Merlin elbowed his way into Arthur's bedchambers, fully expecting to find a still-sleeping king but Arthur was already up, and with his head in his hands. Arthur looked up when Merlin entered, breakfast in one hand and a change of clothes in the other.
"I believe it's the first time you're late."
Merlin clearly ignored his jibe, preferring to tear open the curtains to show the morning sun barely rising above the horizon, setting down his clothes and bringing his breakfast tray over. He suddenly tripped, sending its contents flying towards Arthur.
Arthur's eyes glowed golden as he instinctively stopped his breakfast midway, sausage, bacon and eggs suspended in mid-air. "Amazing" He muttered, one hand reaching out for a sausage, before snatching it back as if being stung.
Merlin scrambled back up and hastily plucked the offending bits of food from the air, grinning. "I know right? Magic can be convenient sometimes."
"Not that, I mean how you can still trip over absolutely nothing at all." Arthur settled back warily as Merlin set his tray down, still mulling over his magic. Oblivious to his king's mental state, the manservant busied himself tidying the room while rattling off the day's itinerary.
"First you'll have a speech to make in two hours' time, then a trip to the Infirmary and first-aid stations to see the wounded, and after that- Gwen is already helping out there so you'll be able to meet up with her- I'm guessing you will be there for a few hours, then slightly after midday you both will be dining with the court nobles. Don't get too drunk now, because you will need to have your evening free, and when we're done, you will also have to make another speech at dinnertime which will be a big feast to celebrate winning the war and your recovery. You can be as drunk as you like then."
The king processed all that he had said while chowing down on his food- after two days of not eating he was absolutely starving- mind whirling with the many things that needed to be done.
"What's the speech for?"
"To announce that His Highness is well and that we have won the war. More of a courtesy than anything, and it will have to be thirty minutes long." Arthur nearly spit out his food.
"I can't possibly prepare a thirty minute speech in two hours! Twenty minutes maximum!"
"I've got most of the speech written out." Merlin dangled a piece of parchment before Arthur. Arthur snatched it from his hands, squinting at the spidery scrawls.
"Hardly above average in terms of vocabulary and sorely lacking in character but it will have to do." The king grabbed a quill from his nightstand and started editing and adding to the text as Merlin cleared away the dishes.
"By the way, what's happening in the evening that I have to keep it free?"
Merlin clapped his hands together in an all-too-cheerful way. "Your very first magic lesson."
Arthur set down his quill and sighed in an exaggerated fashion. "Merlin, I am the king of Camelot and as so, duty-bound to persecute any magic-wielder I see. Tell me why I have not done the same to you for flaunting magic so openly, let alone daring to suggest teaching me sorcery."
"Because I am the single, most loyal, charming and hardworking manservant to have ever served you?"
"No. It's because incompetent servants are nearing extinction and I'm trying to preserve the last of their race." Arthur rolled his eyes. "Point being, I am not learning magic."
Merlin chose this time to hurl the king's breakfast fork at him. Arthur's eyes flashed golden again and the fork stopped a hairsbreadth from hitting him smack on the face. Merlin folded his hands, "you see, you're using magic instinctively, you're not even trying not to use it." He held up a hand when Arthur opened his mouth to protest. "I know it just happens, I was like that myself in the early stages, but listen to me. You have to learn how to control it. What happens if you unconsciously use magic in sight of people? The king himself, representative of the city Camelot which forbids magic, do you know the furor it would cause? I made a pact with the Disir to save your life, and you possessing magic is the price they exacted in return for keeping you alive. I will not let my efforts go to waste by a lynch mob crying for your head when your magic is seen."
"Then we'll just do away with that part of the law."
Arthur's nonchalant way of saying it infuriated Merlin. He slammed his hands on the nightstand, really wanting to bring it upon the king's head. Leave it to Arthur to find the easy way out. "Have you the brains of a fly? You can't just do away with the law! The people of Camelot have been living with it since ages! Camelot was nearly destroyed by magic! Why do you think I've hidden my powers for this long? What will they say when the king suddenly decides to change the law for no apparent reason?!" Granted, the abolishment of that law was what Merlin had promised the Disir, but it had to be done in stages. If the people did not take well to the sudden change, there was no telling what they would do.
Arthur only looked bemused at the death glares Merlin was giving him. "But I do have a reason. My life was saved by magic. Don't give me that look." He continued when Merlin look unconvinced. "I did not fully agree to my father's way of dealing with certain things involving magic-users and magical creatures, namely killing them on sight. Even more so now, when I am saved by magic and have seen what good it can bring." He clapped the manservant's shoulder good-naturedly.
