Archive of Our Own

The moment his eyes had fallen on the other and he had looked up at him brazenly, with a collar around his neck and shackles around his wrists instead of cowing in fear, Arthur had known then and there ,that there was something about him but he just couldn’t put a finger on it.

It was raining heavily that day when Arthur had first seen him.

There had been chatter around the house that his father had purchased three slaves and they were due to arrive any moment. He didn’t know what had gotten into him that day but he had opened his windows to go into the balcony and had let the rain beat down on him hard, soaking him to the bone.

The thunder had rumbled in the sky and after a few minutes a carriage being drawn by a horse came to a halt and he saw three people step out of it. A dark woman with curly hair caught his eyes first, she was beautiful despite the dirt that clung to her skin and tattered clothes. Next his eyes fell on a boy who had pale skin and curly hair and finally his eyes landed on him.

Unlike the other two who had their heads bowed in submission as they stood shackled in chains, he was looking up and Arthur swallowed when he realized that he was directly looking at him. Rain was beating down heavily on him and wet, torn clothes clung to his lean body. He was pale and his soaking black hair stuck to his forehead. He never stopped looking at Arthur and had kept their gazes locked till finally the three of them were herded away with sticks by the slave manager. Arthur licked his wet lips as he felt an absurd sensation stirring in his belly.

That moment he had looked into those dark and brazen eyes, he had known then that there was something quite amiss about that one.

His name was Merlin and he was allotted to work for Gaius who was their family physician. Arthur had ignored a strange feeling of disappointment that he had felt as his father had announced his decision after their dinner. The slaves had stood at the door as his father had scrutinized them and allotted them duties. Mordred was allotted to work in the kitchens and the beautiful girl slave whose name was Guinevere was allotted to Morgana.

Arthur had also taken note of how Morgana had kept repeatedly glancing at Merlin who unlike the last time Arthur had seen him, had his eyes downcast as he stood with his shoulders slouching and back hunched. The slave looked utterly dejected and so different from earlier, when he had unflinchingly held Arthur’s gaze.

“That concludes it and if any one of you proves to be a nuisance, know this that I may be generous most times but on instances when I’m disobeyed I can be very, very stern.” Uther said in a severe tone with hard, stony eyes.

Arthur looked down into his empty plate, he had seen Uther exercise his authority several times before and it hadn’t been pretty.

Suddenly faces ridden with pain accompanied by lips screaming for mercy and pleading red eyes full of tears flashed before his eyes and he took a shaky breath in.

Uther nodded towards Claus, the slave manager who slightly bowed his head and with a stick waving threateningly in his hand escorted the three slaves outside as if they were cattle.

Arthur felt sadness bloom in his chest at such inhumane treatment. He despised slavery. How was it just to treat someone so inhumanely just because they belonged to another country, lower status, creed or had different skin color when they all shared the same blood.

It was truly evil and Arthur despite having had several vicious fights with his father has been unable to stop him.

So resigned he became a silent spectator instead which day by day was killing him on the inside.

The next he saw Merlin was a week or two later when he was passing the hallway in the middle of the night to fetch some water. The slave came out of Morgana’s room and upon sighting Arthur froze just outside the door with the clanking sound of his chains that echoed thunderously in the night ceasing immediately.

Arthur swallowed a lump down his throat as the light of the oil lamp which he was holding illuminated the other. Merlin looked disheveled, his hair was all messed up and he was wearing his tattered shirt inside out.

It was clear what the slave had been up to before Arthur had shown up.

They stood awkwardly looking at each other for what felt like long hours when finally Arthur having had enough of the uncomfortable situation turned to leave. Just as he was about to go a shackled hand grasped his forearm and Arthur swiveled around, stunned.

Slaves were not allowed to touch the owners without their permission.

Merlin just as taken aback by his response yanked his hand back as if burned. His blue eyes which looked black in the yellow light of the lamp were wide and he sputtered, unable to form comprehensible words or sentences.

“S-sorry— Sir- I” Merlin stammered in a rough, deep voice looking extremely anxious.

Arthur’s shock abated a little at the other’s agitated state. Merlin clearly looked afraid as if he had been caught doing something wrong when in fact he wasn’t in the wrong at all. He was merely obeying his owner’s command.

“Merlin, it’s all right. Go, I wouldn’t tell anyone anything. Don’t worry.”

Arthur said softly, attempting to calm the young man who looked almost distraught now.

Merlin nodded frantically and without uttering a single word hurriedly made his way out of the dark hallway.

And all the while Arthur’s eyes remained on the other’s wide retreating back.

He then suddenly felt anger flare within him and there was something else as well that was bubbling just under his skin but he refused to acknowledge it.

The next time he saw Merlin was again in the dead of the night. He was reading by his desk when suddenly a gut wrenching shriek pierced through the quietness of the dead hour. Startled he grasped hold of the lamp and immediately walked out of his room.

He urgently followed the screams that became louder and louder as he approached his father’s room.

His heart thundered against his chest as garbled shrieks mixed with hysterical sobs became clearer and clearer.

He turned a corner and then a loud gasp fell out of his lips just as his eyes widened when he took in the scene unfolding in front of him.

His father had a cane in his hand with which he was beating Merlin mercilessly who just stood there, shirtless with his lips pressed in a tight line and his jaw clenched.

“Father!? What?”

Merlin’s dark angry eyes immediately flew to meet his and a breath caught in his throat. He swallowed when he saw Guinevere hysterically sobbing at one corner as she clutched her torn dress tightly to her body, trying to protect her modesty.

“How dare you question me?!” His father growled and slashed another harsh blow to Merlin’s exposed back. “ You’re nothing but filth! I clothed you, sheltered you, fed you and you dare question my authority! It is my will how I wish to use you, I own you, I own her!” His father angrily pointed with his cane towards Guinevere who immediately crouched in fear, “ If I wish to use her to please myself, I will! Her body, her soul is mine to take!”

Merlin didn’t utter a single word and his smoldering eyes just kept looking at Arthur. He looked unfazed by the assault and didn’t even flinch when another set of blows rained on him .

“Father! Please stop!”, placing the lamp on a nearby table he immediately fled to his father’s side.

“Please father, please” He pleaded repeatedly but his father took no note of his presence and just kept hitting Merlin.

Merlin’s entire back was red with painful lashes and there was also some bleeding from where his skin was broken through.

“Please father stop! Please!” He hugged his father from behind and tried to move him back and away from the bleeding slave but his father twisted out of his hold and roughly shoved him back. “ Go back to your room Arthur! This slave needs to be taught a lesson!” Arthur refused to go and tried to grab hold of his father again.

“Please father stop!”

His father swiveled in his hold and suddenly a harsh slap landed on his cheek. The slap stung his cheek and he gasped. His eyes wide then landed on Merlin who looked back just as shocked. His hand which slightly trembled slowly touched his cheek as he looked at his father who looked back at him blind with rage.

“Get out this instant or you’ll be next!”

Arthur ducked his head as utter mortification flooded his entire being. His father had only hit him once before and that was when he was a kid. To be slapped in front of the entire household as a man by his father was terribly humiliating and to have Merlin witnessed that somehow stung even more. He immediately scrambled away from the scene keeping his eyes downcast.

Even as the sounds of a cane being slashed against naked skin continued to echo, Arthur refused to turn back and ran from the scene, despite his heart crushing at the harrowing sounds.

He felt like an utterly useless and a horrible human being.

A week later since that terrible night Arthur entered the stables and halted at once at the sight of Merlin who was busy caressing his black beauty, Achilles.

