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Arthur came across a witch doing magic in the castle, she was blasting things, as if trying to get someones attention. Arthur enters the hallway, empty aside from the two of them. He clears his throat.
She turns around to look at him. “You’re Uther’s son, are you not? The man who knows not how to treat women with respect.”
“I see you’ve heard of me.” He draws his sword.
She laughs. “You think I fear you, Pendragon?”
He runs up to her, but she blasts him backwards. As he stands up, he feels weird. He looks down at his chest that’s suddenly heavier. The armour doesn’t fit him as well as it used to.
“What have you done with me?!”
“My, what could you possibly mean?”
Arthur backs her against the wall with his sword pressed against her neck.
“Change me back!” He pressed the sword harder against her, still not drawing blood.
Suddenly he is pushed back by magical wind. “Foolish boy, I’ve done you a favour. Now you get to experience life through the eyes of a woman. Hope you enjoy your present.” She chuckles and disappears into thin air.
“Wait!” He yells, but she’s gone.
He kicks the bed.
He needs to find someone who can help him change back. He knows his father wont believe that he’s his son when he looks like a girl. Pretending you’re the prince would be treason. He wasn’t keen on being put in any cell.
No one can know about this. He needs to find Merlin. Surely the idiot is useful for something. Though he might laugh at him….
No, now is not the time to be prideful. If he wants this fixed, he needs help.
Arthur has looked for Merlin everywhere, but he can’t find him. He’s not at Gaius’s, not at Guinevere’s, who thankfully didn’t recognize him. Not anywhere in the castle. He was walking by the tavern when he noticed a glimpse of him inside. He did a double take. Of course Merlin is in the tavern.
He starts walking inside angrily. Then before Merlin notices him, he stops himself.
He looks like a girl. Does that mean Merlin might be attracted to him like this. He already looked in the mirror, he knows he’s an attractive girl. Can he really pass up a chance like this?
Arthur knows it’s wrong, but he can’t miss this opportunity. He approaches Merlin, and sits in the seat next to him.
“Hi, I haven’t seen you around before.” He makes the pitch of his voice higher than he needs to. Forgetting that he doesn’t have to try to sound like a girl.
“Oh that’s because I don’t come here often, on the contrary to some belief, I don’t really have a lot of free time to spend here.” Arthur can tell that’s aimed at him. As if he’d believe it though, if he doesn’t come here often then how come this is where Arthur found him? “My name is Merlin, and you are?”
“A… Anne.” Arthur almost told him his name. He puts on his most charming smile “Pleasure to meet you.” He shakes Merlin’s hand.
Later into the night, Arthur realises if this is going to get anywhere, he's going to have to get bolder. Merlin seems awfully content with just chatting with him in a friendly matter. Now a few drinks in Arthur starts trying to flirt in any way he thinks a woman would. He leans closer, he twirls his hair, he unbuttons a few buttons. Merlin barely acknowledges any of it until finally something in his daft head seems to click.
“Are you flirting with me?”
Arthur sweats, he didn't expect Merlin to be so direct. “Maybe”
Merlin looks a bit awkward now. His eyes are shifty. He smiles politely. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t like women.”
Arthur’s eyes widen. “You mean you-?”
Merlin covers Arthur’s mouth with one hand. “Yeah, and keep quiet about it. Not everyone needs to know.”
Arthur’s mind is reeling. He’s been so sure Merlin has been straight. Does this mean he has a chance? Or does this change nothing? Is he already with someone? Who’s most likely to be dating Merlin?
“Are you dating Gwaine?” He blurted out before he could stop himself.
“Hah! As if he could settle down with anyone.” Merlin sipped at his beer.
Arthur felt so relieved, he had often wondered about those two.
“I’ve slept with him though.”
What.
“He’s damn good at it too. If you’re looking for a good time you can find him in almost any tavern. He sleeps with men and women.”
Arthur must have looked disgusted because Merlin started laughing. “Not a fan of Gwaine I take it?”
Arthur shakes his head. “He’s not my type.”
Merlin nods. “Well he certainly isn’t for everyone.” He shrugs. “Maybe prince Arthur is more up your alley.”
“Is he up yours?” Arthur asks before he can stop himself.
“Well...” Merlin snorts. “He’s not bad on the eyes that’s for sure. But...”
“But?” Arthur urged him on.
“He’s too bossy, he probably wouldn’t be a good lover.”
Arthur feels his face flush. Disappointment settle in his stomach. Is that what Merlin thought of him? That he was too bossy? He is the future king. Ordering people around is what he’s supposed to do. Maybe Merlin would prefer someone that wasn’t a noble?
Arthur realizes he’s been quiet for maybe too long. “Well I can’t image it being fun being with someone like that...” He says sadly. He takes a small sip of his beer.
