Merlin One-Shots!!

Don't touch him, understand?

Some stuffs about to go down

---

Merlin had finally finished his chores for the day. Arthur wouldn't need him for another hour, so he decided to head back to Gaius's chamber for some food. He walked there with a skip in his step, genuinely happy for the first time in a while. Morgana was gone, there was no assassination attempts every other day. Life in Camelot was good.

Arthur even legalized magic! Partly due to Merlin's confession after Camlann, which Arthur took surprisingly well all things considered.

On his way back to the castle he stopped by the stables to feed his horse. Merlin had a way with animals like no other, when he wasn't working or practicing magic you would no doubt find him in the stables or playing with the hunting dogs.

"Hi Winnie you hungry?" Merlin asked the beautiful dapple mare, picking up a carrot. The mare whinnied in response making Merlin laugh.

While he was preoccupied, a salty stable hand named Jon quietly locked the door to the stable and headed towards Winnie's pen. By the time Merlin acknowledged his presence he already had a fist to the face.

"What the hell!" Merlin yelled ready to cast a defensive spell, but the stable hand beat him to it. A swift kick to the stomach winded the warlock, making him curl into a ball.

"That's what you get for stealing my job." The stable hand spat.

"I don't even know who you are." Merlin gasped clutching his bruised stomach. His chest felt like it was on fire, not a good sign.

"Of course you don't I wasarthur's servant before you showed up and saved his god damn life. You have made my ife hell, so I intend to do the same." He finishd his mini speech my punching Merlin in the nose, sending an awful crack throughout the stable.

The pain became to much for merlin to handle and he passed out on the floor of the stbles. Jon retreated, locking Winnie's door as he did so.

---

"MERLIN!" Arthur's voice echoed through the castle. Servants ducked away from the king's obvious wrath.

Arthur burst through the physician's door scaring the life out of the poor old man.

"Sire you scared me half to death. What's wrong?" Gaius grumbled more than a little irritated at the rude interruption.

"Where's Merlin? He is late." Arthur yelled, staring at the servants door as if he could see Merlin lying asleep in the bed within.

"He isn't here sire." Gaius stated and Arthur felt slight panic at the revelation. Where was his idiotic servant?

"Tell me if he comes back." With that Arthur turned on his heel and headed for the most likely place his servant could be.

The stables.

---

Merlin sat up groggily awoken by the gentle nudges from his horse.

"I'm okay Winnie." The boy whispered, straining to keep awake. He really should have kept quiet.

The door opened and Jon came in, this time with a horse whip and rope.

"Ready for round two." He said with an evil sneer. Merlin rolled his eyes, succeeding in pissing Jon off even further. Rope was wrapped tightly round the warlocks wrist.

The rope was strung around a hook attached to the ceiling, leaving Merlin dangling inches off the ground. Merlin's pained expression seemed to bring Jon such sick pleasure as he began to laugh: a deep, manic sound that pierced the Warlock's skull.

His magic thrummed weakly at his skin, but Merlin could barely lift his head. His mind was jumbled, no spells could string themselves together. He was utterly helpless.

"Stop." He managed to croak out, making the stable hand laugh harder. He brought the whip down with such a force it cut into the skin of his arm. Merlin let out a shrilling scream that could shatter glass. Well it did in fact, half the windows in the lower town were blown out as Merlin's magic tried desperately to lash out.

Arthur, upon hearing these screams, ran faster to the stables now extremely worried.

Jon carried on this process until he was knocked back by the swinging of a door. Arthur stood seething in the doorway, glaring daggers at the stable hand now out cold on the floor.

A small groan from Merlin however broke his deathly glare and sent him running to the Warlock's side.

"Oh my god Merlin, I am never leaving your side again." Arthur gushed as he quickly untied the ropes and picked him up bridal style.

"I didn't know you cared." Merlin stuttered, slipping in and out of consciousness. Arthur was visibly hurt by this statement, but didn't say anything. He took the boy to Gaius, stopping Knights on the way to arrest the stable hand.

---

The next day Arthur went to visit Merlin who was now awake and walking around with ease.

"Nice to see you're back on your feet." Arthur said with a warm smile, leaning up against the door.

"Thanks to you." Merlin said with a grateful gleam in his eye. Arthur beamed back at him from the doorway. His expression quickly changed from that of adoration to one of slight annoyance.

"That stable boy is in the stocks. I have a compelling urge to go join the town's folk."

"Well what are we waiting for. Let's go." Merlin smirked, linking arms with Arthur and grabbed a prepared basket of rotting fruit. Arthur bit back a laugh, Merlin had clearly planned to go with or without him.

Once arriving the crowd parted, making way for the King who wore a very mischievous grin.

"Let this be a lesson to all. Don't touch Merlin or you will end up in the stocks." Arthur didn't care how pathetic or possessive he sounded. No one hurts Merlin and gets away with it.

No one.

Arthur is a protective boyfriend and I stan