Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 14)
Author: ext_4137531
Title: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 13)
Rating: PG-13 (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Morgana
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Morgana invites Merlin to their horse ride, much to Arthur's chagrin.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,194
Prompt: #492 - Stamina
Author's Notes: Sorry it's late and over the word count. 🙈
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13
For the next few weeks Merlin felt like he was in a kind of fever dream. He painted, as expected. But he did not think about the subject of his work. Instead he thought of blond hair, piercing, accusing blue eyes, taut stomachs and muscled shoulders.
He spent more time than he should in his room, thinking and sketching. The sketches were all of the same person, of course. Merlin was pretty sure he could draw Arthur in his sleep now.
Of course, art wasn't the only thing occupying his time. Merlin found himself increasingly obsessed with fantasies featuring Arthur and all the things Arthur might do to him if they were together.
Over time, his masturbatory habits became more of a test of stamina. How long he could last seeming to correlate with how much time spent in Arthur’s presence.
Thursday had been particularly brutal. Morgana had tricked him into a horse ride. He had decided to risk it, despite the threats of Uther Pendragon. They were known to each other now and Merlin certainly did not care for her in that way, and he wished to enjoy more of the Pendragon's estate. Merlin found Morgana Pendragon to be amusing company, with her acerbic tongue and gossip of the goings ons of high society, which belied her claims that she did not care about the people concerned and had no wish to participate.
When he had turned up at the stables, he had found Morgana saddling a horse and just when he was getting ready to go and do the same (though admittedly he didn't really know what he was doing, saddles and harnesses seemed complicated), Arthur had appeared calling to Morgana about where the hell Llamrei was and how she'd damn well better not be riding her when she had her own horses.
Arthur had stopped in his tracks when he had spotted him, his face instantly shuttering.
"Mr Emrys, good morning. Do you have need of us today?" he asked smoothly. "You'll have to forgive me, I was not aware and thus coaxed Morgana out for a morning ride."
Merlin had stood there helplessly, wringing his cap with his hands, not quite sure how to explain that Morgana had invited him.
"Oh, he's here to join us," said Morgana, matter-of-factly. "I invited him. I thought it would be a good idea to get Merlin some fresh air. He spends far too much time inside huddled over paper and canvas. It will do him good to get outside. Look at him, he’s as pale as a sheet."
Merlin blushed at Morgana's words. The word sheet bringing back memories of his tryst with Arthur.
"Plus," she added with a mischievous grin, "I thought he'd be good company for you, Arthur. You never see your friends anymore, it would do you well to find a friend in Merlin."
Merlin swallowed and tugged his cap firmly on his head, the peak shielding his eyes from the sun and allowing him the pretense of hiding.
"It's, uh, it's fine, I can come another time," Merlin said as he shoved his hands in his pockets, looking for a way to escape this awkward situation. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Nonsense," said Morgana. "You've been here a month already, Merlin. It's high time that you came with us. And as my invited guest, you're hardly 'intruding'. Right, Arthur?'
Merlin dared to glance over at Arthur, whose jaw was a firm line that twitched ever so slightly.
"Of course," he gritted out. "Do you need me to get you a horse, Mr Emrys?"
"Oh, Arthur," laughed Morgana. "There's no need to be so formal. Father's not here. Call him Merlin."
"Fine," Arthur snapped at her. "Merlin, do you need me to fetch you a horse?"
"I-" began Merlin.
"There's no need," Morgana called. "I got Llamrei for him. Fetch me Duchess to ride. I assume you'll be taking Hengroen?"
"You want me to-" spluttered Arthur, before seeing her pointedly raised eyebrow. "Fine."
A few minutes later, Arthur had brought out two horses. One a large, dark brown horse, Arthur's Hengroen, and the other, a white horse, presumably Morgana's horse Duchess.
Merlin stood and watched quietly, much like Llamrei, who was patient to a fault, as the Pendragon siblings set about preparing their horses.
Arthur chucked his jacket onto a nearby hay bale before he set about fastening a variety of belts and buckles.
Merlin's fingers ached to sketch them both, his hand instantly going to his jacket pocket, relieved to find there was still his old sketchbook and charcoal inside. He quickly started drawing in hurried lines, capturing their movements.
