Just like with many...many other things, it just sort of became an unspoken agreement between them, Merlin would never leave Arthur alone and they would not stay out in public for very long, unless Arthur was fighting. And for the first two days it worked. Vivian only showed up to Arthur's chambers seven more times and when she did, Merlin either sent her away to search for Arthur somewhere else in the castle, or locked the door and let her bang on it for awhile, and after an hour or so she would get tired. But on the third day, something terrible happened. Merlin could not return to Arthur's chambers with him; Sir McGregor had gotten injured in the tournament and Gaius needed Merlin's help, which meant Arthur had to return to his chambers alone. He reassured himself that this was fine as he walked toward his chambers alone, but upon entering his room, he knew it was not to be.
Sitting on his bed, in a rather tight, white dress, was the Lady Vivian. Arthur thought quickly of turning around, but he'd already been seen. Chest puffed out, she fanned herself. "Finally...we can be alone."
If only she knew, Arthur wanted the exact opposite. She crawled around on her knees, on his bed, and then he swore. He had never seen anything like this before, and if being with a woman was like this in the future, Arthur would rather not. He decided he needed to get to the bottom of this though. Why her sudden change of heart? That awfully written letter, written by someone else mind you, couldn't have done it. Her heart was previously as cold as ice. He quickly strode into the room, which seemed to excite her, because she squealed like a pig and started jumping on her knees.
Arthur wanted to die, suddenly. Death would have been better than this. "We need to talk...My Lady."
"Oh, Arthur...talking can wait!" she said, in a breathless voice. "Let us let our bodies do the talking."
Arthur ignored her words. "I suppose I am just a little confused...because I was under the impression you didn't like me?"
"That is only what I pretend to be so my Father does not suspect," said Vivian. She licked her lips and gazed over at Arthur with delight, as if he were a delicious pie. "My Father is mean! He never lets me have any fun."
"For good reason," retorted Arthur. She pouted and reached out her hand for him, but he took a few more steps away from the bed. "I hope you are understanding when I tell you that; though you are quite lovely, My Lady, I have no interest in you."
"You don't have to pretend, Arthur," said Vivian then. She stood up on the bed and leaned forward, trying to get closer to him. "My Father is not here to hear you, it's just us...you and me."
"I am not just saying that..." he trailed off and she looked at him, her eyes met his and it was as if he was staring into a blank void of nothing. She pounced then, wrapping her legs around his waist, nearly knocking them both over. Arthur tried to push her off, but to no avail. Her legs tightened around him and she embedded her nails into his neck, and then the next thing Arthur knew, her lips were firmly against his, and he had to physically hold back the need to throw up. His stomach turned with disgust.
It was, of course, at this exact moment, that the door to Arthur's chambers opened and Vivian withdrew her lips from his to glare at who dared to disturb her. Standing there was Merlin, and Arthur felt a flood of both alarm and relief. Merlin paused at the door, noticing the scene he had walked into, and Arthur saw his eyes flash. The same as when he had found Vivian in Arthur's bed before, and still Arthur couldn't read what exactly it was.
"Leave us, we do not wish to be disturbed!" screeched Vivian, and Arthur hoped the pleading look he offered Merlin expressed just how much they did want to be disturbed after all. Merlin continued to stare for a second, as if figuring out which way he wanted to go and then sighed.
"Arthur, the King has requested your presence...in the physician's chambers."
Vivian whined and Arthur had to all but shove her off to get free. "I shall await you here, My Love."
"Hm...better not, this could take awhile," said Merlin, glaring at Vivian like she were something disgusting. And she sort of was, in a sad kind of way. "Sir McGregor is not doing so well, the King is worried."
Vivian gave a deep sigh that was rather dramatic and then saw herself out, giving Merlin a dirty look as she left. Merlin shut the door after her and leaned against it for a moment, just in case she decided to return. When it seemed like the coast was clear, he locked the door and gave Arthur a look that might rival even Uther in disappointment.
"Why were you kissing her?"
"I was not kissing her."
"Really...?" questioned Merlin. "Because that looked a lot like kissing to me."
"She threw herself at me, I didn't have a choice," argued Arthur. Merlin came close to help Arthur with his armor, very openly rolling his eyes. "I didn't like it...I told her I was not interested in her, she didn't seem to care."
"Hm..." Merlin nodded. "seemed like your lips were a little too preoccupied with hers to talk..."
"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled. Merlin didn't say anything else, only removed Arthur's armor and then attempted to leave. "Don't be a Prat, Merlin! It's not as if I enjoy this. She's strange and annoying! I have never seen anyone act that way about someone they fancy..."