Merlin looked horrible. His clothes were extremely dirty now and chains and shackles still weighed him down. The tight iron collar still hugged his pale neck uncomfortably and red painful bruises peeked through his threadbare shirt. After that night of horrible lashing Merlin was removed from Gaius’s employment and was demoted to doing menial labor around the house.

Apparently Merlin had tried to defend Guinevere’s honor. He had come to know that his father was forcing himself on the slave girl and consequently had barged into his father’s room in the middle of the night to stop him. It was so utterly stupid of him but also so brave. Arthur couldn’t help but admire the slave. Merlin had been able to do what Arthur had never had been able to do, stand up to his father and stand up for what was right.

Merlin then became aware of his presence and looked at him. He bowed his head in deference and moved away from Achilles instantly.

Arthur stepped inside the stables and slowly walked towards Achilles.

“She’s a beauty isn’t she?” Arthur said as he pulled Achilles out of the stall and caressed her thick black hide.

Merlin nodded and gave a small smile. Arthur smiled back and then his eyes fell on the other’s feet and he swallowed at once. Merlin’s feet were horrendous. They were naked, dirty and bleeding at places. Arthur couldn’t help but frown at their sight.

“Where are your shoes?” He couldn’t help but ask as he looked into the other’s eyes.

Merlin simply shook his head and bowed his head again.

Of course.

His father’s abject cruelty made his hands ball into fists at his sides. His father wanted to make life hell for Merlin because Merlin had dared to defy his authority. The slave had dared to interfere with his father’s will which reigned supreme in his household. Merlin was his father’s property; his status was that of a pet, the fact that he had tried to stop his father meant he wasn’t afraid to rebel and there was nothing his father hated more than a rebellious slave.

“You’re going on a ride with me, go ask Gaius for shoes and put them on.” Arthur said with anger laced in his voice. His father might be barbaric but Arthur was not going to let his cruelty continue especially in his presence.

Merlin bowed his head lower and didn’t move.

“What are you doing? It’s a command Merlin. Go and fetch shoes for yourself.”

Merlin didn’t say anything and was bowing even lower now.

Of course. His word didn’t hold any precedence over his father’s.

“Fine but you will be going on this ride with me. Ready him for me.” Arthur said patting Achilles’s skin. He then huffed and walked to stand outside the stables. He had no power in his own household and the way his father had slapped him in front of everyone must’ve shown to every servant and slave they owned how powerless he really was.

Merlin walked Achilles out a moment later and Arthur put his foot in the stirrup and mounted the horse.

“Grab the reins and walk him for me. I want to go to the lake today.”

Merlin nodded and grabbed Achilles reins and started walking the horse with Arthur mounted. Usually Arthur preferred going alone on his ride with Achilles, he liked riding fast with the sound of air breaking around him.

With the air gushing past him and kissing his hair and skin, all his worries would disappear and for a moment his swirling thoughts no longer plagued him but today, he desired company.

He didn’t know what got into him but seeing Merlin suffer and in pain, pained him. So if through a small stroll to the lake Arthur can take Merlin away from his father’s cruelty even for some time, he would do it after all he couldn’t do much.

Arthur glanced at Merlin again and grimaced at the sight of Merlin’s naked feet walking over broken twigs, stones and dirt.

“Where are you from?” Arthur asked, no longer being able to tolerate the silence that had fallen between them.

“Ealdor Sir.”

“Are your companions from there as well?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Are you all friends?”

Merlin chuckled then, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners but all the while he kept looking ahead.

“You seem quite interested in wanting to get to know me Sir.”

Arthur felt his cheeks heat at that, “Well we have to talk about something. It would get rather boring if both of us stayed quiet.”

“Let’s talk about you Sir after all what can even be slightly exciting about a life of a slave.” Merlin turned back to glance at him, his smile now not reaching his eyes.

Arthur gulped as he felt a pang of guilt at Merlin’s reply. He shouldn’t be prying like that; it was quite obvious how absolutely horrible a life of a slave was and he just had to go and try to reopen closed wounds.

He didn’t know what to reply to that and so the rest of their journey towards the lake was full of stifling silence.

Arthur was sitting on a bench beside the lake and munching on a sandwich. Usually the pleasant scenery and the hum of nature calmed him. The fragrance of flowers and the virescent surroundings would cool his firey temper which would get provoked by the constant cruelty that he witnessed at the hands of his father but today he felt an odd sense of nervousness making his heart beat faster than usual.

Merlin was standing a few feet away and was caressing Achilles again.

His constant presence was obstructing Arthur’s serenity and he couldn’t help but feel annoyed by that.

What should’ve been a calm evening had turned into an anxiety driven affair for Arthur and although it was Merlin’s doing, the latter remained totally unaware of it. Why was a mere slave’s presence causing his heart to beat unusually faster, Arthur didn’t know.

An odd thought however crossed his mind then which made his eyes widen for a short second. That definitely would never be the case Arthur thought. Ever since he was a boy he had yearned only after women. He shook his head as if wanting to physically shake the absurd thought out of his mind. There were unpleasant names for men who indulged in such lecherous behavior and Arthur would never dare.

“That most definitely isn’t the case”, he unconsciously muttered out loud as he tried to reassure himself and then furtively glanced at the slave and for a minute he forgot how to swallow.

The sun was setting in the background and the sky was painted in orange with hues of blue in the mix. In the midst of the beautiful nature which was alive and flourishing, Merlin stood with a sweet smile on his face as he caressed Achilles. His black hair though unruly and his clothes despite being tattered and dirty didn’t rob him of his beauty.

Beauty.

His eyes widened again. He thought Merlin was beautiful. In fact more beautiful than any woman Arthur had ever yearned for.

And that terrified him.

It absolutely terrified him.

He looked away hastily even as his heart continued to hammer against his chest.

“That most definitely isn’t the case.” He muttered to himself again and again and then again but his treacherous heart thawed.

That evening as Merlin walked them back, Arthur cursed the gods because he knew that something truly terrifying and akin to a forbidden door had opened up inside of him, setting free thoughts, feelings that were considered sinful, that according to the church propelled one into the flames of hell.

His soul was damned.

Not only was he a silent spectator as his father orchestrated his evil design that solely comprised of the cruelest of deeds but now he had also started letting lust overwhelm him as absurd thoughts have started to swirl in his mind.

He was surely going to hell.

Even though spending time with Merlin was opening doors within him which he would prefer keeping shut and bolted, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to go on strolls with the slave.

The slave didn’t mind it either it would seem as when in the evening Arthur would enter the stables he would already be readying Achilles with a small and sweet smile decorating his face.

However, this time, after again having a bad fight with his father, Arthur decided to enter the stables earlier than he usually would and paused at the entrance upon sighting the slave sitting on a bundle of hay with a book in his hands.

Arthur swallowed at the sight and cursed internally as his heart started to pace faster.

It was astounding that Merlin was still nose deep into the book and hadn’t registered Arthur’s presence at all. It was clear that whatever he was reading had his undivided attention.

Arthur almost felt sorry that he would have to separate Merlin from what looked to be a very old book as its leather was peeling from several places but he just really wanted to go for a stroll so he loudly cleared his throat.

Merlin jerked his head up, clearly surprised by the sound and immediately stood up when his wide eyes fell on Arthur. He quickly tried to hide the book by moving it behind him but it was too late.

Arthur couldn’t help but smile sadly at the distressed look on the slave’s face.

Slaves were not allowed to read or write. After all everyone knew how powerful words were, so they were robbed of this powerful weapon as well, in order to ensure their total subjugation.

