The Rising of Emrys

Dinner with the King

After my visit with Owen, I returned to prepare for dinner. I would be dining with the king after all. I change into something more suitable, but I must remember who I am here. I can't ever let the king know. It may already be too late.

"Grandfather?" I ask when I step out of my chambers.

"Yes, Merlin, what is it?" He turn to me from his work table.

I slide my hands behind my back and glance at the ground. "Why does the king wish to dine with us?"

Grandfather takes a deep breath. "He wants to learn about your work. So, Merlin, you better come up with something good." He claps my on the shoulder before heading out. I blink a few times in surprise before hurrying after him. I quickly think through my memory to come up with something I can turn into a story for the king.

We enter the dining hall far to soon. But, there sits the king and his son. I stop where I am and bow to Uther.

"Please rise," Uther commands.

I do as he says and hesitatnly follow Grandfather to the table. I sit next to him, trying to avoid eye contact with Arthur. I can feel his eyes on me, burning into me.

"Thank you, Gaius, Merlin, for joining us for supper."

"Your Majesty?" I ask nervously. I swallow as all three look at me.

"Yes?"

"May I... may I ask why we have been granted the honor of dining with you?" I ask before bowing my head. I peer through my eyelashes to see Arthur still staring at me, his chin propped up with his gloved fist.

The two other men chuckle. "Of course Merlin! I often sup with some of my high servants like the physician and perhaps my manservant if I had one. It was a tradition Arthur wished to continue when his mother died."

I nod. I had always heard of Irgaine's heart. This is one I often heard of from the people back home. She was so differ than he husband. Which is why I suspect they got along so well. The balanced each other out. With her gone, Uther had become a tyrant. I wonder how many people could see it. Could Arthur see it, or was he to young to remember what his father was like before his mother died?

"Well he must have a heart the size as his mother's to continue something so wonderful," I say quietly.

"That he does. That he does."

After a short pause Gradfather and Uther begin to talk. I remain quiet, smiling as the servants come in with wine and water. I ask for water as the three men receive wine. I never liked wine. It always burnt my throat. I always avoided drinking it if I could.

I glance up and see Arthur staring at me. I blush and return my gaze to my cup, fiddling with it carefully. I can feel my heart race inside my chest. Heat rising to my cheeks which makes things even more embarrassing.

It feels like an eternity before they servants finally appear with food. We happily accept the food. Uther dives right in, continuing to speak with Grandfather as he does so. I pick at my food. Although it's delicious I can't bring myself to eat anything. I can feel Arthur's eyes on me and it's distracting me from anything else.

I don't realize Arthur is leaning across the table until he says, "You should eat."

I startle, glancing up at him. "And why should I?" I ask.

"Always so stubborn," Arthur mutters.

"I am not!"

He chuckles. "You most defiantly are. Now, eat. I'm sure you never eaten anything so wonderful in your life. So please, Merlin, take advantage of it." He sits back up, smiling at me just slightly. He take a a bite f his own food, staring me dow. As of saying I should do the same.

I sigh and concede. I take a true bite of the food and find it is even more wonderful than I had originally thought. The one thing that Arthur was wrong about is that I used to eat food like this every day. It is good that he doesn't know that, but at the same time, jeopardizing that he doesn't.

I eat quietly with no more encounters with the prince. He listens to his father's conversation, occasionally inputting his own thought.

Finally, the log dismisses us. I sigh in relief when I have made it out of the the Great Hall. I turn, going a different way than Grandfather.

"Merlin?" He asks.

"I'll be along shortly."

He stares at me a moment longer then continues on his way. I want to do a little exploring tonight. I run up some stairs and around a corner. I don't stop climbing stairs until I've reached a small room at the top of the palace. I open the only other door in the room and find it leads out to a balcony. If this were my father's palace this would be where guards would stand watch, and several of them. As of right now, it seems I am the only occupant. The wind blows my hair. It smells so good. It is coming of the sea, so it is cool and carries a faint scent of sea salt. I breath in the beautiful scent, glad to be away from any worries at the moment. 

I can see everything from up here. Stars twinkle above me. Distant lights in the lower town flicker. I know somewhere down there, Owen sleeps in a bed. Beyond the lower town is the forest. And beyond there, although I cannot see it, is my kingdom. Oh, how I long for home. I wish to see my mother and father again. I wish to know that they are all right.

I hear a cough from behind me. I whip around only to see the tail end of a red cape floating down the staircase. Arthur! Arthur was up here watching me! I can't decide whether or not to run down or stay here. Some way or another, I decide to run. I whip around corners, taking two stairs at a time. Finally I can see him. The back of his cape flutters around another corner. As I take the corner, my foot slips. I tumble down the stairs before I even register what happened. I hit something other than stairs and I continue tumbling in a blur of red. 

Finally, I roll to a stop. I sit up, sore all over.

"Merlin are you alright?" Someone exclaims. 

Whoever it is, comes over to examine me. I feel strong hands on my arms, holding me up. 

"Merlin, speak to me."

It finally hits me who it is. "Arthur," I groan, rubbing my head.

He sucks in a breath. "I need to get you to Gaius." He settles himself by me and wraps his strong arms around me. he hefts me into the air. "It will be all right," Arthur whispers. I keep my arms wrapped around his neck as he begins moving. He whispers meaningless word in my ear, and that's the last thing I remember.