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!

38. Chapter 38

Arthur supposed that he should have seen this coming. Even though he was in no way prepared to have this, he had 'known' that the day would come where Merlin actually demanded that they have a serious talk.

He had just hoped that it would be a little bit longer than this.

But that was exactly what this was, Arthur could tell from the way Merlin was avoiding his eyes after they were left alone in the room. He could tell from the way Merlin's slim fingers worked their way across his thick chest, absentmindedly smoothing down the lines and creases in his overtop that Merlin had wrinkled when he'd been clenching his fists in it.

But he could especially tell when Merlin stepped away from him without a word, keeping his head ducked as he walked across the room and started fiddling with the equipment table without actually picking anything up.

Arthur found his anxiety spiking, and it caused him to frown, glancing in pretty much every other direction so that he wouldn't have to look at Merlin's back to him. The waiting was almost killing him more than the actual conversation would have, and there was a certain stillness to the air that didn't help at all, a kind of solemn energy that penetrated the room.

The quiet...it was getting to him in a way he didn't quite expect. Or maybe it was just because he was anxious to get this over and done with, and it was causing him to imagine thing's that Merlin didn't even notice.

Arthur started to tap his foot, needing to move something lest he start feeling as if he were going crazy. But even with the soft sound that his foot made as it came into contact with the stone floor beneath him, Merlin didn't stop fidgeting with the table.

Almost as if he wasn't listening at all, as if he had forgotten that Arthur was even there or what they were supposed to be doing.

He cast a look toward's the door, wondering briefly if he should just make a run for it before their talk could even begin. Because seriously, did he really need to have all of his armor? He was the best swordsman in these parts, surely he could go out there in just his overtop tunic and still win his fight. All he would have to do was steal his opponent's sword while using hand to hand combat.

And-Arthur seriously contemplated the idea-if he really left, he wouldn't have to be here with Merlin. He wouldn't have to be alone with him, and he wouldn't have to talk to him, and he wouldn't have Merlin saying dumb thing's that could be misconstrued as something...inappropriate.

Arthur shook his head as he crossed his arms over his chest, turning his head to look away from the door begrudgingly. No, he couldn't just run off and act as if his problems didn't exist. It wouldn't erase them, or stop them from being a problem. All he would be doing was postponing the inevitable, not stopping it from actually happening.

Besides, Arthur tried to make himself feel better as he scratched awkwardly at his chin, it was better that Merlin at least had enough sense to insist that they talk in privacy. It was better this way, and if he left now, he might not get this luxury of privacy. Knowing Merlin's idiocy, he'd probably try again in a far more inappropriate and way more public setting.

Arthur shot a glare in Merlin's direction, but if the other boy felt the sting of Arthur's annoyance zeroed in on his back, he didn't show it.

Arthur rolled his eye's as he turned away, and he crossing and uncrossing his arms simply because he had nothing else to do. And at least it was something else that would get him moving instead of him just standing there, waiting dumbly for Merlin to start with his inquisition.

Arthur found himself casting another glance at Merlin's back only second's later, watching suspiciously as he finally decided on which piece he was going to put on him next.

His chest piece, as Merlin had taken to calling it. The hauberk, he corrected inside of his mind automatically, knowing everything there was to know about the pieces of armor that was designed to protect his body. This particular piece was designed to protect his vulnerable neck and shoulder blades.

Arthur stiffened when Merlin was suddenly in front of him, having been so distracted by reciting every known fact he could think of in regards to the hauberk, that he had almost forgotten that Merlin was supposed to be putting it on him now.

Arthur clenched his jaw, but lowered his head automatically, before Merlin could start trying to order him into doing it, so that he could slip it over his head more easily. Arthur vaguely-annoying-thought about how Morris had never needed him to lower his head as if he was some kind of peasant. Which was strange, he just now noticed, because Morris was a good several inches shorter than he was compared to Merlin who was just the smallest inch taller.

Arthur felt a muscle in his jaw twitch, and he narrowed his eye's suspiciously at Merlin as he straightened up, feeling the hauberk settling around his shoulder's. He wondered if Merlin was making him lower his head-barely an inch-as some kind of joke.

A prince didn't lower his head for anybody, and he had to remind himself of that as he straightened up, trying to make himself taller than he already was at a solid six foot.

But Merlin-at a whopping six foot and one inch even when slouching, didn't even notice his glare or him straightening up. The dark haired boy silently moved to Arthur's side, fiddling with the rounded clasp on the top of his shoulder blade to make sure that it was in place.

The longer Merlin worked, now digging under Arthur's armpit-Arthur found himself moving his arm up to give him a better space to work with-to readjust the straps that would keep the chest piece locked in place, the more Arthur's impatience grew.

Why wasn't this brat saying anything? Why was his stupid consort taking his time getting him ready? Was he drawing this out on purpose? Was he trying to make Arthur's impatience snap, or maybe he was wanting to drive him up the wall with insanity because he just couldn't take this solemn air lingering in the room anymore?

Why was Merlin's mere presence driving him absolutely insane?

"Why aren't you-" Arthur started to growl, keeping his eye's averted to the wall as Merlin found the straps under his arm, his patience having thinned until it felt as if it had all but crumbled to dust.

"Did you hear anything last night?" Merlin interrupted, finally talking for the first time since their manservant's had left them alone moment's before.

And of course Merlin would say the last thing that Arthur had thought he'd say.

-

Ever since their manservant's had left, Merlin had been struck with the memories of what had happened last night. Ignoring the awful incident with Madame Clara aside, all he could remember was the fear he'd felt when Valiant had cornered him in the armory. The panic that had overcame him when the man had appeared at his room minutes after he had tried to settle down and get some sleep.

His finger's were practically shaking, which was why it was taking him so long to get the stupid strap under Arthur's arm to buckle correctly.

He needed to know, he was almost desperate to know if Arthur knew what had happened to him. He was standing at Arthur's side, but right behind his shoulder blade so that he could fix the straps, so Arthur couldn't really see him directly. Not unless he was looking over his shoulder, which he most definitely wasn't.

Merlin knew this because he kept casting up looks towards him under his eyelashes. He was trying to get a read on the prince, to see if there was any minute detail's in his face that would indicate he was lying if he said he hadn't heard anything last night.

Which was strange, wasn't it? Because Arthur slept just next door, and surely he would have heard the noises coming from Merlin's room, would have heard him shouting at Valiant to go away. Surely not even Arthur was crude enough to just go back to sleep if he heard what sounded like somebody in trouble...

Or maybe he just hadn't bothered because it was Merlin in trouble.

And now, all he could see from where he was looking at the side of Arthur's face, was his obvious confusion.

-

"What are you blabbering about this time?" Arthur demanded, already starting to turn his head so that he could glare down at his wayward consort.

But he'd barely got a glimpse of Merlin's dark hair before Merlin was tugging harshly at his straps, using them as a kind of rein to force Arthur's shoulder out some. It stopped Arthur from being able to look at him more clearly, and put Merlin in place firmly behind his shoulder.

Arthur wasn't sure if he should be grateful or annoyed.

Merlin cleared his throat, finally getting his finger's to stop shaking just long enough for him to loop the metal piece into the hole and buckle the strap into place. Still, he didn't move away quite yet as he said quietly, "You heard me. I wanna know if you heard anything going on last night." Merlin's eye's darted around as he tried to make his voice sound more casual than he was actually feeling. "Like...door's trying to come off their hinges, or...screaming..."

Merlin ducked his head and awkwardly pulled his hands away from under Arthur's arm, and moved across the prince's shoulder blades so that he could start with the other side.

Arthur felt his eyebrow's creasing together, having no early idea what Merlin was going on about. When Merlin had insisted that they talk, Arthur had assumed that Merlin was finally going to try and force actual answers out of him.

About why he had freaked out so badly in front of Merlin in the hallway at the tournament, about why he had looked as if one touch from Merlin would be enough to send him running for the hills.

Which he had practically done, and he could feel the embarrassment at the reminder. It didn't matter how freaked out or panicked he was, he shouldn't have ran away. He was a prince, the next in line to become the king of Camelot, he couldn't afford to be known as the boy who ran away from his consort's touch.

Arthur licked his lips, not looking back as he felt Merlin starting to check on the rounded clasp on the top of his other shoulder blade. "If this is your way of telling me that you don't like your room-" he started, feeling a little indignant that Merlin actually had the gall to complain about his rooms.

The Consort's suite was one of the best room's in the entire castle, it's standard literally-as it should be-fit for royalty. And to hear that a peasant actually had the nerve to complain over the generous accommodations that he'd been given-although Merlin did have every right to complain and change the room more to his liking as he was The Consort-was truly outrageous!

