Day 10 – Top 10 Night's of Merlin's life.
FYI – edit – This work has now been proof read an edited, the little mistakes have now been sorted. The dog is still in labour. It's been 19 hours now. Bless her she's having a nap!
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10 – The night after Arthur fought Valiant:
Arthur had retired to bed early that night. It had been a long day, he was tired and his muscles ached from the battle. Merlin had taken the time to warm his sheets (with magic of course) before Arthur had slipped between them. Arthur had sighed happily as he slipped between the sheets. Slipping into a warm bed after a hard day was one of his favourite things to do.
"Everything to your liking sire?" Merlin had asked as soon as Arthur was settled. Arthur's lips twitched into the faintest of smile's as he nodded.
"Yes. Thank you Merlin. That will be all for tonight," Arthur said, dismissing Merlin with a wave of his hand. Merlin bowed.
"Goodnight then sire," Merlin said with a bow. Before Merlin could slip quietly out of the room, Arthur called him back.
"Merlin?" Arthur said as he sat himself up in bed and indicated that Merlin return. Merlin froze. What was Arthur going to say? Had he realized that Merlin had used magic to reveal the snakes? Was he waiting until now to mention so that Merlin could not cause a scene.
"Yes sire?" Merlin asked with another bow. He hoped that Arthur did not hear how nervous he was.
"Thank you. For today. I would have been dead if it were not for you. Not many people would be so persistent had they been treated like you were. Yet still you insisted that you were right. Had you not, Camelot would have fallen, I am in your debt," Merlin mumbled wordlessly at the prince for a few seconds before he could come up with a decent reply.
"What you weren't already?" he asked with a playful smile and a shrug of his shoulders. Arthur frowned and threw his pillow at Merlin's head, who managed to dodge it in time.
"Go home Merlin!" Arthur said as he settled himself down again. Merlin headed to the door once again. "Oh Merlin?" Merlin fought back a laugh as he turned round and bowed again. "My pillow?" Arthur said as he held out his hand. Merlin picked up the pillow and held it out to Arthur, but, before Arthur could take it, Merlin snatched it back.
"Goodnight Arthur," he cried as he ran madly down the hall, pillow in hand, giggles escaping his lips.
And it was when Merlin cuddled up to said pillow that night that he realized how nice Arthur's scent was.
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9 – The night he woke up in Arthur's bed.
Merlin does not remember what happened that day. All he remembers is waking up in the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in, feeling warm, snug and for some reason, very nauseous. He guessed he must have been dreaming, and so, for a few minutes, he just lay there with his eyes closed, hoping against hope that he did not wake anytime soon and find himself in his own less comfy bed. Only, he didn't wake up, because he already was. He opened his eyes in shock after Arthur, who was snoozing in his chair, coughed in his sleep. Merlin's open eyes had revealed to him that he was in Arthur's bed, and that Arthur was asleep in a chair next to him – apparently watching over him. Merlin looked around, confused and embarrassed. Why was he in Arthur's bed? More importantly, why was Arthur watching him? Mad visions of out of control magic and decelerations of 'I love you' raced through Merlin's mind, sending him into a whirl of terror. He started to become short of breath, his chest tightened and his head spun. What was going on? Was he dying? Before he could even contemplate what would happen to Camelot should he die, Arthur was at his side, rubbing his back and telling him to breathe.
"I can't!" Merlin insisted.
"You can breathe idiot, you're having a panic attack!" Arthur insisted, but still sat with Merlin, rubbing his back, reassuring him, until the panic subsided and his breathing became normal once again.
According to Arthur he had just collapsed while cleaning his chambers, after complaining that he was feeling light headed. Arthur had panicked and put him straight in his own bed, before running to get Gaius.
"It was the most sensible option!" Arthur had insisted. "I could find Gaius a lot quicker without you weighing me down,"
Merlin was tempted to tell him that Gaius could always be found in his chambers at the time that Merlin had apparently passed out.
"Anyway Gaius said you haven't been eating probably. Make sure you do eat probably from now on Merlin, I have the jousting competition to prepare for, and I really don't have time to train another servant as well," Arthur had yelled at him the second he had seemed well enough to take it.
"Yes sire, of course," Merlin had said rushing out of room before his smile could give him away. Arthur cared about him. Arthur had been worrying about him. He had been in Arthur's bed.
That alone was worth the sickly feeling he was left with for the next few days.
