Archive of Our Own ^beta

Arthur was exhausted as he headed towards his chambers, today's council meeting had been tedious even without having to sit in a stifling room in the summer heat. He hoped their regular meeting room would be repaired soon. It had been three days since a rogue sorcerer had attacked Sir Rhaegar, a junior knight showing promise, in the middle of another meeting. He had managed to knock out the two guards on duty with suspicious sleeping gas and had entered the meeting room in the guise of a servant bearing refreshments. But for Sir Lancelot's quick reflexes, Rhaegar's condition would've been very serious, as it was Gaius had confined him to three days of rest. Merlin had ducked behind Arthur's chair, spilling the water jug on a set of important state documents. That was the least of Arthur's worries though, for the sorcerer had managed to fell two columns and a wall before he was captured, the repairs of which were still ongoing.

However, today the issue of bandits and troublemakers in the border village of Mescitia was giving him a headache. The village was close to the border of Essetir but still within Camelot. Arthur wanted the issue to be dealt with post-haste, his father's council members, however, enjoyed debating and going over a hundred possible solutions and scenarios. Arthur understood the need to be tactful, but he was a man of action and this was the first big issue he had to face since taking up the mantle of Regent, he had to prove himself both to the council, who would be keeping a close watch on his every move, and to his people.

"What is taking you so long, Merlin?" he reprimanded as he pushed open the doors and proceeded to disrobe. The doors had opened silently which meant that Merlin had at least managed to oil the squeaky hinges, but it couldn't have taken him all afternoon, he was supposed to be the water bearer during the meeting but when he failed to appear they had to send for George-with-the-smarmy-smile. George was efficient but his presence made the meeting feel duller.

"Not all of us have the liberty to sit around all day, my Lord , some of us have jobs to do," came the muffled reply as Merlin stuck his head inside Arthur's wardrobe.

"Your job, Merlin, was to attend to me during today's meeting," said Arthur as he dropped his robe on the floor and proceeded to unlace his tunic himself. "Where did you disappear this time?" he questioned as he shucked his tunic and headed towards the water basin.

"I thought it best if I didn't appear before the council for a few days after what happened last time," came the sheepish response as Merlin laid out a fresh tunic on the back of Arthur's chair.

"And that is why we don't leave the thinking to you, Merlin," said Arthur as he quickly washed his hands and face with the cool water, drying himself on the nearby towel. "You had a job to perform which you neglected and anyway the council didn't fuss too much over the ruined parchments, what with the troubling reports from Mescitia occupying all their time," he continued grumbling as he motioned for Merlin to put the tunic on him.

"Mescitia?" asked Merlin, tugging the tunic over Arthur's head. "The village on the eastern border, what's happened there this time?"

"You know of it?" came the surprised response, "What do you mean 'this time'?"

"Yeah, it's half a day's ride from Ealdor and has some of the best leather workers in the area. We had gone there when our cow died, mum said they could work with the hide to make a pair of new boots and some waterskins," explained Merlin as he adjusted the tunic, wiping away remnant droplets on Arthur's collarbone and went to tie the laces. Arthur waved his hands away to indicate he wanted them to be left untied for the moment, the cloth hanging low on his broad frame.

Merlin went to pick up Arthur's discarded clothes and made faces at the sweat he could smell on them. "That was when I was seven winters old and Mescitia was still a part of Essetir. They had their fair share of troublemakers and goons, but a few months after we visited, the border dispute became more serious and soon enough Mescitia was claimed under Camelot's borders," Merlin continued as he dropped the smelly clothes in the assigned laundry basket.

"Which is exactly what worries the council."

"What, the leather workers? I'll admit they're skilled, Arthur, but they're nothing to worry about, they have nowhere near the skill of those under Royal employment," exclaimed Merlin with a bemused expression on his face.

"No you dolt, the border issues not the leather workers," said Arthur as he laughed at Merlin's confusion. It was strange how a few minutes with Merlin made him feel lighter already.

Arthur pointed to the maps he had dropped off on the table and said, "There are reports of looters from Essetir causing trouble. Instead of sending out a small group of knights to deal with them immediately, my father's council prefers to spend hours poring over the implication of Essetir men attacking Camelot land and what it would mean if we retaliated and if it would be wiser to not interfere because it is a small, insignificant village and we have enough troubles in the Castle itself what with sorcerers attacking us in broad daylight." Arthur paced around his room agitatedly, waving his arms as he emphasized, "They are still our people, it is our job to protect them, Cenred and Lot may not be bothered enough to deal with their border villages, but that's what sets us Camelotians apart from them." Arthur was breathing heavily by the end of his rant and Merlin thrust a goblet of cool water in his hands, hoping to distract him.

