Notes:
Ok I feel I must point something out. In this chapter what happens might seem like it is non-consensual but that is not the case. No rape takes place, trust me Merlin did like it he was just torn between wanting it and stopping Arthur knowing he was under a spell. He couldn't bring himself to take advantage of the situation, but at the end he did just that. Also since I am leaving you all in a very huge cliffhanger I have included a sneak preview of Chapter 9. That might just bring more questions.....Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Too Late to go Back
An hour later, Arthur and Merlin were ready to depart. Horses were saddled; provisions were packed and the wagons full of the items that were to be traded with Lord Godwyn. Sir Gwaine and Sir Percival had joined them followed by a few other knights. Sir Elyan was still in Ealdor visiting his sister Gwen and wasn't due for another two weeks. And Sir Leon had been ordered to stay behind. He had been instructed to let the prisoner out of the dungeons and to make sure the castle was well protected.
Everything was taken care of so why didn't they depart? Merlin wondered as he looked over at Arthur. Just then two servants walked down the steps and sat on one of the wagons. One was a man Merlin knew as Simon, he recognized seeing him helping out in the kitchen; the other was the woman whom he had bumped into the day before.
Merlin moved closer to Arthur's horse to inquire why two more servants were coming with them when Arthur cut him off. "I don't think I can stand hearing you whine all the way to Lord Godwyn's kingdom, so they will be helping you with the cooking and setting up camp." With that Arthur grabbed his reins and was off.
Merlin followed with a wide grin on his face. Was Arthur actually thinking about someone else's comfort? The horses galloped through the woods, staying at a constant pace. Their trip to Lord Godwyn's kingdom would take a few days and Arthur wanted to make camp until the sun was low. They needed to cover as much land as they could before then.
Merlin's horse stayed close to Arthur's, never staying more than a few paces behind. Merlin sighed as he shifted in his saddle as his bottom began to get numb, he really didn't like riding. "What is wrong Merlin? Didn't I tell you to eat more?" Arthur teased over his shoulder hinting at Merlin's skinny bottom. "No, it's alright I only have one belt and I am not fond of putting holes in mine, Sire." Merlin teased back. Gwaine and Percival laughed, the two knights couldn't help themselves they found their bickering quite entertaining at times.
He was not fat; Arthur thought to himself and was about to reply when he changed his mind. He decided to concentrate on the road ahead of him instead. Merlin continued shifting from side to side, though it did little to ease the discomfort and numbness. Not to mention it also seemed to drain him even more.
After what felt like eternity to Merlin, Arthur signaled for them to stop and set camp. He and the knights dismounted their horses and moved to secure the area. When no threat was found, they circled back towards Merlin and the other two servants, who were already in the middle of keeping themselves occupied.
Simon moved to take care of the cooking, taking a pot down from one of the wagons. The woman moved to gather wood for the fire, she wasn't found of doing anything that required more effort. And Merlin made his way to the horses. After the horses were free of their saddles and other provisions that they carried, Merlin moved to help the female servant with the wood gathering. "Hi, I'm Merlin." He greeted as he picked up a stick and then extended his hand towards her. "Evelyn and I don't need your help. I can manage on my own." Evelyn replied as she moved on to gather another piece of wood ignoring Merlin's outstretched hand.
