Merlin was stuffed in the back seat between Percival and Leon in one of the royal Range Rovers Arthur had received permission to borrow for the weekend. Arthur was driving and Gwaine had passed out in the passenger seat hours ago, snoring lightly. They left the university before sunrise and had been on the road for what seemed like hours. Arthur drove the Range Rover like it was a race car, making Merlin a bit nauseous as they got to more hilly roads.
"So what exactly are we going to do at the Lake District?" Merlin finally asked.
"I figured we would visit William Wordsworth's house," Arthur called back. "And maybe Beatrix Potter's little cottage." Merlin was internally nerding-out.
"I didn't know they lived up here," Merlin said, suddenly giddy.
"I thought you'd enjoy visiting," Arthur said simply. "You are the bookworm of the bunch."
"And where are we staying?" Merlin inquired. This is a question she had meant to ask ever since Arthur had announced they were heading for the Lake District this weekend.
"My family owns a small manor up there,"
"Of course you do," Merlin mumbled to which Percival chuckled.
'Small' was not a word Merlin would use to describe it. This particular manor house could fit two of her mum's houses inside with room to spare. It looked a bit like a little castle with grey stone work and arched windows. Leon helped Merlin out of the car as she gaped at the house.
"I didn't alert any of the staff that we were coming," Leon informed Arthur.
"We can fend for ourselves for a weekend," Arthur clapped Leon on the shoulder and smiled. "Close your mouth, Merlin. You might start drooling."
Merlin shot a glare at Arthur as he passed by to help fetch the luggage Gwaine and Percival were retrieving from the back of the Range Rover. Merlin grabbed her bag and followed the boys inside. The main room had tall ceilings, illuminated by the tall windows. Iron chandlers hung down with lights made to look like candles. They climbed one of two staircases that could take them to the second level. Arthur stopped at a heavy-looking wooden door and opened it.
"This is yours," He motioned in. "If I remember correctly, it has flowery wallpaper suited for a girl." Merlin poked her head in and glanced at the walls. They were covered in flowers with a blue background.
"That's vile," Merlin noted, grimacing a little.
Arthur chucked. "You're welcome." He went one door down and disappeared into a different room. Merlin walked into her unfortunately decorated accommodations. The bed, which had too many decorative pillows placed at the head of it, took up most of the room. The frame was made of some sort of dark wood with a canopy overhead. There was a little vanity to the right of the bed with a mirror and stool. A chest of drawers was to the left. She sat on the bed slowly. It was soft, pillow-y, and she sunk down into it quickly. She fell back, smiling. This would do nicely.
"Come on," Leon popped his head in. "It's not time for naps." Merlin clumsily rolled off the bed and joined the boys in the entry way.
Their first stop was Beatrix Potter's cottage. Before heading to the admissions hut, Arthur donned a pair of aviator sunglasses and popped the collar of his jacket.
"What are you doing?" Merlin tried not to giggle.
"I'm...disguising myself," Arthur said, making sure his collar would stay put. "I don't want to have any impromptu photo shoots with a bunch of strangers."
"Okay," Merlin couldn't stop smiling. He looked more suspicious dressed like that, in her opinion. She looked over at the boys who had also put on sunglasses. "You guys won't fool anyone."
The pathway leading to the cottage had fenced off areas with rabbits hopping about and grazing on the greenery. The cottage itself was quaint and surrounded by flowers. Arthur followed her around as she wandered in and out of the rooms and stood quietly by her side when she stopped to read the little passages from Peter Rabbit placed around the cottage. He did receive some strange looks from a few people who passed them, which made Merlin laugh.
Next they drove to William Wordsworth's house, which was as quaint as their first stop. Arthur had been there before and decided to wait outside with the others. When Merlin came out of the house after her guided tour, she found Arthur standing next to an older woman, smiling for a picture. He had been spotted. Two more women plucked up the courage to get a photo with the prince as Merlin stood next to Gwaine.
"Told you," Merlin said smugly.
"It's one of the problems of being one of the most familiar and photographed faces in the country," Gwaine replied. Merlin watched as Arthur kindly made small talk with those he had taken photos with, politely smiling away. It was interesting seeing Arthur in People-Pleasing-Mode. He had obviously had years of practise smiling and mustering laughs, but Merlin could tell they were quite fake, believable, but fake to the few who knew Arthur's real smile.
Leon suggested fish and chips for dinner since none of them had the energy to try to cook anything. They brought their meals back to the manor and ate them in the large dining hall, which was decorated with various anthers and muskets hanging from the walls. Merlin conjured a fire in the massive fireplace at the far end of the dining hall. Gwaine found board games for them to entertain themselves for the evening. To make things more interesting, he also found a few bottles of wine for them to enjoy.
Two games of Monopoly and plenty of wine later, they were all in fits of alcohol-induced laughter, throwing game pieces around.
"Merlin!" Arthur suddenly said. "Do something magic-y."
Merlin scrunched her nose and looked about the room. She spotted the fire that was now down to embers and conjured a gold dragon from the sparks and had it sail around the room. It crashed into the back of the fireplace, crackling into sparks.
"Wicked," Percival hiccupped. Merlin grinned stupidly. Her head was light from the wine.
"Well chaps," Leon stood up. "I think I'm going to turn in." The rest of them nodded, agreeing that it was probably best to get some sleep. Gwaine and Percival started singing a drinking song as they climbed the stairs, Leon, Arthur and Merlin giggling behind. Before Merlin opened her door, Arthur caught her arm and pulled her towards him.
