Thank you Paralelsky for beta-ing!
o}O{o
The early morning air was brisk in the small, quiet field while the sun smiled down on the two figures standing across from each other. Both were wearing armour, the smaller of the pair dressed in a dark green tunic of thick cotton that would have made him feel ridiculous on a normal day. But nothing could deter Mordred's excitement for his first experience at using a real sword- a light practice sword, but a blade all the same.
"Ready?" Arthur asked, standing in his full chainmail. He appraised the boy standing in the too big tunic and looking like he was barely able to lift the shield he was holding. Mordred experimentally flicked his practice sword and hefted the heavy shield. An unwavering smile graced his lips and he nodded at Arthur. He managed to sheathe his sword successfully and put on his helmet.
"Ready," Mordred grinned and then pulled out his sword eagerly. The prince covered a pleased smile before he advanced on his servant, and swung his arm unconsciously using less force than he normally would.
"Body!" Arthur called out as he struck. He was surprised to see that Mordred blocked it better than expected, but carried on swiftly. "Body, shield, body, shield-"
Mordred stumbled back out of his block, breathing heavily and surprised that the prince had knocked him back. Arthur could not hold back a smile as the boy laughed and took a step forward. The prince did not waste time and advanced, adding some variety and a bit more strength into his strikes.
"To the left! To the right! To the left! Head!"
"Oof!" Mordred cried out as the sword hit his helmet with a clang, and he fell on his back, the helmet falling off his head. The young servant lay on the ground panting, lumbering his way into a sitting position when Arthur walked up to him. Mordred let go of his sword to pat down his tousled hair as the prince spoke.
"You're braver than you look. Most servants collapse after the first blow." Arthur smirked and tilted his head at Mordred as if studying him.
"Thank you, Sire," Mordred beamed and hauled himself up, swaying a little to the left because of his shield.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Most servants are also not happy to be on the receiving end of a sword fight either."
"I could not imagine why," Mordred said earnestly.
The prince forgot himself and clapped the servant on the shoulder. "That's the spirit." He spun his sword in his hand before pacing several steps back, marking the gleam in Mordred's eyes. "Ready?" Mordred nodded and lifted the shield.
It was a tiring two hours later when Mordred made his way back to the physician's chambers. He was stiff and sore but he had a grin plastered on his face all the same. Many servants who were getting used to the sight of him sent him strange looks, but Mordred was in too good of a mood to care. He had even gone on the offensive against Arthur - his hand was hurting from the amount of times the prince sent the sword flying out of his fingers but he truly had had fun, not something he was used to doing with someone other than Merlin.
He finally plodded his way to the door and fell into the threshold once he opened the door rather than walk gracefully through it. It creaked open with a loud squeak and Mordred stiffly made his way into the room, wincing all the way. He grunted at Merlin who was sitting at the table, playing with carven wooden toys. Gwen said they had belonged to her brother once, and she wanted Merlin to have them. The boy looked as though his face would split in half due to the grin that formed on it when the maidservant had given the toys to him.
Merlin regarded him curiously as Mordred sighed and shook loose the armour that was hanging off him, the heavy pieces of metal dropping with loud clangs. "So," Gaius laughed as he stood up from the laden work table filled with ingredients. "How was training?" Mordred paid no attention to what the physician was doing, not at all interested in the bubbling sounds coming from the vials.
"It was great!" Mordred grinned, making his way stiffly to a chair across from Merlin and plopping into it, wincing at the soreness in his limbs. "Hi, Merlin," he greeted the boy, who offered him a knight, which was actually a wooden blob that resembled a man shaped figure. It looked like Gwen's brother hadn't been too gentle with it.
Gaius chuckled and came over and started to try and work the stiffness out of Mordred's back. The servant groaned and hung his head while Gaius roughly messaged his shoulders. "Thank you, Gaius," Mordred yawned and then perked up. "I got to wield a sword and everything! And then we practiced with maces! Those are pretty fun but I like swords better..." Gaius smiled indulgently as the boy recounted every little detail from the training session. "-said that most servants collapse after the first blow. But I didn't, we were training for a full six hours!"
"Ha!" The physician laughed. "I imagine it felt like six hours, but if it was, you'd have missed out on lunch."
Mordred glanced at him and then looked to the cabinet which held a plate covered by a napkin.
"I haven't time. I still have to learn all about the tournament etiquette." His turquoise eyes found the thick book at the other end of the table and faltered, not quite ready to move his aching arms.
