Merlin
Merlin cast his eyes around the now empty room, slightly horrified at the mess that was awaiting him. Arthur never seemed to care when his clothing was strewn across the floor - he was oblivious to the state of his chambers.
Carefully, Merlin set down the plates he'd begun to clear back on the table, and walked towards the large wooden doors. He waited there, patient, until he could hear Arthur's footsteps fade into silence, and then he opened the door a crack and checked the hallway, making sure that no one was outside. He hadn't really expected there to be anyone - Arthur didn't allow any guards outside of his room, not since the... Incident. Merlin smiled at the memory of when the guards had burst into his room only to find a very furious, very naked Arthur Pendragon awaited him. Needless to say, Merlin had never seen them again. They probably weren't even in Camelot anymore - much less the castle.
Merlin quickly shut the door, taking care to assure himself that it was latched. He looked about the room in disdain, and muttered, "You know, Arthur, if you could at least try to keep your room tidy, I wouldn't have to do this." But he knew it was an impossible wish, and so, eyes flickering gold, he whispered the spell, "Astyre," and watched, a satisfied smile on his face, as the clothes, plates and bed began to clean themselves. What's the good of magic if I'm not to use it? He wondered, bitter, but he shook his head to rid himself of the feeling. Someday, he promised himself. Someday, Arthur will make everything better.
Merlin left the room hastily, hurrying down the hallway in hopes of finding Arthur - he was curious about what Uther wanted from him. It probably wasn't important - most likely, he just wanted Arthur to go out and hunt down some beast - but with Uther, you could never guess. And Merlin wanted to be there to hear it, in case it was something that Arthur would not tell him.
He made his way down the hall, continuing with a swift pace. He did his best to stay quiet, but his boots were old and loud, and he knew that anyone could hear them from a close range. He stepped lightly, but it made no difference.
When he finally made it to the Great Hall, he paused right before the turn, peeking around the corner only to catch a glimpse of Arthur, standing idly by the door, staring at the handle. What is the prat doing? he wondered fondly, and watched his friend, curiosity animating his features. Arthur leaned his head forward, ear resting on the door. He's spying! Merlin thought, a surprised smile on his face. Why, that hypocrite -
"Boy!" Merlin turned, panicked, to see a guard rushing towards him. "What are you doing here?"
Merlin turned, looked around, and hurried down the hall. There were a lot of things he would do for Arthur - but being hung for spying certainly was not one of them. With a smile still lingering on his face, he sprinted down the halls and hoped for the best.
A/N: Thank you to the people who have reviewed/followed! It means a lot. I know it's moving slowly now, but never fear - The next chapter will have a lot more action. Thank you guys for being patient! Idonotownmerlin. Sorry it's short, I have a huuuuge case of writer's block. :(