To You I Pledge (BBC Merlin)

Chapter 11 - Beyond the Tower

Something was different; that was the first thing that went through Merlin's head and the second was that someone was humming to themselves, a female someone. Opening his eyes he tried to puzzle out what was going on. The first thing he realised was that he was no longer in the west tower and it didn't take him very long to recognise Arthur's room. That was one thing that was different and as his eyes sought out the source of the humming he saw Gwen tidying up.

"Gwen?" he said, a little confused.

"Merlin," she said, turning to him and giving him the biggest smile, "you're awake ... but of course you knew that since you're talking to me and ..."

"I'm awake," he agreed, smiling back even in his confusion since he was so happy to see her. "What am I doing here? What's going on?"

Gwen immediately put down what she was doing and walked over. Looking at the light from the windows it appeared to be mid morning and he realised he had to have been sleeping for quite a while again.

"Arthur brought you here," she told him, patting his hand kindly. "After you swore your oath to him you were so weak you would not wake up and Arthur persuaded his father to allow him to bring you here to recover. He took responsibility for you like he would do a royal hostage. He's been so worried about you."

With the word 'oath' Merlin remembered what had happened before he passed out, and not sure why he was doing it, but knowing he needed to he looked down at himself. Barely hearing the rest of what Gwen was saying he pulled down his night shirt and saw the shimmering mark. It was Gwen's little gasp that made him look up again and he could see her eyes were fixed on his chest.

"I heard Arthur tell Morgana about it," Gwen said in little more than a hushed whisper, "but I never imagined."

Neither had Merlin as he looked back down at it; that, at least, explained the ache he remembered before passing out. Feeling more than a little self-conscious he covered it up again and tried to work out what he had been thinking.

"I don't think I did either," he admitted, turning the whole idea around in his mind.

He had effectively branded himself without even knowing what he was doing and at a logical level he thought he should resent that, but he simply didn't. He had meant every word when he pledged himself to Arthur and the mark was simply a visible representation of that. For now until he died he was tied to Arthur, that much he knew, and he realised that was what else was different. He could feel the change and it felt right.

"And why are you here?" he decided to change the subject since he didn't want to think that deeply just at that moment. "Not that it isn't a pleasure to see you, but I thought anyone who knew me except Gaius and Arthur were being kept away."

Gwen smiled again at that and began to fluff his pillow beside his head, as if she felt it needed it.

"Well with you being laid up, someone has to clean," Gwen said, fussing over him like a mother hen, "and my lady was perfectly willing to lend me to Arthur for a little while, so here I am. Arthur was called away to his duties, but one of his knights is on guard outside and Arthur wanted you to wake up to a friendly face."

Merlin smiled again at that, feeling more settled than he had since his status had been revealed. It was clear his fate was still up in the air, but he refused to dwell on that. What would come would come; he had chosen his path now and he could not change it.

"Do I smell food?" he asked as his nose informed his stomach that it was time to be hungry.

That earned him a knowing smile from Gwen.

"Yes you do," Gwen replied and began to start to help him to sit up; "Arthur left strict instructions for there to be something for you to eat as soon as you decided to wake up."