Morgana turned and noticed him working, as his hand rushed across the page. She smirked when he turned a page and quickly turned his attention to capturing the way Arthur's shirt sleeves stretched across his shoulders and the determined expression on Arthur's face.
When finally done, Arthur pulled his jacket on and eyed him curiously.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Nothing," Merlin said, pocketing his work.
Morgana swung up into her saddle.
"Come on you two, I'll race you!" she called, clicking to her horse and setting off at a fast pace.
Not one to be beaten, Arthur hurried to mount his horse, grasping Hengroen's reins.
"Do try to keep up, Merlin," he said before Hengroen started galloping after Morgana.
With much difficulty, Merlin clambered onto the back of his horse. He wondered just how you got one to "go" as it were, before Llamrei, fed up with waiting, took it upon herself to give chase after the others and it was all Merlin could do to cling on for dear life.
Morgana and Arthur rode hard and fast, being experienced riders. Merlin had never ridden in his life and it showed. He lacked the same stamina they both had, as they let their horses gallop ahead. Eventually Merlin caught up as they dropped down to a trot. Both Merlin and Llamrei were glad to finally slow down.
They continued their ride until they got to a waterfall.
Morgana stopped there to admire it, dismounting from her horse and letting it drink from the water. Merlin and Arthur did the same, standing and watching as Morgana bent to run her hand through the crystal clear waters.
"You would do well to avoid Morgana's advances in future," Arthur told him. "All she ever wants to do is meddle."
"And what I don't want to?" Merlin asked, his eyes searching Arthur's. "What if I don't want to avoid you?"
"Merlin…"
"I just don't understand why you wish to torture yourself so."
"Merlin."
"It doesn't need to be this way. No one else need know. I've told no one."
"Merlin, I can't."
"No, you just think you can't," Merlin told him.
Arthur shot him an exasperated look, before he called to Morgana, "Gana, come on. It's time to head back!" as he climbed back on his horse.
Soon they were tearing across the Pendragon estate again, both Merlin and Arthur wondering how they could keep up.
Title: Clouds and Silverlinings (Chapter 13)
Rating: PG-13 (some previous chapters are NC-17/R)
Pairing/s: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Character/s: Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Morgana
Summary: (Continuation of my Victorian AU WIP) Morgana invites Merlin to their horse ride, much to Arthur's chagrin.
Warnings: None
Word Count: 1,194
Prompt: #492 - Stamina
Author's Notes: Sorry it's late and over the word count. 🙈
You can find the previous parts of this story on AO3 here.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13
For the next few weeks Merlin felt like he was in a kind of fever dream. He painted, as expected. But he did not think about the subject of his work. Instead he thought of blond hair, piercing, accusing blue eyes, taut stomachs and muscled shoulders.
He spent more time than he should in his room, thinking and sketching. The sketches were all of the same person, of course. Merlin was pretty sure he could draw Arthur in his sleep now.
Of course, art wasn't the only thing occupying his time. Merlin found himself increasingly obsessed with fantasies featuring Arthur and all the things Arthur might do to him if they were together.
Over time, his masturbatory habits became more of a test of stamina. How long he could last seeming to correlate with how much time spent in Arthur’s presence.
Thursday had been particularly brutal. Morgana had tricked him into a horse ride. He had decided to risk it, despite the threats of Uther Pendragon. They were known to each other now and Merlin certainly did not care for her in that way, and he wished to enjoy more of the Pendragon's estate. Merlin found Morgana Pendragon to be amusing company, with her acerbic tongue and gossip of the goings ons of high society, which belied her claims that she did not care about the people concerned and had no wish to participate.
When he had turned up at the stables, he had found Morgana saddling a horse and just when he was getting ready to go and do the same (though admittedly he didn't really know what he was doing, saddles and harnesses seemed complicated), Arthur had appeared calling to Morgana about where the hell Llamrei was and how she'd damn well better not be riding her when she had her own horses.
Arthur had stopped in his tracks when he had spotted him, his face instantly shuttering.
"Mr Emrys, good morning. Do you have need of us today?" he asked smoothly. "You'll have to forgive me, I was not aware and thus coaxed Morgana out for a morning ride."
Merlin had stood there helplessly, wringing his cap with his hands, not quite sure how to explain that Morgana had invited him.
