Abruptly, Merlin was awoken from his slumber soaked in water. His breath laboured, he looked around him to see that he had accidently slept in the stables alongside his horse after saving that girl last night. He hadn't really seen her but from what he did see he knew that she was pretty. He hoped that they would meet in Camelot. He doubted it though.
"Ah, you're awake," a voice said and several people laughed. Merlin saw four knights clad in armour. He thought it best to not fight them, although verbal abuse would do him just fine. Merlin flinched as his hand brushed his eye. He had almost forgotten the beating he took from those men last night; he should have been more careful. "Getting into tavern fights?" A blonde knight joked, unconcerned.
"Something like that, prat." The unexpected insult seemed to put off the knight a little. Merlin figured that he was your typical noble that Will always talked about, all high and mighty, looking down on the peasant folk.
"You cannot address me like that," the blonde knight said.
"Well, considering that I was only sleeping and instead of acting decently and shaking me awake or calling for me to wake up, you decided - like the prat you clearly are - to chuck cold water over me." Merlin stood. He noticed that he had a few inches on the knight but he also saw how much stronger he looked. He knew his magic definitely wasn't an option and his staff hung from his saddle bag a few feet away. "I think after acting like that I may address you however I please."
The knight looked a little infuriated as some of his friends chuckled. Merlin grinned but suddenly he found himself on the floor, restrained by knights. "Summon the court. He will stand trial."
"Whatever for?" Merlin watched as the blonde knight pulled out several pouches of gold and the cloak he had worn last night as well as his staff. The knight seemed to look closely at the symbol, trying to inspect it or to remember something.
The carving looked like the druidic symbol, the triskelion, Merlin thought it was called. A dragon's head took the place of the swirls in the middle of each circle. His father had left it for him when he had to leave, his mother said. He would not part with it and had learned how to use it properly at a young age.
"These pouches of gold cannot be yours. If they were, your clothes would be finer quality. This cloak is silk!" he exclaimed. "No peasant can afford such a thing. As for this staff…it cannot be yours." Merlin had just about enough of this clot-pole's attitude.
"Listen, okay, the gold isn't mine. Bandits attacked me on my way here from Ealdor-"
"That's in Essetir," one of the knights interrupted.
"You're pretty smart! Are you the intelligent one?" Merlin questioned sarcastically. But all he got in response was a clap over the head from one of the knights.
"You will show respect to your betters." Betters? They didn't act much better than he. For one, he could beat them all in a fight with a one move, and for another, they were all asses.
"Ow, calm down." Merlin had suffered enough last night and didn't need it today as well. "Anyway, knights of Essetir were patrolling through and killed the bandits. I took a horse, yes, I took gold, of course I did and yes, I may have taken a cloak. But come on, they were probably already stolen property." He made direct eye contact with the blonde one. "I am poor; I have been my whole life. What was I to do?"
"Was the staff stolen too?" The knight enquired.
"No. My father left it for me when he had to leave my pregnant mother." Merlin felt bitter about how his father had to leave him. Maybe if his mother explained his father's identity then he might understand but she refused to say anything.
"I believe you." Perhaps they were getting somewhere, Merlin thought. "However, stealing, no matter who you stole from, is still a crime. The trial will still go ahead." Or maybe he had too many rocks rolling around in his skull.
"It happened in Essetir. I cannot be punished under Camelot law." Merlin understood the law, his mother definitely did not raise an idiot - so she repeatedly stated - and Merlin knew he was right.
"I am the Prince of Camelot; I may do as I please. Bring him to the throne room." Merlin cursed under his breath. He gritted his teeth as they not-so-gently hauled him away. He didn't want to let on to the knights that he had sustained injuries. It would raise too many questions.
Whilst the young warlock was being dragged to trial, the dark-skinned maidservant made her way into her mistress's chambers to wake her up. Gwen glanced over Morgana and she happily noted that she seemed at peace, which meant she hadn't had a dream last night. Although retelling the events to Gaius whilst he healed her father felt as if she was in a dream of her own.