"So when do we leave then? I'll have to start packing," said Merlin as he arranged some fresh fruits on Arthur's desk, leaving Arthur wondering where those fruits even came from, they weren't there when he entered!

" We are not going anywhere, I shall be heading out to Mescitia with a few Knights while you stay here and help with the castle repairs," said Arthur, picking a red apple from the fruit pile and buffing it on his tunic. "I don't understand what is taking them so long, when the dragon had attacked Camelot and there were repairs needed in my chambers, you managed to get them fixed in a day all by yourself," he muttered under his breath and bit into the crunchy apple.

"What? No, I'm coming with you, Arthur," said Merlin decidedly.

" Merlin, perhaps you've forgotten, I give the orders here and I am telling you to stay back, we can find enough work here to occupy you. Can't have you lazing about with me gone now, can we?" teased Arthur as he settled into his favourite chair and continued munching on the juicy apple.

"No, really - " tried Merlin.

"And don't worry about the council, I'm sure they've forgotten about the parchment incident," said Arthur with a teasing gleam in his eyes.

"Doesn't look like you have though," muttered Merlin mutinously.

"Your clumsiness ruined important documents, Merlin," scolded Arthur. "Some of those were the very maps we need now to proceed to Mescitia," he said with a glare.

"Your maps don't make much sense anyway, you overly complicate them and use nonsense words," said Merlin in retaliation. Arthur wanted to tell him that his face didn't make much sense, but that would've been childish and he wasn't and so he held himself back and decided to focus on his half-eaten apple instead.

"What would you know of maps, Merlin and when would you have seen mine anyway? They're confidential documents," said Arthur with narrowed eyes. Merlin couldn't exactly tell him that he pored over Arthur's hunting ground maps so he could scare away the best game when Arthur was being particularly churlish now, could he and so he remained silent. "Thought as much," huffed out Arthur and threw the apple core at Merlin's face, who didn't manage to duck in time, prompting a bark of laughter from Arthur.

Merlin flung the core away, wiped his face on his sleeve and said, "I can too read maps, how else do you think I reached Camelot from Ealdor that first time? I even drew Lancelot and Gwaine a map when they had to leave Camelot and they seemed to have managed just fine, haven't they?" he continued proudly.

Arthur was about to tell him that Lancelot was too kind to point out Merlin's rubbish skills and Gwaine too unbothered to make a fuss when he thought about it again and paused. "Well, in that case, Merlin, why don't you draw us a map to Mescitia since you know the lay of the land so well and are an expert at the job?" challenged Arthur with a raised brow.

Merlin opened his mouth to retort but bit his lip in worry, he knew he was no expert and he knew that Arthur knew that too, but he couldn't back down from such a blatant challenge. "Alright then, I'll do it," he said with an air of reluctant finality.

"Good," said Arthur after a moment, tearing his eyes away from the indents Merlin's teeth left on his lips, "get them looked over by Sir Gwaine once you're done, he'll be accompanying me and can guard the maps until we depart."

With that, Merlin dismissed himself, leaving behind the used water basin, the smelly laundry basket, the apple core on the floor and a bemused Arthur sitting in the middle of his chambers and marched with a purpose towards the library.

The next day, Arthur awoke to the early morning sun-rays falling on his face as his overly cheerful manservant opened his curtains wide and sang out a "Rise and shine, Prince dollophead," as was usual and he shut his eyes again hoping to catch a few more moments of blissful slumber, which was also par for the usual. What was unusual, however, was that the greeting was followed by, "The sun is shining, the birds are singing and you have a very long ride in heavy armour under the unforgiving summer sun ahead of you!" Arthur reflexively flung a pillow in the direction of the cheery voice and smiled in satisfaction when he heard a flump and an exclamation.

The very next moment he felt his covers being yanked away and he cringed as the chilly morning air hit his bare chest. He blindly groped for his covers while trying to snuggle down into his mattress to retain some of the warmth but by now Merlin knew all his tricks and evaded them with surprising grace. Thus awoken, Arthur rushed to get clean and get dressed, gulp down a hurried breakfast and reach the courtyard in time for his departure.

