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!

155. Chapter 157

This chapter is dedicated to Jacquelyn, who wanted to see Arthur's reaction if he…wore a certain top ;p well only get a brief taste of it in this chapter, but we will definitely see more into Arthur's mindset on it the next time we see him

X

Arthur Pendragon could honestly not have said for the life of him, exactly what had happened. One minute he had been in the middle of his testing fight when something had caught his eyes…but his mind was so muddled, he could hardly remember what that something was. Though the color 'blue' came to mind for some ungodly reason. And then the next minute, he was down for the count, or so he assumed as he blinked his eyes up towards the sky. He was disoriented, the sun blinding, and with far too many heads in his line of vision as he saw all these vaguely familiar shapes and figures hover over him. There was a buzzing in his ears, and he was sure the people shaped blurs were talking frantically to him, though he couldn't make out a single word anybody said. They all seemed to sound like nothing more than bees, constantly buzzing in the background as they gave Arthur a headache.

Kinda like the headache he was experiencing right this moment…

Had he been knocked out?

Arthur was positive that he had just been knocked out, though it couldn't have been for more than a moment or two if he was still sprayed out on the training field…yes, he thought as his sluggish mind tried to put the pieces back in their proper places. He was on the training field, which meant the figures standing above him were his knights, he could feel the blades of grass tickling along the back of his neck. He had been training, hadn't he? Training somebody, and the thing had just happened…but what thing was that? Had some kind of horrified explosion hit the field? Had somebody came out of nowhere with the intention of taking him out? Was this an assassination attempt? Or had all this been the work of the witch…the one that had threatened Camelot if Arthur didn't just up and hand his consort over to her. If he was remembering correctly, that witch had blue eyes…was that why he kept remembering the color blue? Had it been the last thing he had seen before he hit the ground?

Merlin had blue eyes.

And Arthur Pendragon groaned, stretching out his limbs in order to familiarize himself with his body parts, making sure all his pieces were still attached and where they should be. But the groan seemed to release the pressure inside of his head that he hadn't known was there, the buzzing in his ears decreasing till he could finally understand what his men were saying around him. Questioning each other on what they should do next…somebody, though Arthur would have been hard pressed to say who had said it, asked if they should go get the royal physician for help, because he might have a concussion. Arthur blinked, he did not feel as if he had a concussion. But they couldn't bring Gaius here…he was sure the royal physician was Merlin's uncle…right? His head still felt fuzzy on the details, but yes. He was almost certain their healer was related to his loud, beautiful consort.

Beautiful?

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut in order to block out the sounds around him…he was definitely concussed. The beauty Merlin had was both inside and out, and a violent beautiful delight that made Arthur want to press to see how hard he'd try to hit Arthur. But that wasn't right…he was supposed to be being nicer with his consort, wasn't he? Yes. He was nicer….but why was that again? Oooh…he definitely couldn't see Gaius, the prince thought wearily as some of the pieces started coming together. Because Arthur had upset Merlin, and that had upset Gaius. And according to his father, he needed to impress Gaius. Being forced out here to see to Arthur's needs was not impressive in the least. He couldn't allow Gaius to see him as something weak and undeserving of his consort…

His consort deserved somebody worthy of him.

Why wasn't Arthur worthy of him again?

He had done…

He had done…

He had done…

Fuck, he thought, still dazed and slightly out of his mind when he opened back up his eyes and caught sight of the blue sky through the heads hovering above him still, Merlin's eyes were far more bluer than the sky. More electric. Colored in a way that could make the glaciers themselves melt beneath the force of his single stare. Or the blue icy and chilling enough to make Arthur feel as if there was literal ice trying to form in his veins beneath the one look. He wondered if there were other shades of blue Arthur hadn't seen yet. He had seen them so stormy, like dark clouds forming on the horizon, when he'd been so particularly upset with Arthur…why was Merlin upset with him again?…Arthur blinked with a sluggish manner to him, what shade of blue would Merlin's eyes be should the boy be happy? Would they be lighter and clearer than the sky itself was now, if he was grinning and laughing and being…

Being…

Being happy.

"Ohmygod! Ohmygod! Ohmygod! Prince Arthur! Are you alright? I am so sorry that happened! I had no idea! I mean, I've never managed to land a hit in all my days of training! Oh, god! Please don't be dead! Forgive me sire! I deserve the worse lashing, more than any criminal would have ever received!" A new knight was screaming in what felt like Arthur's ear, shoving some of the knights away in order to get in Arthur's view. Arthur's brows furrowed, tilting his head a little bit in order to see clearer, squinting his eyes at the scrawny figure that took a place in front of him…had this been the guy that attacked him? No…he had not been attacked. It was…it was…a training accident? Was that what happened to him? But…Arthur couldn't remember the last time he had gotten involved with a training accident. And certainly not one that had knocked him out. And most definitely not from a guy like…this. This weepy, pathetic figure of a man that's just earned a spot in Arthur's army due to an unfortunate accident. Had Arthur been distracted? But distracted by what…Arthur had thought he knew better than to allow distractions when he was slinging swords with somebody. What in the world could have distracted him so fully that such a thing as this could have even been possible. "…Please! Sire! I beg of you! Allow me to help you up and accept my thousand of apologies! I humbly place myself at your mercy to allow whatever punishment you deem fit!"

Knight Culdron-Arthur was almost sure it was Knight Cauldron, for no other he knew had such a nasally sounding voice-continued rambling away in this rabid succession of words that made almost no sense to the prince. He barely even noticed when the knight was grabbing him by the arms and tugging him back to his feet, being aided by the other knights grabbing onto his shoulders and back to held him stand straight. Arthur could've sworn the blood ran straight to his head now that he was upright, and he staggered, and for a second, the blonde almost thought he was about to go sprawling across the ground once again…Knight Culdron threw himself down onto his knees and then somebody, though he wasn't aware yet to tell who it was, passed him his sword as if they thought he was going to run the knight through for a simple mistake that had been Arthur's doing…

Arthur pressed his lips together, staring blankly at the sword as if he did not know what to do with it…fuck. Just how hard had this other knight hit him in the head? It felt as if he had been hit with a sledgehammer. Or something else entirely…there was something weird on Arthur's tongue. Some kind of taste he knew shouldn't be there, but tasted as if it belonged anyway. This odd kind of phantom taste that wasn't really there. Something deceptively sweet…it might be chocolate?….but that didn't make sense. Arthur had never been much of a person who liked sweets, so why did his mouth taste like that. Vaguely, briefly hearing one of his knights asking what was to be done about Knight Cauldron still waiting for a sword to chop his head off, he wondered if his dark angel was the type of person to like sweet…

MERLIN!

Arthur sucked in this harsh breath of air that almost had him choking from the sheer force of it, his entire body shooting up straight as his eyes darted from Knight Culdron to across the field. But Merlin was no longer standing there…it was as if all the memories came rushing back in a whirlwind that had his entire throat squeezing shut. What he'd done…how he'd hurt Merlin…the abusive way he had treated him…the suicide attempt…each new memory had Arthur's heart thundering in his chest frantically. But there was still no Merlin there but there was also no chance Arthur had just 'imagined' Merlin walking across the long length of the field! Okay…sure. Arthur had gone through this phase during the first week or two after Merlin's poisoning where he could've sworn he saw the consort everywhere he went no matter where he had gone…

Before Arthur had been exiled to his room to do his studying on Gaius, those days had been hell.

The serving boy who had taken his clothes away to be washed, now that there was no Morris hanging around to do such, had a tuft of blond hair that stuck out just like Merlin's did. The serving girl that had taken to bringing him all of his meals had long eyelashes like Merlin, though they were off settled by their green hue. That manservant George, who delivered Arthur his letters and his respondences, had a ridiculous scarf around his neck…it might still be tied a different way, but Arthur had still wanted to rip it off his neck simply because it reminded him of…HIM. And that wasn't including all the times Arthur had saw a figure out the corner of his eye that could've passed for Merlin's lithe form, for it to only be somebody else. Or all the times Arthur had raced around a corner after seeing dark hair only to realize it was somebody else entirely. Or the one horrific moment Arthur had been walking past a broom cupboard and heard all the gasping of a man in heat…he had been convinced it was Merlin who'd gone and moaned loud enough for the entire castle to hear. Arthur had ripped open that door faster than he could think, prepared to rip the head straight from Merlin's latest conquest, with his bare hands if need be…it had only been that Knight Tristian with one of the kitchen maids. Horribly embarrassing for all…

Honestly, being banished to his room to study had started off as a godsend by that point.

