Chapter Two 

The Tournament

Merlin had felt miserable for almost a week. His head was constantly pounding, his eyes were sensitive, and his nights were filled with dreams. He had been trying his best to ignore whatever was happening to him. He didn’t have time because this week mattered far more than the others. This week was Arthur’s first ever tournament. He had been there presiding over them with the King and Queen for two years, but now he would be competing. Everyone expected far more than they would any other young knight. Arthur was a legend now, spoken of far and wide even beyond the realms of Camelot. The boy prophesied to save Camelot. The street urchin who pulled the sword from the stone. The future King of Camelot. Arthur had a high pedestal to climb, and Merlin could sense it weighing on him. He was training at all hours, and his sleep was always interrupted with fits of stress. He’d never admit he was scared, even to Merlin. But Merlin had known Arthur too long for him to keep anything hidden from him. 

Merlin climbed to final steps to the royal bed chambers, balancing the large supper against his ribs as he opened the heavy oak door to Arthur’s bed chamber. 

“Arthur!” he shut the door. “Cook sent up an extra helping of stew, says she’s worried about how skinny you look going into your first tournament.” Merlin glanced around the empty room and sat the tray of food on the table. “Arthur?” He stepped into the baths and felt an odd heat travel up his spine. “Are you alright?” Merlin asked. 

Arthur was sat in the bath, his entire body underneath. He stayed under a moment longer before breaking the surface and taking a large breath in. “Oh… you’re here.” 

Merlin nodded slowly then shook his head clear of the heat that had nestled against his mind. “Your supper is getting cold.” He said quickly reaching for a robe for Arthur. 

Arthur nodded and reached a hand out for Merlin to help him out of the tub. Merlin did and they caught eyes only for a moment before both glancing away. It had been a long while since the last time. It had never meant anything, Merlin was sure they both knew that. But they were young and occasionally urges need to be met. That was all it ever was, but Merlin could feel the heat curling in his abdomen none the less. 

Arthur curled the robe tightly around him and stepped out of the baths. “Well she sure is trying to fatten me up like a roast isn’t she?” 

Merlin took a quick breath in and left the steamy haze of the baths. “Yeah, she said you look too skinny for the tournament.” 

“Perhaps I wouldn’t be so skinny if someone stopped eating half my meals.” Arthur threw a roll at Merlin’s head. 

“Is it my fault your meals are so much better than mine. Besides, I always miss the servants meal times because I’m here tending to you.” Merlin took a bite out of the roll and slumped into the seat opposite Arthur. 

Arthur was watching him, his eyebrows knitted together with a question he wasn’t sure how to ask. “Do you ever miss how it used to be?” Arthur finally asked. 

Merlin scoffed. “What’s to miss? Having to scrounge for food. Sharing a dirty cot that smelled of mildew? Living with dozens of other kids off and on. Watching them die or grow up to die?”

Arthur sighed. “Nothing being expected of us.” 

Merlin took a slow breath in before standing up and crossing the table to sit next to his best friend. “You were always destined for this Arthur. You don’t need to be concerned with the tournament because your destiny has already dictated you to be the King. Nothing will change that.” 

“But I want to earn it. I don’t want to rule a kingdom as great as Camelot and have not earned it.” Arthur turned to face Merlin and that soft boyish concern in his features made Merlin feel a surge of affection for his friend. 

He put his hands on either sides of Arthur’s face. “You will earn it. I promise.” 

Arthur held his gaze for a few more moments before finally looking away and spooning some stew into his mouth. 

“I want to win tomorrow.” Arthur said quietly. 

“I know,” Merlin said.

The morning of the tournament was chaos. There were young knights from every corner of the realm all itching to fight to crown prince of Camelot. As Arthur’s servant, Merlin was busy. He had been sent to run errand after errand for Arthur before finally having to dress Arthur in his chain male.

“Listen to me, Arthur.” the king was pacing back and forth as Merlin clasped Arthur’s armor in place. “The point of tournaments are simply to test your abilities. It is alright if you do not win this particular tournament. We will know where we can go from there.” 

Arthur met the Kings eye, something Merlin had never dreamt of doing. “I’m going to win.” He said quickly. “Merlin, bring me Excalibur.” Merlin felt a rush of excitement as he handed off the glorious sword to Arthur’s hand. Arthur held it and met the kings eyes once more. “It’s my destiny.”

The tournament went underway and slowly Arthur worked his way up the ranks, but the other young knights were just as fierce and all wanted to be the one to be out Arthur Pendragon. These other knights had been training their entire lives and it was obvious in their movements and in the way they held their swords that technically speaking they were all better than Arthur, whose training had only began two years earlier. 

