The Scout Who Came To Camelot Chapter 15: Merlin's Many Talents, a merlin fanfic

To Arthur Pendragon, Merlin Emrys indeed was a talented and sophisticated individual. At first, Arthur had found Merlin to be nothing more than a clumsy and brave scout, who wouldn't back down from a debate or fight. Over the months that Arthur began to properly know Merlin, he found out just how incredibly talented Merlin was. Some talents Arthur hadn't discovered, but soon would.

The second discovery was the gymnastics, and although it couldn't be noticed by any random individual, Arthur now knew that Merlin had muscle, and could work on any piece of apparatus given to him, as well as do floor routines.

But it would be at camp where Arthur would discover so much more about Merlin.

His first discovery was in archery. Like with fencing, most of their sessions would involve some form of tournament. Arthur himself was skilled in many sports, but Merlin was slightly better at Archery. After many defeated in the tournament early on, there were four remaining; Arthur, Merlin, Leon and Gwaine. Arthur and Gwaine were to face each other first, where the odds were unbound; anyone could win.

It turned out that Gwaine was better, and Arthur would be defeated, something he could admit to. He would face the loser out of the next round for 3rd place, where the prize was a medal, and would be taking place through an olympic-type ceremony. For each match, each person would have three arrows, and whoever after three shots won the most points would progress to the next round, taking it in turns to fire their arrows from their bow.

The other pair to face each other was Leon and Merlin, Merlin proving that, again, he wasn't just skin and bones. Merlin had quick reflexes, and brilliant vision, and came on top, fighting off Gwaine in the final. Therefore it was either Arthur or Leon for 3rd place.

As for the final, Gwaine came above Merlin, Merlin missing the 2nd shot off a little, unlike Gwaine who had three clean shots. So, Merlin would walk away with a silver medal. Carrying the equipment back, Arthur nudged into Merlin, and took hold of Merlin's medal, examining it closely.

"Well done."

"Thank you.

"I'm calling you my Robin Hood from now on."

"And you're Maid Marion?"

"Ah, why not!"

The second discovery was music. At the scout centre, there was a recreation centre, where there was a music room. During the mid-morning of a Sunday, Merlin was wondering through the centre when he spotted the piano, a Yamaha classic. Sliding down onto the seat, Merlin flicked through the music book, which contained modern songs. Finding one which he knew off by heart, Merlin relaxed into a playing position, and began to play, remembering where to begin singing the lyrics.

Merlin began to sing 'Six on the second hand. Two New Year's resolutions. And there's no question, what this man should do.' Arthur had heard the noise from outside, and followed the melody. What he found was Merlin playing the piano, singing away. Not wanting to disturb him, and hear Merlin's soft words, he stood by the doorway listening, as Merlin continued.

'Take all the time lost. All the days that I cost. Take what I took and give it back to you.' Then came the chorus, where Merlin settled more into the song. 'All this time, we were waiting for each other. All this time, I was waiting for you. We got all these words. Can't waste them on another. So I'm straight in a straight line, running back to you.'

Merlin felt the presence of another on him, and stopped playing. "I know you're there Arthur."

Arthur dragged a bean bag over to the piano, and threw himself down into it, landing with a soft thud. "It's beautiful Merlin. What's it called?"

"All this time by OneRepublic."

"Is that a song that you like?"

"It's a song I know the words to."

"Your voice is beautiful Merlin, I want to hear more."

As much as Merlin could sing, and was preparing for the talent show at college in October, Merlin thought about Arthur, and how he sounded, giving him an idea. "How about a duo?"

"Such as?"

"Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me."

"Okay, I'm rubbish at singing though. Which part do you want to take?"

"Don't mind."

"Fine, I'll start it off."

Merlin flicked through the book until he found the correct page, and then told Arthur to grab the accompanying lyric book from the stack on the table the other side of the piano, and then Arthur flicked to the correct page, Merlin not needing the book, knowing the lyrics off by heart. Merlin began playing the song, Arthur instantly knowing the song as if it were playing on the radio, and began to sing.

