A Marriage that Started a Legend

by IJustShowedUp

Follows canon but with my own arranged marriage spin on it. What happens when Hunith makes a mistake and is forced on the run with her infant son? What happens when Camelot knights find her twenty years later? What happens when Arthur learns he's betrothed to a peasant boy? Will Merlin be able to stand among royalty? Will these two different boys survive each other? Review!

33. Chapter 33

Have you ever heard the phrase, one step closer and two steps back? It wasn't a phrase that Merlin had heard very often growing up, but his mother had mentioned it once or twice. Back when he was small, and she was still trying to impress on him just how important it was to keep his gift's a secret from the world.

Watching Arthur step away from him now, that guarded expression that he had been wearing when Merlin had first walked in returning full force, that old expression was the first thing that came to mind.

And all because Merlin had asked Arthur if he was alright after what had happened at the stadium. Back when he had looked at Merlin as if he thought he was going to attack him or something.

Merlin found himself glancing around, but nobody seemed to be paying them any mind. The knights lined up on the wall had dissolved into small groups of conversation. Morgana and Gwen were talking, and had apparently dragged George into their conversation as well. Uther was watching his ward at his side with a strangely fond smile, but Merlin didn't stop to think much about it. Even Morris on the far side of the wall, who was obviously watching them with a keen look in his eyes, wasn't nearly close enough to be able to pick up on what they were saying.

Arthur wasn't saying anything though, he just kept staring at him as if he thought Merlin was going to start yelling what had happened from the rooftops. But Merlin wasn't going to, even if Arthur refused to tell him what had happened, it was Arthur's secret, and Merlin had just been privy to a small scene of it.

But still, he found himself not wanting to let it go either, not when he knew there was actually something out there that scared Arthur so bad, he had practically ran away from Merlin, as if it was Merlin that was the monster.

And Arthur didn't even know what he could do, hiding what his mother had alway's called 'his gift's'.

Merlin couldn't take the silence between them anymore, and there was only so long that the two of them could stand there without talking before somebody actually noticed.

"I asked, if you were alright." Merlin said again, nearly wincing when he realized how blunt he had just sounded. Even if he had made an effort to lower his voice even more than it had been the first time he asked that question, it had still sounded blunter than what he was going for.

It was strange, this odd sense of...protectiveness he found himself with, when he didn't even know the whole story. There was just so many unanswered questions that was shooting through his mind at a moment's notice.

Why had Arthur been so scared? Why had he taken off like he had? Why had he looked at Merlin so distrustfully? Where had the arrogant prince who had no problem humiliating Merlin (like the way he'd taunted Merlin the day they met, or the fight with maces that they'd had in the marketplace) gone?

Arthur narrowed his eye's at the boy in front of him, staring at him distrustfully. He was fully aware of how close he had gotten to the boy again, and he made sure to ease himself backwards some so that there was a more respectable distance between them.

Forget everything he had been thinking before, when he'd been thinking that it didn't matter how close he got because Merlin was his husband, and there was supposed to be some semblance of closeness there. If only to make the people believe they really were this happy-go-lucky couple that his father wanted them to portrayed.

They needed to have that extra space between them, if only for Arthur's sake.

"I heard you." Arthur grunted in response to Merlin's question, but he didn't elaborate anymore than that, getting lost in his thoughts again.

He'd told himself that he would have to stay away from Merlin. That there was something about the boy that both pissed him off, and drew him in all at the same time. So he would have to stay away, and put some distance between them. The kind of distance that should have been there right from the start, the kind that had all but evaporated since their wedding, if it had even been there in the first place.

Arthur could only assume his most recent attempt at getting to close to Merlin again, was because of a serious lack of judgement on his part.

Maybe this was going to be harder than he thought.

Now it was Merlin's turn to narrow his eye's at him. Making sure to keep his voice level, and not announce to the entire room just how agitated he was, he said, "That's it? That's all your going to give me?"

Even though Merlin had been speaking softly,

Arthur still found himself glancing around subconsciously. God, if word god out about what had happened in the stadium, the people would lost their trust in the crown's future leadership.

And if they found out why he'd freaked out so badly...Arthur didn't even want to think about it.

"What else is there to say?" Arthur hissed back, casting a glance towards his father to make sure that he wasn't paying them any attention at the moment. Heaven forbid his father find out what had happened.

Merlin boggled his eye's at Arthur, giving him a look of disbelief. "How about what happened for starters!" He exclaimed. He wasn't nearly as loud as he could have been, but his voice had still risen just a touch in pitch.

Arthur hissed through his teeth, taking a step closer wanting to slap a hand over Merlin's mouth to prevent him from getting any louder. But he jerked himself to a stop before he could actually touch the boy.

He had to remind himself that he was supposed to be staying away from Merlin. And slapping a hand over the boy's insufferable mouth would only bring him closer again, the one thing that he was trying to avoid.

Besides, Merlin would probably lick his hand again to make him let go, he was the kind of bold person that would do it in front of everybody. And Arthur would have no choice but to let go, bringing even further attention to them, because the last thing he wanted was for any body part of Merlin's to be touching his own.

Especially his tongue.

"It's none of your business." Arthur hissed, still casting nervous looks around. But it seemed as if everybody really was caught up in their own thing's, waiting for Arthur to move on so that the next knight could take his place.

Maybe that thought, of another knight taking his place in front of Merlin (maybe someone like Valiant who thought that they could take all of the liberties they want by kissing Merlin's hand as if he was a dainty lady in need of wooing or impressing) was the only reason that Arthur hadn't moved on himself yet.

"I was there." Merlin protested, at least making an effort to keep his voice leveled this time, as to not draw in anybody's unwanted attention. "I'm involved now, and I know something happened." Arthur felt himself straighten up, almost surprised when he saw Merlin's eyes going soft. "You can tell me. Maybe I can help."

But how was Arthur supposed to tell him anything, how was he supposed to admit what had shaken him up so badly? And it was quite a feat for him to be so thoroughly shaken up, considering he had seen some awful thing's since he'd become a knight.

He didn't even want to admit it to himself, because if he actually said it out loud, than that would actually make it real. Not only was it real, but somebody else would know full well about it to. And who knows what Merlin would do with that information, to try and take advantage of their situation.

No, Arthur would in no way 'ever' tell Merlin that the only reason he'd been so scared was because of Merlin himself. Sure, it was Valiant that had brought it to his attention. But there would have never been any attention of any kind if Merlin just didn't exist.

Arthur would take this information with him to the grave if he had to, which was exactly what he planned on doing.

"There's nothing to help with." Arthur said firmly, already trying to think of a million different excuses as to why he'd shown just how scared he was if Merlin tried to push the issue. Maybe it was because he saw a spider, or because he was intimidated by Valiant's win, or maybe it was because he was scared about how often he was finding himself drawn to Merlin...no. None of those excuses were good enough. It was better to just keep evading the question then to admit that he was a wuss, or the truth.

Merlin didn't seem to confident in his answer though, which was strange. Usually, people knew to leave Arthur alone when he was in a mood. They especially knew not to question him or argue against him. But Arthur had forgotten just how new Merlin was around here, as if he'd always been this presence at Arthur's side that he was just now becoming fully aware of. He'd also forgotten that Merlin wasn't like anybody else he'd either met before, and the other boy didn't care if Arthur was 'in a mood'. He was going to push anyway.

Merlin was way to headstrong for his own good.

"You and I both know that that's a lie." Merlin said, not even entertaining the idea that Arthur didn't need some kind of help. Even if it that help wasn't from him...Merlin knew that something had gone deeply wrong. And he was also fully aware of the small bit of space between them, which might as well have been a chasm with how much Merlin was feeling it. Usually by this point, Arthur would have found some excuse to get close to him, to manhandle him or demand thing's from him.

Maybe Arthur just didn't want to seem as if he was a brute, not that that had ever stopped him before. But maybe he just didn't want to do it in a place setting like this, with all of his noble comrades as a first row seat if they were paying any actual attention to them, because he obviously didn't care what Merlin thought about being manhandled.

And fuck it if Merlin would ever actually admit that he kind of liked it, just a little...probably more than he was even aware of at the moment. But what did that say about him? That he liked being...manhandled? He'd barely finished thinking the word before a strange shiver worked it's way down his spine. But it was different than all of the other times he'd involuntarily shivered because of something Arthur had done. It was a accompanied by a strange warmth in the pit of his stomach, something that was both dark and gooey at the same time. It vaguely resembled the way he felt back when he and Arthur had been talking, just before Merlin had started helping him into his armor. Only it was different as well, darker and maybe slightly more bolder.

Was this warmth somehow related to the crush he had on Arthur? He hadn't realized he had a crush on Arthur the first time it happened. Maybe it was.

