II – A New Life in Camelot
Merlin shadowed Arthur to the annual meeting of the five kingdoms. It was made rule and law for the leaders of all the kingdoms to attend, the first day of spring, every year. This was the first meeting. And Arthur had no clue what to say. He'd been thinking and thinking all week. He'd come up with nothing.
Gwen has tried to give Arthur ideas but truthfully, she has no clue also. What would be worth the time of all five kings and queens?
Arthur wore his red cape and armour, but not his crown.
The doors to the round table opened wide at the Kings approach. Any conversation on the other side of the door fell silent. Arthur leaned towards Merlin. "If any of them try to assassinate me again, you'll stop them, right?"
"Are you crazy? Why would I do that?" Merlin wore his mischievous smile, looking at the king. "Hurry up, they're waiting for you, princess."
"Merlin," Arthur said in a warning tone. But he knew, Merlin has always been there. He would not forsake him now.
Arthur took a deep breath and walked to the table where they were waiting, just like Merlin said.
"Good morning and welcome to Camelot. I hope you had pleasant journeys?" He started. Hoping to sound authoritative and welcoming at the same time.
"Pleasant is a word for it, I suppose. If you count dozens of bandits interrupting it, pleasant then yes, it was pleasant," King Alined stated.
"Very unfortunate, Alined," but Arthur had no remorse for him, he had a love spell on him and the Lady Vivian the last time he was here. He didn't feel bad at all.
"Alright," Queen Valka spoke up. "Let's get on with it."
"Yes, indeed," Arthur took a seat at the round table. The four other leaders around him. "Is there," Arthur struggled to make it sound like he knew exactly what he was doing. "Anything anyone would like to comment on before we start?"
"Yes, I have a question," King Olaf said.
"Yes?"
"You intended this table to have equality, yes? No man lower than another?"
"Yes, that is the message and the reign I live by. Why do you ask?"
"Your servant, he stands away, why does he not join us?" King Olaf asked.
"Uh, well... Do you want Merlin to join our meeting?" Arthur asked, stunned.
"Why not? No one knows the people better than a servant." Olaf gestured to Merlin to take a seat at the table.
Merlin looked to Arthur, when he nodded, Merlin sat, a few chairs down from the Queen. Arthur was still stunned; this meeting was for the peace treaty for the five kingdoms. Not for the people. Well, in a way it is.
"So, Merlin, isn't it?" Olaf said, clearly already knowing.
"Yes, sir." Merlin said respectfully.
"What can you tell us, about what the people think," Olaf asked.
"About what, your majesty?"
King Olaf thought for a moment. "About the treaty? About the way things are? Anything that could be changed for the better?"
"Well, I hear only good things about the treaty, your majesty. And the just and fair system that our king rules by, the way things are, is the best it's been in a long time. The changes that needed to have been, have been changed for the better already, your majesty."
"I see, so all is well?" King Alined spoke up. Not sounding very pleased.
"Yes, your majesty."
"What about the peace with magic?" Queen Valka asked.
"Magic is not evil, your highness, it is the users that are. Magic is misunderstood," Arthur knew that Merlin was a bit bias on the subject.
"You sound very sure of yourself, Merlin, have you had experience with magic users?" The queen asked the servant.
"I have," Merlin said reluctantly. "Good and bad."
King Alined realised - because of the fact that he also, had met magic users, like Trickler - Merlin knew someone personally.
"Who do you know?" Alined asked.
"Sorry?" Merlin responded, hoping he'd heard wrong.
"Merlin is my servant, he is very trusted and is very loyal," Arthur intervened before someone said something that would be impossible to recover from.
"What are you saying, Arthur?" The queen asked.
"Merlin is a very trusted spy when it comes to magic. He relays all the information he finds on a sorcerer to me, whether they mean harm or peace, so forth," Arthur improvised on the spot. It sounded somewhat true.
"I see, precaution is smart, Arthur. Don't won't an unseen enemy sneak in the open door," the queen complimented.
"Yes, smart indeed. Say, Arthur do you suggest that we, also, accept magic, to a degree, of course?" King Olaf asked.
"Yes, I believe so, the peace we have with magic folk has proved useful and beneficial," Arthur looked at Merlin, who showed no sign of disapproving to what he had said.
"I see," queen Valka nodded thoughtfully. "In what ways has it been beneficial?"
"Well, intruders cannot outrun someone who can trip them or even immobilise them in an instant. Camouflage and stalking, weapons, fighting ten on one is no problem, they can also warn us of attacks and foresee circumstances. The alliance we have with magic has improved our daily lives and warriors."
"That is incredible," muttered king Alined. "Do you also use them for gathering information?"
"We probably could, but we haven't explored that aspect yet," Arthur replied.
"Are you afraid that one of them will not believe you are trying to maintain a peace between them and you?" King Olaf asked. "How can you be sure they accept to your terms?"
"I have trusted magic users who can read a person's true intentions and stop them."
"What if the other magic user is more powerful than your trusted?" King Alined.
"Trust me, he is very powerful. If anyone can beat him, I will be very surprised."
Merlin smiled but tried to hide it, he didn't want these kings or this queen knowing he had magic.
"I see," Alined answered, thoughtfully.
"Is it possible to meet a trusted?" Queen Valka asked.
Arthur thought for a moment. "I would prefer my trusted to remain in the shadows and unknown, but I do have a few magic users around the castle that you could probably meet."
"Fair enough, indeed, I for one, would like a first-hand account of this alliance from a magic user themselves."
"I also would like to meet one," King Olaf agreed with the queen.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Very well," Arthur sat up and gestured to Merlin. "Get up and find one, would you? Perhaps Gilly? Doesn't matter."
Merlin nodded and muttered a "Yes, Sire," and made his way to the southern end of the castle where Gilly was usually working.
"How long has he been your servant for, Arthur?" Queen Valka asked curiously.
"Um," he thought for a moment. "About… seven years, perhaps?"
"And he's proved his loyalty to you?" King Olaf spoke up.
"Indeed, time and time again," Arthur nodded, not a doubt in his mind.
The five leaders of the Kingdoms of Albion made small talk until the arrival of the sorcerer.
Merlin introduced Gilly to the Kings and Queen before they took their seats at the round table.
They asked Gilly all sorts of questions, like 'why did he come to Camelot?' 'What gave him a reason to trust that Arthur had accepted magic?' 'Was he a druid?' and so on. Gilly answered as honestly as he could.
After about half an hour of questioning, they seemed pleased with his answers and dismissed him.
• • • • •
The meeting went for hours, with only a break for food and a stretch of their legs, the kings and queen agreed on many things and disagreed on a few.
Merlin was walking with Arthur to his chambers, retiring for the night.
"Thanks," Merlin stated in the silence between them.
Arthur raised his eyebrows. "What for?"
Merlin shrugged. "You said some nice things about me, for once," he joked.
"Eh, you're a clot pole," Arthur joked back to his friend.
"Dollop head," he smirked.
"Klutz."
"Idiot."
"Dumb head."
"Cabbage-head!"
"I still don't even know what that means!" Arthur whined.
"Don't worry your poor head about it," Merlin joked.
"I am the King, my head is hardly poor," Arthur cried defensively.
"Keep telling yourself that," Merlin smirked, entering the chambers and helped his friend and king ready for bed.