Drunk

Merlin finally decided to get some sleep. In fact, he decided to get some sleep over an hour ago – but ended up reading his magic book. He should have been cleaning the Princes boots after 'accidentally' knocking muddy water over them; but, that's another story. Instead he allowed a cloth to clean them itself...

His head hit his pillow and he started drifting off, until something rather weird happened. His royal highness – Prince Arthur – burst into his room, not looking quite himself. The cloth and his boots fell from the air and hit the floor with a thump. Merlin sprung out of bed, hoping that his master hadn't noticed that – although, by the looks of things – even if he had, he wouldn't remember by tomorrow. Or maybe he would think it was a figment of his imagination.

Arthur stumbled around the room, almost tripping up his own feet. He seemed to have no balance or sense of direction. "OH!" Merlin blurt out, when he realised what was going on. Gwaine had convinced the future king and the knights of the round table to go for a drink at a tavern. The young warlock himself had also been invited, but he declined the offer for multiple reasons. Mainly because he had stuff to do, he also remembered what happened the last time he was in a tavern.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried, grinning at his manservant, "I missed you..."

The smell of ale, cider and mead flew around the room, making the poor warlocks nose tingle. "You're drunk!"

"You're sexy!" his grin grew and they were bound to wake the court physician if they didn't keep quiet. Arthur was being uncommonly noisy and this drunk Arthur was near the top of Merlin's 'things I never want to see' list. He was a big-headed royal prat as it was, without being a drunken one.

"Seriously Arthur, you need to get some rest and preferably a bucket to puck in. I don't want to be cleaning up after you tomorrow." he shivered at the thought. Who knew where the prince could be sick? Probably all over his bed sheets.

"I am not drunk! You will be put in the stocks for even mentioning it young man!" he point at the wizard and wobbled over to the end of his bed.

"Young man?" Merlin thought, along with, "You so aredrunk!" So plastered that it sounded like he had said, "Ah ham noh drunk! Y-hoo will beh put ih tha stocks fa he-van mentionin' it y-hung man!" He certainly wasn't speaking a proper language, his speech was slurred, he let out a few hiccups every now and again and he had lost all muscle coordination. Clear signs of a drunk; plus the smell of course.

The prince sat him self next to Merlin and started singing, whilst swinging he legs back and forth. God knows if what he was singing was even a real song, or just a bunch of words cried out in a tune of some sort. How much more would his servant have to endure, and why had Gaius not come to save him yet? Surely he couldn't be sleeping through this. Arthur was being so loud he could wake the dead!

Soon he started laughing to him self and turned to face the warlock, "Y'know, you're the best manservant ever." The poor boy almost believed it for a second, but those words were probably not his own.

"Come on Sire," he stood up, "time for bed," he tried to ignore the Princes moans and refusals. He was acting like a child who didn't want to go to sleep. For a moment Merlin imagined a younger Arthur throwing at large temper tantrum. The thought made him chuckle to him self and he was thankful that this dollop head wasn't acting quite that way.

He pulled the blond man's hand a tried to get him to stand up, which wasn't hard. He seem light and hardly had any control over his own body. At least that meant Merlin could move him to his own chambers easily. He put Arthur's arm over his shoulders and wrapped his own around his waist to support him.

They made their way out into the main part of Gaius' quarters and were surprised to see the old man still sleeping and snoring like a pig. They walked – sort of – along the corridors towards Arthur's chambers, the prince still singing while he was it it. The sound of his voice bouncing of the walls and echoing around the castle.

Merlin lead his master into his own room and watched as he fell of the floor. Maybe he shouldn't have let him go in order to close the door. Part of him felt guilty, but a larger part found it hilarious. He couldn't help laughing whilst trying to stand the dunked back on his feet. "You cannot laugh at me, Merlin. I am royalty!"

His words were still slurred, which made him sound utterly ridiculous. Merlin couldn't take him seriously and wondered what tomorrow would be like. Would he be able to look at his master without remembering tonight? He continued to laugh as he helped Arthur over to his bed, almost throwing him on it.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked after his servant, making she he was still there, "When I am King, will you still be here?" he had gone from a happy, singing drunk to a sloppy, emotional one in a matter of seconds. What went through a plastered man's head? Merlin remembered drinking a little too much with Lancelot once, but it didn't do more than give him a slight hangover.

"Of course I will, Sire." he was still smiling. Wondering what had suddenly come over the future king. He had to stay, it was his destiny, but deep down he knew he would stay even if it wasn't. The Prince was a handful at times and Merlin knew he was no more than a servant, yet he liked to think that he had made a friend in Arthur. An unbreakable bond.

The prince at up and his blue eyes seemed to smile. Although, eyes can't actually smile. The man started grinning like a five year old child on Christmas day. He stood up and put his hands on Merlin's shoulders. Before the young warlock had time to gather his thoughts their lips were locked. His face turned beet-red as he started at the face in front of him.

He pushed the blond, drunk away and stumbled back wards, hopping on one leg for a moment while he tried to regain his balance. His heart was skipping beats and his breathing was heavy. He was partial dazed and the Prince looked some what disappointed by his servants reaction. He pouted slightly, before getting up and wobbling towards the wizard. Merlin began backing up, until he could go no further. Soon he was stuck between Arthur and a wall. Yes a damned wall!

The sorcerer squeezed his eyes shut as their lips met again. This time Arthur was more forceful and hurt Merlin's nose as he pressed their lips together. The warlock opened his eyes and they suddenly turned golden-yellow as he incanted a spell. Arthur instantly fell to the floor and a sigh of relief escaped the boys mouth.

Why did Merlin find it amusing that he has just put the Prince to sleep and he was now lying by his feet? Still rather embarrassed he lay the prince on his bed, wondering how long it would have taken for the alcohol to knock him out. He knew he could have waited for the booze to do its job, but he didn't want to have to deal with erratic behaviour.

With the help of magic, he spun Arthur onto his pillows and pulled his sheets over him, allowing the man to sleep off all that had just passed. Had he always looked so adorable when he was sleeping? Merlin couldn't help kissing him on the forehead, before turning away. "Right, your sleep deprived." he told himself and escaped the room.

When he was finally back in his own room, he couldn't help wondering what tomorrow would be like. How many people had heard Arthur's singing and would he be haunted by memories? He brushed it to one side. What ever happens tomorrow, he would deal with then...

For now, he closed his eyes and finally managed to get that sleep he should have been getting a couple of hours ago. An almost peaceful sleep, that seemed to be filled with the Prince we all know and love. Merlin was going to kick himself in the morning...

THE END