Gently Guinevere shook the young Princess and softly called out her name. Morgana groaned telling her maid that she was indeed awake. Gwen strolled over to the curtains and drew them back, allowing light into the room. She turned to see Morgana still not up and the maid shook her head and smiled before began preparing a suitable dress for her mistress.
"Come on now, Morgana. You must attend court in half an hour." She heard a muttered curse from behind her and Gwen could only laugh as she brought out her friend's favourite dress. It was light green, with long sleeves and golden patterns woven into the fabric, much less revealing than the other dresses she wore to feasts.
"You know, sometimes I wish I wasn't the princess of Camelot," Morgana drearily yawned out. She slowly made her way out of bed and behind the changing board.
"It must be so stressful, Morgana. All the dresses, the wealth, the perfumes we can't forget about the constant drabble of men that fall at your feet," Gwen stated while she smoothed out the covers of the four-poster bed.
"It is Gwen. I have to pick the dresses, choose what I buy, pick the best perfume and choose which hearts to break." Gwen chuckled as she helped Morgana with the laces of her bodice. "Has there been any word about Abigail yet?" Morgana asked, concerned.
"No." Gwen's laughing stopped. She moved to the window whilst her friend sat down at the vanity. The servant looked down at the courtyard and watched as the peasants and nobles walked through, seemingly carefree. But they were all wary. Gwen had almost been taken last night, just like Abigail, but luckily that man saved her. She hoped he was here to stay.
She jumped at a sudden touch and looked up to see Morgana looking worriedly at her. "I'm sorry if I frightened you Gwen. Are- are you okay?" This was one of the reasons why Gwen loved Morgana like a sister. She cared about her and all people in the lower classes. She thought Arthur did too but he just didn't show it. Men and their ways confused her to no end.
"Yes. Yes my lady, I'm fine." One glance from Morgana and she knew that her friend had seen through her lie. "No. Not really," Gwen sighed as all of the events of last night came back. Watching her father get beaten, the knife to her throat, her saviour, it was all too much and Gwen nearly collapsed. Luckily, Morgana caught her and led her over to the bed.
"Tell me what's wrong? Did something happen on your way home?" Gwen began to calm down as Morgana rubbed soothing circles on the back of her hands.
Once she had collected herself Gwen re told the events of yesterday like she had done with Gaius not two hours ago. At the end of it, it felt good to tell her best friend and she sighed heavily before she got back up and walked over to the door.
"Come on, Morgana. We will be late." Gwen put on a smile as she wiped a tear from her eye. Morgana came over slowly and rested a hand on each of her shoulders.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here and talk about it some more? This cloaked stranger seems quite mysterious." That he did Gwen thought. But he'd saved her life and that of her father so she felt indebted to him. If only she could find him.
"No. I have said all I needed to and now you must attend court. I hear Prince Arthur caught somebody stealing. Apparently he is also soaking wet." Gwen looked around for a towel and put it over her shoulder.
"Oh Gwen, I didn't know bad boys were your type." Morgana teased. Heat ran to her cheeks as they left the chambers and Gwen knew that her friend would not let her forget this moment.
When they entered the throne room Gwen did see a young boy in the middle of the throne room with Arthur. He was indeed soaking wet and shivering. He also had a black eye and seemed to be in pain.
"Arthur! He is shivering for god's sake! Gwen pass him the towel, please." Gwen did as she was told and knelt down to hand him the towel. "Gaius, can you treat him when this is over?" Morgana asked their court physician.
"Of course I can, milady," he replied formally.
When Gwen gazed into his face, their gazes locked. The maid thought she saw recognition in his eyes but she had definitely not seen him before. He looked very pale, not in a sick way but naturally. His eyes were ocean blue and he was strangely handsome.
"Gwen, you can come back now." She heard the amused tone in Morgana's voice. She would have fun with this for a while.
Before she moved, the boy grabbed her hand. Warmth rushed to her cheeks as she looked at his piercing gaze once more. "Thank you," he whispered and let go of her hand.
"You're welcome." Gwen speedily made her way back to her grinning mistress and stood behind her seat.
