Chapter Text
Arthur was used to storming around the castle looking for his incompetent mess of a manservant, that wasn’t new in the slightest.
what was odd however was where he found the idiot.
Morgana looks at him as he opens her door, Merlin sitting by her looking like a rabbit caught in a snare. “So this is where you’ve been hiding. I've been looking for you for the past hour, and you were sitting up here making flower crowns with Morgana?!” He huffed.
“My apologies, usually I hear your obnoxious yells long before then.” Merlin snarked getting up, and Arthur glared, not finding his retorts amusing. especially given how much time he’s wasted.
“Well if you don’t want me to yell perhaps you should stop disappearing.” He said, shoving his servant. who for once did the smart thing and walked out of the room for Arthur to follow, so he could give the idiot his list of chores.
A one time incident, no big deal.
Until it happened a week later.
Once again he finds Merlin chatting with Morgana, and then it happens again, and again, and again. He was starting to get a little annoyed.
“How many times am I going to have to walk halfway across the castle because of your stupid little meetings Merlin? I’m starting to think I should ask my father to put you in the stocks!” He growled, while Morgana giggled at something Merlin muttered under his breath.
“What was that?” Arthur asked annoyed.
“It’s an honor to serve you sire. I mean after all you are the crowned prince. who wouldn’t want to put up with you all the time?” He huffed walking past the prince.
Arthur made him muck out the stables after that, and he hoped maybe when being punished Merlin might see sense. after all he was stupid, but certainly not brainless.
Then the next day it happened again, then again, and again, and Arthur nearly snapped.
what could they be going on about that was so interesting that Merlin would neglect his duties, and face punishments just to go on doing it.
He needed answers.
“Morgana!?” Arthur storms into the ward’s room, seeing her jolt clearly caught off guard.
“Oh Arthur, what a surprise what are you doing here at this time of night?” She asked, tilting her head slightly, as Arthur walked around her room upset.
“What are you doing with Merlin? What is so great that instead of doing his job he’s just constantly showing up here?” He huffed, noticing her green eyes following him as he paced around considering her answer.
“He just helps me. Which he’s allowed to do might I add, he is a servant.” She said looking away from him, instead watching her window, and Arthur stopped walking.
for some reason that one statement made him more angry then this entire situation.
“You have Gwen for a reason Morgana! Merlin is my personal servant, he can’t avoid my requests whenever you need him!” He spat, and she spun back toward him. suddenly seeming as furious as Arthur, which he didn’t expect.
“I’m allowed to call for any servant in the palace Arthur, as are you! Gods, you can be so possessive of that boy, if your grip was any tighter his neck would be crushed!” She growled, and Arthur felt as though his skin were burning. Obviously angry he was at such an embarrassingly untrue statement.
“I am not possessive!” He said, Morgana scoffed as Arthur left, slamming the door behind him.
That went well.
After that mess he still kept having to retrieve Merlin. while now receiving death glares from Morgana on top of it.
things had gotten to the point where he’d be more shocked when Merlin wasn’t there, after he disappears.
He still didn’t understand why she needed him with her, or why Merlin agreed. He should help Arthur, given it is his job after all. despite his insolence Merlin never quit, nor had he ever been happy at the prospect of being fired. so why?
Why would he choose her over him?
Arthur, like usual, is planning on picking Merlin up from Morgana’s chambers. when he heard two handmaidens murmuring.
nothing new, being in the castle all the time resulted in a lot of material for gossip, personal, political, you name it. so he had just planned on walking past them. when he heard Merlin's name and stopped.
“he’s going to her chambers everyday for that?” One asked, clearly finding whatever was said about the manservant to be scandalous somehow.
“That's what I heard from the servants by her. ‘parently it’s been going on for weeks?” The other maiden says, and the younger woman nods, meanwhile Arthur was confused. they know why Merlin was going there while he didn’t?
Arthur, despite wanting to ask what they were going on about. He knew the servants usual reaction to him asking for information. They’d probably assume they were in trouble, or Merlin was, and freak out. resulting in one of Gwen’s lectures, that he honestly didn’t want to sit through over this.
So he brushed it off. after all, it could be made up anyway. plenty of gossip is.
