He was in the main area of Gaius's quarters. Only one candle lit the room and the fire was dying in the fireplace. A small group of people surrounded a bed, if one calls two women and an elderly man a group. The man looked grim as he peered down at the person in the bed. The women cried. "He's dead," whispered the white-haired man. "I'm sorry."
Merlin woke on his side with his knees drawn up to his chest. His heart was beating frantically beneath his breast and his breath burst from his lips in short gasps. Merlin felt like he had just run all night instead of sleeping. He kept his eyes closed tightly as he willed his heart and breaths to slow down a little.
"Merlin," Gaius called out to him from the lower level. "It's time to get up and come down for breakfast."
"I am up," Merlin replied as he rolled over onto his back and stared at his room's ceiling. "I'll be down in a minute."
The young warlock didn't get out of his bed right away. He lay there, continuing to stare up at the ceiling as he tried to work out why he woke the way he had. Merlin knew he had been dreaming, but what it was about, he hadn't a clue. He remembered there had been screaming and a dreadful feel to the dream however, that was it.
"Merlin," Gaius called again.
"Coming," Merlin said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and standing. Grabbing his work clothes, he hastily dressed. Tying his neckerchief around his neck, he headed to the door.
"Aren't you going to eat," Gaius asked as Merlin reached for the doorknob.
"I'm late. I'll grab a bite later," Merlin said as he hurried out of the room and down the hall. It was packed. He couldn't get through the main areas of the castle. There was too much going on in preparation for the peace treaty celebration, thus the young warlock had to cut through the kitchen, where he got Arthur's breakfast, and go out through the kitchen exit.
As he raced through the streets to get around the side of the massive building as well as back into the castle, he passed a caged girl. He stopped and threw her a chicken leg. Then, glancing around he held his hand up to the lock. With eyes flashing gold, it opened. "Psst…go to the Southern cellar. I'll see you there later," he whispered. He glanced behind him and saw the young girl run off.
Before he was caught, Merlin entered the white castle. Climbing the stairs two at a time, Merlin finally reached Arthur's room. The young warlock was panting and huffing as he sat the platter down. "Breakfast," he proclaimed. Grabbing the two goblets, he filled them both. One of them he picked up and down the cool liquid. "AH…much better."
Arthur yawned and sat up in his bed. The sun was streaming in to the room, lighting up the place with its warmish glow. Wait a minute...something was missing.
Blinking, Arthur rubbed the sleepers out of his eyes as his mind tried to work out what was missing. Then it hit him. His room was completely silent; devoid of that annoying banter he had grown to love/hate.
Merlin wasn't there, and if Merlin wasn't there that meant two things. One, he would have to get dressed himself and two his breakfast wouldn't be waiting for him.
Grumbling he got up out of his bed and trudged over to his cupboard, opening the door and taking a look at all of his different shirts.
Not really caring he reached in and took out a white shirt followed by his dark black jacket. Arthur slipped in to the cool shirt with ease before slipping in to the equally cool jacket. Next; some pants. Looking down underneath the shirts he grabbed the first folded set of pants he saw and quickly put them on, followed by his black belt and set of keys which he looped in to the belt.
Grabbing his unpolished pair of boots he meandered back over to his bed and sat down on it before putting his boots on. Now that he was dressed he was ready for breakfast but there was still no Merlin.
Rolling his eyes Arthur then proceeded to comb his hair. Once that was done he stood up and went to his bedroom window. He glanced down in to the courtyard below; hands clasped behind his back.
Arthur had only been standing in that position for three minutes when his bedroom door opened to admit a sweaty and slightly red faced man servant who was carrying a tray of food.
"Thank. God, Merlin, I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten me entirely. I don't eat thin air you know." Arthur said in a tone of voice that would let the man servant know of his displeasure.
"Now, why would I do that? I could never forget you. No one could! You're memorable," remarked the warlock. Merlin wiped his brow before going over to the bed. Straightening the sheets, he tucked them in. Shaking out the blanket, he smoothed it over the covers. Finally, plumping the pillows he was done with making the bed. Merlin hoped it all was this easy today.
"Have you seen it out there, Arthur? It's madness! People are running here and there. There are banners and garland and flowers everywhere! Flowers! People are carrying pots and platters. You can't move an inch without bumping into something or knocking someone over," Merlin explained. "I had to swim my way through the crowds to get down to the kitchen and then go outside and around the whole castle to get here. It's utterly insane! I'll be glad when this is all over."
Walking over to the platter the Prince selected a plump red grape, popping it in to his mouth; relishing the explosion of flavor as it hit his taste buds.
"Believe me Merlin," Arthur said in between chews, "I don't like the flowers either but father wanted them so..."
He swallowed the grape before taking a swig of the water that was in untouched goblet.
"I think he went a little overboard. I get a headache wandering the halls. It's like all the bottles in a perfume shop were broken to release the scents on the castle. I saw a lady faint from a batch of a thousand lilies. I am not joking either. It's dreadful. I feel sorry for the King of Mercia. Idiot think hell want to visit again after smelling this place," Merlin ranted.
