No one and nothing part 6B
Author: 
archaeologist_d
Title: No one and Nothing part 6B
Rating: R
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Iseldir, Tristan, Isolde
Summary: Merlin saves Arthur’s life in front of the whole court and has to run for his life. But when Arthur shows up, asking for help, what was Merlin to do, say no?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 889
Camelot Drabble Prompt: 550 Student
Author’s Notes: The other chapters are found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585663/chapters/117313327
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
---------------
“Smugglers!” Merlin growled, staring at Iseldir. “You are using smugglers?”
The pair were bickering as they climbed down from the wagon, a sandy-haired man, scruffy and looking well-worn, and a lovely blonde woman with a smile on her face. The wagon they had ridden in was scruffy, too, looking as if it had seen better days, grey and dilapidated, but it was clear that the outside was a façade from the little Merlin could see of the inside. Loaded with food stuffs and fine silks and weapons worthy of a knight. Clearly stolen.
Iseldir gave Merlin his mildest look, not quite a smirk but settled into satisfaction, like he’d put one over on Merlin but was too polite to crow about it. “Of course, Emrys, or did you think we can just walk into Camelot and bargain for the things we need?” With that, he grasped onto Merlin’s arm and pulled him forward. “Come meet them.”
Rolf stayed back, watching them all, as Iseldir started to say, “Tristan, Isolde, this is-.”
Merlin cut him off. “No names. This is strictly a need-to-know basis.”
Tristan snorted, rolling his eyes, clearly mocking Merlin’s concerns. “Or what, girl? You will expose us to the Pendragon king?” Pulling Isolde to his side, he grinned, puffing out his chest a little. “Our names are well known among the people who count, not those bloody nobles but real people. Our daring, our willingness to go up against the tax collectors are legend. I think you are too timid, by half. We have escaped more than you know.”
Not in the mood for a verbal joust, worried and tired, Merlin snapped back. “Well, then, Tristan, I hear that King Mark is still hunting for you and Isolde, or has that tale grown over the years?” Waving his arms about in clear frustration, he turned to Iseldir. “You hooked us up with these two?”
Stepping forward, Tristan scowling at Merlin, he seemed ready to defend his honour, but Isolde just patted his arm and shrugged out of his embrace.
“Tristan, love, let it be. We were going to Gedref anyway. What does it matter if she thinks us too difficult? She or mayhap he.” Isolde looked Merlin up and down a moment, raising one eyebrow in challenge. “Doesn’t know what we are capable of.”
Shit, she was on to him.
Bristling, Merlin frowned at her. “Hey, I’ll have you know that I’m a girl. I get mocked enough, thank you very much, so how about you leave off insulting me? Since we are exchanging names, I’m Daisy.” He had been going by the name Mary in town, something innocuous, but with him calling Arthur a lazy daisy on more than one occasion, it kept getting stuck in his head and he just blurted it out.
Sometimes, Arthur was right. He was an idiot.
Shaking off the argument he was having inside his own head, he changed the subject. “Do you think you can keep Rolf safe? The king would not appreciate you harbouring a fugitive.”
Tristan shrugged, then gave Merlin a predatory smile. “Well, Daisy, we have escaped from Uther’s grasp more times than I can count. As long as the kid doesn’t cause us any trouble, it will be an easy ten gold pieces.”
“Ten? That’s highway robbery.” Sputtering, Merlin sent him a glare that should have made the man back off. He’d not brought nearly that much.
Snickering, Tristan gave Merlin a wink. “Yes, it is. We are on a highway and we’re smugglers so ten it is. Unless you want to argue about it in which case it will be fifteen. Do you want to argue?”
“I could turn you into a toad,” Merlin snapped, scowling at him. Merlin was hoping the threat alone would make the wanker back off.
But all Tristan did was laugh. Nudging Isolde who was grinning at Merlin’s outburst, Tristan said, his face full of mischief, “That would make it twenty then?”
Merlin was never one to bargain and behind their laughter, he realised that they weren’t going to go about lowering the price, not when they had the upper hand. Giving a long, put-upon sigh, Merlin sent them another petulant glare and grumbled, “Fine, ten.”
“In advance,” Tristan said, holding out his hand and waggling his fingers a little as if impatient.
Narrowing his eyes, Merlin said, “I don’t have that kind of money. I’m not the cabbageheaded… err, some rich noble. But I do have… umm… eight.”
When Tristan just shook his head and pointed to his empty hand, Merlin relented. What else could he do? “I really don’t have that much coin on me but… I could fix your wagon for you. That has to be worth something.” Tristan glanced at the wagon, then tilted his head as if thinking about it. To sweeten the deal, Merlin blurted out, “And I’ll pay you twelve next time to make up for the loss.”
As Isolde shrugged, seeming to accept Merlin’s offer, Tristan said, “Will there be a next time?”
“What do you think?” Merlin nodded toward Rolf, then said, defeated, “Yeah, there will be a next time.”
