Hey... don't kill me!
I know I know I'm late again, but I had a lot of assignments to finish... and I had another writes block...
So I'm sorry, can we get on with the story...?
Oh and also can I remind everyone that this story takes place after the tears of Uther pen dragon part 2...
Chapter 7 ... Of Interactions, Picnics and Clueless People
Down in the dungeons of Camelot castle in one of the dark and cold cells, sat a handsome young man. He had pressed himself in to the corner of the cell, not knowing he was been watched by the king himself. You see he was no ordinary prisoner; he was Camelot's own crowned prince, Arthur Pendragon. And he was upset ... at himself. Prince Arthur had done the unthinkable in his own mind. The unforgivable deed, of striking his own manservant across the face! And for what? For the fact that the goofy young man had wanted a day off on his birthday! And even his father, king Uther, saw his act as punishable and had sentenced his own son. Arthur didn't think it was for Merlin, his father didn't care for servants much. It was for Arthur himself that he was punished. The king simply wanted to teach him a lesson.
Arthur did not know how he could face his manservant again after this! After the strike, Merlin had stayed to do his duties, but Arthur could tell that he hadn't grasped the situation. But he must have by now. He would be so angry with Arthur that he probably would want to leave his job. The very thought caused a pang of hurt deep in the prince's heart. Merlin was a remarkable young man indeed. He had come to Camelot just more than three years ago and had made a big difference to the city. He was just a peasant but neither poor nor rich, and neither noble and powerful nor servant and weak could resist his charms. Arthur had seen with his own eyes the loyalty his own knights had towards Merlin. And the biggest charm was that Merlin was oblivious to all the attention that was directed to him. Arthur's main concern was how to apologise to Merlin. He had never done so because royalty never apologise to peasants. But this time was different; the king himself had punished Arthur for it! Surly he could say sorry now. Deep in thought Arthur jumped when he heard the voice of the very young man who dominated his thoughts.
"Food for Prince Arthur" Merlin was telling the guard, who had given a grunt and was coming over to open the door to the cell. Arthur stayed where he was tucked in to the corner. Watching without a word when Merlin walked in a tray of food in hand, and the guard left. Arthur frowned at that, why had the guard left, he wasn't supposed to leave the prisoner alone with anybody. After a few minutes of pondering this, Arthur realised he was only trying to distract himself and delay the inevitable. So ever so slowly he lifted his head towards Merlin who had placed the tray on a little table in the corner, and had stepped back, hand behind his back, looking down and waiting to be dismissed. But Arthur didn't want to dismiss him. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, but were only a few minutes. Merlin stayed like a good servant for the whole time, and Arthur didn't like it one bit. In fact he hated it with all he had and that was an understatement.
"Thank you" Arthur said just to say something. Merlin's head snapped up and he stared at Arthur with big round eyes. Merlin was a cheery young man, but with a though exterior. Most of the time it was hard to see Merlin for what he really was, just a young boy. Merlin nodded his head once and then went back to staring at the floor. "Merlin" the boy looked back up at his master, a question on his face. Arthur gulped a few times, to moisten his suddenly dry throat. He had to do this despite what his lifelong teachings were screaming at him. "I – I'm s – sorry" Arthur was ready to curse himself, why did he have to stutter! But Merlin was looking at him with such startled round eyes that if it was any other time Arthur would have laughed at him.
"What for?" Merlin asked in a small voice.
"For everything I've done to you that you don't deserve" Arthur started and found it hard to stop so he just went with it. "First of all and most of all for h – hitting you! I didn't mean that, I was just angry and frustrated and I had forgotten it was your birthday, which is rotten of me, and I wanted to talk to you and when you didn't show up I was upset because I thought you didn't want to talk to me because of the fight we had, which was my fault again and I'm sorry for that too, and I took it out on you, and I'm sorry about putting you in the stocks for no acceptable reason and I'm sorry for always taking advantage of you, when you don't deserve any of these things. I'm just sorry for been a horrible mast – no – for been a horrible friend" throughout the speech Arthur had been staring down at Merlin's feet which shifted a lot, but once he was done he looked up to see how Merlin had taken his speech. He was startled to see Merlin's eyes were too bright. He wasn't shedding any tears or anything but it was a sure thing. "Say something" Arthur said almost desperately when Merlin didn't say anything. Almost.