But nothing and nobody could have convinced Arthur that he hadn't gotten so distracted by anything 'other' than Merlin. That boy was the one person on the entire planet who could make Arthur's brain stall for long enough to get him in the head. The only boy who could be dangerously distracting in both the best and worst of ways. The only person that had haunted Arthur's dreams and his thoughts and…Arthur practically had that boy and his features memorized way more than he knew his own body. He KNEW it was Merlin. His entire body was almost vibrating with the knowledge, singing some kind of tune he didn't know the words of but knew was humming away in his veins. Merlin, Merlin, Merlin…the real Merlin. The first time he had seen him. He needed to see him again at this very minute.

Because the only reason Merlin would have to come to the training grounds would have been…to see him.

But where the bloody hell had he gone?

His knights had clearly realized something was wrong when Knight Culdron continued to go unpunished-though it was Arthur's fault and what kind of man would he be if he took off the head of any man who got the upper hand on him -but their chattering's of concern only seemed to fall into the background. His heart was in his throat as his eyes darted wildly in every direction there was to try and find his wayward consort…oh, god. What if Merlin had bore witness to Arthur's spectacular falling? What if he had came all this way to finally talk to him, clear the air between them so to speak, only to see Arthur getting beaten by the least talented knight his garrison had ever produced, and then took off in the opposite direction. Too disgusted with Arthur's lack of skill and deciding he wasn't worth bothering with.

Arthur was never going to forgive himself if he had already screwed things up with Merlin so epically!

THIS WAS ALMOST WORSE THAN THE UNDERGARMENT INCIDENT!

ALMOST!

NO!

Arthur's eyes landed on a long figure so far away from where he was standing right now, so far in the distance that he seemed almost like a pinprick that was meant to go unnoticed. But just as Arthur knew every other detail-and still not nearly enough to satisfy him-he would know those swaying hips strutting away anywhere. Arthur wasn't in control of his body as he abandoned the people all around him, barely remembering to call a 'training dismissed!' Over the top of his shoulder before he was racing in the direction Merlin had gone. He didn't want to stop, didn't want to try and control himself. He just knew he needed to see Merlin, heaven be damned, and he would burn in the hell of a million suns if he allowed this opportunity to pass him by.

Arthur WOULDN'T allow this opportunity to pass him by.

Merlin had came to see him.

And Arthur would not disappoint him again.

X

The training fields were a large stretch of land that overtook a good majority of the grounds surrounding the castle. It was a height of interest for many people though only a small handful had passed the training group of knights since the men had started that morning. Once upon a time though, there had been many problems in which civilians would get too close to the action. Young and dumb lovestruck maid's venturing closer in order to catch the eye of that extremely special person in mind, only to get an elbow to the face when one of the men, oblivious to her presence, reared back his arm to slash against his opponent with his blade. Noblemen who should have known better after their own stint in the services of the army, but wanting to overcorrect the trainer a million or so times after their own son started their services, ending up maimed once it was clear enough was enough. And a thousand other little incidents, was the reason why THE GATE was invented.

Now, the gate was just a fancy name in order to make it sound so much more formidable than it really was. One couldn't even actually call it a gate, once it was seen in real life. It was more of a fence really. A small one that cut off the area where the knights were most likely to train, giving them the wide space they sorely needed. It had been impractical to cut off the yard completely, as it was the most famous cut through when one needed to make it off to the other side of the castle in a hurry. So the gate was made as a compromise. Knights did so love to show off their skill, and this way, it kept people far enough away to prevent injuries. No noble or servant was allowed to cross the fence unless they had special permission from the trainer in question.

Something that rarely ever happened to begin with.

The former manservant of Prince Arthur, Morris, had been allowed to go in and out of 'the gate' as much as he pleased. He was competent enough to not ever get in the way of the practice, smart enough to stand out of range of the many swords flying around the field, and quiet enough not to disturb as he sat close enough to bring Arthur something at his beck and call. A wet cloth in order to wipe the sweat from his brow, a water skin in order to quench his thirst, even a second sword on the rare occasion Arthur wanted to try with a different blade then the type he usually carried around. A soldier needed to be versatile in all manner of weaponry, of course, and not just sticking to whatever they'd know best…but things have changed in the last three or so weeks. And that former manservant was no longer allowed past the gate, stuck behind like all of these other common riffraffs that wanted to 'watch' as spectators from the sidelines, instead of being involved and included as 'one of them.' If one could call being the one who fetched their trainer his snacks as 'one of them.' Ugh, Morris had even been escorted straight back behind the line by one of the knights when he had first arrived and tried to get in like habit.

As if MORRIS was now one of those common riffraff's.

It had been absolutely humiliating! Treated like a simple commoner. As if he did not know the types of breakfast foods Prince Arthur preferred. Which side of the castle he frequented the most. What clothes he liked to wear for which event. And knowing all the knights had been watching, only seemed to make Morris more aware of his new position, rubbing salt into his wounds with just their stares alone.

But Morris intended to change all of that today.

Morris had tutted underneath his breath. Shaking his head in shame when he saw the prince falling to the ground after being hit. He wasn't concerned over it, as if a hit like that would have taken out the prince. If it was that easy to do away with him, it would have been far easier to seduce him away from Merlin by this point. But clearly, the poor prince was lost without Morris there. He'd probably got dehydrated since he didn't have Morris there to keep refreshed with drink…his poor, poor prince must've been so lost without Morris there to guide the way and keep him on schedule. Morris had pretty much everything he had done for Arthur down to an art, and the poor prince must've had many difficulties trying to get around without him.

Which was why Morris was here now.

He had given Arthur more time than he had wanted too, to make sure the man understood how much Morris did for him and how much he relied on him to get through the simplest of tasks, before making his approach. But now, after he'd heard news of Merlin's full recovery being passed around the village, it felt like now was as good as time as any to get back on Arthur's radar. He wasn't ever going to get his job back if he didn't fight for it…a desirable trait for the future new consort of Camelot…somebody who knew what they wanted and would go after it. With Arthur's blessing, of course. Because Arthur was a man. And the former manservant didn't know one man who didn't want to be respected and showered with mindless devotion.

Which was why Morris was so pleased, head peeking up when he saw what had looked like Arthur making a beeline straight in his direction.

Morris' grin was so blinding, he could have shattered the sun itself.

He bloody KNEW Arthur would come to his senses. And was clearing racing as fast as he could to get to Morris because he had gotten a taste of what his life without Morris was like. And now here he comes, prepared to fully reinstate his position back in the royal household, with full apologies for acting completely irrational by firing him after Morris' little seduction technique. Arthur had been acting as if he'd never seen a man disrobe in front of him before! When clearly he would have already used up Merlin's slutty arse until he grew uninterested and bored…Morris was willing to do anything to take his place in Arthur's bed and seduce him into giving Morris the power he craved. It wouldn't take more than a few pushes to make Arthur see how fully…invested…he could be if there was a few…added duties…being placed in between his normal ones.

"Prince Arthur! I'm so happy to see you approaching me first! I was prepared to get down onto my knees and beg you to reconsider my position. I would be more than willing to do anything to seek your full forgiveness for the travesty your consort caused between us. But I'm so grateful you have seemed to have noticed my absence and came to me yourself. It really makes a simple peasant like me feel more special." Morris started to babble as soon as Arthur got near to him, his eyes smoky and half lidded as his eyes ran down to someplace just below Arthur's belt, to indicate what 'anything' would have entailed. And then Morris' spread his lips, a smug little smirk, enjoying the idea of Arthur literally running to him. Merlin had nothing on somebody who had waited on the blond prince for all these years. "I can hardly wait to return to your service and have you put me to…good work. It's been ever so long, and I'm missed you terribly, sire. Making your bed, standing beside you as you write your reports, doing 'anything' and 'everything' that you require of me, my sire."

Morris's tongue curled around the word 'sire' emphasizing the sultry tone his voice had undertaken to Arthur's interest in him. Leaning his hip out cockily in order to bring flattering attention to his slim waistline…he knew a proper man like Arthur would love tossing him around. It was one of the reasons he made sure to keep himself in shape the best ways he could with his limited means as a peasant. He couldn't wait any longer in tempting Arthur back to him…all the two of them needed to do was retire to Arthur's bedchambers in the guise of putting Morris back to work. And then the real fun could begin, bonus should Merlin walk in on them during a…precious moment. And Morris held out one of his hands to the prince, half expecting the man to start dragging him towards the castle now that he's had a month to settle after his original breakdown due to Morris' charming him the first time.

