Darkness

Good Day

Merlin sat to the side of the training field and sharpened swords while Arthur and Leon ran the Knights through drills. He couldn't help feeling at ease. Finally. After being afraid and surrounded by dark for so long, he was able to relax. His mind wandered to Morgana while he watched his friends. He thought back to the girl he'd met who was afraid of her magic and then of the woman he had been trapped in the dark with. He wondered if he had shared his magic with her, helped her not feel so alone, if things could have been different. He was so lost in his thoughts, he barely registered that he'd sliced his hand on the sword he was sharpening. He'd managed to smear his blood all along the blade's edge before coming out of his reverie.

"Damn." He muttered.

"Merlin?" Percival was saying his name. Merlin looked up at the gentle giant.

"Hey Perc. Er, can you let Arthur know that I need to see Gaius?" Merlin said, holding up his hand that had started to drip blood to the ground.

"I'll walk you there." Percival said kneeling down and taking Merlin's hand in his. He poured some water over the injury and Merlin hissed in pain. "Sorry." Percival took a cloth and wrapped it around the wound before going to inform the King. It was a quiet comfortable walk through the corridors before they reached the Physician's chambers. Percival sat with him while Gaius dressed the wound and gave him something to take for the pain. "So, I talked to Gwaine. Do you need any help to move any of your things?" Percival asked, grinning crookedly at the warlock. Merlin blushed when Gaius looked at him with eyebrows raised.

"Sure. You can help. I don't have much, but I'll take the help." Merlin headed up into his little room and pulled his magic book and staff from the loose floorboard under the bed, gathered his clothes together, along with some of his other mementos. Percival placed the belongings in a pack and picked them up, while Merlin carried the staff. Gaius stopped him before he left and gave him a fatherly hug.

"I'll still need your help, you know." Gaius told him.

"I know. I'll still be your apprentice. I've no intention of changing that." Merlin said and then headed down the hall following Percival to the Knights quarters. When they got there, Merlin had Percival just set his belongings on the bed and he placed his staff in the corner. Merlin returned to Arthur while Percival went back to training, after ruffling Merlin's hair. Though Merlin had intended to clean the royal suite, Gwen had other ideas for him. Seeing his hand bandaged, she forced him to attend to her for the remainder of the day while Arthur went to his council meetings alone. This simply meant walking in the gardens, overseeing the royal household, and getting a much needed haircut. Gwen hadn't forced him to cut his hair, but had someone come to her chambers so he could get it done if he so chose. Merlin was grateful that his friend wanted to help him so much. As the locks drifted to the floor, Merlin could feel a weight slowly being lifted. Not the weight of his hair, but the weight of what the hair had represented. When he was surrounded by piles of hair, he reached up to feel the length. He somehow was able to mutter a thank you, but Gwen wouldn't hear it. She had grabbed a comb and ran it through his hair a while. Merlin had closed his eyes and relaxed into her touch. At some point, she noticed that he seemed to have fallen asleep. When Arthur entered, she quickly put a finger to her mouth so he wouldn't disturb the sleeping warlock. Arthur watched as his wife lovingly combed through his little brother's hair. He came over and kissed her on the cheek, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"He looks almost like his old self." He whispered.

"Almost." She agreed. "I don't know how to wake him."

"Mm." Arthur hummed. There was a knock at the door, but instead of telling, whoever it was to enter, Arthur walked over and opened the door himself. He grinned when he saw who it was, and opened the door wide for them to come in. Gwaine stepped in and had his mouth open to ask a question, but stopped at the sight in front of him. He smiled.

"I guess I have my answer. I was going to ask if you'd seen a particular handsome dark haired man wandering about." Gwaine smiled and gave a slight bow to the Queen, ignoring Arthur altogether. "Your highness. It seems you have soothed our wayward warlock to sleep. Want me to wake him?" he asked, kneeling down in front of his lover brushing the short hair from his forehead. Gwen chuckled.

"You would probably be the best one to wake him. It has been a long day with a lot of excitement for him, if I'm not mistaken?" Gwen grinned at Gwaine mischievously.

"I suppose he shared with you today?" Gwaine asked, curiously.

"He may have given me a few details. So. If there is anything additional you'll be needing in the room, be sure to let me know." She winked at him, while Arthur stood to the side, looking confused.

"Have I missed something?" He asked.

"I asked Merlin to stay with me. And he accepted. Percival helped move some of his things to my room after he got his wound taken care of." Gwaine looked back at Arthur, not taking his hand from Merlin's face.

"Really?" Arthur asked. "What happened to just having a bit of fun, then?" Arthur was trying not to grin.

"Mmm. I guess that's fair. Maybe it started that way. I'd like to see where this goes, though. He's been getting better every day. It's been a long while since he's had any kind of episode. We were together a full year before..." Gwaine cleared his throat. Thinking about how long he had been gone was still hard. "Anyway, I spent a lot of years running around tavern to tavern, town to town having my fun. I think I got in over my head when we got involved. I fell in love, and he knew it. I think part of that is why he went off on his own. I'm not sure what made him want me back, but I'm not going to waste my chance." He was caressing Merlin's cheek, who had leaned into the touch, eyelids fluttering as if he was trying to wake up. When his eyes finally opened, he saw he had an audience, his face flushed.

"Erm. Hello." He said hesitantly. The others just laughed.

"Merlin, you fell asleep after your haircut. It's late, if you're done here, we can have dinner." Gwaine told him.

"Oh, I probably better get food for Arthur and Gwen first." But as Merlin said it there was a knock at the door, and George brought in the meal for the King and Queen. "Nevermind. I guess I don't." Gwen giggled.

"Merlin, you and Gwaine should stay and dine with us. You've been gone too long, and we will not take no for an answer." She was still running the comb absently through his hair.

"Ok. If you're sure." Merlin looked to Arthur for his response. Arthur just rolled his eyes.

"Merlin, if Guinevere says you're to stay for dinner, then you're to stay. I can't contradict the Queen's request." Gwen beamed at her husband. Merlin laughed at this. They sat around the table together eating and talking about old adventures, with Merlin filling in a few details that maybe he kept out of the first letter he'd left with Arthur. By the end of the night, Merlin felt warmth and happiness swell up in his chest.