Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except the things that I do, which does not include the rights to this show.
Rating: M, the scene actually happens in this chapter! yay!
Spoilers: Up to Series 2
Warning:MalexMale, once more the actual male on male scene happens in this chapter, so if you thought I was just playing at slash writing please turn away and leave for I will scar you with the beautiful coupling between these two. Thank you, rant over.
A/N: So, yeah the last chapter was just too long to fit in Merlin finding out about the curse and then the confrontation between Arthur and him so I stopped the chapter right when he asked Merlin to sing to him. I was going to wait till tomorrow to upload this chapter but the reviews you guys left about how much you were looking forward to seeing Merlin and Arthur get it on made me realize it would be a cruel thing to keep it from you, so I am uploading this chapter right after I uploaded the last chapter. This was originally supposed to be the final chapter of the story and then maybe an epilogue but I decided to add a kinda short chapter after this one of their hashing out the "morning after" as it were and discussing what they want to do now that they both realize the potential of their relationship. Since I still haven't quite finished tweaking that chapter I might pull an all nighter, but you guys are worth it! XD I usually like to leave my fics a little open ended but I felt like I should write what happens the morning after so that the epilogue will be in more context. You guys are awesome! I love all the reviews and every time I see a story alert, I think how awesome you guys are so I think you deserve two chapters in one day! See? Reviews work, they make us authors want to give you more and more. ;) Enjoy!
~Arthur's POV~
Arthur knew what to expect at this point and the spell did not fail to disappoint. Merlin started humming and immediately Arthur began to "hear" his life song in his head.
It started off, of course, in Elador with Merlin running away from some other children (Were they throwing stones at him?) The boy crouched down in the woods as tears fell from his face chanting: 'It's not my fault. I didn't mean to.' over and over as he rocked back and forth.
He saw Will befriending the boy, after the same children were taunting him once more.
He then saw the two as men in the same clearing sharing a pressing hug. 'It's not fair! How can she just send you away some where you have never been! Just because she is afraid of what you are and what you can do!'
Merlin pushed the man at arm's length away from him. 'She just is afraid FOR me Will, not afraid OF me. And I know this is hardly what I wanted but it feels… it feels like this is what I need to do. Start somewhere that no one knows me and no one expects anything more of me than what I am. Please understand and don't bear any ill will toward my mother for this. It's the right thing for me now.'
Will sighed and pulled the scrawny Merlin back to him. 'Don't forget your old pal Will when you get to that great kingdom, alright? You know what they do to your kind there and I don't want to have to hear that I have to kick some royal's ass just because you couldn't control yourself while out to market, you hear?'
Laughing, Merlin pulled away and began leading his friend out of the woods, 'I promise but you have to look out for my Ma alright? Now that I'm not here, just make sure she doesn't get too lonely without her son to check on her?'
The scene changed to Merlin watching one of the men who had been practicing magic being executed in the square, the horror and fear that had gripped Merlin in that moment settled something for Arthur that he had long suspected of Merlin: He truly was a practitioner of magic.
As if to prove this thought, Arthur watched Merlin as he saved Gaius' life and explained to him that he didn't practice magic, that it had always just been a part of him.
He saw Merlin meeting the Dragon and being told of their entwined destinies. (How did Merlin handle that at that time? He would have hated himself and being attached forever to someone like that was not something he would have taken so graciously like Merlin did.)
In fact, Arthur saw many things that Merlin had suffered through (watching the man with Freya had not been easy. Arthur really didn't want to fully deal with his emotions just yet but he knew that was definitely jealousy he was feeling and he didn't know what to do with THAT development) and situations he had caused since he became Arthur's manservant, but the moment he made the decision to kill Morgana to save the kingdom, that truly struck Arthur.
He saw the anguish that Merlin had suffered under, the strength it had taken to save them all. Even though he was crushed Morgana would try so hard to kill Uther and destroy Camelot, he was more hurt at all Merlin had to suffer under with only Gaius knowing of his deeds.
Everything Merlin had done for him, everything Merlin had to suffer through to help protect their destiny was just further proof for Arthur that he could trust Merlin, that Merlin was just as dedicated to their future and Camelot as he was.
Sure they had many things to discuss, like Morgana and what they could do to keep the bloody idiot better hidden away from Uther's hate and vengeance, but Arthur felt as if he and Merlin would be nothing but closer now.
Unlike every other song, Arthur didn't see what lay further in Merlin's future, instead he found himself in the presence of his mother. She was a little different than the one Morgause had shown (My God, that was Morgana's sister! How had he not noticed the resemblance?)