"She is young, Arthur." retorted Merlin. "You say you love her six times and it only takes one for her to believe you."
"I never said I loved her...I can't stand her," said Arthur. Merlin turned back then, forgoing leaving as he seemed pretty keen to do before, to stare at Arthur as if he were stupid.
"Your letter did, even if you didn't write it..." said Merlin, and held up his hand when Arthur attempted to interject. Arthur growled at this and crossed his arms over his chest. "She doesn't know you didn't write it. She thinks your feelings are real."
'I don't know what to do with her…" said Arthur. He threw himself into one of his armchairs and put his face into his hands in frustration. He felt more than heard Merin walk nearer to him and place a hand on top of his head. It rested on his hair ever so gently. Arthur was amazed by how differently his body reacted to this touch, as opposed to Vivian's. Her forceful intimacy had made him sick, while Merlin barely running his fingers through the crown of his head sent a warm feeling throughout his entire body. He allowed himself to stop thinking for a moment and just enjoy it.
"What's that...?" said Merlin then, and just like that, the warm feeling was gone as Merlin walked to the other side of Arthur's bed. He got down on his knees and picked something up off the floor. Merlin came back up again, with a veil of something clear in his hands. "I think this is what Trickler dropped while he was trying to kill you the other night...at least he said he had dropped it."
"What is it?" asked Arthur. He stared at it, but it didn't look like anything at all to him, so his gaze drifted back to Merlin instead, watching Merlin as he intensely scrutinized the veil.
"I don't know..." Merlin said. "I'm taking it to Gaius."
He rushed for the door then and Arthur watched him go, irritated. "You're really going to leave me?"
Merlin paused, as he unlocked the door and looked back at Arthur. "Don't you want to know what he was trying to kill you with?"
"No… He didn't, so why should I care?"
Merlin glared at him. "I'll be right back."
He didn't return for the rest of the day.
It was well after the feast, after Arthur had to hide himself behind Morgana as everyone entered to avoid Vivian's gazes, still sit next to her while dining, and endure her hand constantly cope feels of Arthur's left thigh getting progressively higher with each attempt. It was then that he found Merlin in his chambers when he returned for the evening.
"It was a love potion! I should have known!" he announced, as Arthur walked in. This confused Arthur for a moment, as he stopped and stared at Merlin. "It was a love potion, Arthur...and look!" he continued, pulling a lock of hair out of one of his brown jacket pockets. "I found this under your pillow!"
"Ew... Do you ever clean anything properly?"
"It wasn't me… Prat!" retorted Merlin. "It was planted there, they were never planning on killing you. They were trying to enchant you with Lady Vivian," Merlin explained. "and I think they got to Vivian first and it worked… only I stopped them when it came time to enchant you."
"So, you're saying the only reason Vivian fancies me is because she's enchanted?" questioned Arthur and Merlin nodded, with a smirk.
"I know it must kill your ego..."
"My ego?" retorted Arthur. "Not likely, I've never been happier...I hardly want that pinning after me!"
Merlin let out a soft sort of laugh. "Gaius is trying to find a remedy for it, but he hasn't been able to. They all have rather...bad side effects."
"Like?"
"Well...one of them can turn you into a toad." said Merlin, the smirk from before back with a playful twist. "I don't mind that one so much, personally."
"I'm sure you don't..." retorted Arthur, but he grinned all the same.
"And the only other thing is true loves kiss and..." Merlin's eyes widened a little. "The victim being Lady Vivian, I don't think she has one."
"That is a very rude thing to say Merlin! You're right, but it's rude..." Arthur trailed off. "I hardly think there is much we can do. They leave in two days, perhaps their physician can find a cure."
"Are you going to tell King Olaf what happened?" asked Merlin now, smirk falling.
"Hell no!" said Arthur. "As far as he's concerned...I have no idea what's wrong with her and I'm not interested in finding out."
"That is not very Princely of you."
"Perhaps, but Camelot is still at stake," said Arthur, as he stood up now, ready for bed. "As long as Olaf does not find out and the treaties are signed, that is all that matters."
Merlin pouted but said nothing else of it.
In the morning, Arthur bested his final man, sending him to the final. As long as Leon beat his opponent, he too would make it to the end. Arthur couldn't be more pleased, at least with the tournament anyway. Vivian kept sending heart eyes in his direction all day, which he chose to ignore. Now, in his tent, Arthur waited to see the outcome of Leon's fight. It was to start within the hour and Arthur was relaxing before he went out to watch. He heard, rather than saw someone enter his tent. He knew it wasn't Merlin, because Merlin had a different...thing about him, as Arthur really didn't know what it was. Arthur could feel when Merlin was around. This didn't feel like him at all. Normally Merlin announced himself pretty quickly as well. Arthur hoped at the very least that it was Morgana, Gwen, or even Gaius to see how he was fairing after his fight. Even his Father would have been better. But no...
