I'm posting up this second chapter for you guys today as an apology for taking so long to get chapter ten up, I got hit with a bad case of being busy.
I still don't understand why I don't own Merlin, and only the plot. But the plot will have to work for now...
Frui!

Reactions of the Idiot King
Chapter eleven- New

Arthur was sitting in the throne room when Drinn came in, Gaius coming in shortly after him, disrupting the man's thoughts. Immediately Arthur's gut dropped, fearing that the old physician wasn't able to save Hunith until a boy his own age walked into the throne room behind Gaius, looking around as if he was almost doing a mini-inspection. He looked at Arthur, his dark grey blue eyes almost analyzing his own, when suddenly his expression changed and darkened.
Almost as if he wasn't expecting what was there. Arthur excused Drinn from the room, still looking at the blonde haired kid, his eyebrows furrowed. Gaius was standing there, waiting for the King to speak up. The King's eyes were clouded with confusion sparkling in them. Whether Hunith was indeed dead or not he didn't wish to know as much as he wished to know who this young man was.
"I hope your journey was well?" Arthur asked, looking at Gaius, figuring he'd learn everything in good time.
"Yes, my Lord," Gaius said as Merlin noted the tenseness in the physicians voice. "It was very good, thank you."
"What of Hunith?" Arthur asked. "I expected you to be out for at least a week."
"She is in no critical condition, I left Quare, their physician with orders and she shall recover quickly, Sire." Gaius said, the King nodding slightly as he looked over at the boy. Gaius followed where Arthur had looked at.
"Who is this boy?" Arthur finally asked, unable to bear the silence anymore.
"This was Quare's apprentice, Agnien, Sire." Once again there was that tension in Gaius's voice. Arthur nodded slightly, seeming to be thinking.
"Why is he here?" He asked, "I don't want someone in the castle with no reason to be around."
"He is actually here as my new apprentice, Sire." Gaius spoke up, Arthur looking at him with some sort of disbelief in his whole expression as he tensed.
"Apprentice?" Arthur managed to choke out, looking at Agnien in shock.
"He will be better off learning from me than Quare, and I have agreed to allow him to stay with me." Gaius continued. He looked at Agnien, who seemed to have a pain deep in his eyes he was hiding, along with regret, and guilt. But why?
"I will speak with Agnien alone Gaius, leave us and start your afternoon rounds." Arthur said, sounding suddenly very irritated.
"Yes, Sire." He said, leaving.

Merlin stood there in front of the King after Gaius had left. The King looked as if his heart had hardened, as if he didn't care, or wouldn't. He looked as if he had been in total shock after hearing Gaius's announcement with him being apprentice. If he didn't know better, he'd say the King hasn't gotten over Merlin even being gone at all.
"Who are you really?" Arthur asked lowly, seeming to be trying to keep himself in check. Merlin looked at him as a wave of sadness hit. He knew things would be different, but not this different, or so he thought.
"I am Agnien, Sire." Arthur looked up at him with some sort of confusion and pure shock on his face. Merlin had snapped the word Sire out like he always had done. "I come from Ealdor, for I need the proper training to be able to help anyone who is suffering from illnesses." It was not entirely a lie, Merlin just lightly brushed the edge. He wouldn't lie to Arthur again. Just never reveal the full truth.
"I see." He said, looking troubled.
"Why did you wish to speak to me, clearly there must have been a reason other than this?" He asked.
"Learn to address me properly." Arthur snapped, "Or I will have you in the stocks for the next week." Merlin scowled, narrowing his eyes.
"At least it's better than being banned for life." Merlin snapped out, trying to get a true visual on how the King had changed. He saw anger and irritation claim his emotions as the King stood.
"If you are going to hold a grudge against me and banning that treacherous traitor, you might as well follow him yourself!" He yelled.
"No thanks." Merlin said. "I don't hold a grudge, I just expected your attitude to be different than all those snobby nobles out there." He saw Arthur clench his jaw.
"I will run you through." He threatened. Merlin didn't answer, waiting.
"What, no damn answer?" Arthur snapped. "Oh? Can't seem to think on your feet when threatened?" All that time Merlin had spent to change the King for good was long wasted. Merlin was breaking apart inside. This wasn't good.
"I was actually waiting for you to run me through." Merlin said, his voice still not raised. He saw all tension in the man before him leave his body, something similar to guilt flowing through his face.
"I don't want to harm you." Arthur said, "I just, snapped. All it took for him to find a simple apprentice was to go visit Ealdor on a quest to help someone he loves, when he's tried taking in every single person with healing experience as an apprentice."
"He... He hasn't taken in someone?" Merlin asked, honestly surprised.
"He couldn't. Not after a kid he was entrusted to look after ended up disappearing." Arthur had a sad look in his eye. "But after four years, why you?"
"I've been a close friend of Hunith's son since I can remember." Merlin murmured. "Gaius would visit, and he wasn't just like family to Merlin and Hunith, he was also family to me and my pa."
"Merlin?" Arthur asked, his voice suddenly muted, his face blank.
Arthur mulled it over quickly, of course he would have known Merlin, in a small village like that everyone comes to know everyone. You can't really make a lot of enemies without being kicked out of the town. He saw the pain more clearly in Agnien's eyes, which made him wonder why he would come here if Merlin was gone, banished?
"Yes, my Lord." He said, looking away from the King, suddenly looking as if he was going to pass out. Arthur looked at him concerned.
"Are you feeling well, Agnien?" The name felt weird on his lips, as if it didn't fit this boy.
"Yes, just... Just fine." He said, taking a step closer to Arthur, before suddenly passing out, a layer of sweat building on him as his breathing became erratic. Arthur went up to him, laying him gently on his back looking at the boy concerned. There was just an air if familiarity around him, Arthur assuming it was because he grew up the same way the traitor did.

Merlin woke in his old chambers, the physician sitting beside his bed looking worried. He quickly avoided his gaze before he got the raised eyebrows look. Never before had he realised how much this spell was going to take from him, he had assume it would be fine, he'd have to problem. But that wasn't true. He had felt worn out earlier, but he had blown it off.
"Feeling fine are you now?" Gaius snapped. "You have to be careful Merlin. You could have formed back to your true self after fainting like that!"
"I didn't realise I was that worn Gaius." Merlin snapped.
"Drink this and get some rest. You'll need it." Gaius said, walking to the door. "You need to clean the leech tank by this afternoon, so I'd recommend you get up and around."
Merlin groaned under his breath, muttering several choice words as Gaius walked out with a smirk.