"The room's are fine!" Merlin snapped, and Arthur could finally detect the smallest bit of annoyance leaking out of his voice as he finished tightening the clasp. Good, that annoyance was like a lifeline to Arthur, keeping him grounded in a way that the earlier silence had practically made him feel as if he were drowning. "I just want to know if you heard anything last night..."

Arthur felt his lip curl up in distaste, having no idea where Merlin was going with this as he spit out a grudging, "No, I didn't hear anything last night. It might surprise you to know, but I'm actually a deep sleeper. There is nothing short of a thunderstorm rattling the window's that will wake me up."

And then he bit his lip, feeling as if he had said to much. Merlin didn't need to know that he was a deep sleeper, the boy would never fall to sleep curled up beside him, so there was no reason for him to know any of that. He didn't need to know that Arthur practically slept like the dead-spread across his bed and taking up every available inch of space-exhausted from a long day of princely duties and not always being able to blow off some steam.

Merlin felt himself starting to relax-just a little-as he took in what Arthur had just told him. He hadn't even realized that he had gone tense in the first place, as he waited with suspense for what Arthur's answer would be.

A deep sleeper, he was just a really deep sleeper. That meant that Arthur hadn't just been ignoring what was basically being an attempted assault just next door. He just hadn't realized what was going on because he was that deep of a sleeper.

Merlin let out an exhale of breath, not noticing Arthur tense up as his breath of air hit the back of his neck. Merlin moved his hands down under Arthur's arm to reach for the second pair of straps, practically shoving Arthur's arm up and out of his way when the prince didn't move fast enough for his taste.

Arthur felt himself start to glower at the floor when his arm was being manhandled out of the way, his lips thinning. This was different than the other time Merlin had prepared him. Not by much, but there were subtle differences there that stood out more than they actually should have been.

Little thing's like Merlin moving his arm this way instead of that way. Or how Merlin had actually bothered to check the clasps on top of the hauberk, now that he was thinking about it, he was pretty sure Merlin hadn't done that the last time. Maybe Merlin just hadn't realized, or had forgotten, or maybe he was just stupid and thought he didn't need to check every little piece before he sent Arthur out to fight.

The last thought made the most sense to Arthur.

But nonetheless, the point was...Arthur wasn't used to thing's being different. Even for something as common as getting Arthur prepared for battle, Morris had always done thing's with precision. Nothing had ever changed, and Arthur didn't see it ever changing. He hadn't even considered it a problem, it was just his normality. He knew exactly when Morris was going to do his straps, and he knew exactly how Morris was going to put his belt on, and he knew before he even started that Morris would put his gloves on last.

Which was a deep contrast to Merlin who had done thing's in a completely different order, and actually made Arthur get involved with his commands to move this way or that way instead of allowing Arthur his moment to think and steady his nerves for the upcoming fight.

Arthur felt Merlin's finger's under his arm, doing up his strap with surprising ease considering the previous times where he had fumbled, but Arthur couldn't even begin to marvel at the fact that Merlin was apparently getting smarter and more confident with what he was doing. The blonde tensed up even more-when Merlin suddenly cleared his throat-then he did when Merlin's hot breath had hit him on the back of the neck.

Was this the moment that Merlin was going to bring up what had happened in the stadium? Had Arthur started to relax to soon when he realized that Merlin was talking about the exact opposite of what had happened at the stadium? Or maybe he was panicking and over analyzing things for nothing, maybe Merlin had no interest or concern about know what had happened to him.

As relieving as it would have been to not discuss it, it annoyed Arthur-probably more than it should-to know that Merlin didn't even care to bring it up again.

"I wanted to ask you about the guards." Merlin said bluntly. Even though he was done with the hauberk, he still didn't move away just yet. He kept his place standing just behind Arthur's shoulder blade, looking at the back of Arthur's neck, just barely able to see the tanned skin-half hidden by his short blonde hair-from his position.

He knew that if he moved in front of Arthur to have this conversation, thing's wouldn't go how he wanted them to. One look at Arthur, and he would probably go spilling his guts, telling him everything that had happened last night. From Madame Clara, to Valiant's appealing offer, and how horrible he had acted when he'd been rejected.

It would be a true test to know just how much Arthur cared by how he reacted if Merlin told him. And he didn't think that he was ready if Arthur didn't give him the reaction that he wanted, that he hoped for.

He just felt less...vulnerable, knowing that Arthur's eye's weren't trained on him, looking as if they were trying to flesh out every secret he had without saying a word.

Arthur narrowed his eye's, knowing that something wasn't right about this sudden question. There were alarm bell's suddenly going off in his head, telling him that this question didn't just come out of the blue. And knowing that Merlin hadn't moved away to go get his next piece of equipment off the table just solidified that fact.

But Arthur squashed those alarm bell's down, until they were microscopic and he could barely detect the faint ringing in his ear's. "...What do you want to know?" He asked, his voice sounding off even to his own ears. But he still strained himself, listening very closely to what would be Merlin's response.

He needed to be able to detect if there was something off about this, or if he was just over thinking thing's again. But still, the questions shot through his head.

Was Merlin planning something? Was he not the man his father thought he was, and now that he was in the very heart of Camelot, was he taking this as an opportunity to do something sinister? Was Merlin planning some kind of coop, using this stupid farm boy routine as a guise to prevent suspicion?

"The guards..." Merlin licked his lips, feeling just how dry they were as his eye's focused on a random spot in the middle of Arthur's shoulder. "...Do they always guard the hallway that leads to our bedrooms?"

That was a good first question, Merlin thought wearily. It gave him a starting point, knowing if there was supposed to be a guard on duty last night.

The crease forming in between Arthur's eyebrow's deepened, as he found his eye's focused on a patch of floor in front of him, not really taking it in as he considered Merlin's question.

"Not always." Arthur said slowly, not entirely sure how much information he should give if this was some kind of coop being staged.

Behind him, Merlin just sucked in a harsh breath. If there was no guard, then that would definitely explain how Valiant had so easily found his way onto their floor. All he would have had to do was walk straight in, and from there it probably wouldn't be to hard to deduce which room was Merlin's. Especially if he'd been following him and saw which one he had ducked into.

But it also wasn't a comfort, because if there was no guard stationed there at all, then what was to stop Valiant from coming back?

Merlin's thoughts froze at a standstill when Arthur started talking again, finishing off his earlier statement. "The guard's to the royal hallway usually stay somewhere below our floor, guarding the lower staircases. But really, the main stairwell leads to many points in the castle. Their job is to just keep track of whose coming and whose going. The only time a guard is actually stationed on our floor is when there are expected to be stranger's roaming the castle."

Behind him, Merlin tensed up, his eye's shooting from Arthur's shoulder and up to the back of his blonde head. "Strangers?" He asked urgently, feeling his heart rate spike for a moment. "You mean like right now? I mean, with all of these competitor's roaming the castle..."

Arthur reached up to run a hand through his bangs because no, he was just being stupid if he thought Merlin had some kind of agenda with these question's. It wasn't really all that strange that somebody was asking question's about their new home, and there were guard's posted everywhere anyway... any one of them would tell Merlin themselves if he asked, simply because he was 'technically' in charge of them as well.

"It depends on the event itself. Like...our wedding," Arthur stopped to clear his throat awkwardly. Behind him, Merlin felt an awkward flush of his own forming on his cheeks. "The guard was there around the clock, because nobody was really sure if there would be an assassination attempt on your life before we got to the altar."

Merlin raised a sardonic eyebrow at that, because Arthur had sounded way to casual when he had said it like that. As if he was used to fighting off assassination attempts at all hours of the day. "Well, I'm so happy my safety was taken into consideration when I came here." Merlin said dryly. As cruel as Uther had sounded when they had spoken yesterday, at least he wasn't looking to kill him.

Not yet, at least.

"Of course it was." Arthur said with a scoff, as if it should have been obvious, still not turning around to actually face Merlin. Merlin's eye's widened, looking almost dumbstruck by this. And he could feel a different kind of flush start to work it's way up his neck. But then, Arthur Pendragon just had to keep talking. "How would it look if my consort was murdered just day's before we were to wed?"

The flush pretty much drained out of Merlin in an instant, and the dark haired boy scoffed and rolled his eye's. "Of course, how would it have looked." He grumbled, under his breath with annoyance. Trust Arthur to ruin whatever giddy feeling Merlin had been experiencing for that brief second.

"Anyway," Arthur continued without missing a beat. "This competition is a yearly thing. It is an important part of our kingdom to host this tournament, but it's also something that's expected. So the security to our room's isn't as serious as it was with the wedding."

Merlin nearly reeled back at that, boggling his eyes at the back of Arthur's blonde head, he sputtered as he said, "Seriously? Your saying the security isn't as tight because this completion is yearly?" Merlin shook his head, looking in disbelief with his eye's averted to the ground, half talking to himself as he said, "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of."

