Clara would like to start out all of this by saying , she's not usually that reckless. Really, she isn't. In fact, she knows she has somewhat of a reputation of being shy. She didn't even know why she asked that anyway but the thing is, the knights, well, -the one's of the Round table that is- are, despite having more fame and heroic tales across all Camelot are some of the most down to earth people in the castle.

Really, she has seen them in their everyday life and it humanizes them all too much, so no one really looks at a knight of the round table and feels fear because of their position. Respect? yes (when sir Gwaine wasn't busy being an embarrassment) but fear? never. So she, like all other servants in the castle usually are quite free with the knights, and she was just bringing in some water for the knights after training when it happened.

'It' in question being the king handing Merlin a package. Merlin took it and opened it right where they were across the courtyard. Clara couldn't see what it was but Merlin looked downright delighted. He beamed at the King and started talking too fast. Likely about what was in the package. But Merlin wasn't what caught her attention. No, that was The King. He wasn't talking, wasn't doing anything but looking really, but the look on his face. Call her a romantic but if anyone ever looked at her the same way the King looked at Merlin, she'd agree to marry them on the spot.

And look, maybe it was all Mavel's fault for discussing The King and Merlin over the dishes the other day, maybe it was just the way they always look at each other, but, whatever the reason may be, she will now forever be mortified of the fact that she just blurted out,

"So is The King really courting Merlin?" She was so glad that The King and Merlin were out of hearing range. The Knights, unfortunately, were not.

The nearest to her was sir Leon. And she kind of expected a lecture on propitiatory by him. The man was known to be more by the books than the rest and it really is none of her business who the king courted or not. What she didn't expect was for the man to start laughing.

Her father and her grandmother had a very….. complicated relationship. When the old bat died, at first her father laughed but then his laughter turned into sobs and Clara for the life of her didn't know how to handle that at the time. Sir Leon reminded her of her father back then. The man looked as close to tears as she had seen any knight.

The rest of the round table that were there, grimaced or winced -bar Sir Gwaine, but he was too busy laughing at what seemed to be Sir Leon's misery. Sir Lancelot sighed and took pity on her.

"They're not. ... At least i don't think so. Arthur and Merlin are… well…" he seemed to be looking for the word to describe it.

"Pining?" Sir Elyan piped up taking the glass from her.

"Not if either of them hears it, but … well, yes pining." Lancelot sighs. She nodded, slowly.

"Er- right, probably shouldn't have asked, sorry. " She subtly bowed to leave.

"Don't worry about it. They're in love with each other. They're also too afraid to tell the other that cause neither thinks the other likes him." Sir Gwaine helpfully summarized, Finally done laughing. She looked back at the two in question skeptically. This time The King was talking about something and Merlin was the one with heart eyes.

"They're oblivious. But Gwaine's right." Sir Percival shrugged. She nodded again and really did leave this time. Leaving one last glance at The King and Merlin.

Hopefully they'll realize soon.

*****

The thing about living in the castle is that there's always some kind of lords or foreign dignitaries or even kings from other countries visiting. The whole thing increased tenfold when The king legalized magic. Lots of old and croaking lords coming to tell him what they felt about that. It's calmed down a little in the last six months, but there are still people coming.

And the castle usually has to stay at tip top shape or head maid is going to rip someone's head off. Clara , as was her job of the day, was sweeping the stairs when the new batch of nobility came along, it was nothing new. And she would make herself scarce and wait for them to leave to get back to her job.

The king came out to greet them, as he does most guests. This lot seemed to be lords from Caerleon. There are five of them.

The lords somehow immediately rub her the wrong way. The way three of them just openly leer at Merlin makes her bristle on the king's behalf. And now she gets what Lord Percival meant the other day as she sees Merlin not notice the lords leering at all. How? Don't ask her, but the boy really is that oblivious.

Anyway she didn't think much of it until the feast. Well, she came face to face with none of them until the feast but dear lord, these men were persistent. And dear lord Merlin was oblivious.

One of the lords,- the youngest she thinks- was silently staring at the King apologetically while The King looked apoplectic at one of the Lords that were leering at Merlin.

The lord, (Clara didn't really remember his name) was being served wine by Merlin, leer ever present in his face. He was trying his utmost to flirt with the fae like man and failing quite miserably. Clara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Did this man seriously delude himself into thinking that he has any chance with Merlin? She winced, she doesn't really like having mean thoughts about people, but really this man was just…

She was approached by Lady Gwen and Lady Morgana and she was slightly worried.

The thing about lady Gwen was that Clara heard that she wasn't born from nobility. That Sir Elyan was one of the first knights that were knighted only on their skills as a knight and nothing else. That Lady Gwen was actually Lady Morgana's handmaid. And look her little brother was a demon but he was a demon that dreamed about being a knight. So she may or may not have asked around a little.

And well, while her questioning was really innocent and mostly about how Sir Elyan got the knighthood, the last person who asked about Lady Gwen wasn't nearly as courteous as her. Also they've been promptly turned into frogs.

