Merlin skidded to a stop in front of Arthur's chambers, pausing for a moment to straighten his clothes before opening the door and stepping in. He didn't bother with knocking, Arthur was surely asleep, and wouldn't answer anyways.
Or not.
Merlin blinked at the scene in front of him, of Arthur sitting on his desk and Geoffrey, Camelot's librarian and Keeper of Records, along with the Master of Ceremonies, was standing before him, on the table in front of them spread many sheets of parchment. Both looked up at Merlin as he stepped inside, banging the wooden door shut behind him. Arthur raised a perfect eyebrow at him.
"You're awake," He commented dumbly. Arthur's eyebrow rose further up his forehead, getting a distinct Gaius look to it. Merlin's was infinitely better, though.
"Yes, Merlin." He answered, drily. "And hungry, so if it's not too much trouble for you, could you please fetch my breakfast?"
Merlin ignored him, instead fixing his eyes on the sheets of parchment that were littering the table. "What are those?"
"Letters, from the guests that were invited to the Ball." Geoffrey answered, and Merlin thought he saw Arthur pushing a piece of parchment underneath the others, a few lines of charcoal visible that might have been a sketch of a ring. But he didn't pay much attention to it, as it was attracted to a symbol in one of the letters. A symbol he knew quite well, a triskelion. He picked the parchment up, and his eyes fell on the name it was signed with.
Iseldir, Clan Leader
Blinking in surprise, Merlin read the rest of the letter.
Greetings, King Arthur,
Thank you for your invitation for the Spring Ball, we were most touched. Me and my clan would be honoured to attend.
Regards, Iseldir, Clan Leader.
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"Iseldir?" Merlin asked, keeping the parchment down. "You're inviting the druids?" His tone was more than a little accusatory, and a little betrayed. He had no right to be so, he still hadn't told Arthur about his magic. But at least Arthur could have told Merlin that he was inviting the people who were irrevocably entwined with magic and whose prophecy that had been influencing Merlin's life for more than a decade.
Arthur's face took a sheepish grin. "Yes. I know it has been a considerable amount of time since I lifted the magic ban, but the relations between magic users and Camelot haven't improved. I was hoping if I invited the man who had saved my life and that of my head knight, then it would show to the magic population that I really do mean to improve the ties between us and them."
Merlin looked down at the sheet of parchment again, frowning thoughtfully. "I think that's a good idea." He said, putting it back down on the table. Arthur's face brightened considerably.
"You think so?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You're going to make me repeat it?"
