"No young man, no matter how great can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn..."
As Arthur rode away from Camelot, his mind drifted. He couldn't help but think about the execution that was happening while he ran. His father had been mad but Arthur had quickly used his patrol duties as an excuse. The Pendragon knew he could not continue to hate his father for the laws he had been forced to put in place. He didn't hate him really, he was his father after all. But more importantly, he was King, he was going to do things Arthur disagreed with -it was just the way things were. Even so, a small part of Arthur hated that he'd ran from the execution -he was the Prince, he was expected to attend those sort of things. But even after so many years, he still couldn't stand to watch innocent people murdered. All because his father hated magic...
However, the young Prince was snapped back to reality, when he saw the small, skinny, young boy walking towards Camelot. The boy had soft looking black hair, and even from his horse Arthur could see his blue, blue eyes. And cheekbones! Exquisite was the only word to describe them. The boy looked as though he'd been travelling for many days, yet he had a beaming smile painted on his face...
he Prince cursed himself as the boy passed. He knew if anyone ever found out out his...preferences...he'd be exiled (He hoped. The punishment was death, but...surely, his father wouldn't kill him over such a mundane thing?). But he let himself turn and look at the boy's ass. No one was around after all, and the boy was too busy looking at the flowers. Arthur couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his face; everything about the boy was beautiful. Even the childish gleam in his eye.
Imagine Arthur's surprise when he saw the boy again. Not boy -Merlin. Even his name was beautiful... He could have been politer, but the Prince was glad someone had spoken to him like just another person. Everyone was always so...careful around him. Always scared to say the wrong thing...
...After some consideration, Arthur realised that he probably could have introduced himself better... He'd felt bad about throwing Merlin in jail, but he had a front to keep up around his men. He'd decided to go down to the jail cells and introduce himself again, properly this time. He knew he should be staying away from the boy, he was only going to get himself into trouble if he tried to pursue that gorgeous boy... He realised it was probably good luck, on his behalf, when he found the boy had been released hours ago.
You need to stop this, Arthur. The boy is just a boy that is kind of pretty! Just forget him! This can't end w-There was the boy!
Don't. Don't do it. Let him pass! Just- "How's your knee walking coming along?" We're fucked. Arthur ignored the voice in his head, he ignored the fact that every part of him was telling him to leave the boy. To let him be. He had his memories to keep him company at night, he didn't need the boy's body. He should just forget about him- "Aw, don't run away!"
His smile grew wider when the boy stopped, "From you?" he hadn't turned around but the prince could imagine the look on his face.
"Ah, thank god. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb," ARE YOU SERIOUSLY FLIRTING RIGHT NOW!? IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN!? If your father doesn't kill you I might just! The boy's response silenced the voice in his head.
"Look, I've told you you're an ass. I just didn't realise you were a royal one." Out of the corner of his eye, the Pendragon could see people looking on. Well there's no going back now is there. "Oh, what are you going to do? You got your daddy's men to protect you?"
Arthur laughed at that, everyone knew he didn't need 'his daddy's men' to protect him. He wouldn't be the prince if he couldn't handle himself! "I could take you apart with one blow."
I could take you apart with less than that." Now who's flirting?
"Are you sure?" Arthur was surprised, yet anxious when the boy took his jacket off. He admired his courage, but he knew he'd have to fight the boy. He didn't want to hurt him... "Here you go, big man." He was straight out flirting now. People would be talking for a week.
As he swung the mace above his head, he heard himself say, "I warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth." He half hoped the boy would be smart enough to back out. But once again he found himself admiring the boy's, idiotic, actions. He didn't back off one bit. He just responded with, yet another, smart-ass remark.
"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin had a childish gleam to his eyes...
He hated to use his title to- actually he loved to hold his title over others, "You can't address me like that." Even Arthur heard his whining tone.
"Sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?" He just said that, in front of all your subjects. You can't let a commoner -even one as pretty as him- get away with that! What would your subjects think of you! A voice -that sounded an awful lot like Uther- made him take a swing at Merlin. He was glad the boy ducked in time.
After their fight - well, Arthur mostly just swung at Merlin as he clambered to avoid each swing - he stopped the guards from dragging the poor boy away, "He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one." Leave! Don't do it! Just walk away! "There's something about you Merlin... I can't quite put my finger on it." Actually I can, you're bloody gorgeous. An not only has the guts to stand up to me, but enjoys making fun of me. ...What am I going to do with you...?
When Arthur awoke, his thoughts drifted to Merlin... He'd been thinking of the boy last night as well... You're smitten! You've fallen for him!
When the feast started, Arthur was happy to say that he had not thought of the boy once. Unless the time he spotted some raven-black hair from across the crowd, and thought it was Merlin, counts. Oh, and when his father was not-so-subtlety telling him he should be considering marriage, and his thoughts had gone (not-so-)straight to Merlin's perfect ass. And just a little while ago, when he was dressing for the feast, and wondered what Merlin would look like naked, definitely didn't count. But as he felt eyes on him, he looked across the room and saw the boy he'd been trying so hard to forget...
The Pendragon was thankful for the distraction of Morgana. He knew she was pretty - he sometimes caught the knights talking about her (in some not so honourable ways) - yet, try as he might, he just could not see what was so appealing about the woman. Well he could see. Her collarbones were prominent (not at all in a way that reminded him of Merlin's) and her cheekbones were nice (not as exquisite as Merlin's) but she had curves in all the wrong places... Not to mention, she didn't have a dick - which was something Arthur deemed as a pretty attractive part of a person. Pretty much the most attractive part of someone actually...
"God have mercy," He panicked for a second when the words passed his lips, but the men thought he was taken aback by Morgana's not-so-subtle cry for attention.
As everyone's eyes were on the stunning, Lady Helen, the Prince found himself enchanted with the boy stood to the right of him. He smiled at Merlin when they locked eyes. So..tired... As he tore his eyes back to Lady Helen, he felt them closing. Until finally, unable to keep them open any longer, they shut.
The next thing he knew he was covered in cobwebs, as was the rest of the room, and Lady Helen lay under a fallen chandelier. Except it wasn't Lady Helen.
Time seemed to slow... The woman -whoever she was- threw a knife, and it spun towards him, but as if in slow motion. Before Arthur even had time to react however, he felt hands grab him, pulling him down. Saving him. As he looked at his saviour, imagine how surprised he was to find it was Merlin.
The Prince vaguely heard his Father thanking the boy. He was in shock...Merlin had just saved his life.
...But how? He'd been across the room! He'd seen him stood across the room!
His father's hand on his shoulder brought him out of his daze. Just in time to hear the King grant Merlin a position in the royal household. His manservant in fact. What!? This is not good! You can't think straight when you barely see the boy! How do you plan to keep your hands off him if you see him everyday! If he dresses you! He'll see you naked for god's sake!
"Father!" For once he agreed with the voice. Nothing good could come with Merlin as his manservant. Well...some very good things could, in fact, come of-NO!
When Arthur retired, he thought over the predicament he was in... No good could possibly come...could it?
The Prince's mind went straight to all the parts of Merlin he'd like to discover... Maybe some good could come...Just maybe...
