Gideon had snuck into the dining hall. There was some feast going on for some successful quest (or other frivolous excuse) that he had not actually been invited to, but took the liberty to join because his mother was busy in the kitchens and no one would bother with a young brat at this hour.

He sat in a chair propped against the wall, where he had a decent view of the prince and his servant. His parchment was seated on a flat stone that made writing much easier. He had taken the last hour to observe the two on his own.

Merlin was serving the prince, of course, but would also help other servants carry their trays and take on duties that weren't his own. One would assume it was because he was taking every opportunity to leave Prince Arthur's side.

On closer investigation, it appeared Merlin chatted with every servant he came across, and received about as much attention as the king. He was very popular amongst servants and nobles alike. There was always someone that made eyes at him.

Most notably, the prince himself.

Every two minutes, like clockwork, Arthur would look around the room. Once he found Merlin, he would soften a bit around the edges, smile a little wider, and then go back to whatever he was doing before. The difference was only just visible. One could suppose that if he only took a quick moment no one would catch him.

Unless you were a fourteen-year-old boy who had taken it upon yourself to stalk the prince. Gideon gave up noting the phenomena after the double digits. Once you saw it, it was hard to not see it.

"Gwen, do you see the prince?"

Guinevere was serving Lady Morgana, and had not left her post but to grab another glass from the kitchens. Morgana liked to have a shot of whiskey every time Uther mentioned something of sorcery but had to do so discreetly, and so Gwen would sneak off into the kitchens to bring her back her 'medicinal tea'. No one had caught on yet.

The serving girl was startled by the boy.

"Do I-? Yes, I can see him from here." Guinevere didn't know what she was supposed to be seeing in the prince, but she was not impressed. She wouldn't dare be so mean, but Merlin had a point calling him all those bad names. He was a bit... not nice. To give credit where it is due, she would admit that he seemed a lot nicer know that Merlin was babysitting him.

"Watch what he does." As expected, the prince took a moment to look at his manservant. The second time it happened, she turned to Gideon.

"You mean how he watches Merlin? He isn't the only one." Gwen saw Morgana making faces at her, no doubt wondering where her 'tea' was. The lady was probably beyond drunk at this point, and Gwen thought she could wait.

"But do you see how Merlin doesn't watch him?" The two turned to watch the man as he danced around the room.

He went back to the main table to pour some noble his drink. They could not hear what was happening over the rumble of the room, but Merlin had said something and Percival had choked on his drink. He poured some more wine for Arthur, but didn't directly look at the prince until he was grabbed by his neckerchief.

The two looked at each other, and while Arthur was clearly holding himself back from throwing something, they were smiling. It was a little sickening, to be honest. Definitely getting a gay vibe. The prince threw the scarf back in his face.

Gwen and Gideon looked at each other.

"Merlin may not watch him but... that was some smile." The girl noticed the Lady Morgana had begun beckoning her with her fingers. She smiled.

"I'll catch up with you later."

Gideon spent the better part of an hour watching the two dance around each other. Finally, as the evening was approaching its end, he saw Merlin standing alone refilling his pitcher of wine.

The servant boy looked up to find the prince, way over on the other side of the hall. Miraculously, the prince was actually not looking back. Arthur was chatting with Leon, his fingers patting a rhythm into the table. He had had a few glasses of wine at this point. Merlin saw him throw his head back and laugh, a little like a horse, and then quickly looked down to the job he should've been paying attention to.

It was a bit too late, as some wine had already spilled. He had been distracted, clearly. Everyone was too drunk and too tired to notice. Merlin closed his eyes and smiled to himself, before clearing his expression and bending down to wipe the mess up.

Gideon groaned, his head in his hands. This was painful to watch.

........

"Merlin?!" Gideon could hear Arthur yell from down the hall.

He and Gaius were supposed to be chatting about the worst injuries he had seen (as Gideon had a perverted attraction to emergency medicine), but the boy had been coerced into cleaning the leach tank. Merlin was off practising his magic for some reason or another, or maybe he had gone to talk to the Great Dragon? Gideon wasn't paying attention.

The door to the physician's quarter barged open.

"Gaius, have you seen Merlin?"

Anywhere but the tavern, is what he had said. Out picking herbs? Some physician's apprentice emergency? Gaius knew what he was doing. His face was a picture of innocence.

"He's- have you tried the tavern?" Gideon slipped at Gaius' remark, his hand audibly hitting the glass. He dared himself not to laugh. Arthur glanced at him for a second.

"The tavern. Thank you, Gaius." He turned around, not entirely convinced.

The two shared at look at the prince's expense.

........

"He's ungrateful, is what he is." Merlin was bringing up buckets for a bath, when Gideon caught up to him.

The boys shared the burden of carrying the buckets because the he would be allowed a moment to talk after filling the bath before Arthur needed him again, as per request. Gideon was sweating as he brought up the last bucket, despite the enchantment that made them lighter.

