Kink Me! #2
Kink Me! #2 Closed to new prompts Welcome to Kink Me! Merlin #2!
Read the rules before you post anything. We freeze or screen anything that breaks the rules! Got a question? Ask the mods! So you want to post a fill?
Your attention to detail helps make our archiving possible, and also tells us you've read the rules.
- Click for rules on posting fills! ( Read more... )
“Tell me more,” Arthur said, sipping his wine.
“She was the pig farmer’s daughter. She had bright blue eyes and straw-coloured hair, and I thought she was beautiful.”
Arthur nodded, as though this were a vital piece of information. “Did you sleep with her?”
Merlin managed not to choke on his drink. “Er, no. She was two years older than me and her boyfriend was the blacksmith’s son, who had biceps the size of tree trunks.”
Arthur gave a slight frown. “OK. So… have you ever slept with anyone?”
If it had been anyone else asking that question, Merlin would simply have lied and claimed an endless string of conquests. But Arthur was being all serious and strangely respectful, so he didn’t want to tell him anything but the truth.
“No,” he said quietly.
“Never?”
Merlin felt himself blush, and waited for Arthur’s expression to turn scornful. But it didn’t. He sat there quietly for a few moments, before saying: “I see.”
A hint of something - disappointment? sadness? - crossed his face. He leant back in his chair and dropped his shoulders, which had apparently been tense. He gave Merlin before a rather resigned-looking smile. “Come on, Merlin. Drink up. It’s a busy day tomorrow and you need your sleep.”
Merlin drank the rest of his goblet, said goodnight and left, feeling he’d just missed something very important.
A few mornings later, he was on his way to Arthur’s chambers to wake him. Patrol duties meant it was an early start. As he rounded the corner, he saw someone leaving the room. Instinctively, Merlin ducked into the alcove and hid. As the person walked past, he could see it was Seth, Sir Ossian’s manservant. Arthur was already awake, and didn’t mention Seth’s visit, so Merlin didn’t either.
Just before lunch, Merlin returned to Arthur’s room. Seth was there too, rearranging things on the table. Arthur said: “Ah, Merlin. Good. Do you know Seth?”
Merlin nodded.
“You’re always complaining about your workload, so I’ve appointed Seth to assist you in your duties.”
Merlin felt a burn in his gut. Did Arthur really think him that useless? He didn’t need any help. He looked sullenly at Arthur.
“I’ll leave you two to sort out how you share things out,” Arthur said, waving them both away.
Outside the door, Seth smiled guilelessly. “Assistant to the Crown Prince’s manservant - not bad! So how do you want to do this then?”
Merlin glowered, but Seth didn’t seem to notice. “It’d make sense if you took the days and I took the nights, don’t you think?”
None of this made any sense to Merlin. But he shrugged and muttered: “Whatever you want. Makes no difference to me.”
So that evening Merlin found himself unexpectedly free. Unfortunately, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted to do. He threw himself down on his bed, and tried not to think of Seth serving Arthur’s dinner at this very minute, filling his goblet, doing Merlin’s duties. Whatever Arthur’s reasons, this hurt like hell.
Next morning, he was up half an hour before normal. It was ridiculous - it had only been one evening but somehow he’d missed Arthur. He dressed in a flash, and hurried up to his rooms, looking forward to waking him and beginning the day’s tasks. He opened the door and stopped dead.
Arthur was still asleep in bed, and he wasn’t alone. Seth was curled up next to him. And there were bare arms, and naked chests, and clothes discarded all over the floor.
Reply
He muttered to Merlin: “Didn’t realise what time it was. See you later.” And he sneaked out of the room.
So that was why Seth wanted to work nights. Did he seduce Arthur? But even as Merlin asked himself the question, he knew the answer. Arthur had appointed Seth for this very reason.
Well, good. At least Arthur hadn’t expected him to do whatever it was he and Seth had done. Merlin battened down any other feelings he had, refusing to let them free.
Standing here gaping didn’t get anything done, he told himself. He had work to do. So he started setting the room to rights, picking up Arthur’s clothes. He noticed Arthur open an eye.
“Morning,” Merlin said briskly.
Arthur yawned. “Good morning.” He sat up and outlined Merlin’s duties for the day. Neither of them referred to Seth.
After that, Seth spent almost every night in Arthur’s bed. Arthur never spoke of it to Merlin, and Merlin never mentioned it to anyone.
One evening, Arthur gave Seth the night off. There was a gathering of local leaders next day, and Arthur needed to rest. Seth asked Merlin to go with him to the alehouse, and Merlin couldn’t think of a good enough reason to refuse.
Over their drinks, Seth said: “Arthur’s a pretty good master, isn’t he?”
“He certainly seems to appreciate your service,” Merlin replied darkly.
