AN: Okay, so this isn't an actual chapter, but it's something I've actually been able to write. I've been in a depressive rut the last couple of years and am only now beginning to find enjoyment in the things I used to. Some of you will know what that's like and I appreciate all of your patience with me and this story if you've decided to come back. I am currently working on the next chapter, but I'm having a bit of trouble writing from Uther's POV, so it's taking a while. If you came back, thank you, and I hope you enjoy this little one-shot.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Merlin.

Emerlyn sighed, nearly overwhelmed in her exhaustion, her body aching from being upright and mobile for more than a day and a half. She'd been working tirelessly to find a cure for the disease plaguing villages to the west of the city, not only to save the people, but to keep it from reaching the capital and claiming even more lives. It'd been both a frustrating and exhausting process, but she'd managed to find the elusive cure just hours ago and had spent the rest of the time getting it prepared and ready for travel. It was a long stretch of days that she was glad were finally over.

"I could sleep for a week." Emerlyn muttered, burying her head into the pillow, blocking out the light. The bed shifted to her left before there were suddenly hands on her back, startling her before she relaxed.

"Your people are taken care of and on the mend, for which you should be proud. Let me help you to relax." Arthur's voice was deep and rough, his movements a little slow from sleep. She'd insisted he find slumber while he could, despite his protests, knowing there was little he could do to help in her and Gaius's research. Plus, being king was draining on a good day, and the last week had been anything but, leaving him just as bone-weary as his queen.

"You should go back to sleep." Emerlyn muttered, but she did not protest as his fingers dug into her shoulders, working at the knots that had taken up residence. She let out a pained moan when he hit a particularly sore one, trying to remain lax as he worked, knowing the pain would give way to relief once the tensed muscles were kneaded thoroughly.

"Shh. Just relax." The king circled his thumbs into the meat of her shoulders, leaning over more to get a better angle. Emerlyn muttered something he didn't catch, but her body went slack completely, letting him work, enjoying being pampered.

Arthur massaged her shoulders for several minutes before he began to travel down each of her arms slowly, working every part of her in his grasp until the muscles relaxed completely under his fingers. When he reached her hands, he kneaded at her palms and fingers, enjoying the small sounds of pleasure she made, their callouses sliding against each other in a most intriguing way. It was satisfying on a primal level to know that they both worked diligently to rule Camelot with their bare hands, not trusting anyone else to see to her wellbeing more than the two of them.

Done with her right hand, Arthur worked his hands back up her arm and then down to her back, massaging down her spine and sides in alternating firmness, pausing when he found a knot to meticulously rub it until it smoothed under his administrations. The action caused minute shivers and gooses bumps to race up and down Emerlyn's spine, making her hyperaware of every place his fingers met her skin.

The king smirked quietly to himself as her noises of contentment continued to sound, digging into her lower back, knowing that was where a lot of her stress seemed to gather, the knots larger and harder to knead away. But he was determined and didn't cease until he'd gotten all he could find, pulling the blanket off completely when done. He leaned over and dropped light, teasing kisses along her spine, moving his way down until he reached the swells of her buttocks, giving each globe a kiss.

Emerlyn held her breath in anticipation, her legs parting slightly, thinking he was going to move down and please her at her center; but he proved her wrong, his hands once more landing on her skin. He gave each cheek it's due attention, earning a surprised grunt from Emerlyn, not even aware her bottom had been so tense. It did feel wonderful, so she settled deeper into her pillow and let him do as he wished, half-hoping the massage went somewhere more pleasing, and half-hoping to just let slumber claim her.

Arthur moved down each of her thighs in the same way he had her arms, not leaving any stretch of skin unattended, even the ticklish spot behind her knee that caused the witch to jerk away with a grumble before settling. When he got to her feet, he eased back, eyes drinking in the image of her naked form stretched out. She was breathtaking.

"Turn over." Emerlyn shivered at the rasp in his voice, slowly turning onto her back, eyes finding him where he kneeled next to her feet. Her chest heaved a little, her nipples already pebbled, her skin flushed with desire. Arthur wanted to devour her, but he had a job to do first.

He took her right foot into his hands, rubbing at the sole firmly with his thumbs while his fingers kneaded the top of her foot, making her back arch slightly at the nearly ticklish pleasure. But his grip was firm enough to keep her foot from jerking, refusing to release it until he'd moved over every part. Even her small toes got attention; they even received light kisses before Arthur moved his hands up to her ankles and started the process all over again.

By the time he'd massaged both of her legs completely, Emerlyn was a boneless heap of arousal, her center throbbing with each beat of her heart. She doubted she'd ever been so attuned to her own body, hyperaware and sensitive to every place Arthur touched while wanting it in one spot specifically. And by the smirk gracing his lips she knew that he was aware of what he was doing to her and was taking pleasure in her heightened state of arousal.

"Arthur." She sighed softly, willingly parting her thighs when he moved to settle between them, delighted this part of her wasn't going to be neglected. Arthur met her gaze for a moment before lowering his face, blowing air across her damp folds, causing her to shiver almost violently.

Reaching up, he lightly stroked a finger over her lower lips, always intrigued by the smoothness of her hairless skin, despite having done this countless times in their years together. He never grew tired of exploring her body, no matter how well known it was to him. He stroked her folds for a few long seconds, listening to Emerlyn moan softly, before finally parting them to expose her pink flower to him.

She was already engorged with blood and slick with arousal, her scent concentrated and intoxicating. Arthur enjoyed just touching her lightly for a while, never giving her the stimulus she truly desired. It must have gotten to be too much for her, though, because her fingers were suddenly in his blonde hair, her eyes boring into his when their gazes met.

