The castle is busy today. While the servants might say that they are just walking quickly to get everything prepared, Merlin sees it as them running around. Literally running. How have they not tripped yet? And why are they still so busy? Wouldn't it be better to just have everything prepared in advance? The food, sure, that could be left until the last day, but seriously? The servants are even decorating places that Merlin is pretty sure none of the guests are going to be allowed in. The halls are merely decorated because they are in sight!
Luckily, Gaius only had three total orders that he needed Merlin to deliver solo. One being Morgana, who is having nightmares. Merlin can relate. Gaius had Merlin accompany him to one of the three total visits that Gaius had to do himself. And only one person came to Gaius in the court physician's office. Seemed like a lot when Gaius had been naming them off, but they went pretty well and fairly quickly.
Merlin wanted to do some more exploring, but everything is just too noisy in the main castle. He'll just stay put until he's needed, which thankfully, isn't until late in the evening.
Alone in the room that Gaius insisted on giving him, Merlin looks through the spell book that Gaius also insisted on giving him. Merlin can't figure out why Gaius never decided to take the room as his own bedroom in the first place.
Now how might Merlin be turning the pages when he doesn't have fingers… or thumbs? Magic of course. Gaius is always telling him not to use his magic so freely, but what other choice does he have? Use his teeth and hope he doesn't tear the pages? His previous owner taught him how to read. He showed him how to write too, but again, Merlin can only do it by using magic.
Being a dire wolf warlock is hard. Merlin knew that before, but now he knows it.
He is learning a lot from the book, but right now, he's a little sidetracked by his conversation with Kilgharrah from last night. He keeps remembering the prince, and how their two interactions went. Sure, the pup has potential, if he wasn't so busy being a spoiled prat. He is respectable towards other nobles and handles their predatory aura's well – Merlin had smelled the uncertainty and slight fear on the prince when the woman - Lady Helen had kept physical contact for too long. But the people that the royal toad needs to work on his interactions with are servants, and possibly any other human who isn't a noble. His interaction with Gwen was okay, but there was definitely a vibe coming off of prince Arthur that said, "I'm in charge". Then there was that kid Morris. Definitely not "Once and Future King" material if that's how he treats people who work hard for him.
A knock sounds at the door to his room. Merlin uses his magic to slam the book shut just as Gaius opens the door. The old physician looks down at the book before giving him an indifferent look. He sighs and simply folds his hands in front of him.
"The king will be expecting us soon," he says, trying to conceal his irritation.
Merlin stands as Gaius walks forward to pick up the book. He walks over to the window where there is a secret compartment hidden in the wall just under it. He hides it and faces Merlin, who looks a little sheepish, obviously knowing that Gaius is not happy that he was using magic so freely. Merlin turns to the door but Gaius speaks stopping him in his tracks.
"I said soon, not immediately."
Merlin perks his ears, a little confused and a little afraid of Gaius's smile. There is a knock on the door to the main room which causes Merlin to completely shut his mouth. Gaius chuckles.
"Come in."
When Gaius walks out of the room, Merlin follows. In the main room stands three maids of different ages. They don't seem to be put off by his presence so he's a little confident.
"Hello ladies," Gaius greets before gesturing to Merlin. "This is him. He won't bite, but he'll act very shy. He doesn't really like bathes."
Bath.
Merlin prides himself on being courageous like any other dire wolf. But also like any other dire wolf he's met, they become cowardly when a bath is involved. He tucks his tail between his legs and tries to back out of the main room as slowly as possible, hoping that the four humans don't notice him. But he has no such luck.
"You will be taking a bath. Whether you want to or not," Gaius says with a diabolical smile.
The three maids smile kindly at Merlin. They are probably the bravest of the all the maids in the castle, and thus, have been given the task of bathing a dire wolf.
Yep. This is definitely a nightmare.
Time Skip :D
Merlin's fur feels… weird. Luckily, the maids only scrubbed as much grease off as was necessary to look presentable for a party. Obviously, they know a few things about dire wolves, or just wolves in general. While Merlin's fur is not excessively long, it is not as short as the fur of some of his more southern cousins – not actual blood related cousins – and therefore is a little greasy to make water run off his fur, and not infiltrating the insulation his dark fur creates. They solely made him a bit more presentable. He'll put up with the fragrance that they put on him as well for the rest of the party, but next chance he gets, he's high tailing it to the forest and rolling around in the shrubbery. Maybe getting some natural flowery scents on him. Then he'll clean himself, as a dire wolf does and should. He won't be needed for too long, but he knows that it'll be late into the night, or early on the morning when he finally gets to introduce himself to the shrubs. When Gaius and he are finally called for, Merlin walks a little stiff. The breeze and cool night air feel different for some reason. Maybe the maids washed out too much of his natural grease after all.
He can hear the party long before they get there, and he prays to the heavens above that it won't get as rambunctious as a tavern. Now that he thinks about, what does a pack of drunk self-entitled nobles look like? Maybe this will be entertaining after all.
