'What in God's name are you wearing?!' Arthur choked out, forgetting the fact he was chained up in some rusty cell, staring at his Court Sorcerer in shock.
Merlin blinked, looking down to the armour, then glanced back up.
'Oh, right, Gwen wouldn't let me come if I didn't wear armour.'
Logically, Arthur knew that his friend had a point. Merlin did run into trouble, so Gwen's stipulation of him wearing armour would make him a lot safer.
But it was Merlin. In armour.
It took a singular breath for Arthur's breeches to become uncomfortable, a further moment for him to process the fact that Merlin was about to bend over to unchain them, with the Magic that Arthur found so strangely intoxicating. For someone raised to hate it, when Merlin's eyes turned golden, he didn't find himself reaching for his sword.
Not Excalibur, anyway.
'Get them out first.' He grunted, as Merlin unlocked the cell with nothing more than a glance. Merlin frowned, but obeyed, something that really didn't help his situation.
From the way his Knights were grinning, they knew exactly why Merlin couldn't help.
It was a strange role-reversal, them in normal clothes while Merlin walked around in shiny metal, which fitted him rather well. He wasn't the gangly boy that Arthur had first met, but a tall, lithe figure with muscle that he knew could rival the strength of a Knight.
'What about the bandits?' Lancelot inquired, clearly nervous for Gwen's safety.
'Mostly dealt with, Gwen's up there now, but she's safe.' Merlin reached for him, looking rather dazzling in chainmail and platelet armour, the red cape of Camelot around his shoulders. The chains around his wrists melted, Merlin offering him a hand that he denied, turning slightly so that Merlin had no reason to see that his breeches were tented.
Instead, he gifted Leon with an eyeful, who dutifully looked away while Gwaine sniggered.
'Right, we should be going...'
'We'll catch you up.' Arthur snapped, his Court Sorcerer rolling his eyes but disappearing back up the path.
'Oh, Merlin, you look so handsome in your...' He shoved Gwaine back into the wall, while Leon stepped smoothly in between them.
'Sire, might I suggest going to support Merlin and Guinevere.'
'Not a word of this.'
'Of course not.' They were laughing at him, the idiots. Arthur rolled his eyes, looking to the broken doorway.
'Need a minute with your hand?' Gwaine teased, dodging his second blow.
'Are they all okay?' Gwen asked, straightening up as she spotted Merlin returning. She had to admit, he did look rather handsome dressed as a Knight, she'd made a very good decision in telling him to wear it.
'Arthur's acting weird.' Definitely a good decision. She could only imagine the priceless look on the King's face, the utter confusion mixed with awe at the Court Sorcerer, the man that Arthur was pining after silently.
Well, not silently. She'd had the unfortunate luck of walking into his Chambers once without knocking.
'Is he injured?' She inquired, knowing Merlin wouldn't be here if he was. Un-belting Excalibur from her hip, the sword they'd tracked down before finding Arthur and the Knights, she offered it out to Merlin.
Surprisingly, he managed to buckle it with precision, drawing the blade from his hip and looking to where the remaining voices were shouting. There weren't many left, and Gwen knew he was more than capable of handling them. After all, he'd been practicing with Morgana, the two of them meeting up outside of Camelot's walls at night.
'Just moody that I'm wearing a Knight's clothes.' For all Arthur's blindspots, Merlin was just as oblivious.
A bandit came charging, Gwen ready to reach for the second blade, but Merlin was prepared. He rose Excalibur, blocking the swing from the large-hunk of muscle charging.
She stepped back, looking across to where the Knights were emerging, dressed in common clothing. Going to Elyan first, she embraced him quickly, before smiling to Lancelot.
'I'm glad you're okay.' She stated, flicking her smile between them.
Arthur didn't bother looking away from Merlin, who disarmed the man with an ease that Gwen envied.
'What?' Merlin looked to the King, Arthur's mouth dropping open, before shutting.
'Is it because I'm holding your sword?' Gwaine looked ready to passout from the breath he was holding, even the noble Sir Leon was trying not to smile.
