Hello!

So it's the week of Valentine's Day! For every day of this week, I will be posting a new, sort of romantic one-shot, starting with this one!

This was fun to write, and I hope it's fun to read!

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters, ideas, settings, etc... in that show. All rights to their respective owners

Enjoy!

She's Beauty, She's Grace

Merlin thought that he wasn't easily surprised. But when he entered Arthur's chambers to find the curtains pulled back and food on the table, he couldn't help but be a little surprised. Especially considering that it was a brand new servant responsible for it.

She was about his age, with mossy brown hair and eyes just a shade darker. Her dress was faded - it looked like it might have been light blue originally - and her sleeves were ripped at the shoulders. She was making the bed, carefully smoothing out the sheets with a grace that even experience didn't bring.

He had, of course, known that Gwen had a new servant. However, he had expected her to be somewhat new to the expectations of a maid, the way he had been initially. So the new servant being up before him, and having successfully woken up both the king and queen and retrieved and served breakfast, all before he had even arrived, was shocking.

"Hello," she greeted, seeing Merlin standing in the doorway, no doubt looking like an idiot. Arthur and Gwen both looked up from their food to the doorway.

"Merlin," Arthur stated. "How nice it is if you to finally grace us if your presence." It took an embarrassingly long time for him to come up with a response.

"I, er, I had not expected you to be up this early." Was what he eventually came up with.

"Really?" Merlin nodded. "That's odd, as this is when you are supposed to wake me up."

"How about that."

"Merlin," Gwen interfered. "Have you met my new servant Lida?" The girl, Lida, inclined her head towards him.

"Hello," Merlin said.

"Hello," Lida replied. For a couple seconds, an awkward silence filled the room.

"Anyways," Merlin stated. "I have chores to do."

"I do believe that is what I pay you for, after all."

"So I'll be going. It was nice meeting you."

Sir Elyan and Sir Leon were walking quickly in a manner that suggested that they had very important business to attend to, and therefor everyone darted out of their way. Everything from their posture, to the snap in their step, to the serious look on the face gave the impression that the two admired knights were on official business and needed to arrive at their destination as quickly as possible. It was a walk both had practiced long and hard to master.

Contrary to the walk, the business they were attending to was about as far from serious as dragons were from flies.
Earlier in the week, Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival, Gwen, and Merlin had thought it funny to play a prank on the two knights. One day they had woken up as usual, only to find that they and all their stuff had been switched from their room to the other's in the middle of the night. How four people managed to move that much stuff so quickly and without waking them was still a mystery.

So on this day, while Elyan and Leon appeared to be on official business, they were actually in the middle of their plot for revenge.

Their noble journey took them to the kitchen for bait, but was soon derailed upon noticing one of the serving girls that was delivering dirty dishes.

"Lida." They both said at once. Lida looked up and broke into a grin.

"Elyan. Leon." She ran up and gave them both a hug.

"Lida, what are you doing here?" Elyan asked, astonishment in his voice.

"Didn't Gwen tell you?" Lida asked, pulling away from Leon. The two knights exchanged looks. Gwen hadn't been able to tell them much without bursting into laughter since the prank, quite to the annoyance of them both.

"No," Elyan finally answered.

"Oh?" Lida replied. "Well, I'm her new maid."

"That's wonderful!" Leon exclaimed.

"I thought you already were Lady Claudia's maid." Elyan stated.

"I was, but my sister used to work as a cook here, and she got sick a while ago, so I was allowed to find work here so that I can take care of her."

"Is she okay?" Elyan asked.

"Well, she's sick." Lida repeated. "But Gauis says it isn't fatal."

"I'm glad your here." Leon stated.

"As am I." Elyan added.

"And I." Lida finished. "But I do have work to do."

"Of course." Elyan and Leon replied.

"So I'll be going."

Elyan and Leon watched her leave.

Lida had been a childhood friend for them both, with her mother working in Leon's household alongside Elyan's mother. She looked older now, but her grin had been the same and she walked with the same bounce and-

"Get out of my kitchen!" The voice of the cook shook the two knights from their reminiscing, and soon they were far from the kitchen.

"Hello again." Merlin stated when Lida entered the room. She gracefully stepped around where Merlin was cleaning the floor, placing the basket of clothes she had been carrying in front of the closet.

"Hello," she replied. She started hanging up the dresses in the basket, and the silence seemed fairly awkward so Merlin tried speaking again.

"Where are you from?" He started. That was a reasonable question to start with, right?

"Same place as Gwen, actually." Lida answered.

"Really?"

"We were good friends before she moved back into the city."

"Is that weird, serving your friend like this?"

"You and Arthur are friends, right?"

"That's different. I started as his servant and our... I wouldn't really call it friendship... tolerance of each other maybe?... developed over time."

