CHAPTER TWO

Days past of none stop working for Merlin. He did his usual chores: scrubbing Arthur's armour, washing his clothes, feeding and grooming his horse, cleaning his room and being an object for him to practise fighting on. Arthur also got on with his usual jobs despite the execution of Guinevere.

At night he sometimes saw her, sometimes she was happy and sometimes she was sad. He would weep quietly under his sheets and Merlin would hear this. The young king was beginning to lose his mind, and Merlin had to do something about it. He knew that Arthur would be a great king and would allow magic to be practised in the kingdom some day. Merlin hadn't lost faith in him and he never, ever would.

After a long day of chores, Merlin returned one night to Gaius and collapsed on the kitchen table. Gaius lowered his glasses to reveal his curious eyes when he looked up from his potions. The young warlock looked up at him and let out a little moan to show how tired he was.

'Don't look at me like that, you've still got the pots and pans to wash,' Gaius reminded him with a slight smile. Merlin's gaze moved to the dirty dishes on the side and let out an even louder moan.

'You never let me rest, don't you?' He groaned as he buried his face in the wooden table.

'You cannot live here for free, Merlin, you of all people should know that. I'm risking my life- looking after a wizard in my own home.'

'Yeah well Uther is dead now and we both know Arthur will allow magic to be practised in the kingdom again.'

Gaius gave him a strange, disturbing look and Merlin swallowed hard.

'Some day,' he added uncomfortably as the old man lowered his gaze. Merlin felt relieved for some strange reason.

Gaius slid a small plate of food to him and Merlin caught it before it fell off the table. When he glared down at it, he suddenly felt ravenous and began to eat. That was when Gaius opened his mouth to speak.

'Arthur has lost a lot recently: his father, his most trusted friend and his lover,' were the words that came out of his mouth. Merlin stopped munching on his chicken and looked up from his plate. 'He'll need all the support he can get.'

'I know, I know,' he sighed as he dropped the chicken leg onto his plate. 'Arthur is really weak at the moment. Sometimes...sometimes... oh never mind.'

'No, say it.'

Merlin looked up at Gaius and felt like he was being interrogated by Gaius' hard curious stares.

'Sometimes he cries at night quietly,' he let it out.

There was an awkward silence between the two men.

'Most nights,' Merlin corrected himself before taking another bite of his chicken.

'I suppose it is because of Guinevere,' Gaius said quietly but loud enough for anyone in the room to hear.

'He says her name in his sleep,' Merlin stopped to take a bite out of his chicken, 'he says he is sorry. Do you ever think that he sees her in his head?'

Gaius gave him a look which made him feel stupid. Merlin bit his lip and slowly returned the chicken to the plate.

'I mean, one morning he came to me, asking where Guinevere was. I had to tell him that she was dead and when he heard this, his face turned as pale as the moon. Then he scurried away with his head bowed and I swear I saw a tear glistening on his cheek,' he explained and Gaius nodded like he understood.

'It's normal I suppose. But Arthur, being such a strong character, is being so weak. I feel so sorry for him, he must love Gwen very much,' he sighed.

'Doesn't change his attitude towards me though,' grunted Merlin and Gaius dragged his plate of food away. The young warlock glared up at him in shock.

'I think you've had enough, don't you?' Gaius asked as he raised one eyebrow.

'What do you mean? I've hardly started!'

'That's not the only thing you haven't started,' he signalled towards the dirty pots and pans in the distance. 'Arthur is the weakest he's ever been, his enemies probably taking advantage of this and planning to invade. And think about Morgana! I doubt that she is weeping for him, she's his greatest threat. But you only care about eating? Go and get scrubbing those pots and pans before I become your greatest threat.'

After exchanging glares, Merlin gave in and jumped up out of his seat.

'I do care about Arthur, if I didn't I wouldn't have saved him all those times. Ever since I arrived in Camelot I've been protecting him and he doesn't even know it. How many times have I saved him? I don't know- I've lost track!' With that he stormed towards the pots and pans and began cleaning them.

Gaius wanted to argue but he didn't see the point of it. It would only make Merlin more upset than he already was. He left the young warlock to sulk on his own, and went off for a stroll around the castle.

Later that night, Merlin was on his way back to his and Gaius' apartment after he had sneakily taken some food from the kitchens. He stopped outside Arthur's chambers when he heard noises. Usually he would hear Arthur's voice talking to himself. But instead he heard his and someone else's, a woman's.

The door was slightly ajar and Merlin chose to look through the gap. Arthur was laid on his bed, his arm wrapped around a body. A body which caused Merlin to rub his eyes and blink twice. The body wore a crimson dress down to the ankles and had light brown delicate hands. The curious young warlock looked through the gap from a different angle. Only to find out that the body belonged to who he thought it belonged to, Guinevere.

Her face had not changed much. Her long hair dangled down past her shoulders and she giggled at every kind thing Arthur said.

'If only everyone else could see you, I'd make you my queen,' he said with a smile and Guinevere blushed.

'They just don't look hard enough, I'm always here, with you, in your heart.'

Arthur gaze dropped sadly, 'I can never forgive myself for what I did to you. Even though you have forgiven me.'

'You did what you thought was best.'

'But it wasn't for the best, was it? It ruined my life and only made me weaker.'

Arthur saw Guinevere's eyes advert to the slightly ajar door. She thought she had heard something from behind it. Immediately the king sat up and glared at the gap. Merlin realised they was looking at him and he jumped to his feet. As fast as he could, he escaped the scene and found himself slipping and sliding down the corridors. He had to tell Gaius about what he had been witness to...