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8 – When Arthur followed them to Ealdor, and scared Merlin in the night.
Merlin remembers sitting at the fire, feeling so scared and anxious about the coming days. He had no idea how he was going to defend Ealdor without magic, and without Arthur. He could feel the fear flowing through his veins, burning his insides with a sick sort of fear that comes only with impending death. But then Arthur had shown up, chainmail and all, and suddenly Merlin knew all would work out. He knew that Arthur would lead Ealdor to victory and that his mother would be able to live in peace once again. Because Merlin knew, although he didn't know why, that Arthur would go to any lengths to ensure his manservant's safety and happiness. And that alone made Merlin happier than he had ever been in his life – despite the fact that Arthur went straight to sleep and made Merlin stay up and keep watch!
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7 – The night that Arthur muttered Merlin's name in his sleep.
Merlin had to stay with Arthur overnight. In fact, Merlin was not to leave Arthur's side at all. He had food poisoning and Uther was worried that he night throw up in his sleep, and choke to death on his own vomit.
"Father! I do not want Merlin watching over me as I sleep!" Arthur insisted from his sick bed.
"Nonsense Arthur, what if you vomit in the night and choke to death," Uther insisted. "Merlin will watch over you, and you'll be fine," Uther slapped Merlin on the shoulder with such force that Merlin felt his knee's shake. He managed to stay standing. Somehow.
"Merlin is a useless buffoon. He'll fall asleep before me, and then what will happen if I vomit in the night?" Arthur cried. Merlin smiled nervously.
"I'll stay awake," he promised. Arthur rolled his eyes.
"There, the boy says he'll stay awake. You'll be fine. Now I must be off. Goodnight Arthur," Uther said, and before Arthur could protest, he swept from the room, cloak flowing out behind him.
"Don't worry Arthur, I'll stay awake, I swear!" Merlin promised as he propped up Arthur's pillows. Arthur simply groaned and turned over to go to sleep, not bothering to reply to Merlin.
It was hours later when it happened. The castle had long fallen quite, the torches long since put out, but Merlin was still awake. Of course, he was using magic to stay awake, but that didn't stop his head from dropping, or his eyes from closing. Merlin was sure he didn't doze off, but he might have, because one minute he was watching the twinkling of the stars out the window, and the next, a mumbling from Arthur had him snapping his sleepy head up as quickly as he could move it.
"Arthur?" Merlin questioned, springing to his feet. He raced over to Arthur and checked around his mouth and nose for signs that the Prince had vomited. Finding none, he guessed that the Prince had spoken in his sleep, and sank himself into his chair once again.
"Merlin..." Arthur whispered. It was an intimate, almost inaudible whisper, but Merlin still heard it.
"Arthur? Are you ok?" Merlin asked, rushing back over to his prince again. Merlin frowned when he realised the prince was still asleep, and rubbed his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up a bit. "Merlin...." Merlin was sure Arthur had spoken this time. He had seen the man's lips move! Intrigued, he watched Arthur a few seconds longer. Arthur remained silent, but his sleeping form began to act strangely. He had pulled one of his pillows from beneath his head, and was holding it close to his body. Merlin began to laugh, and had to bite down on his lip in order to stop the sound from waking the sleeping prince. Arthur was now rubbing his face against the pillow, and tightening his hold on it. "Love you Merlin..." he whispered to the pillow. Merlin's jaw dropped. Had he just heard... There was no way... But as much as Merlin tried to deny it, Arthur had said it. He had whispered to a pillow-Merlin that he loved him. And as much as Merlin hated to admit it, Arthur's words had sent chills down his spine, that had settled in his stomach and turned into the flutteriest of butterfly's.
Did he love Arthur?
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6 – The night they had a drunken kiss.
Merlin and Arthur were the only ones left in the banquet hall. It was nearing dawn and the night's partying had finally come to an end. Merlin wasn't quite sure what they had been celebrating. All that he was sure of was that there had been a lot of wine and that he had been free to drink as much as he had wanted to, for Uther had wanted everything to go right and had hired regular kitchen staff for the event. Arthur was meant to have stayed sober, but by midnight, he was stumbling around the banquet hall muttering nonsense that nobody could make head nor tail off. Uther had told his son that if he valued his freedom, he would stay in a quiet corner and keep his mouth shut unless told otherwise. Arthur had done as he was told, and was joined by Merlin not long after. Together the two of them had giggled and whispered like a couple of gossiping old maids. They went unnoticed for most of the night. The music and chatter from the party was loud enough to cover their murmured drunkenness. The only time anyone took any notice of them was when Arthur thought it would be funny to trip up Sir Leon as he passed by carrying a fragile, expensive vase that Uther had asked his to fetch. Luckily Arthur was so drunk, that he stuck his foot out far too early. Sir Leon had noticed and had simply stepped over the young prince's leg. Arthur had taken the incredibly dire revenge that was calling Leon an endless torrent of senseless names.
