Title: The Years Have Not Been So Kind

Author: RomaMarufixx

Rating: T

Pairing: Fem!Merlin/Arthur

Summary: Arthur had always been curious about his manservant, even more so when he realises that he is in fact a woman, a woman who would do anything for him, but one day he has to send her away to protect her but things don't always turn out the way you want them to. Fem!Merlin, Arthur/Fem!Merlin, Non-Con, Canon AU.

Word count: 1,062

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to the BBC.

Arthur had been more than furious when the skinny boy had been made his manservant by his father, the King. The boy was useless and a pain, and they did not get along, at all. They fought, Merlin had even made him look like an idiot and a coward in front of his father and the court but later on the two had forgiven each other for the things that were said.

Merlin was an unusual man and made Arthur very curious, Arthur would often find himself staring at him too long, trying to figure him out or just watching the way he moved, he was very feline in the way he moved, his hips stuck out to far and he was very thin, for a man.

Of course he could could have never suggested that his manservant was in fact a maidservant. He had no idea, that was until she had fallen over when they were practising in the training fields, her tunic had gone up by accident and had exposed the bandages that she used to wrap around her chest, Arthur had blushed deeply and Merlin had quickly pulled her tunic back down and brushed herself off, but had not realised that she had been caught out by Arthur.

He ignored the fact she was a woman, and treated her the same as he always had, that was until the whole incident with Sophia. From the second she and Arthur had rescued Sophia and her father, Merlin had started acting strangely but couldn't do anything about it.

Arthur noticed Merlin's hair becoming longer, as if she were growing it out and her clothes hung tighter on her, showing her hips more and the curve of her chest. Hanging around a woman had given him more insight and made him realise even more about Merlin and making him even more interested in Merlin. Merlin had even saved him from ruining his life by running away with Sophia. And from that moment on he kept a close eye on Merlin.

Throughout the years she has been his servant she has always been loyal to him and to everyone that means something to her. And he noticed that she was very handy in a fight, she was lot better with a sword than he could ever had thought and with her magic she was even better. Yes, Arthur knew she was a sorceress, but didn't tell her, much like he hadn't told her that he found out she was woman instead of a man which he first thought.

After what happened with Sigan, Arthur knew Merlin had magic, even though he had suspected it beforehand, but after hearing their conversation, he knew that Merlin had magic for certain and that she was a good sorceress, she declined being all powerful for staying with Arthur, even though, and Sigan had pointed this out, was horrible to her and treated her like dirt...he didn't treat her that badly...did he?

It wasn't long after that, that his feelings for Merlin started to change, he had not even liked the girl when they had first met and now he was dreaming of them kissing and imagining her naked whilst she cleaned his chambers. He was falling in love with her. His changing feelings for her were shown in his actions, although they only showed signs of friendship not signs of romantic feelings. But then the day came...the day Arthur wished had never come.

"Arthur, your servant is a sorcerer." His father, who was under the troll's influence, said.

"What?" Arthur said, faking shock.

"He has deceived us all, you most of all." His father said, even after over a year of Merlin being here people still mistook her for a man.

"But, Father-"

"We must arrest him and put him to death."

"Yes, father."

Arthur had lead his knights to various locations around the citadel and then he ran to the place he knew Merlin would be, his chambers.

"Merlin, you have to leave." Arthur said as he entered the chambers.

"What, why?" Merlin's questioning was cut short as the Prince smashed his lips against hers, it took a few seconds for Merlin to respond by moving her lips against his. They pulled back from each other.

"Arthur...what?"

"I know you're a girl, I know you're a sorceress and now so does my father because of the troll that is my stepmother."

"Arthur, I'm sorry." Was the only thing Merlin said as her eyes brimmed with tears, Arthur cupped her chin and kissed her again quickly and she did the same to him.

"We have to get you out of Camelot and to somewhere safe, if you stay here then my father will kill you." Although she didn't want to leave Camelot, she didn't want to be killed either, so she let Arthur drag her out of the room and through the back ways through Camelot so the two could could get out of the city without being caught by knights or guards or any other person walking around Camelot.

"Arthur, I don't want to leave."

"Merlin, believe me, I don't want you to, but if you stay you will be killed and I do not want you dead." Merlin nodded. "There is a cabin, a few hours walk away, you can stay there until you find a place to live, when I am king, you can return." Arthur said and Merlin smiled.

"Then I can't wait for you to be king." Merlin said and the two shared a brief kiss before Merlin ran off out of Camelot and Arthur returned to the castle to tell his father there was no sign of Merlin, she had most likely escaped from Camelot.

The next few weeks were boring and Arthur missed his servant more and more as the days passed but he knew that it would be years before he would be able to see Merlin again, and that saddened him greatly.

Merlin had found the cabin Arthur was talking about and made that her home for the next few weeks, she decided to move to a different location in case Uther sent out people to look for her, so she moved frequently, never making herself known, just kept on moving, the thought of being back in Camelot when Arthur became king kept her going.