Chapter Six

"...And when I regained consciousness he just sent me out again! Saying he didn't want me there! I mean who does that? First he knocks me out then sends me away... I'll never understand royalty."

Arthur's horse neighed in what Merlin would like to think was agreement and continued to munch down on the hay the servant had just given him.

"You're a good boy." He ran a long, pale hand through the horse's contrastingly dark brown hair before placing a kiss on its nose.

"Merlin?" he turned around to see Gwen standing in the doorway of the stable, biting her lip. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Gwen." Merlin walked over to his friend and enveloped her in a tight hug, one she returned gratefully. "I overreacted; I've just been having a bad day." He let go of her and smiled weakly. Gwen didn't look convinced.

"What's wrong?" Before he could reply she narrowed her eyes. "What did Arthur do?"

Merlin smiled at her, a real smile this time, and leant down to kiss her nose, making her blush.

"Don't worry about it Gwen, I'm fine now, I just needed to calm down." She smiled back.

"Good. Oh and, now we're in private..."

"I think it was Arthur." She stopped and stared at him.

"Arthur?!" Merlin nodded and shrugged. "Arthur tied you to-"

"Gwen! I know we're in private but I still don't appreciate you yelling my personal life to the world." She nodded.

"Okay, I have to go and tend to milady, but I still need to talk to you about this."

"I know."

"And Merlin,"

"Yes Gwen."

"You need to stand up to Arthur, don't let him push you around too much, you know."

She pulled him into another hug before skipping off. Merlin sighed and walked back over to the horse, bending down the clean the shoes.

"Don't move!" Arthur awoke with a start, eyes wide and his body covered in a thin film of sweat.

He looked around the room to try and establish where the voice was coming from, until he realised that it was him, shouting in his sleep.

"Oh God."

"That's what I thought when I came in and you were screaming my name." He snapped his head to the side, taking in the sight of a dishevelled Merlin, lounging in the chair by the fireplace. "I thought you we're going to fire me or something." He yawned. "Turns out you were asleep... was it a nice dream?" He gestured down to the sheets that had tented over Arthur's lower regions.

The prince blushed and placed his hands over the material. Merlin looked un-phased, his eyes slowly drooping closed and his head tilting forwards.

"Merlin,"

"Wha-?" He snapped his head up and looked around drowsily, like he had just woken up from a trance. "Yes Arthur?" He yawned again.

"I haven't been completely truthful with you." That got Merlin's attention.

"W-What do you mean?"

"When I said I didn't remember anything, from the other night," Merlin was hanging his head in shame, covering his face with his hands. Arthur could only assume that Merlin was being just as dishonest. "I really didn't remember anything at the time..." He stopped, waiting for Merlin's reaction.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Not quite the reaction he was hoping for.

"Well, yeah, I guess I may have, remembered parts of the evening too." Merlin looked down at his feet, which were curled around the edge of the chair. "Since then."

"I'm sorry about... tying you... urm..." Arthur rubbed the back of his neck nervously, his cheeks flaming. Merlin was in a similar disposition.

"That's fine... You weren't yourself at the time, well of course you were you, you weren't anyone else, but you weren't with it, not that you couldn't handle yourself, jut you were very very drunk." Merlin had started babbling, as he usually did when he was nervous."It's fine."

"I'm not gay!" Arthur blurted out, causing Merlin to look up.

"Your actions suggest otherwise Arthur." Where the courage had come from, Merlin would never know, but at that moment the crowned prince looked so confused and Merlin felt he had the upper ground. He thought about Gwen's words; don't let him push you around. "I mean, if you weren't gay you wouldn't have tied me down to my bed, would you?"

Arthur looked back over to Merlin, eyes wide. "I was drunk! What are you accusing me of?!"

"Do you remember that time," Merlin smiled and rose up out of his chair, "When you were drunk and you told Morgana that her dress was ugly-"

"It was ugly," Arthur scoffed.

"Yes but you wouldn't have told her if you weren't intoxicated, in fact beforehand you told her he looked 'very nice'." The blond stayed silent, so Merlin took it as an invitation to continue, pacing forward and backwards along the side of the bed. "You also told your father that his new taxes were stupidly high."

"I hadn't meant to," Arthur was now muttering to his hands, which were still curved protectively over his groin.

"That's the point Arthur! Or should I say, sire?" Arthur was blushing furiously, Merlin was feeling more self assure than ever. "You let yourself be yourself when you're drunk, you don't hide who you are and what you think..." Merlin climbed onto the bed, standing on his knees at the end of the bed, Arthur's breath hitched. "And what you're feeling..."

Merlin crawled across the bed, arms and legs either side of Arthurs until he was straddling him. "Just like you are now." He pulled Arthurs hands away from his privates, breaking their protective shell.

"I'm not gay," Arthur's voice was a whisper, barely audible and wobbly, showing insecurities.

"Are you sure?" Merlin's voice matched Arthur's volume before leaning in to place a soft kiss on Arthur's lips. Arthur stayed completely still, eyes wide open as Merlin pulled back and bit his lip.

"I'm not... gay?" Arthur said this with no conviction as he found himself staring at Merlin's soft, pink, pouting lips. He couldn't help himself, leaning in and covering his manservant's lips with his own, relishing the soft moan emitted from the back of Merlin's throat.

"Oh you are so gay." The raven-haired servant grinned widely before once again claiming Arthur's lips as his own.

"It's hard to tell." Arthur's voice was husky as he began pulling Merlin's tunic over his head."You're way too effeminate to be called a man anyway." Merlin pulled back, mock offence painted all over his face.

"Oh you are so going to regret that!" He grinned and rolled off the bed, standing at the end with his hands on his hips. Arthur growled protectively as Merlin bent over to pick up the disregarded tunic.

"Don't you dare put that back on," Merlin raised an eyebrow but left the clothing in his hands.

"Take it back."

"I take It back, I'm sure you can show me how manly you are." Arthur smirked as Merlin physically shivered. "Are you cold? It's nice and warm in here." He lifted the covers and gestured for Merlin to join him.

Merlin was under the covers before you could say... well anything really.

He pulled Arthurs head towards him and licked across his bottom lip.

"Oh," He pulled back the furs and looked down, "I almost forgot about that little problem."

Lemons next chapter *First ever real lemons* so if you don't want to read it don't... If you do...

Hopefully you won't have to wait too long :D