Title: Should he come to harm, your life is forfeit
Disclaimer: Me no own, You no sue.
Warning: Merthur throne!sex
Note: bold italics is flashbacks
Note2: I've been reading a lot of smut lately and when I finally wrote this chapter... well, this happened.
Note3: If you see any mistakes, please let me know. It's six in the morning and I don't think I edited very well... Sorry in advance :)
Note4: THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED/ALERTED/FAVORITED THIS STORY! If I didn't reply to your review it's because FFnet was being lame, and I apologize. Please know that it's not because I don't love you. I do. I love all of you. Again, I need to go to sleep.
-z-
Chapter four: forfeit
-z-
Arthur frowns up at Merlin as he pulls the boy close.
"Are you sure?"
Merlin nods once and lets Arthur tug him down into his lap.
"I'll take care of it," Arthur says as Merlin straddles him. "You don't have to watch what happens next."
"Thank you," is all Merlin can say and he leans his forehead against Arthur's, feeling the King's crown press into his skin.
Your heart leapt to your throat and the icy claws of fear wrapped around your heart and squeezed.
Shocked silence filled the throne room and you chanced a glance up at Arthur – the king only raised an eyebrow at Merlin but said nothing.
No one said anything.
No one moved.
There was nothing on Merlin's face as very suddenly whirled on you, all of his anger finally coming out all at once.
The kisses are soft at first. But then the fear and sadness starts to creep in and their pace picks up, Merlin clinging desperately to Arthur like the man would just vanish.
Or worse, turn on him.
"It's okay," Arthur murmurs over and over and over against Merlin's skin. "I'm right here. You're safe, Merlin, you're safe. Shh. You're safe, now."
"Dammit, Gwaine," he snarled as he quickly advanced on you. "Out of everything that was said, everything that was done – your words and your actions were the ones that hurt the most. You were the one who was supposed to snap out of it and stand up for me."
Then there was something cold and hungry that ghosted against the back of your neck and crawled up your arms, settling in your bones and making them tremble.
"You were the biggest disappointment of all."
Then that cold and hungry something seemed to latch itself on your heart and it squeezed.
Merlin thinks on that first night back with Arthur – Arthur's I'm-in-love-with-Gwen charade dropped as he enfolded his sorcerer into his arms, spitting dark promises of vengeance and blood.
Arthur had just held Merlin that night, held him against his chest, pressing feather-light kisses on his cheeks and temple.
You wanted to cry out in pain, but you still couldn't move, still couldn't speak. So you wept.
And that cold hungry thing vanished and you could move again and you grabbed Merlin's wrist and jerked him forward, burying your head in his stomach.
"I'm sorry," you said. "I'm sorry for the things I said, the things I did."
You pulled back and looked Merlin in the eyes.
"And most of all, I'm sorry for what could've happened. I'm sorry that, if the Lamia had only asked, I would've killed you. I'm sorry."
There tears in Merlin's eyes as he pulled you forward and you once again buried your face in his abdomen.
"Gwaine, I've forgiven you."
Now, now Merlin arches against his king, throwing his head back as he struggles to stay quiet.
Arthur hisses as the back of his head cracks against the wood of the throne.
You tightened your grip on the young man in front of you – never wanting to let go. At least, you didn't until you heard the distinct rasp of Arthur's sword being unsheathed.
"Get off my manservant, Gwaine," Arthur growled as he pulled Merlin away.
You quickly release the boy as Arthur pressed the blade against your neck. Your breath hitched in your throat as the edge bit into the soft skin there.
"Arise, Sir Gwaine, Knight of Camelot," Arthur tapped the sword against each of your shoulders. He took a step to the side and knighted Leon, then Percival, and finally Elyan.
"Now that that's over with," Arthur snipped, sheathing his sword. "Get dressed and meet me on the training grounds."
When the two of you are spent and sated, Arthur chuckles and says, "Really, Merlin, you're going to have to stop this."
"It was your idea," Merlin says as he stands and begins to pull his trousers back up.
"Can't help it," Arthur stood and grabbed his shirt from the floor. "I love it when you get all angry; didn't help that Gwaine touched you."
Merlin glared at Arthur who just stole another kiss.
"Speaking of, don't you have knights to go beat up?"
Arthur smiled as he ran his teeth along Merlin's jaw.
"They can wait," the king said as he dropped his shirt back to the ground.
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