"I – I don't know what to say" Merlin said and if his voice shook a bit Arthur didn't care, he had for the first time in his life sincerely apologised to someone, some form of reaction wasn't too much to ask. "I thought you'd be mad at me not s – sorry"
"Why?"
"I told on you!" Merlin said sounding upset, which Arthur didn't understand. "I didn't want to tell your father, but his the king and if he asks, I can't just lie to him, you know how much of a terrible liar I am. I know how much being at odds with him upsets you, and now I'm the cause of this" he indicated to the cell they were in "I'm really sorry" Arthur was speechless. Is this truly how Merlin felt?
"Merlin, must you always be an idiot" Arthur said frowning. "You had every right to tell on me. I hurt you!" Arthur looked Merlin deep in the eyes and said, "Am I forgiven Merlin?"
"Of course! You didn't even need to ask sire" then he said in a smaller voice, "Am I forgiven?"
"Of course you are, you idiot!" Arthur said exasperated. Merlin shook his head then looked up at Arthur with his head turned sideways, a small shadow of his usual smile on his face.
"You know sire" he began "This is the first time I've ever heard you apologise sincerely" Arthur stared at Merlin. It seemed Merlin wished to put this all behind him, and Arthur could only agree with this, and speed along the process of going back to normal.
"Yes well, don't let it get to your head" Arthur said with his own small found smile. "It's only a one time kind of thing" Merlin's smile grew at Arthur's teasing. "And Merlin?" Merlin looked at him confused at his sudden change of tone. Arthur sounded serious. "If you tell anyone about this little chat..."
"you'll kill me I suppose" Merlin said cheekily.
"Immediately and without hesitation" Arthur said in very serious tone. Merlin looked at him funnily for a minute or two in till Arthur's twitching lips gave him away. Merlin gave him a bright smile (almost his usual goofy smile) then bowed falsely saying 'of course'. "Now go enjoy the few days you have off" at this Merlin looked away uncomfortably. "What is it now?"
"I don't have these days off" Merlin said then continued when Arthur tried to question him on it. "Your father gave his manservant these days off, and asked me to tend to him"
"What? Why would he do that?" Arthur was confused as to how Merlin had ended up been his father's manservant when Arthur was busy been locked up.
"I don't know, he sent for me specifically this morning." Merlin explained. Arthur was worried about why his father would do that, but he didn't show anything because Merlin looked worried too.
"Well, that is strange" he said, then looked at Merlin pleadingly "please don't do anything disrespectful, don't give him any reason to punish you" so much for not sounding worried!
"You worried about me Arthur?" Merlin said that cheeky smile back on his face (full force this time). Arthur couldn't help but feel happy at its appearance.
"You wish!" Arthur said with his own smile, more than grateful that things were back to normal between them. Soon after, Merlin left and the guard, who had strangely disappeared, came back to lock the door. Arthur was too happy to care that the guards were acting differently to what they were supposed to, and he was just glad he had that chance to talk with Merlin.
Arthur walked over to the tray of food Merlin had brought him, suddenly feeling very hungry. His smile never left his face, even as later he had to lay on the cold hard floor to sleep.
MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA
Uther stood where he was for sometime after Merlin had left Arthur's cell. He was shocked and uncomfortable, for having had to witness such a scene between his son and his manservant, who clearly was more than that. Uther himself had never seen Arthur like that before. The amount of emotions displayed by his son was more than that Uther had seen of him in his entire life time. And he could see how difficult it was for Arthur to show that side of himself, to not hide behind his princely mask. And Arthur was comfortable with Merlin, why else would he say such things? He wouldn't have if it was anyone else. Merlin loved Arthur, of that Uther was sure. The way he had acted nervous and thought that he was the one in the wrong, the way he had forgiven Arthur the moment Arthur had been troubled for hurting him, the way that he was so fiercely loyal to Arthur. It was all there. But what had grabbed the king's attention was that Arthur, too, loved the servant back. It was there in how he had apologised to Merlin, how he had looked happy when he realised Merlin had forgiven him. Past incidents now came to the king's mind. How Arthur had argued with Uther for Merlin, had been in these cells again before for Merlin. How Merlin's word alone was proof enough for Arthur to face the court.
