A Bucket List

Merlin is dying of an unknown terminal illness that even his magic cannot cure. Arthur had him devise a bucket list and is very enthusiastic to help him complete every single thing on the list, no matter how hard or how stupid it may be. EVENTUAL MERTHUR and crippling angst towards the end of the story.


Chapter 8: That's What Friends Are For

It had been a good three weeks of selling the two potions. Business was always successful with the large quantity of the peasants eager to get their hands on the potion. Furthermore, the crude humor belonging to the bard proved a successful marketing tactic. Merlin was literally rolling in gold. Literally. His ragged robes had the chance to finally be replaced with wooly sweaters, fur lined tunic and some hardy leather boots. In fact, Merlin had made enough money for him and Gaius to quit their jobs. Merlin had entertained the thought sometimes, him never having to wash and clean the prince's armor and clothes ever again, nor did he ever have to sweep the floors and clean his room. And Gaius could enjoy some alone time himself without having to worry about immediately addressing to the King's needs and the other people's needs. Then again, leaving his job would leaving Arthur. He wouldn't want that now of all times.

An early bright morning breaks the darkness of the night, signifying the return of summer. Arthur is now always the first to awake. He hurried down the stairs and into Merlin's chambers, eager to continue the list.

"Merlin, wakey wakey let's continue on with the list. I'm sick of advertising for your Phallusegro and the Smexmaker."

Merlin groggily peered over his blanket. It's too damn early for this!

"What do you want, Arthur?"

"I'm trying to make sure you live your life to the full. Now get up! The sun awaits us."

Merlin swung his legs over the bed and forced his weight up. He changed into his more expensive clothing. Arthur laughed in amusement, as he had never expected Merlin to look so different without his previous clothes. The ridiculous red neckerchief he would wear all year round was also gone. Thank God for that!

"Wow, Merlin. I thought you already looked ridiculous in your normal clothing. Turns out you just look ridiculous on a daily basis."

Merlin sneered at the remark. "Clearly you are jealous that today I look better than you."

And with that, Merlin exit the room with his newly built sass wafting through the air. Merlin then turned back to hand the prince some of his old clothes.

"Today, you are my manservant. You will follow me wherever I go and you will do whatever I please. You can start by making my bed."

Arthur scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"It's in the list!"

"Very well."

Arthur tried his best to fold the blanket as neatly as he could. He had no idea what he was doing. It was always Merlin folding all of his bed sheets and such. Just a few seconds in and the prince gave up and stuffed the blanket underneath the pillow. Merlin's old clothes were of no fit to the Prince's muscular build. On Merlin, the clothing were loose fitting and thin to let the breeze easily pass through. On Arthur however, his pecs pressed up against the thin fabric uncomfortably and the trousers were much too tight. Almost like tights in fact.

Once Arthur had finished making Merlin's bed, he met up with Merlin in the courtyard where the boy already had their horses ready to ride out. Merlin tried to keep the laughter contained. Arthur looked hilarious! The trousers especially. The shirt however, did him a favor with allowing the prince's broad chest to be seen in the light more clearly.

"I think you look great," Merlin lied. Arthur grinned sarcastically and due to his tight trousers, was not able to hoist himself up on the horse.

"I can't even ride a horse. This is your fault!"

Merlin gripped onto the Prince's shins and lifted him onto the horse. The two then rode out for the market. Merlin wanted some extra materials for future inventions using the centurions. He had composed two lists of items he needed where Arthur has to find them all. By himself. No help is allowed. Maybe then he'd understand the struggles of a peasant whereas Arthur has had everything provided for him.

The market place wasn't as crowded as it usually is making the task for Arthur a bit easier, to Merlin's absolute dismay. The marketers were busy as usual, advertising their own goods. Their stocks did not compare to Markarth's however. Arthur never really went to this part of Camelot. It was dusty and much too smoky from the street food. His father has also warned him of pickpockets in this area especially.

"The gods have somehow anticipated your role for today." Merlin set their horses at the nearest wooden pole. Arthur coughed at the mixture of different smells. One scent being pleasant from the freshly baked meat pies, and the not so pleasant stench from the reject pile where the rotten produce lay.

"Does it always smell like this?" Arthur complained.

"Now you see what normal people go through daily. Now I would like you to fetch me everything on these two lists. And also a couple of screws and cogs from the blacksmith. I will just be casually roaming around the place. You know, probably trying out some street food."