"Oh, he's here to join us," said Morgana, matter-of-factly. "I invited him. I thought it would be a good idea to get Merlin some fresh air. He spends far too much time inside huddled over paper and canvas. It will do him good to get outside. Look at him, he’s as pale as a sheet."
Merlin blushed at Morgana's words. The word sheet bringing back memories of his tryst with Arthur.
"Plus," she added with a mischievous grin, "I thought he'd be good company for you, Arthur. You never see your friends anymore, it would do you well to find a friend in Merlin."
Merlin swallowed and tugged his cap firmly on his head, the peak shielding his eyes from the sun and allowing him the pretense of hiding.
"It's, uh, it's fine, I can come another time," Merlin said as he shoved his hands in his pockets, looking for a way to escape this awkward situation. "I wouldn't want to intrude."
"Nonsense," said Morgana. "You've been here a month already, Merlin. It's high time that you came with us. And as my invited guest, you're hardly 'intruding'. Right, Arthur?'
Merlin dared to glance over at Arthur, whose jaw was a firm line that twitched ever so slightly.
"Of course," he gritted out. "Do you need me to get you a horse, Mr Emrys?"
"Oh, Arthur," laughed Morgana. "There's no need to be so formal. Father's not here. Call him Merlin."
"Fine," Arthur snapped at her. "Merlin, do you need me to fetch you a horse?"
"I-" began Merlin.
"There's no need," Morgana called. "I got Llamrei for him. Fetch me Duchess to ride. I assume you'll be taking Hengroen?"
"You want me to-" spluttered Arthur, before seeing her pointedly raised eyebrow. "Fine."
A few minutes later, Arthur had brought out two horses. One a large, dark brown horse, Arthur's Hengroen, and the other, a white horse, presumably Morgana's horse Duchess.
Merlin stood and watched quietly, much like Llamrei, who was patient to a fault, as the Pendragon siblings set about preparing their horses.
Arthur chucked his jacket onto a nearby hay bale before he set about fastening a variety of belts and buckles.
Merlin's fingers ached to sketch them both, his hand instantly going to his jacket pocket, relieved to find there was still his old sketchbook and charcoal inside. He quickly started drawing in hurried lines, capturing their movements.
Morgana turned and noticed him working, as his hand rushed across the page. She smirked when he turned a page and quickly turned his attention to capturing the way Arthur's shirt sleeves stretched across his shoulders and the determined expression on Arthur's face.
When finally done, Arthur pulled his jacket on and eyed him curiously.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Nothing," Merlin said, pocketing his work.
Morgana swung up into her saddle.
"Come on you two, I'll race you!" she called, clicking to her horse and setting off at a fast pace.
Not one to be beaten, Arthur hurried to mount his horse, grasping Hengroen's reins.
"Do try to keep up, Merlin," he said before Hengroen started galloping after Morgana.
With much difficulty, Merlin clambered onto the back of his horse. He wondered just how you got one to "go" as it were, before Llamrei, fed up with waiting, took it upon herself to give chase after the others and it was all Merlin could do to cling on for dear life.
Morgana and Arthur rode hard and fast, being experienced riders. Merlin had never ridden in his life and it showed. He lacked the same stamina they both had, as they let their horses gallop ahead. Eventually Merlin caught up as they dropped down to a trot. Both Merlin and Llamrei were glad to finally slow down.
They continued their ride until they got to a waterfall.
Morgana stopped there to admire it, dismounting from her horse and letting it drink from the water. Merlin and Arthur did the same, standing and watching as Morgana bent to run her hand through the crystal clear waters.
"You would do well to avoid Morgana's advances in future," Arthur told him. "All she ever wants to do is meddle."
"And what I don't want to?" Merlin asked, his eyes searching Arthur's. "What if I don't want to avoid you?"
"Merlin…"
"I just don't understand why you wish to torture yourself so."
"Merlin."
"It doesn't need to be this way. No one else need know. I've told no one."
"Merlin, I can't."
"No, you just think you can't," Merlin told him.
Arthur shot him an exasperated look, before he called to Morgana, "Gana, come on. It's time to head back!" as he climbed back on his horse.
Soon they were tearing across the Pendragon estate again, both Merlin and Arthur wondering how they could keep up.