Deviner Captive

Slumming

...

Arthur's stomach let off a loud growl that could rival a lion's roar. Since he skipped breakfast this morning and was too flustered after being questioned by Merlin to even remember to have his lunch; he hadn't eaten anything that day. For someone who was used to having three meals a day it was agonizing.

The princess was late holding all of them up. They were waiting in the anti-chamber just outside of the baguette hall because his father wanted them all to enter together. Judging by his expression now he was regretting his decision.

Arthur could imagine all the amazing food that was just on the other side of the door. It was enough to make his mouth water.

Finally the princess entered, in another god-awful dress that was so large it could hardly fit through most door frames. It must be the style from where she came from.

Uther waited no time in throwing the door open and entering to take his seat; everyone one else followed his example. Once his party was seated Uther stood to make his opening speech and the hall quieted.

"I thank you all for coming to welcome King Gwrthfyr of Dyfred and his eldest daughter Princess Matilda to our kingdom of Camelot." He paused dramatically and the crowd took the time to clap. "To welcome them, a toast, to what will hopefully be a visit that will be the beginning of a treaty that will ally our two kingdoms together." He raised his class and the people followed his example.

Uther clinked his goblet with the other king's before they both drank. He sat down and took his first bite of food signaling it was all right for the rest of the hall to follow his example.

…

" Finally." Gwaine grumbled to himself. Grabbing the closest edible thing to him and taking a large bite. "Hmm, roast turkey, always hit's the spot." The drunken knight said with his mouth full.

"Nice. I know you're the only one of noble birth out of all of us though you try to deny it, but can't you at least use your table manners." Lancelot asked.

Gwaine responded by taking a larger bite of his turkey leg and over chewing. Using his tankard of beer to wash it down letting off a belch to push the point home.

"I'll take that as a no." Lancelot decided to leave the issue alone.

…

"Good evening." Gwen wished the people at the high table, but looking at Arthur as she said it.

"Lady Gwenivere, how good to see you." Arthur said in relief as he got out of his seat and came to stand beside her.

"Lady? But I could've sworn this is the maid that helped me get prepared for my bath?" Princess Matilda questioned from her spot at the table, overhearing their conversation.

"That wasn't me. There's a servant that contains a sharp resemblance though. It must've been her." Gwen made an excuse, knowing the princess was telling the truth but she didn't want to get Merlin in trouble.

Arthur gave her a confused look knowing there was no such girl that he could recall.

The uncomfortable awkward tension had started to set in between her and the prince. "I best take my leave before all the food has been consumed." Gwen curtsied before leaving and heading towards her brother.

She received strange looks for being the only lady seated at a table but it was nothing compared to the ones she received since her relationship with the prince became public knowledge. The rumors were horrendous.

She only received nods in greeting because the men's mouths were too full to vocally. "You need to slowdown or you'll end up choking." She suggested good heartedly before reaching and receiving her own small portion of food before it was all gone.

The former maid over heard a table claiming it was the best food they had ever tasted. They were all fighting over one tray though which was strange. Little did anyone know that it was the tray Merlin had fixed with magic.

…

The meal portion of the evening was over, the servants had taken away the empty trays, and the time for drunken merriment had begun. His father was busy talking with the foreign king and the princess was making eyes at a servant. Arthur took the chance to sneak away from the head table while everyone was distracted.

The Knights of the Round Table were surprised when their prince dropped onto a bench beside them.

"What are you doing slumming it with us, Princess?" Gwaine slurred as he finished swallowing his drink. Waving his tankard around signaling for it to be refilled. They all ignored the servant who started to pour him more whine.

"Am I not allowed to sit with my friends?" Arthur asked rhetorically. "Besides the people at the head table are dead boring. I need you idiots to entertain me."

"I thought that was Merlin's job?" Lancelot asked in jest to rebut the princes comment against them.

"It is, but do you see the idiot anywhere. I sent him earlier to help in the kitchens and haven't seen him since." Arthur grumbled and leaned his head on his arm.

"The servants do all blend into each other now." Elyan gestured around them at all the red suede darting around the hall. The outfit made features and hair color un-noticeable to outside observers.