Tedious and mind-numbing though it had been, Arthur had managed to convince the doddery council members that him riding out to deal with the Mescitia issue was in all their best interests. He could see that some of his knights were unhappy with the idea of their Prince and Regent riding out and away from the citadel so soon after an attack, but if he had to spend one more afternoon inside, he would send Merlin to the stocks and spend the entire day watching him getting pelted with rotten produce, with his hair plastered down his forehead and his ruined tunic sticking to his chest and back, as he kneeled there under lock and key, helpless and unable to wriggle away. Come to think of it, he could do that anyway, but those images tempted him as much as they confused him and that way lay madness.

Shaking himself mentally to get rid of the images of a pinned down and ruined Merlin, Arthur conferred with his knights one final time before alighting his hardy steed and riding away with Sir Gwaine as his second-in-command for the journey and another half score knights accompanying them. He had instructed Sir Leon to take charge of the garrison and overlook training and the council wasn't scheduled to meet for a few days unless an emergency arose.

Once they rode out a fair distance, Arthur asked to check the maps and Gwaine handed over the ones Merlin had drawn with a nod of approval and a languid stretch, flexing his straining muscles. Arthur dragged his eyes away from Gwaine and unfurled the scrawling mess and stared at the crude markings in bafflement, for none of it made any sense!

If the maps were to be believed then there, just further along the path they would find a "blue robin's nest in the old oak tree" following which they were to take the right-hand fork in the path. Some distance later they would find the "burrow with 5 white rabbits and the brown one with a scar down its back" on a crossroads and they were to continue riding 3 leagues East. If, however, they passed the "low hanging elm branch that had smacked Arthur in the face giving him a bruise the size of Engerd," then they had gone too far and were to double back to the "wide as a gelding stream with the swan nest in the reeds" and ride 5 leagues North.

This was absurd! Arthur knew he shouldn't have entrusted this task to Merlin when he knew there were others more skilled, but with Merlin refusing to follow orders and staring him down with that challenge in his tone, he had to take him down a few pegs and impress upon him exactly who was in charge. It seemed, however, that his plan backfired and now he was left on an important mission without a competent map to guide his party. He thought of some choice swear words for Merlin and his provoking and himself for giving in to him as usual.

"Is something the matter, princess?" enquired Gwaine a few paces away, "Only, you look troubled. Fret not, you've discussed every possibility under the sun and then some with your councilmen and advisors, we have plans and backup plans and backup plans for those backup plans. All I mean is, what has to happen will happen, no good comes from fretting over it beforehand, at this rate you'll give yourself wrinkles before you take up the crown," he joked, but when Arthur looked over he saw a soft smile directed at him, reassuring in his steadfast support.

In any other situation he would have been passingly amused and grateful for the humour, but being as it were, he couldn't even muster up a facsimile of a smile.

Arthur suddenly remembered that Gwaine had a copy of the maps as well, as a secondary lookout, and he turned to him quickly and asked, "Does the map perchance seem a bit odd to you?"

"Odd? However do you mean? I know Merlin is no expert but his drawing skills are passable and the distances approximately accurate if what I've heard of the travel is right," answered Gwaine, adding on a quick, "I'm sure you can deduce the right calculations since you're more familiar with the lay of the land, it shouldn't be a problem."

"R- right, of course," muttered Arthur in reply. "But you understand his instructions then? His markers and reference key?"

"Aye, Arthur, I may seem all brawn but I do have the ability to read a map," retorted Gwaine, with an odd inflexion in his tone.

"I did not mean to imply- " began Arthur.

"Nah, I know that princess, it seems you've a case of the foot-in-mouth syndrome as Merlin likes to call it," laughed Gwaine, brushing aside Arthur's concerns.

"Foot-in-mouth? Where does he make up such ridiculous words from, I wonder," exclaimed Arthur, easily distracted by the implied offence.

"It's idiomatic," laughed Gwaine, sweeping back his shining hair.

"What does that even mean?" asked Arthur, confused yet fondly indulgent.

"It means that you should pay more attention to your people," said Gwaine, winking to assure he meant it in jest.

"Describe foot-in-mouth," huffed out Arthur.

"In three words?"

"Yeah."

"Prince Arthur's tact."

The rest of the knights seemed to have given up all pretence and were now openly laughing at their jests. Arthur tried to maintain an aloof expression, but one glance at Gwaine's smirking face and he could feel his lips twitching in amusement. He gave Gwaine a small nod in thanks, he felt lighter already even in his current situation, just like he did around his bumbling manservant.