But didn't that make him some kind of freak? Even more than he already was...it was a question that was probably to much for him to really think about right now. As well as way to complicated for him to be able to consider by himself.

There were also more important thing's at hand then him discovering what a real, honest to god crush was supposed to feel like.

So Merlin took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves before he tried again. "I'm just saying," he said slowly, making sure to keep eye contact with Arthur. "If you want to talk about it...not here, of course." Merlin said quickly, doing a quick look around of the area himself.

No, definitely not here. The space here was way to open, and with all of the people in here, the chances of them being overheard was probably very high. If Arthur wanted to keep their conversation between them, then they would need to go somewhere else.

"Maybe somewhere more private." Merlin suggested, not realizing just how naive and/or seductive those words could have sounded to anybody else other than Arthur. "Like maybe my room, nobody will bother us there." Nobody but George, maybe, but he doubted the manservant would say anything against the prince being in his room.

He'd already seen Arthur's room, that night when they had married. Maybe it was time for Arthur to see Merlin's as well. Although really, Merlin wasn't entirely sure which room he would have brought Arthur to. The fancy and far to elaborate one that the crown had given him to reside in? Or the one that more resembled the 'real him', like the much more worn down room at Gaius', that he felt way more comfortable in. Less like he was going to ruin something simply by existing in it's vicinity.

But if Merlin thought for one second that his offer to bring Arthur to the privacy of his room to talk was any kind of comfort to the prince, he was dead wrong.

Arthur felt a spike of panic going through him, imagining what anybody would say if they saw him disappearing into his consort's bedroom for an indefinite amount of time. It was a no brainer what anybody who saw them would think was happening.

And that wasn't even getting into what they would actually be doing. Arthur couldn't for one second, imagine himself sitting perched (as stiff as he could possibly be) on the edge of Merlin's bed as he tried to (like a girl) talk about his 'feeling's'. And even if he did go through with it, all he would be able to think about was the last time he had seen Merlin on a bed.

His bed, as a matter of fact, that night they were supposed to consummate their marriage.

Talking wouldn't have helped matters, because all Arthur would have been able to see was what should have happened that night. Only the backdrop would be Merlin's bedroom, and Arthur would be far more aggressive than he had ever been before with his previous lovers, because he had no patience for being soft after everything Merlin had put him through since he came into his life.

He would have shove Merlin on top of the bed, and practically ripped at his clothes until they were in shreds and giving Arthur plenty of uncanvased skin to work with, so that they could do what they should have done the first time around. And the entire time, Merlin would have been screaming and crying and begging underneath him...for more? While trying to drag Arthur impossibly closer.

Is that how Merlin would react if Arthur had gone through with it that night...no, he probably would have shoved Arthur off and threw him out of his own room before locking him out.

Arthur felt an almost involuntarily shiver shoot down his spine. It was as if it was just the briefest hint of a flash of heat that he had no chance of stopping or preventing it from happening in the first place. But it was also gone, long before Arthur even had the chance to contemplate what it could mean.

And just as fast as it had vanished, did Arthur feel that deep seated stab of panic pierce through him again. Only, he didn't fall into a full blown meltdown as he had the first time, back in that stupid stadium hallway. He was ready for it, more prepared than he had been the first time where it had struck him out of nowhere.

And it pissed him off, knowing that he felt this strange panic over some stupid common boy that shouldn't even be allowed to breath in his presence, let along be married to him.

Seeing that Merlin was still staring at him, as if he was waiting for Arthur to agree with his stupid plan of going to his bedroom so that they could 'talk', Arthur felt a spike of agitation go through him. Merlin was looking at him with those big stupid doe eye's (so hopefully and innocent) while looking as if he genuinely wanted to help Arthur with his situation.

It just pissed him off even more than he already was. It actually made Arthur feel as if he was backed into some kind of corner. And as Arthur always did when he didn't like something, he lashed out.

"You want to talk?" Arthur asked, giving a light chuckle while keeping his voice at a still lowered volume so they wouldn't be interrupted.

But the chuckle he gave was all wrong, way to creepy and dark for it to be natural. It made Merlin stiffen, and he watched the prince with weary eye's. Almost as if he expected Arthur to strike him out of nowhere, metaphorically of course and not literally. Because Arthur had never actually hit him, not unless they were training or Merlin was hitting back just as much.

Merlin found himself opening his mouth, wanting to ask Arthur if he they could go ahead and duck out now, since it was clear that Arthur had something pretty serious on his mind. And hopefully nobody would have noticed that the two main guests had disappeared.

Arthur interrupted him before he even got two words out.

"We can talk all you want, right here and right now." Arthur said boldly, looking way to confident for his own good, and he was giving Merlin what could only be called 'the stink eye'.

Merlin gave him a dubious expression, straightening up in confusion before he glanced around at all of the people that were in the room. Only then did he turn to look back at Arthur with a raised eyebrow, "You want to do this here? ...Now?" As if he needed more confirmation to know that he wasn't just hearing thing's.

Arthur nodded, before he gave Merlin a smile that had just a little to much bite in it for it to be genuine. "Oh yes, but not about me. There's nothing that needs to be said on my part." Merlin wanted to protest, because Arthur was once again trying to evade his questions, something that the prince seemed quite adept at doing. Arthur interrupted again, "But I do believe that we could talk about you., if you're game, of course?"

And then he was looking at Merlin mockingly, as if he thought Merlin was going to just drop out now that the conversation had turned to himself.

Merlin narrowed his eye's, and felt himself bristling at the tone the prince had used on him. "And what exactly would I have to talk about?" He demanded, not knowing where Arthur was getting at with this.

Arthur scoffed, as if he thought Merlin was being particularly obtuse on purpose, just to mess with him. And feeling his lips curling up in disgust, Arthur hissed out, "I saw just how..." it looked as if it both pained and disgusted him to say the last part. "Close... you were getting with Valiant." As if he was accusing Merlin of something.

Merlin felt himself going ramrod straight, his eye's flashing somewhere over Arthur's shoulder to where the knight stood, poised against the far wall. Arthur felt himself stiffening up, already shifting his weight so that he was blocking Merlin's view of the other knight. Merlin's eyes finally returned back to Arthur when he could no longer see the other knight, and he quirked an eyebrow at the prince, "What exactly are you getting at?"

Merlin would be the first to admit that he could be clueless about certain things. But there was also no way that even he could miss what Arthur was insinuating. It was practically written all over the prince's face, exactly what he thought of Merlin right now.

And it pissed Merlin off that Arthur thought he was so cheap as to run off with the first knight that showed up.

"I don't know how they do it where your from." Arthur said, his voice sounded incredibly controlled, but that just made him sound all the more dangerous. "But around here, it isn't proper for someone whose married to go around making eye's at other men."

Arthur knew full well that Merlin was a virgin, he'd been through to much hell in the last day alone to have missed that. But somehow, it had never occurred to him that just because Merlin hadn't gone 'all the way' that he might have some experience in the area.

Why did that thought bring about the image of Merlin dropping to his knee's in front of him, and reaching for his belt. And it wasn't imagination that Arthur was using. He was remembering back to when Merlin had been helping him dressed, and he had freaked out because he thought Merlin was trying to start something inappropriate when he was getting his belt on.

Arthur leaned back from Merlin just a little. Not enough to be noticeable, but it did give him a touch more breathing room. If only so he could wipe that horrendous image of Merlin on his knees from his mind, hopefully forever.

"M-making eye's?" Merlin spluttered, looking absolutely horrified by the thought. Merlin's eyes were so wide that they looked as if they were going to fall right out of their head, and his jaw had gone slack.

It was one thing for Merlin to think Arthur was insinuating that he had any kind of interest in Valiant of all people. It was entirely something else for those suspicions to be confirmed.

His spluttering was almost enough for Arthur to be hit with the thought 'maybe Merlin didn't realize what was going on' or, 'maybe Merlin was even worse than a clueless idiot and couldn't see when somebody was clearly flirting with him.' But Arthur dismissed that thought as soon as it had came, nobody was that stupid.

Clearly, he was underestimating Merlin.

Arthur curled his top lip again into what looked like the beginning's of a sneer forming, "I know it can be exciting, getting caught up in the new life you've somehow acquired without actually doing any of the hard work." Merlin felt himself bristling again, because he considered being married to an arse was far harder than anything Arthur had had to do. "And finding out that there might actually be people interested in you simple because of your new station," what rock was Arthur living in where he thought people were interested in him? Did the prince forget about that knight that had tried to challenge him to a 'duel?' It was like Arthur telling him Gwen was only his friend because she couldn't afford to be mean to the 'consort of Camelot' all over again. "But don't let the attention go to your head. He's only flattering you because he thinks it'll get him somewhere." Arthur finished with a firm nod of his head, looking as if he was being very gracious about informing Merlin of Valiant's tricks.

