I'm baack! After only four days as well! (I had a day off today, so I've written the bulk of it today). I hope you enjoyed it and I will answer your questions below! (Are you excited)?
I don't own Merlin. Yet.
In Memory of the Fallen
Chapter 10-Attack of the feathers
Merlin's POV
After he had shown Arthur the sparkling clean looking glass and the flagstones that were so clean and polished you could almost see your face in them, he had brought the two royals dinner and helped Arthur to get changed before scampering off back to his room, where he could hide from everybody else and continued his newest hobby.
He didn't bother with eating dinner with Gaius as it seemed that when he used his magic for painting, it also sustained him, making him need no food or drink, or sleep for that matter, which Merlin found very useful, as it meant that the painting would be better as he would be 'in the zone' for longer, creating better likeness.
As per the last time, Merlin had started to criticise his debut as soon as he had entered the room. This time though, he did not take so long, as he had fixed some of the previous mistakes and now it was more a matter of which should it is...
"Blood red. It was blood red when I... hmmm, or maybe not. It's quite nice as that colour... but then again..."
"With the sword, Merlin... always were they with their 'precious' swords... Although who would go around with such pointy objects..."
"Happy... they were happy until..."
"The streaks, light and dark blond..."
"He should probably have more room up there... he was a good man after all... But then again he was always modest..."
"Maybe I should include... but then if someone went nosing around they might recognise..."
"The gold should be... more goldenly like... maybe with mystical..."
Merlin nodded to himself and then set his ideas to the canvas, letting him relax fully once more.
Merlin was already aware when it was time to get up. In fact, he was 'awake' before even Gaius had gotten up the next morning. Therefore, Merlin decided to be the good apprentice and make his mentor breakfast. He was feeling pretty hungry, which Merlin suspected was due to what happened last night.
He quickly readied the morning meal which they would usually of had, but when Merlin tasted it, it was well... it was disgusting, rank, inhospitable to eat. Whichever adjective he chose, it still had the same outcome. Inedible.
So, he decided as a reward for last night and Gaius' treat -Merlin felt guilty for ignoring him for so long-, he would put a little extra flavouring in it...
"Who's there?" Gaius croaked, when he heard somebody move noisily about.
"It's me Gaius! You're most favourite person in the whole wide world! The amazing man who saves Camelot, like, every week... or sometimes everyday!" Merlin said cheerfully as he waltzed around the room collecting the various items he needed.
"Not too sure about that middle comment... But, m' boy what are you doing up so early? I am usually the first one to awake and I have to get you up, which let me assure you, is no easy task."
"Well, you see, I was already awake and aware so I decided to make you breakfast!"
Merlin replied, now carefully checking the spoons they used to eat before laying them out on the table, (once the eating and medical spoons had been mixed up and well... Merlin didn't want to go there or even think about it).
"That was a very kind thing of you to do, Merlin. Especially with what has been going on lately."
Merlin froze for a second, closing his eyes in pain, before returning to his usual cheery and bubbly self. From behind him, he could hear Gaius shuffling about, no doubt in the process of getting dressed.
After a few minutes of a bed creaking, Gaius finally came into Merlin's view, looking the same as always; old (well duh, he was like...eighty years old or something!) With white fluffy hair, joints creaking, eyes forever twinkling (unless angry or concerned) and humour that never ran out. Gaius groaned in pain when he pulled the bench out before sitting on it, as Merlin knew that Gaius' back ached when he had to bend down.
"So what do we have to eat today Merlin?"
"We have the usual, porridge –here Merlin wrinkled his nose up in distaste -, but when I tested it, I found it to be a little funny tasting... so I gave it some flavouring."
Merlin turned around to collect the two bowls and after apply some special ingredients, swivelled back round to face the table.
"Tuck in. I hope you enjoy it!" Merlin grinned in anticipation of Gaius' reaction and busily set his spoon into the improved porridge.
