Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a great Saturday so far. I am really enjoying all the reviews that you guys send. I really enjoyed writing this so far and hope that I can keep this going.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
It had been nearly a week since Merlin had first came to Camelot. However, that week was spent in a bed, healing. Merlin thought the knights were very nice, as well as Gwen and Morgana, but he still wanted to get out and explore. He had a feeling that he was driving Gaius crazy. Merlin was almost always asking questions about things. Several questions about what certain books were about. Questions about who was who. Why Gaius mixed herbs in a certain order. Endless questions that were probably grating on the old physician's nerves. But what else was Merlin supposed to do? He could only practice his magic at certain times a day, he couldn't get up and walk by himself, and there was really nothing to do in the physician's chambers.
Merlin occasionally helped make the potions, but he suspected that was just busy work and not really needed. Merlin groaned and flopped back in the bed. All the knights were training and Morgana was entertaining a visiting lady so there was no one there to play with him. Merlin wiggled his toes and decided he had had enough of sitting around on the bed and doing nothing. Bravely, he threw back the covers and placed his feet on the ground. Well, he would have put his feet on the ground had his legs been long enough to touch the ground. Instead, they just dangled there helplessly. Merlin frowned and slid further to the edge of the bed so that his toes were skimming the wooden floor. Merlin stuck out his tongue in concentration and slipped off the bed. He stumbled, his legs weak after not using them for so long. He managed to maneuver his way towards a bench that Gaius often made potions at before collapsing on it. He smiled. Turns out, he could get up and walk around if he wanted. He didn't know why Gaius insisted on taking the long way. Gaius had magic. Merlin could feel a tiny bit bubbling beneath the surface, though not as much as Morgana.
Merlin swung his legs, his toes gently scraping the floor. What should he do now? He was up and about, without any help mind you. He might as well take a closer look around the physician's chambers. He would have gone out into the courtyard, but that wasn't very responsible of him. Merlin didn't know his way around Camelot and could easily get lost. And, if he got tired in here, there were many spots he could sit and regain his strength. Merlin slid off the bench and took a closer look at some of the items hanging around the shelves. Most were herbs and plants Merlin recognized from the forest. He wondered who gathered them for Gaius since the man was really, really, really old. Merlin picked up a small vile of what appeared to be yarrow and studied it. He was so caught up with his studies that he didn't hear the door opening.
"What are you doing?" Prince Arthur's voice called out from behind him. Merlin jumped and spun around. But his leg decided that was the moment to give out and sent Merlin crashing to the ground. Arthur had quicker reflexes and was able to catch Merlin before his head hit the ground. Merlin gave Arthur a shaky smile and waved at him.
"How was training? Was it fun? Were the knights good? Do you think I could train with you guys?" Merlin began to ramble. Arthur rolled his eyes and scooped the young boy off the floor and deposited him back on the bed.
"What were you doing up?" Arthur asked, cutting off one of Merlin's questions.
"I was bored!" Merlin cried dramatically and waved his arms about. Arthur sighed and put the vile of yarrow back on the shelf Merlin had taken it from.
"And you decided the best thing to do was to wander around the physician's chambers where there are vials of poison and God knows what else?" Arthur said. Merlin couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. But he was careful! Arthur just surprised him.
"I wasn't going to eat anything. And, I decided that it would be better that I stay in the physician's chambers so I wouldn't get lost and so that I could strengthen my leg," Merlin replied. Arthur had to admit, the kid did think that through. Gwaine came through the door shortly.
"Hey, kiddo. How are you?" Gwaine asked, walking forward to ruffle Merlin's hair. Arthur smiled at the interaction. In such a short amount of time, the boy had already tamed the knights. Even though he was supposed to be the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the Earth, the men had all agreed to protect Merlin with all their strength. It was nice to see someone who could unite the men so thoroughly.
"Well, Gwaine, Merlin here is feeling much better." Merlin nodded his head enthusiastically. "So," Arthur continued, "I thought this would be the perfect time to make him look like he hasn't spent the last year in the forest," Arthur said. Gwaine's smile fell a tiny bit.
"But I did spend the last year in the forest," Merlin defended.
"Yes, but now you live in Camelot. You need to look civilized if you're going to stay here," Arthur said with a smirk. Merlin pouted and crossed his arms. Arthur laughed and turned to Gwaine. "It's your job to give him a bath, new clothes, and a haircut. Have fun," Arthur said. Walking through the door and leaving Gwaine and Merlin behind him. Merlin may have tamed Gwaine, but Arthur could still use the kid to torture his less than obedient knights. It was Morgana-style vengeance, but Arthur was pleased with the outcome nonetheless.