"...Are you stupid?" Merlin asked bluntly, genuinely wanting to know if Arthur suffered through some kind of mental infliction. Apparently, Arthur had been watching his interaction with Valiant. So how had the prince not see Merlin's tense expression, or the way he had been trying to jerk his hand free of Valiant's? Or even the clear disgust on his face when Valiant had suddenly kissed his ring, the ring that Merlin would have to scald if he ever wanted it to feel clean again.

But maybe he had seen it, and maybe he just didn't want to acknowledge it. Because it was easier to think of Merlin as a tramp, just trying to get with the richest man that shown him an ounce of attention, instead of an actual person who didn't want to be here at all.

Now it was Arthur's turn to bristle, looking murderous by Merlin's clear insult. He even opened his mouth to say something, and Merlin had no doubt that it would be something cutting and hurtful.

But Merlin was so over this conversation.

So he cut him off before the prince could even get a syllable out. "No, nuh uh, not a word out of you. It's my turn to talk." He said, narrowing his eye's on Arthur.

To Arthur's own amazement, he felt his mouth snap shut with a clink of teeth against teeth. Merlin gave him a cautious look, as if he was expecting Arthur to interrupt him at any second. Arthur just glowered at him, trying to give off the image that he was just grudgingly listening instead of actually curious about how Merlin was going to talk his way out of this one.

When Arthur didn't say anything, Merlin took this as his opportunity to get his words out there before Arthur had a change of heart and actually realized that he was hearing Merlin out.

"First of all," Merlin said firmly, wanting to make something loud and clear. "I was not 'making eye's' at anybody, least of all Valiant." Merlin wasn't even sure how one went about 'making eye's' at somebody else. But even if he did know how, Valiant wouldn't even be on the list of potential people he would do it with. Hell, right now, even with his crush on Arthur, the prince was making it further down the list because of his sheer ignorance.

"That's not what it looked like from where I was standing." Arthur argued back, refusing for even a minute to entertain the idea that he'd been wrong. Merlin was flirting, he knew that he was! But really? Out of all the men around, Arthur included, Valiant was the kind of guy that Merlin went for? All big and beefy, and clearly with no brains if he was flirting with Merlin. Or maybe he just needed glasses to see the train wreck that Merlin was.

As if hearing his thoughts, Merlin shot back, "Well clearly, you need some glasses if you thought that was what it was!" Even now, he still felt as if his skin was crawling from where Valiant had held on so tightly to his hand. "In case you've forgotten, which wouldn't surprise me at this point, I'm not flirting with anybody because I am married! To you!" He threw in the last bit last minute, as if Arthur needed the extra reminder. As if the ring on Arthur's finger, or that the room next to his was now occupied, wasn't a reminder enough.

Arthur bristled, and it took everything he had to keep his voice low so that their argument wouldn't attract any unwanted attention, "It's kind of hard to forget, when my consort never shuts up."

Merlin didn't take offense to it in the least, it wasn't the first time somebody got irritated by his inability to stop talking. If they weren't having a conversation where Arthur was-what exactly was he doing?- accusing Merlin of cheating on him? He actually would have found it amusing that he quite obviously got under Arthur's skin.

But now wasn't the time or place for that.

"Do you even want to know what Valiant was saying to me?" Merlin demanded bluntly, trying to give Arthur the benefit of the doubt. He was just in one of his 'prissy moods' again, because he actually had the nerve to think that Merlin would cheat on him. Merlin actually took the vows they made together on their wedding day seriously. And maybe Arthur's clear agitation with him, would transfer to Valiant when the prince actually knew the truth. If Arthur even cared to listen about the crass way Valiant had mocked him, claiming that Arthur 'hid him away' because he was embarrassed by him.

But it was obvious that Arthur wasn't interested in hearing anything that Merlin had to say on the subject. Especially when the prince's eyes flashed, and he was giving Merlin a dark look, "I'm not interested in hearing how he flirted with you." And it sounded as if he was trying to force back the spike of anger in his voice, but it was obviously a struggle with how much of it seemed to leak out.

"F-flirting?" Merlin returned to his spluttering, looking as if he was willing to take his own boot, which was probably the only thing he actually had on him that he could use to hit the prince with, to Arthur's head for that comment alone. "You call that flirting?"

Clearly, Arthur didn't know what flirting was if he thought something like what had happened between him and Valiant was 'flirting'. Hell, he didn't even know 'how' to flirt! And even if he did, wouldn't his attention be better served towards Arthur, instead of some random piss-poor knight that he would 'hopefully' never see again after the tournament was said and done with.

"Yes, I do call it flirting!" Arthur hissed back, his eye's never leaving Merlin's own. It was almost as if lightning was going off between them, connecting them by their eye's alone. "Especially when you sit there and allow some random knight to kiss your hand." He cast an almost disgusted look at the hand in question, and Merlin felt the undeniable urge to wipe it off again on his trousers, as if Valiant had contaminated it in a way that would never get it clean.

Catching himself wanting to clean it simply so Arthur would stop looking so disgusted, Merlin scowled and let his agitation toward's Arthur really show. "And what would you have me do? Smack him across the face for daring to touch me? I think that would put a downer on your little 'meet and greet' that you're having here."

Arthur felt his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, resisting the urge to grab the boy by the back of his coat and dragging him out of the room as if he were a drowned cat. "For starters, you should have done something. You're not a Lady, people shouldn't be going around kissing your hand as if you were."

Merlin scoffed, did Arthur really think that he wanted to be kissed on his hand as if he was some kind of dainty flower? "Maybe you should be telling all of this to your buddy over there." He said, nodding his head somewhere over Arthur's shoulder.

After all, it was Valiant that Arthur had an obvious problem with.

Arthur didn't dare look over in Valiant's direction, honestly fearful that he would do something he'd regret if he faced off with the man that had dared to touch his consort. His male consort, like one would a female. Honestly, kissing another male's hand like that in broad daylight...it was something that Arthur didn't think he would ever be able to get out of his mind.

"I don't need to, because I'm telling you." Arthur said, forcing himself to take a deep breath as if to calm his fraying nerves. Before he actually did do something to Merlin that would ruin his own reputation. The people probably wouldn't take to kindly to their prince throwing his consort out of the castle on his arse.

Merlin crossed his arms defensively over his chest, cocking an eyebrow at him. "Careful Arthur, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you sounded jealous." The word's came out of his mouth before he even had the chance to think them through. But yeah, he supposed that would be exactly what Arthur sounded like. Although, that still brought Merlin up to the question, why would Arthur be jealous? It couldn't possibly be just because another man had kissed him (even if it was just on the hand) even though that was exactly what Arthur had brought up time and time again in their most recent argument. It wasn't like Arthur was going around wanting to do it himself. Merlin didn't need to be a court physician to know that Arthur didn't like him like that, like the way Merlin liked him.

But maybe Merlin did 'need' a court physician, if he still liked Arthur after the way the prince had the nerve to treat him.

Arthur's anger halted to a brief pause as nothing but pure shock washed over him as he registered Merlin's claim. His jaw had gone slack, and now it was his turn for his eye's to bug out. ...Jealous? ...Him? Arthur had never had to be jealous of anything a day in his life. Anything and everything he'd wanted had been handed to him on a silver platter, with the exception of a few thing's that his father literally couldn't give him, like his skills with a sword. But even then, Arthur had been given the best tutors in all the land to train him so that he himself, could be one of the great's.

But none of that mattered right now, because all Arthur could hear was the 'thump, thump, thump' of his heart, as he could do nothing but stare at Merlin. Did Merlin's word's have any truth to them? Was that why he was so furious at just the thought of Merlin being handled by anyone else other than himself?

No, he couldn't be jealous of 'Valiant' just because the knight was able to so boldly press a kiss to the back of Merlin's hand, when Arthur didn't even dare to do the same for fear of being ridiculed for showing the slightest bit of real interest towards his male consort.

No, he was definitely not jealous of Valiant. He was just pissed because he knew that Merlin was stupidly naive, and would probably believe anybody who gave him a few pretty word's, just because they wanted to sleep with him.

And he had another very good reason to be pissed, because this whole thing was dangerously treading into his earlier conversation with Gaius. Then he would have no choice but to uphold his end of the deal and give Merlin the 'sex talk', if Valiant was showing a genuine interest.

Not to mention, if he was jealous than Valiant calling Merlin his 'plaything' took on a whole new meaning that was suddenly very real. Merlin wasn't his plaything, because Arthur had no interest in 'playing' with him at all. He was just a brat, and there was no possible way that Arthur was actually jealous.

That was all there was to it.

