Acting Normal

The next morning the first rays of the sun woke up Merlin.

The night before Merlin had gone to bed with his mind full of questions, so he thought it would be very difficult for him to fall asleep, but as soon as he got into bed he could see that what Arthur had told him was true, and just a few seconds later he was already snoring at the top of his lungs.

The bed was really comfortable and he would have loved to stay there a while longer, but he had slept so well that his body and mind had really rested, and unfortunately for him he was wide awake and ready to start the day.

With a flash of his eyes, Merlin lit the fire in the fireplace and began to dress. Maybe having his own room wasn't so bad.

After getting dressed and leaving his bed made (he didn't want to leave his new room all messy), Merlin headed towards Arthur's room, so he could wake him up before he was late for today's practice.

- Wake up Ar... - to Merlin's surprise, Arthur was already awake and dressed - You are up... and dressed...

- Very observant Merlin - Arthur said, buckling his belt - How did you sleep?

- Excellent... The bed is really comfortable - Merlin answered with a smile - ... But why are you already up? It's not that late, is it?

- No, it is not...

- So? Since when do you know how to dress yourself?

- Don't be ridiculous Merlin! Of course I can dress myself

- And why did you make me help you then?

- Because that's what servants are for

- Oh... So you'll dress alone from now on? - Merlin asked with a smile.

- Of course I will... You're my brother, I'm not going to force you to do that... - replied Arthur - although I'll still need your help with the armor... That's impossible to put on yourself

- Oh... Thank you... - Merlin answered - and how did you manage to wake up so early?

- Merlin, have you ever noticed that during patrols I am always the first to get up? I can get up early without problems... If I want to...

- Oh... I see that many things will change around here... I just hope that Uther doesn't notice them.

- Of course not... That's why you will continue playing the role of servant in front of the others - said Arthur - ... So you better go and fetch our breakfast...

- Yes Sire! - Merlin said with a false bow.


After eating breakfast, Merlin and Arthur headed to practice with the knights.

- Alright everyone, get in pairs we'll start today's practice - Arthur said upon reaching the training ground - Merlin, I don't want you in the way here... so go and make sure that all the weapons are in good condition and ready to be used... We will trade today

- Yes sire... - Merlin said, going to where the different weapons were stacked.


The training had been going on for about an hour, when Gwen approached to talk to Merlin.

- Good morning Merlin

- Hi Gwen

- How have you been?

- Fine - Merlin answered, but before he could say anything else Gwen cut him off.

- Sure? I heard that you are no longer living with Gaius... Is everything alright?

- Uhm... Yes... - answered Merlin, who, seeing Gwen's disbelieving face, added - we had a little disagreement, that's all...

- Oh... I also saw your mother yesterday...

- Yes... - Merlin answered, looking down

- Oh, I see... Do you want to talk about it?

- Not really, no ...

- And Arthur offered you to stay in the antechamber? - Gwen asked.

-Yeah... It suits hin anyway,... he can yell at me all day without having to go look for me at Gaius's

- Haha... Seriously Merlin, isn't he being too hard on you?

- No...

- Merlin! Stop gossiping with Gwen and get to work! - shouted Arthur from the other side of the field - or we'll have practice with a moving target, and guess who will be the target!

- Well, no more than usual - Merlin said with a smile, as he took some swords to turn his back on Arthur and pretend that he had returned to work.

- Well, if at any time you need a break, look for me...- Gwen said - I don't know how you can stand his yelling all day...

- Hey, you're the one who's in love with him...

- Merlin! - Gwen said blushing - ... I'd better go... See you at lunch

- At lunch?

- Oh, right... That's why I came here... Uther wants to have lunch with Arthur and Morgana - Gwen said before turning around and starting to walk towards the castle.

- Great - Merlin said quietly.


About an hour later Arthur ended the training, and now the two of them were walking towards the castle.

- What were you talking to Gwen? - Arthur asked.

- Jealous?... She came to let you know that Uther wants to have lunch with you and Morgana today - answered Merlin

- Oh... - replied Arthur - I'm sorry Merlin, but I can't get you out of this

- I know...