Gwaine looked down at Merlin to see the boy staring up at him expectantly.
"I guess its time to tame you," Gwaine joked. Merlin furrowed his brow and tried to see the humor in the situation. He didn't get it. Gwaine sighed and picked the boy up, settling him on his hip. Merlin had definitely lost the starved look he had when the men first discovered him. But the boy was still much too small and skinny. Gwaine's sword weighed more than the child. Gwaine stopped a passing servant.
"Can you draw a bath in my chambers?" Gwaine asked. The servant nodded and ran towards Gwaine's room. Merlin and Gwaine continued down the chambers at a slower pace. When they got to the chambers, the bath was poured and the servant was gone. Gwaine set down Merlin on a chair and began to pull off the child's clothes. Merlin had somehow managed to get ahold of the dirty jacket he had been wearing out in the forest.
"Are you okay to do this by yourself?" Gwaine asked. He didn't really know what was appropriate in these kinds of situation. Merlin stopped looking around the room and looked back towards Gwaine.
"Do what?"
"Take a bath," Gwaine said, motioning towards the tub. Merlin stared at it for a few seconds with a very confused look on his face.
"What do I do?" Merlin asked. Gwaine looked flabbergasted.
"Surely you've bathed before?"
"I sometimes go swimming in a lake that's by my cave," Merlin responded. Gwaine groaned and sat back.
"So you don't know how to you soap or anything?"
"Is soap the one you clean your hair with?" Merlin asked. Gwaine's eyes widened. How was he supposed to help tame Merlin when the boy didn't even know what soap was for?
"Hold on one moment," he said and darted out of the room. Luckily, Leon was walking just at the other end of the hall.
"Leon!" Gwaine cried in relief. Leon turned towards the knight and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Merlin needs help," Gwaine said. This got Leon's attention as the knight sprinted down the corridor. Panic was evident in his features.
"What is it? What happened?" Leon gasped.
"He doesn't know how to take a bath," Gwaine said. Leon stopped, glared at Gwaine, and then wacked him upside the head.
"I thought he was dying!" Leon hissed.
"You've got to help me," Gwaine continued, undeterred by Leon's reaction to the news.
"I don't know what to do. Everyone I've bathed has been in a very sexual context." Leon groaned and started walking towards the door.
"Why is it so important that this be done now?" Leon asked.
"Arthur wants to start having Merlin leave Gaius' chambers so he can get stronger faster," Gwaine explained. Leon rolled his eyes. He walked into the chamber to see Merlin sitting in a chair patiently, his clothing pooled on the floor around the chair. Merlin looked up and smiled brightly at Leon.
"Leon! I'm happy to see you," he said. Leon gave Merlin a small smile and went about doing something for the bath. He stuck his hand in the water and furrowed his brow.
"I think this is too hot at the moment," he said, turning to Gwaine.
"Well I didn't pour it," Gwaine said. Merlin had hopped off the chair and was now trying to get up on a chair so he could look out the window.
"What exactly did Arthur want?"
"His hair cut, a bath, and new clothes," Gwaine replied. Leon sighed and went about trying to find some soap.
"Wow!" Merlin gasped, finally able to look out the window. "We're so high up!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, Merlin. Don't lean against the glass," Leon said before turning to Gwaine. "Find Guinevere and see if she has anything for the boy, at the very least she can clean these," Leon said, thrusting the dirty clothes towards Gwaine. Gwaine wrinkled his nose but took the clothes. He turned and walked out the door, trying to see if he could find the lady in question. Leon waited for the door to close before deciding it was time to try and bathe Merlin.
"Merlin, time to get in the bath," Leon called. Merlin hopped off the chair and skipped over to the bath. Leon saw that it was going to be much too high for Merlin to step into, so he lifted the boy up and placed him in the water. Merlin gasped.
"It's so warm," he giggled. "It feels really nice." Leon smiled and set about starting to rinse the boy down. Merlin continued to giggle and squirm as Leon scrubbed down his arms and back. During the bath, Leon tried to teach Merlin how to take his own bath, so that he didn't need a knight to be there constantly.
oOoOoOo
Gwaine knocked on Morgana's door, stuffing the dirty clothes behind his back so that the visiting noblewoman wouldn't have to see them.
