The room nodded and mumbled their assent. Well apart from Gwaine, who clapped his hands like a child and threw himself back in his chair to put his feet on the Round Table. He exclaimed, "Story Time with Merlin!"
Gwen sighed and motioned for Gwaine to remove his feet from the table.
"Yes Gwaine, story time." Merlin's voice was patronising. "Are you sitting comfortably or do you want cookies and milk?" (A/N I know they didn't have cookies and milks back then but just go with it)
Gwaine just smiled happily. "I'm good thanks." Yes, he'd definitely finished the tankard of ale. How selfish of him.
"Anyway, I walked from Ealdor –"
"Ealdor?" asked Gwaine.
"My home village."
"When I got into Camelot there was this execution going on for a sorcerer."
"What had he done?" Gwaine again.
"I don't know. Anyway he was executed and that definitely scared me off using magic publically in Camelot."
"Why?" said, guess who? Gwaine.
Everyone looked at him as though he was insane. Uther was a King who hated magic and had just had a sorcerer publically executed. Gwaine had just asked why Merlin had kept his magic secret.
And so it went on. On the first day Arthur sulked (and denied doing so). Gwen made sound effects (sympathetic murmurs, gasps of horror, and occasionally squeals of delight). Gwaine asked questions every five seconds and drove them all insane. Percival unsurprisingly sat and listened.
They learnt about Lady Helen, and Knight Valiant. They also learnt about Lancelot (at which Arthur did not sulk when he learnt that Lancelot had known before him. Of course not). Gwaine, however openly admitted to sulking. And pouting. On the other hand, he wouldn't own up to the tantrum that had accompanied the pouting. After Merlin had soothed their bruised egos, he continued with tales of evil physicians, exiled fairies disguised as beautiful women (at least that's what it sounded like to Arthur) and wraiths for uncles. Arthur thought Merlin sounded like he was missing something – the druid boy, Mordred. Eventually he concluded that nothing of particular importance had happened, he knew everything about that particular adventure.
Gwen made yet more sympathetic croons at the tale of Will, a slain unicorn and a quick retelling of the Question Beast. After this Merlin had a sore throat, Gaius had a bad back (Arthur had thought that chair was no good for him) and everyone else needed to assimilate the new knowledge. Arthur desperately wanted a training session – he needed to smack the hell out of something. He was starting to doubt his right as King – everything that he thought he'd accomplished was being torn down by his very annoying, skinny, magic-possessing manservant. It was wounding his ego.
oOo
On day two they learnt about the released soul of Cornelius Sigan and Arthur was actually forced to apologise once Gwen heard about how he'd treated Merlin. Arthur couldn't quite believe it. He'd been brought up fearing the once mighty strength of Sigan, and to hear he'd been destroyed by Merlin was next to impossible. Then about the foiled assassin.
Next was Morgana and her discovery of her own magic. Arthur hadn't known whether to be furious or not about Merlin not telling her about his magic. It could've helped her – he could've helped her. But had she gone evil anyway, she could have blackmailed him with the threat of telling the King about him. Her plots probably would've been more dangerous, intricate and hidden. In the end he concluded that it was a good thing that Merlin hadn't confided the truth in her – with the amount of times Merlin had apparently saved his life, it wouldn't have turned out good.
Arthur did however feel remorse for the druids killed in the camp Morgana went to, and silently despaired at her want to stay and not return to Camelot – even before she turned to the dark side. At Lancelot's next appearance, the mood turned even more sombre, and Gwen appeared to want to burst into tears.
Lady Catrina was next. Gwaine thought it hilarious that Uther had married a troll – a creature of the magic he so despised. Her eating habits caused a further outbreak of hysterics, this time from everyone (apart from Gwen – she was both not in the mood due to the recent tales of Lancelot, and her expression was more of disgust). It seemed everyone (apart from Gwen) was welcoming the lighter mood.
At the Witch Finder, everyone felt the compulsive urge to inspect Gaius for injuries every time he was mentioned. Gwaine laughed hysterically at the tale of the frog. Arthur probably should've been upset that a magic-user was using his magic to frame other people, but he couldn't muster up the emotion. The foul man had deserved it. Merlin briefly mentioned Freya, his eyes hard and blank.
The next story did not have Arthur blushing. Gwaine smirked at him at the thought of Lady Vivian but Gwen patted his arm sympathetically. Arthur confessed to himself that he couldn't stand blondes in the days after that incident. Only that fact that he himself was blond was enough to get him over it. After all, never looking in the mirror again would've been impossible. And quite depressing.
