Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC and the four J's - Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps
and Julian Murphy. It's not mine. If it were, I'd make Merthur canon!

A/N: It's my first Merlin fic – be kind. Warning: Use of the F word and sexy times. If I need to bump up the rating, let me know. I added 'lust' as a feeling that Merlin's going to be dealing with as part of the spell because how fun is that?!

Also, I reached over 100,000 words! Woohoo! I worked really hard on this – I hope you enjoy.

.~.

Chapter 24: Emotions Rising

.~.

(Recap)

Rowan made his way back to the castle, heading straight for the king's chambers. He removed five tightly wrapped round objects from the satchel that he'd brought from home. His uncle had placed a powerful spell on each of the five tightly tied poultices, which were all intended for Merlin. He carefully placed the poultices under the bed in Ygraine's old room, where he knew that Merlin slept almost every night. The dark magic would slowly infect him as he slept, and Merlin would never know, never even suspect what was happening. Rowan placed each one under the boards that were supporting the mattress. He did so in such a way that if someone looked under the bed, they would not be able to spot the poultices.

The spell on the poultices was designed to enhance all negative emotions, and diminish all positive emotions. Anger, fear, lust, hatred, jealousy – whenever Merlin naturally felt these emotions, they would be amplified. In contrast, whenever he felt happiness or confidence, those emotions would be muted. The spell would induce the ultimate suffering – the recipient would slowly go mad without realizing what was happening to them.

.~.

The next day

Merlin had some free time, so he decided he'd look at some of the books on magic that Geoffrey had given him. He settled comfortably on Arthur's bed, propping himself against the headboard with fluffy crimson pillows in between his back and the hard wood. He yawned and stretched, opened one of the books, and began to read. The young warlock sincerely doubted that he'd find something that would help him manage his anger, but he was willing to try. After flipping through a few fairly ancient books, he came across a passage called 'Controlling Your Magic'. It read like this:

Emotions and Magic

Emotions are powerful and sometimes frightening things. They are even more so for magicians, as they could lead to a loss of control and dark magic coursing through you. This could result in you harming someone, or in extreme cases, killing them. Everyone needs to learn how to control their emotions, but magicians especially need to, as they could have disastrous consequences.

Merlin agreed with this wholeheartedly. Perhaps this book would provide the answers he was seeking! He read on.

When you experience a negative emotion, such as anger, you oftentimes are in denial about what you are feeling. Ignoring this feeling is not helpful in dealing with you anger. It makes you feel better for a while, but it is not an effective long term strategy. In fact, it's just the opposite. Letting your anger fester over time and not addressing it allows it to build up inside of you, and it will usually surface in a negative way.

Merlin supposed this could be true. However, he didn't always like dealing with his emotions the moment that they surfaced. He'd rather push them away and avoid a conflict with the person he was angry with. Dealing with his emotions as they happened was something he wasn't familiar with. In fact, he wasn't sure he wanted to do such a thing. He really didn't like where this book was headed, but he kept reading.

During this time you also are apt to blame others for making you feel a certain way. For example, if your friend forgets that they were going to spend time with you, you will usually feel disappointed and hurt. However, that is just you reacting to the situation – your friend didn't cause you to feel anything. Blaming someone else for how you're feeling gives up your control. If you can acknowledge that you are the one responsible for what you are feeling, it can help you release that emotion.

It is very important that magicians know that you choose your emotions. No one can make you have a feeling. You're just so used to reacting to situations in a certain way that you assume that emotions are not a choice. This is untrue. Only when you accept this premise will you become a master of your emotions.

"This is bullshit," Merlin muttered under his breath. "Why would anyone choose to feel negative emotions? When Arthur says something that pushes my buttons, I'm going to get upset. I can't just choose not to! People make me angry all the time if they say or do something that pisses me off."

That was when he lost interest in the book, not finding it very useful. He skimmed the rest of the entry, just to say that he had done so in case Arthur or someone else asked. At the end of the entry, the last paragraph caught his eye.

One last suggestion - make sure you eat enough food and drink enough water all throughout the day. One is more likely to become angry on an empty stomach.

That last bit was the only piece of advice that Merlin found to be helpful. He had known that, of course, but he'd forgotten how true it was. This was an incentive to keep himself and Arthur well fed. Perhaps he should quit teasing Arthur about how he needed to be on a diet, as it only served to make Arthur cross.

