qA Bucket List
Merlin is dying of an unknown terminal illness that even his magic cannot cure. Arthur had him devise a bucket list and is very enthusiastic to help him complete every single thing on the list, no matter how hard or how stupid it may be. EVENTUAL MERxTHUR and crippling angst towards the end of the story.
Subtle merthur in this chapter
Chapter 4
Dawn approached, sunlight seeping through the curtainless windows directly unto the prince's eyelids. The prince awoke, blinking several times. Merlin was still asleep, facing the wall instead of Arthur, still clutching onto the shirt that was given to him the night before. Arthur allowed him to keep it for the time being and put another shirt on. Quietly, he tiptoed his way out of the room in an effort to not wake the sleeping boy up to get them both some breakfast. Luckily, saving Arthur time from leaving the inn to find an open stall, there was a bar area where food and drink is available inside the inn.
Arthur got the usual, poached eggs, beans and sugared bacon for Merlin. The inn sadly doesn't serve the luxuries that Arthur would usually have so he had to settle with some tuna and bread. Once Arthur had arrived back in their room, Merlin was already up.
"Here you go. I got some breakfast for you. And of course, I made sure it was the usual." Arthur laid down the tray of food on Merlin's lap and took his own food. He sat at the edge of the bed facing Merlin.
"You're only eating that one can of tuna and one slice of bread?" Merlin inquired.
"They didn't have the stuff that there would usually be in the castle kitchen so I didn't want to risk trying some and not liking it." Arthur replied back.
"Well how do you know you don't like it if you haven't tried it?" Merlin then lifted one piece of sugared bacon towards Arthur's face. "At least try some of this."
"Uhm no, Merlin. Bacon looks far too greasy and and disgusting. I refuse your offer for heart problems."
Merlin is persistent, however.
"Do it, Arthur. You won't regret it I promise."
Merlin then forced the bacon on to the prince's mouth in which he had no choice but to part his lips, the bacon touching his tongue for the first time. Surprisingly, Arthur had eaten the whole strip.
"Damn that's good!
"Told you so,"
Once the two finished eating their meal, they gathered the things necessary for venturing into the mines. They rode their horses down to the opening of the mine and settled their horses there. Just from looking at the entrance, one could sense an eerie-like aura radiating from the mine. The dim lighting made it all the more chilling. Upon setting foot into the mine, the pair found it to be deafeningly quiet. No sound being omitted from either two due to fear. Arthur hardly ever displayed fear on his face, this was one of those moments. But deep inside, especially since he was in a foreign land, he was absolutely terrified. There was no predicting what would happen to them.
Suddenly, footsteps not belonging to them bounced of the rocky walls of the mine. Merlin and Arthur could not distinguish where it had come from. The two stood still, Arthur placing his index finger at the centre of his lips and faced Merlin to signal him to remain silent. He stood in front of Merlin, back touching the boy's torso to offer even the slightest bit of comfort.
Then the footsteps happened again, but at a faster pace.
"Who's there?" Arthur spoke lowly.
Multiple footsteps began to sound as the two remained still. Then, the pair found themselves to be surrounded by thieves in leather armor, each one emerging from the shadows one by one. It was clear who their leader was as he was the largest one of all. The man stepped forward to their direction.
"Well well well...I see we have some adventurers in here with us. What are your names?" The man's voice was raspy and very low, as if he had been smoking a cigar for years on end.
Merlin, since he had experience in making fake names (Dragoon the great), thought he would take the lead.
"I am Paolo." Merlin disguises. He then points to Arthur. "This man right here is my manservant."
Arthur panicked and tried to fish out the first name that pops into his head. But once the prince attempted to finally speak a couple of words, his tongue was slightly paralysed in anxiety and instead spluttered out a slurred sentence decorated with a foreign accent.
"Me name is Jeff."
The group of thieves laughed for a brief moment at the failed accent attempt.
"Oh blondie, that accent isn't fooling anyone. You don't have to pretend."
The leader of the thieves patted the two men in the back. "You two girlies don't have to worry. As long as you are not down here for the same reasons we are down here."
