Chapter Text
It was just another ordinary morning in Camelot. If you take a walk among the townsfolk, you would see ladies gossiping near the water well about that handsome young lad who was Knighted three days before. The familiar sound of metal hitting metal at the smithy, the bellows of the vendors trying to sell their goods, sights of men moving something which resembles a wardrobe, all in all it was an ordinary morning in Camelot.
Yes, just another ordinary morning. Nothing more, nothing less. Everyone was busy, going on their daily routine- or gossiping about nonexistent world problems. Well, except for one lad - that is.
A young raven-haired man was sleeping soundly, unaware of the sun's beaming gleam until he heard the loud bang of a door against a wall.
"Merlin!" The loud boom of the physician's voice broke the young man out of his slumber, making him roll out of bed and fall on the floor face first. "You're late again young man!"
Merlin groaned and got onto his feet, his ribs aching from the fall. "What's the time?" He asked from the old man who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"It's time for you to go to your job! It's been two hours since the first light!" The physician scolded, hitting the back of the young man's head.
At his words, the young man glanced up, crusting away his sleepiness- 'two hours?' Lords, he was late.
Merlin quickly pushed the old man out of his room, donned on his day's clothing and ran to the palace kitchens to collect his master's breakfast while knocking poor Gwen who was overlooking some young serving girls to a side.
"Hi Gwen!" Merlin greeted the girl as he put some bread, sausages, some cheese and an apple into a plate. "Bye Gwen!" The young man kissed the poor girl's cheek before he sprinted off to the King's chambers leaving her to roll her eyes fondly at him.
Once Merlin reached the King's chambers and walked in, a sight met his eyes.
The King was awake.
And dressed!
"Good morning Merlin" The King said, roiling his eyes at his servant's flabbergasted expression.
"Nice of you to join us"
"You're dressed!" The raven-haired man said, speechless.
"Good observation Merlin. Now tell me, what does that mean to you?"
"That you can take care of yourself?" He carefully placed Arthur's breakfast on the table. "Hmm.. maybe I should take these back to the kitchens too. Seems you can get the breakfast-"
"Shut up Merlin!" The King ordered, his voice dangerously low. "You're late, again!"
"Maybe you have to think things through my way too then" Merlin said, already staring to make the King's bed. "I may have wanted for you to sleep in after that stressful supper with Lord Mangdoris-"
"It's Manloris Merlin, and when did I ever tell you that I wanted to sleep in?" Arthur cried in mock outrage. "Honestly Merlin, it's a wonder that I manage my duties with you as my servant!"
The young man gave the King a cheeky grin. " I live to serve you sire,"
Arthur rolled his eyes at his servant and sat down to have his breakfast. "Today, I want you to polish my armor, sharpen my sword, clean my room and also take this cupboard out of my room as I will be getting a new wardrobe today"
"New wardrobe?" Merlin called out from under the bed. "Whatever for? What's wrong with the one you already have?"
"It's a gift from Lord Manloris. As thanks for the new plot of land Camelot has provided to his estate" the King bit into his sausage, savoring the taste of the nicely cooked meat in his mouth.
"And why do you need this new one? To store your overly large ego which you can no longer keep in your head?" The servant's face popped up from the side of the bed, with the same cheeky grin which made Arthur groan in frustration.
"Merlin, what have I told you about your excessive chattering?"
"To not to do it, sire."
"Good, you're learning something Merlin, slowly but you do."
"But I've already learned about your flamed ego, what else is there for me to learn?"
"Why you-" But whatever Arthur was about to say was interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door.
"Enter" The King of Camelot called out, all signs of the previous banter hidden behind the mask of his Kingly façade.
"Milord," The King's uncle, Lord Agravaine stepped into the King's chambers, wearing his usual dark attire topped with a cloak of the same expensive material. "I hear that Lord Manloris has gifted you with materials of his estate, which lead me to believe that your supper with the Lord has gone well?"
"Yes uncle, it was very pleasant to speak with one of my father's most trusted advisers at his time. Now that he has retired from the council, I thought it was best to gift him something for his service to the council"
"I once again apologize of my absence for last night's supper Milord, I -"
The King however was frustrated with his uncle for disturbing his breakfast. "Is that why you're here Uncle, I thought Lord Manloris had excused your absence last night"
"Oh, yes he did. Arthur, dare I ask what he had gifted you with?"
