Wow, what do you put here after being away so long? I could issue nuuuumerous apologies, but none would probably say as much as the chapter itself. So without further ado:

Chapter 4

The next morning saw a content wizard sleeping soundly. Merlin furrowed himself deeper in his blankets, a sleepy smile crawling over his face.

It's amazing what gold will do for your sleep.

Merlin stretched his arms above his head and let out a groan. He took his time getting out of bed, letting the sun that filtered through his window warm his skin. Merlin ran a hand through his hair scratching lazily.

The noise of the kingdom was already in swing. The creak of wooden wagon wheels, market chatter and court gossip mixed to make a complete Camelot morning.

Merlin washed up and headed into the kitchen. "Gaius?"

But the physician was no where to be found, but the old man had definitely been there. Breakfast was a cooled porridge on the counter top, and the man's bed was made up neatly. Merlin noticed the snake's head missing from where he put it the night before and a new brew simmering on the brass burner.

Guess he found the anti-venom. Merlin thought and crossed the distance to the counter. He must have stepped out to give it to the knights.

Merlin reached to grab the food and saw a slip of paper sticking out from a familiar small vial. It was Gaius' loopy script.

Summoned by the King to business. Please deliver to the Lady Morgana.

'What kind of business?' Merlin wondered as he pocketed the vial. But the thought was soon gone from his mind as he basked in the the day. He had gotten enough gold to feed his mother and Will for the rest of the year. The Prince wouldn't be slayed at the hands of that creep.

And the porridge doesn't taste that bad. Merlin gulped down the rest of breakfast, the happiest he'd been since he arrived.

"Thank you, Merlin." The Lady's voice was as kind as ever, but her face was worn. Her warm eyes were belied by dark circles that were stark against her fair skin. Merlin frowned.

"Are you alright, milady?" Merlin edged. "Is the drought working? Do you need to see Gaius?"

Morgana smiled, but there was sadness in it. "I am fine, Merlin. Your concern is touching, and the drought helps..."

"But?" Merlin added. He watched closely as the Lady's eyes searched his own, before shuttering. She took a breath, and when she opened her eyes, it was as if she was in the throne room.

"Thank you again." Her voice was politely stern, and Merlin understood it for the dismissal that it was. He dipped in a hesitant bow and left.

As the door closed with a heavy clang behind him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed some kind of test. 'She looked like she was about to tell me something important...I wonder if Gwen knows anything...'

Merlin sighed and took a shortcut through the throne room-

"ENOUGH!"

Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around to see the King bowed over and grabbing his head. A wave of prickling trailed down Merlin's neck as he saw the King shaking. 'Is he enchanted?'

"Milord?"

The shaking stilled. Merlin watched warily as the King slowly stood himself upright and tilted his head to acknowledge him. "Merlin."

Merlin's heart jumped in his throat. "Milord?" 'I didn't even know he knew my name!'

The King turned around, and Merlin had to consciously keep his jaw from dropping. The King looked rough. Worry lines stretched like cracked bricks across his face, and his eyes were like two sunken stones. The King's mouth thinned and Merlin wished desperately that he had a spell that would let him disappear on the spot.

"Keep a sharp eye, boy." The King spoke slowly, and his eyes started to drift off. "Magic grows in this land like a fungus."

The King walked past him without a look behind. Merlin stared after him for a moment.

'What the hell is going on?'

He had finally made it to Arthur's chambers without further incidence. His good mood had been tapered somewhat with weirdness of the morning. Merlin reached to open the door, before pausing and knocking.

"Come in."

Merlin entered and took in the sight before him. The prince was sitting at the breakfast table still in his bed clothes. There was a breakfast feast already in front of him (for Arthur had demanded all his meals be brought by the kitchen staff ever since that unfortunate morning that Merlin decided to be exceptionally clumsy and ruined some fruit that apparently only grew in the kingdom once a year).

But even that's more food than usual.

An untouched plate of food sat in front of the Prince. Merlin's eyes slid along the table, and his stomach rumbled at the assortment of meats, cheeses, breads, and fruits. At the end of the table was another untouched plate of food, but the chair behind it was empty.

Merlin looked at the strange array before scanning the room, particularly the bed for a worn out handmaiden. But, finding no one, Merlin approached the prince cautiously.

"Expecting someone, sire?"

Was it just him, or did Arthur blush? But if he had, it was gone as soon as it had come. "Sit down, Merlin."

Merlin's brows shot up. This day had just surpassed strange and he wondered if he had been enchanted. Or maybe I'm still dreaming, he thought taking a seat across from the prince. He waited.

"I see you've learned to knock." Arthur said grabbing a piece of his bread. His voice was forced, as though it was weighed down with something.

Merlin grimaced. "After last week?"

Part of that clumsy morning was, in part, due to the fact that Merlin had walked in on a voracious morning shag between Arthur and one of maidservants. Shock had him frozen at the door with a tray of food piled high. But Arthur had just caught sight of him, smirked, and gestured to the table. "There." He said in a throaty groan.

Merlin had seen and learned a lot in Ealdor. But between keeping him and his mother alive, torment by the village bullies, and hiding his secret, sex was never apart of the curriculum.

