Chapter Text
Gwen’s Armory and Pub was packed, brimming with people of all kinds coming and going through the single wooden swinging front door. It was a place that was known for serving anyone and everyone. Knights and commoners dined together under the drooping wooden roof beams. Sorcererss and witch hunters sent suspicious looks at each other and pickpockets knew to keep their sticky fingers in their own purses. Part of the reason that the pub was such a haven for drunken peace was due to Gwen herself. Everybody loved Gwen. It was impossible not to. Her caramel eyes would glitter as she offered smiles and welcomes to all those who stepped foot into her establishment. Her long brown curly hair was always pulled back in a bun to keep it out of everybody’s food as she whirled between tables with jugs of mead. The larger reason that Gwen’s Armory and Pub remained free from violence was that it was frequented by the captain and crew of the Mermaid , the most well known and feared pirate ship across the seas.
Tonight however, neither Gwen nor the Mermaid captain could be seen on the floor, though the rest of her crew could be seen (and heard) drinking raucously. Captain Morgan le Fey and Gwenivere had disappeared upstairs to the living quarters above the pub nearly an hour ago, Gwen with a bright smile and the Captain with a softer look than she ever wore around anyone else. Morgan wasn’t worried about leaving her crew downstairs, despite their tendency to get into trouble, because her second was watching over them with sharp green eyes, making sure Gwaine didn’t get too rowdy and that Mordred wasn’t drinking—not too much anyway.
He rarely drank himself, at least not to the extent that the rest of the crew did, and definitely not while Morgan was occupied with her paramour. Which is why he was the only person to take any notice when the front door swung open and a group of four men stepped through. They were obviously knights, but what caught Merlin’s eye was the crest painted on their chestplates.
The blond man, who was obviously the leader, looked around as the door shut behind their little group, then leaned over and whispered something into the attractive brunet at his shoulder’s ear, who nodded and began to make his way toward the bar. Merlin’s eyes tracked his progress with mild interest before returning to the leader and remaining knights, who stood at the door looking like they had no idea what to do from here.
Kara, one of the girls who worked down the road, made her move just when Merlin was about to go and ask if they needed help finding a table, or literally any other place to stand other than right in front of the only door. He didn’t blame her. Everyone knew that knights paid the best for the working girls and boys, foreign knights especially. Merlin remained where he was but tilted his head down so no one saw his eyes briefly glow gold. He smiled slightly and returned his gaze to Kara and the knights, now hearing their conversation filter to him through the loud babbling of the other patrons.
“You boys look lost,” Kara purred, going right up close to the blond leader and peering up at him through long dark lashes. He tried to take a surprised step back and knocked into the massive knight behind him. Kara was not deterred. “Looking for somewhere to stay the night?”
The leader recovered his wits impressively quickly. Merlin had seen men and women alike reduced to mumbling idiots under Kara’s gaze. “We’re looking to employ a ship,” he stated.
“A ride? I can provide that.” She placed a slender hand on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.
“Madame–”
“Please, call me Kara.” The leader was blushing a delightful shade of red, but the poor man also looked rather terrified. Merlin sighed and pushed away from the wall, emerging from the shadows and shifting through the tables without ever brushing another person, all easy grace and sure-footedness that came with spending the better part of six years aboard the rocking deck of a ship.
“Kara dear,” he said, and the young woman started a bit before tilting her head back to look at him.
“Merlin darling. You know how I hate it when you sneak up on me like that.” Her smile was as teasing and sensual as always. It was her default state. Merlin gently placed a hang on her waist.
“Oh please. You know you love surprises.” From behind his back he withdrew a small bouquet of wildflowers and stuck them under her nose, between her and the knight she’d been so resolutely seducing. She turned away from the knights, and Merlin saw the palpable relief on the leader’s features.
“Always such a flirt,” Kara complained, but took the flowers.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Merlin replied with a smirk, tipping her chin up with a finger and guiding her lips closer to his. At the last moment he changed course, mouth ending up by her ear. She let out a disappointed huff. “You should go speak with Gwaine.” She stepped back from him with a glare.
“If that good for nothing has something to say to me, he can find me himself,” she snapped, and stormed off.
“Works every time,” Merlin said with a satisfied tilt of his head. Mentioning Gwaine was the quickest way to get most men or women who’d known him to leave, but Kara most of all.
“I thank you for your…assistance,” the blond knight said with an embarrassed little bow of his head.
“You looked like you needed rescuing,” Merlin replied easily. The man frowned slightly, as though the idea of being rescued was abhorrent to him.
“Yes. Well. Perhaps you could be of some help,” he said.
“You know Kara knows some lovely boys if you need help from someone more like me.” Merlin hadn’t been able to resist, and the brilliant flush of blood to the knight’s cheeks was more than worth it as he spluttered unintelligible sounds.
“We need a ship,” the shorter of the other knights said when it became clear that his leader wasn’t going to be recovering his faculties anytime soon.
“Might be I know where you can find one.” Merlin crossed his arms and stepped away from the poor blond one. “Where are you looking to go?” He already knew of course; he’d known since they’d stepped through the door with golden lions on their chestplates, but he wanted to hear them say it.