Merlin closed the book and set it aside. He ruminated on what he'd just read, but he didn't come to any other conclusion than the writer of that book was crazy. He closed his eyes and told himself he was going to take a small nap and then he'd seek out Morgana like they'd planned. He hadn't slept well the night before, so he figured a nap would help renew his energy. As it turned out, he slept for two hours and didn't wake up before Arthur entered the chamber.

Merlin found himself awakened by a soft kiss to his brow. "Mmmm, Arthur," he mumbled. "Five more minutes."

"Merlin, it's been two hours," Arthur gently chastised him. "If you don't get up now, tonight you'll find it harder to sleep through the night."

"Has it really been that long? Alright, I'll get up." Merlin slowly sat up, inviting Arthur to come sit next to him under the covers. The king happily did so, always willing to be close to Merlin.

"Did you find out anything useful?" Arthur asked, indicating the books beside the bed.

"Not really," Merlin sighed. "Just some crap about people choosing their emotions. I need a real solution for controlling my anger."

"What if you just walk out of the room when you're angry?" Arthur offered. "That's what I do sometimes. It works pretty well."

"It's a good suggestion, and it can work for regular people. But that wouldn't solve anything with my magic," said Merlin. "I need to release the emotion somehow, purge myself of the emotion.'"

"Regular people?" Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"You know what I mean." Merlin rolled his eyes. "People who don't have magic."

"Ah yes, that's right. The magical people are the special people," Arthur teased.

"Very funny," said Merlin. "Actually, there was one thing from the book that I found helpful."

"What's that?"

"The book said that if you were hungry and angry at the same time, your anger would be more intense than if you weren't hungry. I found that to be true," said Merlin.

"I know exactly what you mean," said Arthur. "A few weeks ago during the knight's training, Sir Leon was trying to use this as an excuse for taking his frustrations out on Sir Gwaine. He was trying to tell us that he was hungry and angry, but it came out as 'hangry'. We teased him mercilessly about slurring his words. Ever since that day, the knights and I have been using that word to explain when we're feeling those two things at once."

"Hangry," said Merlin, mulling it over. "I like it."

"I know I usually feel more in control of my emotions after a meal," Arthur admitted.

"Yes, that's why I make sure you get plenty of food." Merlin winked at Arthur. "Well, I'd better go and meet Morgana. We've got-" That was when he found himself pushed back onto the bed under the full weight of the king of Camelot. "Arthur, I've got to go," Merlin whined.

"No," said Arthur, smirking at his lover. He had him right where he wanted him, pinned down beneath him.

"Come on, let me up," Merlin insisted, lightly struggling against his king. "I promised I'd meet with her today around this time. We have some important issues to discuss in relation to the magic school."

"You can't escape me," Arthur said matter-of-factly. "You might as well yield; you know I'm stronger than you."

"Yes, but I have magic," Merlin reminded him.

"But you wouldn't use it against me," said Arthur, but he sounded a bit unsure.

"Wouldn't I?"' Merlin's eyes flashed gold and he gently pushed Arthur away.

"That's cheating," Arthur complained, as Merlin grinned at him.

"No it's not. I'm simply using all my resources to defeat you."

"I wouldn't call it a defeat exactly," said Arthur. "It wasn't a fair fight. I'm sure if I had magic, I could best you."

"I doubt it," said Merlin as Arthur tackled him yet again. "As fun as this is, I really need to find Morgana."

"Fine." Arthur moved away and Merlin walked towards the door.

"I'll see you later," said Merlin, his words filled with unspoken promises.

"Later," Arthur echoed, returning the sentiment.

Merlin left the room, leaving Arthur wanting so much more.

.~.

Morgana had asked Merlin to meet her in the field behind their school. When Merlin arrived, he found a row of targets set up in the grass. Upon further inspection, he recognized the targets as the ones that the knights used to practice their archery.

"What's all this?" Merlin asked as Morgana came out of the building to greet him.

"I thought we could use some target practice," said Morgana. "Suppose our students need to cast a spell on someone or something far away? They'll need practice learning how to do it. And who knows, while you practice it might help you release some of your anger."