And to have it thrown in his face, his balancing food act never stood a chance. Between Arthur yelling at him for his incompetence, the girl's squealing in equal parts embarrassment and pleasure, and the burn of his face going from pale to tomato in seconds-

Merlin's face twisted at the memory. "I'll never walk in again."

Arthur laughed a deep belly laugh, and kept laughing until Merlin seriously considered throwing a sausage at him. As Arthur finally sobered, Merlin's stomach released a growl. Merlin sighed.

"Is that all, sire?"

Arthur snorted a residual laugh and pointed at the plate in front of him. "Eat."

This should have made Merlin over the moon. He hadn't spent a piece of the gold he had gotten (partly because he couldn't figure out how to reverse the thing) and the chance to sink his teeth into castle food was divine.

But what does the prat want. A terrifying thought swept through him. Did Arthur know something? Merlin watched as the Prince dug in and his mouth thinned. Arthur was hungry, but he didn't start eating until he showed up. Arthur was waiting for me.

Merlin's eyes shot to the door. Is he going to have the guards take me away? Arthur shot him a puzzled look. Merlin's pulsed jumped in his throat and fear spiked in his stomach.

"Are you alright?" Arthur said. Was that a gleam in his eye? Merlin forced a smile to his face, but based on Arthur's frown, he knew he didn't succeed.

"Shouldn't you be training?" Merlin blurted out. He resisted the urge to slap himself. I've got a headache. I'm just tired. The King's going nuts...you could have said anything!

"I'll have you know it's not prudent to train the day of a match." His words were stiff, but the heaviness was back in his voice. Something about it drew Merlin's attention.

At the mention of the tournament, Arthur seemed to freeze up. His blue eyes were flat, and his mouth was a thin line.

He's scared about the match. Merlin realized, and a relieved bubble of laughter escaped him. He waved of Arthur's questioning gaze and stuffed his mouth with fruit.

"You know," Merlin said around a mouth full. "You must be in really bad shape to have breakfast with your servant."

"Class would demand gratitude." Arthur rolled his eyes.

Merlin smirked. "Class would also demand that I make with the small talk and totally ignore the fact that you're scared."

"You're an idiot, Merlin." Arthur glared. "I am no such thing."

"Nervous then." Merlin said snickering. He felt nearly light headed with relief that he wasn't going to be dragged out of breakfast to his death. "Either way!" He cut across before Arthur could object. "It's not necessary. Because Valiant isn't a threat."

Arthur stared at him for a couple minutes, and his mouth twisted as though he was wrestling with himself. With a calloused hand, he grabbed an apple and bit into it.

"How can you be so sure?" Arthur finally murmured. Louder he said. "Not that I'm worried or anything."

'Because I stole the shield he would have used to poison you with, sire.'

"Because you're the best fighter I know, sire." Merlin said with a shrug. He took a deep swig of water from the goblet and noticed that Arthur was still looking at him. Merlin rolled his eyes.

'Fishing for compliments, sire? How classless of you.'

"Look, this is Valiant's first tournament. All he's got is beginner's luck and some momentum on his side. Yeah?" He watched as Arthur nodded. "But for you, this isn't. You've won more tournaments then all of those knights combined. Beginner's luck only goes so far..."

A memory of Will telling him the same thing flashed before Merlin's eyes. It was after he had beaten Will at chess for the first time. A smile came unbidden to him. "But skill is something that you can stand on when the luck falls through."

Arthur considered him seriously for a long moment, before his lips fell into an easy grin. He picked up his goblet and tipped it towards him. "You know, for an idiot, you aren't completely useless."

Merlin smiled and looked towards the window. Arthur yelped across from him as his wine exploded in his face.

"Glad to be of service, sire."

He left Arthur's quarters with his good mood (and his chore list) renewed. It was nearing the night, which meant there was just a few more hours left until this ridiculous tournament was over. After that unfortunate wine-malfunction (to which he had to patiently explain to Arthur that some kinds of wine bubble up if left in the sun too long) Merlin was tasked an assortment of unrelated chores. But before he left, he got Arthur to agree for a short leave to visit his family in Ealdor after the tournament.

No time like the present after all. Merlin thought walking out of the castle and soaking up the remaining sun. That gold should be enough to buy a place in Camelot!

A pleased laugh escaped Merlin as he trotted down the castle steps.

"Well aren't you happy today!"

Merlin turned at the hand on his arm. It was a pretty elderly woman with silver hair bound up in an intricate braid on her head. Her dress, modest but obviously expensive, fluttered in the afternoon breeze.

"Today's been a good day." Merlin replied. The woman gave quiet laugh, and Merlin found himself grinning back. There was something warm about the woman, her bright blue eyes alight and happy.

"Well you keep that joy, young man." The woman said bidding him goodbye. She turned around and Merlin just barely caught her last words "For there's a new wind on the walls of Camelot."

Merlin hummed on the strange words before shrugging them off. The woman didn't look all there anyways. I hope Gaius doesn't start going batty any time soon.

He snorted at the thought and walked the few blocks down to his home. There was a buzz in the markets of Camelot.

