Just another day in Camelot - Merlin one shots

The court sorcerer

His hand hovered over the door as he doubted himself yet again. I can't believe I'm doing this. He gathered up all his courage and knocked on the court sorceress door. Magic was legal in Camelot but that didn't mean it was accepted in many cases if you practiced magic people would fear you. Even just being around someone who had magic would make you seem dangerous in the eyes of the King. To Arthur's knowledge there were only 5 people in Camelot's borders who had magic including the court sorcerer. No one had ever seen the court sorcerer. Well, they had but he was always dressed in a massive cloak that hid all his features when the king required his assistance. Arthur's head started to pound as he held his breath waiting for the door to open, but it never did. He walked away quickly, not wanting to be seen anywhere near the room. His father had first gotten a court sorcerer when Arthur was 14, apparently the king had only gotten one to make an alliance with another strong kingdom. Arthur could not remember the ceremony but apparently it was the only time in which a handful of people got a good look at the sorcerer which was a real shame because Arthur was really quite curious to see what he looked like.

Once in his room he ordered George to clean his armour so that he could be left alone and finished some boring paper work that had to be done.

The next day he found himself outside the court sorcerer's door again. If dad catches me here I'm dead! He raised his had yet again to knock and did so without hesitating this time. A series of clanging could be heard from inside followed by some curses. Arthur had a fleeting idea of running away but before he decided to do anything the door opened. A young boy with raven black hair and sea blue eyes stood in the doorway looking as shocked as Arthur felt.

"Are you the court sorcerer?" The boy just started at him wide eyed. Arthur cleared his thought snaping him out of the trance.

"Oh, yes... And you are?"

"Arthur. Arthur Pendragon." The sorcerer's eyes widened even more and he lowered his head awkwardly, obviously his way of bowing. "You don't have to do that. I have come here to ask for... a favour. You don't have to do it." He added hastily. The boy looked at him considering. But instead of answering his question he asked one himself.

"Does the king, I assume your father, know about this?"

"No."

"Then I can't help you. I take orders from him and him alone." But curiosity glimmered in his eyes and a cheeky grin started to make his across his face. "There are no rules about letting you come in my room though." Arthur shifted nervously not sure if he could really trust him. The boy noticed this and said hurriedly "Just to hang out and have fun. It's pretty boring here on my own. And then maybe I'll consider helping you."

"Not for long though." A massive smile spread across the boy's face, warming something in Arthurs chest slightly but he ignored it as he followed the sorcerer into his chambers. The room wasn't that big but really cosy with filled bookshelves lining the walls. A comfy looking armchair sat next to a small fire place with a window opened wide to the right of it. Candles lit up the corners where the sunlight did not reach. In the far corner a passage opened to where Arthur thought his bed must be in. He made his way to the centre of the room and walked over to the desk that lay at the end of the room. Papers covered the surface of it that had sketches and weird engravings. He as fascinated by it. No, it's magic, dangerous. Don't touch anything. His hand hovered over the papers ¡, wanting to lift them up to get a good look at them but the stern voice that sounded weirdly like his father yelled warning in his head. Instead, he turned around and saw the boy looking at him eagerly.

"Ummm..." The silence was too awkward "You never said your name."

"Merlin Emrys." Arthur nodded not sure what to say next.

"So Merlin, do you go out often?" Merlin shook his head. "Have visitors round?" He shook his head again. "Do you usually get to see people? Friends? Family?" Something like pain flashed through his eyes as he said is a monotone voice

"My family is dead."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." So, this boy practically spends his whole life in this room? No wonder he was eager for me to enter his chambers. He felt sad for the boy. Not having anyone to talk to must be torturous. No, he is a sorcerer, sorcerers don't have emotions. He shook his head trying to get the voice out of his head.

"You're father visits me occasionally to order me around but I'm here the rest of the time."

"What does my father make you do?" Merlin just shrugged, obviously not wanting to get into that subject. "What do you do here? To entertain yourself I mean."

"Read, practice magic, talk to my cat..."

"You have a cat?"

"His name is Lance. He's out catching mice now." A weird silence settled over them. Arthur's eyes darted around the room not really sure of where to look until he spotted what looked like a collection of... he didn't know what it was.

"What's that?" He asked pointing at it.

"Oh its my collection of things that I have collected what I have gone out." He reached his hand up in the air and to Arthur's astonishment, his eyes flashed gold and one of the objects came shooting towards his hand. He caught it with ease and held it out so that Arthur could see it. Arthur leaned in a bit; ha was a considerable distance away from Merlin. The object seemed to be a small dragon carved out of wood. "I brought this the first time I went out on my own. I rarely do it."

"Why?"

"It's just very stressful. There are so many people walking around so quickly and so many noises it's hard to stay out of trouble and keep to myself. Especially as I'm not supposed to be out on my own." Arthur was still amazed at the act of magic that Merlin had performed. He wanted so much to see more of it but instead he asked.

"How old are you? I was expecting to see an old man when that door opened." Merlin laughed, it was the first time Arthur had heard him laugh and he decided he liked the sound of it. He also liked his smile.

"I'm 17." What?! Arthur knew he was young but not that young. So that meant that when the king had first employed him, he had only been 13. A small clock on top of the fireplace chimed 6 o clock stirring Arthur into action.

"I have to go." Merlin's smile fell, his eyes turned dull and his head lowered just a bit. It tugged at Arthur's chest to see him that way and he had a strange urge to go over and comfort him. "I need to go and train some knight's. You will probably be able to see us from your window." He pointed at it, hoping that it would cheer him up a bit.

"Will you come back?"

"Tomorrow. In the morning." The light is Merlin's eyes flickered to life again as Arthur turned to the door. He opened it and walked swiftly out of it glancing back just in time to see some golden eyes and the door shut. He would definitely be coming back.