And then suddenly they were alone. Neither could remember when everyone had left, but frankly, neither cared, for now they were alone, and could be as loud as they wanted.
"And then... haha... I took his sword... haha.... and I hit him over the head with it!" Arthur said. Merlin had been lost in a fit of giggles since Arthur had started the story and had no idea what the hell Arthur was on about, or what was so funny.
"You're so funny..." he forced out, before becoming bent double with laughter once again. Arthur beamed at Merlin, a genuine smile of happiness rather a smile that was the result of the drunken giggles.
"Good." Arthur said, ducking his head in order to his the reddening of his cheeks. "I want you to find me funny," Merlin too, found himself blushing. What exactly did he do to warrant such un-Arthur like behaviour from the prince?
"I do... find you funny..." Merlin insisted, nodding his head frantically. And then suddenly Arthur's glazed eyes were looking intently into Merlin's, and Merlin found that he could not look away.
"Merlin..." it was the intimate, almost inaudible whisper of that night so long ago. And then Arthur was moving forward, tilting his head to the side as he closed his eyes. A few tense seconds passed for Merlin as Arthurs face drew closer and closer. Was Arthur going to kiss him? Should he kiss him back? Did he want to kiss him back? But before he could make up his mind, Arthur's lips were upon his, and his question was answered for him. He found himself pulling the prince closer, found himself crushing his lips against Arthur's with the same intensity that Arthur was kissing him, found himself lost in a whirlwind of pink, of flowers, of hearts and or love. And that's when he realised. He loved Arthur. Loved him. More than he loved himself, more than he loved his mother, more than he loved his powers.
"Arthur..." Merlin whispered as he dragged himself away from Arthur's lips so that he might breathe just for a second. He smiled softly and leaned his forehead against Arthur's, ran his hand through the prince's golden locks. For a few seconds, all was well; they started into each other's eyes with a sickly sweet smile that said it all. Love. The change in Arthur was so abrupt, so unexpected, that Merlin failed to see it coming. All he knew was that Arthur was on his feet, fleeing the scene with an intense fear in his eyes and a deep embarrassment that coated his cheeks. "Arthur!" he cried out after him. No response came, but Merlin knew better than to go after him.
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5 – The night after the night before.
Merlin stayed in his chambers all day, not daring to leave them in fear that he might bump into Arthur. Gaius didn't dare question his behaviour. He seemed to have some all knowing aura around him that knew when Merlin needed to be left well alone. Merlin didn't leave his bed. Didn't eat, didn't sleep, and barely took a sip of water. He just lay there, wishing that the night before had never happened. Wishing even more so that it had, and that Arthur had not run away. It was all so confusing, and he found that his head was spinning with that, and with the inevitable hangover from the nights drinking. All in all he found that he just wanted to close his eyes, and then open them again when all was back to normal. Finally, as darkness fell, he able to close his eyes and fall into the slumber he had been hoping for all day. However, when he opened his eyes, it wasn't morning and everything was not back to normal. Everything was different, for when he opened his eyes; Arthur was next to him, fast asleep and curled up into a little ball, his fingers clutched the edge of the bed. It became obvious at once that he had not wanted to wake Merlin despite the fact that he wanted to lay beside him. Merlin smiled and slipped an arm around Arthur's bare waist. Arthur turned his head to smile at Merlin, and pulled his manservant closer; resting his hand over Merlin's when he felt the younger man was close enough. Merlin buried his head in Arthur's shoulder, and Arthur laced his fingers with Merlin's and they fell asleep together, holding each other, clinging to each other, loving each other.
And when they awoke in the morning, there was no question as to where they were at in their relationship.
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4 – The night that Merlin confessed
Merlin and Arthur had been curled up in bed together, next to a roaring fire when Merlin felt the sudden urge to confess his deepest secret to Arthur. He was abruptly so overcome with guilt, that he felt if he didn't confess his secret to Arthur right then and there, then Arthur would never trust him again.