"Oh. And leave all your work to me?"

"Spot on, Arthur. You will be rewarded for your service of course. I will buy you whatever food you want."

"Uh, no thanks. Food from the palace kitchens is probably more sanitary than the stuff they serve here."

"Suit yourself, peasant."

The two then parted ways and agreed to meet back up in the afternoon hours. This gives Merlin plenty of time to actually get to know the people of Camelot. He had lived here for a while yet his only friends are those in the palace. It was time to get to know people outside the palace as well.

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As Merlin wandered around Camelot by himself, he had noticed a pattern. Those considered 'rich' peasants in Camelot tend to be frugal. It was somewhat understandable because they had worked hard for their gold. Yet those who are at the lowest, those who cannot even afford for themselves let alone their entire family, do not seek any help and are still content with the little of what they have. How?

There were little children playing with the haystack, building miniature homes for themselves. And there were the better off children with dolls and wooden swords to play with. Both seem happy although their social class are so different. Merlin had always thought that the money, the wealth would make his life all the more worthwhile. But how come others are able to get by without all that?

Suddenly, Merlin felt this strong urge to give. He walked up to the nearest fruit stand.

"How much for every single stock on here?"

The woman running the stand gasped at the request.

"Sir, that would probably be an entire bag of gold! You have no idea how hard it was to produce all this in the climate we have at the moment."

Merlin brought out two bags of his gold. "I'll even take the basket you set your fruits on."

The woman happily obliged. "Oh thank you so much, sir! You have no idea how much this money would help us!"

Merlin strolled around with the two baskets of fruits, seeking for those who may benefit. He had come across a few poverty striken families and was happy to allow them to take as much as needed. It was only then where he found a horse stable, where it occupants appear to be children. There were at least five children there, all in rags and deducing from the small pile of food at the very corner, they clearly had very little to share among the five of them. Merlin kneeled down, face to face with the children.

"Here, some fruits fresh from the markets."

The children quickly rummaged through the basket, their little fingers barely managing to grip onto the fruits comfortably.

"Oh bless you, kind stranger." the oldest looking child with strawberry blonde hair exclaimed as he happily feasted on an apple.

"It is no problem. Say, where are your parents?" Merlin questioned.

"We never knew our mother. All we know is that our father was killed during the great purge." the youngest of the group said.

Saddened by their past, Merlin decided to stay with them awhile. It was unfair that their father had to be killed for something he was born with. Now the children are left alone, vulnerable and afraid.

"So, do any of you have magic?"
"Oh please, sir. Do not tell!"

Merlin hushed the children and waved his arm to incantate a spell.

'Vivens ignis'

A subtle spark emitted from the palms of the warlock, a small puff of smoke and then a small ball of fire. A galloping horse figure was then initiated within the flames. The younger ones gasped in awe and amazement.

"Wow." they exclaimed.

"We'll keep this our little secret. Maybe one day, people like us will be accepted again." Merlin assured the children. He will do everything while he still can to make sure that he leaves the world with Camelot, or Albion, in peace. Helping people like these children is a good place to start. Merlin removes his fur tunic and offered it to the children to keep warm for the night. He quickly searches out to find Arthur to return to the palace for some discussion along with the help of Gwen and Morgana. He was bursting with ideas. Even bigger ideas than the Smexmaker and Phallusegro. Merlin's dreams for Albion to be a reality is just about to begin.

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"Alright Merlin, so if we get this straight, you want to build a house that would fit in at least eighty people or more? How massive do you plan this house to be?"

"Pretty darn big."

"Oh that's very specific!"

"Gentlemen, I'd say around four times the size of the tavern just in case."

"I'm with Gwen on this one."

"Yep, same."

"How?! That's going to take until winter to build!"

"As long as we get it done, Arthur."

"Wait, I haven't even asked permission from father yet if we could use a bit of land."

"Oh I'm sure he'll say yes. You're his pride and joy."

"Morgana, how about you ask? He yells less at you than he does with me."

"You are future king! Take some responsibility!"

A few moments of bickering here and there, but eventually, the squad had finalised their game plan.

"Okay, so to recap, first we ask Uther for the land, collect some scrap wood and reject wood from the palace waste disposal and send them to the lumberjack to clean and glaze it, Centurion metal for the roof and somehow we have to convince the knights of Camelot to take rotational shifts for building this thing?"

