The Affection Spell

The New Normal

1413 words

I'm so sorry everyone. Things have just been crazy. However, I'm going to publish chapter four next and hopefully finish the story tonight. 

Merlin's POV 

I held Arthur for a long time before he fell asleep. He didn't relax once asleep, like normal. There was still a pinched look on his face, probably the spell's fault. I ran a hand through his hair to soothe his discomfort. He snuggled closer to me and I held him tightly as I fell asleep.

***

Arthur woke with a hangover and a poor attitude. I got us through the morning as easily as I could to placate his temper. It was worth it when he let a small smile slip onto his face by lunch. It took everything I had to not blush. "Can you come here? Please?" he asked as he sat down for lunch.

I looked up from the chain mail I was cleaning. "Okay," I said and dragged the chain mail over to the floor next to him. I leaned against his leg and he resumed eating.

"I don't want to go to the council meeting." I looked up.

"Why?" Arthur grimaced while he responded.

"Because you can't be close to me." I wanted to laugh, and I would have on any other occasion, but Arthur looked so distressed that I couldn't. I untied my neckerchief from around my neck and handed it to him. He looked up at me in confusion.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" His eyes fixed on my collarbone.

"I've never seen you without it on." I blushed and looked away.

"Well, now you have. Just put it in your pocket." Arthur smirked at me and did as I asked.

"Thanks, Merlin." I had to consciously restrain myself from hyperventilating.

"Anytime," I stuttered out. I offered out my hand to him and he took it gratefully. We were walking down the hall and nothing bad was going to happen until Uther Pendragon walked around the corner. He stopped, looked at our hands intertwined, and promptly turned as red as his family crest. Arthur's face paled as Uther opened his mouth.

"ARTHUR! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Uther screamed. Arthur tensed and fought for control over his facial expression.

"Nothing-" Arthur dropped my hand like it burned him. Uther grabbed him by the shirt collar and shook him.

"THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE NOTHING!" I snarled and shoved Uther away. He stumbled backwards in shock and ran forward again, but I would not let him get to Arthur, who was crying behind me. All the rage I bottled up against Uther, all the times I watched him hurt Arthur, was boiling over and I exploded.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Silence rang in the halls. It seemed like the entire castle had stopped to listen to my confrontation with Uther. Uther glowered at me. Arthur stopped crying.

"What did you say to me, boy?" He stepped closer, as if to intimidate me, but I didn't lose my nerve.

"I said, leave him alone. All you ever do is try to control him and it hurts him so much, but he'll never tell you because he doesn't trust you anymore! You aren't trying to help him, no matter what you say. You are just trying to make him into you, and he doesn't want to be you. You don't deserve him, and he doesn't deserve to be treated like this because you feel threatened by the fact that he is sure of what he wants, and it isn't what you want." I paused to take a breath and Uther did not interrupt me.

"Now, I am taking him back to his chambers. He will not be attending the council meeting because your dishonorable actions have most likely escalated the damages of the curse he is under, and he needs to remain in my care. I will not be admitting anyone to his chambers other than Gaius. If you wish to note his absence in the council, you will have to explain to every member of that council that it is because your pig-headed blusterous rage has escalated a curse he is under."

I turned around from the king, who looked thoroughly cowed at seeing the corner I put him in, and looked at Arthur. His cheeks were covered in tears, but he seemed to have regained some control of himself. I held out my hand and he took it. I gestured back the way we came and we didn't speak till we got back to his rooms.

Arthur collapsed on his bed and I bolted the doors shut, including the servant one, then I stoked the fire. "Come sit by the fire, Arthur. And bring a blanket," I said as I picked some fruit out of the bowl on his table. He did as I asked and I handed him an apple while I wrapped the blanket over our shoulders.

He snuggled close to me and laid his head on my shoulder. I rubbed circles around his temple. "Thank you... for that." I smiled at him.

"Anytime Arthur." I let him lay on me till he was calmer, then I pulled him up. I used the sleeve of my jacket to dry up his cheeks and I smiled softly at him. "Will you be ok here while I get your dinner?"

"Our dinner," Arthur corrected, then he stopped. "You're still staying, right?" I nodded.

"I'll be back after I get our dinner." Arthur nodded.

"Then I'll be ok. I've got this." He pulled my neckerchief out of his pocket. I forgot I gave it to him.

"Alright, I'll be back soon." I was on my way back from the kitchens when I ran into Gwen.

"Merlin, is Arthur alright? I heard about what happened earlier." I nodded to her.

"He's going to be, but if it's not too much trouble, could you bring meals up for us? He won't hardly let me leave." She nodded.

"I'll also try to slow down the gossip so Arthur won't have to deal with that later." I grinned at her.

"That'd be great. Thanks Gwen." She smiled back and we parted ways.

I got back to Arthur's chambers and set our dinner on the table.

"What took you so long?"

"Ran into Gwen. She agreed to bring up meals for us if she could." Arthur tapped the table with his fingers.

"That was nice of her." I pulled a chair over to be close to him. Too close for common social decorum but since when had the two of us ever abided by that. We ate in silence with my right leg pressed against his left.

I got the two of us ready for bed and we laid down, savoring the peace that would be disrupted by the midnight bells. "Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I'm scared." His voice was so soft that I would've missed it if he hadn't been laying on my shoulder. I held him close.

"I know. But I'll be here." Arthur smiled.

"Thank you." I smirked at him.

"Two thank yous in one day? Is that a record?" Arthur smiled a bit.

"Probably." Our laughter was cut off by the sound of midnight ringing out and Arthur's sudden intake of breath. He tensed and shook, biting his lip till I was sure it would bruise. I held him close.

"Arthur, it's just me. You don't have to pretend." He let go of his lip but buried his head in my neck to stifle the screams. I murmured to him till the twelfth bell. He clung to me, and I to him. Once I was sure he was asleep, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his golden hair. I felt him relax further and I let myself imagine that I was living like this. That it was an everyday thing to just hold Arthur close to me. I shook my head to clear the thoughts. He only wanted me here because of that spell, not because he actually cared about me. I knew he needed more than what he was asking for, and I knew I would never deny him. But it hurt so much to allow myself to be used like this. I grimaced. I should be happy to just be here. I should just be happy that he cares now, even though I knew, just like I knew the sun would rise, that once this spell fiasco was over, that Arthur would just go back to the way he was before, not caring that I wanted to live in this moment forever