Chapter 5: A Discussion

The feast that night passed without incident, and so it was with expectations of being quickly dismissed that Merlin entered Arthur's chambers that night.

He had been delayed exiting the hall by Gaius and so expected to see Arthur waiting for him with mild exasperation when he entered the room, but instead he was confronted with the sight of the prince slumped down in a chair by the fire, a book propped open on his lap.

Curious, Merlin moved so that he was reading over Arthur's shoulder.

"What is it?" He asked, squinting down at the myriad of dashes and strokes that seemed scattered nearly at random across the page.

"A book on the Daimyo written in the Daimyo language," Arthur replied, "I'm trying to learn." His tone was enough to forewarn any normal person against any comment, but Merlin paid no heed to his better judgement and instead leaned ever further over Arthur's shoulder, ignoring his master's annoyed huff as he did so.

"I think you've got it upside down." He said at last, before swiftly pulling his head back over Arthur's shoulder to avoid the requisite cuff to the ear. As it was, he was slightly too slow and Arthur's hand caught the tip of his nose instead.

Rubbing a hand against the abused attachment, he cast a baleful glance at Arthur, who skilfully ignored him, before moving across the room the draw the shutters and trim the candles by Arthur's bed for the night.

Arthur was still 'reading' when he turned back around, and Merlin let out an annoyed sigh. "Am I going to have to wait all night to undress you?" He asked impatiently, only realising how his words might be taken when Arthur choked, the book falling to the floor, from his lap, with a sharp crack. Wide, un-princely eyes met his own, and Merlin almost laughed at the soft-horror visible in that gaze.

Chuckling, he folded his arms and offered the Prince a smirk to rival Arthur's own. "Do all Knights their minds buried firmly in the midden-heap or is it just you?" he teased, his laughter growing at the blush that began to warm Arthur's cheeks. He received a glare for his troubles, and a look which said quite clearly that Arthur would deny this conversation had ever taken place were Merlin to mention it. Raising his hands in silent surrender, Merlin moved forward and waited patiently by the foot of Arthur's bed for the Prince to allow himself to be helped out of his clothing and into his nightshirt.

His plans were thwarted however, when Arthur simply bent down and settled the book once again in his lap. With a wave of his hand, he indicated the chair on the opposite side of the table. "Take a seat Merlin, I want to talk to you."

Grumbling internally about Princes who did not have to be up at sunrise to perform chores, Merlin did as he was asked, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table in the hopes of spurring Arthur into conversation. It succeeded, though the smirk Arthur wore as he laid the book down suggested that Merlin's impatience had been his goal all along.

"What do you think of Miyuki?" Arthur asked eventually, when it was clear that Merlin was close to getting up and leaving regardless of whether or not he had been dismissed.

"The princess?" Merlin inquired, and immedietly regretted it when Arthur gave him a withering look.

"Do you know any others?" He responded dryly, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly. Merlin shook his head in embarrassment and stayed silent, wondering if he should tell Arthur about the woman's sorcery?


"What do you think of her?" Morgana asked, catching Gwen's gaze in the mirror as the young woman braided her hair in preparation for slumber.

"Think of who, my lady?"

"Miyuki."

The exchange was brief, but Morgana felt Gwen's hands pause momentarily in her hair before she hurried to continue with her task.

"It's not my place to give an opinion about the nobility, my lady." Her handmaiden whispered, studiously avoiding Morgana's gaze.

"And if I was asking for it anyway?" The royal ward inquired, turning so that Gwen was forced to relinquish her hold on the raven tresses.

"She frightens me." Gwen confessed quietly. "When she looks at me – she has cruel eyes." The young woman was practically shaking at having spoken so boldly about one above her station, and Morgana felt compelled to cover her friend's hands with her own.

"I feel the same." She told the young woman. "The face Miyuki wears for the court is a mask and I do not know how to glimpse her true face?" She turned back to the mirror and allowed Gwen to return to her earlier task.

"Perhaps it's simply a matter of stealing the mask." Gwen offered quietly, but both women pretended as though she had not said anything.


"Merlin, I'm waiting." Arthur's voice jarred Merlin from his thoughts, and he could tell by the expression on the prince's face that he had been waiting some time for his manservant's answer.

"She's very beautiful." Merlin offered, his tone rising in the hope that perhaps Arthur would accept this as a response. A soft snort of annoyance, however, indicated that this was not the case, and so with a sigh, Merlin committed himself to a more detailed answer.

"I'm not sure how she would adapt to life in Camelot," he said carefully, "The laws here a probably very different than her own. For example, magic may not be forbidden in Daimyo, even though it is not allowed in Albion."

"True," Arthur conceded, "But there is no reason to think Miyuki is a sorceress." His eyes laughed, and Merlin hitched his lips into what he hoped resembled a light-hearted grin. He must have failed however, as Arthur's brows swiftly drew together and he leaned forward until he was gazing directly at his manservant.

"Merlin." He said, and that one word was warning enough. Words tumbled from the young warlock's lips, with no thought to the consequence.

"She used magic – when I went to deliver your message – she moved me across the room without touching me. And once, at a feast, she sent a ball of light to her brother. I don't know what else she can do – I don't know if she's a threat to Albion, though she doesn't like Uther's laws on magic – or if her brother has magic too. I think she might be a seer." He added as an afterthought, and immediately winced at the possibility of questions arising as to how he would recognise a seer when he heard one.

Thankfully, Arthur overlooked this oddity and focused instead on the potential threat to Camelot and Albion.

"What did she say?" Arthur asked earnestly, mind already clearly racing, seeking ways to protect his kingdom against a new possibly danger. Merlin repeated the conversation as well as he could remember it – omitting only that she had called him Myrddin – and watched with mounting apprehension and Arthur's hands tightened into white-knuckled fists. As the last of his words died from the air, Arthur pushed violently to his feet, chair scraping harshly against the cold stone of the floor.

Merlin watched as his friend and master paced, wondering if he had done the right thing in telling Arthur what Miyuki had said. He knew Arthur faced problems best with a sword in his hand, but the Daimyo princess could not be faced in such a way. Merlin knew that for Arthur to call off the negotiations – even with probable cause – was to risk condemning Albion to the wrath of the Empire.

"Even if all the lands around Albion were to march under our flag, Daimyo might still be the stronger army." Arthur said, his thoughts appearing to mirror those of his manservant. His voice was strained and Merlin could see lines etching themselves around the prince's mouth and eyes in reaction to his sudden worry.

"So what do we do?" Merlin asked quietly.

Arthur sighed and turned to his back to the fire, momentarily illuminated by the flames – an archangel in silhouette.

"You will do nothing, Merlin." Arthur said decisively. "There's no need for a servant to get mixed up in the affairs of nobility."

Merlin nodded, gritted his teeth, and tried to ignore the bitter taste in his mouth at once again being treated like as nothing more than a servant.


A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is short, but my work load is phenomenal and so writing time is greatly diminished - by the end of next week I should have much more time. As always please review - concrit is craved.