Story [Merlin] Drum Beat (one shot) Merlin, Arthur

Characters: Merlin, Arthur
Time period: before they went to Ealdor, sometime before season 1, episode 10 (The Moment of Truth)
Rating: g
Word count: 4090
Summary: It's Merlin's birthday. You would think for once Arthur would stop being a prat ? but then pigs would have to fly.
Spoilers: none
Notes: Colin Morgan's birthday is Jan 1 and he plays the bodhrán, an Irish frame drum. I've heard he's quite good, too.
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Feasting in the hall and Merlin was already tired.

It was the dark time of year, winter solstice and a couple of weeks beyond, when days were short and cold and the land seemed buried beneath snow. Today, though, the first day of the new year, everyone in Camelot was celebrating.

Well, everyone except him.

The hall was decked out in finery: fir and ripe berries, the glitter of gold and scarlet linen gracing the windows and at one end, the fire was roaring warmth and light and the smell of sweet herbs into the room. There were smiles on the faces of knights and servants alike, the joyous sound of shared laughter filling the hall, the heart-deep satisfaction of family and friends gathered around.

Instead, Merlin got to work like a slave and try not to miss his mother.

They'd not had much in Ealdor. The long nights of the winter were hard enough and fires were for survival, not celebration. But on this day, the first day of the new year, his birthday, his mother had always managed to give him the simplest of presents and have a sweet or two to share between them. And he'd played his drum for her and she would always declare that it was the best she'd ever heard. Blushing, he'd known it for a lie but it never failed to warm him. She was his mother and he loved her.

Now, he was far from home and alone. Gauis had tried to cheer him up, letting him have the week off and even Gwen had embroidered his name on one of his neckerchiefs as a gift. But it wasn't the same.

His chores had only grown as the celebrations neared. Most of the servants had had their duties lessened or cancelled but Prince Prat seemed to take that as an excuse to make Merlin scurry around the castle, doing this, that or some other thing that sometimes made no sense, that sometimes he swore Arthur was making up. Always his over-bearing self, calling for wine or a coat to ward off some sudden chill or asking if his armour was done yet ? as if he were going to wear it any time soon. Cleaning his royal annoyance's room and in the next second, Arthur storming through it, looking for who-knows-what, sending shirts and chainmail flying and then telling Merlin to clean it all up again.

And Merlin would hurry here and there and do everything that was required of him, muttering under his breath the whole time but still doing it. Because he wasn't home and in a way, he could almost forget that sad fact with exhausting, endless tasks.

As the feast grew louder and more boisterous, Arthur kept glancing at him, frowning. Merlin would turn around, hoping that whomever the prince was mad at, it wasn't him but there was never anyone behind him and finally, he just shrugged and stood there, wishing that soon he'd be dismissed for the night and he could go back to his cot and dream of Ealdor.

Instead there was entertainment, children singing and a bard starting a tale of mystery and magic and when Uther scowled displeasure, quickly changing it into a story about heroes with swords. Then there were jugglers and Merlin would have liked to watch but all he could think of was home as he rushed around, filling Arthur's goblet or getting him more meat for his plate or doing the dozen or so tasks that ?frankly - someone else could be doing.

So he wasn't paying much attention when musicians began to gather at the far end of the hall. He ignored the first strains of music, a slow, stately thing and the swirl of colour and light that meant people were dancing. But when that set had ended and the next began with a lively drum beat, he stopped and listened, suddenly breathless.

It w

 

Hi Dianethx -- I have missed reading your stuffamajigs. So this was a real treat. Excellent characterizations and showcasing of a subtle friendship ... Great capturing of the ambience -- I felt I was right there...

 

Thanks so much, Jade_eyes. I'm not much into Star Wars any more so I've been writing Merlin almost exclusively. Glad you liked it. It was fun to do.

 

Settling back into his chair, Arthur started to smile. "And if I find that you have a talent for something, I expect you to entertain me with it, be it gossip or sewing skills or music or tripping over your own feet ? which I must say I find vastly amusing at times." A full-blown smirk. "My own personal jester."

"Prat."

"Idiot."

And grinning widely, Merlin sat down and began to play.

Oh I totally love this! I can definitely see Arthur doing something like this for Merlin. Fantastic story!

 

LilyHobbitJedi - thanks so much. I wanted to show how much Arthur really likes Merlin but isn't allowed to show it, certainly not at court. Plus I love the idea of Merlin playing the drum.

 

Oh this was great! Way to go Arthur!

Wonderfully played out! Totally enjoyed the hidden present under it all hehehe Never cease to be entertaining

 

Aww...

This is why I love Arthur so much! He's a prat, and he's completely thick when he wants to be, but under all that princely bravado lies a kind heart. I adore him.

And this piece was just lovely, dianethx, showcasing Arthur and his pratliness and his lovely heart, and Merlin just being Merlin. I really enjoyed it (and love the title, too).

This, being my favourite part:

The man was making no sense but it was clear Arthur wanted him to clean it up first so he put aside the laundry and started gathering up the trash. There were several lengths of fabric, some of it awful and some quite good and a few brass buttons and under it all, a drum that fit perfectly into his hand.

"My lord?" He had a million questions all clamouring to be asked: how and why and what was going on and was it real or just a lovely dream.

Arthur shrugged, all careless lifts of one shoulder, a gesture that said everything and nothing, as if what Merlin had discovered was not his doing. "The drum was made unusable after the drummer was told to stop his incessant noise by the prince of the realm. And now, coincidentally, it's in the rubbish. How unfortunate."

Hehehe... how unfortunate indeed. Arthur's round-a-bout way of giving Merlin a present he can cherish without actually seeming to give him a present at all.Love it!



Ant.

 

Kyn - thanks so much. Glad you liked it. Arthur may be a prat at times but he's really a nice guy under all that bluster.

Ant - Arthur really is sweet but don't ever tell him that! He'd sputter and go off and do something prattish just to prove he isn't. I did want to show that he couldn't give Merlin anything for his birthday since it would be unseemly - plus his father would have a fit. But he could use what was expected to do something nice. Thanks so much!