"I'm going to curse you with boils if you don't stop teasing me." Emerlyn muttered darkly, making him chuckle at her impatience. He allowed her to push his face between her legs, his tongue darting out to swipe at her, her flavor bursting over his taste buds and making him crave more. Some men did not relish in the taste of a woman's desire, but Arthur loved everything about Emerlyn and took great pleasure in tasting her as often as he was able.

Emerlyn's back arched and her thighs rose to encase his head, her mouth falling open with a sign as he lapped at her, his tongue dancing over her sensitive skin. He twirled the tip from top to bottom, avoiding her pulsing bud for the moment, wanting her desire to be nearly unquenchable. He circled her opening repeatedly before finally dipping his tongue inside, groaning at how her walls tried to clench at him despite the shallowness of his plunge. It never ceased to amaze him how responsive she was, no matter how long they were married or how many times they came together.

Using fingers from his left hand, he kept her lips pulled open and her expose to him, while he brought his pointer finger from his right hand up to tease at the hard nub that was visibly twitching with each heartbeat. Emerlyn let out a louder moan, her head falling back and her hand clenching tighter in his hair as he spread her slick around, circling the bud lightly while he continued to alternate teasing the outer rim of her opening and plunging his tongue in as much as he could.

Emerlyn's breath was coming short within minutes, the long wait and sensuality of the massage heightening her desire, propelling her towards completion quickly. When Arthur switched tactics, his tongue flicking at her bud while his finger thrust into her, she let out a whine, hips rocking up into his administrations. Arthur worked his finger until he could slide a second one inside, and then a third, her volume rising with each additional finger, her hips' movements almost dislodging him and her silky walls clenching at him tightly.

Knowing she was close, the king sealed his lips over her nub and sucked, smirking internally as Emerlyn wailed and her walls began to clench rhythmically around his digits. He continued to trust his fingers and suck on her bud, working her through her peak, before she was pushing him away. But instead of flopping back in blissful exhaustion, Emerlyn pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him, her wetness dragging against to tip of his member teasingly, making him groan in want.

Emerlyn leaned down to kiss him deeply, sharing in her taste, while her hands reached under her to circle his erection. She lightly stroked it for a second before withdrawing her hands, only for them to return a moment later, now slick. He shuddered as she stroked him with her own juices, his tongue stroking over hers before she was pulling away, leaving him bereft.

He didn't have long to miss her kiss because before he could even think, the tip of his cock was being kissed by her entrance. His hands found purchase on Emerlyn's hips as she teased them both, sliding his erection through her wetness, bumping her nub a few times before finally leading him back to her opening and slowly easing him inside.

Arthur groaned, his fingers digging into her hips, as her tight walls gripped him, almost burning with how hot and wet she was. It was the most pleasurable torture as she slowly lowered herself onto him, every inch of his erection being swallowed into that scorching cavern, making his toes curl in pleasure. Emerlyn's earlier climax made it easier for him to slip inside, the slick easing the way like molten lava; he honestly didn't know how he wasn't incinerated already.

Once fully seated, Emerlyn moaned and leaned back and gripped his shins, her body arched back, thrusting her breasts into the air as she slowly began to ride him, her walls clinging to him desperately every time she moved up, not wanting to release him from their grip. Arthur tried to help her, his hips rising to meet her, but Emerlyn seemed determined to have him at her mercy, leaning forward to raise his hands above his head.

He stared up at her in wonderment as she leaned over him, her hips beginning to pick up their pace, their bodies meeting with more force each time. Emerlyn's eyes were glued to his, the fire in her gaze heightening his desire even more; her breasts swayed in front of his face teasingly until he couldn't take it any longer and had to close his lips around a nipple, sending jolts of electricity to her core. The witch sighed in pleasure, releasing his arms to rest her palms on the bed, keeping her body arched so she could work her hips, while keeping her breast in his mouth. It wasn't that comfortable, but Emerlyn was passed the point of caring.

After several minutes of attention, Emerlyn pulled away from Arthur so she could sit up, her hands settling on his chest to give her leverage, her hips setting a punishing rhythm. She was beautiful as she moved, her body swaying enticingly as she chased her peak, making him want to touch. But, she'd been adamant on his hands being above his head, so he left them there; he did use his feet to leverage his hips up, thrusting powerfully up every time she came down, making her moan and gasp with each stroke.

Reaching down with one hand, Emerlyn gave her bud quick strokes, her other hand coming up to pinch her nipple while she rode him furiously, her thighs burning with the exertion.

"Emerlyn." Arthur groaned, his sac beginning to draw up, the clenching of her walls too much, driving him towards completion quickly.

"Yes, almost there." The witch muttered, stroking herself rapidly as their hips slammed together, her walls beginning to clench tightly again. Arthur had to grip her hips, unable to not touch her as his toes curled and his knees bent, his enter being focused on where she surrounded him.

It didn't take but a few more trusts before Arthur was spilling inside her with a groan, his erection pulsing maddeningly, making her crest her own peak. Emerlyn cried out as her walls clenched down almost painfully, her fingers stroking her nub quickly to ride out the pleasure, her hips still moving against his, determined to eke out every ounce of pleasure she could.

Arthur collapsed below her, completely worn out from their vigorous coupling; he didn't know if he'd be able to walk in the morning, his legs burning angrily. But the rest of him was well satisfied and content to stay locked away in their room for the next day if it meant more of this.

Emerlyn eased to a stop once she because too sensitive, shuddering through aftershocks as she relaxed. She looked down at him, both the picture of satisfaction; she grinned and leaned down to claim a kiss. She'd have to ensure they had the day off tomorrow, because she planned to ride the king into the ground until he was nothing but a begging mess. Yes, that sounded like a most excellent plan.

AN: I hope you enjoyed that and will have patience with me while I try to get into a better headspace and continue to work on the next chapter. Thank you so much for reading!