A'N: Hello my lovelies! Enjoy :D
Keeping his eyes on Arthur, Merlin sank onto his knees.
"What-" there was the slightest break in Arthur's voice, "what are you doing?"
"Walking on my knees, sire. Like you wanted, the first time we met. Now I want it too."
Merlin looked up at Arthur, whose cheeks were reddening. "I was an idiot then and wanted to teach you a lesson. It's different now, you don't have to-
"But I want to," Merlin coyly whispered, "doesn't this arouse you?"
The tension spiked between them. Merlin watched, transfixed, as Arthur's hands clenched the arm-rest and his sculpted muscles shifted under the dark leathery tunic. "Don't test me, Merlin."
Merlin moved forward, walking on his knees toward his prince. It seemed to take an age for him to cross the room; under Arthur's eyes he felt like prey that was deliberately walking toward the hunter. Finally he stopped between his prince's legs.
"How can I serve you, sire?"
Arthur made a choked sound. Merlin felt a hand grip him by the hair on the back of his head. With his other hand, Arthur released his stiffness before pressing Merlin forward.
Whimpering at Arthur's glorious scent, Merlin opened his mouth, and felt himself harden from the painful, but still pleasurable penetration.
Arthur drove into him hard and fast, and yet, to Merlin's surprise, the prince pulled back just his cock swelled.
Merlin looked up questioningly.
"Get on the floor, Merlin."
Before he could react, Arthur turned him onto the floor, pinning his wrists down before reaching to undo his pants.
Merlin heard a lotion bottle being uncorked, then gasped as Arthur swiftly breached him. A delicious heat, rising from the pits of his stomach, made his vision go white as Arthur took him on the stone floor.
"Oh god…Arthur…Arthur, I love you, Arthur…" The words fell from Merlin's lips unthinkingly as release came upon him, overwhelmed as he was by joy and pleasure. Shortly after, Arthur spilled his hot seed with a growl.
Merlin slumped to the ground, and was just beginning to feel cold when Arthur picked him up, carried him over to the bed, and tucked the two of them under the covers.
"Thank you," he said, quite surprised by the thoughtful gesture. He smiled as Arthur reached out and stroked his head, running his fingers gently through his hair.
"You do know that I think of you completely differently now, compared to when we first met?" the prince whispered.
"I know you've changed, and that you no longer believe the same things you did then." At least, Merlin could only hope.
This seemed to remind Arthur of something, as he visibly tensed.
"There are unicorns in the forest. I saw you speak to them a few days ago."
Merlin cursed in his head, feeling his heart speed up. He knew that Arthur had the other ring, because the herd had told him a few hours ago, back when he was in the forest. He knew the unicorns would not betray the secret of his magical abilities, but still, he was nervous.
"I approached them after you left, that time a few days ago," Arthur continued, "They gave me a ring. They said that a…a sorcerer named Emrys has the other ring, and that he and I must exchange rings to form a magical bond. They said that this bond will allow us to…well, basically keep each other on our toes, when the day comes that we will rule Albion together."
There was a moment of silence as Merlin processed all that Arthur has been told of the situation. He thought about the other ring, which was hidden with his discarded clothes on the floor at this very moment, and briefly imagined taking the ring out right now, and forming the bond with Arthur.
"And what do you make of it?" he prompted the prince.
"There is no way that I will trust a sorcerer to rule with me, let alone form a bond that will give us magical control over each other. I swear this on my mother's grave, and fittingly, for magic was what sent her to her early death."
Merlin had to stop himself from physically recoiling, as each of Arthur's condemning words tore into his heart, until his ears seemed to be ringing, and his mind a blank of hazy fog.
A tear slipped down his cheek. He was glad that the darkness under the blankets kept his sorrow from Arthur.
"Any…any idea who this sorcerer is?" he whispered at last, subtly rubbing his cheek against the pillow to wipe away his tears.
"The unicorns refused to tell me."
"And you don't mind that the unicorns approached me?"
Arthur chuckled fondly at that. "Ah, so they approached you first?"
"They called to me about a month ago, I've visited them often…Why are you smiling?" Merlin asked incredulously.
"Because I don't mind. You always seem so fond of these forest creatures, and since that hunting incident last year I know not to interfere when you interact with a unicorn. Although, I thought the unicorns only approached virgins," Arthur tilted Merlin's chin up, "angel though you are, you are not a virgin, I've made sure of that."
Arthur grinned leeringly before covering Merlin's lips with a passionate kiss. Still terrified of the condemnation in Arthur's voice, and fearful of the day that will surely come when Arthur finds out, Merlin clung on desperately.
Arthur had turned their positions so that he was on top, but Merlin gently pushed him away.
"I have to meet the rest of the servants at the feast hall. And you and the rest of the lords have to be there in an hour."
"Must you leave so early?"
Remembering that he had to magically light the lamps before the other servants arrive, Merlin nodded solemnly.
Reluctantly, Arthur climbed off him, giving Merlin a tender peck on the forehead. The loving, trusting gesture seemed to burn him. He left his prince's chambers with a heavy heart.
"How have the preparations gone?" Cobalt asked, as two blue gems hovered above his palms and spun around.
The group of men before him looked at each other nervously, frightened by the magic happening right before them. One of them answered, "All is going as you planned. We separated from the hunting group this afternoon, as you've instructed us. We've sighted the unicorn herd, and we're almost certain the unicorns did not notice us."
Cobalt nodded, waiting for his men to continue.
"Rience has gone to Merlin for help after we hid the firewood, and Merlin has agreed to magically fuel the lamps tonight."
"Very good, just as I expected of that idiot servant of mine."
"Shall we proceed with the next part of the plan?" There was some snickering among his men.
