Hey Friends! I know that this update is a bit later than it should have been, but I have been beyond busy with ringette (the season's just started again), school, homework, and things that I actaully like doing. So, of course I was a bit delayed.

Speaking of delayed, guess who's finally back in Camelot? STEFAN! No sorry, its just Merlin. ;)

Wisegirl6

Chapter 14 ~Camelot

The castle of Camelot was in a state of momentary panic. The nobles, lord Cavell and lady Isobel, could be there at any moment and preparations for their visit still weren't complete.

Maids rushed about the castle, doing last minute cleaning in the guest chambers. The cooks in the kitchens were putting the finishing touches on the food for the welcoming feast this evening. The knights hurried to line up to see the noble family into the kingdom.

The king and queen were already fully prepared, standing on the stone steps of the citadel awaiting the arrival of Cavell and Isobel.

Arthur, the king, was fidgeting nervously beside his wife. He really didn't know what to expect from the Mercian lord, his family had only ever visited once when Arthur had been very young. He didn't look back on that visit too fondly either. Arthur remembered Cavell's son Jonah, who was visiting as well, screaming his head off because his temporary servant wouldn't let him go hunting with their fathers. Hopefully he had grown up in the 15 years since Arthur had last seen him.

George shuffled anxiously behind the king. The last time the royals had had visitors over Arthur had immediately handed his manservant to the awaiting lord, telling him to make sure that the noble was comfortable. George had, of course, served the lord flawlessly and to the best of his abilities. The only problem was that since George wasn't lord Joseph's usual servant he had taken the liberty of having George wait on his every beck and call instead of using any of the other servants the nobles had brought with them. Poor George had been beyond exhausted by the end of their visit kept up most of the night doing chores for the lord, and he really wasn't looking forward to being sent to look after another pompous noble. Sadly, he didn't have much choice in the matter. The king's servant just prayed that the lord was sufficiently nicer than Joseph had been.

Merlin nearly fainted when the stone walls of Camelot came into view. His head was a mess of emotions, the warlock was surprised that he didn't just spontaneously combust right then and there. But under all of the relief and joy there was one feeling that overruled them all: dread.

The slave dreaded going into Camelot for what he might find there. What had happened in his absence? How was everyone faring? Did anyone even miss him? Arthur would have obviously gotten a new servant by now, but did he even care that it wasn't Merlin that was waiting on him now?

Probably not.

Sage grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Are you okay?" she whispered, concerned.
Merlin opened his mouth to reply but at that moment Isobel stood up and looked down at the slaves with contempt. Her look was enough to silence the few of them that had been speaking in hushed tones to the people around them.

The sorceress stood tall and proud in front of the group of slaves. Her dark eyes glinted in the evening sunshine. "Okay, whelps, this is what will happen when we get to Camelot," she started rambling off a list of jobs and which people would be doing what. Luckily, Sage was recruited as Isobel's personal maidservant, so since he would be pretending to be Jonah's manservant there was more of an excuse to see her often without raising suspicion. A strange, dark look came over Isobel.

Merlin knew what it meant. The witch always made that face when she was about to enlist a new rule for her slaves. The warlock crossed his fingers behind his back, hopefully it wasn't anything that could seriously tamper with his and Sage's plans.

"None of you will tell anyone of our fortress or of the slavery. Neither will you tell anyone of being captured by slave traders or of your real names. While in Camelot I expect everyone to do as their told and talk to no one unless they speak to you first," she commanded, eyes going topaz with the glow of magic. "Am I understood?" Without waiting for a response Isobel turned on her heel and mounted her white mare.

Merlin felt a shudder run through him as the spell took affect. It felt as if someone was dumping a bucket of ice down his back. And his front. And over his head.

The feeling of vertigo passed as quickly as it had come, his blinding migraine settling down into a minor headache.

"God, I hate it when she does that," moaned Sage, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

The slaves around the two nodded their heads, cringing at the pain it brought.

The lord Cavell and his family filed into the courtyard, followed by a large group of somber looking servants and guards. Although the lord and lady looked fit and well taken care of, their servants were a different story, Arthur noticed.

The entire crowd of them looked what Arthur would have imagined the very embodiment of despair would look like; gazing around at Camelot's own servants and citizens with longing, like they would give anything to trade places with them. They were obviously malnourished and their clothes were faded and torn in places. Obviously Cavell didn't pay his servants enough money to sustain themselves, witch struck Arthur as weird. He had never thought of Cavell as a man who would mistreat the ones who worked for him.