But then it came sliding over and stopped in front of him. Both the boy and Gaius looked sharply at the culprit. "Merlin!" they scolded.
Merlin frowned and looked down at his lap with a pout on his lips and Gaius reprimanded him. "Another incident like that, Merlin, and you can say goodbye to your toys."
Merlin sucked in a sharp gasp and stared at the physician with a betrayed look on his face. The sight caused Mordred to want to laugh and he had to duck his head to keep Merlin from seeing his smile. Gaius took his movement as a queue to stretch his arm backward which made Mordred cry out grumpily.
"What have we told you about using magic?" Gaius ignored Mordred's grumbles and continued to scold Merlin.
The child averted his gaze downward and shook his head, earning a nod from the old man. Merlin eventually worked up the courage to glance at Gaius when the physician let Mordred go and brought the boy's lunch to him. Merlin's eyes met Gaius' and his pout deepened when the physician's face was still stern. "What would Mordred and I do if you were caught?"
"Gaius," Mordred reproached him quietly when Merlin's lip wobbled. Gaius' raised eyebrow told him to be quiet and the physician made his way to Merlin and softened his expression.
Merlin only met the physician's gaze when Gaius patted his head. "You have to be careful, Merlin," Gaius said softly. The boy quickly nodded and gave Gaius a hug which the old man returned with a laugh. "Good boy."
Merlin went back to his toys and contented himself with bobbing the wooden horse across the table, trying to mimic the sound of walking hooves. Gaius then turned to Mordred and cleared his throat. Mordred turned his light eyes upward innocently from reading about tournament etiquette. "Eat," he ordered. The boy sighed and silently wolfed down his sandwich.
"Does Arthur require you soon?" Gaius sat in the chair beside Merlin, opposite Mordred who was about to answer but swallowed first after seeing the look Gaius gave him.
"No, he's dining with King Uther for lunch," Mordred replied. As always, the king's name was said with scorn.
The physician ignored the tone. "Then I can teach you both some more magic."
"Really? But it's daylight," Mordred said uncomfortably.
"Yes, however the more we can practice the better control you two will have. Don't think I didn't see your porridge cool down this morning."
Mordred scrunched up his brow which caused the physician to sigh. "And you didn't even realize it. We shall be careful. I also put a sign on the door for people to knock, remember?" Mordred nodded. "We'll be careful," Gaius repeated. Merlin put his toys down in anticipation for using magic and waited eagerly for Mordred to finish his sandwich. The older boy chose not to eat slower just to annoy Merlin because he also was looking forward to it, despite the constant fear of being caught- he trusted Gaius.
"Alright," Mordred said while chewing his last mouthful and standing up. Merlin took that as his queue to race towards their bedroom.
Gaius sighed and followed him, not looking back to scold Mordred. "If you would please not talk with your mouth open, I shall be very grateful," he called sardonically.
The servant's only reply was to rub his nose, only just getting used to being disciplined since Selwyn never bothered most of the time. Mordred glanced back at the door and followed Gaius, walking to the bed to sit beside Merlin. The physician sat himself on the other one after closing the bedroom door, leaving it open just a tiny crack. He thought for a moment, eyeing the two boys staring at him- his eyes glittering in contemplation.
"Alright," he decided. "Mordred, let us work on your pronunciation first. Merlin, perhaps you would like to mouth the words."
Merlin blinked but did not open his mouth as Gaius started to coach Mordred. The older boy glanced at Merlin but soon turned his focus to the physician, knowing how strict the man was when teaching. Merlin may not have spoken, but his concentration seemed to charge the air around him. The child was still and his eyes were unnerving in their attentiveness. Neither Gaius nor Mordred knew for sure if he was retaining anything from the oral lessons, not yet, but both suspected that he did. They were almost certain of it.
o}O{o
The lower town was bustling in the early hours of morning. Chickens squawked in their wooden cages and a steady drone of voices filtered through the streets from the lively peasants. Sunlight flowed through the city, warming the brisk morning. And excited tension was in the air as people anticipated the tournament later on today. Mordred was certainly excited for it, enough to not even mind the unpleasant smell of the streets. The boy walking beside him though minded it very much and he glared at the caged chickens on the other side of the street and then at the distant pig sty. One of Merlin's hands was clutching Mordred's cloak but the other was pinching his nose, still very much used to forest air.
