Chapter Text
Arthur wasn't sure what he was thinking when he decided to take Merlin with him to his chambers or how he was going to keep him awake for the rest of the day. The sooner he comes to terms with his new reality the faster he could try to fix it.
Thankfully Gausis declared bed rest for him or else he would be back in the council room and politics was the last thing he could focus on. The physician also prescribed him pain relief; sweet smelling herbs mixed together in a liquid that smells a lot nicer than it actually tasted. Nonetheless Arthur could still feel the aches of the magic. The burning of the torturest spell lingered in his joints and if he felt this horrible how did Merlin feel? It is not like he could ask him, Arthur presume that Merlin wasn't cured to be a talking animal because nothing ever works in the prince's favor.
The moment that he was notified that his friend was awake it didn’t matter. They walk in silence or Arthur walks and Merlin sits on his forearm. Sharp talons pricing into his arm, he almost regretted not wearing his armor, almost. Truly something Arthur hoped he didn't have to get used to. It was already wired enough that his closest friend was turned into a bird, a bird that couldn't talk no less and who he had to carry because he wouldn't be able to keep in stride.
Another question popped into Arthur's head: could Merlin fly? He pushed to stupid question in the back of his mind. Of course he wouldn't, would he. Arthur tried not to look at said bird. Don't be stupid even birds are taught how to fly!
Arthur was so in thought over the crisis that he didn't notice all the looks he got carrying the small raptor. The servants stop and whisper to one another. Guards who didn't bugged for their position watched them pass, their eyes following the sight. The people of the castle didn't know what to make of it but they had seen stranger things.
Unbeknownst to Arthur that is when the whispers started. It was a new hunting bird that the prince had gotten. It was a spy messenger falcon to gather intel on their enemies. The bird was a courting gift from someone the prince had effections for but was keeping it secret. Mary, the head cook of the kitchen, was pretty sure that Merlin had something to do with it. He had never missed a day since he started. late yes, almost everyday absent no.
Arthur made it back to his chambers. Merlin let out a squaw that made Arthur jump. Surely it was Merlin complaining about the state of his room. It's not like he was focused on keeping his chambers clean beside Merlin was usually tasked with that chore. Some articles of clothing lay on the ground and the bed was unturned, books were scattered everywhere some open some not. Loose leaf paper stacked on the desk, mantle and just about anywhere that had a flat surface. So it was a little messy.
“Calm down Merlin, it's not like I’m going to order you to clean it up.” Arthur chided the bird.
The raptor gave a loud caw-caw sound which made Arthur narrow his eyes at Merlin. Even as a bird Arthur still felt as if Merlin was insulting him in bird speech. Then he noticed something about the bird in front of him. If you were to look at Merlin you would just assume that it was well just a Merlin but when you look at the small falcon eyes they were the unmistakable blue of Merlin’s eyes. It’s proof that Merlin was still in fact Merlin, it offered just a slightest spark of hope in Arthur that Merlin was still in fact Merlin.
Merlin leaped down from Arthur’s arm and landed with a plunk on his desk. Arthur gave a small snicker at the strange action.
“It looks like you are going to need to work on landing Mer-lin.”
That got Arthur scolded in bird speech.
There was silence that stretched out between them. The communications have been severed there was only so much you could say with basic understanding of one and another before it fizzled out like hot wax drowning the flame. Arthur thought back before the attack when he was tracking the deer and told Merlin to shut up. Now he was incapable of human speech. He never meant that he wanted Merlin to stop talking entrily, of course it got on his nerves sometimes but the rest of the time he found his ramblings to fill a void of empty air that always surrounded his title, it was a type of solace.
Now there was no sound to fill the air. Arthur pulled out his desk chair and sat down with a sigh. The whole situation wades him down like where you're underneath the water surface trying to break through. So for the first time Arthur starts talking as both him and Merlin look out the window overlooking the citadel, he talks about how George had started to take over his responsibility and how truly awful his jokes are. That earned a higher pitched chatter in which Arthur took as a laugh.
Arthur talked until the last of the daylight was lost, he was trying to keep Merlin awake. That was the goal that is what Giuas told him to do. Merlin thankfully was just as expressive as a bird as he was human; this made talking to him so much easier and Arthur was grateful for it. There was a knock at the door and groaned in exasperation pinching the bridge of his nose Arthur stated “enter.”
George bowed and came in with try after try of food and placed it on the table. It looked as if George sucked on a lemon, his lip pressed tight together and eyebrows knitted as his look at the room in such disarray. George did his best to not disturbed the notes and books on the table. The man looked as if in any minute he would start trying to clean the space that was a losing battle for George.