Upon entering Arthur's room, they just ran into two servants who were coming out of there, carrying empty buckets of water.

- The bath is ready sire - said one of them

- Thanks guys - Merlin thanked the servants who were coming out

Normally after training Arthur liked to take a hot bath. At the beginning, Merlin was the one in charge of carrying buckets of water to Arthur's room, but this meant that Merlin had to miss the last minutes of training, which Arthur did not like since Merlin had to pick up and organize all the weapons at the end; The other option was that he stay until the end to tidy up and then run to prepare the bath, which Arthur didn't like either, since it meant that he had to wait almost half an hour in his room for Merlin to appear with the water. For this reason, for several months, Arthur has given a signal to Merlin that the training will end in 30 minutes, and Merlin in turn notifies other servants to prepare Arthur's bath, and in this way Merlin can stay until the end of the training and the bathroom is ready when Arthur reaches his room

- Thank you - Arthur said to the servants, and as soon as they had left, he locked the door of his room.

- I suppose you left everything closed in the antechamber before leaving.

- Of course...

- Mmm... perhaps... - Arthur said, walking towards the antechamber and then opening the door that connected to Merlin's room.

- What? - Merlin said - What are you looking for?

Entering the room, Arthur walked directly to the opposite wall, and started looking for something on the wall next to the wardrobe

- AHA! - said Arthur, opening a secret door in the wall

- What? Why does this room have so many secret doors?

- All the large rooms in the castle have this door... - Arthur explained - it's a closet to store the bathtub

- Yours doesn't have it - Merlin said surprised

- Of course it has... - said Arthur, taking out an old bathtub from the secret closet - if you were a better servant you would know.

- Ha ha... - Merlin said, approaching to see the secret closet - why had you never told me? All this time your bathtub has been there in the middle of the room

- The closet is mainly used when the bathtub is not used regularly - explained Arthur - there is no point in doing it with mine if I use it almost daily

- Oh...

- And now you have yours... I guess you've never taken a hot bath

- No ..

- Oh... You'll enjoy it, believe me - Arthur said happily - do you have a spell to fill it with water or to clean mine after I use it or something? I think it would look suspicious if you bring more buckets of water, since the other servants have already filled the tub.

- I don't know... I would have to look at the spell book...

- Great, check it out while I take a bath... If I don't hurry up, the water will get cold

- For that I do have a spell

- Ha ha, very funny - Arthur said heading to his room - will you help me with the armor please?

- Please? - Merlin repeated with a raised eyebrow - I didn't know you knew that word

- Oh, like I've never said you please.before

- I can't remember any time now Merlin said, pretending that he was thinking carefully about it.

- Come on Merlin, if we don't hurry we'll be late... And Uther will yell at both of us

- I'm coming...


Uther and Morgana were sitting at the table when Arthur entered the room.

- Good morning father, Morgana - greeted Arthur

- Right on time Arthur, how was practice? - Uther asked.

- Very well, the new recruits have been improving - said Arthur, sitting down at the table.

- Excellent

At that moment Gwen and Merlin entered the room, along with servants from the kitchen who brought the different dishes of food. As was customary, Merlin approached the jug of wine to pour a cup for Uther, while Gwen began to put the dishes on the table.

- My lord - Merlin said, putting Uther's cup in front of him, and then offering wine to Arthur and Morgana - Wine sire? My lady?

Arthur just nodded and held up his cup so that Merlin could fill it, while Morgana shook her head.

- No Merlin, today I prefer a water - Morgana said with a false smile

- Sure My Lady - Merlin replied, with an even more forced smile.

Uther peered at Merlin as he served Arthur and Morgana, and just before Merlin stepped aside to put down the water jug and wait for his services to be needed again, he told him

- Hey boy, I hope you are doing your best to fulfill your duties and attend to Arthur accordingly

- Y..yes sire... - answered Merlin a little nervous

- I don't want to hear ridiculous excuses like Arthur didn't show up for a council meeting or a patrol because you forgot to tell him.

