Merlin stumbled and very nearly dropped the six things Arthur had entrusted him to carry. Grumbling curses in his mind, Merlin regained his footing and kept walking behind Arthur. Honestly, Arthur should learn by now not to take him hunting. But with Arthur's luck, some annoying sorcerer will come along and think, hey, why don't I kidnap/kill/injure Arthur? That's my goal in life isn't it? Oh, and look at this, there's no Emrys here to protect him! Lucky me!
Merlin was broken out of his musing when a mail clad knight brushed roughly by him, throwing the slighter male into a tree. Merlin looked at him, affronted, but was only greeted by a grimace of disgust and a growl of, "Get out of my way."
Merlin sighed and allowed the knight onwards, rolling his eyes. Arthur may have accepted him as a person, but he was still working on a few of the knights.
Sure, the likes of Leon and Gwaine, and Owen were kind to him, but others like Cardoc, Jaime, and Lewis were too set in their ways. Merlin was like a breath of fresh air to those guys, but they liked the smell of stench it seems.
It was later, when they were flushing out some deer that the same knight who had sent him into the tree approached him. Sir Lewis was a tall man, but thin. Gaunt. Merlin grunted when the knight put a hand on his shoulder, shoving his back to a large tree.
Why do I always get in these messes? Merlin thought as he stared up at the stony face of Lewis.
"Yes? Was there something?" Merlin gasped when the hand holding his shoulder tightened to the point of pain before releasing. It was a warning, Merlin noticed with distaste.
"You will cease to act like some shameless country boy. You are the manservant to Prince Arthur and should treat him, and us knights the same understood?" Lewis tightened his grip again, "That includes proper titles and gestures, do you get it boy? If you do not comply I will be forced to replace you by any means necessary. Got it?"
Merlin found no reason to argue, well he did, but Arthur was elsewhere at the moment so he simply nodded, "Yes my Lord." His voice was humble and meek, just like a perfect servant.
When Arthur handed him his kill, Merlin bowed his head and said, "Well done, Sire." And shuffled a few paces back, letting Arthurs boast to his friends.
When Gwaine stumbled upon an empty cave and they decided to go exploring, Merlin dutifully remained at the back and carried everything, though his arms felt like they would fall off.
When Arthur noticed his sour mood and asked him, with no small amount of teasing what was wrong, Merlin replied with a smile, "Nothing, Sire." And retreated.
Being the outspoken and friendly person that he was, Merlin was very nearly the point to bite heads off as the 'rightful' and 'just' Sir Jaime bid him to find them a campsite and set it up for the lot of them.
This was a time when Merlin resented Arthur's need to be with his knights. If he was like any other lord, he would have his own tent and fire, and Merlin could talk to him in private, but no, he sat down right in the midst of his knights and expected Merlin to do the same. Merlin served his food, along with complimentary bows and 'Sires' under the watchful eye of Lewis. When he sat to eat his own dinner, Cardoc elbowed him none to gently, and Merlin gave a sigh of frustration.
He turned his back to the fire and sat down a few paces away, out of the eyes of the affronted knights. Merlin glowered in peace for a few moments before finally! Arthur took notice.
"Why are you sitting over there Merlin?" Merlin wasn't feeling too keen on being nice so he bit back, snarling.
"Why don't you ask your bloody knights, Sire?" It was rather silent for a while, a long while until Merlin heard the familiar sound of Arthur's footsteps.
Arthur crouched down to where Merlin was hunched, trying to keep warm as night fell.
"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked quietly, his face impassive.
Merlin softened his glare, "Why do you think Arthur?" he was just so tired now, "you surround yourself with knights. Not all of them have the same ideas about me as you do. I don't fancy getting a backhand because I forgot to call you Sire." Arthur's face darkened.
"They hit you?" Merlin observed him for a moment before shaking his head hesitantly.
"If anything they elbow me, or subtly threaten. None have outright hit me." The 'yet' hung between them and Merlin winced.
Arthur nodded, his face still a thundercloud, "Come on, lets get you warm." He put an arm around Merlin and blatantly kept it there as they strode towards the fire. There was an obvious divide between Leon, Gwaine, and Owen, and Cardoc, Lewis, and Jaime. They sat on opposite sides of the fire like walls, silent.
Merlin felt slightly uncomfortable as he sat next to Arthur, settling close to him and the fire.
"Now," Arthur suddenly said, catching all knights' attention. "What is this about not allowing Merlin to sit near the fire?" Merlin kept his head down, but found comfort that Arthur had his hand on his knee.
Jaime shifted first, "Servants aren't allowed to sit near out fires Sire, and they usually make their own." Arthur stared at him hard until the knight looked down, shifting like a schoolboy.
Arthur was silent for a long time, making them all nervous. Merlin felt himself begin to drowse, his head falling forward, and his body slumping into Arthur's.
Arthurs began to talk, his voice as low and burning as the flames in front of them.
"I thought it was the Knights code to treat people equally, and without discretion. To protect and to keep safe. I thought that if I had taught you anything these past years, if Merlin had taught you anything is that people are people. There is no difference between you or a servant." Merlin felt Arthur look at him, but he really didn't want to move.
"Merlin does something special, that makes me keep him." Arthur set his cold blue eyes on his knights, all of them, even Merlin's supporters.
"He challenges me; he forces me to be a better man, a better Knight and a better king. He is more valuable to me than the lot of you. If I didn't need you I would have probably fired the lot of you for threatening him." A smile tinted the man's voice near the end.
Lewis spoke up, "But he can be replaced, he's a servant, he doesn't fight, he disrespects you at every turn, he screws up the easiest chorse, he's useless!"
"Merlin," Arthurs emphasized his name, "Knows how to call me by my name. He tells me when I'm doing something stupid, he praises me when I do something right. He lies to me, he tricks me, he steals my food, but I wouldn't get rid of him if it secured my place on the throne." They were silent, and Merlin was very near just up and going to bed right there on Arthur's shoulder when Gwaine burst out with,
"And he's really very pretty to look at."
Arthur was still, the knights were still, hell, Merlin lifted his head to look at the knight in confusion.
Merlin couldn't help it, he burst into laughter, "Gwaine you utter arse! Way to ruin a seriously perfect moment." Merlin crossed his arms and pouted, not looking at Arthur, "And I was feeling loved too."
Arthur started chuckling, and put an arm around his waist, pulling him closer. Merlin flushed bright red but turned his head, not giving Arthur the chance to see him.
They all lied down in their own pallets and Merlin was on the verge of sleeping when he felt Arthur's hand on his cheek. A quick press of lips to the back of his neck made Merlin smile, and the fingers on his cheek slid down to investigate the turn of his lips.
"I would have believed you." Arthur whispered to the back of his neck and Merlin reached up to lace his fingers with those of his prince.