Merlin fell backwards onto a sack with a grunt. Realizing he had been cornered he heard the prince give a dark chuckle as the prat continued to swing the mace in his hand. He looked up at the prince and took in his dark gaze, like a predator about to lunge at his prey. He felt himself shudder involuntarily as the prat spoke in a deep voice, "You're in trouble now."

"Oh god."

Merlin looked around and saw a pair of hooks directly behind where the prince swung his mace in the air. His eyes glowed gold as he willed the hooks to tangle with the prat's mace, giving him a moment to get back on his feet. The prince untangled his mace and continued to advance on Merlin. Merlin's eyes glowed gold and a box moved into Arthur's path giving Merlin another moment to think. The prince recovered and Merlin magically tripped him with rope. Taking another moment to think, Merlin crouched down and happened to see his discarded mace. He grasped it and daringly advanced towards the prince. He yelled, "Do you want to give up?"

The prince looked at the way Merlin held the mace upside down, "To you?"

Unfazed, Merlin continued to advance, "Do you? Do you want to give up?"

Just then, the prince stepped in a bucket and fell backwards. Momentarily distracted by the slight victory, Merlin looked out into the crowd with a smile and caught Gaius' disapproving gaze. He faltered, and the prince attacked him from behind with a broom, forcing him onto the ground.

The prince swung the broom in his hand as guards pulled Merlin up by his arms. Merlin registered then that he would likely be spending another night in the dungeons.

Just as he got his feet under him the prince spoke to the guards, "Wait."

The prince stood directly in front of Merlin wearing a smirk, his eyes traveling up and down Merlin's body. The fight was over and yet when the royal prat looked into Merlin's eyes his gaze was still predatory, hungry. Merlin fought hard to suppress the urge to shudder.

The prince stepped close to one of the guards and spoke quietly in his ear. The guard replied, "Yes, my lord."

The prince smiled, "Take him away."

And with that, Merlin was being dragged away towards the castle, presumably to be locked away in the dungeons again. He gave Gaius an apologetic look as he passed and Gaius merely shook his head at him, disappointed.

When they entered the castle, Merlin was surprised to see he was being led away from the dungeons. He twisted somewhat in the guards' grip, "Um, we're going the wrong way."

The guard on his right spoke sharply, "Silence."

They led him up a series of stairways that seemed endless. "Where are you taking me?"

The guards didn't answer him. They turned onto the next landing and led him down a long corridor. The guard on his left pushed open a door and he was led inside what appeared to be living chambers. He was roughly pulled towards the table and forced into a chair. "Sit."

"What's going on here?"

The guards turned their backs to him and walked towards the door. Merlin stood up and yelled after them, "Hey! What -?"

They quickly exited through the door closing it behind them. Merlin sprinted towards the door and reached it just in time to hear the lock click into place from the outside. He struggled to open it and pounded against the wood, "Hey! You can't leave me here! What's going on?!" He heard footsteps walking away and he continued struggling with the door. "Come back here! Bloody bastards!"

After some time spent yelling and struggling with the door, Merlin finally gave it up and looked around the chambers he was being held captive in. They were very large living quarters, with an antechamber and master bedroom beyond. The furniture was ornate and clearly made of fine materials. He wondered from the antechamber into the bedroom. The bed was a huge four-poster bed, covered with a rich red bedspread. Glancing around as if anxious he might be seen, Merlin stretched out his hand to touch the red fabric. It was insanely soft and rich feeling. Merlin cautiously sat on the bed and noted how incredibly good the mattress felt beneath him. Merlin had grown up sleeping on the floor of his home in Ealdor and had hardly spent any time in his new bed since coming to Camelot. Even with his limited experience with beds, however, Merlin had already decided that his own must be wildly inadequate. Merlin spent a few minutes just sitting on the bed, his eyes glued to the chamber doors, expecting that someone would burst through at any moment. But no one came, so Merlin hesitantly laid down on the bed telling himself he only wanted to experience this luxury for a few minutes and then he would get up and renew his efforts of yelling through the door to get someone's attention. When Merlin's head hit the pillows, he unconsciously moaned with how good the mattress felt beneath him and the softness of the bedspread. He was so comfortable. More comfortable than he had probably been in his whole life. So, he closed his eyes just for a moment.