It was only the steady 'thump, thump, thump' of something that wasn't his heart that forced Arthur out of his thought's. Arthur's eye's snapped open-he hadn't even realized he'd closed them-and it took less than a moment to detect where the noise was coming from. And when he did, he really did wish he'd never noticed.

Of course, it was coming from Merlin. The boy was tapping his foot in an impatient manner, causing the sound. The boy still had his arms cross over his chest, leaving his hip jutted out. His face was showing his agitation, an agitation toward's Arthur that nobody had ever dared to direct to their prince. And his eyes, god his eye's-were they always that bright-were lit up as if they were on fire, the only thing that showed just how pissed he was by Arthur's accusation's.

Why did the look Merlin was giving him make his heart seize up, and why did it feel as if he'd just been punched in the gut by the way his breath was straight up taken from him?

It took only a shift in Merlin's facial expression, as if he was truly thinking that Arthur was the idiot in their 'relationship', for Arthur to realize that Merlin was still waiting for a response. And it took Arthur another minute to search through his jumbled thoughts to remember what Merlin had been saying before.

Right, Merlin had accused him of being jealous, which was definitely not true. "J-jealous?" Arthur practically had to force his voice out of his throat, making it sound deep, gurgled, and hoarse. As if he'd just woken up, or to be more specific...It almost resembled as if he hadn't talked in years. Which was strange because it had barely been a minute since his last words, and his earlier word's hadn't sounded anything like this. He actually had to clear his throat to force his voice to sound some semblance of normal, although it hadn't helped much because his voice still sounded off when he said his next word's, "What on heaven's do I have to be jealous about? I haven't the foggiest idea why anybody would flirt with..." his eye's briefly wondered over Merlin's body before returning back to his eye's-those bright eye's that looked as if it was an actual fire storming in them-just as fast. "...That..." he finished off, his voice sounding much weaker than he would have liked.

Even if Merlin knew that Arthur probably didn't like him like that, did the prince really have to talk so callous?

Merlin still found himself flinching at Arthur's words.

Arthur pretended that he didn't notice.

Arthur even turned his head some, so that he wouldn't be looking directly at Merlin, or the way his fire eye's had dimmed down to barely embers. Not even that single spark hidden in Merlin's eyes, that spoke of a fire that wasn't completely put out, wasn't enough to make Arthur look him directly in the face.

It wasn't his fault that the damn kind practically wore his emotions on his sleeve, out there in the open for everybody in the world to see.

Arthur allowed his word's to get away from him again, "You represent the royal family." He said slowly, keeping his eye's trained on the ground in front of him. "The least you could have done was wore something more proper. How do you think it's going to look if people think the crown doesn't have the money to clothe you properly?"

Merlin straightened up with an offended expression on his face. Here they go, talking about his clothes again. This wasn't like how George had apologized for not having something prepared for him, or how Morgana had gently pointed it out to him. This was just Arthur trying to start something, and being a jackarse while doing it.

And Merlin had to wonder if Arthur even realized that these were the best clothes he had to begin with. Or at least they were the one's with the least amount of poorly stocked up holes in them.

"I bet the same thing they say about having an arrogant arse next in line for the throne." Merlin shot back, giving Arthur an almost frightening scowl.

Arthur finally snapped his head up so fast, he could have sworn that his neck had cracked, but that didn't matter. The prince was to busy giving his own scowl to the mouthy consort, his eye's flashing darkly.

"You look like your some kind of dirty peasant." Arthur hissed, almost completely forgetting that they were still in the grand hall, and some people were starting to cast looks in their direction because they'd been talking for so long.

Merlin felt himself stiffen, that fire in his eye's that had drawn Arthur in like a moth to a flame igniting, "I'd rather be a dirty peasant than your husband any day of the week."

Arthur just scoffed at that, not believing for one second that Merlin, who had grew up in the middle of nowhere from what little he actually knew about the other boy's home life before coming here, would go back to that life. Especially when he had all of the luxury of the crown behind him. Why else would anybody agree to marry him other than to get close to the power of the crown that he had behind him.

Arthur's eyes darted over Merlin's form, trying to pick out other thing's that weren't up to his standards, before his eye's finally landed on the top of Merlin's head. "And if it was to much for you to change your clothes, then the least you could have done was run a brush through your hair! I mean, has your hair ever even seen a brush." Arthur looked disdainfully at the locks of dark hair sticking out all over the place.

And was it weird that Arthur found himself wanting to try and mess it up more, just to see if it was even possible to make it messier?

Merlin found himself involuntarily, feeling subconscious as he reached up to pat at his head, feeling certain pieces poking at the palm of his hand. When he realized what he was doing, and especially when he saw Arthur smirking at him, Merlin jerked his hand away to clench at his side.

That fucking smirk Arthur was giving him, looking as if he won something. It took Merlin everything he had not to try and punch him in the face again. "At least I don't need a manservant to do my hair, as if I'm some unruly child who hasn't properly learned yet." He cast his own look of distaste at Arthur's perfectly straight blonde locks. What he would give to mess it up himself, to just grab Arthur by the hand and run his fingers through those silky looking strands...no! He was not going there, he was not going to daydream what Arthur's hair probably felt like. He was mad, and he was going to stay mad, he had to forcibly remind himself of that fact.

Arthur's mouth popped open a little, as if he'd forgotten that this was Merlin he was speaking to, and Merlin hadn't exactly ever done anything to curb what he wanted to say to him. "Unrul-unruly child?" Arthur stuttered, his brain short circuiting as he struggled with coming up with something to say back to that.

Now it was Merlin's turn to give the prince a cocky smirk, knowing that he'd practically fried Arthur's brain at this point.

Searching through the juggle that was his mind, Arthur practically spit out the first thing his mind could think of, "Did you even read the book I gave you? I know there's a section in it on the 'meet and greet' portion of the tournament. You, sir," he had to stop himself from jamming his finger into Merlin's face as if he was accusing him of something, "are not showing the proper conduct that somebody of your station should show the competitors of this contest."

Merlin wanted to point out that his consort title was't a station he wanted to have, and at this point, he'd be more than happy to pass Arthur on to the next unfortunate soul that ended up with him. That he'd be more than happy to walk on out of here and just start walking the three day journey it would take to reach Ealdor. But he didn't, if only because he didn't think that Arthur would care all that much if Merlin just got up and left. Hell, it would probably be Uther that would send his knights after him, 'heaven forbid' he thought annoyed, people think the crown had forced it's consort to run away.

And maybe Merlin hadn't exactly studied that stupid tournament book that Arthur had given him, but he had skimmed through some of it while he had sat at Uncle Gaius' table after Arthur had half beat him up during their training. And there was a brief passage he'd skimmed that would apply to their situation perfectly...

Merlin straightened up his spine and looked Arthur dead in the eye.

Arthur felt himself stiffen as Merlin's expression shifted, looking every bit as calm, and as collected, and as proper as a prince's consort should look. So why did it piss Arthur off even more that Merlin was able to emulate nobility so easily. Why did it piss him off even more when he realized that...it didn't look like Merlin anymore. As if he was just one of the many noble daughter's that looked more like porcelain dolls, instead of the same man that had told Arthur that he 'better not go easy on him the next time they trained together.'

That was before Merlin bowed, just the slightest tilt of his head while bringing a hand up to rest over where his heart was, just like a proper consort would when they were dismissing one of the many knight's in their kingdom. "I apologize for my rudest behavior, sire." Merlin said calmly, and Arthur went stiff when he noticed the undertone of mocking that Merlin did nothing to hide. "I will be sure to reevaluate my behavior, and conduct myself as needed in the future, 'sire'." Merlin's tongue curled around the last word as he gave another slight tilt of his head, and although a new consort would have had their eye's trained on the floor demurely in front of them, Merlin had no qualms about raising his eye's to look boldly into Arthur's own through his eyelashes.

Arthur clenched his jaw, and he felt the flush working it's way up the back of his neck and start building up high on his cheekbones. How could somebody like Merlin, make something he was supposed to do sound so...sensual? The way Merlin had said the word 'sire' practically had sex written all over it.

The way the boy's tongue had twisted over the word, practically caressing it. He had said it so boldly, doing absolutely nothing to hide his mocking undertone as the word left his lips.

Arthur felt as if his blood had been set on fire, and he almost wanted to reach out and grab Merlin so that he could...what? Throttle him? That somehow didn't sound right, but maybe it was just to early into their relationship, and maybe Arthur still had half a mind to panic over even talking to Merlin lest people get any ideas that he actually liked the boy, but his mind had gone blank of any other thing that didn't include throttling Merlin.

Arthur may not be entirely sure what was going on with this unspoken tension between Merlin and him, but he did know one thing.

He should definitely not touch the boy, even if it was an attempt to throttle him. Not with how overheated his skin was, not with how Arthur's blood kept boiling as he replayed Merlin's words over and over again in his mind as if he was stuck on it.

