8. Eight for a wish

A drunk Arthur was… drunk, Merlin thought grimly to himself as he tried to convince the prince to keep on moving from the statute that he decided has insulted his father.

"Arthur, sire, will you please, Arthur!" Merlin was beyond frustrated and he was beginning to get quite annoyed with his prat.

"Arthur!" He hissed again, pulling Arthur's sleeve away from his sword.

"Merlin…" Arthur drawled and spun around to face Merlin, Merlin was surprised he didn't fell over. "What are you doing?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Trying to get you back to your room sire, before you'll wake the entire castle!"

"Then let them wake!" Arthur yelled and Merlin winced and looked around.

"Arthur…" He tried again.

"I'm the crowd price and if I want them to wake they'll wake!" Arthur yelled and unsheathed his sword and waved it in the statute's face. "And you sir, are going to be missing some very important parts of you anatomy very soon!" He raised his sword, ready to strike the statute and Merlin could see the dents that he will be force to fix and he grabbed Arthur's arm, Arthur stopped immediately and turned his head to look at Merlin. "What?"

Merlin took a deep breath and moved his hand along Arthur's arm before grabbing his fist.

Arthur shivered.

"He apologized sire, leave him be." Merlin said quietly as he lowered Arthur's arm.

Arthur looked at him for a moment before nodding and sheathing his sword, he took Merlin's hand and started walking.

"Ah, Arthur, that's not, that's not the direction to your chambers sire." Merlin said, he couldn't be that drunk now could he?

"I know that Merlin," Arthur drawled and strengthened his hold on Merlin's hand. "We are going to the battlements."

Merlin blinked. "What?"

"The battlements, Merlin." Arthur repeated slowly as if Merlin was the drunken one.

Merlin thought that maybe he was.

The air on the battlements was cold and fresh and Merlin took a deep breath and looked around him, Arthur let go of his hand and went to the lower wall and stared at the lower town bellow them.

Merlin moved around and looked at Camelot from different angles; the town was beautiful at night and Merlin smiled softly when he remembered his first night in Camelot, almost two years before, and the feel of freedom that came with being in a new place that didn't know.

"Merlin." Arthur's soft voice drifted along the wind and Merlin looked at his prince, Arthur was standing near the wall and he was looking at Merlin, straight at him, Merlin gulped. "Sire?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Come here." He said and motioned with his hand for Merlin to come closer.

Merlin moved and stopped near Arthur.

There was silence for a moment before Merlin gave up. "Well?"

Arthur chuckled and moved to stand behind him, raising his arm and lifting her above Merlin's shoulder to point at something in the lower town.

"Can you see that?" He asked, his breath warm against Merlin's neck.

"What?" Merlin answered, shivering a bit.

"There, on that roof, can you see?" Merlin followed Arthur's finger and saw the roof on which he spoke of, eight Magpies were sitting on top of it.

"It's Magpies, sire." Merlin said slowly.

Arthur nodded, his hair brushing Merlin's cheek. "Yeah, eight of them, do you know that rhyme Merlin?"

"Rhyme, sire?" Merlin said, his voice quiet.

"Yes, Merlin, rhyme."

Merlin chuckled and nodded. "Of course, the children in Ealdor used to sing it."

Arthur let go a small puff of air and Merlin stiffened when he felt Arthur's arm around his waist.

"Arthur?" Merlin said hesitantly.

"Do you remember what it said about eight Magpies Merlin?"

Merlin tried very hard to suppress his shivers from feeling Arthur's body so close, he nodded. "Yes."

"And what it said?"

"Eight for a wish."

"Right," Arthur agreed. "Eight for a wish. Do you want to know my wish Merlin?" Arthur whispered.

Merlin swallowed, this wasn't a good idea but... "What's your wish Arthur?"

Arthur's hold around his waist tightened and he spun Merlin around so they were face to face with Merlin's back pressed against the lower wall.

Suddenly it occurred to Merlin that Arthur wasn't that drunk at all.

"Arthur?" He repeated and tried to read Arthur's expression.

"My wish, Merlin, is for you to trust me." He said quietly and looked at Merlin intently.

Merlin's eyes widened for a moment before he forced himself to calm, but he knew it was too late, Arthur saw.

"I, I do trust you Arthur, why would you, why would you wish something like that?" He finished with a small laugh.

Arthur wasn't fooled, not that Merlin expected him to be.

"Merlin," He said quietly and his hand rose from Merlin's shoulder to caress his cheek. "I mean it."

Merlin couldn't keep looking into Arthur's eyes and he moved his gaze away.

Arthur sighed but didn't pull back. "What is your wish Merlin?"

Merlin swallowed, Arthur knew, he most defiantly knew and he wasn't pulling away and, "For you to know me, sir-Arthur, to know me." His eyes returned to Arthur's and Merlin's breath caught in his throat when he saw Arthur's expression; Arthur was looking at him with so much… love that Merlin couldn't do, couldn't think of anything else to do beside kiss him.

Arthur's grip on his waist tightened immediately and he pulled Merlin closer, bringing their bodies to stand flushed against each other.

Arthur's tongue licked gently at the seam of Merlin's mouth and Merlin opened up to him with a moan.

Arthur licked around Merlin's mouth, exploring every tooth and entwining their tongues together.

Eventually when the need for air became greater than their need for each other they broke apart, leaning their foreheads against each other.

Arthur's hands were entwined in Merlin's hair and he was stroking lightly at the nape of his neck. "Merlin…" He breathed and his warm was warm on Merlin's skin.

"Yeah…"

"You have no idea Merlin, no idea at all…"

"I think I know Arthur…" Merlin said softly and his hands drew circles around Arthur's back.

Arthur lifted his head to look at Merlin again. "I'm serious though," He said again. "I want you to trust me, you know you can Merlin." He finished softly.

Merlin nodded. "Alright. But, remember you wanted to." He said in a small voice.

Merlin looked around and then back at Arthur, he took a deep breath and then his eyes lightened up in brilliant gold and Arthur's breath got caught in his throat when finally, finally he saw that golden gaze directed at him.

"Beautiful." He whispered against Merlin's lips when the light faded and blue orbs flew in the air all around them. "The most beautiful thing in the world."

And he kissed him again, soft and gentle, a wish, a promise.