Summary: Something is rotten in the state of Camelot. A love story.
The Worm In The Bud (Part 4: Malefact) by frostygossamer
The apprehensively awaited King Malefact finally arrived for his diplomatic visit. Uther greeted his visitor like a brother, despite his boorish manner. Arthur tried to stay in the background. Malefact had a lecherous reputation.
Treaty and trade talks commenced between Malefact and his entourage, and King Uther and his council. Business was expedited with copious quantities of good food and strong wine. Arthur was obliged to be present. And he wished deeply that he wasn't, as throughout the talks, Malefact's attention was drawn to him.
Later that evening, after dinner, Uther spoke to his son.
"King Malefact is a prime mover in our region of Albion", Uther explained. "It's vital, for the safety and prosperity of Camelot, that we cement a very sure alliance with his kingdom. The military supremacy and the continued prosperity of this kingdom depend on it."
Arthur nodded his agreement.
"So you see that we need Malefact to sign this treaty. We need it very much", he continued. "I want you to be agreeable to Malefact. I need you to make him happy. You will go to his chamber tonight and let him use you. Do whatever he wants. Then tomorrow he will sign, and all will be well for Camelot."
Uther breezed out of the room, leaving Arthur stabbed to the heart.
He sat frozen in his seat, stunned. What was his father asking him to do? He couldn't believe his ears. It wasn't bad enough that Uther continually used him for his own pleasure, now he wanted to lend him out to others, like a common whore. How much lower would Uther go to humiliate him? The worst thing was that Arthur knew that he could do nothing except go through with it.
When Merlin went to Arthur's chambers, later that day, he found his prince looking more than usually upset about something.
"Has he summoned you to his room?", he asked, sympathetically.
"Worse than that", Arthur replied. "He has ordered me to go to Malefact's chamber and pleasure him tonight, for the sake of the treaty."
Merlin was flabbergasted. "He can't ask you to do that!", he yelped.
"The king can order me to do whatever he wants", Arthur explained. "And I have no option but to do it."
He sighed. "I suppose it won't be so bad. It's only one night."
"Oh no, that's too much", Merlin objected. "You're not going to do this. Not while I'm here. I'll go in your place. I don't suppose the old pervert really cares which young body he defiles."
Arthur's face crumpled. "Merlin, Merlin, I forbid you. I'm not going to let you sacrifice your innocence for me. I can do this. I lost my innocence long ago. What's one more fuck?"
"Don't worry", Merlin answered with a crafty smile. "Malefact won't lay a finger on me."
Merlin patted the little vial of poison in his pocket, before he rapped on the door. Malefact opened it with a look of lascivious expectation on his face.
"King Uther has sent me to attend to your desires tonight, my lord", Merlin began.
Malefact looked him up and down. "How old are you, boy?", he asked.
"Old enough, but not too old", Merlin answered, enigmatically.
Malefact opened the door wider to allow the boy entry. "Come in. Come in", he bade him.
Merlin entered Malefact's chamber, glancing around for the complimentary flagon of wine always left for a guest. It stood on the bedside table, along with an empty goblet.
Malefact was a big man and clumsy in his movements, but it still took mere seconds for Merlin to find himself pinned against the bedpost.
"Do you have experience in pleasing a man?", Malefact asked, leering at him.
"No", Merlin replied truthfully.
"Then I'll have to teach you", Malefact declared. It sounded like a threat.
Merlin swallowed nervously.
"You're nervous", Malefact chortled.
"Perhaps a sip of wine would help me relax", Merlin suggested.
"Good idea", Malefact agreed. "I don't need you too tensed up to penetrate", he said, not mincing his words.
Merlin sighed in relief as Malefact released him, to get the flagon and goblet. He sat on the bed attempting to drape himself alluringly. Malefact poured a draft of wine into the goblet and thrust it under Merlin's nose. Merlin took it from him and sipped a tiny sip.
"Go on. Drink up", Malefact ordered, lifting the foot of the goblet to encourage Merlin to drink. Merlin almost choked. Malefact took the goblet from him, and set it down with the flagon. He slipped his big rough hands up under Merlin's tunic.