Merlin drifted awake to the feeling of a hand running along his thigh. He sighed pleasantly and heard an answering dark chuckle. Merlin's brows furrowed slightly. That chuckle sounded familiar somehow and it made Merlin a little ill at ease. Merlin blinked his eyes open and lifted his gaze towards the man sitting at his side on the bed stroking his thigh. Prince Arthur of Camelot smiled at him with that dark hungry look in his eyes, "Awake, are we?"

Merlin flinched hard and with a yelp tried to scramble off the bed and onto the floor. Prince Arthur caught him in his arms before he could hit the floor and pushed him back onto the bed. The prince laughed, "You really are a clutz, aren't you?"

Merlin struggled against him, "Let go of me! You giant prat!"

The prince let him go but didn't back away from where he stood over Merlin. He tsked at Merlin, "Still haven't learned your lesson I see."

Merlin inched away from him, "Where am I?"

"You're in my chambers, of course."

"What? Why?! What am I doing in your chambers?!"

The prince grinned, "I thought we might discuss that over dinner."

The prince eyed Merlin sitting on his bed, frazzled and flushed from the shock of his situation, "Unless you're feeling particularly eager?"

The prince raised an eyebrow meaningfully at him, but the intent was lost on Merlin. He furrowed his brow in confusion, "Eager?"

The prince gave an exasperated sigh, "I guess not. Come on then. Dinner it is."

The prince grabbed Merlin's forearms and pulled him from the bed. Merlin struggled and cursed as the prince guided him into the antechamber towards the dining table. Prince Arthur pushed Merlin into a chair and ordered, "Don't move."

Merlin was about to retort when he noticed the meal of rich food spread over the table. He stared at it and the prince grinned. "This food came straight from the royal kitchens. It's a meal fit for a prince, don't you think?"

Merlin lifted his gaze and narrowed his eyes at the prince, "Are you trying to poison me?"

The prince barked out a laugh, genuinely amused, "Oh, Merlin." He reached for the wine jug and filled a goblet. He kept eye contact with Merlin as he lifted the goblet to his lips and sipped. He then placed the goblet in Merlin's hand, "You know usually other people taste my food to make sure I won't be poisoned, but I'm happy to switch roles if it will help put you at ease."

Merlin wasn't sure what to make of that and just continued to stare at the prince. The prince rolled his eyes, "Go on, Merlin. That's some of the best wine in the five kingdoms. Taste it."

Merlin cautiously brought the goblet to his lips and took a small sip. The taste was bitter and Merlin didn't like it much. He must have made a face because the prince was frowning at him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's fine. I just … I've never had wine before."

The prince smiled and took the goblet from Merlin, placing it on the table, "I see. It's an acquired taste, but I'm sure you'll come to appreciate it in time. Here,"

The prince took the plate in front of Merlin and began filling it with meat, vegetables, and bread. He placed the plate back down in front of Merlin and began filling up his own plate before sitting down in the ornate chair opposite Merlin. The prince looked at him across the table and spoke exasperated, "Don't just stare, Merlin. Eat."

Merlin looked down at his plate and back at the prince, "What the hell is happening? A few hours ago you were trying to kill me."

The prince smiled in a way that may be described as fond, but that couldn't be right cause it didn't make any sense at all, "Yes well, that was this afternoon. Now I'm trying to wine and dine you. And for some ridiculous reason you're being difficult about it."

"But … why?"

"There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." The prince looked at him intently as he sipped wine from his goblet, "I'd like to offer you a position."

Merlin retorted, "As what? Your whipping boy?"

The prince smiled surprised and a bit devilish, "Not quite, but if that's what you desire, I'm not at all opposed to such … activities."

Merlin watched as the prince licked his lips and continued to eye him heatedly. Something clicked for Merlin in that moment and he feared he understood too well what the prat was suggesting. He felt his face flush and heartbeat pick up suddenly.

The prince must have seen his reaction and his eyes darkened with lust. He spoke dark and huskily, "You do like the sound of that, don't you?"

Merlin stood up quickly and sputtered, "I-I have to go now, sire. It's late. So, I'll just …"

He went to step towards the door and the prince stood up in his path. "I haven't dismissed you yet, Merlin. And you haven't even touched your food."

He leaned forwards, pinning Merlin with his commanding presence, "Sit back down and eat."

Merlin hesitated, but the prince continued to stare him down with such authority that Merlin relented and sat back down. He looked down at his plate and slowly began eating. He saw the prince sit down again in his own chair and felt the prince's eyes on him. He was determined not to look at the prince again and focused on his food as if eating were a task that demanded his full attention.

The prince spoke, "Have some more wine. It will help you relax."