He continues throughout his day with Merlin finally doing his work. However he once again heard his servant’s name.
“Merlin and Morgana, my it sounds like a fairytale.” A maiden said, and the servant she was talking to sighs. As though whatever it was they were talking about was tragic.
“Poor Merlin of all the girls to fall for, he chose the one that could get him executed.” The man said, and upon hearing that Arthur immediately ran off away from the two.
Merlin couldn’t possibly be...I mean sure he was there all the time, even when he suffered for it, and sure Morgana when talking about the visits was vague, but...Well surely Morgana had higher standards! Right?
after all, Merlin was a clumsy, stupid, servant, who wouldn’t know responsibility if it smacked him upside the head. Yet he was supposed to believe that mess of a man was with Morgana?
No! no. this wasn’t right. Arthur had to get to the bottom of this. for their sakes.
Arthur went to find Morgana immediately, but couldn’t manage it. It was as though she’d disappeared. which given she was hanging out with Merlin wasn’t that surprising.
He eventually did come across her, nearly twenty minutes later, and Merlin was with her. great! so this should be simple to—
then she kissed him,
and Arthur stopped dead in his tracks. that couldn’t have just happened. He must be having a terrible hallucination.
Morgana seemed to notice him after a bit, and shoved Merlin behind a curtain. “Arthur um, w-what may I do for you?” She said, her voice sounding shaky as she smiled at him. trying to hide her guilt obviously.
Arthur, after the shock had worn off. only saw red, though whether it was caused by Merlin or Morgana he had no clue. “Merlin if my sword isn’t sharpened I’ll make sure to kill you with it.” He growled, pulling his servant out from where he’d been hidden.
The man was smiling like the moron he is, and if Arthur didn’t know any better he’d think Merlin was about to start giggling. though perhaps that would fit given how much he acts like a girl already.
Merlin clears his throat, trying to get himself together. “it’s uh, it’s been done sire.” That fast? He thinks, not understanding how he could’ve managed that. but the curiosity was overpowered by rage, when he infuriatingly noticed Morgana giving goo goo eyes at his manservant.
“Well now I need you to go and prepare my armor. I have training today, and I’m not about to get ready myself.” He said, wanting Merlin to buzz off. while he had a chat with Morgana, who was still staring at Merlin. Why would she want to stare anyway?
“Well obviously sire, you can’t do anything for yourself.” He said, and Arthur hits him in the back of the head. not letting that go despite the bigger problem to deal with. He can’t just allow him to get away with saying such things to the prince.
Merlin ran off and Arthur glared at Morgana, who watched the man walk away, only aggravating Arthur more. “What was that?!” He asked, and Morgana sighed.
“Look I know you don’t understand, but I really like Merlin and I—“ she starts, and as soon as he hears that Arthur immediately interrupts.
“You’re right I don't! How could you like him of all people? He's clumsy, lazy, a drunk, and he’s not nearly smart enough to make up for it!” He said sternly, and Morgana glared at him.
“He’s loyal, kind, stands up for people, and you have no right to say such hurtful things. even if I didn’t like him!” She said, and Arthur never wanted to kill her more. Merlin was his servant! he knew him better than anyone, except maybe Gaius, how dare Morgana claim that he doesn’t know those things already.
“You shouldn’t be with a servant! even if he were those things, Uther will kill him, and it’ll be your fault!” He said, implying that Uther could find. Making it an empty threat really. he’d never tell his father truthfully, after all he didn’t want to lose a servant like that. no matter how useless.
“You’re truly scum.” She said clearly hurt, and shocked. but Arthur simply left to go to his chambers. hearing Morgana yell more insults down the hall as he did.
Arthur kept hearing rumors, and kept seeing Merlin and Morgana together. It got to the point where he started to get upset whenever Merlin left, because he assumed he’d be seeing Morgana. it was only out of annoyance, and slight concern though, nothing more. what other reason would he have to be so irrationally furious at them both?
No reason. there was no other reason that seeing them kiss made him want to puke. how hearing about them having done even worse through the servants made him feel like he’d just been stabbed by his own knights. no reason why merely seeing Merlin made him feel upset, and even hearing about Morgana had him gain a sudden lust for blood.
He was just annoyed and concerned. that was all. He was sure. until dinner a month or two later.
