It was another day, another love enchantment broken, another Arthur making a fool of himself over a visiting noble lady. Merlin felt bad not being able to tell Arthur about the enchantment, specially this time. Uther was furious. After Lady Vivian had left and Merlin thought it was all over, Uther ordered Arthur to come see him in Arthur's chambers.

"No!" Uther yelled and Merlin flinched. Assuming that Uther only wanted to speak to Arthur, Arthur allowed Merlin to go to Gaius, but Uther stopped that thought before Merlin could even move towards his mentor's chambers. "You're coming too!" Merlin felt terror flow into his veins. Why would Uther be that angry at him? Could it be… he somehow knew about Merlin's magic? No… it couldn't be.

"What does your father want?" Merlin whispered as he walked just behind him.

"As if I knew." Arthur whispered back. Once in Arthur's rooms, Uther sat himself on Arthur's chair, glaring at them down.

"Do you know, how much you've embarrassed me today Arthur?" Uther said coldly.

"Father… I don't know what came over me… I… sincerely apologise for my behaviour." Arthur said. Merlin looked down.

"You almost got yourself killed! Over a woman!" Uther yelled. "Not to mention the disgraceful light you put your king in!"

"Sire, it wasn't his fault, I-"

"That is quite true!" Uther snapped and cut Merlin off. "It's your fault!"

"Father, what on earth would Merlin have to do with this?" Arthur asked.

"You, boy, are Arthur's manservant. It's your job to satisfy his appetite!" Uther yelled, pointing a gloved finger right at Merlin. Merlin blinked and dared to look away to see Arthur's face pale.

"Um… I'm sorry sire, I didn't realise I wasn't getting enough food for you." Merlin said. Arthur didn't respond, didn't even look at him.

"No, you blithering idiot! You are supposed to warm Arthur's bed and let him satisfy himself with you." Uther shouted and Merlin understood. What he was hearing was so ridiculous that he laughed.

"Oh…" He stopped laughing. "You're serious." Merlin looked at Arthur, trying to understand what the hell was happening. "…what?" He had to repeat, the information not quite getting into his head.

"Father, I'm not taking Merlin to bed. What happened today with lady Vivian was…"

"Was the result of a virile young man abstaining from fornication. Your needs are supposed to be met by your manservant. All your needs." Uther turned to Merlin then and Merlin felt colour rush to his face, leaving him feeling hot and embarrassed and unable to meet anyone's eye. "You will take him to your bed and use him as you see fit. For the next week I will station guards at your door. They will report to me on your nightly activities. If they don't hear anything satisfactory, I will procure you another manservant, until you find someone that satisfies your palate and ends this trend of you making a fool of yourself over women!" Uther finished and stood, making his way toward the door.

"Father, you can't be serious! Father!" But Uther didn't look at Arthur. Instead he gave Merlin a look that made Merlin shrink in on himself with shame, embarrassment and fear.

Merlin watched Arthur run after Uther. There was some more yelling in the corridor, which Merlin couldn't register. He had to sit himself down on the nearest chair, feeling dizzy.

When Arthur returned, Merlin realised everything had gone quiet. "…Arthur?" He wasn't exactly sure what to ask. Arthur avoided eye-contact with him as he went to pour himself some of the wine Merlin had brought up earlier.

"Father says, that finding me in Vivian's bed was the last straw. He fears me ending up with a bastard." Arthur said as he paced somewhere behind Merlin, but Merlin didn't dare turn around. He stared at the window, as the light of day changed to an orange glow. The sun was setting.

"I should… get your dinner, sire." Merlin said, standing and leaving the room. Arthur didn't try and stop him and Merlin was relieved.

Instead of heading for the kitchens, Merlin rushed to Gaius' chambers. "Gaius!"

Gaius was sitting down, staring at the flames. "Uther was just here, Merlin."

Merlin felt a chill go down his spine. "What did he say?"

Gaius looked at him and took a deep breath. "That I should encourage you to fulfil your duties as Arthur's manservant."

"Did you know this was one of the manservant's duties?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin, of course not. It's not… actually a duty… just a custom of some lords. I've seen Arthur growing up, he would never be the kind of person to follow such a custom."

Merlin looked away. "What now?"

