Alaia Skyhawk: Well here's my special sub-ep, which is the telling of the section by the same name, in Whom History Won't Remember, but from Arthur's PoV and showing what Merlin was doing in between those bits instead of what Liam was doing :D
While it's not a must, this one will probably be best appreciated if you also read the Whom History version which I've posted at the same time as this, seeing as Liam had quite a few opinions of Arthur during these, as did Fyren for that matter XD
Oh, and I made a mistake in the Author Note at the end of the last chapter. Hargren's PoV is in the Whom History Version. This one is just Merlin and Arthur.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Music: The Forged Seal (1st and last scenes), Hiding Excalibur (Merlin OST) Note, I picked "Hiding Excalibur" for the second scene because I though Arthur's first visit to Ulwin should be sort of epic feeling. He's never been there before! :D
"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: "A Matter of State (Whom History Version)"
~(-)~
Chapter 34: A Matter of State ~Part 1~ (Destiny Version)
Fighting back a yawn, both of boredom and a desire for more sleep, the young warlock reluctantly dragged himself and the tray he carried along his short-cut to the nobles' wing. Why was it Arthur always insisted on getting up early when he planned to go out on a hunting trip? Sure, he hadn't actually asked his father if he could go yet, but chances were he'd be allowed to with things having been so quiet in the three weeks since Edwin's messy, but entirely deserved end.
One day off can hardy prepare you to slog your way through twenty days of backbreaking chores and the Prince of Camelot being a prat.
Merlin sighed, another yawn creeping past his guard, and turned the last corner to Arthur's chambers. Now, should he go in there nice and quiet... or should he do something to get his own back for being forced to get up at this ungodly hour?
He balanced the breakfast tray in the crook of one arm, using his now freed right hand to turn the latch and open Arthur's door. He then nudged the door closed behind him, and strode towards the table calling out loudly and cheerfully to the still bed-bound prince.
"Good morning, Sire! I brought your breakfast up early like you wanted me to!"
He set the tray on the table before heading for the windows to open the curtains, yanking them briskly to the side so that the morning sunlight would spill brightly across Arthur's bed.
The prince grumbled into his pillow, before a hand fumbled for the mug on the stand beside his bed. He then rolled over, sat up, and threw it at his servant.
Merlin hastily dodged it, watching it clatter off the wall next to the window and then picking it up... Just as well he hadn't shouted out at the top of his voice, or the prince might have thrown his sword rather than the cup.
"...I'll just go stoke up your fire."
He went and did so, carefully watching as Arthur got out of bed and went to the table, smiling to himself when the prince paused in surprise at what was on the tray set there. There'd been a side of bacon with nice crisped rind at one of the hearths in the kitchen this morning, and he'd decided that as annoyed as he was by getting up this early, he'd indulge him for once. Yes, that meant that beneath the cover on the main plate there were no less than three slices of that bacon, a fresh hard-boiled egg, and slices of buttered bread that he'd actually gone to the trouble of toasting himself. It made a big change from the porridge and fruit he normally brought up, although there was still an apple on the tray too.
Besides, if he got Arthur into a good mood before they went out hunting, maybe he'd gripe less that his servant 'scared all the game away'. Was it his fault he had bad luck when it came to standing on dead twigs?
Arthur continued to amuse himself while Merlin began packing his bag for him, testing the edge on one of his daggers and then proceeding to sharpen it when he seemed to decide it needed it. Nice and peaceful... the calm before the storm which would inevitably end in said servant being told to muck out his stable. Well, at least if would if the hunting turned out bad.
Things continued much along the usual routine, with Arthur eventually deciding that his father would be at the council chambers by now for the morning reports. That, of course, meant it was time to go ask him for permission to go out hunting today.
Merlin trailed along behind him, once again fighting not to yawn. Day-to-day life in Camelot was almost as boring as living in Ealdor had been, then again, at least in Ealdor he'd had his friend Will to hang around with in between weeding the fields and being chased by Old Man Gregor for accidentally felling a tree and almost hitting his house in the process.