"Skinny little thing, aren't you?", he said, rubbing Merlin's nipples roughly with his calloused thumbs.
Merlin fought the desire to throw the man off, and run screaming from the room. Instead he smiled and allowed the giant to press him down into the mattress. Malefact chuckled and squashed his big stubbly mouth against the boy's lips. Merlin slipped the vial from his pocket and attempted to reach the goblet on the nightstand. It was just too far away.
Merlin felt the urge to be sick, as Malefact's tongue pushed itself into his mouth. He tasted of onions and halitosis. Merlin summoned his magic and forced the goblet to inch towards him across the table, until it was just within reach. Popping off the vial's stopper with his thumb, Merlin poured its entire contents into the cup.
Malefact stopped kissing Merlin and stared admiringly into his face.
"You have such beautiful eyes", he murmured in wonder. "They even seem to change colour."
"Just a trick of the light", Merlin mumbled. "Don't you want some wine?"
Malefact laughed heartily and, picking up the half-filled goblet, drained it with one swig, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He grinned at Merlin, his stubby fingers unfastening the ties of his own breeches.
"Actually, I feel a bit...", he gasped and promptly collapsed on the bed, on top of Merlin, dead to the world.
Merlin scrambled out from under him and headed for the door. He ran down the corridor, retching a bit from the horrible taste of Malefact in his mouth, and locked himself in Arthur's room.
In the morning, King Malefact's manservant found his master alive but apparently gravely ill. There was no option but for the whole entourage to return home. The treaty remained unsigned. King Uther was not a happy man.
Uther was livid. You could tell just how livid by the way he didn't pace, he didn't shout at the servants, he didn't throw things. He just sat there on his throne, blind fury escaping from his ears, like steam from a pressure cooker.
Arthur's heart sank like a lead weight, as he approached the throne room. It wasn't his fault, but he had to take responsibility for what Merlin had done. Merlin had done it for his sake.
A guard pulled open the door and he walked in, trying to convey an air of untroubled composure. He stood before his father, head erect.
"What in the name of Hades did you do to Malefact last night?", Uther demanded.
"Nothing, Sire", Arthur replied. "I merely did as you told me."
He glanced around the room. They were alone.
"I went to King Malefact's room and submitted to his will, as you required of me", he said. "He was well when I left him."
"Bah!", Uther exclaimed. "Some time during the night he succumbed to a sinister malady. His people were forced to take him back to his kingdom at first light. You know nothing of this?"
"Nothing, Sire", Arthur repeated.
"Argh!", Uther cried, unconvinced. "The treaty I had set my hopes on remains unsigned. And that's your fault, Arthur. I'm going to have to teach you to obey. Go to my chambers, I will be there directly."
Arthur went obediently to his fate. His father was going to make him pay with his body for Merlin's antics last night.
Arthur had had misgivings about allowing Merlin to go to Malefact's chamber. He would rather have gone himself. And he was more than glad when Merlin returned to his room a few minutes later, ruffled but still intact. It had taken several drafts of mead to wash the taste of Malefact out of the boy's mouth, and calm his racing heart.
He had told Merlin that he could have administered the potion to Malefact himself, although he would probably have just bitten his lip and given himself to the oaf, rather than risk trouble later. Now he was going to have to submit to his punishment.
Merlin waylaid him on the way to Uther's rooms. His face was one big question.
"Does he suspect anything?", he enquired.
"He doesn't need to suspect, Merlin", Arthur replied miserably. "He's angry, very angry. That's all that matters."
Merlin looked panicky. "Don't go to him, Arthur", he said. "He'll hurt you."
Arthur gave Merlin a cold look. "I've been hurt before. It's nothing new. He'll take out his temper on my arse and then he'll get over it. He always does."
Merlin could have wept, just at the resignation in Arthur's voice. As he turned to walk away, he heard the click of Uther's door closing behind his prince, and winced.
TBC
A/N: Oh no, it got worse! But that's it, right? Steel yourself for the denouement! Please read on.