Seth laughed. “Yes, he does enjoy a bit of servicing.”
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Merlin asked.
“No. Why should it? It’s all part of a manservant’s duties, if that’s what your master wants.”
This hit Merlin like a blow to the gut. “Well, it’s not a part I’d like to carry out.”
Merlin nursed his drink for a few minutes, before adding: “I suppose Arthur just doesn’t like me… that way.”
Seth looked at him incredulously. “He fancies you rotten,” he exclaimed. “I assumed you’d turned him down.”
“How do you mean, he fancies me?”
Seth looked non-committal. “Oh, just a feeling. I’m not supposed to talk about him outside the bedroom,” he added apologetically.
So Arthur was attracted to him. He must have some other reason for picking Seth. And suddenly he knew why: Merlin had stupidly told him he was a virgin, and Arthur couldn’t be bothered with an inexperienced lover.
Well, Merlin would just have to do something about that.
For the first time in his life, Merlin set out to be a sexual predator. In the past, he’d been far more interested in what someone was like inside than in whether they were pretty or plain. Now, however, he paid attention to faces and figures, and judged them by what they were wearing and how they behaved.
Amazingly, he realised a fairly high proportion of the castle staff were prepared to flirt with him. And even some of the nobles didn’t seem immune to his charms.
One unfortunate side-effect of paying close attention to appearances was that he became even more aware of how devastatingly good looking Arthur was. No one else in the castle had such smouldering eyes, such a handsome face, such enticing hair, such a strong, firm body.
This meant some of his duties became a bit awkward: dressing him, cleaning him up after combat training, preparing him for the bath tub. The only good thing was that Arthur resolutely avoided looking at him during all these tasks. So Merlin’s discomfort went unnoticed.
Reply
He cornered her in the laundry, and giggled along with her. And when he pounced, she let him kiss her and fondle pretty much everything. She seemed to want to touch him everywhere, too - and when she opened his breeches and started pumping his cock, he was amazed how quickly he came.
He spent quite a bit of time with Angela in the laundry over the next few days. The only occasion they ventured out of the laundry was when Arthur happened to be having a chat with the head cook in the corridor, and Merlin strolled past with his arm clamped around Angela’s waist. Arthur did a double-take when he saw them.
Then Merlin spotted Paula, who worked as a seamstress. She was slim and pretty, with long elegant fingers. She didn’t seem the sort to enjoy a quick hot and dirty fumble in a dark corner, so Merlin asked her out for a drink. They had a pleasant evening and Paula invited him back to her room.
She introduced Merlin to the joys of sex in a bed - which he decided was much more comfortable than up against a wall. One morning, he overslept and Arthur was already setting off on an early morning ride when Merlin and Anna ran into the courtyard. Arthur looked at Merlin, dragging Anna along behind him, and refused even to acknowledge his presence, kicking his heels into the horse’s flanks and speeding away.
Then Merlin saw Anna, who was Lady Ailwen’s maidservant. When he tried to kiss her the first time, she pushed him away and accused him of being forward. He realised different rules applied to lady’s maids.
He set about courting her the correct way, going for strolls in the castle grounds, offering her flowers, reading to her. Eventually she submitted to his advances. She wouldn’t actually go to bed with him, but she allowed him all manner of liberties, which Merlin was sure were adding greatly to his sexual experience.
Every now and then, they would bump into Arthur when they were out together, and Arthur would nod his head stiffly. He couldn’t ignore a lady’s maid in the same way he could a laundry maid or seamstress.
After a few months, Seth joined them in the gardens. “I’m off then,” he said cheerfully. “Got a new job as Sir Unwin’s steward. It’s a liveried position - lovely blue uniform,” he said proudly.
Merlin found his heart was beating rather fast. “When are you leaving?”
“Today - all packed and ready to go. Have you got a moment?”
Merlin nodded, and Seth beckoned him out of Anna’s earshot. “There’s something you probably ought to know. You remember you asked how I knew Arthur fancied you. Well, it was because he mutters your name whenever he… well… when he comes. I don’t think he realises he does it, at least not out loud.”
“Oh,” Merlin replied, his mind racing.
“Yeah, well - just thought you ought to know.”
Merlin patted Seth on the back. “Goodbye then, Seth. And good luck.”
To Anna, he shouted as he ran past: “I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.” And he raced up to Arthur’s rooms. Arthur must realise Merlin was no longer a virgin - now he’d ask him to share his bed.
Reply
“I hear Seth’s leaving,” Merlin burst out.
“Yes,” Arthur answered absent-mindedly. “Did you clean my boots for tonight?”
Merlin forced himself to calm down. “Not yet,” he answered.
“Well, do it then,” Arthur said rather crossly.