Merlin once again pulled on his big brother's cloak, wanting to know how far it was to Gwen's house. As usual, Mordred guessed what he wanted. "Not far now, Merlin," he said distractedly. The young sorcerer was too preoccupied with keeping the cloth bag of armour in his hands as still as possible. Every time there was a clink as the armour clanged together, the boy winced, earning a small smile from Merlin. He was amused by Mordred's behaviour and was pleased that the older boy was happier than Merlin had ever remembered him being.
Gwen's wooden house soon came into view and Mordred quickened his pace. He motioned for Merlin to knock on the door and the boy did so a little too enthusiastically. The boys waited for a few seconds before the door opened to reveal Gwen. "Mordred, Merlin! Come in," she smiled and gestured them inside. Merlin scurried in and grabbed Gwen's hand in greeting.
"Hi Gwen," Mordred greeted, "we aren't late are we? Merlin made a mess of the room and Gaius made him clean it." He wandered to the table and gingerly placed the bag of armour onto it.
Merlin tugged on Guinevere's sleeve and fiercely shook his head while pointing to Mordred. Gwen's laugh warmed the room. "Not at all. I see you're eager to begin," she said to Mordred who was taking the pieces of armour out. The young servant grinned and agreed. Gwen walked over and studied the gleaming metal on her kitchen table. "Well, where do you want to start?"
Mordred immediately seized a voider and handed it to Guinevere. Making the morning interesting for Mordred and quite boring for Merlin.
o}O{o
The prince looked out of the window into the courtyard, not paying attention to Mordred cleaning up around the chambers. Afternoon sunlight was bursting through the window, causing Arthur to squint his eyes. A thump from inside the room had him turning around and searching for the cause.
"Honestly, Merlin," Mordred's voice scolded.
Merlin looked up at Mordred from where he had tripped, unable to stop the sheepish smile from growing on his face. Arthur was greatly relieved Merlin was not prone to tears after falling because it was the tenth time within half an hour that the boy had managed to trip over his own feet.
Merlin got up and dusted himself off and refrained from stalking around the chambers to finally clamber up on his designated chair which had mysteriously gained a cushion on the seat. The child could now rest his elbows on the table. Merlin decided to make use of his new found height and pulled two toys out of his cloak pocket, placing them on the table and silently playing with them.
"Is he always this clumsy?" Arthur asked Mordred who looked around from picking up a discarded shirt which Arthur thought had been in the hamper previously.
Mordred breathed a small, curiously manic laugh and glanced to Merlin who was ignoring them. "Today seems to be a bit worse than usual."
"Hm, maybe he'll grow out of it," Arthur mused, vaguely wondering why he was bothering to make small talk with his servant. It was something else to think about, he supposed, than the looming tournament. Arthur would be fighting in a mere two hours.
"I hope so," Mordred voiced sincerely. "Oh!"
Arthur glanced at Mordred to see the boy had his attention caught by the scroll on the wall. "That's the knight's code," the prince informed him and sauntered over to it.
"I can read," Mordred said proudly and demonstrated the skill avidly as his eyes zoomed over the words.
Arthur didn't know whether to be offended that the boy corrected him or amused at his interest. The prince looked sideways at Mordred just in time to see his face fall. He only just stopped himself from asking what was wrong. Luckily the servant voiced what he was thinking.
"You need to be nobility to become a knight?" Mordred asked him with his dark brows furrowed deeply.
"Of course," Arthur replied and then asked curiously, "you weren't wanting to become one were you?"
Mordred stiffened and then lied through his teeth. "No, no I wasn't." He then cleared his throat. "I'm just interested in knights, that's all."
"Huh" Arthur titled his head at the servant. The boy certainly had potential judging from how well he had helped Arthur train before. He had done better than a few pages would have, and had not even touched a sword before. The prince shook his head to clear his thoughts- the boy would never be given the chance anyway.
Arthur abruptly made for the door. "Come on, I do believe I have a tournament to win," he stated and trusted his servant, or rather servants to follow him. Not that Merlin did much serving. The child slid of the chair and bounded after Arthur, leaving Mordred to pick up the cushion which had fallen off. A stubborn huff of air made it through Mordred's nose before following the prince. He was a sorcerer in Camelot after all, so surely he could become a peasant knight. The thought made him smile and he cast a final glance back at the Knight's Code before hurrying after Arthur and Merlin.
o}O{o
Down at the tournament grounds, citizens were milling into the arena and knights were gearing up for their matches. By a golden and red striped tent, the prince stood, while being put into armour by his servant. Mordred's fingers fumbled a little but Arthur was secretly impressed that there were no mishaps- he remembered with disdain Morris' first time assembling his armour. "Any day now," Arthur griped after glancing fleetingly at the afternoon sun. The amusement the prince had found at Mordred having to use a small step ladder to put his armour on was gone now that the tournament was only a few minutes away.
