Alaia Skyhawk: lol, loads of people seem to like Merlin screaming his guts out and blasting stuff. I guess it's a pity he doesn't let go like that in the show. Only time he's really done that was when he splatted Nimueh hehehe.
Oh, and thanks to peanutbutterlover101 for pointing out that the merlin wiki had more info on season 4, there was one confirmed part that has me laughing my ass off, and I quote "With the loss of Cenred, Morgana and Morgause will form an alliance with King Alined. This has been confirmed." I guess having a couple of powerful witches on his side will make him feel more confident again *coughImpliedDeceitcough* XD
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Music: Campfire (Tangled OST clip, 1:18-2:26)
"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A
~(-)~
Chapter 60: Remembering a Friend ~Part 3~
It was a rather startled physician who found himself with an unexpected visitor the next day, Gaius regarding the young man at his door in surprise.
Arthur came in, seeming a little hesitant, and nodded to him.
"I'm not interrupting you am I?"
Gaius quickly set down the pestle he'd been holding, shaking his head.
"Not at all. Do you need treatment for something? I wasn't made aware if you'd sustained any injuries at Ealdor, but if you have any you really should have come to me yesterday."
"Really, I'm find."
Gaius started towards where he kept his remedies for treating wounds, apparently having not heard him.
"Cuts and scrapes must always be treated as soon as possible, or they can become infected."
"Gaius." The physician stopped in his tracks, Arthur starting to look a bit awkward. "I don't have any injuries."
Gaius seemed to deflate a little, frowning slightly.
"Then why come to see me?"
The prince went quiet, moving as if to say something but then stopping. He repeated it two more times, before taking a deep breath and saying whatever it was he found so difficult to say.
"Gaius, would you happen to know any of the old ways for people to... pay respects to the memory of the dead?"
Gaius' frown deepened and became puzzled.
"Could you be more specific? There are many ancient rituals and ceremonies that fit that description."
Arthur seemed on the verge of turning and walking out from uncertainty, but once again made himself say it.
"Do you know any of the ways people with... magic would pay respects to the dead?"
This time the silence was far more strained, Arthur wondering what was going through Gaius' mind, and Gaius regarding him in almost complete and utter shock. He was barely able to process exactly what Arthur had just asked.
"Pardon?" Arthur averted his eyes, clearly uncomfortable, and Gaius realised he was being serious. The Prince of Camelot asking such a question? "I... There are a number of ways they would do so, Sire. Only a handful of them involved magic though, the rest were simply ceremonies and memorial rituals. I used to study such things during my youth. Why do you ask?"
Arthur remained hesitant and awkward, once again looking away and taking a deep breath to steady himself.
"I thought... Magic or not, sorcerer or not, I owe William my life and he was Merlin's best friend. Merlin may not blame me for what happened, but in a way I am still responsible in part. It's a debt I want to repay, and if it will help Merlin as well then I want to do it." He grimaced. "Just, don't tell him I said that. I'd never hear the end of it."
Gaius was still in a form of shock, and he flustered a little before bringing a ceremony to mind.
"There's a simple one we could do in here. I could set it up for this evening, if that's what you're asking."
Arthur, with some relief, nodded once and began beating a retreat towards the door.
"Do it, and don't tell Merlin. I'll bring here after I've had my supper."
Gaius watched him go, almost at a loss as how to interpret what had just happened. Instead of even trying, he turned back to his work and started making a mental note of the things he would need for this evening... If the king knew about this, fury would be an understatement.
He looked again to the door, still barely able to believe what he'd just witnessed. It seemed Arthur was becoming almost as much of an enigma as Merlin was.
~(-)~
There was a rattle of dice from the table in the far corner, but he ignored the murmurings of rather inappropriate gambling taking place. The games room in the north wing was rarely visited by any nobleman older than thirty-five, and most of those younger than that saw no harm in betting silvers in a friendly game of chance. For the most part he turned a blind eye to those who did, unless he knew they were among the few who did not have money enough to waste in such a manner. Playing dice in here was against courtly sensibilities, but everyone who came in here also knew such rules could be bent a little so long as no one was offended.