"That's your answer to my problem? Blow things up?" Merlin looked skeptical.

"No, that's not my only answer," Morgana scoffed. "I went down to the library and took some of the old books about magic, same as you. After spending about a half an hour searching, I came across a calming spell. It won't make your anger or whatever emotion you're feeling go away, but it will lessen its intensity."

"That sounds perfect," said Merlin, relieved that she'd found something relatively easy to help him. "What is it?"

Morgana told him, and asked him to remember a time when he was really angry. Merlin chose to remember the time when he'd been angry at the knights who'd almost inadvertently killed Caelia. Then she advised him to place his hands over his heart, so he would give the magic to himself. Closing his eyes, Merlin chanted the spell, focusing his thoughts around seeking calmness. He allowed his anger to slowly melt away, feeling it be replaced by a warm sense of serenity.

"How do you feel?" Morgana asked after Merlin opened his eyes.

"Better," he informed him. "I feel calmer."

"Good," said Morgana. "Then that's one thing you can do. But, if you're in the heat of the moment, you may not remember to use the spell, or perhaps you may not want to. You have to be somewhat emotionally centered for the spell to work."

"Hmm," said Merlin. "What about when I'm so angry that the spell won't help?"

"That's what the target practice is for!" Morgana exclaimed. "If you can focus on releasing your anger on an object, it might help get rid of it, or at least lessen it."

"Sounds good to me," said Merlin. "But you'll need to do something to make me angry in order to see if this will work."

"I'll be happy to." Morgana smirked. "You're a terrible teacher of magic and your failure is really letting our students down. They'll be leaving the school in droves any day now."

"You can do better than that," said Merlin.

"You don't know if you asked Arthur to marry Gwen because you wanted to help her, or if it was because it was a way to let you and him be together."

"Keep going," Merlin encouraged. That one had brought up a dash of guilt, but it wasn't nearly powerful enough to make Merlin lose his temper.

"You're not powerful enough to defend Camelot from a dark wizard because you get distracted too easily."

That one sort of hit home. Merlin felt his magic rising, but he was able to push it back down.

That was when Morgana went in for the kill. "You and Arthur fucking is an abomination and a threat to the future of Camelot," she yelled.

Merlin's entire body shook with anger. The dark magic welled up inside him, desperately seeking a release at the person who had insulted his love for Arthur. Realizing what was happening, he stretched out his arm and let go, focusing on hitting the target.

"Very good!" Morgana praised his success. "Although try not to pulverize it next time. We only have so many wooden targets."

Merlin chuckled. "I doubt our students will be able to do more than knock the targets over, if they can hit the targets at all. Maybe a few will cause them to splinter. I just don't think they're that powerful yet."

"We shall see," said Morgana. "Let's try again."

She was able to spark his anger a few more times, but nothing she said had been as hurtful as insinuating that his relationship with Arthur was unnatural. Merlin concentrated on channeling his anger into cracking the shields, making them easy to repair for future use.

"Was this helpful?" Morgana asked when they were finished.

"Yes!" Merlin felt much lighter, much happier now that he had two skills with which to handle his anger. "If I feel my anger getting out of control, I'll run out of the room and then unleash it on an object. No one will get hurt. Or I could try the calming spell."

"Excellent," said Morgana. They agreed that they'd try this exercise with their students when they felt like it was the right time. Merlin left the field ready to conquer all that life threw at him.

.~.

Three days later

After Merlin finished teaching at his school, he realized he had some time before he took dinner with Arthur. He decided to seek out Guinevere, as he hadn't had any 'one on one' time with her in a while. He wanted to see how she was coping with her queenly duties as well as ask about her emotional well-being. He reached out with his magic and easily located her. She was in the empty servants quarters, writing a proposal for the Council about why the taxes on the poor should be reduced.

"Are you busy?" Merlin asked after he entered the room. He surmised that Gwen felt at home here, and had taken advantage of the empty room as the servants were off working.

"Never too busy for you," said Gwen. "What's going on?"

"Could we take a walk?" Merlin asked. "Just for a little while."

"Certainly," said Gwen. "Let me get my cloak."

Merlin led her to the garden, to a secluded spot where they would not be disturbed. He found a bench they could sit on that overlooked the roses. It was the perfect place to have a heart to heart.

