This is a one shot that I started all because of Bradley James. I was watching one of the challenges that Bradley and Collin did and they were asked the question if there was something they had wanted to do on the show but never got the chance. Bradley replied that they had always wanted to do something where they somehow switched bodies, that way they would get the opportunity to play each other's characters. And inspiration struck! This is a short story that I had fully intended to write a lot more comical than it turned out but hopefully you enjoy it. It was also supposed to be really short, like a few thousand words. So please let me know what you think, like, review, favorite, etc! Happy reading!
Oh PS: I have also almost finished Camelot Inc. I'm down the last couple pages. I appreciate everyone being so patient! I'm sorry for the time it's taken me, especially when I was updating it so fast but as you can see-I get distracted easily!
Also coming your way soon: A Sherlock fan fiction idea is brewing. Also, another one shot of Merlin for a magic reveal will be coming soon too. By soon, I mean this month at least. I'm hoping to finish Camelot Inc tomorrow (Friday) but then I have What If to finish up which is going to be awhile (although I will probably finish the other one shot before What If)... I'm rambling. My apologies. Enjoy!
Morag's Fírinne
Merlin sighed heavily as he adjusted the pack on his back, attempting to keep up with Arthur and at the same time manage to carry all of their supplies.
"Hurry up Merlin!" Arthur called back for what felt like the hundredth time. Arthur had dragged Merlin on another hunting trip and had just successfully shot a deer. He had missed slightly though and the deer had managed to run off, injured and bleeding so they were now following its trail and trying to catch up before dark.
"You know, if you would carry your own pack I would be able to go a lot faster," Merlin retorted and Arthur resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"You're my servant Merlin, you're supposed to carry my bag," replied the king easily, pushing aside a branch that snapped back and hit Merlin in the throat making him choke.
"Thanks," he growled once he got his breath back. He was busy adjusting the bags and didn't notice that Arthur had stopped walking and ended up walking right into him. "Sorry," he started when Arthur silenced him with a raised hand.
"Shhh," he ordered, suddenly every part of him on alert and Merlin responded accordingly. His eyes immediately began dashing about for the unseen threat, his magic reaching into the shadows seeking out the danger.
"What is it?" He said finally when several minutes had passed and nothing revealed itself.
"Shhh" Arthur hissed, his hand tightening around his sword as he took a tentative step forward. Merlin silently moved behind him, his normally awkward and clumsy limbs moving gracefully and purposefully. Unconsciously, Arthur's other hand reached behind him, his fingers grazing Merlin's tunic protectively. He needed to know Merlin was there, that he was safely behind him and that he would not lose him. Merlin barely noticed, too busy drawing his magic up from inside him so it rested just below the surface, ready to be used the moment Arthur was in danger.
They continued silently forward, the forest seemed to hold its breath as they slowly inched their way on when they came to a small clearing. Boulders lined the edges and a small cave opening could just be seen from where they stood. Instantly, Merlin felt the power radiating from it, a strong magical force that raised the hairs at the back of his neck.
"Arthur, we can't go in there," He said firmly, knowing full well that Arthur wasn't going to listen to him but he had to try anyway. He never listened, despite the countless times Merlin told him that whatever he was doing was too dangerous and in the end, he always had to save the idiot's life.
"Don't be such a girl Merlin," snapped Arthur, his voice full of fake confidence. He didn't have to have magic to know that the cave held something dangerous.
"There's no reason we need to go in there," he pressed, grabbing Arthur's shoulder and pleading with his eyes for him not to go any further. Every fiber in his being was telling him that if they went in there, they would not come out. He had no idea what it was, what was inside but he knew that it was beyond his power and not even he could protect Arthur.
"I've travelled these woods my entire life and I have never come across this cave Merlin, I need to know what's in there." He explained and Merlin groaned.
"There could be wildren in there," he suggested, trying to take a new approach.
"I doubt it, it looks too small. Come on," he grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him forward as he walked up to the opening. He slowly stepped forward, holding his sword out as he squinted into the darkness. The moment Merlin crossed the threshold, the power was too much and he staggered, overwhelmed by the magic.
"Merlin?" Arthur turned to face his manservant who was leaning against the wall of the cave, gasping for air, "are you alright?" He asked, but Merlin couldn't hear him. He could hear everything else, every sound the earth was making, the scrapping of the ants' feet across the rocks, the distant dripping of water further inside; he could practically hear the moss growing.
You should not be here Emrys whispered a threatening voice in Merlin's head and Merlin tried to look around but his head was swimming and his vision blurred. Leave now it ordered.
"Arthur we have to leave, now!" He shouted, reaching up to grip Arthur's wrist tightly and he looked at him, desperately needing Arthur to listen to him just this once. "Please Arthur, listen to me, just this once."
"Merlin, everything is going to be alright," Arthur assured him and squeezed his shoulder, "we'll only look for a moment." Something in Arthur's gut was pulling him onwards. The cave hid a secret and he felt compelled to discover it, completely consumed with the quest and he ignored Merlin's request to turn back.
If you continue any further, I cannot stop what will happen. It will change the course of destiny it warned but Arthur was already blundering forwards. Merlin staggered after him, begging him to turn back, to stop. When they had walked for a minute and the light from the opening of the cave was beginning to fade, they came to a halt at the end of the cave as it opened up into a large circular cavern.
"See, there's nothing to see!" Merlin urged, "Come on, let's go."
"Yea, I guess," Arthur sighed, his voice full of disappointment. As he turned to leave though, he noticed something in the back, a raised rock like a pedestal. "Wait, there's something there," he said, pointing ahead of him and he sheathed his sword and walked over to it.
"Arthur wait!" Merlin said quickly, racing after him.
"The answer you seek is near, speak these words and have your truth. A journey soon begins, what you seek is found in another's eyes, from body to body, hidden beneath the lies, what you find may not be what you desire but only with acceptance of the truth will you return to yourself." Arthur read and before either of them could react, they were thrown backwards against the walls by a blinding light and then everything went black.
Everything hurt as Merlin came to, his entire body screaming out in agony and his head felt like it was trying to split in half. He reached up, tenderly feeling the back of his head and was not at all surprised when his fingers came back covered in sticky blood. He felt a wave of nausea and his vision blurred, struggling to stay conscious. He was just beginning to feel the blackness close in on him when something snapped him awake. Across from him lay his body but how could that be when he was over here? He frowned, staring at the person a few feet away from him. Black hair stuck out everywhere, brown jacket, pale skin and Merlin was positive that was him but that didn't make sense. Either he was having some horrible out of body experience or that was someone else posing as him. He groaned as he tried to get up on his knees, his body feeling a thousand times heavier and every limb cried in protest. He looked down at himself to check for further injury when he let out the most high pitch scream he could ever think possible. He was looking at Arthur's body, moving it as if he was Arthur and a whole new wave of nausea washed over him. His head jerked up to his body and panic gripped his brain.
