Merlinfic: Born of Magic 9/12
Title: Born of Magic
Author: Destiny_Chicken
Characters: Arthur, Merlin, Uther, Gaius, OC Lord Aden, OC Lady Alys
Genre/pairing: Slash, Merlin/Arthur
Rating: MA Mature Adult due to language, and explicit sexual content
Word-count: 33,833 total
Chapters: 9 of 12
Spoilers: Mention of 1.1 (The Dragon’s Call), 2.8 (The Sins of the Father) and 2.13 (The Last Dragonlord)
Summary: Arthur suffers yet another blow to the head, but this one causes amnesia. He and Merlin are quarantined to Arthur’s chambers in an attempt to avoid revealing the amnesia to Uther. Once Arthur is cured by Merlin’s magic, strange incidents begin to occur.
Yet again, Arthur found his eyes following Merlin around the banquet hall as he poured wine for the high table. He was dressed in the official Camelot servant’s livery, including the obnoxious feathered hat. But he didn’t look ridiculous to Arthur, only sweet and funny, as Merlin kept blowing the feathers away from his face. Arthur had been sneaking glances at his manservant whenever he could pull away from Lady Alys, who had been clinging to his arm most of the evening.
Merlin, for his part, had been keeping his own eyes on Arthur and knew Arthur was watching him. He poured wine for Lord Aden, who had slammed his empty cup down with a bang demanding a refill, acting as if he were royalty instead of a noble of a small but well-positioned estate. Although with the attention Uther was giving him, he probably was justified in his attitude.
Merlin had come around to Arthur’s place at the table, and elbowed the prince.
“What?” Arthur hissed out of the corner of his mouth.
Merlin nodded to the roast pheasant on the table, and whispered “You need to serve Lady Alys.”
“I will, I will. How about some more wine so I can get through this horrible evening?”
Merlin eyed the prince critically. “You’ve already had enough. You’re going to regret this in the morning. I’ll get the watered wine and save you from yourself.”
Arthur made a disgruntled snort and turned back to Lady Alys seated at his side.
“Uther, you must admit they make a good pair.” Lord Aden nodded over at Arthur and Alys, as Arthur bent his head to hear what Lady Alys had said. Arthur was wearing a dark blue velvet jacket that picked up the blue of his eyes and contrasted strongly with his golden hair and tanned face. Lady Alys had chosen to wear a revealing dress of Pendragon-red silk with golden embroidery accentuating the low-cut neck and small waist. She didn’t want there to be any question of her suitability to reign as Princess and ultimately Queen of Camelot-she certainly looked the part. Despite the stunning image Lady Alys made, Arthur only briefly glanced her way when she spoke to him.
Uther responded to Aden, “Yes of course. Tell me again how difficult the terrain is around the pass from your lands to Toris.” Aden launched into his description of the suitability of the pass for both defense and to stage an offensive thrust into the Torisian lands.
Lady Alys tried to engage Arthur into conversation again. This time she tried a topic men generally were interested in-hunting. “Tell me Arthur about the hunt. What sort of beast will we be after?”
Arthur used his eating knife to cut a portion off the pheasant breast and placed it on Lady Alys’ plate. “M’Lady, some pheasant for you.”
As she murmured her thanks, she realized Arthur was saying, “A bore.”
She cleared her throat and managed to choke out, “Beg pardon, Your Highness?”
“We’ll be hunting a boar, an old sow with some piglets that the huntsman has seen. They are the most dangerous beasts of all-a mother protecting its young.”
Relieved that Arthur hadn’t been declaring her boring, as she first thought, she only managed a stilted titter in response. Arthur wasn’t paying attention to her, so she turned to her left to Uther and fluttered her grey eyes at him.
“Tell me, Your Highness, how have the crops been in Camelot this year? Will the harvest be good?”
She’d done her research well, and had brought up one of Uther’s favorite topics, his kingdom‘s grain production. The King began to explain the harvesting centres and regional mills. Lady Alys only half-listened, murmuring low ‘uh-huh’s and ‘of course’s whenever Uther paused for breath.
As Uther droned on, she signaled for more wine and Merlin responded quickly. “Boy, my cup is empty, you should have refilled it earlier,” Alys chided him in a very superior tone.
Merlin began pouring the wine and saying quietly, “So sorry, m’Lady.” As the goblet filled with liquid, it suddenly fell over, and a berry red flood ran across the table towards Lady Alys. She jumped up shrieking, but too late--the silk dress was stained. “You imbecile, my dress is ruined! You stupid idiot! Arthur, you must punish him.”
Arthur was trying hard to avoid Lady Alys’ glare, as he realised he had become irritated at how both Alys and her father were addressing Merlin, and must have tipped the goblet over with his emotionally-driven magic. It was his fault and Merlin was being blamed. He tried to sooth Lady Alys. “Now m’Lady, this was just an unfortunate accident. I’m sure Merlin’s clumsiness was unintentional.”
