Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC.
Hey, sorry for the wait. Exams. Homework. Exams. Hope you like it and as always please take the time to review, it literally makes my day.
Arthur frowned as he struggled with the clasp on his right gauntlet; he was good at many things, but doing up buckles with his left hand was not one of them, he was not ambidextrous. Merlin watched from the corner of the room, appraising the blonde as he struggled. Pitying the prince, Merlin walked over to him and very gently moved the blonde's hand away from the buckle replacing it with his own. Arthur stopped muttering under his breath when he felt Merlin's warm hands cover his; every point where Merlin touched Arthur left a trail of tingly warmth that settled deep in his bones.
"Here, let me." Merlin whispered quietly, fastening the clasp with his deft fingers. Arthur watched, breathing erratic as the brunette swiftly did it up and moved to the next arm, quietly and without fuss.
"Merlin," Arthur mumbled, capturing the boy's attention once he was finished. "Thank you." he said linking his fingers with Merlins, joining their hands together. He prayed that Merlin would realise that he wasn't only saying thank you for helping him. He was thanking him for doing something without prompt and not finishing his sentence with sire.
Merlin grimaced, Arthur assumed he was trying to smile, but before Arthur could ask what was wrong Merlin released his hand and moved away, muttering in a small voice "It's my duty sire."
Arthur smirked before swiping again, this time striking Gwaine's shield with his sword. The older man went flying backwards before landing in a heap on the ground. Arthur could feel the sweat dripping from his face, plastering his hair to his neck and collecting in the fabric of his undershirt. Although he was training (one of his favourite activities) he wasn't excited or having fun; none of the knights held any challenge for him anymore, he knew their tactics, their methods, and their weaknesses. He placed the tip of the melee sword against Gwaine's neck before asking "Do you yield?"
Gwain gasped as pain ricocheted through his shoulder, willing the prince to get off. Choking out a "Yes sire." he scrambled from under the prince, clutching at his shoulder. Leon was in charge of the daily training, as Arthur's left-hand man, the responsibility of looking after all of the knights fell to him if the prince had other duties. Seeing the state of Gwain he ran over to him, assessing the damage caused by the prince.
"Fetch Gaius." he barked at Percival before looking around trying to find the prince. Finding him nowhere, Leon looked at the other knights seeing equal looks of confusion in everyone's eyes. Turning his attention, once again to Gwain, he looked at the man and assessed the damage "I think it's dislocated."
He slammed the door shut and launched his gauntlets at the wall, flinching when the crash echoed around his chambers. His anger and frustration was palpable, rolling off him in waves surrounding everyone and everything he touched. Arthur felt agitated. Every time he tried to think whilst training he got angry; a fierce burning anger that consumed him. What would have happened if Merlin had have known how to defend himself? Was Merlin forced to go with those men or did he know them?
There were so many questions that Arthur wanted answered, questions that Merlin himself didn't know the answers to. Arthur sighed and flopped down on his bed, there was nothing he could do now.
Merlin had been in the servants quarters adjoined to Arthur's chambers when he had heard he crash from the other room. Merlin's heart had fluttered in panic, who was there? He walked up to his door and peered curiously through the key hole, seeing no one Merlin stepped out of the room, not before muttering a timid "Forbaerne." Allowing the fire to rest in the palm of his hand Merlin stepped through the threshold joining the two rooms.
He walked over to the Arthur's wardrobe which was slightly open and took a deep breath, gathering his courage. He pulled the door open quickly with his left hand (the one not holding the fire) and sighed when he realised nothing was in there. But his relief was short lived ad he felt an arm wrap around his chest and another seize his had that was maintaining the fire. He gasped and kicked as tears instantly appeared in his eyes, he couldn't go through this again.
"Merlin, what are you doing." Arthur hissed, loosening his grip as he noticed the younger boy's discomfort. Merlin turned in the prince's arms and let the fire dissipate before clinging to the prince and resting his face in the blonde's neck.
"Arthur, I was scared." Merlin whispered as the tears flowed from his eyes and soaked the prince's skin. Arthur wrapped his arms around his friend and pulled him closer.
"I am sorry Merlin." He sighed and pulled Merlin over to the bed, he felt guilty. He should have known how Merlin would have reacted when he did that, it's just when he saw him using magic like that. Anyone could have walked in, and just because Arthur didn't think magic was evil didn't mean his father didn't. Uther would have executed Merlin without a trial.
Arthur frowned as he settled on the bed pulling Merlin onto his lap, willing his tears to stop falling. "I'm sorry." he repeated, running his hands through the young boy's hair. Merlin sniffed loudly before replying.
"s'okay, s'not your fault." he said, voice tired. Arthur lay back and pulled Merlin to his side so that he brunette was draped over the left of his body. "Are you tired, how was training?" Merlin asked snuggling deeper into Arthur's embrace.
"I'm not too bad, a nap would be nice and I think I broke Gwaine's arm." Arthur finished quietly, ashamed of his behaviour earlier. Merlin looked up at Arthur, resting his chin on the prince's chest.
"Who's Gwaine?" Merlin asked.
"One of my knights, we were training and I was in a bad mood, I pushed him to hard and I think I broke his arm." Arthur explained as his cheeks coloured with embarrassment. Merlin sighed and rested his cheek, once again in the blonde's neck. "I am sorry I scared you earlier Merlin." Arthur apologised kissing the top of Merlin's hair.
"Well, I guess I need to learn not to jump at the wind if I am ever to leave your chambers." He teased before kissing the blonde's neck. "Goodnight Arthur." He said before snuggling closer into his friend's side and closing his eyes.
"Sleep well Merlin." Arthur whispered back, feeling complete and content for the first time that day. He sunk into Merlin's embrace and closed his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
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