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Arthur had always prided himself on being a fair man.
He'd fully accept that he had been a bully in earlier years but ever since Merlin came into his life (the prat), he'd endeavoured to keep things calm.
He was to one day be King, he was to rule his subjects with as much love as possible.
So, please, please, explain to him why he woke up one day with Arthur Pendragon stained into his skin with a condemning flourish.
He'd woken up that day with barely controlled excitement, having felt his soul mark change that night but been too tired to check. However, now armed with the barest amount of rest, up before even Merlin would be, he raced out of bed, ignoring how the floor's cold, bit into his heel as he ran to the window to use the first rays of light to check his wrist, for his clue to who his Soulmate may be.
He'd been grinning already, hoping it may be something like Spiders, something silly which he could tease his Soulmate with as they met. He waiting anxiously for the moment where his soulmate would touch his wrist, casing the grey mark to turn grey. Before, it had Famine, something which had led Arthur to spend hours arguing with his Father's advisors, begging that they should send more food across the land.
But instead, he'd been treated with his own name.
He hadn't understood at first, just...staring at the name, his name, which was on his wrist.
The name started to blur, and Arthur shook himself as he realised his eyes had started welling up.
His mind raced, wondering who could hold such a deep fear of him that it would cause him to come before anything else. He'd prepared for everything, from Death, to the name of an enemy, to hell- even his Father- God knew that man wasn't loved by all.
He hadn't.. he hadn't thought he had done enough to warrant being a mark.
Arthur clamped a hand over his wrist, not wanting to look at the condemning evidence.
'Get a grip Arthur.' He whispered harshly to himself, pushing down on the sob that threatened to escape. 'You're a leader- you don't even need a Soulmate.' He reminded himself, before dressing himself efficiently, not wanting to give Merlin the opportunity to see his mark.
He'd need to have a craftsman make him a leather cuff to hid it. Luckily, that wasn't unheard of, with Nobles and Royals often choosing to keep their marks concealed so that people couldn't try and prove it to them. The dark grey mark turned black when your soulmate touched it and it was every Noble's fear that a servant would cause it to turn black. Not because the marriage would be banned- god knows if you got in the way what bad fortune would happen, but because it took away the opportunity from the parents to make marriage alliances.
He collapsed into his chair, knowing it was too early for any of his knights to be up for training and just wanting to be alone.
As he sat, feeling almost numb, he tried to think of what he could have done.
Had it been one of the knights he'd bullied relentlessly as a younger boy?
Someone he'd brushed off?
Arthur paused, was it an enemy?
A sorcerer?
Arthur exhaled deeply, coming to a determined decision.
If his soulmate was so scared of him- Arthur would make sure that it was deserved.
He'd be the greatest protector in the lands and if his soulmate's greatest fear continued to be his name; then when he met his soulmate, he'd run him through with his sword.
**
Merlin was going to shit his pants.
Yesterday, he'd come to two very uncomfortable revelations, both entered around Arthur.
One- he was madly in love with the clot pole.
Two- the aforementioned clot pole would kill him without a second thought, if he ever found out Merlin had magic- and Merlin would let him.
It had been a night like any other, Arthur and the knights where being daft and reminding Merlin once again how happy he was to have been blessed with a brain, rather than muscles when they decided to get onto the topic of magic.
And during that topic, Arthur had drunkly declared that he didn't care how long he knew someone- if he ever caught someone using magic, even if it to where save his own life, he'd burn them at first light.
And would you like to know what Merlin's first thought was?
They would be able to watch the Sunset together before he burned.
Okay, that was total bullshit, but the point was, he hadn't felt fear.
And that scared him.
Arthur scared him.
Because not only was Merlin in constant mortal peril every day he worked for the arrogant prat, but he was in peril every time he realised he didn't care.
Who the fuck told him he shouldn't care about death, so long as he should he get to hang around Arthur?
What kind of romantic crap was he drinking?
So, to sum it up, he could now safely assume that his biggest fear had to be Arthur.
How could he not be?
He was literally the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the Earth, and he was constantly around the man who would condemn him to death the second he found out.
Oh, and then he would also gladly die to save the blonde prick and he didn't even care, which again- scary.
Funnily enough, he didn't think of the ramifications of any of this, and went his merry way to go see Arthur, ready to once again irritate the hell out of the Prince who would, as a result of Merlin's terrible attempts of flirting, probably throw him in the stocks again.
**
'Merlin,' Arthur asked hesitantly, as he ate the breakfast his servant had brought up for him. Merlin looked at him expectantly and Arthur continued, 'What does your soulmate's mark say?'