Merlin sighs. “Yeah, he’s got a stick up his butt. Though, I wouldn’t mind shoving my stick up his butt.” Arthur spits out his beer.
There’s a puddle of beer on the table. Arthur stands up in a rush to catch the glass. “I’m sorry I-”
“Don’t worry about it” Merlin says. Before Arthur knows what to do, Merlin is already on his way to get something to clean the table with.
Merlin starts cleaning the table but then slows down his movements suddenly. “Anna, can I tell you a secret?” Arthur now realizes that Merlin is quite drunk.
Arthur nods.
“Despite Arthur being arrogant, bossy and just the worst lover I can image, I-” Merlin clears his throat. “I think he’s quite lovely.” Merlin smiles at him and his heart skips. “There’s no one in the world that I’d have in his stead.” Merlin pauses. “He’s...he’s truly amazing. He’s destined to do great things. He’ll be the greatest king for centuries to come.”
Arthur feels his heart swell with love and appreciation for his manservant. He almost feels undeserving of all this praise. He wants to believe in Merlin’s faith in him, but Merlin gives him a very high standard to live up to.
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It was getting late. Merlin was walking him home. Or to a place which he pretended was his home. Merlin seems to have sobered up.
Before he could let this night end, there was one thing he needed to know.
“What would you… what would you do if you knew Arthur was in love with you.”
Merlin doesn’t reply for a while. Arthur started suspecting Merlin might not have heard him until he finally answered. “Like if I knew for sure?”
“Yeah.”
Merlin hums and looks thoughtful for a while. “As much as I’d like to be his...lover” Merlin says shyly. “There are a few complications that prevent us from being together. I’m happy to just be his servant, really seeing him become the great king I know he will be, that’s all I can really ask for.”
Arthur hates this answer.
“Don’t you think it’s unfair to you that you can’t be with someone even though you both love each other. Who cares if he’s a king and you’re a servant? Who cares if you’re both men? I certainly don’t, and I think it’s stupid to let things like that come in between true love.”
Merlin barks out a laughter and ruffles Arthur’s hair. “Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself. True love?”
Arthur shakes him off him.
“Thanks.” Merlin says finally. “I don’t think it can be that simple though. Not to mention that those weren’t our only complications. There’s one big one that’s in the way of us ever being together.”
“Which is?” Arthur demands.
Merlin hesitates. “I don’t know if I can say any more, but...” Merlin looks like he’s picking out his next words carefully. “I can’t be myself around him. I don’t know if I ever will be able to.” He smiled sadly.
What is Merlin talking about? What does he mean? “I’m sure Arthur would prefer it if you could be yourself around him. Don’t you think you owe him that at least?”
Merlin looks at him surprised. He then stops walking so Arthur stops too.
“Do you really think I can be honest with him? Are you sure he will be able to accept me for who I am, no matter what?”
“I’m sure no matter what it is, your...relationship is more important to him.”
Merlin takes his hands in his. He looks deep into Arthur’s eyes. “Promise?” He asks.
“Promise.” Arthur confirms.
Merlin looks a bit hesitant, but shakes it off. “Oh, okay... okay.”
Arthur sees Merlin’s eyes flash a golden colour. Merlin whispers something under his breath and suddenly there’s an orb of light hovering above their hands. Arthur recognizes the light from when it appeared to him on his quest to save Merlin’s life. It had guided him to safety and saved his life.
He felt numb. He didn’t know how to react.
“Arthur… please say something.”
Arthur’s breath hitched. “You knew?” Arthur demanded.
“Not-” Merlin took a breath. “Not at first, I could tell there’s magic around you, but I didn’t recognize your energy at first. I didn’t realize until-” Merlin looked flustered. “Until you asked me what I would do if I knew you had feelings for me. Your aura shined through, I don’t know how to explain this but I just knew.”
Arthur didn’t speak, almost convinced he had forgotten how. Merlin was still holding his hands.
Merlin suddenly pulled him into an alley. He looked around anxiously as if checking if someone was watching or listening.
“If this is my last day as a free man in Camelot...” Merlin searched Arthur’s eyes for something.
“I-” Before Arthur can say anything, Merlin’s lips are on his.
Arthur can’t remember a time when he hadn’t wanted this. He wants to pull Merlin closer, to wrap his arms around him and never let go, but Merlin pulls back before he can say anything.
Merlin whispers something Arthur doesn’t understand. When Arthur opens his eyes he notices that Merlin isn’t towering over him as much as he had been this whole night. Arthur reaches down and feels his dick. He’s back.
Merlin laughs at him.
Arthur pulls him into another kiss. He digs his fingers into Merlin’s arms, silently trying to tell him to stay. That he needs him.
When he pulls back from the kiss, he can see the adoration in Merlin’s eyes. His heart melts.
“Merlin, escort me to my chamber.”
Merlin smiled fondly. “Anything you wish, my lord.”