Camelot College, Cambridge
Author: Fenchurch
Intro : Merlin is accepted into Cambridge University. Once there he saves Arthur's life and ends up with a job. Now he has to survive running around after the scary Pendragon family, actually do some studying and work out exactly what Dr Kilgarrah is trying to tell him. He isn't really that Merlin! Is he?
This is based on my memories of King's College in Cambridge from about 25 years ago – I don't know how much it has changed, so I just guessed. I did the silver service waiting thing in college, which was a fun – especially when serving a formal dinner to friends! Uther is the Master of the college – a position which he most definitely abuses. The Proctor of King's was fine and Mrs Proctor was adorable!
The 'Long Stand' was something that we used to do in my first teaching job. If a pupil was being a pest, you could send him/her to the office for a long or a short stand. They would then be sent on a pillar to post trip around the school until the end of the lesson when they had to present their envelope to the Office staff. If it had any bad comments on it, they had to then show it to the Head Teacher and – blimey- he was a short, but very scary guy. Obviously, Uther can't send Merlin to the stocks, so it seemed like the kind of punishment he would come up with.
**The beginning of the Future**
When the letter arrived it was simultaneously the most exciting and the most terrifying day of Merlin's life. It offered him the place he had been working so hard for, but it also meant that he would have to leave Ealdor, his mum.
"Well?" Hunith asked, leaning over to see her son better.
"I got in!" Merlin announced proudly. "I'm going to Cambridge!"
"I knew you could do it!" Hunith enthused, hugging her son and hiding her sadness. "You make me so proud."
"I'll miss you though Mum," Merlin admitted sadly. "I wish you could come too."
"When you have finished your degree then you can get a great job and I can come and join you. It's the Plan."
Merlin smiled. He had always got good grades and his GCSE and A Levels had seen him receive the highest marks in his school. It had been an old friend of his mother's, Dr Gaius, who had pressed for Merlin to try to enter Cambridge University and he had chosen Camelot College because that was Dr Gaius' College. He and his mother had scraped together the air and train fares to get to Cambridge to be interviewed and he had aced the entrance exams, and now he had a place to read Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic – or ASNaC. He would have to rely on student loans for paying the £9000 per year in tuition fees, and he would have to find a job so he could pay for accommodation, buy books and eat sometimes, but it was really going to happen.
It was lucky that there were low interest Student Loans available even to Northern Irish citizens, but he would still owe at least £50000 after leaving university, which was definitely a scary prospect. His mum was a Library Assistant and didn't have the kind of money to supplement him, and the maxed-out credit cards were preying on his mind, but he only had to get through the summer and maybe he would be able to buy himself a proper laptop instead of the second-hand Chromebook that had got him through school.
Merlin was hoping he could land a scholarship, which would give him another £2000 and he would have to see if he could get a second hand bike or something as the English Faculty was on the other side of town…
"Merlin, stop!" Hunith urged, "I can see you worrying about money again, but this is a huge thing. It could mean you could become an academic or work in land or fisheries or any of the things you wanted to do. Oxbridge grads can do anything they want. You have worked hard for this."
"I know… it's just such a lot of money. I…"
"Ask Dr Gaius when you see him. I'm sure he'll be able to find you something."
He smiled at the thought of his mother's old friend who was a Fellow at Camelot. He had helped her back when she was a single mother of a new baby and had found her the library assistant job in the University he was working in at the time. Dr Gaius was past retirement age, but he still kept his rooms at the college because he was such a respected academic in the field of Complementary Medicine as his remedies actually worked, and it seemed that he would probably live at the college for ever. Merlin had stayed on a camp bed in the academic's rooms when he had gone for his interview and Dr Gaius had offered him the same accommodation to help out when he arrived. He would be allowed an undergrad room, but again it would have to be paid for… another £2000 per term.
"I don't know if I can do it, Mum. It's going to cost so much money…"
Hunith smiled and caressed her son's face. "You are going and you will wow them with your brilliance. When will you have to leave?"
"Term starts in October, but there's Fresher's Week and they reckon that it is better if you get there early. I need to apply for a cheap room."
"So we have just over a month till you leave? I'll miss you."
"I'll phone, Mum. And Skype."
And so just over a month later, Merlin was standing at the bus stop with his rucksack and laptop bag promising the same things. He would phone, skype, take photos, email, anything to keep in touch with his Mum. The bus was on time (of course, it would be on the day when he wanted it to be so very late) and soon he was sitting by the window watching his mother grow distant. He enjoyed flying, but this time it felt as though he would never see his mother again.
Cambridge Station was annoyingly far away from the town and Camelot College was all the way out past Magdalene College and up the hill. It was tucked away behind Lucy Cavendish and sat in a small, but beautiful set of gardens with a high wall all around. It wasn't one of the colleges that tourists crowded around, asking stupid questions and taking photos like King's or John's, but it was quite beautiful in its own right.
The college had been founded in 1726 by Ambrosius Pendragon, the Earl of Avalon and his descendants were still running the place. In fact the current Master was Uther Pendragon, a man whom Merlin had seen on his first visit and been immediately scared by. Dr Gaius (who liked to be known by that name and never told anyone his first name) had told him that Uther had unprecedented power in the college and had sent many students down for various reasons over the years. Merlin had discovered that 'being sent down' was basically being expelled and was the right of the college that you belonged to, as well as that of the Faculty.
The college itself was made up of the Dining Hall, which was the original building made of red brick and designed with Georgian glamour, and the Library and Common Rooms which were Victorian and decidedly castle-like. The Dining Hall was attached to the castle via a large bridge that was a lot like the front of King's College with a tower on the other side. It had turrets and crenelations and was loved by Americans, but hated by Europeans for its totally fake look. The chapel was an old church and looked like an old church with a round tower and then there was the rest – all breeze blocks and glass and concrete.
Merlin wandered over to the Porter's Lodge and signed in, leaving a large chunk of the cash he possessed as a deposit against losing the key to the small door in the large wooden gate and a special pass that he could use to ping himself in and out of the other gates into the college grounds. He was two weeks early, so he told them where he was staying and confirmed that he had applied for a 'Value' room, which would mean that he would have to share a bathroom and a kitchenette with other guys and would only have access to basic wi-fi, but it wouldn't cost so much.
On his way through the college he saw a lad a bit younger than himself pulling along a rather large cart. Merlin had seen lots of these things around carrying students' belongings to rooms or equipment around the colleges.
This particular cart had a mound of boxes, suitcases, a keyboard, a computer and all kinds of stuff and the kid was finding it hard to pull it all up the slope that led towards the Master's Lodge, Hall and SCR. For a moment, Merlin had grinned at the thought that the kid must have brought too much stuff with him, but hadn't realised that he would have to lug it all around himself.
But then he realised that the kid was being watched and… taunted by a group of lads, led by a blond git who was telling 'Morris' to get a move on.
"Come on! Put your back into it! I need my stuff moved, not sitting out in the gardens!"
The entourage thought that this was the height of wit.
"Hey, Owain, sit on the back! Give Morris a real challenge!" the blond prat encouraged.
"OK," presumably Owain agreed and to Merlin's astonishment, he actually sat on the back of the cart, which Morris then let go of due to the extra weight and it rolled down the slope.
Luckily Morris hadn't got very far and the cart only bumped gently into a tree, causing Owain to jump off it and land in the grass laughing, but the prat was clearly annoyed.
"You stupid git!" He raged at Morris. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Merlin saw that the guy was actually going to thwack Morris on the back of his head and he had to intervene.
"Hey! Stop that! You've had your fun." Merlin caught hold of the prat's arm.
"Who the hell are you?" Prat demanded and wrenched his hand easily away from Merlin's.
"I'm Merlin Emrys. I'm…"
"So I don't know you. And you don't know who I am, clearly."
"I know that you're a humongous arse and a bully," Merlin asserted.
"You can't say things like that about me. Do you know who I am?"
"You're behaving like you're Uther Pendragon or something," Merlin scoffed.
"I'm his son, Arthur, Viscount Albion, and you are close to being rusticated or even sent down, Merlin Emrys. Now, make up for your appalling manners and help wimpy Morris to pull up my stuff, or I'll tell my father about you."
"It's your stuff, why don't you pull the cart?" Merlin just couldn't help himself.
"And you think you can make me?" the blond sneered.
"Yes," Merlin tried to make it sound confident.
Arthur opened his arm in invitation. "Go on then! I've been training in combat since I was small."
"And how long have you been training to be a prat?"
"You are an idiot!"
Merlin could never say why he did it, but he actually took a swing at the arrogant git. Of course, he missed and ended up with one arm twisted up behind his back, pinning him in place painfully.
"So, my stuff?" Arthur gestured at the cart triumphantly, not letting go of his adversary. "Pull it up to the house and I won't get you rusticated." He let go and shoved Merlin down onto the path.
Seeing that the fun was over, the small crowd of lads around him laughed at Merlin and then ran off up the hill to disappear into the Master's Lodge.
In astonishment, Merlin looked around to try to work out what the hell had just happened, but Morris came over to him and offered him a hand up.
"Thanks, Merlin. You'd better do as he says though. He has a lot of power around here."
After swinging his arm around to release the pain and tension, grimacing, Merlin took hold of the left side of the tow and Morris took the right and together they pulled the cart up the hill. About half way up, another pair of hands joined them and soon there was a small crowd of people helping and then helping to unload at the other end. Morris started carrying the boxes into the Lodge, and Merlin would have helped, but a small hand held him back.
"That was very brave," said a girl's voice and Merlin looked around and down. "I'm Gwen."
"Merlin," Merlin replied. "Although I think that 'Idiot' works as well."
"Morris is the son of one of the gardeners," Gwen told him "and Arthur has always treated him like that. The Earl has always said that he would fire his dad if he didn't behave."
"That's horrible," Merlin frowned.
Gwen shrugged. "It's just what it is. You're new aren't you?"
"Yes," Merlin grinned. "Pretty obvious, huh?"
"Fresher?"
"Yes. Reading ASNaC."
"This is Morgana, she's reading Art." Gwen indicated a girl with black hair and a deep green dress, who could have stepped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting.
"It's great to meet you," Merlin smiled and wondered if he should offer to shake hands or something. "I need to go and see Dr Gaius. I'm staying with him till term begins."
"Come for a drink in the JCR later. We'll all be there."
Merlin grinned and agreed, picking up his rucksack, then he went off to meet his Mum's old friend.
Dr Gaius had good news in a way. He told Merlin that there was a Formal Dinner that evening and that they needed waiters, so he had put Merlin's name down for it. It wasn't great pay, but Merlin really didn't care about that and he had the obligatory black and white outfit already as that was what you had to wear under your gown for Formals. The staff would get to eat the left-overs as well as a perk.
"If you do OK with that, then they will call on you as much as you want, they always need waiting staff," Dr Gaius told him. "It's what I used to do as an undergrad back in the Dark Ages!" he joked.
So Merlin parked his rucksack on the camp bed in Dr Gaius' study, pulled out the black and white and hung it up so it would be less creased. He then put his carved dragon on the crate that Dr Gaius had set out as a bedside table, sent a text to his mum and pulled out a book.
The Formal Dinner was an Alumnus Dinner and the top table held Uther Pendragon, sitting on a chair that could only be described as a throne, and his son, the Prat, and several academic types, including Dr Gaius, who sat around and made boring conversation about obscure stuff. Merlin was shown how to serve from the right and how to keep wine and soft drinks topped up, how to take choices from the guests and how to take a tray full of stew and make it look beautiful on the college dishes ("Remember, the crest goes at the top"). He learned how to clear away and how to replace, where to put napkins and he managed to only slip a few times. He spilled a drop of red wine on one of the tablecloths and was immediately put on water duty. He wasn't allowed to serve at the top table, of course, because that was the preserve of the college butler and Uther's personal valet, but Merlin was happy being nowhere near the Master so happily left them to it.
After the coffee was served and the port passed, Uther, Earl of Avalon stood and introduced Dame Helen Mora, a personal friend and alumnus, and Merlin was dragged over to keep the coffee coming. This was the final stage and he settled back to enjoy the singing.
What he wasn't expecting was for the singer to suddenly stop her song and produce a dagger, which she aimed at Arthur. Merlin didn't have time to think about it and pulled a pretty drunk Arthur aside as the knife thwapped into the chair he'd been sitting on. Dame Helen was brought down by the guests and waiters around her and the police were called. Apparently she hadn't been impressed when her son was 'sent down' by Uther, and even less so when he had committed suicide.
Three hours later, Merlin had been interviewed and released and even paid, and was informed that Uther was waiting for him, still sitting on the throne with Arthur sitting by his side. Dr Gaius was sitting a couple of seats away looking pleased.
"Um… you wanted to speak to me, sir?" Merlin asked, standing awkwardly with his hands behind his back, wishing he didn't feel so nervous.
"Yes, you saved my son's life," Uther said condescendingly.
"I suppose so, " Merlin shrugged, embarrassed.
"Dr Gaius has told me that you will be searching for a job to supplement your income," he carried on and Merlin blushed and nodded, thoroughly humiliated now.
"Well, I have one for you. My son needs a valet."
"What?" Merlin couldn't help himself and stared with wide eyes. "I don't…"
"Father, I don't…" Arthur said at almost the same time, but Uther spoke over both of them.
"Your duties will be to basically do whatever he tells you to. In recompense I will pay your tuition fees as long as you are in my son's employ."
Merlin just gaped for a moment. "I… er…. I have studies…"
"Of course and I'm sure that you will do well in them, but you may need to help Arthur with his sporting hobbies as well. I am very grateful for your quick thinking." Uther stood and everyone else stood at the same time, leaving both Merlin and Arthur thoroughly stunned, and neither feeling particularly enthusiastic about this situation.
Dr Gaius was chuckling and he came over to his friend's son and patted him on the back. "You said you were looking for a job."
"But… I… what just happened?"
"You have a job!" Dr Gaius shrugged. "It's actually a pretty good position with a lot of chances to meet influential people."
"I don't want to meet influential people!" Merlin hissed in protest.
"Well, don't complain. Uther will send you down if you don't please him. You wouldn't be the first."
Merlin really didn't like the amusement in the old guy's eyes.
Merlin turned around and found the prat… Arthur, now sitting on the table with a huge smirk on his face.
"I will need to be woken at 8.30 tomorrow morning and I will need breakfast. You call me 'sir' or 'my lord' and I expect politeness and decorum. I'll tell you what else needs to be done tomorrow."
Then Arthur pushed himself off the table and chuckled before leaving the hall. "Don't be late!"
Merlin had nothing to say to that; nothing at all.
The next morning his phone woke him up at 7am and he dragged himself out of bed and went to use the bathroom. As a retired, or 'emeritus' Fellow, Dr Gaius had a full suite in the tower on the college side of the bridge, with an office, a bedroom and a bathroom as well as a small sitting room. Merlin had to close the camp bed up during the day so that Dr Gaius could use his office for his work. He was writing a final book which he claimed would never be finished, but the CUP had told him that he had no deadline for this one.
Merlin cleared his stuff up and went to find Dr Gaius who was pouring out Cornflakes into a bowl. Merlin accepted his own bowl and added soy milk, then made himself a cup of tea and sat down to eat at the tiny table in the sitting room.
"I'm going to have to find a way to earn some actual money so I can afford to live somewhere," Merlin announced mournfully between spoonsful.
Dr Gaius thought about the email he had received from Hunith and offered. "You can stay here, my boy. It's nice to have someone around. Maybe you could help out with cleaning?"
Merlin's smile was sunny. "Thank you, Dr Gaius!"
There was a knock at the door and Dr Gaius opened it to find a youngish man standing outside who Dr Gaius clearly recognised.
"Is Merlin here?" Merlin waved. "The Master sent me to tell you what you need to do."
"The Master?" Merlin questioned. He kind of knew that the elected head of each college was called the Master, but it seemed a bit weird, and maybe evil, like something out of Dr Who.
"Yes, Lord Pendragon. You must always call him either 'Master' or 'my lord' depending on whether he is on college business or personal business."
Merlin gulped and tried to take that on board. "What about Arthur?"
"The Viscount is to be addressed as 'my lord' or 'sir'," the pompous stuffed shirt told him, although that tallied with what Arthur had told him. Merlin looked at Dr Gaius who merely raised an eyebrow in amusement. "This is your staff card and you may use it to obtain breakfast and lunch at the canteen. At Formal Halls you may come to the kitchens after service or else, after serving the Viscount, your meals will be provided by the Master's Lodge."
"I'm not sure about this," Merlin murmured.
"It's a great honour," the weirdo told him and Merlin couldn't help snorting. "Lord Arthur will need breakfast at 8.40am and he will have Earl Grey tea with milk, two rounds of medium toast in a toast rack and two butter portions, scrambled eggs and bacon. The chef will prepare it and you will deliver it with the Financial Times and the Guardian."
Merlin finished his breakfast and pulled on his suede jacket.
"You are going to wear that?" the valet, or whatever he was, sniffed.
"Maybe 'Lord Arthur' can decide if he wants me to wear anything else?" Merlin suggested, avoiding air quotes by a whisker and the valet nodded approvingly, which again made Merlin snort. "And where do I get the papers from?"
"The Porter's Lodge. You must find out if there are any messages or any post for your master as well."
"My what?" Merlin squawked.
"Your master. He is the Master of the college's son and you are to do whatever you are told. Meet me at 8.25am and I will show you where to go," the man acknowledged the academic with a curt, "Dr Gaius," bowed and left.
"What the hell?" Merlin asked while Dr Gaius chuckled.
"It'll be fun, I'm sure!" his mother's friend grinned. "Now, get to the Porter's Lodge. Your master awaits."
Armed with papers, two letters, a flyer about Domino's Pizza and a post-it note from someone called Sophia, Merlin made his way up the slope and stopped in front of the huge black doors. The house was a Georgian mansion with huge windows and carefully sculpted gardens. There was an actual security guard standing on the steps and he stopped Merlin and asked him what he was there for.
