Merlin: Dawn of the Dragonlord

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

“Rise and shine!”

Arthur had never appreciated being woken by bright light shining in his eyes, but this time it was different. This time it meant that Merlin was back. And by the tone of his voice, the prince knew that his servant was just as glad to be back in Camelot.

“This place is a mess! I always knew you were a prat, I just didn’t know you were a slob.”

“Merlin…” groaned the prince while burying his face in the pillow to shut out the bright morning light.

Yes, Merlin was back. Yet there hung a sort of uncertainty in the air. To everyone but a few trusted knights, Merlin was Arthur's manservant, but to those who knew the truth, he was in fact a powerful sorcerer, a noble of the House of Brittanicus, and a Dragonlord. Now he, Prince Arthur, was expected to keep up the pretense. But how could he? Was he really going to order Lord Merlin around? Make him muck out the stables, clean his room, mend his clothes, bring his food? No one in their right mind would accept to be treated that way, against their birthrights, even against their nature. Then again, Merlin was not like anyone that he knew. In fact, Merlin was not only a lot cleverer then he looked; he was also the most well-kept secret in the entire kingdom. As annoying as it was to Arthur, if anyone had the ability to pull it off, it would be Merlin.

The tricky part, of course, would be to stop him from showing off too much.

“Seriously! You could at least have learned to pick yourself up,” Merlin was saying as Arthur sat up in his bed. He became suddenly aware that the level of agitation was somewhat disproportionate to the actual state of his chambers.

“This is called a cupboard,” Merlin continued, pointing at the large piece of furniture. “This is for your clean clothes. The dirty ones you can put… Well, we’ll find a system for you because Gaius wants me to take on more physician duties and I won’t always have time to look under your bed to find your… What is that? An apple core? I’m really disappointed.”

The smug smile on Merlin's face wasn't going to make it easy.

“We have to talk,” said Arthur as he was pulling his usual red shirt over his head.

Merlin kept on fussing about the room, picking up leftovers and shuffling through Arthur's clothes as though expecting to find more apple cores.

“If this is you trying to tell me that I can't use magic, then I have to say that I already know. It comes from having an incredible power of astuteness equaled only by an intense desire to live. "

Arthur suppressed a smile. This had to remain a serious conversation.

“You are aware of my father’s new rule,” he stated, crossing his arms on his chest.

Merlin slowed down his pace. “Anyone caught performing magic will be killed on sight,” he said bluntly.

The prince nodded. It still had not properly sunk in that his father would order him to do such a thing. Even during the Great Purge, there had been a reasonable gathering of proof before sending anyone accused of using magic to the pyre. To order one's army to kill on sight was opening the door wide for mindless accusations, which would only add mistrust to the existing climate of fear within the walls of Camelot. There was rumor now that the king's mind was set on revenge and war, or that it was clouded by something else entirely. The word 'madness' had reached Arthur's ears on his first day back from Aria's Cradle. If he was choosing to ignore it now, it was only because he needed time to think.

“This is not a rule easy to work around,” Arthur said darkly. “I may not always be there to cover for you.”

Merlin leaned his back against the table on which Arthur's armor was resting. “I know. Gaius already warned me. You know it's not right, that rule, don't you?”