Gaius looked away before handing him a bottle. "Uther ordered I give you this. Oil, to help make things easier." He said. Merlin felt the heat on his face again and looked away, taking the bottle only because Uther had ordered Gaius to do it.

"I can't do this… Gaius." Merlin whispered.

"You don't have to. Refuse and Uther will get another manservant… and another and another until Arthur obeys." Gaius said. Merlin bit his bottom lip.

"And then who will protect Arthur?" Merlin asked. Who's to say the next manservant would even be trustworthy? He looked at the bottle and left. Neither he nor Gaius said anything else.

As Merlin placed the dinner before Arthur, he placed the oil on the other end of the table. "Your… father asked Gaius to give this to you." Merlin said and went to prepare Arthur's bath.

Thankfully Arthur seemed distracted enough that he didn't notice him heat up the bathwater with magic.

Arthur took longer than usual coming to get into the bath. When he did, Merlin turned away even though Arthur undressed behind the cherry-wood screen.

Merlin tried to think of a way to lighten up the mood. All humour from the Vivian situation had flown out of his mind. "I'm sorry." Merlin blurted out.

"What have you done now?" Arthur asked from behind the screen.

"I'm sorry for getting fired." Merlin said.

"In case you haven't realised, Merlin, you haven't been fired." Arthur said and Merlin heard him get into the bath.

"As good as. Is your father… serious?" Merlin asked.

"You can hear the guards outside the door already, you tell me." Arthur replied and Merlin busied himself by placing the other's dirty clothes in the laundry basket. "Merlin… I'm not going to force you into anything. However… the only two options you have is to leave this room and not come back tomorrow or…"

Merlin couldn't turn around, he couldn't look at Arthur's face right now. "Or get in the bath with you?" He tried to joke, trying to lighten the mood even though he couldn't turn around to look him in the eye.

"Precisely."

Merlin turned to look at Arthur, who was looking at him intensely. Any other topic and Merlin would think Arthur was just trying to tease him. However, this? Arthur would never joke with something like this.

But Merlin had no choice. Arthur didn't realise it but his only choice was to stay. He would never turn tail and abandon Arthur to his enemies. Not when… all he had to do was… whatever the hell it was that couples do at night when no one is looking.

Seeing that Merlin wasn't moving to the door, Arthur chose to continue. "You should undress." Arthur ordered more than suggested. Merlin's heart raced in his chest out of fear of the unknown. He looked down and then proceeded to take off his shirt, his shoes, his trousers… He looked up to see Arthur looking away.

"Should I get in, sire?" Merlin asked.

Arthur nodded and Merlin got in, sitting down with his knees up against his chest in the pleasantly hot water. He'd never bathed with such hot water before and found himself sighing, feeling some of the tension leave his body. For a second he forgot why he was here. He remembered the instant he opened his eyes and saw Arthur staring at him.

Merlin had no idea what to do now. "Do I need to do something else, sire?" He asked.

"Have you ever lain with a man, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"No, sire." Merlin said. Neither of them was looking at each other by then.

"Have you ever lain with a woman?" Arthur asked.

"…No, sire." Merlin said. "Have you?" Merlin turned to look at him and Arthur shook his head.

"No but… I've been… educated on the matter."

"On how to lie with women?" Merlin asked surprised.

"No, you idiot. How to lie with men. Did you not hear to a word the king said?"

"To be honest, after he said I'm supposed to satisfy your appetite I kind of slowly blocked everything else out." Merlin mumbled. Arthur shook his head.

"Once I was sixteen summers along I was made to… watch, to learn. Only a few times until I could force out the words 'I understand'." Arthur said. Merlin looked at him, he looked embarrassed to say the least. "Father never insisted I do anything about it until all these stupid mishaps."

"Oh… well… I'm at your disposal, sire." Merlin said, not really knowing what else to say.

"You can still get up and leave." Arthur said.

"I don't want to stop being your servant." Merlin said very clearly.

"Fine… since you agree… finish washing me off." Arthur demanded. This part Merlin was comfortable with. This part he knew. He grabbed the wet cloths and used the scented lotion for the wash to clean Arthur's skin. As usual it smelled like sandalwood and black pepper. He washed Arthur's back and worked on his hair. Everything was the same except for the fact that this time Merlin was in the water with him. Arthur did the rest himself before turning to Merlin, grabbing another cloth. "Turn around." He said gently.