"No, no, no" he said and squawked when it was Arthur's voice he heard coming from his lips. He scrambled to his feet, racing over to himself and shaking his shoulder. "Arthur! Arthur wake up!" He shouted, gently slapping his cheek (he didn't want it to bruise in the off chance this wasn't some horrible nightmare). Arthur groaned and stirred, Merlin's eyes flickering open and then widening in fear.
"Who are you!?" He shouted quickly and then cleared his throat, his hand coming up to his neck to rub it as his voice felt incredibly off.
"Arthur, it's me, Merlin," Merlin said, holding up his hands and staring at him pleadingly. Did his face really look like that?
"Merlin?" He spat and then his eyes widened even further as he looked down at himself, "oh no!" He cried out, stumbling to his feet and his hands grabbed at the body he was in.
"Oi!" Merlin interrupted, it was way too weird to see Arthur touching his arms, chest and face in disbelief, "don't touch me." He said and he realized how stupid those words were.
"Don't touch you? I am YOU!" He screamed and reached out, touching his own face and Merlin pulled away.
"What happened?" He asked, pushing Arthur's hands away, when did he become so touchy?
"How the hell should I know?!" Yelled the King.
"You have to calm down," Merlin instructed, the level of panic that he could see in Arthur's eyes (his eyes?) was becoming a danger. Merlin wouldn't consider himself completely in control of his emotions, in fact he was generally an impulsive person but he was far more in control than Arthur was. He had to be though, he had learned that very early because extreme emotional outbursts meant magical outbursts and he wasn't sure if his magic was still with him or if it was in his body. However, he had a sinking feeling it was in his body because when he tried to reach for it inside himself, he felt nothing.
"Calm down?!" Arthur scoffed indignantly, "Calm down! How the hell can I calm down Merlin?! I'm in your body!" He screamed loudly and the cave walls seemed to shake with his voice. Merlin grabbed his shoulders tightly, "ow! That hurts!" He complained and Merlin rolled his eyes, it wasn't like Arthur didn't grab him this hard every day!
"Shut up, you seriously have to calm the hell down right now. Look at me Arthur!" He ordered, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at him, "breathe! Come on, breathe in." Arthur glared but drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out and then another. Slowly, the panic started to leave his face and Merlin could see the magic fading.
"Good, that's good," he sighed, finally releasing him. Arthur adjusted his clothes awkwardly, his hands adjusting unfamiliar clothing.
"Right, thank you Merlin," He said with a nod and looked firmly at him, "you need to reverse this."
"Huh?" Merlin gaped, "why would I know how to reverse this?!"
"Because," Arthur shrugged, eyes shifting away, "because you always seem to know about these kinds of crazy things." He stated matter of fact like and Merlin gawked at him.
"I don't know about these kinds of things! I have no idea how this happened or how to fix it!" He shouted, "The only person who would know about this would be Gaius."
"Well obviously we can't go to him, no one can know," said Arthur, waving away the very idea that someone would see them like this.
"Well we can't figure this out on our own!" He pointed out but Arthur just shook his head.
"We have to, so let's try and see what happened. What's the last thing you remember?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest and Merlin wrinkled his nose at seeing Arthur's usual defensive stance being done in his own body. It was so weird.
"Hmm, I don't know," he pressed his finger to his chin and looked away in mock thought, "I remember telling you that this wasn't a good idea and we shouldn't have come in here!" He growled sarcastically and threw his hands up in the air when Arthur rolled his eyes.
"Yes, yes, you can gloat about it later Merlin, but seriously now!" He remarked, "I remember reading something off that stone and then being thrown backwards..."
"Obviously it was a spell," Merlin sighed, walking over to the rock and they both looked down at the words. "The answer you seek is near, speak these words and have your truth. A journey soon begins, what you seek is found in another's eyes, from body to body, hidden beneath the lies, what you find may not be what you desire but only with acceptance of the truth will you return to yourself." Merlin repeated but this time there was no explosion, no bright light and Arthur quickly pushed Merlin out of the way. He reread the words, thinking that perhaps he would have to be the one to read them since he did it the first time but again, nothing happened. Merlin groaned and moved away, rubbing his eyes with the back of his palm. He folded his other arm across his chest and pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking.
"Rereading the words isn't going to do anything. It's a riddle," he explained tiredly. "The answer you seek is near... what answer? What's the question? Arthur, is there something you've been struggling to figure out, some kind of question you need an answer to?" He asked eyes boring into his as he studied his face.
"No, of course not!" He argued but faltered for a moment. There was the question, the one that he had been wondering about for as long as he'd known Merlin. It was a question he didn't dare ask him, he feared the answer far too much. However, it frequently bit at the back of his mind, making him question everything Merlin did and he was so sure he knew the answer but he didn't think he could handle it.
"Arthur?" He pressed, hands going to his hips as he scowled.
"No, Merlin there isn't any question." He repeated.
"Well clearly there is, you just must not be aware of it, something you subconsciously have been asking. Speak these words and have your truth... That must mean that the following is the spell and it sounds like if you solve the riddle, you'll have your answer." Merlin continued, wrapping his arms around himself again and rubbing his chin with his hand, "a journey soon begins, what you seek is found in another's eyes... another's eyes from body to body, that could be the body switch... but why you and I?"
"Maybe you were just the closest person?" Arthur suggested but Merlin shook his head.
"No... It sounds more like we're both involved in the question somehow. Hidden beneath lies?" He mused and then froze, unable to move a muscle. Hidden beneath lies, oh the lies Merlin had told, so many lies he had spun to keep his magic hidden. He had done so much, said so many things he regretted, and if Arthur ever found out he couldn't begin to imagine how betrayed he would feel. Oh gods, he prayed please don't let this be about his magic.
"What?" Arthur asked, stepping forward when he saw the look of pure terror skitter across his face. Merlin was quick though, to replace his careful mask and just like that, the wall of defense erupted around him. That infuriating wall, Arthur thought angrily, whenever he got close to Merlin's secret that wall would spontaneously sprout. It didn't matter if they had just been laughing or if Arthur had just shared the most intimate secrets, no matter what, the moment Arthur took a step closer to Merlin he would shut down. It was as if he was afraid to let Arthur too close, that if he got even a glimpse of who Merlin was inside he would reject him; which of course, was absolutely ludicrous because no matter what Merlin said, no matter what his secret was, he was Arthur's closest friend and so much more. Over the years, Arthur had concocted dozens of theories, musing over them with his knights and even Gwen at times, but there was only ever one thing that he could think of that Merlin would hide, well two things but the second one he refused to entertain the idea of.