But Arthur would win, because he had more to prove. There were plenty throughout the realm that were horrified by the idea of a street rat becoming the crown prince, prophecies be damned. Arthur had for the most part always kept his eyes up. He knew his worth even if some didn’t, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t work twice as hard to prove them all wrong. This was obvious now as he fought with an unmatched determination that brought him to the finals. 

“Tomorrow our final battle will begin for our young knights. Only one may prove to be the best in the land.” The King said to the crowds. “We congratulate all of our young competitors on their hard fought victories.” 

Arthur was heaving in breaths as Merlin began removing all of his armor. “You were bloody brilliant.” Merlin said to him. 

Arthur smiled and sat down once his chain male was finally off. “Shall I send to have your bath drawn?” Merlin asked. 

“Yes, and I need some water. Please.” Arthur breathed. 

A group of young boys came into the tent and looked at Arthur then to Merlin who was still putting away all of his things. 

“So is this the servant you demanded to have moved into the castle with you?” One asked. “We’ve all heard so much you see. Grew up together on the streets and in that piss poor orphanage while we were all learning from private tutors.”

Arthur met their eyes. “Great matches today gentleman. I had a wonderful time besting all of you.” 

“You haven’t bested all of us.” A tall boy stepped forward. “Or have you forgotten his royal highness still has to fight me tomorrow.” 

Arthur smirked and stood. Merlin tried to make himself a part of the tapestry on the wall. “And you’ll have to run back home afterwards and tell all of your little friends that a street rat beat you.” 

“Those are some heavy words from his royal cock-sucker.” The tall boy said standing directly in front of Arthur. 

The boys all began to snicker and Merlin felt heat travel up his head. 

Arthur just laughed and met the other boys eyes. “Cock-sucker? Is that the best you’ve got. What do they teach in those private tutor lessons if not how to properly insult someone.” Arthur turned to laugh and met Merlin’s eyes before grabbing the boys shirt and shoving him down. 

“Listen here you little inbred filth. I will beat you tomorrow, and when I do you will know just what this cock-sucking street rat is capable of. Don’t forget that while you were busy having your cheeks wiped up by your wet nurse I was busy surviving. Do you honestly think your well-bred hands could ever hurt me? Could even come close enough to touch me.” Arthur let him go and the others all stood wide eyed as the other boy scrambled to his feet. “And by the way, I’m the Crown Prince of Camelot, I don’t suck cock.” He stepped away and walked towards Merlin, reaching a hand up to run two fingers over his lips. Merlin glared daggers into Arthur before he turned back towards the boys. “He sucks mine.” 

All of their mouths dropped at once and Arthur just laughed like a maniac. “Come on Merlin, I can only handle so much inbred air at once.” 

They walked back to the castle and Merlin waited until they were safely locked into Arthur’s room before rounding on him. “What the fuck?” 

Arthur chuckled. “Oh come on, you have to admit it was hilarious.” 

“No it wasn’t!” Merlin yelled. “Why would you say all that? Why would you ever say any of that?”

Arthur looked shocked. “I wasn’t about to let them have the last word, Merlin.” 

“So you had to bring me into it? You can get away with anything you want,Arthur. But I’m still just a servant.”

“You’re not just a servant.” Arthur said quickly. 

Merlin laughed. “Yes I am! We may be able to pretend that in here I’m still just your friend. That you’re still just Arthur and I’m still just Merlin. But you’re the future of Camelot and I will always just be Merlin. The servant. And now you’ve labeled me as something different. Something that may very well have ramifications for me.” 

“You know that nothing will ever happen to you. I won’t allow it.” Arthur said quickly. 

Merlin shook his head. “The next time you want to shock people who don’t even matter, keep my name out of it.” Merlin stepped away. “Someone will bring your supper up. I’m done for the night.” 

“Merlin, wait.” Arthur said quickly. 

Merlin stopped and glared. “Is that an order, sire?” 

“Stop, don’t call me that. Don’t you ever call me that.” Arthur said quickly shutting the door and holding his hand against the wood so Merlin could not get out. “I will always just be Arthur to you, and you will always just be Merlin. I promised you that and it will never change.” 

“Then keep my name out of your mouth when you’re trying to go for shock and awe.” 

“Alright, I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.” Arthur said quickly, clearly desperate to make up. 

“Fine,” Merlin acquiesced and stepped away from the door. 

“And technically speaking I didn’t say your name.” Arthur said only to be punched in the arm by Merlin. 

They both laughed before Merlin opened the door. 

“Where are you going?” Arthur said quickly. 

“Calm down. I’m getting your dinner.” Merlin said. 

Arthur’s smile was brilliant as he stepped away from the door. “Be sure to leave me some.”