- Uhm... Yes sire

- Because this time the stocks will not be punishment enough - Uther threatened with a severe tone

- Don't worry, father, it won't happen again - said Arthur, who, noticing that Merlin was getting more and more nervous, decided to intervene and change the conversation - tell me, how are the conversations with Nemeth going?

Uther looked carefully at Arthur for a few seconds before answering. He didn't like how attached Arthur was to the boy...

- The same as always... Rodor continues to claim Gedref's lands... But he is not willing to go to war for them... - Uther replied.

- Perhaps the war is not the solution to everything - added Morgana - haven't you heard of talking?

Morgana's intervention distracted Uther, who began to argue with her about how he had managed to be king of Camelot. Meanwhile, Arthur took the opportunity to take a quick look at Merlin.

Merlin was next to Gwen, leaning against the wall, waiting attentively if anyone needed his services. Merlin's fists were clenched and his gaze was fixed on the ground... Arthur definitely needed to keep Uther distracted.

Arthur devoted the rest of lunch to keeping the conversation with Uther and Morgana as entertaining as possible, so that Uther wouldn't have time to scold Merlin again. Happily, Arthur's plan worked perfectly.


After eating something in the kitchen, Merlin was back in Arthur's room.

- I'm sorry, Merlin - Arthur said as soon as he saw him enter.

- You don't have to apologize... It wasn't your fault... - Merlin said, closing the door behind him.

- No, not today... - said Arthur approaching Merlin - but it was in the past... What my... Uther mentioned was my fault... I asked you to cover me so I could be with Sofia ...

- I was surprised that he remembered... That was almost two years ago - answered Merlin

- Yes, me too... - said Arthur - but that's not important... He thinks you're a useless idiot, and it's my fault... Besides, I suspect that it wasn't the only time you have to covered for me, looking bad in the process...

- Ehm.. no, it wasn't...

- See?... I'm sorry

- It's fine Arthur... It already happened, there's no way to change it now... - Merlin answered - besides, you didn't do it on purpose

- Even so... From now on we won't do anything that worsens the vision that Uther has of you, ok?

- Okay...

- Well... I think it's time for your well-deserved bath... - said Arthur - did you find any useful spell?

- Yes... Not one that makes water appear out of nowhere... But I can manipulate the one in your bathtub...

- Excellent! Get to work then! Trust me this will be worth it

- If you say so - Merlin replied, smiling at how excited Arthur was about something as simple as a bath... It couldn't be that great, could it?

Merlin got to work... First with a spell to clear the water, and then another to command the mass of water to follow him into the next room. Once the water was in his new bathtub, which he had fixed while Arthur bathed, Merlin cast another spell, this time to warm it up.

This bathtub thing was something new to Merlin, so somewhat embarrassed about it, he first made sure his door was locked tight before going behind the dressing screen, and then getting into the tub.

- Oh... Yes, it was worth it... - Merlin said as he seat on the bottom of the bathtub


Merlin had been in the water for quite a while, he had already done the spell to heat the water a few more times, when Arthur knocked on his door.

- Merlin? Can I come in?

- Oh, yes .. - Merlin said, unlocking the fire with a golden flash of his eyes

- Are you still in the water?

- You were right, this is the best

- I know... But you're going to wrinkle your whole body if you stay there any longer

- Oh, come on, just a little while longer.

- I'm serious Merlin... - Arthur said, passing him the towel he had left nearby - you can even faint if you've been there for a long time and the water is too hot... and now I have a meeting with the council, so I won't be here to pull you out of the water

- Okay... - Merlin said reluctantly, reaching out to take the towel.

- It is not necessary that you go to the council with me, so you can stay here if you want... But not in the bathtub

- Oh... Ok... I'll stay tidying up a bit...

- No magic... It will be suspicious if you lock yourself in and I'm not in the room

- Okay...


Arthur was on his way to the council chamber when he bumped into Gwen in the hallway.

- Gwen - Arthur said politely.

- Sire... - Gwen replied - How is Merlin? I saw him a little... Distracted during lunch

- He's fine... Don't worry...

- Be nice to him, okay? - asked Gwen - he had an argument with Gaius and...