"Arthur," Merlin said, the tone of his voice making it apparent that he had something serious to say.
"Mmmm..?" Arthur replied in question, making it obvious that he was almost asleep and that now was not the time for important conversation.
"I need to tell you something. It's important." Merlin whispered, fear choking his voice. Still Arthur did not seem to realise how important Merlin's impending admission was.
"Hmmm k...." he mumbled as he pulled the covers tighter around himself.
"ARTHUR! I'm serious," Merlin cried, pulling himself free from Arthur's hold in hope that it might wake him up a little. A sleepy Arthur simply turned over and buried his head in the pillow.
"I know," he mumbled. Merlin sighed and gave Arthur a playful clip round the ear.
"Then wake up!" he demanded.
"I am awake," Arthur insisted with a muffled giggle that only seemed to infuriate Merlin more.
"Sit up! I have something serious to tell you!" Merlin yelled, as he attempted to pull Arthur up into a sitting position. Arthur sighed and rolled over again, so that he was on his back, looking up into Merlin's eyes.
"Merlin. I know" He maintained, an eyebrow raised. "I'm not stupid, and I'm not blind. I know you're a sorcerer. I have known for some time." Merlin suddenly felt very sick. Arthur knew. He knew! For how long? Why hadn't he turned him into Uther? Why hadn't he killed him himself? Why was he still sharing a bed with him?
"I... how... and.... what?" Merlin muttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Arthur beamed at him.
"It was the reason I ran away... the night we first kissed. When we were looking into each other's eyes, yours flashed gold and I knew, and I ran because I was falling in love with you, but you were a sorcerer and for hours I didn't know what to do. I sat in bed and thought it over all day and half the night. And that's when I realised I missed you. And suddenly I didn't care about the magic. All I cared about was you. So I came to you. Because I know you Merlin, you are no threat to Camelot, no threat to me or my father. You're just my loveable idiot of a manservant, all you want in the world is to make sure that I am happy and safe and well." Merlin stopped his speech there with a kiss. He knew he could hear no more for fear that he would burst into endless floods of tears.
"Why didn't you tell me!" he whispered after he finally found the strength to pull away. Arthur smiled and reached out to tuck a stray hair behind Merlin's hair.
"I was waiting for you to be ready to tell me," he whispered. Merlin beamed a smile so wide it hurt.
"I love you..." he whispered, leaning down for another kiss.
"Love you too," Arthur whispered back as their lips connected once again.
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3 – The night they first said those words
Just days after Merlin awoke to find Arthur in his bed, word reached Camelot that a strange beast, thought to be of magical origin, had been spotted wandering the outskirts of Camelot. Uther was unsure whether to trust his informant, who was known throughout the Kingdom as a man who would do anything for a bit of gold, so only Arthur and Merlin were sent. As it turns out, the mythical beast was no more than an abandoned horse that had obviously been caught up in a vicious attack. It was wounded badly, and so Arthur put it out of its misery with a quick swipe of his sword, despite Merlin's protests that it was an innocent animal and that surely someone in Camelot could nurse it back to health.
"Arthur how could you do such a thing to such a helpless creature?" Merlin had demanded as they began the journey home. Arthur had laughed and pulled a face,
"Merlin, it was dying. I was putting it out of its misery," he insisted. Merlin turned to glare at him.
"Someone in Camelot could have nursed it back to help!" Merlin maintained, making it clear that he was not backing down on the matter. Arthur sighed.
"So you would have me leave my horse here, so that I might walk a wounded one back to Camelot?" he questioned. Merlin frowned.
"You could have walked both at once!" he said. "Or I could have. I gladly would have!" Arthur simply laughed.
"But then you would not be able to keep up with me! And what would happen if I were to come under attack? I'd have no weapons to defend myself with," he joked, trying his best to lighten the mood. Merlin said nothing. "Merlin! Come on, you knew as well as I that the horse had minutes left, if that," Still Merlin said nothing. "Merlin! Speak to me!" Still, nothing. "Merlin, I've upset you haven't I?"
"My feelings don't matter to you, do they?" he asked. Arthur felt his jaw drop. How could Merlin think such a thing?
"Merlin your feelings mean everything to me!" Arthur promised.
