Killer

It had been a week since the wedding of Arthur and Guinevere, and the defeat and apparent death of Morgana. The people had celebrated the marriage, but not so much what had happened to Morgana. She'd been one of their own not that many years ago. So Arthur had decided he would focus on the good, on the wedding. Everyone was of course more than happy to oblige, being happy about something was what they wanted.

Except one servant.

Except Merlin.

Of course he was happy for them, he'd been their strongest supporter, behind the scenes and in the open. But after the first few days he had become to feel… despondent. Here he was, the servant who had helped bring Arthur to his senses, who had stayed with him throughout the whole ordeal. Who had done the right thing time and again for his friend, sitting on his cot in his room, looking out at the stars outside his window. He could hear raucous laughter from somewhere In the castle. Well, not somewhere, the banquet hall to be precise, and thought back to the day he'd had.

"I don't know, but is this okay to wear?" Merlin asked Gaius as he held up a fresh serving uniform, this one more colourful then the one he usually wore. Gaius looked at it and nodded.

"Where on earth did you get that?" Gaius had asked.

"Two weeks salary" Merlin replied with a grin. Of course he was only going to be serving tonight, but he felt that Arthur and Gwen both deserved to see him make some kind of effort. Gaius smiled at him and nodded.

"I'm sure it will be more than fine" he replied.

"I polished your armour, Made the bed, twice-"

"Why would you make the bed twice?" asked Arthur looking at Merlin later that day.

"The blasted creases wouldn't come out" he said with a grin. Arthur smiled and shook his head.

"I swear Merlin I think you're happier about my marriage than I am" Arthur had replied.

"I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say?"

"If by hopeless you mean that oh look there's still a crease in the bedding, then yes, I agree" Arthur said.

"what where?" Merlin asked moving to the bed. Arthur watched him, chuckling to himself.

"Merlin, you can be such a girl at times" he teased. Merlin rounded on him. Rolling his eyes.

"Funny Arthur" he replied. "So what suit of armour will you be wearing tonight? And don't say the ceremonial set. I refuse to clean that again" Merlin said.

"Okay, then I won't say you have the clean the ceremonial set-"

"Thank god"

"Even though you do"

Sigh

"Fine" Merlin replied going to the corner where the Armour was carefully laid out. He sat down and picked up the breast plate and picked up the cloth and began to work. Arthur walking back to his desk a few minuets later, after sorting out some parchments.

Merlin had just finished the breastplate when the door opened, Gwen walking in, looking more beautiful than ever now she was queen. Merlin looked at her.

"My lady" he greeted. Gwen looked at him.

"Call me that again and I'll throw you in the stocks" she said good naturedly. Merlin chuckled at her.

"I see Arthur's training you well" he teased. At the table Arthur grunted a laugh. Gwen sighed and walked over to Arthur, where they briefly kissed. They began talking quietly, about the feast later that night, when Merlin decided to speak up.

"Actually, I was wondering about that" he said, the pair looking over to him. "See I bought this new servant's uniform, but then I thought about it, I wondered if I had to wear some special uniform or something" he admitted, looking at them. Gwen and Arthur frowned, then slowly Arthur stood.

"Ahh" he said. Merlin tilted his head, as he watched Arthur approach. "About that" he said.

"Not the hat again… please not the hat" Merlin said.

"No, not the hat Merlin" Arthur assured him. Merlin smiled in relief, then his eyes went wide. What could be more hideous than the hat he wondered. "Merlin, the feast tonight is... an old tradition within the Pendragon house" he said. "It's kind of like for family, noble friends and the council only, that sort of deal" he said. Merlin nodded at him.

"And… we have servant's especially selected to attend our needs while it's held, ones who have had many years training in how to act, behave things like that" he finished.

"Oh" Merlin said, blinking a couple of times. "So, what do I have to do?" he asked. Arthur shook his head.

"Nothing Merlin, servant's other than those selected are allowed into the hall" Arthur said. Merlin blinked then smiled nodding, trying not to show how hurt he actually felt.

