"Merlin!" Arthur Pendragon roared as he stepped into the warmth of the stables from the wet world outside.

"Merlin!" he shouted frustrated. "Where the Hades is he...lazy fucking sod." he muttered to himself as he walked down the aisle between the stalls; various horses stretching out their heads to him, snickering a greeting.

A storm was blowing outside and the light in the stables flicked a little from the wind that wormed its way through the cracks. Arthur could hear the wind howling around the building, he could hear the gentle, comforting noises of the horses. What he couldn't hear was his bloody elusive manservant.

He had almost reached the feed bins at the end of the aisle when a huge clap of thunder made him jump, he span round to face the main doors. He laughed self-consciously, running a hand through his rain damp hair, glad suddenly that he was alone.

That was when he noticed the postern door he had walked through (and not bothered to shut properly) was now firmly shut. Barred in fact.

"Shit." He cursed quietly under his breath. He had left his sword in his chambers, expecting only to come and find that wayward bloody Merlin. He eased the small dagger he perpetually carried on the back of his belt out of its sheath, reassured by its familiar weight in his hand.

He was about to take a step back the way he had come when he felt long, cool, fingers cover his eyes.

"Don't move." A voice whispered next to his ear.

Arthur shuddered. He was always surprised at how stealthy Merlin could be at times – considering how clumsy he seemed.

"Merlin. What exactly do you think you are doing?" He started, petulant, trying to turn. The hands on his head offered, firm, sudden resistance.

"I said don't move Arthur." Merlin repeated, voice cool. "Put your knife away."

"Oh-kay." He said slowly, reaching behind his back returning the dagger to its scabbard.

"Very good, Arthur." The voice, like a reward, purred in his ear, making him shiver again.

The blond opened his mouth to speak but Merlin was quicker. "Now. Do not move. Stand still. Close your eyes."

"Merlin, I don't know what..."

"Did I tell you to speak." It wasn't a question.

Astounded Arthur shut his mouth, and out of curiosity his eyes. He felt Merlin remove his hands which were quickly replaced by fabric and ... what? A belt? What the fuck? Arthur thought.

Before he had time to think anything else, Merlin had stepped away and Arthur's hands were tied quickly and firmly behind him. Thunder boomed outside, rolling over the stables. He tried to protest but his words came out as a mumble round the gag, "mmmmffff mfff mf!" he complained.

Had he heard a stifled laugh behind him? What the fuck was Merlin playing at? This was not his style.

"Listen to me Arthur. You will do exactly as I say when I say it or you will be left out in the rain, bound, gagged and naked for the palace guards to find."

He tried to loosen the bonds about his hands to no avail.

Suddenly Merlin's lips were by his ear, "Do. You. Understand?" He enunciated; his hot breath sending a visceral thrill down Arthur's spine. Suddenly he thought he knew where this was going and what he might have done to deserve it. He thought he didn't mind. He nodded his head, causing his blond hair to flick over the brown leather blocking the light from his eyes.

"Well done. " Merlin's lips brushed against his tragus, sending a tremor down his neck, causing him to twitch away. He felt the blood rush to his cock which also twitched in response to Merlin's lips. Such a small thing to cause such a reaction.

Then an absence, and his hands pulled back with a subtle jerk.

"Now turn to your right. There is an empty stall." Arthur turned through 90 degrees. "Good. Now walk forward ten paces." Arthur capitulated; he felt his heart begin to race at his sudden vulnerability and at Merlin's sudden dominance.

They had been lovers for a few months now and everything and nothing had changed. That was to say Arthur's world had grown in a way he never expected yet much of the day to day had stayed the same. And of course that meant he had pissed Merlin off, no doubt by being a Pratt, as something's never change.

"Fffffff!" the air was forced from him as his shoulder connected with the door frame of the stall. He steadied himself and took a half step to the right, stepped forward again; and felt straw beneath his boots.

"Take two more steps." Merlin commanded his voice like silk. "Stop."

Arthur stopped. He felt the bonds on his wrists removed.

