Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin (sadly)
Rated: M, for good reason...I don't know if I should put Mpreg since there is no Mpreg (only mention in the story) but to be safe I putting warning out that it does involve Mpreg
A/N: Don't worry, I'm still writing 'The Child of Time'. In fact, I wrote this story before I wrote 'The Child of Time. This story was meant to be a one-shot but with my wild imagination it become longer. The writing in here is going to be different because it was edited by NaruLover4ever. She is one of my best friend and my beta but she can't be my beta anymore because she needs to concentrate on her school. She is graduating this semester so she is going to be busy. See why I need to find a new Beta now? :/ Anyways, this story is already complete but I'm going to post it chapter after chapter every monday =D
Chapter one
Hundreds upon hundreds of bundled flowers, lace, and ribbons are being gathered from every garden around the castle of Camelot. All the invitations have already been sent out and all the residents in and out of Camelot already heard of the news of King Arthur and Guinevere's, Gwen for short, wedding. Today is the ceremony and everyone is excited for the couple to finally tie the knot. All were happy except for one man, the warlock named Merlin. Merlin is the personal manservant of King Arthur. He served the King for years, saving Arthur's life from the shadows. Even now Merlin was still nothing to King Arthur but a manservant. The King didn't know the true identity of Merlin or of his heroic actions during many of the former Prince's battles in the past for it would risk his life. But today wasn't about Merlin or his relationship with Arthur, it was about his master and Gwen and their upcoming union.
Marrying Gwen, a former maid, was a rough road for both of the love birds but Gwen have proven to Camelot that she was worthy of being the Queen. Merlin was the first person Arthur had told about the marriage blessing from the court. Merlin was happy—truly—for them but his heart was also just as pained about it. Everything was going to change, Merlin was wiser than his peers usually gave him credit for and he could see just how this marriage was going to change his relationship with Arthur. Arthur was already not spending nearly as much time with Merlin as he used to anymore. The last few weeks, Arthur and Gwen spent so much time together that Merlin had hardly seen the King. The only time he sees the King is the morning when the manservant went to wake him and at night when the king needed help drawing his bath before went to sleep. They had hardly talked except for a the few rare occasions and today the king was getting married.
Merlin stood by the window in his room, looking up to the sky. He understood what the pain inside his heart meant but there was nothing he could do for it anymore. The same day that Arthur announced his marriage to Merlin, the warlock decided to go drinking with Gwaine in a local tavern and said knight led to his discovery of just what the pain in his heart meant. But it was not only what the knight said that lead to where he was now, but someone unexpected had also led to his own realization of what his feelings truly were and tried to push him into revealing all to the object of his affections, his destiny ...
*Flash Back*
"You're in love with Arthur," Gwaine said before taking another large gulp of wine from his cup. Merlin, who was sitting on the opposite side of him, leant forward and blinked slowly not comprehending what his friend had just said. "Um...What?" he asked. Gwaine stared into his eyes, not in the least bit drunk, not yet at least. "You are in love with the King," he repeated.
Merlin's lips thinned and then shook his head. "No, that is not it."
Gwaine nodded. "Come on, Merlin, every time you and Arthur stare into each other eyes, I was practically being thrown out of your personal sexual tension bubble! I thought for sure you two must be shagging each other or something."
The young warlock gaped at his long haired friend. "No, we do not!"
"Yes, you do."
"No, I mean the shagging. We've never done that before."
"So you admit to the staring, but not the shagging? Well that is okay, take your time. I'm willing to accept it whenever you admit it."
Merlin shook his head frustratedly. "No no no, you got it all wrong. We do not do either of it."
The knight looked surprised, an eyebrow raised. "Well I can believe that the shagging part is not true but honestly, Merlin, the glaring at each other with such lust? You have to admit that is the honest truth, my friend," he said and took another gulp from his chalice. "And you are the first person he tells about his marriage approval? Must be tough since you're so in love with him. What a prat he is, didn't even think about your feelings."
Merlin sat back and tried to process what his friend just told him in his head. Still not admitting to what his heart was telling him: that what Gwaine said was the truth. "I am not in love with Arthur. This feeling has to be something else."
The knight leant forward toward the young warlock. "Have you ever loved anyone else other than Arthur?"
"I am not in love with Arthur and yes, I had been in love with someone before," replied Merlin.
