All's fair in love and war
Merlin stumbled into his master's bedchamber, only to find the prince fast asleep.
"He's so handsome" thought the manservant as he approached the bed. Arthur stirred, as if sensing his presence. Merlin quickly tore his eyes from his sleeping master and started his chores, waking Arthur up in the process.
- Merlin! Do you have to be so noisy, you idiot?
- Me, noisy? Listen to yourself snoring, sire, that's noisy!
- Shut up, Merlin- retorted the prince, how he loved to say his name! It seemed to suit the boy perfectly.
Merlin's heart skipped a beat as it always did when Arthur said his name. He stumbled, lost in his daydreams of his master.
- You're so clumsy, Merlin!- again that little jump of the heart when his servant looked at him.- Fill the bath with water and make sure it's hot!
He walked behind the big screen that stood in one corner of the room. Merlin glanced towards the screen, full of longing. He shook his head to clear it of the hazy daydreams and began filling the tub.
Meanwhile, Arthur was stripping down to nakedness, wondering what Merlin would look like naked. He caught his thoughts and blushed; nobody could ever know how he felt about his manservant. Since the day they had met, when he had shouted at the smaller boy for not looking where he was going, he had felt an irresistible pull towards the servant boy. To distract himself from his thoughts, he called out to Merlin.
- Is it ready yet, Merlin?
Merlin quickly looked around him and stretched his hand over the full bathtub. He whispered a spell and his eyes changed colour. The water steamed, boiling. Arthur came out from behind the screen, wrapped in a towel and Merlin examined his muscular chest, secretly impressed. The prince dipped his toe into the still steaming bathtub and jumped back, cursing.
- Merlin, you idiot, it's boiling!
He tried to hit the servant boy but he ducked. Carried by the force of the blow, Arthur fell into the boiling water, shortly followed by Merlin, who had lost his balance while trying to stop his master falling. They both landed in the bathtub and jumped out again, swearing. The prince's towel had slipped off in his tumble and he quickly picked it up and wrapped it back around himself, blushing.
- Merlin! Now look what you've done!
- Me?- he replied indignantly
- Yes, you! Now get out of my sight!
The servant boy turned to go with a hurt expression on his face.
- Merlin…wait…
But he had already gone through the door, leaving the prince alone with his thoughts.
- What should I do now?- he asked the empty room.