- I know... Don't worry, Merlin will be fine... Believe me

- Oh, thanks

- I have to go... or I'll be late.

- Sure... - Gwen said, before nodding her head and continuing on her way.


Merlin had already gotten out of the tub (very wrinkled as Arthur had said), he had put on the same clothes as in the morning and now he was tidying up Arthur's room a bit.

- How is it possible to mess up so much in one day? - Merlin wondered aloud as he picked up things from the ground.

At that moment the bedroom door opened and Morgana entered through it.

- Oh, Morgana... Arthur is in a council meeting - Merlin said, trying to sound as calm as possible.

- I know... - Morgana replied, closing the door behind her - What are you up to?

- What? Nothing... I don't know what are you referring to, my lady

- Oh, cut it with that... There's no one here and we both know you don't respect me

- That's not true... - answered Merlin, remembering what they had talked about last night with Arthur and Gaius... He had to play the innocent

- Well, I don't believe you at all - Morgana said, approaching him in a threatening way - why are you staying here with Arthur? Have you told him about me?

- No... No, nothing like that... I... - answered Merlin - I had an argument with Gaius and I had nowhere else to stay.

- Do you really want me to believe something like that? - Morgana said, advancing closer to Merlin, cornering him against the wall.

- It's the truth...

- And Arthur just agreed to have you here? He had never let a servant stay with him

- Well... He wins with it, this way he has me working all day - Merlin said, looking away from Morgana's accusing eyes.

- Well, I don't believe you... I'll be watching you... And remember that if you say something to Arthur... I'll tell Uther what you did

- Yes .. yes, My lady - answered Merlin, this time with real terror

Morgana, satisfied with her threat, turned and left the room, leaving a worried Merlin in it.


At the end of the tedious council meeting, Arthur went to his room. Entering he found it empty, Merlin was nowhere to be seen.

- Merlin? - asked Arthur, without any answer.

Arthur went to the antechamber and then to Merlin's room, but he didn't find him there either. Returning to his room, he realized that a faint silver glow was coming from behind the dressing screen. Assuming it was one of Merlin's spell, he approached to scold him for being so careless, but to his surprise, behind the dressing screen there was no one.

- Merlin?

At that moment, a secret door opened in the wall where the mysterious glow came from, it was the closet where Arthur's bathtub should be kept.

Arthur very surprised saw how Merlin was standing in a dark closet, and floating next to him was a small silver ball of light... A familiar ball of light...

- Hey, you're back - Merlin said cheerfully - you won't believe how dirty this was... What's wrong?

- It was you!... but it's not possible... you were dying...

- What are you talking about? - Merlin asked confused.

- That light...

- Oh, it's a spell... In fact, it's one of the first spells I learned from Gaius's book...

- I've seen it before - Arthur said confused - but it's not possible...

- Have you seen it before? Surely it wasn't me... I don't think I've ever used it near you... In fact I haven't used it that often.. - said Merlin - today I used it because it's very dark here and I didn't want to use a torch because the closet is very small and could have burned something ...

- No, it was definitely you... That ball not only illuminates, but emanates a very particular energy... And it's the same as that time... - Arthur explained

- When?

- When you were dying... When I went in search of the Mortaeus Flower... When Bayard poisoned you

- Oh really? - Merlin said - I don't remember much from that time... The last thing I remember is drinking the poison... And then waking up and seeing Gwen and Gaius...

- Didn't you wake up in between?

- Not that I remember... - Merlin said trying to remember - Now that I think about it, Gaius told me that at one point I started to mutter and I made a ball of light appear in my hand... And that I had started mumbling, like I was talking to you. .. And then suddenly the light went out and I kept sleeping... At that moment, Gaius thought that it had been a delirium caused by the fever.. And you never told me many details about it, so I think the same

- I went looking for the flower, and when I got to the cave where it was, I met a woman... Nimueh

- Did you meet Nimueh? - Merlin asked in alarm.

- Yes... she guided me to the flowers and then left me there surrounded by thousands of giant spiders

- Spiders... How did you manage to escape? - Merlin asked a bit nervous.

