HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Merry Christmas!

A Two- Shot to brighten your day! This is my Christmas present to all of you guys! Enjoy :D

Brothers?

When Roger first arrived in Camelot, he was surprised at the people's attitude. They smiled as if they had not one care in the world. Their faces showed the glister of hard-labor and yet there was not a shadow of worry upon their eyes. He knew of Camelot's good fame, but this was ridiculous. Surely, there was no way this city suffered no predicaments?

If he'd asked, most people would just smile and agree with his statement, for Camelot was the heart of Albion, and in it there was nothing but the peace Albion's greatest King emanated and provided.

And if Roger thought the eerie cheeriness of the city was strange, then what he spotted as he walked around the castle's courtyard was even more so.

There was never a doubt in Roger's mind, as he saw them chase each other, that this two men were brothers. There was a broad-shouldered man who must've been a knight with what looked as a pointy hat crushed on his fist, and another one, taller, slender and with a mop of black hair that he was presently trying to rub away from his eyes, grinning at him as he scurried away. But sure enough, the blond one reached him, getting his brother in a headlock and, before his companion could protest, placing the hat upon his dark haired head firmly.

"Ah, you prat!" the man said, scuffing indignantly. "I am not wearing this!"

The blond, not paying any heed to his brother's efforts to elbow his ribs, just smiled and said, with the surety that a king's voice must've carried. "Yes you are." he paused for a moment and his eyes seemed to twinkle with unhindered playfulness. " or would you prefer this?"

He tossed the hat to the side and rubbed his large knuckles into the black hair. Letting a yelp, the man's dark blue eyes widened as he tried to get out of the strong grasp.

"Stop it; stop it, you cabbage head!"

As he went his way, Roger couldn't help but let a grin fill his face. He'd seen these two's antics a couple of times, in his own children and in his attitude towards his older brother. He could still hear the muffled laughs and he caught sight of a flying tackle as he turned towards the lower town.

...

Another week passed and Roger had made his life in Camelot fairly well. He was working as a blacksmith with the help of a very helpful knight named Elyan and he was starting to feel the contagious feasting ambiance the city seemed to have. It was not as strange anymore, once he woke up with the surety that his life was not in any danger, that Camelot's knights- the finest in all of Albion- were patrolling the city and the nearby forest and that his beautiful and gentle Queen ( who he still had to see with his own eyes, if he was to believe all that was said of her beauty) was always ready to help if any disgrace should befall him.

But mostly Roger wanted to lay his eyes upon King Arthur. He knew the man was the fabled king, the legendary leader from the druid's prophecies, and in his travels he'd heard much about his strength and speed, his steadfast sword Excalibur, the way a simple command from his voice could make greedy noblemen cower and how his eyes, flashing subtly whenever an injustice entered his sight, were the terror of many.

As he mused over this he did not notice that he was entering Camelot's forest and that his boots were now touching soft grass.

It was then when he spotted them again, sitting near a lake. The two brothers, the blond man and the dark haired one, grinning sheepishly as they ate what seemed to be a picnic. There was another person with them, a dark-skinned woman with dark long curls and a lovely smile. She gestured with her hands, looking as a beautiful maidservant in her Camelot- red garment, placing a grape on her mouth as she laughed.

Suddenly, the young, dark haired man seemed to notice him. His blue eyes locked with his for a moment before his face split up in a wide grin. " Looks like we have company" he said, elbowing the blond one.

Knowing there was no other thing he could do, Roger stepped out of the wilderness and smiled shyly at the beautiful Lady. He stood there, his hat on his hands, looking down at the wise blue eyes of the dark haired man.

"I am sorry if I am interrupting your feast," he mumbled as an apology. "I was just walking and I happened to notice you."

They all smiled at him and the blond one, sky-blue eyes shinning with mirth, said. "please take a sit, you must be starving. It's mid afternoon after all"

With a smile of his own, Roger sat down. He gingerly took a piece of cheese and bread as he watched his companions carefully. The dark haired man had a pale, smooth face that brightened and lightened as the sun whenever that wide, contagious smile crossed his features as it happened on that moment, dark eyes twinkling while he looked at his blond brother, whom had the strong jaw of a noble and the compassionate sky-blue eyes that shone with his brave soul. He grinned at the Lady in front of him with a faint blush in his cheeks and in turn, she, the Lady, mirrored with a lovely smile of her own. Roger had seen counted times someone as beautiful. Her long dark curls encircled her beautiful face and her dark eyes spoke of the kindest of hearts.

"You just arrived in Camelot, isn't that right?" asked the dark haired man, raising an eyebrow and shooting him a lopsided grin "how do you find it? Do you like it?"
Roger swallowed his cheese before answering. He noticed that the blond was gazing at him intently with thoughtful eyes but he didn't understood why. Grinning, he said "I do. I don't understand how the people can be this happy, though. They are always content, cheerful…is like if they have not a care in the world."

