A Marriage that Started a Legend

by IJustShowedUp

Follows canon but with my own arranged marriage spin on it. What happens when Hunith makes a mistake and is forced on the run with her infant son? What happens when Camelot knights find her twenty years later? What happens when Arthur learns he's betrothed to a peasant boy? Will Merlin be able to stand among royalty? Will these two different boys survive each other? Review!

72. Chapter 72

n the lower town, one of the many houses looked inconsequential as it stood right in the middle of the line of little huts that stood on this particular street. Inside of the house, the handmaiden gave a very loud and tired yawn as she righted up a stood that had laid out on it's side-tossed over more likely. Her house was one of the first homes that went through an invasive search the day before. She was only thankful she hadn't been there, forced to witness it as knights-ones that she probably knew-tore through here while trying in vain to find only god know what.

No, she hadn't been here. Gwen had spent the most of her day, after the announcement had been made over this strange sickness that was spreading-it had been kind of hard to hide with all of the bodies dropping down in the street so most people already knew that something was going on-tending to her Lady Morgana. Lady Morgana had been the first to lock herself in her room-by Uther's orders for fear that this disease might come to catch her-and Gwen was the only one that was allowed inside to attend to her. She had stayed until late in the night, and only left to return home after Morgana had fallen asleep for the night. She could only hope that she'd be able to get a full night without nightmares coming to disturb her. Gwen actually would have stayed herself to chase them away but with everything that was going on, she really wanted to return home and check on her father.

Her father who had already been asleep by the time she'd came home. Which was a very strange occurrence. She might have gotten home a bit later than usual but her father had usually waited up for her to make sure she'd gotten home safe. Unless she had informed him she'd probably be spending the night to keep an eye on Morgana. And the house had been a mess as well, all of their belongings on the floor after the guards had gotten done with it and not one thing looked as if Tom had even started picking it up. Which was also a second strange occurrence since her father was the type of man to never met what would need to be done wait until the next day when he could do it now.

Gwen had inherited that little philosophy: why wait until tomorrow something that can easily be done today. So that's what she decided to do, after deciding that her father must have had an extremely tiring day at the forge. She rolled up her sleeves, forgone any sleep for herself, and got to work figuring it would only take her an hour or two to get things settled back in their place.

She underestimated the mess hours and hours later when, with bags under her eyes, she saw the sun coming up. It hadn't taken too long for her to pick up the actual items on the floor and put them back into their proper spots. It had been the scruff marks all over the floor from mud caked boots. It had been the ink spills all over the table from their own little supply of writing utensils that needed to be scrubbed out. It had been the curtain that was yanked off the window and needed her to painstakingly mend the rips in the fabric back together. And so many more things that her addled mind couldn't keep up with.

How was she supposed to know that in less than an hour, she would find a third strange occurrence that would only be the start to the worse week of her entire life.

"Father," Gwen called, fighting back a tired yawn after her sleepless night, but it was worth it since the house was back to the way it looked before the knights had gotten a hold of it. "It's time to get up." Gwen had finished changing her dress from the blue one she'd worn yesterday to her favorite red peasant dress, the one she'd had for two years and was starting to fray at the edges.

Gwen picked up her long red cloak that she wore to keep warm from off the back of the chair where she had slung it over when she'd first started changing. She swung it over her head and started tying the cloak strings around her neck. It was only as she finished up did she realize that her father had yet to budge.

"Dad?" She called over, looking up but her father still didn't move from where he was laid out on his bed, his back to her. Gwen shook her head and, despite her very tired demeanor, smiled. Her father was always a hard worker and must have worked himself something silly if he was still sleeping by this point of the morning. She strode across the room, still smiling as she put a hand on his shoulder, "Dad." She shook him, pulling him over to lay on his back…

Time froze, her father staring up at her with a weakened and weary look, as if he saw her but at the same time, wasn't really looking at her. "Gwen…?" Tom asked, squinting up at her, his skin so much paler than it had been when she'd seen him yesterday. The faint traces of blue veins had already worked its way up his neck and was vaguely starting to form under his eyes.

The sickness…her father had contacted the sickness. The only family she had, well, the only family she may as well have since her mother was dead and her younger brother had long since left home, never to return.

Her screams of panic and untold terror was piercing through the crisp morning air, loud enough to wake her neighbors better than any roosters crowing could have.

X

Merlin growled, letting out an angry huff of air breathe out of his lungs as he forced the pump handle down. The rushing water then poured down the slope and gathered in the pit of his bucket. But he paid it no attention, the roaring sound of water overpowered by the roaring sounds in his eardrums. Stupid, stupid Arthur. What kind of game did he think he was playing, did he think Merlin was going to put up with this whole situation? Arthur was going to fucking wish he hadn't dared by the time Merlin found him.

And Gregory standing guard right in front of the pump did nothing to alleviate his anger. It only made him angrier, knowing that he was keeping such a close eye on him. Not that he had any reason too. At least not today out of all days.

On the usual day, or at least in the last week or so, whenever Merlin had gone out to the pump to fetch his own water-he didn't have to since he could have just ordered George to get him some but he was done milling around in his room like he had been-he'd be pushed to the back of the line. Even if he had already waited for an hour in the line-which was also something he didn't have to do since he most likely could have skipped the line if he started pushing the whole 'I'm your consort' thing-he would have random people shoving their way in front of him or kicking his bucket off of the stand under the pump. Usually accompanied by snide comments like 'what is a Royal doing collecting his own water, pretending do he a poor person' or 'you get everything handed to you, if your gonna wait in line then you can at least wait till the rest of the village can be tended to first.' But those were the bad times, not the 'good ones' where he was ignored or treated as if he wasn't seen. He literally had to pinch himself one time just to make sure he wasn't invisible.

But like Merlin said, those things happened on a normal day. On days where there wasn't a horrible disease killing everybody it came in contact with. Now, nobody was out. The city seemed like a ghost town, he could swear he had even saw a tumbleweed blowing past in the wind on their way here. Town square was usually bustling with more people than he'd be able to count at any given moment during the day. But there wasn't a single person out or about. Most were too scared to leave their homes for fear of contracting the disease or coming in contact with somebody else that had it. Some people, whenever they would come out, had started wearing bandana's on their faces trying to protect themselves. But this would literally be nothing if the disease was coming from the water and not the air.

It was a bleak time.

Merlin grumbled harshly under his breath as he shoved the pump down for a second time, watching as his water bucket steadily started to fill up. Arthur could kiss his arse indeed if he thought Merlin wasn't going to go off and kick his after this. He already had a enough of a time of things when he was alone, it was just going to get so much worse if he had an armed guard following him everywhere. Not like Gregory could be with him of every little second of every little day, especially since he knew he would probably try sneaking off at some point.

Merlin was not going to make this easy for any of them. Bloody rich people thinking that people like Merlin should just roll over and do what they were told. Even if that 'doing what they were told' meant having their very own personal security guard. It just wasn't going to work for him.

Merlin hissed under his breath as he pushed the pump down one more time, watching as the final gush of water fill it to the top. Well, it certainly didn't look poisoned for sure. It just looked like ordinary water which would definitely explain why nobody had thought it could be the water yet. Or why the people had kept using it. Who would suspect the one thing everybody needed and used on the daily, something so essential that nobody in the city would survive if it was taken out. This sorcerer had definitely did what they set out to do by choosing their water supply as the poisoned source…he wondered if he could get close enough to shove Arthur's head into it. He would drown long before the poison could take hold but that would be alright with him. He'd get rid of him one way or the other, Merlin thought sardonically. If only.

Gregory suddenly shifted, his back poised to Merlin to watch for any signs of danger went stiff. Like a guard dog whose back fur started to bristle and stand on end if they saw what seemed to be a threat. And that got Merlin's own heckles raised, feeling his magic-that was reacting to his still present anger so it stirred restlessly inside of his veins-wanting to push itself out of him. To go and get rid of the threat in a way that he couldn't get rid of Arthur. He popped his head up, ignoring the bucket at his feet and looked past Gregory to see…

"Well, well, well," an almost snide voice said as Morris strode up to them, the first person he had seen since he'd left his uncles, and he looked far too cocky for somebody that could catch a disease if he was out and about for to long…maybe Merlin should offer him a cup of water…no. He couldn't go killing off anybody just because they irritated him exactly like a thousand suns basking him in their heat would. "Look whose still alive."

Merlin scoffed, wiping his palms harshly against the legs of his pants just in case he'd gotten some of the water on himself. He most definitely did not want it going and getting in his bloodstream. Now Morris' on the other hand… "And look whose still got nothing to do other than wasting my time." He hadn't forgotten the lies that Morris had gone and told him. Ugh, Merlin couldn't believe that he had actually gone and accused Arthur about lying to him about being gay. And all because Morris had seen it fit to make stuff up just to get under his skin.

"What is tha-" Morris started, his voice going from snide to offended in a heartbeat as he'd tried to stride up to Merlin. Merlin should be grateful that he was even wasting his time to talk to him! He didn't have to! Morris felt as if he was better than Merlin, the manservant was more honored to the prince than the consort was. And why shouldn't he be? He'd worked hard for years to become a personal manservant to the prince. All Merlin had to do to become Consort was marry into it. Hardly the hardest thing to do in the world. He was stopped before he got within five feet of him, Gregory stepping sourly in front of him with his arms crossed moodily over his chest, glaring down his nose at the scrawnier man.

