Tangible (Merlin/Arthur, G)
Title: Tangible
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur (pre-slash)
Rating: G
Word Count: ~600
Summary: These days, the desire to keep the Prince safe was anything but nebulous.
Notes: Thanks to tzzzz for the beta! Also, thisissirius said she'd only write Merlin/Arthur if I delivered first. QUID PRO QUO NOW, BB! :D
~~~
Tangible
Merlin had been using magic for as long as he could remember.
Sitting on his bed, back to the wall, he leafed slowly through the book Gaius had given him. It had seemed like such a strange idea at first, to bind his magic to words instead of simply doing it. For the longest time, magic had been like breathing: just as natural and just as involuntary. Just as aimless, too, and when his mother had sent him to Camelot, Merlin had seized the opportunity with dreams of how he would make use of his sorcery to do Good Things, help people. But it had been a vague notion, unformed, and seeing a man beheaded for using magic only minutes after he'd first set foot into Camelot had made him… not reconsider, but the dream had dimmed a little. Grown even more aimless.
He shifted the book on his knees, brushed a finger over an age-yellowed page. Dried flowers rustled softly beneath his fingertip.
Even when the Great Dragon had told him that his destiny was to protect the Prince, to keep him safe, it hadn't felt real, the concept nebulous at best. Intangible.
"Merlin?" Arthur's voice came from outside. Merlin nearly dropped the book. "Merlin!"
Footsteps, coming closer. Merlin hastily shoved the book underneath the bed. He had barely enough time to lean back against the headrest and cross his legs in what he hoped was a casual pose when the door swung open and Arthur stuck his head inside.
"There you are." He stepped into the room. It seemed even smaller in his presence. "Do you think my horse will saddle itself?"
"No." At Arthur's raised eyebrow, Merlin scrambled off the bed and to his feet, gaze lowered to the floor. "Uh. No, Sire."
He didn't quite have the hang of the whole manservant business yet, but luckily Arthur didn't seem to mind. Much.
The prince in question was surveying Merlin's tiny room like it was his kingdom. Well, technically, it was. Part of it, anyway. "I see you've cleaned up," he said critically, and poked at the scented candle that stood on the cupboard before he grabbed it and raised it to his nose. He sniffed.
"Lavender?" Arthur set the candle back down with an air of disdain. "Isn't that a little… girly?"
"It was a gift." From Gwen. Who was a girl. Besides, Gaius said that lavender was relaxing.
"Sure it was." Arthur wiped his hand on his trousers. "My horse, Merlin."
"Yes, of course." Merlin bowed his head, barely refraining from rolling his eyes. In the time it must have taken Arthur to come all the way up to the Physician's chambers, a stable hand could have saddled three horses at least. But Arthur took great joy in making Merlin do his bidding, and Merlin had been surprised to realise that he quite liked being a manservant, as long as he didn't have to wear any stupid hats.
He liked Arthur. That was perhaps the biggest surprise of all.
Saddling Arthur's horse took some time. It would have gone faster if Arthur hadn't been hovering just outside the stable, and faster still if Merlin hadn't whispered a spell of protection as he tightened the reins.
These days, the desire to keep the Prince safe was anything but nebulous.
Watching Arthur ride away, blond hair gleaming in the sun, Merlin allowed himself a tiny smile.
No. Not nebulous at all.
~~~
Yay shiny new fandom! \o/
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur (pre-slash)
Rating: G
Word Count: ~600
Summary: These days, the desire to keep the Prince safe was anything but nebulous.
Notes: Thanks to tzzzz for the beta! Also, thisissirius said she'd only write Merlin/Arthur if I delivered first. QUID PRO QUO NOW, BB! :D
~~~
Tangible
Merlin had been using magic for as long as he could remember.
Sitting on his bed, back to the wall, he leafed slowly through the book Gaius had given him. It had seemed like such a strange idea at first, to bind his magic to words instead of simply doing it. For the longest time, magic had been like breathing: just as natural and just as involuntary. Just as aimless, too, and when his mother had sent him to Camelot, Merlin had seized the opportunity with dreams of how he would make use of his sorcery to do Good Things, help people. But it had been a vague notion, unformed, and seeing a man beheaded for using magic only minutes after he'd first set foot into Camelot had made him… not reconsider, but the dream had dimmed a little. Grown even more aimless.
He shifted the book on his knees, brushed a finger over an age-yellowed page. Dried flowers rustled softly beneath his fingertip.
Even when the Great Dragon had told him that his destiny was to protect the Prince, to keep him safe, it hadn't felt real, the concept nebulous at best. Intangible.
"Merlin?" Arthur's voice came from outside. Merlin nearly dropped the book. "Merlin!"
Footsteps, coming closer. Merlin hastily shoved the book underneath the bed. He had barely enough time to lean back against the headrest and cross his legs in what he hoped was a casual pose when the door swung open and Arthur stuck his head inside.
"There you are." He stepped into the room. It seemed even smaller in his presence. "Do you think my horse will saddle itself?"
"No." At Arthur's raised eyebrow, Merlin scrambled off the bed and to his feet, gaze lowered to the floor. "Uh. No, Sire."
He didn't quite have the hang of the whole manservant business yet, but luckily Arthur didn't seem to mind. Much.
The prince in question was surveying Merlin's tiny room like it was his kingdom. Well, technically, it was. Part of it, anyway. "I see you've cleaned up," he said critically, and poked at the scented candle that stood on the cupboard before he grabbed it and raised it to his nose. He sniffed.
"Lavender?" Arthur set the candle back down with an air of disdain. "Isn't that a little… girly?"
"It was a gift." From Gwen. Who was a girl. Besides, Gaius said that lavender was relaxing.
"Sure it was." Arthur wiped his hand on his trousers. "My horse, Merlin."
"Yes, of course." Merlin bowed his head, barely refraining from rolling his eyes. In the time it must have taken Arthur to come all the way up to the Physician's chambers, a stable hand could have saddled three horses at least. But Arthur took great joy in making Merlin do his bidding, and Merlin had been surprised to realise that he quite liked being a manservant, as long as he didn't have to wear any stupid hats.
He liked Arthur. That was perhaps the biggest surprise of all.
Saddling Arthur's horse took some time. It would have gone faster if Arthur hadn't been hovering just outside the stable, and faster still if Merlin hadn't whispered a spell of protection as he tightened the reins.
These days, the desire to keep the Prince safe was anything but nebulous.
Watching Arthur ride away, blond hair gleaming in the sun, Merlin allowed himself a tiny smile.
No. Not nebulous at all.
~~~
Yay shiny new fandom! \o/