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1
The first gift is meager. A flower that’s so small that it could pass for a weed. Merlin smiles when he finds it waiting on top of Arthur’s things anyway. He tucks it into his pocket keeps it with him for the whole day while he works. He wasn’t quite sure if it was meant for him or some child had plucked it and dropped it after getting bored but he likes to think that it’s the former. Regardless of how it happened, it’s in his possession now. It makes his day slightly better after getting Arthur’s stew on his clothes. The knights notice it too.
“You look unusually happy.” Lance teases him, elbowing the servant lightly on the ribs. Beside him Leon looks at him closely, brows furrowed.
Shyly, he nods. “I suppose so.” He can feel the weight of the small flower in his pocket.
“Got yourself a lady friend finally?” Gwaine asks.
“No, I don’t think so.” Merlin reaches for his pocket instinctively. Maybe it was a woman who gave him such a gift, though they seem to wait until men give the flowers. “I’m not even sure if what I was found was for me. At this point, I’d like to think that it was though.”
Leon swings his sword, broad with long showy strokes. “Why wouldn’t someone fancy you?” He doesn’t look at Merlin as he speaks. He only continues to show off as they wait for Arthur to finish with his training.
“It’s a nice thought.” Merlin contemplates it.
All is peaceful, then Arthur yells at him. All week Arthur has been busy about preparing for the tournament. Merlin can’t understand why Arthur would celebrate his getting married bloodying up men with weaponry, though Gwen seems content enough with it. Elyan doesn’t complain either even with all of Gwen’s concerns.
So when Arthur comes calling, he goes. He does his best to prepare the things Arthur wants in the way Arthur likes. When Merlin has to change the arrangement of the flowers (“This wasn’t in my job description.”) he does so with a grimace and a thumbs up from knights as support.
2
The next day follows much like the previous. Only when he gets up, waiting for him is not a flower at his bed but a fresh meal from the kitchens. It looks similar to what he serves Arthur in the morning. Sausage, tomato, and two fresh hard boiled eggs.
Gaius is gone suspiciously early. He takes advantage of the fact that he got up so early to eat his breakfast in peace, savoring each bite before going off to begin his chores. On the way to the stables, he passes Leon and Elyan chattering on about how they plan to in the tournament.
“Off to see that lady friend?” Gwaine shouts. In his arms he holds what Gwen gave to him.
“Since when did Arthur become a lady?” Leon chips in. Merlin’s eyes widen. It’s so unlike Leon - Leon, of all people - to say something like that out loud. The knights like the jape though. They laugh, Gwaine most of all.
3
The third day brings Arthur’s armor already cleaned and a small note attached. You make this look easy. It’s in messy scrawl, nothing like Arthur’s royal hand. He’s seen Gwen’s handwriting as well as Morgana’s at one point, and neither of their handwritings match the kind the note is written in. This writing is of a man’s.
He takes the horses to the training grounds to groom them. Arthur looks at him funnily, taking it as yet another one of his weird quirks. It would really make things easier if Arthur knew the tavern was code for saving his royal highness’s arse and he doesn’t have to pee all that often.
Neighing and clomping their hooves, Merlin quickly realizes that this particular chore is more difficult here than at the stable. He’s only grateful that he did half of them already. (Plus, it’s too late now to admit that after arguing and calling his king a dollophead.)
As the knights take turns sparring, he makes offhand comments about breakfast. Not quite saying what he ate, merely hinting at how pleasant it was. How nice it made his day. Gwaine suggests that maybe it was a woman he dined with. Sweet Percy insists that it must have been Gaius’s idea since with all the commotion nobody has even given thought to Merlin’s upcoming birthday.
Suddenly Leon coughs loudly, spitting out the water he had been drinking. “Your birthday is soon?” He looks at Merlin with surprise.
Pausing from grooming, he shrugs. The horse neighs, wanting the treatment to be continued. “I didn’t think I should mention it with all that’s going on right now. I figured it wasn’t appropriate.”
On the field Lance knocks Arthur onto his back for a moment. He smiles triumphantly until the king sweeps Lance off his feet. Merlin makes a face when he hears the loud thud. He’s been there, done that. Just glad that it isn’t him on the ground right now.
“I still think that Arthur should at least mention it at the feast before the tournament. You’re his most trusted manservant. That must mean something to him.” Gwaine fixes his hair, smiling handsomely at serving girl running errands.
“No, that’s quite alright. A day off might be nice though. I might run it by him later.” He smiles at his friends, petting the horse when he finishes. “I’ve got to get these boys back before Arthur yells at me for keeping them here too long.”
He doesn’t see the longing look one of the knights give him as he leads the four horses off.