Arthur slowly entered the stables, “Merlin, it’s quite alright.” He said trying to calm down the slave who looked spooked and much like a deer caught in a trap, “Don’t worry, you don’t need to hide that.” He jerked his head towards the book that Merlin was tremendously failing to conceal, “Just be careful. I’m glad it was me who saw you but if it were anyone else, then the consequences would be terrible.”

Merlin now much calmer hastily nodded his head. He was now holding the book in front of him. Arthur was surprised to notice that up close the book looked quite large and intimidating; to him at least after all he wasn’t much of a reader.

“Go hide it and ready Achilles and remember, be more careful.”

Merlin again nodded and bowed his head.

Arthur smiled but when his eyes fell on Merlin’s hands which were grasping the book, his brows scrunched up, “Merlin, your hands….” He said and frowned at the sight of multiple cuts that dotted the large, pale hands.

Merlin straightened up and looked at his hands, “was tending to the rose bushes Sir.”

“Some cuts are still bleeding. Wait”, Arthur said and moved to fetch the little aid box that was kept in the stables.

He brought the box and ordered Merlin to place the book on the ground and hold his hands in the air.

Merlin was unsure at first and insisted that he was fine but Arthur rebuked him and ordered him to keep his hands still. Arthur opened the box then and used a small ball of cotton with a drop of alcohol to clean the slave’s wounds who flinched and hissed in response. Later he carefully applied a soothing balm at the cuts.

After finishing up and satisfied, he hummed and looked up, only to meet Merlin’s eyes which unblinkingly gazed at him.

His eyes were a magnificent shade of cerulean blue and Arthur couldn’t help but feel spellbound by them. His heart started to race in his chest at their proximity and heat started to pool in his gut as Merlin kept their gazes locked. Merlin was looking at him like Arthur was a problem he needed to solve, like he wanted to figure him out. His face had the same expression which he had when he had been reading the book just moments ago, when he seemed rapt.

It was evident that Arthur’s behavior was perplexing him, like he couldn’t understand why Arthur, a slave owner was being so kind to him and the fact that Merlin was confused by a simple act of kindness, demonstrated just how inhumanely the slaves were treated.

Arthur cleared his throat and put some distance between them. However, his heart was still not letting up and kept pumping blood faster throughout his body.

“I think we should not go for a stroll today. Go take some re—”, before he could complete his sentence however, Merlin immediately interjected, “N-No sir, I am perfectly able.”

“Nonsense, look at the state of your hands. We can go tomorrow.”

“Sir I assure you, I am fine.” Merlin’s face and his tone gave away his desperation. He clearly wanted to go for the stroll and Arthur wouldn’t blame him, after all who wouldn’t desire reprieve from the daily agony that poor Merlin was subjected to.

“Alright but we won’t take Achilles.”

Merlin, who was now smiling brightly, enthusiastically nodded his head and picked up the book from the ground.

“Sir I—” Merlin said as he held the book in his hand.

“Yeah, go hide it; I’ll wait outside the stables.” Arthur replied as he smiled at the slave who hurriedly rushed towards the opposing end of the stables that led to the slave quarters.

Sun was setting in the background and the sky was colored with orange and purple hues as Merlin and Arthur made their way back from their usual stroll. Their strolls weren’t a particularly exciting affair as most of the times they just sat and talked about mundane stuff. Arthur was the one who did most of the talking meanwhile Merlin would just sit next to him with a small smile on his face and listen.

He couldn’t help but smile when he recalled how Merlin had looked so shocked when he had asked him to sit next to him on the bench by the lake and even more so when he had tried to share his sandwich with him. It was absolutely diabolical that such simple things terrified the poor chap. It highlighted to Arthur all the more of how horrible slavery really was. The only difference between Merlin and himself was that he was born an English man and was born into privilege, besides that they both were made of flesh and bones and if one were to cut their flesh, they would bleed the same crimson blood. They were both destined to turn into dust when death would come knocking at their doors.

He didn’t see much difference between himself and the slaves and it made his heart feel at ease that he wasn’t the only one who thought this way. Many in the number of thousands were clamoring the same opinion as his. The smell of revolution was in the air and Arthur couldn’t help but thrum with excitement at that. People were taking the streets everyday to scream about the horror and injustice of slavery and amongst them were big names who had their seats in the house of commons. Big names of the like of Sir John Lewis, the most revered intellectual of their time. He aggressively made arguments daily against slavery and for its abolishment in the parliament and Arthur delightfully read his every word in the newspaper. He even talked about it with Merlin but the other just remained mute. It seemed that the chap refused to cling to even the slightest of hope that his fate could change and Arthur couldn’t fault him, after all when you’ve lived your whole life in misery, hope is the first thing that dies.

Arthur was lost in his thoughts when suddenly the sound of loud sobs and wails jolted him back to the present and his concerned eyes met with Merlin’s who also looked troubled. The sounds were coming from the stables.

He and Merlin made haste as they proceeded towards the stables and the unexpected sight of Mordred sitting on the dirty ground of the stables with his head between his knees and crying made him come to a halt.

Merlin however immediately ran to the crying kid’s side and hugged him and tried to comfort him.

Arthur couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling in his stomach that something very horrible had transpired which in turn riveted him to a spot.

“Mordred, shush, calm down, what happened?” Merlin asked gently the crying boy who was now hugging the man tightly, too tightly as if he would shatter if Merlin were to let go.

Mordred shook his head from side to side and just kept crying and crying. It made for a horrible scene.

Arthur finally getting some courage managed to move his legs which felt like a dead weight and walked towards them. He sank to the ground besides them and gently reached out his hand to the boy who sharply flinched away before Arthur’s fingers could even make contact with his skin. It killed something inside the blonde man but he just swallowed his hurt and looked into Merlin’s eyes.

“Mordred, it’s alright. Sir Arthur is kind. You don’t have to be scared of him. He would never hurt you.” Merlin said in a gentle tone as he tried to mollify the terrified boy.

Mordred just shook his head and buried his face into Merlin’s shoulder refusing to talk.

“You have to tell us what happened Mordred, we won’t be able to help you otherwise.”

The crying kid took big gulps of air and finally managed to say a few words in a broken voice, “No- no I-I will get P-punished.”

“You won’t. I promise you.” Arthur interjected with his voice coming out strong and serious.

Mordred looked at him then, his eyes, red and swollen from constant crying and his face wet from tears that didn’t stop coming.

“See, Sir Arthur will make sure that nothing will happen to you, now tell us what happened.”

Mordred still looked afraid but finally his crying ceased and he relaxed his tight embrace with Merlin a little.

“I-I, M-miss Morgana, I-I mean Lady Morgana” Mordred hurriedly corrected himself as if not saying lady would earn him a stick and then continued, “S-she called me to her chambers and then….” A pinched look came back on the kid’s face again and a few more tears made their way down his cheek, “S-she t-touched me, I-I..” Mordred’s little body started shaking again, “She—I-it was b-bad touch..I” and the poor kid then immediately snapped back to crying again.

Arthur felt nausea abruptly take hold of him. The world seemed to tilt around him in that moment as his mind understood what Mordred’s broken words were conveying.

Horrifying..

What Mordred had told was just simply put horrifying.

Merlin’s back went rigid and his eyes darkened as he too understood what Mordred was saying. He pulled the crying boy into an even tighter hold and looked at Arthur with dark and angry eyes.

Arthur swallowed and immediately looked away, he couldn’t bear looking into the other man’s eyes.