Sure enough, King Uther was at the council chambers as presumed, and sure enough Arthur approached him after the initial greetings to ask him for permission to go out... But that was the point when things didn't follow the usual routine.
Uther regarded his son with a smile, gesturing for him to come closer.
"You have good timing. I was just about to send for you."
Merlin saw Arthur pause for a tiny moment, and lowered his head to hide a smile. There goes the hunting trip... What a shame.
Arthur seemed to know it too, frowning slightly before putting a more amiable expression on his face.
"What is it, Father?"
The king held up the letter he'd been reading.
"Lord Hargren has written to ask for royal approval to expand his horse breeding facility, with supplying the Knights of Camelot in mind. He'd not interested in supplying mounts for the regular part of our army, but he does want to secure the right to provide them for the knights and of course, our family."
Arthur seemed to think for a moment.
"But why would that require my attention? If I recall my history correctly, he used to supply us a long time ago. Why is that a problem now?"
The king gestured for him to sit at the table beside him, waiting until his son had done so before explaining.
"It is not a problem, rather it has been inevitable for some time... Before it was banned, his breeders used to use magic to train the horses to a high standard of reliability. He was of course forced to cut back on the number his men trained when magic was outlawed, and has since then had his breeders developing and refining a new method. The horse he sent you for your eighteenth birthday was the first to be fully trained using it, so I have no doubt the mounts he will provide for the Knights will be exceptional. It is simply that up until now he has not been in a position to provide the number of horses we tend to require."
Arthur raised his eyebrows.
"His trainers used to use magic?"
"It was in the time before the sorcerers showed their true colours and started spreading chaos. Naturally all of them, including those trainers, were brought to justice. He spared no effort in seeking out all of those that had wormed their way into his confidence. That is why this is a delicate matter."
Arthur started to nod in understanding.
"We need to appease our other suppliers from outside of Camelot, to appear to follow procedure and not play favourites. I am right?"
Uther nodded.
"Correct. With that in mind, I want you to go to Ulwin and inspect the horses and his training facility. I will make the arrangement with him official once you've returned."
Arthur glanced over to where Merlin stood, calling out to him.
"Start packing my bags for a formal visit."
Merlin bowed, a little disappointed he was being dismissed. It was sometimes interesting to stand there listening to things, while the nobles involved in the talking ignored your existence.
Once he was gone, Uther indicated to the guards to close the doors, his son frowning in confusion until the king began to speak. Uther at least had not ignored Merlin's presence, and would have dismissed him himself had his son not already done so.
He removed a sealed scroll case from a box on the table, passing it to his son.
"Arthur, the horses are but a side matter... In truth you are to carry this document to Hargren. It is an accordance of truce with Cenrid's kingdom. The offer came via him and arrived not long after the incident with Edwin. I do not know how Hargren did it, but he and King Bayard managed to negotiate it. Cenrid will throw no more men at our border defences, but in return no sanctioned army of ours, or Bayard's, is permitted to enter his territory. Word of the agreement is to remain secret until Hargren's courier has carried the document across the border. It will be announced upon your return, after the delivery is confirmed. Until then, we can take no chances that someone will learn of and seek to destroy it. Hargren has actually been arranging the matter of the horses with me for some time, and I believe he dragged things out this long with it so that we could use it as a cover for this matter."
Arthur took firm hold of the case, tucking it inside his jacket.
"Understood, Father. No word of it will pass my lips."
Arthur rose from his seat and walked out, heading back to his chambers both resigned and disappointed. A hunting trip would have been nice, but duty was duty, and this was far more important. He arrived back at his rooms to find Merlin transferring some of the items from the bag he'd packed before, into one of the prince's saddlebags retrieved from the storage chest in one corner of the room. He'd also laid out a mixture of clothing suitable for travel, and a couple of more formal outfits for during the stay at Ulwin.
