Spellbound

[ayoungboy]

This week has been fucking exhausting. He'd been consuling all week and dealing with a threat over in Norway. Somebody trying to brew mind control potions, again. Why couldn't everybody just get along and stop fussing? He's finally back home, in England, heading up the wizarding council while they go over worldwide news, and he gets an invite - no, it isn't that. It's more of a demand, from King Pendragon.

He's a bit tired, really, and didn't feel like dealing with it. "Not now, thank you. Politely decline, for me?" He told the runner. "Send him some magical candy."

He just wanted to go home and finish his book, thank you. He didn't ask for these powers, but if he took a holiday the world would flip out. People held him in high regard for some reason - he wasn't that wise, or old. He was just a young man trying to do right. Yet somehow the King was demanding his presence.

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[royalpratness]

"Okay. Go ahead." Arthur keeps lying still, his eyes fixed on Merlin.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin dipped his hand back into the bowl, closing his eyes for a long, silent moment. Then, he started murmuring the spell, swirling his hand in circles. The bowl began to darken, a deep, red color - the color of the Pendragon pendant.

"..Hider eft funde. On þisse ne middangeard," Merlin chants, slowly raising his hand back out of the water. It was dripping with the red water, somewhat grotesque in nature as the sorceror opened his eyes, gold with magic, and slowly lowered his hand onto Arthur's chest. "Ætíe mé þá þé ic séce - "

[royalpratness]

There's a tingling feeling where Merlin is touching him but it's not uncomfortable. He had seen Merlin's eyes turn gold before but never so up close. Arthur keeps still, observing Merlin while he works the spell.

[ayoungboy]

The water dripped from his hand onto the King, moving slowly around the dampened area, arranging itself in the mark that would take shape. Merlin continued chanting, and when he was finished, the water seeped into Arthur's skin. A wave of magic surrounded them, absorbed into the King as well, binding them.

[royalpratness]

Arthur looks down at the slowly forming mark on his skin as it takes the form of a dragon. "That's it? All done?"

[ayoungboy]

Merlin didn't answer, eyes still glowing. His fingers tightened on Arthur as his own mark took form, searing the magic into him. Only a soft sound escaped, and then his eyes returned to normal. Merlin smiles kindly. "...yeah, that's it."

[royalpratness]

Arthur sits up, inspecting both their marks. "I like it. It's like a tattoo, but better."

[ayoungboy]

"Yeah? Glad you like it." Merlin chuckles, gently removing his hand from Arthur and hovering it over the water bowl. With a murmur and flash of gold, the water returned to the bowl, slowly turning back to normal.

[royalpratness]

"Thanks." Arthur scratches his head sheepishly. "For agreeing to this in the first place, I mean."

[ayoungboy]

"If it can help," Merlin shrugs a little, glancing down at the marks and observing the way his own ripples across his skin. "I'm happy to. Sorry about...before. I was a little stressed out..."

[royalpratness]

"No, don't apologise. It was rude of me to summon you like that." Arthur pulls a face, looking genuinely apologetic.

[ayoungboy]

"It's alright." It wasn't like people didn't do it all the time anyway. Exactly why he couldn't keep a job, yeah? "Well, I suppose I should be off."

[royalpratness]

"Yes, it's getting late. Sorry for keeping you so long." Arthur takes his shirt and starts putting it back on. "How about you drop by at some point this week to pick up your phone? I should have it here by Tuesday."

[ayoungboy]

"It's perfectly alright." Merlin smiles, sliding his own shirt back on as well. "Ah...sure. If nothing dire occurs."

[royalpratness]

"Good. I'm here all evenings." He smoothes down the front of his shirt. "Though I think it'd be best if you came directly here, to my room. Saves both of us explaining with my staff."

[ayoungboy]

"You don't beat around the bush, do you?" Merlin teases, shrugging on his jacket. "Sure. And you can...make whatever announcements you need and show the press that. Don't, uh, don't mention that I have a matching mark. People might go around looking for it."

[royalpratness]

Arthur chuckles, nodding. "Got it. I'll, uhm, see you next week then."

[ayoungboy]

"Next week." Merlin nodded as he tied his kerchief. "I'm not going to bow, just so you know." It's another light tease. He feels...comfortable, around Arthur.

[royalpratness]

"Please don't." That would be awkward. Arthur winks at him, lifting his hand to say goodbye.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin lifts his hand as well, but then he's gone. Just...vanished. That's magic for you.

[royalpratness]

The next day, Arthur organises a phone for Merlin. A brand new smartphone, bill payed by the crown. He also finds himself thinking an awful lot about Merlin, their plans and magic in general.

Arthur is almost disappointed when Merlin doesn't show up on Tuesday evening, though he'd never admit to it. On Wednesday, he's stuck in a meeting about new defense technologies and it's almost midnight before he returns to his chambers.

[ayoungboy]

Merlin's actually passed out on the floor when Arthur returns. What? He waited, and the King hadn't shown and he...was tired. His jacket is ripped and a little dirty, and he's got a bandage on his forehead.

[royalpratness]

Arthur stops in his tracks when he enters his room, finding Merlin passed out on the floor. "Shit! Merlin!" He runs over and crouches down next to him. "Merlin. Are you okay?"

[ayoungboy]

"...hm?" Merlin groans softly, eyes flickering open when he feels Arthur's presence at his side and hears his voice. "...yeah, m'fine. Was waiting for you."

[royalpratness]

"On the floor?" Arthur's initial worry turns into light amusement. "Come on, up." He offers Merlin his hand to get up.