The Two Princes (Merlin Fic)

The Blue Knight

(A/N did the best I could in showing the Ambrosia crest)
"Ready?" Arthur asked his manservant.
Merlin looked out of his element, fumbling with the helmet and shield in his arms.
"Would it make any difference if I said no?"
"Not really," the prince replied as Merlin put on the helmet.
Arthur started to swing his sword, calling body parts as he moved to hit them. Merlin moved clumsily, not seeing the point in effort if Gaius was only going to yell at him again.
"Head."
"Head?"
Clank!
Merlin's ears began to ring.
"Come on, Merlin, you're not even trying," Arthur snapped and pushed the servant.
"How would you know that?"
"Because, I've seen you fight, Merlin."
"No what you saw was me fumble with a mace, and now your seeing me fail with a shield and a bucket on my head that I can't see out of."
"Yeah right," Arthur laughed. "Let's try this again."
For a few minutes, Arthur called hits and this time Merlin put a little more effort into blocking, but Gaius' reprimanding words reminded the warlock not to give himself away.
"Head."
"Ow!" Merlin snapped as he pulled the helmet off.
"Can we stop now. Please."
"I don't get it."
"Get what?"
"How can you be such a clumsy oaf, when you were able throw a perfect punch just the other day?" The prince asked.
Merlin looked to the harsh bruise on the other's face and shrugged.
"Luck, I suppose."
"Luck," the prince laughed. "Your brave. I'll give you that, but..."
"But?"
"I don't believe it's luck."
"Are we done?" The warlock asked.
"That was just the warm up. We've got to work on your mace work. You did say it was a weak suit of yours, didn't you?"
Merlin groaned.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Merlin walked into the physicians chambers, each step ached. The old man smiled at the boy.
"So how was your first day as Arthur's servant?"
"Let's just say, I haven't been this sore since my first training session with the knights of Maelidor. Do you hear clanging?"
The physician laughed.
"Go get changed. I'll rub your shoulders when your cleaned up."
"Thanks Gaius." With that the boy quickly went to his room and pulled off his sweaty shirt with difficulty. His arms screamed in protest but slowly he was free of the fabric, revealing a tattoo and multiple scars littering toned, lean muscles. The tattoo rested over the secret prince's heart, depicting a unicorn and a dragon facing a sword in the center, the Ambrosia family crest.
Merlin quickly grabbed a clean shirt and threw it on before walking back to Gaius.
"Sit," the physician said.
Merlin obeyed and Gaius roughly kneaded the tender muscles.
"It was horrible. I was practically a walking punching bag out there, and he still expects me to do all the medial tasks that he could do himself."
"It can't be all that bad."
"He expects me to dress him, Gaius, to dress him like he's a toddler. It's rediculous. Ow! I save Arthur from being killed and I end up as his servant. How is that fair?"
"I'm not sure fairness comes into it," Gaius responded. "You never know. It might be fun."
"You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear my list of duties."
"We all have our duties, even Arthur."
"Must be hard for him," the boy mocked. "With all the girls and the glory."
"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. I would think you of all people would understand that."
The warlock hissed under the physician's prodding hands.
"I highly doubt we are on the same standing. After all, he hasn't failed his people as miserably as I have mine."
"You haven't failed anyone, Merlin," Gaius protested.
"No. Of course not. That's why I'm in Camelot, servant to the prince. I haven't failed anyone by spending the past six years in hiding, doing absolutely nothing about my uncle," the boy sighed. "All I've been doing is running, Gaius."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Arthur made his way to the council chambers where his father was waiting. A number of servants bowed as he passed, but to the prince, they might as well have not been there. He was far to confused by his new manservant.
How could someone fight decently one day then be utterly hopeless the next, or rather why? Why would he hold back? Merlin was obviously capable, so what was the point? These questions ran through the blond's mind, his fingers intently grazing over his bruised jaw.
"Hello, Arthur."
"Hm, hello Morgana," the prince greeted, pulled from his trance.
The lady smiled.
"You look rather lost, today. Is everything alright?"
"Fine, Morgana. I'm just thinking," Arthur replied.
"Well careful, wouldn't want you getting hurt now would we?"
The two laughed.
"How is your new manservant fairing? Haven't run the poor boy off, have you"
Arthur shook his head.
"Something tells me he would rather hit me than run away," the prince said, gesturing to his face.