“Done. Eight now, you fix our wagon and twelve next time.” Tristan reached out, ready to finish the deal, and Merlin shook his hand. It was done.
archaeologist_d
Title: No one and Nothing part 6B
Rating: R
Pairing/s: none
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur, Iseldir, Tristan, Isolde
Summary: Merlin saves Arthur’s life in front of the whole court and has to run for his life. But when Arthur shows up, asking for help, what was Merlin to do, say no?
Warnings: none
Word Count: 889
Camelot Drabble Prompt: 550 Student
Author’s Notes: The other chapters are found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/46585663/chapters/117313327
Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
---------------
“Smugglers!” Merlin growled, staring at Iseldir. “You are using smugglers?”
The pair were bickering as they climbed down from the wagon, a sandy-haired man, scruffy and looking well-worn, and a lovely blonde woman with a smile on her face. The wagon they had ridden in was scruffy, too, looking as if it had seen better days, grey and dilapidated, but it was clear that the outside was a façade from the little Merlin could see of the inside. Loaded with food stuffs and fine silks and weapons worthy of a knight. Clearly stolen.
Iseldir gave Merlin his mildest look, not quite a smirk but settled into satisfaction, like he’d put one over on Merlin but was too polite to crow about it. “Of course, Emrys, or did you think we can just walk into Camelot and bargain for the things we need?” With that, he grasped onto Merlin’s arm and pulled him forward. “Come meet them.”
Rolf stayed back, watching them all, as Iseldir started to say, “Tristan, Isolde, this is-.”
Merlin cut him off. “No names. This is strictly a need-to-know basis.”
Tristan snorted, rolling his eyes, clearly mocking Merlin’s concerns. “Or what, girl? You will expose us to the Pendragon king?” Pulling Isolde to his side, he grinned, puffing out his chest a little. “Our names are well known among the people who count, not those bloody nobles but real people. Our daring, our willingness to go up against the tax collectors are legend. I think you are too timid, by half. We have escaped more than you know.”
Not in the mood for a verbal joust, worried and tired, Merlin snapped back. “Well, then, Tristan, I hear that King Mark is still hunting for you and Isolde, or has that tale grown over the years?” Waving his arms about in clear frustration, he turned to Iseldir. “You hooked us up with these two?”
Stepping forward, Tristan scowling at Merlin, he seemed ready to defend his honour, but Isolde just patted his arm and shrugged out of his embrace.
“Tristan, love, let it be. We were going to Gedref anyway. What does it matter if she thinks us too difficult? She or mayhap he.” Isolde looked Merlin up and down a moment, raising one eyebrow in challenge. “Doesn’t know what we are capable of.”
Shit, she was on to him.
Bristling, Merlin frowned at her. “Hey, I’ll have you know that I’m a girl. I get mocked enough, thank you very much, so how about you leave off insulting me? Since we are exchanging names, I’m Daisy.” He had been going by the name Mary in town, something innocuous, but with him calling Arthur a lazy daisy on more than one occasion, it kept getting stuck in his head and he just blurted it out.
Sometimes, Arthur was right. He was an idiot.
Shaking off the argument he was having inside his own head, he changed the subject. “Do you think you can keep Rolf safe? The king would not appreciate you harbouring a fugitive.”
Tristan shrugged, then gave Merlin a predatory smile. “Well, Daisy, we have escaped from Uther’s grasp more times than I can count. As long as the kid doesn’t cause us any trouble, it will be an easy ten gold pieces.”
“Ten? That’s highway robbery.” Sputtering, Merlin sent him a glare that should have made the man back off. He’d not brought nearly that much.
Snickering, Tristan gave Merlin a wink. “Yes, it is. We are on a highway and we’re smugglers so ten it is. Unless you want to argue about it in which case it will be fifteen. Do you want to argue?”
“I could turn you into a toad,” Merlin snapped, scowling at him. Merlin was hoping the threat alone would make the wanker back off.
But all Tristan did was laugh. Nudging Isolde who was grinning at Merlin’s outburst, Tristan said, his face full of mischief, “That would make it twenty then?”
Merlin was never one to bargain and behind their laughter, he realised that they weren’t going to go about lowering the price, not when they had the upper hand. Giving a long, put-upon sigh, Merlin sent them another petulant glare and grumbled, “Fine, ten.”
“In advance,” Tristan said, holding out his hand and waggling his fingers a little as if impatient.
Narrowing his eyes, Merlin said, “I don’t have that kind of money. I’m not the cabbageheaded… err, some rich noble. But I do have… umm… eight.”
When Tristan just shook his head and pointed to his empty hand, Merlin relented. What else could he do? “I really don’t have that much coin on me but… I could fix your wagon for you. That has to be worth something.” Tristan glanced at the wagon, then tilted his head as if thinking about it. To sweeten the deal, Merlin blurted out, “And I’ll pay you twelve next time to make up for the loss.”
As Isolde shrugged, seeming to accept Merlin’s offer, Tristan said, “Will there be a next time?”
“What do you think?” Merlin nodded toward Rolf, then said, defeated, “Yeah, there will be a next time.”
“Done. Eight now, you fix our wagon and twelve next time.” Tristan reached out, ready to finish the deal, and Merlin shook his hand. It was done.