Merlin tensed and momentarily froze in his movements before continuing cutting off a piece of meat. "No thank you, sire."

The prince sighed, "You'll never get used to the taste of wine if you don't drink it."

Merlin continued looking down at his plate, "I'm fine with that."

He stuffed a bite of meat into his mouth and chewed quickly. He wanted this dinner to be done as soon as possible. He had a feeling he knew why he was there and he was not interested. This boy was a presumptuous royal git who had put him in the dungeons, chased him all over the lower town with a mace, and would certainly have him sent to the pyre if he had any idea what Merlin was. Merlin was not interested in someone like that no matter how gorgeous they may be or how soft their bed was or how delicious a meal they served him.

There were a few minutes of silence as they ate before the prince spoke again determined, "I'll pay you fourteen gold pieces a week."

Merlin almost choked on his bread. He coughed violently and sputtered, "What?!"

He looked up at the prince again to see him smirking satisfied, "I think that's a reasonable price, don't you?"

Merlin gaped at him as his mind spun. His whole village didn't make fourteen gold coins in a year. He was sure he'd never even seen that much money before in his whole life. He tried to imagine it. Fourteen gold coins. He could send the money to his mother. She could buy more livestock. Hell, if they saved up, she could buy more land. He could save some money to spend on the whole village. They could buy materials to build a proper gate to protect them from thieves, tax collectors, and wild animals. They could purchase grain stores for the winter so no one would go hungry again. He thought of the last winter how he and his mother had had to ration their supplies more severely than usual. His mother had panicked as Merlin lost weight despite having already been very thin. He suspected his mother had sent him to Camelot not only so he could learn magic but also in the hopes that there would be easier winters in the city.

A grin spread across the prince's face as he saw Merlin's thoughts flit across his face. Thinking he had already won the peasant over he spoke, "That's settled then. We'll get you set up with the royal household steward tomorrow."

Merlin's eyes snapped up to meet the prince's. "What? No! No, I'm not agreeing to this!"

The prince raised his eyebrows, "You like playing hard to get? I can work with that."

Merlin flushed as he felt a foot sliding up his calf from underneath the table. He drew his chair back and instantly stood up.

"I mean it! No!"

The prince furrowed his brows together and stood slowly, "What is it? Don't you like men? You certainly seem the type."

Merlin flushed a deep red and spluttered indignantly, "I - I - that's none of your business!"

The prince hummed and nodded his head, taking Merlin's answer as confirmation. "Alright. Sixteen gold coins."

Merlin clenched his jaw and fists, feeling anger rise in his chest, "I'm not a whore! You've got no right to – to –"

The prince chuckled, "No right? I think you're forgetting something, Merlin." The prince stalked around the table towards Merlin. Panicked and confused, Merlin walked backwards and unwittingly backed up right against the wall. The prince quickly lunged forward, putting his hands on the wall on either side of Merlin and pressing close with his body. Merlin's heart beat rapidly as the prince's eyes devoured him, dark and hungry. The prince spoke low, seductively, "Twenty gold pieces. You'll be the highest paid whore in the five kingdoms. What do you say, love?"

"No. Never for a supercilious royal ass like you!" Merlin kneed the prince of Camelot between the legs in a moment of impulsive stupidity. The prince half keeled over with a grunt and Merlin managed to push away from between him and the wall. He sprinted towards the door and tried to yank it open. Merlin heard the prince yell behind him for the guards and suddenly he collided with the opening doors and fell backwards onto the floor. Two guards gripped him by the arms and dragged him up to standing. The prince stood before him, red faced and raging.

"Shall we take him to the dungeons, sire?"

The prince's eyes burned into Merlin and Merlin glared right back. The prince clenched his jaw, "No. Just get him out of my sight." At that the prince spit viciously into Merlin's face and the guards were dragging him away.

The next day, the prince and warlock stared in shock together at the dagger stuck to the chair the prince had sat in just moment's ago.

King Uther approached them with amazement on his face. "You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

Merlin looked down, "Oh, well."

The king interrupted him, "Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No honestly, you don't have to, your highness."

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well …"

"You shall be rewarded with a position in the royal household."

Merlin paled. For one horrible moment Merlin feared that the king himself would 'reward' Merlin with making him the prince's bedmate.

"You shall be prince Arthur's manservant."

At this, the king walked away. The prince stared after with a look of shocked indignation, "Father!"

As the people clapped, Merlin and the prince looked at each other, each registering the horrible, awkward position they had somehow stumbled into. They looked away.