She was smaller than he thought, but she seemed to glow with a happiness that he must of shared. "Are you.." He was cut off by her wrapping him tightly in a hug. Though he had never been held by her, Arthur instantly knew it was the embrace of a woman that loved him.
"I am so proud of you. So proud of who you will be and so proud of the choice you have made. I know it hasn't been easy and that the road you have traveled has been rough but I have always believed in you Arthur."
Taking in his mother's face, there were tears falling from her eyes, Arthur couldn't help but feel tears falling from his own eyes. "I am so sorry. I always wanted to say that to you."
Smiling sadly at her son his mother tightened her hold on him, "I have never regretted having you Arthur. Though it was my last, the day you were born was the greatest day of my life. You were everything your father and I wanted and more."
Really looking at his mother and taking in her features, Arthur tried to commit everything of her to memory. The once queen grabbed her son's head and placed a kiss on his temple, "There is still more that you need to see of Merlin, my son, but before you do I wished to speak with you. What you will see next will be hard to take in as it is very different than what you have thought till now but I want you to take it all in and, after a good night's sleep, truly discuss it with Merlin. He's a good boy, that one, and I am quite found of what this witch has put into motion."
Thinking back over what he had all experienced Arthur nodded his head. "Before this spell I would have reacted terribly to who Merlin is but after finding out about everyone else's secrets around me I can honestly say he is still the person I trust most, the least I can do is keep an open mind about this destiny of ours."
Smiling at her son, (he really had grown into a man who was capable of uniting the kingdoms hadn't he?) Ygraine turned Arthur toward a door that had appeared behind them as they spoke. "I am glad that you trust him son, but I think you know what I am talking about when I say keep an open mind, yes?"
Hanging his head and brushing a hand threw his hair Arthur let out a sigh. "There's no way that would ever be accepted in the kingdom. Yes I have thought of Merlin that way but…"
Giving her son's shoulders a squeeze and then shoving him toward the door, Igraine let one more tear fall with her parting words to her son, "Great rulers, dear, do not let what other people think guide them. They do what they know is right and in my opinion you and that boy are very right together, no matter what anyone thinks."
Putting his hand on the knob and turning it, Arthur took one last look at his mother while whispering "I love you Mother." And walking through the door way.
Wrapping her arms tightly around herself Ygraine whispered back as she began to disappear herself "I love you too my sweet, little Prince."
On the other side of the door, Arthur found his manservant waiting for him with a perplexing look upon his face. "Ready to see what awaits us, Merlin?"
~Merlin POV~
Merlin's humming sounded odd to his own ears, but he realized that was because it wasn't just him humming. Arthur was also humming, that was the thought he registered before images started to invade his mind.
A young Arthur running through the castle corridors hiding away from a nanny running after him, before he disappeared into a small alcove out of sight from the angry looking older woman. (Arthur was too adorable with his golden hair and dimples, really far too cute)
Arthur being forced by his father to watch the beheading of an old lady druid, Merlin couldn't help but notice Arthur was only a young man, maybe 12 at most.
A slightly older Arthur getting hurt in training with a sword and trying not to cry, as his instructor (One of the older knights, Merlin presumed) yelled at him that even when his sword failed him he should always be ready with another line of defense.
Merlin next saw a young man and Arthur sneaking off together and engaging in a rousing match of tonsil hockey. (My wasn't that surprising, and slightly hot, if Merlin was being honest) then he saw Arthur reading a text obviously stolen from Gaius about different sex acts and how best to be prepared. (Where the hell was that book now? Why had Merlin never seen it before?)
Arthur sitting during a boring feast making small talk with a lady much older than he, who was touching him inappropriately under the table, while his father obliviously talked with the woman's husband on the other side of her.
Merlin and Arthur's first meeting. (God he was still kind of angry about that, rotten vegetables were no fun.)
Merlin saving his life and the anger at being forced to make him his manservant, his fear that Merlin would die for him when he drank that poison for him, the Prince's vivid dreams about him, his anger at the dragon for destroying Camelot and his anger that Morgana had been taken, his pain during this trial and what he had discovered of those around him, finally Merlin was delivered to what looked like the underground of the castle that the Dragon used to reside in.
Hearing what sounded like a door opening, Merlin turned quickly to see Arthur standing behind him. Merlin gave his master a curious look. He didn't know what to expect. Was this the normal goings on of those that Arthur had asked to sing to him before or was this simply because Merlin could help because he was magic himself.
