I have magic - Merlin Fanfiction

Chapter One

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"

Arthur's groan is muffled in his pillow. It has been two days since they reclaimed Camelot from Morgana, and he is exhausted.

Since the defeat, everything has been a blur. Assembling the remaining council members, organising repairs, gathering the names of the dead and arranging their burials... The euphoria of freedom from Morgana's brief but terrible rule is tempered by the undeniable sorrow for all they have lost.

"Don't be like that. I have good news!"

Arthur's blanket is ripped off of him and he groans louder, slitting open his eyes to glare angrily at his far-too-cheery manservant.

They had both found each other when the undead army disappeared, a quick grin and confirmation of "So, you're not dead then?" before work got started. But Merlin has his own duties on top of serving the prince and as physician's apprentice he has been busier than ever, helping Gaius treat those wounded during the attack.

For the last two mornings Arthur's breakfast and clothes have been laid out for him, Merlin come and gone, before he has awoken. This is the first time he's seen his servant in person for what feels suddenly like an age.

"What good news?" Arthur sits up slowly and looks to where bright sunlight streams through his window. He slept longer than he intended. "They've finished repairs on the council chamber?"

"Er, no." Merlin presses a plate of food into Arthur's hand, bustling around the room and picking up the clothes Arthur had flung carelessly onto the floor the previous night. "I think that'll be quite a long job, actually. But they're bringing Gwen back today!"

And that is good news. Fantastic news. Suddenly energised, Arthur shoves a piece of bread into his mouth and springs up, going to pull on his clothes.

"I knew that'd cheer you up," Merlin smirks. "I've made sure your schedule's free until this evening."

Arthur doesn't question how Merlin managed to wrangle that. Some things he's better off not knowing.

They wait for Gwen and the knights on the Courtyard steps. The Courtyard is quiet, quieter than Arthur has known it outside of an execution. He has been told about the terrible events which took place here, townspeople shot down by Morgana's undead soldiers in demonstration to the knights of what would happen if they refused to swear their fealty to her. Arthur pushes the thought away, not wanting to dwell on thoughts of his newly-discovered sister.

"Have you seen the state of these boots?"

Merlin doesn't even glance in Arthur's direction. "Yeah."

Arthur falls back into the old banter easily. "Well go and get something to clean them."

"Why?"

Arthur looks to Merlin with a feigned sternness. Merlin meets his gaze with a knowing smile. "They're your boots."

"Have you lost your mind?"

And Merlin looks away again, smile growing. "I thought you believed in equality."

"I'm sorry?"

"At the Round Table, you said-"

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur is smiling now too, can't keep up the act. He is proud of what he said at the Round Table, glad that Merlin has remembered. He nudges the manservant with his shoulder and the two chuckle quietly. Soon though, a sense of solemnity sets in.

"How's your father?"

A loaded question. Arthur has been avoiding his father beyond the bare minimum, can't face the empty husk of the man he used to know.