The blond man's smile widened and it did not escape Roger that his brother winked at him with something that could be pride on his dark blue eyes. But it was gone, then, when the pale man opened his mouth again and asked,

"I'm sure you haven't met the King, then? you would be surprise of how good of a King he can be even if he is a prat most of the time"

Roger blinked in surprise and a hundred thoughts went through his mind, from 'treason' to complete and utter bafflement... but before he could say anything the blond man had retorted "Oh, don't you know about the lazy git he made Court Sorcerer? I heard he is a complete idiot!"

The Lady just rolled her eyes and turned to Roger with an apologetic smile "Don't mind them. They behave like children sometimes."

And, just that once, Roger decided to let it slide...and he spent the afternoon laughing and joking with this three wonderful people whom he did not even know by name.

...

Roger had spent almost 2 weeks in Camelot now, and he was fitting in spectacularly. Now, he often wondered why he'd find the place strange at all. He'd learned to laugh in a way he hadn't in years, learned to smile at the rising sun and no worries ever awoke him in the middle of the night. Even if he still had to meet the King Roger knew that not one power in the world could harm him, as he was tucked safely below the Once and Future King's and Emrys' wings. Truly, Camelot was a otherworldly place. There was no injustice that could befall him, no disgrace that could not be counter-attackled with the wondrous magic that the Court Sorcerer possessed ( a man, Roger had heard, that inspired fear and awe with a look of his eyes.)

As he walked through the market on evening he had, once again, an encounter with the strange but brilliant dark- haired man while he was looking for fruit. The man beamed at him and said warmly. "Hello, Roger, how are you? Are you happy already?"

Roger smiled back, even if he hadn't learn the lad's name there was something about him that inspired deep trust. And so he replied. "I'm fine. Camelot is great. I feel so much peaceful in here"

"Well, I'm sure you are. Do you like your work as a blacksmith? Is everything good right now?"

"It is." wondering for a brief moment why the lanky boy would take an interest on his life, Roger let his smile widen. "thank you."

But he couldn't help it. As the tall young man turned to leave Roger let out a question that he hadn't intended to ask at first "Why would you ask, though? Is not like if you could do anything about it"

He half turned to look at Roger with those deep eyes.

A strange twinkle appeared in them as he grinned "Oh, believe me. I have more influence on the royal prat than anyone. If someone's unhappy he'd make sure it is fixed."

So that's how it worked, then.

Bending over some grapes after the man had gone away, Roger wandered what he had meant by 'Royal Prat' was it some kind of advisor to the King? Maybe the young man was a nobleman's son.

...

The day when everything made sense Roger thought he'd have a heart attack.

He had being eating his lunch, chatting away with Elyan about his job when he had spotted them again. The dark haired man was grinning and the blond one was smiling contently as they strove through the market, engaged in some playful banter.

Roger found himself sniggering quietly at the thought of his sons.

"What is so funny?" Elyan had asked, curious.

"You see those two there?" Elyan nodded as he smiled at the pair. "They remind me so much of my two sons. It's funny how brothers act sometimes. I remember my own brother whenever I see them... " he'd trailed off and said with a content smile. "They must be really close."

Elyan's face had been one of bewildered amusement. He had leaned closer and said in a half- contained laugh. "Brothers? Oh no, Roger, you've got it wrong. Those aren't brothers. That is King Arthur and his Court Sorcerer, Merlin."

Needles to say, Roger paled and the piece of chicken that he was eating lodged on his throat, and after a few moments in which he was deprive of oxygen and Elyan's strong hands patted his back, he bent and threw up all he had managed to get down. Immediately, the two mentioned man strode forward.

"You alright?" asked Merlin worriedly.

"Of course he isn't alright Merlin!" the King said, rolling his eyes "Look at him!"

"He had no idea you were the King, Arthur." Elyan said, patting Roger gently on the back as the man drew in gulps of air. "He probably thought you were just a nobleman-"

"He never mentioned it!" Roger managed to croak out, staring at Merlin with the gaze of a startled deer. "I had no idea..."

King Arthur slapped the back of Merlin's head gently in a much brotherly gesture, to Elyan's amusement. "You, Merlin, are an idiot. The poor man is probably stunned-"

"You are Emrys!" Roger interrupted, his eyes wide. "You, boy, are Emrys!"

Merlin grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, well…"

"I'm really sorry Roger."King Arthur said sincerely. "You can go to our court physician with no cost whatsoever. I'm sure you just suffered a great shock now that you know your security rests upon the shoulders of this lazy git."

"Of course you don't mention the fact that you don't fit with the standardized description of King Arthur." Merlin muttered through his teeth. "I bet he didn't know it was you because people always omit the fact that you are gaining weight."

King Arthur turned around and grabbed The Emrys' neck with his strong grip, never minding Elyan's booming laughter or Merlin's snickers but rather smiling a devilish smile of his own as he said while they went on. "I have a really special task for you, Merlin, involving the stocks..."

And all of this Roger watched, open mouthed.

"Now that I think about it" Elyan said after a short silence. "You are right, Roger. Despite the lack of blood relation they are brothers after all."

Have a wonderful Christmas, all of you! :D