A/N Being a sequel to ALaaU, ALiM is mostly concerned with Merlin and Morgana. However, since I started writing it, the one question people keep asking me is when and how Arthur is going to find out about Merlin's magic. I know broadly when but, honestly, I really don't care how. I've written an epic reveal already for Twelve Days (where I did care a great deal about when and how) but have no opinion for this fic. So, I have a poll on my profile about how you want Merlin's magic to be revealed in ALiM. Please vote and, if it's an idea that requires more explanation, PM me.
The hero and the bully
Sir Yvain saw it all unfold before his eyes. And he couldn't stop it. And he couldn't do anything to help him. And he didn't know how on Earth Merlin was going to get out of this one.
"Yvain!"
The Knight turned from where he was sparring with Sir Vidor and saw Merlin on the other side of the training field. He gave a respectful gesture to the other Knight then ran across to see what Arthur's advisor wanted.
It had been a week since the incident at the bar and Morgana's fury at their drunkenness. Yvain still felt somewhat off balance at the twin revelations of how Merlin had ignored Mellum's challenge and of his relationship with the Lady Morgana.
Yvain was sixteen and well aware that a man had, at some point, to forge his own path in life away from his parents. It was why he had sought out tourneys in various Kingdoms and why he had come to Camelot at all.
"It's time to prove yourself as a man," his father had said before he'd made the suggestion. Yvain was to forge his own way and draw his own conclusions about the rights and wrongs of this world.
Yvain quietly suspected that his father expected the opinions he formed would bear a remarkable resemblance to that of his pater.
Barely two weeks in Camelot and Yvain was already questioning everything he had been brought up to believe was good and right and it was all due to the raven-haired man beckoning him over for a word.
Merlin was a scrawny peasant and a poor fighter. He avoided conflict and ignored challenges other Knights would feel compelled to answer. He was neither married nor chaste, as Yvain had discovered the week before when Morgana's chastisement of her drunken lover had exposed their relationship.
He showed a remarkable lack of observance of the social niceties; particularly those courtesies that were due his social superiors. He was respected and admired for reasons Yvain had been unable to divine. He held the job of a nobleman and lived a nobleman's life yet he greeted servants with respect and chastised Knights and was friends with both peasants and Princes.
He was a true enigma.
"My Lord Advisor," he greeted him respectfully as he approached.
Merlin smiled slightly, "I'm not a Lord, Yvain. Merlin is fine."
"Freeman Merlin," Yvain corrected himself.
Merlin looked as though he was going to correct him again, then just smiled and moved on to the business at hand.
"Yvain, as you may know the Crown Prince and I are to journey to Mercia in a few weeks. Our peace with Bayard is fragile at the moment since he softened his stance on sorcerers in his Kingdom and we are hoping to negotiate a new truce."
"I have heard he discovered his wife's sister is a hedge witch and, instead of executing her, made a special dispensation to the law for her alone. Uther is understandably furious and their fight is threatening to disrupt the truce," said Yvain.
Merlin nodded approvingly. "It's good that you keep up on events in the Kingdom, Yvain. Many Knights see these things as being unimportant. They want only to know who to fight; not why fighting may soon become necessary. It's the reason I wanted to make you an offer."
Yvain just waited respectfully for him to finish, hoping his astonishment and confusion wasn't evident.
"We need a small contingent of Knights to accompany us to Mercia. I know you only agreed to stay in Camelot for a short period of time at the King's request but I would like you to extend your stay and come with us."
"But... excuse me, My Lord, I am not a Knight of Camelot. My loyalties..."
"Are irrelevant," interrupted Merlin. "Mercia is our ally but your King remains indifferent to its existence. Mercia is too far away from Olaf's landholdings for Bayard to have become either friend or foe."
Merlin smiled at him. "If you accept, it will give you the opportunity to travel some more. You can see Mercia and the landscape in between. We'll even travel through Ealdor; the village I come from."
Yvain smiled back, tempted despite himself. He'd never seen a peasant's life up close before and Mercia...
"I will have to request permission from my father and from my King but... I would be honoured to undertake such a quest."
"Good," said Merlin, "in that case, it's agreed."
"Thank you, My Lord."
"I'm not a Lord, Yvain."
"No, you're certainly not," said a gravelly voice Yvain instantly recognised as Mellum's.
"Oh no," he sighed, as he spied the large Knight behind Merlin.
The Prince's Advisor just gave him a wry look and turned to leave. As he spun on his heel, Mellum stepped into his path so Merlin accidentally collided with him.
