***Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the Merlin characters. I am just borrowing
them for this story. This story is not for profit. It is for entertainment purposes only***
The door to Arthur's chambers flew open and Merlin backpedaled into the room,
followed closely by Arthur. Arthur's face was flushed and his blue eyes flashed with anger.
Keeping his eyes on Arthur, Merlin didn't see the chair behind and went sprawling on the
floor. Arthur rolled his eyes as Merlin scrambled to his feet. His eyes never left Arthur.
"Do you mind telling me what all that in the dinning hall was?" Arthur asked, trying to
keep his anger under control. "You were supposed to be keeping Sir Samuel company
but it looked to me as if you spent most of your time chatting with Grace. Meanwhile,
Leon spent the whole banquet talking to Prince William. I thought he was interested in
Charlotte but she was across the table with Percival. They seemed to be getting along
just fine. But Leon should have been paying attention to Grace, not you. Care to explain
all of this to me, Merlin?"
"Um, Leon and Grace don't have that much in common?" Merlin answered. "He
was talking to Prince William about training methods and Grace grew bored. So she
started talking to me and her grandfather. I couldn't be rude to her."
"Why not?" Arthur shouted. "Leon certainly was. A Knight should never ignore a
lady like he did. He should have tried harder. Talked about the weather or something
like that. I will deal with him in the morning. And as for you, a servant has no place
chatting with a lady like that. She seemed to laugh a lot. Did you cast a spell on her?"
"What are you talking about?" Merlin replied. "How could I cast a spell on Grace?
I don't have magic. You would have known if I did."
"Does all of Camelot think I'm a stupid and blind prat or is it just you and my Knights?"
Arthur questioned, his eyes narrowing. "I've known you have magic for years. Almost
from the time we met. I'd have to be a clotpole not to. All the things that just happen to
fall and knock out our enemies. All the fires and other stuff that allow us to escape. I
know your little secret, Merlin. Just admit you cast a spell on Grace."
"Fine!" Merlin shouted. "I have magic. Happy? But I did not cast a spell on Grace.
Is it so hard to believe she might actually like me? A poor servant? We like each other
very much. I think I may even love her and I hope she feels the same way. But I guess
you wouldn't understand that, would you, King Arthur? You can fall in love with a maid
but I couldn't ever get a princess to fall in love with me. Because there are special rules
for you and the rest of us can just live with it or else!"
"Careful, now, Merlin" Arthur replied in a cold voice. "You are about to say things
you really should not say. Maybe you should think about what you are doing."
"No!" Merlin yelled. "I'm sick of playing nice and you always getting your way.
I do everything for you. I clean your room, polish your armour, clean your stables
and for what? Just to have you deny me the one person I could be happy with? No,
Arthur. Not this time. You are going to listen to me for a change."
Merlin eyes flashed golden and the chair he had tripped over flew across the room.
It hit the back of Arthur's legs, forcing him to sit in it. He tried to rise and could not. He
opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Arthur glared at Merlin.
"Calm down, Arthur," Merlin said calmly as he stood in front of Arthur. "I am going
to explain everything to you. Then I will set you free. I just need you to be quiet while I
do so. Since you know I have magic. This is the easiest way. Nod if you understand."
Arthur nodded, anger radiating from his body. He shot Merlin a look that could kill.
Merlin smiled grimly, knowing Arthur just might kill him when he set him free.
"Now then, to begin with, Aurora and Gwaine love each other. Leon loves Beth the
barmaid back home. Percival and Charlotte are smitten with each other. I love Grace
and I think she loves me. Grace and Sir Samuel have magic. King Thomas just wants his
daughters to be happy. He married below his station so Aurora and I both think that he
won't care I am your servant. If Grace and I marry, we shall return with you to Camelot,
if you let us. Aurora and Gwaine will also. I'm not sure about Percival and Charlotte, but
I think they will also. You won't lose your Knights or your lowly servant. All will continue
as before, except we will all be happily married and you will have made your ties to King
Thomas stronger by three marriages. I think that sums it up."
Stepping back Merlin released Arthur from his spell. They stared at each other for
several minutes. Arthur shook his head and sighed. Then he began to laugh. Merlin looked
at him in shock. Had his spell somehow damaged Arthur's brain? He should be yelling at
him, not laughing. Merlin didn't know if he should be relieved or worried.
"Nicely done, Merlin," Arthur laughed as he wiped tears from his eyes. "I wondered
how far I could push you before you finally had enough. I have been trying for years to
get you to do something like that. You just took everything I dished out. I think you
summed everything up nicely. I know about Beth and I was pretty sure Charlotte and
Percival would make a good match. I could see as soon as we arrived here that Gwaine
had lost his heart to Aurora. I just never thought you and Grace would hit it off. Nice
match there if you are sure King Thomas will approve. I could use another magic user
at Camelot. Well say something, Merlin. Don't just stand there with your mouth open."
