Merthur - The King and His Guardian Angel

Chapter 9 - Welcome to Camelot

Merlin's whole body goes tense at Arthur's words. Camelot, the big bad place his mother told him about as a child where sorcerers are burned on a regular basis. Merlin swallows the lump in his throat, trying to keep himself from shaking. He can see Arthur watching him skeptically with a tilt of his head, most likely curious as to why he suddenly looks so afraid.

"Camelot?" Merlin asks for confirmation, hoping he had simply heard wrong.

Arthur smiles again and nods. "Camelot."

Merlin swallows again, looking around and seeing now how the villagers are all eyeing him with concern from the corners of their eyes. He's touched that they worry over him, but he can't be the one to hold them back from seeking refuge within Camelot's impregnable walls. He'll have to simply learn to adjust, besides, it isn't as though he has never considered going to Camelot before. It could be fun, he'll just have to be more careful from now on. 

Merlin smiles, hiding the fear churning in the pit of his stomach. "Then we best get going."

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The king leads the way throughout the journey with his knights and the other villagers following behind him. Gaius keeps pace with the horses, aiding the injured villagers riding the stallions when they are in need of any assistance from the physician. Hunith follows the old man, trying to help in any way she can whether it be searching through Gaius' medicine satchel for potions or rebinding someone's wounds. The children dash along the trails, filled with energy and excitement at the new adventures awaiting them in Camelot. Some run off the path to chase some squirrels or rabbits in the trees, only to be scolded by their parents to return to the group. The other villagers chat amongst themselves, some wondering how the castle in Camelot would look while others mourn quietly for their loved ones. 

Merlin walks alongside Arthur. The sounds of their laughter as they continue their usual banter seems to ring out over the group of refugees. Smiles cover both their faces as they argue back and forth, seeing which one could come up with the better insult. 

The knights watch the two quietly from behind, all of them throughly surprised at seeing such a genuine smile on their king's face. They look between the two, trying to deduce what had happened during their absence.

"Perhaps," Elyan begins, "the boy's threatening him."

Leon shakes his head, "No, doesn't seem like the type to do such a thing."

"Then he's placed Arthur under a spell?" Percival suggests with a shrug, though he highly doubted it.

 "Oh he has the princess under a spell alright!" Gwaine says while throwing his head back in laughter.

The others snicker as well, eyeing their king and the peasant boy once more. 

"He indeed shows a strange fondness for the boy," Lancelot says with a nod in the pairs direction.

"At this point it's more than fondness," Elyan corrects.

The others laugh again at the remark. Truly it has been some time since they had last seen their king so relaxed, if they ever had that is. Gwaine is the first to decide to disturb the pair. He swings an arm around them both before grinning widely.

"How are the two lovebirds today?" Gwaine asks with a chuckle as the other knights move up to join him.

Immediately, Merlin looks down at the ground with the tips of his ears burning a bright red. Arthur has already shoved the man off them both, face more than just slightly flustered. He sneers at the drunk who only returns the gesture with a mischievous grin. The other knights snicker around them, amused at the king's reaction to the statement.