A sword was placed in his hand.

The former manservant Morris, looked down at the sword utterly baffled, as if he expected the scene would suddenly make more sense if he just stood and stared at it for long enough. But no matter how hard Morris stared, the blade offered him no answers to explanation as for why he was holding it. And Prince Arthur had already fled before Morris had gotten another word in…had Arthur not heard him? Or was Morris meant to take this as a sign of being welcomed in his job…maybe Arthur wanted him to take it up to his room. A good excuse to have Morris in his bedchambers, the prince obviously had a reputation that needed to be kept, and couldn't be seen inviting his manservant into his very private chambers. At least not as long as he was married to bloody Merlin…

Morris glanced around frantically in order to find where the prince had done gone, and it was very easy to find the prince. Even easier to see where said prince was heading, and all at once, Morris realized how utterly wrong and self absorbed he had been. The former manservant's face turned almost beat red with his anger getting the best of him, clutching at the sword hard enough for his hands to bleed against the blade…Bloody Merlin! He would get his end for this humiliation! Morris would see to that! He just needed somebody who was able to take the fall if things didn't go as planned…

X

Arthur Pendragon honestly still didn't have any clue what he was going to say to Merlin once he reached him, but that hardly seemed to matter when he was able to see him now. Saying words was only a little concern compared to the mere sight of having him up and about…Arthur had felt like the day his consort walked the grounds again would never happened. But it was happening, right here and now, and Arthur only slowed his running to a jog once he realized he would crash into Merlin if he continued at the pace he had been going. He was just…Arthur eyed the back of Merlin's body in amazement. He still had the way Merlin had been coughing and sputtering as he sat down on the upmost edge of his bed, physically unable to keep yelling at Arthur any longer, stuck inside of his head. It was such a sharp contrast to see him up and walking…a lot less wobbly than when he'd been facing Baying, it was as if the poisoning itself had never happened at all.

But it had happened.

And Arthur couldn't forget that.

"Hey, Merlin…" Arthur called out once he was a few feet away from the consort on the edge of the training grounds…they were almost to the drawbridge in the middle of the city that separated the lower town from the inner city…maybe he was planning on going to the marketplace? But that seemed like an extremely silly thing to do, who decided to go shopping when they should be taking it far more easier after such a traumatic event…but what did Arthur know? It wasn't him who had been poisoned, maybe Merlin was strong enough to do that now? Now that he was clearly stronger than when he'd been pushing himself to go up against Bayard…it was only then that Arthur realized Merlin hadn't stopped walking or broken stride towards the bridge. Well…perhaps Arthur hadn't been talking loud enough? Merlin must not have heard him, but for some weird, odd reason…it suddenly felt much harder to speak now that Arthur was thinking on it, and not just running on fumes. "Errr…Merlin? Do you…could you slow down for a second. I just…if you have the time for a minute, I would love the chance to…to…"

Words failed to come to Arthur's mind, the palms of his hands going slick with enough sweat that he had to subtly rub it against his armor as a poor attempt of hiding any weaknesses from Merlin. He couldn't seek forgiveness if Merlin was disgusted with him, but Arthur's sweaty hands was hardly the thing that would make Merlin leave him again. In fact, Arthur realized he might've made a major mistake by approaching Merlin this way, as he could quite clearly see when the consort realized he was there. Merlin didn't look at him, but there's a telling falter in his step, a subtle stiffening of his shoulders that wouldn't have a chance of going unnoticed by the ever obsessed Arthur. The prince licked at his incredibly dry lips, slowing down completely so he wouldn't end up coming on top of Merlin…Merlin hated to be touched, he remembered.

"Err, I just wanted…I just wanted to see how you've been doing these last few weeks? I mean, it's been a while since I've seen you, and correct me if I might be wrong, but this is your first time Gaius had released you…yes? I'm sure that probably means you…want to be on your own. To take everything in and all of that…right?" Arthur stuttered, the words falling out of him in a word vomit like fashion, as the prince temporarily adopted the personality Merlin had walked into Camelot with, always babbling the very first thing that came to mind. And for a man who had no words before, he couldn't seem to stop himself from the spewing of words to Merlin's backside, "But if you could spare one moment for me….it's just…it's been almost a month since our last…discussion. And if you'd came all this way to see me, then…well…we have a lot to discuss, don't we? I'd like to discuss more things with you…maybe we can go someplace? Or we can wait till later if you prefer! Whatever you want to do is fine with me!"

Arthur exploded this loud part as loud as he could, his face growing so red his cheeks were feeling hot…he fidgeted with his hands, feeling the biggest fool of them all when Merlin finally stopped walking in front of him. He honestly would not be surprised if Merlin decided to forgo his reason to come seeking him out after Arthur made such a blunder. He just couldn't keep going on the way that they'd been going, these last three weeks had been more torture than he had thought he could live through. And there were so many things that needed to work through, Arthur was willing to listen to everything as long as his consort would talk to him again. Even if Merlin wanted to lecture him on how horrible a husband he's been, he would accept it as whatever scrap Merlin was willing to give to him. He just hoped Merlin would understand how hard he was trying to stay still, resisting the pull that told him to put a hand on Merlin's shoulder and get his full undivided attention the only way he knew how. Those ways couldn't help him anymore though, and the only thing that mattered was making sure a certain consort was comfortable.

Not scared.

Not hateful.

Not…

Not…

Not…

"Excuse me?" Merlin's voice cut through the air, stronger and more sure than the prince had been expecting it to be. He had half been thinking Merlin would need his help in some way…perhaps his consort had exerted himself from this first trip, and needed Arthur's help and escort to one of the day rooms inside of the palace. Somewhere they could sit for tea and talk like civilized people were meant to do, or so Arthur had heard. Him and Merlin…no, just Him, and Merlin reacting rightfully vicious in response, to what he had done, had hardly ever been considered 'civilized people.' Not with the way Arthur had thrown his consort around like his own personal plaything. Not with the way Merlin would shriek and fight back with the claws of a wildcat, dangerous and sure…and the Merlin he would be facing today was exactly that. Not the solemn Merlin who dismissed him just by looking at him. Not the sickly Merlin who didn't have the strength to try and fight him anymore. "Are you really so self-centered that you think I would have came all this way just to find you? Newsflash, Arthur. My life doesn't revolve to your tune. Nor does it mean I want to spend a moment more of my time on the man who asks me if I would spare a moment for him…I believe I had spared too many moments on him. I believe our time here is done. I only stopped because I don't want you following me. Go back to whatever you were doing, and keep continuing to ignore me. Three weeks might have felt like a long time to a man such as you, without your favorite target around to torment, but the last three weeks wasn't nearly enough time away from you."

Merlin had tilted his head slightly to the side, entire body tensing and flexing as if he was prepared to make a run for it it-or maybe in preparing for a fight to happen-beneath the weight of the prince's gaze. And Arthur just knew Merlin was eyeing him out the corner of his eye, gauging how he would react towards the consort basically telling him to 'fuck off.' Arthur had always gotten furious when Merlin tried exhibiting any amount of control or decision making that was opposing to Arthur, but the prince didn't feel much like fighting. It was as if the life had drained out of him so easily, his hands hanging limply on either side of him like dead weights he couldn't dream of moving on his own. He had known it wouldn't be easy convincing Merlin to start over with him, knew it wouldn't be easy to pretend the last four months hadn't happened so they could start a fresh slate. But Merlin's deceptively calm voice, controlled and practiced even as he tapped his fingers frantically against his thigh, still caused this sting of disappointment to swell up in Arthur's chest. It was stupid. He didn't have any right to feel sorry for himself. It was Merlin that had suffered, and Arthur had simply played the part of the Main Character in a story that had him starred as the villain.

