Vaughntronic:
Thank you so much, really glad you like it :-)
Eloeehez:
I hope that Percival's reaction will be easier to understand efter reading this chapter, it's pretty focused on that. Let me know what you think :-)
Nance:
Yes, it could seem a bit surprising bit I thought that they'll all believe Merlin because they know him and they know how loyal he is to Arthur. Also, if they're not completely blind they should already have guessed that Merlin has magic, because it's not like he was totally discreet about it in the show, right? I would be surprised if no one had seen something strange and started to put two and two together...
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.
Betrayed?
Percival feels betrayed because Merlin didn't tell him about his magic… or is it something else that bothers him?
"I'll go after him" Gwaine hastily went towards the door. "Don't worry Merlin" he added over his shoulder, "he'll come around, I'll talk to him…"
Elyan disappeared as well, mumbling something about getting a drink, and that left Arthur, Gwen and Merlin staring at each other.
"Has everyone suddenly forgotten that I'm the one in trouble here?" Arthur grumbled annoyed. "Seriously, it's like they've never heard anyone say they've got magic before…" Merlin rolled his eyes at this but let it slide, there was no point arguing with Arthur when he was like this anyway. Instead, he settled down with the book he'd been reading and tried translating a paragraph that looked promising. Meanwhile, Gwen approached Arthur.
"You poor thing" she sighed, reached out and stroked his head.
"Don't!" Arthur jumped back, eyes wild. "Just don't."
"Gwen, he doesn't like being petted, it makes him uncomfortable" Merlin explained. Gwen's hand flew to her mouth when she understood what he meant and she gasped, embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry sire, I didn't think of… I just can't help myself when you're a cat."
"I'm not a cat!" Arthur shouted desperately. "I'm just… temporarily furry." Merlin snorted, it was impossible not to, and Arthur shot him a foul glance. Gwen was standing with her arms hanging awkwardly at her sides looking at them both. It was a relief to everyone when Leon came back with Elyan, fortunately still sober, in tow. Before long, Gwaine returned as well and he'd managed to convince Percival to come with him.
Merlin felt extremely uncomfortable when the large knight entered the room.
"Percival, I…" he started but Percival interrupted him.
"Didn't you trust me?"
"Yes I did, I do trust you, but it's not that simple."
"But apparently it was simple enough to tell Gwaine" Percival pointed out.
"I had to, to help me find Arthur, what was I supposed to tell him, that I was in massive trouble because I'd lost the royal cat?" Merlin desperately wanted Percival to understand the weight of the secret that he'd carried for so long for fear of his life and that it wasn't just a matter of trust, but also that he didn't want to put his friends in a position where they had to choose between their loyalty towards him and their loyalty towards Arthur.
"I never wanted any of you to have to choose between me and Arthur and I feared that telling you would force you to do exactly that" Merlin explained. "Elyan, Gwen and Leon, you've all grown up in Camelot, and with Uther's view on magic, even if I didn't think that you shared it… Well, I couldn't risk it." He looked at them apologetically, especially Leon. "Even since Arthur found out, it was still illegal and…" His voice faded away. "And Percival, I know how loyal you are to Arthur and I could never ask of you to set that loyalty aside for me." Percival's face softened and Merlin felt slightly better, even though he still felt terrible for having to tell his friends that he'd lied to them all these years.
"But you could ask that of me?" Gwaine asked playfully and Merlin elbowed him in the ribs.
"It's different with you Gwaine."
"And why is that exactly?" Percival said sharply, face sombre again.
That was when Merlin realized. It wasn't just that Percival was angry with Merlin for not telling him about his magic, he was also angry with Merlin for telling Gwaine but not him. Percival was jealous. But why would Percival be jealous of Gwaine's relationship with Merlin? Unless he thought that…
"Oh." That certainly explained a lot. Merlin looked at Gwaine. "Let's go talk somewhere more private, all right?" he suggested and Gwaine seemed to understand since he started to drag a very confused Percival towards Merlin's room.
"Are those two still dancing around each other?" Arthur asked disbelieving. "I would have thought they'd gotten together by now, Gwaine's usually not that slow."
"Shush you" Merlin ordered and his finger got a none too gentle nip in return. "Ow!"
He turned towards the others.
"Are we fine?" he asked with an apprehensive smile.
"I feel a little hurt but I guess I understand your reasons" Gwen said and Elyan nodded in acquiescent.
"Me too."
"I'm so sorry" Merlin mumbled, shoulders slumping. "Leon?"
"About the same as those two but I'll get over it" the blonde knight answered with s small smile and gave Merlin a pat on the shoulder.
"I really wanted to tell you all you know…"
Percival still looked confused when Merlin entered his room. He also looked uncomfortable, which was no surprise since it was not meant to house three people, especially not if one of them was the size of a giant. But this also meant that Gwaine and Percival had to sit really close to each other on the small bed and that might work to the advantage of the upcoming conversation.
"Why don't we get to it?" Merlin suggested and Percival visibly tensed, as if preparing for a battle, but before he had the time to say anything Merlin help up a hand to stop him.
"The reason that I asked Gwaine for help is not that I fancy him but…"
"Of course you fancy me Merlin, everyone does" Gwaine interrupted, more out of habit than anything else Merlin supposed.
"Gwaine" he said warningly, doing his best to raise his eyebrow in a way that would've made Gaius proud, "stop it."
"Where's the fun in that?" the perpetual flirt complained, sighing. Ignoring him, Merlin continued.
"I choose to tell Gwaine for various reasons, he's travelled much and he doesn't share Uther's prejudice against magic, he's a close friend that I've known for a long time and… " Merlin hesitated slightly, "he's also the only one that I could be sure would, if he had to choose, put me before Arthur." Percival didn't look angry anymore, only discouraged now, and Merlin started to wonder if he'd have to spell it out for him.
"But I didn't turn to him because we're together, because his heart belongs to another." Percival looked at Merlin, then at Gwaine, and back to Merlin again.
"So, him and…" Percival stammered. "But I thought… Being so close… So you're not... together?" Both Merlin and Gwaine shook their heads. "Then who?" he asked and Gwaine groaned.
"I'll give you one guess, you big oaf" he said and Percival went from confused to hesitant to smiling to blushing, all in the blink of an eye.
"Oh" he simply said.
"Yes, oh indeed" Gwaine answered.
"Why didn't you tell me then?" he asked and turned to face Gwaine properly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Gwaine retorted and Merlin took this as his queue to leave, especially since Gwaine had taken the opportunity to place his hand casually, but just a little too high to be considered merely friendly, on Percival's thigh and Merlin, knowing Gwaine and his reputation, didn't really want to be around to witness what came next.
"Why don't I leave the two of you alone to discuss this?" he suggested and got up. "But I warn you, the walls are paper thin" he added with a wink. Percival blushed bright red but Gwaine simply threw a pillow at Merlin, otherwise unfazed. Years of experience as Arthur's manservant had sharpened Merlin's reflexes however, and he easily dodged the pillow and with a cheeky: "have fun!" he left the two of them.