Gregory didn't say a word. He didn't need to, to get his message across. Morris would not be getting past his defenses as he felt there was no reason to be so close to the consort to talk to him. Whatever Morris had to say could be said, but only with Gregory standing between them. Merlin almost wanted to start laughing at the disgruntled expression Morris was sporting when he realized there was now a guard in front of him. If only Merlin was able to enjoy that moment instead of fuming like he still was, over the way Arthur thought he was able to control Merlin's life by putting a bloody watchdog over him. Over the way that Morris had lied to him about dating Arthur or how stupidly naive he was to actually bring it up to said prince. And over anything else that may lay between. Maybe the bodyguard thing wasn't as awful as he thought if it kept that stain known as Morris off his back.

Morris craned his neck to try and look over the knight's shoulder at Merlin, "So, you have an attack dog coming to defend you now or something?" His tone more snooty than any servant had the right to sound, resembling the self-righteousness of a noble more than he should.

Morris yelled when Gregory grabbed him by the underarm, jerking him off his feet, "I will have to remind you that you are talking to the Consort. If you wish to keep your tongue then I suggest you shut your mouth." The Knight spoke up in his grumble of a tone. He was to protect Merlin, even if it was just from having to hear words from a servant that somehow allowed things to go to his head.

The knight was stopped from dragging Morris off to parts unknown by Merlin, who grabbed his shoulder from behind, "No." he spoke strongly, eyes narrowing in on Morris who glowered at him. "I want to hear what he has to say." Well, not really, he didn't want to hear one more word that came out of Morris and his slimy mouth. But he did have some things he wanted to say to him. And this was also to prove a point. He didn't need any kind of attack dog-because he doubted that was what Arthur had told Gregory to do, no doubt the prince just wanted to stop him from doing anything else to 'embarrass him'-he was an attack dog all of his own. Or at least that was what he wanted to be. To fight his own kind of battles instead of having people-whose duty it was more than them actually wanting to-do it for him.

Gregory let go of Morris but only because he wanted to turn back to Merlin, "My Consort, I cannot allow this. He cannot get too close for what if he has the sickness. Arthur won't be pleased if I report to him that you caught it because of my negligence."

Merlin scoffed, "Remember what I said the last time you told me Arthur wouldn't 'approve' of what I'm doing? Report me or whatever you gotta do." Maybe Arthur would cut his damn apron strings or whatever this newest thing was about if he knew that this wasn't going to work. Merlin wasn't going to stop doing whatever he wanted-rather that be looking for a job nobody wanted him for or fetching his own water from town-because Arthur stuck a guard to him. And Arthur could quite literally kiss his arse if he thought that this was going to work. Merlin was still pretty pissed about his little chest, and it honestly made him want to do more and more crazy things that Arthur would no doubt hate him for. Including sending the guard away so that he could have another round with Morris the liar.

Gregory at least seemed to realize that Merlin was his consort, and glowered at this. But he would submit, his duty was only to watch and report and keep the sickness away. So that was exactly what Gregory was going to do, starting with Morris. Gregory jerked his hand forward and grabbed Morris by the chin and jerking him close. The knight ignored all the ways Morris was squawking like some kind of demented chicken, and forced the boy's neck into a twisted angle so that he could see all of the pale skin clearer. Merlin blinked but didn't do anything to help the boy, he was actually quite enjoying the show. Gregory though was pushing his fingers against the pulse point of Morris' neck, but wherever veins he was able to see looked normal. They weren't protruding out of the neck and working it's way up towards the eyes like the sick were. It was then that Gregory jerked Morris back by the hair so that he can check the boy's eyes, ignoring the way Morris was glaring at him through clenched teeth. But there was no sign of the blue hue in his eyes that seemed to overtake the sick.

"He's clean." Gregory grumbled, looking highly annoyed by that fact as he finally dropped the manservant back onto his feet. It was annoying that the manservant wasn't going though the sickness. If he were, then Gregory would have every right to throw the consort over his shoulder and run back as fast as he could to Gaius' chambers. For the boy's own good of course, just as the prince wanted.

"…Thanks for making sure," Merlin said in this dry tone. But he could have told for himself that Morris was clean. He had done seen so many bodies in the last twenty four hours or so, all perished from the sickness, that it was clear Morris wasn't suffering from it. Morris didn't even seem to be suffering from any kind of beginner signs that said the sickness was starting to set in. Plus, even though none of them knew it, Gaius had already deduced that the sickness wasn't spread from being in contact. So even in Morris was so sick to the near dying point, Merlin still wouldn't catch it even if Morris was breathing all up on him.

Morris waited until Gregory had backed away from them to stand on the other side of their street. He was close enough to watch them-in fact, he was keeping an annoyingly close eye on Morris for any wrong movements, as if he thought Morris was about to jump for some weapon he may have on him, while also watching their surroundings for any possible attacks on the consort-but far enough away that he wouldn't be able to hear what he may have thought was a private conversation between a consort and his subject.

"It's nice to know that you're settling in as our 'esteemed' consort." Morris sneered, all of the jealousy in his voice clear to here as he was brushing the dirt from being manhandled my Gregory off of him. He glowered at Merlin angrily. He was the one that was supposed to have a bodyguard like Gregory to do all of his heavy lifting. Not the one being manhandled by him and only relieved of it from someone else wearing the title that he oh so craved as his own.

Merlin's lips curled back in disgust at being an 'esteemed' anything. He wasn't consort, nor even close. There was a reason for why everybody hated him on sight nowadays. He wasn't good enough to be consort. He didn't want the job nor did he want anything that came with it. There was a reason he tried to find a job. A reason he had moved out and somehow managed to accomplish that much. There was a reason he didn't like this guard following him around, and it had only been five minutes of that!

But forget all of that, he didn't have time for any of Morris' crap when he still had to get this bucket to Gaius. So he decided to get to the point straight, "That night, the night that we had the dance," Merlin spit out, and there was something in his voice that could have passed for venom. "Why did you lie to me about you and Arthur dating?"

Merlin had his own theories for why Morris had told him such a tall tale. Probably things like wanting to stir up shit or this was Morris' way of bullying him instead of pushing him around like others tried to do. He went for the painful to the heart approach instead of just the body. And he had known exactly what he was doing to hurt Merlin the most during the time. But Merlin wanted to hear it from him, he wanted to hear him confess it so that he knew he wasn't crazy.

Morris didn't look ashamed at the least by this sudden turn of questioning. In fact, he looked quite smug about it, his lips curling in a cocky smirk, "So, you finally figured it out have you? I did wonder if you would be able to work through that at some point." His tone practically leaked how pleased he was that Merlin had figured it out. Or more pleased he thought Merlin so apparently dumb that it had taken over a month to work it out. Arthur wouldn't want to be with someone so idiotic for very long. And it didn't help that Merlin wasn't particularly pretty. What, with the way his ears stuck out and his ill-fitting clothes that did nothing to make his body stand out.

Merlin clinched his fists tightly at his sides so harshly his nails were cutting into the palms of his hands. He wasn't going to go punching Morris, no matter how much he desperately wanted to smack that smug face off of him. If he could resist punching Arthur in the face-after everything he'd did, he would deserve it plus so much more, than he could resist that urge to do it to Morris, "It wasn't too hard to figure out. All I had to do was ask Arthur and he had no idea what I was talking about." It wasn't like Merlin had spent this whole month mourning about it, trying to figure out what it was that Arthur found so great about Morris, or why Morris would want anything to do with Arthur considering the way he was treated by him. But he'd just figured it was one of those things that he just couldn't understand about Camelot.

Morris stopped short at that answer, feeling as if his eye was about to start twitching in an almost violent manner. Shit. That had clearly been an oversight on his part, Morris hadn't considered Merlin would just go right on up to Arthur and ask him. It was clear that they were having problems, and Morris was all too happy to add to them. Until his name got itself thrown into the mix. "What did you tell him?" Morris demanded harshly. But he tried to keep himself calm. Clearly Merlin couldn't have told him anything too bad or he'd be in the stocks right about now. Or being led out in ropes so that the guards could string him up on posts and have him flogged for his impudence.

Over Morris' shoulder, Merlin could see the way Gregory was watching them, his eyes going into narrowed little skits when he saw Morris make an aborted but hostile sort of movement towards Merlin. Merlin subtly shook his head, he didn't need Gregory to handle his problems for him. He had lasted this long without a knight, and he was going to prove that he didn't need one. So Merlin turned back to Morris, still feeling the sting of humiliation that he had brought up that particular conversation to Arthur's attention at all. As if he didn't have enough problems without throwing that one into the mix, "What does it matter? You were the one that started it and now, I want to know why."

But now that Merlin had brought it up to the manservant, thinking back, he realized that Morris didn't exactly have anything to worry about. Merlin hadn't exactly said that it was Morris that told him so Arthur was clueless on that front. He just thought there were odd rumors going around but really, with so many rumors going around at any given point, that one was sure to get lost among the shuffle.

Morris briefly considered taunting Merlin, to tell him all about what Arthur and his father was planning behind his back. He knew that marriage wasn't real! And he didn't really get much of it, or they'd already been deep into mid-conversation by the time he had gotten there, but he'd got the gist of it. And no man married to the 'love of his life' had to pretend he was in love with him just to keep Merlin on the happy side. But no, he ultimately decided in his mind. That kind of information was far too precious, and Arthur hadn't even made any kind of move-as far as he could tell unless one counted the sudden guard that was at Merlin's beck and call-so Morris was seriously doubting it would cause nearly as much breaking point as he wanted it to. He didn't want to waste that kind of information when it would be better to keep it inside his back pocket for a more opportune moment, if it ever actually came.