A look of offense shot across Arthur's face, and he finally turned around to glare at Merlin for his offending comment, "Excuse me?" He demanded gruffly. "There is nothing 'dumb' about my kingdom's security."

Merlin lifted his eye's off the floor to look at Arthur with a sardonically raised eyebrow, "This competition is yearly." He said slowly, as if he thought Arthur was severely mentally impaired. "So everybody know's about it, they know when to expect it and probably who's likely to participate in it. I'm just saying, it seems pretty easy for someone to slip in with all of the competitor's, going completely unnoticed that they aren't here just to win a simple tourney. So, what's to stop somebody from just coming in and doing away with the royal family in their beds?"

Arthur stared at him dumbfounded, blankly blinking with a dumb expression on his face. He had...actually never thought of it like that before. The security had really alway's been like that, this was his home so he had always felt safe inside of the wall's, even with all of the people coming and going and the random assassination attempt's.

"...Are you questioning the security of my kingdom?" Arthur asked slowly, even as he felt the dawning realization that Merlin might actually be right when it came to this. Having it broke down like that, it did seem ridiculously easy for someone to be unnoticed among all of the new faces coming in and out.

Merlin didn't look to impressed by him trying to assert himself. Instead, he just raised his eyebrow at him and said bluntly, "When it needs to be questioned...sure."

And then he shrugged, as if he hadn't just discovered a major flaw in their castle security within second's of hearing how they did thing's around here.

Arthur felt his eye start to twitch again, before he turned away, grudgingly admitting to himself that it might be a good idea to mention it to his father. Maybe they could implement round the clock security when the next year's tourney began.

"Well, you don't have to worry about anyone coming to do you away while you sleep." The prince grumbled, just loud enough for Merlin to hear him. "Other than me, that is."

Merlin rolled his eye's, already detecting that it was a poorly made joke. "I don't think I have to worry about that. Somehow, I don't see you visiting my bedroom that often, even if it's to kill me."

Arthur whipped his head around, giving Merlin a death glare for the 'visiting his bedroom often' comment. Merlin made it sound like a joke, but he should be damn grateful that Arthur didn't come to his bedroom at night, he sure knew he was.

"Oh, come on!" Merlin exclaimed, feeling the penetrating glare on his skin. "What on earth did I say this time!" And no matter how hard he tried to analyze his word's, or which way he twisted them to find out what had made Arthur so mad, he just couldn't connect the dots.

Arthur sighed, already feeling a headache forming as he reached his hand up to pinch at the bridge of his nose. It was so frustrating when Merlin made those little comments, it forced Arthur to be vividly reminded of the struggle he was going through to make sure that they didn't have to consummate their marriage...ever.

It was made even more frustrating when he could clearly see how Merlin never seemed to realize how his word's could be misconstrued if they were heard by the wrong party. It was a miracle that they hadn't been caught already, or that his father hadn't heard Merlin speaking so carelessly, and realizing just how naive his consort was.

Newly wed's were supposed to always be in the other's room, or share a room depending on the couple themselves. Everything would come falling down around him if the wrong person realized that Arthur and Merlin had never once shared a bed, and word got back to his father about Arthur's deception.

Arthur averted his eye's away from Merlin, feeling his cheeks puff out for a second as he gave a loud huff, "Nothing, don't worry about." He grunted. He could practically see the gear's working in Merlin's head as he tried to figure out what just happened.

He doubted that Merlin would get the right reason, but that didn't stop the flicker of panic that briefly licked at his heart. "Anyway," Arthur said quickly, practically having to swallow his tongue as to not say something he'd regret later, and putting their original conversation back on track while also trying to prevent Merlin from thinking to much on their last few statements. "The tournament isn't as tight with security, but we do still have it. During the day, the rooms are empty and all of these competitors are noble knight's, so it's not like their going to try and steal something-"

It was obvious to Merlin that Arthur was just trying to make excuses as for why the security wasn't as strong as it should have been. And honestly, Merlin wasn't all that to concerned about the security, he honestly would have been happier with none. At least then he wouldn't feel as if somebody was looming over his shoulder all the time, despite the fact that very few knights had approached him at all since he'd been there. It would definitely make using his magic easier if there were no guards around, but that was just wishful thinking on his part.

The only thing he was concerned with was finding out whatever he could about the security for his room's, and finding a way to keep Valiant out of the hallway entirely.

"So the guard isn't there during the day break. But once the night had fallen, there is supposed to be a guard stationed there for the night shift, to make sure that there are no attempts on the lives of the royal family as we sleep." Arthur was continuing to talk, apparently not noticing Merlin's brief lax in attention. "After the tourney, thing's should go back to normal and the guard's will just patrol the lower floors."

Merlin wanted to bring up how he would have thought security would have been tighter considering this was the royal family. And with Arthur being the only heir, who would be expected to take over if he died just because he didn't have a guard posted at the end of the hall while he slept? But he figured if he mentioned it, he would actually find a guard there at all hours of the day. And that would just make thing's so much harder for him in the long run.

The less guard's, the better. The less likely he'd be caught doing something that he wasn't supposed to be doing.

Except for right now, with the situation that he was stuck in, some guards might be a needed precaution.

That was when Arthur's word's truly caught up with him, and he felt as if his brain had just stuttered to a halt. And it took a second for him to comprehend enough to react. "Wait! Wait! Wait" Merlin blustered out, making Arthur jump, startled by his sudden exclamation. "You said that the guards are supposed to be there all night during the tourney?"

Arthur scowled, looking annoyed by this when he pointed out, "That's what I just said, isn't it? There is a guard that's stationed at the end of the hallway during this tourney."

The staircase was pretty much the only way in or out from the royal hallway. Not unless somebody wanted to climb out of a window, but even then, the drop would have been enough to kill a guy if he landed wrong. Break a few bones definitely. Which was why there had only ever been a need for a single guard in front of the hallway stairs leading down.

"So," Merlin said forcefully, trying to stop his voice from shaking as he said, "There should have been a guard stationed there last night, right."

Arthur couldn't stop the eye roll if he tried, as he seriously considered if his consort was hard of hearing, "Didn't I just say-"

"Just answer the question!" Merlin exclaimed, his voice coming out loud and way harsher than he had actually intended it to. But it seemed to get his message across, because Arthur froze. As if he was just now recognizing Merlin's panicked state.

"...Yes..." Arthur said slowly, spine stiff and his eye's narrowed into slits as he analyzed his husband. "There was a guard stationed there last night, as there should have been." He remembered specifically that he'd passed by a guard on his way to his room. But he'd been so aggrieved about Merlin, that he hadn't really bothered to pay any attention to who it was.

"Are you sure? There was definitely a guard there?" Merlin asked. He knew there had been, he vaguely remembered passing one just before he'd entered his room. But he'd been so pissed about Valiant's 'offer' that he hadn't paid them as much attention as he usually would have. To know that somebody else had also seen the guard as well, well...at least he would know that he wasn't delusional.

"Yes, Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed, the frustration practically leaking out of his voice in waves. "I know that there was a guard there!"

He didn't know why Merlin was asking him these thing's, or what that odd look on his face was supposed to mean. Merlin's eye's were round, and his lips were drawn into a deep frown, an obvious crease formed by worry had appeared behind his eye's. These weren't the question's of somebody that was just trying to learn about the security of their new home. And these weren't the questions of somebody that was trying to plan something devious and needed to know the knight's schedule to pull it off.

This was something...more. The alarms had returned to the back of Arthur's mind, some kind of six sense that was practically screaming at him that something wasn't right.

Instead of feeling relieved like he probably should have, Merlin felt a creeping dread dawning on him. He'd seen a guard there, and Arthur had also seen a guard, so there was definitely a guard posted at the end of the hall last night. The both of them couldn't have been seeing thing's, and imagining somebody where there definitely wasn't somebody.

Merlin swiveled his head to catch Arthur's eye, "Would the guard had left for any reason?" He was desperately hoping against hope that this was the case, there was a reasonable explanation for everything, like maybe the guard just had to use the bathroom and by the time he got back, Valiant had already come and gone.

Just anything that would explain why the guard had left in the middle of his job, something that would explain how Valiant had managed to make it to his room without being caught.

Arthur slowly shook his head, still watching Merlin through narrowed eye's, as if he could understand this strange conversation without giving in and demanding answer's. "...No." He said slowly. "The guard wouldn't have left at all, he's supposed to be there his entire shift, which is from sundown to sun up. Not unless there was some kind of emergency, like the castle was under attack. But even then, we all would have been woken up immediately. You and Morgana would have been taken someplace for safety, while my father and I would have been rallying the knight's and trying to figure out what's going on and stop it."

