Never a day off
Author: archaeologist_d
Title: Never a day off
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Hunith
Summary: Holidays were always depressing with Merlin so far from home. Now that they were over, would Arthur give him some time off? Not likely.
Word Count: 1027
Camelot_drabble Prompt: 487, The Last one
Author's Notes: unbetaed,
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
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The last Yule garland flopped down on Merlin’s head, dead pine needles scattering everywhere. Prickles slithering down into his shirt, digging into his skin, he knew they’d find their way into his nether regions if he wasn’t careful which was never a good thing. Undoing his belt and pulling at his shirt, he shook it as best he could without taking it off. Better a few needles remain than the bloody prat berating him for impropriety and not knowing his place and offending the royal eyes with Merlin’s skinny torso.
Tucking everything back in, Merlin brushed his fingers through his hair, hoping to get the barbs out there, too. Gaius would grumble if he brought the brittle needles back home.
At least it was the only bough left.
The other servants had already cleared the hall of the rest of the Yule ornamentation, the dried fruits, the ribbons and winter flowers, the scented pine garlands now brittle and spiky with age. A reminder that another Yule had come and gone without Merlin seeing his mum.
He missed her so much. Yule had always been a time of warmth, of smiles and small gifts, of knitted caps and hugs. In Camelot, instead, it was endless work and clean-ups and Arthur grumbling about Merlin’s long face. The pillock hadn’t even given Merlin the day off, not on Yule’s eve or afterwards. No gifts, either, although Morgana had given Gwen a lovely warm shawl and fur-lined gloves, so it wasn’t that royalty didn’t know about servants and wished them well at least once a year.
Except for Arthur. The arse.
Even now, the pillock was glaring at him. “Aren’t you done yet?” He stared down at the mess at Merlin’s feet. “Well, hop to it. Chop, chop.” With that, he waggled a parchment scroll in Merlin’s face, then letting one end unroll at Merlin’s feet. Merlin could see a long, long list of chores written there. “Must be done by sunset or there will be hell to pay. Unless you prefer a time in the stocks? I know the townsfolk have amassed an impressive cache of snowballs, just for you.”
Merlin just glared at him. Not even a whisper of Yule greetings. But then what else was new?
Kicking the scroll aside, ignoring Arthur’s loud squawk, Merlin dragged the needle-shedding garland over to the door, and heaved it into the pile outside. Grabbing a broom, he cleared the rest of the mess out, all the while Arthur berating him for taking too long, then Merlin gave a sigh and reached for the scroll.
Jerking it out of Merlin’s grasp, Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You are the worst servant in the Five Kingdoms.” Arthur shook the list a little, then pointed to the door. “I’ve changed my mind. Stocks, it is. But I am a kind master. At least, go back to Gaius’s and put on some warm clothes. I won’t have it said that I treat my manservant poorly.”
“Too late, you prat,” Merlin grumbled.
“What was that, Merlin? A thank you for being so understanding?” Arthur smirked, then shoved Merlin toward the door. “And because I’m such a wonderful master, I will accompany you and make sure you are bundled up sufficiently. I hear there is more snow predicted and I wouldn’t want you to catch cold. It would reflect poorly on me.”
Scowling at Arthur, Merlin muttered, “Yeah, we can’t be having that, can we? You might even have to give me a day off.”
Cupping his hand around one ear a moment, Arthur said, “What was that buzzing noise? Something about a day off?” Snorting, he gave Merlin a little shove. “Not possible. Obviously, I was hearing things. But hurry up. We haven’t got all day. The snowballs await.”
Merlin didn’t say anything else, just glared at Arthur. He thought about turning Arthur into a toad but then there was the whole head-chopping thing and Merlin was too tired to deal with it all. Instead, he trudged up the stairs, and pushed open the door.
To find his mum waiting there, her cheeks flushed with cold, her smile bright as the sun.
In the next second, he was surrounded by love and arms and her lavender scent, even as she whispered, “Oh, my boy, my boy.”
For the longest time, he didn’t say anything, just enjoyed the feel of her, the sheer joy of it. Then, pulling back, he said, “What are you doing here? Is Ealdor in trouble again?”
Shaking her head, Hunith nodded toward Arthur. “Nothing like that. I’d have been here for Yule, but the snows were deep, and it took longer that we’d thought.”
“But how? We?” Confused, Merlin said, “Yule?”
Hunith smiled at Arthur who seemed to be a little bit embarrassed by the pink in his cheeks. “Prince Arthur arranged for my safe passage for the holidays. He told me that you were needed here but suggested that I visit instead.”
To say Merlin was astonished was an understatement. Blinking at Arthur, Merlin said, “Arthur?”
Clearing his throat, Arthur seemed to turn a deeper pink. “Don’t overthink it, Merlin. Your long face was annoying me.” He bowed to Hunith. “It is good to see you again, my lady. Please stay as long as you like. I’ve arranged for lodgings and I’m sure Merlin won’t shirk his duties while you are here.”
Merlin started to thank him again, but Arthur just waved it off. “You have the next two days free. After that, try to be on time. We wouldn’t want anyone to think I was coddling you.”
“Arthur,” Merlin choked up a little, then sent Arthur a tremulous smile. “Thank you.”
Nodding, looking both pleased and unsure what to do next, Arthur said, “Don’t let it go to your head. You are still the worst servant in the Five Kingdoms. Don’t be late!” And with that, Arthur swept out the door.
Hunith gave Merlin’s arm a little squeeze. “He’s a good man.”
“Yeah,” Merlin said, still staring at the door. “He is. The best.”
And he had the next two days free. With his mum.
It was the best Yule ever.