Morris calmed his rising temper, which was quite easily to do. On the outside at least, his face going as smooth as glass, just like any born noble trying to hide his emotions should be able to do-he had practiced it in the mirror for hours on end to perfect it-but on inside, he was a raging inferno at the thought of him talking to Arthur about any of this. Morris just shrugged, "I just wanted to make sure that you knew what your place around here was." And then he leaned in to whisper in an almost conspicuously manner, his disgusted and hot breath fanning out over Merlin's face from how close he was. "That no matter what you do, no matter what you try, Arthur will never come to see you an anything more than the pest you are."

Merlin felt himself bristling at this but not because of what Morris said. He already knew that Arthur saw him as some kind of 'pest' as Morris had called him. And all Merlin saw of Arthur was an arse that needed some serious help if he thought it was okay to talk to people the way he did. And he had already known that even before Arthur had decided to take things a step too far and ruined that little chest of his. He was bristling because of the mere idea that Morris seriously thought it was his job to make it clear to Merlin when he thought Arthur was doing a pretty good job at making himself clear. "And so what," Merlin asked him darkly. "You thought that making up a fake dating would make a point?"

Morris shrugged and to anybody who would happen to pass by at the moment-which not one person did-Morris looked entirely far too innocent. But to Merlin who was standing in front of him, he could see the little signs that said Morris was pleased with himself. Like the little grin curling his lips that said he thought his idea was brilliant. The little sparkle shining up his eyes that said nothing for him going like Merlin's misery did.

"No," Morris said, proud of himself. "But it did get the message across, didn't it?" For once, he had immensely enjoyed himself with Merlin's presence. The way he had fled the grand hall the night of the dance…how was he supposed to know he didn't need to waste any excess energy by saying anything to the consort that night. All he had to do was wait a few minutes and Arthur did the rest for him. It was so perfect, he couldn't have done any of it better himself if he had actually organized it.

Merlin scowled at him, feeling defensive all of a sudden. His marital problems were only up to him and Arthur, Morris had absolutely no business inserting himself in where he didn't belong. Merlin brought his clenched fists up to his hips. "And what makes you think that Arthur doesn't want me?" He demanded in a harsh tone. Okay, so obviously Arthur didn't want him. But we're they really so absolutely transparent that Morris knew. But why not, it was like everybody else didn't already know they were having issues. And Morris worked directly under Arthur. Who knows what it was Arthur was talking to Morris behind his back, but was it any worse than what he was telling Merlin to his face?

"Well isn't it obvious?" Morris asked with this self-assured shrug of his shoulders. "I don't even have to listen to the rumors going on all about you to know that something isn't right about your marriage. I admit, that you had me a bit worried at first. But all I needed was one look at you to know that your not the prince's type at all." Plus, hearing what Arthur and his father had been discussing. Now he might not have gotten there early enough to know 'why' Arthur had married Merlin in the first place. But he did know that it wasn't because they were 'in love' or whatever the king kept trying to peddle. Morris was far too smart to fall for such an obvious scheme. And he was not the only one. Many people had started to realize there was something not quite right about the prince and his consort, but not that many had dared to question the obvious.

But Morris did stop long enough to give the prince's consort this look. The kind that said he thought Merlin rather belonged in a pig's pen then being possibly drenched in all that golden wealth the Pendragon's had.

Merlin rolled his eyes, he knew exactly why he wasn't Arthur's type. Women, with long beautiful blonde locks and Latina looking if he got that right. Or at least that was what Clarissa looked like, with the womanly curves to match. "Let me guess," Merlin said dryly to the manservant. "I'm not his type because I am not a woman?" and because he didn't want to incur the wrath of Uther, who would most probably put his head on a silver platter serving tray if he got wind of this conversation, he disgustingly added with his face scrunched up, "Have you ever thought to consider that Arthur might have an interest outside of whatever it is he's been telling you?" Because Merlin seriously doubted that Arthur was spilling their marriage secrets to the manservant. No, all Morris had to do was observe the two of them together to know what he did.

"No." Morris said, his features shifting into something amused, as if he knew something that Merlin didn't know. "I know that you two don't have anything like that. After all, I know Arthur better than I know myself-"

Merlin rolled his eyes again. He seriously doubted that, this was probably just Morris talking out of his arse again. He doubted that Morris knew Arthur could get so angry over a little flower, only to not go hang the one that had given it to him. He doubted that Morris knew Arthur had offered him anything that he could-the world almost-and Merlin had gone and moved out in response. He doubted that Morris knew Arthur had so little care for other people's belongings, that he didn't even see anything wrong with destroying somebody else's things.

Morris continues talking, "And that's exactly why I know he's got some surprises in store for you soon enough." But that was all he'd be saying on the matter. He didn't want to go accidentally spilling the beans before he got the chance to watch-with amusement and not scorn-Arthur making his 'moves' on the consort. While knowing that it was just Arthur playing games with him. He couldn't wait to see Merlin's face the day he decided it was time to share what he had heard Arthur and Uther planning. He would have to do some digging one of these days, try to understand the real reason for all of these lies. But this wasn't that day.

Well, wasn't that a big ominous, Merlin thought sardonically. He should have known just the guard wasn't going to be enough, of course Arthur had something a bit extra put up his sleeve. But he doubted it could be any thing worse than what he'd already been living through since the day he arrived inside the city. Morris, evidently decided that he'd done enough 'damage' for the day. Because with one last smirk flashed in Merlin's direction-as if he had won some kind of game Merlin didn't know he was playing-the manservant started striding away from the water pump.

"Do you like him?" Merlin called out after him before he could get too far away. "Is that why you did it? Some misguided attempt to keep him for yourself?" Back when Merlin had first came to Camelot, he had met Morris for the first time. Or was this particular confrontation he was thinking about the second time. None of it mattered except for what had happened. Merlin had gotten his first inklings that Morris may like Arthur-although why would have to be a complete mystery to him-but now that same inkling was starting to swarm around in the back of his mind. That would definitely explain why Morris had been so hostile to him right from the start, even before everybody else had joined in on the bandwagon. Morris had never actually gave him a definite answer when he'd asked back then. And now he was asking again. But like the saying goes, only crazy people try the exact same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

Morris turned back to look at him, and Merlin almost wished that he had never asked the question at all. Merlin clenched his jaw and didn't look away from Morris, his fists going into much tighter balls than they had been a moment ago. He felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up, his fight or flight reflex kicking into gear. Just like all those weeks ago back when Merlin had first been training with Arthur before the tourney started, Morris was looking at him with frighteningly cold and dark eyes. The kind of eyes that could make you feel as if you had fallen into this never ending abyss where nobody would be able to hear your screams of anguish. It was clear now more than ever that something wasn't quite right with Morris. Nobody who had any kind of soul could look at somebody with eyes so apathetic. Like a sociopath.

Merlin straightened his spine, lifting his chin a little as he refused to submit to the edging of cold shock going down his spine. What was wrong with Morris? And was Merlin the only one to see this side of Morris? There was no way Morris would still remain employed with Arthur if…he was some kind of sociopath. Or a psychopath in the making. Or maybe Merlin was just thinking about this too much because Morris blinked and it was over. Like it had never happened. Like Merlin had only imagined those cold, cold eyes. Nobody was supposed to have eyes so lifeless.

"I think that you should make your way back into the castle grounds." Morris said with this slow drawl. "The prince is going to be making an announcement soon. They are cordoning off the lower town while this sickness is still spreading. It would be such a shame if you'd got locked out by accident."

Merlin's eyes widened, looking at Morris with true horror on his face. What? They were just going to cordon off the town…but what about the people living here? Did nobody care what was going to happen to them? Did Arthur just wash his hands of them and decided that this wasn't worth the hassle…Merlin's head shot around frantically as he looked around the town's shopping distract. Nobody had dared to open today…nobody knew that they would be left to fend for themselves. Something in Merlin's chest tightens and he felt as if he got punched in the gut just now.

"You…you're lying." He accused, desperate for that to be true. But from the way Morris was grinning again…it had to be true. Merlin knew Arthur wasn't a great guy, knew that he could be downright mean, but he was also a prince! Wasn't it his duty to protect his people or something? Or did that protection just extend to the nobles? The ones that would stay safe behind the castle walls. The people out here-no matter how they looked at Merlin like nothing more than an outsider looking into their lives-they were going to die. These people with lives and families and jobs and homes…they would die knowing they had been forgotten by the crown.

No, not forgotten. They would know that the Royal family had decided they weren't worth the pain or effort it would take to keep them alive.

"Hey, Morris!" Both of them, and Gregory, turned their heads to see somebody coming down the street. Probably the only other one around that was dumb enough to be roaming the streets with the sickness still being out in the open. It was the kitchen servant John, the one for some reason, was always trying to get Morris attention.

Morris ignored the servant with a scoff and turned back to Merlin, "Remember what I said. They will sure to be closing all of the entrance points into the castle sometime today. I wouldn't take the chance of hanging out around here for too long." And then he was striding away, with his head held out. He practically pushed John out of his way but the servant merely followed after him like some kind of lovesick puppy. As if Morris pushing him around like a rag doll was some kind of turn on.

Merlin watched with a clenched jaw until the two servants were out of sight, disappearing off somewhere around the bend in the street. Mary had been telling him the truth that day at the tourney, when she cried to him about what Morris had done to her friend. Had done to that nobleman that visited long before he'd even thought he would come to Camelot. He found that there was something serious and wrong with Morris. If not outright dangerous. Morris had actually seemed 'pleased' by the decision to block off the lower town. And how could anybody be happy, how could anybody have actually decided to go through with this. It was an unthinkable decision inside Merlin's mind.