If Arthur thought that was supposed to be of any comfort to Merlin clearly freaking out, he was dead wrong. If this was any other conversation being taken at a completely different time, Merlin might have shown some indignant and anger about being lumped in with Morgana. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but in a situation like that, Merlin would have rather been out there with Arthur trying to do whatever it was that he could to help if they were being invaded.

He didn't want to be taken to a 'safe zone.'

But as it was, with this particular conversation and situation, Merlin barely even recognized that Arthur had said it at all. Instead, he had latched onto the first part, where Arthur had said the guard would have never left his post unless there was a dire emergency.

Which meant that the guard would have seen Valiant in the hallway, he would have seen Valiant come to his room and start trying to kick in his door. And he would have done nothing to stop it, not even a simple-you can't do that because people are trying to sleep.

That meant the guard had seen, maybe he had even allowed it. And that sent the dread creeping down Merlin's spine all the more noticeable. If not even the guard's cared enough to protect him from a madman even though he was their kingdom's consort...he was starting to very much realize that he was on his own.

It was obvious, Merlin couldn't trust the guards to keep him safe. It was as his mother had always said, he needed to protect himself.

Merlin felt something inside of him start to shut down, and a surprisingly solemn expression appeared on his face. Arthur frowned, feeling a flash of irritation when he saw that expression. It just seemed so...uncharacteristic.

"What's that look for?" Arthur demanded, gruffly. Maybe it was just his irritation fueling him, or maybe it was because he still didn't know what the hell was going on, but he could almost feel the urge to just give in and wipe that look off Merlin's face.

Merlin smiled, and Arthur frowned because it wasn't one of his usual cheeky grin's. It wasn't even a small smile as he tried teasing Arthur with some stupid little comment. No, this smile was a lot more self-deprecating.

"Tell me, Arthur," Merlin said, his tone taking a touch of sarcasm to it. "Are your guard's actually there to stop people from entering the hall? Or are they just there to keep tabs on whose coming and going?"

Arthur found himself scowling, the tone Merlin had just used practically setting him on edge, "My castle's security is one of the best in the five kingdom's." Arthur forced out through his clenched jaw defensively, feeling a rush of agitation going through his bloodstream, despite the flaws that Merlin had so easily pointed out in the system. "The guards are there to keep people out, obviously." He said this in a drawl tone, as if he thought Merlin was being particularly stupid on purpose. "Only the royal family, certain servant's, and specific guards are even allowed on that floor at all. Other then them, nobody has even seen our floor. If anybody tried, they would have been immediately turned away, or even arrested if they proved to by hostile."

"So, that's it." Merlin said quietly, practically ignoring Arthur completely as he mulled over what the prince had just told him. It was more information than he had thought he would be getting, Merlin doubted that Arthur would have been so forthcoming with their caste security if Merlin wasn't also living there.

Hell, he was surprised he got that much information even then.

If Arthur thought Merlin would get so easily offended by his tone, that clearly wasn't the case. Arthur watched Merlin with careful eye's, seeing that the other boy wasn't paying him the least bit of attention as he casually journeyed back over to the equipment table. It sent a jolt through Arthur's chest, mainly because he has completely forgotten that he was here to be dressed in the first place.

He watched, an annoyed expression on his face, as Merlin picked up his gorget. It was a thin piece of chain mail that was supposed to go over his head and rest around his throat, protecting the delicate skin that the hauberk didn't quite cover.

He watched the boy turn around, fidgeting with the gorget but making no actual move to come put it on him. Looking now-at Merlin's self-deprecating and distracted face...Arthur's felt his heart starting to harden, and he practically had to force himself to look away, his jaw clenching tightly.

Whatever it was, whatever these random questions were for, it was no concern of his. If anything, Merlin was such a girl that he was probably just freaking out because he heard a creak down the hall and now he was over reacting. Yeah, that sounded like something Merlin would do.

Or maybe he really was just curious about his new home.

Whatever the case may be, Arthur didn't find himself in much of a mood to entertain them any longer. So, putting on the most patronizing expression that he could muster up, he asked with cruel mocking, "Are you worried about your safety?"

It was almost ludicrous to think that somebody would be concerned for their own safety. Not when Arthur had an entire army of knight's that could form around the clock protection for the boy, if he cared to do so or if it was necessary.

Merlin's head shot up, and his thoughtful expression turned straight into a scowl, glaring with indignation at the blonde. "Of course I am!" He snapped loudly.

The very air seemed to drain straight out of the room, a certain stillness returning to it, and Merlin sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth as he realized what he'd just admitted.

He was scared of every second of every day, even if he was able to hold himself together just long enough for him to get through with his day-to-day activities. But after last night...he had never felt more unsafe in his new home than he had then. It was one thing to know that he could be executed if anybody caught him doing the one thing that he wasn't supposed to be doing, there was a certain level of risk being involved by just being in the kingdom at all. But at the same time, it was some far off consequence that would only happen if he got caught.

That fear was nothing like it was last night, where the danger had been imminent and coming straight toward's him.

Arthur's face had dropped the second Merlin's word's seemed to echo throughout the room, his expression going more contemplative as he finally took in the seriousness of Merlin's questions.

Arthur licked at his dry lips, his eye's narrowed thoughtfully as he said, "What are you-" it was clear that Arthur's little patronizing joke hadn't landed quite as he thought it would.

"My life is in danger!" Merlin blurted out, nearly bumping into the table behind him as he took a step back, his fist tightening around the chain mill in one of his hands. "I meant, do you know how exhausted I am? I can't go on like this!"

Arthur's eye's nearly rounded, looking dumbstruck by Merlin's sudden blurted out confession. He wasn't really getting the 'I'm scared to die' vibe off of Merlin at the moment. It was more like Merlin was about to exaggerate and was preparing to go into a very detailed description about his feeling's and emotion's. And Arthur suddenly felt a lot more awkward than he thought he should be feeling during this.

"...Oh..." Arthur said blankly, clearing his throat and feeling the very obviously urge to just run. Or to smack Merlin upside the head if he thought for one second that Arthur was going to sit here and listen to his feeling's and concern's, as if they were a bunch of girl's.

"I mean, you might be a heavy sleepy!" And that was indeed true if he hadn't heard Valiant banging on his door. "But I'm actually a pretty light sleeper...for the most part...and do you know how hard it is to get the proper rest when all you hear next door is someone snoring like a bear?"

There it was again, the stillness is the air becoming more noticeable. Arthur could only hear the sound of his own heartbeat, looking at Merlin with a confused expression as he struggled to understand what he had just said. Merlin on the other hand, gave a very weak looking and awkward smile, hoping that Arthur would fall for it. He actually hadn't heard a sound from Arthur's room all night, but it did sound like a good excuse as to why he hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

But for a second, Merlin almost feared that Arthur wasn't going to believe him. The prince was looking at him like he was struggling to comprehend, and it almost would have been a funny expression, if Merlin wasn't so freaked out that Arthur would discover the true reason for all of his question's.

"...I do not snore!" Arthur exclaimed, his voice loud and full of disbelief, his eye's not leaving Merlin's for even a second.

Merlin felt his muscle's start to relax, as whatever confusion or suspicion Arthur had on his face completely slipped away. His smile become a little more genuine and teasing as he said, "I really thought there was a bear in there."

Merlin finally pushed himself away from the table, and started smoothing out the chain links of the chain mill in his hand, stretching it just to see if the small piece of clothing would even be able to fit over Arthur's big head.

"There was no bear." Arthur said, feeling a muscle in his jaw start to tick. "Because I do not snore in the least." Not that Arthur would know if he did or not. He hadn't slept with somebody overnight since he'd hit puberty, and it wasn't exactly something that the other knight's-who he'd sometimes have to set up camp and sleep outside with if they had traveled to deep into the woods to justify returning home at such a late hour-would bother to mention. Especially since many of them actually did snore like a bear.

Merlin shook his head, feeling the rounded metals of the chain under his fingertips as he finally got it to open up all the way, "I'm just gonna have to take your word for it then." But really, Merlin knew if somehow, for whatever reason, he did walk in on Arthur sleeping, he'd have to make it a point to find out if the prince really did snore. "Now, duck down."

It took Arthur a minute to register what Merlin had said. But when it did, Arthur huffed before lowering his head so that Merlin would be able to slip the chain mill over his head. He had a growing feeling that Merlin only made him move-when Morris had never dared-because he got some kind of sick pleasure out of ordering Arthur around.

It was more shocking that it actually worked, well...only when Merlin was dressing him. But mainly only because Arthur didn't want to draw this out any longer. It was long enough since all Merlin seemed to want to do was actually talk.

