Merlin Oneshots

this is my final fit, my final bellyache- » rh

"merlin?"

the king stared at his manservant quite passively, though several emotions brewed beneath the surface. he was mostly confused, but he also felt sickened yet stoic; unnerved yet resigned.

"what the hell are you doing here?"

merlin didn't look at him. he seemed to have his gaze fixed on the ground, focusing on something. then, he muttered something too softly for arthur to catch. the king opened his mouth to ask him what he had said, but he repeated it on his own accord.

"i'm so sorry."

his voice quivered ever so slightly. his shoulders sagged in defeat, and he still refused to look at his master.

mordred stood only a few paces away, sword drawn. his once stony expression morphed into a cruel and nasty smirk.

"it's an honor, emrys."

he mocked a bow to the manservant, to which arthur's brow furrowed. merlin didn't respond to mordred; arthur quickly got the sense that there was something between these two that he was missing.

"emrys? who's emrys?"

he looked to merlin for answers. his eyes searched his manservant, noticing all the little movements. there was something he was keeping from him.

"he still doesn't know, does he?"

mordred laughed lightly; although he wasn't surprised, he was still humored.

"arthur, please don't be rash."

merlin finally spoke, very quietly and very weakly. his eyes drifted up to meet mordred's.

"merlin, what-"

"don't you see? there's no point in begging. he is uther's son."

it seemed that mordred and merlin were more invested in each other than they were arthur. the king looked between the two, growing even more confused.

"arthur, please forgive me."

mordred scoffed.

"stop whining! give up already! there's nothing you can do!"

his grip on his sword tightened, and merlin moved himself in front of arthur. the king's confusion immediately turned into alarm at this move.

"what are you doing?"

"sire, i believe it is best for you to stay behind me."

the use of his title was like a slap to the face. he stared at the back of merlin's hair, appalled.

"merlin-"

his manservant turned to look at him over his shoulder, and his face was one of pain. his blue eyes held such a deep sadness that the king was stunned once again.

"please, just listen to me, and do as i say."

he turned back around, leaving arthur to bear witness to the tense showdown between him and the druid knight.