With that same insufferable smirk he always gave when he thought he knew more than Merlin, Arthur gestured behind Merlin and said: "Ready to see what awaits us, Merlin?"
Turning quickly around to where the Prince was pointing, Merlin spotted a door that had not ever been part of the scenery whenever he visited the dragon. Arthur walked up beside Merlin as he took in the door.
Turning to face the future king Merlin spoke the thing that had been weighing most on his mind: "You know don't you?"
Arthur also turned to look at Merlin and he continued to study him for a moment before coming to a decision. "The fact that you have saved me and the kingdom far more often than anyone would think possible with your scrawny body or the fact that you are a warlock?"
Merlin winced at the sarcastic tone Arthur used. Though the prince had been smirking when he asked Merlin his question it didn't necessarily mean that Arthur would look past the blatant disregard for the law in Camelot.
Looking down at his shoes Merlin tried to think about a way to best explain everything to Arthur without getting his head cut off or barbequed, when he felt the future king put a hand on his shoulder. Merlin still refused to look at Arthur, but he still felt he should say something in his defense. "Arthur I just.." .
The hand that had been resting on his shoulder moved to his jaw and nudged his mouth closed while also lifting his chin to look at the Prince. "I saw everything Merlin. Everything in your life that you have gone through up till now, you don't need to explain your actions because I know what you were feeling and thinking when you made those decisions. I know you can't help who you are no more than I can help that I will one day rule a kingdom. This is what we were born to be. I can see that now that I have seen your life."
Staring into Arthur's eyes Merlin slowly nodded his head, taking in the feeling of relief and weightlessness that came from knowing that someone else understood and accepted him for who he was. It happened so very little for Merlin that it always came as a shock when people accepted him for who he was.
Arthur started to turn red as he was looking at Merlin and he suddenly turned his attention back toward the door in front of them. "I also saw the conversation you had with that witch and the vision you saw thanks to her….I don't exactly know what to think about what she said or what you saw, but I do know that I won't be able to sleep till we venture through that door so for the sake of my sanity can we go now?"
Arthur turned a sardonic smile at Merlin and held out one hand to Merlin while laying the other on the handle of the door. Merlin hesitated for a moment, taking in Arthur's outstretched hand and the door. While chuckling to himself Merlin took Arthur's hand in his and gave him a smile of his own. "I guess if I can drink poison for you, I can at least walk through a door just so you can take a nap."
Arthur gripped his hand a bit tighter and let out a "stupid sorcerer" under his breath before pulling the door open and dragging Merlin into the unknown that was held behind it.
Merlin didn't know what awaited them, behind the door and in the future, but he did know that Arthur and he were destined for being a great duo, two sides of the same coin, and that no matter how they defined themselves or what they changed, they could accomplish great things together.
~Behind the Door~
In front of the two men stood the old woman who had started all this mess with her spell. Her smile was relaxed and in her arms she held the same baby the sorcerer and the prince had first met her holding. "I am very proud of you both for reaching this moment where you can accept what your future now holds for you. It won't be an easy path but the happiness that awaits you will be greater than anything you can imagine."
Arthur gripped Merlin's hand tighter in his own. "I hope you realize that even with the consequences of this spell being for the better of the people, I still am greatly angered in how you have manipulated me to what you deemed was the correct path for my life. That was not your right and I still find you almost as contemptible as the other magic users who have come before you in a quest for their own beliefs on what is "right" in their opinion."
The woman seemed to flush in shame under the combined glares of both Arthur and Merlin. "As I told Merlin you will one day soon understand, my Lord, but you are right. I have manipulated you into changing the course of yours and Merlin's lives with this spell. There is nothing I can do or say that will change your view of me now. I simply wish to show you your future now and hope that you accept it with the willingness and grace you have shown so far on the course of this spell."
Before Arthur could deem a response a wind, which seemed to be the woman's signature, picked up around the three of them and the men covered their eyes with their unclasped hands. When the wind stopped and the men uncovered their eyes they found themselves back in Arthur's chambers, the witch seeming to have left their presence all together again.
Looking around and then back at Arthur, Merlin asked the question that Arthur was wondering as well: "Did we wake up?"
