Since Birth

Chapter Five

Arthur was never good with emotions. So when he saw Merlin's face again, feelings began to overwhelm him since. Sighing, Arthur picked up a twig from the ground, stabbing it at the ground out of frustration. The way Ione had gazed at Merlin aggravated him. He felt the warmth of anger rush throughout his stomach in clouds. Was he falling for the Princess? Arthur quickly shook his head. No, he despised the perfect woman.

Was he...perhaps...jealous?

Letting a chuckle blow from his lips, Arthur rolled his eyes from the absurdity. His laughter soon stopped short when he spotted Merlin with an odd expression on his face.

"What are you giggling about?" he questioned with a grin, striding over to the elder, sitting down to meet the forest's river beside the two. When Arthur didn't answer, Merlin smirked and switched topics. "This isn't where I tried to kill you." He shook his head. "You must have a terrible memory."

"No," Arthur began in reply. "It's just that I didn't want to think about death when my supposed murderer and I met up for the second time."

"Right; I'll make sure to kill you this time," Merlin joked sarcastically as a result, giving an innocent smile. "It won't be hard, considering the fact that I found you from just your laughter."

"Whatever," Arthur smiled as he spoke, pushing Merlin gently before watching the younger man sit down beside him.

"So," Merlin eventually started, dipping a finger into the gurgle of the deep, narrow river. It was cold—calming. "Why'd you travel to Eirdar if you're supposedly not from this country?" Flicking his water-coated finger at the man beside him, he awaited an answer.

"Well-" Arthur quickly slapped Merlin's hand playfully. "-I was sent here to court Princess Ione."

Merlin's eyes grew a considerable amount from the answer. "Marry her? That's a big jump, honestly." He paused. "You're only a lord, too. You're not expected to marry this young, are you?"

Arthur chewed on his lip, trying with all his might to not look Merlin in the eye. Lying to him was hard. But by the description the younger man had given about royals, Arthur suggested to himself that it would be better if he went through with Merlin's false claim about him. "As a lord, yes." Sighing, Arthur gazed at the trickles of water that flew over the underwater debris, watching as sticks and leaves swam to the surface every so often. "My father is adamant about an heir, though. He doesn't want the family surname to end at me." Turning his head, Arthur saw the gears in Merlin's head tick and turn in thought. Arthur let a small smile breeze over his face at the sight.

"What's the point of marrying someone you don't love?" Merlin questioned in confusion. It was more of an opinion of matter, but Merlin didn't let that get to him. Meeting Arthur's eyes, his brows laced in concern. "Does your father not want happiness of you?"

"A lot of people don't, Merlin." Arthur layed down, tilting his head slightly to spot Merlin's hunched figure beside him. "Politics, Merlin. The cycle will never end."

"Then what if you ditched the system?" Merlin breathed out. Empathetic, maybe he was, but it's not like they could just leave.

Could they?

"Ditched?"

"Left. Ran away."

Features loosening, Arthur stared up to the sky in thought. It would be nice. The thought of freedom was on his fingertips at the moment. He could travel the lands without any concerns on his back besides the necessities of survival. A smile tugged to Arthur's lips. What could top that utopia? The answer came rather fast, one he wasn't expecting in the slightest, but it was the most sensible thing he's thought of in years. If Merlin came with him.