Arthur turned the page in the book his was reading, some dread awful tome filled with what was supposed to be sophisticated poetry. It was proving to be a horrendous read, but it was also helping him to keep nerves at bay.
He turned another page, hearing one of the off-duty knights curse before the fellow he was playing against pulled the handful of coins across the table to himself. Elsewhere in the large room could be heard other sounds of defeat and victory, as those noblemen playing more acceptable games challenged each other to a rematch. He was almost tempted to go replace the man who had just lost as Fox and Geese and walked away in disgust, but changed his mind. The game made him think too much of Merlin, and trouncing some courtier at it wouldn't mitigate the knowledge that his servant could defeat him at that game nine times out of ten.
He was still reading but not reading, when the victor of that match noticed noticed his quietness and joined him at his table.
Sir Leon sat down opposite him, regarding him with a hint of concern.
"Is something bothering you, Sire?"
Arthur looked across at him, shaking his head.
"No, nothing."
Leon wasn't fooled, folding his arms on the table's surface and leaning closer so his murmur could be heard.
"It's to do with your servant, isn't it? Something happened while you helped his village drive off those bandits."
Arthur set down the book and gave the knight a flat stare. He really didn't want to be reminded of that right now.
"A good friend of his was one of those killed, that's all. He's been moping like a soaking wet puppy ever since."
Leon watched as Arthur picked up the book and opened it again, nodding.
"I'm not surprised, given how much he values his friends. Should any of them get hurt or die, I'm certain he'd grieve just as much for any of them. He's not a man who plays favourites."
The prince let out a small snort.
"And what makes you such an expert with regards to the kind of man my servant is?"
"I'm neither blind nor deaf, and unlike most around here I actually pay attention to him." Leon sighed. "I've often seen him, during the times when he believes you or someone else is in danger, walking through the castle looking as though he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. I've seen him do that, only to put on a smile and pretend to be cheerful when he notices someone come into view. He cares and worries, even when he won't admit it. He's..."
He didn't finish that statement, but Arthur knew what he was going to say. That Merlin was a lot like him in that respect.
He put the book down again, realising that any further attempt to read it unto boredom was a lost cause.
"It seems a lot of people keep doing things to point that out to me of late. That Merlin is no idiot for all that he acts like one."
Leon smiled a little in humour. As the man who'd been knighted at the second youngest age ever, he'd always been somewhat closer to Arthur who had been the first. He was the only knight who would approach and speak to him about things like this.
"Well if he is an idiot, then he's a caring and loyal one, and it leaves him open to being hurt quiet easily... Especially by you."
Arthur stiffened at that.
"Are you trying to imply I should be nicer to him? For heaven's sake, Leon, he's my servant."
Leon rose to his feet, to return to the table where the game he'd been playing sat still abandoned.
"As you say, Sire."
Arthur watched him go, a little irritated that he couldn't retort that he was already going out of his way to do something supportive for Merlin. But then it wasn't something he could advertise, no, not at all.
He gave up on being in here, returning to his chambers to finish up some reports instead of enjoying his rare bout of free time. He stayed there until Merlin showed up with his supper, and once he'd finished eating it he stopped Merlin from taking the tray.
"Leave it, you can clear it in the morning."
He headed for the door, indicating Merlin follow him, the servant frowning like he was expecting something unpleasant.
"Where are we going?"
"I asked Gaius to set something up. We're going to go see him."
Merlin stared at him for a moment, both startled and confused. What on earth was Arthur up to? If this was to reprimand him in front of Gaius, or humiliate him, then Arthur was going to wish he hadn't come back to Camelot with him. There were oh so many ways a servant could make things unpleasant for their master, and do it without getting caught.
Those thoughts vanished when they arrived at Gaius' chambers, entering to find the physician had cleared one of his tables and set up a flat wooden tray, an incense brazier, and a number of unlit candles.
The warlock stopped in his tracks.
"What's going on?"
