Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. Shame really, because I could make it so much better with some serious Merlin/Arthur action...
Gaius smiled a small knowing smile as he watched them from across the hall. The celebratory banquet for Arthur becoming Crown Prince was in full swing and everyone was smiling, laughing, talking, and having a good time. It had been a while since the people of Camelot had seemed so happy, and seeing this new era dawning made Gaius feel a fresh hope.
'Look at those two,' he thought to himself, taking a sip from a goblet of wine.
Merlin and Arthur were stood over in a corner. They'd been talking all night, mostly the joky banter they were known for, but Gaius could see that neither could take their eyes off the other. They're both in love, Gaius realised. He'd been around for a while, and could certainly recognise the signs, the main one being that both Merlin and Arthur had been acting like they were floating on air recently. Whenever Merlin came in from his duties as Arthur's manservant, he could barely suppress the smile on his face. And Arthur had changed too; Gaius had noticed the difference between his personality before Merlin had arrived, and after.
Gaius looked over at Uther. It was only noticeable to him because he had known Uther for so long – Uther's hands clenched around his goblet as he sat on his throne, surveying everyone. Gaius followed Uther's gaze...to where Arthur was in the corner with Merlin. He could hear Arthur distantly, laughing light heartedly and saying – "Honestly, Merlin..."
That must mean Uther can hear it too, Gaius realised. He took a step, thinking of going to warn the two, though technically they weren't doing anything wrong, but Uther stood up first. Unable to take his eyes away, Gaius saw Uther approach the two, and he must have asked to have a word alone with Arthur, for he saw Arthur's protesting, and Merlin's confused face, then Arthur following Uther into another quiet corner of the room.
"Is something the matter, father?" Arthur asked, sounding genuinely perplexed.
"You know damn well what the matter is," Uther growled in a low voice. "What the hell are you doing, Arthur? How do you think it will look to everyone if you spend the whole night talking to your servant! Now, you know what your duties are."
"H-He's not just my servant father," Arthur pleaded.
"Oh? Then what is he, Arthur?"
"He's...he's..." Arthur swallowed. "Well, I mean, obviously, he's –"
"I don't care what he is, Arthur! Now you get out there and talk to some other people! How on earth do you expect to find your future bride otherwise?"
His face set with anger, Arthur stormed off wordlessly. But not to talk to other people, instead, he flew right past Gaius and out of the room. Gaius turned to see where Merlin was, and noticed him leaving too, but out of another wooden door at the side, perhaps an attempt to be less obvious.
"Arthur! Arthur, are you okay?" Merlin had grabbed Arthur's arm just as they had gotten outside the hall and into a stone corridor, lit with torches, giving the surroundings a soft orange glow.
"I'm fine, Merlin," Arthur replied harshly, yanking his arm from Merlin's caring grip. He didn't want to face Merlin now, especially not so soon after what his father had said to him. If Uther can't bear me to even be friends with Merlin, he's not going to understand that I'm in love with him, Arthur thought painfully as he leaned his arm against the stone wall. The coolness seeped through his red shirt.
"What did Uther want?"
"He wants me to act like a prince," Arthur told Merlin with full on eye contact as he said it. As he'd expected, Merlin lowered his gaze, and swallowed. He loves me too, Arthur thought, pain striking his heart.
"Merlin," he said, shifting from off the wall and turning to face Merlin straight on. Stepping forward he tilted Merlin's chin upwards gently with his finger, forcing Merlin to make eye contact with him. Time stopped again, for the prince and the servant boy as their eyes locked and each could see what was in the other's heart.
"It was about me, wasn't it? Your talk, I mean," Merlin asked evenly.
"That's right," Arthur said, his words drifting off into irrelevance as he leaned in, and began to kiss Merlin, moving his hand onto Merlin's arm to pull the other boy closer. The two stepped awkwardly into an embrace as they continued this kiss, Merlin now moving in time with Arthur as they gently explored each other's mouths.
"Arthur!"
The pair broke apart immediately but even this was too late.
Uther Pendragon stood fuming in front of them.