Hey people! I'm back with another chapter! Sorry for the long wait. I've been really busy with school and stuff. Anyways please enjoy this chapter! Sit back and relax everybody!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them okay! Sheesh! If only though. If only...
Previously:
"Don't you ever compare yourself to him, do you understand? You could never be a monster Merlin. You are helpful, kind, caring and loyal. You have never wanted to bring harm to innocent beings. Merlin, you're twice the man he could ever be." Morgana said gently.
That night, she learnt a lot more about the dark haired servant.
CHAPTER 7
Merlin let out a disgruntled groan as the light of dawn seeped into his room through the window.
"You've got to kidding me! It's morning already?! Gods, I'm still so tired." Merlin inwardly thought to himself, blinking warily.
Merlin rose from his bed and stumbled over towards the window. He looked out into the horizon and saw the just-risen sun shining softly, casting a rosy across the morning sky. The dawn chorus of melodic birdsong drifted in.
Rubbing his bleary eyes, he let out a huge yawn. He then raised a hand towards his head and pushed back his unkempt and dishevelled bed hair.
His thoughts went back to the previous night. Morgana had insisted that he stayed longer to practice magic the night before.
They had both become even closer after the night where he told her about Freya and Balinor. He was, in a way, rather relieved to have shared about them with someone else who could understand what he felt.
He didn't have to keep it all to himself. Holding the sadness inside all alone could be rather painful. Ever since that night, Morgana had been asking him to spend more time practice magic.
But of course, they would then mostly end up talking about the things he had done with his magic to save Arthur or his childhood days where he had used magic to play pranks on the villagers with Will.
Morgana listened eagerly to every single tale he told her. Her eyes shining with a certain sort of awe-like wonder in them whenever he would tell her of one of his many adventures.
Now though, he was beginning to regret letting Morgana talk him into doing so. Then again, what could he do when she was a master at convincing people?
"Stubborn woman," he muttered softly to himself.
Letting out a small sigh, he walked out of his room going off to wash up and prepare himself for the day ahead. Thoughts of a certain prince flashed across his mind suddenly.
He let out a groan as he remembered that he should have been already ready with Arthur's breakfast by then.
"Great, the prat's surely going to start complaining when I arrive with his food! I better get moving then. I really shouldn't have stayed up so late practicing magic with Morgana. Oh dear, it's going to be a long day ahead…" Merlin thought to himself miserably.
And a long day ahead it was indeed.
At the training grounds
"Merrrrlin!" Arthur yelled out rather loudly in an annoyed tone.
Said manservant's eyes snapped open as he jolted out of his slightly dazed and sleepy state.
"Huh? W-What? Err yes sire, you called my name?"
"What is the matter with you today? You came late with my breakfast this morning and it's the second time I've caught you about to doze off! How am I going to do any training? I can't do my swords practice when you can barely lift up that shield you're supposed to be carrying so that I can attack!" cried an irritated Arthur.
"You just seem to be so tired lately, but today is the worst of all! You aren't even giving your usual witty comments to me. Now, tell me what's going on Merlin!" continued the prince.
"It's nothing really Arthur… it's just…I've just not been sleeping well lately is all," Merlin replied slowly.
"Well you better do something about it soon! Can't have you dozing off like now can we? I need a wide awake servant who can bring me my breakfast on time you know!" Arthur said mockingly.
"What a complete prat…" Merlin muttered under his breath.
"What did you say now Merlin?" Arthur questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Upon hearing what Arthur had said, a mischievous glint appeared in Merlin's eyes and he grinned rather impishly towards Arthur.
"Oh, nothing important sire… I merely stated that it would actually be a rather good idea if you didn't have breakfast all the time. I mean, cutting down on how much you ate and being careful wouldn't be such a bad thing right?" Merlin began.
"After all, we won't want to add another hole to your belt now do we sire? I seem to recall that it was kind of difficult trying to fit you into your belt earlier this morning!" Merlin added on with an innocent voice.
Arthur gave a sharp glare at Merlin. He let out a small growl and proceeded to whack the manservant's head.
"I am not fat!"
Merlin's grin widened.
"Now, now Arthur I didn't call you fat at all! I was merely saying that-"
He didn't get to finish his sentence. Arthur raised his hand and tried to hit Merlin on the head again.
Merlin dodged quickly and chuckled at the annoyed prince. Arthur let out a huff at the manservant.
"I could send you to the stocks for that Merlin. Now shut up. Let's head back inside, we're just wasting time out here. I can see that you're too *weak* to be helping me out with training right now. I doubt you can last any longer out here. Come on then, let's get going. I'm sure you have quite a lot of chores to do anyway." said Arthur tauntingly.