It was him, Morgana, and his father enjoying awkward silence like normal. until Morgana cleared her throat. “My lord can I make a request?” She asked, and Arthur was immediately suspicious. she was never this polite to the king without reason.
“Certainly.” He said, clearly not caring at all about what she had said. As he tries to eat his food and ignore them both.
“Well you see my handmaiden, she’s very good at what she does, but lately I’ve been practicing with the sword again as I’ve told you. so she’s been having slight issues lifting my armor, and polishing, and all that do to her limited strength. so I was wondering if perhaps I could have a male servant, to help me with such tasks.” She asked, and Arthur was confused. surely she could just ask Merlin right? he was over there so often anyway. though not like Arthur—
“A personal servant. I don’t see why not, after all we have plenty of men that could handle it.” Uther said, which made Morgana smile. Arthur then realized what she was attempting, and he froze, not knowing what to do.
if Merlin became Morgana’s personal servant as well, it’d mean even when he was ignoring Arthur for Morgana, he was still doing his job. then the prince couldn’t complain anymore. So he’d have to just deal with it. let Merlin abandon him for her...no, he won’t let that happen. He couldn’t.
“I have a particular man in mind actually.” She said he had to stop her.
“Really who?” Uther asked curiously.
“Merlin could—“ Arthur cuts her off forcefully.
“Never Merlin’s mine!”
Arthur had stood and slammed his palms on the table as he spoke. Not realizing what just came out of his mouth until far too late. “Mine, mi—my manservant. he’s my manservant not….” He didn’t know what to do. they were staring, he didn’t blame them. gods what had he done???
“I think I’ll excuse myself.” He said, walking off before anyone had the chance to object.
A bit later he was outside hitting things with his mace when he saw Morgana.
“What, come to insult me again? oh wouldn’t that be fun?” He snarked, hitting a rock and crushing it under his weapon. He couldn’t see Morgana’s face, but he knew that she had probably frowned at that.
“No, I came to check on you.” Morgana said in a voice that screamed pity. which honestly felt worse than any insult she would have thrown at him. so he didn’t answer, and just kept crushing things.
“If I had known the extent I wouldn’t have done this.” She said, and Arthur paused. what was she talking about? If she knew how possessive he was??? No she’s the only one who’s made him ever consider it. so what?
“Known?” He starts hoping she’d finish and explain what she’d thought was going on, because Arthur sure as hell didn’t know.
“You’re feelings for him, I thought it was a simple crush but—“ she starts and Arthur turns to her freaked out by the mere thought of him, Arthur Pendragon having feelings for his manservant!
“Woah wait! you think I have feelings for Merlin!?” She blinked at him, as though he had just told her something obvious. which he sort of did, considering he just restated what she said. but that’s not the point!
“Well obviously, you’ve been furious at us ever since he started coming to my chambers—“
“Because he was avoiding his duties!”
“You hated us being in a relationship—“
“You could be punished, and he could’ve been killed!”
“And you literally called him yours ten minutes ago—“
“Because!.....” Wait did he have an explanation for that one? “because….” No he didn’t.
“No, no this can't be happening.” Arthur panicked, he can’t be...no no no, he was straight! He was the crown prince! He-he couldn’t possibly….
“Arthur it’s ok.” Morgana said, being undoubtedly naive. if anyone knew this he’d be the laughing stock of Camelot. his father would be furious, Merlin would be banished from the castle, at a minimum, and everything would be horrible.
Plus even if that was avoided, Merlin thinks of him as an ass. why would he want to carry some secret relationship out with him in the first place?!
“I don’t have feelings for Merlin, he's just my manservant!” He said firmly denying it, but he was quickly learning that it was a lie.
he wasn’t angry because Merlin was ignoring chores, he did it all the time. it’s just usually he did it so he could run errands for Gaius, or drink for whatever reason. not because he was interested in serving someone more than Arthur.
not because he wanted someone else to be around, who didn’t act like a dollophead. or whatever other nonsense words Merlin’s made up for him.
He wasn’t only concerned for their well-being when hating the two being together. He just didn’t want to see Merlin with someone besides him, even if he’d never had admitted any of that out loud right now. He knew it was true because….
He likes Merlin.