Merlin frowned. "You're dressed. But, sire, you needed a good bath and a hair washing and anointing before dressing in your costume…I mean outfit for the night. Why does the King of Mercia want you anointed before the feast," he asked.
"Yes I am dressed. I know it must be a shock for you to know that I have known how dress myself since I was two." Arthur mumbled, rolling his eyes as he put the goblet back down on to the table. Smoothly he then pulled out his favorite chair and sat down on it. He loved the soft red cushions in the back of the chair; it was almost as comfortable as being in bed!
"If you know how to dress then why don't you do it more often? It would save me loads of time," he asked. As the shoes were tossed towards him, he ducked. After they made a quiet thud and slid to the ground, Merlin picked them up.
"And...why should I get dressed by myself all the time when I have a perfectly good man servant to help me?" Arthur asks, rolling his eyes a little. He moves behind the screen, stripping out of his jacket and shirt before peeking back around the screen.
"Perfectly good? When did I become perfectly good," Merlin asked. "If you want a perfectly good servant to dress you, why don't you ask George? Then, with him helping you I could get the other things done. Wouldn't you rather me do other stuff."
As Arthur discussed hunting, Merlin threw his head back and groaned none too quietly. "Then why are you bathing now? Honestly, I don't understand that notion. You'll get all sweaty and dirty out on the hunt," the warlock pointed out. He didn't respond to whether or not he had forgotten – Merlin had.
The young man went over to the closet. He pulled out the red velvet jacket, black shirt, and another pair of black pants. "Shoes off, please. I need to clean them. Might as well do that while you're eating…unless you want me to feed you," the young warlock asked with a smile.
Gracefully he toed off his boots, wordlessly chucking them at his man servant moments later.
Arthur raised an eyebrow at Merlin's request. Was he really trying to get out of going to the feast?
Sitting down on a bench, he first sprinkled the insides with lavender smelling powder and then tapped it out. Merlin sniffed inside it. Satisfied, he began to polish them.
"Oh…umm…this evening…what is expected of me? I think Gaius needed me to sort through a bunch of papers and I don't think I'd be much help at the feast…" His voice trailed off because he didn't know how to finish his question. He shrugged a bit and waited for an answer.
"I think Gaius's papers can wait Merlin. Besides, if I have to sit through tonight's seemingly unending boorish display I don't see why you should get out of it. Now," Arthur began as he ripped a green stem off of a fresh red strawberry, "since you seem to be so keen that I bathe, draw me a bath, then you need to polish my boots, make sure my armor is all polished and mended, sharpen my sword, feed and walk my dogs and make sure the stables are all mucked out. Oh and make sure it's all done before the celebrations tonight. Do you want to see what you are going to be wearing?"
"I'm not so sure. You should see them! They are practically reaching the ceiling. It's a teetering pile," Merlin tried to explain. Arthur was not having it though. He sighed as he finished the boot. Grabbing the other, he did the same to it. "Can you wear a different boot until tonight? We need to keep them nice and neat."
Standing up, Arthur had to physically fight to not start laughing as he went to another cupboard, opened it up and withdrew a red jacket with a very pronounced red collar with white trim. The jacket was more of a cloak; a girl's cloak if Arthur had to describe it. Next Arthur reached in and pulled out a green hat with yellowish stripes. On the top of the hat were an arrangement of large red ceremonial feathers as well as a peacock's feather. "Tonight you will be wearing the official ceremonial robes of the servants of Camelot." Arthur said, showing Merlin the clothes.
Merlin stood. Leaving the room, he grabbed the brass tub and sat it down. "Boots are done, site. Bath is being drawn now. Armor was finished last night actually. All of the cooking and practicing ket me up until a few hours ago," he said. "Why does the stable need cleaned before the banquet? We're not eating there."
"Do I have a choice," Merlin asked as he stood by the bathtub. While the Prince had his back turned, Merlin whispered a spell and filled the tub with warm water. Just as Arthur turned around, he grabbed a bucket and poured the water from that in with the rest of the liquid. "Bath is ready."
Merlin looked at the outfit and then at Arthur. "You have to be kidding me. This must me a joke! The outrage," the warlock raged
"We may not be eating out in the stables Merlin but surely you must remember somewhere in that thick skull of yours that we are going hunting in the morning? Or has that once again slipped from your mind?" Arthur asks.
Walking out from behind the screen Arthur takes another sip of the water in the goblet as he listens to Merlin's reaction about the 'clothes' he has to wear to the evening's celebrations.
"Oh it's no joke Merlin, it's tradition!" Arthur says. He still has the clothes in hand so he more or less playfully slams the clothes in to Merlin's chest before none to gently slapping the young warlock's right shoulder.
"Oh buck up Merlin, it won't be that bad!" Arthur says.