"Well what are you lot here for?" Arthur asked.
"We are here for the centurions. They are made with pure gold, imagine the money! We never would have to steal from the civilians again. See we would have mugged you but you both look poor enough as it is"
Arthur took offence to that as he is already wearing one of his expensive royal garments yet it was not deemed enough worth for the 'thieves' of Markarth.
"Well, what about you two? Not many travel down to this part of the kingdom. Rarely in fact. What business could you two possibly have here?" the man asks, suspicious towards the two.
Merlin squeezed Arthur's forearm, a sign to let him do the talking as it was his plan to venture down the mines. Besides, Merlin has been a professional liar for a long time.
"We are tourists! Fresh out of the boat! Visiting this lovely kingdom that's all."
The group of men muttered to each other quietly, obviously not convinced. The leader sauntered towards Merlin, Arthur with his hand on his undrawn sword ready to defend.
"I'll have you know that I wasn't born yesterday," the man suddenly raised a dagger towards the warlock's throat, "And I am not entirely persuaded that you are here to tour an abandoned mine."
Arthur feels a rush of adrenaline in his blood, ready to pounce at the man threatening Merlin but he knew he had to try settle this in a way that wouldn't result in a fight.
"Oi! Put that dagger away, we do not mean you any harm whatsoever. My friend isn't even armed!" Arthur sternly warned the man.
"Oh shut up, Jeff!"
The prince had enough of their rudeness and, in impulse and anger, whipped his sword out of its holder and swung as hard as he can at the thief leader. The man had retreated back just in time before the sword had hit him. Arthur's action eventually caused an alarm in the other thieves as they readied their weapons as well, all targeting at the two. Merlin is unarmed, but thankfully his magic could take down two of these thieves at a time.
"Sopori Somnumia" Merlin incatates. He raises his hand upon the thieves, causing unconsciousness in those within the same position as his hand. Arthur was too busy battling the leader to notice Merlin's use of magic. The leader had a larger build than Arthur and it was evident he had an advantage at winning over him. However, Arthur's stamina brings up a very long lasting fight, tiring the thief. Once Arthur swings one final blow towards the thief, toppling the larger man over, Merlin recites the incantation again towards him.
"Sopori Somnumia"
Without fail, the thief finally collapses to the ground joining the seven other unconscious thieves leaving Arthur completely surprised.
"Merlin, did you just..."
"Yes, I did. Never underestimate me, Arthur"
"But I thought you were clumsy and weak, how did you manage to take on seven thieves?"
"I told you not to underestimate me!"
.
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After wondering about in the mine for long enough, the pair finally found a centurion. It was unactivated, curled into a small golden ball. Merlin rejoiced in the inside, keeping his cool while still in a mine with thieves who may awaken any minute.
"Let's go before the thieves wake up." Arthur instructed.
The two retraced their steps back towards the entrance of the mine, when they heard shuffling behind them and the familiar raspy voice.
"That was supposed to be MY centurion!"
Turning around, they found the thief leader, a menacing expression on his face as if ready to pounce on them. Without hesitation, the two sprinted out of the cave, Merlin clutching his satchel to ensure himself the centurion is in there. The leader thief and his clan followed behind them stupidly exposing themselves in the kingdom. Arthur used this as his advantage.
"Guards! Thieves!"
Soon, the thieves clan were surrounded by the guards of Markarth and all members were arrested. A guard approached Arthur and Merlin.
"Both of your acts of bravery will definitely not be unrewarded. These thieves have been lurking through this kingdom for years and because of you two, we have finally caught them. I will commend this to the Jarl and he would reward you greatly!"
Arthur smiled at Merlin and playfully pat his back, careful not to do it too hard to bruise his sensitive skin.
"Well done, Merlin! If you hadn't forced us to go into the mines, risk our lives, almost be beaten by thieves all to get a centurion, this wouldn't have happened."