'Sire, sire, sire'

Arthur knew he had to get out of here, before he did something stupid, although what that stupid thing would be, he wouldn't have been able to tell you.

Stiff as a board, and trying not to show how much of a reaction Merlin's mere words had caused his body to feel, Arthur gave a short bow, before going ahead with what he knew would be the proper response in this situation, "All is forgiven," he said, sounding every bit like the prince he was, if just a little stiff with his words. "I look...forward...to seeing you again another time, my consort."

Maybe Merlin would have flushed himself, hearing Arthur actually acknowledge him as his consort. But that flush was pushed away by the stiff and forceful way that Arthur had said 'forward', as if he thought he was facing something truly detestable instead of just his consort.

Merlin huffed, bringing his hands up to his hips and narrowing his eye's on Arthur as the prince took a step away to leave. Merlin supposed Arthur probably did think that he was something detestable.

Arthur had barely gotten two steps away before their was a subtle cough. It was barely detectable to anybody not in their immediately range, but it still caused both Merlin and Arthur's head to snap around. And they both froze as they saw Morgana and Uther staring at them.

Merlin looked horrified by this, his mind running a mile a minute. How much had they heard? Had they just been listening in to their conversation? At some point while they'd been talking, the two boy's had stopped bothering to lower their voices and had started talking like normal. Although Merlin couldn't even begin to pinpoint at which point that had actually happened. And Merlin frantically searched his mind, going back through their conversation trying to see if he'd said something he probably didn't want the king or Morgana to hear.

Arthur looked just as equally horrified, feeling as if the flush on his face had worked it's way completely out of his system under his father's stern stare. It was only when Uther gave him a look, before subtly nodding his head in Merlin's direction, did he realize what his father was trying to tell him.

And if it was even possible, Arthur felt himself going pale.

Merlin caught the motion though, and felt his eyebrow's coming together with confusion, before he shot a look toward's Arthur, clearly asking him what was going on with just his look alone.

But Arthur didn't look at him, feeling as if he'd frozen. Right, he wasn't supposed to leave his consort with just a few word's. There was one more thing that he should have done, that only he should have done since Arthur was the one married to him, but Valiant had practically beat him to it.

Being that Merlin was male, Arthur hadn't even considered or thought that the same traditions would apply. But apparently it didn't matter to Uther, the king was making sure that their people genuinely thought Arthur's marriage was more than just an arrangement, of course Uther wanted their people to think that Arthur was happy. Which meant pulling out all of the stops, even the one's meant for the womenfolk.

'Oh, good lord, what now' Merlin thought, when he finally recognizing the look that was being shared between Arthur and his father. It was the exact same look that Uther had shot towards Arthur their marriage night, when Uther had insisted that Arthur should pull Merlin's chair out for him. And of course, Merlin's response to that had been to steal what should have been Arthur's chair.

Arthur finally whipped his head around to look back at Merlin, and Merlin gave him a raised eyebrow, clearly daring him to do whatever it was that he was supposed to be doing now.

Arthur's eye's shot down to Merlin's hand, the one that was wearing his wedding ring. Okay, Arthur thought, sounding as if he was preparing for the fight of his life, he could do this. It wasn't any big deal at all, they were married so it should be expected. And, even though that brief stab of panic struck him again, he forced himself to relax. Just because he had to do this, didn't mean that he liked it or anything. He was just being coerced again, just like when Arthur had been when he'd briefly kissed Merlin when they had married.

All of this...it was just some kind of show for their people, to give off the illusion that Merlin and him had some perfect fairy tail marriage. So it wasn't like Arthur actually wanted to do this.

That was the thought that held Arthur together when he finally acted. Stepping forward, he shot out his hand and snatched up Merlin's in an iron grip, before he could get away.

"Hey!" Merlin exclaimed in protest as his hand was jerked up, nearly dragging his entire body with it.

"Shut it." Arthur hissed under his breath, just loud enough for Merlin to hear. Merlin glowered at him, feeling as if this was like Valiant all over again. Only this wasn't giving him the sickly and cold feeling that Valiant gave off. Arthur's hand around his own felt as if it was some kind of furnace, warming him from the inside out. And Merlin watched in disbelief as Arthur curled his finger's under Merlin's own, lifting his hand up toward's his face.

Before Arthur could actually go through with it, he froze, with his lips hovering over the silver ring and his eyes staring down at the little red dragon carved into the ring that indicated the Pendragon family. He didn't mean to, but the image suddenly came to the forefront of his mind: of Valiant doing the exact same thing he was doing now, just minutes before. Of Valiant's being the first to do something like this, when it should have been Arthur to do it...

The boiling of his blood came back full force, almost so sudden and harsh that it took Arthur's breath away. Arthur felt as if something had been taken from him, stolen, because he knew that he wasn't the first to do this to Merlin.

But he would be damn sure that Merlin remembered him more than he ever would Valiant.

His eye's shot up, his eye's swirling with something dangerous in them as he met Merlin's own.

Merlin stiffened, feeling as if his own breath had gotten caught in his throat. It was as if all of the nerve ending's in Merlin's body had gone off all at once, and it didn't help matters in the least when he felt Arthur's fingers just barely tighten up around his own. If Merlin didn't know any better, he would have said that it felt almost...possessive. But no, that couldn't be it; all of that just had to be in his head.

If Arthur didn't like him, then there was no way he was feeling possessive over him either.

Arthur's voice sounded rough as he said a low, "My consort." Before leaning down the last little bit and pressing a soft kiss to the dragon on Merlin's ring, his lips lingering there for just a moment. And the entire time, his swirling eyes that promised dangerous thing's, never left Merlin's own.

Merlin's own voice sounded rough to his ears as he said a weak, "A-Arthur." Back in response. This moment between them, it resembled so much of what had happened between Merlin and Valiant. But at the exact same time, it was everything that Valiant's hadn't been.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at his consort, almost wanting to say that wasn't what Merlin was supposed to say. He was supposed to say something demurely like 'my prince' or 'my husband'. Not his name. But Arthur also couldn't bring himself to do it either, because his name sounded so much better than those other responses would have been.

Maybe if Arthur hadn't witnessed Valiant doing the same mere minutes ago, he would have wretched away at the first opportunity to do so. But seeing as all he could think about was Valiant pressing an unwanted kiss (unwanted by Arthur, because the blond wasn't convinced that Merlin hadn't been flirting) he wanted to give Merlin something to remember.

So he lingered, giving a simple tilt of his head to his consort as he drew his finger's away from Merlin's own. Arthur watched as Merlin dragged his hand to his chest, clutching at it with the other. And he watched as the flush start building on Merlin's face, for the first time, actually grateful that his brat wore his emotion's on his sleeve.

Maybe then, Valiant would see that Merlin's full attention was completely and irretrievably, focused on Arthur.

Now that he had done what he was supposed to, and no longer having a reason to stay, Arthur pulled away. With a flick of his cape over his shoulder, Arthur whipped around and started walking away.

Merlin stared after him, uncomfortably aware of how red his face was, still trying to wrap his mind over what had just happen. Watching Arthur reach the far wall where all of the other knights were waiting, he felt something in him stirring.

Arthur may not have kissed him on the lips, but that kiss on his hand had sent hot flashes throughout his entire body. It was a far better kiss than the one that Arthur had given him on their wedding day. If a real kiss felt anything like what had just happened, Merlin was now more determined than ever to get one.

X

It was only after Arthur made it to his place at the end of the line of Knight's on the far wall, did it finally sink into him what he had just done. And sure, he could say that he'd done nothing more than what he was supposed to. It was practically custom to kiss the hand of your lady before you left, just like a gentlemen was supposed to stand when their lady was leaving the table. Merlin may be a man, but apparently Uther was strict about keeping the illusion that they were in love, for their people's sake.

But that still didn't mean that Arthur had to linger, or that he had to take his time just to make sure that Merlin would no longer have Valiant on his mind.

Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing? That Merlin was showing interest in somebody else? Sure, Arthur may just have to give in and give Merlin his dreaded 'bird's and the bee's conversation, but wouldn't that be better? Because at least then, Merlin wouldn't expect anything from Arthur.

But at the same time, thinking about Merlin running off with Valiant, sent a sharp spike of agitation through him.

Before he could stop himself, Arthur was looking down the line of knight's, easily spotted Valiant standing a few people away from him. And to his surprise, Valiant was already staring at him, a cocky arse smirk decorating his features.

Staring at him now, Arthur felt as if his throat was closing up on him. All he could hear in his head was the steady thump of Valiant of Valiant's voice saying 'plaything."

Arthur took in a shaky breath, feeling as if his lungs were rattling as he struggled to stop the growing anxiety. But when Valiant looked away from him, Arthur found it hard press not to follow his face straight back to Merlin.