He had to talk to Arthur, had to get him to see some kind of reason. He had to help. But that was before he heard the sobbing from behind him, outrageous and uncontrollable sobbing. Merlin whipped around, "…Gwen?" He asked as he saw the handmaiden racing down the street in his direction. As well as the rivers of tears running down her face. But Gwen didn't stop when she saw him. Merlin wasn't even sure she had seen him because she just kept on running straight passed him and Gregory as if they weren't even there, nearly tripping over her own dress as she ran. "Gwen!" The consort shouted after her as she ran further and further down the street.

But she hadn't heard him either, disappearing around the same bend that Morris had gone just a second ago. Merlin bit back a curse as he realized what he had to do. He couldn't go find Arthur and demand to know what he was thinking with this whole 'cordoning off' kind of business. Not when Gwen was clearly in distress. Merlin had never seen her like that and didn't want to see it again. But she was his friend and she needed him a bit more at this moment.

Merlin barely remembered to snatch up the bucket of water and ran after her, heading in the direction of the castle, with Gregory who followed behind him closely.

X

Merlin's heart hammered against the inside of his rib cage so hard it felt as if it was trying to beat it's way out of his chest. His feet were pounding against the pavement with heavy thuds, trying in vain not to trip over air as he raced through the empty streets of the lower town. The bucket of water was heavy and it pounded harshly against his knee, no doubt it would leave a massive bruise in it's wake. His breaths came out in ragged gasps as he was left struggling to keep breathing through the pain starting to stitch in his side. The blood was pumping in his ears, a distant echo that was faint behind his eardrums but it's there all the same.

The thumping sound only urges him to run faster, go faster, be faster. Nothing was going to stop him, nothing was going to make him slow down. Not even the handful of people he raced passed only after he reached the castle grounds where more and more people were brave enough to venture out of their rooms. Not Gregory who he could hear right behind him, he could probably easily overlap him but Gregory always stayed just half a step behind him. But no matter how fast he'd ran, Gwen seemed to be even faster. Every single corner he turned, all he would see was the end of Gwen's red cape that disappeared right about it.

He didn't catch her until they reached Gaius, seeing the edge of her curly brown hair as she threw herself into his chambers frantic and without knocking. Merlin threw himself in right after her, knocking his shoulder into the door frame painfully. But the throbbing had to be nothing when compared to Gwen, all her tears there for everybody to see, she nearly falling into a blubbering mess right at Gaius' feet as she pleaded with him.

"You have the sickness?" Gaius asked Gwen with urgency, putting down the vials he was preparing for when Merlin returned with the water. And speaking of the boy, he left Merlin ignored after he came racing in behind young Gwen. Her face was distorted into nothing less than pure distress, her hair a wild mess on top her head with heavy red eyes streaked with tears. It was truly an ungodly sight for the usually cheerful Gwen.

Gwen shook her head, looking so choked up that she could barely talk through all of her blubbering. Gaius didn't even get the chance to feel relief that Gwen would be alright when he finally managed to make some semblance of recognizing her words through all of awful blubbering she was going through.

"M-my father!" Gwen choked out through the harsh lump growing in her throat, her heart aching so painfully that a knife straight to her chest wouldn't have hurt nearly as much as this did. "Please, Gaius!" She nearly fell to her knees in front of him, begging for him to have some kind of answer. Some kind of medicine that would take away his sickness, that would return the healthy glow to his skin instead of that pale imitation she had left behind in their family hut. "He is all that I have!" she hadn't seen her brother in years, so he might as well have been dead to her. It was just her and her father for so long, to see her strong father on his deathbed…she could barely keep herself on her feet instead of submitting to her harsh anguish of pain.

Merlin was horror stricken behind her, looking shocked as he nearly stepped backwards on to Gregory's toes, standing and filling out the doorway behind him. This news…it seemed to rock something inside of Merlin. He didn't know Tom all that well, had only actually met him once but that once was all he needed to feel Gwen's pain. It was so bad seeing all of these strangers, people he didn't really know because he was still sort of new to this whole strange city. But this was like a punch right to the gut because he actually knew Tom. Tom was nice and asked if Merlin was his Gwen's boyfriend and joked around with this hearty laugh. Good god, how Gwen must have felt seeing her father with the sickness…

Gaius hated being the bearer of bad news but he couldn't lie to Gwen either. He shook his head at her, "Gwen, I have no cure." said the physician. There was literally nothing that he could do. He only had theories on how the disease itself was being spread, he couldn't work up a cure without knowing the details of the sickness. Couldn't do anything but watch and work himself half to death trying to find an answer. But until he did, innocent people like Gwen's father would have no chance at surviving the upcoming days.

But Gwen couldn't just take that as an answer, her knees starting to shake as she realized what this must mean. "I am begging you!" As if she hoped Gaius would be able to pull out a magical cure all out of nowhere just to heal her father. As if she hoped that this was just Gaius' poor idea of a joke and when he saw that she wasn't laughing, would hand her something that would be able to stop her father's suffering. But unfortunately for her, this was no joke. And Gaius really didn't have anything he was comfortable with giving her father. Nothing that would help cure him. He could have given her a mild sedative not only to calm herself but to also give one to Tom. It would have eased his pain but it also would have sped up the sickness because he would be too out of it to fight off the disease.

"I wish that there was something I could do for you, anything." Gaius said, setting down one of the empty vials he had been holding on to the table beside him. "But so far, that remedy is beyond what I can achieve." It went against everything in him as a physician to say that there was nothing he could do or try to help her. But in this particular case, there was nothing that he could do. Not against a sickness such as this. And Tom wasn't a lab rat that he could just throw things at only to hope that something stuck. Gaius reached out and took Gwen's slim hand in his own as he tried to offer her sympathies, "I'm sorry, Gwen. Truly."

He may have been offering sympathies but to Gwen, she knew exactly what he was saying to her. As of now, there was no possible hope for her father to get better. So she had better start spending whatever little time she might have left with him. Before he passed on into the next world.

Gwen let out another heartbreaking shrieking gasping cry of pain, as if it was herself dying and not her father. And then she was turning on her heel, her cape flaring out behind her like a crimson wave as she took off out of the door, nearly running into both Gregory and Merlin but not looking at either one of them as she pushed them out of her way. She left Gaius' chambers, most likely rushing back to her ailing father's aide to help ease his pain and give him whatever comfort she would be able to during his last days.

If the pattern continued, Gwen's father would be dead in less than two days.

Even after she was gone, Merlin stared after her through the opened doorway. It definitely must have taken everything in him not to run after her. Not to wrap his arms around her so that she could cry all of her sorrows out into the hollow of his neck. To give her all of these fade platitudes, tell her things like 'this will be okay, Tom will make it through this, you won't lose him'. But those words died in his throat, clenching it tight. He knew that he couldn't go after her, no matter how much it was that he wanted to. None of what he could offer to her would help solve the problem. None of it would offer her and her family the relief that they needed. All he would be doing was wasting the time she had to spend with him before the worse happened.

Merlin had almost forgot that Gregory was standing there before the man spoke up, "I will be waiting outside. Scream if you have any need for me, Consort Merlin." the knight bowed his head before walking out of the room to stand guard at the door, closing said door behind him on his way out to give Gaius and Merlin some much needed privacy.

Gaius lifted an eyebrow and acted as if Gwen hadn't just been here pleading for Gaius to go pulling out some kind of miracle cure that would heal Tom, "I was wondering when you would get a guard assigned to you." And not sounding the least bit surprised that Merlin suddenly had a knight following him around the place. Morgana had a knight sometimes and Merlin had skyrocketed straight from his peasant status to consort, which was a much higher status compared to ward of the king. It was only surprising that it had taken so long for Arthur to realize his oversight. His nephew should have had a guard assigned to him the day that they married. Or at least this was the way it usually would have went.

Merlin wasn't nearly interested in discussing the knight standing outside their door, not if all he could think about was the anguish that leaked out of Gwen's throat with every word that she spoke. The way her legs trembled as if she couldn't even stand up straight and it was her only strength of will that stopped her from falling right over. "There has to be something that we can do!"

But he was looking at Gaius the same way that Gwen had been moments before, and asking for help. It wasn't like Merlin could do anything. Gaius was the physician, surely he had some kind of possible cure that just had not been tested yet. Something in the works that could lead to an actual cure. He would do it himself if he could but even if he did try and resort to magic…he didn't really know any healing spells. He saw one or two inside his magic book when he would flip through it but he hadn't tried any of them. Didn't even know if they would be powerful enough to be able to combat against the sorcerer and her own spell.

"I am doing my best." Gaius said in this very infuriatingly calm tone, not rising to the bait at Merlin's own pleading. He held up the one of the vials he had been holding, empty and bare of anything that could help. "Let's hope that this test will provide some answers." He nodded down to the water bucket clenched in Merlin's fist. Merlin had almost forgotten he was still holding it.

Merlin let out a frustrated breath before he was heaving the bucket onto the counter for Gaius to do whatever weirdo experiments he wanted to. It was much easier to lift then he'd thought it would be, but that would probably be because half of the water was already gone from it. It must have been sloshing out of the bucket during his run, but there was still plenty more to use. But it didn't matter what they used, Gwen and her father didn't have a chance if these tests Gaius wanted to do lasted for more than an hour, "But Gwen's father will die, there's no time for this. It will be far too late to help them."