"I can't light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

It's much too late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of life
But you misread my meaning when I met you
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me'

During Arthur's introduction to the song, many of the patrol, as well as their friends and others, had joined the room, watching the little mini concert. Arthur become flushed over singing in front of others, as only Morgana and Merlin had heard Arthur sing before. Merlin gave him a warm beam, knowing he was doing well, and to continue on, as if it were just them two in the room. And then Merlin would continue the song.

'I can't find oh, the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way I feel'

Arthur would then re-join in, combining the lyrics to make it a duo, as they finished with the remainder of the verse and the song.

'Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm
But these cuts I have, oh they need love to help them heal

Rounding the song off on the piano, everyone stood and cheered, Merlin and Arthur bowing to the crowd of 'fans'. So, in the time he'd known Merlin now, he could make decent coffee, sing, play piano, perform gymnastics, and perfect himself through archery.

After finding out that Merlin was a decent fencer, adding to the list, and of course his brilliant talent of kissing, making the other throw themselves overboard, there was two more things through camp that Arthur would learn about Merlin.

The first was another form of entertainment. Is was late evening when Arthur had finished eating dessert at the round table, where Vivian, who was dining with them as their special guest, prodded to Arthur, surprising himself that he was actually listening to her cackle. "Hey Arthur! You think Merlin is so talented, why don't he perform for us? He can be court jester!"

"But Merlin is my trusted manservant!"

"I don't care." Vivian turned to look daggers at Merlin. "Merlin, perform for us!"

Merlin went to slip out of his chair, Arthur trying to stop him, but Merlin batted the hand away. "Okay then, I need some balls."

Gwaine sorted out with laughter, Vivian glowered at seductive eyes.

Some member of staff popped off to the recreation centre, and fetched three small red balls, knowing what Merlin exactly intended to use them for, and handed them over. Merlin turned to the now all round seated audience of the dining hall, winking at Vivian and Arthur, Vivian scowering, and Arthur fluttering away to heaven. "Prepared to be amazed!"

"Like hell," Vivian barked.

Merlin began to juggle, starting off with two balls, and then adding the third in. Not that Merlin was just any type of juggler, but performed his routine walking around in between tables, wowing the seated audience. Arthur's face jaw-dropped, and his eyes followed Merlin's trail, Vivian slapping his hand countless numbers of times to return to reality, Arthur completely ignoring her.

Finishing the performance, Merlin tossed each in the air, and stepping forward to catch 1.. 2.. 3.. behind his back, and presenting them to Vivian, giving her another wink. "Show-off." Vivian was clearly jealous that Merlin had just proved her wrong, and shoved Merlin out of the way as she stormed out. Merlin instead handed the balls over to the staff member, and then bowing to the crowd.

"What a moron!" Arthur tugged Merlin into his side as they departed the dining hall.

"Eh, don't get cocky now! She's your supposed fiancée."

"I'll show you cocky!" Arthur growled as he chased Merlin back into the fields, tugging Merlin down with him into the long grass and settling against him, kissing him like the world was going to end.

The final thing that Arthur learned about Merlin's endearing qualities over camp was that Merlin was a terrific swimmer. During their final day at camp, the guides and scouts had joined up to practise zip-wiring. Attached to the wire, and deemed safe, each person would fly across the forest, over the lake and end up in the field over the other side, where they would be detached, and then return to the bottom of the queue to join again, each recieving a turn, and those waiting at the bottom of the hill would pull the wire back to the top to let the next one down.

Many had already taken their go, and all had successfully crossed. Merlin had gone over himself, removing both hands off from the buckle area and flying across, hair and neckerchief flapping through the wind. Many wore their neckerchief properly, but not Merlin. Merlin would tie his at the back of the neck, wearing the neckerchief on his front. Merlin was now near the lake at the bottom of the queue, as Arthur would take his turn across.

