PAIRING: Merlin/Arthur from the Television Series: Merlin.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the TV Series. I am not making any money. This is for entertainment only. This did not happen. This story is slash fan-fiction. Slash means that the main characters are Gay. If you don't like this sort of story, don't read.
SUMMARY: Rating MA. Romance/Danger Arthur wants Merlin badly but isn't sure that Merlin feels the same so he decides to throw down a challenge. This takes place after Uther marries the Troll in Season 2. The story contains spoilers from that episode. Story contains an OC.. Story contains a male OC.
RATING: MA
AUTHOR: Rufferto9 (rufferto9 )
CHAPTER : 5 of 7
"A Little Problem."

MORNING

Arthur woke up feeling a small pit in his stomach. He remembered the night before and what he had said. Merlin hadn't answered and even though he responded to every kiss, every touch and ever word Merlin hadn't actually said 'I love you'. Since he didn't like to wallow in self pity he decided right then and there that he was resolved to draw those words out of Merlin's lips before his next kiss. He yawned and sat up. His hair was slightly skewed as it always was when he first woke up and smiled when he saw his bread and cheese and sweet meats for breakfast all perfectly laid out and waiting for him. He reached over for a piece of cheese and stuffed it into his mouth when he saw the sweetest sight of all.

There was Merlin, preparing his bathwater half-naked. In the back of his mind he wondered how in the heck the water had come up all this way while Merlin wasn't even dressed but he decided not to wonder about it. He was just happy to see him and for some odd reason he was humming. Arthur stared at him and had another bite. "Good morning." He smiled.

Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin as he hadn't heard Arthur get up. "Ack! How long have you been awake!"

"Long enough to hear you serenade my bathwater," Arthur snickered. "Something on your mind?" He picked up a piece of meat and sucked on it innocently.

"Stop that!" Merlin huffed.

"Stop what? I'm just having my breakfast." Arthur flipped his tongue around the meat and swallowed. "Yummy."

"You're deliberately distracting me from my chores."

"I don't remember you ever doing your chores shirtless. Do carryon. Perhaps I'll make it a requirement in the future." Arthur lifted himself up regally. "Every time Merlin does chores in my bedroom he must be shirtless. There. Done."

"What!" Merlin glared at him. "I just didn't want to get your shirt dirty. You can't possibly expect me to walk around shirtless."

"Only in here."

"Arthur!"

"You can't say no. You're my servant." Arthur reminded him and then realized too late the mistake he had just made for Merlin expression darkened.

"Have it your way then." Merlin snapped and looked away from him. He continued to go about his business without commenting anything else. A nod or a grunt in response was all that Arthur got.

Arthur took his time finishing his breakfast. Just how was he going to get out of this one? "Oh come on, I was joking, Merlin." He finally prodded. "I didn't mean it."

"You're the once and future Ass, apparently." Merlin muttered. "Let me just tell you right now, Arthur." He looked directly at the Prince just then. "I will never do anything like that with you or for you because you order me to. I will defend myself if I have to." He was dead serious and Arthur was a little concerned by the look in Merlin's eyes.

"I'm sorry." Arthur blurted out. "I never meant..." He honestly was sorry. Things were really not going how he'd planned. "Let me try again..."

"Ok" Merlin crossed his arms, waiting.

Arthur scrambled off the bed feeling incredibly self conscious for some reason. He wasn't sure how but Merlin had the upper hand in this relationship.

"Good morning Merlin." Arthur tried a smile and looked so sheepish and uncertain that Merlin forgave him.

"Good morning Arthur." Merlin returned, checked the bathwater. "Bath's ready. Want me to help scrub you?" It was a peace offering of a sort.

When he smiled at the Prince that goofy grin made Arthur's stomach do a flip-flop. God he was so in love it hurt. It would kill his soul if Merlin didn't feel the same way. He knew it. Just as he knew it would kill him if anything happened to Merlin.

"If you want to, that would be nice." Arthur did his best to deliver a humble response which apparently was very funny because Merlin started laughing. "What!"

"Oh just go back to being a Pratt. Being humble doesn't suit you. Besides, you're my Pratt and that's all that matters. Get in."

Arthur's heart thudded in his chest. It really was amazing how much a few simple words would make him feel so good. He stripped out of his trousers and got in the tub. It really wasn't enough for two, barely enough for one but at least it was clean and warm water. Merlin helped pour water over him and ran his fingers through Arthur's hair, whetting it. He was apparently taking the job of scrubbing rather seriously and Arthur decided to let him do just that.

