Hungover

Merlin woke really early, feeling like there was something he needed to do. Something important, but what was it? Obviously he has to serve the prince and see to multiple errands. Knowing his luck he would probably have to save Camelot at the same time and all the while have to hide who he truly was.

He rubbed his head, trying to fathom out why he feared waking Arthur this morning. As usual he would probably have something thrown at him, get called names and be ordered around, but that was nothing new. Nothing he wasn't already used too.

"Maybe it's because he was drunk last night..." the boy thought to himself, it took a while for what he had thought to actually sink in, "Wait, he was drunk last night? Oh god..." Yes, that was it. He had to wake a prince with a likely hangover and deal with anyone who had heard or possibly even seen what happened last night.

"Rough night?" was Merlin's greeting when he left his room and hopped down the stairs. If you call a couple of steps 'stairs'. He simply nodded, not questioning why he had been asked. "Yes I suppose it was, not every night is as eventful as that."

The warlock could feel his mouth hanging open, for a moment he wondered it it was touching the floor. "B-but you were asleep!"

"My boy, how couldanyone sleep through that?" Gaius chuckled and Merlin had to resist the urge to shout something back at him. He was awake the whole time and didn't offer to help out! The poor boy had to suffer alone when he could have had a little support! Maybe he could have prevented what happened in the end... Like that kiss... Merlin blushed at the thought and quickly brushed it to one side. Maybe Arthur wouldn't remember?

-x-

Merlin took a deep breath, before silently entering Arthur's bed chambers where the Prince was still sleeping peacefully. Although, he had clearly tossed about in his sleep a little, due to the fact that his bed sheets seemed to be all over the place and one of his pillows was on the floor.

He had managed to enter his masters room but, the question 'What next?' seemed to be a problem. "Right, I will just forget last night and pretend it didn't happen. Get on with my usual chores and keep calm." He could tell him self that for the rest of his life, but it wouldn't happen. Last night he witnessed the weirdest thing ever. He has fought evil sorcerers, goblins, afancs, questing beasts and god knows what else and yet none of it compared to what happened under twelve hours ago.

"You know what, maybe I'll just go into hibernation for a while..." he sighed and looked down at his boots. Finally deciding that he would start by getting the Prince some breakfast and then, god forbid, wake him up. There probably wouldn't be any point in doing so, he certainly wouldn't be fit enough to do much and might end up sleeping the day away anyway. But then, if Merlin didn't get him up he might end up in the stocks.

He left the room and returned some time later with the royal breakfast, setting it down on the table and proceeding on with his plan. It took a bit of self motivation, but eventually he was able to pull the curtains back and call, "Rise and shine!"

Arthur groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. He seemed to be light sensitive all of a sudden and buried his head under his pillows. All but one, which still sat on the floor, cold and alone. Merlin snickered at the sight before him, a hungover prince.

After a couple of minutes the monarch sat up and stared at the wall before him. His hair was all over the place, sticking up on all directions and he looked like he was trying to remember how his body worked, attempting to regain full control over his muscles. He watched as his servant striated the room out and noticed he was acting a little strange.

"Your breakfast is ready, sire." Arthur heard Merlin call to him as he was changing behind the screen, but he never replied.

During that time Merlin tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He refused to help the the Prince change and came up with some lousy excuse as to why. He didn't like being within 10 feet of the man and couldn't look at him at all. At least, he tried not to. Was it all because of that stupid kiss? "Really Merlin, it's not like it was any good anyway... Besides it wasn't real and why would you want it to be?" The poor boy was so oblivious...

Soon Arthur had finished getting dressed and was eating his breakfast. An appetising meal that consisted of white bread, some cooked ham and for some unknown reason he had been given half a dozen pickled eggs. For a start, he didn't know where Merlin got the idea that he liked pickled eggs for breakfast, but on top of that why had he been given six? He was struggling to eat as it was, without having six pickled eggs on top!

"Arthur," Merlin was about to attempt fate, "Do you remember what happened last night?"

"The last thing I remember was telling Gwain I would only have one drink and ending up having over five!"

The wizard nodded and tried to ignore the Princes 'why-what-happened' stare. Luckily for him, he wasn't questioned, although Arthur did want to know why he had asked. Merlin felt relived all of a sudden and was soon back to his normal self. Calling his master names and being a servant. It was once again a normal day in Camelot.

-x-

Arthur had only been up for a few hours when he started seeing images in his head. Memories of a forgotten night. He sat staring into the fire, focusing completely on the images going round in his head.

"Aw, come on Arthur!" Gwain called as Arthur stood up to leave the tavern, "Just one more drink, I promise," the prince wasn't going to fall for it. He had been saying that since their first drink and that 'one more' would turn into another. He had lost count of how much he had drunk in the end.

Now he had finally decided to leave, along with several other knights. If they didn't, the bar owner would have probably thrown them out himself. They all stood up and wobbled out of the building, arm in arm singing babies lullaby's at the top of their voices. They wandered through the market town for a while, not really paying any attention to where they were going, before splitting up.