They walk into the banquet hall from a side stair case that is close to the royal seats. A servants' access if you will. Merlin stays on the stairs while Gaius joins the party. Merlin isn't jealous of Gaius…per say. There are times that he wishes he were human, but he doubts that this is one of those times. He just really wants to see what the chefs have prepared. You know… make sure the food wasn't poisoned or anything. His nose might fail him, so maybe he'll taste some of it too… just to be sure.
He stays put.
These are the kind of people that enjoy killing his own kind. A few of them are even wearing fur. He can't completely tell what animals they are, or were rather, because unlike what the maids did with his fur, those furs have been cleaned until Merlin can no longer distinguish what animal they were by smell. He stays in the shadows and simply enjoys the sights and smells and the little head pats the passing servants give him.
He sees Arthur talking with a bunch of his mates. He scoffs at the sight as Arthur tells, from what Merlin can hear, is a false retelling of their first meeting to his mates. Really? Merlin's pretty confident that his mates already know that Arthur didn't make Merlin, the big black dire wolf, cower in fear as he – Arthur – heroically stepped between Merlin and Gwen. They're just not saying anything because he's the prince.
Then, Lady Morgana walks into the room wearing a very… interesting choice of attire. By human standards, Merlin can see that Lady Morgana is a very attractive sample of the female of the human species. But by wolf logic of finding a mate? Well, human males would probably claim that they would rather die before they form an attachment with an alpha female. Honestly, what is it with humans? With wolves, alpha males mate with alpha females or an alpha mates with an omega and the alphas don't let the omegas mate with each other, that's a good system. Why are the males – who Merlin should mention, mostly seem to be omegas if he's being honest – of humans so against the idea of alpha females. They want stronger offspring, don't they? Then they should let the females prove themselves as alphas.
Arthur talks with Morgana while Gwen walks up to where Merlin is sitting. She stands beside him and strokes his forehead as they both watch Arthur and Lady Morgana talk.
"She looks great, doesn't she?"
Merlin nods absentmindedly. He doesn't share the same attraction to the female of the species like his human counterparts do. He's met a few dire wolves, omegas and alphas, but because of his attachment to the humans of his village, he never really got to settle down with a female. He proved himself to be an alpha, yes, but took no interest in any of the females. And none of the females took an interest in him, so it's perfectly fine. Besides, human women are just too skinny and dainty for his liking. How can they even support a full human inside of themselves when they are that thin?
"Some people are just born to be queen," Gwen says enthusiastically and almost dreamily.
Merlin doesn't see it. Again, he's using wolf logic. A king should be an alpha and so should his queen. Lady Morgana… she could be an alpha, but she's just to dainty – she'd have to prove herself as an alpha. He looks at Gwen. She's not as dainty. She works hard, smells of wood and… is that a black smith shop he smells? She could be an alpha. Probably a better queen than Morgana. He nudges her and when she looks down at him, he gestures to her. She seems to get it.
"Oh, no. not me of course! Who'd want to marry Arthur?"
That is true, he is a prick after all. But he is an alpha from what Merlin can tell. But if Merlin is going to guide him to be a great king, he's going to make sure that the woman that Arthur marries is a strong alpha. Like Gwen.
Suddenly, there are celebratory horns playing. King Uther enters when everyone settles down. Gwen straightens her spine and removes her hand from Merlin's head, opting to fold both of her hands in front of her. Uther walks up to the table where he, Arthur and Morgana are meant to be seated, but instead of sitting, he picks up a chalice and holds it up to the room. No one else sits, but they do find a place where they are meant to be seated and wait until the king's word. He says a little more than one.
"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity," he says in a speech worthy voice. "It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures."
He pauses for dramatic effect, slowly waving his chalice back in forth as if pointing to every person in the room before bringing it back to the center. He points it at the stage, but all eyes remain on him.
"… But few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."
"He definitely wrote that down and then practiced it in the mirror," Merlin can't help but think.
Lady Helen steps up onto the stage as everyone sits – everyone who has an accessible seat at least, Gwen remains standing. Merlin thinks Lady Helen's dress is hideous, but then again, even with all his fur, Merlin is technically the only one in the room who is naked. Wolves don't really wear clothes… ever. Again, Gwen gives a better example of the female of the species.
The music begins before she starts to sing, but Merlin can already smell the magic radiating off of her. He doesn't growl, but he does stand up and fold his ears slightly back. Arthur sees him out of the corner of his eye and gives him a warning glare. Merlin visually relaxes his posture some, but remains on alert. The song continues, and the magic grows. It almost sounds like wolf howling, or at least a lone female wolf howling and waiting for a male to join in with her. But it also sounds like an enchantment.
