His Love

Chapter 24

As they rode on into the sunny afternoon and out of the woods Arthur pulled his horse to a stop by a vast lake enclosed by tall blue mountains that glistened in the lazy sunlight. He heard a sigh of appreciation from Merlin although he thought this could have been due to his graceful dismunt from Degore rather than the scenery, as his eyes never left him. Arthur offered Mellin his hand and soon they were settled on the picnic blanket and nestled among a truthflly alarming amount of cushions Merlin sighed in contentment. Arthur rooted through the bag he had brought with supplies.

"I had the cook make your favourite cake" he said and presented it to Merlin who smiling slyly.

"Oh Arthur. I love it, I can't wait to wrap my mouth around it"Merlin's eyes never left Arthur's as he gave the small cake a sultry lick before he put it in his mouth whole and swallowed.

Arthur spluttered at his husbnad's forewordness, trying to win back control of the picknic he cleared his throat.

"I arranged for all your favourite foods today- pheasant, and elderberries, and that cordial that Gwaine thinks that I don't know that he brews." He squeaked, doing his best to ignore the franky filthly thoughts he was having about the man next to him.

Merlin cocked his head and blinked owlishly at Arthur. His gaze was peircing.

"What?" Arthur asked when he noticed Merlin's gaze.

"You know me very well don't you" He said with his bright deep aqua eyes still srating into Arthur's own.

"I know everything about you. I know all your favourite things and all your favourite places to go, i know you always sleep on your left, and you get sad when cut flowers start to wither, and you love the smell of the herb garden and-" Arthur was cut off suddenly as Merlin leaned across the blanket they were sat on and kissed him firmlly. Merlin tasted sweet like cake but the kis was only short and when he moved away leaving a stunned Crown Price behind him he was grinning widely.

"what was that for?!" Arthur said startled.

"I wanted to"Merlin said nonchalantly and shrugged insouciantly.

"Oh" Arthur blushed again under Merlin's staring gaze and cocky flirtatios smile.

"You know me so well. I feel I should know you better." Merlin said and began prowling toward the blond man, who was looking nerous, across the blanket.

"I'd like to know you...intimietely" Merlin's eyes flashed gold and Arthur felt a rush of cool spring air on his skin as the rich but light clothes he was wearing varnished from his body and also from Merlin's.

Arthur sqeaked very unregally and grabbed a pillow to hide his modesty.

"Merlin!" He cried in a high pitched voice.

"Bring my clothes back!" But Merlin was not paying attention, staring hungirily at Arthur's broad tanned chest and causing him to blush furiously all over.

"what? It's nothing either of us hasn't seen before." Merlin responded, raising his eyes to meet Arthur's gaze with his face in a smirk that was preditorial his eyes flashed again and the Arthur's cushion vanished. He grabbed another to replace it, thankful for his earlier desire to make the picnic as comportable as possible whihc lead his to bringing so many soft furnishings with them.

"Bring our cloths back!" Arthur eclaimed. Merlin looked sheepish.

"I can't. I'm not sure where they are.... Nevermind. At least the view's nice." Merlin smiled brightly. Arthur side deeply.

"You can't just make people naked, MERlin, even me, your husband, the prince: Arthur." He explained with a strong conviction.

"Why not? I can. I did." Merlin pointed out: not helpfully.

"Because I don't want to be naked." Arhtur snapped. Merin looked hurt.

"You don't want to be naked with me? Evan though we're married?" he asked carefully marking the hurt.

"Of course I want to be naked with you in general! I just don't want to right now! It wouldn't...it wouldn't be right to do that until you have your memory back." Said the naked prince genetly with great patience.

"Oh. Okay. I don't want you until you want me too" replied Merlin, smiling again now that the hurt of Arthur's words had been vanished.

"Good, then we're in agreement." Smiled Arthur, storking Merlin's cheekbone gently.

"Arthur?" said Merlin blushing as the man lean in for a pure kiss.

"Yes baby?"

"I still don't know how to bring out clothes back." Merlin blushed. Arthur let out frustrated laughter.

----

"Wait" Arthur said and held his hand out to stop Merlin in his tracks behind him. He peered around the corner and saw that it was empty. They had snuck back into the castle by avoiding the main entrances as they still had no clothes on but now they were within the castle, they could not hide so easily. Guards patrollyed regulalrly and people going about their business were like to stumble upon them at any time in any corridor and then Arthur would have a devil of a time trying to explain why the Crown Prince and his Cursed husband were sulking around the castle naked.

"Ok let's go" Arthur whispered to Merlin and beckoned him forwards around the corner. They were halfway down the corridor, stepping as quickly and quitely as they could, when the door at the other end open, and the bearded face of Sir Leon, the first knight, came through.

"Sire?!" Said Sir leon, at first respectfully as he would greet his crown prince but then turning into shock, surprise, and confusion, when he say the position Arthur and Merlin were in.

"Er..." sai Arthur but Merlin has no shame about their situation.

"Sir Leon!" He cried happily and hugged the bearded knight tightly in a hug

Sir Leon looked appalled. He immediately tried to step back but Merlin's embrace was too strong.

"Stop wriggling." pouted Merlin suggestviely.

Sir Leon raised his hands, as if in surrender, to ensure he was touching no part of Merlin's creamy skin. Arthur would have almost been amused by the panic in his knight's eyes were it not for the pang of jealousy that beat through his heart at the realisation that Merlin remembered Sir Leon of all people but not him, and the embarrassment and discomfort of being caught out int he nude.

"Merlin! let Sir Leon go! He's uncomfortable!" Arthur hissed. Merlin immediately let Sire Leon go who was still looking as if he wished for the Camelot ground to open beneath him and swallow him whole when he met Arthur's eyes.

"There was er. Bandits." Arthur explained trying to sound regal and authorititive and stand up tall like being naked in the corridors happened in the time.

"Yes sire." Sir Leon said neutrally not even blinking.

"They took our...clothes." Arthur rambled on.

"Yes sire." Sir Leon said in the same way he had previously.

"So. We will go now." Arthur stammered to a finish.

"Do you want to send a party after the bandits, sire?" Sir Leon enquired politely.

"OH, um, no, they were uh, from Cendred's kingdom. They left. Ran. Away. They ran away. To Cendred's kingdom." Arthur nodded firmly trying to inforce the point.

"As you wish, sire." Sir Leon bowed, staring hard at the floor, and walked past Arthur and Merlin quickly. They heard his footsteps fade down the corridor and around the corner and Arthur let out a great woosh of breath.

"I like Sir Leon!" Merlin said in a quip smiling brightly, and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, Merlin, before we meet anyone else." He clasped Merlin's arm and moving towards the door, making sure the corridor beyond was empty before going forth.