"Don't move." Strong, long fingered hands ran over the thin material of his pale tunic, teasing; his heart leapt up to meet them. He moaned around the gag despite himself, amazed that he had the restraint not to lift his hands and remove the covering from his eyes and mouth and sweep Merlin off his feet. He knew he could easily over power him; but he wanted to see where this was going. What plans Merlin had for him. What punishment was in store?

The dark haired man moved his hand sensuously over Arthur's prominent pecks, up over his deltoids, down his biceps, tracing the peaks and valleys of the various muscles.

Arthur's breath quickened and he struggled to suppress the moan which rose in his throat. The hands swept delicately back to his chest. Fingers ghosted against his now hard nipples and... "mfffffgh!" he cried, as his nipples were pinched and twisted.

"Shhhhh..." Whispered Merlin. He was close to Arthur, who could feel his hot breath against his cheek. He increased the pressure on the blonds nipples, causing Arthur to arch into the touch and then... gone.

Hands removed; pain gone; he heaved a breath through the gag.

"Remove your clothes Arthur." Merlin commanded.

Arthur capitulated, trying to maintain an awareness of location and direction despite the blindfold. Unable to see, his skin had become live, aware, every breeze sent a thousand tendrils of sensation flashing through his body.

"Good." Merlin crooned, rewarding. "Kneel." He commanded.

Arthur obeyed, sinking gracefully to his knees on the straw. His sex was hard and begging for attention.

His hands were pulled sharply and suddenly behind his back, causing him to fight for his balance, tipping his upper body forwards, his forehead coming dangerously close to the floor. He tested his bonds, deciding Merlin must have attached them to something, as they weren't giving.

The blond became aware that Merlin had come to stand in front of him. He felt his gag removed, and drew in a grateful lungful of air, before his head was grabbed roughly, hands gripping his hair either side, pulling at the roots, blanching the skin of his scalp. He was held like this for a minute breath coming in sharp pants, then his face was jerked forcefully into Merlin's groin. He felt Merlin's sex, rock hard, throbbing, pressing against his mouth and nose, through the fabric of his britches, almost painful. The brunette's hips rocked into him pressing his hard cock into Arthur's face. He inhaled the musky scent of Merlin, impossibly aroused, he nuzzled the other mans hardness through the worsted britches he wore; he rubbed with his cheek and his nose along the shaft, growling with impatience, wanting to taste his lover.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of teasing, Merlin let one hand drop to unlace his trousers, freeing his leaking cock.

"Open your mouth." He barked. As Arthur did so Merlin thrust deep into the moist maw, both hands back in the blond hair. Arthur gagged at the sudden pressure at the back of his throat; before snapping his lips closed on Merlin's shaft, humming round the fullness in his mouth, the taste of Merlin's pre-come leaking onto his tongue. He ached to take himself in hand and struggled with his bonds, uselessly. The grip on his head redoubled, causing him to be still, as Merlin thrust into Arthur's willing mouth, which sucked and lapped at him, whose throat opened to accommodate his length.

"Good...mmm...Fuck...Good boy." Merlin purred, rewarding again. Arthur was amazed how much he craved that approval in Merlin's voice. How much he wanted to please. How he longed for these strokes.

Merlin rolled his hips once more into Arthur's mouth, breathing harsh, before releasing his head and stepping back, his cock slipping from between Arthur's deeply red lips with a pop; leaving the blond panting, sweat rolling down his brow.

"Stand." Merlin commanded his voice rough with desire.

Arthur did so on unsteady legs. He felt Merlin grasp his engorged leaking yard with his hand, giving it a tug.

"Follow." He had little choice and staggered forward, desperate for the contact with the brunette's hand.

After a few steps he was released; he keened at the absence.

"Step forward one pace." He did so, his shin connecting painfully with something wooden. He huffed in protest.

"Now bend over." He bent, feeling his stomach come in contact with cold, smooth leather and his right thigh with cold metal. A saddle! He realised, so he must have hit his shin on the leg of a saddle horse.

He was about to speak when Merlin's hand made ringing contact with his arse; breathtakingly painful, weirdly enjoyable.

"Urrgh!" he cried, unable to stop himself, "You spanked me!"