This was new. Merlin turned his back to him, continuing to kneel on the wooden bath as they'd been doing. He jumped a little when he felt Arthur's hand on his shoulder, keeping him still as he worked on his back, trailing cloth and fingers down his spine, making Merlin shiver. He closed his eyes. He had to do this. He had to.

Arthur's arm went round his waist and pulled him back against him. Merlin didn't do anything. He just let Arthur do what he wanted. Mostly because he still couldn't believe this was happening, but also because he had no idea what exactly was going to happen. He could feel Arthur's muscular chest press against his back, the heat radiating off of him onto his skin.

Arthur made Merlin lean down over the edge of the bath. He felt the cold trickle of oil falling onto his lower back, trailing down slowly. Merlin shivered and closed his eyes. Just stay still Merlin, just do your job. You need to stay close to Arthur to be able to protect him.

It was painful, in a tolerable and pleasant kind of way. Merlin grunted as he was filled and whimpered when the burning pain would go from pleasant to uncomfortable and back again as Arthur moved. Despite knowing that the guards were supposed to hear, Merlin tried his best to muffle his sounds, but he couldn't keep them in. Not that it mattered, his grunts of pain sounded the same as the moans of something better. He tried to only think of that, not of what was happening. Not of what he was doing and with whom or the why.

He could sort of feel something building in the base of his navel, but he would lose it now and then. He tried to understand why people did this willingly and cried out as Arthur got more… hurried. His grip on Merlin's hips became harder, pulling Merlin to meet Arthur's thrusts. Merlin panted and moaned and whimpered far too loudly for his own dignity. Dignity.

The moment that word crossed Merlin's mind he felt a well of emotion start to overfill and tears form on his eyes. Thankfully, his back was turned to Arthur.

Arthur leaned down, holding Merlin tight against him and Merlin heard the prince's pleasure in the sounds whispered against his ear.

It was starting to hurt more than feel good. "A-arthur…" He panted and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out as Arthur seemed to tense up against him and make sounds of pleasure that Merlin had never heard him make. Knowing that he was the only one to have heard such sounds coming from the prince, Merlin's heart beat faster with a selfish kind of thrill.

Then, just like it happened, it was over. Arthur moved away from him and stepped out of the bath. Merlin couldn't look at him. Arthur went behind the screen and began to dry himself. Merlin sat in the water for a few seconds longer, trying to process what they'd just done. He thought it would be easy. A small action to pay for staying by Arthur's side. Instead, he felt like something between them had changed entirely in an irreparable way.

Once he was certain his knees wouldn't give away under him, Merlin got himself out of the bath and patted himself dry quickly, putting his clothes back on and trying to act normal, only he couldn't quite remember how normal was anymore.

Arthur came out wearing his trousers for bed, looking like he too didn't know what to say.

Merlin stared at the bathwater that he was supposed to empty out. Even though he'd just had the best bath he'd ever had, he somehow felt dirtier than he'd ever been.

"I'll empty out the bath then." Merlin said heading for the buckets, trying to ignore the fact that he was still very much sore, in places he didn't even know he could feel things.

Arthur seemed to clear his throat and nodded. "And then I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Right." Merlin nodded his head and moved to empty out the bath. It took relatively less time than normal. Arthur was out for the count the second he hit his pillow. It almost surprised Merlin to see the other look so relaxed. Had Merlin's… service… really been enough to make him feel like that?

In any case, it allowed him to fill two buckets and empty out the rest with magic. As he made his way out he didn't expect the guards to still be there. He assumed after they… heard that they'd have enough to report to the king. Instead one sneered and looked away while the other smirked and leered at him. Somehow, Merlin felt he'd lost something in Arthur's room that he couldn't quite regain. His dignity. He hoped only Uther would get the 'report'.

Merlin only walked even faster away from Arthur's rooms.

When he arrived at Gaius' rooms, everything was quiet. He stared at the bowl of food waiting for him and took a deep breath, trying to shove emotion to the back of his mind where it belonged. He ate what he could manage and dragged himself to bed. Suddenly, his room felt too cold for comfort and even a warmth spell did nothing to help him warm up.