"I need you to pass this over to Gwaine." Lady Morgana murmured to her conspiratorially and shoved a goblet full of mead into her hand.

"Morgana there are other-" Lady Gwen tries but quietens noticing something behind Clara. She looks back but sees nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hurry." Lady Morgana urges and she is off.

There was no apparent reason for her to give mead to Sir Gwaine. The man could always be seen with one drink in his hand on the feasts, but still, Lady Morgana asked her, and do her duty she will. She got the sense that it was to be done discreetly so she was glad he was just returning to his designated crowd of the day to tell stories to and was alone.

"Sir Gwaine." She whispers nonetheless. "Lady Morgana asked me to hand this to you. "

"Did she now? Hold this." He says handing her the tray of glasses he had to look over at Lady Morgana. The lady must have made some sort of signal since the knight looked to the right and nodded back at Lady Morgana.

"I'll be right back." He winked and staggered and stumbled ….. straight into one of the visiting lords that was making his way towards the King and Merlin. Oh… huh. Sir Gwaine wasn't nearly as drunk as he needed to be to stagger into someone but the mead was seeping into the lord's clothes and stained them bright yellow.

She got the feeling it wasn't mead in the goblet.

Sir Gwaine was boisterous as ever as he walked further from the lord. Making a full circuit of the room before he reached her.

"You aren't actually that drunk are you?" She asks just to be sure. He smirks and winks at her.

"Can you do me a favor? If one of them starts approaching Merl tell us. The first one who got Merlin to serve wine got away but Percival gave him a ….. talking to. But the third one's stubborn."

This is… not really her job.

"Oh absolutely"

But these lords really give her the creeps.

It was after the entire thing started to wind down that she noticed it. The Ladies Morgana and Gwen had taken their leave for the night. Some of the knights that were in her field of vision were drunk. After finishing his only cup of wine, Merlin begged off a few minutes ago to go and tend to Llamrei.

One of the visiting lords still sticking around had something in his hand before and nearly knocked into Merlin before he could finish his glass.

Clara was hoping he didn't put anything in the cup, but he followed Merlin and the look on his face spelled nothing but trouble.

Before she could think better of it, she raced to the king. Standing at where Merlin does, behind the King, she could feel some sort of electricity in the air, it made the hairs on her arms raise.

"Sire-" the King does what she could only describe as the polite version of a double take seeing her there. But she doesn't think they have the time for that.

"It's lord Lucien sire, he followed Merlin, and probably put something in his drink when he knocked into him earlier. " She rushed to explain as quiet as she can. A muscle on his cheek jumped and he exhaled forcefully.

"Excuse me, Lord Roach. I have something to deal with-"

"But sire, surely it could wait until-" the Lord began with a resentful glare at her direction, for some reason, she glared right back. ….there might just be something about this position. Behind the king, that makes people brave.

"Whatever you have to say can wait until tomorrow morning lord Roach. Excuse me." The King said with finality and rushed off. And really it's none of her business. The King has it covered. The Lord couldn't possibly do anything against him, and she did what she had to.

She debated all of two minutes before following. Did she offend the Lord? Probably, but really, what exactly was she supposed to do standing there?

The King opened the door to the stables when Lord Lucien flew out. Well, It was more likely he was thrown by some beastie than he just spontaneously pulled out the ability to fly out of his arse. Clara was not a hero, and nor was she an idiot. So, she hid behind a tree and peeped.

The king looked calm, he knelt next to the lord's prone form and checked if he was alive, then looked at the stable where Merlin staggered out of. He immediately went to steady his manservant. They were saying something in hushed whispers and…. Clara squinted, was Merlin's eyes gold?

Oh lord

Merlin has magic.

Alright. Alright She can handle that. No reason for that to be not normal. Merlin has magic. And The King did not look even remotely surprised. Clara took a deep breath and walked towards them to check if they needed assistance. The King had Merlin in a bridal carry now.

"-get you to your room, and Gaius can-"

"Sire, uh, the physician is out tonight. He said he'd be back by tomorrow morning?" She said reaching them. Well, late tonight/ tomorrow morning, same difference.

" 's fine 'rthur just need to sleep 't 'ff" Merlin slurred.

Clara bit her lips.

"Uh, sire, if I may, one of my cousins once got drugged like this- she was fine thankfully my uncle got to her before anything bad could happen, but she said later it helped being with someone-?" She intoned and then immediately added after seeing how red the King got in the torchlight

"-I meant- like just- you know, human contact, like hugging and stuff-" she mumbled apologizing silently and profusely to her parents for giving them and imaginary brother and Niece.

"Oh - yes right. Uh…."

" 's nice" Merlin mumbled and then promptly buried his face in the King's neck. The King somehow got even redder than before. Clara hoped getting too much red in the face doesn't have any health repercussions.

"Uh…, alright then, Merlin can stay the night at my room." He nodded decisively. Clara nodded at him encouragingly.

"Then…. Send our breakfast to my room tomorrow."

"Of course sire." She beamed at him as he left.

Clara sighed wistfully at their retreating back. Maybe, one day, maybe she could have that too.