A/N Finally she gets there. Honestly she doesn't seem able to pack light! Ok, ok so It's all my fault, I kept delaying her. Well hope you enjoy.

Oh and can I just say the whump in here was NOT meant to go so far. My fingers just kept flying over the keys. I do apologise I'm not normally a violent person.

…..

Chapter 37 She comes!

There was no word that night nor the next day from the knights sent to the north.

Arthur and those entrusted with the knowledge tried to take comfort in the calm before the storm, knowing that these were the last few hours before all hell broke loose. But all day there had been an undertone of tense worry riding the currents within the training, the council and even through the meals. Everyone wondering when the signal would come.

Gwaine did as promised and discreetly kidnapped the leatherworker when he was discovered trying to send a raven just before cocks crow. So quiet were they that the man's neighbours never noticed a thing and assumed the shop was shut because the man was ill. He now resided in the furthest cell in the dungeons, unconscious from a blow to the head and tended by Gwaine. Bedivere remaining at the shop in case any of his accomplices dropped by. They knew he had to have at least one to gather information from the castle, he would have been found out long since if he were working alone.

Arthur had dismissed Merlin for most of the day into the care of Gaius who had him grinding herbs, making tinctures, poultices and remedies. Hunting out the stores of honey and threading the needles ready. Gwen and Agnes made last minute checks of the stored food. Making sure that the evening's meals would consist of the fresh produce that wouldn't store easily, and baking the hard flat trail bread that would keep for days so the fires in the kitchen could be banked later to prevent accidents.

Arthur called a meeting of the knights, citing the need for new training rosters but really to bring them in on the situation, knowing they needed to be told now so they could help the evacuation of the lower town when the call came through.

Merlin resumed his duties for the king that evening, serving at the meal, giving him significant glances of encouragement when he became too mired in his own thoughts and handing him well watered wine with pithy comments meant to make him laugh when he just looked depressed.

The meal had long since ended, most of the nobles and some of the older knights having retired for the night. Most of the younger generation of knights and only a few hardy souls of the gentry were left. When the doors flew open admitting Sir Norris almost running.

"Sire they come from the direction of the perilous lands. Morgana leads them herself! Sir Chandry has been injured sire. An arrow to the back."

"They know then, you were seen?"

"An advance scouting party only sire we took them out with crossbows and took the time to remove the bodies. She still does not know."

"Has Chandry been seen to?" A nod whilst Sir Norris got his breath back. "Merlin go with Sir Norris to the infirmary, see what you can do for Sir Chandry." Merlin merely nodded. His king had just asked him to heal the knight. Perhaps he should have told Arthur that healing spells just didn't like him for some reason. "How long do we have?"

"They will be here by tomorrow early evening. We rode the horses practically into the ground. Sir Tomas and the others were unhurt and are seeing to their care."

"You did well. Go rest we will need you all." Arthur turned to another servant. "See that Sir Tomas and his men know to leave the horses to the stable hands. Then gather the other servants in the great hall." A bobbing bow and the servant left at a run.

The panic in the council room was unusual in that only the handful of courtiers still around at this time of night seemed to feel it. The king, queen, knights and even the king's manservant, merely looked determined as if they had known all along what was to happen.

Sir Norris slid to the floor, utterly spent and Merlin went to him, trying to offer refreshment and the use of his arm. Sir Norris didn't look at him but did take his offered hand.

This was it the preparations laid down as best they could the caverns prepared for habitation and the enemy sighted on the horizon, they were as ready as they could hope to be. The king turned to his round table and motioned them forward.

"We gather our people at dawn!"

…..

Merlin's arm was steady under Sir Norris's grip. The man hadn't wanted to take it. He was still very wary of the young servant and his magic. But he had watched him over the last few days ever since he had been told of it. He had done nothing noteworthy. Serving the king as he always had. Joking and laughing and just being….normal. It was not what he had expected. He had never been taught that sorcerers were people. They were the enemy, a thing to be feared for their power and their hate. Merlin did not fit the description he had always been told.

"How badly is Sir Chandry wounded?" The question took him by surprise until he remembered that Merlin was also Gaius's apprentice and had helped with the wounded before now. He had even cleaned stitched and bandaged a gash from training that he himself had suffered. And done it with skill.

"He got hit just below his right shoulder. He lost quite a bit of blood I think but the others took him to Gaius so I'm not sure how badly." Merlin merely nodded looking thoughtful.

"Was he conscious?"

"Ah barely I don't know if he will be now. Why?" Merlin sighed and scratched a hand through the hair at the side of his head.

"Arthur told me to do what I can, that might mean magic. Will Chandry let me?"

