As time for the banquet approached, Arthur became impatient. Gaius hadn't showed up yet. He watched Merlin sleep, with a peaceful expression on his face. He frowned as he stared at him, taking a few minutes to try and answer the question of his feelings.
Maybe Merlin had enchanted him? It didn't make sense, but it made less sense that the flutter in his chest every time Merlin smiled was a genuine emotion. Arthur had never even considered such a thing to be possible between two men. The same flutter of infatuation that he'd felt with a few women growing up. Maybe he'd just never noticed it before, or maybe after being so intimate with Merlin, there simply was no way of keeping such feelings suppressed.
He leaned in and stole a peck to the lips. Merlin didn't stir, reminding Arthur of what those maids had done. He got out of bed and got dressed in his now dry clothes, taking his time to tie his trouser ties properly without Merlin's help. He slipped his boots on and glanced at Merlin one last time before making his way to Gaius' chambers.
Surprisingly, Gaius was passing his fingers through several books, looking for something.
"Gaius? Did you figure out what Merlin had been slipped?" Arthur asked. Gaius looked up looking serious.
"I'm afraid not, sire. The maids merely laughed in my face, the nerve! One, Evangelie, said, and I quote, 'it's what he deserves'" Gaius said.
"Is that so?" Arthur said slowly. "Thank you, Gaius, I'll be right back." Arthur marched straight to the kitchens, trying to cool down the fire in his veins.
He entered the kitchen slowly, his eyes roaming the space, pinning down all the maids present at the moment. The food was all prepared and the front-line servants were making their trips to and from the banquet hall, taking the succulent dishes with them.
"Your royal highness!" The cook said surprised, making everyone turn their attention to him and give a bow.
"I'm looking for Evangelie." Arthur said pleasantly. The maid in question flinched and looked up, nervous.
"Th-that's me, my Lord." She must have been around Arthur's age, probably a couple of years older.
"Excellent, the woman I'm looking for. I need to know what you drugged my manservant with when he had lunch." He said with a pleasant smile. She paled considerably.
"M-my lord?"
"There's no use denying it, Gaius already told me what you said, what was it? 'It's what he deserves?'" Arthur crossed his arms over his chest. "Now tell me, why would my manservant deserve to be poisoned?"
"P-poisoned? No! We wouldn't! We just wanted to tease him a bit! The potion was just meant to have him make a fool out of himself at the banquet! It leaves the system within a day." She said panicked.
"Merlin serves me! If he makes a fool of himself I make a fool of myself! Is that what you wanted? For your crown prince embarrassed before the king?" Arthur yelled. The woman burst into tears, shaking her head.
"No, my Lord. Please, I beg forgiveness." She wept.
"I want to know everyone that was involved, from suggestion, to execution." Arthur said. Evangelie turned to the other two pale-looking maids.
"It was Bessy's idea! A-and Margaret picked the flower!" She said.
"It was Evangelie that wanted him humiliated in public!" They turned on each other right there and then.
"Girls! I am ashamed!" The cook said horrified. "Despite what the prince's manservant's…" She glanced at Arthur. "…roles are, you never should tamper with food! You work in the kitchens for heaven's sake!" The cook exclaimed.
Arthur smiled. "Not any more. You're all sacked." They looked up at him in shock. "And don't you dare insult me by begging for your jobs. No one harms my manservant and gets away with it." Arthur said coldly.
"B-but my lord." The cook said. "I need the help. The Yuletide feast is in three days time."
Arthur looked at her. "I have a few recommendations. I know a number of well-abled servants unable to find a job at the moment. I'll mention it to them. I'm sure they'll only be too honoured." Arthur said. Looks like he'd be returning to the brothel once more, hopefully for the last time. He took the flower the maids gave him, hidden behind a pot of spices. He turned to leave.
"S-sire, please, I… my mother is sick, I-"
He turned to her, not an inch of sympathy in his soul. "Then you should have thought of her when you stepped so far out of line." He said dangerously low and they whimpered, crying still.