Merlin lifted his arms up and tugged the chain mill over Arthur's head, giving it a sharp yank to pull it down around his neck. Arthur gave out a sudden grunt, straightening himself up automatically. But that didn't stop Merlin's searching finger's, as he started manually fixing the chain mill, so that it rested around Arthur's neck more neatly.

Arthur's frown was prominent as he arched his neck up, feeling as if he was trying to escape Merlin's probing finger's as the other boy took his time with fixing it. He could feel the other boy's finger's brush against his throat as he tugged to straighten out a certain part, and Arthur found himself involuntarily swallowing hard.

He almost felt as if he was choking, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the chain mill encasing his skin.

Merlin glanced up when he felt the subtle bobbing of Arthur's adam's apple, an innocently curious expression on his features. Catching his eye, Arthur's face scrunched up in annoyance, and he quickly darted his eye's away so that he wouldn't have to look at him any longer.

"Well," Arthur grunted under his breath, just loud enough for Merlin to hear him as he steadfastly ignored the other boy's closeness. "You don't have to worry about any bear's roaming the halls of my castle." As he was saying this, Arthur grudgingly had to wonder to himself why Merlin had to touch him so much, or why he didn't just get thing's done so that Arthur could get out of here. Letting out a huff of breath, Arthur finished with a grumbled, "You're completely safe here."

Merlin wasn't sure if that was supposed to be some kind of joke, referring to him calling Arthur a bear via snoring. Or if Arthur actually was trying to comfort him on some level, as if he knew that something was off and he was still missing something.

"Yeah...completely safe." Merlin said, quietly, half talking to himself more than he was to Arthur. He may be safe from bear's coming in from the forest and finding it's way all the way up to the floor where they slept, but that didn't mean that he was safe from the dangers of men.

From him.

Merlin moved away from Arthur, shaking his head with a surprisingly heavy expression on his face. He turned his back to Arthur, putting his hands on the table to hold himself steady, and gave off a heavy sigh.

He supposed that this was the moment that he should have confessed everything to Arthur. He supposed it would be so easy to just come out and say that Valiant had stalked him all the way to his room, tried to kick his door down, and all because Merlin had rejected Valiant's 'generous' offer to give him kisses. He should tell Arthur that Valiant had been crass, had wanted to kiss him because apparently Arthur wasn't 'taking care of him properly' or whatever shit he had been trying to start with that comment.

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Arthur grunted from somewhere behind him.

The blonde found himself scratching at the back of his neck, occasionally glancing over at Merlin with a scowl. Merlin's solemn expression hadn't gone unnoticed by Arthur, and maybe it should bug him that his consort was looking so aggrieved. But honestly, all Arthur could think about was himself, and how he wanted to just get out of here.

Or maybe he should just command Merlin to really use his neckerchief as some kind of gag. At least that way, Merlin could finish dressing him without wasting all of his time with stupid conversation. He'd practically been psyching himself up for something real, for something he didn't want brought up. And it turned out all Merlin wanted to talk about was his guard's.

In front of him, Merlin felt himself stiffening up at Arthur's word's, and he felt his finger's twitch, trying to curl into fists. The prince's word's were just a vivid reminder about 'why' exactly he wasn't telling Arthur what had happened last night.

He could admit he had a crush on Arthur, but he also had several reservations about telling him any of this anyway. There was a good bit of doubt lingering in the back of his mind. He didn't want to, but he found himself being realistic, and he couldn't help but find himself doubting that Arthur would care, or that he would do anything about it anyway.

But there was also something else to. The main reason why he hadn't been spilling his guts to Arthur, it was the exact same reason he hadn't told George as soon as he had woken up this morning.

He was humiliated.

He felt absolutely, one hundred percent, humiliated that something like that had happened to him. That there was actually somebody out there-a noble-who was crass enough to approach him, somebody who was married to their prince, and all but demand Merlin to allow him into his bedroom so that they could kiss him-probably for all night long.

It was degrading, and disgusting, and Valiant himself was probably the last man on the entire planet that Merlin would even consider kissing. Hell, at this point, Merlin wouldn't even do it if they were the last two people on earth.

Merlin found himself clearing his throat, trying to stave off the humiliation still clearly visible on his face as he snatched up the vambraces. Or as Merlin just liked to call them, the arm guard's.

"Your father." Merlin said bluntly, moving forward with one of the arm guard's in his hand. It was the first thing that he thought of, the only thing really that he could think of that would move this conversation away from Merlin. Lest Arthur actually get suspicious and start digging around for answer's, answer's that Merlin didn't feel all that confident that he'd be able to lie his way out of it.

It got the desire effect for sure. Arthur practically jolted, looking more than startled by this sudden shift in conversation, or maybe it was the reference to Uther being the one that was twisting Merlin's 'panties'. "What are you talking about?" He demanded, all thoughts about how weird Merlin was being practically fleeing his mind.

Merlin ignored Arthur's incredulous tone, and grabbed up his wrist, holding it up so that he could clip the arm guard around his thick forearm. "Your father approached me last night, after the meet and greet. He wanted to-" Merlin let a brief but bitter smile grace his face. "Let me know what my role in our marriage is supposed to be."

Arthur felt as if whatever color he may have had in his face had just drained away completely. It was incredibly disturbing to know that his father had dragged his consort away to have a conversation like that. A conversation that he had apparently not deemed was important enough for Arthur himself to attend.

"And what is your role?" Arthur found himself asking, looking down and watching as Merlin's slim finger's started checking all of the clips on his arm guard. The boy fumbled for a minute with one of the clasps, but fixed it with minimum problems.

"Oh, you know." Merlin waved a distracted hand. "Something about how I should smile pretty, and do what I'm told to make yourself look good. We wouldn't want your people thinking anything less about you then they already do."

Dismissing that last comment as Merlin just being stupid again, Arthur got a solemn expression on his face. "That...sounds like him." He grudgingly admitted. It sounded exactly like something his father would make sure to point out.

"I hope you know that I'm not doing that." He said bluntly, giving Arthur a bland stare. His expression clearly said that he dared for Arthur to disagree with him.

And Arthur being Arthur, immediately bristled at the mere idea that anybody thought that they could go against what his father had ordered. "What do you mean you're not doing that!" He exclaimed, looking harshly at Merlin. "My father has ordered it!"

If he thought that Merlin would fall to his knee's begging for forgiveness over inciting the prince's ire, that delusion was put to rest when Merlin let out a loud snort, giving Arthur a decisive expression before he spoke up.

"Your father wants me to sit back and when there are people around, pretend that we are some kind of happy couple. Now," he stopped to raise an eyebrow at the other man. "Unless there is something that I'm sorely missing here, we aren't exactly a happy couple."

Now that Merlin was trying to put the whole Valiant situation behind him, for now, he had moved on to the Uther situation. He was definitely not interested in playing pretend, and now what he needed was some kind of input from Arthur. He needed to know where Arthur's mind was in this situation.

With him, or against him.

Arthur jerked his arm out of Merlin's grasp once the final clasp had been done up, "We definitely aren't." He said, doing absolutely nothing to hide his feeling's about that.

Merlin felt his cheeks puff out as he let out a huff of annoyance. Out of all of the people he had to be crushing on, why did it have to be his husband, who apparently didn't want him anyway. "Well, then I'm glad that we're on the same page." Merlin grumbled, reaching behind him to grab the second arm guard off the table. "So I suppose that mean's we aren't going to be doing it?"

Merlin had been reaching for Arthur's other arm, but nearly dropped the arm guard he had when the blonde suddenly yanked his arm out of reach. He let out a startled shout of exclamation when he nearly fell over, before looking back up at Arthur with annoyance shining in his eye's. His protests died when he saw the horrified look on Arthur's face.

"You want me to defy my father's wishes!" Arthur exclaimed, looking at Merlin with so much shock and horror, as if he had truly never even considered going against whatever his father ordered. It was so horror stricken, that Merlin almost thought that he had accidentally confessed to possessing magic.

Merlin reached over and snatched Arthur's other arm back up at the wrist, this time Arthur allowed him but it was obviously only because he was staring at Merlin as if he didn't know rather he should call the guards and have him tried for treason, or actually listen to what it was that he had to say.

"Why not?" Merlin asked, glancing down at what he was doing. He practically relished in the wince Arthur gave off when he purposely made the arm guard clip his skin. He was only disappointed because Arthur's shirt stopped him from really getting it. "I mean, I'm sure I'm already doing it just by uttering anything to do with this to you."

Merlin watched as he tweaked the clasp on Arthur's forearm-to make sure that it wouldn't come off-as Arthur practically shut down. His face had gone blank, but his eye's...they were watching Merlin's every movement. Even when Merlin deemed that he was done with Arthur's forearm and dropped it uncaringly.