Arthur let out a 'whoosh' of air, completely giving up on trying to calm his fraying nerves under these new circumstances.

The prince found himself simultaneously, wanting to throw his cape over Merlin so that Valiant wouldn't be able to see him, or just dragging the brat out by the collar of his scruffy jacket for better privacy so that he could yell at the brat for probably encouraging Valiant's clear interest. At least then, they wouldn't have an audience and nobody would be speculating on them.

Finishing the 'meet and greet' be damn.

That was when Arthur felt his fists involuntarily clench, hidden by the folds of his cape, his eye's darting from Valiant and Merlin for another moment more. He felt strange...odd, in a way that he couldn't quite describe. It was like a strange mix of both panicked and pissed. As if he couldn't decide which one to settle on.

Panic-his eye's darted to Valiant, the word 'plaything' whispering in his ear, and all the repercussions that something like that could have. Like how his father would react if word got out that Arthur had been caught 'canoodling' with his consort in the privacy of a dark hallway. It wasn't what had actually been happening, of course, but that didn't matter in the long run. Not if people believed it, if his father thought for one second that Arthur actually 'wanted' to spend any amount of time with his consort, that wasn't forced because of their obligations.

Pissed-his eye's darted back to Merlin, still holding onto the hand Arthur had kissed with the other one, a stupid dumbstruck expression on his face. This was all Merlin's fault, every last bit of it. For making Arthur feel things that he didn't want to feel, for getting Valiant's obvious attention when he should have been trying (and failing, in the prince's delusional mind) to get Arthur's.

Panic-his eye's darted back to Valiant.

Pissed-his eye's darted back to Merlin.

And back and forth several times did they go. Before eventually, Arthur's eye's landed back on Merlin for the tenth time, and stayed there. His eye's held steady on the slim boy, even when Merlin finally turned to converse with Morgana as one of the last knight's stepped up to talk with the king.

That fire that had been diminished into kindling before Arthur had even approached Merlin? It hadn't broke free yet, and maybe it was just because Arthur wasn't yet ready to accept the possibilities. But right now, it was just a spark that Arthur barely noticed. But soon, and fast approaching, something would happen to force that kindling to ignite into a fierce wildfire.

It wasn't a matter of how it would, or even if it would happen at all. With Arthur's eye's steadily focused on Merlin, while simultaneously trying not to bash his own head into the wall behind him, it all came down to a matter of 'when it would happen'.

X

"So, that was a stimulating conversation." Morgana commented casually, her lip twitching upwards into the hint of a grin.

Merlin nearly flinched, having almost forgotten where he was, and that Morgana was right next to him. He was quick to drop his hands down to his side, feeling as if he'd just been caught doing something dirty.

"W-what do you mean?" He stuttered, his mind going back to asking himself, 'just how much had Morgana and Uther had heard?' Right now, it seemed as if Uther had already gone back to entertaining one of the last two knight's in the line, paying the two of his side no attention.

Morgana gave a playful shrug, "Oh, nothing." When Merlin gave her a dubious look, Morgana finally elaborated. "I guess I'm just curious about the dynamics that you two have going on, he did seem pretty mad there for a minute, and then he goes on taking his time with that kiss."

It had only been a simple kiss, but Morgana had been struck into a surprised silence as she had witnessed it. For something that was so simple and small, there had been a startling amount of intensity sparking between Merlin and Arthur. It had spoken volumes to Morgana, in a way that left her sure that not even the two boy's in question had realized.

Uther hadn't seemed to notice, looking away after he'd made sure that Arthur was going through with it. But Morgana hadn't been able to take her eye's away from the sight, even long after Arthur had walked away.

Merlin's lips twitched into a half grin at Morgana's words, "Yeah, he was." He said, talking about the comment she had made about how mad Arthur had seemed. But there was something odd in his voice, he almost sounded...strangely fond...of Arthur's attitude. It was then that the second half of Morgana's sentence seemed to finally hit him, and he had to shake his head to get his thought's organized. "W-wait, wait, how long exactly were you listening to us?"

Merlin gave Morgana a suspicious look, almost positive that he wouldn't have liked the answer. Everything he and Arthur had said to each other, maybe it would have been better done in a more private setting. But it seemed as if Merlin and Arthur were forming the habit of doing thing's at the wrong time and place.

Like when Arthur had dragged Merlin into that alcove, only to be found as they were leaving by those serving girl's. Or how they had tried to talk in that stupid stadium hallway only to be interrupted twice. And now here? In a room filled with anybody who could have been listening in if they'd truly wanted to.

Maybe he should just stop letting Arthur decide where they had these conversations.

Morgana looked amused by his questioning panic, and Merlin wasn't sure if he should feel violated or not, before she calmed him with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Oh, not long." She stopped just long enough to give him a playful smirk. "Just since you called Arthur an 'unruly child'."

Merlin felt himself flush at that, and he turned himself to look straight ahead. It was obviously that he was trying to hide his flustered he was, but if was impossible all at the same time. His emotions were always on his face for everybody to read, if only they cared to look.

X

Across the room, Arthur's urge to smash his head into the wall grew, if only so he could stop himself from wondering what the hell had gotten Merlin so flustered this time.

X

"Well I'm not wrong, am I?" Merlin said boldly, refusing to meet Morgana's eye in his flustered state.

Morgana just shook her head amused, before turning away to meet with the newest knight that had approached her. "It is a great honor to meet you, Lady Morgana." The knight announced himself, bowing down to the Lady respectfully, just as all of the other knight's before him (besides Arthur) had done.

Morgana smiled, the kind of smile that was clearly practiced to make herself look as demure as possible, the same kind she'd given to all of the knight's. "The honor is all mine." She said calmly, giving a gentle nod to her head as the knight moved on.

And then the knight was bowing to Merlin, "It is a Great Honor to meet the common man that was brave enough to impress the king into allowing a marriage between him and his only heir."

After everything that had happened with Valiant and Arthur, it actually took Merlin a minute of jumbling his thoughts together before he could formulate the proper response.

"It uh, it's an honor to...meet you, as well?" He finished it off like it was a question instead of an actual answer. After everything that had happened, it had knocked Merlin off of the grove that he had found himself in before even Valiant had approached him.

The knight didn't seem to notice his awkwardness, and if he did, apparently he was better trained than to question the consort in a setting like this. He just bowed his head before departing off to stand next to Arthur along the line of knight's.

As soon as he was gone, and the last of the knight's had trotted up to Uther, Morgana turned back to Merlin. "My theory is that Arthur is jealous. That's why he was being so harsh with you earlier. He probably didn't like that Valiant had kissed your ring before he had the chance to." As if she was trying to placate Merlin, even though there was nothing to placate. At this point, Merlin was already fully aware of Arthur's short temper, so his whole fit hadn't exactly been a surprise.

Merlin actually scoffed in response to all of that, "It will be a cold day in hell before Arthur is jealous because of that. He's probably just pissed because Valiant was showing me attention instead of showering Arthur with complements on how they are both the greatest knights in the entirety of the universe." He finished off with a sardonic smile.

Morgana just stared at him, wondering if Merlin was somehow blind, to not see what she had seen. Had Merlin not noticed the intensity between himself and Arthur? It seemed impossible, because even Morgana had noticed some kind of heat sparking between the two, before it had vanished as if it had never been there at all.

But Morgana didn't have time to think to much on it, she was distracted by greeting the last of the knight's. She watched as the knight bowed to her, before moving on and giving a greeting to Merlin that had been pretty much the same version as all of the other knights had given him.

Merlin repeated the greeting phrase that he'd been saying the entire time, a lot more confident that he had with the knight that had came before him. Apparently, it was easier the second time, to fall back into the rhythm that had been shaken up by Valiant and Arthur both.

The last of the knight's bowed goodbye to Merlin, giving no idea as to what his impression on Camelot's consort could be, just like all of the other knight's, before he trotted off to stand on the far wall.

With the last of the knight's finished, and nothing left to say, the 'meet-and-greet', came to a conclusion.

All of the knight's on the wall went ramrod straight, looking almost as if they were preparing for war instead of a simple tournament, when Uther stepped forward.

The king raised a hand, easily getting the attention of everybody in the room, as if he didn't already have it. "I would like to thank you all once again, for coming out here and competing in our yearly tournament." The king said, and Merlin had to wonder how he looked so confident as he commanded the room in a way that only somebody who had years of practice would have been able to do. "It was a great honor to meet with all of you personally, and I only wish that we had more time to have a more in-depth conversation."

The king stopped just long enough to wave his hand towards Morgana, who stepped forward to stand by his side with grace, looking every bit of the lady that she was. "My ward, Morgana, has also shown herself pleased with this year's first round champions."

