A little simple chapter today. Sorry it is a bit late out.

The Formation of The Round Table

Merlin looked at the open book. He had tried to look at it as much as possible since Morgana showed him it. The round table of Balinor Eorðdraca, the second of his name, fascinated him. He loved the idea of it. He really wanted his own.

"Looking at that again."

He smiled up at the old man. "Yes, I cannot help but look at it."

"Your grandfather was fascinated by it too." Geoffrey explained. "I guess you already have names of the people you would have around it."

"Of course I do."

"Unfortunately, your grandfather's table was destroyed when Uther took over. If you wanted one, you would have to find someone to make it for you."

Merlin just nodded. He was afraid that he would say that. It wasn't that he didn't want to be able to have his say in his round table, he just knew that he would have to be the one to contact them.

Now it wasn't that Merlin couldn't read because he could. He had to be able to, to read the magic books that he got off Gaius and his father. But looking through the scrolls he had been given, he felt like he couldn't. It was more the wording that he didn't understand. It was just too fancy. Why couldn't they put things simply?

He supposed it was a reason it was worded like it was because it had to be. The thing was, Merlin didn't really want anyone to know that he could just about read. He definitely didn't want anyone knowing that he could write just yet. It was embarrassing. Both him and his mother were being taught by Geoffrey. His mother had picked up quicker than he had but she was still struggling. Merlin just couldn't get it at all.

He had managed to get this far without having to write a thing. Geoffrey had written it while he dictated. He put it into the fancy language he needed. He would learn eventually. Like everything else, he thought he would have more time between his father taking the throne and him taking the throne.

Merlin put down the scroll and placed his head in his hands. He knew he would get it but he hated struggling but he didn't want to give his council another reason to doubt him.

His thoughts when automatically to the round table. He wanted one so badly but he would have to write to get one. It would give him an incentive to try harder to get his writing up to where it should be.

He pulled a piece of parchment in front of him. He dipped the quill in the ink pot and placed it onto the parchment. He dragged it down the page before pulling it up again and trying to bring it round to flick it down. He dipped it in the ink again before starting on the o. he managed to write Round before the quill snapped. He threw it a side.

He looked down at the word. It wasn't the best he had done but it wasn't the worse either. It was the quickest he had written something as well. It was sloppy and he knew that it wasn't up to the standard of a king.

If anything, he wanted to scrunch the paper up. He wasn't getting it and it was beginning to frustrate him. He knew he couldn't rely on Geoffrey all his life.

Merlin flatted out the creases he had put into the paper. He got up and walked over to the cabinet and got out another quill. This could be his own personal list of who was going to be on his round table. He didn't need to write their names when he could do something even better.

He started with Morgana and then Arthur and Gwen and Lancelot and his mother and Gaius and then Gwaine. He carefully made sure that he didn't break the quill this time around and held up his work to appreciate it. Why couldn't he be that good at writing?

He quickly hid it as Arthur came into the room.

"Don't you know how to knock?"

"Well you never did." He said, taking the seat opposite his cousin.

"What do I owe the pleasure?"

"We were able to trace the man back to where he had come from. The man you killed in the tournament. He … he wasn't a trained assassin so much but he was trained to try and kill you."

Merlin sighed heavily. "He was sent from Odin."

"As we previously suspected." Arthur turned his head to the side. "Is that a round table?"

Merlin turned the book around so he could get a better look. "It was my grandfather's. I … um have been fascinated by it since Morgana showed it to me. I just love the idea of it."

"So in other words, you want one."

Merlin nodded.

Arthur shot up. "Well lets find your grandfather's." He slowly sat back down. "Unless something happened to it when my father took over."

"It was destroyed."

"Then we will find the best table maker in the land to make you one." He clicked his fingers. "There is a brilliant one in Caerleon. I am sure if you just have the dimensions you want, just a letter would be sufficient enough."

"Do you think, that there would be any chance … that you could write it?" Merlin asked nervously. "On my behalf."

There was a big part of him that wanted to lie to him and say that he had too much to do to write it himself. But then he remembered that he was talking to his cousin. Arthur wouldn't tell anyone.

He knew by the confused look on Arthur's face that he would have to explain.

"I am learning. It is a lot harder than it looks. I … I struggle with writing. I can write but not to what a king should." He got his list out from it's hiding place. "I started to make a list of all the people I want on my round table. Except it isn't much of a list." He handed it over to him.

Arthur took the piece of parchment out of his hands. The 'Round' at the top wasn't the best. He could even tell where the quill had broken. His eyes travelled down the paper, expecting words. But he was met with drawings. If anything, Merlin was a good artist. He could tell who everyone was.

He chuckled. "I'm impressed. I didn't have you down as some artist."

Merlin smiled. "I would find anything to draw on. I think it could run in the family. My father taught me how to carve wood."

"I will write it for you and any other letter you need doing. I will help you Merlin. You don't need to struggle on like this. We are all here to help you. If you feel embarrassed to ask me, ask Gwen. Gaius taught her how to write. It may not be as neat as it should be but if you feel better about asking her than you do Morgana and me, she would be happy to help."

Merlin nodded. "I know I shouldn't but I feel like I should be able to do a lot more than I can. Thank you Arthur though. Maybe it is time that I ask for help rather than drown in my duties."