"What's this about?" Gwen asked after they'd gotten settled. "Is there anything wrong between you and Arthur?"

"No, nothing like that," said Merlin. "I just wanted to talk to you. I haven't made myself available much lately and I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Oh, you know… I'm doing alright," said Gwen. "I'm trying to keep busy. I go to the lower town quite a lot, to stay abreast of everyone's needs. Sometimes I can help, sometimes I can't. But some help must be better than no help at all."

"Well said," Merlin applauded. "You seem to be in better spirits lately."

"I am. Mostly. But…" Gwen trailed off, and Merlin automatically pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to go to pieces. It's h-hardest at night, when I can't stop thinking about Lance, and the life my baby could've had if he were still alive." She held back a sob. "I promised myself I wasn't going to cry anymore. But I c-can't help it."

"I'm here for you. Arthur is too." Merlin tried to reassure her that she wasn't alone, and felt a little guilty that he hadn't sought out Gwen before today. Gwen was his best friend (besides Arthur) and the last thing he wanted to do was neglect her.

"You know, Arthur's been great," said Gwen, her voice sounding steadier. "He holds me when it gets really bad, when I can't stop shaking."

"I didn't know that." Merlin was pleased, but then felt the slightest bit of jealousy surface in his mind. Merlin knew that it was completely unfounded, and quickly pushed the thought away, confused as to why he'd had it in the first place.

"Yes, your man is quite the cuddler," Gwen teased. "Although I know he'd prefer it was you he was holding."

"I'm glad you're getting the comfort you deserve," said Merlin and meant it. "Arthur's really good at helping me feel better when I'm feeling down. I'm glad he's helping you."

"You're very lucky," said Gwen, with just a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

"I know," Merlin said quietly. "I remind myself of that every day. Sometimes I see him standing at the head of the table during meetings, leading the conversation and I think, wow, that man, that king belongs to me. He gave his heart to me freely, when he could've had anyone else. That thought completely humbles me."

"Arthur's also very lucky to have you," said Gwen. "Not everyone would put up with his theatrics. He doesn't easily open up to people."

"That's true. Sometimes I feel like I have to pull things out of him," said Merlin, making a face. "But he will usually make the effort, because he knows it's important to me."

"He's lucky to have someone he knows will never betray his trust, or belittle him for revealing his true feelings."

"I'd never do that!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I know you wouldn't," Gwen soothed. "That's my point."

"Oh," said Merlin.

"A little touchy today, are we?" Gwen teased.

"Nah, I'm fine. Just a little tired," said Merlin. "Well, I'm glad you're doing well, as well as can be under the circumstances. I'm just about to have dinner with Arthur. Do you want to come eat with us?"

"No thanks," said Gwen. "I want to finish this proposal by tomorrow."

"Good for you," said Merlin. "We'll see you at bedtime."

"See you then."

.~.

Merlin headed off to Arthur's chambers where they shared a tasty meal, engaged in meaningful conversation about their days, and had a brief interlude before it was time for bed. Merlin was a little more 'enthusiastic' than usual but Arthur thought nothing of it. They both slept well that night.

.~.

The next day, lunchtime, the throne room

"Arthur, I need to ask you something in private," Merlin whispered in the king's ear.

"Very well, Merlin. Let's make this quick," said Arthur, a bit annoyed to be pulled away from his food.

Merlin led them back to their chambers, pulling Arthur with him at a brisk pace.

"What's so urgent that you couldn't wait… mmmph!" Arthur was silenced as Merlin pressed his lips against the king's.

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Arthur reluctantly pulled away. "We're in the middle of a meeting."

"We're taking a break for lunch. They can't resume the meeting unless you're there. Come on, you know you want to," Merlin goaded.

"I can't argue with that," said Arthur, who shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed. This sort of behavior was a little uncharacteristic for Merlin, who was usually a stickler for the rules. But who was he to complain?

.~.

To Arthur's surprise, this behavior continued for three days straight. Merlin would leave his school to come to Arthur during their lunch hour. They would head for Arthur's chambers, and the second the door was closed, Merlin was magicking Arthur's clothes off.

This day, he was even more forceful than usual. He tackled Arthur onto the bed and attached his mouth to the king's.

