Merlin shorts and such

Betrayed by family (longish)

"Your mother is coming to visit." Gaius said to his apprentice during breakfast one morning.

"When?" Merlin hadn't meant to ask the question so bitterly, but he couldn't help it. Gaius gave the boy a questioning look before answering the boy.

"She will be arriving this afternoon. It is expected you tell Arthur and be here to greet her." The older man told the young boy sternly. He pointed his spoon towards Merlin and raised an eyebrow. "You understand?"

"Yeah, I understand." With that Merlin stood, leaving his barley touched food, and left the chambers.

Merlin angrily walked down many hallways to get to Arthur's chambers. Servants and knights walked past the grumbling servant and said their greetings. Merlin only replied with nods or grunts in acknowledgment. Some were concerned by the lack of communication and smile of the brunettes face, but some didn't even notice.

When Merlin got into Arthur's chambers he unenthusiastically yelled his signature rise and shine after opening the curtains. Arthur, being groggy with sleep, didn't fully hear the monotone voice the expression was said in and groaned as the lights shined in his eyes.

"Merlin would you shut the curtains?" The king angrily shoved his face into his pillow. A hollow laugh came from the servant as he nudged his master. Arthur took notice to the laugh, but remained silent about it.

"Come on, Arthur. You have training and then a very important meeting. That will be taking up almost half of your day. Then you need to fill out some paperwork." The brunette nudged Arthur's shoulder harder as he spoke. Arthur groaned and got out of his bed. He sat down at his table and started blankly at it.

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"Where is the food?"

"What?" Merlin whips his body around to face the king. Merlin facepalmed and muttered the word stupid over and over again. He quickly apologized to his master and ran out to the kitchens.

Arthur sat at the table and waited patiently for his servant to return. He wasn't mad at Merlin for not having his breakfast ready. The poor boy probably had some evildoer to deal with or something like that.

Merlin opened the door to his masters chambers and practically threw the food on the wooden table.

"Sorry I was late with breakfast. I'm not sure what came over me." Merlin awkwardly shuffled next to the table and put his head down. Arthur looked at his servant with concern.

"It's okay, Merlin."

The day went on the same. Merlin acting off and Arthur being concerned about it. When it was something to do with magic or someone wanting to kill Arthur, Merlin would tell him immediately. The fact that Merlin wasn't speaking of his problems worried Arthur greatly. At the moment both men were in Arthur's chambers. Arthur was at his desk answering some paperwork and Merlin was polishing the floors. Their quiet, peaceful time was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Enter." The king grumbled, not looking up from his paper. An angry looking Gaius walked into the room and went straight to Merlin.

"Merlin, I told you to be in my chambers by afternoon. You should have been there an hour ago." The angry man looked towards the confused king. "Have you not been letting him leave, sire?" Arthur shook his head.

"He hasn't asked to go." The king looked at his servant to see his head turned down. Merlin had stopped his cleaning and just held onto the cloth. Gaius stared at his ward in confusion.

"Merlin, your mother is here. She really wants to see you." The tone Gaius used on Merlin was calm and gentle. Merlin simply threw the cloth
in the bucket and stormed out of Arthur's chambers. Gaius bid farewell to Arthur and went after his ward. The king shook his head and continued with his work.

Gaius only caught up with Merlin in front of the door leading to his chambers. Merlin made no action to open the door so his mentor took charge. The door opened with a creak and captured the attention of the woman inside. Hunith turned her head to look at her son. She grinned happily and beckoned him in.

The smile immediately fell from her face when she saw Merlin's expression. "What is it Merlin? What's wrong?"

"I don't want to see you." Merlin refused to meet the eyes of his mother. He knew that he had hurt her and couldn't bear the thought of seeing it in her eyes. His mother was such a kind woman, but he was mad at her.

"Merlin, I-I don't understand." She took a step towards her son. "You're just a kid, you don't know what your talking about." The sad woman rushed out.

"'I stopped being a kid the day you sent me down here to die.'" Both Hunith and Gaius were confused by this statement. Gaius left the room after just to give the family some privacy.

"I don't understand."

"I heard you, you know. The night before I was to leave. You were talking to Will. Do you remember?" A look flashed through the woman's eyes. Both Merlin and Hunith knew what he spoke of.

"I do."

"You remember calling me a bastard child. Saying you want me to leave so people wouldn't poke fun of our family. You sent me away because you didn't want to deal with me anymore. You knew, you knew coming here would get me hurt and might even kill me. You knew I could be burned, but you still sent me. Right?" Melrin had tears running down his face. Tears of betrayal. He was betrayed by family in his mind.

"Merlin-." The desperate woman got cut off.

"Right?" Merlin practically yelled it. His mother nodded her head mutely and then shook it.

"I said it, but you must know it isn't true."

"You told Will never to tell me of the real reasons."

"I know, but-."

"You didn't want a bastard child." More tears ran down the boy's pale face. Sobs threatened to emerge from his throat.

"Yes, but-."

"You even admit it. You didn't want me as a child."

"No!" Hunith was about to explain herself, but stopped when she realized she didn't know how. She had told Will never to speak of the real reasons Merlin was leaving. She had called her son a bastard child. She had cast him away because she didn't like being looked at funny.

"I don't want to see you, but I do love you." Merlin whispered after a few minutes of silence.

"I love you, too." The mother tried to sooth her son.

With a chocked sob Merlin whispered, "no you don't."

And it was partly true. The mother couldn't fully love her son because she didn't love the magic he was made of.