Merlin gave a tender smile to his mark and Arthur reminded himself that he couldn't throw Merlin in Prison for that.
'They're scared of Disappointment.' He said, sweeping a thumb over his mark and looking at it with awe. Arthur scowled,
'That's a stupid thing to be scared of.' He muttered in response. Merlin narrowed his eyes,
'Well, what is yours scared of? Mud?' Merlin mocked. Arthur's nostrils flared with anger and Merlin seemed to realise he was about to get pummelled,
'I think I hear Gaius calling me.' He said, making a hasty exit.
'Merlin, you work for me! Merlin!' He yelled out in irritation, reminding himself that he was going to be the best protector in Camelot, even if that included not murdering annoying servants.
He grunted in frustration, stomping over to hurl open his door, fully intending on dragging his servant back, only to see other servants all look at him hesitantly.
Scared.
And Arthur came to a revelation- perhaps the issue was not that his soulmate was an enemy, perhaps Arthur was just an arse.
Perhaps he just needed to show everyone how nice he was.
He considered commanding everyone to stop being scared of him and see how goddamned nice he fucking was, but then thought that wasn't the most...eloquent solution.
He decided to save it for later.
He walked out, deciding that now was as good a time as any, to go to training and kept repeating to himself the reward of not having his soulmate fear him.
'Good morning.' He said politely to a beautiful serving girl. The girl froze like a deer and Arthur sighed, only now starting to realise how hard this task may be.
Well, no one ever said he wasn't stubborn, how hard could this be?
**
It had been weeks of being nice to people in the hope that his words would change and yet they stubbornly remained.
Arthur looked down accusingly at his mark, reading the cursed words again and reminding himself that the whole point of being nicer was to get these words to change.
'I'm just saying, you're being more of a dollop head than usual.' Merlin shrugged, causing Arthur's hand to twitch towards his sword, before realising anyone in the courtyard would see that which would go against the whole "nice guy" thing he was trying out.
'I'm sorry you think that Merlin.' Arthur gritted out with a fake smile. Gwaine and Leon looked at their prince with weirded out expressions, still incredibly unsettled by this creepily nice new Arthur. It had been the best thing they'd ever seen as the Royal Staff all freaked out about Arthur being nice to them, all of them collectively terrified that Merlin would think his boyfriend was flirting with them.
Of course, no one was more creeped out than Merlin.
Do you know how hard it is to break in a Royal so that they were okay with being insulted by the commonwealth?
Very fucking hard.
Something he'd learnt through his stay in the stocks, after he muttered about one of the visiting nobles being a prat.
Honestly, these stuffy arseholes had no sense of humour.
'Sire, are you okay?' Merlin asked with concern.
Where the hell had his best friend gone?
These past few weeks had been hell and Merlin was becoming more and more scared of whatever was happening to Arthur.
Oh god, what if he was dying?
'Yes, Merlin. Why wouldn't I be?' Arthur asked, angry over how much he needed to correct who he was. Why had no one told him it had gotten to the point where if he didn't insult someone, everyone thought he was going to go on a killing spree.
Probably because everyone apart from Arthur was aware that the more he complimented someone, the more he liked them.
Which meant all his knights and more specifically Merlin, were terrified that they had done something wrong.
'No reason.' Merlin mumbled, pissed off that once again, Arthur wasn't rising to the bait.
At this point, Merlin was seriously considering revealing his magic, at least just to get a reaction from him that was anything else but generic pleasantries.
Does Merlin look, like the kind of guy to appreciate common pleasantries?
The answer is no, in case you were wondering.
In his village it had been a rare sight to find someone with a tongue as sharp as Merlin's wit and he'd finally met his match in Arthur.
And ever since that weird night all those weeks ago, he'd changed.
Which led Merlin to one very reasonable explanation- Arthur obviously knew Merlin had magic.
Merlin waited for the yard to clear, silently coming to terms with his impending death.
One it was, he stared at the sky, breathing it in, one last time,
'I know.' Merlin said simply.
Arthur turned to him sharply.
'How?'
'You've been acting different. There's no point, you know, destiny can't be changed so easily.' Merlin remarked calmly, refusing to look at the man who would soon be his death. He cursed destiny for insisting he had magic and silently wished that he hadn't been given this gift.
'Thanks Merlin, I really needed that.' Arthur said harshly, rubbing his wrist.
'You know, you actually did. I mean, without my magic, those bandits would have killed you ages ago.' Merlin grouched. Arthur blinked.
'Merlin. Did you just admit to having sorcery to the Prince of Camelot?' Arthur hissed, grabbing Merlin by the elbow to shove him close to him.
