Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

I'm so tired of doing Disclaimer's, especially now that i don't even try and make them witty anymore. :( Anyway, looky, chapter 3!

Yay! For half term, maybe I can use the time to write MORE THAN ONE CHAPTER, wow. Yh, that was pretty sad, anyway, I'll leave you to read now.

Chapter 3

Merlin walked nonchalantly through the streets and market stalls of Camelot. The great town was lit by the glow of sunrise. So confident was he that he didn't even think to take out the guards who always stood before the castle's courtyard. Luckily for the dark haired man they were not there. The knights who were meant to relieve the suspiciously absent ones had not shown up (being part of the crowd who had visited the public house last night and passed out on the floor).

Merlin felt as though the whole world was sparklingly clear like the lake which he had passed by last night. After entering the castle Merlin was more careful and looked stealthily around corners before turning them in fear of guards or irate friends. We all know Merlin though and as he rounded the next turn and glimpsed a dark figure he spun and tripped over his own feet.

He banged his shin on the stone wall before falling in some kind of ungraceful pirouette which resulted in various aches and pains, the least of which were not his tailbone or other nearby areas.

As the figure which had so startled him rushed to his aid an old dusty tapestry hung on the wall of the corridor he had witnessed Merlin coming from collapsed right on top of said trippee.

"Ahh~!" Came a muffled sound of protest from beneath the heavy fabric.

Frantic hands worked at heaving it off the hidden sorcerer and a certain handsome face came into view along with the sudden absence of impromptu tapestry tent. Tullus.

"Oh, Tullus," Articulate much "Erm, thanks."

"No problem, Merlin." Tullus smiled.

He knows my name! Oh, wow, he has noticed me after all. Wait, Merlin, stop being such an idiot of course he knows your name. You are, afterall, manservant to the amazingly gorgeous king-to-be.

Wait 'amazingly gorgeous'? - must be Arthur's narcissism getting to me.

Merlin looked up at Tullus who was looking at him questioningly. Merlin struggled to call up what Tullus had get asked him but ended up with "Wa –waht?"

Yes, not even a proper word, fortunately it sounded near enough to one.

"I said 'why are you walking around the castle so early?'."

"Erm, fresh air?"

Tullus laughed light heartedly; he got up and Merlin suddenly remembered how hard and cold the floor really was an attempted to haul himself up using the wall and the offered hand, but it hurt so damn much.

The King's servant frowned, "I was going to ask you to breakfast but maybe it would be better to get you to Gaius."

"No! Er, I mean, no thankyou, is there somewhere else?"

Tullus blushed, Merlin was now standing (near enough) but mostly leaning on the older man. Said older man could feel nearly every contour of Merlin's cool body pressed up against the side of his own "O-only my rooms."

Oblivious as always Merlin merely said "Well, let's go then."

It took a while to get to the rooms Tullus held next to the King's and almost as long to get Merlin laying as comfortably as possible on the large bed.

"Where does it hurt most?" Tullus said walking to the far side of the room.

He returned holding a box which turned out to hold bandages, cloths and a container of salve for cuts, he filled a basin from the full bucket by the door and set it down by Merlin.

Merlin dictated and Tullus lay cool damp cloths, wrapped bandages and applied salve as necessary. He did each task silently and with amazing dexterity and gentleness. When Merlin gestured with his arm to draw attention to the large bruise forming there Tullus caught sight of several marks on Merlin long, not-so-unblemished pillar of a neck.

They were bite marks.

Love bites.

Love.

Tullus briefly wondered about orchestrating a conversation which might possibly lead towards this sure-to-be highly suspicious maker of marks. Briefly because an irate amazingly gorgeous king-to-be burst into the room in a manner befitting his status. Tullus was proud, even Uther hadn't done that before.

The prince made an equally impressive exit. Despite a certain injured manservant trailing or, rather, being dragged behind. Arthur continued to drag his manservant in this manner until he had reached his rooms. Then he threw him onto the bed.

'If not for the knights I would have done this sooner.' Arthur thought before snatching at the hem of Merlin's unbelted tunic.

Merlin flushed bright red but didn't move except to close his eyes as he felt the rough fabric travel upwards, and then stop.

"Hah!"

Merlin opened his eyes at Arthur's noise of triumph, he squinted down at his master who was in turn squinting down at Merlin belly.

"Oh! Erm, that's nothing sire."

And suddenly Arthur's light hearted mood was gone.

"Nothing!" Arthur's face reddened.

'It's so much cuter with embarrassment than anger,' Merlin thought 'Though this is still nice...'

Arthur was still lying on top of the raven-haired servant.

"You call physical proof that a seductress is after your virgin body 'Nothing'!"

How does he know ...

"Your virtue, Merlin! And then you're going to be horribly devoured-"

"Are you even listening to me!"

Taking in Merlin's expression of absolute horror and fear Arthur leant in close to hear Merlin's murmuring.

"What?"

"How do you KNOW?"

"Oh, Gaius told us, you know last night when you ran away. That was stupid, as well! Especially when she wants you so much..."

'US! As in plural!'

"W-wants me so much?"

And he told ME to be careful! He told them about my Magic underlined it and strung fairy lights all over it! I wonder if Uther's going to burst in now, why not have an execution party while you're at it!

"Yeah, Gaius said she's been vigorous in pursuing you, he's not sure why, he thinks there just must be something about you that's particularly attractive to them."

"Oh God, I love that man." I'm sorry I knew you would never betray me Gaius, even accidentally, I owe you big!

"What man!"

Oops, was that out loud? Cue subject change.

"Wait, is that what the dream was about? There's a what was it? Seductress? After me, erm, 'vigorously pursuing' me?"

"You didn't know?"

Nice save, Merlin

Okay, I probably could have finished that a bit better but my aim is for 2 and a bit pages in word but this chap was 3 pages before I realised so I stopped... it sounds so bad when I say it like that, I could have picked worse places to stop though, right?

Anyway, review please, sorry for the day-long delay, by the way, my sis was on da comp all yesterday. The next chap will be on time! Or even early, I'll just get back to writing it, then.

REVIEW!