A Prince's best friend
Chapter 10: In which there's maybe a prologue of something greater
Merlin wouldn't be convinced. Never before had Arthur encountered such a stubborn soul: once the boy had decided do to something, he wasn't going to be deterred, so in the end the prince had agreed to let Percival be the one to accompany the servant when he went to see the knights, while Arthur would stay behind in his chambers and sulk (thought Merlin). Of course he wouldn't stay behind and never would he, prince of Camelot, do something as undignified as sulk; it just wasn't done. He did the only logical thing, which was follow at a safe distance, glancing around every corner and diving into alcoves to not be discovered.
The servant was thankfully very oblivious, but Percival kept looking over his shoulder, feeling they were being followed or watched. Maybe he should think of a diversion to get rid of him? Oh yes, brilliant plan, Arthur scolded himself, and let Merlin into the wolves' lair alone?
They walked through a corridor, crossed the courtyard, into direction of the training fields. Today sir Leon would be in charge of training (as the prince had lots of more important stuff to do, like reviewing documents, replying to letters, sit in meetings with his father and the councilors, and spy, no, subtly keep an eye on wayward servants).
Arthur pressed himself against a wall trying to seem as insignificant as possible, when the guard looked his way. Which was quite difficult, mind, when you're a prince and walking through your own town; some people might notice and acknowledge him, either having him discovered or slowing him down.
He managed to snatch a piece of conversation. A slightly one-sided conversation considering Percival's fondness of silence; but anyway, it gave him a clue. "…see no reason for them to do something like that," Merlin was saying up ahead. "Do you?"
"Perhaps, but it's not my place to tell," replied the knight and Merlin made some vivid gesture (probably groaning in frustration) and shook his head.
"Even you seem to know while I don't! Arthur won't tell me a thing either, he's like a mule, once he's set his mind to something he won't deter."
Percival nodded in agreement and didn't say anything.
The servant continued; "This whole thing is starting to feel ridiculous and I want to sort it out."
The knight nodded, again, and didn't say anything.
"I wonder if they're trying to set me up with Arthur? It's plausible isn't it? Like, they want to gain a reaction…"
He was figuring it out! He was figuring it out! The prince felt his breath quicken. If Merlin realized what was going on, Arthur probably was going to die from humiliation. Or maybe of pure joy, though the latter was less much less possible by the prince's calculation, since Morgana was involved in this whole affair (and she's quite evil) and then his father was even suspecting things, which made it worse, Q.E.D, if Merlin figured things out before Arthur's ready to take the blow, the prince was truly really screwed.
Merlin grew suddenly somber, and something in Arthur's chest hurt a bit when the servant said; "Thought it's probably just a silly thought. Like Arthur would care, like that, you know…? No, 'cause he's a prince … and I'm a servant. I'm just wistfully thinking here, about him and me and - Um, not like that!" he gasped when Percival turned is head and looked at him inquiringly, the servant's ears turning red, and the following words came out in a quickly babbled stream. He couldn't explain away the slip or ignore it, when the knight was expecting clarification, but his heart began to beat faster as his head filled with, umm, improper thoughts. "N-not like that! Err I mean, not like that, that - just, umm…you get what I mean, right? … How am I gonna be able to look at the knights with a straight face and ask something like that? That Arth—not that he does, he can't, I can't - what if it's true? What if-?"
(Oh, how Arthur wished he could read Merlin's mind that moment, just to know if Merlin was thinking the same kind of things he was.)
"You better calm down before you start to hyperventilate," advised Percival.
"This is all Arthur's fault," Merlin moaned. "It is. And mine, a little, just a little and the knights' – not you, Percival! - but mostly his. If he'd never noticed it when I turned into a cat none of this would have happened. Aw, why do these things keep happening to me?"
"Bad luck?" the knight suggested.
The servant grimaced. "More like a talent."
()()()
The knights appeared very happy to see him, hands waving and voices calling his name. Most of the men on the field greeted the servant – everybody liked his kind, happy nature – but Merlin chose to focus on two of them.
"So, I have a question."
Gareth's brother, Gwaine, smiled in that special kind of way and winked making Merlin's cheeks warm. It wasn't making him very comfortable so he tried to ignore it.
