The hour was growing late, everyone knew the danger of being in the wilderness at night. The fire crackled as the food cooked and the horse tucked into their dinners, whilst the knights sat on some logs and Merlin cooked him dinner.

"Hurry up with the food, Merlin!" Gwaine shouted.

"We're starving over here!" Leon yelled.

Merlin sighed "It'll be ready in a few minutes unless you want food poisoning?"

Arthur was polishing his sword and he put it back on his belt before he looked at the knights "Go easy on him".

The knights smiled and they laughed.

"Merlin, Arthur's getting protective of you!" Leon joked.

Merlin stood up and he walked over to the knights with two bowls "Good". He handed Percival and Lancelot the bowls before he walked over to get the other bowls. Merlin handed Leon, Elyan and Gwaine their meals and then he walked over to the fire to put the pots away, he returned over to where the knights were sat with two bowls and he sat next to Arthur. He handed one of the bowls to the king and then he shivered.

Arthur looked at Merlin "Are you okay?'

Merlin nodded and he looked at Arthur "Yeah. Just sore".

The knights all wolf whistled and they laughed "Merlin and Arthur sitting in the tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G!" They all chanted.

Merlin blushed and he smiled at Arthur.

Arthur kissed Merlin and he ruffled up the warlock's hair "You're blushing".

"Sorry" Merlin bit his bottom lip.

Arthur kissed Merlin again "Don't be."

Merlin smiled and he started to eat his dinner, the knights and Arthur finished the stew and then Elyan washed up the plates so that Merlin could rest for a bit. Earlier on that day during a fight with some Saxons, Leon had been cut with a sword and everyone else just had grazes and bruises.

Merlin saw Leon wince in pain, he stood up and he walked over to Leon to sit next to his friend "How badly were you injured?"

Leon looked at Merlin "Not severely but it still huts a lot".

"Do you want me to take a look at it?" Merlin asked.

"Thanks, Merlin" Leon rolled up his sleeve and he saw the large cut.

Merlin gently lifted up Leon's arm slightly and he examined the cut "It's not too bad. But it could still get infected".

The knights watched as Merlin placed his hand over the cut on Leon's arm.

"Þurhhæle dolgbenn" Merlin's eyes flashed gold, and after a few seconds, he lifted his hand away from Leon's arm.

Leon smiled when he saw that his arm was completely healed and he looked at Merlin "Thank you, Merlin".

Merlin smiled "It's nothing" he then stood up and he walked passed Arthur.

Arthur quickly grabbed Merlin's waist and he pulled him down to sit on his lap "Come here you".

Merlin laughed and he wrapped his arm around Arthur's neck "Clotpole".

Arthur smiled and he kissed Merlin "Shut up".

Merlin kissed Arthur and then he rested his head on the king's shoulder.

Gwaine smirked and he sat down next to Leon "You're always all over him, Arthur".

Arthur smiled "I love him so much that I don't want to let him go. I know that I can look after him when he's with me".

Merlin smiled and he closed his eyes to rest "That's my job".

Arthur rubbed Merlin's upper arm, and he placed his hand on the side of Merlin's thigh "It's my job to protect you. No arguments".

Merlin smiled "Alright".

Arthur held Merlin as the warlock rested his eyes lids, the knights sat down and they laughed as they joked around. Merlin opened his eyes after a few minutes and he kissed Arthur's neck.

Arthur looked at Merlin and he smiled "Are you well rested now?"

Merlin smiled "Yeah. We all need to discuss the plan".

Arthur nodded before he looked at the knights "Camelot is a six days ride from here. We're safe here for the night".

"How'd you work that one out?" Elyan asked.

"Because you have me to look after all of you" Merlin answered.

"Maybe we should put someone else on lookout duty" Gwaine joked.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the log that Gwaine was sat on rolled backwards, Gwaine fell back and he landed on the ground. Arthur and the Knights laughed and the warlock smirked, Gwaine sat up and he sighed before he looked at Merlin.

"I have been overruled" Gwaine joked, before he stood up and he put the log back in place, he then sat on it.

"I'm braver than I look. I also have an advantage over anyone else, because I have magic" Merlin smirked.

"Oh really?" Arthur smirked before he started to tickle Merlin.

Merlin laughed and he squirmed around "Arthur!"

The knights smiled and they laughed as Arthur tickled Merlin. The beaming smiles on the king and warlock's faces could lift anyone's sorrows and their laughs could play anyone's heartstrings.

Merlin managed to escape and he laughed "Idiot!"

Arthur stood up "What was that?"

Merlin ran but Arthur chased after him, the warlock soon found himself being flung over the king's shoulder and he laughed "Clotpole".

Arthur smiled before he planted a kiss on Merlin's butt cheek "Idiot".

Merlin giggled playfully when Arthur kissed his butt cheek, and he looked over his shoulder "Arthur".

Arthur turned around with Merlin flung over his shoulder "Percival, you're on lookout duty until Merlin returns".

Merlin smirked and he giggled "Very sneaky" he whispered.

Arthur then turned around and he walked off into the trees with Merlin being carried on his shoulder. Once they had reached a brush, Arthur put Merlin down on the ground and he leaned over the warlock "You need to stay quiet".

Merlin smiled and he wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck "Can you stay quiet?"

"I can if we're kissing" Arthur answered.

Merlin's smile grew and he kissed Arthur "Good luck with that" he whispered, he then bent one of his knees.

Arthur moved one of his hands and he held onto Merlin's thigh "Let's try our best" he whispered into their kiss.

They kissed and Arthur started to grind himself against Merlin, and the warlock moaned with desire. After a few minutes, the king was holding in his moans as the warlock let out silent gasps. Merlin grasped Arthur's hair as the king kissed his neck and they both moaned.

After some time the couple broke away from each other, breathless and smirking.

"Can you climb?" Arthur asked after a minute of staring into Merlin's eyes.

The warlock in question nodded before he climbed the tree after Arthur. They perched on a broad branch and gazed up at the night sky, Arthur had his arm wrapped around Merlin's chest, the young warlock melted against the king's embrace and they smiled as they gazed up at the moon and the twinkling stars.