Fanfic: The Strange Chemistry of Laboratory Camelot
Title: The Strange Chemistry of Laboratory Camelot
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Fandom: Merlin
Author's notes: Happy birthday, Iona! I hope this comm brings you many happy things. (gamesiplay, thank you for the excellent beta. I owe you many apologies and such.)
"Is Merlin here?" Uther asked urgently as he swept into Gaius's workroom.
"No, sire," Gaius replied, turning away from a steaming cauldron to face his king. "I believe he's out hunting with Arthur."
"Again?" Uther said.
"Never mind, it's probably for the best." He dropped heavily into a seat.
Gaius simply observed him for a minute, noting the slight frown, the tense shoulders, the half-stifled sigh. "Can I help you, sire?" he asked.
"Have you noticed anything odd about Arthur recently?" he asked. "Anything changed?"
Still watching the king, Gaius answered slowly, "Nothing particular, sire. He seems well and happy, eating properly, going out riding and hunting often, training with the men, treating his servants fairly."
"Exactly," Uther said, as if these facts confirmed some dreadful suspicion of his. "After all the horrible things which have happened in Camelot recently, after he's nearly died and the whole place has been threatened and we've been tested almost to our breaking point, doesn't it seem strange that a young man getting his first taste of the hardships of life and responsibility should be inordinately happy about it?"
"When you put it like that..." Gaius admitted. "Merlin too, actually... he hates hunting, but he's always keen to go out with Arthur these days; and he whistles while he works, even when he's scrubbing Arthur's socks."
"You see," Uther said. "I find this most perplexing."
Gaius took a jug of wine from the table and poured some into a goblet. "Hardly the best vintage, sire, but perhaps it will calm your mind."
Accustomed to accepting his old friend's advice, Uther took the goblet and drank deeply. "Not bad for one of your potions," he said, and shared a smile with Gaius. "But what do you recommend we do about these youngsters?"
"Well," Gaius said, "Perhaps we should approach this scientifically, and begin by ruling out factors which could be making them happy..."
* * *
Uther called his son in the throne room and issued orders for the week. "I want all the domestic staff inspected. There will be no sloppy washing-up, no dusty shelves, no poorly stacked woodpiles, no jobs skimped or done badly in my castle. Spend the week checking up on them--that means no hunting, no evenings drinking with the guards, and no lazing in bed until noon."
Arthur didn't look pleased, but he nodded. "Yes, sire."
"... and then," Uther told Gaius later, "he took Merlin and they spent the rest of the day inspecting the kitchen, inside the pans and under the sinks and everything, according to the cook. And they made jokes, and smiled, too."
"Hmm," said Gaius, "so it isn't hunting that's making them so happy. Give them the week at that, then we'll try another test."
* * *
"Every servant in the castle is performing their duties to my satisfaction," Arthur reported after a week, and indeed he was grinning like a cat who has got the cream. has go
"We're going to be having a formal banquet next week," Uther said. "I am informed that we're low on rabbit, venison, and swan, so I want you to take a week's hunting trip. Don't bother coming back to the castle, just send someone back with the meat so it can be hung or salted."
Arthur nodded, and he didn't stop smiling.
The castle seemed quiet without Arthur, and Gaius found himself graced with Uther's presence more often than usual.
"They are sending more meat back than we'll be able to eat," Uther reported on the fifth day. "They must be decimating the countryside. Anyway, Gaius, this is your plan: for what exactly am I throwing this royal banquet?"
"The banquet, sire, is to mark the start of the final test."
* * *
His family and guests were standing behind their chairs, waiting politely, when Uther swept into the highly decorated banqueting hall. Meats of almost every kind, prepared in a hundred ways, formed mountains on the table, though Uther noted that it was mostly venison, which he didn't like, and not very much swan, which he did.
"Greetings," he said formally when the rush of whispers stilled. "King Pellinore, I am so pleased you can be here today, and that your lovely daughter Gwendoline is willing to consider this match."
The princess (she was very young, Uther noted, probably ten summers or less) smiled, her cheeks dimpling prettily.
"Our thanks for the invitation," Pellinore replied stiffly. "Camelot are our ancient allies and we welcome the chance to reaffirm the friendship."
