Chapter - 5

When Merlin came to all he could focus on was the pounding in his head and the dryness of his throat. He thanked the Gods that there was no light otherwise he would have to rush to the bathroom and vomit.

He groaned pitifully and sank back into the comfort of the fluffy pillows and tried to remember why he was in this situation.

Before he could think though there was another person in the room with him and Merlin felt the beginnings of dread as he remembered how he was cornered by Valiant, Merlin shrank back trying to see through the darkness, he was still loose limbed from the sedative and was in no position to fight or make a run for it.

"Relax Merlin' said a voice that he knew he was familiar with but what made him actually sink back again was that he knew it was not Valiant. Then a bed lamp was switched on and he could see the person clearly now and a small smile quirked his lips as he said "Mordred, how?"

The future duke of Essex sat closer to Merlin on the bed and made Merlin sit up leaning against the pillows as he said "Don't talk too much, you're voice is raspy you must be thirsty."

Merlin smiled sheepishly before admitting, "Parched."

"Wait a moment will you?" Mordred walked back into an adjoining room and then after a minute he was back again, this time with a glass of water in his hands.

When Merlin tried to lift the glass to his mouth he was too shaky and couldn't help the tremors that shook his hands, Mordred sighed before holding the glass to Merlin's lips; Merlin gave him a grateful look before he drank. Merlin also felt a bit uncomfortable with only his boxers on him and he tried to bring up the duvet up to his chest to which Mordred smirked and Merlin turned his eyes away not knowing why he suddenly felt so shy in Mordred's presence.

When Merlin was finished Mordred took the glass away and then looked at him with an expression of intense scrutiny, Merlin shifted trying but failing to look chastised. He knew exactly what Mordred was going to say now.

"Don't say it!" said Merlin at the same time Mordred said "I just had to save you, again."

Mordred and Merlin both looked at each other for a second before they started laughing, Merlin feeling safe and happy for the first time since he arrived in Paris and had to be shunted about posing for the media.

After their laughter had dissipated though Merlin told Mordred, "This time I really owe you my life…I can't imagine what that brute might have tried if you didn't…." Merlin trailed off with an expression of agony settling on his pale face.

Mordred expression had also turned solemn as he said "I thought I knew you were smart enough to not go anywhere without your body guards Merlin."

Merlin rolled his eyes as he stated, "Hey, it wasn't my fault they weren't tailing me, probably Arthur's doing, the prat asked them to leave us alone and they probably thought it was a direct order."

Merlin realized what he'd just accidentally let out when he saw Mordred's troubled expression.

"So it's true then, you and Prince Arthur of Camelot."

Merlin looked and felt defiant as he insisted "No, no, Mordred you know I'd never agree for an arrangement with the prat but it's not just about me…my parents want me to marry him."

Mordred had a twinge of anger in his tone as he asked "Are they forcing you to?"

Merlin shook his head, "It's complicated Mordred….my mom hopes I'll just suddenly fall arse over tits in love with the prat whom I've always hated, I mean…I don't want to marry him and I won't….we're just expected to be seen together to show our countries have made up or whatever…."

Mordred had an unrecognizable expression on his face as he hummed and said "You better get back to sleep."

Merlin then realized that it was too dark outside and hastily questioned "Mordred, how long have I been out?"

Mordred looked perplexed before he answered "Just about six hours…he sedated you so I thought of taking you to a doctor but I can't exactly smuggle you out of du Louvre."

Merlin began to panic as he pushed himself up and got out of the bed with Mordred looking at him with a mixture of amusement and worry, "Oh my God, Oh my God, Mordred…he'll kill me! If father fails to kill him first….I need to get back…where are my clothes?" he asked looking around the room in a hurry to be up and get going before this blew out into a political problem.

Mordred just folded his hands and looked vaguely petulant as he stated "Well I believe he deserves it after failing to look after you when you were his responsibility."

