The King and His Sorcerer

Part XI: Everything

“Merlin. Stop. Just stop.”

Merlin turned to look at his prince, startled by the command. He had been on his way out of the prince’s chambers when Arthur had told him to stop. Merlin couldn’t fathom why. He had all the soiled clothing in his arms, he’d given Arthur his dinner … he didn’t know what else Arthur would need him for.

“What is it, my lord?”

Arthur huffed, pushing his hair back with one hand. “You.”

Merlin raised one eyebrow. “Me?”

Nodding, Arthur pushed the clothes from Merlin’s hands. Merlin looked from the clothes on the floor to the face of his prince, somewhere between annoyed and amused.

“You need to come back to me.”

Merlin’s heart skipped, despite himself. “Whatever do you mean?”

Arthur groaned, and leaned forward. Merlin took a step away from him.

“This,” Arthur exclaimed. “I mean this! You’re always pulling away from me, answering me with curt words and tones. You’re not you, Merlin, and I want you back.”

“What about Evelyn?” Merlin all but spat the name.

Arthur’s shoulders slumped, and he rested his back against the bed frame. “Evelyn was no one. Nothing.”

Merlin’s stomach twisted. How could the princess have been nothing? When they were …. ?

“It did not look like nothing,” he replied.

Arthur’s eyes locked onto his. “I don’t want to talk about this again. Evelyn isn’t here now. You are.”

Merlin cast his eyes downwards. “And what exactly does that mean?”

Suddenly the prince’s fingers were gripping Merlin’s chin, raising his eyes to look into Arthur’s. “It means,” he said, “that you are my everything. I cannot function adequately without you. Every day you do not wish me good luck, I fear I will never return. Every night you do not bid me well, I fear I will not sleep. Every time I look at you and you glance away, I feel as if there is no purpose to my eyes. Every time I touch you and you do not acknowledge it, I feel as if my hands are useless. You are everything to me, Merlin. And I cannot bear the distrust I see in your eyes every day.”

Merlin could not believe the words he was hearing. His eyes widened which each syllable that left Arthur’s mouth. Perhaps he was dreaming. Mayhap none of this was actually happening.

“Is this real?” he breathed.

Arthur smiled warmly, moving his hand so his palm cupped Merlin’s cheek. “This is as real as anything, Merlin. I want my everything back.”

Merlin nodded once, the feel of Arthur’s rough palm against his cheek a pleasure too exquisite to describe. “Then it shall be, my lord.”