Chapter 3
Merlin woke the next morning feeling extremely comfortable and warm. The sun was just starting to come in his window and he would have to get up and wake Arthur soon. That thought went over him like ice water and he shot up in bed. It was only then did he realize it wasn't his bed he had been laying on but Lancelot.
Lancelot was in bed with Merlin, naked. His larger frame took up most of the bed and Merlin had been laying on his chest, now straddling his lap since he sat up. Lancelot was awake now from his bedmates movements. He simply smiled at Merlin until he saw the fear in his eyes.
"What's wrong? Do you regret …." Lancelot started to ask if Merlin regret what happened but was silenced by a light kiss from his sorcerer.
"I have wanted this for a long time. I just remembered about Arthur … It scared me" Merlin told him as he got up and started getting dressed. "I have to face him today"
Lancelot started getting his clothes on as well and pulled the other man into his arms. "I promise I won't let him hurt you."
Merlin was comforted by his words. He knew that Lancelot was a man of his word and that gave Merlin the strength he needed to face his master without fear … well much fear. "Thank you"
"How did he find out anyways?" Lancelot asked
"He isn't as oblivious as I thought he was" Merlin told him about the record Arthur had been keeping of ever time he thought magic had been used and the three words that Merlin had found at the end of the book.
"So he could have known for a long time" Lancelot pointed out. "He hasn't done anything yet, maybe he won't."
Merlin tried to be hopeful of that and headed out to do his morning chores for Arthur but stopped dead by that he saw in Gaius' chambers. Lancelot's forgotten armor was neatly stacked on one of the tables along with his shirt and Gaius was standing in the middle of the room with his disapproving face on.
Lancelot seemed unbothered by any of this or the fact he was caught leaving Merlin's room half naked but the warlock's father figure. He simply went over, put his shirt on, and gathered his armor. "Thank you Gaius"
The old man ignored the knight, still looking at his apprentice. Lancelot headed to the door and left, getting Gaius' hint that he wanted to talk to Merlin alone.
"I know what you're going to say Gaius but I have some bigger problems to deal with." Merlin sighed and sat down to his breakfast.
"I was simply going to tell you to be cautious." Gaius sat across from Merlin to join him for breakfast. "You know I worry about you."
Merlin knew and it warmed him. "Lancelot knows of my magic, he knows everything about me. He is a noble and trustworthy man. You have nothing to fear from him."
Gaius could tell Merlin believed what he said and that nothing the old man said would change Merlin's mind about Lancelot. "Fine" he sighed "What else is troubling you?"
Merlin was playing with his food and didn't say anything.
"Merlin …" Gaius started but Merlin jumped up and headed to the door, saying something about waking Arthur for an important meeting. The warlock was clearly not ready to open up to his mentor. If there was anything Gaius had learned over the last few years with Merlin, it was that Merlin would open up to him in his own time.
Merlin tried to compose himself before entering Arthur's chambers with his breakfast. He was surprised to find the prince was already awake and dressed.
"Merlin, it's about time you showed up. Late night at the tavern?" Arthur was annoyed with his manservant and friend. He was running the kingdom and could not show any form of weakness, not even showing up late.
Merlin blushed lightly as he remembered what he had been doing last night. Arthur simply took that as conformation that Merlin had been out all night drinking. He quickly put the young man to work without a single please or thank you for all the work he had managed to complete the day before. Merlin did relax though when Arthur didn't call for the guards to drag him away to the dungeon. In fact, Arthur didn't say a single word about Merlin's magic.
Merlin was left running around most of the morning to try and finish Arthur's chores along with helping out Gaius. It was a long and exhausting morning and in the afternoon he was happy to have a break and watch the knight's train. Arthur was joining them today, having the time in his schedule.
Arthur was in the middle of a match against Leon when Lancelot came over to Merlin.
"So you're not in chains" Lancelot noted.
"No, Arthur has not mentioned it all day." Merlin sounded relived. "Although he did wonder as to why I was running late." Merlin teased with a smile.
"Did you inform him the reason?" He looked from Merlin to Arthur a little worried.
"Oh yes, told him all about this crazy night I spent with one of his most trusted men in the throes of passion." Merlin said this all with a straight face until Lancelot gawked at him in utter shock at which point he burst into laughter. "He assumed I was at the tavern all night."
Lancelot started laughing, Merlin had got him good. He truly believed that if asked Merlin would not lie to his prince.
"Lancelot, can I ask you something?" Merlin looked down at his feet.
"Anything" Lancelot answered honestly but he could tell from Merlin's actions that this was going to be uncomfortable.
"Do you still love Gwen?"