He looked forward with a jerk when he realized he had been maintaining absurdly prolonged eye contact and he could already feel his cheeks colouring slightly. Damnation! He couldn't fathom what was happening to him lately, he seemed to react strangely to his manservant and his knight-in-arms, his brain conjuring intriguing scenarios and he finding excuses to spend more time with them. Mayhaps it was just the summer heat and the stress of acting as the Regent, he found it freeing being around Merlin and Gwaine, knowing that they were the two people in the whole of Camelot who did not care for his titles, though they respected him, and who would not be judging his every action and word, yes, that must be it.

Having assured himself so, he startled to attention when he realized he was nearing one of Merlin's markers. The map indicated he would find a "rock resembling Tyr's nephew's dog" on his left, but who exactly was Tyr and what did his nephew's dog look like? Arthur checked for the next marker, hoping it would be more promising. Alas, all it said was that he would find a grove of "trees with flowers the colour of Gwen's smithing apron" whatever that meant. How was Arthur to know the colour of a smithing apron, if it was in proximity to fire and steel, it would've blackened sooner or later, but Arthur had never heard of nor seen black flowers, what then could Merlin's absurd markers mean?

Arthur fumbled at a few crossroads and stumbled at a couple of forks, but eventually managed to reach a familiar clearing which Merlin had marked as the "clearing where the bandits with the dark painted faces had attacked us." Arthur did not know whether to be stunned at Merlin's sheer oddity or bury his face in his palms and laugh at the utter Merlin-ness till tears ran down his cheeks. In the end, he settled for exasperated tutting and fond eye rolls. Gwaine seemed to be amused by Arthur's silent plight if his expressions were anything to go by, but then again, when wasn't Gwaine amused?

They made camp in the clearing for the night and Arthur fervently hoped that the following day would be easier. Alas, it wasn't to be!

The next day wasn't any better than the last, Arthur still had to navigate Merlin's cryptic instructions without making it obvious that he was struggling to follow them. He was the one responsible for the maps, for guiding his men, he had decided to trust his manservant to provide an accurate route, if he showed any signs of things being less than perfect, it would be his reputation on the line as a decision-maker and judge of character. So he put on a brave face and showed no signs of vexation, but once he returned, Merlin would be in for a world of trouble, he'd put him in the stocks for a whole week, see how he liked being humiliated for once!

The whole journey left Arthur feeling off rhythm, subtly searching for the "fallen log where the fawn had eaten Elyan's boot" and the "mud trap where Percival's right foot had stuck for three candle marks" and by the end of it, Arthur was exhausted and had no time to fret over the Mescitia issue, in fact, he very nearly forgot about it, run ragged as he was by Merlin's eccentric clues.

They managed to subdue the goons in Mescitia and assure the dwellers that Camelot takes the protection of its people very seriously. The return journey was much more pleasant as Arthur was now familiar with the route, having marked the official crossroad- and path- markings on his copy of the map. It suddenly occurred to him that he could've simply headed towards Ealdor and veered off North towards Mescitia near the end, but Merlin's clues and commentary had blindsided him. Looking back, he found it almost soothing and familiar, as if Merlin had been by his side all along, prattling about inane topics, squirrels and daisies and Gwaine's hair, like the girl he was.

Arriving in Camelot, he headed straight to his chambers, intent on berating Merlin for all the grief he had caused him. So intent was he that he did not realize he had a tagalong in the form of a smirking Gwaine.

" Merlin!” Arthur called out as he entered his private chambers, knowing that Merlin would be drawing him a hot bath at the news of his arrival. "I thought you said you could read and draw maps comprehensively. What you provided me with was utter drivel, what maps have you seen which have such juvenile markings!"

"Are you saying you don't know how to read all kinds of maps? You weren't taught this in all your Royal lessons?" retorted Merlin with a snicker. He was on his knees beside the bathtub, his coat flung away, his neckerchief loosened, the sleeves of his tunic rolled up to his elbows and one hand dipped in Arthur's bathwater to check the temperature, the other gripping the rim of the tub, the veins on his arms standing out as his grip tightened.

For a moment, the picture he made threw Arthur off, but he recovered in time, responding tartly, "I know how to read maps Merlin, but clearly, you do not. Why lie to me? I trusted you to provide me with a reliable route to Mescitia and all I got was childish commentary!"

Seeing Arthur genuinely upset Merlin stood up quickly and walked to him, peeling Arthur's layers off with an efficiency that belied his competence. "I did not lie to you Arthur, I do know how to read maps, I just don't have much practice in the way of drawing them. You were able to read it though, weren't you? Seeing as you're back in time and triumphant," said Merlin.

"No thanks to you," grumbled Arthur, a bit confused.