"And as for the reason for abolishing the law, I will attribute it to the lightning that fell from the sky on that day in Camlann. It was sorcery that decimated the Saxon's battle formation. If not for that magic, we would have suffered more deaths than this and this is proof that magic can also be used for good. There are hundreds of still-alive soldiers that can attest to that."
Merlin looked down at the king's hands, where his quill was dashing at breakneck speed across the parchment as he talked. Signing off with a flourish, Arthur proudly presented his completed speech to the manservant which seemed to pacify him. Merlin hummed as he scanned through the words.
"So what do you think?"
"Hardly above average in terms of vocabulary and sorely lacking in character, but it will have to do." Arthur snorted as Merlin parroted his words.
"We're still having your magic lesson. Be sure to be by the stables at four."
Arthur groaned.
The speech he gave two hours later was met with due applause and quite some surprise when he mentioned magic in their victory against the Saxons. Arthur wisely left out the part about abolishing the law, giving them a chance to absorb the information first. He followed the schedule set out for him to the letter. Merlin had also briefed Gwen about his training session so despite his many attempts to stay for afternoon tea with the court nobles, he couldn't refuse when he was promptly shooed out by Gwen. Dressed in civilian clothes, Excalibur on hip, he used a cloak to conceal his face and set off to the stables, albeit very reluctantly. Merlin had readied two horses before he arrived and he followed the manservant as they rode out of the city, only stopping as they emerged into the same glade Merlin talked to Kilgharrah last night. Merlin noticed some rather oddly-coloured egg shells littering the plain up ahead but ignored them, choosing to focus on the task at hand.
Arthur's mixed feelings of anticipation and trepidation manifested themselves as butterflies in his stomach as he dismounted. As much as he was unwilling to learn, he was just as curious as to how magic was learnt, and if he ever intended to welcome sorcery back into Camelot, he would have to know how it worked.
"Alright then, let's start." Merlin pulled a backpack off from his own mount, lugging it to the middle of the clearing and bringing out pots, pans, other miscellaneous items and a bound leather book. Arthur frowned, "I thought we are supposed to have a sorcery class not home economics."
Merlin grinned. "We don't need any magical items for the first lesson. That's for apprentice-level spells. Today we're going to teach you how to control your magic first by levitating these pots."
"But I already know how to move things, can't we move on to others?"
"And who was it that didn't want to learn magic?"
"…"
"Anyway," Merlin set a pan in front of Arthur, "doing it by instinct and controlling magic on purpose are two different things. Now, try to lift it- with magic, magic! Not your hand!"
Arthur snorted and sat cross-legged in front of the pan, laying Excalibur by his side. Merlin sat a ways from him and started flipping through the leather tome. He read from a passage. "Concentrate on the object, gather your magic then when you feel that you got enough magic built up, imagine the object moving the way you want. No incantations are needed for this because it's a simple levitation spell."
Arthur concentrated on the pan as told, clearing his mind off unnecessary things. "Imagine, imagine," he muttered to himself. The king felt something build up inside him, an uncomfortable feeling that grew as he thought about it. Could this be magic? The feeling swirled in his gut, growing as he let it simmer. Feeling the buildup immensely uncomfortable, the king decided that it was best to let it out.
What came out was a very loud "poot" and a terrible smell.
Merlin gagged and scooted further away, upwind from the offending odour. He hid his face behind the leather-bound tome, wisely choosing to hide his laughter between the folds of the book.
"Merlin?"
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
Ignoring the lanky lad and his heaving shoulders, Arthur focused again on the pan. Flatulence buildup done with, he felt much better. The magic came easily to him then. As if I was born with it. Arthur thought, then dismissed it with a shake of his head. How absurd, he would have known if he possessed magic.
He levitated the pan and made it clock the still-snickering Merlin on the head. That shut him up.
They spent the best part of the training session with Merlin increasing the amount of items he had to levitate, gradually upping the difficulty by having Arthur move certain cooking utensils in a random formation while keeping the rest stationary.
By the end of the evening, Arthur could levitate six items and successfully move a grand total of three pots in opposite directions while rotating them all at the same time. In regards to his powers the king was less than average but he had a strong control on his powers.
Merlin clapped his hands to signify the end of the lesson as Arthur flopped back on the clearing groaning. The magic exercises didn't tax him physically, but Arthur still felt tired. The remnants of magic sparking in and out of life in his cranium somewhat soothed his overtaxed brain cells.