"You clumsy fool," yelled Mellum; deliberately drawing the attention of the other Knights on the field. Yvain glanced around to see at least six or seven of them make their way to where Mellum was glaring at a still-calm Merlin. Unfortunately, neither Lancelot nor Arthur was among them.
"I apologise, My Lord," said Merlin politely, "I appear to have accidentally bumped into you."
"Apologies are not enough, peasant. I have had enough of your discourtesies and disrespect. You fumble around bumping into things and being generally useless. You're nothing but a pathetic dirt-scrubber who smells of cow pats yet you fancy yourself as good as noble Knights such as myself. Why the King lets you defile a noble born Lady like his Ward is beyond me. It's about time somebody taught you a lesson."
"It must be difficult being such a slave to originality, Mellum."
Yvain snickered at Mellum's look of confusion. The stupid oaf had no idea what Merlin was talking about; yet it was already obvious to him that Mellum had recycled some of those insults several times even since Yvain had been in Camelot.
Mellum saw the flicker of amusement on Yvain's face and fury settled into his features once again.
He drew off his gauntlet and threw it into the dust.
"I challenge you, dung man," he said viciously, "what do you say to that?"
Yvain looked at the other Knights to see their reactions and was concerned to see they were on Mellum's side. Most of them had as much respect for the bully as Yvain did, but a challenge was a challenge. If Merlin didn't accept, didn't fight, he would be dishonoured.
Merlin ignored the gauntlet, walked around Mellum, and started walking to the Castle leaving the infuriated man behind him.
Yvain didn't know what to do. This tactic may have worked the week before but now the Knights were mumbling among each other that Merlin had not taken up a legitimate challenge.
The word "coward" was already being whispered in shocked surprise. The support from men who would have usually backed Merlin emboldened Mellum and he picked up the gauntlet and pursued Merlin, throwing the metal glove at the back of his head.
It hit and Merlin stopped and turned around.
"I demand satisfaction, coward," seethed Mellum, "or are you the clumsy, craven fool I have always know you were."
"Fine," said Merlin, resigned. "You want to fight me?"
"Yes," growled Mellum.
"Well, I'm right here. You want to fight. Let's fight."
Mellum glanced at his audience, suddenly uncertain.
"I will not fight an unarmed man," he said angrily.
"Why not?" countered Merlin, finally raising his voice, "What's the difference? I am an untrained Physician. You are a Knight. Armed or unarmed makes little difference. You know this. So I can only assume you want to find an excuse to kill me and have orchestrated his challenge to do so. Well then, go ahead. Kill me."
"Wha....?" spluttered Mellum, "I..."
"Do you think that if I turn up at the tourney grounds tomorrow and get my brains smashed in that it will somehow make your actions honourable? That killing me there or felling me right here makes any material difference? You want me dead? Have the courage of your own convictions, Mellum and just do it. Kill me."
He pulled up close to the Knight, drew his sword for him and put it in his hand. He leaned forward so the sword was at his heart and his eyes were the same level with the man who threatened him.
"But if you think that Morgana will lay with you after you kill me than you are even more of an idiot than I thought."
Yvain looked up from his astonishment and saw that Merlin had done it. The mood of the Knights had shifted and all were now definitely back on his side. Mellum had tried to use the Knight's code to murder a harmless man and had been exposed.
Mellum pulled back and dropped his sword on the ground. It landed with a clatter and he looked at his fellow Knights in turn, obviously hoping to see some support.
"He's a coward!" he yelled impotently. "He's a peasant."
"He's a better man than you," said Lancelot's voice as the Knight drew up to the group, "and was even when he was Arthur's manservant."
"You were Arthur's manservant?" asked Yvain curiously. Then he blushed as every man in the vicinity turned to look at him. "I guess that's not important right now."
"Mellum," continued Lancelot, "you have displayed a continued lack of the virtues required of a Knight of Camelot. In the name of Prince Arthur, I hereby request that you leave the Kingdom and not return."
"I wouldn't want to serve with such a pack of fools anyway," said Mellum. And he turned on his heel and he left.
The Knights dispersed until it was just Yvain, Lancelot and Merlin.
"Well done, Merlin," said Lancelot with a laugh, "masterfully done."
"Thanks," said Merlin with a grin.
"I saw you from a mile away and hurried over as fast as I could. I'm just grateful things turned out as they did."
"Me too, though it took some restraint."
"I can imagine," agreed Lancelot, "well, we can thank the Lord that you didn't snap and kill him. I can't even imagine what Arthur would have said."
"Wait... what?" said Yvain, "what do you mean you're glad Merlin didn't kill him?"
Lancelot and Merlin just swapped a conspiratorial look and headed off to the castle laughing.
"Nobody ever answers my questions," muttered Yvain as he headed back to training.