He watched while Merlin hummed and washed him. He was quiet and licking his lips every now and then. He thought Merlin was done as he was told to kneel up. Soapy water slipped down his muscular thighs and he felt a thrill when rough hands rinsed them off. His thighs weren't the only place that got rinsing. His breath hitched when a certain part began to get a little attention. "I can do that." Arthur protested weakly.

"It's alright, I've got it." Merlin shook his head. "Rest your hands on the tub and lean back. Just like that," he helped Arthur get into a somewhat awkward position.

"What are you doing?" Arthur wondered.

"Giving you a proper cleaning," said Merlin with a gleam.

He could already feel his body's arousal as that certain part of him had been quite thoroughly washed. "Merlin!" He cried out in surprise. This time there were no hands but a tongue and it was sliding up from tip to base. He'd never had anyone do that to him before and he didn't know how to react. Merlin then did it again, and a third and fourth time. Each time he'd teased Arthur by allowing the head to slip between lips for a brief moment.

"Are you ready?" Merlin asked Arthur softly.

Arthur could only swallow and nod.

With that acknowledgement, he found his cock engulfed by wide lips taking him in without any hesitation whatsoever. Had Merlin done this before? And with whom! There was a brief surge of jealousy in his heart immediately chased away by the wonderful sensations jolting through his body. His lips slid up and down creating the most satisfying friction Arthur had ever experienced. He could only kneel there, dazed and panting at first. Oh ... oh god he didn't know what to do.

Merlin pulled off his cock and it was an instant loss, "I think you have to move your hips, Arthur, I can't do all the work. This is my first time too."

Sweet lord... Arthur nodded and flushed.

He was engulfed again and this time he participated. He rolled his hips in time with Merlin's teasing tongue and soon began to realize the incredible truth. He was ... he was inside Merlin. He was pushing his heated cock between lips he had thoroughly kissed... he was... oh it was glorious. Arthur had never had an experience like this it was even better than the thing Merlin had done with his hands. He tried to warn Merlin when he came but his brain felt like cotton. Even when he did come it didn't seem to matter because Merlin kept sucking.

When it was done and he was spent, he was set free and cleaned a bit more. Merlin smiled. "There now, all clean." He stood up and back to take in the sight.

Arthur was flushed and panting. He was still kneeling in the tub and his jaw was open in utter and complete amazement. "How... How did you know how to do that?"

"Gaius has some interesting books." Merlin grinned. "I wanted to try it."

"Help me out." Arthur was still a little shaky and didn't want to trip.

Merlin did so and wrapped in up in a towel grinning all the while like a fool. "I can't believe no one's ever done that to you. The book said you'd have known what to do if it had."

"I'm a Prince not a Pervert." Arthur lifted his head regaining his composure. "I'm supposed to be honorable and such. Ladies try but.." he shrugs. "I don't want to get caught in compromising positions."

"Of course, sire." Merlin couldn't help the giggle. "No compromising positions." He looked around the room and stared at his bedroll. He also glanced at the mirror and noted he was half naked and Arthur certainly was even with a towel. "Got it."

"All I ask is that I'm the ONLY one you ever do that to, is that acceptable?" Arthur stared hard at Merlin.

"Of course, sire." Merlin grinned again at him. "Let me just grab one of my shirts and take the plates and bathwater down."

"When will you be back up?" Arthur reached over to touch Merlin's chest and decided to lazily rub around a nipple just to see what happened.

Merlin shivered. "As soon as I can, Arthur-"

"Next time" Arthur promised, "I want to feel you in my lips."

That declaration was so utterly erotic that Merlin's knees nearly buckled. "God, Arthur, I have work to do. When you say things like that all I can think about is you for the rest of the day."

"What number are we on?" Arthur asked flippantly, quite pleased Merlin would be thinking of him all day.

"Five." Merlin glared at him.

"I can't believe I made that request." Arthur muttered. "Or that you're holding me to it, Merle." There was that nickname slipping out again. "Especially after what you did just now, because all I want to do is kiss you senseless, repeatedly, until you're quivering at my feet."

"If you kiss me now, you'll use up your days allotment." Merlin's twinkled. Truth be told, he was rather enjoying watching Arthur try and wiggle his way out of his own test.