Hearing that Morgana had been the one to steal the crystal of Neahtid no longer surprised him. He just wished he hadn't been as blind to his sister's true nature. He knew though that she didn't really know any different – she was taking the help she was given.
Perhaps this was why he was so angry when he found out what Merlin had done to her to stop the sleeping spell. He understood why he'd done it, and he almost pitied his fri- servant for the choice he had had to make, but couldn't he have explained to Morgana? She hadn't known what she was doing – he hoped. However, Merlin telling him the care Morgause had shown to her sister and the level of care he'd seen her display towards Morgana reassured him that she had been fine during her 'kidnapping'. She was still his sister.
Merlin continued, this time vaguely. He got the fact that Merlin had released the dragon fine. In fact, that had inspired a lot of despairing looks, from Gwen, and a lot of shouting from pretty much everyone else. Arthur had a very bad headache. After this story, he was going to go to bed.
The dragon was attacking, and they were going to find Balinor, and he was dying. Whilst telling this part of the tale Merlin started crying. Like he did when talking about Freya.
Something about Balinor's death made Merlin as upset as he'd been when Freya had died. He just could get Merlin to say why – and he tried. For an hour and a half.
Definitely enough for one day.
oOo
The third day was hard. Hearing the details of Morgana treachery was tearing Arthur up inside. Gwen was tearing him up outside, clawing him with her nails, especially as she heard that her once friend had been so far gone that she'd tried to turn her own father insane – even if she hadn't known her was her father then.
No one was very surprised when Merlin revealed he'd been the reason the first undead army had died.
He was probably the reason the second one had died as well.
The goblin made everyone laugh. Well, everyone except Gaius who blushed a lot. Hearing what the goblin had made him do, Arthur had to agree. If he'd done half of those things, he'd be brighter than a tomato.
Gwaine surprised them with his revelation at his introduction to 'Story Time'. He'd suspected Merlin of having magic right from the beginning, further enforced by their journey to the Perilous Lands – Strength, Courage and Magic. Everyone looked saddened at Merlin after he revealed his visions of the future and what he'd accidently done to stop Morgana from killing the King – not that it had stopped her in the end.
Hearing that Elena had been taken over by a Sidhe was one of the strangest things Arthur had heard – she never seemed that bad. After hearing the Sidhe's plan, though, Arthur understood – they wanted her as Queen. At least he understood why she seemed so different after the failed wedding.
The explosion in the castle of Fyrien was next and the journey to the Perilous Lands. Leon looked disapproving at hearing that Gwaine and Merlin had aided Arthur in his quest, but relented when he discovered what Morgana had done. Arthur was beginning to doubt his ability to be King – this one quest was supposed to prove he was ready and able to be King and he had been helped by a drunk Knight and a magical manservant.
Gaius having been in love and having to send her away incited the same reactions from Gwen as Freya's death and a variety of the other mildly sad stories had. She murmured sympathetically and patted people's arms. He couldn't fault Gaius for helping Alice escape, even if she had tried to kill his father. Gwen's imprisonment was passed over – nothing of importance he supposed. Merlin had been in the tavern.
The tournament was then – Gilli using magic, and Merlin revealing himself to another lonely sorcerer, this one with vengeance on their mind but goodness in their heart. Arthur couldn't help but be surprised that Merlin had destroyed the immortals army by taking Lancelot. He asked and Merlin explained – Lancelot had found out his plans and made Merlin take him with him. There was a mention of a sword that could kill things that were already dead – one that had been used on the wraith but they were too entranced to ask now – he'd ask later. The mental list was getting very long.
Merlin actually looked scared when he revealed how powerless the Dorocha made him feel. The next few weeks were skimmed over – Lancelot's death, his fathers, something to do with a dragon egg until they reached Queen Annis. Merlin hadn't really interfered on that occasion so the story telling was concluded there – Queen Annis had only been last week.
Everyone looked astounded by the end of the tale – even Gaius who had probably known most of it already. Arthur couldn't help but think that Merlin had missed things out – perhaps lots of things. He would have to find out – later.
He really was fed up of thinking that.
Gwaine chuckled and swung his feet back onto the floor. "Story time with Merlin. Never ever doing that again."
Arthur had been right when he thought he'd want that ale.
A/N: I know that I left Kilgharrah, Mordred and Dragoon out of this chapter – I'm going to put them in where the reveal is better suited and more dramatic. If you spot anything else I missed, tell me through a review or PM and I'll try to add it in.