"How may we help you, Merlin?"
"What kind of deal did you strike with Arthur?"
Gwaine looked like he'd taken a hit beneath the belt, Bors fell off his chair and Gareth lowered his face in embarrassment, which was all well because Merlin thought that they, as nice as they at first seemed to be, deserved to feel ashamed.
"And don't come tell me you don't know what I'm talking about!" he more or less commanded.
"All right. I give up: it's all part of a delicate plan…"
"What Gwaine is trying to say it," Gareth cut in, "that we're very sorry for the trouble we've caused, but hope it will pay off in the end."
"Yes, pay off as in making a happy couple," his brother filled in, palms lifted in a sign of peace.
The servant gave them a confused look. What were they on about? Pay off? They'd created worry and suspicion and made Arthur well and quite paranoid, that's what. How could that in any way help anyone or 'pay off'? He couldn't understand what they wanted to go with this 'plan', unless is involved a bratty Arthur. And himself. All right, his earlier tiny, wistful thought was just…just a silly guess. It couldn't be…right? Just a silly guess. It's not like the knights knew about those inappropriate, passionate, dreamy thoughts sometimes filling his head…Nope, they weren't telepathic, so Merlin assumed his secrets were safe. Had assumed, anyway. If they knew about that then…no, they couldn't know of his magic as well, could they?
"That doesn't answer my question," Merlin said, carefully still thinking over possible possibilities of implausible causes. "What was the deal?"
"You'll see. It's not my place to tell," said Gwaine.
Swirling around, Merlin pointed an accusing finger at Percival's chest, making said knight step back in surprise. "That's what you said!"
"I haven't corrupted him," Gwaine defended himself at his brother's sharp look. The tallest knight of the three just shrugged. "Maybe it was Bors," he added thoughtfully. "That one time with the barrel of wine …"
"I won't even ask," Gareth said with a shake of his head.
"This is ridiculous! I'm going to just forget all of it and move on!" Merlin exclaimed and stomped off across the training field. Why did the knights have to be so…so infuriating and obviously influenced by Gwaine's attitude? They were all so annoying. Obviously, they were Arthur's knights so his pratness might've rubbed off a few of the bunch, but still. They all seemed set on hiding things and complicate them and even if they had good intentions, Merlin wanted to smack them over the head for being so ridiculous, actinglikechildren with nothing better to do. He should wear a sign: 'Annoying people, please leave me be, stop meddling with my love life.'
"So, what was the deal?" Percival asked, glancing over his back; he had to hurry after the servant, for he was certain that the prince would have his head if he lost him.
Gwaine smiled slyly. "Oh, just something about three days and a kiss, nothing serious. I was thinking about giving the boy some very practical advice, though, on how to properly-"
Closing his eyes in attempt to hide his mortification at his brother's behavior, Gareth reached out a hand and covered Gwaine's mouth with it muffling the following words.
"I was going to say 'how to properly polish a sword'," the dark-haired knight said once he hand was removed.
"Say that in front of Merlin and Arthur will most probably kill you. In a vat of hot oil. And castrate you afterwards."
"Oh? Well, I suppose he'd rather be the one to teach Merlin that."
()()()
Gwaine. Arthur growled quietly to himself…Gwaine in a vat of hot oil…Yes, he better prepare a vat of hot oil just in case or lock Merlin away in some high tower guarded by a dragon because Gwaine was about to corrupt all of the knights with his dirty mind, and who knew what they could do? Try to do. Arthur wouldn't let them. Do anything. To Merlin. Gareth's suggestions were a quite good idea. Maybe such an official threat from the prince could put Gwaine off for awhile.
The servant had seemed to figure things out – half-way, anyway. He had been rather angry and Arthur hoped it would pass soon, because an angry Merlin wasn't good, it affected everyone around him.
"Looks like I have to fulfill that deal after all," the prince muttered to himself. Only how was he supposed to do that smoothly without upsetting Merlin further or end up with a black eye?
()()()
Work, work, work. There was no end to it. By mid-day, he was allowed a break to go home and eat and what wasn't waiting for him but Gaius' You-need-to-clean-the-leech-tank-Look™.