"Look this is doing no good," Merlin said, interrupting Arthur from his thoughts, "I have no idea how to fix this and the only person who might know how to is Gaius!" He said again.
"Fine! But I swear to the gods Merlin, if you tell anyone else about this, I will have your head!" Arthur growled.
"Fine! Then you had better pick up the bags Merlin, wouldn't want anyone to see their king carrying his servants things." He ordered, trying to say his own name the same tone that Arthur used. Arthur glowered at him and put his hands on his hips, which made Merlin smile. He could still see Arthur in a way, awkwardly stuffed into his body and it was hysterical to see him move his body in all the typical Arthur ways.
"I'll do no such thing Merlin," he retorted, "I'm still the king! I shouldn't waste my energy on something so tedious, that's what servants are for! I'm supposed to save my energy for defending the kingdom."
"Oh ok sure, I'll carry them then, but what will your people think then? As far as they're concerned, I'm the king and they'll wonder why you're doing something so tedious." He replied easily and Arthur glared.
"Arg, fine," he grumbled and snatched up their bags. "Jeez Merlin, you're incredibly weak." He pointed out as he struggled to get both packs on while Merlin stood to the side, arms folded over his chest and thoroughly amused.
"No Arthur, I'm not weak, you just insist on packing like a girl." With that, he turned around and marched out, shouting for Arthur to hurry it up. Oh this was going to be so much fun he thought to himself.
They had lost nearly an hour in the cave and by the time they made their way back out, the sun was low on the horizon. They walked for several hours, the sky grew darker and darker until they were walking in pure blackness but neither man wanted to stop. They both knew that they needed to get back to Camelot as soon as possible and with the moon full and the sky clear, they were able to walk through the woods safely.
"Does my ass always look like that?" Arthur asked from behind Merlin as they climbed up a steep slope.
"Yes," Merlin answered, looking over his shoulder at Arthur.
"Huh, not bad," he grinned and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"I see you're still an arrogant prat," he said.
Arthur chose to ignore his comment and instead started in on Merlin's body, "Your arms and legs are all too long and it feels like I'm flopping around. I don't know how you manage to walk, no wait, I do. This explains your inability to stay upright most of the time." He insulted and Merlin glared over at him.
"My body is perfectly fine thank you! And I don't fall over all the time," he argued and they both looked at each other, smiling in spite of the situation. Arthur shoved Merlin's shoulder and he shoved him back, which of course sent Arthur into a patch of bushes because Merlin really wasn't accustom to having Arthur's physical strength.
They continued walking until they finally came to the tree line just outside of the lower town. They paused in the shadows, peering up at the city they both loved and hesitated.
"Merlin," Arthur said as he grabbed Merlin's arm, "what's happened to us..." he struggled for the right words, "well let's just say that if I had to switch bodies with anyone, I'm glad it was you. I don't think I could trust anyone else enough."
Merlin frowned and looked at him with a bewildered expression, "I'm sure that's not true sire." Arthur shook his head.
"Some people might find it too tempting to just... bash my head in and take over as king. No one would know the difference. I'm trusting you that when we figure this out, you will return my kingdom to me." He spoke in a hushed tone, looking at Merlin with fearful eyes.
"Arthur," he reached up and grabbed his shoulder, "I swear to you that we will figure this out. I would never want to be king, you are Albion's once and future king." He said with an irrefutable confidence and Arthur stared at him with a mixture of affection and perplexity.
"You don't find it at all tempting?" He questioned, attempting to make it sound teasing but once again, the mystery of Merlin left him questioning everything he thought he knew. Merlin tilted his head and searchingly looked into his eyes.
"Not at all. You are my king and I am your servant. I'm not destined to be anything more. I am happy to serve you, Arthur, until the day I day." He explained in such a simple way, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and Arthur was a complete idiot for not seeing it. Why did he have to say things like that? Arthur stared at him in awe, he was always so sure of himself, of Arthur's destiny and it never ceased to amaze him. He felt the familiar flutter in his stomach, the one that always made him want to reach out and pull Merlin to him. He cared about his stupid and lazy manservant more than he cared about anyone. His feelings threatened to consume him on more than one occasion and this was one such occasion. He opened his mouth to say something but thinking better of it, he closed it and simply nodded.
"Let's go," he croaked out, his voice suddenly thick with emotion and hoarse. Merlin watched him walk into the open curiously. Sometimes Arthur was as easy to read as an open book and other times, like this, Merlin found him to be impossible to understand.
They made no attempt to hide themselves any more than necessary. If they didn't return that night, Arthur's knights were sure to come looking for him and since they were already back later than they planned, they knew it'd be unwise to sneak in. Merlin nodded hello to the various knights, smiling awkwardly and mumbling under his breath before quickening his pace. Arthur had to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying anything.
"Gaius," Merlin said as he walked into their living quarters.
"Sire," Gaius stood from the bench he was sitting at eating dinner and gave a respectful bow. Arthur scoffed and locked the door behind them. "Is everything alright?" He asked looking between the two. He gave Arthur a questioning look, the kind of look that silently asked him if he was ok but since it was Arthur in Merlin's body, he completely missed it.
"Oh, nothing is ok," Arthur said crossly and folded his arms across his chest.
"Merlin!" Gaius yelled, glaring at him through furrowed brows.
"That's not me," Merlin said pointing at himself with his thumb, "I'm Merlin, that's Arthur." He said and chewed his lip as he waited for his words to sink in. Gaius blinked in disbelief and looked between the two men, attempting to figure out if they were having a laugh at him. When it was clear that neither of them were amused by this and that they were in fact, very serious his mouth formed a perfect O as his eyes widened in horror.
"Oh my," He pinched his lips together and shook his head, "how did this happen?" He asked and gestured for them to sit down at the table with him. He went about making tea and listened as they tried to explain it to him.
"I'll tell him," Arthur growled at Merlin and Merlin shook his head.
"I told Arthur not to go in but surprise, surprise! He didn't listen to me!" Merlin shouted and ignored the smack he received on his arm.
"Go in where?" Gaius pressed and sat down across from them.
"In the cave, this stupid cave with this stupid rock and stupid riddle." Merlin explained badly, frustrated and exhausted.
"I saw this cave that I've never seen before just south of the lower town. I've travelled those woods my entire life, I know them as well as I know this castle and there has never been a cave there before." Arthur interrupted and leaned his arms across the table.
"So you thought it was a good idea to go blundering into some mysterious cave?" Merlin exclaimed in mock surprise and Gaius hissed.