His answer was a ringing smack to the other cheek; he jolted forward on the saddle, his cock catching on the cold leather of the saddle flaps, causing him to shudder.

*Smack* the slap resounded around the stables, rivalling the thunder.

He heard himself whimper, disbelieving that he could be liking this, was it not degradation and pain?

*Smack* "Oh fuck..." he moaned; it was good.

Merlin's palm was making rapid contact with his buttocks now, he panted, bordering on delirious, his buttocks flamed; his cock ached, as waves of heat flooded his body. He felt if something didn't change soon he would come apart; his mind was disordered; pleasure and pain taking precedence over all other considerations.

Suddenly the spanking stopped. He heaved two shuddering breaths, feeling disorientated, overwhelmed.

As suddenly as the slaps had stopped so did Merlin's assault on his ares begin. Roughly, unceremoniously, two of Merlin's long, slender, oiled, fingers were inserted into Arthur's rear. He gasped, reflexively contracting against the intrusion. To no avail, as they were forced inside, twirled and scissored, stretching him relentlessly. The slight man added another finger, then another, until he had four inside and curled them against the blond's prostate. That nearly finished Arthur, who was mewling and groaning in a very un-princely manner; tears leaking from the corners of his eyes in response to the rough treatment.

Again he was brought to the edge and again, an abrupt stop. However, before he even had time to draw breath, Merlin's forceful fingers were replaced by his long, thick, cock. He slammed his sex into Arthur's rear, harshly.

"Gods... Fuck...Merlin." Growled the Prince, between the brunette's thrusts.

He received a slap on the arse and a brutal thrust and a terse, if breathless, "Did I say you could speak!"

Arthur bit his lip to keep from crying out as Merlin rolled his hips again and again, mercilessly, pounding Arthur's rear, flesh slapping on flesh, nails drawing blood where they gripped his hips.

Merlin caught that place inside Arthur, that delicious place that sent his arousal rocketing, burning like fire through his veins roiling in his groin as his cock was rubbed against the saddle.

He could feel that Merlin must be close to losing himself too as his trusts had become frenzied and uncoordinated.

Unable to help himself he growled out, "Fuck! Merlin!" as his orgasm hit him full force, ripping through his body, flaming to his brain, causing his vision to fade and his seed to spill and smear over the saddle. He felt his arse contracting around Merlin's cock as he slammed in once more and... "Shit...Arthur! Ohhhh, Fuck!" came explosively into the blond, filling him. He felt his lover ride out his orgasm before slumping against his back, felt his rapid, ragged breathing, matching his own, felt the tattoo of Merlin's heartbeat against his back as they came down from the high of their release.

Merlin was the first to move. He untied Arthur's wrists, who flexed his arms experimentally, whilst remaining over the saddle.

"Good boy. My Prince, well done." Merlin clawed his nails down Arthur's sweat slick back, as his flaccid cock slipped from the Princes' slack arse.

Arthur shivered. "So... I was a Pratt? Right?"

"Yes."

"What did I do?" Arthur mumbled against the saddle. "Was it the double load of laundry?"

"No." Merlin rubbed Arthur's bruised buttocks, then slapped gently.

Arthur shifted position, standing on shaky legs; he felt Merlin's come slip down his inner thigh. "That drunken nigh with the Knights that my Father blamed you for?"

"Nope."

They were facing each other now. Arthur flushed, dishevelled, bruised. Merlin wide eyed with a crooked grin, looking pleased with himself.

"Sending you to clean out the communal latrine in the barracks?"

"No. Although that was shit. So don't do that again."

"Ok. I'm out."

Merlin stepped forward so his face was close to Arthur's.

"If I ever catch you with your hand down Gwaine's britches again, I promise you, you will neither be pleasured nor "punished" again. Unless, of course, I get to play too."

"When the fuck did I do that?" Arthur's brows nearly met his hairline, "I truly don't remember."

"The drunken Knights night."

"Oh. Ah. Well. That explains everything. I think I was hung over for a week." Arthur said looking sheepish.

Merlin lent forward and pressed his lips to Arthur's.

"So what did you think of my "punishment"?"

Arthur smiled and returned Merlin's kiss by way of an answer.