Merlin just rolls his eyes in reply and begins collecting the weapons. The both of them then head off into the castle.
A few hours later
Merlin slumped into the chair tiredly. His sore muscles were aching from all the work he had done. He had finally finished the seemingly, never-ending amount of chores he had for the day and was currently resting himself in the physician's chambers.
As he sat quietly to himself, Merlin thoughts slowly went to Morgana and their magic lessons. He began thinking of what spells he could teach that night.
As he went down the trail of thoughts, the idea to pay her a visit suddenly popped into mind. He immediately stood up, deciding to go along with the idea.
Looking down at his right hand, Merlin uttered out a spell. His eyes flashed gold and his once empty hand was now holding a bouquet of pretty little flowers.
A smile appeared on his face and he walked out of the room and made his way towards a certain Lady's chambers.
In Morgana's chambers
Morgana was sitting on her bed and humming to herself, alone in her room. Feeling a little hungry, she had requested for Gwen to bring some fruits from the kitchen and was currently waiting for the maid servant to return. A sudden knock on her door had her looking up with a smile.
"Ah, now then, that must be Gwen." Morgana said to herself.
Rising up from where she sat, Morgana walked over to the door and quickly opened it.
"Come on in Gwen! I was just wondering where you- Merlin?" Morgana said in surprise.
Instead of her maid servant, it was Merlin who stood outside her door. He grinned at her and held out a bouquet of pretty wild flowers for her to take.
"How are you doing milady? I hope you don't mind but I've finished doing my chores for today and didn't really have anything to do, so I decided to just come and visit to say hello,' Merlin said with a friendly smile.
Morgana beamed back at him and reached out to take the flowers from him. She then raised the bouquet towards her face and inhaled the sweet smell.
"Why, hello there Merlin... I'm doing just fine. Please just call me Morgana, we're friends after all. It's really nice of you to visit Merlin and thank you for the flowers, they're so lovely. Do come in, I was just waiting for Gwen to bring up some fruits," she said to him.
He nodded and proceeded to walk in. Morgana walked over to her dressing table and placed her flowers in the flower vase. She then, dragged out a chair for Merlin to sit and went to sit on her bed once more. They began chatting away merrily.
Gwen's POV
She hurriedly made her way to Morgana's chambers, carrying a tray with plate of delicious, juicy looking fruits. She couldn't believe she had been so careless.
She had allowed herself to have chat with Imogen, the kitchen maid, until she had forgotten all about the fruits she was supposed to bring up to Morgana.
As she walked on, Morgana's chambers came into view. She stopped in front of the door, raising her hand to knock on the door and enter.
Just as she was about to do so however, she was startled by a rather masculine laughter coupled with the soft giggles of Morgana coming from inside the room.
Gwen blinked in surprise and paused in her actions to knock on the door. Morgana was giggling? Slowly lowering her hand, she leaned towards the door, wondering who was inside with Morgana.
"I don't believe it! You really said that to him? *giggles* No wonder he was in a foul mood after returning from swords practice today! You're really lucky he didn't send you to the stocks you know! Arthur is rather vain when it comes to his appearances! *giggles*" came Morgana's muffled voice.
"I'm sorry though… it's my fault you haven't been getting enough sleep. You must be exhausted! Do forgive me, I shouldn't have asked you to stay over so late every night… will… will you still come over tonight?" Morgana's voice continued.
"Don't be silly! Like I told Arthur, I'm just a little tired is all. Of course I'll come over tonight, anything for you Morgana! Besides, I do enjoy spending time with you. If I'll have to sacrifice a bit of sleep to do so, then so be it," replied a masculine voice.
Gwen's eyes widened considerably when she heard the man's voice. She quickly stepped away from the door as if she had been burnt, chocking back a gasp of shock and surprise.
Her mind was in a flurry of thoughts at what she had just overheard. She knew that all too familiar voice anywhere.
She had heard it whenever he came to the kitchens each day in the morning to collect Prince Arthur's breakfast. She heard it whenever he was teasing Prince Arthur in the hallways.
She heard it whenever he stood next to her at the side of the dining table during mealtimes, holding the water jug, ready to serve any of the royals who asked for their cups to be refilled.
It was Merlin! But what do they mean? Asking him to stay over late at night? Spending time with her? Could it be that they… Merlin and Lady Morgana… Lady Morgana and Merlin… surely not! But then again… they sounded really close… too close.
Gwen's mind raced faster and faster. Deciding that she had taken too long standing outside, Gwen walked up to the door and knocked loudly. The muffled chatter ceased immediately.
Opening the door, Gwen plastered a fake cheery smile on her face and entered the chambers. She looked towards Morgana and gave a small curtsey.