"Then why did you kill that horse?" Merlin whispered with a pout.
"It was suffering Merlin... I couldn't let it live like that,"
"Someone could have helped it,"
"We don't know that!"
"You don't care about what I think! You're Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prat of Camelot. What I think is beneath you!"
"Of course I care about what you think Merlin, I love you!" Merlin stopped his horse in its tracks.
"What?" he whispered, so softly he wasn't sure if Arthur had heard. Arthur too stopped his horse, and turned round to beam at Merlin.
"I said I love you," he repeated.
"Really?" Merlin asked, not quite daring to believe it. Arthur laughed and nodded.
"Yes! Of course I do!" he chuckled.
"You know I love you too right?" Merlin questioned. Arthur laughed again, dismounted his horse and walked over to where Merlin's stood.
"Yeah..." he whispered as he pulled Merlin down into a kiss.
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2 – The night they first made love
It happened without warning, without planning, without so much as a kiss. But suddenly they were there. Clothes were torn in a desperate effort to be rid of them. Furniture was knocked over as they tried in vain to reach the bed before passion over took them. Bruises' formed as they crashed to the floor in a fog of lust, which had cleared their vision of all but each other. Fiery flesh was grasped at by frantic hands, shaking lips were calmed by sweet kisses, unprepared bodies were readied with slick oil and probing fingers.
And then it happened. He had Arthur inside him. Inside him and around him. Arthur's cold fingers grasped his throbbing erection, stroking it with the same slow rhythm as his thrusts in and out of Merlin's body. And everything was tight, his stomach, his throat, his cock and his ass. But it was a good kind of tight, a tight that sent wave after wave of almost unbearable pleasure through his body.
And then all too soon, it was over. The tightness increased, and the pleasure hit overdrive, and suddenly a hot white substance was everywhere. Merlin could feel it inside of him too, but right now he didn't care. He simply laid there, hot, sweaty and sleepy, in his lovers arms, completely overcome with the waves of happiness that had taken over his mind entirely.
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1 – The night Arthur announced his love for Merlin to the entire court
Merlin often questioned Arthurs love for him. Could it be that he was simply having a bit of fun? Experimenting? Getting his kicks before he became King and was forced to produce an heir?
Merlin never voiced his concerns, but he was sure Arthur picked up on them, because one day, when the entire court of Camelot was in the banquet hall, Arthur stood up, and called out for everyone's attention.
"I just wanted to say, while everyone was here, that I am in love!" Arthur declared the second all attention was on him. Uther gave his son a confused, sceptical look as a wave of applause broke out amongst the rest of the court. Merlin simply blushed and ducked his head. Was Arthur really doing this? Here? Now?
"Who's the lucky lady?" Sir Leon question as the applause died down and silence fell over the court.
"Lady?" Arthur questioned, pretending to look confused. "I never said I loved a lady," The members of the court exchanged bewildered glances and questionable mumblings.
"You mean to tell me Arthur, that you love a man?" Uther raged, silencing everyone in an instant. Arthur simply grinned at his father.
"Why yes father, that is exactly what I'm saying," Arthur said. He grabbed Merlin by the arm, and dragged him to his feet. "This man," Merlin blushed and growled in Arthur's ear.
"Have you gone insane!" he demanded. Arthur did not reply, for Uther was speaking
"What the hell has gotten into you boy? Do you want Camelot to fall? Is that it? Do you want to see an end to the Pendragon legacy?" Uther bellowed, his eyes wide and bulging.
"Merlin is what has got into me." Arthur said. "And no father, I do not want to bring down Camelot, or see the Pendragon line end. I will produce an heir, when the time comes. I will marry and make a woman my Queen. But I'm promising you that the relationship will be there purely to produce an successor. Nothing more. I love Merlin, I always have and I always will. Nothing you can say will ever change that. And if you dare to anything to him, or to me, I can promise you now that I will never produce an child, meaning an end to the Pendragon line. An end to your legacy!" And then Arthur sat down, pulled Merlin down with him, and continued with his work as if nothing had happened. For a few seconds, silence fell over the court, but it wasn't long before the usual babble and chatter broke out again. Merlin didn't look up to see Uther's reaction to his son's words, for he had caught Arthur's lips in a kiss, and nothing else was important at that time. For now he knew. Arthur loved him, loved him and no other. And would go to any length to prove it. So that night, over every other, was the best night of Merlin's life.