"Well, it's not weird at all. If anything, it's a relief. My first master was quite upright when it came to following proper courtesy. I don't feel as stressed talking to Gwen."

"Who was your former master?"

Unknown to either servant, Arthur and Gwen were watching their interactions through a crack in the door to Arthur's antechamber.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Gwen asked. Lida laughed loudly at what Gwen assumed was a jibe at Lady Claudia.

"Of course," Arthur replied. "Look at them. Talking. Laughing. Doing servant-y things." He waved his hand around, as if trying to gesture to "servant-y things." "They are perfect for each other."

"I hope so." Gwen answered. "Merlin really does deserve someone."

"Yes he does."

If there was one sound that was music to Elyan, it was Leon's behind hitting the ground.

He risked a glance at Lida, who was standing with Gwen. The queen had decided to watch today's practice, a decision that had Arthur pushing his knights twice as hard.

Lida gave Elyan a smile when she noticed his glance. Neither Gwen nor Merlin had noticed his victory - Merlin was watching Gwaine and Mordred duel with a look of sympathy on his face and Gwen only had eyes for Arthur.

Elyan, in attempt to look chivalrous, helped Leon up. Leon shrugged it off, just as aware of Lida's attention as Elyan was. Lida gave him a sympathetic look before turning her attention to Merlin, who had just said something.

Elyan looked across the training field. Gwaine had Mordred disarmed, and Arthur was telling the younger something.

"That was embarrassing." Leon admitted.

"Not my fault you can't stay on your feet." Elyan replied. Leon readied himself for another duel.

Their swords clashed, and soon Elyan was the one on the ground.

"And it's not mine you can't focus." Leon rebuked. Like a true knight, Leon helped Elyan to his feet.

Leon glanced at where Lida was, and a flash of annoyance crossed his face. Elyan looked, and Lida was completely occupied in a conversation with Gwen and Merlin.

Ha.

Another crash of swords, and Elyan purposely made Leon fall this time. Hard. He went down with a shout, drawing the attention and laughter of the three spectators. Arthur also noticed from where he was showing Mordred a way to counter one of Gwaine's favorite moves.

"Would the two of you stop falling down? You have to be on your feet to duel." More laughter. Leon shot Elyan a glare, something he didn't even know the other knight was capable of.

"Alright," Arthur called. "Switch partners."

"So what were you and Lida talking about so intently?" Gwaine asked. He and Merlin were the only two in the armory, Gwaine playing with a new sword and Merlin polishing Arthur's armor.

"Just Arthur's training methods." Merlin replied. "She was wondering why such a young knight seemed to be besting Camelot's best swordsman."

"Arthur was helping him." Gwaine muttered.

"He does seem to be paying a lot of attention to Mordred."

"He's a good knight. Now what was really interesting was why Leon kept ending up on the ground." Merlin chuckled.

"I think he and Elyan were trying to impress Lida."

"Were they now?" Gwaine asked. "You know, this is good blackmail information if they ever get out of hand."

"Do you need help?" Elyan asked when he saw Lida in the hallways, carrying a basket of clothes on her hip.

"Don't you have knightly things to do?" Lida replied.

"Helping others is a very knightly thing to do." Elyan argued.

"And I'm honored that such a noble knights as yourself wants to help such a lowly servant as myself, but I am doing fine by myself."

"Sir Elyan, aren't you supposed to be on patrol?" Sir Leon called from down the corridor.

"Well I guess I have to go." Elyan stated. "If you ever need any help-"

"I'll ask Merlin."

"Sir Elyan!"

"I'm coming!"

Sir Leon prided himself on not getting distracted easily. But everyone got distracted once in a while, and Lida was quite the distraction.

She was right on the edge of his vision, just to the right of being right behind Arthur. She was involved in the discussion, though every once in a while she would whisper something to Merlin.

Even with the distraction, Leon was the best strategist of the table.

The discussion had moved on from Morgana and patrols to new recruits when Arthur voiced concern about how slowly training had been going. The war with Morgana was taking a lot of the knight's time, and it was hurting training time.

"I could help," Elyan offered. Arthur blinked - Elyan had been asked to help train newer knights before, and had always declined. Leon himself was surprised until he saw Lida's smile.

Trying to impress someone, was he?

"It's good of you to offer," Leon answered. "And I'm sure you'd be great help, but your part in protecting trade routes is too important."

Lida looked even more impressed now. Oops.

"Of course," Elyan admitted. "I just thought I'd offer."

Arthur gave the two of them curious looks before listing off knights that would be better suited for the task.

Gwaine was looking between the two knights and Lida with an amused expression. Leon shot him a glare.

"Which is why protecting trade routes is so important." Lida summed up. She looked at Merlin for confirmation. He nodded.

"No supplies, no way to fight." He repeated. "Simple as that."

Arthur was listening in on their conversation with a feeling of victory. Merlin and Lida had certainly hit it off, though he and Gwen still had plenty of work to do.