“Sire your dinner is ready and since you haven’t found anything appetizing I have brought a little bit of everything.”
“I can see that George,”Arthur said with a bit of sarcasm that went unnoticed by the servant.
George’s eyes flitted towards Merlin but said nothing of it. That made Arthur’s irritation for the servant increase, the acknowledgment of something completely out of the ordinary and had nothing to say about it.
“I can get started on the nightly duties Sire as you dine,” George insisted.
“That won’t be necessary George, you are dismissed,” Arthur said curtly.
George's mouth tightened even more, never speaking back. He bowed and left the room.
Arthur looked at all the food laid out on the table but didn’t move. He really hoped that Merlin wasn’t paying attention when George basically said he hardly eaten anything when he was asleep. He did mean to really, it was just he was reading anything that could help Merlin out and he also forgot too, it also took him a whale to regain his appetite.
The Merlin in said question did not look impressed. And wobbly Merlin got up from where he was sitting and walked over to the edge of the desk and jumped off, he tried to flap his wings and with an ungraceful thud he hit the floor. Arthur wanted to cringe at the sound. The bird walked over to the table he was getting a lot better a walking but Merlin was going to need to learn how to fly if he wanted to move with ease and Arthur prayed to the gods that it wouldn't have to come to that, hopefully in the next few day they find something to restare merlin’s body. Merlin jumped on to the chair then on the table and made a notion with his wing like he was saying come on. So Arthur did. He ate a little, just another to make the bird happy and when it was time to retrieve for bed Arthur delivered Merlin back to Gaius’s chamber and tried to get some sleep.
Sleep once again did not come easily to Arthur Pendragon. It was starting to become the worst part of the day, night. Whatever! The point is it was almost just as restless as the first. His screams plague his nightmares. The terror on Merlin’s face when he's started sprouting feathers will haunt him. The worst of it there was nothing he could do.
Arthur's chest constricted at the thought of the pain Merlin went through. Merlin never did anything wrong, he was only protecting him. Merlin who threw himself in danger not knowing the outcome. Merlin who proclaimed why just simply because they were friends.
His chest constricted even more. It was getting harder to ignore, he had to but how could he? Merlin the bravest person he has ever known. Merlin, who never cared about the fact he is a prince. Merlin with the intelligent blue eyes that he hides behind with witty comments and jabs. Merlin, who is his servant! He needs to stop thinking about him like this.
Merlin said it himself, friend. Nothing more. Of course friends would protect each other, That's what friends do. At least Arthur thought so it's not like he had a lot friends before. Maybe the things he felt from Merlin is just how people feel about their friends.
The knocking at the door brought him back to his chambers. Arthur exhaled sharply “enter.” He dreaded who answered the door, it was just another reminder.
George promptly entered with a jarring silence then bowed deep, “Sire, the king has sent for you to meet him in the throne room.”
Arthur withheld a grown, he knew this conversation was coming. “Very well, George, you're dismissed.”
George was a good servant and that was the problem. He treated Arthur like the prince he is and not a man. As if he should be nothing more than a warrior, a master in battle strategies. He bowed once more then left. That was that. the perfect servant, never speaking back. Arthur hated it. He felt the most weight in expectations with people who expected him to command them just like that.
For the past couple of days George has taken over Merlin's position. Arthur made sure to wake up a few minutes before he walked in so he could dress himself. Despite Merlin's teasing him, Arthur does know how to actually take care of himself. George was clearly annoyed but has never commented on it. Despite being basically served a mini feast every morning by said servant Arthur could hardly eat. Begrudgingly Arthur facened his armor, after this meeting he knows he will need to take out his frustrations.
When Arthur entered the throne room he knew immediately that his father was not happy with him. The air was stiff and tense; he didn't say a word besides ‘Enter’ Arthur could see it in that man's eyes. At this moment he was a king wanting answers. Arthur moved swiftly to stand in front of his father and bowed. Arthur gritty his teeth as he did this but sometimes it felt like it was the only way Uther could see him.
“Arthur, I believe you have rested well?” The king's little pleasantries were as cold as iron. Of course Arthur knows that he cared about him against magical threats but something was off.
“Yes father.”
“Arthur don't lie,” the way Uther said this was enough for the hair on the back of his neck to rise. Was he really that easy to see through him?
The truth of the matter is felt worse than anything he had felt, worse than any tournament it felt like his very blood was boiling burning him from the inside out. “I am still experiencing aches and pains.”
