One of my friends sent me one of this emails and while I read it with absolutely no intention of passing it on in any form, I found myself thinking of scenarios and hence this Fanfiction was created. Sorry.
SLASH references: Merlin/Arthur
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Don't waste your time on someone, who isn't willing to waste their time on you.
Merlin was a servant. He was the manservant of Prince Arthur of Camelot and more of a dogsbody rather than a servant to the physician Gaius. He collected herbs and ingredients, fetched water and clean linen. He helped Gaius treat the sick and transport the dead. He listened half-heartedly as Gaius talked enthusiastically about various treatment methods, vainly hoping for Merlin to become more interested, to have a proper apprentice to pass on his learning. He carried medicines all over the castle for Gaius. When there were high-status guests in the castle he was simply another servant, carrying anything and everything that the rich and powerful could think to bring to Camelot.
The rest of the time he was Arthur's manservant; which meant a variety as tasks. He had to clean clothes, bring food, light fires, clean armour, clean, polish and sharpen his sword. He was the target in target practice and he was an opponent in weaponry. He carried things whenever he was instructed to needed, he accompanied Arthur on hunts and to feasts where the hat was simply ridiculous. In short, he was required to fetch and bring anything and everything that Arthur told him to.
In addition to this, Merlin was also somewhat of an unofficial court magician. Any sort of magical threat to Camelot, be it poisonings, the dead, magical beasts or supernatural curses, Merlin had to protect Arthur, and by extension the whole of Camelot and all in secret, for if anyone especially the king found out, he would not be the hero who had saved all of their lives multiple times, he would be executed as a sorcerer. Alongside these responsibilities, in his spare time he also had to put up with a vague riddle-obsessed dragon who was often more of a problem than a help and study from a magical text which more often than not didn't come with the appropriate warnings.
Arthur knew most of this, except the magic parts obviously. Perhaps one day Merlin would be found out, or just maybe he would be able to tell Arthur the truth. Whatever the case Arthur knew how hard Merlin worked and quietly suspected how much harder Merlin actually worked. Whatever Merlin's motivations, Arthur was grateful. Arthur trusted Merlin with his life and when the time came for Arthur to repay all the Merlin had given, Arthur would pay, gladly.
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