"Sounds about right."

"Why don't we hire some people instead of using the knights?"

"If I have to get down and do dirty work, then they shall also get down and do dirty work."

"Okay then. It is settled. We start tomorrow."

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The orphanage project took a lot less time than anticipated. Only a month had gone by and the home was finished. However, the project wouldn't have been completed early if the knights stuck to the assigned shifts. Instead, every single knight joined in building the home. Uther had also been curious to what Arthur was doing to the area of land that he had requested. So when the King heard that Arthur and the others had been building the home for those without, he himself also decided to dedicate some of his time to the project. Afterall, the king had many sins to pay.

A week after its finish, the orphanage finally opens its doors in a ceremony. The people of Camelot gather around the newly built home. Uther clears his throat, and addresses his people.

"My fellow citizens, it is with great pleasure to announce the opening of the first orphanage here in Camelot. I'd like to thank my knights, the lady Morgana, the two servants: Guinevere and Merlin," Uther than paused to look at Arthur "And most of all, my son Arthur for taking such great lengths to make this happen. He will certainly make a fine king."

An applause rippled through the crowd, with slower awkward claps from Morgana and Gwen for they know who truly brought this idea to light in the first place. Arthur looked at Merlin, who was happily applauding anyway although most credit should be towards him.

Arthur hushed down the crowd, his arm up waving down. The crowd follows obediently. "Actually father, this project was not my idea. It was Merlin's."

Arthur inched forwards to Merlin and brought him out to stand in front of the crowd. His large hands were rested on Merlin's skinny shoulders looking down at him proudly.

"It was Merlin's idea to build this orphanage, not mine. He was the one who made all the plans, arranged all the materials and constructed the building plan. All I did was ask my father for a bit of land. In fact, my manservant has done so much more for Camelot than credited. He has saved me multiple times from imminent death. Alongside saving me, he had also saved Camelot more times than I can count. I can be an absolute twat to him, ruin his day completely and insult him to no end, give him endless amounts of chores but at the end of the day he would never be too late to save me or Camelot."

Merlin flushed brightly a shade of rosy pink. Arthur's hands and words radiated through his slender body, a feeling he had been wanting.

"Merlin may only be a manservant, he is not galliant and manly looking such as I. But he is my hero."

Merlin suddenly felt a rush of emotion overcome him, tears beginning to form in gratitude. Arthur looked down and found a blushing red, tearful Merlin. He did not hesitate to hug him and rub the warlock's back in circles. An applause sounded from the audience again, random voices showing support for Merlin. The orphanage doors eventually opened with Gwen and Morgana registering all the orphaned children into the home.

Merlin and Arthur remained outside still in their hug. Merlin's cries were uncontrollable as his tears were like never ending streams from a waterfall.

"Aw Merlin, please stop crying! You have gotten so emotional ever since we started this whole bucket list thing. Plus people are going to get suspicious."

Merlin sniffled a few tears away. "Am I really your hero?"

Arthur looked deep into Merlin's watery eyes. "Of course you are. You are the most annoying and the most useless manservant. But you are my hero."

A few brief moments of silence was shared between them, Arthur's hands still wrapped around Merlin's frail body. Time felt slow at that moment where the crowd has dispersed, Uther, the Knights and Gaius had disappeared back into the castle and the two were left alone.

"Arthur?"

"Yes?"

"I'm finished crying now but can you still hold me for a bit?"

Arthur nodded and held his friend for a while longer. The comfort of having Merlin's body pressed against him felt more pleasurable than the women he used to sleep with. This feeling was odd, he had never felt this way before. Back in Markarth, when the two had shared a bed one night, he had been wanting to cuddle up to Merlin like this for so long. But he was scared of rejection and possible destruction of their friendship. Now they are stood outside the orphanage, huddled up to each other, and in privacy. Maybe now he should try and press a small kiss? Or would it still be too weird? Arthur inched his face closer to the other's forehead, hand assisting in tilting the boy's head while Merlin let him. Their breaths were so close to touching, their eyes and heartbeats alligned, eyelids dropping a bit blocking out everyone else that could've been there to see it. And like a lion hunting for its prey ready to pounce, Arthur's head sauntered forward.

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Did you think they kissed? Or do you think they didn't? lolol I like to tease you all meanwhile THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE LOVELY REVIEWS AND FOLLOWING/FAVORITING.

xxxx

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