Chapter Text
Access to a full bath was a luxury he didn’t get often. A point Arthur made sure to tease and brag to him about. Despite his irritation about it, deep down, Merlin was grateful for the excuse to avoid risking someone seeing his tail and gills. Sent down to collect fish from the cook for Arthur. Merlin fumbled through the kitchen by the hearth where two girls were talking among themselves.
“Did you hear the stories the fishermen from the southern seashores of Meredor were telling?” One of the girls hanging a fish on a drying rack asked. Her eyes wide with disbelief.
The other girl shook her head. Handing the girl a fish she rinsed with water. “I saw them briefly hauling the fish off their packhorses.” Merlin scooted around them, careful not to get in trouble again. Keeping his head low.
“There are rumors of the strange things they see at sea.” She paused hesitantly. The other girl flicked water onto her face. Merlin’s heart skipped a beat. His mom had warned him merpeople were hunted down for their connection to magic before coming to Camelot. Picking up a plate of fish, he quickly went to grab a few vegetables. When the other girl turned abruptly, bumping into him, sending the plate of fish all over his shirt.
“Don’t tell me you…” Her words came to a halt as her eyes took in his appearance. “I’m so sorry.”
She gave him a rag to clean himself up and more fish and vegetables to take to the prince.
“Is it just me, or do you smell like you were wearing my dinner?” Arthur sent him a disapproving look and motioned for Merlin to close the chamber’s door behind him.
“Is it that bad?”
“Merlin. I can smell you from here.”
A smile crept up on his face as he moved to put the plate down on the table. Before going to eat, Arthur asked. “What did you do this time?”
“Nothing. I—I just bumped into one of the cook’s maids.” Merlin said with his heart in his throat. Still unsure of what to make of what he overheard. Creatures of magic weren’t a common topic. Unless they were attacking Camelot, or it’s people
The prince rolled his eyes at him. ”Try looking where you are going next time.” Arthur suggested handing him his empty plate and excusing him for the night. On his way out of the chambers, Merlin heard him say something about a bath.
After stopping to leave the plates at the kitchen. He headed to their chambers to see if Gaius needed any help. “No, but why don’t you do us both a favor and get the fish stink out of your clothes.” Gaius motioned towards him in emphasis. “I’ll get another servant to bring up a tub and some water.”
“No!” Merlin yelped defensively. Flinching when he saw Gaius raise a suspicious eyebrow at him. “I would rather not.” The argument sounding weak even to his own ears, he added. “It’s complicated.”
He hadn’t worked out how to best explain his situation to him about his curse. Having not remembered much of what happened. A part of him could feel how his magic pleaded for the lake to save him from drowning as a baby. But the rest of it was a blur. Aside from a few times he caught glimpses of the memory, swimming in the same lake it happened in with Will after he accidentally found out about his tail. With a vague vision of the water’s surface being out of reach.
Gaius stared unconvinced at him. His nose scrunched up from the fish stank. “Complicated? Merlin, you smell worse than most of my potions.” A protest made itself halfway up his throat before he stopped to sniff his shirt. Pulling the fabric away from his face immediately, Gaius took it as a signal to reach for the door to find another servant.
This was bad. If Gaius sees his tail, he’ll send him back to live in Eadlor for his safety. He wouldn’t be able to protect Arthur, and God knows what kind of trouble he’ll get himself into. His magic fled to lock the door from where he stood behind Gaius. Concern edged into Gaius’s brow; he asked in bewilderment. “Merlin, what has gotten into you, my boy?”
“Promise me you won’t make me pack my bags.” The words flew out of his mouth without his permission.
“What did you do?”
It wasn’t a no.
“What do you know of the things the fishermen of Meredor see?” One night he tried asking his mom about others like him. She only ever mentioned hearing they lived in the area from a merchant who traveled through there a long time ago. Between them a stillness began to settle. It tore at his heart.
“I’ve treated many of those who claim to see a great number of things. They say magic dwells deep within the sea’s currents.” He paused to make the suspicious look on his face when receiving bad news. “Why do you ask?”
“When I was younger…” Merlin gulped down a knot in his throat. ”My mom told me a story of how my magic made it so I could breathe underneath water after nearly drowning.” He could still see the fear glistening in her eyes, having almost lost him. When she explained why he had a tail after being submerged under water. For a while he stared at the floor, uncertain if he wanted to see Gaius's reaction.
“Did any of the fishermen—“
Merlin shook his head, grateful the two girls hadn’t noticed his suspicious eavesdropping. Before he could register Gains approaching him, he patted him on the shoulder. “No need to pack your bags, but promise you wouldn’t tell anyone else. I promised your mom I would keep you safe here.”
He nodded.
Once he released the spell, locking the door. Gaius scolded him. “Now about that bath.” Eyes darting around the room, he couldn’t get his mouth to move. Rubbing reassuringly in circles behind his shoulders, Gaius said. “I’ll make sure to lock the door back up once the water and tub are brought up. Your secret is safe with me.”
Dry clothes brought down from his room lay on a stool next to the tub of warm water. Without a word, Gaius went to grab a washcloth while he changed out of his clothes and slipped into the tub. Water dripped onto the stone floor. His back relaxed against the back of the wooden tub, legs going numb as the curse transformed them into a tail.
Scales cresting over his hip faded into his skin. Before the numbness turned into a feeling of new muscles taking shape of a tail until they parted off into two fins formed into elegant curves. With vibrant shades of blue and green, scales overlapping each other, and traces of gold flickering across them. Neck sinking underneath the water, he felt his gills breathe in along the side of his neck.
Gaius held the washcloth out for him and went back for a bar of soap. The water sloshed around his tail, and his scales glistened in the candlelight. A knock at the door came as Gaius handed him a bar of soap to wash his chest.
“My father wants us to join a group of noble men riding out for the sea of Meredor. Meet me outside when you’re done smelling of fish.”
”Of course, sire,” he said. Lips downturned into a disappointed frown. It was going to take a candle mark or two to get dry off enough to transform back. Gaius put his dirty clothes in a basket to take to the laundresses. Grabbing a few towels on his way back.