What probably scared Merlin most of all was when Gaius didn't even deny it. He looked at Merlin with a solemn expression and nodded his head, "I fear that you may be right." Gaius was a physician after all, and quite a skilled one. Adept at many healing arts. He very well knew when somebody was on their last legs, and he knew not telling realistic expectations wouldn't help anybody. Merlin needed to be prepared for this, Gwen's father might not be one of the many they could help if they did manage to find a cure.

Merlin watched blankly as Gaius picked up a ladle and started carefully spooning some of it into the vial he was holding, making sure it didn't splash out onto his skin. He didn't know if just touching the water would have been enough to get the poison into one's system, or if one had to actually ingest the poison for the sickness to start spreading over their vital organs. Either way, Gaius was not taking any risk before he know more of what was happening. "Now, tell me," Gaius said as he held up the vial between the two of them. "What do you think we could use to be able to test the water?" It wasn't like any of them would voluntarily drink it on the off chance the other could piece together a cure before the first perished.

Merlin looked at Gaius in disbelief, already he knew what Gaius was doing. Were they really going back to that? It was fine earlier when things didn't feel nearly as pressing as it did after Gwen's visit? But now? Was Gaius really trying to give him one of his healing lessons? Like when he had Merlin trying to guess what was different between the courier victim and all the ones that had came before her, "Uncle Gaius, now really isn't the-" he started to protest, the anxious energy running through his veins and practically screaming at him to do something 'now.' Not waste his time with these lessons when his friends were starting to be effected.

Gaius shushed him, raising his finger to get his point across before he said, "Just go and humor an old man. If you're going to be living here, you may as well learn something along the way. You never know when you might be needing some of the knowledge I intend to part on you."

There he goes, Merlin thought with a heavy huff. Using the 'I'm letting you live here so you should do as I say and not question me' card. He should've known that was coming up eventually. And in any other instant, he'd be eager to learn whatever he could. He just felt as if they didn't have time for any of these guessing games. Nor did they have time for him to argue if Gaius was going to insist on this. So he did what he was told and studied the vial, thinking what they could use to test the water.

Drinking it themselves was obviously out of the question, but surely they could give it to something else that was alive. Maybe some kind of animal like a cow or a chicken…Merlin didn't very much like that idea. Most of the animals now anyway were being put away in their pens, the farmers monitoring them quite strictly to make sure none of them looked as if they might be getting the sick. They were not even sure if animals could get it, but they couldn't be faulted for being cautious. So the people and the animals were out… "What if we use a plant?" Merlin asked, whipping his head up to look away from the vial and back at Gaius, must quicker on the uptake than he had been with the courtier. "Some kind of flower to see if the water effects it any?" All they would have to do is drop a flower into the water and see what happens to it…then they could figure out where to go from there.

Gaius look was encouraging, saying that he'd gotten the answer right on the mark. And so Merlin got excited, pushing himself away off the table, "And I know just the flower." he said before rounding the table and racing up the stairs while ignoring Gaius half hearted shout of, "I've got flowers down here already."

As a physician, Gaius had plenty of flowers and plants he could have used for this little experiment just hanging around. Things that he was planning to have crushed up and put into a mixture for a healing cream or liquified into a potion. One of the lesser plants that he didn't quite need nearly as much as finding a cure for this sickness would have been quite a perfect solution to use. But Merlin already left, heading off to get whatever flower that he apparently had in his room…

X

Upstairs, Merlin wasted no time closing his bedroom door behind him only to trip before he could get a few feet in, his sheets hanging off the bed causing his foot to slide right out from under him. He hit the floor with this loud bang, barely catching himself on his hands before he could catch himself with his face. It was all his magic book's fault. In attempting to get to his wardrobe, Merlin had forgotten the book was also under his sheets, left there after Arthur had searched his room for it.

…Magic was the answer. He knew in the very core of himself that it was. Gaius may claim that it was wise to take his time and think things through before he did it, but how could he when he also knew that time would be running out. He didn't know how long that Gwen's father had left. He looked like he was a strong man but how much of that strength would go to fighting off the sickness before he ultimately fell to it. But Gaius wouldn't go approving of where his mind had gone, over rather or not he should listen this time. Things hadn't gone right the last time he did not listen, but this…it was too big to just hope things turn out alright in the end.

Merlin bit back a curse and shoved his book, sheets and all, under the bed before he could be too tempted. Something like that would be having to wait until he knew Gaius wouldn't know what he was planning. But if he stayed up here too long, surely Gaius would know Merlin was full well planning on disobeying him. Anything to help Gwen. Gwen who had helped him get a dog statue up to his room without asking questions. Gwen who'd let him borrow her family's wheelbarrow again, without question. Gwen who had approached a strange boy in the stocks and stuck up this conversation about how brave she thought he was…the least he could do was make sure that her father lived through the night.

But that would also have to wait a moment, no matter how much his instincts screamed at him to do it 'now'. So instead of giving in to the urge, Merlin went to his wardrobe before throwing the door open…maybe he should've just started looking in the book for any kind of healing spells.

His chest was sitting on the top shelf of the wardrobe and fuck…it was like all the pain he had been feeling when it first happened just washed right back over him. As if the wound was still fresh instead of him having an entire day-barely an entire day-to get over it. It was just a chest that wasn't even really his since he had stolen it from Gaius, but…it was his Ealdor. Shattered in pieces. It was only when Merlin took the chest down, the lid askew at an awkward angle, did he realize his hands were also shaking.

Merlin clenched his jaw, trying to be strong as he held the chest in one hand and shifted through the rumble with the other. There was glass everywhere from the broken bottles of herbs, he was lucky he didn't cut his finger on any of it as he searched. The piece of cloth with the symbol for Cenred's kingdom was still torn up, a dozen or so little pins that were either speared into or not littered inside of it, with dust staining it. The Arthur doll…he wanted to rip it to pieces. Although the real Arthur had already done a pretty good job of that considering how much it looked as if it was barely holding together. But taking one shuddering breath, he dug through his little piece of Ealdor, forcing back the nausea at seeing all of it gone to waste before he had even had a proper chance the enjoy it. Before he found the one thing he was looking for.

The only thing in the chest that wasn't from Ealdor. Because only one piece of his life in Camelot had made it to the chest, had made him feel as if he should honor it in some way. The little flower Gwen had given him when he was feeling so down that he didn't know what to do with himself. It would be quite ironic, to use the flower she had given him just the day before to help him, and use it today to help her.

He put his chest back, refusing to acknowledge the aching pit inside of his own chest, and slammed the wardrobe door shut. He would take the flower down to Gaius and wait impatiently for the results. And then when everything was settled and quiet, he'd return to his room and try finding any healing spells that might actually be able to help.

X

The hours had passed in slow accession and Arthur could feel the weariness appearing in his slumped shoulders. He could barely keep his eyes open as he trudged himself towards the stairs leading to the Royal suites. His feet were barely picking up off the floor as he was walking, scraping against their richly colored red rug slung over the floor. It was late now, and Arthur had been hard at work for the last several hours. It was like 'everything' needed his attention and he hadn't gotten a moments rest since he'd left that 'awful' conversation with his father.

The ring still on his finger was a pretty good reminder of things that he didn't want to be reminded of. But his tired brain didn't help him in that matter, and his weaken defenses allowed troubled thoughts to breach his mind as the muggy night air got to him. Already he knew that he wasn't looking forward to what the morning would bring. More reports telling of more people that hadn't made it through the night. More rushing around the city as he tried to find anything magical that could lead to the sorcerer. More troubles that would be coming his way because he 'knew' on some primitive level that Merlin was going to give him something new to stress about. As he had every day since they'd met.

But despite how exhausted he was-he had been working at least fifteen hours straight by this point-and despite how all he wanted to do was drop straight in his bed and let sleep overtake him, he still felt as if he hadn't done enough. There was still so much work to be done, even if he was able to delegate most of those tasks to his knights to take care of. He should still be out there on watch, trying to see if the sorcerer made any kind of appearance in the night to check over their own handiwork. He should be watching as some of the lower guards went from door-to-door, pinning notices on the door of every house they came across.

The notice that said the main city would be blocking off any travel between them and the lower town until the foreseeable future. He'd taken hours to write up the missive statement as he tried to word it just write, before he had sent it off to the steward to get some of their servants to painstakingly copy it onto piece of parchment after parchment until there was enough to spread among the town. But also, he didn't want to be around to see their faces when they got the news. Even though he felt as if he should, if he was following it per his father's orders than he should at least try and be brave enough to see the damage that he feared this action would cause.

But what could he do? It wasn't like he could tell the king no just because it didn't feel right to abandon those people. His father had a good twenty years experience at being king, he knew what he was talking about surely. So who was Arthur to question that…

"Well, well, well. Look whose finally getting home." A voice called out to him right as he was passing by Morgana's opened bedroom door. Which was a curious event in itself as Morgana rarely-if ever-left her bedroom door open. Especially so late at night when she should be in bed.

"Not now, Morgana." Arthur said as he tried in vain to hold back his exhausted yawn. "It's far too late for this. You should already be in bed anyway." With the late hour, it was surprising enough to find anybody-minus the guards who were supposed to be-still awake. But the lady was, not looking tired in the least as she sat at her desk, watching him leaning against her door. Morgana had her long black length of hair pulled over her shoulder in a braid and she was dressed modestly in her dressing robe, the fabric pulled tightly over her night gown. She had her journal opened in front of her, her quill pausing mid-word.