"And Elyan and Leon are in charge of that?"

"Leon is. He likes to keep some of the more trusted knights free in case he needs to make it even more secret."

"They seem to be getting along well." Gwen commented, keeping her voice so that the servants couldn't hear her.

"Definitely. Having them attend training and meetings together seemed to work." Gwen smiled. That was her idea. "How are you so good at this?"

"I just am."

"Merlin?"

Gauis's voice woke Merlin. He cracked his eyes to see the physician up, dressed, and standing at the foot of his bed.

"Am I late again?" He asked, suddenly scared. But no, it was too dark. Was the sun even up yet?

"No." Gauis confirmed. "I just received word of a sickness spreading in the lower town, so I need you to cover my rounds this morning."

"Sure," Merlin grunted.

"I set everything up last night so you just need to deliver. Mari, Hetia, Sir Tomas, and Erin need theirs as soon as possible." Merlin nodded that he understood.

With the exception of three kitchen girls who were down with a bad cough, no one was sick in the castle so the rounds were just the regulars, most of whom were nobles and wouldn't like being woken yet. So Merlin decided to deliver the four Gauis said first and then go back and get the regulars.

Sir Tomas was one of older knights who was always up and moving around way to early for Merlin's liking, which meant that he needed his drought - which was for a battle wound - first thing in the morning. Then the three kitchen girls, who were being taken care of by other servants that would be the next to start work.

"You're not Gauis," Lida commented when she opened the door.

"He's needed in the lower towns. I have Mari's drought." He held up the vial to prove his point.

"Well, thank you," Lida commented, taking the vial from Merlin's hand. "Did you make sure Hetia and Erin have theirs?"

"Yep," Merlin answered. "Gauis says that it will only be another week or so before the droughts kick in."

"Good," Lida stated. "I hate seeing Mari like this. She's usually so energetic, and seeing her in bed all the time..."

"I know. But she'll be back to her old self soon enough."

"I hope so."

"Anyways, I have more rounds to do. If I'm late this morning-"

"I'll tell Arthur what you're doing."

"Thanks." Merlin turned to leave, but Lida interrupted him.

"Merlin, can I ask for a favor?"

"Gwaine," Arthur said. "Do you have any idea what's going on with Elyan and Leon?"

He and Gwaine had been sparring when Arthur had noticed Elyan and Leon falling down a lot - again.

"Oh, them," Gwaine replied with a chuckle. "They're competing over some servant girl."

"A girl?" Arthur questioned. "Leon's being distracted by a girl?"

"Yep," Gwaine replied. "Gwen's new servant, even."

"Lida?"

"That is her name."

"But why-"

"Why her when she clearly only has eyes for Merlin? Personally, I think they're two besotted to notice."

"Well, we're obviously going to have to fix that. Can't have two of my best knights distracted like this."

"Lida!" Elyan called, surprised to see the servant out so late. "What are you doing out here?"

"Sir Elyan," Lida greeted, her face appearing flushed in the torchlight. "Sir Leon! I didn't think you'd be on patrol tonight."

"We weren't supposed to be," Elyan replied, cutting Leon off from whatever he was about to say. "But Arthur changed the schedule around today."

"Apparently he needed his more experienced knights on patrol due to recent developments." Leon added. Arthur hadn't told them what those recent developments were, though.

"He really seems to respect the two of you," Lida commented.

"We're some of his best knights." Elyan bragged.

"Anyways, what are you doing out here at this hour?" Leon questioned.

"Oh, well, I'm uh-" Lida stammered. "I'm meeting a friend."

"A friend?" Elyan repeated.

"Sir Elyan!" A voice called from behind them. "Sir Leon!"

"Is that..." Elyan started.

"George?" Leon finished.

George was one of the servants that Elyan knew well. He didn't serve anyone in particular, instead he worked in rooms like the throne room or meeting room. However, whenever an annoying noble needed a temporary servant, George would always show up. He had a genius way of doing everything right, but in the most annoying way. He drove nobles (and Arthur on one occasion) nuts.

Off hours, though, he was hilarious. And he had a habit of drawing the attention of female servants, too, despite not being very handsome.

"Lida," George said with a small bow.

"George," Lida replied. She wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him.

"Well then," Leon interrupted. "We need to be off patrolling."

"Yes, definitely," Elyan agreed. "Good night."

"Did they buy it?" Merlin asked. Lida nodded enthusiastically.

"All thanks to your brilliant idea," she added.

"Well, it's not totally my idea," Merlin admitted. "George and some of the other servants already have a routine for when Gwaine gets too annoying."

"Well, thanks for the help anyways," Lida replied, giving Merlin a small kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, uh, you're welcome." And Lida skipped away, right passed where Arthur and Gwen were constraining themselves from doing anything happy that might blow their cover.