"An arrangement of mutual benefit," Uther said. "Perhaps as we eat we can discuss the details of the wedding."
Arthur had his mouth open, as if to speak. Behind him, Merlin's jaw had also dropped, and Uther thought that the boy looked as if he were trying to catch small birds in his mouth.
"Please," Uther said, gesturing to the food, "let us eat."
* * *
As soon as their guests had retired for the night, Arthur rounded on his father, snapping, "What is this?"
"Your wedding," Uther replied calmly.
"You could have told me!"
"I just did."
Arthur stared at his father for a moment, ,, ,,, then stormed out of the room. Merlin went to scurry along behind him but Uther called him back. "Merlin, go down to Gaius and tell him that the banquet went well. Then go to bed, lad, you look exhausted."
For a moment, Merlin just stared at him, so Uther gave his best wave of royal dismissal and repeated firmly, "Go!"
Merlin went, though not before Uther had noticed the frown.
* * *
Later that night, when Merlin had gone to his room, hopefully to sleep, Gaius slipped out of his rooms and into the silent castle, making for Uther's suite.
He was expected; Uther, still fully dressed despite the hour, opened the door on the first knock and hurried Gaius in.
"Arthur is angry," Uther reported.
"As we expected, sire," Gaius replied. "Merlin doesn't seem happy about being sent back to me, either."
"So, if I understand your scientific method correctly, we have our answer: separation is what makes them unhappy, so being together must have been what made them happy."
Gaius nodded. "That seems to be the case."
"And what do you propose we do about that?" Uther asked.
"Entirely your choice, sire," Gaius said, but when Uther frowned, he added, "In your place, I would be inclined to send the princess home with gifts and vague promises (she is very young, after all), and let Merlin and Arthur have another summer or two together. There's no harm in the friendship of young men, is there?"
Uther shook his head, smiling slowly, and Gaius knew that he was remembering.
“No, indeed," he said. "We might as well turn a blind eye; it's not as though we suspect Merlin of using sorcery to enchant the crown prince and entangle him in scandal, is it?"
Answering Uther's smile with a knowing look of his own, Gaius answered, "As you say, sire."
Author: Am-Chau Yarkona
Fandom: Merlin
Author's notes: Happy birthday, Iona! I hope this comm brings you many happy things. (gamesiplay, thank you for the excellent beta. I owe you many apologies and such.)
"Is Merlin here?" Uther asked urgently as he swept into Gaius's workroom.
"No, sire," Gaius replied, turning away from a steaming cauldron to face his king. "I believe he's out hunting with Arthur."
"Again?" Uther said.
"Never mind, it's probably for the best." He dropped heavily into a seat.
Gaius simply observed him for a minute, noting the slight frown, the tense shoulders, the half-stifled sigh. "Can I help you, sire?" he asked.
"Have you noticed anything odd about Arthur recently?" he asked. "Anything changed?"
Still watching the king, Gaius answered slowly, "Nothing particular, sire. He seems well and happy, eating properly, going out riding and hunting often, training with the men, treating his servants fairly."
"Exactly," Uther said, as if these facts confirmed some dreadful suspicion of his. "After all the horrible things which have happened in Camelot recently, after he's nearly died and the whole place has been threatened and we've been tested almost to our breaking point, doesn't it seem strange that a young man getting his first taste of the hardships of life and responsibility should be inordinately happy about it?"
"When you put it like that..." Gaius admitted. "Merlin too, actually... he hates hunting, but he's always keen to go out with Arthur these days; and he whistles while he works, even when he's scrubbing Arthur's socks."
"You see," Uther said. "I find this most perplexing."
Gaius took a jug of wine from the table and poured some into a goblet. "Hardly the best vintage, sire, but perhaps it will calm your mind."
Accustomed to accepting his old friend's advice, Uther took the goblet and drank deeply. "Not bad for one of your potions," he said, and shared a smile with Gaius. "But what do you recommend we do about these youngsters?"
"Well," Gaius said, "Perhaps we should approach this scientifically, and begin by ruling out factors which could be making them happy..."