"My father didn't want you telling me any of this?" Arthur finally asked his consort in a careful tone. He wanted to be mad, he wanted to be angry that his father was apparently keeping secrets from him. Asking his consort to keep secret's from him. But...his father wasn't just his father, he was his king as well. And he had learned that it was best to just respect whatever it was his father had decreed.

Why, the only time he had ever protested something his father had done...was when he heard he was to be married off to a male peasant.

"He didn't say so I'm so many word's." Merlin said, waving a hand as he stepped back away from Arthur. "But it wasn't to hard to imagine that he didn't expect for me to talk to you about it."

Merlin stepped back up to the table and picked up Arthur's pauldron. It was a bigger and thicker rounded piece that was supposed to go on Arthur's shoulder as another way of protecting the shoulder itself as well as the collarbone from damage.

When he turned back around, Arthur was now looking at him with a contemplative expression, not allowing Merlin out of his direct sight for even a second. It was only as Merlin was starting to put the pauldron into place on him did he finally speak up.

"So why are you? Discussing this with me, that is?" Arthur asked, watching as Merlin circled around to his other shoulder, so that he could properly match the pauldron into place.

"Isn't it obvious?" Merlin asked dryly as he started working the straps into the buckle's, but from the look on Arthur's face, it was clear that it wasn't obvious at all. "Because," Merlin elaborated. "This whole thing includes you to. It didn't feel...right..." Merlin trailed off, keeping his eye's on his own hands as he worked the straps, his cheeks starting to grow a shade pinker. "To just not involve you. To know where you stand on all of this."

Arthur was giving Merlin a suspicious, and contemplative look. As if he was trying to discern just what Merlin was thinking, without actually having to go through the pains of asking himself. It was as if Arthur was trying to figure Merlin out, trying to figure out what kind of game he was playing here.

Arthur was used to people coming to him looking for answer's. All of his knight's reported directly to him whenever the situation called for it. But when it had anything that involved his father, well obviously, they did what their king wanted.

When Arthur didn't say anything to him, Merlin took it upon himself to continue. "Listen," he said, finally getting the latch on straight, maneuvering Arthur's shoulder into place before pulling away. "I just don't want to pretend that we're something that we clearly aren't. We're married-" he said this bluntly, but it was clear the it was also an elephant in the room from the way Arthur flinched at the bluntness of Merlin pointing it out. Merlin continued on as if he hadn't seen anything, "But that doesn't mean we have to act as if there is more to us than there actually is."

Arthur finally looked away, but only so Merlin wouldn't be able to see the extremely pained expression on his face as he said, "And what do you suggest we do?"

It almost physically pained Arthur to have to ask Merlin what he was thinking. Almost as much as it pained him to be having this conversation at all, to actually be playing around with the idea of just not blindly following his father.

It felt strangely...rebellious

But either way Arthur went-to do what his father wanted or to listen to Merlin-he did know that he didn't want to put on a show anymore than Merlin apparently wanted to be a part of it.

"Easy." Merlin said, waving his hand about his face. "We just act normal. There's no reason for all the extra stuff. There's no reason to..." he trailed off, thinking about how Arthur had taken his chair out for him at their wedding dinner, only for Merlin to steal Arthur's instead. "...Or to..." he trailed off again, thinking about how Arthur had kissed him on his ring.

But apparently he didn't actually have to elaborate on anymore than just that. Arthur could practically see all over his face exactly what he was thinking about, and the prince suddenly felt very awkward, reaching a hand up to scratch roughly at his bangs. He was almost embarrassed by his previous actions, even if it was something he'd practically been coerced into doing.

"Yeah." Arthur agreed, clearly his throat even as he shifted from awkward foot to awkward foot. "And uh, what exactly are you planning to do when my father starts demanding to know why we aren't going along with it anymore? Not that I'm agreeing!" He added quickly, before Merlin got any actual ideas. "I'm just saying we should think this through before we do anything."

Merlin scoffed at that, "I've did my thinking already, and I'm guessing you've done your own thinking on the subject before I even brought it up." Merlin knew that he was right when Arthur looked away from him. It was obvious that neither of them felt very comfortable with this show boating act that Uther had all planned out.

Merlin sighed, looking away himself before he said, "Look, it can't be that difficult. And it's not like I'm saying we have to outright ignore everything or start stuff on purpose. But I'm sure that there are some things that just aren't necessary."

The whole 'kissing him' part seemed to go unspoken between them.

Merlin finished off with a firm nod, practically stepping straight into Arthur's line of sight before the prince could try to avoid his eye again, "Your father is just one man. He can't force us to be this...this..." Merlin fumbled, clearly trying to find the right way to phrase this. "Happy couple!" He threw out there. And it was the same phrase that he had used before, but there was also no hiding the look of disgust on his face.

Arthur almost wanted to be offended by this, that Merlin was apparently thinking that he was so detestable, that he couldn't play pretend with him every now and then. But the truth of the matter was, Arthur fully agreed with Merlin.

On everything except for one part.

"You don't know my father." Arthur said, practically dismissing Merlin as nothing more than having an idealistic and very naive point of view if he thought that there was any way for them to actually get out of this. His father could really be a dictator when he wanted to be.

Arthur tried to turn his back to Merlin, aggravated because he really just wanted to agree him, damn the consequences. He wanted to say 'let's do it' and ignore his father for once. He wanted to go though a small 'teenage rebellion' phase, even though he wasn't a teenager any longer. Not that he ever had been, Arthur had always been to scared of disappointing his father to really do anything other then sneaking a pint of alcohol every now and then when he was still probably way to young for it.

But Merlin followed him, stepping back in front of him before he got to far, making Arthur jolt to a stop lest he run the other boy over. Which might not actually be such a bad idea, not if it stopped Merlin's blue eye's from looking directly into his own-looking more serious and full of promise and hope than Arthur had ever seen them before.

"And you don't know me." Merlin said, his tone full of misplaced confidence and bravado. "We can do this Arthur. We don't have to pretend we're happy, we don't even have to get along. We can find something that works for us, even if that mean's ignoring each other for the rest of our day's."

Merlin felt a pang in his chest as he said those word's, knowing that the last thing he wanted to do was to have a marriage like that. But if it was the only thing that worked...then he may not have any choice but to accept what was happening right before him.

Instead of what he wanted to happen.

Arthur looked hesitant, almost as if he wasn't sure if it was okay for him to have an opinion of his own about their unique situation, and that was exactly what Merlin was trying to ask him for with his eye's alone. Arthur was looking as if he knew that he shouldn't agree with Merlin, but also knowing that he really, really wanted to.

After a long pause, Arthur finally said a soft, "I'm sure that my father only want's us to pretend for the people's sake." And Merlin nodded at that, because that was exactly what Uther had told him. "So what's your plan there? What are the people going to think if we don't do thing's that a married couple should do."

And then it was Arthur that was looking Merlin dead in the eye, a crease forming in the center of his brows. He was looking as if he actually did really want to know what Merlin was going to suggest for that one.

And really, it wasn't like Arthur hadn't already defied his father by not sleeping with Merlin that first night they were wedded. But this was also something else entirely, because at least that would have been taken in the privacy of his bedroom. Nobody but him and Merlin knew what had happened that night, and also Gaius now...but in a way, this was a whole different ball park.

This would be something that was a lot more public.

Arthur was almost startled by the cheeky grin that suddenly spread across Merlin's face almost immediately after he had finished speaking. It was just so bright and happy, completely different from how serious their conversation topic was supposed to be.

"That's easy." Merlin said breezily. "They'll just think that you screwed up again."

Arthur's jaw popped open in disbelief, looking at Merlin with a dumbstruck expression. "M-me?" He stuttered loudly. "Why me? Clearly, they would think that you were the one that messed up!"

Merlin shook his head, his cheeky grin gone just to be replaced with a serious expression, but from the way his eye's were shining, it was clear that he was somehow finding amusement in this situation "No, they would definitely think that it was your fault."

Arthur stared at him, before letting out a huff but not even he was sure if it was a huff of amusement or irritation. But either way, he said, "Okay, I'll bite. Why would they think it's my fault?"

Merlin glanced from this way, and then the other way, before he was leaning forward like he was about to start whispering about some kind of conspiracy theory. Arthur even found himself having to lean forward to be able to hear him. But when he did, he really wished he didn't.

"Isn't it always your fault?"

It was just so simple, and completely not even worth trying to hear. Arthur jerked his head back, giving off a very loud "Oi!" In response to Merlin's cheeky grin returning.

Merlin straightened back up, acting as if he hadn't said what he'd just said to the prince of Camelot, and his husband. His cheeky grin seemed to fade to a more solemn expression. And since his eye's were no longer shining, Arthur had no choice but to believe that he was actually being serious this time.

