merlin threw the thyme unceremoniously onto the herb shelf and turned to retreat to his room. Maybe his magic book could explain Arthur's new obsession. If not, at the least, he could find a curse to turn Lady Noramag into a toad.

Before he had even taken a step, the door to the physician's chambers swung open. Sir Gwaine appeared holding the top half of Sir Leon's unconscious body, followed by Sir Percival holding the bottom half. Arthur followed behind them, looking clearly worried.

"He just collapsed during training." Gwaine explained as he lowered Leon to a sick bed.

Before Gaius reached the body he knew what it would be. He spotted the small yellow dots peeking out from under Leon's shirt.

Gaius set out to work as the knights gathered around. Gwaine and Percival sat on the bench to the left of Leon's body and Merlin took a seat next to Arthur on the bench at the bottom of the bed. Merlin tried not to notice how Arthur's shoulders tensed when Merlin sat down.

Percival looked intensely at his friend on the bed. He couldn't help feeling guilty. He had been in combat with Leon when he had gone down. Arthur had told him it hadn't been his fault, but what else could it have been? He must have hit him too hard. He felt responsible and nothing anybody said would change that. He had knocked out his friend.

"Percival. It is not your fault." Arthur reiterated, seeing the knight's mental struggle on his face.

"Your fault? Of course not boy! It's Yellow Pox, you couldn't have caused this!" Gaius explained – albeit a bit harshly - as he dropped a blue liquid into Leon's open mouth.

Percival heard their words but they didn't make a difference. He couldn't get the image of Leon falling to the ground out of his mind. He glanced at Arthur, he looked back at Percival but didn't push the subject anymore – he knew how it felt to feel responsible for something that wasn't your fault.

Percival looked at Merlin too, he looked worried as well, but his gaze was focused on Arthur instead of Leon. Percival glanced at Gwaine to see if he knew what was bothering Merlin. Only to find Gwaine staring in Arthur's direction too. Had he missed something?

"He needs some rest, you can't help him now." Gaius said, putting the potion away.

"Thank you Gaius. Will he be okay?" Arthur inquired in his serious, no nonsense voice.

"He should be, Sire. He just needs a few weeks to rest."

Arthur stood up and rushed out the door, his red cloak flaring out behind him.

"Does he have another date?" Merlin mumbled to himself as he retreated to his bedroom.

Gwaine and Percival left the room, shutting the door behind them.

"So, I saw you in there." Percival remarked, stopping Gwaine outside the physician's chambers.

"What do you mean?" Gwaine laughed, carefully avoiding Percival's eyes.

"Staring at Arthur? Is there something I'm missing? I know he's handsome, but could you make it more obvious?" Percival teased, punching Gwaine's arm.

"Apparently I could. I wasn't staring at Arthur." Gwaine replied, dodging Percival's punch expertly, "I was staring at the idiot covered in mud next to him."

"Merlin?!" Percival practically shouted.

Gwaine shushed him and dragged him away from the door.

"I don't know, he's kinda cute. I just want to protect him." Gwaine explained, being unusually sincere.

Percival looked at his friend. His friend who never admitted his feelings. He tried to picture Merlin and Gwaine together, but no it didn't work. Merlin was young and clean, Gwaine was... Well, Gwaine. He was buff and rough but rough in a sexy, safe way-

Percival stopped his train of thought. What was coming over him?

Before he could fully explore his feelings, Arthur came bustling around the corner, an intense look on his face.

"Grab your swords, we're going to find the bandits that attacked me and Merlin." He said, sweeping past them without stopping.

Percival and Gwaine looked at each other, before racing towards the armoury.


Arthur turned away from the Lady, after a quick kiss on each of her cheeks, and observed his knights. They sat astride their steeds, waiting for him to lead their way. He hadn't notified Merlin. After his little show on his date, he wanted very little to do with him.

Honestly, the boy was too cocky for his own good. One day he was going to find himself in the stocks for a lot longer than an hour.

Arthur bristled at the memory of Merlin "tripping" and pushing Noramag into the mud. Arthur had very nearly thrown Merlin off the cliff, luckily Faron had tackled Merlin in defense of his mistress.

He held onto the anger he felt for Merlin, he could release it onto the unsuspecting bandits. He climbed up onto his horse and lead his party into the forest.

Gwaine and Percival ensured they were at the back, out of the King's earshot.

"You know who else is all dewy eyed? Other than you, of course." Percival commented, ducking to avoid a low hanging branch.

"Shut up. But yes, Arthur. He's been all lovey since Lady Rude-To-Everyone came to town." Gwaine replied, "I swear if he ends up marrying her, I'm leaving."

"You can't leave, Knight's Code."

"You think that'll stop me?" Gwaine replied smugly.

Before Percival could reply, he saw Arthur raise his hand to silence them. The knight's stopped and withdrew their swords. Arthur dismounted his horse, followed by Lancelot, Elyan, Percival and Gwaine.

Arthur raised his sword, commanding the knights to follow him forwards. They picked their way silently through the forest before coming upon a clearing. Inside were six bandits, sat around a campfire sharpening their weapons.

Silently the knight's circled the clearing until it was surrounded, Arthur raised his sword and they all charged into the clearing.

The wind rushed passed Arthur's ears as he leapt down the hill, vaguely he could see his knights doing the same, their weapons reflecting the sun.

The bandits looked up shocked and jumped into action. Arthur couldn't tell where his arm ended and the sword began. It was second nature to Arthur as he took down bandit after bandit. Some injured, some killed. He could feel the energy of his knights around him and all too soon the battle was over. His anger at Merlin was still bubbling under the surface, unquenched by the short battle.

Looking down at the bodies around the clearing, Athur felt something akin to regret. However, that quickly dissolved when he saw the fresh blood on the bandits weapons.

"Is anyone injured?" He asked, worried. All his knights did a quick check of themselves, then shook their heads.

So it wasn't their blood, that would mean they had attacked someone else, probably after Merlin and Arthur had disappeared. Arthur felt no regret for killing all of the bandits, it was either kill them or have them kill someone else.

Turning back to his horse, Arthur thought about the Lady back at the castle, and planned how he would spend his evening with her.

"Wait, Sire." Lancelot shouted.

Arthur turned, his sword held high and ready. But all he saw was Lancelot crouched over the body of a bandit.

"He's still alive." Lancelot said, standing up away from the body.

"I'll handle this!" Gwaine exclaimed, withdrawing his sword and preparing to stab the man.

"NO! Wait!" Arthur shouted, running to the body, "We can take him back for questioning, we don't know who they're working for."

"Working for, Sire? They're bandits, they have no higher master." Lancelot explained.

"Usually yes. But I have a feeling these aren't normal bandits. Did you not see their weapons? They were too well made, too cared for to be used by bandits." Arthur said, tying the arms of the injured bandit.

Lancelot didn't reply. Nothing he could say would change the King's mind. He ignored the voice in his head telling him this was a very bad idea. Instead he, along with the other knights, helped tie the bandit to the King's horse.