"Agreed." They all said at once with Percival just nodding.

"It is very useful when you want to gain information un-noticed. It's like you're not even there at all." Came a very familiar voice right beside them. They all whipped their heads around surprised to see their friend decked out in the uniform they had been referring to previously.

"Merlin! When'd you get here?" Arthur asked in surprise.

"Been here for the last part of your conversation. If you guys were paying attention you'd have realized I was the servant pouring Gwaine's wine." Merlin said cheekily. They all starred at him, wondering how they didn't notice. They hadn't drunken that much yet. "And my purpose in life isn't to keep you entertained Arthur." He cheekily smiled at his master, referring to his comment.

"Sure it isn't." The prince returned his servants smile with one of his own. They connected their eyes searchingly.

"Arthur!" Could be heard being yelled from the head table from Uther. Breaking them out of their moment.

The prince hung his head. "I guess my absence has finally been noted. Best not keep my father waiting." Arthur excused himself before standing and heading back to his table. Stopping halfway there and yelling back. "Merlin, get back to work, I'm not paying you to sit around and do nothing!"

Merlin groaned and picked his pitcher back up. "It's funny he says that when he can't even get dressed without me." He said to the table before disappearing back into the crowd blending in with the other red suede figures.

The knights continued to stare at the spot he'd disappeared at. "They're an odd pair." Elyan commented as he shook his head. The others nodded in agreement before they continued to drink. Putting the prince and his servant out of their minds for time being.

…

The banquet had been going on for sometime which meant everyone was getting too drunk to care what anyone else did.

Elyan had already left to escort Gwenivere back to her chambers. Lancelot waved to gain the princes attention, whom looked like they were going to fall asleep from boredom at the table.

Arthur blinked slowly before understanding came to him. He nodding in agreement and quickly slid out of his chair. Deeming it now safe to leave his father since he'd consumed enough drink now to not care what his son did.

"Something you want to talk about?" The prince asked as he slid onto the empty spot on the bench beside the knight.

"Yes actually, I wanted to ask you what your opinion was on the visiting king. You've actually talked to him and I was wondering what your impression was of him. Do you think he's actually seriously considering the peace treaty?" Lancelot thought now was as good as any to ask the prince.

Arthur gave a confused look at being confronted by the topic so suddenly in a banquet setting before rolling his eyes. Lancelot had taken it on his own shoulders to make sure the kingdom wasn't attacked by one of the visiting kingdoms when Uther had let his guard down for once. He'd done the same thing with the other royals but this was the first time he'd approached him within the first day of their visit.

"King Gwrthfyr just seems like every other king. Has his own agenda and is only friendly when he wants something. But so far he hasn't revealed his evil plans." Arthur said to humor the knight.

Lancelot gave him an un-amused look. "I'm serious, you can never be too careful." He eyed the other king as he laughed and drank beside Uther.

…

"This table isn't round. We the Knights of the Round Table cannot site at a rectangle. Merlin could injure himself on the corners." Gwaine slurred drunkenly.

The others shook their heads in disbelief.

The knight managed to hold it together for another couple seconds before cracking out in laughter. "You didn't actually believe I was that drunk already, it would take a lot more for me to be that far gone." Gwaine then turned to talk to Percival.

Tapping his shoulder. "Arthur, do you think I could leave the feast early?" Merlin interrupted the prince's conversation with Lancelot. Sounding anxious as he slammed the whine pitcher down on the table between the two.

Nobles laughed all around enjoying themselves. Leon was sitting with the other knights. Not paying attention to their prince's conversation with his manservant because they were all too drunk already to care.

"Is there a reason you wish to leave? This is part of your job." Arthur asked patronizingly. Thinking his servant was just being lazy. Wanting to go to bed early instead of standing around watching the nobles get drunk while he had to remain sober all night. Taking a sip of his drink to mock him.

"Yes!" Merlin leaned in. "I think the visiting princess just gripped my ass!" Merlin sprouted crudely under his breath so only they could hear.

Arthur choked on his whine when he heard this. Lance hit his back until he was sure the prince could breathe again. "I'm sure your just imagined it." The prince gasped out.

