A/N: Hello again! Thank you for all of the reviews for the last chapter. I had been waiting so long to get to that chapter that when it was finally time to write it, I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to get it right. Now this chapter picks up right where the last one left off. Enjoy!
Merlin stood at the end of the table, one hand holding onto the edge with a tight grip. He took a few calming breaths as he tried to decide what to do about his situation. Arthur had said that he wasn't going to let him go until he had done some chores. The prat must find this so amusing, Merlin thought bitterly. He probably couldn't wait to see Merlin make a fool out of himself.
Merlin could hear the scratching of a quill against parchment on the other side of the room. Arthur was working on his speech. Merlin felt himself getting angry again. Arthur had just left him there, stranded in the middle of his chambers. Why was he being like this?
Merlin took another deep breath. There was really only one thing he could do, he knew. If he wanted to get out of here, then he would have to continue playing Arthur's game. Well, fine then. If that's what he wanted.
Merlin tried to estimate in his head approximately how many steps it would take to reach Arthur's bed from his current position at the table. He sighed in frustration. The longer he stood here, the more time he was wasting, and he really just wanted to go back to his own chambers.
With one last deep breath, Merlin finally took his first step away from the table. He put an arm out in front of him as he made his way slowly across the floor in the direction of Arthur's bed, counting the steps in his head as he went.
Arthur looked up from his desk when he heard Merlin shuffling slowly across the floor. He noted how Merlin wore a look of concentration as he walked, and how his expression morphed into one of relief when he finally bumped gently into the bed. With a small, satisfied smile, he turned back to his work.
Merlin felt around on the bed until his hands found the sheets. They were all tangled together, however, and so Merlin worked on pulling them apart, all the while trying to determine which way they were supposed to go. He felt along the edges, trying to find the corners. Then he began to spread the sheets over the mattress, smoothing them out as he worked. The job took far longer to complete than it once had. It was so frustrating not to be able to see if the sheets were straight and smooth, free of wrinkles. Merlin had to rely entirely on his hands to give him this information.
Merlin couldn't help thinking to himself as he worked that if only Arthur wasn't there, he could just use magic to make the stupid bed. Because this was just ridiculous. Why didn't Arthur get someone else to make his bed? Someone more efficient? Like George? This all had to be some big joke, Merlin decided. Even now, Arthur was probably laughing at him, grinning widely as he watched him struggle with what should have been a very simple task.
"There. It's done," Merlin said harshly, unable to get the image of a smiling Arthur out of his mind.
Arthur raised his eyebrows at the venom in Merlin's voice. But he decided not to comment on it. He had expected Merlin to get angry and frustrated with him. Gaius had warned him, after all.
Arthur looked over at his bed. "You need to smooth out those wrinkles," he said.
An incredulous look settled on Merlin's face. He was pretty sure that he was starting to turn red. "Why don't you smooth out the wrinkles?" he grumbled angrily to himself.
"Did you say something, Merlin?" Arthur asked.
Merlin didn't respond. He bit down on his lip as he felt around for the wrinkles on the bed so he could smooth them flat against the mattress.
"Is that good enough for you, Sire?" Merlin asked after another minute of making adjustments, his voice filled with fury.
"That's much better," Arthur responded, completely ignoring Merlin's tone of voice. "You can get started on my boots now."
Merlin let out a huff of annoyance. "Where are they?" he asked flatly.
"Over by my wardrobe. There are three pairs that need to be polished. You'll find the polish and the brush on the side table. I had George leave them there for you."
Merlin turned away and headed towards the side table. But, unfortunately, he misjudged its location. Reaching out in front of him at the spot where he believed the table to be, Merlin found nothing but air. He was sure that the table was around here somewhere. He leaned forward and his fingertips brushed against the wall. He turned to his right then and reached out, hoping that he hadn't wandered too far away. Still, there was nothing.
Merlin wanted to cry out in frustration. This was so unfair. He imagined Arthur leaning back in his chair, watching the scene before him with a look of pure amusement on his face.
Then Arthur spoke up. "You're almost there, Merlin. Just a little more to your right."
Merlin bit back a reply. He didn't want Arthur's help. He took a couple of steps to the right, though, and his outstretched hand found the table. He scooped up the brush and polish and made his way over to the wardrobe. His foot found one of Arthur's boots and he sat down on the floor next to it. Feeling around, he managed to find all three pairs of boots. He sighed. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.
Merlin set the brush down on the ground perhaps a little harder than was necessary. He didn't care anymore. He was done polishing boots. "That's it. I'm finished," he announced, crossing his arms. He had only polished two pairs of boots, and it seemed that no amount of scrubbing seemed to be enough for the prat. How could he possibly expect Merlin to do a good job when Merlin couldn't even see his work? The King was asking for too much.
Arthur had long since completed his speech and had moved on to other reports. He looked over to where Merlin was sitting on the floor. "Well, I suppose that pair looks good enough now. Alright Merlin, I think you've done enough today."
"I can go?" Merlin asked in disbelief, getting to his feet.
"Yes. You can polish the last pair of boots tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Merlin nearly shouted. "You mean I have to come back?"
"That's generally what a servant does, Merlin."
"But I'm not your servant. Not anymore."
"Really? Because I don't recall ever sacking you."
"Yeah? Well you also don't seem to recall that I fell down the stairs and lost my eyesight!" Merlin exclaimed.
"Merlin, that's enough," Arthur said in his commanding, kingly tone.
Merlin immediately fell silent.
"This moping around has gone on long enough," Arthur stated. "It can't continue."
Merlin still said nothing.
"I will have Andrew escort you back to your chambers, and I'll expect to see you back here tomorrow morning."
"What if I quit?" Merlin asked.
"If you don't want to be my servant anymore, that's fine. But until you get things sorted out for yourself, you will continue to work for me."
"You can't do that," Merlin said.
Had Merlin been able to see it, he would have flinched under the glare that Arthur shot in his direction. The King walked over to the door and stuck his head out into the corridor. A moment later, Andrew came in.
Finally, Arthur spoke. "I will see you in the morning, Merlin. Don't be late."
Merlin slammed the door to his room shut. Gaius was out on his rounds and he was completely alone in the physician's chambers. He had had Andrew walk him to his bedroom door before leaving with the promise that he would be there bright and early in the morning. Now that he was alone, Merlin sat down heavily on the bed. Arthur seemed so intent on humiliating him, he thought angrily to himself. That arrogant, pompous prat.
"Or maybe he's just trying to help," a small voice said in the back of his head. But Merlin immediately silenced that voice. He didn't want help. He didn't need help. Arthur couldn't help. Nobody could. His destiny was gone, and there was nothing more that he could do.
Except that now it seemed that the prat was going to force him to make his bed every morning. Merlin groaned as he fell back onto his mattress. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind of all thoughts. And at last, a few minutes later, he was able to drift off into an uneasy sleep.
A/N: I really hope I got this chapter right. It took me a while to get to a point where I was satisfied with it. Please review and tell me what you think! Until next time! :)