Arthur heaved a sigh. "Ok. Ok. Three more kisses." By then Merlin will have told him right and everything would be alright.

Merlin grinned, threw on a shirt gathered all the things he needed to take down together with the bath water and escaped.

Arthur gave a frustrated groan and shook his head. He'd never make it through the next few days.

**AFTERNOON**

Gaius had spent most of the morning analyzing the blood sample using scientific methods far beyond his time. It was a slow and painful process but eventually he'd managed to identify specific qualities and separate them by using very careful methods. When Merlin finally came down to do his chores for the Physician the old man looked up and smiled. "Ah, Merlin, get a good night sleep?"

"Yes, despite Arthur's snoring!" Merlin laughed, clearly in a good mood.

"I don't want to know." Gaius interjected. "Anything ... at all ... about Prince Arthur's sleeping habits unless they affect the state of his health. Now then, look here," he indicated the different colored vials he had collected. There were three; red, blue and a black with a bit of a cloudy texture. "I diluted the contents of your blood to try and identify what was given to you." He pointed to the black one. "That's the substance that I've been able to identify based on some of the books we have on the subject. If someone is a Necromancer, all of their magic will have this black residue for they are connected to the shadows."

Merlin's eyebrows climbed. "Are you saying a Necromancer enchanted me and is after me?"

"Yes. They are very rare and I thought all had been killed before Uther became King."

"What's the blue stuff?"

"Merlin, that is the most curious of all, and I believe it has something to do with your father. It indicates royalty" said Gaius. At Merlin's questioning look he simply shrugged. "I do not know all the details of your father's side and you may want to look into it someday. What we are most concerned about is this." He picked the black shadow up. "Uther's manservant said he'd called for a person who has long been dead. That person was killed for the crime of Necromancy almost fourty years ago. If my theory is true, he is still tied to Camelot. If he is focused on you it can only mean one thing: He knows of your magic and is going to use it to be resurrected. If he knows and he is somehow able to communicate for Uther this could end very badly for you."

Merlin stared at Giaus shocked, "I don't know how to fight a necromancer!" He paced back and forth. "Why didn't I sense any magic being used?"

"Necromancy is a shadow magic. It is likely his use of it is hidden, you'll have to look in some of those books and perhaps get some answers from someone wiser than I." Gaius didn't say who but Merlin knew who he meant.

He sighed, just when things couldn't get more complicated he had to try and figure this out while trying deal with Arthur.

It of course wasn't that he didn't love Arthur. He loved him, plain and simple. Taking their relationship to the next level was exciting and he wanted to savor every moment.

"I don't think the books in that cupboard are going to be any use, Merlin." Gaius said with a deadpan expression. "You know, I have noticed a few missing."

Merlin managed to look completely innocent. "Oh... maybe they're around somewhere. I'm sure they'll turn up, Gaius!" He smiled at his mentor brightly. "I'll figure this out!" And he was up to his room to look through the books in peace.

It was a relief to have a moment to call his, really! Twenty-four/seven Arthur was a bit too much to handle sometimes. He always wanted something and lately it was touching. Merlin grinned, that wasn't so bad. In fact, it was marvelous. He wanted more and relished the thrill of making Arthur make those noises just because of what HE was doing. He certainly bet that no girl could EVER make that happen. Arthur was his. Merlin grinned dazedly up at the ceiling. Every girl in Camelot could try but he was the one who knew how to please his Prince.

Right! Necromancers, his ears twitched at the very idea of such dark magic. Magic was supposed to be for good, not for evil. Once he found that spirit he would send it away forever!

Flip, flip, flip...Merlin grunted as he lost track of time.

Finally! Several hours later he managed to decipher one thing from an old tale and read aloud to himself. "Spirits are attached to items, usually keepsakes. For many years they are dormant and all of a sudden pop up again due to changing circumstances." Hm, his arrival? He shrugged, maybe. "Or great distress of a loved one." Merlin frowned. "Well if it's as Giaus said and this sorcerer is a friend of Uther's perhaps it was that marriage that made him surface again? Huh." That was possible, reading further, his face fell. "To destroy the keepsake, the holder of it must break the keepsake and tell the spirit to rest."

"Balls!" Merlin grumbled and flung the book back into its place. Trying to get Uther to comply to anything like that would be like trying to get him to like magic again. It would be nearly impossible, unless there was a threat to Arthur himself. "Gaius!"