And then the king was waving his hand again, this time in Merlin's direction. "And many of you have just met the newest addition of my family. Your prince's Consort, Sir Merlin." There was a moment of silence where Merlin looked up at the sound of his name.

And then nothing else happened, causing Merlin to frown confused. Then, there was a very subtle and yet harsh poke to the base of his spine, forcing Merlin into where he was supposed to be standing by Morgana's side. Merlin nearly tripped over his own feet because of it, and he shot a glare over his shoulder towards George, who was looking as if he wasn't responsible in the least for Merlin nearly falling on his face.

Uther took Merlin coming forward as sign to keep talking. "He as well, has spoken to me in private of how favorably fate is shining down on every one of this year's possible champions." Merlin's head whipped around to look at the king, frowning deeply. Because Merlin had definitely not said anything like that. It was kind of hard to since he'd hardly even seen the king since he'd married his son.

"My family and I look forward on seeing how the rest of the tournament will commence." Uther finished off his speech. "But as for now, I do believe that this has gone on long enough. The sun has fallen, and the moon is high in the sky. It is time for all of us to get some much needed rest. Especially for you, young knights," he stopped to raise a sardonic looking eyebrow. "The second rounds is scheduled to start soon. You'll need all of the rest that you can get."

And with those almost eerie words spoken, it marked the end of Uther's speech. At once, all of the knight's seemed to loosen up, no longer looking as if they were about to march towards war.

Still forming a line, the first knight (Sir Ewan) started the charge by leading the other knight's toward's the door.

Merlin found himself trying to take a step toward's the door himself, feeling as if there was a heavy weight on his shoulder's. Today had been a very long and grueling day, and he was more than excited to climb into bed and get some much needed and very well deserved rest.

He'd barely gotten two steps before a slim arm hooked into the crook of his elbow, casually tugging him back into his place among the royal family. Merlin's head swirled around, "Morgana? What are you doing?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at the smaller girl who had her nails pressed dangerously close up against his skin, as if she thought he was going to make a break for it.

"We need to wait until all of the knight's had filed out, as a sign of respect for them coming all this way to fight and entertain us." Morgana said casually, not looking at him as she smiled demurely at Sir Ewan as he passed, giving the royal family a nod of goodbye.

"...You people sure have a lot of rules around here." Merlin grunted, feeling as if he was going to drop dead if he couldn't leave this room soon, and he watched as the formation of knight's started passing them by on their way to the door.

Merlin had to fight back a jaw cracking yawn, because he hadn't realized just how tired he'd gotten. But really, who could blame him? Because this little 'meet-and-greet' had lasted well pass midnight. And Merlin had to wonder why they didn't just hold off till morning to have it.

"'Your people,' as well." Morgana corrected him, flashing him a smirk before she averted her attention back over to the knight's passing in front of them. Merlin had no doubt that she was probably tired as well, but she didn't give any indication of it as she watched the knights walking by.

'My people', Merlin thought to himself. Even just that sounded exhausting, and made his tiresome state grow. He stared blankly down at the floor, wondering if the sandstone floor of the castle would be any more comfortable to sleep than the floor of his hut had been.

Merlin only lifted his eye's up from the floor after a few more knight's had passed. It was barely a moment later before Merlin realized his mistake. Because now, it was Valiant's turn to walk pass them.

The knight gave Merlin a quick smile, but it looked as if it was verging into a smirk. It was strange, how forceful of a reminder that simple smirk had been, and Merlin scowled. Whatever game Valiant was playing at, he wasn't falling for it for a second. He was up to something, but what it was...Merlin couldn't even begin to guess.

Just as soon as Valiant was in front of him, was he gone, following the line of knights he was apart of to the door.

It was barely two seconds later, before Arthur started walking pass them. For a second, just a second, Arthur and Merlin met eye's. And then Arthur was looking away, resolutely keeping his eye's trained ahead on the knight in front of him.

Merlin's eye's locked onto Arthur's broad back as the prince walked away, and his lips curled downwards into a curious frown. The prince continued to baffle him with everything that he did.

It didn't take long for the last of the knight's to exit the room, leaving behind just the guards, the royal family, and their two servants.

This seemed to jumpstart Morgana, because she spun around to give Merlin a bright look, "Alright, now we're done." She announced, finally removing her hand from the crook of his arm.

Merlin felt as if all of the stiffness in his body just drained out of him, and his shoulder's slumped in relief, "About damn time. I thought we'd be here all night at the rate that we were going."

Just behind them, Gwen gave a little giggle, almost startling Merlin because even though he knew that Gwen and George were standing behind them, they had been eerily quiet during these proceedings. "It wasn't so bad though, Merlin. It seems like you and Arthur are really starting to hit it off." But she also sounded unsure, as if she didn't know rather or not she should bring Arthur up to him.

Merlin just shook his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, "I suppose hitting it off is better than hitting each other." Merlin couldn't have stopped himself if he tried, but his entire conversation with Arthur flashed through his mind within second's. Everything, from the moment Arthur had shown up in front of him, raced through his mind like an instant replay. And it ended with the lingering kiss that Arthur had pressed against his ring.

Merlin absentmindedly rubbed his thumb across the metal of the ring, warm from his skin and Arthur's kiss.

Gwen smiled, tugging on the ends of her skirt. "Well I'm just glad that you didn't start hitting each other this time. It does seem to be becoming a habit of yours. And I do fear that one of these day's, you might come off on the wrong side of thing's if Arthur really let's himself loose."

Merlin stared at her, wondering if he should mention that he'd told Arthur not that long ago, to not hold back the next time they did have a fight, rather that be from a training session or if they were just fighting like they had that one time in the marketplace with the maces.

Seeing the look on his face, Gwen seemed to think that she had put her foot in her mouth again and was quick to try and correct herself, "Oh! Not that you wouldn't put up a good fight. But still, Arthur is all...big and muscly. I don't think if would really be a fair fight if the two of you actually went head to head. Not that your aren't good at putting up a fight! But, Arthur is..." she trailed off awkwardly, but seemed unable to start herself from sizing him up. "...bigger..." she finished weakly, as if she was finally realizing that nothing she said was going to make this conversation any better.

"...Bigger..." Merlin repeated dryly. He couldn't exactly argue about that one, just one look and anybody could tell that Arthur was bigger than him. Merlin may be that one inch taller, but Arthur had biceps that were as big as his head... "I think I kind of like that he is." He finished, absentmindedly as he thought of Arthur's biceps.

Morgana burst into giggles, and Gwen looked as if she was going to faint from how flushed she was. George acted as if this was nothing out of the ordinary, his mask of professionalism never breaking as he stood nearby.

Merlin felt as if he was just jolted back into his thoughts by Morgana's sudden giggles, and it took him a minute to realize that he had actually said that last part out loud. "...I think I'll just shut up now." Merlin groaned, bringing a hand up to rub at his face. It wasn't his fault that he didn't mind that Arthur was thicker than him. Now if only Arthur wasn't so thick in the brain, then maybe they could actually get their relationship going somewhere.

"No, no, keep going." Morgana said, smirking at him. "I think I would quite enjoy your-" she cut herself off abruptly, and Merlin had to raise his head out of his hands to stare at her confused. But she wasn't looking at him, she was looking somewhere just over his shoulder. And now that he was looking, both Gwen and George were doing the same.

"...What? Is there something really scary behind me?" Merlin asked dryly, quirking an eyebrow at them. But nobody answered him, and before Merlin could turn around to look himself, there was the firm clap of a hand planting itself on his shoulder. Merlin's knees almost buckled from the sudden weight of it, and he whipped his head around.

He stared down at the hand on his shoulder, feeling a sort of dread go throughout his body. Taking his sweet time doing it, Merlin awkwardly looked over his shoulder, only to be caught in the stern eye's of Uther Pendragon.

Well, Merlin hadn't been wrong when he suggested it was something scary behind him.

X

"No, Morris. I do not need anything." Arthur said, sounding exhausted as he walked down the hallway toward's his bedroom. After he had left the grand hall mere minutes before, Morris had practically been on top of him. All of the other knight's had dispersed to retire to their bedrooms in the guest hallway in the other wing of the castle. And following their lead, Arthur had gone up to his own room.

The entire walk there, Morris had been nattering away in his ear, suggesting all manner of thing's that he could bring to Arthur if he desired it. He had pretty much just tuned him out, ignoring all of his constant talking.

Somehow, Arthur found Morris' nonstop chattering was more annoying than even Merlin's had been. Maybe it was the simpering tone that the manservant used, or the way he practically fell all over himself to get close to Arthur.

It was just a sharp contrast compared to Merlin, who's nonstop chattering was always filled with playful insults or commentary on whatever struck his fancy.