"Apparently I'm Lord Arthur's new valet," Merlin shrugged. "I was told to be here by 8.25am."
"Well, you're about three minutes late and the staff entrance is round the side. You can't miss it. It leads to the kitchens. And… good luck," the guard told him and grinned. "You only get to come in this way if you're with the Viscount."
With a sinking feeling, Merlin went around the side and found the kitchen, where a tray was ready with the things that he had been told Arthur would want.
"You must be Merlin. I'm Audrey, the chef, and you need to be on time," she admonished. "You will pour the tea just before entering the room and don't hand him the tray until you have woken him up and opened the curtains. There is a table by the French window onto the balcony. Be polite, don't forget to call him 'sir' and… well, good luck."
Even more unnerved, Merlin followed the weirdo guy he had seen earlier (George apparently) and climbed up the 'servants stairs' to a gallery above the sweeping staircase down to the entrance hall. The carpet on the landing was so thick that Merlin could feel his trainers sinking into it and he followed George up another set of stairs and to an ornate double door. Once there George pantomimed that Merlin was to knock, so he did, balancing the tray on his knee, and then opened the door, whereupon George completely abandoned him, whispering 'Good luck' on his way out.
The room was huge. Merlin's entire flat at home that he shared with his mum could have easily fitted in it. In the gloom of the closed curtains he could see that there was a bathroom to one side, a huge set of French windows on the other looking down onto the Fellow's Garden, another large window to the left and a sitting area. There was a massive desk that was clearly an antique with two laptops open on it, the biggest TV Merlin had ever seen outside of Currys, an open fire and a dressing area with clearly more clothing than one person could ever need. And in the middle was an actual four poster bed and Arthur, sitting up with his iPhone and a cross expression.
Merlin blushed and clutched the tray, hoping that he wouldn't spill or drop anything.
"Um…. Hi… er… sir?"
"You're late," Arthur said without looking up from his phone.
"I'm sorry… I couldn't find anything and I went to the wrong door…"
"So, a bit stupid then? Is that my breakfast?"
"Yes?" Merlin couldn't help making it sound like a question. He took it over to Arthur and handed it to him, then remembered that he was supposed to pour the tea. He started to pull the tray back, but Arthur had already grabbed his end, so the plate slipped and it was only by total good fortune that Merlin managed to stop the plate tipping onto the bed. "Um… sorry." Merlin winced and was very thankful that the tea had only spilt onto the tray, although there was a patch of milk that dripped through the handles of the tray.
"Oh God, you're completely incompetent!" Arthur raged.
"I'm sorry, I've never done this before," Merlin apologised.
"You know that if I tell my father then he'll fire you?"
"Yes," Merlin winced, "I know… I… sorry?"
Arthur grabbed the tray and started trying to sort his ruined breakfast out. "No, I can't eat this. There's tea on my toast. Take it away."
Merlin took possession of the tray again and started out towards the door, but Arthur stopped him.
"Where the hell are you going?"
"You told me to take it away!" Merlin explained a bit exasperated.
"Just put it on the table and open the bloody curtains! I can't see a bloody thing!" Merlin remembered that he should have done that before trying to throw breakfast at his 'master'. He went over to the huge velvet curtains and yanked them aside, feeling a little satisfaction when Arthur winced at the sudden light. He then remembered the post and the papers and pulled them out of his jacket pocket to hand to Arthur.
"Where the hell have these been? And what in God's name are you wearing?"
"I… just in my pocket, I was carrying the tray, and I'm wearing clothes," Merlin frowned.
"Where do you shop? Primark?"
Merlin never shopped in Primark as he didn't like their ethics, but he always bought cheap, because he could only afford cheap. The jacket had been from Oxfam. He blushed again.
"I'm not a pampered prince like you."
"A what?" Arthur demanded, scandalised.
"Some of us weren't born with a golden spoon in our mouths," Merlin stated insultingly.
"It's 'silver spoon' you idiot!"
"I know what I meant," Merlin insisted through gritted teeth. He would do the job so that he didn't get fired or expelled, but he didn't have to bow and scrape.
"You're very insulting," Arthur complained with, well, it was sort of a chuckle.
"One of my many charms," Merlin grinned. "Would your highness like some help with dressing and bathing?"
"I want my Zegna and the Pink's shirt on the end. Go and get them," Arthur commanded.
Merlin went to the whole separate room that appeared to be Arthur's wardrobe and looked in dismay at the array of suits and shirts, pants, trousers, jeans, shoes and other stuff. What the hell was a Zegna? And would any pink shirt do?
"Well?" Arthur suddenly appeared at the door to the dressing room.
"I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you want," Merlin shrugged and indicated the racks.
"The Zegna suit – it's at the end. The blue one… no, not that one, the… two down… and the Pink's. Not a pink shirt, Ye Gods, you really are an idiot. Pink's, it's a tailor's mark. The shirts under P – any of them."
With many insults, mistakes, questions and much embarrassment, Merlin finally found the clothes Arthur was demanding and laid them out over a screen that he hadn't spotted before.
"You don't want me to actually put the clothes on you then?" Merlin sneered.
"No," Arthur responded curtly. "Go away and get me a breakfast I can eat."
"Yes Master," Merlin said sarcastically, picking the tray up and trying not to run away.
Of course, he then had to explain to the scary Audrey that he had messed up the delivery and offered to make replacement food, which Audrey allowed, but not without supervision. Taking the new breakfast back went better and Merlin was ordered to clear up, replace the soiled bedding, clean the bathroom and take the washing down to the laundry room.
Merlin left again with permission to go and do anything he needed to do before coming back for lunchtime. Carrying a wicker basket full of dirty laundry as well as the remains of the breakfast (which had passed for quality), Merlin pulled the door behind him and paused to reflect.
"That went well…" he sighed.
He turned to head towards the servants' stairs, but realised that he had gone the wrong way, so he turned back and found that he hadn't gone back the way he had come, but a completely different way. There was a green security sign on the wall next to a door, so he opened that and went in, only to find himself in a lady's bedroom, with a lady in the bathroom, clearly visible through the frosty shower screen. Yelping, he backed away into someone carrying a pile of sheets, which ended up on the floor along with the debris from Merlin's tray .
"Oh crap! Sorry! Gwen!"
"Merlin! What are you doing here?"
"I'm working for Señor Psychopath, didn't you know?"
"You mean Arthur?" Merlin sniggered that she had understood immediately. "I work for Morgana. I think it makes Uther feel important!" She confided.
Merlin helped her up and started collecting the sheets and clothes. "Why Morgana?"
"She's Uther's adopted daughter. Best friend's daughter."
"Creepy," Merlin grimaced.
"Sh! You can't say things like that! And why were you in her room?" Gwen hissed.
"I was looking for the stairs we lowly surfs are allowed to use."
Gwen chuckled. "Go back to the main corridor, then turn left and use the last door on the right. It'll take you back down to the kitchen."
"I'm sorry I couldn't meet up for that drink. I was working at the dinner."
"I heard," Gwen nodded. "You saved Lord Arthur's life. Anyway, I've got to… you know, sheets and things?"
"Yeah, me too. Maybe we can get a drink some other time?"
Gwen nodded with a friendly smile and Merlin handed the last skirt to her.
Merlin had tasks of his own to complete. He had to get ready to matriculate, which was annoying, and then sign up for a library card, for which he had to take all kinds of documents and proof, he had to go and pick up his second hand academic gown from Ryder and Amies, which he had ordered before, but still had to pay for. He needed a bike, but that would have to wait as he had to go back and take Arthur some lunch, and anyway he didn't have much money left.
Lunch went better. Arthur was working at the desk and he grunted as Merlin placed the tray down on a spare patch. Arthur didn't thank him, which Merlin thought was a bit rude, but he did look up.
"You didn't clean the bathroom this morning. It has to be done every day or else the scale builds up. Also I have a cricket match tomorrow. I need my pads, my mouthguard, helmet and my gloves cleaned and you need to make sure that there are no grass stains on the trousers. Check my shoes and make sure that they are clean as well. They all need to go into the cricket bag along with the rest of my whites. Have you got all that?"
"Yes," Merlin nodded. "Are they all in there?" he nodded at the dressing area.
"Of course not! They are in the sports utility room," Arthur replied as though everyone had a special room in which to clean sports gear. Merlin's brain flashed onto his mother who had to either take things to the laundrette or just wash things by hand because there just wasn't room in the flat for a washing machine. Huh, different worlds…
He had to approach George for directions and aid, and was treated to very detailed instructions on how to clean cricket pads as well as general comportment and demeanour while in the presence of the great Pendragons. Apparently sitting down in their presence wasn't allowed, and making eye contact severely discouraged.
Merlin sighed and started scrubbing, because, of course, there were grass stains all over everything. He imagined Arthur throwing himself into catches and runs and knew that the stupid git probably threw himself into the game with passion. Merlin hated cricket.
When everything was impressively white again, and Merlin was quite surprised at how good a job he had done, it was time to go and clean the bathroom. He barged into Arthur's room and was surprised to find him still there, tapping away at a laptop and talking to someone – Merlin guessed he must be using earbuds or something and not actually berating himself.
The cleaning gear was in the cupboard behind the door and twenty minutes later, the bathroom was scrubbed clean and scale-free. Of course, Arthur had to come in while Merlin had his head practically in the toilet, but Merlin just avoided looking at him.
"I'll leave you to it," he blushed and got up, accidentally kicking the (thankfully closed) bottle of bleach over.
"Get me a coffee. I always need coffee, so if you have nothing else to do, get me one," Arthur commanded with an eye-roll and Merlin just got up, stuffed the cleaning gear back into the cupboard and made a run for it.
Of course he had to need a latte – No instant coffee for a Pendragon. Audrey showed him how to use the machine which was much more complicated than the one in the pub back home.
Fighting a wave of homesickness, Merlin managed to get the coffee to Arthur without spilling it, which was a feat in and of itself.
"What are you studying?" Arthur asked, making Merlin start as he hadn't expected any interaction, not even a thank you.
"ASNaC."
"What-nack?" Arthur grimaced.
"Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic," Merlin replied carefully and wasn't at all surprised at Arthur's reaction.
"What on earth for?"
"It's fascinating," Merlin tried to explain. "There are still fragments of stories written on parchment that have survived for 1500 years! They come from a time before any kind of technology and tell tales of bravery and hardship. And English has evolved so much since those days…."
"Dead languages, totally pointless."
"Well, thank you for denigrating my passions," Merlin replied offended. "What did you study?"
"Economics, of course. I'm going to make something of my life and build a better world," Arthur announced arrogantly.
"Capitalist pig!" Merlin mumbled.
"What did you say?"
"Your room is very big… er sir," Merlin smiled to himself.
Arthur looked around his room as though he had never seen it before. "Yes, it is," He frowned at his valet. "How did you get into Cambridge? Seriously?"
"I worked hard and did all my homework," Merlin replied as he left the room.
Arthur was such a pompous, condescending, irritating…
"Oh crap! Sorry!" he said quickly as he crashed into Morgana.
"Gabh mo leithscéal!" She said quickly.
"You speak Irish!" Merlin enthused in Irish.
"I do, but not fluently," Morgana answered in delight, "Do you speak it at home?"
"No, but my Da did, so my Mum sent me to an Irish medium primary school. I rarely get to speak it though," Merlin explained.
"You speak it better than I do! I just speak a bit to confuse people!" Morgana chuckled and Merlin liked the way her eyes sparkled.
"Hey!" They both turned to see Arthur standing at his open door, looking like some kind of prince. Merlin, stepped back a bit and wasn't quite sure why. "No flirting in corridors! You!" he pointed at Merlin, "Go and wash my car!"
"What?"
"You heard me!" Arthur growled menacingly.
Merlin sighed and headed off, but not before he heard Morgana hiss 'Bodach!", which of course made him hide a snigger.
Arthur's car was a Porsche of course, red, flashy, very new, totally Arthur. Merlin found the bucket and cloths in a small room full of car stuff and discovered that one of the taps in the old sink actually spewed out hot, soapy water like the one in the Dining Hall kitchens. It was barely worth cleaning the stupid thing as it gleamed like a shiny new pin already, but Merlin did as he was told and washed, polished and then scarpered back to Dr Gaius' chambers before the Pendragon Prince could order him to do anything else.
Dr Gaius was sitting at his desk reading on his sleek computer. He looked up as Merlin came in and took note of his wet clothes.
"You've been busy," he commented.
"Didn't get out quickly enough and got sent to clean his lordship's car," Merlin complained as he made to sit down on the armchair opposite Dr Gaius' desk. "Do you want a coffee?"
Dr Gaius smiled. "A tea would be lovely, thank you. Milk, no sugar."
Groaning with the effort of pulling himself to his feet again, Merlin headed into the galley kitchen and switched the kettle on. Tea sounded heavenly.
In his office, Dr Gaius read through the email from Hunith one more time.
"He's very special and obliging. He was once told that he would serve a man who would fight for the underprivileged and build a new world. I don't know what to think about this, but it makes me think of his father. Merlin is infinitely kind and loyal and ripe for being taken advantage of."
It was very true. The boy was very trusting and naïve. He watched as the lad brought him his tea and just check for permission before settling himself on the visitor's chair and sipping.
"So, how was your first day?" Gaius asked.
That evening Merlin was expected to take dinner up to Arthur again. He picked up the tray and carried it carefully up the stairs, but hadn't realised that it was one of the bed trays and the left-hand leg had come loose and fixed itself in place. As he pushed his way into Arthur's room, ignoring the complaint about his lack of knocking, he concentrated on keeping the gravy on the plate and the wine glass upright. He was doing really well, right up until he placed the tray on the desk and it landed at a 45 degree angle, splattering food and wine all over Arthur's in tray and onto the carpet.
For a whole twenty seconds both lads looked at the mess in horror, then Merlin dropped down to start trying to deal with it.
"I'm so sorry!" He apologised as he picked up chicken and carrots and tried to right the wine glass that was still dripping over the edge.
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're a bloody idiot!"
"I'm really sorry, I just… I didn't…"
"No, you really didn't!" Arthur snapped and slapped the back of his head.
"Ow!" Merlin protested in shock.
"Don't be such a baby and get cleaning!" Arthur carried on, picking up his correspondence and trying to salvage what he could.
Defeatedly and rubbing his head, Merlin went into the bathroom and picked out what he could to help right his mess. He had always been clumsy. His mum used to say that he was too small for his long body and the extra bits on his limbs were too hard to control. As he crawled around on the floor, hoping that he could get the stains out of the carpet, he wondered if he would be out of a job now. He'd have to go and plead with the bank manager about reinstating those loans… £50000 to pay in the future, and…
"Have you at least sorted my cricket gear?"
Merlin looked up to see Arthur peering down at him. He sighed and nodded before heading off to the kitchens for carpet cleaning supplies and replacement food.
The sun had set when Merlin was allowed to leave. Arthur had demanded that Merlin wait while he ate and then sent him for coffee, an espresso this time, shouting at him when he forgot the sugar. He had leaned on the wall behind Arthur, watching, hoping his stomach didn't rumble. Arthur had mumbled about the details for the next day and the duties he would have, while Merlin mentally ran though Old Futhark runes and determined to look up some really mean adjectives in Norse to describe the Viscount, and maybe a curse or two.
Down in the kitchens, the staff were already eating and Audrey had kept a portion of the roast dinner for him, but he didn't want to tell her that he was a vegetarian and that he couldn't bring himself to eat the meal. He ate the vegetables because he was very hungry, trying not to think about the meat gravy and pushed the chicken around the plate. There was Audrey, the large, scary chef, Leon, the chief of Security, George, Lord Pendragon's valet, Ewan and Owen, two more guards and Tyr, the part-time chauffeur. There was also Gwen who tried hard to flirt with him, but was tying herself up in knots. She commiserated about Arthur and his petty meanness, but agreed that there wasn't really much they could do about it.
"Are you in the same situation as me?" Merlin asked her. "Uther is paying for my studies, but that's it. He gave me a staff canteen card as well, so at least I can go to the Dining Hall."
"No, not really. My dad works for Uther as a mechanic - they are really into their cars – and I was offered this job when Morgana moved here permanently. She used to switch between the Castle and her father's family in Ireland, but she lives with Uther now. I'm not sure if she is happy about that or not."
Leon sent Ewan out to do his duty and that was the signal for everyone to start clearing up. The dishwasher had to be loaded and the counters wiped down with anti-bacterial spray, waste food had to be disposed of and everything cleared away. It was a well-oiled machine and Merlin hardly dared to join in, but happily took the spray and cloth when directed, and wiped the huge kitchen table.
Audrey stopped him as he was about to head out.
"You need to be more careful, lad. You upset two meals today and Lord Arthur won't be happy. Ask George if you need help."
"Thanks Audrey… I'm just clumsy and unfortunate, I didn't mean to…"
"I know," she smiled at him. "You'll get the hang of it eventually."
When his phone woke him up at 7am the next morning, all he really wanted to do was hide under the covers and stay there all day. Yesterday had been a total disaster and he wasn't sure how he could have made it better.
Dr Gaius, however, forced him up and poured cornflakes for him, while Merlin made tea, then he was pushed out of the door.
"It can't be any worse than yesterday," Dr Gaius promised.
Merlin shrugged. "It'll be just as bad, plus cricket," he said gloomily and faced his doom.
Breakfast went well. He didn't spill anything, he remembered to pour the tea and to use the tables and he had the enormous pleasure of actually waking Arthur up. Arthur turned out not to be a morning person. In fact he was a very grumpy morning person, although if Merlin were to be quite frank with himself, he'd say that Arthur was not a day person… or a night person either.
He made Merlin help him into his cricketing gear, which Merlin ran to fetch during his shower, and made a bit of fuss about the blazer, which Merlin had to de-fluff. Then, while Merlin was cleaning the bathroom again, Arthur made a bunch of mean-sounding phone calls.
