The queen awoke at the sound of the door opening. Quick and quiet footsteps traveled across the dark room, she sat up and smiled as she stretched. The curtains were thrown open a moment later. "Good mourning Merlin." The curly haired woman greeted the servant before he could turn around.

"Good morning Gwen!" He turned around with a toothy grin. He enjoyed the fact that she had insisted their relationship stay the same as it had before, so long as they were in private.

"Arthur told me you agreed to learn magic for him."

"Yes. And I wanted to ask him if I could ask Gaius to teach me. Seeing as he has practiced magic before. Just a thought." He shrugged and went to set up the trays of food he had brought in.

The queen made a face. "You can certainly ask. I can't say." She shook her head and turned to her husband. "Common sleepy head, time to get up." She ran her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp lightly.

The king's features scrunched and one eye opened slowly, meeting the gaze of his wife. He shut it again and a grin spread over his face as he threw an arm around her waist and dragged her back down onto the bed with him. "I am not getting up until that idiot Merlin comes up to do his job." He muttered into her hair.

"He is doing his job." She snickered.

"Yeah, just that when I wake you you throw a goblet at me." The raven haired warlock quipped from across the room.

"Merlin!" Arthur sat up in a heartbeat, grabbing the goblet off the nightstand. He pulled his arm back but didn't throw it. After looking at it a moment he dropped it on the bed and took the comb from the stand and hurled it.

Merlin's grin dropped from his face, he took a step back, "Acien." His eyes flared gold and the comb veered, hit the wall, and clatter to the floor. "It worked! Ha!" Merlin tried to act astonished. He looked back at the king, smiling like a child that had caught his first frog in the local pond.

Arthur and Gwen sat on the bed slack jawed. The warlocks smile slowly faded as the silence and tension was sustained. A knock at the door made the three friends jump and shift their attention.

"Enter." Arthur commanded, grateful that his voice was not as shaky as he felt.

A servant pushed the door open, his head bowed. "Sire, sir Leon sent me to inform you of a scout that arrived from our western border."

"I will be at the round table shortly then, you are dismissed." The blond waved his hand, the servant bowed and took his leave, shutting the door tightly behind him.

"Well… you picked that up quickly." Gwen sighed, and stood up from the bed, brushing the wrinkles out of her night dress. Merlin promptly looked to the floor. "Maybe the joke about your talents lying with magic, shouldn't be considered a joke any more."

"How do you mean?" The king looked up at his queen.

"I mean, most people have a talent. You, are particularly good with a sword."

"Is that all I'm good with?" The king smirked. Merlin made a noise similar to choking.

Gwen shot him a look as she pushed dresses about in the wardrobe. "What I am saying is that if you looked at any of those books you gave him, you most likely wouldn't be able to tell up from down. But Merlin, we know he can't use a sword," she picked a dress and moved behind the screen. "according to you he's a terrible servant, and can't do much. So what's his talent? Given a chance, it may be magic."

Arthur looked up at a very pale warlock. "Now that I think about it, your funny feelings are usually correct and AND you tend to recognize sacred places. Caves. Wells. 'Vibrating with life' if I remember correctly."

Merlin felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck. "Maybe. I- I don't know…"

Arthur was about to speak when Gwen spoke up again. "Merlin I'm sure it's no different than those who are gifted with a sword. Don't let it scare you just because it's magic, the knights aren't scared to take up a sword to protect Camelot. Why should magic be different?"

"Because magic is well known for its evil, Guinevere, it killed my mother, it killed my father, many good and trustworthy knights, not to mention the innocent lives it has taken. Now my servant, of all people can use it." Arthur pressed his middle finger to one temple and his thumb to the other.

"I won't let it take me over, Arthur." Merlin hoped using his name in place of his title would get his attention. It worked, the king's eyes met his. "Arthur you know me, I'm not pompous, arrogant, or condescending. Least, I don't think I've been. Please Arthur, let me do this for you, for Camelot." He pleaded.

The king nodded silently. "Enough depressing talk. Merlin, help me prepare to go meet the scout." He stood, facade of the stoic king back in place. Merlin offered a small smile and nodded, Gwen stepped out from behind the screen and moved to the mirror.

"My lord." The scout greeted the king as he entered the room of the Round Table. His queen at his left and his servant as his right flank.

"You may speak." The king ordered.

"Thank you Sire. Sir Gravlin and his party have spotted Morgana's forces on the move. However, they were not moving in the direction of our border mi'lord. Rather, alongside it."

The king's brow twitched. "Your report is welcome. Is there anything else?"

"No Sire, that is all."

"You are dismissed then. Merlin, call all knights present in Camelot to meeting. Now. King's decree."

"Yes Sire." Merlin bowed slightly before spinning on his heel and following the scout out of the room.

A/N: ok. I'm visiting family, and I'm working on this chapter. My aunts are watching some random Netflix original and I'm not really paying attention. Then I look up and see Balinor in a suit on the phone, and Merlin in a hospital room with a busted arm. Very, very hard to focus on the FanFic here.

Any way, thank you to all of you who review and follow, it's a big confidence boost for me. So thank you thank you THANK YOUUU! *remains unseen from beneath a mountain of pillows*