Arthur was just to tired to tell the manservant to buzz off, and all he wanted to do was climb under his duvet and give in to sleep, while ignoring the fact that Merlin would be sleeping right in the next room from him.

It was as if Arthur couldn't escape from the brat. Everywhere he had turned, Merlin was pretty much already there. Always getting in his space, or telling him that he was wrong, or critiquing everything he did.

It was strangely...refreshing.

But at the same time, Arthur also felt as if he had his fill of Merlin interactions for the day. And if his only escape from the brat was his bedroom, then Arthur would take it.

"Sire, it would really be an honor if you would allow me to the opportunity to do something to make your night more comfortable-" Morris practically begged as they reached Arthur's bedroom door. He hadn't spent nearly as much time as he would have liked with Arthur today.

"Don't." Arthur interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. The prince had his back to Morris, and one hand firmly planted on his door, ready to push it open.

Morris froze, something in Arthur's voice warning him not to press his luck.

Arthur seemed to realize this as well, and gave a heavy sigh. "You're dismissed, Morris. I do not find myself acquiring your services for the rest of the night."

Morris opened his mouth to say something just as simpering, trying one last time to get Arthur's attention. Bowing his head demurely, he said, "As you command it, so it will be sir-" Morris couldn't even finish his 'sire' before Arthur was walking into his room, slamming the door into his face. Morris had been following so close, that the tip of his nose almost got clipped by it.

Morris demure expression dropped in an instant, a harsh scowl emerging onto his face. But since it was clear that Arthur wasn't going to allow him in, Morris had no choice but to stomp off down the hallway, starting his long walk to his hut in the lower town.

X

Inside his room, Arthur didn't hesitate to start undressing. He started with that stupid cloak of his that he would need Morris to untangle, since Merlin had somehow tangled it up behind comprehension. Every article of clothing that came off afterwards, was tossed aside in an uncaring manner, making a line from his door and to his bed.

Arthur kicked off the last of his clothes (his trousers) and nearly tripped over his own feet to get them off. He was just so tired, and his mind still felt way to full, that he didn't even bother to fetch his sleeping pants. Arthur threw himself down onto his bed, wearing nothing more than his under thing's.

After a minute where he laid face down across his bed, Arthur gave a heavy groan before pushing himself over so that he was stretched out on his back. Arthur let his leg's hang off of the side of the bed, and he stared solemnly up at the canopy hanging above him. He intertwined his finger's together and rested them somewhere on his lower belly, staring up with a strangely contemplative expression, for someone who was so weary and exhausted.

'Sire, sire, sire'

It was the only thing that Arthur was able to think of. No matter how hard he tried to think of other thing's (and believe him, he'd tried) his mind always circled back to the way Merlin had called him 'sire.'

Something in him had snapped when he had heard Morris saying that word. It was why he'd been so curt and slammed the door in his face. Because the way that Morris had said it...it was nothing compared to how Merlin had said it.

Merlin had been so mocking and full of confidence, smirking up at Arthur as if he was daring the prince to do something about his attitude.

And Arthur had definitely done something, leaving Merlin with that lingering kiss to his ring. Before acting as aloof as he could by barely acknowledging Merlin as he'd left.

Arthur curled his fingers onto of his stomach tightly together, feeling his blunt nails as they dig into his skin. Shit, why couldn't he just get Merlin out of his head? Why did nothing he do seem to work? And more importantly, why was this happening to him?...what was Merlin doing to him?

His skin felt overheated, and it vaguely reminded him of the way it felt when he'd briefly been with lovers in the pass. Only this was so much worse, something darker and more feral than anything else.

Arthur didn't like it. He didn't like that he was feeling this way while he still had Merlin occupied in his thoughts.

Frustrated, because that stupid 'sire, sire, sire' had gone off in his head again, Arthur forced himself to sit up and climb into his bed properly. As if he thought that was going to help anything.

Even after he laid down and tried to force himself to sleep, Arthur found himself tossing and turning until he couldn't deal anymore. Frustrated, Arthur punched his pillow once, twice, and then a third time just for good measure.

If anybody else had witnessed it, Arthur would have had an excuse ready: that he was just trying to get his pillow into a more comfortable position. It was better than saying he was trying to get out his frustrations by beating the crap out of his pillow.

But there comes a time where every young man had to just admit defeat, and Arthur threw himself face first onto his pillow. He practically buried his face into the soft and cold silk of the pillow beneath him, all the while struggling to force himself to sleep just so could move on from today.

But it would take hours before he finally found himself submitting to the sweet release of sleep.

X

"You wanted to talk to me, sire?" Merlin asked cautiously, looking up at the taller man with rounded eye's. After the king had interrupted their conversation, he had instructed for Merlin to say his goodbye's, because it was 'time for the two of them to have a talk'.

Morgana had wished him luck before leaving for bed, which hadn't given him any confidence in the matter. Gwen had stopped just long enough to tell him to just be himself, and that the king was probably just wanting to get to know his new son-in-law better, before hurrying after her mistress to help her prepare for bed. That hadn't exactly helped Merlin either, considering the king would probably have him burned if he ever knew the real Merlin.

It had taken a little longer for Merlin to convince George to head off to bed. Because yes George, he could find his way to his room just fine on his own. And yes, he could get himself ready for bed, and no he didn't need any assistance with turning down the bed.

Afterwards, when his manservant had been the last to leave, Uther had dismissed the guard's.

Merlin watched the two knight's standing by the door as they bowed before they left, and he had to stop himself from shouting after them as if they were his lifeline. Being alone with the king...Merlin couldn't see this boding well for him.

But he didn't yell, and so the knight's had left the consort and their king to the privacy of the room. The large door's slammed shut, practically echoing across the large chambers.

And Merlin felt himself flinching at the sound of what was essentially his freedom to escape being lost to him.

There was a moment of silence, and Merlin could feel the king's weighty stare on his back. When the quiet became unbearable, Merlin had to force himself to turn around just so he could say, "You wanted to talk to me, sire?"

But his question did nothing to get the eerily still air around them stirring.

King Uther didn't answer for the longest time, staring down his nose at Merlin. It grew awkward, and Merlin started shifting from foot to door, feeling as if he was some kind of insect being put on display.

Finally, did the king answer him, but it wasn't in regard to his question.

"Put your arms at your side." The king ordered, so suddenly and strictly that it almost started Merlin.

"W-what?" Merlin asked, his eyebrows furrowing together as he stared at the king with a baffled expression. His arms? Merlin glanced down, noticing that he had his arms casually folded behind his back.

"You look like a serving boy." Uther grunted, looking displeased by this. Gaius certainly hadn't been wrong when he said that Merlin would need all manner of thing's if they wanted to pull off the illusion that Merlin was happily involved with their family.

Merlin frowned, but put his arms down at his side. It didn't help matters, because Merlin certainly did look like a serving boy. Uther could only hope that a new set of clothing that he was having commissioned for the boy would help.

"Was that all, sire?" Merlin asked, not sure why the king would stop him just to correct him on how he was standing. It seemed like such a small matter to him, but if that was all that the king had wanted, Merlin wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Of course not." The king barked in response, and Merlin practically sagged. He should have known that the king wouldn't let him off the hook that easily. "I called you here because I wanted to know how you are adjusting."

Merlin's head shot up startled, not sure what he'd been expecting. But that hadn't been it at all. "Adjusting, sire?" He asked cautiously, having to stop himself from tugging his arms back behind his back.

"Yes," the king said in a grumbly voice. "I understand that the place you were found is vastly different from Camelot. I need to know if you are adjusting well to your new surrounding's." Gaius had brought to Uther's attention some of the smaller thing's that needed to be done to bring Merlin up to the proper standard's of being a consort.

But Uther also knew that being a consort was more than just the clothes that made you look like you fit in among your peers. Or the education where you could talk circles around other's. There was just so much more to it, and Merlin had yet to even scratch the surface.

Merlin nodded his head, still not looking entirely sure where this conversation was going. "Ealdor is..." Merlin stopped to let out a long whistle. "Definitely different when compared to Camelot. The entire village could probably fit in this one room."

And that wasn't an exaggeration either. The Grand Hall was probably one of the largest room's in the entire castle. And Ealdor could easily fit inside of it.

"Is that so?" Uther asked, looking curious by this, as if actually living in a village smaller than one room in his huge castle was such an alien concept. But he didn't think of it for to long, apparently deciding there there was no reason to engage in small talk with the boy. It was time that he got to the point, "Come with me Merlin, I wish to show you something."

And then Uther was walking away, heading out of the Grand Hall. He didn't even bother to look back and check if Merlin was following him.

Merlin frowned, looking around confused, as if he was expecting somebody to come out of the woodwork and tell him what exactly was going on. But when nobody did, Merlin found himself following after the king.