Merlin roused to the sound of clanking. Blinking in confusion he lifted his head out of the pillow and looked at the man who had brought Arthur's armour, and was laying it out. Arthur was stood close by, arms folded, looking at what had been done. The servant stepped back and then Arthur waved his head.
"Leave," Arthur ordered.
"Sire?"
"Merlin will deal with it," Arthur said. "Out!"
The servant looked at the bed, and his eyes widened as he looked at Merlin. Merlin sat up, about to jump out of the bed, then suddenly thought better of it as he felt the cool air over his skin. He pulled the sheets around his naked body, clinging onto them tightly. Arthur looked at him expectantly.
"Come on then, I'm due on patrol."
"I'm naked," Merlin said.
"Yes, you are, and I'm due on patrol, get me into my armour."
Merlin looked around and saw his trousers nearby. Snatching them up he pulled them under the covers and started to pull them on, staying under the sheets as he did so. Arthur watched him and smirked in amusement.
"I saw it all when I undressed you last night."
"And then what did you do?" Merlin said, pulling his trousers up and safely fastening them.
"Nothing," Arthur said with a trace of anger. "You made what you thought of me quite clear."
Merlin looked down, pulling the covers around himself, trying to hide. "How could I not think that?"
"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Arthur said, sounding like he truly didn't. Merlin blinked, got his trousers on and pushed the covers down. He stood up and stumbled over his boots that were dropped by the side of the bed. Merlin cursed and Arthur started to laugh at him. Snarling Merlin sat back on the bed and started to pull his boots on.
"You really are hopeless," Arthur said.
"You really are a pratt," Merlin snapped. Arthur's laugher faded in a second and he glared at Merlin. Merlin withered under the gaze. "Sorry… Your Highness."
"Watch it, anyone else hears you talking like that, I will be expected to take your head off," Arthur assured him. "And I can't afford that it would seem. Now, help me with my armour."
Merlin stood up and frowned at the pile of stuff that was laid out on the table, very neatly he presumed. But he had no idea what to do with it. Arthur just looked at him, waiting. Again Merlin received that amused look, which riled him a little, so he started off, making very accurate guesses about what he needed to do as he dressed Arthur.
He was concentrating on fastening the buckles of the armour when Arthur added.
"You can also sort this room out, do my washing, the stables will need cleaning out as well, and take the grey mare to the blacksmith."
Merlin blinked up at him. "I can't do all that, I don't know how, or where to go or…"
"You did all right with the armour, didn't you?" Arthur said. "You really are hopeless."
"I thought you said I just did all right," Merlin snapped at him.
"The bond means that you won't even need to think about it. You'll do everything I ask of you exactly how I want it done, and you won't even think twice about it."
"So much for free will," Merlin said sulkily, reaching for one of Arthur's arm guards. He held out his left arm and Merlin started to buckle it onto his forearm.
"You could in actual fact choose not to do it, or not do it the way you instinctively would," Arthur said. "There is a great deal of difference between our link and a full bond, ask my sister."
Merlin looked up in surprise, not just at what Arthur said but the tone he used, his voice darkening, and his eyes hardened as Merlin met them. He found a distraction by reaching for the other arm guard, it was a little out of reach but as he intended to stretch it slid across the table and slammed into his hand.
"Careful of that," Arthur said. "Magic is strong around here, try not to be too obvious about it."
Merlin gave a cynical, almost angry, smile, turning back to Arthur and straightening the leather straps on the guard. "That didn't do me much good back home did it?"
Arthur held out his other arm for Merlin to deal with and he was concentrating on fastening it. Bracing the armour, and Arthur's arm, against his chest Merlin fiddled with an awkward strap. He was absorbed in the task and didn't see Arthur's face before the door was flung open and Uther strode into the room, dressed for the patrol. Merlin tensed every fibre of his being on alert. His hands started to tremble as he struggled with the strap, but he didn't look up, he kept his eyes on what he was doing. Uther crossed the room to pick up an apple from the fruit bowl.
"I expected you to be ready."
"I am, father, almost."
"That's not ready then is it," Uther drawled. Merlin finished with the arm guard and got Arthur's sword, fastening the belt around the waist. He ran on the instinct he had, the one that Arthur had given him, probably for convenience. When he was finished Merlin stepped back with his head down and waited politely, as an innocuous servant would. The only problem was the two times he had been in a room with Uther he had not been innocuous.
However, this time everything was different. Seeing Arthur was ready Uther strolled towards the door again, and Arthur stepped to follow him. He paused on the threshold and turned to Merlin.
"And go and see Gaius, tell him I need some more Mortaeus Flower tincture. Think you can remember that as well?"
"Yes, Sire."