"You…you wish you had more time away from me, huh?" Arthur said slowly and just as calm, only the slump of his shoulders and the downcast of his eyes had betrayed his disappointed emotions. The tightness swelled up inside his chest even more than before, Merlin saying he hadn't came here for him stuck inside his mind like glue. Sinking into his brain as he admitted, without a fight, about how wrong and stupid and self centered he had been. Honestly? Thinking that Merlin had came here to talk to him….he truly must be brain dead to have even entertained such a thought for a single second. Merlin would've had to be this masochism type of person if he came with him now. And here Arthur had been, trying to offer him tea! As if he was Morgana preparing one of her 'tea dates' where she would sit and gossip about members of the court with all the other young noble daughters hanging around. How bloody stupid had he been just approaching Merlin. "I will…I will…I'll oblige you, of course! You've got every right to send me away. And I have wronged you. I just mean…I completely do understand your reluctance to come anywhere with me. And there's absolutely no hard feelings with you wanting to keep distance. I mean…the only thing I've done for you was…get you a few measly gifts. So I understand you aren't ready to forgive me yet…"

Arthur's word vomit and stuttering problem seemed to get worse, the words freezing in his veins when he noticed Merlin bringing a hand up to grab onto the strap of the satchel he was wearing, the faded crest of Gaius' family on the front fold of it. And he noticed how hard Merlin was squeezing the strap, as if Arthur had already stepped over some line he didn't know was there. He had been trying to go for bashful, sheepish…tried making it feel for Merlin as if the prince was just 'one of the guys' and somebody he didn't need to be wary and angry with. But he had sounded more demented and truly messed up inside of the head, in a way not even Merlin had been back when Arthur had ended up convinced by Gaius that Merlin had some kind of mental affliction. People did not just become idiots. Life made them that way. But for Arthur, it appeared as if Merlin was the one. His…weakness, so to speak.

Merlin still wasn't looking at him fully, giving Arthur only this side glance of his form, the silence stretching out before them and leaving Arthur just too scared to try speaking up again when he knew it would only upset him further. In this perfect world that existed only inside of Arthur's head, Merlin would've taken him up on his gracious offer to have tea together. He would've been cautious and unsure but would take Arthur's arm when offered to him, and allow himself to be taken into one of those day rooms. Where Arthur would use every bit of the gentlemanly charm that had been practically beaten into him by his various tutors over the years, pulling Merlin's chair out for him and everything in some misguided attempt to please him. Merlin wouldn't need to lift one single finger as Arthur ordered some of the servants to bring them tea and little cakes to be snacked on…Arthur would find out if Merlin liked sweets and which ones it was he liked the best.

And then the real work would begin.

Arthur would graciously give Merlin another apology, and thank him for taking the time to see him despite everything he's done. And Merlin, calm now that all the fighting between them seemed to be stalled, would smile shyly and nod his head. It would be enough to make Arthur's heart SOAR in his chest, but he was not going to want to make any mistakes that would scare off Merlin. He would have parchment and ink and quills brought to their table by the servants, he'd insist on Merlin writing down everything. Every grievance Arthur had done with him, every incident that brought Merlin shame, every moment that ended with his consort fearful of him. It would be a list that expanded over miles and miles of parchment, Arthur knew. But one he would treat with all of the respect and care such a thing deserved. He would be too scared to touch it, for fear of the calm between them being disrupted if Arthur actually damaged it. But Arthur would still read through it carefully, memorizing everything Merlin had marked down…knowing he would need to do whatever it took to make amends for each one. Even if it took him years to accomplish and make everything right, it was important to him. Important to see Merlin smiling shyly before saying 'I forgive you.'

It would be a weight taken off Arthur's chest.

But reality rarely made fruition out of fantasies.

And Merlin was still not in a forgiving mood.

And Merlin was rightfully going to walk away from him now, leaving Arthur to stew around in his own crap.

Only…he didn't.

"Really, Arthur. I'm so bloody grateful that you gave me 'permission' for still feeling upset with you. Because all my validation comes from rather or not I've got your permission to do something. Gaius was right. I don't need to see you or spend time with you or have you anywhere near me outside of the duties I'm required to see to by your father." Merlin hissed out, looking as if he was truly struggling to…not explode? Not run away? Not panic in the presence of his one true abuser? Arthur didn't know, but his mouth dropped open a bit with all the surprise in the world. That…that wasn't what he meant at all! Of course Merlin didn't need his permission to still be upset with him! Arthur hadn't been trying to devalue his experience, or make Merlin's problems seem like a triffle thing between them. But then again, Arthur's face burned as he was remembering exactly how he had wanted this conversation to go, with pink tea cozies and all to complete the image in his mind, hadn't that been the way the fantasy went for him? Merlin's easy acceptance, simply because Arthur hadn't been actually acknowledging how serious his crimes towards his consort had been. "And while this conversation has already wasted a good five minutes of my life, I think I do have no other choice but to listen to my uncle's advice and no longer entertain you or your attitude. I have other things to do. Like continuing with my hobby. You know, the one you HATE and claim isn't befitting for a consort."

Arthur Pendragon cringed back…it had been three weeks, plus six days, plus nineteen hours-it was embarrassing that Arthur had literally counted out all of the hours, but it was an embarrassing secret meant only for him-since he had last faced off with his consort. His consort's tongue more vicious and far more alarming than it had been in quite some time, choosing to focus his rage onto Arthur instead of the sad persona he'd had this last month. And somehow, as his consort's tongue grew bold, Arthur's tongue had shrunk. It was somewhat horrifying for Arthur to realize, in those three weeks and six days and nineteen hours, that he hadn't been prepared for Merlin at all. Maybe he simply thought the right words would've came to him once his consort and him were face and face together, but that had been a major mistake on Arthur's part. As his eyes dropped down onto the bag Merlin was curling a protective hand around, as if he thought Arthur was going to snatch the bag away in order to prevent him from doing anything he wanted to do. Especially right now, when Arthur was desperate for Merlin's approval and attention,

"N-no." Arthur stuttered out when he saw Merlin taking a step back in order to leave him, his heart leaping in his throat when Merlin's head whipped around to look at him fully. And his voice died in his throat when those electric blue eyes met his…Arthur vaguely remembered his own contemplations about the color of Merlin's eyes when he had been too dazed to remember anything else but them, and yeah…he understood why those eyes had been front and center in his mind. Nothing could compare to them, even when the consort was being vicious to him…it took Arthur's brain too long to return back to normal before realizing why Merlin was glaring at him like Arthur had just screwed up before kicking his puppy or something. His throat seemed to wield itself together as he frantically waved his hands back and forth in front of his face, "No! No! No! I didn't mean…no, you can't participate in your hobby! I mean…I would never stop you from doing something if it makes you happy. Not as long as you are being safe with it-" Merlin huffed loudly and Arthur threw his arms back up in the air frantically. "And I know you don't believe me but I do care about your safety. And this whole…this whole healing thing might not be the best choice for a consort, but I mean, you've always done things your own way. So why not include your interest. I mean, this whole…this healing thing to you is probably a lot like how my sword is to me…"

Arthur stuttered helplessly under the weight of Merlin's gaze, breathing in his own words with an even heavier heart. Arthur's sword was his one possession he convoluted over everything else. It gave him strength of the mind as well as strength of the body, made him feel good about himself when he was able to take down his opponent without fail. Something he held a connection too from the moment he was first handed a training sword at a very young age. And the prince might not be entirely certain how far into this healing thing that Merlin would want to go, not entirely sure how it would look to the rest of the people if they found out what Merlin's new hobby was, but…he also found that it was something he didn't care about. Let the people think his consort didn't trust the royal family's ability to keep him safe, let them think Merlin decided he had to take his safety into his own hands because he didn't trust them to keep him healthy. If Merlin was interested in the skill, then…he should be able to learn it without any hindrance from Arthur. If his uncle wanted to teach him whatever it was one was taught when they started down that road, then…he was hardly going to get into the family matter.

Though Arthur did feel the deep seated shame hitting him, crawling beneath his skin and reminding him why Merlin thought he was going to fight him with this. It wasn't all that long ago, Arthur had been demanding Merlin to try and find himself a proper hobby that any other bride Arthur could've had would've gone for. Needlework or painting or singing…girlier activities that others would not have looked twice at. But no, Arthur could see now that none of those kind of hobbies would've suited his defiant consort. Merlin needed to have another skill set in front of him, something that was far more challenging than slashing a paper with paint or working a needle through the same pattern over and over again until a solid picture formed in the cloth. Hell, this healing thing might've actually been the perfect fit for something like Merlin. And Arthur should have been nurturing that interest…right? That was what proper husbands were meant to do, yes? Allow their husbands to thrive with the best tools he could get his hands on…he could send out for medical books and fancier equipment that his uncle might not even have, preferring to do things as he always did.