"Can't I magic it up?" Merlin asked hopefully.
The physician gave him a stern look. "Don't you remember what happened last time you used magic?" he said and gestured at the boy's cat ears and that was the end of discussion.
So after quickly eating a piece of bread with smoked pigeon, Merlin grabbed a bucket and hurried for the water pump. Arthur needed him back to work in one candlemark, surely waiting with some old clothes that had to be laundered or a very dusty, messy chamber or a line of boots or there was something else to be done…
At least Percival wasn't following on his heels again: the knight had to have a break himself, and Merlin had (only a bit ashamed) tricked him into staying back at Gaius' place and eat at a proper pace and rest his feet. The man must spend all day just standing up and looking at people in that creepy way.
"Couldn't Gaius to this himself for a change?" Merlin moaned as he finally arrived at the water pump, a bit out of breath. "I'm not his servant."
Suddenly a voice on his left appeared. "Do you need a helping hand?"
"Gareth!" Merlin exclaimed, swirling around and almost dropping the bucket. "What are you doing here?"
"Do I need an excuse to see a friend?"
The servant looked at him incredulously, feeling his chest sting at those words: he'd really would've believed them, if not for… "Friend? You kidnapped me!" he hissed, lowering his voice to not gain unwanted attention (who knew what an exclamation like that could do, if spread to the public).
"I'm truly sorry, Merlin," the knight said and he looked so honest and pitiful like a kicked puppy, Merlin hesitated with one hand on the pump, considering whether to forgive the man (and still be angry of course over his and the other knights' ridiculousness) or simply still be angry and stomp away. He disliked being angry at people and though he was hurt by the knights' strange behavior, he had a sense in his heart that they meant well and Gareth was still looking like a hurt puppy. Whatever scheme the knights had wasn't working out the way they'd planned, but they weren't evil, and he would like to be their friend.
"All right," he sighed. "I forgive you. It doesn't mean I'm not upset, though."
"We meant well. It just got a bit out hand. I'm sorry."
Merlin shook his head, he wanted to this behind. He still had to deal with a bratty Arthur and getting rid of his cat ears and tail. Deciding it was best to just square his shoulders and continue walking through life like nothing had happened, the servant gestured at the second bucket he'd filled with water. "Help me carry this to Gaius'?"
Two things simultaneously happened: Gwaine came into view around the corner, and it was Gareth's cue, he moved in. Merlin gasped in surprise when Gareth leaned in very, very close unlike anyone ever had before, the man's stubbly chin pressing into his own and his lips near – what's he doing? The thought stumbled uncertainly across Merlin's mind, the arm around his shoulders tightening, when an angry yell tore them apart.
"Stay away from him!"
He felt tumbled, a bit unfocused and was only vaguely aware of the strong hand fisting his jacket and pulling him backwards, away from the knight. For a moment the hand held him close, a warm broad chest against his back, before it pushed him behind the owner's body and released him.
"What the hell are you doing?" the angry voice continued to rage.
Merlin blinked, once, twice. "What—"
"Sire," interrupted Gareth, but could say no further because Arthur was suddenly attempting to beat the man to the ground, much to the surprise of onlooking citizens who stopped to watch the commotion.
It took a moment for Merlin to come back to his senses and realize what exactly was going on, the knight eating mud and bloody murder written on the prince's face.
"Stop it!" Merlin cried, attempting to grasp the prince's shoulder. "For god's sake Arthur, stop beating the man into a pulp!" Once he finally got a grip of the prince, he was almost thrown off my the sheer force of Arthur's movements. The man tried to shrug him off, but Merlin stubbornly held on. There was a look of pure bloody anger on Arthur's face; there was no other way to describe it. Was it physically possible, steam would be coming out of his ears. Merlin, tightening his grip of the shoulder, shook him forcefully to try and bring some sense into his mind. "Arthur, I said stop it, let him go!"
It took some subtly used magic to drag the prince off the now disheveled and bruised knight. Arthur's face was red and twisted in a grimace of rage, and he didn't tear his gaze away from Gareth who with the help of Bedivere pulled himself up from the ground.
"Arthur, what in god's name are you doing?" Merlin asked, horrified at the scene.