"Okay" he said, Arthur watched him a moment longer as Merlin went back to his work. It was obvious he was hurt, but as usual, he was doing his best for Arthur. Arthur decided to let Merlin work quietly, before he moved back over to Gwen. She spoke to him briefly, then turned to leave.

"See you tomorrow Merlin" she said. He looked up at her, again smiling as best he could.

"have fun tonight" he told her. She nodded and left, Arthur returning to his paperwork.

Finally finished Merlin helped Arthur dress for the feast. Arthur nodding as he looked in the mirror at his reflection.

"That's the last time I polish that for a month you do know that right" Merlin said, trying to get over his disappointment. Arthur looked at him, and shook his head.

"Go on, before I do put you in the stocks" he teased. Merlin nodded and turned away, walking to the door.

"Arthur…?"

"Yes?"

Do I embarrass you somehow? Is that the reason I'm not allowed to attend?

"Have fun tonight"

"Thank you Merlin"

He left the kings chambers, smiling at people as he went past, smiling at Leon, Percival, Gwaine and Elyan as they had entered the hall, laughing amongst themselves. Eventually he returned to the pharmacy, finding it empty. Evidently Gaius had been asked to attend, because when Merlin had checked, his best clothes were gone. He looked around the large empty room, then went to the counter, making himself a small bowl of stew for dinner, before he sat down, eating in silence, realising that he was shaking. He ignored the shaking as best he could, even when the sound of trumpets sounded from the hall, signalling the start of the feast, their sound becoming a little muffled as the doors closed. He finished eating then picked up the bowl using some water to wash it out before he replaced it, wiping down the table, doing normal everyday things, to take his mind off how rotten he was feeling. Suddenly he just stopped, standing there in the middle of making Gaius's bed, before it suddenly hit him, how alone he was feeling, and how alone he would be in the coming days. Slowly he moved to his room and sat on the bed, looking out at the stars.

It had been a week since the wedding of Arthur and Guinevere, and the defeat and apparent death of Morgana. The people had celebrated the marriage, but not so much what had happened to Morgana. She'd been one of their own not that many years ago. So Arthur had decided he would focus on the good, on the wedding. Everyone was of course more than happy to oblige, being happy about something was what they wanted. So Everyone was happy, everyone except one small man, sitting alone in his room, watching as the friends he'd made become important figures within the kingdom, and for Merlin? All he had to look forwards to was waking up the next morning, getting on with his chores as nothing more than a servant.

Creak

Merlin sat up slowly, he could still hear the laughter from the banquet hall, so the party was still going on without him. Maybe Gaius had come home? He thought, putting a smile on his face. He stood, opened the door to his room.

"In here Gaius" he called out, walking down the stairs, gasping as he felt something rip into his stomach. He looked down, seeing the blood pouring forwards, even as he looked at his assailant, it was a man, no doubt but they were wearing a helmet so the face was totally obscured. It pulled the knife out of Merlin's stomach, then turning fled the room. Merlin tried to cast some kind of spell, something to trap the man, but he was already feeling dizzy and nauseous from the attack. He gripped his stomach as he stumbled across the room, trying to cast some kind of healing spell, the words not coming. He gripped at the wall, the table, anything to support himself, before he fell, the pots he had used to prepare his dinner clattering to the floor around him. He half crawled, half dragged himself to the door, opening it just a crack, The helmeted man was standing there, looking down at him, then it dropped a piece of parchment next to him, before vanishing down the stairs. Merlin's fingers gripping the floor, but too slippery from the blood on them to do any good. Slowly he turned over, putting both hands to his stomach, his eyes glowing yellow briefly, the pain using his magic at that point, caused him to scream out, then thankfully, darkness took him.

The feast was going quite well, everyone present seeming to enjoy themselves, watching the entertainments, eating the food, generally having a good time.

"It's a shame Merlin isn't here" Gwen said quietly to Arthur. Arthur looked at her.

"I know, but even I can't break some traditions, as much as I detest them, he's the one who saved us in the end after all" Arthur said. "Finding that sword, making me believe in myself… standing with me when we retook Camelot…." He said.

"Then damn tradition" Gwen said. "Did you see his face today?, I know he smiled and pretended to be fine, but you could see how much he was hurting" she added. Arthur took her hand softly.