"What was that about?" Morgana whispered.
"He said 'thank you'." She whispered back but before Morgana could reply with something horribly crude, Agravaine walked into the throne room.
Agravaine marched into the throne room. He saw his nephew, Prince Arthur, looking rather pleased with himself as a man with a towel around him knelt at his fee. He was clearly shivering.
Agravaine took his seat on the main throne in the King's place; he looked down to see the man was nothing more than a boy. He appeared to be a peasant as well.
"Arthur, why is there a shivering peasant in the middle of your father's throne room?" He stared inquisitively between the prince and the boy.
"He was caught stealing, Lord Agravaine." Agravaine looked down at the peasant who defiantly returned his gaze. The boy didn't seem like much; he was skinny, scrawny and rather strange looking.
"What did he steal, Arthur?" He watched as the items were shown. Seven pouches of gold, a silk cloak and one staff. Agravaine focused on the staff and gestured for the knight holding it to bring it forward.
"I didn't steal that staff - it was my fathers. Yes, the gold I stole, the cloak I stole but the staff is mine. Please, it is the only thing of my father's that I own." The boy pleaded, but Agravaine paid him no heed. Instead he chose closely examine the item. His eyes widened at the symbol, it couldn't be, he thought. The house of Ambrosius.
Agravaine schooled his expression. The peasant couldn't know of his heritage. The idiot might go running off to find his father and then Camelot would be in trouble. That would be detrimental.
He definitely couldn't kill him. No, no, that could be horrendous for Agravaine's self preservation if he really was his father's son.
"What is your name, boy, and why do you believe it a good idea to steal whilst in the borders of Camelot? Its King is not a soft one; you should be glad he is not here in person." The boy didn't say anything for a moment and a thick silence hung in the air.
"My name is Merlin. I am from Ealdor in Cenred's Kingdom; I was attacked there while on my way to Camelot. Bandits threatened me, told me to give them my money but I had none to give. They began beating me but luckily knights bearing the mark of Essetir killed them all and left just as quickly as had come. Like I told your Prince, I am poor, always have been, and I took advantage of the situation." Agravaine couldn't be sure whether or not that was a lie but it was out of Camelot's hands.
"I cannot charge you properly. If what you say is true then it is a problem for Essetir when you return. When are planning on doing so?" He looked pointedly at Merlin.
"I don't know. I am here to work as an assistant to your court physician, Gaius. He is a friend of my mother's." It was then that the gaze of the Lord switched to the old man.
"Is this true, Gaius?" With a swift nod from the physician he turned his attention back to Arthur and the accused.
"In courtesy to Essetir you will be sentenced." He really didn't need Cenred finding this boy. "My sentence is one month in jail but the possessions he took are his to keep. They must be kept under the eye of Gaius who I assume the accused will live with." Another nod from Gaius made his judgement certain "The gold he stole will be put in the vaults as property of Camelot." Agravaine was about to take his leave when Gaius spoke up.
"My lord, if I may be allowed to speak my mind?" Agravaine sat back on the throne and gestured for Gaius to go on. "I will not be able to provide for both myself and Merlin on my physician's wage. Maybe we need a more suitable sentence. Did Arthur not just fire his last servant?" Gaius inquired. Agravaine liked this idea.
"I did but – he is a criminal." Arthur spluttered which only made Agravaine smirk. This would let him keep an eye on this Merlin to see if he really did know anything about his father.
"You're not exactly my idea of a great time, and your looks don't make up for it either," Merlin chuckled at his own joke. Agravaine glanced over to Morgana who was tried to stifle her laugh. He then peered at her servant with gritted teeth. He inwardly sneered at her presence in court.
"He is disrespectful." Agravaine agreed, but he still needed to keep an eye on the boy. "Well, you must teach him respect, dear nephew. Merlin is sentenced to manual labour as the Prince's manservant until both the Prince and I are satisfied that he has paid his debt. Court is closed." A groan came from both Prince and peasant but the Lord quickly exited the room before anything further could be said.
