So here's a new chapter :-)
Eloeehez:
Yep, she might just do that, after all, with such a cute cat, who could resist? ;-)
Nance:
You know what, I think that Percival is going to have other things on his mind... maybe later though...
MG12CSI16:
Thank you, so glad you like it :-)
Phanstarlight:
I might be just that, you'll see in the next chapters... ;-)
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from BBC to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.
Cat out of the bag
The knights and Gwen gets involved…
"What kind of an accident?" Leon asked sharply and, when Merlin didn't answer, he stepped forward threateningly. "I said, what kind of an accident?" he repeated, his voice a dangerous growl now. "Where is the king?"
"Hey!" Gwaine stepped in. "Back off! It's not Merlin's fault." As the two knights stared each other down, Arthur had made his way into the room. It was Gwen who noticed him first.
"There's that cat again" she remarked puzzled and both Merlin and Gwaine snapped around at the sound of her voice and stared, first at the large ginger cat now sitting on the table, and then at each other.
"You might as well tell them the whole story too, Merlin." At Merlin's hesitant look Arthur impatiently added "I'll order them not to throw you in the dungeons or whatever else they might think of. Go on then."
"Yes sire, because they'll surely believe me when I tell them you said that" Merlin replied sarcastically. Everyone in the room with the exception of Gwaine stared at Merlin, as he not only spoke to the cat like it was the most natural thing in the world, but also addressed it as "sire".
"Is Merlin… all right?" Percival discreetly asked Gwaine who nodded.
"Yes, he's fine." He turned to Merlin. "Well Merlin, it looks as if the cat is out of the bag so to speak" he smirked and Arthur hissed angrily. "Calm down, princess" he winked and attempted to pat Arthur on the head but pulled back his hand quickly when Arthur threw out a paw threateningly.
"You'll have to tell them, but don't worry Merlin, I won't let them take you anywhere." For all his antics and sometimes a bit dubious reputation, Merlin knew that few people were more loyal than Gwaine and that anyone who wanted to apprehend him for sorcery would have to get past Gwaine first. Few were up for that challenge.
So he took a deep breath, and for the second time in as many days, Merlin explained all about his magic, the very secret he'd feared he would have to take to his grave, and also everything that he knew about the situation and Arthur's current four-legged state. It was a strange feeling to be able to talk so openly about the things that he'd hidden for so long and he shifted uneasily under everyone's intense gazing.
Arthur also got his fair share of weird looks and intense staring and drew himself to his full height in an attempt to look more regal. Soon enough though, he found out that it was hard to look imposing when only measuring just over ten inches and disappointedly curled up in a chair instead, which was fine until Percival, distracted by Merlin's story, absent-mindedly did almost sit down on him. Arthur hastily moved back to the relative safety of the table and made a mental note to get revenge on the large knight as soon as he was back to his normal self. If he ever would be a small voice in his mind said but Arthur pushed the thought firmly away. They would find a solution.
After Merlin had finished talking silence reigned. It was a lot for everyone to think about and process but Merlin couldn't help but to feel impatient as the silence dragged out. He wanted to get started, maybe some of the others knew what to do or someone to ask or have heard of the situation before. Or the knights maybe could ride out to get Gaius home quicker…? But they just stood staring at him and he squirmed uncomfortably. Leon eventually managed to pull himself together.
"So you have magic?" he asked and Merlin nodded.
"And Arthur knows?" Another nod.
"And Arthur approves?" Merlin nodded again, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. He normally appreciated Leon's methodical and thorough nature but there was no denying that it could also be bloody annoying at times. He didn't feel that they'd time to play hundred questions right now but he tried to be patient as the revelation of his magic had been a shock for all of them.
"And you used your magic to disguise Arthur?"
"Yes."
"And something went wrong?"
"Yes, Leon." Merlin found it increasingly difficult to continue to answer the incessant stream of questions politely. Seriously, would it kill the man to just take his word for it?
"And Arthur was turned into a cat?"
"Yes, and then turned back to normal again" Merlin said out to try to bring the conversation forward a bit quicker. "And yesterday morning he woke up and felt sick and then he was suddenly a cat again. We've been trying to find out a cure since then."
"And that cat there" Leon pointed disbelievingly at the cat, "is Arthur?"
"Yes" Merlin said, slightly exasperated now, and Gwaine hummed in acquiescent. Arthur swished his tail and Merlin decided that it would be kinder to Leon not to translate what Arthur had just said, especially since the annoyed monarch probably would regret calling his trusted second-in-command a dim-witted idiot when he was back to his normal self. Arthur clearly wasn't his loveliest and most patient self when worrying about possibly spending the rest of his life as a cat, and who could really blame him for that? But Merlin still thought it better to censor that particular statement to spare Leon's feelings.
Leon looked around him as he expected everyone to start laughing at any moment and tell him that it was all a joke. But that didn't happen and he slowly walked over to the table and sat down heavily, next to Percival. Elyan soon joined them, elbows propped up on the table and resting his head in his hands.
"I need a drink" he groaned.
"I think we could manage that, but first we need to figure out to do with our little catastrophe here" Gwaine said, cocking his head to the side to indicate Arthur.
Arthur chose, to Merlin's great relief, to haughtily ignore Gwaine's bad sense of humour this time and draped his long tail around his paws.
"We have to do something, it's only a matter of time before more people start asking where I am" he said.
"I know that, sire, but what do you suggest?" Merlin asked. "Maybe Leon could tell everyone that you've gone out hunting?"
"That is so strange" Elyan said, eyes flickering back and forth between the servant and the cat. "Can you tell him that…?" he started but was interrupted by Gwaine.
"You can talk directly to him."
"Ah, right." Elyan still seemed unsure whether to address the cat or Merlin and settled for looking in between them as a compromise. "Sire, I just wanted to say that all of us will do everything that we can to help you and…" He looked embarrassed and the rest of the sentence died away. "Just tell us what you want us to do."
"He says that we need to find out a good excuse for his absence until we find a cure" Merlin supplied after a brief pause.
"Why don't we just tell everyone that he's ill? Gwen suggested. "That will give us a reason to keep him in here and out of sight, and we can continue to look for a cure here."
"And Leon can inform the council" Elyan added. Leon nodded.
"I'll go straight away" he said and got to his feet. "Sire, if that's…?"
"Tell him it's fine" Arthur said and Merlin nodded to Leon who inclined his head and left the room.
Percival hadn't said a word throughout the whole afternoon but no one had deemed it strange given the knight's usual quietness and the impact of all that had just been revealed. Realizing that the large knight sat looking down at the table and frowned, Merlin turned to him.
"Percival?" he asked tentatively. The knight's head snapped up at the sound of his name and Merlin recoiled a little under his piercing glare. "What's the matter?"
"I can't believe you didn't tell me." Percival, normally calm, compassionate and friendly, all but spat out his words. Merlin shrunk back, feeling uncomfortable and a little guilty at when he saw the hurt and anger clearly visible on Percival's face. Before anyone had the time to react, Percival had pushed himself to his feet and stormed out of the room, leaving the others to stare at the door slamming shut behind him.