CHAPTER 11 : LIVE AND LET LIVE
As was right and honourable for the Prince, he presented himself in the main courtyard of Camelot. Merlin had dropped back, so he was riding slightly behind Arthur to his right. The villages in the lower town, had smiled watching their Prince and his faithful manservant return to the castle and if any of them noticed the slight blush on the Prince's face, they attributed it to the alternating sun and shadow.
Upon arriving at the bottom of the steps, both dismounted at the same time. Arthur made for the stairs with Merlin moving up between the horses to take Arthur's horse's reins and lead them both to the stable. He wouldn't see Arthur again until the horses were settled and he'd visited Gaius.
Finally finished with stable chores, horses groomed and fed, Merlin made his way to Gaius's. In his usual Merlinesque manner, he hurtled through the door. Gaius looked up pleased to see that the traveller, had safely returned.
Merlin blushed when Gaius's eyes met his. Gaius laughed and said, "Well, obviously you had a lovely visit with Hunith and Tosh, did anything else exciting happen?"
Suddenly Merlin felt awkward, something that was not uncommon in his life, but usually not within these chambers. He grinned, "We both had a lovely couple of days..."
"Weather wasn't too cold in the caves then?
"No, Gaius," Merlin was no good keeping happy secrets. He couldn't help it, so he just gave Gaius a broad grin, continuing, "Not only were the caves warm but memorable..."
Merlin walked to the table, Gaius got up and hugged him, "Now, promise me that the two of you will be vigilant. Uther has no love for you and he would willingly make an example of you even at his son's expense. I'm glad that you and Arthur got things straightened out. Does Hunith know?"
Merlin told him that Hunith had guessed and was happy as she had a soft spot for Arthur. She had also mentioned that she had been wondering. how long it was going to take for the two of them to realise. what had been staring her in the face for quite some time. He mentioned that she told him to be very careful, saying that she trusted Arthur and a few of his Knights completely but that she couldn't vouch for all the residents and staff in the castle.
"...and how did Tosh take it:"
"Luckily, he was oblivious, he feels that Arthur is his anyway, like you Gaius, just an extension of his new family. Arthur was great with him. He told Arthur that I was marrying Gwen but that he thought I would probably, still like him a little bit!"
"... and will you still like him a little bit?" Gaius asked laughing. He was happy that Merlin was back in Camelot but deep down he wondered if the two of them would not have been safer in the caves which dotted the kingdom.
"Hadn't you better go as Arthur must be getting ready to see his father? You can bring me up to date on anything else you want to tell me later on. Glad to have you home, Merlin!"
"Sort of, glad to be back..." he gave Gaius, the note from Hunith, a knowing look and left him laughing.
As the door slammed, Gaius thought, 'Be careful, young warlock! Life can sometimes be very cruel in this kingdom...'
Merlin made his way to Arthur's chambers, Arthur was standing daydreaming in front of his opened cupboard.
Merlin ran across the room, jumping in the air, doing a backward roll and landed spread eagle in the middle of Arthur's big comfortable bed.
Arthur turned and said, "Well, somebody's had practice doing that!"
"Guilty! When I knew that you were going to be away for an extended length of time, I used to finish my stable chores, come here get your chambers tidied up and..."
"Go on," said a voice closer to him that he had realised.
"...and take a nap. Well, really lie here flat out and daydream."
"Merlin, you're incorrigible! At least tell me that you were dreaming about me?"
"Well, if I have to tell the truth on scout's honour, then the answer is no. I was usually dreaming about Gawaine?"
Arthur threw himself on the bed, but Merlin had already made a hasty retreat off the other side. He stood there grinning. "Now, now Arthur, haven't you a duty to see the King before initiating any Allegiance Ceremonies?"
Merlin got water so Arthur could freshen up while he laid out clean clothes for him. He said, "If you go and see your father now, that will give me time to tidy myself up and be in the dining hall to serve at supper."
"Did you see Gaius, yet?"
"Yes, and I hope you are better prepared when you face the King, as he guessed immediately."
"I've given him no reason to guess at anything," Arthur replied.
"That's alright, by the time the meal is over, he'll know as I intend to use some of my come-hither glances which will have you squirming in your seat. Now, be a good boy, Arthur! As your Nanny What's Her Name would have said, Go and see your father." And then as a parting shot, he couldn't resist adding, "As you call my Mam, Hunith, should I start calling the king, Uther instead of Sire?"
Merlin ducked as Arthur aimed a wet towel at him and left the room.
Supper dragged on and on. Arthur reported on his visit to the village of Ramsdown. Uther congratulated him for taking the initiative to do some work even though he was taking a few days off. They discussed border patrols and intrusions. Merlin was bored out of his skull and kept thinking of funny things but trying at the same time to pay attention to serving and not getting too close to Arthur or making any eye contact with him. It wouldn't have been fair, as he could tell that Arthur was pretty wound up as it was.
A bottle of mead and four goblets were placed in front of the King. The servants were dismissed, to have their own meals whilst, Uther, Arthur, Gaius and Sir Rupert remained there talking.
By the time Merlin reached Arthur's chambers he had not yet returned. He stoked the fire and placed Arthur's blankets and night shirt in front of it so that they would be warm. It was stormy outside. so he pulled the heavy curtains over all the windows to keep out drafts.
He waited and waited. He had always stayed until Arthur had turned in and then he had gone back to his room at Gaius's. He always felt better if he saw him safe in bed before leaving. On occasion, if Arthur had been hurt or was sick, he had slept in his antechamber, to be on hand if he needed him. Now however, he would sleep in his bed.
Merlin was bored. He sat before the fire and then decided to take off his boots and toast his feet. Suddenly, he had an awful thought that Uther had found out and had Arthur right now in a cell and that soldiers were coming to get him.
There was a scratching at the door and he hopped across the cold flagstones and opened it to Sir Rupert and a slightly tipsy Arthur. Seems the King had retired early, so Gaius, Rupert and Arthur had finished the mead.
Sir Rupert with Merlin's help dumped him on the bed, asking him if he could manage and Merlin told him that he could. He prayed that Arthur, if he had been in a talkative mood had waited, until it was only Gaius and Rupert to entertain, before he had talked of his exploits over the last couple of days.
Sir Rupert left but not before saying, "Gaius says you should stay in the antechamber tonight, to keep an eye on the Prince and to come by early in the morning to get something for him to take if he has a headache."
'I'll give him a headache,' thought Merlin but said, "Thank you and Good Night, Sir Rupert!"
With limited help from Arthur, he got him undressed and into bed. He was in one of those everything is funny moods. He thought that Merlin's bare feet were hilarious and then as Merlin wrapped his fur-lined blanket around him, he fell into a dead sleep.
Merlin went over and dropped the bar down on the chamber's main door and locked and removed the keys from the two other exits. It was the closest, he could make to a cave...
"Good night, Sweet Prince," he said kissing Arthur before slipping under the covers with him.
'So much for the Allegiance Ceremony...' he thought and in no time was fast asleep.
FINIS
Life in Camelot for Merlin and Arthur, continues in BE ON YOUR GUARD, LOVE
the sequel to RAINING CATS AND LOVERS
Camelot: A kingdom where loving can be an indictable offense punishable by death!