He glanced at the prince when he entered, nodding once before continuing folding things and packing them.
"This will only take a few more minutes, then I'll go quickly pack my bag and get the horses. We can be out of here in half-an-hour."
"That won't be necessary. Just go prepare my horse."
Merlin paused in his work.
"What? Aren't I coming with you?"
Arthur gave him a long stare.
"This is a diplomatic trip, Merlin, and from past experience I know you have a habit of opening your mouth when you really should keep it shut. I'm not going to risk you embarrassing me in front of Lord Hargren. He is one of my father's most trusted and long-standing friends... You're not coming."
For a moment Merlin almost looked outraged, before instead he became indignant.
"But! ...But shouldn't you have someone with you?"
Arthur folded his arms across his chest.
"It takes just over a day and a half to ride to Ulwin, that means I'll only have to camp for one night. As the most well-trained warrior in all of Camelot, I hardly think I need someone to 'protect' me inside my country's own borders. I certainly don't need the protection of a servant who can barely swing a sword without almost taking his own head off." He turned away, picking up his sword. "Now hurry up and finish packing that. I'll need you to fetch my chainmail from the armoury before you go prepare my horse."
Merlin did as he was told, a bit hurt and disgruntled at all this, and then watched as Arthur rode away out of the castle apparently without a care in the world. But once he was gone, the warlock immediately went to pack a bag of his own. What if something attacked Arthur while he wasn't there to protect him? If that overconfident prat of a prince thought he was just going to sit here and wait for him to come back, then he had another thing coming. If he couldn't go with Arthur, then he'd just follow him without him knowing about it. It wasn't exactly going to be hard, after all there was only one road between here and Ulwin.
~(-)~
The sun was just starting towards the west when the town came into view, making him pause on the road to stare at it. The walled town, spread out from the side of the higher walls of Lord Hargren's estate. He'd always heard of the lord's home being referred to as 'the manor', and never had he realised it was actually a castle. It wasn't as fine or impressive as the castle at Camelot, but even from here he could tell it was well maintained at military readiness. Behind the town itself he could see the towers of a smaller fortress, the Ulwin Garrison, sharing the same set of defensive walls as the manor. Sunlight glinted off the armour of soldiers patrolling the manor and town walls, and all around the settlement stretched fields of crops scattered with small clusters of cottages belonging to the farmers who tended to them.
Arthur was actually stunned. Ulwin didn't look like it was just a trading town and a defensive border outpost. He could easily have been riding towards some capital of another kingdom. All this presided over by a mere nobleman? Albeit one who had sworn complete and total loyalty to Camelot, a man who had been friends with his father for decades... Uther was a lucky man, he could see that already.
He nudged his horse in the ribs, resuming his ride towards the town. His armour and scarlet cloak, with the crest of Camelot upon it, marked him as a Knight of the Realm, but to those who saw him pass none would recognise him as their prince unless they had been to Camelot and chanced upon seeing him there. He really needed to get out more often, to the lands belonging to Ulwin. He'd never needed to come here before, Hargren's forces more than kept this area well patrolled, and now he regretted never making the excuse. Coming here might actually prove to be more interesting than just a political visit.
He reached the town, the guards on the gate respectfully letting him pass without question. Inside the walls, Ulwin was bustling with people. Laughter rang out from children running down the street, people walked by carrying baskets of wares. He could hear many different accents, people from dozens of regions and kingdoms intermingled here to trade and live. It put Camelot to shame in some respects, but then there was a much more relaxed feel to this place. Camelot was too tightly tied into the politics and governing of the entire kingdom, but maybe one day, when he was king, he could make the city something like this.
His arrival at the manor got a bigger response than just the nod he'd received at the town gates. It seemed someone back there had signalled ahead to them, for Lord Hargren was already waiting on the manor steps for him when he came to a stop before them.
"Prince Arthur, it is an honour to have you visit. I trust the trip was uneventful."
