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Chapter 2-A Bootlicker
Waking up, Merlin felt a stabbing pain in his backside. He rolled onto his side and faced the man beside him. Arthur was still asleep with his mouth partially open mumbling something about wanting to ride a unicorn. Merlin's lips quirked upwards in a smile and he gazed at the Prince fondly as he stroked a hand through his blonde hair.
Arthur shifted from the contact and slowly blinked open his eyes letting out an annoyed groan obviously not ready to wake up yet.
"Morning Arthur." Merlin greeted as he bent one arm at the elbow and leaned his head on his hand.
"Morning." Arthur muttered sleepily.
He closed his eyes again for a few moments before they flew open and he sat bolt upright.
"Merlin!" He cried in shock as his eyes widened suddenly looking far too big for his face. "What the hell are you doing in my bed?"
When Merlin didn't reply Arthur pushed the covers off and stood up. It was then that he noticed the both of them were completely nude. His eyes grew impossibly wider and he quickly covered his groin with his hands and forced himself not to look at Merlin's lap.
"We're naked." Arthur whispered sounding absolutely horrified.
There was a knock at the door and both men tensed.
"Be gone!" Arthur called to whoever was at the door.
"It's me my lord." A voice said through the door. "Gwen. May I come in? I brought you something to ease your hangover."
"I don't have a hangover!" Arthur replied just as he began to notice the painful thud in his head. "Go and attend Morgana!"
To the Prince's relief he soon heard the sound of Gwen's footsteps walking away.
"Put your clothes back on." Arthur hissed as he tossed Merlin's breeches at him before hastily pulling on a clean pair of his own.
"I'll go get your breakfast now shall I?" Merlin asked once he was dressed.
"No." Arthur said quickly. "I'm not hungry. You just…just go."
"Yes sire." Merlin replied quietly looking dejected.
Feeling hurt and also very foolish, Merlin made his way to the door only to have Arthur call his name when he reached out for the handle. Feeling a small sense of hope Merlin turned back to face the man he had secretly pined for ever since he had retrieved the flower that had saved Merlin's life when he had been poisoned.
"Merlin, if you tell anyone about last night I will see to it that you are beheaded with a blunt axe and then I'll feed your dead corpse to the dogs, is that clear?"
"Crystal, my lord." Merlin replied scathingly with a mocking bow. "Anything else sire?" He asked spitting out the final word.
"Not from you." Arthur replied turning his back on him. "I no longer require your services."
"You're sacking me?" Merlin asked in disbelief. "Might I remind you that it was you who initiated what happened between us last night? You started it Arthur you shouldn't take it out on me."
"JUST LEAVE!" Arthur bellowed turning to glare at the other.
"Gladly." Merlin retorted before exiting the room slamming the door as hard as he could behind him.
As soon as Merlin was gone Arthur regretted his words but he couldn't take them back now. He let out a groan and rubbed his face with his hands before tussling up his hair. His head was still pounding and as he rested his forehead against the window pane he vowed to himself that he was never drinking again.
An expression of fury formed on Merlin's features as he stalked angrily down the palace corridors heading for his and Gaius' chambers.
When he stormed through the door he called out for Gaius but the old white-haired physician was not there. With a sigh, Merlin made his way up the stairs to his tiny bedroom and scrambled around gathering his things off the floor and shoving them into his travel sack. If Arthur didn't want him to stay then Merlin would leave without argument. He'd be safer in Ealdor anyway.
He heaved his minimal luggage onto his shoulder and returned to the main room. He felt that he owed it to Gaius to say goodbye but he wanted to leave Camelot as soon as possible. Sitting down at Gaius' work bench, Merlin decided to himself that he'd wait a few minutes and if Gaius didn't return in that time he would simply leave a note containing his apologies, gratitude and farewell.
As he drummed his fingers on the table impatiently he heard a voice in his head, the great dragon. He shook his head as if to get rid of the nagging voice and tried to block it out.
*Merlin* the dragon called in his mind. *Merlin, you cannot walk out on your destiny*
"Shut up." Merlin said aloud before reaching for a fragment of parchment.
He seized a quill and dipped it in Gaius' ink pot before scribbling a quick message. He left the note in a place where he knew Gaius would find it before he hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and left the room.