4
“I would understand that you wish to have a day off as a birthday present.” Arthur taps a scroll on his table looking at Merlin with his head cocked to the side. “You can have it so long as before then you make sure you clean my room, polish my armor, and well, I’ll have the rest of the list to you before then.”
Merlin almost doesn’t stop pouring. Water drips onto his fingers before he realizes, however.
“You’re really letting me have the day off?” He doesn’t even care his hand is wet.
“I can change my mind.”
He shakes his head fast, grinning madly. “I understand. I’ll have everything done for you, don’t you worry.” Playfully, he wags a finger in Arthur’s direction. “You won’t regret this, sire.”
Half-empty pitcher in hand, Merlin runs off with it. Though he told the knights he would ask Arthur for a day off, he never actually made plans to do so. Without even asking for it, he has it.
“I got it. My day off, I got it.” He tells Percy. The man is so much bigger than he so when he gives Percy a good slap on the back, his hand hurts more than expected. “Are you made of bricks?”
Percy flexes impressively. “Muscles of stone.”
“Of course,”
Raising his pitcher, Merlin takes his leave first.
Today he has less to do than usual. Most of the other servants in the castle are taking care of tournament preparations. All it leaves Merlin with is to take care of Arthur. Sometimes it’s like taking care of a child, but only sometimes.
Midday comes fast when busy. His work leaves him parched and hungry. Arthur’s horse almost kicks him in the chest. A yank at the back of the neck sends him back a few feet into a mailed chest. Still a better option than the alternative.
“Try not the anger the horse, Merlin.”
Only Leon.
Merlin smiles, chuckling at his mistake. “This one,” he gestures at the horse, “is just like Arthur. Can’t appreciate good help even if it’s looking at him straight in the face.”
The knight reaches to soothe the horse, a small cloth wrapped package in his other hand. He offers it to Merlin, who takes it with a questioning expression. “It’s a honey roll. The kitchen made too much so I suppose they won’t be missing a few, right?”
“A few?”
There’s only one honey roll in the package. “Well, there is a slight chance that I may have eaten one myself.” Leon’s cheeks turn a bit red at the confession. From his pocket, Leon pulls out a similar package. They remain in the stables together eating and talking long before someone sends for them.
It’s nice.
At the end of the day, Merlin goes to bed realizing his secret admirer didn’t visit him today. He tells himself that it doesn’t matter.
5
This time when he says he’s going to the tavern, he actually goes to the tavern.
Gwaine drinks with him while Percy and Lance arm wrestle. It’s exciting the first time but each rematch gets blander. The townspeople who stand by watching and cheering for their favorite knight start to wander back to their original tables.
After three cups, Merlin realizes he must go. He’ll have an early morning if he’s to finish all of Arthur’s assigned tasks. Leon offers to walk him back, Merlin declines, the knight insists.
“Sorry I made your night end early.” Merlin apologizes, wringing his hands together.
“That’s alright. It was a good excuse to leave early.” Leon shrugs. Patting Merlin on the shoulder, he smiles. “Goodnight, Merlin.”
Lingering at the door to watch Leon walk away, Merlin yawns. He waits for Leon to turn to corner before going inside. Gaius is already sleeping, snoring soundly, so he makes his way to his room as quietly as possible. Oddly enough, knocking into only one table is Merlin’s version of quiet.
Sitting down feels nice. He kicks off his shoes eager to get sleep. As he lays his head down on his pillow, he feels something peculiar underneath. Merlin jumps up from the bed, using the broom near his bed to push the pillow off with the handle.
A pendant attached to a piece of leather that had fallen out of it’s poorly wrapped package lays on the floor.
His secret admirer is back.
6
Merlin loses track of how many tents are up in their field come the morning. The tournament isn’t due to start until another day but right now everyone who has come to compete are spending their time doing as much last minute training as possible.
Arthur tells Merlin who some of the guests are while Gaius points out some others. Since it’s not a requirement to be of royal blood for this competition it’s impossible to know them all.
“If you didn’t have your head in the clouds all the time, you’d actually learn some of these men’s names.” Arthur points out. He has a freshly sharpened sword in his hand that Merlin wouldn’t be all too opposed to him setting down somewhere.
Playing with the pendant around his neck, Merlin pursed his lips and nodded. “Well, since most of the time I’m occupied doing your chores, I don’t have time to memorize too many names.”
Arthur rolls his eyes. “It’s your job to do chores, Merlin.” He points his sword at Merlin, waving it as he speaks. “If you don’t mind, I have to practice. I have a tournament to win for my bride-to-be.”
Now with his birthday so close, Merlin is counting down the days until his day off. He hasn’t had the chance to discuss when that day will be with Arthur just yet. He only hopes that it’ll be soon. This tournament is certainly doing a good job at keeping him occupied.