"Well," said Merlin, dragging out the word, "I may have been a bit juvenile I'll admit, but I never would've left you in such a vulnerable position on purpose," he insisted, pouring a few drops of scent in his bathwater as Arthur went behind the changing screen.

"What was that map you gave me then?" prompted Arthur glumly.

"Bitofaharmlessprank," Merlin bit out in a rush.

"What was that Merlin?" asked Arthur with a grin as he poked his head out from behind the changing screen and promptly startled upon seeing Gwaine in his private chambers, eyeing the two of them fondly. "Gwaine? Is something the matter?" he asked.

"We usually write up the debriefing report right after a mission, so I accompanied you here. I must find a tavern after all that hard riding and if I left my duties incomplete, you'd drag me away from one, seemed like a good idea to do it now," said Gwaine. "If you two are going be busy, however," he trailed off with a suggestive eyebrow raise.

"Gwaine!" cried Merlin gleefully as Arthur struggled to regain his composure, "Just the man I was looking for!"

"I am?"

"He is?"

"Yeah, where did you keep the second set of maps I gave you?" asked Merlin excitedly. Arthur did not understand what was so exciting about a map of all things, but he returned behind the changing screen.

"Got 'em right here, Merlin," said Gwaine as he dropped off his cape and unbuckled his riding satchel from around his waist. He handed the satchel over to Merlin and proceeded to take off his chainmail and coif with a contented sigh.

"Aha! Here, Arthur," declared Merlin triumphantly as he held out Gwaine's copies of the maps. By now Gwaine was struggling to untie the laces of his gambeson and tunic, he had somehow managed to catch brambles in them even under the chainmail, Arthur chose not to question it and instead accepted the parchments with confusion.

"Tut! Oh, here!" exclaimed Merlin as he stepped closer to Gwaine and helped him get the offending garments off.

"Finally, I can breathe in the sweet fresh air," sighed Gwaine in jest even as Merlin dumped his clothes with Arthur's, making a dismissive hand gesture as if to say he didn't mind dealing with them.

"I've seen and studied the maps, Merlin, I do not understand why you must hand me another copy of the same gobbledygook," said Arthur even as he untied the twine and unfurled the maps, promptly making a surprised sound and looking up to Merlin's eyes.

He found both Merlin and Gwaine smiling mischievously, Merlin biting his bottom lip to hold back a snigger whereas Gwaine showed no compunction and was quietly sniggering to himself, both Merlin and Gwaine made the mistake of looking at each other and promptly burst out laughing.

"You tricked me!" exclaimed Arthur as he realized what had happened. "You both tricked me!" he repeated, unable to find any other words to express his shock. By this point, both Merlin and Gwaine were holding on to each other for support as they near collapsed with laughter and Merlin's already loosened neckerchief had fallen in the chaos.

"Well," said Merlin, having calmed himself down some, "In my defence-"

"Oh no you don't," said Arthur, absurdly pleased that these two men dared to play a prank on him, Prince Arthur, Acting Regent of the Kingdom of Camelot. No one had ever assumed to be this familiar with him, he was friendly with his knights and they often played pranks on each other but never on him and he had never felt more included before. He didn't know how to say this out loud though and he was never good at sharing his emotions, so he proceeded to hold Merlin in a headlock and rub his knuckles on his head vigorously, laughing as Merlin tried to escape the noogie.

"Apologize, you urchin," said Arthur, refusing to let go of Merlin unless he complied.

"Alright, alright, you prat," said Merlin, breathless with laughter, "I apologise for making you look like the ass you are, my lord!"

"Properly, Merlin," insisted Arthur with a grin.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, now let go of me you big brute," said Merlin as he finally managed to extricate himself from Arthur's arms. They stood there breathless with laughter, staring at each other's faces, till a cough from Gwaine startled them apart.

"Don't think I've forgotten you," threatened Arthur playfully and proceeded to tackle Gwaine to the ground. They wrestled around for a while until Arthur managed to finally pin Gwaine under him. "Apologize," he demanded, staring right into Gwaine's eyes.

Gwaine gave a loud gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing as he hoarsely said, "I apologise for falling for your manservant's elusive charms and following his orders for a lark, my princess," and ended it with a wink. Now Arthur was the one flustered as he realized their positions and Merlin looked away with a soft grin, the tips of his ears turning a sweet shade of red, the colour spreading to his cheeks making them look like rosy apples.

Arthur quickly stood up and looked away awkwardly when his eyes fell on his Royal sized bathtub, flickering to look at their various states of undress and with a growing grin thought to himself that perhaps this night may turn out alright after all.

"I know how you can make it up to me."