"So that's who hit you? I would have assumed on of the Knights did it." Morgana was nearly doubled over laughing now. "How, on earth, did the "great" Arthur Pendragon get hit by a mere serving boy."
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I would love to stay and chat, but my father has requested me in the council chambers."
"Of course, don't let me keep you," Morgana nodded still giggling.
Arthur sighed as he stood in front of the council chambers, any thoughts of Merlin, that lingered in his head, he shoved as far back as he could and occupied his mind with what his father might need. With one last, deep breathe the prince walked through the double doors in front of him.
Uther stood surrounded by a number of council members, discussing food storage for the year. The thought of one day having to do the exact same thing in the future, made Arthur dread the day he would become king.
"Ah, Arthur, finally. I have a job for you," the King spoke, noticing his son standing at the door. "A bounty hunter came in today, said he'd been tracking down a sorcerer that he believes is now in Camelot. I want you to assist him in finding this menace."
"Yes father. Did he give any information on this sorcerer?"
"He simply referred to him as the Blue Knight, and said he was an expert swordsman."
Arthur mulled this information over. He was never a fan of bounty hunters but considered them a necessary evil.
"And he said nothing else? I believe it would be best if I spoke to him myself."
"Yes, I think that would be wise. If there is a sorcerer lurking within Camelot's walls, we should find him quickly," Uther agreed.
"Will I find the bounty hunter at the inn?"
"No. He made camp on the outskirts of the forest with his companions. You're dismissed."
Great, Arthur thought as he walked away. The more bounty hunters the better.
The prince quickly made his way to his room. Clothes sprawled across the floor, his armor still sat in the corner where it had been left earlier.
"MERLIIIINN!"
_______________________________________________________________________________
The boy jumped at the sheer volume of which his name was called. Gaius raised a questioning brow as if asking Merlin what he had done this time. The warlock only shrugged and made his way to the prince's chambers. He peeked his head inside.
"You...called, sire?"
"What. The hell. Is all this!"
"It looks like a mess," Merlin remarked.
"Yes, it does doesn't it? I wonder who's job it is to clean it up?" Arthur glared at the servant.
The boy's lips drew in to a straight line.
"I should probably get to work on that."
"Yeah, I do believe so. You need to, wash my clothes, polish my armor, and while your at it, why don't you muck out the stables," the prince listed.
"Yes, sire. Will that be all?" The servant replied sarcastically.
"No."
"No?"
"You're coming with me to speak with a bounty hunter about a sorcerer in Camelot."
"That sounds like your job, not mine."
Arthur glared at Merlin.
"Do you need to spend more time in the stocks?"
"No."
"Good, then we're going to talk to the Bounty hunter," the blond spoke as he headed for the door.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that bounty hunters make you nervous"
"Well it's a good thing you know better then."
Merlin smiled at that. Arthur found it ridiculous but contagious and soon had a hint of his own smile playing at the corner of his lips as they walked.
"So, a sorcerer in Camelot huh?" Merlin asked after his smile faded.
"Scared?" Arthur taunted.
"Not particularly. I used to know a number of people that followed the ways of the old religion. Some of them, I dare say, where very close friends of mine."
"Why are you telling me this? I'm the prince of Camelot, and you, could be executed for consorting with sorcerers."
"I don't know' but..." the dark haired boy was lost in thought as he walked beside the blond.
"But?" Arthur asked realizing that he was parroting the other's line back to him.
Merlin realized this too as his smile returned.
"I don't know. If you figure it out, explain it to me."
The prince looked to his manservant, finding him to be more of a mystery than before. A mystery that Arthur was determined to unravel at some point.
Soon the two were walking out the Camelot gates and toward the small plume of smoke that billowed just above the tree line. Arthur grew tense the closer they got.
"Who's that there?" One of the men noticed the pair walking towards them.
"Arthur, Prince of Camelot. I came to discuss the sorcerer you've been tracking."
"Ah, Hey Ricker, this ones for you!"
The man called to a makeshift tent. Merlin tensed at the man that came out. He was gruff and unkept and the scar that was violently etched across his face was all to familiar to the warlock. He knew precisely why this man was here.
Ricker looked the pair up and down.
"You wanted to talk?"
"Yes. I wanted to discuss more about the sorcerer. You didn't give us much on who it is we're looking for."
"I told that king of yours exactly who were dealing with."
"Simply calling him the Blue Knight does not help us," Arthur replied.
"What good are you then?"