Behind him, Mordred muttered something rude sounding and Arthur would have reprimanded him if not for the boy stepping back to fetch his cape. The prince inspected a gauntlet and then glanced at the arena gates. He jumped at finding Mordred suddenly at his side with Arthur's crimson cape in his hands. It was not the first time Mordred had successfully snuck up on the prince and it grated on Arthur's nerves. No one besides his new servant it seemed was able to take him by surprise.
"You aren't nervous are you?" Mordred asked while standing on his toes and reaching up to fasten the cape around Arthur's neck.
"I don't get nervous," the prince replied tartly while crushing an urge to look over at the gates.
"Of course, milord," was Mordred's dry reply which earned him a narrow eyed glare. "There," he stated and stepped back from having finished tying the strings. The prince was interrupted from scrutinizing Mordred's handiwork by the sound of enthusiastic clapping from by the tent. Merlin stood under the small awning and was giving an enthusiastic applause. His eyes were shining happily and neither Mordred nor Arthur could begrudge him a smile.
Mordred grinned at Merlin before handing Arthur's helmet to him. When Arthur had it on, Mordred passed the prince his sword almost reverently. The prince straightened his back and Mordred was reminded that Arthur Pendragon was Camelot's best knight.
"Hm, not bad for your first time," Arthur said archly and Mordred fought to not roll his eyes.
"You're welcome," Mordred frowned. He opted to stride over to Merlin while Arthur speared him with a disapproving gaze.
"Count yourself lucky that you are too short for the stocks."
"I am not," Mordred sulked. Arthur's smirk made the young sorcerer realize his mistake. Mordred opened his mouth to give a retort but the sight of Gaius ambling towards him curbed his tongue.
Arthur followed his gaze and nodded to the physician.
"Good afternoon, Sire," Gaius hailed with a respectful nod and then turned to the boys. "Hello, you two."
"Gaius," Mordred greeted while Merlin waved.
"I've come to collect Merlin. We have some herbs to gather," Gaius reported. Merlin immediately smiled and bounded over to the physician.
"Be good, Merlin," Mordred called and the boy gave him a rather petulant look.
The physician smiled down at Merlin and then turned to Arthur. "Good luck, Sire."
"Thank you Gaius, but I shall not be needing it." With that the prince strutted off, leaving Gaius and Mordred free to exchange glances.
Merlin's face immediately tightened in consternation and he launched forward. He sprinted after the prince, his navy cloak flapping noisily behind him, and Arthur turned just in time to save the boy from a nasty fall. "Careful now," he cautioned. Merlin smoothly ignored his stumble and hugged Arthur's legs tightly. The prince gave a tense smile and reflexively looked around for any witnesses. He was relieved when he found none, and was free to smile down at the tiny child. "Thank you, Merlin." The prince ruffled the boy's hair and set off once more to the arena.
The prince's servant quickly followed him and bid the beaming Merlin goodbye. "See you later, Merlin, bye Gaius!" Mordred hurriedly went after Arthur so he wouldn't be left behind.
Neither of them spoke on their way to the arena, and just before Arthur met up with the other waiting contestants Mordred offered him a bow. If the prince noticed he did not acknowledge it, he merely nodded to the other knights and waited as the doors ahead of them were opened.
Mordred contained his eager smile as he trailed after the knights though it was hard when the thunderous cheers of the crowd and the blaring trumpets could be heard. The young servant stopped before the arena floor and gaped at all of the people packed into the stands. His light eyes followed Arthur's strong gait to the center and a sudden flame entered his heart. Mordred vowed to himself he would be knighted someday.
o}O{o
The stands in the arena vibrated with excitement. Trumpets and drums tried to overpower the applause greeting the stream of knights milling into the arena. Prince Arthur's stride set him apart from the other knights and he settled to wait with a straight back in the center of the group. Light coloured eyes noted the prince's servant linger at the side gate but turned to look at King Uther who swept in front of the group of knights. The trumpets stopped blaring and the people around him talked excitedly, with the exception of the brown cloaked man beside him that had his hood drawn up.