"I heard he was an orphan, trained to fight like a barbarian." Said one of the women perusing fruits to the vendor. Merlin ducked into an alley way and rolled his eyes as he saw young boys playing with broken pieces of wagon wood.

"I wanna be the knight!"

"But you were him last time!" Came the petulant reply.

Merlin sighed to himself. Yes, the people of Camelot were enamored by the mysterious snakes on his shield representing all the cities of his kingdom, the heads of the hydra he'd slain, the binding of evil, the wisdom of serpents...the rumors went on and on.

"When all it really is," Merlin muttered to himself as he unlatched the door. "Is that he's a cheating, no good bastard."

"I beg your pardon?"

Merlin smiled easily and closed the door behind him. "Just thinking out loud, Gaius."

The physician gave him a sly look. "Hopefully you aren't referring to the prince."

Merlin laughed and crossed the floor to take a seat at the table. "Not today. Arthur was Arthur."

He yawned and stretched. "I'm just ready for this stupid tournament to be over." He propped his head on his hand. "Arthur let me have a few days to visit mum."

"Oh?" Gaius asked and Merlin nodded. Then there was a strange silence between them and Merlin frowned. Gaius was standing over a boiling pot, but he had paused in his stirring as though he was waiting for something.

After a long minute of this Merlin said, "what?"

"What about the shield?" Gaius asked, his voice taking on a puzzled air. "Arthur is going to be fighting Valiant in just a couple hours."

Merlin's mouth went dry. Shiiiiit. "Umm...Y-you're right." His gaze dropped to the table and his fingers started to sweat. "What should we do?"

Gaius didn't answer right away, and Merlin looked up at him. He was stroking the handle and his lips were thinned in thought. "We have to find a spell to reveal the shield for it's true nature."

Merlin nodded his head. "Y-yeah. That sounds like a good plan."

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Merlin said, his voice a bit high.

C'mon Merlin get yourself together.

"Just tired," Merlin's voice was a bit stronger. "Arthur kept me busy."

At Gaius' continued stare, Merlin hurried on. "So what was that spell you were talking about?"

Merlin breathed as Gaius started up stirring again. "It's a revealing spell, and I'm not quite sure you'll find it in the tome I gave you."

"Oh?" Merlin said, not surprised at all. Of course I higher level spell wouldn't be in that book. "Where would it be then?"

Gaius tapped off the excess brew into the pot and sat the stirring handle aside. "You go wash up, and I'll see if I can't find that spell for you."

"How about I help you look?" Merlin said airily, but his gaze was sharp. He watched as Gaius fingered the silver ring on his index finger, something the older man seemed to do when he was thinking.

"I mean," Merlin continued trying to keep his voice even. "Arthur's fight is so close, you could use my extra hands."

Gaius gave a dismissive wave. "No need, Merlin. Go on then, I still smell the muck of the stables on you."

Merlin bit his tongue and tried not to react as the words stung him. Gaius doesn't trust me.

He crossed the threshold of his room and closed the door behind him with a flick of a finger. It slammed loudly behind him and Merlin couldn't bring himself to care. His eyes swept over his bed, tiny and unkept. It was was lumpy with the humps of the mattress, and it smelled faintly of medicine.

But still a thousand times better than Ealdor. Merlin stripped out of his clothes, his mind fuzzy with memory. His hair was shorter than it had been, for back in Ealdor it was long enough to brush his shoulders.

"You look like a rouge with that mop!" His mother would say without any real bite. Your father too liked to parade around like a lion.

So he kept it. Of course it helped during fights because his hair would hide the flash of gold that would happen when someone would break a rib, split a femur, or turn green as their insides were given a good jostling.

Merlin blotted his face with a towel and stared into the mirror. It had been Will's idea to cut it, he said it would make him seem less villager and more castle. Merlin found himself smiling at the memory of Will prancing around their tiny house showing him how to walk like knight.

"You never know, wizzy, they might mistake you for one of their prissy royals and then you could get us all out of here."

"I'm not royalty yet, Will." Merlin murmured to himself getting redressed. He glanced at the copper pieces stashed under his bed. "But I'll be getting you out soon enough."

Merlin pulled his shirt on and opened his door and sucked in a breath.

He had a few shocked seconds before he was grabbed roughly on either side by guards. His eyes widened as he registered the sight of Valiant's menacing smirk.

"That's him." Came the nasty voice. Merlin swallowed as the knight stalked up to him, dwarfing him in size. "That's the one I saw around my shield."

Wheeeew. I'm excited for this fic. I've got so many things planned it'll be insane. But!

Firstly, this chapter is dedicated to Jane Mays, who sent me three different PMs throughout the last couple of years asking specifically about this fic. Thanks again for your support!

Secondly! The contest is still on for who Merlin has his first kiss with. Whoever guesses it right first (and it's still up for grabs because I don't even know) will get a gift fic of their choice.

Thirdly! Since I don't know when Merlin's getting kissed (or even if he'll keep his lips next chapter) here's another chance to win a gift fic from me: In the past few chapters there's a major villain that has made an appearance. Tell me who it is in a review below before the next chapter (posted within seven days from now) and you're a winner!

See ya soon!
~Lemony