"Yes. Rience will be at the feast hall by now. Take him out of there without anyone noticing. Knock him out when you bring him back to my chambers. We need a virgin to lure the unicorns," Cobalt smirked, and his men sniggered again, "so my clueless servant will finally be of use."
"Tonight, my good fellows, we shall capture Emrys, wield the power of the Old Religion, and spill the blood of unicorns."
Merlin pushed open the great oak doors to the hall. Inside, it was dim, and the light from the entrance was just enough that he could make out the tables, already set with their fine cloths and polished plates. Rience was sitting forlornly in a corner, but he jumped up eagerly upon seeing Merlin.
"Lean against the door so that no one comes in whilst I do this," said Merlin. Obediently, Rience did so, and watched with wide eyes as Merlin stepped into the center of the hall.
Somewhat delighted that he had an audience, even if said audience consisted of just one person, Merlin closed his eyes and gathered his magic for the spell he had thought of earlier.
Alíhte béorsele, forbærnan!
With a whoosh, fire roared in the giant lamps. A burst of warm magic swept across the open space; the banners and silk cloths fluttered. Hundreds of blue gems encased onto the lamps reflected a brilliant blue light across the hall, and the entire place was enveloped in a glow like the sea at it's most vibrant.
"It's wonderful! It's so brilliant!" Rience cried, running up to him. Merlin noticed that he was wearing the shoes that Cobalt gave him a few days ago, the ones that clicked smartly against the marble floor. Even Cobalt would want his servant to dress well for such a former occasion, it seemed.
"Doesn't this require a lot of your magic?" said Rience, "Will you be able to last the entire night?"
His magic stretched luxuriously, unfurling itself across the room, like a dragon spreading its wings toward the sky for the first time in centuries.
"No problem, Rience."
Two hours later, the feast was well underway. It was strangely pleasing to perform such a feat of magic in the very heart of Camelot, right before Uther Pendragon's eyes.
Suddenly, a feeling of immense unease swept over Merlin, and the hall faded before him as a vision appeared in his mind.
It was the new-born unicorn Wild, sending him first an image of an unconscious Rience, then an image of the unicorns emerging to heal him, then a flurry of arrows, shouting, unicorns running, blood, and flashing blades.
Terrified, Merlin nearly dropped the wine jug he was holding. He tried to assure himself that since the vision involved Rience, who was in the feast hall with him, this horrible event could not have happened yet.
He mentally shouted at Wild, Run! Run as fast and far as you can, leave this kingdom!
He received no reply from Wild.
Wild? Can you hear me?
Nothing. It was silent in his mind.
Clenching the wine jug, Merlin steadied his breathing. After the feast, he must warn and protect Rience from anyone that could render the boy unconscious like the vision foretold. Merlin looked around to see how his friend was doing.
He couldn't see Rience anywhere.
Oh gods, thought Merlin. Rience wasn't here.
Merlin whirled around, looking frantically, bumping into a servant and drawing the embarrassing attention of those around him. When had he last seen Rience? Half an hour ago? An hour ago?
Enough time for someone to bring Rience into the forest and lay a trap for the unicorns. Which means that what Wild had shown him wasn't a vision of the future. It was a vision of what was happening right now, it was a cry for help.
And he couldn't go to Wild's aid. He couldn't leave the hall, because his magic was powering the lamps, and if the lamps all go out mid-way through the feast because he left, Uther would know there was sorcery.
This is a trap.
Merlin turned to look at the head table, only to see Cobalt lifting an eyebrow slyly at him.
Fighting the surmounting horror, Merlin told himself to focus, to keep calm. An hour more of the feast to go. Then he could leave, and if it was too late for the unicorns, if anything happened to them, he would bring Cobalt to justice, he would slay the man with his magic.
Just minutes later, a wave of dizziness and exhaustion hit him, so strong that he nearly doubled over. The shock caused him to lose his concentration, and the hall plunged into darkness for a second before the fires flickered to life again.
Merlin stood frozen to the spot, terrified that someone, anyone, might connect his strange behavior with the lamps.
The lords, noblemen, kings, knights, and servants murmured in confusion. Uther frowned. Gradually, the puzzlement dissipated, and the buzz of festivity and merriment returned.
Something was wrong. Fueling the lamps shouldn't take such be such take heavy toll on his magic, and yet with every passing moment he was feeling frailer and frailer.
Then he realized. The lamps were enchanted, or rather, the blue gems encased onto them were enchanted. He could feel it now, what seemed to be hundreds of open holes in the flow of his magic, unnoticeable at first, but growing wider and wider, greedily leeching his power.
Desperate, Merlin tried to think of a way out, but nothing came to mind.
Minutes later, Merlin's spell began to unravel as his strength decreased, and the fires suddenly spluttered and turned serpentine green.
Absolute silence descended upon the room. Not a sound, not a person dared to move.
Slowly, Uther stood up from his seat. "Sorcery," hissed the king of Camelot.
All Merlin could feel was pain, as his body screamed in exertion whilst his magic tried to stabilize the fires. He was going to expose himself, he thought in despair. This was why Cobalt gifted Camelot with these enchanted gems. This was part of Cobalt's plan, to expose Merlin as a sorcerer.
Merlin suddenly stumbled and grabbed the nearest pillar for support as his knees almost gave out. Every person in the hall turned to look at him. The piercing pain rose from his chest toward his throat, and under everyone's gaze, Merlin coughed blood onto the floor. The fires turned bright orange.
Uther drew his sword. "Sorcerer!"
"No!" It was Arthur's voice.
Arthur knows. There is no hiding it. Everyone knows, was Merlin's last thought as his strength gave out and he fainted.
The fires instantly died out with a whoosh, and the hall was shrouded in blind chaos.
A'N: For every review a Merlin out there somewhere gets a nice warm hug. :)