"Mmm," Arthur moaned as they shared sloppy kisses. "Merrrrrrlin."

"I'm so hot for you," Merlin growled, spiking Arthur's arousal as they writhed on the bed.

"Your clothes. Off," Arthur instructed.

In seconds Merlin's clothes were on the floor.

"It's so sexy when you use your magic," Arthur drawled. He loved to watch Merlin's eyes flash gold when he used his gift.. "You should do it mo-oh!"

Merlin had bit his neck and soothingly ran his tongue over the spot.

"Nnnngh," was Arthur's response.

Merlin continued kissing his neck, leaving Arthur in pure bliss. "Don't stop," he whined when Merlin eventually pulled away.

"Don't worry, Arthur. I'll make it good for you. I've been wanting to do this to you all day," Merlin said in a low voice as he wrapped his hands around Arthur's penis and gave a little tug. "You're all I think about."

"Really?" Arthur said, proud that he'd been that one who ensnared Merlin.

"Arthur, you don't know what you do to me," Merlin confessed. "Your scent… it drives me wild." He nuzzled Arthur's neck, inhaling Arthur's musky scent. His pupils were blown wide, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Merlin, please!' Arthur begged.

"Please what?" Merlin smirked, thrilled he could reduce the king of Camelot to this, begging for it.

"Fuck me," Arthur whispered.

"Of course, my lord." Merlin's predatory stare made Arthur's cock twitch. The warlock called their vial of oil to him and began to prepare Arthur's passage.

"Get on with it," Arthur insisted as Merlin covered their naked forms with the quilt.

But Merlin made sure that Arthur was ready for him before he lined them up and gently began to push inside Arthur. They both moaned quietly when Merlin was completely sheathed. Merlin looked upon the ecstasy that graced Arthur's beautiful face. He was the cause of that. Merlin slowly pulled back out, teasing his king, making him wait.

Merlin reveled in being the dominant role. He couldn't believe Arthur had allowed it to continue as long as he had. Perhaps Arthur secretly liked Merlin on top? That thought only served to arouse Merlin even more. Then Merlin decided to take things further. He used his magic to hold Arthur down. Indignant at this treatment, the king couldn't hardly move his arms or legs, and as he tried to twist free Merlin wrapped his hands around Arthur's neck. Arthur could still breathe just fine, and this act had Arthur bucking his hips, trying to find some bit of friction for his aching cock. Arthur was a little surprised by this train of events, but he trusted Merlin completely. He knew that no harm would come to him, as Merlin loved him more than life itself.

"Is this okay?" Merlin whispered.

"Fuck, yes," Arthur ground out. Merlin stroked Arthur's cock a few times before entering him yet again. His magic took control, finding the pleasure centers in Arthur's brain and stimulating them to make the experience an unforgettable one. Merlin felt his magic encircling them, making them one. The window began to rattle with the force of the magic. All the candles in the room were set ablaze. If Arthur could see Merlin, he would see ripples of golden energy all around his face. However, Arthur had his eyes tightly shut and could only moan incoherently as Merlin thrust faster, deeper, harder. Magic was flowing freely through Merlin's hands and feet. Merlin began to shake uncontrollably as he reached the point of no return. He was just about to push them over the edge when the door opened.

"Hello? I was just…" Gwen trailed off as she looked over at the bed, seeing Merlin entangled with Arthur. They were obviously in the middle of 'something'.

"Guinevere!" Arthur squeaked, embarrassed at being caught in flagrante with Merlin, even if it was by his wife and friend.

Merlin groaned in dismay, cheated out of what promised to be a spectacular orgasm. His magic abruptly ceased. He tried to slip out of Arthur but couldn't.

"Merlin, get out," Arthur commanded.

"I can't! I'm stuck!" Merlin informed him, wincing from the pain.

"Be quiet, both of you!" Gwen hissed. "Rowan's coming this way! I was going to show him how to clean the…" Gwen trailed off, still not averting her eyes. "The door was unlocked so…" She blushed. "I didn't know you two were in here! Hurry, Merlin. Use your magic make you and Arthur disappear!"

"I can't," Merlin admitted. "Between working with the students and making love to Arthur, I barely have any magic left."

"What?" Arthur growled. "You've left me defenseless again?"