Merlin smirked back at him, admiring the gesture coming from Arthur. He savored the moments the prince's hand touched his back. The guard led the pair into the Jarl's palace atop the cliff. The walk towards the palace was long and tiresome due to the three flights of steep stairs to get to the very top. Arthur knew Merlin's condition would not help this situation, so to get across this obstacle, the prince offered to carry Merlin in which Merlin happily obliged to.
Once they have reached the palace, they were greeted by another set of stairs.
"Merlin, are you alright to walk?" Arthur asked in concern to Merlin's condition. Merlin nodded in response but clutched the prince's hand in case he feels faint. This sweet indication made Arthur's heart swell, slowly causing the prince to question the nature of their relationship. It almost seems certain that the two were just friends, but gestures such as this tells otherwise.
Upon reaching the Jarl, who was stood from his throne, the two were addressed with an applause from the assembly and the Jarl.
"Because of you two, the kingdom's safety has been restored as it had been years we have been experiencing a rare increase in theft. We hardly ever allow foreigners on to our kingdom as we had feared it was them who were stealing. Yet you both are foreigners and have saved our kingdom from the thieves guild. I will most definitely commend you both," the Jarl presented a shield with the seal of Markarth engraved in gold, "May this shield protect you both from harm. If you both ever wish to return to this kingdom again, just present this shield to the guards at the gates and they will let you in immediately. May I know your names?"
Merlin bowed in reverence "I am Merlin."
Arthur followed after "I am Prince Arthur of Camelot."
The Jarl's eyes widened in surprise. "Ah so you are THE Prince Arthur. If that is the case I would be perfectly happy, if it is fine with you, to form an alliance between our kingdoms. I shall send the request to your king in due time and tell him of you and your friend's act of bravery."
Arthur bowed once again and thanked the Jarl.
"If there is anything else I shall help you with, please ask. I want to make sure you are rewarded sufficiently enough." the Jarl kindly offered.
Merlin's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Do you got any centurions?"
.
.
.
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"For gods sake, Merlin! How many centurions did you have to take?" Arthur groaned, his back aching from carrying Merlin's satchel.
"Around twenty." Merlin replied, in absolute content that he had bargained for more than he had imagined. Arthur disapproved and swung the satchel onto the bed. The prince cracked his back releasing built up tension from his back muscles, but this wasn't enough to relieve his back. Merlin cringed at the cracking noise the prince's back made.
"Ew Arthur please stop it with the cracking. It's making me uncomfortable."
Arthur turned to face his servant, slightly annoyed.
"OH I am sooo sorry I had to carry your heavy satchel around and now I have tense back muscles! If you have a better way of relieving my pain, you may do so." Arthur comments.
"Actually, I do have a better idea."
Merlin commands the prince to lay on the bed, front facing the mattress.
"Now, Arthur, please do not feel weird about this."
Merlin then straddled the prince's hips, lifted his shirt up to his shoulders and then slowly worked on the prince's back muscles.
"Nocebunauxilia" Merlin whispered
Merlin kneaded the prince's flesh in comforting circles eliciting satisfied moans from the prince.
"Merlin, that feels amazing. I didn't know you could massage."
"Well, I could do many things you never thought I could do...like defeat seven thieves."
Arthur chuckled and absorbed the waves of pleasure radiating from his back. Slowly, his eyes drifted off to sleep as much as he didn't want to. But Merlin's hands were just so gentle and soft and delicate. Merlin watched as the prince drifted off, soft snores coming from the prince's mouth. He thought the prince looked incredibly cute as he slept, his golden locks becoming a mess as he switched his head position from one side to the other. Merlin couldn't help the butterflies filling his gut, awakening the creature inside of him that desperately wants Arthur to belong to him and to him exclusively. Oh how we wants Arthur to be able to hold, hug him as more than a friend and kiss him. Sadly, he knows that Arthur views their relationship as strictly platonic despite the 'loving' gestures he had made. For all he knows, those gestures may only be due to his illness. Maybe it is better this way.
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Thank you all for reading this story and reviewing. Please keep posting as much reviews as you can as this helps me with future chapters of this story xxxxx
Le Author