There was one servant in particular that caught Arthur's eye, however, though he couldn't tell why. He seemed just like part of the crowd, wearing a black jacket over a green shirt and brown breeches.
A large red cut spanned from the end of the servant's eye to one of his unusually large ears. Arthur wondered how he acquired it.

The mystery servant reached up and ran his hand through his hair, giving the king a glimpse of bright red fabric tied under his sleeve. Seeming to sense Arthur's stare the servant looked up at him, blue eyes shining from beneath the raven fringe that covered his eyes.

The gaze was so intense that Arthur found that he couldn't look away, something about it was so familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it.

The staring contest broke as Arthur turned to greet lord Cavell who had just dismounted his horse.

"Ah, lord Cavell, it is very good to see you," he said as he reached forwards to grasp the noble's arm.

A corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "And I you." Cavell stepped back and gestured to his wife and son who were still on their horses. "My wife, Isobel, and my son, Jonah."

Jonah swung his leg over the saddle and slipped off with a flourish. "Arthur," he said, smiling coldly.

The king of Camelot mirrored the expression, slightly put off by Jonah's appearance. The young courtier wore entirely black, with a gleaming silver sword at his side.

The two families exchanged pleasantries and Arthur found his eyes wandering back to that weird servant that he swore he knew.

The servant was staring directly at him, gaze unwavering. Not once did he ever break eye contact, or turn to look at someone else.

Arthur knew that he should have been feeling ruffled, even cautious, about the intensity of which the Mercian servant was looking at him with, but he found himself feeling the exact opposite; relieved and, dare he even think it, comforted.

The young king snapped back to focus as Guinevere grabbed his wrist. "Our servants will be more than happy to escort you to your chambers, but in the meantime me and the king have some things to look over before the welcoming feast this evening."

"Of course," Cavell nodded, a small smile crossing his face.

Meanwhile, in the crowd of slaves, one of them looked at the royals with barely concealed awe. It was them, Arthur, Gwen, the knights, Gaius; everything was as he remembered it. Nothing had changed.
The dread that he had felt earlier had already evaporated, replaced by an intense longing sensation. He missed being in Camelot so much that it hurt just to think about it.

"Merlin, are you okay?" whispered a small voice. Sage looked at him with concern, she obviously hadn't missed the staring contest that he'd just had with Arthur.

The warlock looked at her weirdly, wouldn't she react the same way if this was her home that she was returning to after two years? That's when it struck him, Sage had no clue that he used to live here in Camelot! He glanced around cautiously before leaning down to whisper into her ear. "This is where I lived before Cavell found me. I was a servant here in the castle and I was the physician's ward," Merlin murmured, trying to get the words out as quickly as possible.

He was expecting the pain before it came, but that didn't make it any better. The slave clutched his head and drew away from the very shocked Sage. Luckily, the pain wasn't as intense as it would be if he were telling this to someone that wasn't a slave. Apparently Isobel didn't care whether the slaves gossiped amongst themselves very much.

Sage's mouth dropped open. They had come to Camelot, where Merlin just happened to have lived for a good ten years before he was captured, and he hadn't thought to mention anything! She shook her head as the two started walking, following the slaves ahead of them. Boys would be boys, inconsiderate even after being in confinement for years. "So you tell me this now?"

Merlin looked at her apologetically. "I'll tell you more after we get settled," he said, glancing over her head at the retreating forms of Cavell, Isobel, Jonah and a Camelotian servant.

The slave girl frowned and set off down the hall after them, not bothering to wait for Merlin. "I'm still mad at you," Sage grumbled over her shoulder.

Merlin smiled. They had one weird friendship.

Yaaaayyyy! FINALLY IN CAMELOT! I know a lot of you have been waiting for this, so I hope you liked the chapter!

Did anyone see the new Hobbit trailer? Gosh, my ears are in love with Benedict Cumberbatch :P

Okay, since I know a lot of you have been waiting for Arthur to recognize Merlin I'm going to pose a little contest! Everyone who wants to enter has to predict what they think will happen in the end. The person with the closest guess gets the chapter with Merlin nad Arthur as soon as I write it! (which will be in under a week). The rest of you will have to wait for a few chapters. So enter, let's get the story to 200 reviews!

Wisegirl6

P.S. good luck!