"I'm sorry, alright?" Merlin tried to come up with a good excuse but couldn't come up with one. But right now, they had bigger problems. Rowan was about to walk in on them, something Merlin would rather avoid.

"Why don't you just lock the door and pretend we're not here?" Arthur suggested.

"That's a good solution," said Gwen. "I should've thought of that sooner."

She went to lock the door and found that lock had been broken by magical means and in no way looked fixable. She wondered who was behind that.

"The lock is damaged!" Gwen exclaimed. "I think it was done with magic."

"I suppose you can't fix that either," said Arthur, indicating his lover. Merlin blushed and muttered something about how it was an accident and that it was Arthur's fault that his magic got out of control.

They heard Rowan's footsteps grow louder. They came to a halt in front of the door. Rowan politely knocked on the door.

Arthur, Merlin, and Gwen didn't say a word or move a muscle.

"I know you're in there, my queen," said Rowan. "I saw you walk in."

"Oh, no," the queen muttered under breath. "Now I have to take care of this."

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked.

"Pull the covers over your heads," Gwen instructed. "Quick!"

Arthur and Merlin just stared at her blankly.

"What are you going to do?" Merlin repeated.

"Pull the covers up!" Gwen ordered, so they did. "I'll distract him. Trust me."

Gwen went to the door and slightly cracked it. "Rowan! You know, it's better for me if we went through the cleaning protocol another time," she pleaded.

"Oh, I don't mind doing it now," said Rowan.

"It's just that I'm feeling strange. I think it may have something to do with the baby," said Gwen. "Perhaps you could fetch for our physician."

"He won't be back until tomorrow," said Rowan. "He's helping the poor in one of the outlying villages." Rowan pushed the door back and took a step inside the room.

Reluctantly, Gwen left him in. "It's just that I've got this terrible rash!" Gwen scratched at her back. "I can't reach it. Can you unlace the top of my dress?"

"I don't know if I should," Rowan cautioned. "Shouldn't you have a maid to do that?"

"I haven't picked a maid yet," Gwen admitted.

"Alright. I can do it," said Rowan. He unlaced her until she could shrug her arms out of the dress. "But I don't see any rash."

"It's mostly on the front," said Gwen, turning around to face him. "That part's itchy too." That was when Guinevere took matters into her own hands and 'accidentally' loosened her grip on her dress. As it had slipped halfway down her, Rowan had a full view of her chests.

"Rowan!" Gwen yelled, sounding appalled, as she quickly covered herself. "You can't look at me half-naked! You should've averted your eyes."

Rowan blushed and gave an incoherent stammer.

"Leave me," Gwen commanded. "I'll overlook your indiscretion this time. Don't come looking for me until I've sent for you."

Rowan didn't need to be told twice. He quickly ran out of the room. And not a moment too soon!

Arthur and Merlin were laughing underneath the blanket. Thankfully, by now, they'd worked out their little problem. When they were sure Rowan was gone, they crawled out from beneath the covers, sitting up in bed.

"Guinevere, did you just flash our servant?" Arthur asked her, astonished by her courageous behavior. Gwen finished pulling her dress up and fixed the ties in the back.

"I was improvising! It was the only thing I could think of that would distract him from looking behind me." Gwen gave them a pointed look. "But I shouldn't have been put in that position in the first place! You left the door unlocked. Anyone would have walked in and seen you! You two have got to be more careful."

"What's the big deal?" Arthur drawled. "Rowan's the only one who comes in here, other than us. He knows how things are between Merlin and I."

Gwen looked scandalized. "You think it's a good idea for him to catch you with Merlin on top?"

"Oh." said Arthur, coloring as he realized the implications of that. "No. I didn't think about how that might look."

"No, you didn't think," Gwen hissed. "You men, always thinking with your-"

"Guinevere!" Arthur interrupted her. "Look, I'm the king. I have a lot on my mind. I have Merlin to think for me when it comes to details. We both agreed that he's always in charge of locking the door."

"And look how well that's working out!" Gwen exclaimed. "Merlin, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Ummm, I forgot? I don't know why. I've been so scatterbrained lately - I can't help it!" Merlin protested. "Also, sometimes when we're together my magic takes control and I don't know what I'm even doing half the time, only that it feels…"

"Great," sighed Gwen. "Just don't let it happen again, alright? I may not always be around to help you. And by the way, I went above and beyond the call of duty. Showing a servant boy my breasts!" She shook her finger at them. "The things I do for you two."