"Alright, now there's someone I want you to meet before we set back, someone who had a part in saving you." Arthur raised himself on his elbows to look at Merlin, a quizzical look on his features. He wondered who it was.
Beside him, Merlin took a deep breath and stepped forward, suddenly roaring out in an ancient language that Arthur had never heard of. He flinched at the raw power that Merlin's voice reverberated. Was this really the klutzy, always tripping-over-himself Merlin he was so used to seeing? If anyone had asked at that moment, Arthur wouldn't have known how to reply.
Not long after, a white figure swooped overhead, circling before coming to land before them, buffeting them with resulting air drafts. Arthur stepped back warily, hand reaching for Excalibur.
Merlin was just as surprised as Arthur was. He had called for Kilgharrah only to be met with Aithusa. Dread curled in his stomach as he remembered the recurring wound on the dragon's wing. Plus, Aithusa had sided with Morgana and the Saxons, she couldn't have…To Kilgharrah…
"Merlin…" Arthur warned, sword unsheathed and at the ready. He had seen the white dragon set fire to a few of his men and judging from his servant's reaction he was not expecting the dragon either. He maneuvered so that he was standing in front of Merlin.
Aithusa snapped at the blade. Arthur almost jumped out of his skin. Behind him, Merlin yelled something about another dragon. A shadow that loomed overhead made Arthur look up only to see Kilgharrah's very big belly descending on them. Grabbing Merlin's arm, the king pulled his servant away in the direction of their horses, not turning around even when he heard the bigger dragon land. Trust Merlin to land them into even more trouble. Whatever Merlin called for with that voice of his, he was sure it wasn't this. One dragon he could handle, but two was out of the question, especially if the second had somehow resurrected from the dead and had previously come close to burning Camelot to the ground.
"Arthur! Stop!" Merlin yanked his arm out of the king's grasp and turned back to the two dragons. "They're friends. You already know the big one there, he's Kilgharrah who flew you to the Isle of the Blessed and if he had not, you would not have lived. And the other, smaller one is Aithusa."
Arthur narrowed his eyes at the servant. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness last time from the intense pain of the sword fragment to pay any attention to the dragon, assuming that Merlin pulled one of his magic tricks again. Least of all, he didn't expect a slain dead dragon to be flying free instead of lying six feet underground. He would have a talk with Merlin soon. But the king sheathed his sword anyway, cautiously following the servant as he greeted the two dragons.
Kilgharrah inclined his head in response to Merlin's introductions. Arthur suddenly thought that for dragons, they possessed more courtesy than a certain manservant.
"I expected the King to look more… Kingly." Aithusa blinked owlishly at Arthur.
Merlin and Arthur both exclaimed at the same time, "you can talk!"
"Yes, yes, she speaks, the great dragon has spoken and all that." Remarked Aithusa dryly, clearly amused by their looks of shock.
Kilgharrah chuckled, addressing the king, "I am glad that you are well, Arthur Pendragon." He continued, "dragons can talk just as well as humans can, though it takes a little bit of magic to fully understand our speech. As for Aithusa, she was trapped in a curse which controlled her against her will and set free when Morgana passed." He didn't elaborate much on Aithusa's condition after.
An obsidian black head poked out from the back of Kilgharrah and gave a petulant squeak. The little dragonling hopped off the dragon's back and scampered to Merlin. The manservant was at a loss for words as he scooped the baby into his arms. The rest of the hatchlings quickly followed suit and before long Merlin was enveloped in a wave of various-coloured reptilian wings and dissonant squeaks and squeals. Arthur crouched beside Merlin and tentatively petted a mottled-brown dragonling that turned to look at him. The dragonling immediately detached itself from the writhing mass and pounced on Arthur, eliciting a cry of surprise from the king. Its claws were sharp, but they didn't break skin as Etmyer nuzzled Arthur's cheek, squeaking in contentment.
"It seems that he likes you." Aithusa commented. By then Etmyer had poked his head into the opening of Arthur's shirt, probably looking for food.
"How did… You find them?" Merlin managed to gasp out, extricating his head from the mass of nipping dragons.
"The Disir handed them into my care. They said that these were the last remaining dragons, saved from the wrath of Uther Pendragon when he ordered the killing of dragons." Merlin frowned at the mention of the Disir but didn't say anything.
Arthur noticed that Kilgharrah said his father's name with a hint of bitterness. He didn't blame the dragon's animosity, if anything it was well-founded and by not killing the son of the person who slain his kin but instead helping in saving him, the dragon had shown mercy that he would not have under similar circumstances. He looked down on Etmyer who was currently mouthing Excalibur's hilt. He knew that dragons coexisted somewhat harmoniously with people (apart from the occasional stolen livestock and foolish knight who believed he could slay a dragon) before Uther had called for their extermination and a smile tugged at his lips when Etmyer raised his head and licked his cheek. These were hardly the man-eating monstrosities he was led to believe.
