To You I Pledge (BBC Merlin)

Chapter 21 - Recognition

Merlin spent that evening helping Gaius while Arthur sat with Morgana as she recovered and they did not return to what was now, basically, their rooms until late. It had been a day full of revelations as far as Merlin was concerned, but Arthur seemed to have just taken everything in his stride. Apart from the one tiny exchange, it was too short to be called a conversation, Arthur had spoken to him very little about the incident.

Arthur did have a new manservant, but Arthur has shooed the young man off to bed hours before, so Merlin started to help Arthur undress without even thinking about it. It wasn't that Arthur couldn't dress and undress himself when he needed to, it was just comfortable for Merlin to do it and it felt far more normal than thinking about what had happened during the day.

He had removed Arthur's outer tunic and was about to kneel down and help Arthur remove his boots when Arthur's hand came up and cupped the side of his face. When he looked up, Arthur was regarding him with a very serious expression.

"Cedric tried to take you away from me today," Arthur said in a voice so low that Merlin could barely hear it.

"Morgana was the only one ever in danger," he replied, a little unsettled by the intensity in Arthur's eyes.

"That doesn't matter," Arthur told him, stroking the side of his face slowly with his thumb; "his aim was you and you would have let him have you if it would have saved Morgana."

It was almost an accusation, but not quite; they both knew they would sacrifice themselves for others, it was part of who they were and why they matched each other so well.

"I can never let that happen, Merlin," Arthur told him, voice suddenly intense, "I cannot lose you."

Arthur's other hand came up then and rested over his heart.

"I feel this too," were the words that made Merlin's breath catch in his throat.

He had seen Arthur looking at the dragon on his chest, but until now Arthur had never really spoken to him about it. It had been a silent reminder of what Merlin had done in pledging himself to Arthur, but to know it affected Arthur as well changed everything.

"I can never leave you," he said, knowing it in the depth of his being; "no matter what my head tells me, I can't do it, my magic won't let me. I didn't melt the braces deliberately, my magic just did it; the only human being who can ever bind me is you."

"And I never will," Arthur said, bringing their heads together so their foreheads touched, "I am glad those wretched things are gone; no one will ever bind you again, Merlin, on that you have my pledge."

That meant more to Merlin than he could express, because he knew that Arthur would never break his word. Only Arthur could ever have asked that of him again and now he knew that moment would never come. It lightened the air between them and Merlin realised that he had been carrying a weight he hadn't even been aware of. He looked into Arthur's eyes seeing only sincerity there and he wanted to open his mouth and say "I love you", but he knew he didn't need to. Then the moment broke as Arthur smiled.

"I never knew you were such a good actor," Arthur told him, but did not increase the distance between them; "I almost believed you would do those things to Cedric."

A small voice at the back of Merlin's mind said: "I would have for you," but he just smiled back.

"I'm a bit slow," he said, turning it into a joke, "but I finally realised that I have to pretend to be less of an idiot."

That made Arthur's smile morph into a grin, but a fond one.

"Well pretended," Arthur said and then leant forward to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Merlin was pretty sure it was supposed to just be a quick peck before they finished getting ready for bed, but, almost without their conscious consent, it deepened, and Merlin found himself winding his arms around Arthur. This was still so new, but it felt so right, and right about then, Merlin needed to know that his actions that day had not changed this. However, Merlin was unwilling to let Arthur lead everything this time.

Pulling back slightly he broke the kiss and looked into Arthur's eyes and then slowly lowered himself to his knees. They had touched each other in different ways since that first time, explored each other's bodies and each other's reactions, but there was something Merlin had been thinking about that he wanted to try. He had heard other men talk about how a mouth could be incredible for things other than kissing, although he had no first-hand experience, and he wanted to be the one giving Arthur pleasure this time.

Merlin set about his goal with excited concentration, taking Arthur apart little bit by little bit, until, eventually, Arthur was a shuddering wreck. The connection between them was warm and happy and Merlin only pulled away reluctantly, coming to his feet as Arthur urged him to.

He did not kneel unless he had to, but he would kneel for Arthur any time Arthur wanted him to. Eye to eye he could see the emotion in Arthur's soul and it made him so happy.

"I love you," he said, forgetting himself in the moment and letting the words that always hid behind his smile escape.

What surprised him was that Arthur did not pull away as he had expected, shrugging off the womanly sentiment. Instead Arthur pulled him close and cupped the side of his face with one hand.

"You own the heart of a prince, Merlin," Arthur said in little more than a whisper, "keep it safe for me."

And Merlin smiled.

"Always, Sire," he said and accepted the gentle kiss Arthur placed on his lips.

Things had changed so much in scant weeks and Merlin was sure fate was playing with his life, but for the first time he didn't mind at all.

~*~

A/N: This chapter has been edited to make it PG13 - if you would like to read the original mature version, please visit To You I Pledge - Mature Scenes - thank you.