Merlin floundered around the room having found his shirt on one of the armchairs as he shouted "What? His responsibility, no, no, I'm sure as hell not the prat's responsibility Mordred and I can take care of myself."

When Mordred gave him a pointed look Merlin just threw his hands in the air and asked "Where are my pants?"

Just then there was a knock on the door and Mordred went to answer it without telling Merlin the location of his pants. Merlin in a moment of insanity decided to look under the bed.

And that was the scene Arthur Pendragon walked into with Mordred following just behind him.

Arthur's jaw clenched as Merlin screeched from down below with his head still down, "Mordred, really…where did you throw my pants? I need them…" Merlin turned a looked back up at just the person he was dreading to see and Mordred standing calmly behind him with a satisfied look on his face and Merlin realized what this must look like to Arthur and he chanced a look on the blond haired Prince to find him giving Merlin a look that if it had the power to would have burned a hole through Merlin.

Merlin felt the tugging of guilt and fear in his mind but then he berated himself as he thought about how worse a situation he could have ended up in if Valiant had gone through with his evil schemes. He could have lost his virginity with a man he hated above all else and what right did Arthur have to look at him as if he's committed a sin…he looked back up at the Prince with defiance as he said "What do you want now? And why are you here? Don't you know barging into other peoples rooms is rude?"

Arthur was tempted to beat someone into a pulp, the torrent of jealousy and anger that was spiking through his very veins was so new to him and all he wanted to do was rip of Mordred's limbs one by one for having dared to touch what was his. Arthur concealed the surprise he felt at that thought and focused on his anger, he had just spent the better part of the day searching for Merlin and he finds out that while Arthur had been freaking out with genuine worry for Merlin, Merlin had been fucking someone else behind his back the whole time.

Arthur felt cheated and whatever guilt he felt about reducing Merlin to tears at the fundraiser disappeared as he gritted his teeth and said "I expect to see you in the Pissaro suite in five minutes Merlin."

It was said in a tone that people knew better than to argue with but Merlin was not just anyone who obeyed or bended to someone's will and he screeched "The fuck! Don't you dare talk to me like that! I'm not one of your butlers whom you can order around and I will do as I please, I'll stay here for however long I want to."

Mordred was looking on at the interaction with a superior smirk on his face and said "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you like Prince Merlin" in a sugary and sweet tone.

Merlin shot Mordred a glare as he knew Mordred was trying to rile Arthur even further but decided to play along when he heard something that sounded suspiciously like a growl coming from Arthur, somehow it was delightful for Merlin to know he affected Arthur so and he wanted to goad the Prince further for way he'd behaved to Merlin at the fundraiser.

"You heard that Arthur, I think you can leave now, I'm sorry for worrying you if you were looking for me but as you can see I'm in good hands."

Arthur eye twitched and he smirked though all he wanted to do now was throw Merlin up on his shoulders, take him to their suite and bugger him silly until he forgot all about this Mordred. Sometimes he hated that he had to behave so dignified and princely when all he wanted to do was let his feelings guide his actions.

"You will come to the suite Merlin, else I inform the press that you are having an affair with Mr. Parker here right behind my back."

Merlin lost all his bravado as he could imagine just what he'd be made to sound like by the press, untested Prince of Mercia breaks Prince Arthur's heart, Scandals of Royals naughty Prince Merlin cheats on Prince Arthur with the duke of Essex' son, Apparently the dashing and charming golden haired heartthrob of Camelot is not enough for the fiend little prince of Mercia…. He wanted to jump off a top of a building just thinking about it and now he was furious as he glared at Arthur, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Wont I?" asked Arthur mysteriously before he turned and sauntered, bloody sauntered out of the room obviously expecting Merlin to follow.

Mordred who had remained silent until now said "You really are welcome to stay here you know, it was not just said in jest."

Merlin looked at Mordred with a small smile as he said "I know but I better go after him, god knows what he'll tell the press people if I don't."

Merlin then gestured to his almost bare legs as he asked "Mordred, my pants."

Mordred chuckled before he opened one of the cupboards in the room and threw it at Merlin.

After Merlin got himself dressed he swiftly left the room fiddling with the phone in his pants pocket not noticing the resignedly sad gaze Mordred directed at his back. When Merlin reached his suite his guards fussed with him asking him if he was alright and generally berating him for having slipped off from their radar yet again and Merlin rubbed his neck in a bit of shame before he asked "How angry is he?" to Arthur's guards.

The way they looked away from him proved that this was going to be hard to handle indeed but he had to prevent Arthur from going to the press, this could ruin everything. He took a deep breath before he opened the door and went inside.

Arthur was sitting with his legs crossed and he had a deceptively calm look on his face when Merlin entered the suite as he twisted his glass of champagne in his hand.

Merlin looked at him for a minute before he said "I thought I asked you to get your own room."

Arthur didn't say anything for a while but when he did his voice was as cold and unwelcoming as ice as he said "I don't think you're in a position to make any demands young prince."

Merlin refrained from snapping at the slight to his age as he asked "So just tell me what I should do so that you'd keep your mouth shut about it."

The proof that Merlin thought he really would sell the story to the press that he believed Arthur would go so low hurt and Arthur chuckled a bit manically to mask the pain before he said "Straight up to the point aren't you Merlin? Fine then, lets have it your way…you want me to not go to the press and prattle on your misbehavior then I want something in return."

Merlin gave Arthur an expectant look but he couldn't contain the surprise he felt when Arthur stated matter of factly, "Sleep with me."

Merlin had a dumbfounded expression on his face as he asked "What?" he couldn't possibly have heard that right.

"You heard me."

"NO!"

"And why not?" asked Arthur a bit insanely as jealousy flared again as he got up and walked slowly towards Merlin who stepped back with his hands in front of him as if to ward Arthur away.

"Fuck off! Go to the press, tattle to them about how I slept with Mordred, I don't care!"

There was a cracking sound as the champagne flute in Arthur's hand splintered and rained shards all over the floor.

Arthur's hand was bleeding and he looked down at it with a mixture of surprise and confusion before he looked back up at Merlin who was also staring at Arthur's hand with worry in his eyes.

Arthur turned away ashamed at being so vulnerable and acting out on his urges in front of Merlin, "Leave" he said with a finality to his tone but Merlin as was becoming usual ignored him and stepped closer to Arthur.

When Merlin pulled Arthur's now injured hand to examine it Arthur snapped pulling his hand away, "Are you clueless or just suicidal."

"I told you to shut up!" said Merlin before he pulled Arthur's hand towards him again and made a displeased sound. "You won't be needing stitches so count yourself lucky."

"And how would an idiot like you know that?" asked Arthur as he looked at Merlin as if he were some unidentifiable species that he just couldn't wrap his mind around. One moment Merlin's eyes were hard with anger and the next they went soft with kindness.

Merlin scowled but puffed up his chest and proudly stated, "I'm good at this stuff because I always wanted to be a doctor when I grew up, so unlike some royals," he gave Arthur a pointed look, "I actually know some basic first aid."

Arthur looked affronted as he exclaimed "I served in the military for two years Merlin, of course I know first aid."

Merlin looked baffled before he nodded saying "I forgot it was mandatory in Camelot."

"Wait here a minute" said Merlin pushing Arthur to sit on the bed before he went searching for the first aid kit. While he was in the bathroom getting the supplies he began to consider why Arthur behaved the way he did, granted nothing happened between him and Mordred but still didn't Arthur say that he didn't care about who Merlin had intimate relations with.

Why then did he behave like a jealous husband when he'd seen Merlin in Mordred's room and how had he found out about him being in Mordred's room in the first place. Arthur didn't seem to know anything about what Valiant had tried with Merlin and Merlin wanted to keep it that way. The only problem was Mordred knew about it and although Merlin trusted Mordred to keep it a secret he couldn't help but feel that Mordred might give away the real reason for Merlin being in his suite if Arthur confronted him.

Merlin went back out and found Arthur sitting in the couch with the champagne bottle held loosely in his uninjured hand. Merlin frowned wondering if he had to deal with an injured and drunken oaf of a Prince, wasn't this turning to be one of the luckiest of days in his life, he thought sarcastically before he pulled away the bottle from Arthur's hand and perched on his knees in front of him.

Arthur who had preferred to just get drunk instead of trying to decipher his jumbled up emotions which were all over the place where Merlin was concerned began to stare at Merlin as Merlin cleaned up the cuts and bandaged it up for him.

"You have pretty eyes Merlin!" said Arthur in a high voice which suggested he wasn't in full control of his senses.

Merlin blushed and then softly whispered "And you are soused to the gills."

"Pretty, pretty blue eyes…"

"Oh god! Why do I have to deal with this on top of everything else? If you're going to sing me an ode about my eyes which are not in any way pretty…"

"I want to kiss you."

Merlin laughed and Arthur pouted which made Merlin laugh all the more, "I am so using that against you when you wake up, you prat!"

"M'not a prat!"

"Oh yes, yes you are!"

"You're a big eared idiot."

"So now we're back to the insults, are we?"

"My hand hurts."

"That would your fault wouldn't it?"

"Head hurts too"

"I hope you don't puke on me."

"Why'd I puke on you?"

"Because you're pissed and you look sorta green."

"Like yoda?"

"What?" Merlin chuckled at Arthur's reference to star wars of all things.

"The little green sage elf, yoda."

"Yes I know who yoda is Arthur and you are going to sleep."

"Kay" agreed Arthur congenially as he smiled widely at Merlin who could think of nothing but how ridiculous Arthur looked now and he pushed him on top of the bed and moved him to the other side.

When Merlin had made sure Arthur was comfortably settled he made to walk away so he could change into sleepwear which made Arthur grab on to his hands.

Merlin looked startled in the dim light of the night lamp but Arthur's face was clear as day to Merlin and the desperation in his tone and countenance made Merlin take a sharp breath as he asked "Don't leave me, don't go back to Mor-dread."

Arthur lousily patted the spot next to him on the bed and gave Merlin an expectant look. Merlin closed his eyes as he felt something akin to victory and pleasure fill his senses and made his lips widen into a slow cautious smile. He understood now that Arthur must care for him atleast on some level and to think Arthur had let himself be goaded into acting out of jealousy all because of him left him feeling a strange and smug sense of satisfaction that he could affect Arthur so.

When Merlin carefully settled in the opposite side of the bed making sure to put some gap between him and Arthur, Arthur rolled around until he reached Merlin's side and snugly fitted himself around Merlin's lithe form.

"Arthur!" Merlin protested, "Get off you heavy oaf! You're clinging on to me like I'm your favorite teddy bear!"

Merlin got no response as he was continued to be smothered by Arthur and when he heard the Prince's loud snores right in his ears Merlin groaned for the umpteenth time in the day before he carefully drifted off to sleep as well.

Arthur was warm, so warm indeed that he snuggled into the bed covers further and pulled what was keeping him warm closer. He slowly realized that the warmth was coming from a person next to him on the bed and idly wondered if he'd taken someone to bed last night, whoever it was though they smelled divine and Arthur wouldn't mind going for another round with the lady or lad he thought mischievously, after all the French were a group of very very passionate people, they didn't call it French kiss for nothing.

France, French, shit! Arthur remembered everything at once and shot up in the bed which made Merlin moan and blink up into Arthur's shocked eyes.

Merlin looked annoyed and asked in a sleep laden voice "What's with you? Come back to bed."

Arthur had to wonder if this was some dream his mind was concocting, he surely couldn't have just heard Merlin asking him to come back to bed especially after the way he'd made a total arse of himself last night.

He clenched his fists and screamed in pain. He'd totally forgotten about crushing a sodding glass in his hand.

Merlin sat up looking a lot more alert as he asked "Does your hand hurt?"

What made Arthur do the next thing he did though was the blatant concern shining in Merlin's eyes, it made him panic and he threw himself out of the bed and walked swiftly away from the room closing the door shut with a bang.

Merlin felt confused and hurt and he looked up on a particularly gloomy painting of Pissaro before he fell back into bed again, it was too early for emotional conundrums yet, he'd rather not think about what was happening between Arthur and him now or ever really.

Merlin was just about to pack his bags and leave for Mercia as he believed Arthur had probably left to Camelot now, and he could only hope that Arthur didn't mention anything to the press about him and Mordred.

There was a knock on the door and Merlin opened it to reveal Arthur's body guards, "Your majesty, Prince Arthur wishes for you to attend breakfast with him in his rooms."

Merlin felt out of place and weary after last night, but he wasn't in a position to disagree and he nodded informing the guard that he'd be right out.

Arthur was dressed sharply in a suit and was the picture of calm and confidence, a stark contrast to last nights crack in the mask that Merlin had to wonder why Arthur was making an effort to be such a persnickety person on a daily basis. Then Merlin scolded himself for being curious, the prince of Camelot could do as he wished and Merlin was not in the least bit interested.

"Don't just stand there gaping Prince Merlin, take a seat."

Merlin scowled before he placed himself in the seat right in front of Arthur and the Arthur called for the maid to serve them.

When Merlin couldn't bear to take the silence anymore he asked "How's your hand?"

Arthur gave him a cursory glance, "Don't you know it's rude to talk while eating?"

Merlin put down his fork, he'd just about had enough of Arthur's impossible behavior and he shot back, "It's also rude to accost a person while you're drunk, it's rude to behave like an ungrateful wretch to someone who had enough care to bandage your hands, its also rude to snore like a pig with a case of the swine flu, it's also rude to leave without saying a thank you for how I helped you last night when you were a complete wreck."

Arthur had grown increasingly irritated with Merlin's jibes and he snapped "I did not accost you!"

"You called me pretty, as if I am some French dame!" accused Merlin which made Arthur flush as he remembered that particular event very well indeed and then Merlin continued saying "You also snuggled up to me and refused to move away when I asked you to. And what about me taking care of your hand? Where's my thank you?"

"I don't see the need to thank you when you're the reason it happened in the first place."

Merlin got a triumphant look in his eyes and Arthur was stumped when Merlin pointed his finger at him and declared "Because you were jealous of Mordred! You couldn't handle it like a big boy and you threw a tantrum when you keep calling me a kid."

Arthur looked chagrined for a second before the cool and indifferent mask returned but Merlin had seen it anyway, "Don't be ridiculous, why would I be jealous of someone who's only ever going to be a duke? I am the Prince of Camelot; I have no reason to be jealous of someone so lowly."

"Don't call him lowly, and you're jealous of Mordred because of me!" when Arthur went to protest Merlin shushed him putting his hands right over Arthur's mouth snapping "I'm not done talking yet! You're jealous because I slept with Mordred and don't you dare deny it! You practically begged me to stay with you last night and I quote 'Don't leave me Merlin, don't go back to Mor-dread' and if that isn't jealousy talking then I don't know what is!"

Merlin screeched as he took his hands off of Arthur's mouth shaking his hands as he searched for a tissue, "You licked me! You licked my hand with your saliva that's probably infected with mono!"

Arthur was once again amused with Merlin's antics and leaned back to watch as Merlin washed his hands and came back to sit down scowling at Arthur.

They went back to eating in silence for a while before Arthur decided to break it surprising them both, "So…Mordred huh? Don't know what you see in him."

"He's not a prat for one, and he's hot."

"Figures" said Arthur and Merlin frowned when Arthur explained "Typical teenage boy you are, going after the rich hot men."

"Oh shut up! Like you didn't act like a typical jealous husband yesterday when you have no right to act like that."

"For the last time Merlin, I am not jealous of Mordred, never was, never will be."

"Liar!"

"I can't help it if you're delusional."

"Pfft."

"Besides, I assure you I'm infinitely better in the sack than the duke of Essex' son is."

Merlin's mind forced him to remember Arthur's philandering ways and he snapped "Oh don't be so full of yourself."

"I'm not, it's just a fact."

"No you're just being arrogant and assuming."

"Well, you will get to know the truth of it in time won't you?" asked Arthur with a pointed look at Merlin and a smirk on his blond chiseled face which made Merlin halt in his tracks.

He looked up and then asked "What the hell are you talking about? You're not serious about going to the press if I don't sleep with you right? Because if you are I'll inform the press myself."

Arthur had the decency to look sheepish when Merlin mentioned it but then his look was serious as he said "I meant that you'll eventually get to know I'm a much better bed partner when we're married."

Merlin flushed but he was confused as well, why was Arthur talking about this so easily and so surely, when they had come to France both of them had an unspoken rule to never talk about the M word, "What? Married? You're not making sense; I thought we both were going to actively try to sabotage our parents' plans…"

Arthur sighed and rubbed his temples with his bandaged hand and looked at Merlin as if it was literally paining him to be dealing with Merlin, "Merlin, what do you think was the point of sending us both here to Paris for a week?"

Merlin frowned not knowing what Arthur was implying, "To make us look more chummy to the public…"

"They could have made us look chummy in Camelot or Britain but they sent us to Paris for a week, Paris city of lovers….ring a bell?"

Merlin felt realization dawning on him and he whispered "No!" in denial.

Arthur turned away and then looked back at Merlin head on meeting his eyes as he said "They expect me to propose to you within the week is out."

"No! How could you agree to this? Just no!"

"You still think I have a say in this because I don't, it's either marry you or give up my right to the throne."

"Uther wouldn't do that."

"That's King Uther to you and you don't know what my father's capable of doing."

Merlin laid his head in his hands and asked "What are we going to do?"

"Simple, get married for now atleast."

"For now?" asked Merlin looking up at Arthur with a calculating look in his eyes.

Arthur nodded saying "Yes, for now, I've thought long and hard about this and it's the best choice we have, we could get married for now and pretend to be all lovey dovey for a while until the tension breaks and then we'll get an amicable divorce."

"Like that isn't going to recreate another tension!"

"It won't, it's the twenty first century for god's sake, and people divorce all the time and this situation will blow over by then."

Merlin frowned having lost all his apatite, while he could admit now that Arthur was not a total pain to be around it was still disheartening to realize he was going to be forced into marriage so early in his life anyway. He then realized what Arthur had said earlier and sat up straight, with a warning glare in his eyes he said "I am not going to sleep with you just because we're married."

Arthur looked amused then incredulous when Merlin's glare failed to drop, "What?" he asked just to be sure, like hell he was not going to have Merlin in his bed once they were married.

"Yes that's right; I am not going to be another notch on your bedpost so I'll agree to your terms of this marriage only and only if you promise me to not force me to have any sexual relations with you..."

"Forget it" said Arthur in a thundering voice.

"Wait, you actually want to sleep with me?" asked Merlin as if suddenly being enlightened and Arthur looked guilty like he'd been caught stealing out of the cookie jar as Merlin gaped not being able to contain his shock.

"Shut up Merlin!" said Arthur before he stood up and made his way out, he'd been stripped of far too many layers of his person in the last few days and he felt so out of his depth that he just had to get out.

Merlin on the other hand was feeling equal parts of excitement and trepidation as he uttered "Oh Merlin, you are so screwed literally and figuratively."

Sunday update :) Are you guys happy?

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Chibi Dhamar : I don't care about you're English xD, you could leave me a review in Spanish and I wouldn't mind even if I couldn't read it, it still means you're taking the time to review my work which means a lot to me, thankyou!