Raw anger came through them and they even glinted with murderous intent.

He immediately got up and with a stern voice regarded the two boys, “Don’t worry. I’ll see to it and I promise you Mordred, it won’t happen again. I promise.” Even as he said those words and made the promise, he felt doubt descend him and something inside him knew how hollow his promise really was. He had little to no power in this household. His father reigned supreme and then came Morgana. However, this was a crime which was most malignant and he had to do something about. In fact he must do something about it.

Merlin met his eyes and something in his face showed that he didn’t believe Arthur could live up to his promise either.

Arthur then turned away from them and with hurried steps left the stables.

God dammit all.

God fucking damn it all.

“What you’re doing is truly despicable Morgana.”

Arthur’s jaw clenched as anger bubbled under his skin.

Morgana was seated at her dressing table, her back to Arthur as she combed her long black locks with a brush.

Her green eyes locked with Arthur’s through the mirror and her lips slowly stretched into a devious smirk.

“Whatever you mean Arthur? ” She said as she continued to comb her locks and feign innocence.

Arthur’s grip tightened around the door handle, she clearly knew what Arthur was hinting at but of course she would play innocent.

He loudly slammed the door shut behind him as he entered the room.

“ I saw Mordred crying in the stables. He told me everything.”

Arthur took a deep breath in as he tried to rein in his anger that threatened to burst out and make him go mad with rage. His body was physically shaking from stopping himself from just barging towards his sister in order to hit her.

“So?”

Morgana simply shrugged at that and appeared nonchalant at the revelation which was truly sickening Arthur thought and he lost it at that.

“So?! So?! Morgana! He’s a kid! A bloody child!”

“ He’s fourteen Arthur. You’re acting like he’s bloody five or something. At fourteen a boy is just at the brink of becoming a man and is most definitely no longer a child.” Morgana finally turned around to regard him directly. She had her nose pointed upwards as her own jaw hardened, her eyes now vividly expressing her disagreeableness.

“You’re sick.” Arthur felt bile rise up in his throat at his sister’s response.

He had been aware of Morgana’s scandalous dalliances for quite some time now. From going to mysterious club parties to putting her filthy hands on the slaves that father bought, Morgana was notorious for her wicked and insatiable lust.

Arthur’s mind flashed back to that night of seeing Merlin all frantic outside her door and his hands balled into fists at his sides. Of course she had put her filthy hands on Merlin as well but to now be assaulting a little kid to satisfy her vile desires was most foul and extremely revolting.

“Stay away from Mordred or I—”

“You what?” Morgana cut him off with a remorseless chuckle, “You can’t do anything Arthur. You have no power, no say.”

She finally stood up and her green silk gown trailed behind her as she slowly walked to stand in front of him. Her face was decorated with a wicked smirk as she looked up at him.

“You are weak. You can’t do anything Arthur and you know that too.” Her smirk fell and was replaced by a grim expression then, “Now get out of my room and don’t bother me anymore.”

Morgana’s horrible words burned through his skin and made hurt bloom inside his chest.

They stung so much because they were true.

Morgana was right. He couldn’t do anything; he was powerless in his own home. He couldn’t go to the authorities against his father or sister as slaves had no rights. No authority in their right mind would go against a slave owner and especially one as formidable as his father who was a congressman. A slave was not a human, a slave was a property, a thing and things didn’t have rights. So if he went to the police they would laugh at him and immediately inform his father, who would then make Arthur pay for his betrayal with blood.

Even though on the inside Arthur felt defeated, hopeless, he made sure that his face only reflected his anger. If Morgana got even a little whiff of what he was feeling, she would latch onto it and then would become even crueler. She would increase his torment by spewing more venom from her tongue and would make the scars that had already formed from her words even deeper. She was sinister like that.

“Morgana, he was in tears. It was clear that what you did to him frightened him. I beg you, reflect on your actions. Save your soul while you can.”

Morgana snorted and shook her head, “Arthur just go. I have to leave in ten minutes for a very important meeting with Lady Shelby.” She waved her hand at the door, “If you’ll excuse me.”

Arthur sighed and felt the anger drain out of him. In place of anger, guilt started to form in his gut and he felt it weigh him down as he slowly moved to the door. He had always known that he couldn’t do much, had always known how utterly powerless he was but his stupid mind refused to give up. He knew if he didn’t at least try to do something then his conscience which already repeatedly pricked at him on the daily would make him despise himself. He would be lying if he said he didn’t hate himself a little already but if he just kept quiet and didn’t at least try, he knew that he would not be able to live with himself.

To have at least tried to help someone, to have at least tried to stand up for what he saw was right made his conscience settle down a little and despite the guilt at failing gnawing at him, the fruitless trying made living with his useless-self a tad bearable.

Arthur slammed Morgana’s door behind him and rubbed his face with the palms of his hands.

God, if only he could do something.

Arthur flung open the doors to Gaius’s chambers and hastily entered the room, his lungs were on fire from shortness of breath and he panted heavily, his chest rising and falling repeatedly. However, seeing the scene unfolding in front of him he immediately came to a halt and felt a lump form in his throat.

His eyes first landed on Merlin, a month has passed since his father bought the slave and he looked just horrible. The slave looked thinner than before and was covered in dirt from head to toe. His clothing was even more torn and the blasted chains and collar were still latched onto his body. He looked worse than before and it was clear that his father’s plan to make life intolerable for the rebellious slave was working but it was the red that was spattered all over Merlin’s tattered clothes that made his heart beat quicken.

Merlin was standing with Gaius by his side and mutely looking in the direction of the bed and finally Arthur followed the direction of where the slave was looking and for a second he forgot how to breathe.

His eyes landed on the bed and initially all he saw was red.

There was blood, so much blood.

Guinevere’s glassy eyes unblinkingly looked back at him and his eyes started to sting as tears started to pool in them. Her skin was pale and her thin body still, too still. Blood had pooled and soaked into the bed sheets around her rigid body and he felt a sharp piercing pain at the sight of her delicate wrists which were slit open.

“She killed herself.”

Merlin’s steely voice broke the deafening silence then which had fallen over the room and Arthur’s eyes which were full to the brim with tears now and cloudy landed on him.

The slave still had his eyes trained on Gwen as he continued in an unfeeling tone, “She was fine, had even smiled as she had shared pieces of warm bread with me and Mo, she had kissed us both on our cheeks as she had said good night but then Mo had a nightmare, went to her room and screamed. I woke up and she was..she..” Merlin stopped and Arthur through his hazy vision saw his entire body tensing up.

Gaius then placed his hand on Merlin’s shoulder and lightly pressed it but Merlin’s body remained taut. The older man’s sad eyes then met his, “ I tried to save her sir but it was too late. She had no pulse when Merlin carried her here, too much blood was lost.”

Arthur knew he had to say something but not a single word came out of his mouth. Despite his attempt at controlling his tears, he failed and a few escaped his eyes and made wet trails down his face.

“I am sorry sir that I had to call on you so late but we have to do something with the body.”

Arthur pushed down the heaviness in his throat and replied in a cracked, hoarse voice, “What do you usually do?”

After all, it wasn’t the first time a slave had died in their premises.

Gaius’s eyes turned even more sad as he answered, “Usually Sir your father asks me to dispose them by burning them without any last rites but sir”, Gaius sounded cautious as he continued, “ Is there a possibility that a funeral may be permitted this time and an exception may be made?”

“If you’re requesting a burial Gaius you know very well that father would never permit it.”