Arthur found himself unsure what to do, he knew he needed to get some sleep, but wanted to see his servant first. The young man he has started to admire and see in a different light. With that thought on his mind he made his way towards Gaius' quarters.

"Arthur?" Merlin said for the sixth time. The future king hadn't realised his servant was calling his name. The dark haired man stood in front of him, waving his hand in front of his eyes. "Helloo? Are you there?"

"Oh stop it, Merlin. Of course I am here, where else would I be?" he replied after blinking and shaking his head gently. Though, even the slightest shake hurt. It felt like his brain was rattling around inside his skull.

"I dunno, you could have entered a trance or something..." Arthur glared at his manservant, his usual shut-the-heck-up glare. "Erm anyway, Gaius told me to give you this. I should help with the erm... hangover."

The prince took a small vial from Merlin's hands and downed it in one. Not looking at the liquid inside or stopping to smell it as if it were a rose. I tasted disgusting, "What was in that?" he grimaced.

Merlin laughed and told him it was best if he didn't know. He really wouldn't like the answer. Arthur just agreed and returned to the fire, eventually falling asleep for a while...

-x-

Merlin hopped back and forth between Arthur and his duties, it was peaceful and easy since the prince fell into a deep slumber and hadn't woken for a few hours. The warlock accidentally bumped into Guinevere in the corridor, due to the fact he was carrying a large pile of sheets, so tall he couldn't see over the top of them.

"I am so sorry." he apologised as he helped the young woman up and started picking up what he had dropped, "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to see Gaius, I hoped he could make something to deal with the knights hangovers." she explained and Merlin rose an eyebrow, "The boys, they got drunk last night," he nodded, knowing that part, "I am having to deal with them all. So relieved that I don't have Arthur on top, how is he?"

"He's sleeping at the moment."

"Really? Wow, I wish the others were. They are complaining like a bunch of girls. What did you do, knock him out with a brick?" Gwen joked and the two laughed for a moment, "Did you see him last night?"

Merlin's smile dropped, he hadn't been thinking about then for a reason. Why was it haunting him! Quickly he put his grin back on before anyone noticed, "Yeah, he was completely out of his mind," Gwen was becoming curious, but didn't question the young man. She knew it would have been rude and had more manners than that. "I have to return to him. Gaius gave me a remedy for Arthur, he should be able to mix you up a few."

They parted ways with Merlin eager to escape the subject. Suddenly he was feeling weird again, but blessed that the Prince didn't remember past events... That he knew off...

-x-

"I believe I owe you an apology," Arthur said as Merlin walked into the room. The wizard didn't actually know what the prince was talking about, so he passed it off as sleepy speech. "Did you hear me Merlin?"

"What have you got to apologise for, sire?" he questioned, a little bit confused. Arthur never apologised, least of all to him. Even when he knew he had done or said something wrong.

"For what I-" he cleared his throat, "For my actions last night." his face turned bright red. As did Merlin's, but he was hidden behind that pile of sheets.

"Y-y-you remember t-that?" Merlin stammered and stepped around the room, walking sideways just to hide his beet red face. He couldn't believe it. How long had the prat known? Had he ever forgotten it?

"Faintly," the warlock thought he was going to collapse. His mind and heart were racing for reasons he couldn't imagine. His whole body was getting hot and he began to feel light headed. It wasn't surprising when he actually did fall to his knees; throwing the clean washing all over the place.

Arthur was soon by his side, helping him up. The scene looked familiar, they were stood the way they had last night, only in opposite positions. They stood still for a while as Merlin felt extremely dizzy. For a moment he though the room was spinning. "Do you remember passing out?"

Merlin worried that if the prince remembered last night, had he seen his magic? The last thing he wanted was to be burnt for sorcery. He didn't know how Arthur would react, "Yes, you must have been relived," he was taking that as a no. He hadn't be caught.

Arthur sat Merlin on his bed where, at least if he did faint he wouldn't hurt himself. Luckily he was starting to feel a little better. The future king spoke again, "I can explain what happened-"

"There's no need. You were drunk. I understand completely."

"No, I mean yes, I was drunk, but still..." he trailed off and ended up getting weird looks from his manservant. What was he going to say. If he said what he wanted to, would that spoil the friendship between them. Merlin on the other hand, was completely oblivious to what was going on and had no idea what Arthur was trying to say. Not even the slightest suspicion."Merlin, you said last night, that you will still be here when I am king. Why?"

That question took the warlock by surprise, he found himself speechless and unsure how to answer. Why would he stay by Arthur's side? He knew it was more than destiny, but was it friendship? The prince was getting impatient and the silence was driving him insane. "Okay, that's it!" he cried and before Merlin could ask what was wrong, their lips were touching for the second, no, third time.

The kiss felt different to that of the kisses last night, this one was passionate and almost romantic, it felt nice. Suddenly Merlin understood everything, his feelings and Arthur's,"I would stand by you because I care for you, my lord." THE END