Gaius looked down into his bowl, where Merlin knew that he would be fascinated by the colours and textures that swirled around in there. The old mentor eyed Merlin beadily, before saying cautiously;
"Is this safe to eat? After all, appearances aren't everything, as you very well know."
Merlin cracked a grin, as he knew that Gaius was referring to 'Dragoon', his old form when he had taken the aging potion, which turned him into an ancient cranky man with the same great humour.
"Of course it's safe! I made it!"
"That's exactly why I'm worry." Gaius muttered. Merlin frowned; the surprise wasn't going at all according to plan.
"Look at me. See I'm eating it and I'm fine!" Again, Merlin gave another grin, as he demonstrated that the porridge was worth eating.
"That doesn't say much." Gaius again muttered, so low that Merlin almost didn't hear it. Then speaking up in a louder volume, Gaius went on "Hmm... I think I will give it a miss. I don't feel very hungry at the moment, but I will pick something up from one of the market stalls when I conduct my rounds in the lower taverns."
Gaius made a hasty retreat as he picked up his medicine bag which was stationed beside the door before waving a quick goodbye to Merlin and disappearing out.
Merlin sighed. He was so looking forward to Gaius eating his amazing concoction, but his mentor had declined, and Merlin knew better then to try and force the physician to eat it, as he was as stubborn as a mule.
"Oh well." He said into the empty room, then shrugging the failure off, picked up his bowl and continued to eat the mixture as he made his way back up to the bedroom, leaving the untouched dish out on the table, which had been covered up with a cloth to keep it fresh.
Merlin quickly got dressed, and before walking out the door to wake up Arthur, he cast one last adoringly glance at his painting in all its 'glory'.
Come on Lazy Daisy! Up you get."
No answer.
"Wakey wakey... eggs and bakey?"
"Hmm... that doesn't really rhyme Merlin..." He muttered to himself. Still, with no reply.
Merlin yanked the curtains open and position the cloth to fall so concentrated sunshine went directly onto Arthur's grumpy face. Unfortunately, Merlin had not noticed that it was drizzling outside, so there was no sunshine.
"Arthur! Time to get up!"
By now, Gwen had awoken, and seeing Merlin standing there with a calculating look on his face as he debated how to get his master up, seemed to quickly decide to get out of bed and away from the soon to be warzone.
"Merlin, however much I appreciate your skills at getting Arthur up, could you please refrain from spilling water onto the bed? He complained for ages and put you into the stocks again, complete with an enormous pile of chores to do."
"It's your fault you married him!"
"Merlin! I must have you know that underneath, Arthur is a kind, honest, and hardworking man, a king among his people."
Merlin gave Gwen a grin and said in a loud whisper "Fine, fine... I won't get him up with water. But recently, Gaius gave me a new innovation, so I'm going to test it out today. I suggest you stand back so when he's chucking stuff, you don't get caught in the crossfire."
The queen took the manservant's words to heart and proceeded to sit down at the breakfast table, but facing the bed so she could see what Merlin was going to do and also anticipate if any unwarranted projectiles came her way. Merlin turned around to check if she was is position, before taking out Gaius' recent find of how to wake people up from a cloth bag; three fine and extremely fluffy feathers.
Merlin gave a wide smirk. This was going to be fun.
Cautiously, Merlin approached the end of Arthur's side of the bed, where he stood there for a few moments, to check if Arthur was really asleep. Once, Merlin had made that mistake, so when he was poised above his 'victim' with a jug of freezing cold water, Arthur's hand had shot up, stopping the jug from its tilt and causing Merlin to be the one soaked.
Seeing that Arthur was in a deep, deep sleep, Merlin gave another grin, but with more wickedness behind it. He couldn't wait for Arthur's reaction, even though he would probably pay for it later. He quickly moved to the head of the bed and took hold of the goblet.
As he moved away, his sleeve caught on the fruit bowl, and agonisingly slowly, it tipped and all of the fruit came out. An apple tipped tantalisingly close to the edge, where it stooped along with a pear. Merlin sighed in relief, before starting to put all the fruit back in the bowl, but as he put three oranges in, his sleeve once again caught on something once again, and looking down, Merlin was just in time to see the apple and pear falling onto the floor.
