The Same Coin-Merthur

The Dance

Merlin had wondered why his stomach felt ill at the start of the ball, but he had finally realized why when a name was announced.

"The Lady Guinevere." Was called out from the entrance. Everyone's heads turned to see her. Her dark skin a contrast with the bright crimson of her dress. She was beautiful, even he could see it. He just wished Arthur didn't.

He watched from the side of the ballroom, near a pillar, holding a pitcher of wine should anyone need more. Arthur excused himself from the other nobles he was speaking to, and made his way over to the Lady Guinevere. Taking her hand and kissing it, he then led her to the center of the room.

Music started across the room from Merlin and he watched as Arthur led Guinevere in a dance. The dance was formal, and one that Arthur had done with many noble women. Something that he had trained for many years to execute perfectly. But Merlin still didn't like the intimacy of him dancing with her. He felt even worse because Lady Guinevere had always been kind to him when she visited Camelot. She never treated him like a servant, but as an equal, but even after all that he still disliked the sight of it.

Still, he forced a smile on his face as he stood out of sight. The pitcher lay steady in his grip as he refused to shake seeing Arthur spin Guinevere around.

Instead, he placed the pitcher of wine on the end of a table and snuck out of the ballroom unseen, even by Arthur.

As Arthur and Guinevere made their last footsteps of the dance, he thanked her for the honor as a Prince should, and excused himself from the dance. Everyone else continued to move around the floor. He looked at the corner Merlin was standing when the dance began, but his manservant was no longer standing there. And as he looked around the room, he realized he wasn't standing anywhere. The pitcher Merlin was holding was now sitting on the end of a table near where he was last seen.

Arthur desperately wanted to go find Merlin, but he knew his father wouldn't allow him to leave the ball before it was over. So instead, he sat next to his sister in their twin thrones for the rest of the night.

Well past midnight, the music had stopped and all the nobles were either asleep or preparing for bed.

But Arthur sat in his room alone waiting for Merlin to walk through the door. But the minutes dragged on and Arthur started to question if he would actually come.

The door didn't open for what felt like forever, so Arthur began undressing himself. He had just lifted his shirt off when the door creaked open. He turned to see Merlin, still hiding half his body behind the wooden door of his chambers.

"I didn't think you'd come."

"Neither did I."

"Why are you upset Merlin?"

"You know why." He closed the door and leaned against it.

Arthur walked over to Merlin and grabbed his right hand. Then he pulled Merlin towards him with his free hand resting on Merlin's waist. Merlin's other hand found Arthur's shoulder as they made their first steps.

There was no music as they danced their way through Arthur's chambers. But this dance wasn't the same like he had danced with Guinevere. That one was very mechanic and precise, this one was messy, and they ran into furniture a few times, which made them laugh.

Merlin had rested his head on Arthur chest as they swayed in the moonlight, and felt the most at home he had ever been.

Arthur caressed Merlin's head. "Stay with me tonight."

"How could I ever say no?"