Catrin: Sister of Emrys

Chapter 5: The Darkest Hour Part 1

Chapter 5: The Darkest Hour Part 1

Months later, after Morgana and Morgause's downfall, Merlin was running towards the kitchens, Cade close behind him. "Sorry!" He exclaimed as he ducked under a flower chain and continued up the stairs. Cade groaned and continued trying to keep up with her brother.

"Merlin!" she exclaimed, though her voice was gasping. Merlin just seemed to ignore her. She ran into the kitchens just as Merlin was weaving himself between the maids, servants and cooks crowding the kitchens. He snatched a bit of food from a passing tray just as the head cook cornered him, her ladle held in front of his face like a sword threatening to slice him right open.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, an accusatory tone in her raspy voice. Merlin stuttered to think of an answer, his real reason for being there completely gone to the wind. Fortunately, Cade came to his rescue.

"The prince's shirt." she said, calmly, grabbing Merlin's arm lightly. The cook backed off and the siblings made their way to where Merlin had left the shirt earlier that morning. Merlin grabbed it, but before running off, he and Cade looked up to see Gwaine and Percival lowering a cord with a hook on the end down, aiming for the chicken Merlin and Cade now saw. Merlin and Cade laughed and Merlin, after looking around, hooked the large hook onto one of the chickens and tugged the cord. As it went up, the siblings left.

"Astrid better not let Gwaine talk her into that." Cade muttered. She, Merlin and Astrid had been reunited several months earlier, before Morgana's attempt to take over Camelot had even begun. The three had never been any happier than they were at that moment.

Merlin nodded. Going down the corridor, Merlin ran into a servant carrying wine. As was per their luck, the wine spilled all over Arthur's white shirt, staining it crimson. Merlin and Cade bent down and eyed the shirt. With that big a stain, the shirt was surely ruined. Cade groaned and rubbed her eyes with one hand.

"Could try a bit of salt." Looking up, Merlin and Cade were happy to see one of the knights of round table and close friend, Lancelot, grinning down at them. The siblings stood up, Merlin holding the shirt up so that Lancelot could see it.

"Arthur is going to kill us." Merlin said, solemnly.

"You've faced far worse, my friends." Lancelot said when he had taken a good look at said shirt. "I'm sure two brilliant people of your talents can figure something out."

Merlin and Cade glanced at each other, each with a dark eyebrow raised, Cade's disappearing behind her bangs, before Cade grinned. Taking the shirt from her brother, she muttered, "Fordwin mamm." Immediately, the shirt stain was completely gone. Cade grinned devilishly at Merlin. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this whole magic control business." she said.

"I should hope so. You've been practicing with me and Gaius since the day you arrived in Camelot." Merlin said, rolling his eyes, and smiling.

"When I wasn't sick, which was often." she stated.

"You're still sick, you're just stubborn." Merlin said.

Cade turned towards Lancelot, who had been about to leave when the siblings had gotten into their debate, and held up the now clean shirt. Lancelot only shrugged knowingly and began walking away again.

The siblings resumed walking and were, before long, in the chambers of Prince Prat Arthur himself. Both, however, were shocked to find the prince up and dressed without their assistance when they walked in the door. Arthur saw his servant pause, looking up from the piece of paper he was holding. "Yes?"

Merlin looked down at the shirt, and then at the red tunic his prince was wearing. "You're dressed."

Arthur deigned that with shake of his head, as he turned to move around his desk to seat himself. "Yes, Merlin, I am not an idiot." The movement exposed his back, and the fact that his tunic was tucked up into his belt leaving his lower back bare. Couldn't he feel the draft? Merlin and Cade grinned.