One Of Us Is Lying - Merlin Apply Fic

Chapter 1 - Introductions 1

The first two chapters are going to have everybody's character in, 6 in each, even if they're not major yet. This is to get you used to all the characters. Just so you know not all the characters will be in future chapters!

Also, sorry, I'm aware that this chapter and the next have like no plot: it's purely about introducing characters!

"Arise, Sir Lucan, knight of Camelot."

Lucan- wait, no, Sir Lucan now, felt the cold metal of the king's sword as it touched lightly against his shoulders. He raised his bowed head slightly: this was the best moment of his life, he wasn't wasting it staring at Uther Pendragon's boots. No, he wanted to see the man himself. Closeup.

To his disappointment, however, his motion was stopped by a firm hand before his eyes had even reached the man's face and his head was pressed sternly down again.

Great. I've already disappointed them. Lowering his head once more, he tried to keep still. He had pictured today over and over again in his head, and never once had he fidgeted. But now he was nervous and couldn't seem to sit still. He could feel the court's eyes pressing into his back. Don't move. He thought anxiously. Don't move. But he had to.

He risked a quick look over his shoulder at his older brother, Sir Leon, and watched him intently for a few seconds. The knight was standing tall and proud as always, looking on with shining eyes.

Gritting his teeth, Lucan looked back at the floor in time to watch Uther's boots move on to the next new recruit. Of course, Leon's knighting ceremony had been perfect. Leon was always perfect. Lucan was always worse that his brother. Always second-best.

If only there was a way to beat him.

-

After the ceremony there was a great feast in the hall, attended by many court members, knights, and servants alike. The cacophony of clinking plates and glasses, shuffling feet, rowdy conversations and music was loud enough to deafen, but despite all of this the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Leon and Lucan stood together in one corner, a cup in each of their hands, talking quietly. Lucan was excitedly recounting his first day as a knight of Camelot to his brother, who was nodding along patiently. Of course, being a knight himself, Leon knew exactly what Lucan had been doing. But he went along with it anyway, just to please his younger sibling. That was what this feast was for, right? Sir Lucan. Leon couldn't help but grin with pride.

"Well done, brother. I'm very proud of you."

Lucan beamed.

"In fact," Leon continued, "I propose a toast! To the new recruits!"

"To the new recruits!" This shout was taken up all over the large room, and glasses chinked together as the same words were reiterated over and over again. The two brothers toasted and drank, and then moved off to find more wine; it wasn't often they were privileged enough to drink from Uther's collection of rather expensive alcoholic drinks.

And so it went on until the sun began to rise and the celebrations eventually drew to a close. Eventually all the guests departed to get a few hours of sleep before the new day began.

———

All the knights, new and old, awoke with a pounding headache and a hangover.

Sir Azric Erenion was among the last to wake, for when he eventually brought himself to crack his eyes the sun was already streaming through the curtains. Groaning softly to himself, he rubbed his temples: his head was pounding from the quantity of alcohol he had consumed last night.