“No, Arthur, he was glaring at me earlier. He did it on purpose, I know. You really must make sure your servants know their place. He must be punished for his arrogance. Our servants at home would be punished with the lash for such contempt. It is the only way they learn the proper humility.”
Now Uther was taking notice of the commotion, and asked, “Arthur, what has your boy done?”
“Nothing, Father, it was just an accident and the wine spilled.” This was escalating badly if Uther was getting involved.
Merlin at this point wished he could disappear. He wasn’t sure what he done to spill the wine goblet, but it was causing much more attention for himself than he liked. Arthur, and now the King, were right in the middle of the ruckus. Nothing good would come of this.
Uther, showing his favour to Aden and Alys, turned to Arthur with a commanding tone said, “Arthur, you must discipline your servant. He’s yours, so you must decide the punishment, but he must be punished.”
’I can’t get away with letting Merlin off with just a stern lecture, not now that Father is involved. Merlin’s going to hate me for this, and I know it wasn’t his fault.’ Arthur continued out loud, “The stocks. For the full day tomorrow. Merlin, use the time to think on how best to reform your clumsy, disobedient ways.”
Merlin’s mouth dropped open in astonishment at Arthur’s prescribed punishment. While the stocks were better than the lash, it had been just an accident. Merlin wondered how Arthur could do this to him.
The ‘Incident’ (for that is what it was) brought an early conclusion to the meal. With Lady Alys upset over her dress, Lord Aden murmured soothing tones and escorted her back to her chambers. Uther turned on Arthur and Merlin then. “How could you allow this to happen, Arthur? You know how important this alliance with Lord Aden and his daughter is for Camelot! You can’t be upsetting them like this, “And you,” turning to glare at Merlin, “I want you out of my sight immediately.”
Merlin bowed deeply and beat a hasty retreat out of the banquet hall, leaving Arthur to withstand his father’s continued criticism alone.
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Arthur had already had drunk more wine than he should have when the goblet spilling ‘Incident’ occurred, but that did not deter him from taking a flagon of wine with him back to his chambers once his father dismissed him. His father’s disapproval and disappointment always sat heavily on his shoulders, so he concluded more wine was just what he needed to forget the feelings of inadequacy and failure.
He was singing bits of a bawdy Mercian tavern song the knights had taught him as he swung into his chambers. “Merl’n, wha’ cha doin’ here?”
Merlin raised an eyebrow (he must have learnt that from Gaius) and folded his arms while leaning against the wooden table. “Well, I had an invitation, m’Lord,” drawing out the title sarcastically. ”If you can remember back to this afternoon.”
“Hmm?” Arthur’s wine-soaked mind tried to recall. “Yes…you did…I did…we were…” He plunked the flagon on the table and with an exclamation of ‘ooph’ he slid into the chair. He took another swig of wine straight from the flagon, and when Merlin tried to grab it from him, he evaded Merlin’s grasping hands. “No, no. It’s mine.”
“Arthur, you are soused. You shouldn’t have any more wine.”
“No, I’m drinkin’ t’forget how w’rthless I am and how I dis’ppoint my father.” Arthur got overly emotional and talkative when he was intoxicated. With sadness evident in his face, he looked at Merlin and hiccuped. Merlin shook his head, partly at Arthur’s drunkenness but more so at his dependence on his father’s opinion..
“Arthur, listen to me. You aren’t worthless. You may not always agree with your father, but you are not a failure. You are a good man and will make a great king. Your father is proud of the son he has raised, for the most part. He just isn’t very good at showing it or telling you when he is pleased.” While Arthur seemed to consider Merlin’s words, Merlin was able to sneak behind the chair. He reached around Arthur, and snatched up the flagon.
“No, my wine!” Arthur protested, but he only clutched at air in his attempt to retrieve the flagon. The quick movement made him dizzy, so he laid his head down on the table. There was a loud pounding starting inside his skull.
“Time to get you to bed, Sire.” Merlin wrestled him upright in the chair and began unbuttoning the blue velvet jacket. Helping Arthur slide his arms out of the coat, he then pulled the hem of the tunic up and over Arthur’s head.
While the tunic was still around his head, Arthur spoke, “Merlin, you’re undressin’ me.” The words were muffled and slurred but Merlin heard them.
“Yes, I am, Arthur. It’s time for bed.”
Head unencumbered by the cloth of the tunic now, Arthur continued, “Good. You need t’ undress too.”
“No, not now, not tonight. You’re too inebriated. Sit still and I’ll get your boots off.” Arthur was a compliant drunk and stuck each leg out in turn for Merlin.
