Fic: Locked away

osky291

Merlin shifted on the hard floor.

It seemed like he would never learn to control his tongue. Gaius’s stern face kept popping up in his head, berating him for talking back to royalty. Usually the royalty was only Arthur, and it results in him getting clobbered around the head, or at worst he spent an afternoon in the stocks. He must have pushed it too far this time, because he was currently sitting in the dungeons.

He didn’t get it. He hadn’t even been that rude to the visiting prince. In fact, they had been having a perfectly friendly conversation, even bordering on flirting a little, when out of nowhere Arthur had strode over between them and called the guards on him. Merlin’s protests had fallen on deaf ears, and now here he was.

Merlin shifted again, trying to get comfortable. It had been a few hours he had been sitting here, and so far nobody had come to release him, or even explain what had happened. He was a little disappointed, he thought maybe Gaius would have come to visit him like he does when Merlin is in the stocks. He was actually starving as he had missed dinner. He had tried to lie down and go to sleep but he was too wound up. All he could do was wait.

He suddenly heard a door open in the distance and sprung up from where he was sat. Presently, he saw a hooded figure come up to his cell and stop in front of him. The figure seemed to be analyzing Merlin before the person moved to open the cell door. Merlin was wary for a second before he glanced at the hands unlocking his cell.

“Arthur.” he whispered, moving forward, recognizing those gloves instantly. Arthur held up a finger, causing Merlin to stop again. He then raised his hood a little bit, confirming that it was indeed him.

“Not a word,” Arthur said, glancing around, his voice low. Merlin watched on, confused, as Arthur got the door to his cell unlocked and held it open. When Merlin didn’t move, Arthur looked back at him.

“Come on, move it,” he said, causing Merlin to start moving. Merlin didn’t understand what was happening but staying in the dungeons would probably not answer his questions. He followed Arthur out, noticing curiously that none of the guards met their eyes on their way. They had walked almost all the way to Arthur’s living quarters before Merlin lost his patience.

“Arthur, wait, just-”

Arthur stopped for a beat, before suddenly catching Merlin by the wrist and hurrying them both into his chambers. It wasn’t until they were inside and Arthur had locked the door behind him that he let Merlin go.

“All right, who are you and what have you done to Prince Arthur,” Merlin asked him, only half joking. “What in the world is going on?”

“Prince Joffrey has succeeded in bedding every single one of my manservants every time he has visited Camelot,” Arthur said without precedent. “I apologise Merlin but I had to lock you away.”

Merlin stared at him, unable to believe what he just heard.

“So I had to spend the whole day in the dungeons because you don’t like to share your toys?”

“It’s not-” Arthur turned away, frustrated. “They weren’t toys. And no, I don’t share toys with bullies who break them.”

“Aww I didn’t know you cared, Arthur,” Merlin teased, and to his amusement, the tips of Arthur’s ears turned pink even as he still avoided looking at Merlin. Merlin walked around him to look Arthur in the face and continued. “And I won’t be tempted by another Prince into going to bed with him,” Merlin said. He waited until Arthur looked at him. “I have my eye on the one I want already.”

With that, Merlin quickly walked around Arthur again and moved to walk out.

“See you in the morning, Sire,” he called out to Arthur who was still standing where Merlin had left him. Merlin chuckled all the way back to his chambers.