Summary: It started unexpectedly and it became alarming but it ended sweetly. Nakedness, teasing, kidnap, escape, rescue and comfort. Very mild dom/sub.

Look But Don't Touch (Part 2) by frostygossamer

Merlin woke up on the stone floor of a cold, dark, damp hovel. He threw off the sack that covered his head and looked around. The hovel was empty, its entrance sealed with a great oak door, and the only daylight came from a tiny window, cut into the wall opposite.

There was a small oil lamp on the floor beside him, together with a crust of bread and a piece of dried-up cheese on a tattered handkerchief. Merlin sneered at the food and got up to examine the window. It was very, very small but he thought perhaps...

Five minutes later Merlin was struggling to pull his oil-slicked, skinny hips through the tiny aperture. His bottom cheeks were wedged tightly in the frame and his pencil rubbed uncomfortably on the sill.

Eventually the weight of his top half won and, with one last effort, he fell head-first onto the ground. He jumped up quickly and ran like a deer, bare-arsed, into the forest.

('o')

After wandering lost and aimless through the woods for an hour or two, Merlin came upon a company of travelling players, en route for Camelot.

The burly man driving the cart covered his daughter's eyes when he saw the stark naked youth emerge from the trees. Merlin made no attempt to hide himself. He was used to this mode of attire now and felt no shame.

"Travelling to Camelot?", he asked, trying to look friendly, and harmless.

"Yes indeed, friend", the driver replied, suspiciously.

"May I travel with you?", Merlin pleaded.

"Well", the driver replied slowly. "If I can lend you something to wear, you may."

Merlin paused. He thought about the oath that he had sworn for Arthur, this morning. He couldn't wear clothes. Not until Arthur said he could. It would break that oath, and, as a sorcerer, he was superstitious enough to believe in these things.

"Sorry", he said. "I have to stay like this, I'm afraid."

The driver flicked his reins grumpily. "Well I'm sorry, friend", he retorted. "I have women and children aboard. It wouldn't be proper", and he continued along his way, leaving Merlin to follow on foot. He was soon left behind.

('o')

Suspecting an inside job, Arthur ordered Sir Leon and his men to lock down the fortress. They soon apprehended the false cook, as she attempted to sneak past the gates unnoticed. Arthur forced the woman, at the sharp point of his sword, to reveal exactly where Merlin was being held. He was angry and she knew he offered no mercy.

Arthur galloped to the location she described cross-country and hell-for-leather, but when he arrived he found the hovel deserted, the criminals having dispersed as soon as they realised that their captive had escaped.

There was no sign of his poor Merlin, only an empty sack and some uneaten food. So Arthur assumed that they had taken him with them, heaven knew where. And he cursed himself, knowing that if Merlin were to die, naked and alone, he would never ever forgive himself.

Merlin was his one true friend. And, though he had never before admitted it, even to himself, Merlin was also his one true love. That was why he adored him, from afar, without touching. Because he believed Merlin could not return his love.

('o')

Further on along the winding road to Camelot, Merlin had come across two other parties of travellers, but with much the same result. For some reason people could be very hostile when confronted with a naked person, even though Merlin was patently as innocent as a new-born baby, and just as pink.

As night fell and Camelot was still some distance off, Merlin's energy finally gave out, and he lay down in the bracken, by the side of the road, curling into a tight ball against the growing cold.

('o')

Meanwhile Arthur had returned, frustrated, directly to Camelot Castle. He informed Sir Leon that a search party should be organised for first thing in the morning.

He was supping with his father when a visitor was admitted. The man announced himself as a playwright, who had brought his play to perform at Camelot, with the king's permission. Uther was delighted, but Arthur was not in the mood, and he slipped away while his father's attention was diverted.

As he made his way through the chattering theatricals towards his own rooms, he overheard the word "naked", as two actresses giggled together. He stopped them and demanded to know what they were talking about. Nervously they told him about the funny naked boy that they had earlier encountered on the Camelot road.

Arthur wasted no time saddling his horse and galloping off to find his Merlin, fearing that the night's cold and human villainy would put an end to a scrawny, defenceless boy alone on the high road.

('o')

It took Arthur a little time to find Merlin, but he found him. And when he did, to his amazement, he found him surrounded by a bright blue aura, a glowing bubble of fairy-light, protecting him and keeping him safe, and alive. Somehow that seemed entirely natural for Merlin.

Finding his servant still unclothed, just as he had left him, made Arthur's spine tingle.

Arthur dismounted and gently lifted the naked Merlin into his arms. He was touching now, for the first time. But this wasn't ignoble.

Merlin stirred as he was shifted and he opened misty eyes. Arthur set him gently on his feet, leaning up against Arthur's mare. When he had mounted, he reached down and grasped Merlin's slim wrist, hauling him up onto the saddle in front of him, pulling him into his lap. He wrapped his cloak tightly around them both, grateful to have found him in one piece. Merlin snuggled sleepily against Arthur's chest, his head resting against the prince's shoulder, sliding his cold hands up under Arthur's warm shirt. Arthur's body thrilled at the icy touch of his fingers.