"Oh, I was just heading that way in a few brief moments when I heard you coming." she said softly, her thumb rubbing over the feathered tip of her quill. "But something is keeping me awake. I just fear that the morning will not be bringing any relief or…ray of sunshine's with what else in store for you."

Now, Morgana usually wasn't the type to go confessing her fears to Arthur. She usually tried to fight him if he called her out on being scared over anything. At least she did when they were young, before they had grown and Morgana refused to entertain his childhood ways any longer. But Arthur supposed with a sickness going around-something that not even they could escape from no matter how Uther tried to block off the source-would be enough to rattle anybody. So Arthur decided to push away his tiredness and do what was the gentleman thing to do: comfort the young woman, "Morgana," Arthur started as he was pushing the tiredness from his voice, to try to hide it at least. "I know what's happening is scary but I'm sure out of everybody, you'll be the one to make it through…"

Morgana blinked at him, not looking the least bit scared of a sickness running throughout the entire city, "What are you talking about? I am not scared." Despite her actions of hiding in her room until this was over. But she would prefer to call that being smart, not admitting in the least that she may be scared of it after all.

Arthur frowned, his brain muddled from the apparent sleepiness as he tried to wade through her words, "Then what are you going on about?" The morning not bringing any of them relief? Well Arthur could contest how that was going to be his morning when the sun finally rose. Rags of sunshine? Knowing how tomorrow would probably play out, he'd probably be facing nothing more than cloudy skies and rainstorms. Unless the gods would want to mess with him and paint over the sky with dripping sunlight, as if they were trying to mask what was happening down in the city below.

"Why, Merlin of course." Morgana said in that infuriatingly irritating tone of hers, like 'what else did you think I was talking about'. "Or did you not notice yet that he's no longer having a residence here?"

There was a heartbeat of silence before the blonde paled as he registered Morgana and her words. He whipped his head around in a frantic measure to make sure that nobody was around to hear her. But the halls were as empty as always, especially this time of the night. Not even Gregory was standing at the foot of the stairs since he had reassigned him to watch over Merlin. All sense of tiredness was gone from his-heart in his throat-and he practically threw himself into Morgana's room to slam the door shut behind him. He didn't want anybody overhearing and spreading any such information that they shouldn't be privy too. "What are you talking about?" He hissed at her. "Where did you hear that nonsense?"

He didn't want his father knowing that he had agreed to let Merlin stay with Gaius. A Royal consort staying somewhere completely unfit for him? It was a travesty that made actually made something inside of Arthur feel as if it was dying. He had no idea how he was going to sleep tonight with knowing that Merlin was off down there instead of where he should be at. The only reason he wasn't down there and getting Merlin up here himself-mental health or whatever be damned-was because he had known Gregory would keep him safe. But his father on the other hand…if he thought for a single second that Arthur wasn't doing what his duty was, it didn't matter that Merlin was 'his' responsibility. His father would decide that Arthur isn't competent enough to keep Merlin out of trouble and would take over. He had a feeling Merlin-despite even all of his misgivings-would prefer Arthur to Uther. And Arthur couldn't let something like that to be allowed to happen…Merlin was His to do with as he liked. And if he wanted Merlin to spend a few weeks with Gaius to hopefully get his outbursts under control well, that was to his discretion.

He just had to keep all of this under wraps until he saw some better results in Merlin's behavior.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a wad." the lady said bluntly, not looking the least bit amused by Arthur's behavior. "I saw him when he was leaving. It wasn't too hard to deduce what he was doing with that bag slung over his arm. I can't exactly blame him, I would have held the door open for him myself if I could."

This brought Arthur up short and he stopped to stare at her darkly as his quick brain was able to piece together the puzzle easily, "Are you telling me," he said slowly, striding deep into her room and placing his hands onto the edge of her desk so that he was standing on the opposite side facing her. "That you knew he was leaving?"

Arthur didn't know why he hadn't thought of that before. Morgana always seemed to know everything that was going on around the kingdom before anyone got the chance to tell her. Of course she would have noticed that a whole person had upped and disappeared on them. But if Morgana saw him leaving, then it meant she knew that he was gone a whole twenty four hours before Arthur did. And he couldn't have that. She should have informed him the second she realized what happened, or better yet, stop Merlin and convince him to not go. The two were as thick as thieves now a days. You couldn't tell him that there wasn't anything Morgana could have told him to get him to stay put where he was.

"Of course I did." Morgana said, carefully as she lowered her pristine quill down beside her journal. She wasn't scared of Arthur nor of his reaction. She thought it was actually funny. When she'd first met Merlin, she had no idea he would do everything under the sun that was wrong. But she just found that more thrilling than somebody who would hit all of the marks for 'perfect consort'. "But tell me, did he find a safe place to go? He hasn't returned to his old room so I assume that he must have found someplace to stay."

Arthur clenched his jaw and stared her down, not sure if he wanted to say anything about this to her. But after a moment, he turned his head and looked away from her. "Yeah." said Arthur grudgingly, out the corner of his mouth. "He's going to be staying with Gaius for the time being."

Morgana nodded, feeling herself relaxing just a bit. She had suspected, when Gwen had first been telling her how she had seen Merlin and Gaius being weird together, that Merlin would of course seek shelter underneath his uncle's wing. But it did make her feel better to have it actually confirmed. Now, she could at least say for sure that he wasn't sleeping under the drawbridge. "That's good." then she was giving Arthur an amused look. "But I have to say I am impressed. I figured that you would have hit the roof and dragged him here to his old room after you found out."

Arthur would vehemently deny the flush that tried to work it's way up his neck. There was no way he was going to tell Morgana that yes, he did hit the roof when he found out. No way on god's green earth was he going to explain how he'd searched that room top to bottom when he found out-not to check for magical items but just to prove how completely and obviously unsuited it was-and he also wasn't going to explain all the fantasies he'd had of just throwing Merlin over his shoulder before carrying him back to luxury like some kind of demented caveman. Nope. No way. Morgana would never let him live it down if he did. "Will you stop calling it that?" Arthur snapped with great annoyance instead. "It's not 'an old room'. It's my consort's room, which happens to be Merlin. He can have his little bonding time with Gaius or whatever. But he will full well be returning there soon enough."

Morgana gave him a smirk that said 'that's what he thinks'. As if she thought Merlin was going to be gone indefinitely. Which he would not be, Arthur decided stubbornly. There was only so long Arthur would be able to keep any information like this from the general public… from his father. Then Morgana leaned back in her chair to look at him better, giving her the appearance of casually relaxed, "So, how bad exactly did you screw up with him?" She told him, smirking. "It must have been pretty bad if he actually just upped and left. Which if you think about it, is actually quite impressive. Do you know anybody that would leave the suite he had?"

Morgana was right, Arthur would grudgingly accept that. Not one person Arthur had ever had…involvement with…would have gone and left if they were important enough to be given a Royal suite, especially the one connected to his bed chambers. Not that Merlin was all that important, but close enough. But he also would not have called it impressive. Stupid or idiotic would have been better words. Being incredibly picky or stubborn would have been other words to use.

"I didn't-!" Arthur started to shout before he abruptly cut himself off. He didn't want to risk being too loud and waking his father up down the hall. Uther would certainly hands words to say if he found Arthur in Morgan's room in this late hour, with her wearing her dressing robe no less. He has to forcibly lower down his voice, even though Morgana could clearly hear the straining in his voice to keep it that low, "I didn't do anything to him."

He steadfastly ignored how Merlin had only apparently decided to move out after Arthur had 'offended' his 'delicate sensibilities' by yelling at him about the whole job thing. But what else was he supposed to do! Just let Merlin go out there and humiliate the family by working a common man's job? He could just hear the jeering from his friends if they happened to pass by the baker's hut and saw his consort carrying bags of flour over his shoulder. Merlin should have golden inlaid clothing on his shoulders to represent their family, not flour sacks. God, but even going so far as offering him that had been enough to 'offend' him.

Morgana scoffed at him, looking as if she did not believe a single word coming right out of his mouth, "So you didn't say anything that might be seen as stupid when you got to him about the job thing?" Morgana wasn't just a pretty face. She knew even more about what was going on in this kingdom then even the blonde haired prince thought she did. After all, she actually has conversations with her handmaiden about the going on's, unlike him who just yelled at his manservant for the most oddest of things.

Arthur boggled at her for a second before he got his mind working again, "You know about that too!" He demanded hotly because damn, Morgana really 'did' know everything around this castle. It was like nobody's secret was actually safe around her. Not that it actually was much of a secret with Merlin going from stall to stall. Plus the untold amount of people who had seen Arthur dragging Merlin back to their suites for a moment of privacy. "And you didn't think to tell me? Before he could make a fool out of himself out there?"

It had been so embarrassing on Arthur's part, having to stop what he was doing-which was actually arguing with Morgana like he was now, now that he thought about it-to go and deal with Merlin. It was like some kind of odd 'walk of shame'-which was definitely not any thing Arthur had to do before-carting him all the way back to the castle. And Merlin must have felt the shame too since he didn't put up much of a fight once they started trekking their way there…Uther was pretty detached from the people. The only news he ever got was from the guards giving him their daily reports. Hopefully he hadn't heard about that catastrophe. But since Uther hadn't brought it up during their talk, he could only assume that he was safe on that front.

"First off," Morgana said slowly as she raised herself out of her chair, placing her hands on her desk so that they were staring off at the other. "I'm not your little spy, so I won't come to you for everything Merlin does. He is his own person who can make his own decisions in life. And if he wants to move out or go get himself a job, I saw go for it. It has gotta be better than staying in his room and staring at the walls for hours on end. And second of all, dear Arthur," her lips-due to her being ready for bed, that were devoid of any actual color to bring them out-curled into a slow smirk as she clearly enjoyed his suffering. "The only fool I see here is you."

