Summary: Something is rotten in the state of Camelot. A love story.
The Worm In The Bud (Part 6: Love) by frostygossamer
The King's apartments of Camelot Castle were abhorrent to both Arthur and Merlin. So Arthur remained in his old chambers, and Merlin selected himself a suitable guest room, on the same floor as Arthur's.
Even though he was no longer a servant, Merlin thought he ought to put Arthur to bed just the same, considering what he'd been through that day.
Servants had filled Arthur's bathtub, and he was soaking in the deliciously hot scented water, when Merlin entered his room.
"That water looks tempting", Merlin said, still feeling a little tired and achy from the battle.
Arthur shifted to one end of the tub. "Get in, Merlin", he offered, with a friendly smile. Merlin gratefully stripped and slid into the other end of the tub, turning to face him.
"I suppose it's safe to do this now?", Arthur asked, uncertainly. Merlin nodded.
After a few minutes, Arthur suddenly remarked, "So, you've been a sorcerer all along."
Merlin shrugged. "All my life", he confirmed.
Arthur was silent. Somehow Merlin had expected that conversation to be more difficult.
They lay and relaxed in the steamy bath until it started to cool, when they both got out and towelled themselves, and each other, dry. Then they moved towards Arthur's bed. Arthur got into his bed and moved to one side, to make room for Merlin.
Merlin wavered. "I have my own chambers now, near by", he told him, not wishing to presume.
"No", Arthur responded hastily. "Not for tonight." So Merlin slipped in beside him.
"I'm finding it hard to believe, but I'm glad that it's all over now. Thanks to you, Merlin", Arthur said, then he turned over on to his stomach and spread his legs.
"You saved me from my father, Merlin", he muttered into his pillow. "You're the master here now. I'm truly grateful."
Merlin's heart broke for him. "Arthur", he cried. "You don't have to do that any more. I gave you the crown of Camelot today. I made you king. You don't have to degrade yourself for anyone ever again."
Arthur rolled onto his side, facing Merlin with a questioning look.
"I swore fealty to you today as my king", Merlin explained, earnestly. "I want nothing but for you to rule and to be your counsellor, and perhaps your favourite, nothing more."
"I would like that", Arthur agreed, leaning towards Merlin and kissing him on the temple. "It's not going to be easy for me to assume power. I'll need you by my side, Merlin."
Merlin smiled and smoothed Arthur's tousled hair. "It's your destiny, Arthur", he said. "And I believe in you. You have it in you to be a great king. The greatest Albion has ever known."
"Right now, all I believe in is your love, Merlin", Arthur whispered. "That's what I really need."
Merlin stroked his fingers lazily along the soft stubble of Arthur's chin.
"Have you ever made love before?", he asked, suddenly curious.
"Never", Arthur replied simply.
"Not even with Guinevere?", Merlin probed.
"No", Arthur admitted. "Not even with sweet Guinevere. There was a time, when we were younger, that I wanted to. But I realised it couldn't be, for her sake. And I needed her friendship more than anything. She's still a virgin."
"And so am I", Merlin confessed, with a shy smile.
"I know", Arthur said. "I can tell. You have a pure aura."
Merlin chuckled, "So do you."
"Hardly", Arthur replied. "I've been soiled, and used like a piece of meat for years."
"But you have a pure heart, Arthur", Merlin insisted. "I can feel it", and he placed his hand over Arthur's heart. The warmth of his hand felt good against Arthur's skin.
Merlin closed his eyes and leant back into the pillows, his lips slightly parted. Arthur knew he was waiting to be kissed, but he hesitated.
"I'd rather not hurt you", he mumbled, feeling unsure.
"You won't hurt me", Merlin replied, his blue eyes laughing. "We're just going to play. Love doesn't have to be rough, Arthur. It's not supposed to make you cry. We'll start with some little kisses and then we'll explore. And I promise to be gentle."
Arthur demurred, "Your purity is a precious thing, Merlin."
"And I want to share it with you, Arthur", Merlin assured him. "It's my choice, freely given."
Arthur stared at him for a long moment. "I was never allowed to choose", he said.
Merlin slid his fingers behind Arthur's neck, and guided his lips against his own. The kiss was chaste and sweet.
"You can say no if you want", he whispered.
"I don't want to say no", Arthur murmured. "Not to you."
He brushed his lips against Merlin's again, and the boy's slim body trembled. He could feel the love in him and he needed it.
Merlin sighed softly. "Arthur", he breathed. "Just close your eyes and love me."
Arthur closed his eyes.
The following weeks were as difficult as Arthur had foretold. But the people of Camelot were behind their beloved prince, now their beloved king, and the fame of Merlin's dangerous magic had travelled beyond Camelot's borders.
Neighbouring kings and princes knew that Camelot was protected by a force that they could not hope to defeat. Emissaries arrived day and night to express the peaceful intentions of those for whom Camelot would make a far better friend than an enemy.
Arthur should have been content, but his sleep was still troubled. Night after night he awoke screaming from some nightmare in which his father, that fiend Uther, returned to exact revenge on Camelot and on his traitorous son. If Merlin hadn't been there to hold him, and weave a spell around him, he wouldn't have slept at all.
In the courtyard, the petrified visage of the former king carried a cold and ugly stare, that twisted the stomachs of all who looked upon it.
Only an intimate few knew of Uther's iniquity. The citizenry of Camelot could still believe he had been a good king. They might wonder why he had had to suffer his terrible fate, but they would never know. Arthur would live without the taint of that shame. The slate was erased. Arthur's life began again from that day.
Lady Morgana slipped out of her room at midnight. She had been awoken yet again by the heart-rending sound of Arthur's bad dreams.
When Morgana had first heard the dreadful truth, from the very lips of her faithful maidservant and friend, Guinevere, she had fainted clean away. Since then she had remained in her private chambers, immured by guilt and shame.
Dear Uther, who had raised her from a girl, and had lavished on her love and all her heart's desires, had turned out to be a monster. Little by little he had driven a wedge between her and the boy who should have been like a brother.
There was no expressing the disgust she had felt, when she learnt the full extend of the man's evil. And she blamed herself for not knowing, for not guessing. She had been betrayed. They both had been betrayed. Merlin had stopped Uther, but she meant to destroy him once and for all.
Enveloped in a long black velvet cloak, with the voluminous hood pulled down over her face, she stamped heavily through the castle on her way to the courtyard.
The cold bronze of Uther towered above her, taunting her with his remorseless gaze. She lowered her hood and stared into his frozen eyes.
"Uther!", she yelled. "Father! How could you have done this thing? How could you have hurt everyone who loved you? You bastard!"
With a howl, she pulled her sword, the very sword that Uther had had forged especially for her, from beneath her cloak. Using both hands, she swung it around her head three times, and struck Uther's perfidious head right off his wicked shoulders.
"Ha!", she cried. "That's for all the evil you've done, Uther, for everyone you've hurt. That's for Ygraine, for Vivienne, for Gorlois, for Arthur and for me."
She turned towards the place where Arthur lay, "Now you can sleep soundly, brother", she promised.
Leaping onto her mount, Morgana galloped bareback past the startled guards, out through the gates of Camelot, and into the forest, to join her half-sister.
In his bedchamber, the new king sighed restfully, and pulled his lover close against him.
Peace descended on Camelot.
The End
A/N: I hoped you enjoyed that. I hope you found it involving. Thank you everyone who got this far and thanks for all the lovely reviews!