"Merlin! He's still your king, watch your tongue." He scolded and Merlin rolled his eyes. Gaius shook his head, attempting to keep his thoughts straight.
"Thank you Gaius," Arthur smugly said and smiled at Merlin, "anyway, we came to this cavern and there was this stone in the middle. I went up to it and it had these old carvings in it and this riddle."
"What did the riddle say?" Gaius ask, "word for word."
"The answer you seek is near, speak these words and have your truth. A journey soon begins, what you seek is found in another's eyes, from body to body, hidden beneath the lies, what you find may not be what you desire but only with acceptance of the truth will you return to yourself." Merlin repeated from memory, looking at Gaius worriedly. Gaius sighed and leaned forward on his elbows, pressing his fingers to his mouth in thought.
"That is complex and I am afraid I do not know anything helpful at this moment." He said honestly, "I will do some reading but until then, I think it best that no one else knows about this."
"Seriously?" Arthur's jaw dropped and he looked at the old man. Somehow Gaius always seemed to know everything about everything, whether it be magic, remedies, how to stand up for one's beliefs or how to roast a chicken. He was a fountain of knowledge and someone Arthur had come to rely on just as his father had. If Gaius didn't know how to fix this, he seriously doubted anyone else would.
"I'm afraid so sire," Gaius lowered his head regretfully, "I'm sorry I can't be of much help."
"What are we supposed to do?" Merlin asked, looking between the pair and scrambling to come up with something logical.
"Well I should think that's obvious," Gaius said as one eyebrow disappeared up his forehead, "you should go about your day like you always do... just... as each other."
Merlin and Arthur gaped at Gaius and then both burst out laughing.
"Him? Pretend to be a king?"
"Ha! Arthur couldn't polish his own armor to save his life!"
Gaius eyed them with the stern look of a father telling his child to eat their vegetables. "Well, unless you want everyone to know that Camelot's king is in the body of his manservant, then I suggest you both try very hard. You spend all day together anyway, I don't see how you could not do a good job of pretending to be each other." He stated in a matter of fact tone.
"Actually, I do a fantastic impression of Arthur," Merlin pointed out and glared back when Arthur glared at him.
"I seriously doubt that," Arthur disagreed.
"Oh yea?" He cleared his throat and folded his arms across his chest, "Shut up Merlin, go and fetch me my supper. Now!" He said in the most arrogant tone he could manage and to everyone's surprise, he sounded exactly like Arthur; he even had his facial expressions down to a science.
"I don't sound like that," Arthur protested and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Yes, you really do."
"I don't sound like that much of a prat!" He argued still.
"Yes you do!" Merlin retorted and looked at Gaius for help but he only shrugged and then winked when Arthur wasn't looking.
Gaius chuckled and patted Arthur on the shoulder, "why don't you both get some sleep?"
"I suppose," Arthur agreed, leaning back and stretching his arms up and yawning loudly. He stood up and headed to the door but before he could reach it Gaius cleared his throat.
"I think it would be rather suspicious if the king's manservant were to sleep in his bed..." He pointed out and Merlin grinned.
"He's right sire," he added. Arthur groaned.
"Right," he mumbled and reluctantly disappeared into Merlin's room. Gaius stood and poured Merlin more tea and they silently waited until they heard the telltale signs of Arthur snoring.
"Now tell me what else happened," Gaius instructed firmly. He knew there were things Merlin was holding back, things about the magic that he didn't want to speak about in front of Arthur.
"When we reached the cave, I heard a voice in my head... like the way the Great Dragon would speak to me. It warned me not to let Arthur into the cave. He said that... if Arthur continued on it would change the course of destiny. I tried to stop him but he never listens to me," he concluded in frustration. "Gaius, we have to fix this soon. I don't have my magic anymore and if Arthur stays in my body too long... he's going to discover it." Merlin whispered anxiously to his guardian and confidant.
"I'm afraid you're right," he agreed and sat back down, "but I was telling the truth, I don't know how to fix this without solving the riddle."
"What do you know of this cave? Have you ever heard of it?" He asked and Gaius nodded slowly.
"If I am correct, then the cave you came across is Morag's Fírinne or Morag's Truth." He began to explain in hushed tones, "If this is the case, then you are in serious trouble."
"Why, what is it?"
"Morag was a powerful sorcerer who lived hundreds of years ago. He was not only a powerful sorcerer but also a knight. He held the Knight's code above all else. He believed in honor and loyalty but most of all: truth. Legend says that he was betrayed by his closest friend which led to his demise. Before he died though, he created a place where individuals could seek out to discover hidden truths. The cave you went into doesn't physically exist but it changes appearance according to each seeker." He elaborated.
"So how did we find it? How did we stumble on it?" Merlin asked.
"I don't think you did stumble on it. According to the stories, Morag's Fírinne only appears to those who are adamantly seeking the truth about something." He said.
"But how did he find it then?"
"There must be something he's searching for and the only way to find it is to swap bodies with you." Gaius observed grimly.
"My magic. He must suspect I have magic. There's nothing else Gaius, no other reason he would need to do this. I have to stop it; I have to fix this before he finds out." Merlin pressed, he could not let Arthur know. There were just too many lies; there was no way that Arthur would ever forgive him.
"I'm afraid that even if you had your magic, there's nothing you could do. Morag was a powerful sorcerer, more powerful than even you. I fear that the only way to reverse this is for Arthur to get the answer he seeks." He advised, his eyes reflecting the pain Merlin was feeling. "I'm sorry Merlin."
"This wasn't supposed to happen. He knew that there wouldn't be any way to reverse it and he tried to warn me. Dammit! Why does Arthur never listen to me?" He growled bitterly, "How do I possibly tell him?"
"You don't," Gaius sighed, "this is Arthur's quest. He must discover the truth about your magic on his own if it really is what he's searching for."
"Well that's just fantastic," he said sarcastically and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.
"I think you should try and get some rest now."
"You're right," he nodded and stood up. He was about to go to his room when he heard Arthur snoring and was reminded of where he needed to go. "Goodnight Gaius," he said before leaving.
"Sire," Sir Gwaine greeted as Merlin walked down the hall.
"Gwaine," Merlin waved.
"Everything alright?" He asked and Merlin paused. How would Arthur react? How would Arthur hold himself at this moment?
He clasped his hands together behind his back and nodded, "everything's fine, just got back late from my hunting trip. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Sire," Gwaine gave a small but respectful bow and continued on his patrol of the corridor.
