Sorry for the wait again! I have more exams soon... Hope you like it!
Merlin shrieked as his left calf was seized by Arthur's calloused hands.
"Let's see how you like being laughed at then, shall we?" Arthur taunted as he slowly turned Merlin upside down and smirked at him. "I really think you should remember my title when addressing me like an inferior, Merlin. Such behaviour needs a…" Arthur paused, with feigned thoughtfulness plastered on his face. "…suitable punishment."
"Arthur… Arthur, don't. ARTHUR!" Merlin squealed as he saw the glint of water that Arthur, holding Merlin by the calves, was approaching.
"Oh, don't be such a girl, Merlin. And I had no idea your voice could get so high; seems you do have talents after all."
"Oh, you'd be surprised." Merlin managed to address his prince with an admirable amount of confidence, considering Arthur was now knee deep in water and clutching Merlin's hips, with the latter's hair just brushing the water. A slightly mischievous grin from Arthur warned Merlin of his next issue.
With his forehead completely immersed in icy water, Merlin frowned. A look Arthur liked to call the 'grumpy pout', although only in his head. Merlin's pout was, the Prince now realised, strangely attractive, even upside down. Arthur blinked harshly, and with an attempt, albeit pathetic, to look innocent, he chuckled: "Cold?"
"Oh, only a little. But then again, I'm not used to lovely warmed baths and fluffy blankets, so I guess I'll survive." With an overly sarcastic laugh, Arthur lowered Merlin a little more, so his dark eyebrows joined his head in the freezing water Arthur could feel on his legs and feet.
And with a rather pleasant statement of: "Oi! I'm getting a bloody headache here, you prat!" Merlin hit out at Arthur's knees, and was rewarded with a body spasm of Arthur's, which sent both boys plunging into the icy lake.
"For the love of God, that's bloody freezing! You're going to pay for that you… You… AGH!" Merlin had leapt out of the lake, grabbed Arthur, and pinned him down onto the sandy grass below. He was laughing, but Arthur's face was that of a slightly startled, yet very angry, wild beast.
"You're more stupid than I thought, Merlin. Attacking a knight of Camelot is something many have attempted, but few have come out of alive. Very few. In fact, I'd say your chances of surviving this so called attack are extremely slim."
"So I've heard, but yet here I am with you pinned underneath me. Perhaps I am one of the first to have your royal highness at my mercy." And upon hearing the words out of Merlin's mouth, Arthur heaved upwards with all his strength and in that one movement he had switched their positions.
"Or perhaps not. No good comes of being cocky, Merlin."
"That, in itself is true my lord. But maybe you should learn to take your own advice."
Arthur pursed his lips, and then relaxed a little. A chuckle of laughter made its way out of his mouth, and he sat up, motioning for his manservant to do the same. Legs open, knees up in the crooks of his elbows and hands clasped together, he looked over at Merlin, who was sitting with his legs crossed, shivering from the chill of the wind on his damp skin. Cursing his mind and heart for harbouring so many emotions, he shrugged off his warm jacket and tossed it at the boy beside him, who looked up in surprise.
"I've missed this, Merlin." And before Merlin had the chance to ask what, Arthur explained. "I've missed laughing and joking with you, teasing you. I know that it was only a short amount of time that we were not ourselves, and I also know that everything was entirely my fault, but I did miss it; I- I missed you."
Merlin glanced up at his prince, who was gazing out at the lake. Thoughts were rushing around his mind, confusing him completely, but he could only focus on one. Arthur had missed him. Arthur had missed him.
He closed his eyes. "Arthur. Arthur, I missed you too, so much. I didn't understand, and I'm sorry. And I don't like Morgana, if you were wondering. I did, I mean, a little. I think everyone does. All the knights that is, but I don't anymore. Not even a little. Well I do still think she's beautiful, I doubt that'll ever change, I mean, unless she ever goes ugly. Which is highly unlikely, but still."
Arthur smiled and then frowned slightly, his fondness for Merlin's babbles confusing him. He chuckled, a little dryly.
"Thank you for that. But Merlin, tell me something. When you joined us today, did you think you would survive? Because you won't, not out here in the battlefield. You shouldn't be here, Merlin, but I'm so glad you are." After a long pause and a deep breath, Arthur continued. "I should tell you something, Merlin. Something I should have said so long ago, but something I should never say. I know you will never talk to me again, but I could not bear to die without you knowing. But after I tell you, will you promise me one thing? Just promise me that you'll survive. Promise me that you'll live until you're an old man, having had a wonderful life with beautiful children. Promise to leave me after I speak, and not return to this bloodshed. Because, Merlin, my world would die if you did. There would be nothing left in my life that I cared about, nothing left that I loved. Your safety is all I care about now, because…" Arthur's jaw was trembling, and tears were soaking his cheeks. He had never opened up this much to anyone. "Because, Merlin, I love you. And I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I can't help it, but I do. I do love you. Oh God, I don't expect you to talk to me, but please, just say you forgive me for feeling so sinfully. Damn everything Merlin, I love you."