Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Arthur entered the throne room with Merlin trailing behind him. He asked the woman, who had come to state her problems.

"You Majesty. there have been attacks on my village. They ask not just for grains but for people as well. Anyone who dares stand up to them they just......kill him. Killed him..." She stifled her sobs and continued. 

"They have magic, Sire. They have used it in front of us. Please help us sire. They have threatened to kill every single one of us. They come each week and take grains and people alike. Please Sire! You have to help us!” she pleaded.

Arthur got down from his throne and approached the woman.

“You and your village have nothing to fear. Me and my knights will ride at dawn tomorrow. Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and Leon be ready!” said Arthur and the knights nodded.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, my lord!” said the woman. “Are there any injured in your village, Cara?” asked Gaius while taking her away and she nodded. Gaius turned to Merlin and he understood.

“Sire, may Gaius accompany you? There are injured in the village. They will need help.” asked Merlin.

“Of course. He must. Oh, and Merlin. Tell George to be ready at dawn too.” replied Arthur. “George!?” exclaimed Merlin, All the knights turned to him.

“Yeah?” said Gwaine. “But am I not accompanying you? Why would you need George?” asked Merlin, already panicking. The attackers have magic. They will definitely try to kill Arthur. He has to be there. He has to! “No, you are not. You will be there with Gaius tending to the harmed. For our services we will be taking George.” replied Leon. “I can do both. I-” started Merlin. “Will not go against the King’s orders!” said Percival.

There it was again. The snapping. He was just asking a question, not defying any laws! Why the sudden change? They had been friendly since morning and now?

Foolish! I have been so foolish. They were not being ‘friendly’ they were being ‘polite’. You are not their friend. Arthur is the King of Camelot and these are the Knights. I am just a servant, thought Merlin.

“Sorry Sires. I will inform George at once. And I apologize. I shouldn’t have exclaimed like that. I have no right to object to wyour orders.” said Merlin. And then he softly added, “I am but a lowly servant.”

He started for the door and passed Arthur on the way. For a moment it seemed to him that Arthur’s face fell. 'It can’t be. You are just a servant. Not his friend that he’ll be sad because you are,' thought Merlin and left.

Cant help but think that bbc merlin writers had so many opportunities to write any magic reveal they want, but the one they went for starts with the most agonising line ever, of arthur saying in desperation that no, merlin, you are not the evil that haunts my life, you're all what's good in my life, you wouldn't betray me, you wouldn't choose this, you're not like them, “I would know”

Chapter 3

"What you are thinking is not correct Merlin. Why would you think they hate you?" asked Gaius over dinner.

"What else can be the reason, Gaius? They don't behave like that with other servants. It's just me. I must have done something to make them behave like this. I must have imagined Arthur's politeness as his friendship. I am his manservant. They are the Knights. If not, his equal they are his friends. I should understand that. They are not my equals and thus cannot be my friends." 

Gaius sighed. There is no use telling Merlin anything once he has decided otherwise. He just hoped that Merlin will be proved wrong.

THE MOON

The moon is my only friend

For he stays long after the very end

I talk to him for days

And he nods with understanding okays

The moon is my only lover for my night sky he covers

In all my dark times he shall shine

and even when no one else he'll always be mine

The moon is my only hater

for now he only says later

Why does he get all the stars

while I only the scars?

Chapter 5

All through their two day journey Merlin and George decided to share all their work. George was more than pleased to be working directly for the King, Merlin was dreading every moment he would have to spend near Arthur.

"Merlin!" Gwaine called out. Merlin's head snapped up. It had been weeks since Gwaine had called to him. A bubble of hope formed in Merlin, and he quickly rushed towards him.

"Yes G...Sire? Yes sire?" he said, catching himself mid way. Gwaine looked up and looked as if he realized he was doing something illegal. He shook his head and just threw his boots towards Merlin. Merlin's face fell, and he left taking the boots with him. Merlin had realized that no matter how much he works, no matter whatever he does they are not going to be his friend. "A lowly servant" is what he had called himself, he had hoped that if they were his friends they would contradicted. No one. No one had said anything. Well no one except Gaius, who had given him a whole speech on how he is a powerful sorcerer and how he is like he is a son to him. 

Now he had given up. He had accepted that he was a just a servant. A lowly servant.

They reached the village and Merlin and Gaius immediately set out help the injured. 

"What is this?" said Merlin while examining the wound on a man's shoulder.  "Poison. From what I see, all of their swords are coated with poison." replied Gaius. "Merlin, get my bag. I think I have left it where we first stopped." 

Merlin obediently left. He reached there and inside the Knights and Arthur were talking...

"This was not supposed to happen! Have you seen him?" said Elyan. " I have. He is not his usual self." replied Gwaine.

"Arthur, we need to to stop. You saw what happened that day..." started Percival when he spotted Merlin near the door. 

"I am sorry Sires. I was just here to get Gaius's bag. So sorry Sires." Merlin bowed and left. He rushed back to Gaius. He had a lot of questions. Who is not like himself? What is it that Arthur is doing? Could it be that....that they were talking about him?

He shook his head. Whatever they were talking about is not of his concern. 

A Lowly Servant

Summary -

Merlin feels he is not a friend of Arthur or the Knights. He is just a servant. Just a lowly servant. Why would they even be his friends? He is just Arthur's manservant. Nothing else.