"Please, your royal hi-"
"That will be all." Arthur said, turning his back to them, making his way back to Gaius, the flower taken carefully in his hand.
oOoOoOo
Merlin woke up with a gasp, the room was spinning. He turned to his right and saw the empty space where Arthur had been. Why didn't Arthur wake him? He was going to be late to the banquet.
He stood and held his head, trying to get the world to stop spinning. Finally, after a few seconds, his mind seemed to settle enough for him to get dressed and stumble to the dinning hall. He stumbled past the servants, who looked at him with less disdain and more wild panic that a servant was making their way through the court at dinner while unable to walk on a straight line.
He could barely see five feet in front of him without his vision blurring. It wasn't until he arrived behind Arthur's chair that he realised he wasn't even there. Neither was the king. Everyone seemed to rise and look behind Merlin.
Merlin turned around to see Uther Pendragon staring at him with wild annoyance, Morgana followed close behind and looked at him in concern. It looked like she was saying his name but she couldn't hear her.
Merlin doubled over and vomited all over the king's shoes and trousers.
oOoOoOo
Arthur frowned as he looked at the pale gold potion that Gaius gave him. Just where had Merlin gone? He rushed back to the room only to find him gone.
"Arthur, what the devil happened to Merlin?" Morgana demanded as she stormed toward him.
"You found him? Where is he?" Arthur asked.
"Found him? He came to the banquet like he always does, only you weren't there. Uther comes in, everyone stands in greeting, Merlin turns and…" Morgana looked like she was struggling to hold back laughter. "Merlin threw up all over him." She burst out laughing then, shaking her head and then looking serious. "Uther's sentenced Merlin to a night in the stocks starting now." She said.
"What?" Arthur clenched his jaw and stormed over to his father's quarters. Uther was just leaving, wearing what must have been a new set of clothes. "Father, Merlin doesn't deserve a night in the stocks."
"I really don't wish to discuss this, Arthur. That boy flounders in, swaying on the spot and has the… gall to…"
"Father, the kitchen maids drugged him. I have the antidote, he'll be fine in a few hours. You can't leave him out there all night! It's freezing!" Arthur exclaimed.
"I can and I will, because I am king. Now let's go, we're both late for the banquet." Uther grumbled. Arthur glared at his retreating back and stood up straight, ignoring his father's order and missing the banquet.
oOoOoOo
Merlin trembled from the cold, fresh snow starting to fall. The cold seeped into his bones and his head cleared enough for the world to stop spinning.
No one was about to throw rotten fruit at him. It was dark and everyone had already gone to seek the warmth of their hearth.
"So unfair." Merlin mumbled. This wasn't even his fault. Then again, Uther's face might have just made freezing in the night worthwhile.
He heard crunching in the snow and looked up to see the guard from that first night, leering at him just like he'd done ever since they passed each other in the castle. He was out of his armour, meaning he wasn't on duty and didn't have places to be.
"Well, well." The guard said slowly walking around out of Merlin's line of sight. Panic set in Merlin's veins as he heard the crunching in the snow getting closer. A hand was placed firmly on his lower back. "What have we here… you must be cold." He practically purred.
"Don't touch me!" Merlin exclaimed, struggling against the stock's restraints and the urge of his magic to burst out.
"Why not? If you mewling for the prince was anything to go on, you seem to enjoy getting a man's firm embrace." The man began to slip his fingers under his shirt and Merlin felt the tips of his fingers burning his skin. He felt even dizzier and he struggled harder. He couldn't pass out now! No!
Suddenly, the intrusive touch was gone with the sharp sound of a strangled animal.
oOoOoOo
Arthur grabbed the guard by the back of his cloak, tugging hard enough for him to give a strangled choke as he was thrown off Merlin. Merlin looked up at him, his legs looking like they were about to give way from relief.
Arthur pressed his knife to the guard's neck. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked very slowly.
