Me: Another chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own the children. The song is from Lark Rise to Candleford.

Left. Right. One step forward, retreat. Arthur counted off his attacks in his head as he spared with Percival, doing his best to deflect the taller man's movements. All of his knights were good, but if anyone were to ask him who was the strongest, he'd have to say Percival (his height gave him an unfair advantage).

Arthur grinned proudly as he blocked Percival's next attack, only to groan in pain as his opponent used his super human strength to knock him to the ground.

''Are you alright, Sire?'' Percival asked, bending down to offer his king a hand.

Arthur sighed as he accepted his friend's help. ''Sir Percival, one day, I will beat you. And when I do, I am going to enjoy it.''

''I can't wait,'' Lancelot said as he walked across the training field. He clasped Percival on the shoulder. ''I've seen him take down whole regiments of men on his own.''

''Yeah, he probably scared them away with his height,'' Gwaine said as he and Leon went to put their swords away.

Arthur frowned as he watched his friends walk towards the armory. ''Why are you putting those away? Where's Merlin?''

Gwaine turned back to shrug. ''I haven't seen him since this morning, my lord,'' Leon replied respectfully.

Arthur groaned in annoyance. ''Honestly, what is the good of having a servant if he's constantly taking off…''

''I think he's in town,'' Elyan interjected. ''I'm pretty sure I saw him while on my way here.''

''Did he go into the tavern?''

''I— I don't think so…''

''Cause I'll tell you what, if that lazy servant of mine is off drinking again I'm going to give him a head ache that will make any hangover he's ever had seem blissful.''

Percival, Elyan, and Lancelot watched their esteemed leader stomp off in search of the missing manservant. ''Does Merlin even drink?'' Elyan asked.

''Nope,'' Lancelot replied while Percival smiled.

''Is Arthur ever going to pick up on that?''

''Nope.''

After checking the tavern and discovering his servant was, for once, not there, Arthur decided to check the rest of the lower town. He walked through, his eyes scanning for that gangly boy with that bandanna tied around his neck.

The prince sighed as he came to the gates, annoyed that he hadn't found Merlin. Honestly, he had a list of chores for him to do, not to mention it was nearly lunchtime. Arthur would really have to reconsider why he kept the idiot around anyway…

''Hmmm Hmmm Hmmm.''

Arthur's ears' perked up at the noise. It was the sound of a fiddle, unusual for down here in the lower town. Arthur himself only heard music played when the castle was holding special occasions.

Arthur followed the sound out of the gate into the woods a few feet, where the fiddle, its owner deciding it was tuned, began to play a quick, soft tune:

''A gypsy came to the castle gate,

He sang so sweet and wild.

And with his song he stole away,

The master's only child.''

Arthur knew that voice. He approached closer to the sound. Lancelot had said that all the children in the castle liked Merlin. Arthur didn't know that the children in the lower town shared the feeling.

In the small clearing in the woods was a group of people. The person who owned the fiddle was a young woman, sitting on a stump an taping her foot to the music. Three little kids were running around, skipping to the music. Two others had somehow managed to climb up a tree, and were kicking their feet as they listened.

''Oh, she cast away her silken gown

She cast away her pride!

And ran with him into the night,

Down to the sea so wild.''

Merlin was in the center of the clearing, holding hands and dancing with a young girl. She looked about ten, and her freckled face looked as if she had previously been crying.

They must have sung Merlin's song before, because everyone chimed in with the chorus:

''Oh, come home, come home, my bonny little child

Come home, come home to me.

And sit once more by your own fireside

with your head upon my knee.

Oh! I'd rather spend one hour here, then seven long years with thee!

And feel the salt rain on my cheek

And know that I am free.''

Merlin sped up and began spinning the girl around fast, making her nearly fall from laughter as the fiddle sped up.

''Oh, she danced in the wind

And she danced in the rain

On the edge of the cliffs by the shore!

She feels the salt rain on her cheek—

Merlin stopped spinning and froze, and all the children held their breath in anticipation.

''And never came home no more.''

Terribly depressing, Arthur thought. But the children kept still, the two in the tree trying not to giggle. The fiddle began again slowly. Another verse was coming.

''Till ... a babe was born on a summers morn,

He was his parents joy.

His mother held him to her heart,

Her precious gypsy boy!''

Merlin's voice ran out as he began dancing with the little girl again, his voice accompanying the fiddle's quickening pace.

''She took him to her fathers house,

She beat upon the gate.

Crying, 'come and see my darling babe,

We named him for your sake'. ''

They all joined in again, their voices blending together in harmony:

''Come home, come home, my bonny little child,

Come home again to me!

And the father of that darlin' babe

Shall be a son to me!

''They danced all the day and they danced all the night.

And they danced on the cliffs and the shore.

And the master held his grandchild tight,

And ne'er was alone no more!''

The children laughed as the fiddle ended the song with a sharp, happy note. The girl Merlin was dancing with threw her arms around him.

''No, Cecilia! You mustn't stop!'' The boy in the tree complained as he watched the woman put her fiddle away.

The woman laughed. ''We've idled enough, Reggy! Now all of you, run along!''

Reggy sighed as he and the girl next to him descended from their perch. The three kids that had been skipping to the music began running down the path towards their homes. The dancing girl, with one last smile at Merlin, followed her friends.

Cecilia went towards Merlin, walking with a limp. ''I'll see you around, Merlin,'' she placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

When Cecilia waked away, Arthur came out of his hiding spot. Merlin had just been standing in the clearing, watching her go. He had a thoughtful expression on his face, and his shoulders slumped. He looked upset.

''Merlin?'' Arthur called out. He'd complain about his servant's lateness later, right now he was more concerned about why the sudden change in demeanor.

Merlin looked startled to see Arthur. His look of sadness was replaced by fear. ''Chores!'' He said urgently.

''Yeah, chores.'' Arthur rolled his eyes.

Merlin shifted uncomfortable. ''How long were you standing there?''

''Came in at the beginning. Strange song. Where'd you learn it?''

''From home. We sing it during the fall harvest.''

Arthur nodded. ''Is something wrong?''

''No, why?''

''You just seemed upset now.''

Merlin looked confused for a second, and then his usual grin slid into place, making Arthur sure he had imagined the look of sadness. ''You know what's wrong?''

''What?''

Merlin threw his arm around Arthur's shoulders. ''I have not yet done whatever it is you came all the way out here looking for me for.''

Arthur laughed. ''Well let's fix that. Boy have I got a long list of chores for you!''

It was late when Merin finally completed his chores. He went home, closing his bedroom door quietly so as not to wake Gaius. He laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking of Clare.

''Please, Merlin,'' Clare looked up at him. ''I- I can trust you, right?'' Merlin nodded. ''I- I think I'm cursed!''

Merlin balled his fists at the memory. He had reassured her she wasn't cursed, but gifted. Just like Paige and Colin, and some of the other kids in Camelot. They were special, and more importantly, they weren't alone.

Merlin closed his eyes. He wouldn't let them be alone. He would not make the same mistakes with them that he made with Morgana.

Note- Paige is one of the twins and Colin is the cook's son from the preivous chapter.

Me: I hope you enjoyed! I have a couple Ideas for this story, and will update whenever I write them down. So, within the next ten years (just kidding... better make it twenty...).

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!

Happy Writing!