Arthur spun on his heel and stalked out after his father, who had completely ignored Merlin. The only reference to him was Uther's voice echoing back down the corridor as he asked Arthur.
"I presume your evening was entertaining?"
Merlin peered around the door, watching as they turned the far corner, the group of knights in tow. Merlin pondered that. Uther had obviously dismissed him now and Merlin wondered about going to see Gaius, there was an odd emphasis on that instruction but Merlin couldn't work it out. He decided to do that last, instead he would start with the room, then the stables, and once the horse was at the blacksmith he'd go and see Gaius.
His day proved unalarming. He did everything Arthur asked of him, and because it was simple he did it as his instinct ran, and he cheated. The stables were done while he took the horse to the blacksmith, and the mangle wrung out some clothes while Merlin washed others. He was careful to do those things with no one around. When he was in the presence of others he did things by hand, making sure his magic didn't show too much. He guessed that under Arthur's control he would not be doing anything out of the ordinary.
Now and again he knew Arthur was performing magic, feeding off him a little, but never too much. The bond was there, it would be careless of Arthur not to use him, especially around Uther.
Merlin's last chore was the trip to pick up the tincture. He went to Gaius' chambers, knowing the way without thinking. The same as it was for his trip to the kitchens to replenish the fruit bowl and the jugs of water and wine in Arthur's room. For some reason he also decided Arthur would want a platter of bread and cold meats, so he set that up as well.
He paused outside the door and knocked before pushing it open, and peering around it.
"Hello?" Merlin asked and slammed his shoulder into the doorframe as Gaius shot out from somewhere behind the door, glaring at him balefully.
"What do you want?"
Merlin sidled the rest of the way in and shut the door behind him. Gaius still glared at him.
"Arthur told me to pick up a Mortaeus Flower tincture for him."
"Ah, yes, fine." Gaius turned and strode off across the room and picked up a small green bottle and handed it to Merlin.
"Thank you," Merlin said. Everyone was being very helpful, but he was guessing that everyone knew he was Arthur's. The collar gave it away if gossip didn't. Gaius didn't release the bottle to him immediately; instead he looked at Merlin intently.
"You might want to go back via the courtyard, walk through the cloisters; it's very attractive this time of day."
Merlin nodded, staring at the old man in confusion. He rolled his eyes and nodded his head in exaggeration.
"Okay."
Gaius released the potion and Merlin yelped as he was smacked hard around the ear.
"Just do it boy, for goodness sake!"
Merlin gripped the potion in one hand and put another hand to his now throbbing ear, his jaw dropping as he watched the old man walk away, checking potions and books as he went.
"Honestly, where does Arthur find these creatures," Gaius snapped to himself.
Merlin backed to the door and opened it with his elbow, still rubbing his ear and holding the potion. He guessed he was supposed to go that way, so he did as he was told. As he went through the archway to the courtyard he looked down, avoiding the gaze of the knights and guards around the place and carefully moving away from the Lady Morgana and her maid, Guinevere, as they carried packages back from a rather intensive shopping trip.
Merlin ducked across the courtyard, trying to avoid the people in the square and was halfway up the steps to the castle as he heard a kafuffle. A few of the knights moved forward eagerly. Merlin thought it was a good time to duck away but he heard Morgana's voice.
"Gwen, leave that! You boy!"
Merlin turned automatically and his eyes widened as he realised Morgana was looking at him. She lifted her chin, looking down her nose at him arrogantly. He hadn't seen her clearly in the throne room but he felt stunned as he looked at her now and he thought to himself that she would look much prettier if she smiled. He blinked and took a step down, half pointing at himself in question. She glared back at him arrogantly, surrounded by the packages she had dropped and which her maid couldn't retrieve without going down on her knees.
"Do you see any other boys here?" she roared at him across the courtyard.
The knights who had gone to help her paused, and stepped back, eyeing the scene in amusement. They would have helped, but she was the Lady Morgana, if she chose to pick on Arthur's new servant then she could. Merlin looked around and realised the same thing. He came back down the steps and walked towards her, his head hanging a little and he tucked the tincture that Arthur wanted safely away. Only one person saw Morgana's eyes watch that movement anxiously.
"Gather those packages!" Morgana snapped as Merlin came close. He looked at the neatly wrapped purchases on the floor and going down on his knees started to gather them, propping them carefully.
"Guinevere," Morgana snapped. Merlin looked up and received a whole new wad of packages into his embrace. He staggered to his feet, trying to control them. "Come on, boy!"
Merlin turned, following them. The two women were ahead of him now but he was shoved forward as someone slammed a foot into his backside to send him onward. The knight's laughter followed him as he ran after the two women heading into the castle.