"You're asking?" Merlin looked a little surprised.

"Of course! I don't want to make him uncomfortable and I will always try and ask unless it is life or death. In which case I'd rather save them so they can worry about how it was achieved." Merlin looked at him as if that should have been obvious and said no more. Sir Norris couldn't say anything, it had been unexpected to say the least. It was certainly something he would have to think about.

Gaius was leaning over Sir Chandry when they entered the chambers. He was laying on his front shirt and chainmail removed and quite clearly unconscious. Whether through pain or one of Gaius's potions Merlin wasn't entirely sure.

"How is he?" The worry in Norris's voice could not be mistaken. Clearly they were friends.

"His breathing is laboured and he is running a slight fever. I'm not entirely sure if the arrow has nicked the lung. It could be potentially dangerous, if it has, depending on how badly. We will need to monitor him closely. Merlin, could you fetch honey and the needles? I've cleaned the wound, so all you need do is stitch and bandage." Another nod and the bustle of the servant fetching and carrying gave Norris a chance to sit and to observe. He noted his professionalism, his gentle hands and neat stitches. His confidence at performing a delicate and responsible task, and his concentration whilst he did so.

"Why haven't you used magic?"

"As I said before if it's not life or death, I will ask. It's better to let it heal naturally if we can anyway, that way the body gets stronger. Keep doing things with magic and it will eventually learn not to fight as hard. I would only interfere if it was needed. Like with poison, or if he has a chance of bleeding internally. Something science can't always fix."

Gaius in his corner, snorted. "So you have learned something from your lessons after all." Merlin blushed slightly.

"I'm not very good with healing magic. It doesn't seem to like me." The quiet admission was embarrassed and carried a hint of frustration.

"It takes practice and patience. You know this. Give yourself time to learn and you will." Merlin brightened a little at this.

"I've not had any real time to learn anything. Maybe Arthur will allow me the hours to do so now?"

"You'll never know unless you ask him. Though I would wait until after we deal with Morgana." Merlin rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't about to charge down there now Gaius! Arthur has enough on his mind without my problems with healing magic adding to it."

Sir Norris was confused. This whole conversation just seemed so domesticated. As if it were an everyday occurrence, two people sharing their experiences and their problems. Not what he might have thought of if magic had ever come up in conversation. It was also, not to put too fine a point on it, interesting. No one had ever mentioned magic so casually before in his hearing. It was always as part of an accusation he realised, and said in hate or anger.

"So what happens now?"

"We'll stay with him. Check him for signs of worsening fever, coughing or blood through the night. If all is well he can be moved in to the infirmary tomorrow where I can keep an eye on him, if not we will see how bad it is and go from there. If it does come to magic it would be because nothing else will work." Norris understood. They would try everything they could without it and have magic as the last resort. He could see they were skilled physicians and dedicated. Chandry was in good hands. Even if it did come to magic. And just like that he realised he may just have accepted Merlin after all.

…...

The dawn came much quicker than most of the inhabitants of the citadel wanted it to and the lower town was in turmoil.

Even with the knight's assistance in keeping the peace and the orderly way they went about knocking on the doors and then helping the people pack and walk up to the citadel. There were arguments and stubbornness, from citizens who did not believe that yet another attack was to be visited upon them so soon. Wails and shrieks and panic, kept to a minimum true but still there none the less.

All Gwaine, Elyan and two dozen other knights could do was try and reassure them as much as possible and keep them moving in long streaming lines up to the castle itself. Passing them off into the waiting hands of yet more knights and the castle servants, who had been charged with leading them to their new quarters. They had to repeat themselves over and over that no they would not be able to take everything with them, just necessities, there wasn't room for anything else, but they would do everything in their power to make sure they still had homes and belongings to come back to at the end and if not that they would be given all the help they needed to rebuild.

They asked for and gained volunteers to help set up barricades to hinder the invaders, and man the walls, people to round up the livestock and herd them to the set of caverns made into temporary holding pens. To gather grain and food, and buckets for water. To check the houses and put out any fires left banked in the hearths to reduce the risks of accidental destruction. All in all the retreat from the city towards the citadel, was organised chaos. Each district of the city was given one large or set of smaller caverns, so the people would stay with their neighbours and hopefully be calmer for it. Each of the six cavern systems was asked for a representative, a reliable volunteer to sit in the war council and be kept informed so they may relay back to their respective districts.