'My... what?'
'Did you get hit on the head? How many fingers am I holding up?' Merlin came across, sliding Excalibur back into her sheath as he came to a stop in front of the King.
'I didn't hit my head!' He sounded like a petulant child, but Merlin was undeterred, eyes turning gold as he studied Arthur.
Guinevere caught Gwaine's eye, who nodded towards the King's groin. Really, she didn't need to look, she could tell that Merlin's Magic affected him.
It was obvious, from the utter helplessness on his face.
'You probably just need rest. Come on, let's get you back to Camelot so you can go to bed.' Merlin stalked back in the direction of the bandits, pausing before losing cover.
He looked back at her, waiting, and Gwen reached for her own blade.
'Need help?' Lancelot asked. Honestly, he was far too sweet, never trying to take away her own abilities to wield a sword.
'We've got this, the horses are tied just past the rubble.' He gave her a charming smile, Elyan nodding to her, before the two of them urged the King to move.
It probably didn't help that Merlin was back to fighting.
By the time she'd disarmed the three men halting the path to the horses, Arthur had snapped from his daydream. Untying the ropes, the horses were counted, and Guinevere smiled when the King turned to her.
'There's six horses.'
'Sorry, Sire. We couldn't bring anymore. But I'll share with Lancelot,' He was quick to incline his head in agreement, and she fought the blush that came to her cheeks, 'And your mare is perfectly capable of carrying you and Merlin.' Strategically, she was unstoppable.
Arthur's eyes widened, terror crossing his face as he looked to where Merlin was heading in their direction.
His cape caught the wind, rather dramatic as he strode towards them, flushed and smiling with Excalibur in hand, eyes still golden.
'We all good?'
'Just telling Arthur the riding plans.' Merlin sheathed the sword once again, gesturing for Arthur to mount.
'I'll ride behind.'
Guinevere pretended not to notice Gwaine's wiggling eyebrows, turning to where Lancelot had already mounted, hand held out.
She settled behind him, let her hands loop around his waist comfortably. They had ridden like this on many occasions, so she was more than happy to be here.
When she looked to Arthur's mare, Llamrei, it was to a very funny sight. Arthur, sitting rigid in the saddle, hands gripping the reins like he might die if he loosened his grip. Behind him, Merlin was chatting away, one hand loosely resting on Arthur's hip, the other on Excalibur.
Still oblivious to Arthur's panic, she mused, nudging Lancelot to guide them closer to Gwaine's gelding.
'Ten coins says the Princess has to stop before we get back.' Gwaine murmured, Lancelot frowning at the two of them, but she could see the smile tugging at his lips.
'Twenty says he makes it till midday.' Leon inputted, before pushing past to ride by the King's side.
Guinevere paused, glancing to her best friend and the King, before looking back to Gwaine.
'Ten coins to Arthur undressing Merlin from the armour.'
'You're on.'
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Rating:
Mature
Archive Warning:
No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: F/M, M/M
Fandom:
Merlin (TV)
Relationships:
Merlin/ArthurPendragon(Merlin), Gwen/Lancelot (Merlin)
Characters:
Merlin(Merlin), Gwen(Merlin), ArthurPendragon (Merlin), Leon(Merlin), Gwaine(Merlin), Lancelot (Merlin), Percival(Merlin), Elyan(Merlin)
Additional Tags:
CourtSorcererMerlin(Merlin), KnightMerlin (Merlin), ArthurKnowsAboutMerlin'sMagic(Merlin),
PiningArthur, AwesomeGwen(Merlin), Gwaine BeingGwaine(Merlin), BoysInLove, Confused Merlin(Merlin), Innuendo, CrackRelationships
Language: English
Collections:
Favorite Merlin Fics
Stats:
Published: 2021-01-06 Updated: 2021-01-10
Words: 4609 Chapters: 3/? Comments: 37 Kudos: 460 Bookmarks: 56 Hits: 4622