“Camelot,” the large one stated.
“I can get you there,” Merlin replied. “Captain’s occupied at the moment, but if you have a seat, I’m sure she’ll return shortly.”
“You have a ship?” the leader asked, surveying him doubtfully. Merlin nodded.
“And you’re standing right in front of the door. So come sit down.” He left no room for argument in his tone, and the knights followed him to the table occupied by Gwaine, Mordred, and Elyan. They grabbed the knight that had been sent to the bar on their way. He’d just received a pint of mead for each of them. He looked at Merlin curiously. Merlin looked him up and down and winked, continuing on his way as soon as he saw the man blush.
“Merls!” Gwaine exclaimed, immediately throwing an arm around his shoulders when he sat down. “Who have you brought?” Merlin tilted his head back to look up at the knights, who were still standing awkwardly behind him.
“I didn’t actually catch your names.”
“Arthur,” the leader said, then gestured to each of his men in turn. “Lancelot, Percival, and Leon.”
“Pleasure,” Gwaine said with a grin, then burped.
“This charmer is Gwaine,” Merlin said, wrinkling his nose at the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. “Mordred and Elyan.” Mordred gave a shy wave and Elyan nodded. “The rest of the crew’s scattered around.” Merlin gave a dismissive wave of his hand, silver rings glittering on his fingers. “Sit, the seats won’t burn you,” Merlin said. Percival pulled up a stool, Lancelot and Leon went to the bench on the other side of the table, and to Merlin’s surprise, Arthur settled himself right next to him.
“What brings you all the way to this side of the Great Sea?” Elyan asked, ever the polite conversationalist, just like his sister. Percival snorted into his cups, and Arthur glared at him.
“We were supposed to be brokering a treaty with the King of Caen,” Arthur stated, obviously disgruntled.
“Who is we?” Lancelot muttered.
“I’m not just going to marry some random foreign Princess for a treaty!” Arthur argued. Merlin frowned. “And Alana didn’t want to marry me either. Did you see the way she was looking at the gardener’s boy? Please.” Merlin suddenly had the urge to slam his forehead into the table. He really was a grand idiot, for more reasons than one.
“You’re Prince Arthur,” he stated. Elyan stiffened, and Merlin could see his arm moving, likely inching toward his sword hilt. He gave a miniscule shake of his head. Mordred looked as though he wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. Gwaine just descended into uproarious laughter.
“Oh mate, the Captain’s going to kill you. A couple of knights is one thing but you want passage for the future King?”
“Shut it,” Merlin commanded. He could still salvage this. The knight would pay well for passage, but the Crown Prince of Camelot was almost priceless as a hostage. No matter her personal feelings, Morgan would see that just as he did…Merlin hoped. With some effort, Merlin plastered his usual smile back onto his face and turned to face Prince Arthur fully. He looked monumentally uncomfortable.
“Well don’t expect us to call you Your Royal Highness. You’re no Prince of ours.”
“You will still show him the proper–” Arthur raised a hand, staring fixedly into Merlin’s eyes, and Leon fell silent.
“You can get us to Camelot?”
“Oh certainly,” Merlin said, ignoring how close Arthur was to him on the bench. Definitely no time for that. Sure, he’d been thinking about it, but this was no longer some random knight.
“Then you may call me whatever you like,” Arthur said, and if Merlin didn’t know better he’d say the prince even leaned in a little closer. Merlin was momentarily struck dumb, which was not something that happened very often, or ever.
“Does that apply to all of us Princess?” Gwaine chuckled, and Merlin reached up to smack him on the back of the head, then grabbed Gwaine’s tankard of mead and took three large swallows, shaking his head. He was saved from having to say anything by Morgan and Gwen appearing from the back, both looking rumpled and very happy. Elyan followed his gaze and then rolled his eyes with a slightly sick look on his face as Morgan pulled Gwen in by the waist and kissed her soundly.
“Right in front of me. Honestly,” he muttered. “No brother wants to see that.” He turned back to the table. Gwen, with a smiling giggle flounced away from Morgan, who watched her go with an appreciative tilt of her head. Her black hair was mussed, down rather than in the neat plait it had been in before she and Gwen had disappeared upstairs. Her clothes were a bit askew, her swordbelt buckled on the wrong side. She spotted Merlin, who raised Gwaine’s tankard in her direction. She winked. Then she caught sight of Arthur and the knights and the smile positively melted from her face. Merlin had expected this. What he hadn’t expected was for Arthur to leap to his feet with a gasp as though he’d been electrocuted.
Morgan stalked towards Merlin, who had the good sense to stand up and remove himself from the bench; all the better to escape if need be.
“Captain,” he said. “I know you’re mad, but just hear me out. This is—”
Morgan walked right past him and stopped in front of Arthur. “Arthur,” she stated with a grim look on her face, as though she were facing a headsman and not a pampered prince of a foreign kingdom.
“Impossible,” Arthur mumbled. His eyes traveled over Morgan’s features as though looking for something specific. He settled on her eyes, which happened to be the same shade of blue as Arthur’s own, though that was where the similarities ended. “Morgana?”
“Hello brother.”