Trouble is as trouble does

[thismaz]

Titles: Trouble is as trouble does
Pairings: None.
Characters: Merlin, OMC
Rating: U
Word Count: 518
Spoilers: None
Author's note 1: A back-story snippet from the Line of Dance 'verse.
Summary: Alwin watches Merlin approach. Set some time in season 1.
Warnings: None, although there are warnings on Line of Dance
Author's note 2: My very great thanks to sparrow2000 for being my beta, best friend, sounding board, plot bunny wrangler and voice of calm common sense. Also, to DJ for (hopefully) catching the last few typos. If you spot any more that we all missed, feel free to let me know in comments.
Disclaimer: I write fan fic. All the characters from the Merlin series are the property of the BBC and Shine, etc. No infringement is intended and no profit is being made from this writing.

Series links - Line of Dance: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The Alibi - Gaius and Gwen, while the army is away.
Fall-out - Merlin and Gaius, when Merlin gets back
Just deserts - A back-story snippet. Merlin and Arthur, the morning after the first time.



Trouble is, as trouble does

Merlin trudged down the main steps (instead of using the servants' entrance, as he should). His shoulders were slumped and he was dragging his feet, so unlike his normal, confident stride that it might have been a different man. Alwin wondered what he'd done this time – talked back to the Prince, once too often? Slept in, past the crack of dawn hour the Prince favoured for rising? Or merely been in the same room as the Prince's bad temper?

The first time Merlin had appeared at the door of the Royal Stables, saying the Prince had sent him to muck them out, Alwin had had to explain that the castle employed stable boys for that task. Merlin had taken some convincing, but once persuaded, his smile of relief had almost split his face and Alwin had had to stomp down hard on an impulse to smile back. He'd sent the boy away with a gruff admonishment to ask the steward, or the King's manservant, to explain his duties to him properly. The nobility (and one member of the Royal Family, in particular) being notoriously ignorant of how the Castle really worked (and, even if they did know, that one member being inclined to a mischievous sense of humour).

The second time Merlin appeared at the stable door, it was he who made it clear that the Prince had specified that he was to muck out the stables, for real. Yes, Merlin had told him what Alwin had said, last time, but Prince Arthur had sent him anyway. Alwin handed him a pitchfork and let him get on with it.

Since then, stable work had become the Prince's primary form of punishment (the King still preferred a day in the stocks). Alwin had lost count of the hours he and his boys had spent, redoing the tasks supposedly done by some knight-candidate. Those who didn't turn up their aristocratic noses and stalk off, straight back home to daddy.

Merlin came to a halt in front of him and shrugged awkwardly. Without a word, Alwin handed him the shovel he was holding. Taking it from him, Merlin continued into the stable, dragging it behind him so the blade scrapped across the cobbles.

There was nothing really wrong with the lad, Alwin thought. He appeared to be a good influence on the Prince, if what Alwin had seen was anything to go by and Alwin didn't believe in creating trouble where it wasn't due. There was more than enough of that sort of thing around, already. It wasn't as though Merlin was doing any harm, plotting to overthrow the kingdom, or even making mischief. Alwin didn't see any reason to worry either the King, or the Prince, with what he'd seen when he wandered back into the stables, that second time Merlin had come to him.

With a sigh for the time wasted, he went to call Matty and Joe from the loft where they were turning the hay and restacking the grain sacks. He would send them down to the river pasture to check the fences, until Merlin was gone.

End

There is another back-story snippet called Just Deserts, behind this link.

Comments

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

I love that you can demonstrate that there is so much more to Alwin than meets the eye or than we met in Line of Dance. I really enjoyed reading this again.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon. As you know, I became quite fond of Alwin.

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Lovely bit of subtlety there. And merlin's hangdog manner is so perfectly described.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, hon. Merlin can play at hangdog, like a pro, but sometimes it's also real. *g*

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Loved how you showed Merlin's emotions through another's eyes. Well done.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much. sparrow2000 asked how much Alwin knew, or guessed, in LoD and once she had asked, I had to find out.

2011 - That Was The Year That Was....

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