Oh my, it's been a while... Again, schoolschoolschool is killing mememe. Anywho, on with the show! We're at chapter ten people, and I threw in something new! :D Hooray for pathetic efforts to change things up!

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For so long he had waited for the moment Merlin would embrace him, entangle his slender fingers in his hair and kiss him with such passion and force that the world would simply fall away-literally. Arthur soon realized that somehow, Merlin and he had wound up lying on the floor, clinging to each other.

Reluctantly, Arthur pulled away to ask Merlin if he knew how they had ended up in such a position and was thoroughly surprised when Merlin followed him, refusing to release the prince's lips. Arthur was perfectly content to appease Merlin, who only seemed interested in hungrily exploring his mouth. But, Arthur soon grew cold despite Merlin's warm body wrapped around his, and he gently tugged Merlin back an inch.

Merlin scowled, struggling to get back to the prince. Smiling fondly, Arthur held Merlin at bay while he asked, "Merlin, do you think we can at least move to my bed? The floor is just a little too cold for my taste." At this, Merlin looked down out the ground and he scratched his head.

"To be quite honest, I thought we were still standing." Merlin looked down, blood flooding from his neck to the tips of his ears. Overwhelmed by his desire to simply hold his manservant, Arthur scooped Merlin up in his arms and quickly carried him to his bed. "I'm not a girl you know," Merlin protested jokingly, crossing his arms in mock anger.

Arthur smirked down at the raven-haired warlock in his arms. "I know that, but I couldn't pass up a chance to hold you like this." Merlin flushed again and began playing with Arthur's hair. Gently, Arthur laid Merlin on his back and leaned down to kiss him again. Merlin's arms snaked around his neck and pulled the prince to him with surprising force.

"You know," Arthur began when Merlin gave him a chance to breathe, "I could get used to this." Merlin grinned and Arthur watched as he noticed a familiar twinkle in his manservant's eyes. Whenever Merlin was especially excited or happy, his sapphire eyes gleamed and danced to the song of his soul. Arthur not only heard but felt this song which flowed to the rhythm of his own heart, though he didn't quite understand why or how. As Arthur stared into Merlin's endless eyes, he saw they seemed to literally glow within the warlock's face.

"What?" Merlin asked confusedly, and Arthur said, as he had after one of their initial, unforgettable meetings, "There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." Something inside the younger boy seemed to snap and he was once again tangled around Arthur, so close it was as if he were trying to meld into the prince to become a single entity.

Arthur was shocked by the force and passion of Merlin's sudden attack and remained still for a moment, allowing him to process his surroundings and just what exactly was happening. Though, once his body and mind were in sync, Arthur turned the tables. Merlin happily allowed Arthur control of the situation, rejoicing at each touch, each kiss.

Just as Arthur's hands moved to Merlin's sides, there was a banging on Arthur's chamber door. Well, it was only a timid knock, but to the two of them, the soft tapping was an intruding explosion in their world of wordless communication. Arthur groaned loudly and Merlin quickly slid off the bed and stood stock still at the side of the bed as the prince dragged himself off the sheets and called, "Enter!"

"S-sire," stammered the obviously, and rightfully, nervous guard who had intruded on Arthur and Merlin's perfect moment. "The king would like to see Merlin in the throne room immediately." The guard gulped as he waited for the prince to release his manservant. He did not, however, expect the prince to accompany Merlin.

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"What?" Arthur boomed at his father while Merlin cringed in a corner at the angry, disbelieving tone in his master's voice. The king did not even blink at the outburst. Instead, he repeated himself:

"I said, your servant is to travel with the knights in order to find the sorceress who poisoned you. We have a few leads as to her whereabouts and I saw it fitting for him to lead the search party, seeing as he is the only one besides you that got a clear view of her." Uther glanced idly at his hands and looked into his son's incredulous face.

Arthur had other questions. "Well, why am I not going?" Merlin was his manservant and he did not want him going into the woods in search of a dangerous sorceress without him, no matter how many knights were to accompany the warlock for protection.

"I have my reasons, which are none of your concern," Uther replied.

"I demand to know why!"

"I have told you I have my reasons and I choose not to reveal them, so drop it," the king ordered. Arthur fell silent, glaring anywhere but at his father as he tried to control himself. Finally he turned and stormed from the room, knowing Merlin would not be permitted to follow. He decided it was in everyone's best interests if he left Uther to do as he pleased- he knew a lost cause when he saw one.

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I stopped there because I didn't want to force the chapter more than I had already. I just felt so guilty! Hope you guys liked it. c:

Thanks to those still reading! I hopehopehope to get the new chapter up soon, but it may take me a while to get it up! Only four more weeks until school stops eating up all my time! Woooooooooo!