"Excuse me. What ri-"
"What the Prince means to say," Merlin cut in. "Is that no one in Camelot has heard of this Blue Knight. If you could enlighten us than we could help you find him."
Arthur glared at his servant for interrupting him.
"You did speak with the king because you needed help, didn't you?"
"The Blue Knight is dangerous, he wiped out half of my men when I first encountered him. He's the one that gave me this," Ricker said gesturing to the scar. "I got him back for that though when I ran into him again."
Merlin felt his shoulder burn, knowing what the man was talking about.
"How do you know he's a sorcerer?" Arthur asked.
"I saw him use magic when we fought, but even without it he'd be a threat. He is an incredible swordsman but he has a soft spot for other sorcerers. I intend to use that to draw him out. You see we caught a companion of his, the Red Knight."
_______________________________________________________________________________
"Lady Morgana, it's getting late," Gwen said looking to the woman that stood at the window, gazing at the high moon.
She was fearful of falling asleep but she knew that she couldn't stay up all night. With a sigh Morgana turned to her maid with a smile.
"Are you ready for bed my lady?" Gwen asked.
"Yes, sorry for keeping you so late, Gwen."
"Oh, it's no trouble."
"It's not fair to you. I'm sure you would like to spend time with your father in the evenings, instead I keep you here."
"I really don't mind, my lady," Gwen replied with a slight blush.
Morgana noticed the pink on her maid's cheeks but didn't comment as she crawled into bed and grabbed her sleeping draft.
"Is there anything else you need my lady?"
"No thank you, Gwen. That will be all."
With those final words, Morgana downed the  liquid and quickly .
In her dreams she was quickly met with a man in armor, a bit of blue fabric, in place of a full length cape, draped over his shoulder. She couldn't see his face under his helmet, but the way he moved and the speckles of blood and the multiple bodies lying on the ground, made her fear for the man he pinned down with his sword. The man with blond hair and eyes as blue as the sunny sky.
Arthur.
She feared for Arthur who lay on the ground especially when the knight lifted his sword and plunged it down with force.
"Arthur!" Morgana panicked as she bolted up from her bed.
She looked around her self and recognized her chambers.
"It was just a dream," she assured herself. "Just a dream."
_______________________________________________________________________________
Merlin paced about his room to riled for sleep even though he had tried. His bed was a mess, his shirt had long since been abandoned in the corner, and his hair fluffed in all directions from his hands relentlessly tugging at it.
Ricker had Red and the young warlock wracked his brain for a way to help his friend. He couldn't go in with nothing, he needed leverage if he was going to be up against the knights of Camelot.
Merlin stopped. There was no reason to say he was going up against the knights, was there? Merlin smiled mischievously as he fished for parchment, quill and ink.
The boy sat at the table in his room and began quickly writing a letter. His graceful penmanship filled the page and when he was done he folded it neatly and sealed it with blue wax. Merlin then dressed in his usual clothes and secured a blue neckerchief around his throat. He grabbed a dingy sword from under a loose floorboard.
Merlin made his way out to the forest to practice. The secret prince had been putting it off since he'd arrived in Camelot, but now he needed to prepare himself for the events that would unfold.
_______________________________________________________________________________
"Rise and shine," Merlin chimed pulling back the red curtains.
Sunlight filled the room and Arthur groaned pulling the covers over his head in an attempt to shield himself from the light.
The serving boy sighed in annoyance before tugging at the blankets the prince hid under. Arthur latched on to the fabric as he felt it moving. Merlin pulled harder feeling the resistance in turn causing the other to grip tighter to the covers.
"Come on, Arthur. This is rediculous," the servant said with a final yank causing the prince to fall into a heap on the floor.
"Your the worst servant, ever," Arthur groaned not bothering to get up off the floor.
"Well, I suppose I should be thankful you aren't as horrible a morning person as I am," the dark haired boy laughed.
The blond groaned again in response as he sat up.
"By the way, I found these on the floor." Merlin held out a piece of folded parchment and a gleaming, silver gauntlet for the prince to see.
"What's that?" Arthur asked incredulously.
"How am I supposed to know. It was already here when I came in."
The prince glared as he snatched the items from his servant.
"Merlin, did you do your job yesterday?"
"Yeah, why?"
"This is a gauntlet." Arthur held up the article.
"Very observant, Sire."
"Why is there a gauntlet in my chambers, if you did your job."
"I don't know. Just read the damn paper and find out," Merlin snapped.
Arthur rolled his eyes and snapped open the wax seal.