Arthur shook his head. "Wouldn't we be lying down on the bed? We were sitting there when I asked you to sing your song to me. Plus look at this room, true it looks like mine but some things are different: there is another cabinet over there for clothes and this room seems slightly bigger. And look at my bed! It is much bigger than the one I have now! And there are blue pillows on it! Why are there blue pillows on the right side of the bed? My colors are red, not blue! And look at that rug! I would never…"
Arthur's rant over the changing of his room and Merlin's amusement at his little freak out over the changes was dramatically interrupted by the room's door slamming open. In walked a slightly older version of Merlin and Arthur.
Merlin was wearing a long blue robe made of velvet that was reminiscent somewhat of the clothes Gaius used to wear (And damn Arthur couldn't help but admit Merlin looked good. Ok, he was more than a little attracted to Merlin, he could admit that now. But if he had that to look forward to in the future, Arthur was more than ok with being manipulated by this spell.) Merlin seemed healthier than he did now, like he had proper meals and exercised. He also looked as if he was completely comfortable in his skin as well as full of happiness for where his life was in that moment.
While Arthur was focusing on Merlin, Merlin was contemplating the changes in Arthur. For one, the man had a beard and while that usually was very off putting for him, Arthur was the first man he saw who actually looked handsome with a beard and left him feeling very hot under the neckerchief. (He really wanted to touch it but he didn't think that was the point of them being there in that moment) Arthur was obviously King now if the crown on his head was any indication and had been for a while, he was far too comfortable slinging the crown onto the table to not have been wearing it for years. (Arthur always looks at his father's crown with so much fear as if he was afraid of it and all it represented.)
Both men's meditations on the other were interrupted by future Arthur slamming his palm onto the table. "I am telling you Merlin, there is nothing between us! For God's sake she is married to Lancelot. Gwen and I have no more possibility in romance than you and Percival!"
Future Merlin growled as he advanced onto his King and pushed him onto the table he had just slammed his hand upon. "I know she is married and you are mine Arthur, but you forget that I also know what those people out there are thinking: that you and Gwen would have made such a lovely couple. I never regret devoting my life to you Arthur and I know you love our life, but when I see those looks I want nothing more than to show just how satisfied I make you and how "lovely" we ourselves are together."
Smirking up at his Court Sorcerer Arthur shoved his restrained manhood up into Merlin's own passion. "Why don't you show me then, Emyrs. Because, after all, your King is really the only approval you should ever seek or care about."
Smirking as well down on his lover, the robed magician adjusted his beloved's legs around his own hips and lifted the king from the table he was sprawled on to their bed a few steps away. (Merlin gaped at his future self. He was much stronger physically in the future than he thought)
Depositing his lover on their bed, Emyrs started a fire as well as summoning a bottle of oil in his hand with his magic. He then straddled his king's legs while making their clothes disappear into their separate wardrobes.
Taking a firm hold of his lover's chin, Merlin stared deep into his beloved's eyes making sure all his focus was on him. "You are mine, Arthur Pendragon. My destiny is yours as well as yours mine. Together we shape the world and no one will understand me more than you nor you, I. I love you with everything I am and I will make sure every day that you are fully aware of that."
The future Arthur looked misty eyed as he pulled his once-manservant down to him for a kiss that left both writhing into each other. Merlin was the first to pull away and with glowing eyes caused the cords holding the curtains to fly themselves across the room and tie the king's hands and feet to the posts of their head board.
Future Arthur moaned helplessly as he strained against his new bonds wanting to touch his lover again but Merlin was sitting back now taking in the sight of him flushed and aroused. "I love you like this Arthur, wanting what only I can give you. Everyone else always bows to your whims but I will always give what you actually want: the ability to lose control."
With those words the wizard started pressing feather light kisses to the king's throat, paying special attention to that spot that he knew from years of practice made Arthur whine and think of nothing but the pleasure he was about to give him.
He made his way down Arthur's torso, leaving marks Arthur couldn't hide as well as those that he would see every time he was naked the next few days. While Arthur continued to moan from the onslaught to his erogenous zones, Merlin reached for the oil that lay discarded next to him, dipping his fingers and warming the oil with his magic, he breached his lover with one and then a second finger a moment later.
Arthur immediately began to thrash about at the sudden intense intrusion, it had only been a day since the last time Merlin had been in him, but he was still surprised that Merlin's fingers were suddenly inside him.
Merlin began to brutally thrust his fingers in and out of his king as the man beneath him seemed to lose himself as Merlin twisted his fingers at the same time as he retracted them bringing about a whole new sensation to his ministrations. Leaning down as he began to hit Arthur's prostrate with each thrust of his three fingers now Merlin sexily husked into Albion's ruler's ear: "I am going to make love to you so hard and thoroughly tonight that when you sit in front of the council and knights tomorrow all you will think about is me, about what we are going to be doing many times tonight and most importantly remind you that you belong to me and I to you."