"But in all seriousness," Merlin said, bringing their conversation back around to the real problem at hand. "The people will probably just think that we do our couple stuff behind closed door's, and that we're not into making a spectacle of our 'happy couple lifestyle' in public."

Arthur frowned, already analyzing every word that Merlin said for the sheer purpose of poking holes into it. It had promise to it, or maybe Arthur was just wanting it to sound promising so that he wouldn't have to do anything like 'kissing Merlin's hand' again.

But still, his political training kicked in, already seeing a glaringly obvious plot hole in Merlin's idealistic idea. "But," he started. "You can't rely on all of the people believing something like that. There is always going to be that one person who will, eventually, find out the truth if we don't do whatever we can do put those thoughts to rest."

He steadfastly ignored the word 'contract' not wanting to get into something even more complicated than what was already going on.

Merlin just scoffed at him, and Arthur felt the intense need to just throttle him start to return. "And people are going to believe that.." Merlin stopped to think of a good analogy. "That all wolves howl at the moon because they see the brightness of it, instead of howling because they are trying to track down the rest of their pack."

Arthur looked at him blankly, just wanting to smack him right about now, because all that did was make the prince even more baffled than he already was. "...What do wolves have to do with our situation at all!" He exclaimed, loudly.

"Okay! Maybe not the best analogy." Merlin could admit that. But either way, "But what I'm trying to say, the point is-" there was a certain seriousness to Merlin's expression, it was probably the most serious that he had looked during the entire conversation. "That people only see what they want to see."

And if Arthur didn't know any better, if he didn't know that Merlin was a complete and total moron, he might have thought that Merlin was speaking from real live experience.

Merlin's lips thinned a little, looking at Arthur as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He even spread his arms out in a 'look at me' kind of way. "If people want to see us as a happy couple, then they're going to see us as one rather we kiss in front of them or not."

The word 'kiss' had Arthur flinching, and he shot a glare in Merlin's direction.

Ignoring the glare, Merlin reached down and pulled out one of Arthur's couter's from the table. It was a small piece of flexible metal that was supposed to go around his elbow's to keep him from shattering any bones if he hit the ground.

Arthur was still glaring at him when Merlin reached for his arm, practically dragging the blonde off his own feet to get him to come closer so that Merlin could attach the first one around his left elbow. Arthur gave a grunt at the rough treatment, and his glare on Merlin never lessened.

"I mean," Merlin drawled out slowly, sounding so casual that it actually got Arthur's heckles to raise. "We really don't have to do anything to be honest. We can keep on pretending if you want." But from his tone of voice, it was obvious that Merlin would not be okay with that at all. And that was all but confirmed when Merlin lifted his head to look at him as he pushed the last clip on his couter into place and said, "You know, if you're to scared to go up against your own father."

Arthur knew without a doubt that he had just been played, that Merlin had saw Arthur's unwillingness to go up against his own father and exploited it. He knew it, and it hovered there in the back of his mind. But it was practically swallowed up by the agitation that bursted through him.

"I'm not scared of my own father!" Arthur practically shouted, jerking his arm out of Merlin's hands. "I'm not scared of him, or anybody else. I have respect for him, as should you since he's our king." He was practically poking Merlin harshly on his shoulder blade, trying to enunciate his point.

Merlin didn't seem to surprised by his reaction at all, just standing there and watching him. It made Arthur's agitation for their entire situation just worsen even more than it already was. Arthur clenched his jaw because really, Merlin could talk the talk all he wanted. But when it came down to it, what did Merlin know about the complexities of royal life?

Some thing's just had to be done, rather he liked them or not.

"So you're a liar, as well as scared of your own father." Merlin said, sounding as if he was making a mental note of that in his head. He completely ignored Arthur as he turned back to the table, and this time picking up Arthur's mail coif.

It was a piece of chain mail that was supposed to go over the back of Arthur's head, kind of like a hood and an added barrier between his head and the harsh metal of his helmet.

Arthur's glared sharpened on him, and it took everything he had to not grab Merlin by the scruff of his collar and literally throw him out of the room, uncaring if Merlin slammed bodily against the wall. The loud slamming echoing sound that the door would make as Arthur slammed it shut would be a welcomed relief.

He slowly curled his hand into a fist at his side just to stop himself from actually doing it.

"I suggest you explain yourself. Now." Arthur said, his lips curling in disgust. And it was a really good thing that Merlin seemed to realize how tense the prince was, because the other boy didn't dare to approach him with his mail coif. Otherwise, Arthur may actually be liable to throw him out on his arse.

If Arthur was going for the scary effect, it didn't work as planned. Merlin may not have approached the prince, but that was only because he thought Arthur may actually hit him if he did. But he did feel his own lip start to curl, looking more than annoyed by Arthur's actions.

"You said that you weren't scared of anything." Merlin said, all but snapping at him, and Arthur felt his disgust with this situation practically drain straight out of him as a touch of paleness hit his cheeks as he got struck with a thought of where this conversation was probably going. "And I know for a fact that this isn't true."

Merlin didn't think that he would ever be able to forget the way Arthur had practically flinched when he had tried to touch him. Or the way that Arthur had looked as him as if he was about to attack him. And the one thing that was ingrained in his mind, was the way Arthur had practically ran away in order to escape him.

Arthur practically felt himself shrinking under Merlin's stare. It was only him reaffirming inside of his head that he was a prince, and Merlin should be scared of him, not the other way around, that stopped Arthur from trying to make another break for it.

"I thought that we already discussed this earlier." Arthur said, bringing up when he and Merlin had briefly argued about it during the meet and greet, and he averted his gaze as he tried to stall for time.

Merlin shook his head, "No, we didn't discuss anything. I offered an ear to listen if you needed somebody to vent to. And instead, you somehow insulted my integrity." He still felt the sting of disgrace and disappointment when Arthur had actually accused Merlin of-how had he put it-making eye's, at the other night.

And after what happened last night, Merlin didn't think that Arthur had any reason to think that Merlin would start. Not with Valiant at least, or anybody else for that matter.

"Your integrity was already insulted by your mere presence." Arthur said, trying to get the upper hand in this conversation. "Or did you forget that you were already late, and therefore caused a bad impression on my competition." If everything Merlin did reflected on him, then chronically being late wasn't the impression that he was hoping the other man would leave on the son's of some of the most important noble families within Camelot territory.

It might just be easier to have Merlin locked in his rooms, or maybe even have him to masquerade as one of the help since he seemed to so easily blend in amongst them. At least it would cause Arthur less embarrassment when he could claim that his consort wasn't coming because he had taken ill, instead of trying to make excuses for his lateness.

But Arthur's attempt to detour Merlin, or to distract him with something else didn't work in the least. Merlin was to focused on this next turn in their conversation to be distracted by something so trivial.

"We aren't talking about my lateness." Merlin said, putting up a hand as if to say he was stopping that conversation right then and there. "Which, by the way, I'm always late so you might as well get used to that right now."

Merlin wasn't lying either. Even back home when he'd been on a strict schedule he always seemed to be running late. He would have to wake up as soon as the sun rose and help the elderly Misses Hendrickson down the lane to gather her chicken feed every day. He always did it first thing to, but he also always slept in a good hour later then he was suppose to.

Which, now that he thought about it, was actually a good reason for why she always looked so annoyed by him when he finally did arrive. Most people already looked annoyed by him when he walked past, but that was always something he'd contributed to him being known as the 'bastard child' of the village.

But really, he was also the only one in the village that had volunteered to help her when she had broken her hip two years ago and could no longer carry the bag on her own. So you'd think she'd be a little less surly all of the time.

Arthur looked away scowling, already starting to drum his finger's against the meat of his thigh, the only small bit of anxiousness that he allowed himself to show. "Lateness isn't something that is becoming of a consort." He said, practically speaking out of the corner of his mouth to say that.

"So sue me." Merlin said dismissively. He was just so sick and tired of being told that everything he did wasn't something that a consort should be doing. And he wasn't going to apologize for not being this perfect consort that everybody seemed to be expecting from him. What did they think they were getting when they married a prince off to a commoner? "Now, look around you."

Arthur frowned, following Merlin's hand gesture as the other boy waved his arm out, showing off the completely empty room to him. "...What?" Arthur asked, cautious and slow as he turned back to give Merlin a suspicious eye.

"We've finally got a bit of privacy, so unless somebody is going to be breaking through that door at any moment to interrupt us again," Merlin said, giving a nod toward's the still door in question. "I suggest you get out whatever it is while we still have our privacy."

And then Merlin was waiting, looking at Arthur with expectant eye's. As if he thought now that he'd given him permission to do so, that Arthur was about to start spilling his guts out to him like some kind of misplaced theory session.