"Come in," Morgana called. Gwaine pushed open the door and stepped inside. He did a sweeping bow before straightening up and glancing around the room, his eyes landing on Gwen. He put on his charming smile and turned towards Morgana.
"Your handmaid is needed for a short while. I have arranged for George to be attending to you until Guinevere returns.
"Very well. Gwen, you may leave," Morgana said. She turned back towards the woman and continued chatting about something that was probably very womanly. Gwen and Gwaine left the room quietly and started walking down the hall together.
"What's wrong?" Gwen asked anxiously. Gwaine showed her the dirty clothes.
"Do you have anything made for Merlin? These are absolutely filthy and need to be washed." Gwen's smile brightened considerably.
"Yes. Morgana and I made some clothing for Merlin. They will look absolutely adorable on him. Mind you, we didn't have very good measurements but I can alter them later. Oh I wonder if he'll like them. I suppose there's no reason he wouldn't. I think red and blue will suit him wonderfully. It'll really bring out his eyes…"
"Gwen, perhaps we should go pick up the clothes and clean these ones, so that Merlin has something to wear," Gwaine suggested. Gwen blushed and nodded, walking quickly towards her house. The pair dropped off Merlin's other clothing, Gwen would wash it later, and then started back towards Gwaine's chambers.
"What are these little squares for?" Gwaine asked, gesturing towards a blue and red square.
"They're neckerchiefs. I thought Merlin might like them," Gwen said happily. Gwaine nodded and continued on to the chambers. They entered to hear Leon groaning in frustrations and Merlin sitting happily on a chair with a towel around his waist, looking pinker than when they first found him.
"And then the evil ogre turned out to be a good ogre and helped create a new country for trolls to live in. Because the trolls were just being misunderstood…" Merlin rambled on.
"That's great Merlin," Leon commented dryly, pulling a stick from Merlin's tangled rat's nest.
"What are you doing?" Gwen asked.
"Gwen!" Merlin cried happily and moved to jump off the chair.
"Merlin, wait!" Leon cried and Merlin's head was wrenched from his grasp. Merlin bounded up to Gwen and hugged her.
"Leon's trying to cut my hair," he explained.
"Would you like me to help? Elyan used to get all sorts of things caught in his hair."
"I can't imagine Elyan with hair," Gwaine sniggered. Gwen blushed and led Merlin back to the chair. Leon stepped aside and let Gwen take over. Gwen and Merlin began chatting casually as Gwen took the sheers and began cutting Merlin's hair. Gwaine and Leon watched in awe as she snapped her way through twigs, leaves, and other object that had become tangled in Merlin's hair. Slowly, the raven hair was shortened.
"There we go," Gwen said, stepping back to admire her work. Merlin ran a hand through his hair and smiled.
"It feels so nice. Thank you Gwen," he said, turning to hug the serving girl.
"You're welcome, Merlin. Now go put on your new clothes. I'm going to wash and mend your old ones if you want. Or we can throw them away…"
"No! Not the jacket," Merlin said hastily. Everyone stared at Merlin for a second.
"Why not?" Gwaine asked. Merlin started picking at the threads on the towel before answering.
"Freya needs it," he said softly. The trio looked at each other questioningly.
"I can wash and mend the jacket. I won't get rid of it," Gwen said softly. Merlin gave her a teary smile before going to pull on his new clothes.
"Why would a girl need it?" Gwaine asked.
"I don't know. I don't think I want to find out either," Leon responded grimly.
oOoOoOo
It was night when the alarm bells sounded. A clanging metal ringing through the air. Arthur and the other knights were up and running through the castle in full force, trying to find the prisoner that had escaped.
"Drake is gone," Leon reported and Arthur and Uther made their way to the throne room.
"How did he get out?" Uther demanded.
"It looks as though the guards hung themselves," Leon said.
"They committed suicide? Why?" Arthur asked.
"I don't know, sire. It appears that not all of Drake's power was cut off."
"You think that the sorcerer drove them to suicide?" Uther asked. Leon nodded.
"What worries me most is why he hasn't come after you," Leon said, turning to Arthur. "You were the original target, but Drake has yet to complete his mission," Leon said.
"I think he found something more worthwhile to pursue," Arthur replied. Leon nodded grimly. If Merlin was really as powerful and special as Kilgharrah had said, then he was worth much more than Arthur, especially if he were sold to the right people.
And there is the end of this chapter. I hope everyone has a great weekend and a great week.