Gaius immediately shook his head, “ Sir I request only for the rites to be conducted before the body is set on fire.”

Arthur looked down dejectedly at Gaius’s request. If he said yes then that would mean he was giving false hope and he just couldn’t say no, no matter how impossible the request was so he settled on saying that he would try his very best.

However, even Gaius knew what the outcome would be. Everyone knew that Arthur was pretty much useless and held no power or influence in the household. The most definite outcome will be no rites and no one could do anything about it. No one.

“I request so sir because…” He looked up and saw that Gaius looked a little hesitant. A feeling of uncertainty crossed over his old, wrinkled face but then a steely resolve made his jaw harden, “She was with child sir.”

Arthur felt the breath knocked out of him at those words.

“W-what?” He stuttered out miserably after what felt like hours of pregnant pause, the shock of what was said making it very hard for him to think properly.

Gaius didn’t say anything but the expression on his face was telling enough.

It was his father’s child.

Everyone knew who Guinevere belonged to and father was awfully possessive about his things. No one could’ve touched her because touching her meant death sentence and since father kept an eye on her all day and night, there could never have been anyone else. Father ensured that.

So maybe if his father were told of this, he might assent to at least the rites. That must’ve been why Gaius suggested it thinking that Uther might show a little kindness at least to his unborn child but Arthur knew his father and he knew that his father would only be pleased to hear about the death of the slave girl and the child. He would never agree to father the child of a slave, who knows he might’ve gotten the child killed himself.

Maybe that’s why Gwen killed herself because she knew the barbarity of his father and knew the fate of her child.

“She didn’t want to bring the child into this cruel world”, Merlin’s harsh voice pulled him out of the shock and his eyes met the other, “and she didn’t want to continue to live in it either.”

Merlin’s eyes turned dark after he finished speaking. It was as if any warmth that the blue orbs had initially held vanished only to be eclipsed by a chilling darkness. His thin yet wiry body which was already stiff tensed further and his jaw tightened.

Arthur felt like his tongue was tied into several knots and he only gulped as his throat started to dry up. Merlin looked angry, he looked hostile, and he looked like he was at the precipice of actual bloody violence. Arthur knew that feeling, hell he had felt it so many times and must’ve even looked what Merlin looked like at present when he had had his brawls.

God only knew what the rebellious slave would do, his eyes which reflected anger, pain, darkness, vengeance, recklessness, resolve terrified Arthur.

He didn’t want Merlin to do anything stupid but from the way Merlin was looking back at him, it was clear that Arthur would not be able to stop him.

Gaius having sensed Merlin’s turbulent emotions patted Merlin lightly on his shoulder and Arthur released a shaky breath.

Gaius. There was Gaius. He could stop Merlin. Yes.

That’s it.

Arthur would pull Gaius for a talk and would ask Gaius to make sure Merlin didn’t do anything stupid.

It was clear that Merlin cared about the older man and the older man cared for him.

Yes that’s it.

Arthur released another heavy breath and nodded to himself.

“Don’t worry”, Arthur said as he looked at both of them and wrapped his hands together in front of him in order to conceal their trembling, “I promise on my mother’s grave that I will ensure that Guinevere gets a proper funeral. I will fight tooth and nail to make it happen.” He met Merlin’s frigid stare as he continued and said softly, “I promise.”

Merlin’s dark eyes softened a little at that but his wiry body was still sprung up and his face still hard.

Gods, please Merlin don’t do anything stupid. Please. He begged in his mind as he finally turned away from the harrowing scene.

Please.

Arthur had only gotten a few hours of fitful sleep when three soft knocks on his door awoke him. He put his white night shirt on and carefully while feeling his way through the dark made his way to the door. He opened the door and his eyes which had adjusted to the dark closed immediately when yellow light of an oil lamp hit them. He blinked repeatedly and his hazy vision cleared somewhat. However, his jaw fell open involuntarily when he finally saw who it was that was standing in front of him.

“M-Merlin?”

Merlin looked so different from how he had been just hours ago. His eyes which had been dark, frigid looked soft and warm, his body which had been tense and rigid was relaxed and his lips which were pressed tightly were presently stretched in a small smile.

“W-what are you doing here?” He stuttered as the shock of seeing the slave abated a little.

Merlin said nothing and just kept smiling while he held an oil lamp in his hand. Arthur let his eyes rove over the other; he swallowed when he saw that the slave’s shirt was still covered in Guinevere’s blood.

“C-come inside.” He stammered again and opened his door wider to let the slave inside his room.

“Did something happen?” He asked, worried. Merlin had never before shown up to his door like this, in the middle of the night and his mind couldn’t help but jump to the worst conclusions following the devastating event that had occurred mere hours ago.

Merlin kept quiet and simply placed the lamp on Arthur’s reading desk, casting his dark room with the lamp’s yellow light. The slave then turned around and regarded Arthur for what felt like an awfully long time without uttering a single word.

“Merlin?” Arthur spoke again, now feeling extremely uncomfortable under the other’s prolonged gaze.

The slave smiled and slowly walked to stand a bit closer to Arthur.

“You’re beautiful.” Merlin said finally in a soft voice as he looked down at him.

Arthur’s eyes widened at the words. That hadn’t been at all what he had expected the other to say. His surprise must’ve shown on his face because Merlin chuckled and his eyes crinkled at the corners. Arthur felt his heart thump against his chest at the sight.

Dumbstruck he just kept staring at the other for quite some time and then finally realizing that he should stop making a fool of himself, he mentally berated himself to say something and the only thing that he could manage to get out was a ridiculous, “What?”

Merlin’s smile only got bigger in response.

Slowly the slave closed the distance between them and Arthur as if frozen to the spot didn’t move an inch.

“What?” like a broken record he repeated.

Merlin was standing awfully close now. His body now only a few inches away from Arthur’s who couldn’t help but swallow as heat started to pool in his gut and as the air thickened around them. Suddenly Merlin raised his hand and Arthur startled at the touch of a large, calloused hand that caressed his cheek.

“Since I saw you the very first day, all wet in the rain, I knew I had to make you mine.” Merlin said in a low voice as he caressed Arthur’s cheek softly with his thumb.

Arthur’s heart accelerated at the unexpected revelation. His eyes widening at the implication of what Merlin had just said.

“Let me have you.”

“W-What are you say—” Merlin didn’t let him finish and smashed their chests together by winding an arm around his waist.

A startled gasp left his mouth.

Merlin’s lips were a centimeter away from his now as hot breath fanned Arthur’s face. His eyes looked black in the yellow light of the lamp and his face was covered in shadows.

“Let me have you.” He whispered again as he looked deeply into Arthur’s eyes.

Arthur swallowed and his hands which were gripping Merlin’s threadbare shirt at the shoulders tightened. He should say no. It was clear what the slave was suggesting, after all Arthur was not any of the awful names that were given to men who indulged in the lecherous acts that the slave was suggesting. He had only fancied women, which was normal and what Merlin was suggesting was pure sin.

However, no words came out. All he could do was just gaze back into those dark eyes that held him prisoner.

After a long pause where their breaths mingled Merlin swooped in and gave Arthur a soft peck on the lips.

If there was an opportunity to put an end to this dangerous tryst, it was now. Arthur could simply push the other man away and voice his rejection. Merlin being the kind soul he is would acquiesce and leave, instead however Arthur closed his eyes and overtaken by an instinctual mind rather than the rational one, Arthur kissed the other man back.

Their kiss started out soft and slow. Merlin brought his one hand to the back of his head and his fingers slowly threaded through his hair meanwhile his other tightened around Arthur’s waist bringing them closer. Arthur’s own grip on the slave’s shirt tightened.