When Merlin finally made it to Arthur's chambers he closed the door and then collapsed against the wood. He had a splitting headache, no doubt a result of being thrown against a wall and then stuffed into a different body. He groaned and walked over to Arthur's dressing cupboard. He pulled out his night shirt and pulled off his current shirt. He paused then when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
The one thought he had been trying very hard not to think about came flooding to his mind and made him blush. He was in Arthur's body. He couldn't stop his eyes as they slowly trailed down his shoulders, over the curve of his muscles and he suddenly felt as if his tongue was too big for his mouth. He'd seen Arthur shirtless every day and he'd even seen him naked on more than one occasion but he never allowed himself more than just a quick glance. Now he was alone with Arthur's body and all the inappropriate thoughts he'd ever had over the last seven years rooted him in place in front of the mirror. His hand moved of its own free will as his fingers touched his abs, slowly running up his chest and sending a shiver down his spine. To feel those muscles, to touch his skin so slowly, he licked his lips and his eyes darted down past his waist as he felt the familiar rush of blood.
"What the hell am I doing" He gasped and quickly turned away. Not only was it inappropriate for him to be having these thoughts but it was wrong to be doing this. He shook his head and pulled on the night shirt. He had practically just molested the king. Of course, Arthur wasn't there to witness it but that didn't make it ok. How would Merlin feel if Arthur was lying on his bed right now, groping his body? Well, that probably wasn't a good example Merlin thought as his trousers tightened even more. The very idea of Arthur touching his body, of looking at it the way Merlin had just been doing at Arthur's was enough to make him painfully aroused. Of course, he wouldn't do anything about it that would be an even worse invasion.
Annoyed and horny, he kicked off his boots and collapsed on the bed. On the plus side, he thought, at least he would sleep well!
Despite all the stress that would normally keep Merlin awake for hours, he fell asleep almost instantly. The bed was so soft and comfortable it practically swallowed him whole and demanded that the only way he would ever survive would be to sleep immediately. So he slept, deeply and what felt like one of the best nights of his life.
"Enjoying yourself?" Came an all too familiar voice as Merlin stirred awake. Was his voice really that annoying?
"Mmhmm," he moaned happily and rolled way from Arthur.
"Get up you lazy sod," Arthur grumbled and Merlin was pretty sure that he did not have nearly the same experience in his bed.
"Didn't sleep well?" He teased, opening his eyes barely and squinting at the king.
"I think I would have slept better in the stables than on that plank you call a bed." He complained and plopped down at the table, munching on the breakfast he had brought in with him from the kitchen.
"Is that my breakfast?" Merlin asked, sniffing the air as a waft of sausage came his way and he sat up in bed.
"You mean the king's breakfast? Then no, it's mine." Arthur replied and Merlin glared. He stumbled out of bed and made his way to the table where he snatched up a sausage before sitting down.
"Are you wearing my night shirt?"
"Huh?" Merlin looked down at the offending object and blushed, "oh… yes?"
"You… you changed me?" Arthur asked his voice unusually nervous and his cheeks turned a light pink.
"Well, it's not like I don't dress you every day." He pointed out.
"Yes but… I suppose it doesn't matter." He mumbled and went back to eating a slice of bread. Merlin snatched the other slice before it too was devoured.
"I'm sorry, if it was… inappropriate." Merlin apologized and Arthur shrugged.
"Nonsense, its fine," He said with a sigh, "so I told Leon that I was sick today and that he would need to take over training for today. I wouldn't want you to accidentally kill me during practice."
"Well that wasn't necessary," Merlin pouted, "I'm perfectly capable of handling a sword."
"Against the knights of Camelot? Pfft, Merlin you barely know which end of the sword to use let alone know how to teach someone how to fight." He pointed out and though Merlin pouted, he did have a point. He didn't think he could really get away with training the knights and not have them asking questions.
"Fine. So then what are we going to do today?" He asked, finishing off the slice of bread and taking the apple off the tray and biting into it. God he was so hungry!
"We are going to stay in this room until we figure out how to fix this. I spoke more with Gaius and he said he talked to you a little more last night." Arthur leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.
"He didn't tell me much more," Merlin admitted, "after you went to bed he recalled hearing about a sorcerer who lived a couple hundred years ago and was rumored to have created this cave or place. It could only be found by someone who was seeking the truth regarding something really important. The spell in the cave is meant to reveal that answer in whatever way. In our situation, that meant switching bodies. So obviously," He paused to glare at Arthur, "there's something that you want to know but you're not telling me."
"I hardly think I'm the one keeping secrets," Arthur responded but immediately regretted it. He was keeping secrets from Merlin. He considered his feelings for Merlin a secret of such importance that they were equal to the secrets of Camelot's defenses. No amount of torture or threatening would ever make him reveal them and he wasn't about to now.
Merlin paled a little at his words but forced his face to remain calm, "I don't know what you're talking about Arthur. You know me, how could I ever keep a secret from you?" He lied, his heart breaking a little more with each word. What would happen if Arthur did find out, he momentarily wondered? Banish him? Kill him? No… he didn't think he would do anything like that or at least, Merlin wasn't afraid of that. What he feared about Arthur discovering the truth was the betrayal he would inevitably feel. Not that he didn't tell him he had magic, Merlin thought he would be able to understand that… maybe, but it was more the lies he had woven in order to protect his secret that he would feel most betrayed about. "Why do you assume it's I who has the secret?"
"Because you idiot, we swapped bodies and I seriously doubt that would have happened if we both weren't involved in this somehow." He rudely pointed out.
"But what could I possibly be hiding from you? Seriously Arthur, if there's something you want to know about me you just need to ask." He blurted. This was going to kill him, to lie to him even more.
"Don't lie to me!" Arthur suddenly shouted and the jug full of water on the table shattered, causing them both to jump back in surprise. "What just happened?" He asked, looking around the room for the source but Merlin already knew. It was his magic that broke the jug. Arthur was losing control over his feelings and thus control over the magic he unknowingly possessed.
"Arthur, please calm down. If you want to know something, just ask me." Merlin repeated, holding up his hands in surrender.
"Why? So you can lie to me some more?" He spat and the anger in his words made Merlin cringe.
"I promise you I won't lie." He answered in a whisper and it was the truth. If Arthur did straight out ask him, he would not lie to him. He couldn't bear lying anymore.
Arthur snorted at this though and turned away from him, "fine, if that's the way you want to play this then fine." He sighed heavily and turned back to Merlin. His sky blue eyes filled with fear and desperation as he stared at Merlin. "Do you have magic?"
There it was the question Merlin had feared for so many years. Despite the fact that he was expecting it, he still gasped and the terror momentarily paralyzed him. He opened his mouth to reply but no sound came out. He looked away, drew in a deep breath and clasped his hands behind his back and stood up straighter. Finally he brought his gaze back up to meet his king's before answering, "yes."