- That ball of light appeared in front of me and guided me to the exit...

- So it did happen... It wasn't the fever - Merlin said very thoughtfully, walking towards Arthur's bed where he sat down.

- Yes, it wasn't the fever... Or maybe it was, but it happened... You made a light appear that guided me to the exit... - replied Arthur, sitting next to him - but I don't know how you did it... You were unconscious and several miles away

- I don't know... Although now it makes more sense than before

- What are you talking about?

- I've always wondered how I know when you're in danger... Gaius told me that maybe somehow my magic knew or that we were connected in some way... - Merlin explained - ... At the time I found it ridiculous... It didn't make sense for us to be connected at that level... Even if it was because of my magic...

- But...

- Being twins, it makes a lot of sense that my magic senses when you are in danger

- Even if it is several miles away - concluded Arthur

- Exactly - said Merlin - ... Thank you for going in search of the flower

- Thank you for sending the light - replied Arthur with a smile - even if you didn't do it on purpose

- Ha ha... So funny..

- Do you think I can sense that you are in danger? - Arthur asked.

- I don't know... - answered Merlin - I think so, although you may not have noticed

- What are you talking about?

- Well, the times I've been in danger you've always gone to ask Gaius about me... and he gives you some bad excuse... - Merlin said, and with a smile he added - Although maybe you just went looking for me to ask me to clean the stables

- Maybe...

- No, seriously... I think so... Besides, since I arrived to Camelot you have protected me several times... From the bounty hunter and Catrina... From bandits and immortal knights... - said Merlin - And you have trusted in me even when I haven:t proof of what I was telling you... you believed in me when the goblin possessed Gaius... even though you didn't trust me when Cedric tried to replace me so he could rob the vaults

- Yes... I'm sorry about that... - said Arthur - I just hope I don't have to defend you from Uther

- Or Morgana... - answered Merlin, standing up

- Why? something happened?

- While you were with the council she came to talk to me...

- What did she tell you?

- She didn't believe that was you're idea that I stay here with you... She thinks it's my plan to ruin his plans - Merlin said - I told her I had an argument with Gaius, but she didn't believe me either...

- She said something else?

- Not much else... she just threatened me that if I told you anything about her, she would go tell Uther that I had poisoned her...

- Damm! ... You didn't answer her at all right?

- No, I acted like a helpless servant, like you told me - said Merlin, starting to tidy up things that weren't really messy, just to avoid Arthur's gaze - ...in fact his threat really scared me, so it wasn't an act...

- Merlin - said Arthur approaching him and placing his hands on his shoulders -... That won't happen... You just have to keep a low profile and not provoke her, ok?

- Okay...

- Besides, I'm already aware of everything, so it's not necessary for you to take unnecessary risks... Whatever new plan she's hatching, we'll solve it together, understood?

- Yes... - Merlin answered between laughs - ... Did you know that there is a prophecy about us?

- What? what prophecy?

- One that says that you are the once and future king, that will unite the land of Albion... And I'm supposed to use my magic to guide you and help you to fulfill your destiny

- Really? And who told you that madness?

- Kilgharrah... The great dragon...

- And do you believe him?

- Yes... The druids also know about it - said Merlin - ... They say that Emrys will be the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth... and that with your help magic will return to Albion...

- And you are Emrys? - Arthur asked surprised.

- They say so...

- And what do they mean by the once and future king?

- I don't know... Kilgharrah always speaks in riddles...

- Mmmm... We'd better stop thinking about it then... - said Arthur - if it's our destiny it will happen anyway, isn't it?

- I don't know... I guess so..

- Excellent... Now that that's already decided, it's time to get to work - said Arthur

- On what?

- On the next week patrol routes - said Arthur - ... I think it's time for you to start helping with the royal duties

- Oh no...

- Oh, yes... In fact we should also work a little on your knowledge of history, politics and law

- What? No!

- Yes, later you will have to help me with treaties and other matters of state... And you will have to know all that tedious things

- No... Please don't...

- So, come on... Let's start

- Well, if you insist... - Merlin said - Then maybe you should know that the guards are really bad at their jobs...