Chapter Text
Merlin remembers that night more vividly than any other. He remembers the sounds and smell and feel of the world around him.
He had – as usual – been told to feed and water the horses while Arthur and his knights sat around drinking ale and eating until they passed out.
Merlin was just finishing with the last horse he was surprised to hear someone come up behind him.
Turning he saw Arthur stepping out from behind a tree, his actions far clumsier than his usual graceful movements.
“What is it now, sire? Is there something else you want me to do before you go pass out and while I’m up all night doing your dirty work?” Merlin sighed.
He was exhausted and cranky after saving Arthur’s ungrateful backside after riding for two days straight only to do the work of seven servants all on his own.
“I had a different type of dirty work in mind Merlin” Arthur’s words are slightly slurred as he gripped the front of Merlin’s shirt.
Merlin flinched, still worried that his magic may have been seen during the day’s battle, but Arthur simply dragged him closer for a kiss.
It wasn’t a kiss Merlin would have expected from Arthur, who was normally so rigid and up tight and rarely this relaxed and gentle.
Merlin thought about fighting, knowing Arthur was drunk and not believing this would ever happen otherwise, but decided drunk or not there was no harm in a snog or two.
It was when Arthurs hand snaked into his breeches that Merlin understood the ‘dirty work’ reference.
He pulled out of the kiss and tried to speak but Arthur attached his mouth to Merlins jaw line causing his mouth to dry up.
“Arthur, we shouldn’t... the knights-“
Arthur pulled away and glared blearily at Merlin. “I don’t share Merlin, if they can’t wait until we return home then they can shag each other.” Before dragging Merlin forward again to continue on where they left off.
That’s how Merlin found himself clinging to the tree, legs spread wide, while Arthur thrust into his backside, moaning loudly with a bruising grip on Merlin’s hips.
“Touch yourself Merlin” he gasped suddenly “I’m not going to last must longer!”
Merlin did as asked and pried one hand off the off the bark to start pulling at himself only to discover he wasn’t far off himself.
Upon telling Arthur so, he started thrusting harder and faster until Merlin came with a cry and spilled himself across the tree.
Arthur came after half only three more thrusts, coming inside Merlin without warning.
As he pulled, Merlin squirmed, about to race to the stream and clean himself up but Arthur grabbed him and laid them down together clinging to Merlin until he passed out, wrapped around his manservant.
Merlin decided to let Arthur sleep for a little while before he’d just up and get cleaned up but then sleep overwhelmed him and he didn’t wake for hours, finding himself still wrapped around a snoring prince.
Crawling away from Arthur, Merlin dressed quickly before covering Arthur with his thin blanket then raced away before Arthur could wake up and catch him.
A few hours later everyone was awake and ready to leave. The knights were none the wiser and Arthur never said a word, so Merlin went on with his day as if nothing ever happened.
But it did happen and Merlin was already beginning to feel the results.