Silence fell over the room like a heavy currant, draping awkwardly over the inhabitants and stealing the air from their lungs. Arthur felt his heart shatter and his mind explode with a thousand questions. This was the answer he had feared for so long, the one that he knew if he ever got nothing would ever be the same. He had suspected it; it made sense after all, when you piled up all the suspicious things Merlin had ever said or done. Like the time he said Arthur had killed the dragon. Where was the dragon's body? How did he manage to successfully kill him? As much as Arthur would like to think he was that great of a swordsman, there was something that just wasn't right about the story and no one was as lucky as Merlin claimed him to be. He stared at the man in front of him, his best friend, the person he loved more than anyone else in this world and fought back the onslaught of emotions.
"How long?" He asked abruptly and Merlin looked at him, confused, "how long have you practiced magic?"
"Oh… I was born with it." He answered honestly; he glanced down submissively and something about it annoyed the hell out of Arthur.
"Don't do that," He snapped and Merlin looked back up at him with the same confused expression.
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't look down at the floor like I've just kicked your dog." He growled and Merlin nodded, it was clear that it was painful for him to keep making eye contact but Arthur didn't care. He would have him tell him the truth and he would do it to his face.
"My apologies," he replied formally and Arthur growled again.
"And don't be so bloody formal! You've never spoken to me like that in all the years we've known each other, don't start now! It doesn't suit you." He hissed and turned away from him to start pacing.
"What would you like me to do?" He asked, his hands unclasping from his back and falling loosely to his sides as he watched him pace in front of him.
"I want you to tell me everything. How you were born with it, why you never told me… and… everything that you've done with it." He ordered and stopped to fold his arms across his chest.
"Very well," Merlin nodded. He had expected this. He knew Arthur would need to know the truth, to hear it all from him. He walked over to the door and opened it.
"What are you doing?" Arthur snapped but Merlin ignored him.
"Excuse me, Sarah," He called to the servant that was just a ways away from the door. She looked up at him; surprise at the king knowing her name written all over her face as she quickly curtseyed and skittered over to him.
"Yes my lord?" She asked in a quiet, slightly shaking voice.
"Can you please go fetch me some more breakfast and a large pitcher of wine? Two glasses." He asked kindly and she curtseyed once more before running down the hall to do as he asked. He closed the door and turned back to Arthur and gestured to the table. "Please, sit down. This will take a while." He said and Arthur watched in fascination. Merlin suddenly seemed so much older, more tired and incredibly sad. He knew that if he was in his own body, Merlin's shoulders would be slumped even more, jaw set and he could imagine the piercing gaze as they stared at one another. He said nothing as he sat back down and waited for Merlin to do the same.
"Well you had better get started then," he said finally when Merlin made no move towards speaking or sitting.
"I'm waiting for Sarah to come back. I would rather not be interrupted and I also think I need a drink." He said, his voice trembling almost undetectably. Arthur grunted his agreement and leaned back in the chair. They stayed like that for several minutes. Arthur sitting and Merlin standing, arms wrapped around his body as he continued to look at Arthur just as Arthur had instructed although he was now regretting that as it was rather uncomfortable. Just when he was about to tell him to stop, Sarah knocked on the door once before entering.
"Sire," she whispered and Merlin pointed at the table.
"Set it down there please," He said and Arthur couldn't help but admire the way he managed to sound so much like a king. Sarah and another servant sat down the plates, pitcher and cups and then quickly left the room. Merlin closed the door behind them and set the bolt in place. Slowly he walked over to the table, poured wine into each goblet and slid one across the table to Arthur. The other, he lifted and drank all the contents before pouring another and finally sitting down across from him.
"I'm not entirely sure where to start but I suppose it would be best to start with how I came to Camelot and why I stayed." He started slowly, folding his hands in front of him as he watched Arthur, "my mother sent me here because she was afraid that someone in Ealdor would discover I had magic and that it would endanger me."
"So she sent you to Camelot?" Arthur snorted, "That wasn't very smart."
"She sent me to Gaius," Merlin replied sharply, "she knew that Gaius would keep me safe."
"So Gaius knows you're a sorcerer?" He asked, truly surprised by this piece of news.
"Yes, but please, don't harm him. He was only doing what-"
"I'm not going to hurt him," Arthur said quickly before Merlin could say any more.
"Thank you," He nodded and took a large drink from his glass before continuing. "I didn't know much about my magic. I didn't understand why I had it and why I couldn't use it. It was… frustrating to have so much power and not be able to use it but with the help of Gaius and the Great Dragon, I came to understand why I am the way I am."
"You knew the Great Dragon?" He asked eyebrow quirking as he sipped his wine. He hadn't understood why Merlin had asked for it at first but now he knew. There was no way they were going to be able to have this conversation without the calming effect of alcohol.
"Yes. I met him when I came here. He… spoke to me in my head. Some sorcerers can do that; well… more creatures of magic can communicate that way. I met him and he told me about my destiny… our destiny." He paused as he emphasized the word 'our'. "He told me how you would be the one to unite the five kingdoms; that you would be the greatest king that Albion has ever, and would ever, see. You would be the one to bring peace and restore magic to the kingdom but you would need help."
"So all this time, you've been trying to manipulate me so that I would remove the ban on sorcery?" He asked, eyes widening with fear. Could it possibly be that everything was a lie? That Merlin didn't even care about him but was just using him? The thought made his stomach churn.
"No! Never!" Merlin cried, "I would never try to manipulate you…" He paused as he realized that wasn't entirely true. He had manipulated Arthur into not killing Uther after he discovered the truth about his mother. "I have only ever used my magic to protect you. You can't become the once and future king if you're dead. It's my destiny to make sure you stay alive long enough to fulfil yours." He explained and he was struck with the realization of just how crazy this all sounded. It was completely ridiculous and he would be surprised if Arthur believed a word of it.
"What are you talking about? How can you protect me? You're just a servant." Arthur said before he could stop himself and Merlin smiled sadly.
"I have saved your life more times than I can count." He said and then went on to recount the numerous occasions when he had saved Arthur's life without him ever knowing. Arthur had suspected that Merlin had somehow intervened on a number of instances but he had no idea just how often and just how much he actually did.
"I don't know what to say," Arthur said when Merlin had stopped to drink the rest of his wine. Arthur copied him and Merlin refilled both of their glasses for a third time.
"I'm not finished. Those are the just the good parts… Arthur… I have done some things I am not proud of… things that I can understand if you can never forgive me for. I have also lost so much." He whispered the last sentence as tears prickled his eyes.