Uther recalled his dream from the night before. 'Save him! Change him before it's too late, let them be! And remember your son is more important than anything in the world!' Ygraine had said. 'Let them be' she had said. Is this what she had meant? 'And remember your son is more important than anything in the world!' was he to let Arthur be with whoever he wanted? Was he to accept Merlin as a-a-a son-in-law! He didn't know what to do. He remembered how hurt and heartbroken Arthur had looked in his nightmare, when he had thought that Merlin resented him. No, he would not stand for his son to look like that ever in real life. Ygraine had been right, Arthur is too important to him, and if it means bending his own rules to keep his son happy, then so be it.
With a new goal to his plan Uther left the anti-chamber like room and headed to his own chambers. He still had two more days with Merlin, it was time that Merlin started to know and trust his future father-in-law. And also work on both Merlin and Arthur so that they both would know that the other loved them. For they were both clueless.
MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA
Merlin walked behind the king and his ward, thoughts of Arthur plaguing his mind. He was somewhat calmer and less panicky since he talked with Arthur the night before, yes Arthur had to spend another two nights in the cells, but it was comforting to know Arthur didn't blame him. Merlin didn't know what it was about Arthur, but one minute he wanted to strangle him and shake him hard, the next he wanted to cuddle him and stroke him. Merlin shook his head to free his mind of Arthur, and looked around to see that no one had seen him do so and think him strange, well stranger than they already thought him to be. Uther was busy talking with Morgana, who was pretending to listen, but was really secretly glaring at the king. Merlin looked back, one of the guards they had brought with them was standing with the horses, others were told to scout the area and to place themselves around the clearing that the king and his ward were planning on having a picnic. The three nights that had also accompanied the party were gazing at the surrounding looking for potential threats. Sir Edward and Sir Unwin were next to each other and took it in turns to look at Merlin sideways. Merlin was sure they were worried about him which made him uncomfortable in turn. Sir Unwin had become fast friends with Merlin, since that night at the tavern, he had came to see Merlin the night before after he had got back from the visit with Arthur and they had chatted way in to the night.
Once they reached the clearing, everyone except the king, Morgana and Merlin, had scattered around and were not visible. It felt like it was just the three of them. Merlin set the blankets and laid food and drinks, then he stepped back as the king helped his ward to sit down and then joined her. Merlin was alert for when the royals would need his assistance; he had taken Arthur's advice and was very careful as to how he acted around king Uther. But it seemed that Uther didn't feel like Merlin should act like a perfect servant.
"Aren't you going to join us Merlin?" the king asked. He was handing Morgana some fruit and wasn't even looking at Merlin, which he thought was a good thing, currently Merlin's face was that of scared deer. He looked around for some sort of ...sign? Something to tell him what to do, but when the king finally looked up at Merlin to see why he hadn't sat down yet, Merlin had no choice but to slowly sit at the corner of the blankets. The moment he sat down the king gave him an apple. Merlin looked up at the king speechless, and then he gingerly took the apple, stared at it then slowly took a bite from it. It was nice and juicy, a royalty fruit. Merlin had never had an apple like it. Merlin looked up at the king and thanked him, to which Uther gave him a brilliant smile that on him looked rather scary.
The rest of the picnic went rather similar. Uther treated Merlin the way he was treating Morgana. And Merlin got to see a different side to the king, even Morgana's smiles seemed rather more genuine by the end of it. Merlin could truly say he had fun.
Buy the end of the picnic though everything had sort of changed. Uther had no clue as to Morgana's true nature. Merlin and Morgana had no clue as to why Uther was so friendly with Merlin. Morgana had no clue as to why exactly Arthur was jailed. And Merlin was just clueless about everything in general, as long as it had nothing to do with protecting Arthur or Camelot. Well maybe nothing had changed on the outside, but questions were raised, and everyone was more suspicious of the other. In the end Merlin never found out why Uther was so interested in Merlin's life, why he asked all those questions about his childhood and home town, about his mother and friends. Why he wanted to know about Merlin's life in Camelot and his relationship with Gaius. He never understood why the king opened up to him in return telling him about his early days as king and Arthur's childhood. He even talked of the late queen Ygraine! Merlin felt like he knew the king much better by the end of that picnic and he had no clue why...
End of chapter...
Hope you guys enjoyed it and it made up for its lateness...
R&R please...