('o')

When Arthur entered his bedchamber with Merlin in his arms, he found that another servant had already prepared it for his return. The fire was lit and candles filled the room with a warm light. The bed was turned down and a warming pan had been placed in it. A plate of bread and meat and a flagon of wine stood on the table.

Arthur went to the bed and laid Merlin down on one side, then he removed the warming pan and placed the boy in the warm dent it left in the mattress. He placed the bed-warmer in the bottom of the bed. Merlin purred comfortably as Arthur tucked the blankets in around him, but whimpered when he walked away.

Arthur extinguished a few of the candles, softening the light, then he looked down at Merlin for a moment. He seemed small and fragile, so cold, probably almost hypothermic. He thought that he ought to climb in beside him and share his body heat, but that would have been difficult for him. So he took off his jacket and found a spare blanket. After poking the fire, he draped the blanket around his shoulders, and sat down in his armchair to watch his servant as he slept.

('o')

After some time, Arthur was awoken by Merlin's slim form sliding into his lap.

"I missed this", he murmured, pressing his cold nose against Arthur's neck.

Arthur took the blanket from his shoulders and wrapped the soft wool around Merlin's pale body. "Wanton boy", he muttered.

Merlin snuggled close, his cold feet winding into Arthur's right trouser leg, its material warm from the fire. Arthur slid his left hand along Merlin's spine, while his right hand vigorously rubbed the boy's thigh, trying to generate some warmth. Clinging tightly, Merlin's body convulsed with a sudden shiver.

"I'll put you back in the bed", Arthur stated, flatly.

"No", Merlin whined. "I missed you."

Nonetheless, Arthur put him back in the bed, but after a moment's indecision, removed his own clothes and joined him. Merlin hugged him close, pressing the full length of his slight body against his, his arms tight around Arthur's shoulders, his legs entwining with the prince's.

This was altogether too much touching, Arthur thought, so intimate. Merlin was just muzzy, too trusting and innocent.

Arthur didn't feel Merlin's manhood. It didn't press hard against his body. It was soft and un-aroused. Arthur fought back his natural impulses, forcing his own manhood to remain unaffected. He concentrated on matters outside this room, his father's boring lectures, tedious hours on patrol, hours spent at his lessons as a boy, anything but this.

Distantly he heard, outside in the castle courtyard, the audience to the play applaud and cheer, as if nothing else mattered.

('o')

When Arthur woke again it was morning and the sun had risen. He extracted his limbs carefully from his sleeping servant boy and busied himself getting dressed.

There was a gentle knock at the door. Arthur whipped the door open immediately, least further knocking should wake Merlin. Sir Leon was a little surprised.

"I came to get your orders", he said. "For the search party?"

Before Arthur could reply, Leon's idle glance into the room alighted on the blanket on Arthur's armchair and on Merlin's sleeping form in Arthur's bed.

"Oh, so you found him", Leon commented.

"Yes", Arthur replied. "On the high road. He was cold."

Leon nodded. "Of course. I'll tell the men to stand down", he said and left.

Arthur checked Merlin once more, brushing a hand through his ruffled hair, and left to go about his royal duties.

An hour later he returned to his chambers to find Merlin sitting up in his bed, with the wool blanket loose around his pale shoulders, and the tray of food from last night on his lap, together with a big goblet of wine, which he was drinking from thirstily.

He greeted Arthur with a grin. "I was hungry", he explained, stuffing a hunk of bread and beef into his mouth.

Arthur sat on the bed beside him, smiling fondly.

"I was wondering", Merlin began, absent-mindedly tearing off another hunk of bread. "I was thinking. Did you have me last night?"

"Certainly not", Arthur assured him. "You were fuddle-brained. I wouldn't take advantage of you in that condition."

"Oh", Merlin replied. "I wasn't sure. Though I thought it would feel different if you had."

"Different?", Arthur asked, amused.

"Well", Merlin pondered. "You are quite big. I thought I would have felt, well, bruised."

Arthur chuckled. "No, Merlin", he said. "Your honour is still intact. I was a gentleman."

Merlin grinned.

"I think, from now on, I am going to let you wear clothes again", Arthur decided, squeezing Merlin's ankle through the blankets.

Merlin studied his bread. "It's alright, you know", he said. "I don't mind, really, if it's what you like. Only..."

"Only what?", Arthur asked.

"Only, I think I would like it if you would be naked too. It was nice last night, when we were together. You felt nice... on me."

Arthur was touched. Yes, he was very touched. Touched inside. Touched at the heart. He leant forward and brushed his lips against Merlin's shy cheek. Merlin looked up. His eyes were dewy and his lips slightly parted. Arthur kissed him, and he didn't resist. In fact, he dropped his sandwich and tugged Arthur towards him, his long fingers wrapped around his neck.

Eventually Arthur pulled away, keeping his face close to Merlin's.

"Not now", he breathed. "But soon."

The End

Disclaimer: I've since discovered there is a 'nude cleaner' company called 'Look but don't touch'. This is a pure coincidence. :)