"Tell me," Arthur gently ordered and Merlin let out a painful sound that resembled a sob before he nodded and drew in a deep breath.
"The Great Dragon… I released him. I didn't know what he was going to do, I begged him not to hurt anyone but," His words stuck in his throat and tears began to escape and make their way down his cheeks. Arthur drew in a sharp breath as if he'd just been punched in the gut but pinched his lips shut. He would wait until Merlin had told him everything. "He made me promise to release him in exchange for knowledge on how to save your life. He didn't listen to me about not harming anyone. Then we went looking for Balinor… he was my father."
"What?" Arthur sat up straighter with those words and he momentarily forgot everything else. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he had magic Arthur," Merlin said as if it was so obvious, "and the power of a Dragon Lord is passed down from father to son…" He trailed off to let Arthur piece it together on his own.
"Oh… so… so you're a dragon lord?" He asked, brows knitting together.
"Yes," Merlin nodded, so many confessions were becoming exhausting.
"So I didn't kill the dragon?"
"No," Merlin smirked, "he's not even dead… at least, I don't think so."
"You mean you didn't kill him?"
"No, I couldn't. He is the last of his kind and… and we are kin. Despite everything he did, I couldn't bring myself to harm him so I made him swear that he would never kill anyone again and to leave Camelot." He confessed and Arthur gaped at him.
"Seriously? And he listened to you?"
"He has to. A dragon cannot disobey the command of a Dragon Lord." He explained quietly.
"I see…" Arthur nodded and rubbed his face, "go on."
"There's a lot more that I can tell you but there are really just two more major confessions really…" He admitted and drew in a deep breath again, "the first is about your mother." He winced at the look that came across Arthur's face and realization dawned on him.
"No… no…" He stood and shook his head, stepping away from Merlin. "No, you wouldn't do that. You wouldn't do that to me!" He screamed and the mirror shattered, sending shards flying across the room.
"Arthur please!" Merlin jumped up and rushed over to him, "I know that you're really upset right now and you have every right to be but please, you have to calm down." He ordered but Arthur shoved him away.
"I trusted you!" He screamed and the air crackled around him as his eyes began to glow.
"I'm sorry Arthur! I couldn't let you kill your father, it would have destroyed you." He stammered, desperate to explain and to try and make him understand.
"You should have told me!" He yelled and a tendril of magic shot across the room and exploded the cupboard.
"Please Arthur," Merlin begged, tripping over the rug and falling back. He sat up and held up his hands pleadingly. Arthur took another step towards him, lost in his rage but the look in Merlin's eyes made him stop. He was afraid of him and that was something that Arthur never wanted to see on his face, no matter what he did. He stepped back and drew in a long breath to calm himself.
"I'm sorry," he whispered and held out his hand. Merlin hesitantly accepted and pulled himself up.
"Don't be, this is all my fault." He said bitterly and sat back down. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I didn't know how to. I couldn't tell you about my magic, I was told that if you found out… it would change our destiny."
"Oh really? So now what's going to happen now that I know?" He asked angrily and slumped back into his chair.
"I don't know," He answered and shook his head.
"You said there were two things, what's the other?" Merlin closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath.
"Morgana… When Morgause attacked Camelot with that sleeping curse… the reason Morgana wasn't affected was because she was what was binding the spell." He started to explain slowly, "a spell that powerful needs a living anchor and I don't know if she knew but Morgause had used her as the anchor. The only way to stop the spell was to destroy the anchor…" His voice broke as a cry escaped and it took several more minutes to pull himself together enough so that he could speak. "There was no other way Arthur, I swear to you. I tried everything else but I didn't have time. She was going to kill you and Uther and I couldn't let her do that. I had to protect you."
"What did you do?" Arthur asked coldly, his entire body rigid as he waited for Merlin's final confession.
"I poisoned her." He cried and buried his face in his hands.
"You what?"
"I poisoned her," He repeated through his tears, "I put hemlock in a water skin and convinced her to drink from it. I was able to convince Morgause to remove the spell in exchange for telling her what poison I used. She lifted the spell and I told her and Morgana was ok but still," he choked on his tears, "I nearly killed her."
Arthur sighed heavily and leaned his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands. This was so much more than what he had bargained for. All he wanted was to know the truth about Merlin, he just wanted to know if he had magic or not. The words from the cave came back to him then and he groaned loudly.
"It may not be what you desire," Arthur said dryly and Merlin looked up from his tears and frowned at him.
"What?"
"Hidden beneath the lies, it may not be what you desire. Don't you get it?" He asked and finished off his wine, his head was really starting to buzz now. Merlin really was a light weight he thought absent mindedly. "I just wanted to know the truth about you was all. I've suspected you had magic for… well since that first year you came to work for me. I didn't say anything because of my father and I didn't want to make you feel like you were in danger and I also wasn't totally sure anyway. And then my father died-" He paused when these words seemed to spark something in Merlin's eyes, "what?" He said quickly, was there something else about his father's death that Merlin wasn't telling him?
"Um, Dragoon… I'm Dragoon the Great." He said, blushingly slightly.
"Huh? No you're not; he's an old man and a murderer." He said and Merlin visibly flinched at the word murderer.
"I didn't kill your father Arthur. Morgana enchanted the blade that was used to stab your father. I didn't know that though and when I tried to heal him… the enchantment reversed the effects of the healing spell." He explained sadly and lowered his head.
"You mean… Morgana killed my father? Not some crazy old wizard?" He asked and Merlin couldn't help himself from rolling his eyes.
"That crazy old wizard is me" he repeated, "but yes, Morgana orchestrated his death." He confirmed. This seemed to be the last straw for Arthur and Merlin watched as his eyes watered and he gasped for air.
"I can't believe it," he whispered and closed his eyes, tears trailing down his cheeks. Merlin bit his lip, everything in him hurting at the site of Arthur hurting. He wanted nothing more than to go to him, to hold him and to give him comfort but that wouldn't be appropriate. So instead, he lowered his gaze and stayed in his seat while he let his king process this news.
"I'm sorry," Merlin said a few minutes later and looked back up at him. Arthur sniffed and wiped away his tears, nodding once.
"How are you the old man?" He asked, changing the topic.
"Aging spell," Merlin explained, "It's worked pretty well, not just with hiding my secret from you but Morgana too. If she found out who I am..." He trailed off as he thought about these other possible consequences.
"What do you mean?"
"The Druids believe that Emrys, a powerful sorcerer will be the one to defeat Morgana and... Emrys is the Druid name for me." He explained and Arthur nodded.
"What else is there?" He asked, his brain completely overwhelmed by everything Merlin had confessed.
