6The knights of the kingdom of Camelot. They were a brave group of men who, under any time or place, would willing give there life for the kingdom or for there king, Arthur. They got along with everyone from the common servant and peasant to the highest noble. Merlin….Merlin didn't trust them. He did though, I should point out, to a point, but his mind still went back to the day, the day of Lamias.
Now he was back at the castle and everything was back to normal. He knew the knights were under a spell the whole time, but still the fact they said what they did, done what they done…it made him sad. No not sad, not really just made him see things differently.
The knights on the other hand knew what they had said to Merlin and would give him small glances here and there, a small smile perhaps and they thought, well just maybe, things are okay now. However, they weren't. Merlin didn't let them see that though.
So when Merlin was in Arthur 's room with Arthur 's boot in hand he looked up to see the knights at the door. He froze, didn't want to, but he did. The boot dropped to the floor along with his rag. The knights looked at him and he looked back as they closed the door behind them and stood there looking down at him still.
"Merlin." Percival said in a way of greeting to the young man.
Merlin stood and out of habit bit his lip so he wouldn't flinch. He wasn't a baby, he thought to himself, they aren't going to hurt you. "Hi," was all he said.
He knew they watched him as he put back the polish and sat Arthur 's boots against the wall. His back popped as he stretched, and yet they still stayed, not getting the hint. He looked out the window and wondered were Arthur was at and why the knights were not in the mess hall partaking in the lunch they usually got around this time.
Not that the knights presence bothered him any.
"Merlin, I think we need to talk," said Gwaine. His voice soft and he walked up behind Merlin who looked at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Talk about what, Gwaine?" he said back to the shaggy haired knight. One glance at the others was all he needed. They too stared to push in around him. He thought back to the day of Lamias, the day they said those words.
"I think you know what Merlin, "Leon said," you know what happen those days was not our fault right? We didn't have any control over what the witch did to us."
Merlin smiled at them and ignored the willing sense of dread in him. This was crazy he though, there your friends. Arthur's knights. He let out a small laugh, "I know this, you guys. Why you bring it up anyway?"
Gwen's brother put a hand on his shoulder and Merlin tensed he saw this and frowned as did the others. "Because I don't think you see that."
Merlin just smiled again and shoved passed them and the goal in his mind was the door. Of course being Merlin had its problems. He tripped on the rag he had been cleaning with, went headfirst as he began to fall, someone caught him by the wrist, some one else got him by the neck of his shirt, and pulled back. He then stumbled backwards and hit the far wall. The world blurring.
He saw not one but four knight's faces in his vision. Some held his head and someone mummer something.
"Merlin are you okay?"
He nodded though his body begged to differ it was still sore from the fight he had with the monster in the cave. The cave, Lamias, the knights…..
The door opened and in stepped Arthur . He looked as if he was going to say something but stopped when he saw Merlin on the floor and his knights around him. His demeter suddenly changed from amused Arthur to concern Arthur .
'What's going on?"
Leon was the first to speak, "Nothing, sire. We just came looking for you and found Merlin like this on the ground. He's not hurt though."
Merlin blinked… what?
Arthur glanced at him, walked between the knights, and helped him up. He clutched onto Arthur as he regained his balance. Arthur let him go once he was able to stand.
"You okay, Merlin?"
Merlin nodded. Yes, he was fine if not confused.
He looked over to Gwaine who looked back at him with a stone expression. "Gwaine….what's going on?"
Gwaine blinked at him and smiled, " Nothing, Merlin. So were okay right? You see what we were telling you?"
"Telling him what?" asked Arthur as he shoot a glance around the lot. He was confused something was off.
Percival opened his mouth but Merlin beat him to it, "Nothing, Arthur. Just…stuff."
The knights were out off the room of Arthur's say and that left Merlin with the king. He wondered briefly why Leon had acted like nothing had happened then he realized, maybe he didn't want Arthur to know what had happed. He could understand.