Just to show Merlin that he approved…

"And I…and I apologize for making you feel as if you couldn't possibly do this one thing that you like to do. I mean, I barely understand it myself, but if that is where your interest lie…" Arthur's tongue felt thicker in his mouth, as if it had gone and grew three times its normal size. Especially when he saw Merlin was starting to back up again, his eyes darting away from Arthur as if he was trying to figure out where his best escape plan would lead him. Arthur's throat went so incredibly dry when he realized…Merlin didn't believe his apologies. Just as he didn't believe them when Arthur had been down on his knees before him as he collapsed on the edge of his bed after the poisoning. And Arthur, looking so intently at Merlin's smooth face-did the boy have any imperfections? Any kind of freckle or scar that would be off putting if it was on anybody else? Or would a blemish such as that only enhance Merlin's charm-didn't know what he was able to do right now that would make Merlin understand how willing he would be to foster anything Merlin wanted. All the consort had to do was say just one single word, and Arthur would flood his home with all kinds of gifts that might pertain to fleshing out this hobby of his. "Merlin, if you would just…just let me show you that I can…that I can…" something about Merlin's clean face and his bright eyes seemed to nag at Arthur, telling him something was different about the boy, but he just couldn't place it. Arthur should be able to know the very instant something about his consort had changed. If he got a haircut, then he should be able to tell. If Merlin wore a new outfit, than Arthur should've known about it. If Merlin wasn't Merlin at all, but some imposter pretending to just be him instead, than Arthur should also be able to tell with only the mannerisms the real Merlin would do when compared to the false. But none of that would have been it…until it hit him hotter and faster than the strike of a lightning bolt hitting him from the clear skies. "YOUR BRUISE!"

Arthur Pendragon honestly could not have said that loud enough, but watching as Merlin jumped from the sheer volume of his voice-or perhaps because of all the times Arthur had raised his voice at him-was enough to make him swallow down his tongue before he could say something else that would have damned him in the consort's eyes. But Arthur still couldn't drag his eyes away from the face staring back at him, re-familiarizing himself with the silky smooth look of Merlin's skin, a white glow that would have even made the freshest of milks to be struck down in shame. There was no more molted bruises covering the side of Merlin's face, no more dark array of marks that looked the perfect size and width of Arthur's own fingers. It was simply smooth skin, as if it had not ever been there in the first place, as if Arthur had never betrayed his trust in such a horrid and violent way. And Arthur watched as Merlin silently brought a hand up to touch his own face, no more wincing as he came in contact with all that once sore flesh, put out by Arthur's sudden inane statement.

It was almost disconcerting, seeing the flawless flesh…Arthur had this insane urge to brush Merlin's hand away with his own so he could prod at the cheek for himself. Just to make sure he was really seeing what he was seeing, which was…absolutely nothing. This was just another sign that told Arthur how long he had been away from his consort, where he had missed every single step of the healing process. Arthur pressed his lips together thinly, hands twitching at his sides…no. He wasn't going to touch Merlin. He had touched him enough for a lifetime-it would never be enough-and Merlin didn't like to be touched. He'd run if Arthur tried…this conversation was horrible and yet, Arthur didn't want it to end simply because his consort was there. But Merlin didn't seem to feel as he did, his hands dropping down to hold onto the strap of his bag again, as if it would be the only thing to keep him steady during a snowstorm of an extreme, epic proportion.

"Bruises tend to heal when they've gone weeks without new ones being added to it." Merlin said bluntly, and Arthur's heart dropped straight down into the pit of his stomach. Knowing if things hadn't happened the way they had, then the consort would have already been sporting a large array of them all criss cross across his body. From the nape of his neck, down the length of his back, over the curve of his bottom, and down the dips of his legs. But thinking of all the plans Arthur had been preparing for Merlin before the poisoning, caused his stomach to lurch with a sudden illness. Remembering the way Merlin had been shouting at him about how much he hated when Arthur pushed him down onto something. What Arthur had been planning…it would have broken Merlin more than he already was. "Though, I'm sure you're going to make another attempt on me in a minute. I warn you though, I'm not gonna cry on the ground like I'd done when it happened! I won't be that person…ever. If you try, then they will have to arrest me for murder."

Arthur didn't think his heart could have dropped down any lower than it had, but it somehow managed to do the impossible, leaving the prince sick when his stomach started twisting itself into knots. As if his spleen was trying to get into a fight with his stomach and Arthur's body was the battle field. Merlin had pushed his shoulders back, an over exaggerated defiance draping over him as if it was a shroud Arthur would never be able to get through. But his eyes…oh, god, his eyes. They were so cold, there was a chill that followed and settled in Arthur's bones and he knew…he knew Merlin spoke the truth. If Arthur did try something on him today, Merlin would fight back as if his very life was being placed in danger again. As if Arthur was now the one trying to pour the poison between his lips and force him to swallow what would lead him straight down to his grave. The prince's mouth opened up and down, though no more words came forth…he couldn't even defend himself or let Merlin know that he didn't have any intentions on hurting him. Or touching him. Or doing anything that he knew would upset him. Because Merlin….Merlin didn't LIKE it, when he did all of those things. And Arthur had learned his lesson, had it drilled straight into his head by the brave consort standing in front of him now. The prince bowed his head low, casting his eyes back down to the ground…maybe he should just go this time. It was clear he was doing nothing but upsetting Merlin. The one thing he hadn't wanted to do when he had decided to go ahead and approach him in the first place, but then…Merlin was reaching into his satchel. And the prince raised his head only high enough to see the consort digging through it before withdrawing something out of the confines of the bag.

"You know, this latest gift of yours is probably the most interesting one that I have received yet. It's not something that can be thrown into the back of my closet to never be seen again, and it's not nearly as disgusting as…do I even need to mention the last thing you sent to me?" Merlin demanded, voice harsh enough that Arthur could have sworn he had just been hit by the lash of a whip that he would've-once upon a time-used on Merlin. And the prince cautiously eyed the book Merlin was holding, recognizing the book as the one he'd gone and painstakingly combed through a dozen or so books he had brought to him in order to select. His insides quivered, heart stuttering at Merlin's mention of the red undergarments Arthur didn't want to think about ever again, he knew he was about to get the book slammed against his head. Merlin was upset, and the little thing tended to get rightfully violent when he was angered. The blond wouldn't even try stopping him, if he wanted to slam the heavy text against his skull. A book to the head would only be a small price to pay compared to what horrors he'd done to Merlin. "I especially loved the part at the beginning where I read that lovely little note you left me. Oh, wait, I'm sorry. The lovely little bit of note I needed Uncle Gaius to read to me. You know, because I'm too dumb to figure out how to put my basic letters together!"

Arthur felt as if he had just been punched directly in the stomach, all of the air came rushing out his lungs when Merlin shoved the book hard straight into his gut, the sharp corner of it almost feeling as if he had just been stabbed from a sharp spear, the sharpest of the lot. But the pain from the book, as he caught another rejected gift before it could escape him, was nothing compared to the pain of failing Merlin again. His consort thought he was calling him stupid with his note…that hadn't been Arthur's intention at all. Merlin had far more brains in his head than a good portion of the Camelot knights he trained. He wasn't stupid just because he didn't know how to read, being able to read a book was not going to keep somebody alive during times of war where action was going to be needed the most. And Merlin had already proven more times than Arthur could count-he was probably going to get grey hairs prematurely from all the fear Merlin put him through when he ran off half cocked-that he was willing to do exactly that. He had to fix this, immediately! He couldn't allow Merlin to go walking around the village with 'I'm stupid' burning in his brain. There was no telling what Merlin was going to do if he…would he…would he try to kill himself once again?

"You're not stupid!" Arthur exclaimed, probably louder and far more exuberant than he had needed too, if Merlin wheeling back before steadying himself was any indicator. But this was something Arthur had to do. Merlin had taught the prince…everything! That he needed to know. The one thing Arthur could have done was letting Merlin know it was okay not being able to read, how having a peasant heritage had put him behind, but he didn't need to stay behind… "It's nothing that you need to be embarrassed about. You don't have to be…have to be ashamed by not being able to, or lashing out at me because of it. You have not had the same opportunities that others have had, but that isn't something I want you to be upset over. I mean…" the blush returned to Arthur's face once again as his blabbering returned, and he averted his eyes to the ground almost like a star struck maiden that had just embarrassed herself in front of her true love. If such a thing existed… "Don't you remember? You were the one making sure I was reminded about the lack of resources and teachers the peasants do have at their exposure. Back during the plague when I sit out those missives to all the homes in Camelot, it was you that told me they couldn't read them. This was just simply me…correcting that mistake with you. But…maybe a book that you can't even read was a bad choice to gift you…"

Arthur's shoulders slumped downwards, the energy seeming to leave from his body all at once. Merlin was eyeing him again, and Arthur's hands clamped all around the book hard enough for it to shake slightly in between his hands. He didn't know what he had been thinking, throwing the one thing in the world he knew his consort couldn't do right back in his face with such a stupid gift. He didn't know why he hadn't changed his mind at the last second when he had realized Merlin wouldn't be able to read the book. He had just wanted to see Merlin's interest in learning more about the kingdom and its needs and how to take care of it would be met. But perhaps starting with such a heavy book had been where he had failed. He should have started with something easier…the consort might not be so furious with him if Arthur had just went on ahead and sent one of the tutors to his doorstep. Lady Merrythought would be the most renowned tutor in the area, but she mostly worked with children and teaching them the basic foundations of their education before they could move up onto the tougher stuff. Merlin probably would've benefited more from a few of her private tutoring sessions, than from a book even Arthur needed to stop and figure out what a word or two meant.