"I think that's it..." Merlin said honestly. There were no more lies, nothing else to tell him. They sat there in silence, each sipping their wine as they processed.
"Ok... So I have my answer now." Arthur stated and looked at a blurring Merlin.
"Mmhmm," he nodded in agreement. "Sarah!" He shouted; a moment later Sarah hurriedly entered the room.
"Yes my lord?" She stammered as she curtseyed.
"Can you bring me some more wine? Possibly something a little... stronger?" He asked and she nodded and then disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. He needed something stronger. Part of being in Arthur's body meant he had a surprisingly high alcohol tolerance.
"You realize it's not even noon yet and we're both drunk?" Arthur pointed out and Merlin smirked.
"I'm not drunk."
"Not my fault you're a light weight." He replied and reached for the bread in front of him. He didn't really have much of an appetite but he thought that the bread might help soak up some of the alcohol.
"So you have your answer and yet here we are... still stuck." Merlin said, waving his hand between them.
"Why is that?" Arthur asked and Merlin shrugged.
"Is that all you wanted to know?" He asked and for a moment, he thought he saw something like fear cross his face.
"Yes, that's all," he said and Merlin narrowed his gaze.
"Arthur... no more secrets ok? Let's both be honest here." He said. He meant it too; he would be as honest with Arthur as much as possible.
Again there was a soft knock on the door and then Sarah entered carrying another pitcher of wine and a glass bottle.
"My lord," she said as she sat them both down, casting a disapproving look at 'Merlin', "this is a drink that my brother is fond of, he gets it from the Rising Sun." She explained the glass bottle that was filled with an amber liquid. "It's very strong."
"Thank you," Merlin smiled at her and watched her leave before opening the bottle and taking a sniff. "Whoa," he wrinkled his nose as the burning sensation made its way to his toes. Slowly, he took a sip and immediately recoiled. "Wow that's disgusting." He said and handed the bottle to Arthur. Arthur sniffed it, shrugged and took a large drink.
"Ahh," He said afterwards and set the bottle down, "oh wow..." He held his head with one hand as the room swayed around him.
"Uh, might want to take it a bit slower," Merlin said as he sipped more wine.
"Yea thanks."
"So, anything else you want to ask me?" He asked again and Arthur shook his head.
"No... but I want to lay down." He mumbled and Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Arthur are you ok with what I've told you?" He asked and Arthur shook his head once.
"No, but I don't hate you if you're worried about that. You're still my clotpole of a servant."
"That's my word."
"I'm the king, I can use whatever words I want." He said defiantly and Merlin laughed. He got up and slowly helped him to the bed and then helped him crawl into it.
"I should be taking you back to my place, if anyone were to see you in the king's bed..." Merlin trailed off but Arthur just moaned.
"You're supposed to be sick remember? I'm here to help you." He muttered drunkenly.
"Uh, how is you lying in my bed helping me?"
"I'm offering you comfort." He stated.
"Right..." Merlin frowned, confused, "and how exactly are you doing that?"
"Get in bed and I'll show you." He said, making Merlin blush.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Merlin squirmed awkwardly but Arthur reached up and grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him onto the bed. Merlin fell across Arthur making him squeak at the sudden amount of weight on him. "Sorry," Merlin mumbled as he tried to get off him and move to the other side of the bed. Arthur groaned and shifted under him, also trying to get out from under him but neither was exceptionally coordinated at the time and they ended up just flailing about, getting thoroughly tangled in the blankets.
"Ok, ok stop," Merlin finally said and lifted himself up on his arms, looking down at Arthur and trying to focus his gaze. All the alcohol was hitting him rather suddenly.
"Ok," Arthur blinked up at Merlin and he suddenly became aware of the fact that Merlin was laying on top of him.
"This is weird," Merlin pointed out, meaning their current situation.
"Very," Arthur agreed but he thought it was more weird that he still wanted to kiss Merlin despite being in his body. He wondered if that meant he wanted to kiss himself but quickly shrugged that thought off. It wasn't his mouth he wanted to feel against his own, it was Merlin's.
"Right," Merlin started to move, and managed to disentangle himself from the blankets but Arthur grabbed his arms and held him over him.
"There's still one other thing..." He breathed, his heart was now racing and it suddenly didn't matter that Merlin had lied to him for seven years because the truth was that he loved him. The things he had done didn't really matter because it had all been to protect Arthur, it had all been done out of loyalty.
"What is it?" Merlin asked, breaking into his thoughts as he looked down at him worriedly.
"It isn't really so much as something I need to ask you, it's more of something I need to tell you and I need to know what will happen if I do." He rambled and Merlin's frown deepened.
"No matter what you tell me Arthur, it will never change the way I feel about you. You're my king, my closest friend and there's nothing you could say-" his words were cut off by Arthur's mouth pressing against his. All thoughts vanished into a puff of smoke as he moaned into Arthur's mouth but before he could really enjoy it, everything went black.
Merlin groaned and rubbed his head. He wondered if he had suddenly passed out from all the alcohol; that would have been terrible timing. He opened his eyes and gasped when he looked up into Arthur's eyes. He quickly looked down at his own hands, grabbed his own hair and grinned.
"We switched," he gasped and Arthur grinned down at him.
"Good, because I really didn't want to kiss myself." He said cheekily before leaning down and kissing Merlin again. Merlin moaned again and opened his mouth, letting Arthur's tongue enter and pleasantly explore. He lifted his hands and pressed them against Arthur's chest and slowly let them slide down to his waist.
All too quickly, Arthur pulled away and Merlin reluctantly opened his eyes.
"What is it?" He asked worriedly but Arthur just smiled and brushed his hair off his forehead with his hand.
"I'm not good at this whole... expressing feelings," he started and Merlin smirked, that much was true. "But I want you to know... I understand why you did what you did. I'm not mad at you Merlin, I'm amazed. Never in my life could I have dreamed of someone so loyal, so faithful and as strong as you. You were given this destiny to protect some prince you didn't even know and who's father would have you killed if he discovered your magic and yet, you never faltered. I know it wasn't easy for you, I know that you've had to make a lot of sacrifices and you've done it all without ever getting any credit." Merlin opened his mouth to protest the credit part but Arthur silenced him with a finger to his lips, "thank you Merlin. I've never said that to you before but I mean it. Thank you for everything you have done for me. All of this just makes me love you even more." He said as he poured his heart out and gulped at his last words. He hadn't meant to say it but it was the truth, he loved Merlin more than anything in this world. Merlin grinned that ridiculous grin of his and wrapped his arms around Arthur's waist.
"I love you too," He replied and Arthur grinned. He leaned down and kissed him again, losing himself in the embrace of his manservant.
The End.