ayoungboy | Spellbound

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

royalpratness

"Merlin." Arthur looks at him, eyebrows raised. "Stop arguing and let me have a look." Carefully, Arthur starts peeling off the bandage around Merlin's head. The wound on Merlin's temple isn't very deep but it is a nasty looking cut. "I don't think you'll need stitches but it needs to be cleaned properly." Which is exactly what Arthur is doing right now, taking everything he needs from his first aid kit.

From:

ayoungboy

"Arthur - " Merlin made a slightly frustrated sound, but allowed the man to do as he pleased. "...I just want to go and find somewhere to sleep, hm?"

From:

royalpratness

"You'll stay here tonight. I'm not letting you sleep in the woods or god knows where when you've been injured." Arthur puts some antiseptic onto the wound, cleaning it properly.

From:

ayoungboy

"No, Arthur I couldn't - hey!" Merlin jumps a little. "That stings!"

From:

royalpratness

Arthur rolls his eyes. "Don't be such a girl." He puts a large, medical bandaid over the wound. "There. Much better."

From:

ayoungboy

Merlin wrinkles his nose, rolling his eyes. "Thanks."

From:

royalpratness

"You're welcome." Arthur notices Merlin's dirty clothes. "Do you want to take a shower?"

From:

ayoungboy

"No, Arthur, it's fine." Merlin shakes his head and tries to stand. "I really should be off, leave you to your rest."

From:

royalpratness

"You're not going anywhere." Arthur puts his hand onto Merlin's shoulders, pushing him gently back down. "I'll find you some clothes to sleep in and you're going to stay here tonight."

From:

ayoungboy

"Arthur," Merlin protests, but the push sends him straight back into the chair. "I could just teleport out, you know."

From:

royalpratness

"You could, but you shouldn't. There are several very comfortable beds in this palace and you look like you need a good night's sleep." Arthur rubs his hands lightly over Merlin's shoulders.

From:

ayoungboy

Merlin hesitates. A bed sounds downright fantastic. "...are you sure?" He's not sure if this goes against some type of diplomatic protocol or whatever.

From:

royalpratness

"Absolutely." Arthur smiles at him, walking over to a door that leads to a sort of ante chamber. "I promise, this bed is the most comfortable one in all of Britain."

From:

ayoungboy

"At this point, any bed would be the most comfortable in Britain." Merlin jokes wryly.

From:

royalpratness

"I bet." Arthur laughs, holding the door open for Merlin. "Come on. I'll find you something to sleep in."

From:

ayoungboy

"I can sleep in this," Merlin says. Then it occurs to him Arthur might not want him to soil the linens.

From:

royalpratness

"No, you can't." Arthur opens his wardrobe, pulling out a t-shirt and a comfortable pair of pyjama pants. "I'll have your clothes washed over night. Now get changed." He hands Merlin the clothes and points towards the bathroom.

From:

ayoungboy

Merlin shakes his head and gingerly accepts the clothes. "...thanks." Wouldn't anybody be suspicious of clothes that clearly didn't belong to the King appearing in the King's wash?

From:

royalpratness

"No worries. Now go and get changed before you fall asleep on your feet." Arthur wonders if he'll have to carry Merlin at this rate.

From:

ayoungboy

Merlin smiles tiredly and shuffles into the bathroom, half closing the door as he went to get changed. Quite possibly.

From:

royalpratness

Arthur waits until the door has closed behind Merlin, sighing. He finally takes off his shoes and suit jacket, sitting down on his bed. This is the first time he's invited anybody to stay in his guest room as he usually likes his privacy. For some reason though, things seem to be different with Merlin.

From:

ayoungboy

Merlin slowly undressed, then redressed in the clothes Arthur had given him. He usually refused this sort of charity, but right now he was just...too tired. Way too tired. His head hurt, his body ached, and his magic throbbed. And Arthur was...kind of nice.

From:

royalpratness

When Merlin comes out of the bathroom, Arthur picks up his clothes and fetches one of his most discret servants to clean them. "Do you need anything else, Merlin?" He closes the door again after having dropped off the clothes.