Merlin waited for him to say something more, but he didn’t. So Merlin fetched the boots and started cleaning them.
After a week, Merlin found another young man in Arthur’s rooms. “Merlin, this is John. He’ll be assisting you with your duties.”
Merlin looked murderously at John. He was pretty sure which particular duties would be John’s. Seth must have been wrong - Arthur obviously wasn’t attracted to him at all. Otherwise why would he have arranged for someone else to share his bed again, right under Merlin’s nose?
Merlin sulked for several days. Anna thought she must have done something wrong and kept sniffing, her eyes permanently rimmed red.
Merlin decided he’d have to redouble his efforts to prove to Arthur that he was now sexually experienced. He made sure whenever Arthur passed Merlin and Anna in the castle, they were holding hands, or embracing, or even kissing.
After a couple more months, John told Merlin he had a new job and would be leaving straight away. This time, Merlin wouldn’t let his chance slip away. This time, Arthur would choose him.
He bounded up to Arthur’s room and entered. Arthur was examining his favourite dagger, checking how well it had been polished.
“Arthur, can we talk?”
Arthur looked irritated, but nodded.
“I’ve been seeing Anna for over six months now,” Merlin said proudly, sure Arthur would recognise this meant Merlin was now much more proficient in the sex department than he had been.
Arthur went very pale. He sat upright in his chair, and seized the edge of the table, as if for support. “You’re serious about her, then?” he asked quietly.
Merlin considered this. Was he “serious” about Anna? The two of them certainly got down to some serious business, but that obviously wasn’t what Arthur meant.
Arthur seemed to take his silence for agreement. He rose from the chair and held out his hand to Merlin: “Then you have my permission and my blessing.” He shook Merlin’s hand. “I hope you’ll both be very happy.”
Merlin stammered, trying to say: “No, no, you’ve got the wrong idea. I’ve only been seeing her for your sake. It’s you I want.” But he couldn’t find the words, and before he knew it Arthur had turned his back.
“Needless to say, the royal family will assist with wedding arrangements and finance, but I’d be grateful if we could discuss that at another time.” His voice cracked on the last few words, and he remained with his back to Merlin.
Merlin found himself dismissed from the room. He went straight to Anna and told her he was very sorry, but it wasn’t working out and he was breaking up with her. She burst into tears, and Merlin felt like an utter bastard.
He returned to his room, and collapsed on his bed, cursing the world, cursing love, and most of all cursing Arthur.
Reply
Arthur had been astonished to learn the wedding was off. He treated Merlin unnaturally gently, obviously convinced he was suffering from a broken heart. He organised a hunting expedition into the mountains - a trip that would take them away for a couple of weeks. Merlin suspected Arthur had arranged it so Merlin wouldn’t risk bumping into his “lost love”. He felt moved beyond words.
All went well with the trip to start with. But while they were camping one night in a forest several of the men in their party complained of hearing voices among the trees. In the middle of the night, two servants and one of the knights leapt off their bedrolls and tore off their clothes. They ran off into the forest shrieking.
Merlin searched for them long and hard. Just as he was about to give up, a group of wood spirits appeared from nowhere. Their long hair stretched into the air like twigs, and their bodies were covered in moss and lichen.
They said they had the missing men, but would only return them if the prince killed a giant boar that was uprooting all the saplings in the forest. Merlin related this to Arthur, who at once organised a hunting party to track down the boar.
Arthur, with Merlin’s secret assistance, killed the animal, and the men were returned. Unfortunately, they had been frightened completely out of their wits.
Arthur abandoned the expedition, and started the trek back to Camelot. After a few miles, however, they were assaulted by a cloud of vicious wasps, and all of them were stung severely. A bit further, a gang of brigands ambushed them and killed one of the knights. Next, they became lost in an uncharted swamp, which sucked one of the servants into its muddy depths.
“We’re definitely cursed,” said one of the men fearfully. And Merlin couldn’t help feeling guilty.
It turned out there was one more challenge to be faced, however. Once they’d escaped the swamp, they came across a circle of wild looking people dancing around a fire. As soon as Arthur came within sight, they all turned and gazed at him with glowing green eyes. Merlin could feel the crackle of powerful magic.
He watched in horror as they started chanting and Arthur was lifted into the air and started floating towards them. Merlin had no option: he had to stop them. He raised his hand and summoned lightning out of the clouds. It struck one of the wild people, who exploded. Arthur immediately plummeted heavily to the ground.
The rest of the wild people started hurling flashes of colour and light at Merlin, but he deflected them all. Eventually, the people ran away.
Merlin lowered his hand and looked for Arthur. He was still sitting where he’d fallen, staring horrified at Merlin.