As Merlin was stowing the cleaning stuff, Arthur wandered into the en-suite (which was still larger than his Mum's bathroom at home) and demanded Merlin's phone number.
Merlin duly fished out his phone, which Arthur snatched out of his hand, laughing at the fact that it was an old slider phone, and pink.
"Did you get this from your sister? Or was it your auntie?" Arthur laughed. "I bet it doesn't even have camera, or internet."
"No… it was my Mum's," Merlin blushed sulkily. "I got it when I was able to get her a new…"
"Alright, I don't want your whole history! I'm getting you a proper phone tomorrow. Seriously, this is an antique!"
"No.. um… you…"
"Merlin? Shut up," Arthur ordered and made to leave.
Merlin hiked the cricket bag up over his shoulder – apparently he was the one to have to carry it – and followed Arthur down to the garage.
The match was going to be played at home, on the Camelot grounds which were out near Maddingly, so nowhere near the college. Arthur popped the boot and gestured for Merlin to put the bag in, nodding at the passenger side.
"You want me to come with you?" Merlin asked, astonished.
"Of course! I need to practise first and you go where I go," Arthur sneered. He seemed to have developed a special 'you are such an idiot' expression for Merlin, but Merlin just shrugged and wondered if he could ask to go and get a book to read. He decided not to as Arthur was clearly very much in a hurry, so he slid his long legs into the, frankly, uncomfortable seat that almost made him feel like he was lying down, while Arthur screeched out of the garage and sped at an illegal speed up Maddingly Road.
At least Maddingly wasn't too far away, and Merlin was pretty sure he had left indents in the handle on the passenger door from clinging on for dear life. Arthur had realised that his servant was terrified and kept smirking at him and swerving especially annoyingly. He then slammed to a halt in a parking space and climbed out.
Merlin breathed deeply, trying to convince himself that he was still all in one piece, although he was pretty sure some parts of him were still struggling to catch up. He climbed out on wobbly legs and looked at the smug bastard he was supposed to obey.
"You're a real girl, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir," Merlin agreed and completely missed the key thing being thrown at him. It hit him on the shoulder. "Ow!"
Arthur grinned triumphantly. "Take her out and fill her up while I'm playing."
"What?" Merlin asked after picking the fob thing up.
"Take. Her. Out.." Arthur spelled out obnoxiously.
"No, I can't!" Merlin interrupted. "I can't drive!"
Arthur looked like the world had suddenly been removed from under his feet and they stood looking at each other over the top of the car.
"You can't drive?" Arthur said after metaphorically finding his feet again. "You are over 17 aren't you?"
"Yes," Merlin replied, offended. "yes I am, I'm 18, but I've never had a lesson. I don't even have a provisional licence."
"I passed the day after my 17th birthday! My dad gave me a car! Why the hell have you not passed your test?" Arthur moved around to the back of the car and the boot popped itself up again.
"Do you know how much it costs to get lessons? And we don't have a car anyway," Merlin growled irritated as he yanked the huge cricket bag out of the boot. Who the hell needed three cricket bats anyway?
"Well, we'll have to do something about that!" Arthur declared and strode off to the pavilion, leaving Merlin with an astonished and bewildered look on his face… again.
Camelot shared the grounds with Essetir College, but they were playing Caerleon today. It was a long standing, supposedly 'friendly' fixture with its own trophy that would be taken home by the victorious team and Camelot was very much in the lead for wins.
Merlin had never been inside a proper cricket pavilion. His school had glossed over cricket and stuck with rugby and football (both of which he detested) or tennis, or athletics (which he also detested). He was always picked last although he was actually pretty good at running and had gained a little glory on a single cross-country race one time. Otherwise PE had always been a black window of doom on his school timetable.
It was kind of smelly and filled with lots of posh sporty people who clapped each other on the back and seemed overly friendly with each other. Merlin forlornly followed Arthur and accepted his blazer, which he hung on a coat hanger before sliding it into Arthur's personal locker. He was then rather astonished to find himself actually kneeling down and changing Arthur's shoes – really?
"Can't you do this yourself?" He asked, flabbergasted.
"Of course, but why would I when I've got you?" Arthur smirked back at him.
Merlin sat back on his heels and couldn't think of a counter-argument that wouldn't see him fired or out of the college, so he just huffed and stood up.
"Right, with me," Arthur commanded. "And next time wear sports clothes."
Merlin decided not to tell him that he had no 'sports clothes' and just followed him out of the pavilion and down to the practice nets.
"Are you a batsman or a bowler?" Merlin tried to be interested.
"All-rounder," Arthur answered offhandedly. Of course, Merlin sighed, he would be. "Right, where's my bat?"
They stood looking at each other for a moment, it becoming quickly very clear that neither of them had a bat in their hands.
"Oh, right… I'll go and…"
Arthur cuffed him on the back of the head again. This was clearly going to be a 'thing'. It didn't hurt much, but it was annoying. Merlin made sure to complain loudly and then headed back to fetch the bat, or at least one of the three he had carried into the pavilion.
As he was going in, he went past the visitors' changing rooms, which wasn't as empty as it was supposed to be. There was a large guy in there talking to a tank or something.
"Ok, my beauties, but you'll have to wait for later on…"
Suddenly the visitor looked up and glared at Merlin, then he stood and slammed the door in Merlin's face.
Nonplussed, and a little creeped out, Merlin just went for the cricket bat, not giving any thought to which one he had chosen. He then ran back to Arthur's side and offered the bat.
"Nope, you're using it. It's my practice bat." Merlin smiled at finally getting something right. "Go over there while I practice bowling."
"I've never actually…"
"Move!" Arthur shoved him and Merlin headed off to stand in the net.
For the next half an hour Arthur threw hard, red leather balls at Merlin with varying degrees of viciousness. He threw hard balls at Merlin's knees, bouncers that missed his head by millimetres, spin balls that tricked him into diving one way, only to be hit hard on the shins the other way, and eventually full tosses that made Merlin just duck or drop the bat and cover his face.
"Do you really need me here?" he asked after finding himself on the ground, "I mean, you could just throw them into the net.
"But you give me something to aim at!" Arthur grinned and threw another bouncer that missed his head by a whisper. "Right, get up and go get me some water."
"Yes sir," Merlin grumbled and limped off back to the pavilion.
There was a bar/tea room in the pavilion on the first floor, so Merlin went up there in search of water.
"What do you want?" The lady behind the bar asked a bit menacingly.
"Oh… er.. does Arthur Pendragon have a tab?" Merlin asked, suddenly realising that he didn't have any money.
"Lord Arthur? Why do you ask?"
"Oh… er… he sent me for a bottle of water," Merlin blushed.
"Who are you?"
Merlin took a deep breath and admitted, "I'm his… um… servant."
The 'lady' stared at him and then asked, "What happened to the other kid?"
"I don't know… sorry," Merlin winced.
The lady turned and opened a fridge, pulling out a bottle of Evian. "Good luck," she said, handing it over.
Merlin took the bottle and wondered why everyone kept saying that.
Thankfully, by the time he got back to the nets, Arthur seemed to have found some actual cricketers to abuse and was happily whacking red balls all over the place. Arthur stopped long enough to grab the water and drank half before pouring the rest over his head (which Merlin thought was a bit pretentious), then he stomped off and ignored Merlin, who decided to go back to the pavilion in search of sanity before someone told him to collect the scattered cricket balls.
He was quietly sitting in the corner with some paper, drawing runes that may or may not have phonetically spelled out what he really thought of the blond git, when the 'lady' came over to stand over him.
"So you're Lord Arthur's servant now?"
"Hm…" Merlin nodded.
"What's that then?" She nodded at the runes.
"I'm reading Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic," Merlin explained.
"Oh my God, you're a student!" she exclaimed.
"Um… yes?" Merlin agreed.
"You're a member of the college," she added.
"Yes, or at least I will be when term starts."
"I thought you were one of the Pendragons' whipping boys. Sorry," she excused herself.
"Oh, I think I'm probably that too," Merlin blushed. "It's my second day and I don't know how long he's going to keep me! Why does it matter?"
"Members of the college are allowed to be up here, but other hangers-on aren't unless they are accompanied by a college member. Cambridge is a lot like that." She shrugged. "Do you want anything?"
"No thank you, not really… unless you have any more paper? I didn't know I was going to be here or I'd have brought a book."
"Bloody students," she teased gently. "I'm Judy by the way."
"Merlin," said Merlin.
"Sorry, did you say Merlin? And you're with Arthur Pendragon?" she guffawed.
"Yes," Merlin acknowledged with a grin. "I know."
"Do you want Lord Arthur's baguette? And his favourite crisps are cheese an' onion, but only really posh cheese an' onion."
"Thank you," he smiled and took the offered goods along with a Mars Bar. "Do you know what I'm supposed to do this afternoon? I mean it's cricket, so nothing momentous is going to happen."
"Well the girlfriends set up tea at about 3pm, so I guess you'll be doing that," she said bustling back with some paper.
"I'm not his girlfriend," Merlin snorted.
"Meh, near as.." she laughed and bustled off.
Arthur was with his team mates in the locker room where the language was salty and the smell revolting.
"Ah, my new slave! Guys, this is Merlin, Merlin the guys!"
Merlin grimaced and waved his fingers. "Judy said that you would want these," he offered.
"Thank you Jeeves," he waved his hand magnanimously. "The match starts at 2pm. It's a twenty-twenty but I'll still need to be ready if we bat first."
"Yes Master," Merlin answered facetiously with a silly bow and was rewarded with raucous laughter, after which he made his escape and hid behind Ogram for a while, then started writing some really bad Latin poetry about stupid gits with pompous attitudes and too much money.
2pm rolled by and Caerleon were batting first. Merlin watched the first few overs, but only really took interest when Arthur was bowling. Even to Merlin's less than expert eyes, he was good. He mixed up the speeds and spins and placed his fielders very carefully, so that by the end of his first over he had already scored a wicket. He may even have got two batsmen out, but the Wicket-keeper let him down. Merlin waited for Arthur to round on the poor man and give him a hard time, but he actually patted the guy on the shoulder and reclaimed his jumper from the Umpire.
Merlin had completely lost interest about half an hour in. There was only so much chucking balls at people and watching them hit, duck or avoid that could keep his interest. Cricket is a slow, boring game, he decided, especially when every six balls everyone just meandered around the field for a bit. The only exciting bits were the contested LBWs when everyone yelled 'Howzat?'. He decided to have a look at the visitors' changing rooms again. The waiting batsmen were all leaning on the white fencing outside the tea-room and the brute he had seen earlier was batting, so he went to see what he had been talking to.
There was a tank in the changing room with a handle on top for portability, and inside was a landscape of plants and sand, and… three big black snakes. It wasn't a cobra and Merlin knew very little about snakes, but these ones were way too big to be anything but a horrible pet.
"What are you doing in here, boy?"
Oh shit! It was the big cricketer who owned the snakes. "Oh, I… um… I saw the tank and… they are really scary snakes…" Merlin said nervously.
"They're poisonous and they only bite nosy boys, now scram!"
Merlin nodded and scrammed.
At 3pm Merlin helped to lay out the traditional tea. Sandwiches and sausage rolls and cake and all the usual stuff. Some of the girlfriends and one boyfriend had brought cakes and someone had brought a massive bowl of strawberries, but the rest was carted in by the college caterers. At 4pm the cricketers came in and after mixing so that a member of each team sat next to a member of the other team, sat down with their partners. Merlin realised that there was one seat free, but it wasn't for him as he was given a teapot the size of a beachball. It didn't take long for him to realise that the missing person was the big snake guy.
He turned up soon and Merlin overheard people calling him 'Valliant', but he couldn't help thinking that it was possibly not the best name for him. He was rude and brutish, although he was clearly moneyed. Then Merlin saw him distract the Camelot guy next to him and then drop some liquid in the Camelot guy's tea!
For a moment he panicked, standing still and staring at what had just happened. What could he do? Who could he tell? He suddenly dived over and picked up the guy's tea cup.
"What the hell are you doing?" Valliant demanded.
"Oh.. er… sorry, I just… I just saw a fly land in your tea! I'll get you another one! Um, sir," Merlin said running off with the tea cup, heart batting like a drum.
"Merlin! What the hell are you up to?" Arthur hissed in his ear.
Merlin stopped and grabbed Arthur's sleeve, pulling him into the kitchen. "Arthur, he put something in the tea cup! He has this snake in the dressing room and…"
"Changing rooms, Merlin!"
"Whatever, he's got this snake and he told me it was poisonous and then he put something in your guy's tea and I don't know what he's trying to do but this tea is poisoned!" He looked at Arthur's doubting face. "You've got to believe me! I saw him do it!"
"Why the hell would he do that?" Arthur demanded. "He's a cricketer, it's not even a championship game!"
"I don't know, but he did!"
Arthur hesitated and frowned at Merlin. "Do you swear that what you are telling me is true?"
Merlin gave Arthur the benefit of the deepest stare he possibly could. "I swear it, Arthur."
Arthur stared back as though trying to see into Merlin's soul and then he nodded. "I believe you. I just don't know what I should do."
"Arthur?" One of the Camelot team came into the kitchen to find him. "What's going on? They're saying that someone's been poisoned."
"No, they haven't… well, not yet. Ed, just calm everyone down," Arthur commanded and Merlin was impressed at his cool demeanour in front of an audience and the way he could just effortlessly order people around.
"Yes Arthur," Ed replied and went back to the party.
"Come on then," Arthur ordered and Merlin followed.
Everyone was talking at once when Arthur entered, but as soon as Arthur spoke, there was silence.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Please don't panic and I will let you all know what is going on as soon as I know. Mr Valliant? I am led to believe that you have brought a snake to this match. Is this correct?"
"Yes, what of it?" The big guy got up and stared at Arthur.
"My servant tells me that you put some kind of substance into this tea cup. Is this true?"
Merlin blushed at being labelled 'servant' but decided that he should probably get used to it.
"I did no such thing!" Valliant roared.
"I'm absolutely sure." Arthur soothed like a master manipulator. "He's an idiot and a half-wit who can't hold a tray straight, but he is convinced that you did. He's going to drive me up the wall if I don't deal with this."
"How dare you? I did no such thing!" Valliant was still protesting with arm folded.
"Merlin?"
"It's just as Ar… Lord Arthur said," Merlin insisted.
"Well, there's an easy way to find out.," Arthur shrugged. "All you have to do is drink from this cup."
There was sudden silence as everyone grouped around and watched.
"I'm not drinking from that, it's got germs on it!" Valliant protested.
"Actually," the shorter guy who had been sitting next to Valliant said, "I didn't have any. I don't like tea."
Arthur looked smug. "So, there you go then. Drink from the tea cup and we won't call the police," He folded his arms and waited.
Valliant took the cup, then he threw it in Merlin's face and ran for it.
In the end they didn't get to finish the match as everyone had to talk to the police and give statements. It turned out that Valliant wasn't even a real member of Caerleon College and they weren't even sure that Valliant was the guy's real name. Everyone was allowed to go eventually and Merlin and Arthur found themselves leaning over the white railings outside the pavilion, looking out over the empty cricket pitch as the sun started setting.
"Well, life is certainly going to be more interesting with you around," Arthur said.
"It's not my fault," Merlin protested.
"I don't remember inviting you to call me Arthur," Arthur said and Merlin was a bit perplexed by his tone.
"Sorry, sir," Merlin shrugged. It wasn't different to the way he had always addressed his male teachers.
"Meh," Arthur smiled and punched Merlin's arm
"Ow!" Merlin protested and rubbed away the sting.
"Go and get my stuff. I need to change out of these shoes and then you need to bring it all to the car. I'll see if I can get you to scream like a little girl on the way home."
"Yes Master," Merlin grinned and went off to obey.
There was something rather impressive about Arthur, Merlin reflected as he waited for Arthur to finish his dinner. He had real authority and everyone seemed to buzz around him, hoping for notice. He was arrogant and rude and he didn't seem to think of anyone but himself, and yet he was still fundamentally likeable.
"Merlin!"
Merlin brought himself out of his reflective trance..
"Yes?"
"I said you can take this away now!" Arthur got up and went to the sofa opposite the giant TV, switching it on and flicking through channels. "8am tomorrow as I have a meeting in London. Press my shirt... one of the light blue ones, and polish my shoes."
Merlin sighed and nodded, reaching for the required clothes and shoes.
"And my cricket gear needs to be cleaned and stowed for the winter."
"Yes, sir. Will that be all?"
"Hm? Yes." Arthur had clearly forgotten that he was still in the room.
"Good night, sir," Merlin offered, but only got a flicker of a response, so he decided it would be ok to leave the room. At least he and Dr Gaius would have something to chat about over dinner that evening. The doctor had invited him to share his meal whenever he wanted to as he understood Merlin's vegetarianism and said that it was rather nice to have someone to talk to.
The little phone woke Merlin up at 7am and it took a great effort to force himself off the camp bed and into the bathroom, which he found himself cleaning automatically after using it, then he got dressed and headed off to the Porter's Lodge.
There were three parcels for Arthur waiting there this morning as well as more flyers, a letter, papers and another post-it note.
"Are you Merlin Emrys?" Dave (according to his lanyard) asked.
"Um, yes," Merlin nodded.
"Parcel for you too."
Surprised, Merlin took the offered packet and accompanying envelope and then spotted the Three logo. Arthur had got him a phone.
The routine was a lot smoother now that he had the tea-pouring and use of tables down pat. There was something deeply pleasurable about yanking the curtains open and wakening Arthur almost violently. Arthur swore at him and covered his face with one of his many pillows, so Merlin went and yanked the other curtains open.
"Morning O Great One! Rise and shine!"
"Merlin, shut up!"
"Yes Lord, how would you like me to shut up?"
"Too early for Bowdlerised Monty Python!" Arthur complained.
"It's never too early for Monty Python!" Merlin replied merrily and brought Arthur's breakfast over. "I can just drop this on your head if you don't want to sit up like a civilised person," he suggested.
Arthur groaned and sat up. "You are a terrible servant"
"Thank you, Master," Merlin grinned. Getting a rise out of Arthur was actually seriously satisfying. "There were three parcels for you and you got me a phone."
"Yeah – it's so I can get you at any time day or night. If you let it run down there will be consequences."
"Joy!" Merlin sighed.
"Give me the number."
"I'll go and get everything. I had to leave it in the kitchen so I could carry your breakfast up."
Arthur waved a bit of toast at him which Merlin decided was permission to leave.
The three parcels contained three more shirts, a pair of jeans and some socks. Because obviously Arthur needed more clothes. Arthur set Merlin's new iPhone up himself while Merlin cleaned the bathroom, and he took a photo of Merlin cleaning the toilet to use as the wallpaper.
"Hang these up," Arthur commanded when Merlin reappeared. "And get rid of these."
He showed Merlin a pile of shirts, polo shirts and trousers.
"Get rid of them?"
"Yes, recycle or, I don't know," Arthur waved an irritated hand.
"There's nothing wrong with them," Merlin protested holding up a pristine white shirt.
"You cannot be serious!"
"There's not even a mark on them!"
"I've worn them all at least three times. You may like dressing like a peasant, but I refuse."
"I'll take them to a charity shop," Merlin decided.
"A charity shop?" Arthur queried. "Why?"
"These are really good shirts and they are barely used. Oxfam or the RSPCA or something could sell these for a lot of money."
"Could they?" Arthur frowned. "But I've already worn them," he argued.
"Most normal people would never be able to afford this kind of quality and they are still very new feeling. Some people would give anything to get their hands on these."
Merlin watched Arthur parse this new information, then he nodded. "That seems like a good idea," he said slowly. "They won't know, will they? That they were mine?"
It was Merlin's turn to work this out. "No… I'll take them. They might want a name for Gift Aid."
"Gift Aid…" Arthur nodded. "OK, do that then."
For a short moment the two lads just looked at each other, both feeling like they were doing something good. Then the moment ended.
"I'm going golfing tomorrow. I'll need my clubs cleaned and wash the car. Also you need to vacuum in here, it's a mess."
"Yes sir," Merlin answered like a soldier with a terrible salute. "Can I go?"
"Yes, go away."
With Arthur in London for the day, Merlin had time to himself. Vacuuming the room took a while, but wasn't hideous. He emptied the bins and made the bed, then picked up the rejected clothes and headed out.
Dr Gaius was out as well, so, after cleaning and vacuuming his rooms, Merlin decided to go to the JCR and find out what was there. He was delighted to find Gwen and Morgana sipping coffee at one of the windows, so he asked if he could join them. They had a good laugh about Arthur and thought that Merlin should keep the wallpaper on his phone.
"You can use it to claim abuse," Gwen chuckled as she programmed his number into her own phone.
"I don't even know how to start using this thing," Merlin whinged.
"It's not hard," Morgana smiled, "although I hate Apple stuff. What's the tariff?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," Merlin shrugged. "I don't even know if I'm allowed to use it for personal stuff like ringing my mum."
"Knowing Arthur it will be an unlimited, totally top tariff that means he can bully you in your free time as well," Morgana grinned with dimples.
"Splendid," Merlin sighed and then jumped as his phone pinged at him. "What do I do?"
Gwen showed him how to retrieve the text message and showed him that it was from her, so he could save her number. Morgana did the same and Merlin realised that he had three more messages, all from Arthur.
"Apparently I also have to serve at dinner tonight with you and Uther," Merlin showed them, looking up. "He's looking forward to seeing me make a mess of that too." His phone pinged again. "Oh, and I need to pick up his dry cleaned suit. This phone is a really, really bad idea."
The girls laughed at his mournful expression.
Then the phone actually rang with a really obnoxious Caribbean style theme. Merlin looked at the screen flashing 'Lord and Master' at him and sighed again, working out how to answer the bloody thing.
"Yes Oh Great One," he ground out.
"Just checking," Arthur's voice came back at him and then the call ended.
"Rude!" he mocked the phone and watched the girls collapse in giggles. "How do I change that ringtone?"
At the British Heart Foundation charity shop, the old lady took an age trying to work out how to record the Gift Aid form, so Merlin had a look around and found a polo shirt that might do for 'sports clothes' for a couple of pounds. He also found a really decent pair of jeans. Being rather skinny meant that there were often bargains to be had as people grew out of clothes and handed them on for weirdly shaped people like himself.
After the epic saga of the cash till, he took his bag and headed off to get the dry cleaning. His phone rang again while he was trudging back up the hill.
"Hello Arthur," he sighed.
"First name again?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Merlin grinned.
"I need you to get some chocolates for me," Arthur said in a weird tone.
"Chocolates?" Merlin asked, eyebrows raised.
"I can see your stupid grin even down the phone!" Arthur smirked.
"Sophia?"
"Are you reading my mail?"
"No, sir," Merlin decided that there was a time and a place for insolence and a time and a place where a placating 'sir' might have its uses. "But she has been sending you Post-it notes and they aren't exactly private."
There was a pause while Arthur considered that. "Chocolates. Go to the Hotel Chocolat place and get something… some really good ones, with a romantic theme. And a note…"
"Romantic?" Merlin grinned.
"Yes, you'll think of something." Arthur rang off and Merlin didn't get a chance to comment sarcastically on the 'personal touch'.
Hotel Chocolat was right in the middle of town, of course and he was nearly back at the college, but he was also laden down with suits and polo shirts, so he took them to Arthur's room, stowed his new clothes back in Dr Gaius' rooms (stopping for a quick gossip about Arthur's love life with the good Doctor) and then decided that he would eat at the refectory.
With his staff pass he was allowed to jump the queue, which was rather cool, so he did, got some veggie Korma and settled down at a free table to eat.
There was a slight problem with the chocolates as he was running out of money. His bank account was almost depleted and he used up the last of the cash he had earned at the Formal Dinner to buy a medium sized box of frankly over-priced chocolates. He penned a simple note from 'Arthur' and trudged back home again to get going on the chores list.
George rescued him again with the golfing stuff and showed him how to clean the golf clubs and where to get things like balls, tees, umbrellas and shoes. He also gave him a tutorial about 'woods', 'irons' and 'putters'. Merlin decided he hated golf too.
The dinner that evening was for Uther, Arthur and Morgana and Merlin was the attendant, which he thought was a bit strange. He had expected George to do it, but, apparently he got some time off every now and again. He remembered his lessons on 'silver service' and managed to avoid covering Uther in gravy even with his hands shaking. Uther was so big and scary, a looming, disapproving presence that made Merlin want to just be in a different room. Morgana didn't seem to be scared of Uther and teased, pushed and cajoled him, but, Merlin realised with some surprise, Arthur was actually quite careful around him. He didn't seem scared as such, but he was on edge and… desperate to please.
Given Arthur's tendency to dominate everything and everyone, it was a bit weird to see him deferring to his father and Merlin contemplated that as he topped up wine glasses and water glasses, standing back and watching with eyes mostly lowered as he had been instructed. Merlin even managed to subdue the coffee machine into giving him a carafe of coffee after the meal. Audrey nodded in approval before inviting him to join them for dinner and Merlin managed to stammer that he was a vegetarian. Surprisingly, Audrey was interested and they chatted about his reasons (not wanting to kill fluffy creatures was as good a reason as any) and she asked him what he would like to replace the meat on his plate. Leon was a good dinner companion as well with lots of stories about the Pendragons, and Merlin started to feel like he was fitting in a bit.
He dropped in on Arthur before leaving to give him the box of chocolates.
"It's a bit… small," Arthur complained.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't have any more money. That's all I could afford." Merlin blushed.
"Why did you pay for it?"
"I… What was I supposed to do?" Merlin inquired crossly. "They don't give them out for free."
"I'll get you a credit card. Honestly Merlin, you just ask!" Arthur huffed. He opened his wallet and took out two £20 notes. "Does that cover it?"
"Just the £20 will do," Merlin murmured, humiliated.
"Well, take both in case you have to pay for anything else. Give me your phone."
Merlin pulled the damnable instrument out and handed it over. He saw Arthur grin over the photo that was still the background, then he punched in some numbers, downloaded something, fiddled with something else, waited, drumming his fingers, then threw it back onto his desk. Merlin picked it up like it might bite him.
"I've put some card details on there. You can ping it up to thirty quid. Have you got my golf stuff?"
"Yes, sir," Merlin nodded, eyes down as he stowed the phone and put the money in his wallet, trying to work out how to keep Arthur's money away from his own.
"Good. I'm picking Sophia up at 9.30am, so meet us in the garage at 10am and wear something appropriate."
"Appropriate? You want me to come with you?" Merlin asked, surprised.
"You're the caddy," Arthur smirked.
Of course he was. Merlin sighed and put Arthur's pyjamas out on the screen before turning the covers down on the bed, while Arthur flipped through channels on the enormous TV.
"Do you require anything else?" Merlin asked, feeling a bit subdued.
"No," Arthur responded, his attention on the TV.
"Good night then," Merlin said, but didn't get a reply, so he left. He didn't see Arthur looking at him contemplatively as he closed the door.
** Lady Sophia**
The lie-in the next morning would have been much more relaxing if Merlin hadn't been sleeping on a camp bed, and he actually ended up getting up much earlier than anticipated, so he took himself off to the canteen and had a large breakfast. It felt very indulgent, but he decided that it would be worth it. There were more students arriving now and he saw lots of parents and families excitedly exploring, pulling carts around, generally starting the process of settling in. There had been a note in his pigeon hole that informed him that he had his Matriculation Ceremony on Tuesday at which he would get to wear his gown for the first time. Freshers Fair would begin on Wednesday and he had to meet his Director of Studies and tutor on Monday. He had almost forgotten that he was actually supposed to be a student here with all the Pendragon theatrics.
Bussing his tray, he headed back to his room and picked up a couple of books. He had a small, ratty, black rucksack that he had used at school, so he packed a sandwich and filled a bottle of water, then headed off to get the golfing stuff to take it to the garage.
He was deep into a copy of Beowulf, the Shamus Heaney translation, when Arthur and Sophia turned up.
Sophia turned out to be pretty, with long ginger hair and deep blue eyes. She seemed a bit elvish with all the beads and things in her hair and Merlin was a bit surprised that Arthur would go for her. He sort of expected famous actresses or supermodels really. Arthur was actually carrying her golfing bag too, although he quickly passed it over to Merlin.
"Sophia, Merlin, Merlin Lady Sophia. Right, we're taking the Volvo." Arthur pressed a button and a large grey SUV type monster beeped at them. Arthur opened the door for Sophia and then pressed a button or something and the boot lifted up so Merlin could dump the two bags in there. He kept his own bag with him.
"Are you playing too?" Sophia asked, twisting her head around and smiling.
"No, I'm just the donkey," Merlin grinned.
"I think of him as more of an ass," Arthur snarked. "He's going to caddy for us. He's a bit useless, but even he can carry stuff around."
"Thank you, Merlin," she smiled and looked back at Arthur.
Arthur didn't try to terrify Sophia with his driving, so this trip wasn't so bad. They had to drive out to St Neots, so Merlin was able to enjoy the ride a bit more. Not that the Cambridgeshire countryside was anything much to write home about. He also texted his mum to let her know what he was up to today.
Of course, Arthur was a member of the club. He signed in and greeted the pro who was out on the putting green. He then headed off to the changing rooms, instructing Merlin to go and wait out by the green with the golfing bags. It was sunny, but chilly and he was glad that he had his suede jacket with him. The bags were a total pain to carry and he had to fight to get them both over each shoulder without the clubs all falling out. He could see that other golfers had little trolleys – one guy had a sort of remote control one – but he didn't.
Sophia came out first, hair tied up in some complicated do, wearing a gloriously awful gold velvet thing that Merlin had to force himself not to grimace at. She came over and looked at him struggling with the bags.
"I can carry my own clubs you know," she offered, although Merlin got the distinct impression that she was enjoying his predicament.
"Oh, no, it's OK. He'll only yell at me," Merlin grinned. "I'll manage."
"How long have you worked for Arthur?"
"Hm… four days? It might be five if you count the dinner."
"MERLIN!"
"Now what have I done?" Merlin huffed and dumped the bags. "I'd better go!"
Arthur needed help. He was holding out two awful looking sweaters.
"Do you need help with dressing, sir?" Merlin sniggered.
"You've seen what she's wearing," Arthur hissed. "And wipe that stupid smile off your face, you look ridiculous. Which one should I wear?"
One was a red, tight zip up thing with a blue stripe across the chest and the other was sort of puce. Merlin considered both and pointed at the red one.
"I don't know whether to trust your questionable taste," Arthur sneered.
"The squashed grape one looks like a school jumper," Merlin opined. "She's in a gold velvet thing. You can't look worse." He took hold of it and held it up so Arthur could get into it, zipping it up for him and pulling it down straight.
"That's my potential girlfriend you're being rude about. Lady Sophia is a proper lady."
"Sorry," Merlin apologised with a grin.
"Right, you must be on your best behaviour. Call me 'sir' all day and don't be an idiot," Arthur frowned.
"Yes Master," Merlin snorted and followed Arthur out.
"Did you just dump our bags here?" Arthur raged. "You really are the worst servant ever!"
"Sorry, sir," Merlin really tried not to smirk, but Arthur still head slapped him and then headed off, leaving Merlin to try to balance the bags again.
Four hours later, Merlin knew that golf was the absolute worst game ever invented. Not only did he have to carry those bloody bags everywhere, but it was apparently his job to find the little white balls that they thwacked into deep woods, stinging nettles, water, bunkers, and brambles. It was also his job to fill in the holes left by the golfers as they thumped the ground in an effort to hit the balls as far away from themselves as possible.
There was one really sick-making moment when Merlin came out of the brambles with Arthur's ball and he and Lady Sophia were holding hands and looking at each other all starry eyed. Ew….
After 18 holes, Lady Sophia and Arthur headed off into the 19th Hole and bought themselves lunch while Merlin got to sit outside in the sun, leaning up against the clubhouse, nibbling his sandwich and, finally, blessedly, pulling out a book. He personally thought that Lady Sophia was a total snob and almost the epitome of 'rich kid', but Arthur seemed to like her. She was really flirting horribly with him and Merlin was just a bit disgusted that Arthur seemed to be lapping it up, but what did he know? Beowulf was much more interesting although a bit gory. There was a really odd system of valour and honour that he didn't quite get…
"Ow!" Arthur had just kicked… well nudged… no, actually kicked him. "What?"
"We're going out for dinner."
"You're not my type," Merlin grimaced pulling himself up to his feet.
Arthur wrinkled his nose up. "I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer. I need you to clean Lady Sophia's golf clubs as well as mine. I need you to wash her golf clothes as well as mine, I need you to tidy my room and light a fire and then I want you to tell my father that I won't be dining with him tonight."
"You want me to what?"
"And don't tell him about my date!"
"Why not?"
"Because!"
"That's not an answer," Merlin protested. "Why can't I just say that you have date?"
Arthur leaned towards him and looked very insistent. "Look, it's a working dinner tonight and Uncle Agravaine is going to be there, but I'm going out. He won't like it."
"What should I say then?" Merlin demanded, and then he realised what Arthur was actually asking of him. "Oh… no… no… I can't lie to him. He'll kill me!"
"Just make something up!"
"I can't… I can't lie… I'm a terrible liar… I… my palms go all sweaty and my vision blurs… my… my brain stops working…"
"Huh, no change there then!" Arthur drawled.
"Thanks," Merlin responded, unimpressed.
"Do this for me?"
Merlin didn't like it, but Arthur was actually asking him instead of just forcing him, so he nodded. Arthur grinned and patted him on the shoulder.
They dropped him off on Castle Hill so he could struggle back to the Master's Lodge with the two golfing bags. He checked in the Porter's Lodge, because that's just what you did, and then made it up the hill and into the lodge. All the way he was rehearsing what he was going to say when he inevitably encountered Uther.
He threw the golfing clothes into the specialist washing machine and thought that he should probably go and get his own laundry to so at the same time. That would be a bit of a perk to this job as he had already seen the laundry rooms in the college as well as the queue. He then cleaned the golf clubs and shoes and stowed them away, then he headed up to Arthur's room to change the sheets again since Arthur had managed to drop his own tea on them this morning without any help from Merlin.
It was while he was cleaning out the fireplace ready to light the fire for the evening that Uther stormed into the room. Merlin jumped to his feet and felt the need to gibber.
"Where is your master?"
"Um…" Merlin squealed. "I…er… I don't know?"
"He is supposed to be eating with me and my business partners. Where is he?" Uther advanced on Merlin who backed up against the wall. He had already guessed that the man would be scary, but to have all that anger bearing down on himself was just terrifying.
"I… er… I think he said that he… um…"
"Get him now, or I shall blame you!" Uther growled. "He has ten minutes to get here."
Merlin watched the Earl leave the room and he slid down the wall. He had always been picked on and bullied, but this was just another level. It made Iain Mitchell from school look like a total amateur. Merlin pulled out the phone and tried texting, and then phoning, but the phone just went straight to answerphone.
"He's on the warpath!" Merlin hissed into the phone. "He said you have ten minutes… Arthur?"
Ten minutes later there was no sign of Arthur, so Merlin slunk downstairs and paced outside the formal dining room until Uther came out again and pushed Merlin right up against the wall.
"Where is he?"
"I tried to phone him, but… but it's a new phone and… I didn't know how to work it… I think I sent him a message but…"
"This," Uther slapped a large envelope on Merlin's chest. "Is an envelope which I want you to take to the Porter's Lodge. Ask them for a long stand. Come back and see me at midnight in my office and there had better be exactly what I expect to see in the envelope." He followed it up with a hand on the back of Merlin's head, practically throwing him out of the main door.
Leon was on guard tonight and he caught Merlin before he fell down the steps.
"Are you OK?" He asked quietly.
"Yes… yes… I think so." Merlin rubbed the sting out of his shoulders. "I've got to go for a 'long stand'. Is that what I think it is?"
"Probably, you'll be busy tonight and tired, I'm afraid. Good luck," Leon smiled.
Merlin was right. He was made to stand for a long time outside the Porter's Lodge. Then he was sent to the Porter's Lodge at Queen's College and he stood outside there too (it was much nicer and newer than Camelot's). They sent him to Emmanuel, who sent him to Churchill, who sent him to Darwin (which wasn't fair because he didn't even know where that was). Darwin sent him to Girton which was bloody miles away, and they finally sent him back to Camelot, by which time he was tired and footsore and cursing all Pendragons in every language he had ever heard of.
He dragged himself upstairs to Arthur's room and knocked, only to hear giggling.
"Enter!" Arthur commanded. "Merlin, that had better be you!"
"Yes, sir," Merlin answered angrily. "It's me, and your father is not happy."
Lady Sophia was there and she was giggling at him.
"You didn't light a fire."
"No, you're absolutely right, my lord! Well done!"
Arthur came over and pushed him into the wall as well. It was clearly a Pendragon thing. Arthur then spoke quietly and clearly.
"Light the fire, and then go. Tomorrow you will bring breakfast for both of us at 9.30am. And if you ever speak to me in that tone of voice again I will get you sent down so quickly you won't know what hit you."
Merlin stomped over to the fire and finished laying it, then he lit the firelighters and made sure it caught before checking his watch and seeing that he had ten minutes.
"Do you need anything else, my lord?" he asked just this side of insolently.
"No, go away."
Merlin stomped downstairs and then made it over to the door opposite the dining room where Uther had his office. He waited until it was exactly midnight and then breathed deeply, realising that approaching Uther in anger would not be clever, and knocked.
"Enter!"
Merlin crept into the office and agonised over whether he should shut the door behind him or not. He wanted to leave it open so if Uther actually murdered him then Leon might hear it. He held out the envelope and was appalled to see that his hand was shaking.
Uther snatched it and opened it up, reading through whatever it was that Merlin had collected. The blue eyes looked up at him cruelly and Merlin dropped his eyes down.
"Loyalty to your master is commendable, but I am paying you and you answer to me. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir… um… my lord," Merlin nodded.
"Leave," Uther commanded.
"Yes, my lord," Merlin agreed and left as quickly as he could without looking like he was escaping.
Dr Gaius was still up and waiting for him.
"How was golf?"
"I've had a horrible day. I can't do this anymore." Merlin slumped down on the chair that had become his. "I want to go home. It used to be easy at home."
"What happened?"
Merlin told him about the golfing and the waiting and the long stand and Gaius sat next to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"It won't always be like this. Your course is starting this week and you'll remember your love of learning. Arthur will be busy with work and Uther is going away to a conference in Australia."
"Is he? Will he be away for ages?" Merlin asked hopefully.
Gaius started massaging his shoulders and it felt heavenly. "At least a week, I should think."
"Thank the Gods!" Merlin dropped his head in relief.
"I have to admit, he scares me a bit too," Gaius admitted. "But you are here to study and learn, not just to pander to the Pendragons."
Merlin nodded. "I can't wait for some kind of normality."
Gaius pulled him into a hug and Merlin clung to him for a moment.
"Thank you Dr Gaius," he said gratefully. "Thank you for your support."
"You can drop the 'Doctor' bit. Just call me Gaius," Gaius offered and Merlin felt cheered.
"I'm going to take a shower, if that's OK. I've walked about a hundred miles today."
Gaius chuckled and nodded.
Breakfast was ready in the morning on an extra-huge tray as Merlin arrived at the Lodge and he trudged up the stairs, still feeling horribly stiff from the day before. He realised that there were two plates set and that meant that he would be facing Arthur and Lady Sophia in bed… together… ew… Today, he would most definitely knock.
He got the routine absolutely right and knocked, waiting for the call to enter. To his huge relief, they were both up and sitting on the sofa, no longer kissing, at least. The TV was on, but neither were actually watching it, more interested in staring at each other. Making 'goo-goo eyes' his mother would have said.
"Good morning," he sang out. "Would you like you breakfast on the table?"
"Yes, and then go away, Merlin!"
"With pleasure, my lord!" Merlin agreed happily. He set the table properly and then escaped, pulling the door behind him. He was just about to go and plan his free day, when the door opened and Arthur stopped him.
"Where are you going?"
"You told me to go away, so like a happy serf, I am going away!" Merlin grinned.
"Well, you need to… " here we go, Merlin thought, wondering if he just made this stuff up to inconvenience him. "wash the car, clean the bathroom, clean the fire place, fetch our trays later and flowers – get flowers in time for lunch." Arthur slapped his shoulder with the back of his hand. "Have you got all that?"
"Yes," Merlin sighed. Just what he needed, another day of traipsing around and cleaning. He didn't do this much cleaning in his Mum's flat. "Ar… Lord Arthur?"
"Yes?" Arthur was half way back to his girlfriend.
"I am meeting with my Director of Studies and my supervisor tomorrow. And it's Freshers' week."
"So?"
Merlin raised his eyes in frustration. "I'm going to have to be unavailable for some time tomorrow."
"Text me the timings. You'd better let me know your timetable as well. Now, go away!"
The door slammed. "Yes Master!" Merlin decided he liked the irreverent nickname. He couldn't really be told off for being extra obsequious now, could he?
The flowers were the only tricky bit, but the Porters told him that there was a Co-op on Huntingdon Rd, so he found some there and prettied them up. He also picked up a few things to cook for himself and Gaius. He got back in time to serve lunch and hand the flowers to Arthur, then he cleaned the bathroom and ran for it. The car and the fireplace could wait.
He spent the afternoon happily finishing off Beowulf and practising his Younger Futhark, then he started having a go at translating a Norse fragment. It was slow going, but he was really enjoying himself at last. He would need to go to the college library and see what they had. One of the main reasons for choosing Camelot College was the vast collection of Arthurian books. You don't get named after the Arthurian wizard without having a passing interest in these things.
He headed back to the Lodge at about 4pm so that he could wash the car and go and tidy up Arthur's room again. But as he reached the first landing, a hand grabbed him and pulled him into an alcove.
"Lady Morgana?" he asked.
"Oh please, Merlin, you can call me Morgana," the purple-clad lady dimpled at him and Merlin thought that actually he wouldn't mind sticking to the whole ladyship thing with her.
"Are you OK?"
"Not really. Merlin," she steadied herself and then carried on. "Who is that girl that Arthur brought home last night?"
"New girlfriend. She's been leaving him Post-it notes."
"What is she called?"
"Lady Sophia," Merlin told her.
"You don't like her?"
"Not really my business," Merlin shrugged.
"I… Merlin, you're going to think I'm… odd, but… I have a bad feeling about her."
Merlin frowned and contemplated Morgana's expression. "Has she been rude to you?"
"No… she… I sometimes have… um… dreams and she was in one." Morgana looked a bit frightened and switched to Irish. "She was drowning Arthur."
They looked at each other for a moment, both collecting thoughts and trying to assimilate the new information.
"Have your dreams ever come true before?" Merlin asked and Morgana smiled.
"You believe me?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"
"You don't think it's incredibly weird and stupid?"
"No, no, not at all!" Merlin insisted breathily. "Come on, we're Irish, we come from the land of the aes sídhe!"
Morgana giggled. "You're sweet Merlin."
Merlin blushed. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I don't know what I can do." She grasped Merlin's wrist again. "You are with him a lot. Watch out for him? I'll monitor my phone – if you see anything…?"
"I'll phone or text you. I promise, I'll do what I can."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Merlin."
She let him go and he chuckled and blushed, then he headed off down the stairs.
Once the car was washed, Merlin went back upstairs to sort out the fire place. This was something he knew all about as the pub he had worked at all last year had had an open fire and it had become his job to clear and lay it each day. He was at the laying stage when Arthur came home, alone.
"How did it go?" He asked, setting out the kindling.
"Wonderfully!" Arthur sighed and threw himself back on his bed. "She's an amazing girl. I think I'm in love!"
Merlin grimaced, but carried on doing his job. "Do you want me to light it this evening?" he asked.
"Yes, I think I do. And get me a bottle of wine will you? Maybe a Merlot."
Merlin picked up the dust bucket and headed towards the door. "Are you ready for dinner?"
"Something light," Arthur decided. "I had a large lunch."
He was soon back with a tray of sandwiches and 'posh crisps', and a bottle of wine chosen by George. Arthur was playing with his own phone, clearly sending texts, so Merlin placed it all on the coffee table in front of the TV, then bent down and used the lighter to light the fire. He then went over to the dressing room and pulled out the shoe polishing kit and decided to start on the shoes now. He went to sit by the fire as it was actually quite pleasant to just sit and contemplate.
Arthur moved over to the sofa and picked up one of the sandwiches, flipping on the TV.
"What did you do?" Merlin asked idly, "with Lady Sophia, I mean."
"We went for a walk, actually. We strolled down the Backs and decided that if it is still nice enough next week, we'll go punting."
"I'm not punting for you!" Merlin warned. "I'd just fall in."
"That would be fun!" Arthur smirked, "but the romantic thing is to do the punting for yourself. I'll need a picnic if it does happen."
"OK," Merlin shrugged.
"While I remember, there is a rally on 3rd November, so you'll need to be free for that."
"A rally? What kind?"
"Vintage car. We'll be taking Aunt Emily to Brighton."
Merlin wasn't at all sure what to make of that and Arthur wasn't giving anything away, so he carried on scrubbing the dirt off the shoe and applying polish.
"You actually look like you know what you're doing!" Arthur suddenly commented.
"Yeah, I've actually done this before!" Merlin chuffed, thinking of the way he had to frequently polish his own shoes just to make them look less scruffy. These were the kind of shoes that shone easily, and they looked pretty new too. "Where did these come from?" he asked holding them up.
"Oh those were made for me by George," Arthur replied.
"Our George?"
Arthur looked over at him, bewildered. "George Cleverly – he's a shoemaker in London. Who is 'our George'?"
"Your father's servant," Merlin explained.
"Oh, him. The one who looks like he has a rod up his backside to make his back so straight," Arthur smiled and Merlin snorted, changing the shoes over.
"Why do you refer to us as servants? Aren't we just staff?"
Arthur brought out a game console and switched over to play. "We always have," he shrugged. "My father insists on it."
"I have to meet the DoS at 2pm tomorrow and Dr Kilgharrah at 4pm," Merlin told him.
"When is your Matriculation?"
"Tuesday afternoon and then there's dinner in the evening."
"OK. Don't forget to… Oooh! Damn thing!" he did some weaving thing with his console before carrying on. "Don't forget to email your timetable when you get it."
Merlin had finished the shoes, so he stowed them away and got up.
"Do you need me for anything else?"
"No, you can go. 8am tomorrow as I have to get to London."
Merlin was up and ready pretty quickly the next morning, eager to actually go and do something non-Pendragon. Gaius had made a scrambled egg breakfast for them both and looked very pleased for his young friend now that his proper life was starting.
"Merlin…" he said quietly as Merlin collected the empty plates to wash them. "I have no children… I have no family left actually, so… I would like to give you something."
"You don't have to," Merlin smiled.
"It's not much," Gaius admitted as he brought out a battered leather satchel. "It saw me through my own time here and it still has a lot of life left in it. I polished it again last night."
Merlin's smile grew into an emotional grin. "Thank you, Gaius. This is a really kind gift."
Gaius shrugged. "It's traditional at some point that Cambridge students develop certain things and a brown leather satchel is one of them!"
Merlin proudly packed his new bag and grinned happily at Gaius, who was becoming a true friend and a bit of a mentor in some ways. He then showered and made sure he looked ok before heading to the Porter's Lodge for Arthur. There was another parcel and another Post-it note, so he duly trudged back to the Lodge and picked up breakfast. It was becoming a routine now.
Waking Arthur up in the morning was definitely a highlight of the day. This morning he went with 'Wakey, wakey, rise and shine!' and then had to drag the covers off the young Viscount to get him up.
"You're a bully!" Arthur complained as Merlin forced the tray on him.
"Takes one to know one!" Merlin laughed. "Do you seriously want exactly the same breakfast every day?"
"I don't know…. This is what I always get," Arthur frowned.
"I can ask Audrey to change it," Merlin offered. "She quite enjoys a challenge."
"OK. I like eggs done in any way. I quite like muesli too," Arthur admitted.
"I'll let Audrey know. There's another parcel for you."
"It's probably shirts. I seem to run out a lot. Just hang them up in the closet at the end." Arthur suddenly frowned. "Isn't that what you were wearing yesterday?"
Merlin looked down at his polo shirt, jeans and suede jacket. "Yes," he agreed. "Is that a problem?"
"Why don't you wear something different?"
"Pretty much everything else I have needs to be washed," Merlin shrugged. "I was going to do it today."
"You've only been here a week!" Arthur frowned. "That's ridiculous! How did you get everything dirty already?"
Merlin decided not to answer that. Arthur had no concept of anything other than a massive amount of disposable income and it bothered him that he had no time to go out an earn anything beyond this job. It wasn't worth it, but then he thought about the alternative. He had worked so hard to get here and the last thing he wanted was to be expelled – and Uther would do it. He went to fetch the parcel, which was indeed shirts, and then, while Arthur showered, he took the tray back, snagging the last triangle of toast as he went.
The Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic department was in the West Road site, in the English Faculty, so Merlin went to the library on the way and spent a happy hour finding his way around the correct floor. He managed to find two more of the texts he needed to read and discovered that the Faculty had a nice garden, so he sat there and whiled away another couple of hours, plunging himself into the depths of the Welsh Language. There were lots of similarities with Irish, but it was still a language he would have to learn and he was looking forward to it. He had learned Latin for his A Levels and done an Ancient Greek GCSE as well, with History, English and Irish as his other A Levels, so he felt he had a pretty good grounding for his studies.
There was a lecture first for the whole department, which he discovered was actually quite a small one, and he was relieved to discover that he had already done a lot more than they were expecting. They were shown the outline of the 10 papers they would be taking, introduced to the lecturers and supervisors, shown around the building and then split off to meet their Director of Studies. Merlin had Dr Monmouth – an older man who also covered Essetir and Caerleon colleges. He seemed like the perfect academic and, while he didn't seem particularly interested in Merlin, at least he seemed to know his stuff. Some of the DoSs were not even a part of the department.
Then he was sent to find his tutor.
Dr Kilgharrah was a thin, craggy-faced old man with pale blue eyes who pulled Merlin into his weirdly modern office with a large smile on his face and immediately spoke to him in fluent Irish.
"Merlin Emrys! Come in and sit down! Would you like a cup of tea?"
Merlin accepted happily. His bottle of water had run out a while ago. He also accepted a couple of custard creams.
"I picked you immediately when your name came up," Dr Kilgharrah informed him, watching his student carefully. "We don't get many Irish speakers here."
"I learned at primary school, sir. It was an Irish medium school and I kept it up until my A Levels."
"Oh, you don't need to call me 'sir'! Just Kilgharrah will do. You are my only student this year."
"Oh… really?" Merlin gulped. He had been expecting at least three other students in his Seminars.
"Yes, I came back specially for you."
Dr Kilgharrah's eyes seemed to be searching his face intently and Merlin had no idea how to take that. No one ever did anything for him other than his mother and maybe Gaius now, so he munched his biscuits and covered his confusion.
"I have something very special to show you." Dr Kilgharrah said, standing up and going to the wall, where he opened up a previously invisible cupboard – Merlin suspected that it was fingerprint locked or something. He brought out a thin Perspex block with an ancient document captured inside.
Merlin was instantly excited. This was one of the reasons he had worked so hard to get to Cambridge. They had so many actual texts from ancient times and easier access to others such as those in the British Library, and he wanted to see them, touch them and read them so much it almost hurt.
Kilgharrah passed it over and Merlin only just refrained from grabbing it. It was a small page with ragged edges, beautiful brown text surrounded by illuminations that were patterns in vivid colours with pagan iconology.
"How old is it?" Merlin asked, his voice shaking almost as much as his hands.
"Very," the old academic teased. "Read it"
'For in the time when myth and magic seem to have gone, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. The name of that boy is Emrys.'
Merlin read it out aloud and looked up.
"Keep reading," Kilgharrah insisted.
Merlin looked down again and read aloud. 'And Emrys shall once again serve the Once and Future King and together they will finally unite the land of Albion'
"Good," Kilgharrah nodded. "Keep going."
'For Albion is where Justice and Truth Rule and all are united in the common good. For Arthur will rise again, but only with his servant Emrys.'
Merlin looked up at his new tutor. "It's about King Arthur."
Kilgharrah stood and began pacing slowly behind his desk. "Maybe," he agreed.
"But he didn't really exist," Merlin smiled. "The nearest anyone can truly find is the Dux Bellorum, or the Chrief Prince from the twelve battles ending with Badon Hill and Camlann. And the dates don't work."
"Don't forget young Emrys, in those early years the title of King was not widely used. A War Leader was as high up as anyone in ruling a kingdom," the dry voice told him. "You are well-read, as I thought you would be."
"You can't be named after a fictional wizard without showing some interest in the legend," Merlin chuckled.
"And what do you know of Merlin the Enchanter?" Kilgharrah asked, sitting back down and letting his piercing gaze tear into Merlin.
"He was completely made-up. He's kind of a mix of tales from Northumbria, where he is named Myrddyn Wyllt, to the Mabinogion, to someone called 'Ambrosius' or 'Emrys'. He is often mentioned in tales of Taliesin and then in Medieval times, he becomes the one who causes the birth, in frankly weird circumstances, of Arthur, and helps him pull the sword from the stone. He then falls in love with Nimueh and gets shut up in a cave forever."