So occupied that he barely notices Leon standing next to him.
“Nice necklace.” The knight starts off, crossing his arms over his chest. Merlin almost thinks the man is flexing at him. “It almost looks like a family crest of some sort.”
Merlin pauses. When he found the necklace last night, he didn’t stop to think too much about it. It seemed skillfully crafted, even a bit worn on the edges, showing some age. “Do you know whose?” If he can find the owner of the crest, he can find his secret admirer.
Leon shrugs his shoulder. “It seems familiar but I don’t remember whose it could be. I’ll let you know if I remember.” The man suddenly finds his armor very interesting. “I’m sure they’re just happy to see you happy.”
7
He goes to Gwaine, of all people, to seek help.
“You need to leave a gift out for your admirer. If this person is competing in the tournament, you’ll see the token you’ve left them. It’s perfect.” Gwaine says, slamming his cup on the table. “Let’s get another round. We can continue discussing then.”
Merlin shakes his head. He now remembers the reason why he hesitated going to Gwaine for help. “Let’s continue discussing as we talk, hm?”
In place of the owner of the tavern coming over to refill their cups, Leon comes with Lance beside him instead. They sit on either side of Merlin, squishing the poor male between them.
“Haven’t found out who your special someone is yet, Merlin?” Lance asks, wiping the condensation off his cup. He looks past Merlin straight at Leon as if he knows something nobody else does.
“Not at all.” Merlin feels exasperated by it. Courting is supposed to happen face to face, yet he has no idea who’s trying to earn his affections.
A cup appears under his chin. “Drink and cheer up. Just follow my advice and you’re admirer will have to show you who they are. It’s surefire.” Gwaine nudges the cup into Merlin’s hand.
“I’ve had enough to drink tonight, thanks.” Merlin shakes his head, pouring the contents into Leon’s instead. There isn’t much in it anyway. Gwaine has learned Merlin can’t take too much alcohol. “I’m retiring for the night. I have to think of a token fit for an admirer. If they don’t like it, I’ll never know who it is.”
Behind his back he can’t see the look Lance gives Leon.
In his room a whittled dragon waits for him next to the one Balinor gave him. He falls asleep smiling.
8.1
Before he leaves in the morning, he leaves his neckerchief on his bed.
Gaius notices something different in his appearance immediately, pressing a hand against his forehead. “No fever. Have you forgotten something?”
Merlin shakes his head. “Not at all. When do I ever forget things?” He runs off quickly so Gaius can’t question him anymore.
For once he wants to see a bunch of grown men smacking each other around with sharp objects. It doesn’t happen often and he has no intent on telling Arthur in fear of the male thinking he’s starting to enjoy such events.
After weaving around tent after tent, Merlin feels a bit discouraged. He keeps a wide eye out for his neckerchief on someone’s person until a loud call from Arthur calls Merlin back to the tent where he belongs. He suits Arthur in his armor sloppily, his mind preoccupied.
“This is important, Merlin. Do it right.” He chastises lightly because like Merlin, he’s a bit preoccupied as well.
They exit the tent together to observe. The Knights of Camelot knock their opponents down easily. Gwaine only takes the competition half serious but still he wins. Lance wins easily, perhaps earning even more screams than Gwaine. Percy wins with size, Elyan with speed and a bracelet that belonged to Gwen. Arthur wins easily, ending his first round easily by disarming his opponent. Merlin feels calmly that Leon will do just as well.
“What’s that hanging off his belt?” Arthur asks.
Crossing his arms and leaning in, Merlin looks. He doesn’t see it until another breeze comes by. Flowing in the wind, a familiar blue piece of cloth shows itself.
His admirer is Leon.
8.2
“I’m sorry my token didn’t work.”
A round against a smallfolk man puts an end to Leon’s streak. No matter how much experience Leon has, a man even taller than Percy is a formidable opponent.
“That’s alright.” Leon smiles. In his hand he has Merlin’s neckerchief folded neatly. He holds it out to Merlin seeming reluctant to let it go. “Thank you.”
Merlin plays with the pendant, closing his hand over Leon’s. “Keep it. I wanted my secret admirer to have it.”
“I suppose I have to show my thanks then.” Leon says, an expression similar to one of Gwaine’s.
The knight closes the gap between them, ducking down for a chaste kiss. Merlin ends up smiling too much so he steals an extra kiss. He feels two arms around him, a hand resting respectfully high on his back while the other lands slightly below his waist. The more they kiss, the more intense it becomes and the closer Merlin tries to keep Leon to him. Not even an interruption by Lance can distract them just yet.
Just like all of Merlin’s other secrets, Lance tells no one.