Merlin marched back out of his, well, what was his room. He was currently sleeping with Arthur.

"Did you find something?"

"Yes, and it's not good. I'm going to have to find what Uther has on him that belonged to this Samuel person you mentioned. I do think I know how to locate it though." Merlin pointed to the black shadowy liquid. "I bet some kind of location spell would work."

"No, Merlin." Gaius shook his head. "Whenever you use something so obvious, bad things happen. You'll have to try and find it by yourself this time. Tell Arthur of what you are looking for, perhaps he can reason with his father and Uther will give up the keepsake."

"Right...and make me a Knight of the Round Table to boot." Merlin laughed. "Alright, I'll try it your way first."

**EVENING**

While he was working on helping Arthur get ready for dinner he finished carefully explaining to him what they had to do. "So is there anything you've ever noticed? Anything Uther keeps close at hand?"

"So." Arthur stared once it all sank in. "You're telling me my father had a friend who was executed for Magic all those years ago and has kept something of his? You think his marriage to Catrina awoke it? That's ridiculous!"

Merlin sighed as he knew Arthur was going to react that way. It wasn't just the marriage to Catrina that woke the spirit and he felt terrible because he couldn't tell Arthur. Not yet.

"Um. Well yes. And because I'm –your- friend maybe it's happy to target me? Some kind of weird revenge? I don't know. Point is, Arthur, you have to talk to your father." It always made Merlin bitter that he couldn't tell Arthur about the part of him he most desperately wanted to. He wanted Arthur to accept him for everything he was, to love him anyway.

Arthur grunted and rubbed his lower lip thoughtfully. "Alright, I'll do it, on one condition." He took a fistful of Merlin's shirt and dragged him over. "I need some inspiration from you."

"Of course, sire..." Merlin's lips twitched and he forgot all about how bitter he was when Arthur kissed him.

Arthur's kisses were the best thing since apples and strawberries, since sunshine and stars and since ever sweet thing he'd ever tasted. He had no issues with touching now. He ran his fingers up and down Arthur's muscular frame and finally rested them upon his arse while his lips were thoroughly attacked. Hot, hungry tongues came together... and lust burned in his stomach. He never wanted anything so badly he would let Arthur take him if only he said the word. Arthur's tongue danced and dueled. He was so good at this. Merlin was almost jealous of any other woman Arthur had kissed. When they finally had a need for this thing called breathe at last his lips were released. They throbbed with need and he panted incoherently as they stared at each other. "I'll be back after supper, you'll be ok. There's a guard outside. I will talk with my father." Arthur promised softly as he drew his fingers up and down Merlin's cheekbone. "I love you." He kissed Merlin's forehead and turned without waiting for an answer.

Merlin couldn't move from the spot Arthur had left him in for many minutes. "I love you too..." The words tumbled too late out of his lips. Arthur was already gone and he was standing in an empty room. His legs buckled from under him and he sank to the floor. "God, I love him." He drew his legs up and hugged them.

So distressed was he by the force of his feelings he was too distracted to notice that he was not alone. That passageway wasn't unknown to all. A dark force slipped under it and materialized on the other end. Samuel's form grinned and spat out a word. "Capistro!" Dark tendrils whipped out of his fingers and took Merlin by surprise. They grabbed his wrists and ankles and lifted him up. Merlin tried to scream but no words came from his lips as he kicked and fought he only succeeded in knocking a few things over. "Quies!" Samuel whispered and the room was shrouded in silence. Merlin couldn't even get a word out. Samuel cackled to himself, a form created by darkness it was difficult to make out many of his features.

Only Merlin's eyes could lock onto Samuel. Once I'm free. He fought the bonds, oh yes he did! He fought with every ounce of his strength to no avail. He could only hope that Arthur didn't come back through those doors. The passage way opened for the necromancer and he laughed harshly.

"Valeat!" Samuel whipped a few tendrils around Merlin and held him fast. With every passing day his powers grew.

As Merlin was hurled into the passage his head smacked on the doorframe and a trickle of blood was left behind. He found himself flying through the passage way, down down... down... to ways and means below the castle he'd never before seen. The tendrils held him fast until finally he hit bottom and he lay unconscious in the cell.

As for Samuel, he smiled to himself and quickly enough he began to transform.

He wiggled his ears and adjusted his scarf. "Ah." Samuel grinned. "Corporeal at last."

**TBC**