Sweetness

13

A lucky man

Arthur was beside himself. All of his thoughts and feelings this past week had been dedicated to Merlin.

He felt that the whole situation was somewhat ludicrous. A lord having his servant was far from uncommon. Although most times it was a chambermaid. However, this felt different to him. It felt more real than anything that Arthur had had before.

Previously, maids would allow him the pleasure simply because he was the prince or perhaps because he was handsome. They never specified.

That always just felt like a quick shag with no sort of future commitment. He rarely thought about those women after they had left his chambers.

Now, Merlin was the first name on his lips in the morning and this morning was no different. But when there was a meek knock on the door, and Arthur sat up, his was not the first face he saw.

It was the mousy blonde boy from before.
Arthur was perplexed. Nonetheless he did not ask about the whereabouts of his proper manservant.
The boy sat his breakfast down on the desk and left at the "that is all," issued by Arthur.
Come to think about it, Arthur hadn't seen Merlin in nearly a whole day. He had just assumed that with the new found interest, Merlin had some work somewhere to catch up on.

Arthur glanced up into the mirror on his desk. He laughed audibly at the current state of his hair, and smoothed it down as he liked it.

The morning passed slowly as he had no one to share it with.

There was not a single hint of his friend anywhere. Not in the armory which he usually mulled about while Arthur was training his men, not in the stables mucking out the manure. He had simply vanished.

Sir Percival even asked about his absence once during a break in morning training.
Arthur begun to worry.

The poor idiot probably got lost.
He smirked to himself. He'll show up. He always does.

He didn't.

Arthur marched down to Giaus's quarters.

"Giaus, have you seen my manservant? He was supposed to fetch my breakfast hours ago."

The old man looked shocked, "they haven't told you? The king relieved him of his duties. Well- relieved him of his duties is a kind way to put it-"

"What ?! When did this happen?"

"It was yesterday, my liege. The boy's moved out already."

Arthur's face grew red in anger and his brows knitted themselves together. Giaus had never seen the prince like this. No one had.

Wordlessly, he left to seek his father who was no doubt the cause of this.

Arthur flung open the doors to the banquet hall where his father was sitting on his throne, talking to a small group of advisors.
Upon the arrival of his enraged son, Uther shood away the committee in anticipation of the yelling match that was about to ensue.

"For what possible purpose did you dismiss my manservant?!"
Arthur asked surprisingly calm for his appearance.

"Arthur, the boy was shirking his responsibilities as well as being a distraction to you. It was only logical to bar him from employment in this castle."

"Bar him?! He's been nothing but good help in the year that he's worked for me."

"Well recently he's proven to be unreliable. In the last week alone, he's been late three  times to his morning duties. He is too familiar with noblemen and frequents pubs far too often."

"I hardly think having a drink is a crime, father."

"It is when doing so in place of responsibilities. You've spent far too much time with the boy, I see that you're starting to ignore your duties as well. This could have only gotten worse from here. I feel as though this is something you could learn from, Arthur."

As if to make it worse Uther added, "No crowned prince can gain the respect of his people, if he does not execute his duties with authority. So far you have shown yourself to be lazy, an I will not be having that."

Arthur clenched his fist so tightly that later he would find the markings of where his fingernails had dug into his palm.

"I can't even express to you how wrong you are." He said quietly.

Uther started to say something but Arthur didn't hear him. He turned his back and made his way for the hall.

I will find Merlin and I will bring him home to me...