"You're very pretty, you know that?" Arthur's dopey smile was close to her face.
"And you've had too much to drink," Merlin replied, blushing.
"Doesn't make it untrue," Arthur ruffled her hair. "Sleep well, Merlin."
"You too," Merlin replied and watched Arthur wander to his room.
Merlin wandered down to the dining hall for breakfast the next morning after a much-needed shower . Leon had gone out and bought milk, cereal, bread, jam, and assorted fruits for them to munch on. It appeared Merlin was the last one up.
"Good morning, sleepy head," Gwaine waved with his half eaten banana. "We were wondering when you'd get up."
"If you didn't get down here in time Percival would have eaten everything," Arthur tossed an apple at Merlin.
"I need the carbs. I have to keep the arms looking this good somehow," Percival said from the floor. He was doing push-ups. Merlin looked back at Arthur who was looking at her with a slight smile on his face. She looked away and poured herself some cereal.
"What do you say about a walk around a lake?" Arthur said as he helped Merlin out of the car after an hour drive. "Just us." Merlin looked out at the dark blue body of water in front of them, surrounded by tall hills.
"What about the guys?" Merlin used her head to motion to the others who were still in the car.
"They, uh, want to do something else," Arthur said avoiding eye contact.
"Okay," Merlin replied, very skeptical. Arthur rolled his eyes and took Merlin by the wrist and pulled her towards the path that went around the lake. It was cloudy and a bit chilly, but the walk around the lake was pleasant. Merlin and Arthur were the only two out on the walking path, which made Arthur happy. They were walking close together, chatting away about lectures as usual. Half way around the lake, Arthur wanted to stop at a dock that led onto the lake.
They peered over the edge. Merlin lost interest in the water after a few minutes and redirected her focus on the scenery.
"This place is quite magical," Merlin observed. Arthur looked up at her quizzically. "Well, not exactly like that, you dunce. I mean it's pretty."
"Indeed," Arthur agreed eyes still on Merlin. She looked over at him, ready to point out that he wasn't looking at the hills when he fell backwards, as if being pulled, into the water behind them.
"Arthur!" Merlin tried to grab him but he sank quickly beneath the surface, thrashing as he went. She was about ready to dive in when a green, scaly creature with large eyes, and human looking face, emerged out of the water in front of her.
"You're prince is safe, Emrys," It hissed at her, showing Merlin its pointed teeth. It lacked a nose, but had gills etched into each side of its neck.
"It looks more like he's drowning," Merlin said through gritted teeth.
"He's in safe hands," The creature cocked its head. "We are simply returning something that belongs to him."
"And what could Arthur possibly need at the bottom of a lake?" Merlin's magic was surging to her hands.
"A long-lost companion," The green thing batted its bulbous eyes and moved closer. Merlin figured it was some sort of lake dwelling mermaid. It was definitely ugly. "The Once and Future King is nothing without Excalibur." The creature cackled and dove back into the lake. Moments later Arthur was thrown on to the dock, soaked and coughing up water. Something shiny was hidden underneath his body.
Merlin knelt next to Arthur. "Are you alright?" She asked frantically helping him roll over to his side.
"Yeah," Arthur coughed a few more times and sighed. "Had a bit of a run in with some interesting fish people down there."
"Oh yeah?" Merlin said. "So did I. One kept me from coming in after you."
"No matter," Arthur coughed again. Merlin helped him stand up. "I'm just fine, just a bit damp." He shook his wet, blond hair like a dog, showering Merlin in lake water. Arthur held up a beautiful sword that had no signs of water damage.
"They gave me this," Arthur said, waving it around a bit.
"Excalibur," Merlin repeated the name the creature had said moments ago.
"Yeah," Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell am I going to do with a bloody sword?"
Merlin shrugged. They continued their walk around the lake as Arthur examined the sword closely, mumbling about the craftsmanship of the weapon.
"Oof, that wind is cold with wet clothing," Arthur said with a shiver. "And I'm starting to chafe in...weird spots." He gave a leg a little shake. Merlin laughed.
"I'll call Leon and have him pick us up," Merlin offered.
"I certainly can't do it," Arthur took out his mobile from his coat pocket. "Mine is totally fried no thanks to my little dip."
The black Range Rover pulled up to lake path entrance right as Arthur and Merlin finished their walk. Leon got out of the car and threw a bag of dry clothing at Arthur.
"What happened to you, then?" Gwaine asked.
"I decided to take an unplanned swim in the lake," Arthur grumbled.
"He kind of got pulled in by some kind of mermaid," Merlin corrected. "They wanted to give him a sword." Merlin was now holding Excalibur. She showed it to Gwaine and Percival.
"Do you think if we jumped into the lake they'd give us swords?" Percival asked with a bit of hope in his voice.
"I don't know, you'll have to take it up with the mer-people, Perc," Arthur replied. Merlin looked over at the prince who was in the process of removing his shirt, revealing his bare chest, faintly defined stomach muscles and his dirty blond treasure trail. She could feel herself turning red and quickly looked down at the ground.
"Oi, have some decency, Your Highness," Gwaine teased Arthur. "There are ladies present." Arthur had started to unbutton his trousers. He let out a laugh and went behind the Range Rover to complete his wardrobe change. Once Arthur had changed into dry clothing, they piled into the car and drove back to the manor house.