Uther nodded without saying a word, his lips pressed in a thin line, eyebrows still knit, the answer seemed to be enough for the king.
“Very well and as for Merlin the severing boy Gaius has informed me about his … unfortunate state.” Uther still remembered Merlin’s name? For the amount of times he just refers to him as the servant of this stunned Arthur. For as much as this revelation shocked Arthur it also put him on edge, he had to play his cards right.
“Merlin has saved my life once more and I will try to help Gaius find a solution for he is a subject in need and”- “One may wonder why he may save your life so many times with hardly any recognition.” Uther cut off his statement before he could finish, the words were full of venom and it made Arthur blood boil even more. How dare he question Merlin's courage, these are accusations they will only devolve. He had to use his strategy skills in delegation if he wanted to go Arthur’s way.
“Merlin is loyal to the crown, he is an important asset to the crown, losing him will be losing the one man who has saved my life multiple times already putting his life at risk to ensure the future of Camelot.”
Arthur’s words felt cold on his lips, Gods above he is so much more than just an asset but that didn’t matter to the king. This approach will let the king think about Merlin usefulness to the crown. It is almost as if Arthur could see the strategy working in Uther’s mind. He just hoped this was the right course of action.
“My manservant is also a physician in training and the nephew to the court physician who has been in our trust for a long time and I strongly believe that Gaius has imbued Merlin with the same long standing loyalty.”
There it was. Arthur could see it on the king's face, though still deep in thought his eyebrows relaxed. He knew that bringing Gaius into this had been the right choice. For all the times Uther has said that Princes mustn't have trust in others he knew that the king does in Gaius, being the physician is the most trusted position in court and one day Merlin will hold that position. Arthur won’t dare breathe the words but he has trusted Merlin for a long time.
“It seems Gaius has done right with that fool of a boy.” Uther's statement was more of an annoyance than anything. The king knew that calling into question the physician nephew's character would call into question of the physician and out of the whole court Uther trusted Gaius the most. Arthur won this battle through a technicality but technicalities in court are just as important.
“You are dismissed Arthur.”
Arthur bowed to the king and turned around making his way to the door but before his hand could pull the knob his father spoke once more.
“Arthur, for his sake you better hope that Gaius finds something for this evil. You are not to tamper with such a thing, do you understand.”
Arthur turns around to face his father completely. This wasn’t a question, it was a statement and trying to protest could be disastrous.
“I understand.”
With that Arthur left the throne room.
***
Arthur made his way to the training pitch as fast as he could without regard for the other lords and ladies in the citadel as he passed . But in all honesty he didn’t care, Arthur had felt his life just got severely messed up. He just needed some to blow off some steam and hopefully wake up from the really bad and really strange dream but that didn’t happen.
Striking and slashing his ‘opponent,’ It was too late in the day for training his knights. I was unusually warm for the spring day and sweat was already sticking to Arthur’s skin. With each thrust of his sword he imagined the witch and the damage she caused. The pain he felt still buzzed in his bones, it had already been a couple of days since it had dulled but still hadn't gone away. It was a reminder of what Merlin had done, stupidity. Why did he have to be so stupid?
What he could have done differently if he was prepared for the attack. Could he fight her off if it wasn’t a surprise? If it had been a fair fight surely there would have been a different outcome. Yet here I am unscathed while others put their life on the line for me just because I will rule one day. Agner pools through him and advances his attack on the dummy. His knights and his subjects are always in peril!
Uther has alway stated on the evils of magic, Magic Arthur thought with venom, if it wasn’t for magic the majority of despair wouldn't happen. Though the thoughts are in the voices of his father it was the only truth he had known. With a final jab of his sword the leather practice dummy burst, as hay and sand came out of the leather bag Arthur just looked on breathing heavily and shoulders hunched.
“Goodshow sire.” The familiar voice pulled Arthur’s from his turmoil. Looking up he repressed a grone, George stood at the edge of the field and bowed when he knew Arthur could see him.
“What is it George?” Arthur’s voice was gruff, not only the anger lingering in his bones as well as the buzz but George was the last person Arthur wanted to see.
“The court physician has sent for you.” Arthur’s heart raced harder than it was a few minutes before.
“Did he state why?”
“That he just wanted to see you, I also recall him saying that the bird was getting on his nerves as well as some of your knights.”
“Very well George, I must leave immediately. Can you clean this mess up will you?”
Arthur didn’t look back as he left the training pitch, he didn't stop to get out of his armor. All he could do was make it to Gaius as fast as possible.
I could use a drink