"A wardrobe. Crafted from one of the finest apple trees of his estate. At least, that was what he said" Arthur explained, raising his eyebrow, daring his uncle to say anything offensive.
"A wardrobe Milord?" Agravaine commented with an eyebrow raised to his hairline. "Then surely, you've made your knights search it carefully?"
Arthur found it very hard to keep a straight face at his uncle's comment. Merlin however gave a bark of laughter but suppressed it with difficulty at Agravaine's glare.
"Uncle, what exactly do you suppose is hidden inside an empty wardrobe?" The King asked his uncle sarcastically. "A new land probably?"
His uncle frowned and glared at Arthur. "Forgive me Arthur, for being paranoid. But there had been so many attempts at your life that-"
And Arthur had enough. He raised his hand, cutting off Agravaine. "If that is all Lord Agravaine, I have to get ready to attend to my duties" He sipped his goblet as if signing the end of the meeting. The Lord opened his mouth to protest but caught the look in the King's face, hastily bowed and left the room.
"Lords, I thought he would never leave!" Merlin cried in mock horror. "Think you can ask Lord Manloris to gift him something to wash Agravaine 's hair? As a thank you gift for not disturbing both of you yesterday?"
The King rolled his eyes at his friend's ridiculous dislike of his uncle. "I don't think he would. Manloris is too much of a gentleman to send something like that"
Merlin clicked his tongue. "Pity. Agravaine could make a very good use of it."
"Careful Merlin, that's my uncle you're speaking of."
"However, Arthur, a land inside a wardrobe? Don't you think it's just over the top? Even for you" the younger man crackled, pulling out the royal's clothes from the cupboard in order to stake them inside the wardrobe that was due in the chambers that afternoon.
"Agravaine is too paranoid for his own good" Arthur stated, but Merlin could see a sparkle of mirth in his eye. "Honestly, he is acting as if there will be an attack any day"
This time, Merlin did not join in Arthur's halfhearted laughter. Because he knew-and he knew that Arthur knew too- that in Camelot, after the calmness, there will always -always- be a raging storm.
Later that day, when some workmen brought in the new wardrobe into the King's chambers, even Merlin had to agree that its crafting was beautiful. It was almost six feet tall and the double doors were elegantly carved with the Dragon of the Pendragon crest and the Eagle of the Manloris family crest. The bottom of the creation was carved with such beauty that the King gasped at the workmanship.
"She is a beauty isn't she? You're Highness" one of the men asked the King, smiling at the expression on the Royal's face. "Crafted from the best apple wood one can find in our estate"
"She is," the King agreed without protest. "Please thank Lord Manloris on behalf of me, and I thank you for the excellent craftsmanship of this creation"
"The beauty is in the wood Milord, we only help in bringing out its magnificence" was the craftsman's reply.
Dismissing the men, Arthur turned to Merlin. "Make sure you handle it with extra care Merlin"
The aforementioned man was hanging up the king's shirts which were folded neatly on the bed.
"Already on it sire," the man stated, while placing Arthur's favorite royal blue shirt inside the
new wardrobe. "I honestly can't understand why you royals spend so many coins for a cupboard"
"It's called diplomacy. To keep each other in good light, when you gift someone something beneficial, they in return give you something else. That's how it works" the King was looking through some of the documents of the Manloris estate. "You've been here for almost seven years, I thought you knew that?"
"Just because I know about it doesn't mean I can't complain about it!" Merlin quipped back, rolling his eyes.
"Merlin!"
"Shutting up sire!"
Once the King's clothes were neatly placed in the wardrobe, Merlin stepped back to admire the beauty. "I am right," he said finally.
"What was that Merlin?" The King's voice was dangerously low, although his eyes betrayed a glimpse of amusement as he pulled away from the documents he was looking through and onto his servant who was blabbing aimlessly.
"I think there is enough space for you to store your overly large ego."
To be honest, he had seen it coming. Oh who was he kidding? Of course he had it coming! The bronze goblet which sat innocently on the King's table was soaring through the air to land on its supposed target. Just like that, he had seen it coming, and Merlin ducked towards the open wardrobe, his feet slipping on the stone floor and landed inside.
Arthur closed his eyes, unable to face his servant's ridiculousness. Was it that hard to do such a simple task?
"Honestly Merlin!" When the King didn't hear any response from his ever chattering servant, he dared to open his eyes, only to see nothing of the aforementioned man.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me! Arthur you have to come see this!" Out of all the places, Merlin's voice came from inside the gifted wardrobe!