"Really? Who was it?"
Merlin pursed his lips. He wasn't sure if he should tell his friend about Freya. No one knew about her, not even Gaius. Her death was caused at the hand of Arthur but he never blamed the King for it. It was not the King's fault because he didn't know about Merlin's relationship with Freya or even who Freya was really at the time. The King was just doing his job: protecting Camelot.
He must have been quiet for too long. Gwaine backed away and laughed. "You have never been in love."
"I have, but she is dead now."
"You're lying."
Merlin jolted up from his chair, angrily. "I am not lying! Arthur killed her."
Gwaine's eyes grew large as the warlock covered his mouth. He didn't mean to blurt out that information but he didn't want Gwaine to think that he was a liar. "I-I-"
Gwaine pulled him down to his chair before he could mutter another word. The knight looked around and gave the other guests in the tavern a warning look. As the other guest looked away, he turn to Merlin and whispered in a serious tone, "Arthur killed your first love? Wass it out of jealousy?"
Merlin shook his head. He didn't want to tell Gwaine, afraid he had already said too much. If he said anymore, Gwaine might know about Merlin's magic. "I don't want to talk about it."
The knight sighed and decided to bring up the subject another time. He didn't want Merlin to feel sadder than he already did. "Fine, but I'm not wrong about you being in love with Arthur."
"I am not in love with the royal prat," Merlin protested exasperatingly and took a sip from his chalice. "I'm going to go back now." He stood up from his chair to leave but turned back. "Thank you, Gwaine, for listening. Even though your input didn't help much."
Gwaine grinned. "Anytime."
Merlin smiled and left the tavern. The night was rather quieter than usual and the road was strangely empty. He could still hear drunken men singing their hearts out in the other tavern, no brawling just yet then. He didn't sense any dark magic near so he continued his walk toward the castle. When he was near the castle though, he felt a sudden large force of magic and then a gust of wind came out of nowhere and swiftly surrounded him. He gave out a gasp and covered himself from anything that might attack him but nothing came to harm him. When he looked up, he realized that he was in an open field of green grass. He looked around for whomever had brought him here.
"Don't worry, it is just I," a familiar female voice said behind him.
He twisted around and found himself looking at Morgana, Arthur's half-sister. She still looked just as stunning as the last time he had seen her three years ago after the Great War. Morgana fought on the opposite side along with her wicked Druid/warlock friend, Mordred, but in the end of the war she turned tail and helped Merlin save Arthur. She told Merlin before she disappeared that she would return one day when Camelot needed her help. With her appearance in front of him now, he feared there might be some new threats coming toward Camelot. Even if the threat was going to come from Morgana or some other enemies, Merlin was willing to risk anything to save Arthur and Camelot.
"Why are you here, Morgana?" Merlin demanded.
Morgana walked closer to Merlin but stopped as she saw him getting ready for any attack that she might throw at him. "I'm here because of the premonitions that I dreamt of."
"Premonitions? But you have your mother's enchanted bracelet," he nodded to the bracelet that Morgana should be wearing on her right wrist but there was nothing there.
She shook her head. "Not anymore, not after Modred's death. After all was over, I decided to give myself over to my destiny and accept my gift," she took the bracelet from a pouch that was tied to her waistband and handed it to Merlin. "I want you to have it."
Merlin shook his head. He still couldn't quite trust her.
"You think I cursed it?"
"I have my reasons to believe so and you should understand why."
She nodded. "Yes, but I can't trust myself with it. I might do evil things again if I keep it, so," she moved closer with her hand reaching up with the bracelet. "Take it. You have magic too. You should know if it was cursed or not."
True. Merlin's magic had grown more powerful over the years and detecting curses was usually very simple for him but he wouldn't let himself forget that Morgana was also a powerful sorceress. Slowly, he took the bracelet from her hand and felt it's magic. There was no dark magic or curse on it. He looked back at her with little more ease. "Why did you seek me?"
She felt that Merlin finally trusted her a little and that was all she needed for now. "For the past few nights, I keep having the same visions and I thought that if I didn't do anything about them then it wouldn't come true," she looked a bit worried as she continued, "But I was wrong. As I stand by, one of the visions have started to take it's course."
"And?"