"For all the times I save his life, you would think he would risk saying thank you." They sat across each other, somewhere in the servant's stairwell. His back was up against the wall.

"He doesn't know that you save his life." They were whispering. Gideon did not have his papers with him but he figured he could sum up this conversation from memory at a later date. His arms were aching.

Merlin wasn't even breathing hard. "He knows I drank the poison for him, he knows I'm always with him. I always go with him, into any battle."

"But if you won't tell him, and he won't thank you, why do you risk your life for his?" Merlin found something fascinating in his hands, that was easier to stare at then the boy.

"He's destined to be the greatest king Camelot has ever- Albion has ever seen. It's kind of my job, my birth right to protect him. Make sure he falls ass first on the throne."

That was the truth. His destiny was babysitting Arthur, as far as Kilgharrah and other cryptic bastards knew. It was probably this unseen force that coerced him into sacrificing so much for the young prince.

"But that's... there are knights to do that. You are at great risk just living in the castle being who you are- uncontrollably- and you then decide that that isn't enough and you should take it upon yourself to be his friend."

Merlin stopped fiddling with his nails and looked up in surprise. "I'm his friend?"

"He'd smite me where I stand if he heard me, but yes. At the very least, you are his friend." That didn't sit well with Merlin for some reason. On one hand, he was glad that maybe the prince did appreciate him. On the other... well.

"Lance, Gwaine, they are my friends. Arthur is...," He didn't know where he was going with this. Arthur yelled at him, threw things at him, put him in the stocks, and made his life misery. But no, that wasn't right. He didn't hate him that much, and even an idiot could admit to themselves that craving to be at one's side was not friendly. Merlin prayed he didn't blush. An idiot he was, indeed.

"He's my friend." Gideon nods.

"Who you find attractive?"

"I- what?!" Merlin straightened his back, looking behind Gideon for some escape route. The younger boy grabbed his wrist.

"Please don't leave! You love Lance and Gwaine, right? Your friends?" Merlin didn't relax, but he let himself fall back against the wall.

"Yes, why-?"

"And you would risk your life to save them." Gideon leaned in, his hand crushing Merlin's wrist into the ground.

"Of course, but-?"

"So, you love Arthur?"

"What?! No!"

"What's the difference?" The young warlock was now breathing hard, his face scrunched in confusion.

He knew, he still felt the stupid tingle of magic or true love bullshit that day he had kissed Arthur. He knew he didn't love Arthur like he loved his friends. But he couldn't admit that- not now, not ever. Arthur was a prince, who had to marry a princess. Maybe there was a slight chance that Arthur knowingly felt the same (please refer above, true love's kiss) but there was no chance that they could be together.

He was a man, but more importantly a servant, and most importantly a warlock with so much magic that flowers grew out of his asshole. It was better to never admit anything, knowing how much it would hurt.

"The difference? Arthur's a royal prat, for one. I'm also fairly certain that he's yelling for me because I've been gone too long." He ripped his hand away, trying to quickly get away (but not outright sprint lest he come off as guilty- though he didn't know of what).

Gideon sat with his palms on the ground. He had accomplished something today.

........

Sir Gwaine was very drunk, as he commonly was after hours. One could consider the effect his lifestyle had on the liver, but the knight figured he was going to die at the end of a sword, or a mace (that would be cool) long before it caught up with him.

He was making snow angels in the flowery meadow he and Merlin had run off to. Merlin was supposed to be picking herbs (and Sir Gwaine assisting) but they had taken a pit stop at the tavern to say hello to Sir Percival and that meant Gwaine had to stop in to say hello to his favorite bartender, and then of course somebody had spotted Merlin and well, they took some time there.

Percival was on duty, so despite Gwaine's efforts he couldn't join the two. Merlin had refused to drink, claiming he still had to go get those herbs. Then sometime after half the tavern had flirted with Merlin, and someone started serenading the boy (not Gwaine), this group of men came in. At first, nothing was amiss, but then somebody bumped into Merlin (definitely not Gwaine) and caused him to bump into one of their men, who spilled his drink on his clothes.

The man grabbed Merlin, but before he could land a hit, someone else threw the first punch (okay this time it might have been Gwaine). At the time, it seemed necessary to resort to violence. The group of men all came for the two of them, waving their heavy tankards around like weapons, so Percy had to get involved. The two of them were escorted out, but not before somebody commented that Sir Percival had that ass (looking back, this was definitely Gwaine) and they got a motherly chastising. Seriously Merlin, what were you thinking?

And so, Merlin had taken a bumbling knight with him into the forest, and was now growing flowers around his head. Gwaine often commented to Gideon that he didn't know how anyone could look at the guy and not see magic.

The warlock watched the tiny flowers bloom through his fingers. It gave him an idea.

........

Gideon knew that this could've been the last day of his life.

"What do you think of magic, sire?" He was sweating.