Quickly, he stepped forward, calculating it so the apple would land on his foot and then onto the floor, softening the sound as much as possible, seeing as with his rubbish co-ordination skills, he couldn't catch the fruit in time.
Still holding the goblet, Merlin set it carefully underneath the bed – although how there was a gap there, Merlin didn't know, as Arthur was pretty heavy-, before stepping backwards towards the end of the bed.
Pattering his pocket to check if it was still there, Merlin looked down to see Arthur's royal feet sticking out from underneath the covers. Her always slept like that and it was often the point of torture for the king.
Sticking his tongue out in concentration, Merlin gently extracted his feather from said pocket and carefully fluffed up the feathers even more, before starting to wake Arthur up.
Slowly, slowly, Merlin gently moved the feather down, so it was resting on Arthur's feet. He froze in horror when Arthur let out a huge snort as the feathers came into contact with his skin. Unfreezing when Arthur didn't do anything else, he proceeded.
He started to rotate his wrist, so the feathers moved slightly up and down the sole of the foot. Again, Arthur grunted, but seeing as he now had started, Merlin once more focused on his task, not wanting to get kicked in the face.
Vigorously he moved the feather more and more, letting it annoy the whole of the two feet, who were conveniently stuck together. Luckily, Merlin's attention was on the calve muscles, ready to spring out of the way. The calves twitched, and in that instant, Merlin dived out the way, the foot narrowly missing his head as it kicked out.
Behind him, he could hear Gwen chortling and when he turned around, he could see her eyes dancing as she looked on at the spectacle.
After there was no movement, Merlin poked his head up over the bed and seeing that Arthur's eyes were still closed, he stood back up and the site that he saw made him grin.
When Arthur had unconsciously kicked to get rid of the nuisance, he had pushed the covers further up, so now his knee was exposed as well.
Out rightly laughing now, not caring if Arthur subconsciously heard it, Merlin separated the feathers so he could tickle the two spots at once; the knee and the foot.
Finally, after an exhausting few minutes of continuous tickling and the dodging of Arthur's feet, Arthur finally opened his eyes (after much groaning), and immediately reached for the goblet, which wasn't there. Consequently, he over stretched and because his brain (if he had one at all, which Merlin doubted) was still asleep, it didn't register the danger. Arthur promptly overbalanced, falling out of the massive four posters 'king' sized bed.
Merlin burst out with laughter as he backed up to the table, where he heard Gwen snorting with laughter, trying to keep her composition. But when he saw Arthur's face, he hurriedly tried to keep his face neutral, with no success.
"There's a good boy!" Merlin said it patronisingly and the annoyance on the King's face finally made Gwen crack.
"Stop laughing at me!" Arthur snapped, trying – and failing- to stop the two present bodies from laughing hysterically at him.
"Gwen? Why are you laughing? It's not that funny!" Arthur said indignantly, causing Guinevere to laugh even more and when she spoke, the words were punctuating with her laughter.
"Arthur! (snort) you're face (giggles! It's... Take a look for yourself!"
Merlin casted Gwen a desperate glance, but Arthur, frowning in confusion had already stomped over to the looking glass. He looked at the image in anger, before turning around to face Merlin. For on Arthur's face were the sticky remains of the pear and apple that had fallen earlier (when Merlin stopped the descent with his foot, he had forgotten that he had new boots).
Taking one look at Arthur's angry face, Merlin did a runner, deciding to come back to receive his duties when Arthur had calmed down.
Merlin weaved past all the servants as he ran down the various halls, with all the servants and residents looking on, sometimes in amusement, sometimes in horror and disgust, all knowing that he was running away from the King.
He only stopped when he ran into Percival on the corridor heading back to the physician's room. Literally; He ran head first into the muscular giant, who was walking alone down the corridor, seemingly coming from his rooms and looking deep in thought.