"You knew all of this and didn't say anything?" Merlin asked. "You knew I had magic
and never said anything. I've spent these last few years trying to hide who I am from you
and you knew all along? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Well at the start, my father would have had you put to death," Arthur replied. "And
you are the one that chose not to tell me. I keep waiting for you to say something but you
never did. You just keep saving my life and protecting me. You never took any credit
and never once told me you had magic. Each time you used magic to save me, I thought
that would be the time you would say something. But nothing, not one word. I can
understand why you didn't tell me at first. I was a huge prat and you thought I would tell
my father. Fear of death has a way of making people keep secrets. But after all we have
been through together and you still couldn't tell me? To be honest, that hurts, Merlin. I
felt we had built up some trust between us. I've told you things I have never told anyone
before. I thought we had become friends. Guess I was wrong."
"I don't know what to say," Merlin answered, still in shock. "I should have told you
but it never seemed like the right time. I thought you still hated magic and will banish me
or have me burnt at the stake. Every time you attitude toward magic changed for the better,
something would happen to change it back. Morgana didn't help. I know she hurt you a lot.
Your father's death, the thing between Lance and Gwen, Morgana trying to take over the
throne again. Always something happening. Never the right time to tell you. And I thought
you mostly saw me as a servant, not a friend. I hoped we were growing closer but I figured
you just told me all that stuff because you had to tell someone. And you knew I wouldn't
tell anyone. So, where do we go from here? Am I banished from Camelot?"
"Of course not, Merlin," Arthur said with a laugh. "If I wanted to banish you I could
have a long time ago. When we go back to Camelot, I will lift the ban on magic. Well, good
magic at least. The harmful, dark kind like Morgana practices will still not be tolerated.
But you and Gaius have shown me that all magic is not evil. It is about time we start to right
the wrongs my father has done. I will need some people to help guide me on the subject of
magic and its uses. I was hoping you and Gaius could do that. How about it, Merlin? Will
you be my magic advisor? I could use a good friend by my side. And you wouldn't have
to clean my room any more."
"Your advisor on magic?" Merlin questioned. "Are you sure I would be a good advisor?
You call me idiot all the time. I don't think you want an idiot as your advisor. Gaius can do
it. I'll just mess it up. Better if I just stay your servant."
"Merlin, you are more than just a servant," Arthur replied. "You are my friend. And
you already advise me in a hundred different ways every day. Every time I have wanted
to give up, you are there. You encourage me and never let me give up. I would not be
King Arthur if it wasn't for you. I would have slunk away and Morgana would be sitting
on the throne of Camelot. All of Camelot owes you a debt and when we get back, they
will learn how much they owe you. Now stop being such an idiot and say you'll do it."
"I'll do it if that's what you really want," Merlin said. Arthur nodded. "And I'm glad you
think of me as your friend. I feel the same about you. And I am sorry about not telling you
about my magic sooner. It would have saved us a lot of trouble."
"Yes, you should have," Arthur replied with a grin. "Now, should we let my Knights
know I'm on to them or let them sweat it out a bit more?" Merlin grinned in reply. "Yeah.
Let's just keep this to ourselves for now. They need to learn its not nice to try to fool
their king. I do have my ways of finding out things. Like who Gwaine's parents are and
that he was already of noble blood when he first came to Camelot. A good king does his
research. I know everything I need to know about all of my Knights and everyone else
close to me. I learned my lesson with Morgana and my uncle. I'm still learning but if you
and Gwen are right, one day I will be a great king. Now, do you think you and Grace
will be happy together? Are you sure it is love?"
"I think so," Merlin answered. "I can see myself growing old with her. She makes me
happy. I've never felt like this before about anyone. I want to spend as much time as I can
with her. I would do anything to make her laugh. And when I'm not with her, I can't stop
thinking about her. But I've only know her for a short time. How can I be sure?"
"Well, I am pretty sure you love her," Arthur replied. "You look like me when I talk
about Gwen. Are you sure her father won't be upset that you are not of noble blood?"
"Aurora seems to think so," Merlin said. "But I'm not so sure, to tell the truth. She is
a princess. She could have anyone she wanted. I'm just a common servant. How could
ever hope to make her happy? Its a fool's dream."
"Someone once told me that people should marry for love," Arthur replied. "Not for
status or political gain. I thought that was sound advice. And you're not just a common
servant anymore. You are the magic advisor to the King of Camelot. And its time for
you to start earn your keep. We have much to discuss before I meet with King Thomas
in the morning. Don't worry, Merlin. We shall win you your lady fair. But faint hearts
never win fair maidens. Tell me who loves whom and how much the Lady Aurora knows.
Somehow, I sense her hand behind all of this. If she is on your side, I think we will have
an easier time of it. She is very wise for one so young and her father puts much value on
what she thinks. He listens carefully to what she tells him. she is a good person to have
on your side. Bring that jug of wine over here. We have a long night a head of us."
Arthur and Merlin talked long into the night. They weighed the pros and cons of each
possible match, coming up with solid proposals to set before King Thomas. They later
stumbled off to bed, each tired but filled with hope for the next day.
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