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Merlin hated patrols.
Even more, Merlin hated hunting.
It was an unfunny practice, useless most of the time, and a demonstration of the abuse of force and weapons on defenseless animals.
It wasn't for survival, most of the time.
They didn't need to go hunting.
They didn't need to kill all those poor creatures just for their own amusement.
So, Merlin wasn't sulking.
But, if he did, he'd have a very good reason to do it.
"Merlin, don't wear that pained expression, my lord!" Gwaine exclaimed, leaning from his horse.
Merlin snorted at the title.
He wasn't a lord, since he wasn't a nobleman.
Or maybe he was, his father's line had been wiped out by Uther in the Purge, and indeed, dragonlord must have some other meaning.
But, Gwaine wasn't talking about that.
Gwaine was talking about the gift Arthur had given Merlin, a new purple neckerchief, of fine fabric, which the servant kept around his neck.
If Merlin had been a lord, he would not have been in that hunt, but together with Gwen to speak bad of the knights, especially when they engaged in those barbaric practices.
Merlin would have preferred to be with Gwen.
The girl had promised him some interesting gossip about the new visiting nobles and Merlin loved to hear them.
Most of the time they were rumours that would have allowed the king to be saved once again from the plot of one of the allies.
No surprise that many kings were all dead, Merlin reflected, especially if their allies plotted their demise.
"Merlin, I'm sure you will enjoy yourself today." Percival smiled.
Merlin liked Percival.
He was a giant, and his size made him uncomfortable at times, but the fact that Lancelot had been the one who had introduced him had made any qualms Merlin might have vanished.
Lancelot had excellent taste in whether or not to trust people.
And Merlin trusted Lancelot.
But, at the time, Merlin didn't like Percival.
Or rather, he didn't like his enthusiasm for killing poor helpless creatures.
"I hope you know that I will scare away any possible targets you find." the servant announced, as dramatically as he could muster.
The same way he used against the nobles when he suspended any future treaty on Arthur's behalf.
"Obviously, Merlin." Leon smiled warmly.
Merlin pouted again and ignored the others.
They didn't deserve his acknowledgment.
***
By the time the servant paid attention to the group again, it was already lunchtime.
With a raised eyebrow, he noticed that they were stopping.
And, again, he noticed that a tablecloth had already been prepared on the ground, Arthur smiling at its side.
"Were you able to set up a camp?" Merlin asked, amazed.
"I did before you came to Camelot, Merlin."
"Oh. You know that means you have to help next time, right?"
Arthur sighed as Gwaine laughed.
"Don't you want to know why we're stopping here?" Elyan asked, smiling.
"Will you kill innocent and defenseless creatures today?"
"It wasn't the plan, no." Leon shook his head.
"Then no." announced the servant.
Arthur took a deep breath. "We know what day it is today."
"Congratulations. A very important dowry for the king of Camelot." Merlin nodded, wondering if the king had been charmed again.
For the only realm where magic was still banned, Camelot had a surprisingly large community of wizards.
Merlin was almost sure that the cook, who had served under Uther, was a witch.
Or, if not a witch, aware that Merlin was a wizard.
"Your mother told me." Arthur said and Merlin pursed his lips. "Then my mom has the qualities to be the king of Camelot."
Gwaine laughed again and even Leon smiled in amusement.
"Merlin, we know it's your birthday." Elyan said, and Percival continued. "And since you celebrated ours with each of us, we decided to do the same with you."
"Oh."
Merlin stared at the knights, then at the king.
"You've known me for years, you all know me for years, yet you never have."
"Well, it was pointed out to me that I didn't have a friendly demeanor." Arthur replied, hesitating on the word friendly for a moment. "And I decided to remedy it."
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Gwen yelled at you?"
"Yes." Arthur sighed, making the other knights laugh.
Even Leon, this time, didn't hold back his laughter.
Merlin smiled. "And Gwen couldn't come, why?"
"She's busy with some things, Merlin." Gwaine put an arm around Merlin's neck, smiling. "Now, my dear Merlin, we will celebrate your birthday properly."
"It looks like a threat." The boy said laconically.
"I'm pretty sure it was." Percival consoled him, his smile too happy for someone who had just admitted to carrying out a threat.
Merlin sighed.
It wouldn't have been fun.
***
It was fun.
The confession wasn't as difficult as Merlin had supposed it would be.
The knights had done everything to amuse him.
Leon had started a joke, but then forgotten the ending; Gwaine's story was too strange to be true, but the knight continued to talk regardless of logical gaps; Elyan had attempted to juggle apples, which had fallen on Arthur's head; Percival had shown a trick his mother had taught him when he was young.
Merlin had been laughing ever since the apples hit Arthur's head, and he wasn't going to stop laughing too soon.
Then, Arthur took a sack from the basket, and opened it, shiny pieces filling everyone.
Merlin had tears in his eyes.
That was a tradition from the realm of Essetir, not Camelot.
"Your mother told me about it and I couldn't not." Arthur admitted, and Merlin smiled. "Thank you, Arthur."
"Of course, he would have been a bad boyfriend!" Gwaine said and Merlin looked at him confused. "Boyfriend?"
A gasp rang out collectively from all the riders.
"Yes, Merlin." Arthur looked doubtful at the servant. "We are in a relationship."
"No, we're not! I would know, don't you think?"
Gwaine snorted, amused. "I wish I still had something to eat to enjoy the show."
Leon hit him on the head. "Do not do that."
Elyan snorted, he whispered to Percival. "I knew Merlin was too chill about it."
Percival nodded, saying. "Lancelot warned that Merlin wouldn't catch any hint. I don't know if Arthur was explicit enough."
Arthur's mouth was hanging open. "Didn't you realize I've been courting you? For months! Almost a year!"
"You didn't woo me!" Merlin denied and Arthur began to list.
"I gave you days off!"
"You didn't need a servant! Not giving me days off would be an insult towards Queen Annis!"
"I took you herb picking!"
"You said I needed a guard and none were available!"
"I gave you a neckerchief!"
"You were kind, for once."
Arthur blinked
"I've been courting you for months and you haven't even realized it."
"Well you didn't say that!"
Arthur snorted. "Good. I'm courting you."
"Good!" Merlin crossed his arms over his chest.
"Good." Arthur did the same with his own arms.
After a moment of silence, Gwaine burst out laughing.
Soon, Elyan, Percival and Leon were laughing too.
Elyan said. "Wait until Gwen knows!"
At the prospect of his best friend's reaction, Merlin smiled.
Percival was right, the servant thought, he had liked the afternoon very much.
Of course, on the next hunt he would still drive away all the poor innocent animals.