Arthur smiled and shook the lord's hand.
"It was quiet, and I saw nothing untoward. You have these lands well patrolled."
Hargren chuckled.
"As they should be, or my son would have something to say about that. I must apologise that I cannot stay and welcome you now, but there are things I must arrange." He lowered his voice a little. "We can... discuss... your reason for being here in the morning."
Catching the meaningful way in which Hargren looked at him, Arthur nodded aware of the sealed scroll case concealed among his bags.
"That's fine. I will take this afternoon to get myself settled, and we can proceed with the tour of horse facility tomorrow."
Hargren gestured to the two servants stood patiently waiting on the steps behind him, waving the red haired of the two forward.
"My servant, Fyren, will attend to you. He talks little, but is reliable in his work. His... debilitation means you need have no worry of indiscretions."
Arthur frowned a little, recognising the servant as being the same half-wit that had come to Camelot with Sir Tarven for the tournament.
"He's your servant? I thought he was your son's."
Hargren smiled.
"As I said, Fyren talks little, and rarely more than two syllables. I sent him with my son because I knew that any attempts by other competitors to bribe him into tampering with my son's armour or weapons would be pointless. He obeys only those I tell him to."
Arthur nodded slowly, although still eyed the half-wit uncertainly. Having a totally silent man serving him, after months of Merlin's prattle, was going to be rather strange.
He followed the servant into the castle, after the man had taken the saddle bags down from the horse and Hargren's other servant, a young and shy-seeming blond man, led the horse away to the stables. Unaware of the thoughtful expression on Hargren's face behind him, before the lord turned and walked away.
~(-)~
Never again... Never again would he dare to think the words 'it wasn't exactly going to be hard'.
Merlin cursed to himself, trying to get himself comfortable in the band of woods a short distance from Ulwin. Night was falling, and he'd followed Arthur all the way here, staying just far enough behind him that he didn't notice him. And now after two days with no sleep he was bleary-eyed, saddle sore, and his horse seemed intent on nibbling on his hair out of sheer affection.
Irritated, he directed a half-hearted slap to the gelding's nose, wondering if he could be bothered to tether it when he'd already ordered it in the Old Tongue not to stray far from the camp. It didn't help that he was having trouble getting comfortable, with tree roots and sticks jabbing into him from the forest floor. Arthur was inside the town now, and he couldn't risk going in just yet in case he found out he'd followed him. That meant camping out here tonight, with no camp-fire so he wouldn't be spotted from town, and it was freaking freezing.
Merlin lurched upright, muttering under his breath, sick of the cold, sick of the sticks and things, and wishing he was in his nice comfortable bed back in Camelot. No hunting trip with Arthur could be any worse than this.
An irritated wave of a hand and a glow of gold in his eyes heralded a swathe of the ground being swept clear of leaves and sticks, Merlin moving his bedroll to that spot and then curling up in it again still muttering... Only to curse when once again Bitan strolled over and starting lipping his hair.
"Ablinnan se thu amaideach hengest!"
The gelding flicked its ears back and stepped away from him, whickering quietly before settling for the night. And Merlin, now comfortable, sort of, and no longer pestered by his mount, finally drifted off into the sleep he craved. While a short distance away a robed figure watched him from the night's growing shadows, chuckling under their breath.
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: lol, Fyren's PoV on that scene of Hargren greeting Arthur is hilarious. Seriously, check it out in the other fic. Writing this sub-ep for both fics is great fun XD
Also, as you can see, I'm fixing a small plothole I created previously with this one. I've had Cenrid hassling the border for a fair duration of the time-line in this fic and in Whom History Won't Remember, yet in "The Moment of Truth" Uther mentions an accord with Cenrid as being the reason he cannot send any aid to stop the mercenaries bothering Ealdor. This originally was just about the horses, but I slipped that in when I reminded myself of that fact while watching season 1 again :)
Oh, and Merlin said "Stop that you daft horse!"