Arthur bit back a frustrated growl, wondering why on earth Morgana was so against him or anything he did. He wasn't a fool, he was just trying to make things go as smoothly as he possibly could. Which was near to impossible with all the stunts Merlin kept trying to pull on him. If only Morgana had swallowed down her own amusement at this situation and brought Merlin moving out to his attention, then some things wouldn't be happening right now. For one, he wouldn't have one more secret from his father, secrets that kept accumulating up ever since Merlin showed up. There was the whole: I didn't actually sleep with him bit. And now this…fuck. If Morgana had told him, then he could have gone and quietly gotten Merlin back settled in his suite. Before the brat had any chance to get attached to it. Then Arthur wouldn't have had to leave him there for the sake of his mental health. And definitely not because Merlin had freaked him out when he threw that box at him.

See! This was Arthur being generous! He could drag Merlin back at anytime he damn well wanted to. "I am no fool." Arthur said in a sharp tone, trying to emulate his father in that moment. He would never stand for being called a fool, not even by his beloved ward. It didn't land quite the same effect as he hoped it would, because Morgana just seemed to be growing more and more amused. As if the girl truly enjoyed seeing Arthur getting what was coming to him. It made him wish that he was allowed to wring her neck instead of listening to her preach. Through his tightly clenched jaw, Arthur said slowly, "No matter what kind of issues you have with my behavior towards the boy-"

"That boy-" Morgana interrupted defensively, her smile dropping in an instant so that she could glare at him. "Has a name." She felt as if he was trying to de-humanize Merlin in a way. Acting as if he didn't have a name, a life, a personality that existed outside of whatever it was Arthur was trying to turn him into. And by all that was right in the world, no matter what outrageousness Arthur may try in the future, she hoped that Merlin would be just the right kind of stubbornness to resist it all. She would hate to see just a pale imitation of Merlin walking around as he submitted to the ridiculous notion of what people thought that a consort should be.

Arthur continued talking as if she hadn't said a word to interrupt him, "But after you've had your laugh at my expense, you should have came straight to me. Good god, what if my father had discovered he was gone before I had?"

He could just see his father's disapproval on his face as he roared at Arthur about keeping Merlin in line. If he had thought his father's anger over the Clarissa situation had been bad, it would have been nothing compared to Merlin being at fault. Or Arthur's-as his father would insist-for not taking control and putting a stop to all of this at the first hint of defiance from Merlin.

Morgana scoffed-always so defiant against Uther and what he wanted-she saw nothing wrong with somebody else standing against the man. Or Arthur who was becoming more and more like him by the day, following in his footsteps as he prepared for the day he'd be king himself. "Oh, I am sure that you will find a way to talk your way out of whatever it is Uther dared to try. He wouldn't dare risk to have Merlin executed. Not unless he'd done something drastic. You know he's looking at this as Merlin's presence being a sign of this goodwill to the lower town." Even if it didn't seem to be working from what little she had heard from the rumors springing about. She knew it was only a matter of time before the king heard of them as well and decided that Merlin wasn't worth keeping around it he was not doing his one job. That was the only real reason she had been given him lessons on decorum and such.

Arthur glowered, because this was true. It was one of the few things Uther had pointed out to Uther when he'd first told him of this marriage and why it would be good for them. It was supposed to foster goodwill among the peasants and cement their faith and loyalty in the kingdom or something like that. Arthur didn't really buy into it, especially after he'd actually met Merlin himself.

Arthur threw his arm out to the side as to try and make her see sense, "Don't you see what I'm saying?" He demanded harshly, trying to show her the error in her ways. To show her that her laugh wasn't worth it when thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong. "Merlin could have disappeared and not one single person in this castle, except for you who is keeping it a secret, would have known about it until it was too late."

Arthur could feel a hot stabbing pain of panic in his chest at the thought. Merlin being there one day and then gone the next, which Merlin had practically done. How long would it have taken Arthur to realize he was gone if he had not gone to Gaius? With the sickness going on, Arthur would have been busier than ever and Merlin wouldn't have even crossed his mind until he was right in front of him. But he wouldn't be…he would be off running in the woods somewhere as he tried to leave the city completely. And considering Merlin had trouble navigating the marketplace, he would hate to see him out there in the woods. There were just so many dangers that not even he'd be able to predict: from poisonous plants to wild animals to even stray bandits scouting out the roads. Bandits that would be more than happy to take advantage of a lone boy on the road. And if they found out who he was…

Morgana slowly smirked, more carefully and curiosity than she had any other time, tilting her head to look at Arthur through the oddly calculating eyes she had, "You might want to be careful there. For a second there, you had sounded like you actually care about what it is that happens to him." Maybe all hope was not exactly lost if Arthur was showing some kind of care-albeit in a strange manner-for Merlin.

Arthur bristled at the insinuation that she was making. It wasn't like he cared per-say…so it wasn't like Arthur was about to start singing his praises or anything dumb like that. But he was his responsibility, Arthur had to show just a bit of agitated concern if Merlin became a flight risk. Imagine this scenario: Arthur and his knights off on some kind of hunting party, if the disease had never happened and Merlin had been gone for who knows how long, and Arthur had yet to realize it. At least until he'd come across a scene in the woods as if there had been some kind of struggle-sticks being broken or the ground kicked up, disturbed in a strange manner-only to find Merlin's body not that far away after the wolves got to him. He would be completely mauled, blood just splattered everywhere. Claws marks up and down his arms and legs, his face being barely recognizable as it was caved in. His stomach and chest completely torn out, a broken rib cage point out to meet their sights. And that was only marginally better than the second scenario he had in mind. Where Merlin tried to leave only to come across a group of awful and horrid bandits camping out the road. He would end up coming across Merlin at some point. Only he would be stripped of all of his clothes, blood leaking out from somewhere between his legs that was a forbidden place to go to Arthur. His throat slit with dim blue eyes staring at the sky, almost pleadingly and looking for help that would never come. As if he was looking for Arthur who never came to his rescue…it sent a hot flash of rage through Arthur before he vehemently shook his head of those images that would never happen if he had a say in it.

Now, if Merlin wanted to get mauled by wolves and put them all out of their misery, then that was his business. Merlin and his own stupidity at its finest. But the other thing was too much for even Arthur to contemplate or allow. Besides, how was he supposed to take his father's 'advice' and throw Merlin a 'treat' if he was off getting himself killed. But that wasn't an easy because Merlin was over at Gaius' with an armed guard…maybe he should get another two or three just for his own peace of mind…Arthur shook all of that out of his head before getting on with it with Morgana before she got anymore stupid or outrageous ideas.

Arthur shook his hand dismissively between the two of them, "I only care because for all you know, he might be trying to nick some of our silver to pay for a new life somewhere off as far as he can get." They had silver and golden pieces all over the castle. He would not even have to go to the treasury before withdrawing any coins. Just one of his forks off his breakfast tray would be enough to pay for a few weeks in a tavern somewhere. Get a few of them saved up and Merlin could live quite comfortably wherever he choose.

Morgana seemed to take offense to that, her eyes glowing hotly as she glared at her with a clenched jaw, "Well, you cannot go blaming him for up and leaving! You aren't exactly the most welcoming sort! Two months in and all you want to do is pitch fights with him!" As if all of their fights were Arthur's fault, and not Merlin's for doing everything that he wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Welcoming?" Arthur wanted to laugh at that as he watched her sitting back down behind her desk as if she thought she was somethin else. "He should just be happy that I haven't got him bound in chains and locked inside his room-where he belongs-after all of the grief he has given me!"

It burned him up inside because Merlin didn't know any of the sacrifices or tribulations he's had to go through since he had arrived in the city. And Arthur couldn't even tell him about it to get his proper praise because it would just open a whole mother can of worms he didn't want to get into. Being married to a man had made him grow adapt at dodging or avoiding any of the awkward bits and questions all of his mates would try to ask him during those first few weeks, when it had been Arthur who avoided Merlin like it was his job. Just things like 'I didn't know you were interested in men' or 'how did you and he even meet'. They were really too surprised to ask more inappropriate questions and by the time that surprise had worn off, it was already clear that Arthur had no interest in talking about his 'relationship' with Merlin. And don't even get him started again on how much he had to go through to get his father to stop asking him if he'd taken Merlin's virtue like he was supposed to. He'd even had to get Gaius to lie on that one and it was something he had no interest in going back to. But if he told Merlin what he'd done, he would have to explain everything. And he had thought he'd managed to escape the whole 'gay sex talk' that he had no business being apart of but was the only way to get Gaius to agree with the lie. He had even gave him full access to the wealth that being part of the Pendragon family would give him. Had given him prestige instead of just being one mutt among the rest. And not he was keeping his father from finding out Merlin had left the safety of the Royal suites just so he wouldn't take over training Merlin into being a 'proper' Royal. You really would think somebody may be a 'tad' bit more grateful for everything that he had to do. And that wasn't even counting all of his normal duties that he had to see to between all of that.

Morgana shook her head disdainfully as she decided she was done with this conversation. It was clear that Arthur thought too highly of himself, nothing she said was going to stop him from continuing his tirade on Merlin. So she picked up her quill with delicate fingers and looked back to her journal, "I just hope you know what you are doing concerning him Arthur." Morgana said casually as she went back to her writing. Her voice lowered softly so that it sounded like a solemn caress down Arthur's spine. "I really do."

Maybe there was no hope for Merlin and him after all, Morgana thought tensely as she was making her jotting in her journal. Arthur acted as if their marriage was a game, something to not be taken seriously until he gotten enough points to feel satisfied when he finally tossed it away. She only felt sorry for Merlin and who he would become if all of this nonstop pushin and unnecessary fighting didn't stop. Even if she knew Merlin was made of tougher stuff than Arthur thought he was-he had to be to keep going so boldly even after everything he had gone through, soul shattering stuff-but everybody had their limit. She just wondered how far his was exactly before Arthur made a step over it. And the explosion waiting in the wind that would happen.

Arthur scowled in annoyance, hating the way Morgana's disappointment-ringing true in her words-haunted him. He could feel the muscle in his jaw twitching with agitation as he then pushed himself off away her desk, "I can see you've clearly chosen Merlin's side of things." As if there were sides instead of Morgana just trying to help smooth things over. "But I don't have time for this. I'm going to rest so that I can ready myself for trying to save my home while you waste away in here." As if staying in her room during a deadly plague for all of two days was something to worry about.

Morgan's didn't answer him at first, not even when he started to stride away across the length of her room to get to her door. But the subtle creasing of her eyebrows furrowing in together brought out how hurt she was. Back when she had been yelling at Arthur during the dance, she had been full of so much of this self-righteousness. Trying to defend his consort when it was clear that Arthur himself was doing a horrid job of it. Was even actively seeking out how to do an even 'worse' job of being a proper husband. Or not even a kind of proper husband. Arthur was being a down right dick who couldn't even see that Merlin was literally tossed into the same boat that he was. Being married off to a stranger. Only Merlin didn't have the life preserver that the prince seemed to be clinging onto with every little thing he had. But today, today she was just pure disappointment. Disappointed over Arthur's entire manner of handling the awful situation both he and Merlin had been thrown into.

"Arthur." She called out to him only when he was reading her door, his hand hovering over the door handle. Her own hand paused in her writing, a single drop of ink was dripping off the tip of her quill and staining on the blank parchment of her journal, the little black ink spot practically shouting at her.

"What?" Arthur asked a little too snippy as he glared over his shoulder back at her. He most likely should have just ignored her, before he walked on out of here with what sense of his pride he had left after this conversation. But he didn't, and his tone was just enough to get under Morgana's skin. Her mouth got away from her as it always did, and she didn't even care.

"I was just going to say that you don't have to worry about what the people are saying, or of the rumors going around about how much we must 'desperately' need any extra money the Pendragon family needs to get their hands on so they sent their consort out looking for the much needed work to add said gold to all of our coffers."

That damn muscle in Arthur's jaw went to this violent twitching thing again. He was sure he was not going to like what Morgana would be saying next but his curiosity got away from him, "Oh?" He asked darkly. "And why is that, exactly?" And god help him if it was somethin else that would make him wish that he could just wrap his hands around her scrawny little neck and squeeze…sigh.

Morgana smiled, but a smile that showed no teeth. Just her prideful and daring eyes that challenged him to go against her, "When the word gets out, and trust me, the word always gets out, they will be too busy talking about how your own husband left your arse." And then she leaned back in her chair, lifting an eyebrow as she watched him amused. Just waiting to see what he would do next.

Arthur growled. He supposed he could start yelling at her, rightfully telling her that Merlin hadn't 'left' him. He'd just gone so that he'd be able to take a bit of a break from the Royal life. But he doubted that she would believe it if he did. Would probably tell him that Merlin wasn't coming back and it was just sad that a peasant didn't want him so bad that he would not swallow his pride and return to him to get the easy, rich life. It wasn't like that argument would've gone somewhere, or would've been able to change Morgana's mind. She would still think Merlin-stupid, crazy, chest throwing Merlin-had left a prince because he preferred to wallow in the muck than be in Arthur's very presence.

Feeling like Morgana had won some kind of game Arthur didn't know they were playing, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him as he left Morgana to her smirking and to her journaling. He didn't have the time to sit there and listen to Morgana getting her usual smart mouth with him. He needed to get to bed and have an acceptable length of rest so that he could be prepared to get straight back to work in the morning. He would also need to take a moment to put aside a time to sneak into Gaius'-hopefully when neither the physician nor the consort was in there-so he could snag that stupid box Merlin had thrown at him.

Having it fixed and the contents replaced had seemed like an acceptable 'treat' to throw the boy. A small gesture that wouldn't make Merlin think he liked him but just thoughtful enough to make him happy. And therefore a bit less eager to take their kingdom away if he ever found out about the clause in the contract and then saw Arthur in a…compromising position. Not that he would with the kingdom on the line but he was a prince. He needed to be prepared for every possible scenario.

It was too bad for Arthur that the one single scenario he hadn't thought of was going to be the one that happened many, many, many months from that moment: he was going to start his slow descent into love. So slow that he didn't even realize it was happening until it was already too late…

X

Merlin was impatient, extremely impatiently waiting and all he wanted to do was roll out of bed to get started. He was so impatient that he didn't even pretend to dress for bed, still wearing the clothes he had worn that day. He didn't dare move though, from where he laid on top of his bed, not even under his covers as if he was preparing to sleep, for fear that a little creak might reveal what he was planning on doing. Despite the jittering anxiety fueling his body, he didn't even twitch his fingers to let them make a, thump thump thump, sound on the mattress. Merlin was taking absolutely no chances that he would be caught. He had only one chance at this and he wasn't going to let his own impatience ruin it. Not when he knew his uncle was going to stop him point blank if he was caught.

A snore was what finally caught his attention somewhere around three in the morning. His uncle was snoring downstairs after hours of working, observing the slowly dying flower in the vial of water, and seemed to have finally nodded off. But still, he didn't dare try to start moving until he heard that same snore for a good ten minutes. Just to make sure he was in a deep sleep and wasn't just nodding off only for Merlin to wake him up by creeping down the stairs.

Finally, Merlin made his move by doing exactly that. He rolled out of bed as stealthily as he could, which involved hissing under his breath when his knee knocked against the floor and the floorboard beneath him gave an ominous creaking sound. There was this soft moment of silence where Merlin knelt there in frozen bereft, waiting for something to happen. But instead of Gaius bursting into his room and catching him red handed, his deep snoring started up again.

Merlin let out a gush of relieved breath as he hung his head for a second. His heart heated a mile a minute, so sure that he was going to be caught before he even really had a chance to do what he planned. He felt on his pocket just to make sure he had what he needed at the ready, he'd already checked it five times in the last hour alone. But just like he wasn't taking any chances in being caught, he would not take any chances that he got to where he was going only to find he'd forgotten what he needed back home. The large lump that had barely fit in his pocket, making it bulge out a little bit was still there.

Merlin did eventually creep out of his room, going slowly than a turtle as he started to go down the stairs. It must have taken him at least ten minutes to get down those stairs when he usually just bounded down them in all of two seconds. But every step would end up sending a startling creek throughout the chambers. They usually creeped but he had never noticed just how loudly they did. In the dead of night, the creeks seemed to almost be echoing out and he would have to pause and wait. Wait to see if this noise would be the one to finally wake up Gaius. But each time, he had been met with a loud snore that came from the cot his uncle was sleeping on.

Merlin made it to the foot of the stairs before he froze all over again. Gaius was starting to move around on his cot, as if he could sense Merlin's presence near him. But the old man just grumbled in his sleeping state before he was rolling over onto his side. Merlin, before Gaius could truly wake up, made to move to the door. He had almost gotten there when he stopped as a sudden thought occurred to him and he looked back to his sleeping uncle.

Merlin's eyes flashed a solid gold, illuminating the darkness around them but going unseen because of said darkness. The covers on his uncle's cot started moving from the bottom of his bed, itching it's way softly until it was snuggled all the way up to Gaius' chin. Good, Merlin thought with a sneaky grin. His uncle had looked cold, laying there without even a sheet to keep him warm.

But now that was done, Merlin managed to get himself to the door. He opened it just a crack and started to back out slowly, still he kept an eye on Gaius just in case he would go startling awake and find him there. He slowly started to close the door behind him when he stopped, feeling eyes on his back.

Merlin winced and looked over his shoulder at Gregory standing there, looking at him as if he didn't know what to think. God, Merlin was thinking, he had forgotten all about the knight that was supposed to be 'guarding' him. Did the man never sleep or anything?

Gregory didn't say a word, which was what was usual. But he did lift an eyebrow silently at Merlin question. Merlin grinned sheepishly, while all the while cursing at himself inside his head. He didn't say a word before he was ducking back into the room. The lump in his pocket practically burned because if he got caught with it…he was pretty sure he would not be able to talk his way out of it like he had with his Arthur doll.

Merlin, agitated as if he was a caged animal, was a lot less quiet when he went upstairs to his room. But apparently he didn't need to be so quiet the first time because Gaius ended up sleeping right through his slamming the doors. He clearly needed a different way of getting out of this place. With being on the time limit that he was, he couldn't just wait to come up with a plan for the next night. What he had to do was act 'now'.

That was why, not even twenty minutes later, Merlin was clinging onto his bedsheets as he slid down them. He had to tie them all in one big knot together to make it just long enough for him to climb out his bedroom window. It was slow and difficult work where he nearly fell five times at least, but he eventually got his feet onto the ground.

Leaving the sheets hanging from his window for when he returned, and hoping that they wouldn't be discovered since his window was facing the backside of the chambers, Merlin disappeared into the night with his package burning a hole through his pocket.