"There are two premonitions: one will lead Arthur to the Golden Age of Camelot and the other will lead him to the Fall of Camelot," she said, her lips trembling a little bit. "If he marries Gwen, she will lead Arthur to his great fall."
Merlin looked at Morgana in confusion. Gwen would not harm Arthur. She loves him. But if he thought about it, Gwen never really saved Arthur's life before. She had attempted to but never succeeded. Was that really a problem though with Merlin around to protect Arthur from the threats against his life? "And the other one?"
"It is you, Merlin," she replied with high hope. "If Arthur marries you, you will lead him to the Golden Age of Camelot."
Merlin started to think Morgana was out of her mind. Arthur marrying him? That situation was looked upon even worse than Gwen and Arthur's relationship. The Prince and the maid being together almost didn't happen, so how would Arthur marrying him work? "No," Merlin said, shaking his head. "I think something is wrong with your premonitions. I would be the ruin of Arthur if we were to ever get together. Not the other way around."
"But it's true-"
"Morgana, it does not make sense. Why do I have to marry Arthur in order to bring a Golden Age to Camelot? Can't he still marry to Gwen with me by his side to help him out?"
"A betrayal of Gwen will break Arthur."
"A betrayal? What betrayal? Gwen loves Arthur too much for betrayal."
"She is still human and such thing will happen."
"I'm human also—well, human with magic—but still human as well."
"But you will not betray him."
"How are you so sure?"
"Because you are his destiny and he is the same to you. You two are two sides of the same coin."
He paused as he remembered so many different people saying the same thing to him from so many different times in his and Arthur's journey together. Somehow, this time it gave him a chill to his spine, a warm chill though, as if his destiny was soon to come. Before he knew it, Morgana had grasped both of his hands. "If you defy your destiny, it will be the end of Arthur and Camelot. So please tell him your true feelings."
The looks of her teary eyes was so full of worrying and a hint of her fear of what might become of Camelot and her brother shone through. He swallowed hard. He knew Morgana long enough to know when she was lying or when she was sincere. And at this moment, he knew she was speaking the truth and there were no tricks. "I don't even know about my own feelings," he answered honestly.
"You love him. It pains you to no end to hear about this marriage, does it not?" She asked.
He didn't answer for he knew all too well that it was the truth. All day long, after Arthur told him about the wedding he was so sad. He thought that maybe it was because Arthur was getting married and things were going to change but he now he wasn't too sure that was it. When did this happen? When did he start to fall in love with the royal prat? Thinking through all the times they had been together, Arthur had become the most important person in his life. Even his life was not as important as Arthur's. He would willingly give his life for him. He closed his eyes tightly as he finally realized just how much he loved Arthur and didn't want him to marry Gwen. "It will never work, Morgana," he said, opening his eyes. "I have magic. Arthur hates magic as much as his own father once did. It will break him if one day he knew. I can't allow that."
She shook her head as if she didn't believe that Arthur could hurt Merlin. "You saved his life countless of times. He won't hurt you."
"And there is no proof that I did help," he said and then his lids dropped half-way as he remembered what Arthur had said to him when King Uther had died from magic. Even though it was partly Morgana's fault, he was also at wrong for not being careful. "I think you got your premonition wrong, Morgana. I will be the destruction of Arthur if I...tell him my true feelings."
"No, I am the one who sees it and I know what I saw!" Her voice sounded so convincing that it made him want to believe that he was the one for Arthur, but how could he help Arthur through marriage? Arthur needed to marry a woman, even if it was not Gwen. He was a king, he would need an heir. Surely, he can not give Arthur that and it would definitely, or at least eventually, bring doom to Camelot.
"I have to go," he said as he removed his hands from hers. He started to walk away but she caught his hand again. "Promise me! Promise me when you know your feelings you will tell him!" She begged.
Without answering, he gave her a nod and she let him go. Then another gush of wind swirled around him and he appeared back at the front gate of the castle. He looked around to see if Morgana was anywhere near but when he saw that she was nowhere in sight, he went inside. He was on his way to his home—the physician's clinic—but stopped when he heard Arthur calling out to him. He looked toward his King at the end of the corridor and his heart started to beat very fast. He always noticed Arthur's lovely blonde hair but he never had the urge to touch it before and those beautiful blue eyes, he was just now noticing how much he enjoyed looking at them. And his body, it was so well-built that he wanted him to—Merlin stopped himself as his thought had taken a nasty turn into the gutter. He couldn't think about his King in such dirty fantasies. It would drive him mad eventually.