Head bent low, Merlin walked through the corridors before heading out of the castle doors and hurrying through the busy courtyard. He entered the stables and made his way over to one of Arthur's spare horses. Her name was Kora and she was of a chestnut brown colour. Merlin stroked her long nose fondly before untying her and leading her out of the stable. He hoisted himself onto her back and took hold of her reigns before galloping away out of the city gates heading for Ealdor.
He knew it was risky to steal one of the Prince's horses but he doubted Arthur would bother to come after him. The arrogant prat clearly wanted nothing to do with him.
The dragon's voice continued to sound in his head but Merlin ignored it until eventually he was far enough away from Camelot that he couldn't hear it anymore. It was at this point that he stopped to give Kora a short rest; she wasn't used to long journeys like the other horses.
As Merlin stood beside the beautiful steed petting her neck his thoughts turned back to Camelot and what he'd left behind. Despite the constant danger he had been in because of his magical ability, sorcery of any kind was banned by Uther Pendragon under penalty of death, Merlin had been happy in Camelot. For the first time in his life, he felt as though he had a purpose, to look after Arthur and ensure that he became a great King.
"The prat will have to become a great King on his own." Merlin said and Kora seemed to neigh in agreement.
He also thought about the friends he was leaving behind, Gaius, Gwen and Morgana. The physician had become like the father he never had and he would miss the old man dearly. Then there were the two girls, both so different yet Merlin loved them both very much. Whilst Gwen was shy, calm and gentle the Lady Morgana was confident, passionate and fiery. Life would surely seem dull without the two.
Then of course there was Arthur, the one Merlin would miss most of all. He considered the Prince to be his best friend but it would seem the feeling was not mutual. In truth, Merlin's feelings for the blonde ran much deeper than that of friendship and last night he had dared to believe that his feelings were reciprocated. Alas, it was not so. Arthur was clearly just under the influences of alcohol. Besides, even if the blonde did love Merlin, nothing could happen between them for one was a Prince and the other a servant. Even if that weren't the case, Merlin was a wizard and the boy had no way of knowing how Arthur would react to such knowledge though he doubted the response would be a happy one.
"It's better for me to leave." Merlin told himself as he mounted the horse again. "It's better for everyone."
He tugged at the reigns and Kora moved into a trot as the boy astride her guided her towards Ealdor, towards his mother, away from Arthur.
It took most of the day for Arthur to calm down and once he had he headed straight to the chambers of the court physician. He knocked politely on the door before entering and found Gaius sat at the table with one plate of food instead of two, Merlin was nowhere to be seen.
"Pardon my intrusion." Arthur said as Gaius looked up to him with a heavily raised eyebrow. "Where is Merlin?"
"He's left sire." Gaius informed him as he poked at his smoked pigeon.
"Left?" Arthur asked. "What do you mean left?"
"He's gone back to Ealdor." Gaius answered as he handed Arthur the scribbled note Merlin had left. "He did not say why."
"The idiot." Arthur sighed as he looked the parchment over. "I meant for him to leave my chambers, not leave Camelot."
'If I may sire, can I ask you why Merlin left?"
"We…had an argument." Arthur replied deciding to leave out the reason for the quarrel. "Things were said that shouldn't have been. I also fired him in the heat of the disagreement."
"In that case I suggest you find yourself a new manservant." Gaius said. "For Merlin has made it quite clear that he does not wish to return."
Arthur hung his head in shame knowing it was all his fault.
"I'm sorry to have disturbed you Gaius." Arthur said. "Enjoy the rest of your meal."
As Arthur headed back to his chambers his mind echoed with words Merlin had once said to him about getting a new servant, 'promise me you won't get a bootlicker'.
"That's not all you said though is it Merlin?" Arthur asked to thin air once he'd returned to his quarters. "You also said you were happy to be my servant. Until the day you died. And yet you've left me."
Looking forlornly out the window wondering where Merlin might be and praying to the Gods that his journey was safe, Arthur decided that he would replace Merlin with a bootlicker just because he knew it would annoy Merlin if he ever heard about it.
Meanwhile, Merlin arrived at his mother's shabby little house in Ealdor and promptly fell into the woman's welcoming arms with tears streaming down his face.
To Be Continued
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