Hello everyone!

Look at that! An update! Finally!

I'm very, very sorry about the lateness of this but as I mentionned previously those days health has not be completely on my side and it had kind of impacted my writing motivation... But well, I think I'm adapting so yeah... Things should get better except...

I'm planing on taking part in a contest of french writing in english in my town so yeah... Even if it's a very small one shot it will require work (even if I still don't really have a plot or anything which is sooo scaring me). I hope you'll understand. (and you can say it's silly, half of me things it is and that I won't win anyway to why bother?)

Anyway, I'm not a big fan of this chapter and had had the hardest time writing it but my beta liked it and I wanted to post so yeah... Leave a comment ;)

Until next time !

Prompt by: KayDrew
Please do a drabble showing the knights doing Merlin's work. :D

The repercussion of Gwaine's ideas

For a knight, the servant's work was always a bit of a mystery.

Of course, they all knew the basics of what the servants did but, if asked, Leon wouldn't have been able to say exactly what Merlin did during the day.

The first surprise was the servant who came to wake him when the sun had only just risen past the horizon.

"The king told me to wake you up early so you can help the court physician with whatever he needs before going to wake him in an hour and a half." The servant said, depositing a plate of food on the table in Leon's chambers.

Leon blinked, rubbing his eyes, a protest almost falling from his lips at being woken up so early before he remember that this was his own fault. He should never have taken part in anything Gwaine was proposing.

But it had been a good idea.

And it had proven Merlin right. Camelot was far too easy to break into.

He sighed and, rubbing his face, pushed himself up. He quickly dressed in casual clothes and ate his breakfast. In no time, he was on his way to the physician's chambers.

Arrived there, he knocked politely before entering. He found Gaius sitting at one of the wooden tables of the room, eating from a bowl of broth.

"Ah Sir Leon!" He greeted in a soft voice. "Arthur told me you were to take Merlin's duties today."

"Indeed." Leon answered and looked around the room. "Where is Merlin anyway?"

"Oh, he's still asleep. He's been rather tired lately and, as you're replacing him, I thought I would let him sleep in today."

Leon nodded comprehendingly. To be honest, he hadn't really noticed that Merlin was different from his usually energetic self but he guessed that Gaius would know better than anyone.

"What do you need me to do?" Leon asked after a beat, remembering to keep his voice down.

"Well, I was about to reorganize my supplies and check if anything is missing or low before the herb trader arrives later in the week and I would be grateful for some help." Gaius explained, getting up to clear his bowl.

An hour later, Leon excused himself to go serve his King his breakfast.

And only then did he understand just how much work Merlin's job really was.

As a long time resident of Camelot, Leon had always somewhat known that Arthur wasn't a morning person but he hadn't really grasped just how utterly grumpy the young king was when he was woken up.

The knight found himself with a new found admiration for Merlin as he listened dutifully to Arthur's complains and, after that, the endless list of chores he would have to do in the day.

Leon really wondered whether Arthur was being unusually harsh on him for whatever reason or if that was what Merlin was usually dealing with.

He hoped it was the first option but really doubted it.

At Arthur's raised eyebrow he noticed that he may have been a little distracted and bowed before leaving to get on with his list of chores.

The next day, it was Percival's turn to take on Merlin's duties and, just like the day before, he began by going to Gaius' chambers.

He found the old man mixing some ingredients in a bowl.

"Oh, hello Percival!" The old man greeted with a smile. "It is your turn then?"

"Hello Gaius. Yes. Do you need me for something?"

"Actually, yes. I thought you could help with some repairs in the main room and Merlin's bedroom. It has been a while since I've put some work in to keeping these rooms habitable and with winter coming I'd be glad for that to be done."

"Of course. No problem. I'll just go check with Arthur." Percival said.

"Good. Merlin will be glad he doesn't have to do that, I think."

"I can guess. Where is he anyway?"

"With Gwen. I think they wanted to go to the market place together. To remember the old days."

Percival nodded, understanding the feeling and left to take Arthur his breakfast.

Just as Leon had warned him, waking Arthur was a fight in itself but, thankfully, after that it wasn't much of a struggle to convince him to let Gaius use his strength to do some manual work instead of chores.

Well, of course not all the chores. That would have been too easy.

So Percival found himself with work that could easily take two days packed in one.

He wondered if it was like that for Merlin every day. Because, if it was the case, he wondered how the younger man was coping.

They should really give him more credit.

On Wednesday, it was Elyan that came to Gaius but this time the old man had no job he could give the knight for so he quickly sent him away to Arthur.

The king, however, didn't miss the opportunity to give even more work to the other man.

And that's how Elyan found himself cleaning the royal stables and care for the royal horses, despite the cold of autumn. After that he went to the Armory to take care of the king's and of all the other knights' armor.

That took him the best part of the day, even though he was a blacksmith's son. He couldn't help but wonder if Merlin also did this chore. In any case it wasn't visible on the armor as they were very well cared for.

He made a mental note to remember to congratulate the servant on his skills.

After that, he began the less interesting chores, doing Arthur's laundry and cleaning his room and he would have sworn that never before had he thought cleaning to be so hard.

By the way Percival and even Leon still looked when he had seen them today, he would still feel his painful muscles tomorrow.

Elyan sighed. Never again would he take part in one of Gwaine's fantastic ideas.

Never.

The last one to assume Merlin's duty was, of course, Gwaine.

And, of course, he absolutely hadn't prepared himself for it with a good night's rest but has instead spent the night in the Tavern like custom.

That's why he arrived bleary-eyed at Gaius' chambers, not to ask what his chores would be but to ask for a remedy against the headache that was mercilessly pounding in his skull.

But Gwaine being hungover didn't mean that Gaius was going to go easy on him so the physician gave the knight a list of groceries to find in the market as well as herbs to pick.

Gwaine's eyes widened at the sheer length of it.

"But I'll never be able to find all that Gaius in a day and be Arthur's servant!" He protested.

"Well, I'm sure a clever man like you will find a way, Gwaine. And Merlin always manages very well so I don't see why you wouldn't." Gaius answered calmly.

The drunkard opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by the physician.

"And you'd better get the king his breakfast, you're almost late and he's definitely not going to be pleased if you make him late for the council."

"Ah. Yes. The council." Gwaine sighed, hoping that at least during that time he would be free to go to the market.

He waved at Gaius, pocketing his list and went to the kitchen. There he flirted a bit with a lovely maid and, therefore, arrived late in front of the king's door.

He smiled brightly, already hoping to make the princess jump out of his skin so he opened the door with a crash, a wake up call already on his lips.

Only to find Arthur sitting at his table, waiting for him.

"You're late." He said as a greeting.

"Well it was Gaius, he…"

"I don't care." Arthur interrupted. "Give me that breakfast and then we're off to the council."

"We?"

"Of course we, you have to come with me. Who else will make sure my goblet is always full?" The king answered matter-of-factly.

Gwaine sighed. Council sessions. He had only gone to a few but he knew how absolutely boring those where. And with the previous night, he already knew it would be a fight not to simply fall asleep where he stood.

"Oh and after that we have training. You're not exempted from it, of course. And my hounds need walking. Oh and the blacksmith is waiting for the army's swords for a check so you'll have to take them to him…."

Gwaine tuned the king out as they walked and Arthur kept on pilling chore after chore on his shoulders.

Seriously, how did Merlin ever accomplish all of that?

No wonder that the boy never go to the Tavern with him!

One thing was sure, he would never again propose to exchange his work with Merlin.

Despite the patrols, the training and the nobles, being a knight seemed like an holiday compared to the servant's work.

So? How are you finding this? Good? No good?