"There you are. I have been searching for you all night," Arthur said as he was approaching his wayward manservant. As Merlin stared at his King coming closer, he could feel his heart yearning for him. Even with Freya, he never considered that his heart could feel this way. He shook his head, denying his feelings once more in his own mind.
"What is it? Do you need your armor shined?" he asked, trying to be himself as much as he could.
Arthur frowned. "Did you forget something?" he asked.
Merlin thought about his day. Did Arthur tell him to do some chores earlier? He did see the king that morning when he went to wake him and during lunch when he announced his wedding to Merlin but he hadn't seen him since. When Merlin failed to answer, Arthur grabbed the back of the manservant's jacket and forced him to follow Arthur into the Hall. Arthur practically pushed Merlin inside where all the knights, include Gwaine, were waiting for them.
"What is this?" Merlin asked, a little confused.
"Your birthday," Arthur replied. Merlin gaped. He had totally forgotten that today was his birthday. So many things happened that he seemed to be forgetting lately while dealing with his life. Arthur gave his manservant a pat on the shoulder as he pulled him inside to greet everyone. The room was decorated with blue and red. The table was filled with all his favorite foods and, of course, there was a cake. All the knights were wishing him a happy birthday one after another. He was surprised Gwaine wasn't drunk yet.
"You remembered," Merlin said unbelieving of what Arthur had done for him.
"Of course I remembered, Merlin. How could I forgot my idiot servant's birthday," he said and raised up his cup. Merlin smiled toward his master with admiration as everyone turned their attention toward their King. "Today is a special day. Today is," he turned to Merlin, "my stupid, deaf, dumb, and idiotic—" Merlin wasn't amused anymore as the list of names continued on for a long minute and earned a few laughs from the knights. "But, a loyal true..." he stared into Merlin's eyes with a genuine smile, "friend's birthday. I'm grateful to have you by my side."
All the little anger he had for Arthur from before suddenly vanished with that smile. His heart almost jumped from his chest when the King suddenly pulled him in for a tight hug. He chuckled. "Okay, you have got to be drunk for this rare action to have happened," Merlin teased, but turned slightly disappointed when the King moved away from him. "Merlin, shut up," said Arthur before he turned his attention back to the knights. "For Merlin!"
"For Merlin!" All the knights drunk the toast with their King, including Merlin.
It must have been three hours since the birthday party had started and now that it was over, Percival (another knight of Camelot) and Merlin were helping their staggering drunken King up the stairs to his royal bedchamber. Merlin hadone of the king's arm and used his other arm to support him around his waist while Percival grabed the other arm and placed his own arm under Merlin's on his leader's waist. "How come you didn't get drunk? It was your party," Percival asked.
Merlin shook his head. "You weren't there at this point, but there was this one time when we were..." he stopped to take a few breaths and Percival paused for his sake. "I got drunk and they dressed me up in a dress. I vowed never to get drunk with them again even if it was occasion like this."
Percival nodded understandably. "Well," he threw Arthur over his shoulder. "I can manage the rest." He grinned and practically ran up the stairs and into the King's chamber without any of Merlin's help.
By the time Merlin arrived in the King's chamber, Percival had already put Arthur on the large bed. "I think he would rather you take his clothes off," he said with a goofy smile on his lips and then slipped out from the room.
Merlin stood by the door for a good two minutes, debating if it was the right idea to undress the King, knowing how he now felt about his Sire. Of course he should. He always took Arthur's clothes off for many years and there was nothing he should be ashamed about, right? He walked forward but stopped as the thought of seeing Arthur naked tonight just wasn't working. There were many things said to him that made him aware of things that he just hadn't been aware of before. Most of all, he had realized that he just couldn't trust himself with touching Arthur right now. After a long pacing back and forth, he decided it was best if he were to go downstairs and find another servant to do it but when he was about to leave, Arthur called out to him and stopped him on his track.
