The King and His Sorcerer

Part IX: An Intrusion

Arthur had barely spoken two words to Merlin since ‘the mistake’. Merlin knew that it was because of a wide range of reasons. But he still found himself wishing that Arthur would just talk to him about what happened, instead of acting like they were complete strangers every time they crossed paths. Which was often.

“Merlin, wipe that sorry look off your face. We can’t have our guests thinking that our servants are unhappy,” Arthur ordered.

Merlin scowled, his forehead wrinkling.

Arthur stared at him bluntly.

“Merlin.”

Merlin shrugged, refusing to give into the prince. He set his lips in a deep frown. When Arthur took a step towards him, he glared into the prince’s eyes.

“Is this about what happened the other day?”

“I wasn’t aware that we were permitted to speak of the mistake, my lord,” Merlin answered.

Arthur heaved a sigh, his shoulders falling.

“It was a mistake. And no, we are not permitted to talk about it. But I also do not want you to walk around with that look on your face. I haven’t seen you smile in three days.”

That’s because we haven’t spoken more than two words to each other in three days, you prat, Merlin thought to himself.

Arthur moved even closer. Merlin found he barely noticed.

He did notice, however, when Arthur’s fingers smoothed the skin of his forehead. He immediately stepped away from the prince, shaking his head.

“Don’t,” he warned.

Merlin registered the surprise on Arthur’s face, just before he left his chambers altogether.

~

“Merlin, I hate to see you like this,” Gaius said softly, a few minutes after Merlin had skulked into the room.

Merlin rolled his eyes. Couldn’t he get away with a few days of unhappiness? Wasn’t he warranted some self loathing and pity time? He couldn’t be happy every single day, after all.

“I’m fine, Gaius. I just need a bit of time to myself.”

Gaius frowned. “Unfortunately, that’s not possible tonight, Merlin. You know that Princess Evelyn is dining with the royal family this evening.”

Merlin groaned, throwing the book he was reading down on the table. Simply wonderful. Now I have to watch Arthur fawning over another girl.

~

The dinner passed without event. The Lady Morgana kept the princess entertained, and Arthur looked positively pained with the whole affair. Merlin found a quiet pleasure in his discomfort.

Just as Merlin intended to turn in for the night in his rooms, a young tailor caught his arm in the hallway.

Merlin turned to look at him, and the boy looked positively terrified.

“Merlin! You must help me.”

“What is it?”

“The prince has a speech tomorrow morning, for the princess, and I was supposed to have this outfit to him by tonight,” he explained, holding up the garments.

Merlin nodded. “I’ll take it to his chambers. Do not worry.”

Scowling to himself about potentially seeing Arthur again, Merlin made his way to the prince’s chambers. He would not let the poor boy suffer because of his personal feelings.

Merlin tugged open the doors to Arthur’s chambers, and stopped dead in his tracks.

In front of him was Arthur, shirtless, holding a very flushed Evelyn against his chest. The stays of her corset were all but undone, and she was in the midst of kissing Arthur’s neck.

Merlin could not help the small gasp that came from him. At the sound, Arthur’s eyes rose from where they were assisting his hands with the princess’s dress. They widened at the sight of Merlin. The prince opened his mouth, as if to say something, but the princess breathed his name and lowered her hands to his trousers. Arthur’s eyes fluttered closed.

Merlin dropped the clothes on the floor, and turned away from the scene. He wanted to be gone before Arthur opened his lust filled eyes again.

~

Merlin was in an empty hallway, hurrying along, when he heard Arthur call his name.

“Merlin!”

He refused to acknowledge the prince, and kept up his brisk pace down the corridor.

“Merlin!”

Again, he refused to answer Arthur. After what he had just witnessed, he wasn’t sure if he could ever look the prince in the eyes again. He would forever be reminded of that … desire that he saw there. Desire that was in no way for him. Never would be for him.

Suddenly, Merlin’s back was pressed against the stone wall, and Arthur was right in front of him.

“Let me go,” Merlin said, voice carefully void of any emotion.

Arthur’s eyes frantically searched his servant's face. Merlin noticed then that Arthur’s shirt was completely untied.

“Have time to pull on a shirt?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. The coldness in his voice startled himself.

Arthur pulled back slightly.

“You were never meant to see that.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that it was happening.”

“I don’t have to answer to you, Merlin.”

“Then why are you here? I left, as required. Why then, are you here, with me? Instead of ruining that girl’s virtue?”

Arthur squared his jaw.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t be here, after all.”

Merlin observed him coolly. “Perhaps you shouldn’t. I apologise for the intrusion. I hope the princess is still willing to participate upon your return.”

Rolling his eyes heavenward, Arthur groaned. “Merlin,” he started.

Merlin pushed him away with both hands. “I am not entirely sure why you followed me, Arthur, but I thought you’d made it abundantly clear that anything that has happened between us has been a mistake.”

Arthur grabbed Merlin’s hands, pressing them against his chest.

“I don’t know what to say to make this better.”

“There is nothing to say, my lord. You are my master, and I am your servant. You owe me nothing.”

And then Merlin turned on his heel, leaving Arthur standing in the dimly lit hallway alone. But what he didn’t see was the look of pain upon the prince’s face, and the shape of Merlin’s name upon his lips as his servant disappeared into the darkness.