MERLIN - CONTACT

AN: Hey everyone. Here is the next chapter. Thank you for your reviews and ideas as to what Arthur should give Merlin. I have decided to make this story longer and merge it with another story I planned to do. So thank you to Shuhan Envoy especially, for your idea is based on this coming event. I apologise in advance for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes I might have made and I hope you like it :)

...~~C~~...

The next morning. Arthur woke up relatively early, earlier than when Merlin is supposed to come and wake him. Lying in bed he could hear the city also stirring. Today was hopefully going to be a good day. The day that his friendship with his stubborn disobedient maidservant will be restored. So he jumped out of bed, got dressed, for some strange reason made sure his hair looked neat enough, and left to find his maidservant before she came to him.

At this time of day, not many people were out. It was peaceful. Towns people were just coming out of their houses to go to their jobs and market merchants were setting up stalls. Children were either hand in hand with their parents or playing with eachother around the courtyard with wooden swords or horses. Guards were shaking hands to switch shifts to relieve the other from a tiring and boring night's watch. Usually Arthur wouldn't be out now. Even if he did wake up later he would have to attend meetings that kept him inside for sometimes hours at a time, so he barely got time to enjoy city life out in the open. Since his father had not been feeling well, council meetings had been put on hold until he was well again. So the prince was free to do as he wished... within reason.

And the thing he wanted to do right now was pay his friend a social call.

...~~C~~...

Merlin had woken up not feeling her best. She was groggy and light-headed. She knew what that meant but life must go on. Even if it does mean continuing to work for prince prat.

Dragging herself out of bed and into a simple white dress with dark blue bodice, she ran a comb through her hair a few times, splashed water on her face and looked in the mirror. That's when she remembered what she promised herself.

Sighing deeply, silently saying goodbye to the long hair she'd grown quite fond of (no pun intended), she went down the steps from her private room into the physician's chambers. Guais didn't seem to be there, but a bowl of porridge was sat on the table for her. It had gone cold, but Merlin could easily see to that. She had a bit of time to herself before running her errands, so she had enough time to do what she felt she ought to do.

Rummaging through Guais' medicine supplies, the young sorceress found a decent pair of scissors, used for cutting the delicate threads from sewing stitches. Then she set up a bowl of lukewarm water; damp hair was easier to cut. Before she did anything else, she moved to her breakfast she subconsciously warmed up with her magic.

She spotted a piece of paper beside it which her name was written on.

Merlin,

Have had to leave early to tend to patients. I have made you breakfast, so be sure to eat it.

Also remember your medicine. I know when you have not taken it, like last night.

A letter arrived for you earlier. I will see you at dinner.

Guais.

Smiling at her caring guardian, Merlin did indeed take a small bottle from the nearby cupboard and quickly downed the tonic contained inside. And As Guais said, there was another letter on the table. Merlin sat down on the bench, picked up a spoon so she could eat while she read, and opened the letter. However a few lines in, she paused and just stared at the paper in her hand.

...~~C~~...

Arthur paused at the door of the physician's chambers, took a deep breathed and knocked rhythmically at the door. He didn't get an answer, which suggested Guais was out, and Merlin had either already left, or was snoozing away in her room. So he let himself in slowly. Despite, what he thought, he was proven wrong. Guais was out, but Merlin was sat at the table with her back facing him. She had her head hung so he couldn't tell if she had fallen asleep sitting up or was still in a mood. Or both.

"Merlin?"

The girl shot up from her seat to see who had come in. "I didn't hear you," she said simply. He noticed her put a letter down the table next to a bowl of water. "Sorry, I thought I was early so... "

"It's alright. I didn't come to tell you you're late. I just came to talk."

"Talk? Talk about what?" asked a worried Merlin.

Arthur walked casually further into the room while looking around and pretending to be temporarily distracted by all the shelves of books and potions. "Oh, you know, things... concerning you... and me."

"You and me?"

Arthur stopped in his strolling and looked at Merlin. "Yes well, I wanted to say I'm sorry for what I said- "

"Really Arthur," the maidservant cut him off, waving her hands in the air in front of her. "It's fine. I overreacted yesterday. I know what you meant to say."

"You do? ... But I have a speech all planned in my head. I have spent a lot of time last night and this morning thinking about what to say."

"Arthur, I really don't want to do this right now. I just..." Merlin trailed off and ran a hand nervously through her hair.

"Are you alright?"

Merlin looked at him with a small tight smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Arthur had known Merlin too long to know when she was so obviously lying to him when she said she was fine. Especially when she did the subconscious fingers through the hair and ringing-of-the-hands she does when anxious.

He turned his attention to the bowl of water and scissors. "You preparing something for Guais?"

Merlin looked where the prince was looking. "Oh that? No, I was um, about to give my hair a trim."

"Really? By how much?"

"Just until most of its gone."

"What?!" Arthur exclaimed, "Why? I like this length."

"Well you know, so do I, but it's too much for me to handle so..." Her face said it all to Arthur.

"This is because of what I said, isn't it!" The girl shrugged, looking anywhere but at him.

"I really couldn't care less about that right now, Arthur. Something else has come up. I'll put this all away and get on with my chores."

Arthur narrowed his eyes, "What's come up?"

Merlin pointed vaguely at the table, and Arthur followed her finger to the letter he saw her holding earlier. Not sure if that was an invitation to read a private letter, he looked at her again confused.

"It's my mother," she answered.

"What?"

Now Arthur was really confused. It was a while back, but it had left a huge strain on his and Merlin's friendship. It wasn't long after Arthur had accepted Merlin's magic, and Ealdor was put on the list of places suspected of harbouring sorcerers. Merlin didn't know at the time until it was too late and she heard via letter that Ealdor was burnt to the ground. One of the residents who survived reported to her that Hunith was trapped in the flames and died.

Arthur had been there for her, course. Being the rock his friend needed for comfort as she had trouble coming to terms with the fact she was now an orphan, and never got to say goodbye. His maidservant had even told him herself one night that she was so grateful for his attentions. But then it got complicated when she asked for help in finding out who did it.

Arthur had to eventually admit to her that he was the one who ordered the raid on the small village through his father. He couldn't be there in person to lead the men since Ealdor was in the late Cendred's kingdom and his presence would have damaged matters. Those few weeks were the worst in his life. Merlin had gone inside herself, cold and distant. She told Arthur she hated him which hurt more than a sword in the stomach to him. Though he thought he completely deserved it.

In time, Merlin forgave him for some reason, and the two returned to normal. If it were him, he wouldn't ever forgive himself.

Now Merlin's standing in front of him, saying that a letter has come on the subject of her mother, and she didn't even look shocked.

"She's returned to Ealdor... but not alone."

She picked up the piece of paper and held it up in front of her pointedly. "It's an invite. Mother's getting married."

...~~C~~...

AN: Hope you liked this. I'm working on the next chapter now so it hopefully won't be too long before it's updated. Thanks again for your reviews. Keep 'em coming :) BTW: Any other ideas are welcome.