"Yes, sire?" He looked at the King and realized that he was still sleeping but he was mumbling Merlin's name. Just the thought that Arthur might be dreaming of him brought a beautiful smile to his face. It lightened his heart to know that even in his sleep, his friend still thought of Merlin. He shook the thought from his mind and walked over, deciding to just do his duties and be done with it. He took off the King's boots, cape, and tunic; he knew that Arthur didn't feel comfortable sleeping in a shirt. He organized everything nicely so it would be easier to carry out. He sighed. It's going to be another long night of cleaning and polishing, even if it was his birthday. He went back to the bed to take Arthur's dirty socks off as well. As he pulled the last sock from Arthur's foot though, his clear blue eyes jolted open wide, staring into Merlin's deeper blue eyes and Merlin froze in his position. He had to admit, Arthur had a very handsome face, unlike his own: boney, high cheekbones and funny ears to boot. Arthur had his pink lips relaxed in a dreamy with his mouth slightly opened, a hinting of his white teeth showing. Merlin just stared, flabbergasted.
It must have only been a few seconds, but it seemed like time had stopped for the flustered warlock. He had to look away. If he didn't, he would be tempted to kiss his King. As he was going to move away though, Arthur grasped his forearm and the simple touch sent an electrifying feeling throughout his manservant's entire body. Then came his King's whisper of Merlin's name. At that very moment, he couldn't control himself anymore. He leant forward at the same time as Arthur did and their lips meet for the first time. At first, their lips were just pressing together but soon Merlin parted his lips to let his King's tongue enter. Arthur leant more forward and tasted what his manservant offered him. His tongue followed Merlin's sharply indrawn breath, and then they were kissing. Gently at first, but soon with more determination. Arthur lifted his hand to Merlin's face, touching his cheeks lightly before moving to his neck and then to his soft dark hair.
Merlin moaned softly at the touch and Arthur gave a satisfied chuckle as he dropped his other hand to Merlin's thigh and, with impressive speed, he shifted his greatest ally and friend under him. Merlin's eyes widen as he realized he was under his King now. It was a bit terrifying and embarrassing but he didn't hate his new position. Lips still locked together, Merlin dared to move his hands and explore his king's muscular chest and torso firmly. Then suddenly his body gave a little jolt as his King's hand touched his crotch, tracing the form of his partial erection until it grew hard and aching. "Arthur," he whimpered softly. He knows this was wrong. His King was drunk and Merlin realized with a jolt he was taking advantage of him. "Arthur...this is wrong.." Arthur muffled his voice by kissing him.
As guilt overwhelmed him, he tried to move his lips from Arthur's to whisper a spell but each time he tried, Arthur caught his lips again and kissed him hungrily. "I've been wanting to do this for the longest time, Merlin," Arthur muttered against his lips and Merlin could feel his hard erection against his. He panted against Arthur's lips, questions nearly formed but each time they were forced back by Arthur's stabbing tongue."Merlin..."
Fuck. Merlin tugged at Arthur's waistband of his trouser and reached out to his King's hard erection. Arthur did the same. As they felt each other fingers, strong and sure around their most precious organ, it was the most incredible feeling in the world. They kissed and panted each other's names as they stroked each other. Soon they both lost themselves in a haze of pleasure until Merlin quivered under his King as his wet heat spurted all over his King's fingers. Soon after Merlin, Arthur also reached his own orgasm. "Merlin..." the King murmured with one last kiss on his lips as he looked into Merlin's eyes full of love. "I...I..."Merlin's heart was pounding wildly against his chest as he thought Arthur was going to confess but instead his whole weight came crashing down on Merlin. It only took a few seconds for Merlin to realize that his King had once more passed out. With a few strong shoves, Merlin finally got his King off of him. He fixed his trousers and then Arthur's so there wouldn't be any suspicions.
His legs were still shaking from what had happened, so he just sat on the bed next to his King until his body and heart had calmed down. He doesn't know if Arthur will remember this in the next morning but he hoped that whatever did happen, nothing would change between them.
He looked down at his King's sleeping face and he caressed it gently. Then his hands traveled to his blonde hair and it was as soft as his skin. "Merlin," Arthur mumbled and it brought such a warm feeling straight to Merlin's heart. He was indeed in love with his King and now it was forming into a new pain, a much stronger and agonizing pain as he feared the King's future if he doesn't marry Gwen. Despite Morgana's warning, he doesn't think he is the right choice for Arthur and Camelot.
Without a word, he walked to the door with his King's armor and dirty clothes, he turned to take one last look at his King's peaceful face and walked out, the door closing behind him.
A/N: So let me know what you think? =D