"I swear, Arthur-" Merlin started, his voice low and threatening and the prince winced, squeezing his eyes shut and pulling his arms tighter to himself in this misguided attempt at trying to be smaller than Merlin. Trying to be something Merlin wouldn't see as a threat, or be punished for his ignorance with Merlin's situation. But…no. Punishment might actually be a good thing. Arthur could've gotten some penance for his crimes against the boy if he truly did try and get physical with Arthur. A fist to the jaw, a kick to the ribs, a dagger straight into his heart…but nothing Merlin could do to Arthur, would have been enough to match with the four months of hell Merlin had lived through. How had he done it to begin with? If this was even a fraction of what Merlin had been feeling for four months straight…Arthur knew he would've surrounded himself to the gods months ago. "That you never hear yourself talk. Or stop to think about what it is you are saying to me. It's nothing but hot air coming from your lips."

Arthur was feeling lower than trash at this moment, something that needed to be scooped up and thrown away somewhere where the maids would be picking it up. He didn't deserve to be here, stealing the light that came from the other boy as if it was his own, trying to share in the warmth of somebody that would be there everyday for the rest of his life. He didn't move, he didn't budge, and he didn't dare even breathe, until Merlin was spinning around on his heel, taking large strides that were just short of running away from him. Arthur's heart felt tight in his chest, powerless to move after him, he blinked his eyes with a rapid succession when he felt something suspiciously wet.

This…Arthur's throat felt clogged up and made it difficult to breathe as Merlin got further and further away from him, the strings of whatever bond they may have had if Arthur had opened his eyes months ago, snapping one right after the other until there was only one that remained. So fray and thin from within his mind, little pieces breaking off until the thinnest piece remained…it could not be over between them, could it? His history with Merlin had been fraught and painful and turbulent for so long, and now that Arthur was finally starting to understand where he had gone wrong…it couldn't be the end. They needed to have a future. One that wouldn't be influenced by the past, one where all of the trouble between them was going to set a precedence for how they would interact with each other from now on. Never moving. Never growing.

A stalemate, of the highest proportions.

The smartest thing Arthur Pendragon could have done in that moment, would have been to allow Merlin to leave. To let him stew in his self pity while Arthur continued his day as normal, trying and failing to put Merlin in the back of his mind just like he had every other day they've known each other. But he would be the first to say he himself was not a smart man, and the first to say he had always acted outside of his usual bounds when it came to Merlin. And Arthur felt a jolt going through his heart as he saw Merlin stepping into the tough and rocky cobblestone that would lead him to the bridge…Arthur didn't think that he could've followed him fast enough.

He just didn't know when to give up and call it quits.

"Merlin, Merlin wait! Please! Don't just leave like this! I didn't mean to make you angry with me!" Arthur exclaimed, following steps behind Merlin who did not break stride, nor look back at the prince. Merlin seemed entirely content to ignore his presence altogether, deciding Arthur was so little that he should be below any more of his notice. The prince growled low in his throat, knowing he deserved the treatment but also knowing he couldn't go another day without finding someway to tether back the strings of their would-be bond. "If you will like another book, maybe…maybe one with a lot of pictures so you'll be able to understand the material on your own better…"

Arthur was nearly running as the consort sped up in his attempt to get away from him, and they were starting to come up on the bridge. The prince had probably stuck his foot straight inside his mouth with that little comment…a picture book? Really?! It was no wonder the other consort hated him when Arthur was trying to foist children books on him. But…but…Arthur's eyes darted back and forth between Merlin and the fast approaching bridge, and he just knew…if Merlin got past that bridge. Then he was going to lose him for…forever. For the rest of their lives, probably. Or at least that was what it felt like to the prince. As if the bridge was the marker for what their future full of ruin was going to bring them…the prince darted his eyes around them frantically as he tried to come up with something to say that would force Merlin to stop with trying to leave him. He couldn't just grab him and demand he stop anymore, or he would just be proving to Merlin that he hasn't changed at all.

"I DON'T WANT YOU GOING TO THE MARKETPLACE ALONE!"

Arthur Pendragon blurted out the very first thing that finally surfaced to his mind…the marketplace. And remembering how dangerous it would be for his consort to be there on his own. The kingdom itself was usually a pretty safe place to live, or safer than other kingdoms, but Arthur just knew how much it made him uncomfortable to think of Merlin out there shopping alone. The bill that would later appear in Arthur's mail for his purchases-something he would gladly pay, pleased to have finally gotten something Merlin wanted right-would be his only proof that Merlin had made it from the shops safe and sound. But the kingdom had other dangers than just a moron who thought they could mug the prince's consort. That witch was still out there, and could disguise herself into an innocent woman, and with Merlin's habit of helping people…and then there was always the possibility of Merlin leaving so he could find someplace more private than a banquet to…finish off the job, so to speak. The whole idea of the consort going sent Arthur's anxiety roaring through the roof…he jolted to this quick stop that almost had him falling flat on his face when his consort finally jerked to a stop himself.

"…Excuse me?" Merlin asked, his head jerking as he turned back to look at the prince, as if he was made out of mechanics and bolts rather than a human…he felt the shiver of unease roiling down his spine once again under the powerful stare that was Merlin's eyes. And Arthur just knew, as he took an uneasy step back, that telling Merlin what to do while they were in this kind of relationship probably wasn't the right move. But hey, Arthur thought weakly, skin turning a shade paler as his heart thundered away in his eardrums, at least he had made Merlin stop walking. "I don't think you have any right to tell me what to do with my time. If I want to do a simple chore for my uncle, then I will, whether or not that you want me too. And unless you plan on tying me down to stop me from walking around this kingdom at my leisure, be aware that I refuse to just stand around here and wait for you to go calling one of those men you have standing outside my bedroom window to guard me on my trip."

Arthur froze, and not only because of the imagery of 'tying Merlin up' brought back to the forefront of his mind viciously. Like steel hooks refusing to relent and let him go. But…Arthur had to remind himself…Merlin had mentioned his guards. The very same guards he had on rotation outside of Gaius chambers to keep watch over him in case that witch made a play for Merlin. Those very same guards who were nowhere to be seen, despite Arthur having very strict instructions on knowing where Merlin was at all times. The very same guards who Arthur had ordered to make sure Merlin didn't know that their presence was there at all. He knew very much how Merlin felt about the guards and how he felt about being watched as he went about his day….that was exactly why Arthur hadn't wanted Merlin to know about them! Because he would get upset and demand they be sent away and…Arthur's paranoia-that something may be happening the second they do release some of the safety measures he wanted to put on Merlin-was just something he couldn't ignore. Merlin seemed to read his expression easily, not a good trait for a prince, to be so easily readable. But Merlin was a master at deduction in a way Arthur feared he would never be.

"Yeah, you didn't think I would ever know about them, did you? Pretty hard to miss the same guys always loitering outside my window at all hours of the day and night." Merlin spoke up, his lip curling back into a disgusted sneer, which also showed Arthur only a hint of his white teeth beneath. And the prince felt his shoulders coming up towards his ears, the scolding he would receive after that one was going to be a rough one. But not nearly as rough as the scolding he was going to give his knights…the window, seriously? Merlin had this weird, uncanny ability to see things that others wouldn't. So why-when Arthur made explicit instructions to NOT GET CAUGHT! They collectively decided standing underneath the window would give them some cover. Bloody clouts. "You can stand here and stew all you want about your life choices, Arthur. But I want to have those men gone by the time I get back from the for-marketplace. By the time I get back from the marketplace. Or so help me, the fit I threw after I was woken up from the poison is going to seem like child's play compared to what I might do next. You can hardly trust me to 'stay in my lane' and all that, when I have all the odds stacked against me anyway."

