1. Something Strange Afoot

The moment Arthur spotted the flowers in Merlin's hands as he rushed off, his thoughts came to a grinding halt.

That idiot.

That Merlin was besotted with Morgana wasn't all that surprising. Almost anyone who encountered Morgana was.

What Arthur couldn't wrap his head around, was that Merlin was actually acting on his feelings.

That absolute, idiotic, bumbling halfwit.

With an incredulous huff, Arthur turned on his heel and stalked off.

I simply cannot be bothered.

Unfortunately, Arthur was forced to be bothered, when he realized that Merlin's sudden neglecting of his duties had nothing to do with him being a lazy sod, and more to do with his attempts of catching a moment alone with Morgana.

I'm going to kill him. Because if I don't, father will.

Clearly, confronting Merlin about the flowers had done nothing to deter him. Telling Arthur that he was merely being "nice" and that he didn't want Arthur to "get the wrong impression" had been a load of rubbish, because the clumsy oaf had been going about his chores while grinning like a total loon.

Already he'd caught Merlin and Morgana sneaking hushed conversations in between the manservant's chores, and now, Merlin was trying to rush off after completing his duties with a quickness that Arthur had previously thought him incapable of.

"Arthur?"

Arthur was pulled back into the present at the sound of Merlin's voice, recalling that the manservant stood at his desk, still awaiting his permission to retire for the evening.

"Where's the fire, Merlin?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Yes," Merlin answered shortly. "May I go now?"

Eyes still narrowed, Arthur gestured towards the door. "Go on then."

Merlin barely shot him a goodnight as he hurried out of Arthur's chambers.

Arthur wasn't far behind.

Much to his frustration, Merlin hardly made any attempt to be discreet as he made a beeline for Morgana's rooms. The idiot was just looking to be caught! Arthur stalked after him at a distance, until Merlin was knocking at Morgana's door.

As soon as Morgana opened her door and gestured for the servant to enter, dressed only in her nightgown and sleeping robe, Arthur hurried forward and called out, "What do you think you're doing?"

Merlin jumped and whirled around with the expression of a startled rabbit. Meanwhile, Morgana shot him an irritated scowl.

"Arthur," she drawled. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Arthur nearly spluttered, but managed to say, "First of all, I'd like to know why you're entertaining the company of my servant at this hour."

"Arthur," Merlin huffed, as though it was he, Arthur, who was the problem. "It's not what you think."

His insolent tone alone earned him a cuff across the back of the head.

Merlin shot him a mutinous glare.

"But you see, Merlin, it doesn't matter what I think. It matters what the king thinks!" he snapped. "If I've already noticed, how long before my father discovers whatever this is? The king would have your head if he found out!"

Morgana scoffed. "Arthur, don't be a fool. Uther already knows."

That caught him short.

"…What."

Merlin pressed his lips into a line, but it didn't keep the laughter from shining in his eyes.

"Yes," Morgana continued, lips curling into a smirk. "Uther knows exactly what is going on between Merlin and I. I'm sure if you were to ask, he would be more than happy to provide an explanation."

"…You're serious," Arthur said flatly, gaze darting between Merlin's barely concealed laughter and Morgana's self-satisfied air of superiority.

"Perfectly," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse us." Morgana grasped Merlin's wrist and dragged him inside her chambers, shooting Arthur a salacious wink.

As the door was slammed in his face, Arthur could only gape in horror.

A/N: If it wasn't clear, this is an alternate take on the episode The Nightmare Begins, in which Merlin confides in Morgana, rather than taking her to the Druids :) But from Arthur's point of view!

I'm probably not looking hard enough, but I don't come across many Arthur-centered fics, which is a shame, because he's my favorite character. So, I decided to write one for myself!

Please let me know if you liked it! :)