"What does 'Emrys' mean?"
"It's the same as Ambrosius and it means immortal."
"Good," the old craggy man smiled. "Where did you read this?"
"I've read the Mabinogion in translation and Robert de Boron, John of Cornwall and Tristan and Isolde by Thomas D'Angleterre."
"All reliable ancient tales," Kilgharrah grinned. "And Geoffrey of Monmouth?"
"That old fraud?" Merlin threw out.
"Ah, Merlin, remember, history is written by the victors."
"But his History of the Kings of Britain is just the result of a five year bender. He just travelled around pretending to work and then wrote a load of rubbish down that may, or may not have a tiny hint of other stories that were going around at the time!" Merlin argued.
"But why did he write his book? That kernel of truth in there, was that just luck or did he leave a message? Was it written to inform?" and here the old man waited for Merlin's eyes to meet his own. "Or maybe it was to obfuscate?"
Merlin gasped and looked down at the precious fragment again. Was the fantasy adventure story written by Geoffrey of Monmouth really written to keep people away from the truth? And the Vita Merlinae? The prophecies?
"But King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table? Tristan and Isolde? Excalibur and… and magic…? It's all just make-believe!" Merlin scoffed. "And then the English Kings were jealous of the Charlemagne link the French Kings had and encouraged tales of Arthur and Lancelot and all that."
"True, but Mallory got his tale from somewhere. As did TH White and even, Gods bless her, Mary Stewart!"
Merlin blushed and grinned. "I've read them all."
"How did you feel when I showed you that fragment?" Kilgharrah asked.
"I… I…" Merlin looked back down at it. "it's beautiful... it's so well preserved and yet it doesn't look like normal medieval pages."
"That's because it is much older than that."
"It… this is going to sound stupid, but… it feels familiar."
Kilgharrah's face lit up in pleasure and Merlin felt a bit lighter. He hadn't wanted to embarrass himself on the first day with his tutor.
"What language is it written in?"
Merlin looked down again and felt fear grip his heart. Something was not right.. "It's… um… I…" he looked up in bewilderment. "I don't know."
"And yet, you read it and translated it effortlessly, without a single lesson from me."
"I…" he looked at it again and read the clear words in a language and a script he knew he had never studied. It wasn't runes or Latinate, or hieroglyphics. "How?"
"Gaius tells me you have a job," Kilgharrah said suddenly, causing Merlin to reel with the sudden subject change.
"You know Gaius?"
"Oh yes, we go way back," Kilgharrah told him as he stood up and went back to his secret cupboard in the wall. "What is your job?"
"It's not a great one, but Lord Pendragon is paying me to be Arthur's dogsbody in return for paying my student fees."
"So you are working as a servant to Arthur Pendragon?"
"Yes," Merlin blushed and then saw what Kilgharrah was getting at. "No, just because my name is Emrys and I am serving Arthur, it doesn't make him King Arthur. He's a humungous prat apart from anything else."
"That's almost exactly what you said last time," Kilgharrah chuckled and Merlin frowned because that made no sense whatsoever. The old man turned and held out a second frame.
Merlin studied it and saw that it was a companion piece to the first fragment. It was an illustration drawn in beautiful colours and in incredible detail that had survived through centuries. In style, it was much more like Roman frescoes that showed detailed and accurate figures rather than the stylised weirdness of Medieval pictures.
In the background was a shining white castle with turrets and crenelations that looked far too advanced to be even Medieval, and in the sky there flew a great dragon with leathery wings and fire spewing from its mouth. There was a dark lady waving a handkerchief from the topmost tower and on her hair was a jewelled crown. In the middle of the picture there were five knights in red capes, wearing Norman-looking armour and then in the front, bigger than anyone else, was King Arthur, wearing a gold crown with his knightly clothes, while behind him stood…
"He even has my ears…" Merlin whispered in confusion and fear. "What is this?"
It was definitely him. He was wearing a brown jacket and a blue shirt with some kind of scarf around his neck. The brown trousers went down to brown boots and he held a staff with a blue jewel on the top, held in a twisty fastening. The words coming from his head read 'I am Emrys and I serve the Once and Future King' and the King himself was definitely Arthur, with his pointy nose and straw blond hair and that arrogant 'Look at me; I'm a king' stare.
"Is this a fake?"
Kilgharrah laughed. "You tell me. Is it a fake?"
Merlin wanted to say 'yes, yes it's just you winding me up you old git', but he could feel the power in the pages, even through the Perspex that preserved them. "No," he breathed.
"Look at the Queen," the old man suggested.
Merlin looked and offered, "It looks a bit like Gwen."
"Gwen, short for Guinevere."
"No, that's ridiculous!" Merlin put the pages on the desk and leaned away from them. "It's completely impossible! I don't.. I can't do magic! Magic doesn't exist! And dragons and King Arthur and… it's not possible!" Merlin suddenly felt angry. "Are there TV cameras around? Is this some horrible joke? Am I going to be the butt of everyone's jokes here too?"
"No!" Kilgharrah snapped and there was a flash of fiery anger as he stood up. "This is your destiny. This is always your destiny. You don't remember yet, but you are Merlin Emrys, known as many other names in your time on earth. You always have and always will serve Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King. It may not be about knights and crowns and swords, but it will always be about creating Albion, the ideals of the Round Table and Justice and Truth. You need to be by Arthur's side as you and he are two sides of the same coin and one cannot exist or succeed without the other."
Merlin felt the weight of expectation fall on his shoulders and, even though his head was telling him to get away from the crazy old nutter, his heart was telling him that he had always known this, that this was his eternal truth.
"You are his servant. You are his protector and his conscience."
"How? How do I protect him?" Merlin asked. "Why? He's such a stupid git! Why do I have to serve him?"
Kilgharrah sat down and smiled, his anger seemingly quelled. "You serve him because you were made to do so. To be in harmony and conflict. You have to try harder to get him to listen as you are his conscience, but he has to learn to listen to you, even though your voice may seem insignificant to him. You both need to learn to trust each other."
"And this has all happened before?" Merlin asked, dreading the answer.
"Yes, a long time ago."
"And you know this because of this piece of paper?" Merlin held up the manuscripts.
"No, I know because I was there," Kilgharrah stated, blowing Merlin's mind completely. Merlin leapt to his feet, his head spiking in pain as he fought to understand and reason. His head was full of images of castles and knights and dragons and swords, but it was all blurry and painful and…
"He died…" Merlin cried pressing the heel of his hand over his right eye, his head suddenly clearing and showing him an image of Arthur in full armour, pierced over his heart, ceasing to breathe in Merlin's arms. "He died and I… he didn't save him…". Tears formed and fell in Merlin's eyes.
"You did," Kilgharrah reassured, settling back into his chair. "You called for me and together we took him to Avalon so that he could be called again when Albion needed him."
"But… but we have a queen… he can't be king," Merlin argued weakly.
"Who says he has to be an actual King? Kings don't always need a crown or a throne to be kings. Albion is not defined by national borders."
Merlin paced in agitation. "This isn't me. I'm not… I'm not him. I'm me. I grew up in Ealdor in Ulster. I lived with my mum, and I went to school and got bullied because I didn't speak as they did, and I worked hard. I read all the time… This isn't me…"
"Then how do you remember these things?" Kilgharrah asked, watching him intently. "How does the picture call to you? How can you read the language of the Dragons?"
"The what?"
"That is what you have in your hand. It is written in the language of the Dragons, and you can read it because you are magic."
"I don't have magic!" Merlin laughed in denial.
"No, you do not have magic, you are magic. You are dragon kin."
"You're saying I'm part dragon?"
"No!" Kilgharrah laughed. "I am saying that you are as magical a creature as dragons and unicorns."
"You're not trying to tell me that dragons and unicorns are real too? I mean, I know I've always been able to sense weird stuff, but unicorns?" Merlin shook his head.
"You will find your magic and I will guide you as I always have," Kilgharrah nodded.
"Guide me? Always?"
"I've changed a bit over the years," Kilgharrah chuckled. "But that picture is a fair likeness of what I used to look like."
Merlin looked down at the picture and saw where Kilgharrah was pointing. He was pointing at the dragon.
Dr Kilgharrah
It felt weird to be entering Arthur's chambers… bedroom after that huge reveal. Was it true? Could it be true? Was there some great destiny hanging over him that meant that he was destined to serve Arthur? Did Arthur feel it? Nothing he had ever read about the Arthurian legends had ever prepared him for this. And magic? And dragons? And…
"Ow!" Merlin cried as Arthur did that stupid head thwacking thing again.
"Are you back with us?" Arthur actually stood there with his hands on his hips, looking like some panto prince.
"Yes, you don't have to keep hitting me you know?"
"That's not hitting you," Arthur argued. "You'd know if I actually hit you. Now, dinner?"
"Yes, you're lucky I didn't drop it!" Merlin complained, placing the tray on Arthur's table by the window. Really, this was his destiny?
"What's wrong with you?" Arthur demanded, softening his question just a little bit.
"My meeting with my tutor was… um… a bit scary," Merlin explained.
"Too hard for you? More work than you thought?" Arthur teased.
"No… Dr Kilgharrah was… he came out of retirement to teach me," Merlin told him, still bewildered by the whole thing.
Arthur's eyebrows were raised in surprise. "A Fellow came out of retirement to teach you? Really?"
"You don't have to be quite that disparaging," Merlin complained. "I'm not stupid." He turned around and his jacket caught the wine glass which smashed on the table top and dripped red wine onto the carpet.
"Clearly," Arthur grinned, unconvinced.
Merlin sighed and went to fetch the carpet cleaning gear… again.
Gaius was waiting for him watching TV, when he got back from dinner at the Lodge.
"You're late back."
"I knocked a glass of wine over in Arthur's room," Merlin explained, blushing a bit. "At least I know where all the cleaning stuff is kept now!"
"How did your day go in the faculty?"
"Weird," Merlin admitted. He wasn't quite sure what to tell Gaius. Would he chuck him out for being a certifiable nutter if he told him the truth? "Dr Kilgharrah said that you know him from 'way back'."
"I do. He's an interesting man. Completely obsessed with Arthurian Legend."
"Yes…" Merlin agreed absently. "Do you believe in destiny?"
"Destiny?" Gaius asked with eyebrows raised. "Yes, in some cases I do."
"Really?" Merlin asked surprised. "You think that prophesies can really tell the future?"
"I believe that there is a higher power that causes some things to happen," Gaius said cautiously. He was clearly thinking hard about this question.
"Like God?"
"Or something like that, yes. I'm not a Christian."
"No," Merlin pondered. "I went to an Irish Catholic school, but I can't claim to be Catholic in any way. We just had to do RE at GCSE. But I really enjoyed the idea of a belief system."
"Why do you ask?"
Merlin collected his thoughts for a moment. He had to get this right or else ruin everything. He really didn't need Gaius chucking him out.
"Kilgharrah showed me something. He… he seems to think that me meeting and… and serving Arthur is… um… significant."
"Well, Merlin Emrys and Arthur Pendragon being in the same place at the same time is definitely interesting," Gaius agreed with a smile. "He doesn't think it's a coincidence then?"
"No," Merlin answered shortly.
After another pause, he carried on in a rush as though spitting it out would make it more palatable. "He showed me an old document and… I could read it and translate it even though I have never seen that script before."
Gaius didn't phone the medics in white coats. He just switched the TV off and pondered what Merlin had said. Merlin waited patiently.
"What did the writing say?" Gaius asked eventually.
"It was a prophecy about King Arthur. The Once and Future King and… and me. Kilgharrah said that the title of King isn't relevant, that it doesn't mean that Arthur is literally going to become king, but that he will shape Albion and… I am supposed to make it happen."
"You?" Gaius said, but he didn't say it accusingly, more contemplatively.
"He… er… he showed me a picture. It showed me and Arthur. Our Arthur. I asked if it was a fake, but… Gaius… there was really something… something magical about it. Either that or he spiked my tea with a powerful hallucinogen."
"That's possible," Gaius mused. "But, I have known Draco Kilgharrah for very many years and he has been waiting for you."
Gaius' blue eyes met Merlin's shocked ones. "Waiting…?"
"Yes, he has been waiting longer than I have been alive."
"You know who he is?" Merlin hissed.
"He taught me a few things when I was at Cambridge. Did he mention… magic?"
Merlin grinned. "Yes, but that can't be true. I can't do magic."
Gaius closed his eyes and Merlin waited, then suddenly he pointed at the remote control, splayed his hand and said "Up!" but in a breathy tone that made Merlin's bones tingle. Then the remote control suddenly rose up from the coffee table.
"What the hell?" Merlin gasped. He looked back at Gaius and saw that his eyes were showing gold, but as they turned back to blue, the remote control dropped onto the table again. "That… that was… was that magic?"
"Yes," Gaius breathed quite heavily. "It takes a lot out of me and Kilgharrah says that there isn't anywhere near as much magic left in the world as there used to be."
"Can he do that?" Merlin pointed at the dormant remote.
"Merlin, he's a dragon. He is magic."
"And… could I learn to do that?" Merlin asked, excitedly.
"You can probably already do it and without even thinking about it."
"How do I do that?" Merlin gestured to the remote again.
"You say 'up' and mean it. Then the power inside you will obey you and cause the object to go up."
"You just say 'up'?"
Gaius frowned at him. "No, you have to say 'up'."
"Up."
"Can you not hear the word?" Gaius asked in surprise.
"No, should I hear something other than 'up'?" Merlin questioned.
Gaius looked bemused, but he gestured at the remote control. "Have a go."
Merlin frowned and decided to just try it. He looked at the remote and said "Up". Predictably, nothing happened. He tried again and nothing continued to happen.
Gaius had a massive frown on his face, which really wasn't helping. "You need to say 'Up'!"
"I'm saying up! I keep saying 'up' and nothing is happening!"
"You're saying it in English!"
"What, you think I should try 'wingardium leviosa'?"
"No." Gaius cuffed his head lightly. Merlin wondered if he had a 'please hit me' sign on his back. "Listen to me. You need to say it in the tongue of the Old Religion! And you need to say it from your heart, not from your head."
Merlin huffed. "That makes no sense. And how do I say it in 'Old' anyway?" He looked back at the offending remote and said 'Up' again. This time he felt something in his head, or heart or maybe his eyes, but it felt like something lit up inside him and the remote control shot up and buried itself in the ceiling.
Both men looked at the remote in the ceiling, then they followed the little cloud of dust that drifted down, and finally looked at each other.
"How… how much do replacement remotes cost?" Merlin asked, blushing with embarrassment.
Merlin couldn't sleep that night. Gaius had forbidden him from practising this new, astonishing skill, telling him that it was dangerous and that he would need training. He had waved away the offer to replace the poor broken tool, but he had insisted that Merlin go and fetch and then climb up a ladder to get it out of the ceiling. He really wanted to have another go, but he knew that Gaius was probably right and that he would end up destroying the college. Instead, Gaius had told him about his student days when he, and a group of like-minded friends had discovered an ancient book of magic and started playing with it. He told Merlin of a couple of pranks where they had made things move around, or change colour and he also told him that only he and one other of the group could do it.
"I'm not magically strong, but I did learn some very helpful healing spells. It's one of the reasons I went into homeopathic and complimentary medicine; I wanted to see if I could replicate the effects of magical potions. It was only partially successful, but I was very careful to only ever publish the ones that worked."
Merlin knew that eventually he would have to ring his mum and ask her about it. Gaius seemed to think that Merlin had been born with the ability seeing how strong his first spell had been, but Merlin wanted to ask the one person who knew him better than anyone. He also began to wonder if there was any way he could use this new skill to help with all the crap Arthur wanted him to do.
He woke up the next morning feeling crusty-eyed and headachy, which was going to look great on the official matriculation photo. After seeing to Arthur, who told him to enjoy himself and not get too drunk, he headed back to Gaius' rooms to pick up his gown and made his way back to the Lodge, saying hello to Leon as he went in through the main entrance for once.
Matriculation was a formality, but everyone had to be there on pain of death… well, that's what it felt like. The new students had all been given time slots to go and meet the Master, wearing their gowns for the first time. Merlin had to go and be greeted by Uther, who gave him a disapproving look, but still offered the words of welcome to the college. He signed the book and joined the cohort for the full photo, hated the gown that kept slipping off his shoulders, thanked the all-powerful gods that he had gone with the normal black tie rather than the bow tie and then hid away in case anyone else tried to speak to him.
Back outside, he found Leon was still on duty.
"How is it going?" Leon asked as Merlin sat on the steps.
"I feel weird. Uther didn't seem to hate me, which was good."
"Shouldn't you be in there with all the other newbies?" Leon encouraged.
"I'm not very good at group situations," Merlin confided. "I wish I could skip the Dinner this evening. Leon?" he stood up and held out the new phone. Arthur had told him that he didn't care who he phoned, but that porno chats and premium calls would be paid for by Merlin. "Could you take a photo of me so I can send it to my mum?"
Leon chuckled and did as asked. "You never know," Leon suggested. "You might meet the girl of your dreams in there."
"Or boy?" Merlin asked.
"Or boy," Leon agreed with a smile. "Go on, Merlin, go and join your peers."
Merlin nodded and went back inside the Lodge, but he merely set up and sent the photo to his mum, then phoned her while sitting on the servants' stairs.
She answered straight away, as he knew she would because she didn't work on Tuesdays.
"How are you?" She asked as she always did.
"I matriculated today. I just sent you a photo of me in my gown." He smiled at the voice of the one person who loved him unconditionally, and missed her horribly. "Mum? What… what do you know about… magic?"
There was a long pause at the other end.
"Gaius?" she asked.
"And Dr Kilgharrah."
He heard his mum sigh deeply. "I knew you would ask me about it one day. I can't tell you much, but… you were born with it."
"What do you mean?"