"Gwen, I would love nothing more than to see him here, enjoying himself, but this tradition has gone back for so long. The council practically ran screaming when I married you, Can you imagine how they'd react to see a servant here, no matter how much he belongs to be here?" he asked. Gwen sighed, then nodded.

"I guess so. But I tell you now I am not happy about this" she said. Arthur patted her hand.

"We'll make it up to him" he promised. She smiled and nodded, then they both stood in alarm as the door flew open, a guard covered in blood rushing in.

"What is the meaning of this?" Arthur said, even though it was damned well obvious.

"Sire… the pharmacy…." The guard said struggling. "I don't know, Robert is with him…" at the mention of the pharmacy, Gaius was already heading out of the door.

"Calm down and tell me what's going on!" Arthur ordered. The Guard nodded and took a deep breath.

"It's Merlin, he's been attacked" he stammered, his eyes locked on the Kings own. At one of the tables, Leon, Percival, Gwaine and Elyan stood, grabbing the hilt's of their swords.

"Sound the Alarm, I want people out searching every nook and cranny in this castle" Leon ordered, looking at them.

Arthur and Gwen were already past him before he'd even finished his sentence, the pair running down the hall, up the stairs at the end and down the next hall to the spiral staircase that led up to the pharmacy.

"I didn't know if we should have moved him, I'm sorry" a man was saying as they came to the door, Arthur pushing it open, Gwen gasping at the blood on the floor, the broken dishes, her hand going to her mouth.

"Gaius?" asked Arthur as he slowly stepped in, seeing Gaius and a guard standing over an unmoving body. Gaius looked up at him, shaking. he shook his head at Arthur, warning him not to approach. He did so anyway, looking away in disgust and sorrow. Beside him he heard Gwen give a soft moan as she too caught sight of him.

"Is he?" Arthur whispered, his voice breaking, his mind reeling at the sight before him. Gaius slowly shook his head.

"He still lives Arthur, but it's a damned miracle how" Gaius said, however he had some small idea of how, but now was most certainly not the time to go into that. "You" he said looking at the stricken guard. "Help me get him onto the pallet" he said. The guard nodded and bent to help, but he was in shock, anyone could see that. Arthur moved to him and gently guided the guard to Gwen, who took his arm, leading him to a seat, even as Arthur knelt down by his friend, helping the older man to lift him. Gaius looked at him, touched at the concern he could see in the young king's eyes. Arthur looked at him, simply nodding, waiting to be instructed.

"We must be gentle, sire, any sudden jolts may cause more injury" Gaius cautioned, as their hands gently went around him, Merlin groaned.

"Arthur?" Merlin's breath was a pained whisper.

"I'm here Merlin" he replied. Merlin seemed to smile.

"How was the party?" Merlin whispered.

"Oh you know" Arthur replied, his voice catching slightly.

"Merlin you need to conserve your strength" Gaius told him. Merlin didn't reply, having fallen unconscious again. A moment later Arthur and Gaius laid the man down on the pallet. Arthur watched, aware that the ceremonial armour he wore was covered in blood now. A sudden anger took him then and he spun to the guard.

"When did this happen?" he demanded. The guard looked stricken as he looked over at Merlin.

"Robert!" Arthur snapped. The guard looked at him.

"Sorry.. I'm sorry" he said, blinking. Arthur wanted to punch himself.

"When did this happen? Do you know?" he repeated more gently. Robert the guard blinked then shook his head.

"Ten, fifteen minutes ago, no more than that" he said. I was just going downstairs, then I heard him scream, Peter and I got here as quickly as we could but the room was empty except for Merlin by the door" he said. Arthur nodded at him.

"Go, try to get some rest, Peter too" Arthur told him. Peter stood and nodded.

"Yes sire" he replied, then practically bolted from the room, Gwen following his exit, then she frowned and stood, moving to near the door where there was a bit of parchment wedged under it. She knelt and picked it up, before opening it.

"Arthur" she said. Arthur was talking to Gaius, and didn't look over.

"Arthur, look at this" she said. Arthur turned and she handed him the parchment. He frowned as he opened it. There was nothing on it except a single word:- ONE.