Ormod drew his worn cloak tighter about him when the king began talking. Uther's voice filled the arena with ease, but to the druid, it seemed to add a chill to the already cool morning. He glanced surreptitiously around the arena for Gaius and Merlin and was unsurprised when he could not find their faces. It hardly mattered anyway for his presence here was to only test their ability to get into the city. When Ben had done it the other day, Selwyn and Girvan had been waiting for him outside- apparently Selwyn had not lost his sharp tongue from what Ben had admitted. His attention was drawn back to the king when the crowd gasped at the chest Uther had revealed. Ormod's dark brows rose upon seeing the brightly gleaming gold coins that were the prize of this tournament.
'Quite the sum, wouldn't you say, Ormod?'
A dreadful thrill of surprise ran up Ormod's spine upon hearing Selwyn's voice in head. His eyes closed and he cursed his stupidity.
"Selwyn," Ormod greeted the silent brown cloaked man beside him. If he were to risk a glance, he would have met a dangerous green eyed gaze. 'How did you know I was here?' Ormod asked silently.
'Magic.' Was his unhelpful reply. 'Now, what exactly do you think you are doing here?'
Ormod swallowed and his eyes travelled to Mordred who was eyeing the king with distaste. The short speech was finished and Uther was retreating to his seat after imparting words to his son. 'It's a test really. One that you answered.' Ormod shifted upon feeling the red haired man's ire. 'Is Issac here as well?' he asked.
'Yes, over there.' Selwyn turned his head eastward and Ormod looked at the crowd, spotting a blue cloaked figure with his hood drawn up. The dark haired man returned the miniscule nod Isaac sent him. Ormod's grey eyes flicked towards Selywn before drifting to Mordred. The boy was peering around the gate with a huge grin on his pale face, and Ormod was surprised to remember that he was still just a child. All the years that Mordred had been with them, he may have been the youngest but Ormod had rarely seen the boy smile. His soft sigh was unheard through the clamour of the crowd.
'Mordred has changed,' Ormod noted to the silent man beside him.
'Camelot is good for both him and Merlin,' Selywn replied snidely. Here he clapped along with the rest of the crowd at the match. Ormod twitched and did the same upon looking to find Prince Arthur locked in a heated fight with his offender. He quickly disregarded it though.
'What if they are caught? Selwyn, it is a very real possibility-'
'I will not let anything happen to them.'
Selwyn was going to say more but Ormod would not be spoken over again. Not this time. 'Merlin does magic by accident, Sel! But he's still just a kid, Mordred is too. You really think you can stop the king if he acts rashly? Or maybe a knight will see him or a farmer, or anyone who is scared of magic. They will kill him.'
Green eyes narrowed in the shadow of his hood. 'Believe me when I tell you, Ormod, you have no idea what I am capable of. And you are not taking Mordred into account. He is the guardian legend as foretold, or have you forgotten?'
'They are still just children. With enemies at every turn- you place too much faith in them!'
'And you too little. Yes they may have enemies, but they do have allies. There's Gaius, and also the Lady Morgana. And of course Prince Arthur.' Selwyn's gaze was a piercing stab from an emerald spear. 'Taking them away and training Emrys to be a weapon is madness. Mark my words, I will not let that happen.'
Ormod believed him for the most part. He sighed and licked his lips before choosing a side once and for all. "Selwyn... I think Tynan means to kill Mordred," he confessed in a hushed tone.
The druid beside him stiffened. 'Why are you telling me this?'
'I am a druid. I do not believe it is necessary to abandon our ways to guide Emrys. Though I do not agree he should be in Camelot of all places, Tynan is wrong to choose his course of action... I will help you guard them.' For the first time since the start of their conversation, Ormod and Selwyn locked gazes. 'Any plans that endanger Emrys or Mordred shall somehow be discovered by you.'
'It will be dangerous, are you certain?' Selwyn asked.
'I am. I'm placing my faith in you, Selwyn, to protect Emrys. To protect Albion.'
Around them cheers erupted in a thunderous roar- Prince Arthur had won the first match.
o}O{o
From now on, things will start to change from canon, I hope you're excited!
Thank you for reading and please leave a review, it's encouraging to see if people still like this story and aren't losing interest. I take constructive criticism too :)