Arthur, pretending indifference, pointedly didn't look at either of them. In fact, he looked uncomfortable and nervous, in contradiction to the casual way he phrased his reply.
"I asked him if he knew how someone with magic would pay respects to the dead. I thought that, since Will was a sorcerer, this would help you say goodbye." He continued to avoid Merlin's gaze. "I'm not doing this to be nice or anything, I'm just sick of you moping."
"Arthur..."
Merlin stared at him, astounded and deeply touched, and knowing Arthur hadn't meant that last part. Arthur had actually asked Gaius to do this? And was here to take part as well?
Gaius took that moment to lead his stunned ward to stand before the table, waving Arthur over to stand there as well. It was to the prince that he spoke, after he'd gone to the door and closed it after anxiously looking outside to be sure no one was coming up the stairs.
"Are you ready, Sire?"
Arthur nodded, after a slight hesitation.
"Yes. You can proceed."
Gaius arrived at the table, picking up and lighting a small bunch of dried herbs, blowing the flame out so they would smoulder in the brazier and release their fragrance. He then stood himself between the two young men, ignoring how utterly strange and out of place this felt as he spoke. Were it not for the awkward way Arthur had been acting when asking for this, he might have thought this some misguided joke. But no, Arthur never acted unsure unless he was being serious.
"By the lights of the stars, and the flow of the heavens, and the eternal web of existence, may the blessings of the land embrace us. Let us pray for those that have departed, so that their spirits may know peace in the time hereafter." He picked up one of the candles, indicating to Arthur and Merlin that they should do the same. He then used the single lit candle in the centre of the tray, to light the one he held. "Let our words be carried to them by the words of the Old Magic. Slaep droren feora. Afindan eadness aece."
He placed his candle on the tray, Merlin and Arthur remaining unmoving until the warlock tentatively reached out with his candle and lit it.
Merlin swallowed back the lump that rose in his throat, most of his grief now released by yesterday's 'errand'.
"Rest well, Will. Slaep droren feora. Afindan eadness aece."
The words flowed fluidly off his tongue as he too set down his candle, the uncomfortable feeling in his gut mirroring that which Gaius was feeling. It wasn't until after several seconds that seemed an eternity, that Arthur reached forward and lit his candle as well.
The prince stared at it for a moment, hesitating, and then firmly set it down while Merlin and Gaius watched him with bated breath.
"I shouldn't have judged you badly, Will, not without knowing you. You chose to protect me despite my father's laws against those like you, and saved my life at the cost of your own. Rest well..." He stopped, seeming frozen, before letting out his held breath and bowing his head. He then sighed again, bowing his head in prayer, his words awkward but sincere. "Slaep droren feora. Afindan eadness aece."
Merlin felt almost like his heart had stopped, a curious mixture of illogical terror and unsettled joy shifting around inside him. Back in Ealdor, when the prince had demanded to know who had used the magic, he'd believed that Arthur had completely sided to his father's beliefs. But now...
It was like Arthur had been reminded of his prior doubts, and the reasons for them, and had perhaps felt guilty for forgetting them. Perhaps to atone for that guilt, he'd gone out of his way to do probably one of the most frowned on things possible. To hear Arthur murmur a prayer for Will, in the Old Tongue no less, was a moment Merlin had never thought would be possible, but Arthur had showed him it was still possible. That he once again wavered on the edge between trusting and not trusting magic, and it was all thanks to Will.
They stood there in vigil over the candles, until Arthur had to return to his chambers and bid them good night. But even so Merlin kept his door open when he went to bed, propping his head so he could watch Arthur's candle burn. Just seeing it gave more peace to him than he'd have thought possible, and brought a small smile to his face. He watched the candle as his eyelids began to droop, watching until peaceful sleep claimed him in the early hours of the new morn.
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: Hehe, so did anyone recognise the prayer? A clue, I've used it before somewhere in another fic :)
As for Arthur and Merlin, for Arthur to do that would truly be a jaw dropper for Merlin and Gaius, I actually laughed at bit as I wrote their freaked out reactions. And I smiled at the end :)