"Milady, I apologise for being terribly late. I was having a chat with Imogen, a kitchen maid and I was so caught up in our conversation that I lost track of time. Do forgive me milady."
"Oh, it's alright Gwen. I had Merlin here to keep me company. He was just telling me a joke about Arthur!" Morgana said with a smile looking towards the dark-haired servant sitting on the chair.
Gwen then looked towards Merlin and feigned surprise.
"Oh! Why, hello there Merlin, what are doing here?" Gwen asked.
"Ah… well I came to deliver some sleeping draught that Gaius made for Lady Morgana and I decided to keep her company until you returned." Merlin said a little quickly.
Right, right… and that's why those wild flowers in the flower vase are there when I swear that they weren't there before I left, Gwen thought silently to herself.
"Well then milady, I guess I should leave now since Gwen has returned with your food." Merlin says, hurriedly standing up from the chair.
"Wait!" Morgana cries out.
"Why don't you stay longer Merlin? Since you're already here, you could join us and eat these fruits together. I'm sure Gwen won't mind either, right Gwen?" Morgana continues.
Gwen just shakes her head and observes the interaction between the lady and manservant in front of her. Merlin hesitates at the invitation and seems to be having an inner struggle with himself.
"I don't think that's a good idea milady, I should get-"
"Please Merlin!" Morgana cuts in and proceeds to give him a puppy face.
Gwen's jaw almost drops down in disbelief. Morgana did not just pout at him!
Gwen looks towards Merlin and watches as his decision to say no crumbles down. Merlin lets out a small sigh and nods slowly.
"Fine, I'll stay. But it's only until we've finished eating. I'll need to check on Arthur after that or else Prince Prat will start whining about something."
Morgana's face lights up with a smile and she giggles at the name Merlin had given the prince. She walks over to the small dining table in her room and beckons Merlin and Gwen over.
They all sit down and begin eating. Gwen silently observes as Merlin and Morgana chat away merrily, lost in their delightful conversation.
Yes, it seems that there was indeed something going on between the dear man-servant and the king's ward Gwen thought silently.
*Time Skip*
The day passed and night arrived quickly. Merlin was sitting on the edge of his bed clutching the satchel with his spell book. Glancing out the window in his chambers, he took note of the pitch black sky outside.
"Hmm, it's dark enough. Everyone should be sleeping now. Well it's time to go then." Merlin said inwardly to himself.
He stood up, grabbing a coat and wearing it on. Pulling up the hood over his head, Merlin walked towards the doorway of his chambers and silently opened the door.
Peeking out the room, he glanced toward the cot outside where his mentor lay fast asleep. Merlin watched Gaius carefully for a few minutes, listening closely to the older man's even breathing and soft snores.
After being certain that his guardian was truly in a deep slumber, the man-servant quietly slipped out of his room and tiptoed towards the exit of the room.
Merlin slowly opened the door and looked back towards the sleeping form of Gaius before hurriedly sneaking out the room and shutting the door gently behind him.
Gaius' POV
He watched quietly from his cot as the door of his ward's room opened silently. He didn't make a sound as the boy looked at him. He remained still as his ward slowly sneaked out of the room. Only when the boy had left did he rise from where he lay.
He sighed and shook his head. He was worried about what his ward was up to. Merlin had been sneaking out in the middle of the night ever since the day after Morgana had awakened.
He had tried to get the dark haired servant to tell him what exactly was going on but Merlin had always managed to dodge his questions and change the topic.
He had a pretty good idea where Merlin might have been sneaking off to and he feared that his guess could be right.
"Oh Merlin, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he uttered softly.
Away from Camelot
"The time has come." Morgause thought to herself.
She had been training the girl long enough for the past few weeks. The girl was ready enough to carry out the task. She would send her to head off towards the castle the next day. A malicious smirk appeared on her features.
"Imogen! Come now, it is time."
A hooded figure stepped out from the shadows of the room behind her and bowed to Morgause. As she rose up, her hood fell back to reveal a young lass with a pretty fairy-like face and long brown locks.
"Yes my lady, I shall do whatever you wish me to carry out. What are your orders my lady?" Imogen asked.
"Leave for Camelot tomorrow at dawn and return to castle as soon as possible. You know what you need to do. The plan shall commence as we have discussed."
Okay then! I'll end it off here! Yes, the action will begin in the next chapter. So everyone's probably wondering now who this mysterious Imogen character is aren't they? Heh heh heh! I ain't telling. All I'm going to say is that she is an OC who will be playing an important role in this story! Well, do stick around to find out more! Oh, from now on, I've decided to reply to the reviews through PM unless you don't have an account on Fanfiction that is. Okay the, that's all for now, signing out!
~Feyfa