"Who gripped whose ass?" Gwaine butted into the conversation, already twice as drunk as everyone else. Ignoring his previous conversational companion for information on anything perverted. "Couldn't help but overhear." He sprouted at the prince's frown.

Merlin started explaining really fast. "I was doing my job, making sure every ones goblets remained full, but when I went to lean over the kings cup, I felt someone grope my ass behind me." Saying the last part slowly to give it more impact.

"Are you sure it was her? Lancelot asked levelheaded. Judging from what he'd heard of the princess so far he didn't doubt her guilty of the incident.

"She smiled. I'm sure it was her." Merlin said as evidence.

"Like anyone would want to pinch your bony butt. I'm sure it was just someone else brushing behind you that you mistook for something less innocent. Besides, I saw he checking out another servant earlier, so she already has a target." Arthur said to comfort him.

"That was me!" Merlin hissed loudly, looking even more worried. "You really need to work on your skills of observation because they suck."

"Oh." Arthur said surprised. Usually it was him that received women's attention but more recently he'd noticed his manservant receiving the looks instead, since it was common knowledge he was with Gwenivere. "Just try and stay away from her then. Work at the lower station tables and stay away from the upper." He suggested, not knowing how helpful it would be overall.

Merlin groaned as he grabbed the wine pitcher back off the table and went to fill the other noble's classes on the other side of the hall, far away from the visiting princess as possible. Avoidance was key.

The knights watched the manservant walk away.

"I want you all to keep watch and make sure the princess doesn't approach Merlin." Arthur looked around the table for confirmation. The boy was his responsibly being his manservant and no one messed with what belonged to him.

Lancelot felt like they were at a meeting of the round table since most of the members were in attendance. Even though Merlin wasn't a knight he was just as much a part of their group if not the thing holding it together. If you messed with one of them you had to answer to the rest.

Percival nodded at what the prince was asking of them. Even though he hadn't known the boy very long he could feel the innocence he possessed and the lightness he brought to the people around him. If anyone had a heart of gold he would say it was that boy. He didn't want the princess to corrupt that.

Every since the moment Gwaine had met Merlin he'd thought of him like a little brother. He was just so naïve and needed protection or someone might take advantage of him.

The prince needn't ask.

He strained his neck to see over the other noble's heads and shot the princess in question a look of suspicion; only to see her starring at Merlin intently all the way across the room. "It seems Merlin isn't far enough away. She looks like she's going to pounce at any minute."

Arthur frowned as the princess stood from the table and started making her way through the crowd.

Merlin had had female admirers before, the prince also admitted some male; but so far he'd managed to scare them all away. He included his manservant as his closest friend and didn't want a partner to come between them, besides that he felt no one was good enough. He wasn't sure why he always ended up coming to the same conclusion but he was determined to do it again.

"I need one of you to escort Merlin back to his chambers?" He asked for a volunteer. "Not Gwaine though." He cut off the knight who looked excited.

"Why not?" Gwaine asked in a whining voice.

"Because I actually want Merlin to end up safe in his chambers, not going on some random adventure and almost getting himself killed." Arthur stated his reason. The drunken knight just had to shrug because what the prince said was true. He looked between the other two.

"I'll go." Arthur was surprised that Percival volunteered but he was glad. The Knight didn't say much but was very reliable. He could trust that his friend was in good hands. The prince nodded.

Percival stood and made his way quickly and swiftly towards Merlin. Who had frozen when he noticed the princess's empty seat. The boy jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning around so quickly that so much wine sloshed out of the pitcher it could be considered empty.

Merlin placed a hand on his heart. "You scared me, I thought you were…"

"I know who you thought I was. She will be here soon if we do not leave. The prince has asked me to bring you back to your chambers." Percival signaled with his head to the door. The boy nodded and started to leave but the knight put a hand out. "I think you can leave the pitcher."

Merlin blushed as he looked at the whine on the floor and the empty pitcher in his hand that had previously contained it. He slipped it onto a table unnoticed by its occupants before shuffling out the door with Percival guarding his back.

Arthur smiled at the princess's disappointed expression and took a sip of his drink.

...TBC