Lady Helen slowly steps off the stage and begins walking between the two tables on either side of the room. She is walking towards the royal table. All of the people in the room start to nod off, but Merlin only really notices it when Gwen starts leaning her weight on him. Looking at all the people, including Gaius and the royals, He notices that cobwebs are starting to form all around the room, the candles dying out too. Gwen is on the ground now with her head against Merlin's side. He lays her down, and when he turns to face the room again, Lady Helen is almost to the royal table. There are cobwebs everywhere, there is an excessive amount of cobwebs. Why isn't he being affected like everyone else?
She is still singing as she pulls a dagger out of her sleeve. Merlin looks about frantically. She doesn't seem to notice him, whether it be his dark fur in the darkened room or how engrossed she is in her task, or both even. She is standing under the chandelier just as her arm is pulling back. Merlin acts before he completes the thought. His eyes glow gold, and whether she notices his golden orbs or not does not matter. After all, a chandelier is crashing down on her.
He steps forward a bit. Getting into a defensive position. While crouching on stairs is a little difficult, he manages. He stares intensely at her. In his peripheral vision, he sees all the humans coming to. They murmur in confusion as they pull at the cobwebs. Surprisingly, none of them freak out like he thought they would.
The King and the prince are among them. They pull a majority of the webs off, but a few still hang from their clothing as they stand. They peer over the table and are astonished to see the elderly mother of the deceased sorcerer that had been executed the day prior. She staggers as she pushes her torso off the ground. She sneers at the two of them. They just stand there as if they've seen a ghost. She raises the knife again.
And throws it.
At the stunned prince.
It travels fast, and Merlin is already slowing down time before he even realizes it. He uses his powerful haunches and pushes off the stairs towards Arthur. He lands just next to the prince and uses his height, lifting slightly off the ground to grab the heavy clothing on the prince's right shoulder, somehow managing to not bite skin. He pulls the shoulder and the prince that is attached to said shoulder while simultaneously pushing his hind legs off of the area just behind where the prince is standing, or was standing.
Time slowly fades back and Merlin adjusts to it. The prince doesn't find his footing and trips over his own feet. Luckily, Merlin uses his body to cushion the prince's fall. But only for a quick few seconds does he lay there under the prince before instinct takes over again and forces him to stand in between the prince and the sorceress. For the first time since he arrived at the castle, he lets out a real growl. A deep predatory growl. He flattens his ears, tenses his muscles, crouches his legs, narrows his azure eyes and bears his pearly white and sharp teeth.
The elderly woman merely moans in distress, before evaporating into nothing. Leaving behind an ugly dress under a chandelier.
The sorceress may not have reacted to his growl, but many others did. Most of the people jump back, almost toppling over the benches that they were sitting on just moments ago, or even the people that they had been sitting next to, just to get away from him.
He continues to stare down the spot that had been occupied by the elderly sorceress, but he is no longer growling. After a few moments and a few murmurs from the crowd, Merlin finally realizes that he is in fact, standing amongst a large group of dire wolf killers and wearers – that's a weird and somehow real word. He looks about the room sheepishly, walking backwards until he bumps into someone's leg. He looks back to see that Arthur has stood up and is the owner of said leg that he has bumped into. He notices that the king is also staring at him with his mouth agape.
Merlin turns his body to start walking backwards to the stair well that Gwen is still in.
"Stop," says the king.
Merlin obliges.
"You saved my boy's life," he says, walking up to Merlin and putting a confident hand on Merlin's head. "A dept must be repaid."
That should sound weird considering Merlin's a dire wolf, but it's not like anyone's going to say anything against the king. Especially when Merlin did in fact save Arthur's life.
"This merits something quite special," the king says, almost to himself.
Merlin looks about the room, uncertainty on his wolfish features. He meets Gaius's eyes. The old physician still looks surprised, but otherwise amused.
"I knew that you were to arrive, and that you are mainly to assist Gaius and his practices," says Uther. "I am also aware that I have asked of you to act as a guard at the palace…"
Merlin doesn't quite see where this going. The king is the only one who really seems to know. At least he does once a look of happy determination takes over his face.
"… You're task as a guard shall be named to a narrowed down party."
People are quietly murmuring again. Merlin would like to leave, these are exactly the people he doesn't want to be in the same room as. But then again, if the King gives him such a praise, then no noble would dare request to have his pelt. But they're still killers of his kind, so it is still uncomfortable being under their scrutiny.
"You shall still work for Gaius and be housed in his office," continues Uther. "But you shall now be Prince Arthur's guardian."
"Father!"
The whole room erupts in applause. It hurts Merlin's ears. Never mind the fact that the king was just talking to him as if he understood, which of course, Merlin could understand – maybe word has passed on to even the king of how extraordinary of a dire wolf Merlin is. Merlin wants to leave now. He looks around the room sheepishly. He looks once at the prince and accidently makes eye contact. They immediately look away from each other, one looking mildly angry, and the other… has his literal tail almost completely between his legs. All of the nobles are looking at him. He even hears an older noble lady complement his sleek black fur and another noble say how "beautiful he is". He wants to leave, but doesn't know if he should. He'll leave when either Gaius or Arthur leave.
"Well… this will be an interesting adventure."