Arthur wouldn’t talk to Merlin all the way back to the castle. When they arrived, he ordered Merlin to leave him and marched off alone to his rooms.
After a couple of days that seemed to Merlin to be endless, he sent for Merlin. He demanded to know about Merlin’s sorcery - how long he’d used magic, how, why.
After Merlin had answered his questions, Arthur ordered him to return to his room and stay there while he decided what to do.
As Merlin turned to leave, Arthur said in a voice broken with sadness: “I never knew you at all, did I?”
Merlin turned his head. He wanted to wipe out Arthur’s misery, make all this better. But he didn’t know how. So he did as he was told, and returned to his room.
He told Gaius about Arthur’s discovery and the old man immediately bustled off to the prince’s rooms. They had long a discussion and Gaius managed to convince Arthur that Merlin meant him no harm, and had in fact saved him on numerous occasions. Arthur therefore agreed to keep Merlin’s sorcery secret.
He asked Gaius to appoint Merlin assistant physician, so Arthur would no longer have to see him every day. He employed a new manservant. Merlin deliberately befriended him so he could talk about Arthur as often as possible. From what he could gather, Arthur wasn’t taking the new servant to his bed, and neither was he taking anyone else.
Reply
One day, Merlin was out searching for herbs and he wandered over to a small lake a couple of miles from the castle. It was a glorious day, so he sat down by the lakeside to rest and admire the view. He must have dozed off, because he jolted awake when he felt a pressure on his shoulder. He turned and found Arthur, his crossbow discarded, sitting on the ground and leaning against him.
Arthur smiled. “Picked many herbs?”
“Not really. Caught many pheasants?”
“None at all.”
They smiled and continued to sit comfortably side by side. Merlin felt able to breathe properly again for the first time in months.
“I miss you, you know,” Arthur said at last. “The new guy is very efficient and respectful - and utterly boring.”
Merlin snorted. “You’re such a hypocrite - you always complained I wasn’t efficient or respectful enough.”
“There are lots of things I wished you were that you weren’t,” Arthur muttered quietly.
“Such as?” Merlin challenged.
Something in the situation - maybe the sultry day, or the peacefulness of the lake, or Merlin’s proximity - persuaded Arthur to answer. “At first, I wished you would sleep with me.”
“So why didn’t you ask me?”
“You told me you were inexperienced. I may not be the most sensitive man on earth, but I didn’t think your first time should be because your master ordered you to do it.”
“I knew that was why. I wish you had, though,” Merlin muttered. “What about later?”
“Later, it became clear you prefer women. You almost got married. I didn’t think you’d appreciate being forced to perform homosexual acts.”
Merlin rubbed his hand over his face. “Oh god. I was just trying to prove to you what a great lover I could be. I wanted you to sweep me up in your arms and carry me to your bed. Didn’t work, unfortunately. You kept appointing ‘assistants’ and sweeping them up instead.”
Arthur groaned. “I only appointed them because I couldn’t trust myself around you - I wanted you so much.”
The two of them sat in silence for a while, shoulders still touching, watching the sunlight sparkle on the water’s surface.
Arthur finally broke the quiet: “Later still, of course, I discovered I’d been deluding myself. The man I thought I loved had been hiding something so fundamental…” Arthur lifted himself away from Merlin. “How could you not have told me?”
“I wanted to - I tried a few times. But it always seemed more dangerous to tell you than to keep it secret. If I told you I was a sorcerer and you had me executed,” Arthur gasped at this, “or sent me away, I wouldn’t be able to protect you. And if you were killed, I would never have forgiven myself…” Merlin’s voice trailed off.
Arthur didn’t look completely convinced. But neither did he look angry.
Merlin decided to risk it. “Did you just say ‘the man you thought you loved’?” Merlin asked, his voice little more than a whisper.
“Yes,” Arthur admitted. “And in spite of everything, I still do.”
Arthur watched Merlin warily, and Merlin returned his gaze. “You once asked me if I’d ever been in love.” Merlin said.
Arthur smiled. “And you said you had - with the pig farmer’s daughter with the beefy boyfriend.”
“Yes, well, that definitely wasn’t love. Ask me again.”
Arthur’s breath hitched. He paused and then whispered: “Have you ever been in love, Merlin?”
“Yes. With you.”
And Merlin leant in towards Arthur and kissed him. It was calm and short and perfect. At least, Merlin thought it was perfect, until Arthur seized his face and started kissing him back. And Merlin discovered there are many degrees of perfection.
And right there, by the edge of the lake, they finally disposed of all the years of misunderstandings and mistakes. All they had now was the truth - and they grasped it hard. They marked each other with it, bound it tight between their bodies.
At last, Arthur accepted Merlin into his arms, and Merlin held on tight. And they promised themselves that, now they’d found each other, they would never let go.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment