Chapter 3
Changes
Merlin opened the door to the king's room and stepped inside. Arthur and Gwen looked up at him.
"Gaius says if you're feeling up to it, you can get out of bed for supper," Merlin told him. "He says you shouldn't go down to the hall yet, but if you want to dine here with the queen, that's all right."
Gwen stood up when Arthur nodded. "I'll put on something more suitable," she said. She smiled at Merlin as she left the room.
"Could you find me something to wear as well?" Arthur asked.
His servant went to the wardrobe and began rifling through it. He chose a fresh red shirt and a pair of trousers and brought them back to the king. He pulled Arthur's covers back and let the king put and arm around his shoulders to brace himself as he rose. Arthur stood still for a moment to be sure of his footing, then raised his arms to let Merlin dress him.
"What, no useless prattle today?" he teased. "I haven't heard you this quiet in ages."
Merlin didn't respond, only slid the shirt over the king's arms and head. He moved to adjust the hem, but Arthur stopped him.
"Merlin."
The younger man paused for a moment, then met Arthur's eyes.
"Arthur, are you afraid of me?"
"What?"
"That's the third time today you've asked me to do something for you instead of telling me. You've never wasted manners on me before. Are you afraid of what I'll do if you don't?"
Arthur sighed. "I'm not afraid of you, Merlin," he said. "If you'd wanted to hurt me, you've had plenty of chances to do it before now. Though I do suppose it will be harder to threaten you now." He sat back on the bed. "Honestly, Merlin, it's not that I'm afraid of you, it's just that I know you better now. I never really thought you were a coward, or even all that useless. But it's hard not to have more respect for a man when you realize most of what you thought was idiocy was him saving your life."
Merlin dropped his gaze again, embarrassed.
"And furthermore, that he never asked for any credit for it, not once."
"I don't do it for the credit."
Arthur smiled. "Good to know I wasn't completely wrong about you being an idiot."
Both of them turned at a knock on the door. Merlin hurried to open it and found Guinevere in the corridor, dressed in a purple dinner gown. He stepped aside to let her in. Gwen helped her husband from the bed to the table, and the two sat down.
"I'll be right back with your supper then," Merlin said.
Gwen nodded to him as he left the room. Merlin hurried down to the kitchens, where he found the cook ladling soup into the king and queen's bowls. He reached for the tray of rolls that sat on the counter.
The cook smacked his knuckles, hard. "Keep your filthy hands off," she ordered. "That's good bread, and it's not meant for the likes of you." She shoved the two soup bowls into his hands. "The rest is already on the tray, it's over in the corner. Put those on and get out of here."
Merlin pulled a face as he turned away. He set the soup bowls beside two plates of pork and potatoes and carried the tray back up to the king's room. Arthur and Guinevere stopped talking when he entered.
"Took you long enough," Arthur grumbled.
Merlin set the tray on the table beside the door. "The kitchens are a long way from here," he protested. He placed their plates before them and began pouring the king a glass of water.
"No wine tonight?" Arthur asked.
"Gaius says you shouldn't just yet," his servant answered, moving to the queen.
Arthur sighed. "Sometimes I suspect Gaius takes pleasure in depriving me of the things I want," he mused. He smiled at Gwen. "At least the company is bearable."
"We'll have you on your feet again tomorrow," she answered, as Merlin set down the water jug and backed into the corner. "The knights are eager to see you." Leon and Percival had been allowed only a brief hello that afternoon before Gaius had ushered them out to allow the king to sleep.
"And will they support me when it comes time to face the council?"
"Leon and Percival would follow you to the edge of the earth," Guinevere answered. "You ought to talk to them tomorrow morning, though, well before the council meeting. They may need time to settle with the idea."
"And do I bring Merlin along, or wait?"
His servant pricked up his ears.
Gwen glanced at Merlin only very briefly. "I suppose that's his decision," she answered. "It may help your case, if he's up for it."
The king nodded. "There will certainly be resistance, though. There are many who served under my father and will not change their minds easily."
By now Merlin was burning with curiosity. "Change their minds about what?" he asked.
Arthur raised his eyebrows at his servant. "I thought you'd learned to stop speaking out of turn," he said.
"If you're not going to tell me, you shouldn't discuss it in front of me, should you?" Merlin replied, undeterred. "Besides, it concerns me, you just said it does."
"Do you think that just because you're a sorcerer, I can't still chuck things at your head when you annoy me?" the king asked.
Merlin shrugged. "I can chuck them back, and with a lot less effort."
"I suppose you can, if you'd like to spend the day in the stocks," Arthur threatened. "Or I suppose I could set you polishing boots again, there must be plenty of them that need it after the battle."
"Arthur," Gwen cut in smoothly, "Stop torturing the boy." She looked up at the servant. "Merlin, he's going to lift the ban on magic."