He drew in a sharp breath when Merlin bit at his lower lip, slightly pulling at it and tightened his grip in Arthur’s hair.

Arthur’s heart was beating at a crazy pace now. He had had sexual experiences before, several in fact, but this very instant he was behaving rather embarrassingly like a blushing virgin.

Merlin kissed him again and again and again after that. His firey kisses melted Arthur’s resistance and he found himself kissing the slave back with equal vigor.

The slave then deepened the kiss and slid his hands down and around Arthur’s waist walking him backwards.

Arthur’s mind having already left his body found the back of his legs hitting the bed and the very next moment he found himself shoved rather roughly against the bed.A surprised oomph escaped his lips and then Merlin was on top of him again, licking and biting at his lips roughly.

Arthur let the slave take full control of their passionate kiss. He opened his mouth and moaned as he let the man slide his tongue inside. His chest tightening as he heard the slave’s desperate groan and gasped as the other’s sinful tongue discovered his hot mouth.

“You really are so beautiful”, Merlin murmured delicately against his trembling lips. The slave then raked his hands through Arthur’s hair and tugged on it, making his neck arc and then laid soft kisses against his sensitive skin. The kisses then gave way to licking and biting and Arthur started to squirm as arousal started to set fire to his nerves.

“I want to devour you.” Merlin whispered hotly against his ear and Arthur clawed at the other’s back, his chest heaving.

Merlin again licked a stripe up his neck and rubbed his nose against it as he traced a line down Arthur’s chest and quivering stomach and slid his calloused and rough hand under his white night shirt.

Arthur immediately arched at the feel of a rough hand trailing against his sensitive skin. His arousal having reached peak he tried to press their bodies’ closer but Merlin pulled away and smirked at him.

The slave then sat back on his haunches and pushed Arthur’s shirt up towards his neck with both of his hands. His hands then returned to his pectorals and Arthur gave a sudden yelp as Merlin’s hands clawed at them, trying to grab at them and press them as if they were a woman’s breast.

Arthur flushed and his body was quivering with mind numbing arousal. His cock was fully hard now and Merlin seemed to be in the same state as well.

“I’m going to fuck you now. Have you ever done it with a man before?”

Arthur felt a violent shiver run down his body at those words and his cock throbbed painfully in his pants. He mutely turned his face from side to side and saw a palpable change in the other man’s demeanor. Merlin’s eyes became even darker and he loomed over Arthur again, caging his head between his arms.

“Good” The other man whispered heatedly and Arthur gulped, his tongue darting out to moisten his lips. Merlin’s eyes traced the movement and the man then again sat back on his haunches.

“Remove your clothes. All of them” The slave said in a commanding tone that sent shudders down Arthur’s body, “and is there any oil?”

Arthur nodded and signaled towards his side table.

Merlin got out of the bed and went to his side table and withdrew his oil that he often used to massage his aches away meanwhile Arthur trembled as he removed his clothes.

What the hell was he doing? Why wasn’t he resisting the other man? This is utterly confounding. Even as his mind continued to swirl with bewilderment he continued to remove his clothing however his trembling hands came to a halt and hovered over his underwear.

“All of them, Arthur.”

Arthur jerked his head up and gasped at the sight that greeted him. Merlin was standing in front of the bed buck naked.

His eyes roved over the naked body hungrily and his arousal peaked, if possible even more. What he had expected was a lean, gangly thin body but what stood in front of was the complete opposite. Merlin’s body had a muscular and lean built, although he was less meaty than Arthur, he had well-built curves and looked robust. Arthur also took note of something that he had entirely failed to notice because of his utter shock over the unexpected situation which was that Merlin was no longer wearing his iron collar and chains which was very, very strange.

Merlin then climbed onto the bed again and slowly crawled over Arthur with a smirk decorating his lips, “Like what you see?” He whispered with a naughty glint to his eyes.

Arthur only swallowed in response as his nerves got the better of him and made him mute.

The slave then pushed him back against the bed again and got rid of Arthur’s underwear quickly.

“Lay on your stomach for me.”

Arthur hesitated a little and taking note of that Merlin then gently caressed his cheek and laid a soft, gentle kiss on his mouth, “I’m going to take care of you, I promise. I’ll make it so so good for you,” he murmured against Arthur’s mouth, their breath mingling.

Arthur nodded again and turned to lie on his stomach as his heart continued to hammer against his ribs.

“I’m going to open you up with my fingers and get you ready for me. Has anyone ever done that to you before?”

Arthur again shook his head from side to side and buried his face in the pillow. Oh gods, why was he allowing the other to so such salacious things to him. Society condemned such carnal actions between men and the men of god stated explicitly that such actions would condemn one to forever being burned in the blazing inferno.

And yet—

And yet—

Arthur trembled as he felt rough hands trail down his back gently and his face turned bright red when he felt Merlin’s hands taking hold of his thighs and lowering his back. His ass was positioned high in the air and utter humiliation and arousal flooded through his entire being at being positioned in such an erotic manner.

At the feeling of the tension in his muscles Merlin uttered “Relax” in a soothing and deep voice as he ran a hand down Arthur’s spine.

Arthur panted and tried to relax a little however he went rigid again at the press of wet fingers against his anus.

“You’ll have to relax Arthur” Merlin murmured softly and pressed a gentle kiss against his lower back. Then his wet fingers rubbed over and around the entrance and massaged the sensitive area there, slicking it up.

Suddenly Arthur felt a slick finger enter him without any warning and he grunted, wide-eyed at the intrusion. However, Merlin paid no heed to him and kept sliding his finger in and out, fucking him and spreading him open. One finger became two which took quite getting used to and then two became three and by three Arthur was fully gone. He was panting and embarrassing sounds fell from his lips and filled the silence of the night.

He was painfully hard now and his cock was leaking profusely. Merlin’s fingers would touch something inside him repeatedly which would send sparks of pleasure shooting through his nerves and Arthur couldn’t help but moan at such pleasurable sensations.

The slick fingers then left his gaping hole and already Arthur missed the feeling of being filled up.

“I’m going to fuck you now.” Merlin said in a deep, hoarse voice in between pants.

Arthur trembled and felt his ass being lifted higher. He bit his lip at the press of Merlin’s cock against his slick and prepared hole and instead of ramming it inside him straight like Arthur had anticipated Merlin rubbed the slick head of his cock against the sensitive skin of the cleft of his ass.

“Gods, you look – ” Merlin said panting hard, “lord have mercy—” Then Arthur felt the blunt head of the other’s cock press hard against his hole and slide inside. A painful groan fell out of his lips and his hands clawed at his bed sheets, trembling. He bit his lip at the pain that radiated from the intrusion and let out another painful cry.

“Shush—, It gets better I promise. I promise.”

 Merlin kissed the nape of his neck and stopped moving and Arthur relaxed as the pain eased a little. The slave then pushed again and another cry fell from his lips but this time Merlin didn’t stop and kept pushing and pushing until he was fully seated inside him.

“Fuck— Arthur you feel amazing”, Merlin groaned above him meanwhile Arthur’s face was wet with tears.

Merlin’s one calloused hand went to Arthur’s dick which despite the pain and discomfort hadn’t softened at all and started to stroke it. Arthur shivered and his tense muscles relaxed and then Merlin started thrusting inside him carefully and slowly.

Arthur was panting heavily against the pillow and found his ass moving in tandem with the slow thrusts, wanting Merlin to go in deeper and hit that spot inside him again, the one that had sent sparks of pleasure shooting through his body.

