Author's notes: Arthur knows Mordred has magic in this, because, right now, I can't remember if Arthur knew or not. I'm pretty sure he did, but if he didn't, then that is what this note is for. The title obviously comes from Grease xD Enjoy!
Three days after the rogue warlocks had been jailed, Merlin had finally completed his letter that requested any sorcerer with an interest in maintaining peace and order to come to the castle for an interview to become the new Court Sorcerer. Merlin felt he could pat himself on the back, it was simply marvelous. Arthur had given another speech to the public to reassure him of his good intentions about repealing the laws. That this was no ruse into drawing out the sorcerers to have them executed, he was genuinely wanting to help them.
Merlin had just put the finishing touches on it when Arthur burst on the room without announcing himself. To be fair, it was Arthur's bedchambers, Merlin was just taking advantage of the writing desk with the mountains of empty scrolls and numerous quills and inkwells. They were, sadly, a luxury Merlin never bothered with.
"Well well well. What do we have here?" Arthur asked upon spotting Merlin at his desk, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I was just finishing the notice calling for a Court Sorcerer. And I must say, for all the speeches I've written for you, you're welcome by the way, I think I really left myself the best stuff," Merlin pronounced proudly, brandishing his masterpiece out for Arthur to see with his chest puffed out slightly.
"Let me see it then," Arthur demanded, holding his hand out expectantly.
Merlin looked at the hand, ever so slightly drawing the parchment closer to his chest, not exactly trusting Arthur's intentions, especially with that glint in his eyes. It was highly suspicious. "And what do you plan to do with it?"
"Just let me see it, Merlin!" Arthur made to grab the scroll, but Merlin pulled it out of reach just in time, taking a couple of steps around the desk to put it between himself and the king.
"What do you think I'm going to do with it? I'm going to read it. That's what people do with notices, isn't it?" Arthur pursued Merlin around the desk, but Merlin circled with him, not letting Arthur get any closer.
"You promise you're just going to read it? No funny business?"
"That scroll is part of my future plans. What do you think I will do to something like that? Throw it in the fire?" Arthur mocked.
"Fine, you can read it, but you have to give it back, I'm very proud of it, it took me nearly two and a half days to get it just right." Merlin reluctantly took a few steps around the desk towards Arthur. When he was close enough, he slowly brought the scroll away from his chest and let Arthur slip it from his grasp.
Arthur smirked victoriously, and Merlin almost immediately regretted handing it over, but then Arthur started to actually read it. "This is very good, Merlin. I'm impressed, truly." Merlin beamed at Arthur, teeth showing and all. "Two and a half days, you say?" Arthur said, not really a question, as he toyed with the parchment in both hands. Merlin's smile dropped just as quickly as it came once the look came back to Arthur's face. "I bet you practically have it memorized by now." Merlin's eyes widened, not liking, at all, where this was headed, but he nodded anyway. "So it wouldn't be an issue if I did this," Arthur lifted the parchment closer to his face. His hands moved in different directions, and a loud ripping sound filled the air.
Merlin gasped, outraged. He was so mad, he felt it throughout his whole chest. Then Arthur's laughter boomed around the room.
"Your face!" he managed to wheeze out between breaths. "Oh gods, that was so funny! You should see your face. HA! Here, have your precious notice."
Merlin looked down at Arthur's hand, first in fury, then in confusion. It was intact. "But- how did- what?" Merlin snatched the parchment out of Arthur's hands and inspected it closer for damage.
"Do you honestly believe I would do something like that? Mess with you, yes. Provoke you into anger, definitely. But destroy that?" he nodded to Merlin's hands. "Of course not." He smiled at Merlin. "I did the noise with my mouth. Blew some air out against the parchment and it sounds just like I was ripping it apart. I'm a delinquent, not a heathen, Merlin. I will always remember that face though. I thought you would have killed me."
"I might still, I have not yet decided." Merlin said, still a bit thrown from the turn of events.
Arthur chuckled. "Yeah, well, we'll see." He took the parchment once again out of Merlin's hands, and studied it. "I was serious, though. It's perfect. We'll send it out at first light tomorrow." Arthur set the parchment down on his desk and patted it, but when he went to retrieve his hand, he accidently upturned an unstoppered inkwell. Right onto the notice.
Merlin's eyes widened once again, in shock as the ink flowed all over. Then he slowly looked up at Arthur murderously.
Arthur's eyes had widened in shock, too, but when he met Merlin's gaze, it became a touch more frightful. He started to back up, raising his hands defensively. "That was an accident," he said, halfway across the room when Merlin started pursuing. "And, honestly, it was your fault for not corking the inkwell. What were you thinking?"
Arthur had reached the door by then, and quickly spun out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Then he let out another laugh and said loud enough for Merlin to hear him, "I'll just leave you to it, Merlin. You said you had it memorized!" Then Arthur proceeded to sprint away from his chambers because he wasn't entirely certain that Merlin wouldn't follow him. He decided hiding out for a few hours should be enough time for Merlin to calm down. Hopefully.
A week after Merlin had reprinted his notice, still glaring at Arthur whenever he thought about it, the first group of sorcerers had started to show up. Arthur left Merlin in charge of preliminary interviews, then, if they met certain criteria- namely being of-age, seemingly trustworthy, and answered character questions satisfactorily- then Arthur and Merlin would then conduct another round of questioning, and a demonstration of their skill. Everyone who made it to the second round was provided accommodations in the city, if they did not already live there, until a final decision was made.
