A/N: Title from "Oh, Christmas Tree." Part ten of my Christmas fics, as well as an entry in my series of Werewolf!Arthur, Monster Hunter!Merlin series.
. . .
The best thing about the winter holidays was the scents. Roasting meat, crispy pastry, and cinnamon from the kitchens. The clean scent of the evergreen boughs that were brought in. The various scents the many guests brought with them -
Arthur froze. Then there was, of course, the scent of the guests themselves.
He backtracked to the young man hanging holly in a window. The scrawny, dark haired young man.
"Merlin," he growled.
Merlin turned around with guilty slowness. "Your highness."
Arthur gritted his teeth. This was a crowded hallway. He couldn't start shouting, no matter how tempting it was. "What are you doing here?"
"I was hired," Merlin said with wide, innocent eyes. "They needed more help for the holidays."
Arthur gave up on subtlety, grabbed Merlin by the arm, and started dragging him down the hallway. They were almost to his room. Hopefully, everyone they passed till then would see the fury rolling off him and have the sense to mind their own business.
Merlin didn't protest. He let Arthur all but fling him into the room and slam the door.
Arthur took a deep breath. "In case you've forgotten, your whole clan's banished. Most people take that to mean that getting a job at the king's castle is right out."
Merlin was still trying the innocent eyes. "But Arthur, it's the season of goodwill and forgiveness."
Suddenly, all the fury drained away, and all that was left was the constant worry that was wearing away at him. He leaned against this door and prayed this wasn't about to come to a fight. "Please tell me you're not here to kill my father."
Merlin was abruptly serious. "I'm not here to kill anyone. I'm here to deliver a warning."
"About my father?"
Merlin shook his head. "We've got bigger targets now." He paused. "Literally and figuratively. I thought you needed to know."
"Know what?"
Merlin grimaced. "Did you know it was possible to make undead dragons?"
Arthur stared at him. "No. I did not know that. I would have happily gone my whole life without knowing that. Why are there undead dragons?"
"Morgause," Merlin said apologetically, like that explained anything.
It more or less did.
"You look stressed," Merlin said.
"Oh, keen eye there. Great deduction skills."
Merlin grinned. "Want to go hunt dragons with me?"
"No," Arthur growled. "I want to go hunt down that vampiric witch."
"That works too. How soon can you get away?"
"Two days." He grimaced. "And I'll need an escort."
"Gwaine," Merlin suggested.
"My two biggest headaches in one place." Arthur sighed. "Perfect."