Everything had started out fine, but as Arthur came across the lake, the buckle hadn't properly been closed, dis-attaching Arthur's harness from the wire, and Arthur was falling to his death. Merlin noticed Arthur come down, heading straight for the lake. Arthur broke the calm waters and was sent to the bottom of the lake. Merlin immediately let go of the wire, running into the lake and swimming out to Arthur. Taking a deep breath, Merlin swam down to find Arthur, as the others ran down to the shore, hoping both would come back alive.

Grabbing Arthur, both went for the surface, Arthur clearly knocked out. Merlin brought Arthur back to shore, where Arthur was choking. Letting the blond rest, Arthur found Merlin searching his face, until he broke out into a wide grin. "Arthur!"

"Merlin. You saved me?"

"Yeah. Wait, you blacked out, how did you know it was me?"

"Saw a glimpse of your neckerchief. No one wears it like you. Also, it'd be you anyway, likely chance even if you were the farthest away, you'd shove everyone out of the way and rescue me."

"But yeah I did save you."

"Where is everyone?"

"Gone back to camp. I managed to get the harness off you whilst you were still blacked out. Uther and Lance tried to set me off back to camp, leaving the first-aider to take care of you, but I remained put and took care of you myself."

"And what time is it?"

"No idea."

"Thank you Merlin." Arthur shot up onto his feet, bringing Merlin up with him. "Come on!"

"What?"

"Follow me!" Arthur scurried off back to the shore, removing his trainers and socks, and began to swim out into the lake. Merlin of course followed, soon both ending up in the centre, where both underwater would chase each other, until one had to return to the surface for air. With both of them alone, no one could annoy or disturb them. The sun was high in the sky, suggesting that they had plently of time before they left the camp later on that afternoon.

"So you're telling me that only you stayed?"

"Well, me and Morgana stayed when everyone departed to return to camp, but Morgana was called back after a while, so it was just me."

"That shows that Vivian is not worthy of me. She wasn't anyway, and it shows that you are truly mine, and I'm faithful for that." Arthur clenched Merlin's arse and realed him in, both now pressed together. Arthur leaned in to Merlin, cupping his face and kissing him, Merlin letting his arms trail Arthur's hair and back, leading down towards his arse. Arthur, pushing back a little, felt through the water down Merlin's chest, and popped open a few buttons at the bottom of his shirt, running his hand over Merlin's chest, the other hand still firmly on Merlin's arse.

"Arrthur... We're at camp remember? Anyone could see us!" Merlin gave a look to say 'erm Vivian or maybe Uther could wander in on us' floating in the lake undoing each other, and then noticed a figure out at the shore near their belongings.

Arthur was at complete ease, soothing the startled Merlin. "Shh, we're alone so what's the harm?"

"No we're not!"

Arthur then soon jolted, knowing he'd been caught red-handed. "What?" Arthur then noticed Merlin's signal, where Arthur turned and found Morgana at the shore. "Damn woman!" Arthur cried. "Morgana what do you want? Can't you see we're kinda busy here?"

"Arthur Pendragon and Merlin Emrys! Get your bloody arses out of the lake, we're leaving in forty minutes! I suggest you pair dry off in the heated room before returning back to your room. And when you return, it means pack!"

"Yes mum!" Merlin retorted, both giggling.

Arthur of course soon became frustrated though. "Damn coach! Damn everything!" Arthur chanted back to Morgana, who clearly was going back-and-forth with the sibling banter.

"Oh hush up Arthur! You can undress and shag him as many times as you like when we're home!"

"Morgana. Please do shut up, we're at camp remember?"

Morgana rolled her eyes, and pointed out the mere obvious. "Yeah, says the one who's trying to get into one's pants." Arthur fisted the water, causing the splash to soak both Merlin and Arthur's hair, before both swam the distance back, knowing that when they reached Camelot, things would hopefully be back to normal.