"Sorry! Sorry! Must dash, the prat – sorry King- is after me!"
"Again?" Percival's deep but gentle voice sounded, causing Merlin to look upwards in shock.
"Oh, hello Percy. Anyway I have to go as Arthur's going to have my head and-"
"Relax, I'll look after you, whilst you get your breathe back."
"Thanks."
Merlin paused as he bent double trying to regain and looked up at the gentle knight, who was once again looking troubled as he gazed ahead into the distance.
"Are you alright?"
Percival looked in shock at Merlin, as he had forgotten that Merlin was there.
"I-"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Merlin looked at Percival in concern as he said this, as knew how it felt when people pressed you for answers that you didn't want to give, as they were too private.
"I-I was thinking about my family."
Silence ensured after that statement as Merlin looked at Percival in shock. He had never really considered Percy to be a family man, even though he was kind hearted and definitely gentle enough.
Oblivious however, to Merlin's astonishment, Percy continued, as if this was the first time he had told someone in quite some time.
"My sister... she –"
But what Percival was going to tell him, Merlin never knew for at that moment, Arthur came storming down the corridors, with his awful timing, as per usual. Merlin had been so caught up in Percival that he had forgotten how he had met him.
Percival stepped in front of the manservant as Arthur walked directly towards them, with his Royal robes on and his face clean. Thankfully, as Percival was so tall, he made a very good human shield, which Merlin had often used in the past.
"Stop hiding behind Percival and face me like a man, Merlin."
Merlin stuck his head to the side, and considered the option before saying loudly,
"Nope, I don't want to die."
Everybody present in the area stopped what they were doing and looked towards the commotion, knowing that chaos and insults were soon going to insure.
"We all know that you're a coward, but hiding behind someone else? That is an all time low."
Merlin looked angrily at Arthur for a second then;
"Is it my fault what happened? I didn't force you into it. You did it of your own accord!"
Arthur growled menacingly.
"I will give you five seconds for you to apologise and do what I say, otherwise the punishment will be... most severe."
"That offer is very inviting, but I think I will decline." Merlin retaliated.
"Very well, so be it. Percival get out of the way."
The knight stopped laughing and looking with a straight face said "Sire, we all know that you are a just king, who always stands up for what they believe in."
Arthur looked confused at Percival, as he continued, while Merlin started to smile as he slowly backed away, keeping Percy in front of him so Arthur couldn't see him retreating.
"You taught me that we should always protect our allies, and do what's right. Well, I'm protecting my friend, from those that may cause him harm, just like you preach."
At the end, Percival broke into a huge grin when he saw Arthur's angry face.
"Are you disobeying my orders?"
"No... I'm simply stating my own opinion. You also said that we have one of those too." Percival quipped, and barely able to stop his laughter, Merlin started to sprint down the corridor to a safe haven, thankful that Percival had decided to take his side and slow Arthur down.
Merlin collapsed on his bed in relief as he managed to make it home. Slowly, he got his breathe back, before gazing into the centre of the room. After seeing Arthur's reaction, Merlin decided that he would lie low for a while and help Gaius, as it looked as if Arthur wouldn't be sensible for quite some time.
Grinning, he let his eyes fall on the painting that he had been working on for the last two days (was it really so short a time). Merlin gazed at it, caught in the warm dark brown eyes that looked out that seemed to rest on him. Earlier that morning, he had finally completed the painting; and it was exactly like how he remembered them...
Right. Down to question answering then.
SwimmerGirl0726 (and k9cool) – I love Gwaine too and so I'm not planning to kill him off, but you never know...
To all of you who asked – By reveal fic, do you mean about the magic? Cos seriously, Arthur is cannot always be blind and THAT dumb (I don't think anyway) about Merlin. So yes, I think it will turn out to be a reveal or magic. But he (Arthur) probably won't be the first to find out...
By the way, I'm loving all of your ideas about who is in the painting (it is more then one person in case you didn't guess)
Please review as always (My message is never to going to change, not really)