It was in fact so well co-ordinated that 90% of the people were settled, the livestock lowing contentedly and munching on grain, the representatives chosen and sat in the council room before the noble council members had even eaten their late breakfasts. To say they were surprised when they turned up for the mid morning's council session to see six commoners sat at the table was a rather large understatement. Not only that but Merlin the king's manservant was laying food out in front of them that could have rivalled their own and then daring to sit in the seat at the right hand of the throne. They were just a tad miffed. Lord Perrin especially felt the need to personally oversee the punishment for the servant's insubordination and affront to the dignity of the council room.

Perhaps they should have looked a little closer. If they had they may have noted the king, lurking at the back of the room, half hidden behind the pillars and hanging tapestries, plate of breakfast in hand talking to Gwen quietly so as not to spook their nervous guests further.

"Just what do you think you are doing boy!" Lord Perrin's booming voice was rather loud and obnoxious at the best of times. Right now with a night of very little sleep from checking Chandry's condition, it went right through him. Merlin winced and stood to face the Lord and his peers ranged behind him.

"My Lord, I have the commoners council assembled as you can see. The king wished to meet them as soon as possible." Merlin's tone and slight bow were perfectly respectful. Certainly more than the other man's was. Lord Perrin of course being somewhat of a pompous ass and more than willing to try showing the young man up, not liking him on principle, for having too much influence over the king, was being as belligerent and bellicose as possible.

"You will remove this riff raff from the council room right now and wait outside, if the king wants you, which I highly doubt, then the guard can fetch you when he arrives." Merlin tried one last time to be polite, knowing Arthur was now listening, and probably seeing how well he could handle himself. Bloody prat, a little help right now really wouldn't go amiss. They didn't know about the ring or his nobility after all and he really didn't want to shout and sound as haughty as they did. He had a headache coming on and that would make it worse.

"My Lord I really think…"

"That's just the trouble isn't it. You do far too much thinking. You are a servant boy, learn your place! Now get out!" That was it. Merlin had had enough. He squared his shoulders and faced Lord Perrin down.

"I don't think so." The tone was cold and every bit as regal as Arthur had ever managed. Lord Perrin spluttered, clearly taken aback at Merlin's daring to contradict him and in front of the commoners no less. Said commoners looking on with avid interest and not a little awe.

"You dare! Insolent pup. Guards!"

"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Almost casually Merlin pulled the chain from beneath his neckerchief. The ring glinting and clearly visible for all to see. The Lords all stumbled back with the force of their astonishment. They all started muttering amongst themselves clearly starting to question the wisdom of facing the servant when he held such a token of the kings trust. Lord Perrin of course just had to take things a step further. Ignoring the whispered warnings of his friends in his ear.

"I'll have your head for this upstart. Thievery is a serious crime in this kingdom." At that Perrin grabbed the chain and gave it a yank, expecting it to break. He had not however counted on Merlin having spelled the chain so it couldn't be damaged and lose the precious ring. The result was Merlin having been taken by surprise and being unceremoniously pulled from his feet to land on the floor with a yell.

Arthur couldn't stand by any longer. He had held back merely to give him space to handle the Lords, knowing he would need to stand up to them at some point and not realising how far this particular one would be willing to go. He stepped from the shadow, just as the called for guard entered the room. Lord Perrin had turned towards them, so he still didn't see the king. However all the others did, and started frantically trying to let the hapless lord know. He was truly oblivious, more intent on getting the ring off Merlin's neck. Twisting it and almost strangling the man in his quest to break the chain eyes intent on his task than what was going on in the rest of the room. Merlin clawed at his neck trying to gain purchase under the fine links to make enough room to breathe. Giving up on getting the ring from him, Perrin threw him down in disgust and gestured to the guards who were looking on in fascinated horror.

"This filth has stolen from the royal household. Get that ring from him and throw him in the dungeons." The guards looked from the enraged Lord to their advancing king and backed away when he shook his head. Perrin at last sensed the mood of the room when the other men started distancing themselves from him and the commoners, Gwen and even two Lords had rushed forward to help the now gasping warlock.

The tap on the shoulder, preceded the Lord turning to face his king and being punched with such force his head snapped back, he lost a tooth and was unconscious before he hit the ground.

"Take Master Perrin to the dungeons and see he stays there till this conflict is over. Once it is you may escort him across the border and instruct him never to return. He has assaulted a member of my family, and it will not stand. Someone go fetch Gaius." The king's use of the Master instead of Lord, and the word family in relation to Merlin a clear indication that Perrin had now just been stripped of his title and then banished with the seriousness of his crime.

Merlin lay on the floor trying to even his breathing, clearly quite shaken. "Didn't think he'd go so far!" Merlin's voice was harsh and raspy from the damage to his throat. "Neither did I or I'd have stepped in sooner. You were handling it well till he went berserk." Arthur hauled the young man to his feet and helped him into a chair.