Merlin supported Arthur as he stood him up. While Arthur draped one arm over Merlin’s shoulders, Merlin helped him change into his sleep clothes as quickly as he could. Then he gently herded Arthur to the bed, and as the woozy prince sat, he slid sideways and his head hit the pillows. Merlin tucked in his legs and pulled the bed coverings up over him.
“Merlin, stay wi’f me.” Arthur pleaded, speaking softly not to enrage the pounding in his head any further. Merlin sighed and looked at Arthur, golden hair already mussed up, eyes glazed over as he tried to focus on Merlin’s face. “Just for a little while.” He stretched out on top of the bed coverings on the opposite side of the bed and rested his eyes.
Merlin awoke after about an hour. Arthur was soundly asleep, snoring into the pillow he clutched to his chest, so Merlin headed back to his own room. Gaius would worry if he was not in his bed when daybreak came. And that day would bring the stocks for Merlin.
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Merlin woke Arthur up as late as he could and still get him on time to the outing with the King and their guests. Arthur might be a compliant drunk, but the aftereffects of drinking too much turned him into an irritable, surly grouch the morning after.
“Time to get up, Your Pratliness.”
“Mmmrph,” was the only sound from the mound of bedclothes. Then a raspy, “Go ‘way.”
“You need to get ready for the tour with your father, Lord Aden and Lady Alys.” He started pulling on the blankets, uncovering Arthur who started pulling back and tossing pillows at Merlin.
Merlin dodged the pillows easily (Arthur’s aim wasn’t the best after a night of drinking), and continued, ”I’ve brought one of Gaius’ hangover remedies, and the knights swear it really works.” He handed it to the prince who looked doubtfully at the garish green sludge and tossed it back quickly. Arthur croaked immediately, “Water!” and Merlin was ready with a goblet.
After a quick wash at the basin, Arthur was starting to feel more human. Merlin helped him don his clothes as quickly as possible, cautious to barely touch Arthur, even though in Arthur’s present condition, he really didn’t expect there to be a problem.
Once Arthur was on his way down to the stables, Merlin sighed to himself and headed to the courtyard to the stocks. At least it wasn’t raining, and he could hope the fruits and vegetables were mostly rotten and soft today.
When Arthur arrived in the courtyard, he found that Uther, Lord Aden and Lady Alys and a handful of knights were all mounted and waiting expectantly for him. He quickly took the reins from the stable lad and swung into the saddle, mouthing a silent apology to his father.
King Uther flared his nostrils at Arthur’s lateness and didn’t acknowledge the apology. He turned to his guests, “You are in for a treat today. We’ll be riding down to Caerdore to see the central regional harvesting centre and view the mill and grain storage.”
Arthur rubbed his forehead to coax the pounding to lessen. It was going to be a long day.
Later in the afternoon, the tour completed and all but Uther utterly bored of talk of harvesting and milling and grain yield, they returned to the citadel, passing by the stocks. Merlin was still locked in the restraints and the evidence of rotten tomatoes (and was that peaches?) was clear on his head and clothes. It looked like the townspeople had had good aim today. Merlin raised his head as much as he could in his stooped position and gave Arthur a quick glare but dropped his eyes as the King, Lord Aden and Lady Alys passed by. Lady Alys asked in a sickly sweet voice, “Once he is out of the stocks, could Merlin come help with some chores? My servants, I’m afraid, have become unwell.”
Arthur opened his mouth, but before he could compose an excuse to decline offering Merlin’s services, the King proclaimed, “Of course, anything you require Lady Alys. Merwin, attend to Lady Alys once you’re released.”
‘Merlin will just have to bear it; there’s nothing else to do once Father has given a direct order.” Arthur twisted in the saddle to look back at Merlin and communicate his apology in his eyes. Merlin was still staring at the ground and didn’t see.
Using the excuse of needing to rest before the private dinner planned for tonight, Arthur made his apologies to the guests, and made a quick retreat back to his chambers. He’d seen the angry look Merlin had sent his way and it wasn’t boding well for their relationship. Merlin was angry for being punished for something he had no control over. But there was nothing Arthur could do, trapped by his desire to satisfy his father.
Arthur moved to the window to look down into the courtyard. He could see Merlin was still being pelted, with what? Green apples-those would be hard, and the throwers looked somewhat familiar. It was Lady Alys’ maid and personal secretary. No doubt she had put them up to pitching hard fruit at Merlin. ‘Unwell, my arse.’ Arthur seethed. He didn’t think it was possible to dislike Lady Alys anymore than he already did, but now it was hatred. How dare she attack his Merlin?
Arthur was about to race down to free Merlin from the stocks, when he realised that Merlin was already being released, as the sun had set low enough. The servant stood and stretched his back and rubbed at his wrists, before heading back into the citadel.
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