"We love you, Gwen," Merlin and Arthur chorused.

"Save it," said the queen, but she was amused.

Merlin hated to ask, but he knew Gwen would understand. "Gwen, would you…?"

"I'm going." Gwen knew exactly what Merlin wanted. "Hurry up, you two. Lunch is almost over."

Locking the door behind her, Gwen left the room before she could hear their response. She chuckled to herself. At least her friends were getting some. She wasn't ready for that at all, as she was still grieving over Lancelot. But someday in the far future – perhaps she'd find love again. And then she and her husband might go at it as much as Arthur and Merlin seemed to be doing lately. The thought cheered her immensely.

.~.

One week later

Arthur had asked Gwen to stay in their chambers after Merlin left for the day. Gwen wondered what this was all about, and hoped it was nothing too serious. She'd had enough of bad news to last a lifetime.

"Arthur?" Gwen took his hand in his. The was something off about the king. He looked tired, and he was walking a little funny.

"Can we talk?" Arthur sounded miserable.

"You are my husband. I suppose that can be arranged," said Gwen with a straight face.

"Thanks," Arthur said gratefully. "I really need someone to confide in."

"So, what's the matter? You know, we never really talk like this. Comforting me about Lance doesn't count."

"I know, and we should more often," said Arthur, pulling her hand up to his lips and kissing it.

"I feel honored that you'd come to me. Is this about Merlin?" Gwen said knowingly, touched by the sweet gesture.

"Yes." Arthur let out a long breath. "I don't know how to say this. It's rather embarrassing."

"Try me," said Gwen. "I promise I won't tell a soul. Not even Merlin, if that's what you want."

"Thanks. Well, Merlin's been really, er, overly passionate in the bedroom lately." Arthur's cheeks grew hot, but he didn't let that stop him.

"And?" Gwen prodded.

"I know, how is that a problem? Well, he's really wearing me out. Three times almost every day, even for me it's a bit much," Arthur admitted. "Is this too much information?"

"No. It's not any worse than what Merlin's already told me about you two," said Gwen with a mischievous smile.

Arthur looked appalled. "Merlin's talked to you about our sex life?"

"Of course. We're the best of friends," Gwen gave him a funny look. "Who else would he tell?"

"Never mind, that's not the issue," said Arthur, letting that slightly disturbing information go. "The issue is, I don't think I have the stamina to keep up with him these days. I don't know what's got him like this."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Gwen asked.

"Of course not!" Arthur exclaimed. "I'd never hear the end of it if I told him he was exhausting me. He'd never shut up about it."

"You need to tell him, Arthur," Gwen advised. "Perhaps he has no idea what you're feeling."

"I know," Arthur sighed. "I suppose I'll have to swallow my pride and just tell him."

"It would be for the best."

"Guinevere, don't you find it a little strange that Merlin is…" Arthur trailed off. "What I mean is that I'm usually the one that initiates things between us."

"That piece of information doesn't surprise me," said Gwen, hiding a smile.

Arthur ignored her. "But lately, it's the other way around. Every time! I don't know what's made him act this way."

"Who knows? I doubt it will last," she predicted. "Enjoy it while you can," said Gwen with a laugh.

"Very funny," said Arthur, who then came to the conclusion that it was silly he was so worked up about this. "I guess I'll have to talk to him, tell him that he's wearing me out. Thanks for your help."

"You're welcome. We should do it again sometime," said Gwen with a smile.

"If I can't go to my wife to discuss my love life with my court sorcerer, who can I tell?" Arthur gave her a cheeky wink. "Seriously though, I do appreciate it."

"I'm happy to help." She gave Arthur a hug, and a kiss on the cheek, which the king returned before he left the room.

Gwen chuckled to herself, pleased that Arthur had come to her about Merlin. It was almost like being in a real marriage.

She had no way to know that Arthur and Merlin's problems were just beginning.

.~.

End Chapter 24

A/N: Tell me what you think!

Has anyone ever heard of 'hangry'? My friends and I use it all the time. I thought it would be funny to include it.