“Please— I—”

“Please what Arthur?”

“Please”

Arthur didn’t even know what he was begging for, all he knew was that he was begging and had Arthur been in his coherent state he would’ve been absolutely mortified by his current state of utter debauchery.

Merlin however seemed to have understood his imploring and upped the pace. He started to fuck him harder and faster, his cock going deeper and deeper. After a change of angle his cock finally hit that spot inside of Arthur, who howled in pleasure and then Merlin kept relentlessly attacking it, fucking him hard.

His mounting pleasure finally peaked and he felt paralyzed by the intensity of orgasm that hit him. Arthur groaned and finally slumped against the bed, his muscles turning to jelly. Merlin soon followed him with a loud groan that echoed in the room and collapsed on top of him, cumming inside of him.

The last thing he remembered was a soft kiss pressed against his nape and then he succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

Blood curdling shrieks awoke him with a start. He blinked into the darkness that had enveloped his room and patted the side of his bed, only to discover that it’s empty. It seemed that his unexpected guest had departed after their passionate tryst. Another terrifying shriek broke the silence of the night again and Arthur immediately jumped to his feet and out of the bed ignoring the sharp ache which was the reminder of what had transpired just hours before.

More screams resounded and Arthur’s heart pace quickened. He patted his way through the darkness and found the oil lamp and the matches placed on his bedside table, lighting it, he took hold of it and placed it nearby his closet where he kept his musket and the necessary ammunition. He readied his weapon and placed it on his shoulder and with his other hand held the oil lamp.

The screams became more frantic and louder. He placed his lamp on the ground and opened his bedroom door and was immediately bombarded with the members of their staff running about frantically as if a fire has broken out. He grabbed hold of one of his servants and was greeted with the other’s petrified eyes.

“What is going on?” Arthur asked sternly and kept a firm hold onto the other man’s shoulders who was trying his very best to get away from his grip and had a sense of urgency about him.

“Monster” was all he said in a frightened and trembling voice and then he escaped Arthur’s clutches with a shove that shocked Arthur and ran away to the other end of the hallway.

The sound of thundering footsteps of his frenzied staff and horrifying screams greeted him as he ventured further into the heart of his home. Servants paid no heed to him and pushed past him. It was as if they were running away from something absolutely terrifying and that if they didn’t make their escape, their lives would be in danger.

Arthur decided to go to his father’s room. He would be absolutely furious about the current state of things and even though he was a wicked person, he was also a very commanding person and therefore it was only he, his abominable father, who could with his thunderous voice put a halt to such frenzy.

Arthur on the exterior kept a stoic appearance, however on the inside his heart was threatening to come out of his bony rib cage. Earlier he had thought it to be fire but there was no sign of a fire, no smoke, nothing, therefore the only other guess could be invasion. Some terrible people must’ve invaded their quarters and were currently reigning terror on everyone. However, so far no intruder with a musket has come into his sight but Arthur took no chances and kept himself armed and his musket ready.

“Father” He said as he approached the other’s room, only to find it open with a sight so ghastly that he was terror stricken on the spot.

He froze with fear at the sight of his father’s body levitating in the air with his neck slashed open and blood oozing out of the gaping hole.

The oil lamp he had been holding then fell from his grip alarming the only other man who was in the room and Arthur reflexively aimed his musket at the other, only to find that he was aiming at the very man who he had shared his bed with just hours ago and in whose arms he had found ecstasy.

Merlin didn’t flinch at seeing Arthur aiming a gun at him. The man looked unperturbed and had a grim and dark expression on his face. He had his hand suspended in the air in front of him and what happened next was simply put just inconceivable and increased the dread within Arthur tenfold.

Merlin whispered something unintelligible and then the levitating body of his father caught fire on its own.

Sorcery

Wicked sorcery

Arthur’s musket fell to the ground and he immediately backtracked out of the room. His oil lamp which had fallen had set fire to the carpet on the room.

Merlin was a monster.

A Monster

There was no way that the man was human after what he had just done, after what Arthur had just seen.

Arthur had to run. He had to—

The fire had wholly engulfed his father’s room now and Arthur who should be running felt his back collide with the side of the stairs instead. The shock had overtaken his entire body and had short circuited his brain. The brain which was yelling at him to flee repeatedly wasn’t able to move his limbs. It was evident that his body had stopped cooperating with his brain.

Just as he was finally feeling his limbs again and the shock was abating a little, Merlin walked through the roaring flames, unhurt.

This man was no man.

“Don’t be scared. I won’t hurt you.” The other man said as he slowly walked towards Arthur who was riveted to the spot with mind numbing fear.

“Your father and your sister had done unforgivable deeds. I could no longer allow their malevolent actions to continue. They had tormented and killed many. I was made aware of this by Gaius and although he had said that I should abstain from acting as an arbiter, after what had happened to Mordred and Gwen, I just couldn’t stand by and watch them continue to do what they were doing. They were evil and the only way to be rid of evil is to kill it, uproot it.”

Arthur felt his entire body start to tremble as Merlin closed the distance between them.

“You, however, you are not like them at all.” At this Merlin smiled and Arthur felt chills run down his spine.

Now Merlin was standing only a few inches away from him.

“Please Arthur, don’t be afraid.”

Merlin raised his hand slowly and Arthur flinched at the movement.

“Spare me” Fell out of his trembling lips unconsciously and Merlin’s hand then froze in the air. His face grew sad and he lowered his hand, “I would never hurt you Arthur. I love you.”

Arthur didn’t know if he could believe the words that fell out of the mouth of a man who was no man at all and someone who had just killed his father by setting his body on fire with a spell.

Merlin’s face grew even sadder and he backed up a little.

“Don’t hate me please. I had to stop them Arthur. If I hadn’t eliminated them then so many more would have had the same fate as that of Gwen and Mordred. I just couldn’t let that happen. I just couldn’t.”

“Merlin” Mordred came running towards them then and halted at the sight of them and an ever growing fire. “ We have to go Merlin. I set fires to the servant quarters and the rest of the house.”

“No one else was hurt?” Merlin inquired.

“Yeah everyone escaped.” Mordred nodded and came to Merlin’s side and clutched his hand. “Gaius is waiting for us in a cart outside, we should leave.”

Merlin nodded at him and turned to the still frozen Arthur. He held out his other hand at him, “Come on, let’s go.”

Arthur nodded mutely but refused to take the other man’s hand. Merlin looked hurt but then lead them through the blazing house and out into the backside of the house. His house was now fully engulfed in roaring flames. Nothing would be safe, not even his beloved mementos he had of his dead mother.

Gaius was sitting at the driver’s seat of the cart with two horses who looked restless and were neighing repeatedly, clearly alarmed by the flames and the ruckus.

Mordred left Merlin’s hand to sit beside Gaius, who simply just nodded at Arthur and then turned away.

“I will come for you.”

Arthur turned from Gaius to regard his father’s and his sister’s killer.

“I will.” Merlin then lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed the back of his knuckles. “I hope by then you will be able to forgive me for my actions. They might seem reprehensible at the moment, even wicked but one day you will see why I did what I did. Why it was necessary.” Merlin then lowered his hand and brought his own between them. He opened his palm up and out of thin air a red rose appeared. The rose was suspended above his palm and Merlin then softly closed his palm around it. He then took Arthur’s hands into his and placed the rose between them.

“I will come. You are mine Arthur, from the very moment I set my eyes on you. For now though farewell my love. Farewell.”

