Bear with me okay? Gotta get through some stuff before getting to the other stuff... :/ Warning: possible reference to dub-con. [everyone is of age]
~~~
“Sire, the king asked me too...” Merlin choked on the rest of the sentence as his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight to the darkness of the stables. Along the back wall, Merlin caught the outline of Arthur mostly hidden in late afternoon shadows. He was leaning against the wall, his head bent, chin to chest and for a second Merlin thought he might even be asleep until he caught Arthur’s ragged breathing and the distinct wet, sulking noise that came from the silhouette of the new stable boy, Tommy, kneeling at Arthur’s feet, his head bobbing at Arthur’s groin.
“Well,” Arthur said, half breathless, half bored. “Surely there’s more to the message than that.” Tommy hesitated then moved to pull off, but Arthur’s hand tangled in the boy’s hair, encouraging him on.
Merlin blinked, incredulous at first, followed quickly by a slow simmering anger. When he found his voice it was curt and raspy. “You are to be in Council this afternoon.” His fist clenched and he added, “At your leisure, Sire.”
Arthur’s head snapped up to catch Merlin’s glare. When Merlin’s turned to leave, Arthur called out. “No.” Merlin froze, already knowing what Arthur was about to say before he added, “Wait for me, I’m almost done here.”
Merlin didn’t turn around. He stood, hand on the door, waited and listened. The back of his neck prickled as the sounds seeped into his ear and skittered, unwelcome, over his skin until Arthur’s final grunt followed by the thick sounds of the stable boy choking and swallowing. Merlin heard the jingle of a money sac and he swung open the door, not able to stand it another moment.
He walked quickly back to the castle, bile rising in his throat.
“Merlin!”
He refused to turn or slow. Arthur was a bastard, but he was quick. If he wanted to catch up, he would.
“Dammit, Merlin!” Arthur jogged up beside him, an amused look on his face that raised Merlin’s ire further. “You do know that you’re my servant and I’m not supposed need to run to catch up with you?”
“Yes, Sire.” Merlin stopped and let Arthur pass him. “I’ll be sure to show my deference to your nobility.”
Arthur turned back to him; his eyes narrowed. “Merlin, you are making a big deal out of something you do not understand.”
“I think it’s you that doesn’t understand, your highness.” Merlin let the sarcasm curl around the honorific. “Tommy is a stable boy, not a whore.”
A huff of disbelief puffed from Arthur’s mouth. He put his hands on his hips. “The boy – who is older than you, I’ll have you know – approached me, not the other way around. I wouldn’t... that’s not something I would demand of someone.”
Merlin’s cheeks flamed. “Not without proper payment at least.”
Arthur gaped. “I wasn't paying him for that! That was just a thank you. It will go a long way to help feed his family. It's how things work Merlin.” Arthur shook his head. “You're from a small village. You don't understand how those who have more help those who have less.”
"I understand perfectly, Arthur.” Merlin tucked his hands to his side to stop their trembling. “I used to be a stable boy in Ealdor. Don't fool yourself into thinking that just because we didn't get any princes stopping by that those who had more didn't offer to help those who had less.”
Merlin ran up the steps, not waiting for Arthur’s reply, not wanting to hear it. Arthur didn’t follow.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
Arthur/Merlin Arthur being honourable makes them do it [Part 1/3]
Date: 2011-03-04 06:59 pm (UTC)Warning: possible reference to dub-con. [everyone is of age]
~~~
“Sire, the king asked me too...” Merlin choked on the rest of the sentence as his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight to the darkness of the stables. Along the back wall, Merlin caught the outline of Arthur mostly hidden in late afternoon shadows. He was leaning against the wall, his head bent, chin to chest and for a second Merlin thought he might even be asleep until he caught Arthur’s ragged breathing and the distinct wet, sulking noise that came from the silhouette of the new stable boy, Tommy, kneeling at Arthur’s feet, his head bobbing at Arthur’s groin.
“Well,” Arthur said, half breathless, half bored. “Surely there’s more to the message than that.” Tommy hesitated then moved to pull off, but Arthur’s hand tangled in the boy’s hair, encouraging him on.
Merlin blinked, incredulous at first, followed quickly by a slow simmering anger. When he found his voice it was curt and raspy. “You are to be in Council this afternoon.” His fist clenched and he added, “At your leisure, Sire.”
Arthur’s head snapped up to catch Merlin’s glare. When Merlin’s turned to leave, Arthur called out. “No.” Merlin froze, already knowing what Arthur was about to say before he added, “Wait for me, I’m almost done here.”
Merlin didn’t turn around. He stood, hand on the door, waited and listened. The back of his neck prickled as the sounds seeped into his ear and skittered, unwelcome, over his skin until Arthur’s final grunt followed by the thick sounds of the stable boy choking and swallowing. Merlin heard the jingle of a money sac and he swung open the door, not able to stand it another moment.
He walked quickly back to the castle, bile rising in his throat.
“Merlin!”
He refused to turn or slow. Arthur was a bastard, but he was quick. If he wanted to catch up, he would.
“Dammit, Merlin!” Arthur jogged up beside him, an amused look on his face that raised Merlin’s ire further. “You do know that you’re my servant and I’m not supposed need to run to catch up with you?”
“Yes, Sire.” Merlin stopped and let Arthur pass him. “I’ll be sure to show my deference to your nobility.”
Arthur turned back to him; his eyes narrowed. “Merlin, you are making a big deal out of something you do not understand.”
“I think it’s you that doesn’t understand, your highness.” Merlin let the sarcasm curl around the honorific. “Tommy is a stable boy, not a whore.”
A huff of disbelief puffed from Arthur’s mouth. He put his hands on his hips. “The boy – who is older than you, I’ll have you know – approached me, not the other way around. I wouldn’t... that’s not something I would demand of someone.”
Merlin’s cheeks flamed. “Not without proper payment at least.”
Arthur gaped. “I wasn't paying him for that! That was just a thank you. It will go a long way to help feed his family. It's how things work Merlin.” Arthur shook his head. “You're from a small village. You don't understand how those who have more help those who have less.”
"I understand perfectly, Arthur.” Merlin tucked his hands to his side to stop their trembling. “I used to be a stable boy in Ealdor. Don't fool yourself into thinking that just because we didn't get any princes stopping by that those who had more didn't offer to help those who had less.”
Merlin ran up the steps, not waiting for Arthur’s reply, not wanting to hear it. Arthur didn’t follow.
~~~~
more later...