"My Love!" she gasped almost helplessly, and before Arthur could even fully turn around, she was wrapping her arms around his neck. "You fought oh so bravely!... Allow me to reward you." She purred into his ear.
"No, thank you..." Arthur said, and yanked her arms apart to escape. She frowned and threw herself onto her knees, gazing up at him and running her hands along his thighs. He didn't like that at all. "Please! Stop that..."
"I only wish to please you, My Love! Tell me how..."
Arthur thought of many ways she could please him, leaving him alone, leaving Camelot and never coming back. Those did cross his mind as options, but he understood, of course, that she was under some kind of enchantment and could not be responsible for her actions. But her actions before she was enchanted were hateful and bitchy, so that wasn't helping her case at all.
"Why do you like me?" he asked her then, perhaps if she saw sense, remembered that she did not actually like him, then maybe the spell would disappear. Instead, Vivian laughed, letting her fingers inch upwards a bit more and resting her head against his knees.
"What's not to like?"
"A lot of things, I assure you," he told her, trying to push her head off his person, but she only turned and began kissing his hand. He was getting more and more uncomfortable and he did not quite know how to get out of this predicament. He thought of screaming for help, anyone's help really, but perhaps only Merlin or Gaius would understand his problem. If King Olaf were to see this, Arthur would surely be executed. "I am very annoying!" he insisted, as he pressed his spine into the hard chair behind him, trying to get his hand free of her hands and mouth. "Ask Merlin, I get angry easily! I throw things. I'm rude... I have no idea how to properly tell anyone I love them. I am a disaster really. Not liking me is far better than ever actually liking me would be, as I am sure to disappoint you, one way or another..."
"Nothing you ever do could disappoint me." said Vivian, her lips trailing from his hand and up his forearm to his elbow. Her mouth clamped down on his skin and she sucked. He felt the skin behind his ears go red. Not from desire, but from complete and utter embarrassment of her actions. He could not handle this another moment.
"STOP!" he shouted, and shoved her back, as he flung himself as far away from her as he could. She fell backwards towards the tent entrance, onto her backside. She looked up with tears in her eyes. "I'm...I'm sorry, I can't." Arthur stuttered.
"What is it?!" Vivian begged, her voice choked up by tears unshed. "I have done all I can to try and please you, what more can I do!?"
"It's not more..." said Arthur, not looking at her directly, because he could still feel her saliva on his elbow and it made him want to die. Even more so now. She stood up and Arthur took a step back. He did not want to touch her.
"I don't understand, Arthur! Unless…" she gasped and rushed toward him, taking his hands in hers and he cringed, as she placed them to her chest. "Unless you're...oh, please, don't say it!"
"What?" he asked, because he had no idea what she was talking about, she began to cry, real tears falling now and he shook his head.
"You're gay..."
Well, no one had directly said that before. Of course, with all this talk around Camelot about him and Merlin, someone had probably assumed it or said it before behind his back, but not to him. Not to Arthur directly. And then, of course, there were his very real feelings for Merlin, and Arthur thought then that this was probably true, even if he hadn't come to the realization for himself. It made complete sense if he thought about it. Putting aside his feelings toward Merlin, just by the fact that most men would like this situation. They would be thrilled to have the desire of a beautiful girl, even a rude one, who was willing to do anything they asked, love spell or not. So, yes, this was probably true... Not that Arthur would ever tell anyone that.
It seemed though, that Arthur took too long to answer, because Vivian began to sob into her hands, almost as if she were pleading for her life. "I'm sorry...?" he offered, not even willing to deny it. Only after did she look up, eyes dark, but not with lust as they had been just moments prior. Now they were full of anger and sadness. She slapped him across the face and dashed out of the tent. As she did this, she collided with Merlin, shoving him out of her way. Merlin watched her flee, confused, before he entered the prince's tent and looked at Arthur, brow furrowed with suspicion.
"Nothing happened!" said Arthur, before Merlin could say anything. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes in disbelief.
"I would probably cry like that, too...if you ever touched me."
Arthur let out a rich laugh and rolled his eyes. "Good thing I never plan to..."
That was a lie. Well, not entirely. While he never planned to, he would still like to.
(A/N: If you notice a difference in this chapter compared to the rest of the story. Such as maybe grammar or run on sentences, weird words being changed around. It is because I have a wonderful editor now, who has very kindly decided to help me out with this story. I want to say thank you so much to them for being amazing so far and yeah. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!)