Melody (Merlin)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Warning/s: None?

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

A/N: I think this is terrible but oh well. Sorry for this chapter coming up a bit late but I went on a bike ride with my friend a couple of days ago, fell into a bramble bush and I've been resigned to bed rest for ages! (And when I say I fell into a bramble bush, I mean that I went in one end, through it, out the other, and broke my ankle in the process.) Please leave me a review to let me know what you think of this chapter!

Percival was bone-tired, and all he wanted to do was either sink into bed or into a bath. Preferably both (though not at the same time) and with Merlin at his side. He was glad when they finally approached the walls around the castle and urged his horse to go just a little faster. His reputation as being strong and silent came in handy at times like these ones, when he was too exhausted to properly contribute to the conversation.

"What the hell?" Arthur said, being the first one to catch sight of the courtyard. He had the girl they had rescued sitting in front of him, and even though she hadn't so much as smiled since they'd rescued her – understandable really – she giggled at the sight.

Percival chuckled as well when he came into the courtyard. All of the walls, from top to bottom, were covered in bright blue, purple, and red flowers, and the castle now had ivy sprouting from its turrets. "Looks like Merlin got a little bored," he commented, filled with affection for his wife and her peculiar habits.

Arthur huffed, but then admitted, "I suppose it does look quite nice."

The girl they had rescued slid from Arthur's horse and touched the flowers gently. "They're beautiful," she said so softly that nobody was quite sure if she'd actually said it or not.

Percival wondered whether the girl had worked out that they were from magic or not and likewise if anyone else had thought the same. "She's always had a way with flowers," he said, catching Arthur's eye.

Arthur nodded, guessing what Percival was doing. "She must have found some that were already grown," he agreed.

"Give Merlin my compliments," Leon said, admiring the colour around them.

"You can thank her yourself," Gwaine said slyly, nodding towards the entrance of the castle. Merlin was running down the steps, with her hair a mess and wearing trousers and a shirt, and came flying towards Percival. He dismounted quickly and caught her, spinning her around in a tight hug and ignoring the other knights' cat calls.

"I like you hair," Percival said teasingly, twisting a lock around one of his fingers.

Merlin shrugged. "A spell gone slightly wrong," she admitted with a brief smile, lowering her voice. "My magic went haywire – as you can probably tell –" she gestured to the flowers around them, "and I've had to make excuses for everything."

"It looks beautiful," Percival said truthfully. "We managed to retrieve the girl."

Merlin brightened. "Oh, great! Any men lost?"

"None at all," Percival grinned. It had been successful in a way they had not foreseen. "The Saxons were all asleep so it was easy to take them by surprise."

"Good," Merlin said happily. Then she turned to the King, "Arthur, Gwen is coming out in just a minute, she's currently getting dressed. She says she'll take care of the girl."

"Thank you, Merlin," Arthur said briskly. "Still not fond of dresses, I see?"

"You know me, Arthur." A squire came up to take Percival's horse so Merlin grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the castle, chattering about how she'd helped out the staff in the kitchen whilst they'd been gone. The group left behind looked on in amusement as the giant Percival was pulled around willingly by his petite wife.

Percival sank into the water with a relieved sigh. He always felt so grubby and dirty after patrols. Merlin was perched on the end of the bed, watching him with concern in her eyes. She was the one who had conjured up the bath for him, and the one who had insisted that he should prioritise his comfort over everything else.

"The Saxons," Percival said with a sigh. "They're taking over more land every day, and becoming more powerful. They're raiding villages, kidnapping young girls and women, killing anyone who stands up to them...they're getting out of hand."

Merlin bit her lip and fidgeted. "It can't be that bad, can it?" she asked uncertainly. "I mean...I know there are a lot of them, but I thought they weren't that skilled."

"They're getting more vicious and skilled," Percival said regretfully. "We can easily take them in a fight, but it's getting to be more like a real fight and less like target practice." He flicked a droplet of water at his wife teasingly, seeing the stress on her face. "Every time we cut one down, another one appears out of thin air." He sighed and shook his head. "I'm worried," he admitted.

"You should relax," Merlin insisted. "The Saxons aren't an imminent threat, and it doesn't do you any good to be so tense."

"How am I meant to relax?" Percival said fretfully. "Arthur himself is growing more and more concerned by the day. And even with your magic, I fear we will soon be outnumbered."

Merlin looked at her husband thoughtfully. "I'm sure I can handle it," she said lightly. "You forget that my magic is tied to the Earth, and if I really need to, I can literally break the ground."

Percival chuckled. "Fair enough," he said, deciding it was time to get out of the bath and get dressed in his nightclothes. Merlin watched him as he dried himself and then wandered over to the screen to gather his clothes.

"Don't bother," she said suddenly, jumping up. "We can get into nightclothes later."

Percival raised an eyebrow at his wife as she led him over to the bed. "You need to relax," she repeated.