Merlin was starting to realise he may have misread the situation here a bit.
'No. That was...a joke. A bad one, I realise now.'
'Oh, shut up, I obviously already knew, but why are you telling me now?' Arthur said impatiently.
'I thought you just found out.' Merlin whispered as he started to realise he wasn't dead, and Arthur knew of his feelings magic.
'You literally admitted it to save Gwen your first week here.' Arthur reminded him bluntly and Merlin blushed at the reminder.
'Well, yes,'
'And you're eyes turn gold. Like- all the time.' Arthur droned on.
'Well, what did you think I was talking about?' Merlin struggled to regain his footing.
'This.' And Arthur shoved his shirt up and yup, Merlin could see why he may have been acting like an oddball.
'Well...that's....that's something. You know, some people get really generic things and honestly, maybe this is a good thing? You know? Like sticking the whole thing to the Fates of whatever an-' His blabbering stopped as he brushed the words accidentally and they turned black.
This whole situation just became slightly more awkward.
'you're afraid of me.'
'Afraid you’ll make me leave.' He looks up, meeting Arthur’s eyes head-on, the way he faces everything, and Arthur is acutely conscious that when he had found out- that's exactly what he'd tried to do. He'd been even more of an ass than usual, hoping Merlin would leave. Obviously he didn't.
'I thought you’d hate me, and I couldn’t bear it.'
Arthur continued looking at him with betrayal and Merlin sighed, trying to remember that he loved this man.
'It isn’t what you think, you know.'
'Of course not. It's mot like I just spent days agonising whether I'd have to kill my soulmate.' Arthur muttered and pushed his arm away from him.
'Don’t mope, it isn’t a good look on you, you absolute drama queen.' Merlin sighed and Arthur turned to stare at him, mouth opened a little.
'You’re hardly scary to me in the sense you are thinking of. I call you a prat enough for that to be obvious.' He smiled and Arthur pursed his lips. That didn’t seem to mean much anymore.
'Then what sense should I be thinking of?' He asked sceptically. Merlin went quiet, clasping his hands together in front of him.
'In the sense… I’ve never been so wholly dedicated to someone before. I’m willing to die for just about any decent person that I’ve come across, you know. It isn’t that special for people to want to die for a good cause. I’ve never really met someone who makes me want live and see what happens next though. That’s… Different. And scary. I’m not used to it and I’m not entirely sure how fond of it I am… But the truth of the matter is even if I did want to back out, I think it’s too late now. I’m kind of stuck with you.' He chuckled wryly
'I know I have a choice in the matter, but…' His voice trailed off and Arthur found he couldn’t stop staring at him
'What?'
'I'm in love with an idiot.' Arthur laughed in disbelief. Now it was his turn to blush as Merlin looked at him in disbelief.
'We haven't even gone on a date!' He argued. Arthur scowled,
'Oh, piss off Merlin.'
'You don't mean that.' Merlin sing-songed.
'Because you looooove me.' He continued his taunts.
'I do, you know. I know I can't expect you to back, especially after having my- my name on your skin but my feelings won't change.' He said bravely, looking at Merlin with such a serious expression that Merlin's teasing smile disappeared as he searched those eyes for sincerity.
'You're such a clot pole.' He murmured before grabbing Arthur by the back of the neck and hauling him forward so that he could kiss the stupid out of the man he loved.
Arthur made a sound of surprise at the back of his throat before groaning into the kiss and lifting his hands so that they could grasp the back of Merlin's hair and control the kiss.
Merlin moved his hands to scratch down Arthur’s back, and grinned into the kiss as the Prince whimpered into his mouth.
'You'll be the death of me Merlin.' Arthur whispered into the kiss, his lips brushing Merlin's with every word he breathed.
'Please, I'm the only reason you're alive.' He sassed, only for whatever he was going to say fade as he focused on stopping his breath from hitching when Arthur bit softly at his neck.
'You are. You're my salvation.' Arthur agreed, and no comparison to religious worship could be made with the way that Arthur was ruining the unblemished look of his Angel.
'And your love?' Merlin begged.
'Yes. An-and, you? Do you love your Prince?' Arthur asked between nips at Merlin's throat, eying the purpling bruises with a primal pride as he watched Merlin's pupils dilate as they saw him looking.
'No. I don't love the Prince. I love Arthur.'
'My little Wizard.' Arthur murmured into Merlin's neck as he tried to hide his blush before Merlin guided his lips back to his.
The words never faded from Merlin's skin but oddly enough, neither of them minded.