Once the doors closed he called over his informant. "Watch the boy, Merlin. Make sure he knows nothing of his heritage. His staff bears the mark of Ambrosius." The informant staredat him with wide eyes but nodded rapidly before speeding away.
Merlin followed Gaius out of the throne room and all the way to his chambers. As Merlin walked in he looked around to see jars, bottles of chemicals, herbs and… were those leeches? Merlin pitied the person who would have to clean that.
"Your room is just through that door but sit on this table for now, I need to treat you." Merlin propped himself up on the table whilst Gaius pottered around the room collecting bottles and jars of various sizes. Merlin looked over to the small stair case leading to a door and smiled. He had never had a door before. "So, you took a cloak?" Gaius enquired as he dabbed some sort of liquid over the bruise which caused Merlin to wince slightly.
"Yes, it looked nice." He tensed as Gaius applied pressure with a cream.
"The staff is your father's?" The old man stared at the symbol on the staff which sat propped against the wall.
"Yes, he left for me." Merlin really needed to ask his mother about his father because he was tired of not knowing. Even Agravaine seemed to know something about the staff.
"Are you any good with it?" Gaius moved over to it and twirled it around but accidently dropped it. On instinct Merlin held out his hand and the staff hovered above the floor before it flew to his hand.
"I'm alright but I have other talents at my disposal." He grinned. His mother had been writing letters to Gaius about his powers since they came to fruition. Gaius gave Merlin a pointed look and he put a finger to his lips. Merlin stayed quiet, unsure if Gaius was actually senile and age had claimed him. Just then footsteps could be heard running away from outside the door.
"I thought you would be followed here," Gaius said as a matter of fact.
"Wait! Why was I followed? I'm no one special, not really anyway," Merlin stated, worried.
"Don't worry about it, my boy, just watch what you say and do in Camelot. Things have become very different in the last few years," the old man spoke mysteriously. "So you saved Gwen last night then," he deduced and perked up a little. Merlin was shocked at Gaius's intelligence but his mother had always told him that Gaius was a man of science as well as healing. He was bound to be smart.
"I guess I did. What do you think about it?" Merlin wondered aloud. He didn't think he would actually consider putting on the cloak again but it seemed to call to him in an odd way.
"You're planning to go back out there? You must be mad, boy." Merlin sighed and rubbed his forehead with one of his hands. "You know, children, young men and women have been going missing, murders and such have been more of a reoccurring incident…" That was new information to Merlin. As far as he knew, apart from the persecution of sorcerers, Camelot seemed great. "Maybe you could make a difference. You've already saved Gwen, who knows who else you could save?"
"Does the King not do anything about this?" Merlin asked. He wondered why the ruler of a kingdom would allow these things to happen.
"The King has become somewhat of a recluse since Agravaine arrived." It all sounded rather shifty to Merlin but he had only been there two days.
"So how am I going to sneak out of the castle unnoticed to go fight crime?" Merlin wondered sceptically.
"Oh, I have just the thing!" Gaius tottered over to a large shelf of books and pulled a large leather-bound tome. "Try page three hundred, I think that might have what you're looking for." The old physician smiled mischievously. "Now off to bed with you, boy!" He shooed him away along with the book Gaius forced into his hands.
Merlin stepped into his bedroom. It was huge compared to his room at home. It even had a window! Merlin took off his bright blue neckerchief and kicked off his faded, leather shoes and threw his cloak and the book onto the bed before lying down on it. The mattress was really soft compared to his hard bed at home. He could get used to this.
Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice. As quick as a flash, Merlin stoodat the open window and looked down to see three men surrounding a helpless woman and her child. He grinned as he turned to look at the cloak draped on his bed.
Without wasting a second he grabbed the cloak, slipped on his shoes and draped the hood over his head. His cheeky grin beamed in the candlelight as he opened the book to page three hundred per Gaius's advice.
"That'll do nicely." Merlin whispered to himself. He read the words a couple times over and pronounced each word individually until he was ready to perform the spell. "Bedyrne me! Astýre me þanonweard!" In a swirl of magical winds Merlin had disappeared but the faded sounds of punches and groans could already be heard in the distance.