A Kings Confessions (Merthur)

Chapter 2.2

It was late into the night, the moon showed it was around midnight. They boys had made it through two tankards of ale and had sent for mead to continue drinking. The mead was drank slower as they had their fun with the ale. Now they sat and talked about anything and everything, their drunken states allowing for more truth to come out than either of them would have preferred had they been sober. At the moment there was a silence between the two, Merlin was staring into his cup, and Arthur staring at Merlin.

Merlin had been thinking of the events that took place earlier that day. Morgana, the battle. Merlin was the one to defeat her, upon her raising her knife getting ready to stab his king, Merlin had let out a blood curdling scream. He had yelled 'stop' and every weapon in the room raised themselves, pointed towards her, and all at once flung at her. Digging themselves into her skin, Excalibur had pierced her heart. She let out a broken scream, and tears flooded down her cheeks, part of Merlin thought the tears may have begun before the first even weapon touched her...Merlin had run across the room before collapsing next to Arthur's unconscious form.

"You know...the knights said they found you next to me when they found us. How did you get there from the wall? Who even defeated Morgana? Did you...did you see what happened?" Arthur seemed to have been thinking the same things. Merlin looked up at his friend, right into his eyes.

"An old man in a red cloak killed her, he walked in and levitated all of the weapons, piercing her from all directions. When she died the spell holding me to the wall faded and faltered. The man looked at you, you happened to sort of shift, upon seeing that he nodded to me and left." Merlin fabricated this lie while he had been serving earlier. He practiced many times in his head, knowing the question would be asked eventually.

"You, went to me? I'm sorry, but why didn't you try to get help?" Arthur questioned. Merlin looked away, a small blush dusted his cheeks.

"I didn't want to leave you, not alone...not there." Merlin whispered the last part more to himself than to Arthur. Arthur heard it though, he smiled at the young boy sitting in front of him. He looked scared, and small, but brave too. Arthur had so many thoughts going through his head, but one kept repeating more than any of the others. 'I love him' He was surprised at himself for admitting it, but why wouldn't he. One of his decrees when he became king was that same sex marriage was legal, but he still had trouble with accepting his own sexuality. Merlin on the other hand had only ever really shown straight interests, at least he had complimented a few girls before in front of Arthur. Though Arthur never really heard Merlin mention any special lady friends, or his love life in general. 'Him and Gwen seem quite close though...could they be..? No, no way.' Arthur thought to himself. Some of the knights started flirting with guys. Gawain and Percival began flirting very openly with each other. Arthur sighed slightly, Merlin caught on to it immediately.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked the moment Arthur sighed. Arthur looked up, obviously surprised that Merlin was so quick to ask.

"Nothing is wrong I'm just thinking."

"About what?" Merlin replied curiously. Arthur looked up at Merlin, his eyes gliding over Merlin's soft curls, blue eyes, and his lips. Merlin's lips were a delicate pink, slightly parted as they formed a curious expression on his face. Arthur tore his eyes away from his best friends lips.

"Can you keep a secret? Like...a real one, not just some extra holes in a belt." Arthur inquired. Merlin nodded.

"Of course, you can trust me Arthur."

Arthur took a deep breath, nodding as if convincing himself that this was the right thing to do.

"I think I'm gay."