"As far as I know, there are those who can learn magic, and can do spells from books, and then there are very special people… like you, who are born with the gift. You can probably already do magic without even learning any. When you were born…" she stopped and steadied herself again. "You used to summon your blankets and toys and make your toys fly. Then… then Gaius came and helped me and… we decided that it would be better for you to forget it all. He did something… there is a crystal in the airing cupboard. It turned off your magic so that no one would know."
"He turned it off? So… I could have been doing magic all this time?" Merlin asked, not sure if he should be angry or not.
"Could you imagine what would have happened if you had done magic while the nurses were around? Or at your preschool? Or your primary school?"
Merlin thought about it. "Would you ever have told me?"
Hunith sighed again. "I didn't need to. When you got into Camelot College, I knew that Gaius would help you."
"Why did you call me Merlin?" It wasn't the first time he had asked her this. Over the years she had heard that question in several different ways, sometimes curiously, sometimes angrily and sometimes after copious tears, but this time it was time for the truth.
"Because it is your name. I tried to change it to Mervyn, or Myrddin, but it always changed itself back. There is some higher power that has decided that your name needs to be Merlin."
Merlin took it on the chin. "So, you tried to change it?"
"Yes. I tried to give you a middle name so we could call you that, but… that didn't work either. It didn't matter what we said to anyone, how many forms we filled in, events conspired and you were Merlin again."
"That's… weird?"
"It's weird," his mum agreed.
At this moment Gwen appeared on the stairs and headed down with a linen basket. "Just a moment Mum," Merlin apologised.
"You are supposed to be at a party aren't you?" Hunith asked and Merlin blushed.
"Kind of, yes, but… I just wanted to speak to you."
"Ring me this evening. I love you!"
Merlin looked at his silent phone as Gwen came and sat next to him.
"You look nice," she grinned.
"I feel stupid, which is silly really."
"Aren't you supposed to be out there with all the students?"
Merlin brought his knees up to the stair below the one he was sitting on. "I suppose so, but… I'm not very good at parties. I just sit in the corner and get drunk and hope no one notices me."
"You should go back and join them. Don't you have a big dinner this evening?" Gwen asked, picking up her linen basket again.
"Yes… Gwen, is that short for something?"
"Yes, I'm really called Guinevere."
The Dinner was fine. The gown was a pain as it kept falling off his shoulders, the wine was nice, but he didn't like drinking much and he couldn't help feeling like a fraud. At least they brought him the vegetarian option. Eventually he had played enough with the first course, so he let the waitress take it away.
"So, what's your name?"
Merlin started and nearly spilled his water. "Um… Merlin," he replied, knowing that this was where it always started – someone would laugh at his name and it would go downhill from there.
"I'm Pellinore and he's Bedevir."
"I'm Rose," said a girl sitting opposite and Merlin breathed in surprise – no teasing?
They went through the ritual – name/A Levels/degree/home town and then it turned out that they were all on the same staircase in the halls, except for Merlin, of course.
Then the conversation went down the Merlin/Camelot/Arthur/Uther route, and yet… it was teasing, but in a fun way, as if they thought it was… um, cool? Yes, he really was called Merlin, Yes, he chose Camelot because of it, No, he couldn't do any magic – that last one appeared to be a lie, but seriously, he'd only just met these guys.
"Have you met Arthur? I mean is he anything like King Arthur?" Rose asked teasingly.
"I've met him," Merlin admitted sadly. "He's nothing like King Arthur."
He escaped as soon as he could get away with it, especially as the wine had flowed all evening and most of the students were completely ratted.
Merlin went back to Gaius' rooms and made a cup of tea for himself and Gaius.
"Not a party animal then?" Gaius asked, amused.
"Not even a little bit," Merlin snorted. "Although I did say that you might have some herbal hang-over remedies, so you may get a call tomorrow."
Merlin checked his phone and found more texts from Arthur about picking up packages and arranging a picnic on Saturday for himself and Lady Sophia. He rang his mum, but didn't get any more information from her, so he eventually went to bed. He had heard stories about the party fest that was the Matriculation evening, but it all seemed so silly when you had the weight of a magical destiny on your shoulders.
The next few days went well. He put in an appearance at the Freshers' Fair and joined the ASNaC Society and promised to help with the Yule play, avoided joining any other societies and then went home. He went to his first lecture and loved it. He carried on going to lectures and started picking up reading lists and homework, so he found his way to the college library and, again, loved it. He signed up to learn Welsh, did his first transcript of Runes (it was a set of silly words written phonetically) and he carried on turning up each morning and evening to make sure that Arthur had everything he needed.
Thursdays became the evening when he had to serve the family dinner as that was George's night off, and he found it tedious, but OK as he got to eat with the rest of the staff later. Leon was noble and honest and Merlin loved his wicked sense of humour, and Audrey was strict but fair.
Then the first conflict came.
Merlin had to read for his supervision on Monday, and he had a page of transcription to do, but Arthur wanted to own him for the weekend, at least, that's what it felt like.
It started on the Friday evening when Merlin arrived with Arthur's dinner and managed to get it set up without breaking another wine glass. Then Arthur started on the chores list. Cleaning, laundry, picnic basket, charity shop, golf clubs, riding gear (riding gear?), oh, and didn't he realise that he was in charge of keeping Arthur's room spotless, dust-free and vacuumed?
"I have reading to do!" Merlin argued. "I'm not just here to wash your underwear you know."
"No, I think that's exactly what you are here for. I need you to be here so I can send you to do stuff."
"Can't you just text me? Or phone me?" Merlin tried.
"Do your job and then we'll talk about communication issues!"
Merlin sighed and started collecting the debris around the room. How did Arthur manage to make such a mess in just one day? And who had brought him toast and then not taken the plate away? There were coffee cups and dirty linen everywhere, like he'd changed six times and just dropped the clothes on the floor to try something else.
"Look, if I'm going to be at your beck and call, then I reserve the right to get my homework done!" Merlin growled. "I'm going to take your tray back to the kitchen, then I'm going to Gaius' room to get my book which I have to have read by Monday."
"And I need to know this because…?"
Gah! Merlin wanted to throw something at the git. "I'll bring you a coffee and then I'll light the fire and then I'm reading my book! And you'll just have to make do with me hanging out here."
Arthur considered this. "OK," he agreed and switched the TV on.
For at least ten seconds, Merlin just gaped, then he swirled around, picked up the tray and set off.
So, that was how it started. Merlin discovered that the internet connection was much faster here than in Gaius' room and he repurposed a nice soft stool cushion thing that he dragged over to the fire and settled in. Arthur stopped fretting about being able to get hold of him, or being able to throw stuff at him whenever he wanted and Merlin got his University work done.
The picnic would have been pleasant if it hadn't seen Merlin carrying the food in a massive ice box and the rug and cushions all the way to Sheep's Green while Arthur had borrowed a punt from Queens College. Merlin had secretly hoped he would turn up all wet from falling in, but no. He then had to stay and hide away while they ate, but at least the ice box was lighter on the way back.
There was something weird going on though. Merlin hadn't forgotten Morgana's warning and he watched Lady Sophia really carefully as they walked back up through the town to Camelot College. She was very attentive to Arthur and kept looking deeply into his eyes, which was a lot less romantic than Merlin would have assumed. It was almost like she was hypnotising Arthur or something, and she kept stopping Merlin from pouring out drinks. Arthur would motion for him to top up the wine/water/coke and Sophia would stop him and take care of it herself, and yet she didn't try to interfere in Merlin's tasks in any other way.
Then Morgana grabbed him in the hallway again and he nearly covered her in latte.
"She spoke to someone in Irish!" Morgana told him, wide-eyed and panic-stricken.
"What?" Merlin asked, not quite sure where she was going with this.
"She said something about it nearly being time!"
"Where? When? Did she threaten Arthur?" Merlin asked, confused.
"On her phone. I didn't hear the other half of the conversation, but… it just sounded…"
"I'll keep watch, Morgana, I promise."
Morgana dimpled at him. "Thank you Merlin, thank you for believing me."
The new couple had a meal for two in Arthur's room with Merlin dogsbodying again, but this time Merlin thought he saw Sophia tamper with the wine. She had waited until his back was turned, so Merlin couldn't be absolutely sure, but he wasn't too sure that Arthur would believe him anyway. He wasn't totally sure that he believed it himself. Twice in one month just seemed… silly? So, decision made, he came back to the table in front of the window and 'tripped', causing the table to shake and the wine glasses to tip.
"Oh crap! I'm sorry!" Merlin started mopping up the wine. "I'll… um go and get…"
"You are such a clumsy idiot!" Arthur raged. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Look, I'll go and get clean glasses… um sir?" Merlin picked the wine glasses and stuffed the napkins inside, then he ran for it.
"Gaius!" He ran straight to Gaius' chambers where Gaius was watching TV. "Do you know how to find out if there is poison in wine?"
The old man looked up at his new friend with eyebrows raised in shock. "Poison?"
"Yes, Sophia put something in Arthur's wine. I'm sure of it!"
"Merlin, really. You really think there's something in there?"
"I really do. I caught a glimpse of her tampering… And… Morgana had a dream."
"Merlin, I know you are just starting on the magic journey, but dreams are just dreams."
"And there was a weird phone call… and there's something… um… pinging in here," Merlin pointed to a position above his heart.
Gaius sighed. "Yes, I can find out if there is anything in there, but I can't find out what exactly."
Merlin beamed. "Thank you Gaius! I have to get back! I have to protect him!"
Gaius was left holding a glass stuffed with a red tinged napkin.
By the time Merlin got back with a clean tablecloth and a new bottle of wine, the couple were lounging on the sofa. Arthur glared at him when he knocked and came inside, but he accepted the peace offering grudgingly. Merlin was left to linger like a spare part, while they chatted and laughed and Lady Sophia looked deeply into Arthur's eyes, creeping Merlin out.
Then Sophia's phone rang, and everything changed. Merlin listened as she spoke in Irish Gaelic to her father.
"His stupid servant knocked the wine over Da, but I'll get it in next time."
"No, he didn't notice anything and I swear he is reacting well to the control."
"No, I'll take him out tomorrow and I'll let him drown in the lake. We're playing golf again so I'll have clubs with me and I'll spike his water. As long as he leaves the idiot behind… Yes Da… I love you too."
Shaking aside the irritation at being labelled an idiot again, Merlin frantically tried to work out what he could do. Would he be left behind, or could he insist on coming along without sounding suspicious? She wasn't really going to… to kill Arthur? Was she? Why? What could he do? He kept thinking of the 'Emrys' and 'Once and Future King' thing that Kilgharrah had told him about. Would Arthur listen to him?
"MERLIN!"
Merlin flinched, suddenly realising that Arthur had been yelling his name, and turned around to find Arthur almost in his face.
"What the hell?"
Merlin flinched. "Sorry… I'm really tired… I… what?"
"Go away! Breakfast tomorrow and make sure the golf clubs are ready."
"Oh great, golf!" Merlin smiled sarcastically. "Do you need me to scramble through hedges for you again this week?"
"Of course," Arthur smirked.
"It's OK, darling, we can do without your pet," Lady Sophia giggled.
"Pet?" Merlin protested.
"Be there!" Arthur growled and then tipped his head towards the door.
Merlin gladly escaped.
Ugh! They were still in bed when Merlin brought breakfast for them and then he asked for permission to go and wash his brain. He retreated to the kitchen where Audrey happily made him some breakfast and listened to Merlin's retelling of dinner yesterday and the morning sight.
Merlin was rather surprised when Arthur came striding into the kitchen and Audrey leapt to her feet, indicating that Merlin should do the same, which he did reluctantly.
"You're not needed after all," he told Merlin, "Sophia wants it to be just the two of us, but I still need everything ready, so no skiving."
"Are you sure? Some of those brambles are really mean!" Merlin argued with a smile.
"I have spare golf balls," Arthur smirked.
"So when I was scratching myself last week, and wading in lakes and fighting nettles, all you needed to do was produce a new ball?" Merlin asked scandalised.
"But watching you was so much fun!" Arthur grinned. "And we can do without you this time."
"I'm sure I could be useful," Merlin tried.
"I thought you hated golf! You certainly complained enough last time."
"Well, you know… I thought you'd want your money's worth," Merlin shrugged.
"There's plenty for you to here. My karate whites need to be washed and pressed, the sheets need changing, bathroom needs cleaning, you need to wash the Volvo and you still haven't cleaned the carpet or cleaned and laid the fire. Need I go on?"
"Nope, it's OK, I know when I'm not wanted," Merlin rolled his eyes and exchanged glances with Leon who had just arrived. "Just… watch out… there's something weird going on."
"What?"
"There's… I've just got a weird feeling…"
"It's probably just gas… or homesickness. Bring the clubs down to the garage."
"Yes Master," Merlin grinned and tugged a fake forelock, which made the others laugh.
As Arthur drove the Porsche out of the garage like a demented ladybird, Merlin jogged back up to talk to Leon who was eating his own breakfast.
"Leon, do you have a car?"
"I can use one of the Pendragon ones, why?"
Merlin told him about Morgana's premonition, the sleeping drug Gaius had found in the wine, the conversation in Irish and waited for him to draw his own conclusions.
"Are you sure about this?" Leon asked in astonishment.
"I'm not making it up, if that's what you mean. She definitely told her father that she was going to let him drown in the lake. I think she really meant it."
"Are you going to ring the police?" Leon asked.
"And say what? That I think Arthur's girlfriend is trying to kill him? You barely believe me, let alone them!" Merlin scoffed. "Would you drive me out to the club?"
"I'm sure you could use a car…"
"I can't drive! And I don't have the money for a cab to St Neots. Look it doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I… I just want to make sure. Best case scenario, I turn up and look stupid, but what if it's true? What if she really is trying to kill him?"
"You really think…? OK," Leon steadied himself. "I… I can do that. I can come with you."
"Thank you!" Merlin breathed in relief.
Together they ran for the Volvo and clambered in.
Leon was a much safer driver than Arthur, but Merlin couldn't help wishing the man would go faster. Arthur's life was at stake and Merlin knew it to be true. He could even guess where it would happen.
On arrival, the two of them jogged off, not waiting to sign in or let anyone know they were there. Merlin wasn't 100% sure that he remembered where the lake was, but they were playing, so there was no way that Leon and Merlin would get there after them. Leon picked a hiding spot behind a large oak tree where they could watch the approach and they settled in to wait.
It was the 3rd hole and Sophia was playing from the Ladies' tee. She went first and, exactly as Merlin expected, her ball went straight towards the water. The wind brought her voice to them as she berated herself for a lousy shot. Arthur's hit the fairway and bounced to the left and they both headed in the Leon and Merlin's direction, with Arthur suggesting that they just count a stroke and leave the ball in the lake.
"It's no fun when you're not watching Merlin trying to drown himself!" he chuckled.
"It's my lucky ball though!" Sophia complained.
"Not that lucky given it's in the lake!" Arthur smirked.
"He has got a bloody trolley!" Merlin hissed in Leon's ear. "He made me carry those clubs and hers all around the course last week. The git!"
Leon chuckled and they watched the golfers approach their hiding place. Sophia then produced a bottle of water and drank from it, then she offered it to Arthur, who took it with a smile and gulped a large mouthful or two.
"Oh no!" Merlin breathed "She's just given him something in that water."
"But she drank too!" Leon hissed.
"Did she? Or did she just pretend?"
They watched as Arthur looked at the bottle woozily, then up at Sophia. Both Merlin and Leon were moving, cursing that their hiding spot was too far away, but neither were in time to stop Sophia from pushing a collapsing Arthur into the lake. He disappeared beneath the murky water as Merlin yelled "ARTHUR!"
Merlin left Leon to deal with capturing and subduing Sophia, while he plunged into the lake, following the trail of bubbles. Fighting and breathing hard, he submerged himself and found Arthur's leg. Fighting weed and whatever there was in the water, he fought to get his chest under Arthur's, pulling him up and dragging him up above the water. The water was only waist deep, not much more than a pond - thank the Gods, so he was able to get Arthur floating and up, but the ground was muddy and uneven and it was a struggle to get him to the edge.
Leon was holding the struggling Sophia who was yelling that Arthur had taken her father's job from the firm and that he had to pay etc, etc, so Merlin concentrated on getting the water out of Arthur's lungs. Once he was out of the water it became obvious that the guy was really heavy, but Merlin got him turned over and pushed him – the water came up as a blobby cough and thankfully he was breathing. Merlin got him into the recovery position and then just sat next to him, almost crying with relief.
Once again they were talking to the police – Merlin was able to recognise some of them now – and soon he was accompanying Arthur to Addenbrookes hospital in an ambulance. Merlin answered as many questions as he could, but he realised that he didn't actually know very much about his… employer.
"I'm sorry, I've only been in his employ for just over a fortnight," he explained. "But his father is Uther Pendragon, Master of Camelot College, although he's away at the moment. I can ring Audrey, the chef, she's worked for him for years."
"You had better ring his dad and get him here as soon as possible," the nurse told him and then directed him to the receptionist at the desk where Merlin was given a pile of forms to fill in as well as he could.
Arthur was deemed to be out of danger and transferred to a ward to be monitored in case he had any infection from the lake, but the sedative had worn off and he was sleeping properly. Merlin stayed with him. He was very good at blending into the background, so he got away with staying way after the visitors had all be shooed out, and so he was there when Arthur woke up.
"Arthur?" Merlin encouraged gently.
"What… what happened?" Arthur didn't quite manage to open his eyes. "I feel… awful."
"The doctor said you'd probably feel like you have a hang-over," Merlin told him helpfully.
"Yeah… how much did I drink?" a sleepy eye opened a slit.
"Half a lake full?" Merlin grinned, then he sobered. "It was Sophia… I'm sorry Arthur, but she drugged you and then half-drowned you."
Arthur considered this. "You… you were there… you pulled me out."
"Yeah…"
"Where's my father?"
"On his way, I expect. They were going to phone him. I don't have his number."
"Where's Sophia?"