Arthur looked at him now as he sat down. He pulled up another chair and pointed to it, and Merlin sat. The king looked over Merlin with his eyes and nodded as if to confirm something to himself.
"What really happed, Merlin?" he asked.
Merlin shrugged and looked at the wall behind Arthur, " nothing, Arthur, we were just talking."
The king stayed silent as he looked at Merlin's ringing hands. "Merlin….you know you can tell me anything right? Even if it involves someone in the court or the kingdom?"
Merlin looked at Arthur and could see the truth on his face. He knew he could tell Arthur anything but he didn't want to tell him this. One- it would make him look like a fool for letting the knights do what they did. 2- It would mean he would tell Arthur he believed what they said. 3- They were Arthur's knights and he cared for them dearly.
"I know, Arthur ."
Arthur chose the moment to run a hand through his hair. Yes, he notices thing people thought he wouldn't. "Merlin, the knights, did they do something to make you antsy? I noticed that your uncomftable around them ever since we have come back from were we were at."
"Right, Arthur, the knights. Hah there more like huggable teddy bears! They would never do anything-"
"But they did something. I saw them Merlin, in there eyes, something happened and they came in here to either add to it or amend it."
Merlin gaped, closed his eyes, and let his body sag. Telling the truth was suppose to be a grand thing, "Arthur ….the people, the others in the court…you….do you see who I am? God, I don't even know who I am."
"They say I am not a knight and I know this. Were I a knight I would be clad in full scale body amour and knighted long ago."
Arthur sucked in a breath.
"They say I am not a physician because if I was I would know every herb and healing tool around. I would save lives with the knowledge Gauis holds."
Arthur leaned forward as Merlin's eyes glanced up. He had a felling he knew who 'they' was. He had a felling of anger in him. So what Gwen had mention in passing was right, oh, if only he had listened more to the hush conversations!
"They say I am nothing but a servant," said Merlin his voice growing more profound with each word, "But they are wrong. I am more than just a simple servant; everyone is more then something simple. I might not be a knight or whatever but I am still more."
Arthur stood from the chair, grabbed Merlin by the arm, and dragged him down the hall. He ignored Merlin's surprise squawks and hoped that the Merlin he just glimpsed was not fading. He strolled into the courtyard and down the steps into the houses of the knights. He found them in the far left room. He banged open the door and silence was the one that greeted.
"I think some of you, no all of you, owe Merlin an apology."
The knights had the squall to look down. Leon took the step forward. "We did wrong, sire, we acted not like knights but like gits. We were mean and rude to some one who was- is- the most important part of the kingdom. Sire, we had no idea we were acting as much we were put under a spell-"
"But that doesn't make it right when the spell was lose on us," Fished the others in union.
"We said- or try to say- sorry to him in your room but we didn't have a chance and we were afraid what you would think. We hurt Merlin once we couldn't see that we did it again."
Arthur balled his fist, "you were right to be afraid of what I might think. I don't permit any poor respect upon anyone."
"Arthur," Merlin whispered from his side.
Arthur looked down at him and let him speak.
"I understand it was not of their own fault but I want to them to know that it still hurt to be called things and your actions. However I forgive you and maybe I was wrong in acting so wounded."
Gwaine shook his head, "No, Merlin. You had every right. But your all right now, Merlin? you know we will try and make up for it even after death?"
Merlin nodded and grinned at the knights, maybe things would be all right. If not back to normal at least he knew the words wasn't real….he would always have Arthur anyway.
The king nodded to his knights, steered Merlin out the door, and slung a friendly arm around his shoulders. He smiled at his friend but a small gleam of concern held in his eye.
"Merlin, Camelot is thankful you are here. Never let anyone tell you other wise. I am thankful you are here by me."
Because no one was just something simple….everyone was some one in there own way.
I wanted to post this tomorrow but seeing how it's thanksgiving and all….happy holidays. Drop a review if you could (hint hint) thanks!