Merlin then mounted the back of the cart and smiled at him. However, Arthur remained numb and turned his back to the retreating party.

In front of him was his house engulfed in flames and a very bleak, dark future. Arthur didn’t know what to make of all that had transpired. He felt truly lost and utterly overcome with despair. He felt shattered and his knees gave way and he finally crumbled to the ground as his brimming emotions finally spilled out and he cried and cried in the fold of his hands. Oh the gods above please show him mercy.

Please

“Slavery Abolished” , read the headline of the times and Arthur felt overcome with overwhelming joy.

Finally

Finally

He continued to read the rest of the article and with each line, his delight only grew. The absolute atrociousness of slavery has been eliminated, albeit only in England for now but soon the world will follow this example and then the entire world will be rid of this absolute evil.

The past seven years had been a roller coaster ride for Arthur. After his house was set on fire, the local police had reported to the scene and as the fire was extinguished he was taken in for further questioning. They had expressed condolences about the death of his father and his sister and had promised that they would find the rogue slave who had executed the entire ordeal. On the inside however Arthur had laughed at that, good luck finding the guy who could with a spell set things on fire.

Arthur was asked about what he had seen and he knew he if he had spilled the truth, he would’ve been declared insane and locked up at an asylum and so he had stated that he didn’t see anything and that he woke up to screams and everyone running and at seeing fire, he himself had escaped hoping that his family had escaped as well, only to discover that they had been engulfed by the flames.

The police bought his testimony and he was set free. All the shares, other properties of his father became his by way of succession and the first thing he did was free all of the slaves his father had owned and put that hellish property on sale.

He decided to move to England and bought a small flat for himself and decided that he would start a small business of that of cotton, since the industrial revolution was in the boom and so became an owner of a factory which employed hundreds of people.

He had even thought about settling down since he had always wanted a family and so had married a beautiful woman and gotten a son and a daughter out of the wedlock. However, their marriage had irretrievably broken down and it hadn’t been Janet’s fault. It had been his; after all he was a homosexual man. It had taken him years to come to terms with his orientation but now he had made peace with it. However, he was unable to engage with any other men and therefore he had no other experience with a man other than the one torrid tryst he had had with Merlin. He had fancied many men and had even tried only to disengage the moment things would get heated.

Therefore, ever since Merlin the only sexual experience he had had was with his wife and Arthur didn’t know how to change that.

“Sir, a Mr Emrys wants to see you.”

Arthur looked up from the newspaper which he hadn’t been reading and looked up at John, his head butler.

“Emrys?” Arthur’s brows scrunched up, he had never heard of a Mr Emrys.

“Alright, let the gentleman inside.”

John nodded and went out of the drawing room and Arthur continued to sip his tea as he started reading the newspaper again.

“Sir Mr Emrys.”

Arthur looked up from his newspaper and the time came to a halt at that very moment.

His wide eyes took in the man in his posh three piece suit with a hat held in between his hands. Merlin smiled at him warmly and Arthur open mouthed and overcome with shock stood up instantly, shaking the dining table with him.

“Mer—”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr Pendragon.”  Merlin immediately interrupted him, clearly not wanting Arthur to give away his true identity.

Arthur stalled for a minute and then decided at last to partake in the charade.

“Oh Mr Emrys, likewise. Please sit down. John fetch some tea and biscuits for the gentleman.”

Merlin sat down beside him as John exited the drawing room and his smile grew even wider as his eyes fell on Arthur’s suit, which was adorned with the same rose that Merlin had given to him that horrid night.

“Have you forgiven me at last Arthur?” The dashing man asked, his voice having a sad lilt to it.

Arthur paused as he took in the sad expression on the beautiful face. Merlin looked exceptionally handsome and Arthur had missed him, of course he had. There was a reason why he hadn’t been able to do it with any other man since the passionate night with Merlin.

The other however understood his pause to mean something else and his face fell even more, “I’m really sorry. However horrible and evil they had been to others, they had still been your family, I—”

At this Arthur interrupted him, “No.” He stressed again, “No they were never my family. They were demons.”

Merlin didn’t say anything and his face still showed his apprehension.

“I can’t forgive you for doing something that was right. What you had done was necessary. You had saved so many people’s lives and ended their tyranny. Fighting and eliminating evil is not a crime. It is in fact true justice. You’re a savior Merlin. However, I just— ” Arthur paused as the images of that night flashed again in his mind, “It’s just how you had done it, that…that had been shocking. You , I—, forgive me for prying but what you had done was humanly just not possible, I—”

“It’s magic.” Merlin interrupted at that, his face putting on a rueful smile, “I’ve been able to do it ever since I was born.”

Arthur paused, his eyes focused on Merlin as he leaned closer, a signal for the other man to continue and Merlin did, “It’s a part of me, like any other part of my body. However, my mum knew how others would react if I ever used it so she had asked me to never use it in front of others and I never did but—“ Merlin’s voice cracked a little as he looked down at his hands, his shoulders slouching and Arthur felt sorrow radiating from him, “I— when Mordred was.. and then when Gwen killed herself”, Arthur felt his chest tighten as images of Gwen’s bloody corpse flashed before his eyes, “I couldn’t control myself. Wrath, the like of which I had never felt before overwhelmed me and I knew I could never find peace if I didn’t do something.”

Merlin then looked up again into his eyes. His blue eyes shone with so much emotion, Arthur found himself drowning in them, “Arthur I— I was terrified. I love you.”, Arthur felt his heart pace quicken at that, “ I had fallen so hard for you and I was scared. I knew you would hate me if you found out who I am and what I was planning on doing and so I had prayed to gods that you wouldn’t find out but you had and when I had seen fear in your eyes, it had killed me.”

Merlin then stood up and fell to his knees before him and entwined their hands, “Gods I love you. Never, I repeat never doubt the sincerity of the love that I have for you. I am fully devoted to you and only you.”

Arthur felt tears prick his eyes at the confession and immediately followed it with, “and I you”

Merlin looked taken aback at that, his eyes were full of hope yet reticence; as if he was afraid he had misheard Arthur.

“What?” the other man asked.

“I love you too, you fool.” Arthur laughed a little at that and a lone tear slid down his cheek. “I love you too.”

Merlin’s entire demeanor changed and he abruptly got up and laughing himself pulled Arthur into a tight embrace, “really?!” He exclaimed and pulled back to regard him again, “really?”

Arthur laughed and with a pull to the other’s tie smashed their lips together. “Really” Arthur murmured against other’s lips and smiled again as Merlin swooped in for another kiss.

A cough was heard at the door and they instantly disengaged. Arthur felt fear grip his body but at the soft smile on John’s face he relaxed a little. John was like a father figure to him and his smile showed that he didn’t disapprove of whatever he had seen which filled him with so much calm and his heartbeat slowed down to its regular pace.

“Here are the tea and biscuits Sir.” John said, placing a tray with the eatables on the top, just as he was about to leave though he stopped and regarded both him and Merlin, “ However, I would advise you to be more careful Sir. There are many who wish ill upon you.”

Arthur flushed and coughed, nodding his head. “You’re correct John. I’ll be more careful.”

John nodded and exited the room and then his eyes caught the mischievous glint in Merlin’s eyes, “Seems like he approves.”

Arthur laughed and drew a biscuit to his mouth, “seems like he does.”

Merlin then gave him a warm smile and then started chatting about anything and everything and Arthur couldn’t help but listen attentively.

Life really is unpredictable but sometimes amidst all the mess, it can also give you some wonderful surprises.