"Police station I should think. Leon is with her," Merlin told him.
"Leon?"
"He helped me. He drove me to the golf club and then he held Sophia while I… I got you out." Merlin blushed. He seemed to have blushed a lot recently.
Arthur thought a bit more, closing his eyes in tiredness. "You saved my life again," he whispered. "Thank you."
Uther arrived in the morning, phone to his ear and yelling loud enough to wake even coma patients. Merlin had woken up when the 6am breakfast run had come through, but had fallen asleep again after that. Now, however, the Master of the college was glaring at him and Merlin's brain came to. He leapt to his feet and lowered his eyes, and wondered why just the sight of Uther made him feel like a kid who has been drawing on the walls.
Some stammering, a shove aside and a partial story later, Arthur was being transferred into a private ambulance ready to be taken home. While they were readying him for transport (Arthur complaining all the way that he was fine and could walk thank you very much!), Uther found a wall to push Merlin up against.
"You will stay with him, Boy," Uther growled. "He is your master and you will stay by his side until he is well again."
"But… my studies…?" Merlin argued.
"Irrelevant."
One more shove and Merlin was released, and bundled into the private ambulance. At the other end he watched as the professionals got him up the stairs and into Arthur's room, where Gaius was waiting.
Merlin collapsed on the sofa and listened as Arthur screamed and shouted that he was perfectly all right and didn't need that, or that, or that… Merlin was just glad to hear him spitting fire and promising retribution while Gaius tricked him into drinking a mild sedative.
Once Arthur was asleep again, Gaius came over and sat next to Merlin.
"How is he really?"
"He's fine, just tired. There's no infection and all the water is out. He just needs to make sure that he is warm and resting."
"I'll light the fire," Merlin said nodding, getting up, but Gaius put a hand on his arm.
"You'll need to stay and check on him. If his temperature goes up again, then he'll be fighting another infection. He stopped breathing, but you got him back quickly."
"Did I do the right thing?" Merlin asked insecurely. "I didn't know and I just had to guess."
"You did," Gaius smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't let him out of bed until tomorrow."
"I have no idea how I'm going to achieve that," Merlin sighed. He ran to fetch his laptop while Gaius did one last check, and then Gaius told Merlin to phone him if he started fitting or getting warm before leaving. Merlin lit the fire and settled in on the chair/stool/cushion thing to watch.
Uther came charging in, but Merlin found the courage to stand up and stop him from waking Arthur up.
"I'm sorry, my lord, but Gaius said he has to stay asleep," Merlin insisted as confidently as he could.
"How is he?" Uther hissed, gripping Merlin's shoulder painfully.
"He's fine, sir. I'll be checking him and Gaius told me to watch to see if he has a fever."
"You do not leave this room until Gaius says that Arthur is well. Do you understand me?"
"Yes my lord," Merlin nodded, keeping his eyes lowered as much as possible. Uther released him and shoved him away and Merlin checked on Arthur one more time before settling down with an essay.
** Gwaine**
Luckily, Dr Kilgharrah was a force for good and, as soon as Merlin explained his problem to him, went to bat for him in the faculty, with the end result that Merlin was allowed to get a recording of the lectures, could postpone his meeting with Dr Monmouth and could have his tutorials with Kilgharrah anytime. Oh, and he had to hand in his homework.
After two days of being mollycoddled, Arthur was ready to kill someone, preferably Merlin, or his father, he wasn't fussy, or that bloody doctor who kept insisting that he needed another week of rest. In the end, Merlin helped him escape (he showed him where the servants' stairs were) and Arthur decided it was time to go to the pub.
"This isn't a good idea," Merlin said for the tenth time. "Your medication is not supposed to be taken with alcohol!"
"Then I'm not taking the medication!" Arthur replied for the tenth time. He shoved at Merlin and insisted, "I give the orders and we are going to the pub."
"Yes Oh Mighty One," Merlin sighed.
"Right, cut that out in the pub. As far anyone knows, we're just… you know… friends."
Merlin had wondered where Arthur's friends were. After all, he was injured, so surely he would have been surrounded by people wishing him well, but no one had even asked to visit. Arthur got loads of text messages, but no actual people turned up. Even Uther had screamed, yelled, terrified and then buggered off back to whatever conference he was attending. The only people who actually had appeared were Gwen and Morgana, and that hadn't gone very well. Morgana and Arthur just seemed to rub each other up the wrong way, while Gwen and Merlin watched and made a very vague effort to cover their sniggers.
So, they went to the Cromwell, a wood-panelled quirky, independent pub sitting right where the castle would have loomed over it pre-Cromwell. Arthur went to the bar and Merlin tagged along, comparing the place (favourably) to the one he used to work in back in Ealdor. It didn't have a fireplace, which was a definite plus. It also wasn't too busy.
"I'll get the first round," Arthur offered magnanimously, ordering a pint of ale for himself.
"Just a blackcurrant and soda for me please," Merlin requested.
"Two pints of IPA," Arthur told the barman, ignoring his servant. "Merlin, you bring it over."
Merlin did as he was told and brought the two large glasses of beer over.
"Alright, what's wrong?" Arthur demanded as Merlin sat opposite him in the little room in the back. They were alone there.
"I don't drink beer very much," Merlin explained, "and I can't afford more than one round myself."
"It's only a couple of pounds!" Arthur laughed, taking his first long mouthful. "Really, doesn't your mummy like you going to the pub?"
Merlin scowled and ignored the glass in front of him. "I had a job in a pub back at home. I had to buy a laptop to come here."
"But you have this job now," Arthur grinned and took another long pull.
"It only covers my tuition, food and accommodation."
Arthur frowned. "Drink up. I hate drinking alone."
Merlin pulled the pint of ale towards himself and tried it. It was bitter and flat and he much preferred lager, or even just a coke, but it wasn't his choice.
"Don't look so miserable!" Arthur thumped his arm.
"How does causing a bruise on my arm cheer me up?" Merlin scowled and Arthur chuckled.
It was at this point that the evening went downhill. The Cromwell is a very nice, respectable pub, but today was collection day. A large man who was clearly a biker of some sort, with two largish cronies sauntered up to the hatch that served the little room Arthur and Merlin were sitting in. Arthur's attention was caught when the cash register was emptied angrily by the woman behind the bar and by the time Merlin had caught on to what was going on, Arthur had already stood up.
"That's all our takings!" the woman was hissing. "I need to be able to buy more stock! And I have to pay the brewery as well."
"Well, that's your problem isn't it!" Biker Guy laughed.
"I'm going to tell the police!"
"And I'll tell then about that Marijuana farm your son…"
"Excuse me, is there a problem?" Arthur asked and Merlin wondered if he could get away with hiding under the table.
"Nothing you need to worry about pretty boy!"
"Sorry, you're not my type, but then, I don't have to pay to get laid!" Arthur smirked. "Now, let's give the lady back her money and I won't have to beat you up!"
"Little shit like you?"
"That's not friendly at all, and your boyfriend there is getting impatient." Arthur provoked, and finally the large guy threw a punch. Arthur caught it and twisted his arm up his back, as he had done to Merlin recently. Arthur then kicked at the guy's knee and he went down, however there were still two more bullies and one of them had worked out that Merlin was with Arthur.
"Your boyfriend doesn't look up to much," Thug 3 growled, reaching for Merlin, who threw the beer in his face and jumped back in alarm. The pub in Ireland had often had full punch ups, but he had never been called on to settle any fights and had always been told to just hide behind the bar.
Thug 2, meanwhile was approaching Arthur. Merlin yelled 'Arthur!' and then ducked under the swinging arm of the very wet Thug 3. Luckily, another long haired guy launched himself into the fight and took on Thug 3 and Merlin managed to get a chair in the Thug's way, while Arthur had Thug 2 on the floor on top of Biker Guy. After that Merlin had no idea what was going on. After he had tipped the heavy wooden table onto the toes of another guy coming at him, he crawled over to Biker Guy and retrieved the cash he had stolen. The Pub owner took the money and gratefully informed Merlin that she had called the police, at which point Arthur caught hold of Merlin's collar and yanked.
The long-haired guy came with them and they escaped down the hill to St Giles' church, hiding behind the building in the garden.
"I have to say, Merlin, my life has become so much more interesting since I met you," Arthur snorted. He looked at the new guy. "I'm Arthur, who are you?"
"Name's Gwaine." Arthur and Gwaine shook hands.
"Not Gawain then?" Arthur asked.
"Nope, Gwaine Knightson. And you?" he looked at Merlin.
"Thank you for helping me there," Merlin said first. "Why did you?"
"You looked like you were in danger of getting creamed! I liked those odds!" Gwaine grinned happily. "Hopefully we won't get into any trouble."
"Well, I'm glad you did. Oh Gods, you're bleeding!" Merlin suddenly realised that Gwaine had a gash on his head.
"I think I might have collided with that table you threw at the bad guys!" Gwaine laughed. "And I never got to finish my pint!"
"You had better come back to the college with us and Gaius can have a look at that," Merlin offered, looking over at Arthur.
"I can do that," Gwaine shrugged. "Which college?"
"Camelot," Arthur told him and they started to get up, but there was a groan from further back behind the church.
There was a young man lying on some cardboard boxes and covered with a ratty old sleeping bag. The weather had taken a dive and it was clear that this guy was not going to have a good night.
"Arthur?" Merlin asked, nervously, but Arthur ignored him.
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" Arthur asked, crouching down.
"That's my b…business!" came the growled answer.
"Are the shelters full?" Arthur urged.
"They're always full!" Homeless Guy snapped. "And they aren't free you know."
"It's way too cold for you to be out here tonight. Merlin, phone Jimmy's, see if they have room. Or if they know of somewhere."
"Jimmy's?" Merlin asked.
"The night shelter. Google it."
Merlin did as he was told and discovered that they were full, but that there was a sympathetic B&B up the road if they had money. He told Arthur, who nodded and the woman at Jimmy's said that she would phone.
It took some persuading, but eventually the Homeless Guy, who decided that his name would be James today, was packed up and guided towards the B&B which wasn't advertised by more than a small plaque.
As Arthur negotiated for a week of shelter and breakfast, James looked completely bewildered and asked Merlin what the hell was going on.
"I'm not sure," Merlin shrugged. "But Arthur is the kind of guy who just gets stuff done. I think all he wants is for you to be out of the cold."
"Does he know that… you know, I've nicked stuff?" James asked quietly.
"Of course you have," Merlin agreed. "But no one should be out in the cold like this."
"What does he want in return?" James demanded crossly.
"I don't want anything," Arthur stated flatly. "You're good here till next Wednesday and there's food in it each day. Make the most of it. You can use this as your address for a week too. Sorry James, but I've got to get my friend here to a doctor for his head. Good luck!" He shook hands with the bemused guy and Merlin helped him up the stairs to the lodgings. Arthur gave his business card to the B&B owner and told him to use his judgement to see if 'James' needed more help.
"Right," Arthur said. "Let's get you to Gaius then, Gwaine." And he strode off confidently.
Gwaine held Merlin back and asked. "Did that just happen?"
Merlin's grin was huge. "Yes, it really did."
Gaius was happy to help and patched Gwaine up while Arthur looked around at the rooms as though he had never been in here before, although he clearly knew Gaius well.
"You had better stay here tonight, Gwaine," Gaius insisted. "I want to make sure you aren't too concussed."
"You can have my bed," Merlin offered. "Come on," and he dragged Gwaine over to the camp bed, which he pulled out and made up quickly.
Arthur was busy nosing around, but he couldn't help noticing that there were very few signs that Merlin actually lived here. Other than his 'black and white' which was hanging up and Merlin's rucksack full of his clothes, the only other sign was the wooden dragon and a pile of books in squiggly writing.
"Give him whatever he wants," Arthur instructed. "Get Audrey to make him breakfast in the morning."
"Yes, sir," Merlin grinned, actually meaning it for once.
Merlin was in far too cheerful a mood to sleep, and Gwaine was on his bed anyway. It was nice to hear another Irish voice, even if he was a Dubliner, so, once Gaius was in his own room, he offered his new friend a coffee.
"So, what was that about?" Gwaine asked, hands cupped around the coffee.
"That?" Merlin queried.
"The pushing you and around and the 'sir' thing?"
"Oh…" Gwaine was clearly far too observant. "Um, well I work for him. I'm Lord Arthur's valet."
Gwaine was clearly surprised and he sat up with interest writ large on his face. "Do people have those still?"
"The Pendragons do. His father is the Master of the College and I… kinda saved Lord Arthur's life. So I ended up with this job."
"Lord Arthur?"
"It's not really the correct name – he's Viscount Albion, but he's known by us lowly serfs as 'Lord Arthur'," Merlin grinned.
"He just swept in and helped that guy," Gwaine shook his long hair and seemed impressed. "Is that normal?"
"I don't know. I've only been working for him for three weeks and he spent most of this week in hospital and in bed. But, I'm sort of hoping that it is. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a total prat, but he seems to have a good side."
"You look happy being oppressed!" Gwaine chuckled.
"Well, the oppressing part he can do too – I mean I have to fold his underwear and you should see his wardrobe! It's bigger than my mum's flat! He has no concept of poverty really, and yet… this evening really made me hope…"
"Hope?"
"Yeah… anyway, do you speak Irish?" Merlin asked changing the subject. Gwaine didn't speak Irish. Not unless he was really drunk.
The next morning, Merlin woke as usual when his alarm went off. He was still condemned to sleeping in the small cupboard (it wasn't big enough to be a bedroom) next to Arthur's room. He might have been able to move back to his camp bed if Gwaine hadn't been sleeping in it, but this bed was at least more comfortable. He got dressed quickly – not having a bathroom close by was a bit of a pain – and went to fetch breakfast for Gwaine. Audrey wasn't up yet, so he made it himself and headed back to Gaius' rooms.
Gwaine woke up easily, which surprised Merlin as he had expected the guy to prefer to sleep in.
"You brought me breakfast?" Gwaine asked, surprised. "In bed?"
"My evil overlord ordered me to!" Merlin shrugged and grinned.
"You don't have to put up with it you know," Gwaine suggested, digging into scrambled eggs.
"He shouts at me if I don't," Merlin admitted happily. "I'll have to go back and get his breakfast in a bit. What are you doing today?"
"Well, I'm job hunting. I had a modelling gig for a couple of days and my agent says there may be more, but I never really know."
"So, where will you go?" Merlin asked, sympathetically.
"I dunno. I can't do any modelling until this has cleared up," he pointed at the plaster on his head. "But while I have cash, there's drinking to be done!" He grinned widely.
"I'll check with Gaius, but you can have my bed for now. I'm sorry it's not a great one."
"You're a gentleman, Merlin, but where are you sleeping?"
"I'm a gentleman's gentleman I think, and I have a bed in the lodge. It's actually better than this one, but it's next door to Lord Arthur's room, so he can find me way too easily. Can I check your head?"
"Sure! Why not?" Gwaine shrugged and sat up. "So, what was with the honey and spices?"
"Gaius' speciality is homeopathic medicine, although he's a traditional doctor too." Merlin checked that the thick plaster was still in place, added another few pieces of tape and saw that the blood had clotted properly. "You should probably stay here for at least today. I mean, I don't know anything, but I have watched them all hovering around Lord Arthur."
"Hovering?"
"He nearly drowned last week – girlfriend tried to kill him."
"And I thought university was boring!" Gwaine laughed.
Merlin's pocket buzzed and he looked resigned. "My Lord and Master is awake. I'd better get him breakfast!" He grinned. "I'll see you later. I'm hoping to be able to get back to my lectures today, so I don't want 'himself' cross with me!"
As it happened Arthur was out of bed and ready to eat.
"You look stupidly cheerful this morning," he commented as he dug into his breakfast at the table for once.
"You did a really great thing last night, sir," Merlin hummed.
"What, starting a pub brawl?" Arthur snorted. "We should probably not tell my father about that one, although I did offer to pay for any damages."
"No, well, that too, but also… you know, that homeless guy."
"Well, he couldn't have survived out there all night," Arthur blushed.
Merlin caught Arthur's eyes and made his tone as serious as he possibly could. "I think you have the makings of a great man. I think that I am proud to know you."
Arthur looked at him as though trying to see where the joke was, but Merlin refused to ruin his statement and instead turned around to pull out clothes. Arthur was leaving it to Merlin to find clothes most days, especially since being confined to his bedroom, and Merlin had been slowly rearranging his wardrobe to make more sense. He couldn't see the point in having it labelled and alphabetised, but was putting the suits in order of 'poshness' and pulling out the more casual clothes and placing those together.
"Are you going out today?" Merlin asked.
"Out? I'm not going in to the office until tomorrow. I can skype to work today."
Merlin brought out a warm cashmere jumper and some jeans. "Will this do?"
"Yes, perfect. How is Gwaine?"
"He's a good guy," Merlin smiled. "I think you impressed him." He brought the clothes over and waited.
"What?"
"Can I go back to my university life today?" Merlin asked hopefully. "Only, I've missed two Welsh lessons and I have to hand in a transcript and a translation, and I need to meet my DoS."
"Yes! Yes, please, go back to being a student and leave me alone!" Arthur cried, putting his hands over his ears.
Merlin grinned happily. Today was working out well.
And then Gwaine went to the pub and made hundreds of new friends, Merlin had to go and bail him out and did the only thing he could do, which was use the credit card that Arthur had given him. Which meant that he had to go and tell Arthur what had happened, which was how he and Gwaine ended up washing all the cars in the garage and polishing the Pendragon family silver.
It might have meant that Merlin had a lot less time to do his student work, but he did enjoy working with Gwaine, who told him about his University professor dad who had died of a stomach ulcer before Gwaine was born and how the pension fund had been drained, leaving his mother with a young family and no university accommodation anymore.
And then it turned into a water fight, which was much more fun, especially when Owain and Ewan joined in. It took Leon reminding the younger guards that they were supposed to be working to stop the fight.