With those words Merlin, with a bit of help from his magic, rammed his slicked prick into Arthur's opening.
The king's mouth opened in a wordless cry as Merlin immediately latched onto his barred throat and began slamming his hips into his writhing lover below him. Arthur struggled against his bonds. Merlin was leaning so that Arthur's member was trapped between them and with his relentless pace and the focused biting and sucking to the spot on his neck that caused him the most sensation Arthur was succumbing quickly to the pleasure building in his body. It was all too much for Arthur and the only thing coming from his mouth were moans and the word "Oh" followed by Merlin's name.
Right when he was about to reach his moment that he had been building to, he felt a pressure on his member that kept him from completion. Letting out a desperate whine Arthur opened his eyes to look at Merlin who was still plowing into him even though his eyes were glowing gold with the effort to keep Arthur from coming.
"Say it."
With the pleasure emanating from his very being, Arthur took a few thrusts to figure out what Merlin meant and even then it took a few more thrusts to actually form the ability to say what Merlin wanted him to. "I, ah!, oh!, I'm YOURS, Merlin! Hah hah, and your mine. Please, nngh, please let me come, oh, hah hah please."
Smirking down at his king, Merlin's thrusts particularly angled on his highnesses prostate a few more times before releasing his member and continued to thrust through his orgasm and the little spasms after that till he stilled inside his beloved as Arthur tried to catch his breath. "Yes you are Arthur and I plan to show you many more times tonight, but first I do believe our visitors need to be heading back to their time to make their own claiming, don't you think so boys?"
The present Merlin and Arthur, who up until this point had been staring slack-jawed at the proceedings and not at all thinking on the fact of whether or not the sorcerer actually knew of their presence, were startled at being looked at as well as addressed.
The future Merlin smirked at the prince and his manservant and made a shooing motion toward the door of the chamber. "All in good time boys, all in good time, trust me that is only the tip of what you are about to explore, get back now and talk about what you have discovered."
Bewildered the two looked at each other, before flushing and releasing their hands that they realized were still clasped and quickly made their way toward the door of the chamber. Behind them they heard a dazed Arthur ask Merlin who he was talking to, Merlin chuckled and responded with "Shouldn't you be more worried about why I am still hard and inside you? Really Arthur you always focus on all the wrong things."
Before they were able to close the door behind them, they heard the bearded king give a low moan and "Oh, Merlin right there!" and then the boys found themselves opening their eyes and realized they were sitting just the way they were before: Arthur's head on Merlin's shoulder and Merlin's head resting on Arthur's.
Slowly pulling away from each other Arthur looked at his manservant and contemplated his next action before simply doing it. He was still exhausted and all he wanted was to sleep and he knew that Merlin was probably tired as well.
Reaching a hand around his manservant's neck he pulled Merlin into a sweet, slow kiss that held a promise within it, before standing up and going into the hall to tell the guards that he was locking the door and that they were to make his father aware that he would be catching up on his sleep and that he would appraise him tomorrow at lunch.
Returning to his room and locking the door behind him, Arthur made his way back to his sorcerer who was grinning goofily into space. "For now Merlin, let us just get some sleep and we will discuss everything tomorrow. I don't know about you, but I am far too tired to think properly anymore."
Nodding Merlin pulled the covers back to settle Arthur into bed as usual but Arthur merely snuck up behind him and forced him into the bed with him, making sure they were both comfortable and then rested his head on his pillow (his RED pillows thank you, he didn't know how Merlin had convinced him otherwise but he would be keeping his color scheme, thank you very much)
Arthur almost drifted off before he heard Merlin whisper: "Arthur".
Grunting in acknowledgment, (didn't Merlin realize it had been three days of no sleep for him?) Arthur waited for his manservant to tell him whatever he wanted so he could go to sleep.
"Your song was beautiful."
Huffing a laugh, Arthur opened his eyes to look into his sorcerer's own joyful eyes before quietly admitting: "So was yours Merlin, so was yours."
TBC in Chapter 7: Thank You for the Music
Preview: Shaking himself off, Merlin saw the owl sitting on his steed as it returned to him. The damn thing seemed far too cocky to be a natural owl (Weren't they prone to the night anyway? What was doing flying out in the middle of the day?)