enchanted | a. pendragon [on hold]

i | the darkest hour pt. i

"I thought you were banned from the kitchens?" he asked, glancing at Audrey who had yet to notice the Princess's presence. "What are you—"

Merlin cut himself off when a hook on a string dropped down in between their faces. Merlin looked up, confused, and spotted Gwaine and Percival on the other end of the string. They were peering down at them with mischievous grins on their faces, and then Gwaine held his finger to his lips, making Merlin laugh.

"I was never here," Lia said before grabbing a fully roasted chicken and hooking it on the string. She yanked on it once to let them know to pull it back up.

"Oi!" Audrey shouted, catching sight of them finally.

Lia giggled and grabbed Merlin's arm, hastily dragging him from the kitchens. They weaved through the bustling servants preparing for the night's events, pleased that Audrey was too busy to chase after them. However, while glancing over his shoulder, Merlin bumped into a servant carrying a pitcher of wine, and the red liquid spilled all over the front of Arthur's freshly washed shirt.

Merlin sighed and stared at the stain in defeat.

"You could try a bit of salt." They both looked up to see Lancelot approaching him, a few swords thrown over his shoulder.

"Arthur is going to kill me," Merlin muttered.

"Let's see," Lancelot said, holding out the shirt and looking at the stain. Then he chuckled and pat him on the shoulder. "You've faced far worse, Merlin."

"He needs it for tonight," he stated.

"I'm sure a man of your talents can think of something," he replied, shrugging while lifting his eyebrows knowingly. As Lancelot kept walking, Merlin checked to make sure no one was looking before whispering a spell. By the time Lancelot looked back, the stain was gone as Merlin held up the clean shirt.

Lancelot held out his arms as if to say, "See, that was easy," before continuing on his way. Lia chuckled and smoothed the fabric of the shirt.

"Tell Arthur that I'll be by to see him later," she said, a grin forming. "I've got a chicken to go eat and a King to check on."

| | |

With badly shaking hands, Uther managed to lower his goblet onto the table in front of his chair. Truthfully, Lia was just pleased he managed to hydrate himself, as the King struggled to function at all most days. She and Gwen had taken to caring for Uther, which comforted Arthur to know his father was in such good hands.

Doing her best to mask her pitying expression — though Uther would never notice it anyhow — Lia moved to Uther's side. He stared blankly at the wall, not seeming to register the fact that she was there at all, which was nothing new.

"You've not eaten, Sire," Lia said as she looked at his untouched plate. Uther rarely ate, only enough to keep him alive. "Sire?" she tried once more.

But Uther did not hear her, too lost in his own misery and anguish. Accepting that today was just one of his bed days, Lia picked up his untouched food tray to take back to the kitchens. Maybe he would eat his dinner when it came.

She met Gaius at the doorway, who had been silently watching the King's behavior. In his hands, he held a potion meant to help calm his mind as well heal it, but both knew it had little effect on him. There was only so much that medicine could heal.

"It still doesn't seem to make any difference," she said, eying the draught.

"I'm not sure it ever will," Gaius agreed. "But at least it gives him peace."