"S-sire! I-I wasn't… I was…"
Arthur leaned close enough for the other to hear the threat in his whisper. "If you, or anyone else ever touches him again. I will kill you for your dishonourable existence." Arthur promised and pressed his knife harder.
"Y-yes! Yes, sire! Of course! I understand!" He exclaimed. Arthur pushed off the guard's chest to get back up, knocking the air out of him in the process. Arthur looked down at the guard with contempt. The guard must have seen something that terrified him in Arthur's eyes, because he scrambled back and ran off as fast as his legs could carry him.
Arthur turned to Merlin and knelt before him.
oOoOoOo
Merlin shuddered as Arthur appeared in his vision once more. "Apologies, sire. I didn't mean to... throw up on your father." Merlin said.
Arthur smiled softly at him. "What I would have given to see it." He mumbled. Merlin found that strange but assumed his dizziness was now making him imagine words too. "Here, drink up." He said, uncorking a vial and tipping it in Merlin's mouth.
Merlin grimaced at the bitterness but swallowed all the same. "What was that?" He asked.
"Something to take away the dizziness." Arthur said simply and Merlin nodded, teeth clattering as the wind brought down the snow faster on him. Merlin felt Arthur dust the snow off his back and place his fur-lined coat over it, followed by a thick black cloak that Merlin couldn't remember Arthur ever owning.
Arthur sat down and leaned against one of the posts of the stocks. "A-Arthur... it's freezing. Go inside." Merlin said, feeling so tired, his teeth clattering from time to time, his body trembling to try and heat him up.
"You still haven't gotten it, have you?" Arthur looked up, meeting his eyes with the kindest smile Merlin could remember. "I'm the one that gives the orders." Arthur said and Merlin smiled, looking down.
"Did you at least eat something, sire? You know you become unbearable on an empty stomach." Merlin said.
"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur said softly.
"My point exactly." Merlin mumbled and he thought he saw Arthur smile, amused. After sitting for a few minutes in silence, Arthur turned to face Merlin and reached up his hands to hold onto his pale, bound hands, wrapping them in his warmth.
"What are you doing, Arthur?" Merlin asked softly, his heart racing in his chest.
"I'm warming your hands up. I forgot to get your gloves." Arthur said, rubbing the top of Merlin's hands with his thumbs.
His destiny was just so cruel. Why was it trying to confuse him so much?
"You can't stay here all night, Arthur." Merlin said, his head slowly clearing up. Arthur looked up at him with a fire in his eyes.
"Is that a challenge?" Arthur asked and sat back down, refusing to move. Merlin closed his eyes, whispering a spell to make them both a little warmer. Otherwise he was sure they'd both catch their deaths overnight.
oOoOoOo
Morgana walked down the corridor, pausing as he saw Uther staring out of one of the glass covered windows and came to stand beside him, looking at what he was staring.
Arthur was sitting beside the stocks, waiting beside Merlin. "He can't stay there all night." Uther said.
Morgana looked back down. "If you truly believe that, then you don't know Arthur." Morgana said, smiling at her brother, proud to be able to call him that.
"He'll come in. I know it." Uther said.
"I guess we'll see." Morgana said, making her way to her rooms.
When she returned late at night, Uther was still standing there. As she approached the window, Arthur was still there, head back, snow trying to coat the top of his head as he slept and Merlin just about able to reach to dust it off.
"Why are they so peculiar?" Uther asked as he stared at the two. Morgana reasoned, it was Uther's own fault for having them lie together in the first place.
"What does it matter? As long as it keeps Arthur distracted and away from other ladies' beds?" She said. Uther looked at her as if she'd said the wisest thing.
"Of course, how could I forget. No, this is perfect. The more Arthur dotes on that servant, the less distractions for him. When the ideal match arrives, Arthur will not have sired any…" He hesitated as he glanced at Morgana.
"Any what?" Morgana asked innocently.
Uther became flustered and turned to leave. "Have them released. I won't have my son freezing to death over a mere servant." He said and finally retired for the night looking oh so satisfied with himself.