* * *
Uther called his son in the throne room and issued orders for the week. "I want all the domestic staff inspected. There will be no sloppy washing-up, no dusty shelves, no poorly stacked woodpiles, no jobs skimped or done badly in my castle. Spend the week checking up on them--that means no hunting, no evenings drinking with the guards, and no lazing in bed until noon."
Arthur didn't look pleased, but he nodded. "Yes, sire."
"... and then," Uther told Gaius later, "he took Merlin and they spent the rest of the day inspecting the kitchen, inside the pans and under the sinks and everything, according to the cook. And they made jokes, and smiled, too."
"Hmm," said Gaius, "so it isn't hunting that's making them so happy. Give them the week at that, then we'll try another test."
* * *
"Every servant in the castle is performing their duties to my satisfaction," Arthur reported after a week, and indeed he was grinning like a cat who has got the cream. has go
"We're going to be having a formal banquet next week," Uther said. "I am informed that we're low on rabbit, venison, and swan, so I want you to take a week's hunting trip. Don't bother coming back to the castle, just send someone back with the meat so it can be hung or salted."
Arthur nodded, and he didn't stop smiling.
The castle seemed quiet without Arthur, and Gaius found himself graced with Uther's presence more often than usual.
"They are sending more meat back than we'll be able to eat," Uther reported on the fifth day. "They must be decimating the countryside. Anyway, Gaius, this is your plan: for what exactly am I throwing this royal banquet?"
"The banquet, sire, is to mark the start of the final test."
* * *
His family and guests were standing behind their chairs, waiting politely, when Uther swept into the highly decorated banqueting hall. Meats of almost every kind, prepared in a hundred ways, formed mountains on the table, though Uther noted that it was mostly venison, which he didn't like, and not very much swan, which he did.
"Greetings," he said formally when the rush of whispers stilled. "King Pellinore, I am so pleased you can be here today, and that your lovely daughter Gwendoline is willing to consider this match."
The princess (she was very young, Uther noted, probably ten summers or less) smiled, her cheeks dimpling prettily.
"Our thanks for the invitation," Pellinore replied stiffly. "Camelot are our ancient allies and we welcome the chance to reaffirm the friendship."
"An arrangement of mutual benefit," Uther said. "Perhaps as we eat we can discuss the details of the wedding."
Arthur had his mouth open, as if to speak. Behind him, Merlin's jaw had also dropped, and Uther thought that the boy looked as if he were trying to catch small birds in his mouth.
"Please," Uther said, gesturing to the food, "let us eat."
* * *
As soon as their guests had retired for the night, Arthur rounded on his father, snapping, "What is this?"
"Your wedding," Uther replied calmly.
"You could have told me!"
"I just did."
Arthur stared at his father for a moment, ,, ,,, then stormed out of the room. Merlin went to scurry along behind him but Uther called him back. "Merlin, go down to Gaius and tell him that the banquet went well. Then go to bed, lad, you look exhausted."
For a moment, Merlin just stared at him, so Uther gave his best wave of royal dismissal and repeated firmly, "Go!"
Merlin went, though not before Uther had noticed the frown.
* * *
Later that night, when Merlin had gone to his room, hopefully to sleep, Gaius slipped out of his rooms and into the silent castle, making for Uther's suite.
He was expected; Uther, still fully dressed despite the hour, opened the door on the first knock and hurried Gaius in.
"Arthur is angry," Uther reported.
"As we expected, sire," Gaius replied. "Merlin doesn't seem happy about being sent back to me, either."
"So, if I understand your scientific method correctly, we have our answer: separation is what makes them unhappy, so being together must have been what made them happy."
Gaius nodded. "That seems to be the case."
"And what do you propose we do about that?" Uther asked.
"Entirely your choice, sire," Gaius said, but when Uther frowned, he added, "In your place, I would be inclined to send the princess home with gifts and vague promises (she is very young, after all), and let Merlin and Arthur have another summer or two together. There's no harm in the friendship of young men, is there?"
Uther shook his head, smiling slowly, and Gaius knew that he was remembering.
“No, indeed," he said. "We might as well turn a blind eye; it's not as though we suspect Merlin of using sorcery to enchant the crown prince and entangle him in scandal, is it?"
Answering Uther's smile with a knowing look of his own, Gaius answered, "As you say, sire."