On the fifth day of interviewing, Merlin was sitting at the table in the throne room, thinking over his last interview. He had been a man of about forty, who seemed genuinely interested in helping sorcerers, but Merlin was a tad concerned about some of the questions he answered about his character. It had seemed to Merlin as if he had thought that magicians were to be valued more than those without magic, as if their lives were worth more. He had not said any of this, obviously, or Merlin would not still have been thinking about him, but something about the man did not sit right.
Just then, one of the guards opened the door to announce another sorcerer. Merlin waved him in, looking down at the parchment with the previous men's names and where to find them, and did not look up until someone cleared their throat. When Merlin lifted his head, he saw a figure in a long cloak with the hood up. Merlin raised an eyebrow and was about to request that he lowered his hood, when the man did it himself. With the hood lowered, Merlin couldn't help but gasp, and then jump out of his seat and run towards the man. "Mordred!" Merlin threw his arms around the young druid, and let out a surprised laugh. "Oh gods, it's great to see you. What are you doing here?"
Mordred hugged Merlin back tightly. "What do you think I'm doing here? I would like to be considered for the Court Sorcerer position."
"Right, yes, of course!" Merlin released the hug and took a few steps back. "I'm pretty sure if I told Arthur you were here, he'd give it to you automatically."
"Well, I would like to do the interview nonetheless, if you do not mind," Mordred asked, with a small smile, and a slight blush on his face.
"Yeah, alright. Just a few questions, nothing too horrible. The humiliation comes later," Merlin joked.
Mordred furrowed his brow for a second, looking at Merlin peculiarly. "I have a question of my own first. Why are you not to be Court Sorcerer, Merlin? I know Arthur trusts you the most. What, with all the times you have saved him."
Merlin swallowed and looked down at the table guiltily.
"He doesn't know, does he?" Merlin shook his head. An exhale left Mordred's lips disbelievingly. "Why not, Merlin? You know he won't have you executed."
Forcefully swallowing passed the sudden lump in his throat, Merlin said to the tabletop, "Because I'm a horrible friend, that's why. What would it look like if I had decided to tell Arthur just as he announced that magic was legal, huh? He would think that I have been using him for my own gain. That I was trying to gain his trust, and push him towards magic just so I could live freely." Merlin paused, raising his head up to look in Mordred's sad eyes. "It's been six years, Mordred. I've waited too long."
It was silent for a moment. Then Mordred spoke softly, "Do you ever plan on telling him? Because he deserves to know, Merlin."
Merlin sighed, "Yeah, I made myself promise that I would tell him before it all becomes official. Which will be in a little over a month. I've been trying to work up the courage, actually," he smiles ruefully. "But you cannot say anything, alright Mordred? Please, let me do this on my own, in my own time."
"Yes of course, Merlin. Whatever you say. You saved my life, I at least owe you this. But you will tell Arthur?"
Merlin nodded, "Yeah, even if it gets me killed."
After the interview with Mordred, Merlin went to go find Arthur while Mordred went to get settled in his accommodations, which Merlin was able to get to be within the castle. Finding the king out in the courtyard with his knights, Merlin leaned against the fencing, watching while he waited.
Arthur was training a new group of knights. Every batch seemed to get younger and younger. These ones looked no older than eighteen or nineteen; only just men. But they all seemed skilled, Merlin had to give them that. As they each sparred with the king, Merlin could detect a proud look on Arthur's face. They would be great, and make Arthur even prouder when they got older and more experienced, Merlin could tell.
Another forty-five minutes or so passes before training is dismissed and Arthur walks up to Merlin, drinking from his water bag. "I've got good news," Merlin started with a proud look of his own on his face.
"Oh? And pray tell what that could be." Arthur said, wiping the sweat off his forehead, brushing his fringe out his face with the back of his arm. It made his hair stick up a bit in the front, and Merlin's lips quirked in a smile momentarily, his neck suddenly getting warm.
He cleared his throat, "Um, I just had a promising interview. I'm pretty sure we have our new Court Sorcerer."
"Yeah?" Arthur asked, slapping Merlin's back. "Who is it?"
"Mordred," Merlin stated simply.
"Mordred, really? Is he still here?" Arthur asked, excited at the prospect of seeing the young druid.
"Yeah, I got him a room in the castle."
"Great job Merlin. Really, you could not have chosen a better candidate." Although Merlin was glad to hear those words from Arthur, they hurt a bit because what he truly wanted was to be the perfect candidate himself. He would be lucky if he could still be Arthur's manservant when this was all over. "Mordred will be perfect because he is a druid."
That confused Merlin a bit. "Is that- was that- are you saying that because he is a druid, he will be perfect, because he is also a great sorcerer, you know, and that seems a bit prejudiced." Merlin asked, a little offended for Mordred.
Arthur let out an indignant noise. "Of course not, Merlin. I know he is a great sorcerer, we have witnessed that together. I'm saying his ties to the druids will be useful."
"So you are plan on using him?" Merlin asked, now a tad angry.
"Gods, Merlin! Would you actually shut up and listen? Mordred is my friend. I am not using him for his connections, and I know he is powerful and smart, so it would be stupid of me to try. What I am saying is that since Mordred was brought up by the druids, he will be able to make sure that they are all taken care of for me. They will trust him more than me, and frankly, I trust him more than me when it comes to the druids, too."
"Oh," was all Merlin could say.
"Yes, oh. Now go fetch me a bath, I feel disgusting. All sweaty and whatnot." Merlin jumped right to it, more than happy to apologise to Arthur with a nice hot bath, and happy to get the image of a sweaty Arthur out of his head.