Merlin seemed so serene in that moment, completely calm as if he hadn't just threatened Arthur with repercussions against his own actions. And the blond prince paled in response, swallowing hard past the lump in his throat. He…he just couldn't get rid of the guards! And he didn't want to tell Merlin about the witch, either. Merlin had so much on his plate, was barely even healthy again-Arthur didn't like the way Merlin still looked scrawnier than he did when he had first walked into his kingdom-that he didn't want to worry him about this. How did one even go about telling their husband a witch was obsessed with them? But…he also knew Merlin had a way of starting lightning storms without any of the actual weather included in that. If Merlin said he was going to do it, then it would be done and that was that. The yelling Arthur had endured after Merlin had woken up had been…terrifying. And he still woke up to bits and pieces in his nightmares surfacing to him in the waking world. He could hardly imagine what something even bigger would look like, or how…public it would be.

Fuck.

Arthur deserved to be yelled and lectured and beaten in front of his own father by the consort.

"I-um…are you sure you don't want my guards to accompany you down into the marketplace? They can hold your bags for you if you plan on purchasing a lot of stuff. Which you definitely should. Purchase a lot of stuff, I mean. I think you deserve whatever you want to buy. And don't just stop at whatever Gaius wants. You should find something for yourself too-" Arthur stuttered dumbly…perhaps if he wasn't so concerned about what Merlin would do next, then he might have picked up on Merlin's stumble. The way he almost said 'forest' and not marketplace. Perhaps Arthur really would have tied Merlin up if he knew he was going to risk himself by traveling outside the protection that the Great wall provided for them. "I mean, you probably haven't seen the many uses a knight could have. It's a lot more than just slashing at somebody if they try and attack you. I once had a dozen or so knights walking behind me with arms full of this stuff I ended up throwing out later. I just wanted to see how many knights I can get to carry my stuff for me. A bunch of new recruits who didn't realize it was something they could've turned me down for."

Arthur let out a snorted laugh, remembering the stupidity and waste of proper resources he had done when he was fifteen. But Merlin's impassive stare did not waver more than it took to wrinkle his nose in disgust. And Arthur's laugh died down into nothing, until an awkward silence filled between them, though Arthur was almost positive he was the only one who could feel it. The prince brought a hand to scratch at the back of his head, averting his eyes as he was forced to wonder about the sheer stupidity of what he had just said. His little consort had been right again, Arthur really did never think before he said one word. As if Merlin, a boy who had grown up with nothing, more be amused by the antics of a spoiled prince who had nothing better to do than force grown men into doing his bidding. It was…Arthur didn't say a word this time whenever the consort turned back on his heel again, leaving him behind.

Arthur…he had a feeling that this was something that was going to happen far more than he cared for. Him being left in embarrassment and discontent with all his failed tries at connecting with Merlin on some level. And the other boy leaving him behind in the dust because Arthur didn't amuse him. There is this …hole, somewhere in the center of Arthur's chest that made him feel hollow to know this was how his interactions with Merlin was going to go from now on…a hole only Merlin would be able to fill…he was fully prepared to let the other go this time. He would have to ream out his knights for getting caught before he'd figure out a new way of keeping Merlin safe, but for now…Arthur didn't have a choice other than to let Merlin walk away from him.

Or at least, that was how it was supposed to go.

Until Merlin got a few feet away from him and tripped over one of the stones that stuck out uneven from the ground. It almost seemed to be happening in slow motion, the startled gasp of surprise that erupted from Merlin's lips when he went down. The crashing of Merlin's small body slamming against the dirty ground, when Merlin should have people kissing the ground in front of his feet and not sprawled across it himself. The hiss Merlin forced out as he carefully turned over so that he was sitting on his bottom, gingerly holding his wrist in-between his legs. Maybe Arthur overreacted, spurn by the panic of his consort once again being hurt right in front of him and doing nothing to stop it, as he'd gotten to Merlin's side faster than the span of a single heartbeat.

"MERLIN! Are you okay! Are you bleeding anywhere! Is the bone in your wrist okay or did you damage it more!" Arthur exclaimed in rapid succession, falling down onto his knees beside his consort, his hands hovering over Merlin as he felt…completely useless. The need to finally touch his consort, lay claim onto him as he checked him over for any damages…broken bones that would need Arthur to help carry him to the physician, or spots that were bleeding that was going to need Arthur's tongue to stem the bleeding. Arthur would have hardly done that for another man, but for Merlin who deserved the world after what Arthur had done to him, he would lay himself bare and lick the addictive streams that flowed from him in vibrate red. "Do I need to bring you to your uncle? Please, I can help you! Just let me, let me…" Arthur shook his head rapidly, he couldn't do anything without having Merlin's permission. Or their fighting was going to start up again, but he couldn't just do nothing either. "Good god, Merlin. You'll need to be more careful about where you walk! What could've happened if you were at the top of the stairs and tripped! You could've broken your neck!"

Arthur was a man prone to getting angry when he felt like there was nothing he could do to remedy a situation. And the prince glared hateful daggers to the stone who had done this, knowing he would use his sword to pry it out from the ground if he was able. He would need one of the stone men to come here with immediacy to flatten the stone out somewhere. He wouldn't allow this horrid…hazard to go without being corrected. What would Arthur have done if he had truly landed wrong? What would Arthur have done if it was the cracking of the neck he had heard, the blankness of Merlin's dead eyes staring up at him from where he laid sprawled on the ground, knowing the last thing he had done for Merlin was chase him across the field as if he was some kind of loon. That was not a memory Merlin should not have of him! Just like he shouldn't have marks on his knees from the fall, torn pants with bleeds of blood trying to make their way through the ripped skin and fabric. It wasn't a horrid wound, there would be no problem to have Merlin walk to his uncle's for treatment and ointment to be rubbed on. But Arthur could hardly allow his consort to WALK his very own injured self to the physician's chambers. No. Arthur would just have to really pick him up, one arm under the knees and one behind Merlin's back, just like a peasant would when carrying their bride over the doorstep of their new home together, in order to carry him there.

"IT'S HARDLY THE FIRST TIME I WOULD HAVE FALLEN DOWN THE STAIRS IF I HAD BEEN AT THE TOP WHEN I FELL!" Merlin practically bellowed, his anger at himself and this situation getting the best of him as his impassiveness was fading away. Arthur nearly fell backwards in surprise, blinking rapidly, taking in what Merlin had just said, cold horror spreading through his body and gripping onto his heart like a vice. Surely…surely Merlin didn't mean he had actually fell down the stairs here? An incident like that would've been reported straight to him if his consort had suffered the kind of injuries a fall down the stairs would have surely left him with. But then again…his physician's loyalties rested sorely with his nephew. It was very likely the older man wouldn't have bothered trying to inform Arthur of the incident, not if he rightfully assumed the prince would not have cared to hear it. But…just how bad was Merlin's fall down the stairs? Surely Arthur-as he scrambled back in order to search his memories of Merlin that lived rent free in his mind-would have noticed if there were suspicious or odd injuries on his body. Arthur spent so much of his day and time just staring at Merlin…he must've noticed! But then again, there had been weeks at a time where he and Merlin would avoid each other for one reason or the other. So, it was entirely possible that this incident could have fallen sometime during that gap…Arthur still felt this almost crazy urge to have all the staircases inside the castle be disbanded or cut off somewhere. Irrational it was, just like wanting to rid the courtyard of that one cobblestone, in order to prevent his consort from getting hurt. "BUT I AM SO FUCKING SORRY THAT I'M A KLUTZ AND CANNOT WALK ON MY OWN TWO FEET! YOUR MAJESTY! BUT I AM SURE THAT WHAT LITTLE EMBARRASSMENT I HAVE CAUSED YOU NOW, WILL BE OVER LONG BEFORE I FEEL IT LEAVING ME!"