The prince didn't listen to him. "How, how dare you—" he growled at Gareth. "I don't care if there's a deal or not, I'll never allow anyone to—to—" Arthur practically choked, unable to say the words out loud.
Merlin was worried the prince might get a heart attack from the anger and stress alone, he could see how strained the prince was, how close he was to exploding fully. "Arthur, you've got to calm down, calm down…Let's get out of here, all right?" He still hadn't let go of the shoulder. As gently but still firmly as possible he turned the prince around and began to lead him up toward the citadel, the bucket of water completely forgotten.
As well as being worried about him, Merlin was riled up and babbling into the prince's face – why did he have to cause or be at the centre such trouble all the time? "You've got to tell me, Arthur, what exactly was that deal about? It's been so much sneaking around and avoiding the subject and the guarding and you being stubborn in general, I thought the kidnapping had been solved! I spoke with the knights—they were ridiculous but this, this is just plain stupid!"
When they were standing in the middle of a corridor, the prince suddenly laid his hand on either side of head, holding him in place, but Merlin wouldn't have moved anyway, being so startled. He barely dared to breathe, because Arthur looked so serious, so silent and solemn, blue eyes boring into his, and he could feel his heart beat furiously against his ribcage, Arthur had never looked at him with such intensity before, never straight into his eyes.
"This was the deal," Arthur murmured, leaned in and kissed him.
()()()
"That worked out pretty fine, yeah?" Gwaine mused, humming on his breath. A grin seemed permanently etched onto his face since five minutes back, and widened at the sight of the pair down the corridor.
"Yes," Gareth agreed, happy to see the pair together, though a little sad because he mightn't love, he liked Merlin quite a lot and whatever chance he'd had was out of the window now. The main thing was that Merlin and the prince were happy and the knights would be able to witness their future blossom, and hopefully, hopefully, Gwaine would stop nagging about them now.
Unless, of course, he wanted to make wedding plans. Oh yes, naturally. He would help making wedding plans. And make sure no one ever attempted to tear the couple apart. And give a hand solving the whole magical bit because the knights weren't as oblivious as Arthur when it came to the servant's uncanny luck (but they didn't have that much trouble with it, really, as it had saved them, the city and the prince many times over; really, the boy should be more careful, lest the king found out and went into frenzy).
Deciding to ignore those thoughts for now, Gareth gently rubbed his lower chest, muttering, "I might have bruised a rib."
()()()
Gasping and clapping her hands over her mouth to catch the sound, Gwen found her cheeks reddening, and she shied backwards into the alcove fearing she might've been spotted. The couple was oblivious however, the prince's hand tangled in Merlin's hair and the servant pressing close, clinging to Arthur's shirt.
"That is so cute," she squeaked.
"I told you it'd work, even if they're slow to get it," her mistress said with a pleased smile.
()()()
"Oh, you idiot," Merlin whispered as they parted, what felt like many minutes later, out of breath. "It took a cat, some knights and a kidnapping for you to finally kiss me?"
Arthur kept his gaze, surprise shining in his eyes. "You mean…you've felt this way all along?"
"Always," the warlock murmured, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He felt warm and tingly all-over, and wondered idly how it'd feel if Arthur touched him in more ways than one and if it'd be better than he'd dreamed if they did more than just kiss. "I never thought you'd return them … This isn't a dream, is it?"
"We're both idiots," Arthur said and laughed a bit, from deep down his chest, and enveloped him in a warm steady embrace. Kissing Merlin had been the most perfect, right feeling he'd ever had: he'd never held someone this close and felt like they belonged right there, by his side, possibly forever. "A pair of oblivious idiot lovefools."
"Hmm, yeah, but you're the biggest one. I'm the one with a brain in this relationship."
"Relationship? That sounds good to me," the prince murmured, leaning in and nibbling at the servant's jaw, close to a second kiss and Merlin was about to say something but it turned into an incoherent mewl of pleasure, cheeks reddening. "And so, I guess it's time for me to teach you how to properly polish a sword…"
()()()
"No! Lemme watch! Please!"
Gareth didn't reply, just manhandled his brother back to the training fields. It was a good safe distance from the royal chambers.
"You're mean," Gwaine said petulantly.