Sweetness

14

Merlin was shivering and heartbroken.

The sun was setting, and the forest was cold and growing colder by the hour.

He was only mostly sure that he knew the way to Ealdor without a map.
He had to keep his mind busy. If he thought about the cold, he grew colder.
It was even worse that his mind left him only with the memories of the past few days on repeat.

He wished he could've talked to Arthur, or at least said goodbye, but the truth is that he barely got to say goodbye to Giaus before the Guards came to see that he left.

Merlin thought about his last conversation with Giaus.
It replayed constantly in his head as he walked down the narrow path.

Giaus had been furious and confused. "Merlin, the crowned prince of Camelot?! Here I was believing that some chambermaid let you into her bed, but instead you went for the most dangerous option. Are you completely mad? Your only task was to keep your head down and to not be too noticeable and since then you've become a servant to the man who would execute you, been thrown in the stocks on multiple occasions and most recently spent the night with his son, doing only god knows what."

Merlin assumed that Giaus had simply figured it out on his own and not been told. Or at least he hoped this was the case. Merlin could only imagine if word got out as to the extent that he and Arthur had reached.
Uther would have (literally) had his head.
He supposed that the fact that he was alive meant that Uther was unaware.

"You do know how much more careful you have to be because of this incident, right? Even if they ever do allow you back into this castle, you cannot see Arthur again. They will watch you like hawks, and your magic? You must find a way to stop yourself from using it at all. I dare say that in your new closeness or whatever term you want to use, Arthur might be the first to report you, not to mention how betrayed he'd feel... unless of course he knows already in which case you really are daft."

It was then that the guards came in.

The terms of his banishment extended as far as the castle walls, meaning that he could've resided in the lower districts of Camelot. Gwen even offered him a bed for a little while until he could get his own, however, he had declined.

As much as he loved Gwen and his other friends, he knew that without Arthur, he had no true reason for staying.

Merlin's thoughts turned back to that night. The first night, when Arthur came back angry.

Part of him wished that Arthur had remained angry. Or better yet during that night of Samhain, if Gwen and him had exited minutes later than they had, then perhaps none of this would have happened.

What if none of it were meant to happen? What if I had just seemed like the best option at the time? What if he doesn't feel for me what I feel for him?

He couldn't help but get a little misty eyed at the thought. He forced himself to think upon the good times.

Merlin missed Arthur's hands on him. Somehow gentle and hungry at the same time. They lusty way that Arthur hesitated to kiss him as long as he could have just one last glance.

Merlin cherished the moments they never spoke of. They couldn't.

He didn't even know what to call their relationship. Were they lovers? Remaining friends? He couldn't very well ask. So he just didn't call it anything.

Paleness started to fill the sky. The path got dimmer.

He heard horses.

In the day and a half since he'd set out, he hadn't seen a single other human being.

Merlin decided to duck in the shrub nearby just incase of robbers.
As the stamping grew louder, he realized it was only one horse, and later still he realized it carried only one rider.

The rider passed in a streak of gold.

Merlin hastily stepped out into the lane.

He let out a loud desperate yell, "Arthur!"

The lone rider turned his head and pulled the reigns. The horse halted as if time had slowed.

Merlin smiled at the sight of the prince approaching him. How graceful he seemed.

The beautiful horse stopped in front if him.
"Arthur!" Merlin gleamed.
The prince smiled.
"Why did you come back?"

Arthur snorted.
"Did you honestly think I wouldn't?"

Arthur grinned at him. Merlin returned the smile, but it soon faded as he spoke up.
"... I can't come back with you."

"Of course you can. C'mon." Arthur extended his hand to help Merlin up.

"Arthur, I'm banned from the castle."

"Yes, we'll discuss that now come on."

"No- they'll kill me! You heard your father!"

"No they won't." Arthur said confidently, "I won't allow it."

After a moment of silence, "Fine, I'll take you somewhere else then."

Merlin glanced at his outstretched hand and hesitantly took it.
With a grunt, he was pulled up onto the magnificent beast.

"Where are we going then?" Merlin settled in.

"The castle."
Merlin sighed and Arthur kicked the horse into action.

He stiffly wrapped his arms around the prince to stay balanced. Niether spoke a word.
All he could see was blonde, and all he could smell was Arthur Pendragon; the scent he'd missed so briefly.

In a moment of boldness, Merlin laid a kiss on Arthur's neck. Merlin could feel the Prince smile, the soothing burn returned in his stomach as Arthur's warm hand clasped his own if only for a moment.

Suddenly Merlin was not so cold anymore.