Arthur jerked his hands back, startled by the sharp u-turn Merlin had suddenly undertaken, but it wasn't unwarranted. Sourness coated the back of Arthur's tongue as he tucked his hands back against his legs, realizing he had made it so much worse with what he said. Merlin thought he was messing around with him, or berating him for not being able to walk in a straight line. But Arthur was not trying to be mean, he really wasn't! He had only been trying to caution his consort to be more careful, because he didn't enjoy the sight of blood-Merlin's blood and the one thing that was keeping him alive still-flowing from him. This was for Arthur's sake more than for Merlin's. He actually thought Merlin being unable to trip over nothing but air to be-dare he say it-charming. How he could be walking and talking-yelling-in one moment, and then flat on his face before the prince could blink. The only thing Arthur didn't appreciate-once again he'd sent threatening eyes towards the bloodstained knees that were not drawn by Arthur's hands-was the damage it wrought onto Merlin's body. Perhaps Arthur needed to throw himself into his training more, teach himself to have far more sharper reflexes than he already did in order to catch Merlin the next time the consort took a spill. If only Merlin would allow him to touch…things could not be, literally, worse than they were between them.

"That isn't what I meant when I told you to be more careful about where you are walking." Arthur gritted out through his clenched teeth, he could feel the hint of irritation shooting through him, telling him to do something outrageous like actually 'tell' Merlin he wasn't allowed to bleed unless Arthur wanted him too. But the frustration was mounting in the prince as Merlin continued putting up a fight against him. He had to force that frustration down as well, forcing it into the smallest ball that he could. Hidden somewhere where he would never be able to access it again, before saying something that would hopefully end up less disturbing to Merlin, "I simply don't want you to hurt yourself. Does it actually sound crazy that I don't want you spilling your lifeblood all across the castle. As my consort, it's not good for you to be dripping blood all over."

There, Arthur thought firmly, there was absolutely no chance of Merlin being able to twist something like that around on him. Arthur was just trying to do his best to show…to show Merlin that he cared. Did he care? Or was this just his guilt for everything…no. Arthur decided in that moment. He wasn't doing all of this, and embarrassing himself in front of Merlin, simply because he wanted to assuage himself of his guilt. He wouldn't be working this hard at it if he did not care on some level. And fuck, was he actually WORKING on trying to get a small hint of Merlin's approval. Usually, people would just placate Arthur if he did something to upset them, giving him mellow smiles while later cursing out his name, because they didn't want Arthur to get upset. But Merlin didn't care about Arthur being upset. He WANTED Arthur to be upset. Which meant that the prince had to work twice as hard in order to gain his forgiveness. But this was just so…so…so HARD! When Merlin wouldn't even give him one inch.

"Actually, yes. You sound like nothing but an addled brain toad trying to woo the princess into his pond." Merlin sneered, his leg bent at the knee so he was able to press his hands against the wound to stem the bleeding. Arthur had to blink…an addled brain toad…this would always be remembered as the first and only time Merlin had called him an…addled brain toad. "But since I'm not any Princess, your crap or whatever you think you're doing by chasing after me will not work! It didn't work when you showed up at my chambers after I woke up, wanting to spew your crap! It didn't work when you KISSED ME!" Merlin yelled out that last word, and the prince's eyes went wide as a surge of unmistakable panic surged through him. He glanced around, his face turning brighter, more red, than a blood red moon would be, to make sure nobody had heard Merlin's announcement. "And it's not going to work now! Hell, you can just go straight to hell yourself, Arthur Pendragon! And go there knowing that I will spend each and every day of my life denying your crap. Denying your apologies, and your sudden interest in me, and your sudden decision to pretend you care about me for one second! Oh, and I will always fight tooth and nail to deny you what you think is YOURS!"

Merlin threw himself back up to his feet, and Arthur dragged his shoulders back up to his ears, taking a moment to himself…he knew what Merlin meant by this. Knew Merlin was taking what Arthur told him that day at his bedside-about how Merlin was his and belonged to him and would always be so there wasn't any reason to doubt his claim on the boy-and throwing it straight back into his face. Almost violently so. That moment had been something that was really vulnerable to Arthur-hidden by a dominating demeanor-and here Merlin was throwing it back in his face. Arthur had worked through his emotions for so long before that moment, going back and forth on how much Merlin really was his. Arthur had never meant to ever allow Merlin to know how much he'd been thinking of Merlin as His. But he had. And now Merlin was treating it like it was some kind of joke and…Arthur didn't even know what he was supposed to do now. Merlin should just go. He should go while he still had the chance to do so, before Arthur did something…horrible to him.

Arthur Pendragon finally looked up limply, preparing himself to stand up and bow his head-what a marvel thought, for a prince should never lower down his head for anybody-and offer one more apology before taking his leave since it was clear they weren't going anywhere with this. But just as Arthur met eyes with the hate that filled Merlin's, leaving the prince shuddering from where he sat on his knees on the ground…his eye caught something else. Something he saw sticking out from beneath Merlin's jacket color. And Arthur didn't exactly know what it was about the color…gold, it was gold…but his mouth went so dry he felt as if he had just ate several large mouthfuls of sand. But…gold. Merlin was wearing gold…Arthur wasn't thinking before he jumped to his feet, already reaching out for Merlin's jacket.

"What do you think you are doing!" Merlin exclaimed loudly the second Arthur had a hand wrapped around the collar of his jacket, voice full of panic as the prince started prying it open…the prince hissed sharply and jerked his hand away as a sharp stinging bruised him even past his gloves. He cradled tightly onto his hand, holding it against his chest…Merlin had just hit him. As if he was chastising a child that had gotten out of hand…Arthur couldn't remember the last time he had gotten spanked like that. By his father, surely. But also many years ago, when Arthur was still learning how to conduct himself. And Merlin was jerking his jacket closed, sealing the gold away from Arthur and his very greedy eyes. "That's what you bloody well get! Are you absolutely mad right now! You don't…you don't…you don't get to go undressing people like that! I don't believe not even YOU have that right, Arthur Pendragon!"

Merlin's face was flaming, making the blue of his eyes look vibrant against the color working its way down his neck, but it was nothing compared to the flush of heat that coursed its way down Arthur's entire body. From the tip of his hair and down to the tip of his toes, making his armor feel sweaty and suffocating in a way that it never was. Undressing…the embarrassment was heavy and oh so thick in the air, and Arthur didn't know what he was supposed to do with a thing such as that! He wasn't…he wasn't trying too…it was absolutely absurd for Merlin to shout something like that for any nosy ear who might pass them by to hear them.

"I wasn't…I wasn't…Merlin! I'm not trying to undress you! I'm not one of those men who you have…have…relations with!" Arthur choked out, though his own voice sounded strangled. He saw Merlin's eyebrows furrowing together in the center of his forehead, and the way he mouthed 'relations?' but Arthur hardly cared for Merlin's innocent act right now. Merlin didn't get to just go and start screaming that Arthur was 'undressing him.' Arthur wasn't trying to see Merlin in all his naked glory! He wasn't trying to do that at all! He just wanted to see what golden monstrosity Merlin might be wearing under his jacket. It was this strong curiosity and urge that overtook him, an almost rabid need encouraging him to check it out for himself. Maybe it was because Arthur had never seen the boy in golden silks that made him crave seeing it. Or maybe he just wanted to see if Merlin looked good in gold…like his fantasies oh, so long ago… "I only wanted to see your tunic! It's not the usual peasant garb so forgive me! Forgive me for wanting to see what it was that caught your eye that you would actually be willing to wear! When you turn down everything else under the sun!"

Arthur knew screaming at Merlin was going a step too far, seeing the way the consort's entire face twisted into a rabid snarl of absolute HATRED! But Arthur couldn't take back what he had said either, the frustration over how HARD it's going to be trying to talk to Merlin from now on, finally reaching a boiling point for the both of them. But Arthur had spent so many moons just pure hating on the consort, pushing his buttons like this to the extreme, that it was very easy to give into that frustration again. He honestly wasn't sure if he even knew just how to be anything different than the piece of shit he's been all this time. And Merlin had a good way of reminding him exactly why it was going to be a bad idea to challenge him.

"I'm not wearing anything of yours. The only reason I'm wearing it at all would be because I literally have nothing else and it was either this or go naked, but I will have to say, the option is looking more and more appealing by the second." Merlin snarled, nearly spitting mad and foaming at the mouth. Arthur could've even sworn Merlin's eyes had flashed red in his anger, even as Arthur's heart gave a mighty lurch at the imagery Merlin had provided. Because exactly what would Arthur have done if he came across his consort and realized he wasn't wearing anything under his jacket. Leaving just miles and miles of all that pale flawless skin opened to be viewed by the masses. "But hey, if you wanted to see so bloody bad, then you will bloody well see."

And with those words, Merlin in a fit of defiant rage, ripped his jacket open just wide enough for Arthur to get a good look at what was underneath.

And one of these days, Arthur's gonna learn that some things…are better left to being a mystery.