But Arthur wasn't in any kind of mood to talk about this. He almost would rather talk about his father, or the whether, or hell-even having a discussion on how long it was taking the grass to grow would have been a more stimulating topic.

Arthur could feel that his hand's were clammy, and his heart was racing ninety to nothing. He'd lost whatever color that his face had been clinging to, and he found himself shifting from foot to foot. He was also crossing and uncrossing his arms over and over again, almost feeling as if he were naked in front of Merlin. The way the boy was looking at him, as if he was trying to figure out all of his secret's with a single glance.

For what was probably the first time in his entire life, he found that he had absolutely no idea what to do with himself. When it became clear that Merlin wasn't letting up on this, nor had the other boy approached him to continue getting him dress-apparently Merlin was willing to wait for however long it took for him to spill.

Arthur clenched and unclenches his finger's, finding his eye's dropping to the floor and then to Merlin and then back again in a constant unison.

Arthur felt his agitation spike, and he had to clear his throat to get himself moving again. "Wh-" he was about to spit out in harsh anger-'who do you think you are demanding answers from me?' But a completely different sentence spilled straight out of his mouth instead. "Why do you want to know so bad?"

Arthur immediately cursed at himself-but only in his head, because it was unbecoming of a prince to use such foul language despite Merlin trying to influence him into it-and he found himself holding his breath as he waited impatiently for Merlin's response.

Merlin frowned, because he honestly hadn't been expecting a question to his own questions. But he supposed, it wouldn't really be Arthur if he didn't sit around and just try to think of ways to make something more difficult than it had to be.

"Because," Merlin said simply, his eye's looking completely sincere and serious. "You are clearly holding something in, and it's not a good thing to do that. Trust me, I know, and sometimes...it makes thing's easier when you have somebody to talk about these thing's."

Merlin had his mother to talk to, and it had been a relief whenever he had allowed himself to vent. But he had only did it sometimes, and not at all in the last year or two since he'd grown older. As he had aged and matured, he stopped wanting to put his burden on his mother's shoulders, she'd already been burdened enough by raising a magical child in a magic-hating world. He would find himself starting to fee guilty whenever he tried to talk about his own struggles, especially when she would excuse herself and dip outside for a spot of fresh air.

On more than one occasion, Merlin had overheard her crying because of how tough his life was going to be as he grew. That his struggles would be something that was never ending, not unless the world drastically changed.

But nobody was holding their breath for that one.

When Will had found out, it had been great to have a friend to confide in. But that was also the thing, Will was just a friend, he would never be able to understand what he was going through. He didn't have any magic of his own, and Merlin honestly doubted that even if they did have the resources for him to learn it, that he'd ever be able to. Will kind of reminded him of Arthur in a way, now that he was thinking about it. They both clearly lacked any possibly affinity for magic.

And now he had his uncle Gaius, which was probably his best bet. But still, he was so used to keeping it a secret, that he felt strange talking to somebody new about any of it. And it didn't help that Gaius was practically from a different time as well. He had grew up in a time where magic had roamed around Camelot freely, before Uther had started the great purge.

Merlin really only had himself.

Arthur swallowed hard passed the lump growing in his throat, and he could literally feel a single drop of anxiety induced sweat going down his spine somewhere under his top. "Well," he stopped to lick his incredibly dry lips. "If I was holding something in, I wouldn't exactly go to you to talk."

That at least got the desired effect, because Merlin's eye's practically lit up with an untold fire burning in them. "Well heaven forbid I actually try to help you!" He snapped, and he was suddenly starting to walk toward's him.

Arthur squeezed his eye's shut, hating this more and more with every passing second. Every muscle in his body was practically screaming at him to step back, and it was only his strength of will alone that kept his feet planted firmly to where he stood. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to be alone with Merlin, why he had been so hesitant to send George and Morris away in the first place.

Anything that had to do with what happened earlier just...wasn't something that Arthur was prepared to deal with. There was no way in hell that Arthur was going to admit to Merlin, or to anyone, about what had been going through his mind back when he had ran away.

He would take it to his grave about how he hadn't minded being so close to Merlin, that he had found some kind of sick and interesting pleasure in pinning him down to exploit that stupid crush the other boy had on him. And how his own plans had backfired so spectacularly when Valiant had stumbled upon them and made a crass joke about Merlin being his 'plaything.'

Arthur could feel the disturbed shiver going down his spine, and he flinched violently when he was suddenly touched. He'd fallen so deeply into his thoughts, that he hadn't noticed that Merlin had circled around him and was now trying to put his mail coif on him.

Merlin's finger's froze at the nape of Arthur's neck. The prince was so tense that Merlin was almost worried that he was having some kind of medical emergency, like he was about to have a seizure or something. But when Arthur didn't move or fall to the ground in a fit, Merlin cautiously started hooking the coif onto the back of the chain mail encircling his neck.

"You know," Merlin said quietly as he worked with weaving the coif into place. "You act as if I'm about to attack you." If Merlin didn't know any better, he could have sworn that Arthur knew about his magic. It would certainly explain why he always looked so troubled when Merlin was around. But no, that wasn't true or else Merlin would have already been taken away by the guards. This was clearly something different. "Which is strange since I actually have tried before, and we both know that I could have definitely taken you on if I was given a proper chance."

There was no way Arthur would ever win a fight between them, not if Merlin ever got the chance to truly let his magic come out to play. But no, that was just an idealistic dream.

Arthur let out a weak chuckle, sounding more as if he had to force it out than anything else. "You talk big for somebody that can barely even throw a decent punch."

Merlin could still feel the phantom sensation of Valiant holding his wrist when he had tried to punch. It caused his fingers to fumble in what he was doing, but he shook it off.

Acting as if he was fine, Merlin shrugged, his fingers brushing the back of Arthur's neck as he tried hooking the last piece into place. "Who said I needed to know how to punch to be able to beat you?"

They lapsed into silence after that, Merlin's weary but teasing smirk started to dim when Arthur didn't say something sarcastic or borderline cruel back. The silence seemed to drag on and on, even long after Merlin had finished what he was doing and stepped away.

Merlin walked back around Arthur and had just reached the table to grab his next item-the gloves-when Arthur finally spoke up.

"Why haven't you told anybody?" Arthur blurted out, and when Merlin turned back to him with a confused expression, Arthur had to force himself so elaborate. "About...what happened back there..."

It was something that had been bugging him ever since Morris had told him that there were no rumors going around featuring his consort. He would have thought that Merlin would have taken some kind of gleeful pleasure in trying to usurp him. But...nothing.

Merlin stepped forward with the gloves, and picked up one of Arthur's hands. Arthur allowed him to, looking down dumbly at the pale skin that held his own. He would have jerked away if he seriously thought that Merlin was trying to hold his hand. But no, Merlin was just sliding one of his gloves on.

"I haven't told anybody because I don't know anything about what happened." Merlin said, as if it were obvious as he tightened the strap on the glove around Arthur's wrist. "And another reason is, it wouldn't have been mine to tell."

Merlin knew all about keeping secret's, and just how dangerous it could be if the wrong person found you out. He didn't know what it was that Arthur was keeping, but it was obvious that it seemed just as serious as somebody discovering Merlin's magic was, if Arthur's reaction was anything to go by.

Arthur turned his face away, if only so Merlin wouldn't see the very confused, troubling, and conflicted expression all rolled into one on his face. He could feel Merlin working his second glove onto his other hand, the scrape of the cloth against his wedding ring as it was covered up sent unpleasant shivers down his spine.

He was so used to people spreading rumors or trying to be his friend just because of who he was. He just felt so confused, trying to wrap his head around the idea that Merlin wasn't going to go around running his mouth-which he was prone to doing-just because it wasn't 'his to tell'. He wasn't entirely sure if he could believe it, because maybe Merlin was just waiting until he knew more information. So that he could spread throughout the entire city the whole story.

Arthur was dragged out of his thoughts by a clumsy yank on his hand, and an annoyed grunt coming from Merlin as he tightened the second strap around Arthur's wrist.

Merlin seemed to realize that Arthur was looking at him, because he glanced up and their eye's connected. Arthur found himself being unable to look away, his brow's furrowing together as he tried to think of a more realistic reason for Merlin's silence on the subject. But nothing he could come up with seemed plausible, or was probably being exaggerated by Arthur's own paranoid thoughts.

Merlin smiled weakly, just the slightest twist of his lips, and Arthur found his eye's drawn down to it. But of course, the effect was ruined when Merlin actually opened his mouth.

"Would pinning you down help you get the word's out?" Merlin asked him, looking like he was only half joking about actually doing it. He tilted his head somewhere behind them. "I mean, that's exactly what you did to get some answers out of me. And there is a table right there..."