Acting on impulse, Arthur stepped forward and bowed low, momentarily exposing his nape to Kilgharrah as an act of trust. "As acting King of Camelot, I apologise on behalf of the deceased King Uther of the treatment you and your kind have endured. And I thank you for saving my life." Etmyer nearly dropped off his shirt but he scooped the dragonling back up.
If Kilgharrah was surprised by Arthur's action he did not show it, merely inclining his head a second time. Beside him, Aithusa snorted, "apologies and grattitude won't bring our kin back. At least give us something in return-" she fell silent at the older dragon's warning growl.
Arthur realized she was right. But he honestly didn't know what to give to a dragon and he voiced his concerns. Kilgharrah hummed before speaking "if you want to do something for me, then I'd like to let these children grow up in an environment without fear of being hunted down... Freedom to soar through the skies, as proud dragons again is all I ask." He made a noise at the back of his throat and the seven dragonlings obediently detached themselves from the two men and went to him. Merlin comically gasped for air, covered in bite marks and scratches. Not waiting for Arthur's reply he hustled them onboard and turned around, unfurling his wings. It wasn't long before he took off, flying in circles around the clearing.
Aithusa snorted at Arthur, "as un-kingly as you seem, both Merlin and Kilgharrah seem to have high hopes for you, so I guess it's alright to put just a smidgen of faith in you." She turned around and unfurled her own pearl-white wings, buffeting the two men as she took off. The two dragons circled the area one last time before setting back whence they came.
"Well, that went well." Merlin straightened his neckerchief and gave himself a pat-down, leading the king back to where they picketed the horses. Arthur seemed deep in thought as they made their way back to Camelot in companionable silence.
Arthur finally popped the question when Merlin unsaddled his horse.
("Merlin, will you marry me?" Haha, not! I ship Merthur but not that way)
"Merlin, do you think I can make Camelot safe again for Kilgharrah and the rest of them?"
Merlin stopped midway, and stared at him. He put his hands on Arthur's shoulders and looked into his eyes, "Arthur, I cannot think of one king more suited for the task at hand." He continued as Arthur raised an eyebrow, "you have already started the ball rolling, by unbanning magic from Camelot. Soon, magic-users will return to Camelot and the use of magic will be the norm again!" A grin split Merlin's features as he warmed up to the idea. "And then we can reintroduce the dragons again! My god Gaius will be so surprised!"
Arthur couldn't help but grin, the manservant's enthusiasm was infectious. "Alright then, I believe in you." He took one of Merlin's hands from his shoulder and thrust Excalibur into it.
"Eh?"
"But first, clean this up for me will you?"
Merlin looked down on the sword's hilt, plastered with sticky dragonling-saliva as Arthur quickly exited the stables, whistling a tune to himself.
The long, drawn-out groan that came from the stables cheered the king to no end as he climbed the steps back to his bedchambers. There was still plenty of time before the feast started. Snatching a piece of parchment and his quill from the dressing table, Arthur got to work.
Two hours later, a very pleased King Arthur, accompanied by Gwen, sat down at the head of the table in the great hall, a scroll of parchment neatly tucked into his celebratory raiments. He was confident his plan would work, but he wouldn't execute it, at least not yet.
The whole hall would have to be sufficiently inebriated first.
(A/N: Ahahaha I found myself smiling for the better part of the chapter. I had so much fun writing this chapter! I think I'm kinda getting the hang of writing fanfiction now.. I hope, ehehehe...
Also I found this awesome mmorpg game called Tera Online, I'm never leaving my computer ever again! oAo;;;
MerlinMorgana1579 ohmygawd you're absolutely right! I knew I should have gone with Leon! Ugguuu... lllORZ
mersan123 glad you like it! I absolutely love how Aithusa turned out too. Sassy dragon is awesome dragon~
XxPAxX Well, I found a few fics concerning Arthur and magic but I didn't read them cuz I was re-power-reading through my newest-bought copy of Unwind by Neal Shusterman! Its an old book but I absolutely love his work! Not even Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper made me cry so bad...
But I digress, and thank you Coolestbee I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a penchant for complicated-yet-logical plots and plot-twists if I dare say so myself~ [[HEAVY BREATHING]]
Once again thank you all for reading! *THROWS SPARKLES* (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