Never Cease To Amaze

Reading/Writing

Uther had never really seen a servant read. Or write for that matter. He didn't blame them. With their busy jobs on keeping them and their family's alive. Plus, reading and writing was a hard thing to learn.

Uther, who needed to speak to Gaius because of a headache, walked into the chambers expecting to see Gaius. But what he saw was Merlin reading a book and writing on the parchment next to him.

"What are you doing boy?" Uther asked trying not to startle him. Merlin didn't even look up.

"Just reading." He started simply. Merlin finally looked up and his eyes went wide.

"So sorry My Lord. I didn't realise it was you. What can I do for you?" Merlin quickly closed the book and stood up.

"I have a headache and I need some remedies for it. What were you reading?" Uther asked walking over to the book.

"Oh, I was reading a book on the history of Camelot." Uther raised an eyebrow.

"You can read this?" Uther looked at the book. It had many hard words. Some Uther didn't even understand.

"Yes. Well, most of it. Some of the early chapters are in another language, but the ones on English I can read just fine." He said putting two or three bottles in a pouch.

"Why were you writing?" Uther examined the parchment.

"Oh well, Arthur is making me write his speech for the banquet tomorrow night. I needed some extra information, hence the book." Uther was impressed. Merlin's hand writing was better than some of his knights, who had the highest education.

"Where did you learn?" Merlin looked up.

"Oh. Well, I never really learned. My mother could read and we only had one or two books. So after a while I learned what certain words were. Then when I moved here I learned the more complicated words from Gaius's books. The writing I've learned by just copying words."

Uther just stared at the boy.

"You taught yourself to read and write? And you're this good?"

"I wouldn't say I'm good. I believe that I need much more practice." Merlin cheeks turned red of embarrassment.

"Do you write most of Arthur's speeches?" Uther said after a moment.

"Well, when he prefers that I wrote them. He doesn't believe his speeches are well. And if they go wrong he had someone to blame." Uther nodded.

"Good day, Sire." Merlin handed Uther the pouch.

"Good day Merlin." Then Uther left. Leaving to go back to his speech.

Months past and Uther barely thought of the boys way with words. It would pop up whenever Arthur had to speak in front of the court that the boy would pop up in the back of his mind.

It wasn't until Uther had to write a speech that he even spoke to the boy again.

"You, Boy." Merlin jumped looking at the king.

"I need you to write a speech for me. I haven't the time." Merlin just nodded and went to work. The speech was for a banquet he was hosting for a visiting king and his daughter.

When Uther got his speech he was expecting for it to need some fixing but he found that it was better than his own writing.

When the time came he stood and the room became silent.

"For the past hundred years Camelot and Pryborne have been at war. We have been fighting over a simple situation that could have and was easily solved by discussing it. There have been thousands of lives lost because we were simple minded. But today I am proud to say that this war is no more. Today we end the feud. Today we end the suffering. Today we end the fried that we have caused. In signing this treaty we start anew. With new allies and new friend." With that the room burst into applause as the two kings signed the treaty. 

That night most of the nobles and ladies complimented his speech. Telling him it was the most well spoken speech he had spoken in a while. Uther smiled and said thank you.

He once again got the attention of everyone and began to talk.

"It has come to my attention that many people have enjoyed my speech. It saddens me to admit that I am not the writer of the beautiful speech. For it was Merlin, the court physician apprentice." All the knights and servants in the room smiled and turned to their friend and colleague and clapped. The nobles in the room hesitated but joined in the clapping. Arthur walked over to the servant and clapped him on the back. Merlin just stared at Uther with a shocked face.

Merlin was a good writer and Uther felt that he deserved some credit.