"What?" The prince seemed outraged, in an obnoxious way. He quickly stood up from his desk, walked purposefully over to his door, checked left and right, locked the door, and then sat back down. He blew a hair out of his eyes. His face shifted to something less menacing.

"Run that by me again?" The boy cleared his throat.

"What do you think of magic?" This time he whispered. Gideon didn't understand what game Prince Arthur was playing, but he felt as if a pawn not a player.

"I am not my father," the prince sighed. He rubbed his face.

"I know there are peaceful people with magic. I know it can't all be bad. I mean I'm eighty percent certain someone I care about very much has magic." The two leaned in, Gideon breathless.

Could he actually know?

"Morgana." He whispered, then the two pulled back. Arthur frowned, noticing that Gideon didn't seem surprised.

"You don't have a problem with it?" Gideon rested his elbows on the desk, looking at him for any sign of- of anything. He didn't know what he was looking for. He just didn't expect the prince to be so calm.

"Well, it's not like I know anything about magic. I don't understand why my father has such a problem with it. He truly doesn't see what he does- murdering children- I mean. There is a lot of evil in this world..." the prince trailed off, obviously upset. He loved his father but he didn't have anything nice to say about him.

"What about... anyone else?" The prince, in his depressed stupor, was surprised by this question.

"What do you mean- anyone else? Anyone else having magic?"

"Yeah- do you think anyone else you know," he hesitates, "could have magic?"

Arthur blinks at that.

"I guess I didn't think of that. There're probably at least a few sorcerers that were born with magic-" Merlin had told him way back that people could be born with it, "-that live in Camelot. Some of them might not even know yet, children too." He chewed thoughtfully on his thumb. He spit it out as soon as he noticed; he could hear Merlin berating him later like he was his wife or something.

Or something.

"So, you've never questioned... say, Merlin."

The prince guffawed, "Merlin? He's not a sorcerer, believe me, I would know."

........

"Gaius, have you seen Merlin? Why is he always missing?" Prince Arthur stood in the doorway to the physician's quarters. He looked genuinely confused, perhaps one would dare think him worried.

Gaius was summoning every ounce of self restraint to not look at Merlin, who was huddling behind the door. He had been asked to tell the prince that he was anywhere but the tavern. Alas, Gaius was at that age where a man no longer gives a shit.

"I believe he said he was at the tavern."

From his point of view, Gaius could easily see the simultaneous reaction of the two. Merlin glared daggers at him, and the prince glared daggers at the floor.

"He's at the tavern. Of course," The prince turned around, his fists clenching as he made his way back to where ever he came from.

"I'm going to make him wish he was never born."

........

Arthur and Gideon awkwardly went the same direction.

This was the one occasion he did not mean to run into him, but he still smiled and nodded. Gideon feared he could be thrown in the dungeons otherwise. It didn't occur to him they would continue along side each other down the corridor. He felt pressured to speak.

"Nice day today, sire." Arthur wanted to choke him. This was not the time to be making small talk. He was steaming, determined to wipe the floor with Merlin when he came around. Worried? Him? For that twat? Never.

"It will be." He glanced out towards the field that faced the arching windows. He stilled.

Gideon, for all his social prowess, noticed and stopped as well. The prince walked around him to lean on the ledge. He peered out.

His idiot manservant was giving flowers to Morgana. Unmistakeably, he stood far too close to her with a bundle of lilacs in his hands. He said something, then handed them over. Her cheeks reddened and she smiled shyly. Morgana didn't do shy! Arthur felt himself shaking.

He had lied to him. Of course, he liked the Lady Morgana. Why wouldn't he? He had to play it off otherwise Arthur would tease him about it. Sometimes, the prince's head did function, albeit slowly (and incorrectly, mind you).

Gideon walked over to see for himself. They couldn't hear what was being said, but Morgana was twirling her hair around her fingers, and Merlin's ears were far too red. Arthur's favorite colour. The prince was in turmoil.

The two boys took a moment to watch the objects of their affections as they flirted. It was only a minute later that the two parted ways, Merlin no doubt headed to wherever the prince wasn't. Arthur felt his traitorous heart ache. Again with this stupid feelings nonsense.

"He doesn't bring me flowers." It was almost as if he didn't mean to say it allowed. None the less, Gideon was there to judge him.

Gideon had been frowning himself, off in his own world. He knew it was a stupid thing to crush on Lady Morgana when she was far too many summers his senior and also a lady. It did not mean the boy had no right to the nuances of jealousy.

"I didn't know you liked flowers." The boy glanced at the prince. He was coming to terms with his own heartbreak, unbeknownst to him.

The prince scowled, "I don't." That was that. He wanted flowers from Merlin. Merlin, who was his friend, his friend and nothing more and he was upset- he was only upset because- because-?! The wheels on the bus, or rather his train of thought, go round and round. Slowly but surely.

He sighed.