Title: Never a day off
Rating: G
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Hunith
Summary: Holidays were always depressing with Merlin so far from home. Now that they were over, would Arthur give him some time off? Not likely.
Word Count: 1027
Camelot_drabble Prompt: 487, The Last one
Author's Notes: unbetaed,
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
------------------------------
The last Yule garland flopped down on Merlin’s head, dead pine needles scattering everywhere. Prickles slithering down into his shirt, digging into his skin, he knew they’d find their way into his nether regions if he wasn’t careful which was never a good thing. Undoing his belt and pulling at his shirt, he shook it as best he could without taking it off. Better a few needles remain than the bloody prat berating him for impropriety and not knowing his place and offending the royal eyes with Merlin’s skinny torso.
Tucking everything back in, Merlin brushed his fingers through his hair, hoping to get the barbs out there, too. Gaius would grumble if he brought the brittle needles back home.
At least it was the only bough left.
The other servants had already cleared the hall of the rest of the Yule ornamentation, the dried fruits, the ribbons and winter flowers, the scented pine garlands now brittle and spiky with age. A reminder that another Yule had come and gone without Merlin seeing his mum.
He missed her so much. Yule had always been a time of warmth, of smiles and small gifts, of knitted caps and hugs. In Camelot, instead, it was endless work and clean-ups and Arthur grumbling about Merlin’s long face. The pillock hadn’t even given Merlin the day off, not on Yule’s eve or afterwards. No gifts, either, although Morgana had given Gwen a lovely warm shawl and fur-lined gloves, so it wasn’t that royalty didn’t know about servants and wished them well at least once a year.
Except for Arthur. The arse.
Even now, the pillock was glaring at him. “Aren’t you done yet?” He stared down at the mess at Merlin’s feet. “Well, hop to it. Chop, chop.” With that, he waggled a parchment scroll in Merlin’s face, then letting one end unroll at Merlin’s feet. Merlin could see a long, long list of chores written there. “Must be done by sunset or there will be hell to pay. Unless you prefer a time in the stocks? I know the townsfolk have amassed an impressive cache of snowballs, just for you.”
Merlin just glared at him. Not even a whisper of Yule greetings. But then what else was new?
Kicking the scroll aside, ignoring Arthur’s loud squawk, Merlin dragged the needle-shedding garland over to the door, and heaved it into the pile outside. Grabbing a broom, he cleared the rest of the mess out, all the while Arthur berating him for taking too long, then Merlin gave a sigh and reached for the scroll.
Jerking it out of Merlin’s grasp, Arthur narrowed his eyes. “You are the worst servant in the Five Kingdoms.” Arthur shook the list a little, then pointed to the door. “I’ve changed my mind. Stocks, it is. But I am a kind master. At least, go back to Gaius’s and put on some warm clothes. I won’t have it said that I treat my manservant poorly.”
“Too late, you prat,” Merlin grumbled.
“What was that, Merlin? A thank you for being so understanding?” Arthur smirked, then shoved Merlin toward the door. “And because I’m such a wonderful master, I will accompany you and make sure you are bundled up sufficiently. I hear there is more snow predicted and I wouldn’t want you to catch cold. It would reflect poorly on me.”
Scowling at Arthur, Merlin muttered, “Yeah, we can’t be having that, can we? You might even have to give me a day off.”
Cupping his hand around one ear a moment, Arthur said, “What was that buzzing noise? Something about a day off?” Snorting, he gave Merlin a little shove. “Not possible. Obviously, I was hearing things. But hurry up. We haven’t got all day. The snowballs await.”
Merlin didn’t say anything else, just glared at Arthur. He thought about turning Arthur into a toad but then there was the whole head-chopping thing and Merlin was too tired to deal with it all. Instead, he trudged up the stairs, and pushed open the door.
To find his mum waiting there, her cheeks flushed with cold, her smile bright as the sun.
In the next second, he was surrounded by love and arms and her lavender scent, even as she whispered, “Oh, my boy, my boy.”
For the longest time, he didn’t say anything, just enjoyed the feel of her, the sheer joy of it. Then, pulling back, he said, “What are you doing here? Is Ealdor in trouble again?”
Shaking her head, Hunith nodded toward Arthur. “Nothing like that. I’d have been here for Yule, but the snows were deep, and it took longer that we’d thought.”
“But how? We?” Confused, Merlin said, “Yule?”
Hunith smiled at Arthur who seemed to be a little bit embarrassed by the pink in his cheeks. “Prince Arthur arranged for my safe passage for the holidays. He told me that you were needed here but suggested that I visit instead.”
To say Merlin was astonished was an understatement. Blinking at Arthur, Merlin said, “Arthur?”
Clearing his throat, Arthur seemed to turn a deeper pink. “Don’t overthink it, Merlin. Your long face was annoying me.” He bowed to Hunith. “It is good to see you again, my lady. Please stay as long as you like. I’ve arranged for lodgings and I’m sure Merlin won’t shirk his duties while you are here.”
Merlin started to thank him again, but Arthur just waved it off. “You have the next two days free. After that, try to be on time. We wouldn’t want anyone to think I was coddling you.”
“Arthur,” Merlin choked up a little, then sent Arthur a tremulous smile. “Thank you.”
Nodding, looking both pleased and unsure what to do next, Arthur said, “Don’t let it go to your head. You are still the worst servant in the Five Kingdoms. Don’t be late!” And with that, Arthur swept out the door.
Hunith gave Merlin’s arm a little squeeze. “He’s a good man.”
“Yeah,” Merlin said, still staring at the door. “He is. The best.”
And he had the next two days free. With his mum.
It was the best Yule ever.