The couple went back to Arthur's chambers where the couple would now live together. As the stripped each other of their finery they lay together on the large bed. "Rest my husband" Arthur told Merlin. Merlin turned and shyly kissed Arthur and this soon progressed as they explored each other. Arthur leaned over the now naked body of his new husband and looked down at the pale skin on view. "You are beautiful, so beautiful but you are supposed to be resting" he grinned as he kissed Merlin once more.

"I don't want to" Merlin said coquettishly as he looked up at the muscular chest above him.

Arthur kissed Merlin and then placed a trail of kisses down his collar bone and onto his chest. "But we have a long evening ahead" he said between kisses.

Merlin made small noises as Arthur's mouth travelled across his skin. The sound went straight to Arthur's groin and made what came next inevitable. As Arthur reached for the oil at the side of the bed his whispered into Merlin's ear "you are a tease and I cannot resist you. But I will not knot you until you are in heat, but a taste, I must have a taste of your tight heat."

The time for talking was over and except for the noises of passion nothing was heard from either man for some time. As Arthur penetrated Merlin for the first time the alpha gave this mate a small bite to the side of his neck. Enough to draw blood but nothing like the bite he would give when they knotted for the first time. It was a mark to claim his man for his own and would show that Merlin was taken and any alpha that dared to touch would face the wrath of the alpha. Then Arthur licked Merlin until the blood stopped as they reached a climax they lay together until sleep claimed the omega.

Once Merlin was asleep Arthur spent the time looking down at the omega and vowed once more to protect the man from anything that might harm him. He had never felt so protective and possessive of anyone or anything before and it scared him in its intensity. When Merlin finally started to stir Arthur kissed him once more and then got up and collected a cloth and washed them both before they dressed once more. When George and Will returned with a drink the room smelled of sex and it was clear what had happened. Will smirked and cleared away the bowl of water. George ever the professional didn't let anything of his emotions show on his face, but he was secretly pleased that his master had wed the male omega. He wasn't sure how he would have coped with a female in the room. Arthur turned to the two servants "I would like you to move all the Princes things into here before the feast."

George looked at Arthur before clarifying "I assume you mean the attached room Sire" there was a room next door to Arthur's meant for the Crown Prince's spouse.

"I suppose so, as there is more room, but the Prince will sleep in my bed every night. I don't intend that he will use the other one"

Will smiled "As you say more cupboard space Sire" then he looked at Merlin for conformation, still very much Merlin's man.

Merlin blushed furiously "Do as the alpha says Will" he said quietly. Then Merlin walked stiffly to the chair and sat down gingerly.

When the two servants had left he looked up at Arthur who was stood looking at him a smirk on his face "Is your bottom sore my love" Arthur asked

"Yes you clotpole it is and now everyone will know what we were doing when we go to the feast tonight!"

"Your mine and I want the world to know!" Arthur told him with a smile. "And don't cover your neck"

"Orders already" Merlin said dryly.

"Of course I am your alpha, now behave or I will make the servants blush when they come back." Arthur told the younger man. He looked at Merlin's neck with satisfaction seeing the teeth marks clearly visible "Mine" he purred.

Once the men had been smartened up to George and Will's satisfaction they made to go to the door. Will come up to Merlin with a neckerchief in his hand, Merlin was prone to wearing them when not in his best clothes. "Here you best put his on it looks like you've been bit by something. The insects are big around here. Your mother wouldn't want you seen like that"

Arthur seeing what was going one grabbed the neckerchief and threw it across the room. He glared at Will in full alpha mode and snarled "He's not wearing that. I want the world to see he's mine"

Will didn't look the least bit intimidated by the look Arthur was giving him "Look Sire with all respect but can't you bite him were it don't show"

Merlin turned to his friend "Leave it Will, Arthur is an alpha and wants people to know who I belong to"

"Yourself, that's who, all this alpha omega stuff its wrong. You're your own person" Will it seemed didn't know when to shut up and then next noise he made was a yelp as Arthur threw him across the room. Merlin ran to his side and checked on his friend before looking into Arthur's eyes. He guessed he would have to have a word with Will. They weren't used to such blatant displays from alphas having no real experience of newly bound ones. Merlin scurried back to Arthur's side and adopted the omega pose that had been drummed into him by his family and came fairly easily to him. In Arthur's case at least. He found it almost instinctive when it came to an angry Arthur. He might cheek the knights but he thought it would be a while before he could cope with Arthur in this mood.

Arthur was sorry for reacting as he did to Will but he was apprehensive about the feast, the council members he had faced before would be there and he was determined that no one would slight Merlin. He had been building himself up and then the sex with Merlin had raised his protective streak up even further. But to throw a beta around was inexcusable but there was no way he would apologise. Then when Merlin came to his side and submitted he felt so possessive of the omega that he couldn't even think straight. He put his arm round Merlin and kissed him. If it wasn't for the feast he was sure they would have ended up back in bed. It worried him at when Merlin went into heat he would kill anyone in the vicinity.

When the time came the two men walked down to the Great Hall together, Merlin by now was apprehensive once more. He knew he would have to face the King for the third time and wasn't looking forward to it. As the feast was in their honour they were the last to enter and all eyes were on them. It was clear that many had seen the mark on Merlin's neck and a whisper went round the room, which made Merlin blush once more.

The feast went better than Arthur had feared. He was sat by his father but Merlin was on the other side so was totally protected by Arthur. The council members clearly read Arthurs body language, and he knew the mark on Merlin's neck had been commented on. No one would dare approach him now. There was food aplenty thanks to Morganas organisational skills and Uther clearly still not happy with the situation, and he left early citing a headache. He was hardly out the door before the celebrations went up a notch. After a couple of hours Arthur took Merlin out to the courtyard so the townspeople could see them. There was a cheer as they walked out. Arthur was a popular young man, his early teenage years had seen him arrogant and spoiled but he grew out of that stage and now the townspeople knew he would listen to them and help were he could. There was some pride that their Prince had claimed the rare omega for his own. Talk had soon spread about Merlin's reception by Uther and most felt sympathy for the young omega. Uther was feared but not loved.

The couple understandably left before the feast had finished and once more lay together and woke up in the morning with their limbs tangled together. When George and Will arrived with their breakfast and to help them get ready for their ride out, Will was sullen, he hadn't forgotten the incident the evening before. But Merlin tried to explain and it wasn't long before he was back to normal although he was more careful with Arthur.

Arthur took Merlin to his favourite spot down by the river and they sat and had their picnic. Will had sneaked in some raw meat so Aithusa could have a treat, she wasn't enjoying her diet of hay and the occasional apple but at least had manage to eat the occasional rat when no one was about. After the picnic they left George and Will behind and found an isolated spot and allowed Aithusa to change back to her normal self and stretch her wings. Merlin made a real fuss of her before she changed back to being a horse after eating a couple of rabbits that Arthur hunted down for her. He didn't want her hunting her own in case she was seen.

The Princes had two days together before Arthur was expected to go back to his duties and they made the most of them as Arthur showed Merlin the castle and surroundings. It was clear to all who saw them that the couple were in love.